NCAA: College Football Preview, Week of Oct 7th

by Jason Brandt

If there is one thing I have learned about college football this season, it is that I have not learned anything about who is going to win the whole enchilada at the end. I see a bundle of five unscathed teams at the top that have not really done anything to separate themselves from one another. This week should give us some answers regarding contenders and pretenders. There are no less than six games involving top 25 clashes this week. There are also some tough tests for those at the top. Let's look at my top games of the week.

1. #1 Florida St. at #7 Miami- This one has that feeling back again now that Miami has joined the top ten. I see two difficult tests for FSU on the road to the Orange Bowl and this one is the toughest. FSU has not established a solid running game against the better teams it has played and it will be paramount for the Noles to run the ball this week. A hobbling Chris Weinke will be a stationary target for the Canes pass rush if FSU does not keep the defense honest. Miami is one of a handfull of teams that have enough speed at DB to run with the Seminole receivers. This one is a trap and the kicking game will haunt the Noles.

Miami 31 Florida St. 23

2. #2 Nebraska at Iowa St.- The feeling of being 4-0 holds two very different meanings for these squads. Iowa St. is off to a great start and showing great offensive balance with Sage Rosenfels throwing and Ennis Haywood running the ball. NU has looked very lackluster thus far, showing major dents in the armor on defense. There will be a great deal of red in the stadium in Ames, but the home crowd is fired up for this one and there are whispers that they feel they can take out the Huskers. I think it will closer than many people think, but Eric Crouch will find a way to win the game.

Nebraska 38 Iowa St. 24

3. NC St. at #5 Clemson- I too have heard all the folks saying this could be a very tough game for the Tigers. I don't buy it. This is an NC St. team that was lucky to dodge Georgia Tech. I have been impressed with Wolfpack frosh. QB Phillip Rivers, but to asking him to go to Clemson and pull off a victory is too much in my opinion. I think Clemson cruises to their matchup with Florida St.

Clemson 48 NC St. 17

4. #10 Oklahoma vs. #11 Texas at the Cotton Bowl- It is really nice to see this game mean something this year. These teams just plain don't like each other and both have worked up to that top ten level again as a program. OU has not been overwhelming thus far, especially last week against Kansas. This is the first trip OU has had to take away from Norman. Major Applewhite should finally get the start this week and I like his big game experience over Josh Heupel of Oklahoma. OU is still a year away from being a title contender, but they will get there under Bobby Stoops.

Texas 38 Oklahoma 24

5. #6 Michigan at Purdue- Any road game against an upper echelon team in the Big 11 is going to be a test this year. I am beginning to wonder if Purdue is really in that echelon. Michigan is just about through the muderous run of UCLA, Illinois, Wisconsin and Purdue. I think they will roll through at 3-1 and be in position if any of the top 5 should fall. Henson provides a spark if Carr will open up the playbook and let him use his great receivers.

Michigan 27 Purdue 17

6. #15 Auburn at #20 Mississippi St.- Tommy Tuberville will invade Mississippi again, this time finding a much better defense than the one in Oxford. Rudi Johnson has been outstanding for the Tigers this year, but the Dogs have a way of taking running backs out of games. Ben Leard will be forced to try to beat MSU on his own and I can't see that happening.

MSU 24 Auburn 13

7. #7 Ohio St. at #24 Wisconsin- Ohio St. is hanging around just quietly putting together a nice little season. The Buckeyes get their first big test this week in Madison with the Badgers. I really don�ft know what to make of Wisconsin. Their defense gets shredded by Northwestern and then shows up to play Michigan. I think OSU pulls what many thinks would be a surprise by going into Madison and winning.

Ohio St 27 Wisconsin 21

8. #21 Tennessee at #19 Georgia- I watched two Vol teams play last week against LSU. One that spotted the tigers a 24-6 lead and the other that just took over the game for most of the second half. The Bulldogs are playing well again after the slip at South Carolina, but I still believe this is a solid Tennessee team that will give Quincy Carter trouble. The Bulldogs have not beaten the Vols for awhile and I see it continuing.

Tennessee 31 Georgia 21

9. #23 Oregon St. at #13 Washington- It seems like a new Pac 10 power arises each week. This week the Oregon schools have both taken center stage. One rule I am going with that has worked well thus far is to pick the home team when two Pac 10 contenders collide. The system has worked and I am sticking to it, no game analysis needed.

Washington 30 Oregon St. 20

That will do it for me this week. I'll be back Monday to tell you what I learned over this weekend.

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