Every year, there is one week of the college football season where the schedule presents more than a dozen games that are not just interesting, they are foretelling. While the season’s final two weeks usually mean everything, usually a mid-season week turns out to be the week where teams either put up or shut up. We here at the PiRate Ratings believe this is that week. Let’s look at the 25 games where we see a major interest in watching or listening to this week.
Thursday Night
7:30 PM: Ole Miss at South Carolina—The Rebels play their first important game of the year after clobbering two patsies. The Gamecocks aren’t a Top 25 team, but in Columbia, they are tough to beat. It won’t hurt that USC had already played a Thursday night game. This should be a high scoring game, weather permitting (chance of thunderstorms), and it could be another one of those recent SEC “Arena Football League Games.”
The PiRate computer says Ole Miss should win by 13.3, while the old Mean rating picks the Rebels by 5. Vegas has Ole Miss by 3 as of midday Monday. PiRate Viewer Rating: A-
Saturday Games (all times EDT)
12 Noon: Indiana at Michigan—This Hoosier team is 3-0, but make no comparison between it and the cardiac kids of 1967, or even the Bill Mallory teams of 1987 and 1988. We’ll soon find out if it is another version of the 2007 team. Indiana struggled to beat Eastern Kentucky and Western Michigan. Michigan could be on the verge of challenging Penn State, Iowa, and Ohio State for conference supremacy. They proved themselves valid with a win over Notre Dame, and now they get a chance to move upward. The PiRate computer picks Michigan by 20.3, and the Mean picks the Wolverines by 14. PiRate Viewer Rating: B
12 Noon: Michigan State at Wisconsin—In August, it looked like this game could be a battle of unbeaten teams, but the Spartans have slipped up with a 1-2 start. This game becomes a must-win game for MSU, because they face Michigan next week. Coach Mark Dantonio’s team could be looking at 1-5 or even 1-6 if they slip up this week. As for the Badgers, this is their sixth consecutive year starting 3-0. Except for 2006, the season hasn’t finished up like it started. This could be the pivotal game in the UW coaching career for Bret Bielema. A win here sets them up for a huge rivalry match at Minnesota next week where a win would send the Badgers to Ohio State with a chance to move into Rose Bowl contention. Wisconsin avoids Penn State and gets Iowa and Michigan at home this year. A loss could start the ball rolling toward 7-5 or even 6-6. PiRate Rating: Wisconsin by 0.6/Mean: Wisconsin by 4/PiRate Viewer Rating: A-
12 Noon: South Florida at Florida State—We’ve been looking at this matchup for quite some time. This should be a hard-fought thriller. USF has wanted a shot at any of the three big teams in the Sunshine State, and the economy has made this one possible. Florida State’s opening game loss to Miami could be explained. The letdown against Jacksonville State wasn’t totally surprising. The 26-point win at BYU was a shock. That makes Miami look all the more talented. USF has yet to play quality opposition, and this game will give us a good gauge of the ACC against the Big East. If the Bulls can win this one, then they should be 5-0 when they host Cincinnati on Thursday, October 15. PiRate Rating: FSU by 14.3/Mean Rating: FSU by 9/PiRate Viewer Rating: A-
12 Noon: Fresno State at Cincinnati—Fresno State has played well in losses to Wisconsin and Boise State, but now they face the hardest game on their schedule. We don’t think the Bulldogs have much chance of adding another big upset to their 21st Century resume, but we do see this as a gauge game. Cincinnati has looked like a Top 10 team and maybe contender for the National Championship Game through three games. If Cinti can do to Fresno State what they did to Rutgers, they will move into the Top 12. If they cannot win by more than three touchdowns, then it makes Boise State look all the more better. PiRate Rating: Cinti by 21.7/Mean Rating: Cinti by 20/PiRate Viewer Rating: A
12 Noon: Southern Mississippi at Kansas—The Golden Eagles aren’t ranked, but Coach Larry Fedora has a strong team in Hattiesburg. Southern Miss is 3-0 after their great comeback win over Virginia. Tough road games remain against Houston, Marshall, and East Carolina, so they probably have little or no chance of running the table and sneaking into the BCS Bowl picture. Kansas will vie with Missouri and Nebraska for the Big 12 North title this year. They just missed the last two years, and a big win in this game could set the table for finally breaking through. An impressive win here, followed by wins over Iowa State and Colorado would have the Jayhawks at 6-0 when Oklahoma invades Lawrence on October 24. KU QB Todd Reesing may be the best passer without much chance of getting drafted. At 5-11, he’s considered too small for the NFL. PiRate Rating: Kansas by 17.1/Mean Rating: 14/PiRate Viewer Rating: A
12 Noon: North Carolina at Georgia Tech—This game is interesting because the Tar Heels catch Georgia Tech coming off a disastrous road loss to Miami. If Coach Butch Davis has UNC ready to challenge on the national scene, then the Heels need to do something close to what Miami did to the Yellow Jackets. They will stack the box to take away the option and force Josh Nesbitt to beat them through the air. It can be done, but it won’t be easy. A Tech win means the winner of the Virginia Tech-Miami game will be in the driver’s seat in the Coastal Division. PiRate Rating: Tech by 1.9/Mean Rating: Tech by 2/PiRate Viewer Rating: A-
12:20 PM: L S U at Mississippi State—The AP and USA Today polls have LSU at number 7, but the Tigers are only the fourth highest-ranked SEC team. The win at Washington looks much more impressive now, but the lackluster win over Vanderbilt becomes a great comparison here. New Mississippi State Coach Dan Mullen saw his Bullies stop Vanderbilt in Nashville more impressively than LSU’s win over the Commodores in Tiger Stadium. This game hasn’t been close since Jackie Sherrill was coaching in Starkville. We think it might be this year, and with some lucky bounces, MSU could actually be there at the end. PiRate Rating: LSU by 15.9/Mean Rating: LSU by 12/PiRate Viewer Rating: A-
1:00 PM: Marshall at Memphis—Here’s a game that should determine a bowl spot for the winner and doom the loser to the wrong side of .500 for the season. We think Marshall is primed to break out and save Coach Mark Snyder’s job this year. It’s been six years since the Thundering Herd last enjoyed a winning season, and we see at least seven wins in their near future. This is the C-USA opener for both teams. The schedule sets up well for Marshall if they can win this road game. They get East Carolina and Southern Miss. at home, and it wouldn’t be a big surprise to us if they could sneak into contention in the East. PiRate Rating: Marshall by 3.5/Mean Rating: Marshall by 2/PiRate Viewer Rating: B+
3:00 PM: UNLV at Wyoming—The Rebels have never been a Division 1-A (FBS) heavyweight. The 2000 season is the only good year they’ve had since moving up in classification 30 years ago. UNLV has a chance to get back to a bowl game this year, as long as quarterback Omar Clayton can remain healthy. On a gimpy knee, he guided the Rebels to a comeback victory over Hawaii. This becomes a must win game, and Wyoming is beatable. However, in Laramie, the Cowboys play tough. Tell Mack Brown that the Cowboys are an easy pushover. One slip up by UNLV this week makes their bowl hunt much more difficult. PiRate Rating: UNLV by 3.4/Mean Rating: UNLV by 5/PiRate Viewer Rating: B
3:30 PM: Arkansas at Alabama—Arkansas’s passing game will show everybody whether Alabama’s pass defense is national championship caliber. We don’t expect the Hogs to threaten an upset here, but this game should tell us whether Alabama is good enough to run the table and get to the SEC Championship Game for a second consecutive season. To this point in the season, Alabama has actually looked like the top team in the conference if not the nation. If the Tide is going to rise and become the South’s elite, they need to win this one by 20 or more points. PiRate Rating: Bama by 20.8/Mean Rating: Bama by 20/PiRate Viewer Rating: A-
3:30 PM: California at Oregon—The Bears didn’t look like a championship caliber team in their win at Minnesota last week, while Oregon handled Utah. Cal has a home date with Southern Cal next week, but the players better concentrate on this game. Autzen Stadium is still one of the toughest places to play as a visitor, and Oregon isn’t Washington State. If Cal doesn’t come out ready for bear, the game with Southern Cal could be for 5th place in the standings. Jahvid Best needs to put two good halves together to move up on the Heisman Trophy list. PiRate Rating: Cal by 15.5/Mean Rating: Cal by 3/PiRate Viewer Rating: A+
3:30 PM: TCU at Clemson—With BYU and Utah losing to BCS conference teams this past weekend, the Horned Frogs may be the last legitimate shot for a Mountain West team to make it to a BCS Bowl Game. A win at Clemson could move TCU up into the top 12. We don’t think this Horned Frog team has the same tough defense as the recent teams in Ft. Worth. Clemson could easily be 3-0 today, but several questionable miscues cost them against Georgia Tech. After watching Miami destroy Tech, could the Yellow Jackets be overrated, and thus could Clemson not be as tough as they were supposed to be? This game may not supply the answers, but at least the winner will move up on the early bowl bubble. PiRate Rating: Clemson by 4.5/Mean Rating: Tossup/PiRate Viewer Rating: A-
3:30 PM: Pittsburgh at North Carolina State—We here at the PiRate Ratings must remain impartial, as the only thing we truly root for is to be correct when we pick games. However, a couple of us would be happy if Dave Wannstedt had a BCS Bowl team. This may be Pittsburgh’s best team since 1982. Then, again, this could be another year like 2000. We should have a lot more evidence to make that call after this game. The Panthers have a one-two punch in quarterback Bill Stull and blazing fast running back Dion Lewis. North Carolina State is a little better than average but not the juggernaut they were seven years ago. It Pittsburgh can win in Raleigh, a double-digit win season is possible. PiRate Rating: Pitt by 2.0/Mean Rating: 6/PiRate Viewer Rating: B+
3:30 PM: Miami (Fla.) at Virginia Tech—This game is the one of the top three of the day. Two games into the season, this edition of Hurricanes is more like Camille than a tropical depression. Quarterback Jacory Harris may be the top passer in the ACC, and he may soon move high up on the list of NFL prospects in the next couple of years. He has a live and accurate arm, and his ability to pass on the run makes it difficult to sack him. Virginia Tech beat Nebraska last week in a close game, and the Hokies have won 38 of the last 43 games at Lane Stadium. If Miami can win this game, it will set up an even more interesting battle against Oklahoma next week. PiRate Rating: Virginia Tech by 6.7/Mean Rating: Virginia Tech by 4/PiRate Viewer Rating: A+
4:30 PM: Troy at Arkansas State—There are two key games in the Sunbelt Conference this week. Troy has been the Southern Cal of the SBC as of late, but the Trojans may not be quite as strong this year. Arkansas State had an extra week to prepare for this game and gets the Trojans in Jonesboro. These teams have split the last four games in this series, and the Red Wolves have what it takes to pull off the mild upset. An ASU win throws this race wide open. PiRate Rating: Troy by 2.4/Mean Rating: Troy by 1/PiRate Viewer Rating: B
6:00 PM: Florida at Kentucky—Two years ago, Kentucky upset number one LSU in Lexington. No, we don’t expect a repeat Saturday. The Wildcats start a grueling stretch of games that call for the Cats to play Alabama, at South Carolina, and at Auburn after this game, so UK could easily be 2-4 when Louisiana Monroe comes to town on October 24. Florida needs something to show the pollsters and computers that they deserve their lofty ranking. What should be an unbelievable year like Nebraska in 1995 could fail to materialize over the lack of all-conference receivers. Can Tim Tebow do it all on the offensive side? Think Larry Csonka with Bob Griese’s arm. You bet he can lead the Gators to Pasadena in January. PiRate Rating: Florida by 32.7/Mean Rating: Florida by 20/PiRate Viewer Rating: A-
6:00 PM: Colorado State at BYU—Had the Cougars won last week in a grueling game, we were prepared to check this game as a possible letdown game and go with the Rams and the points. The Cougars exited Lavell Edwards Stadium thoroughly bewitched, bothered, and bewildered after losing to Florida State 54-28. Colorado State is 3-0 for the first time since 1994. That team went 10-1 in the regular season including a 28-21 win at BYU. We don’t expect a repeat in 2009, but a good showing could be the next step on the long climb back to the top in the MWC. The Rams should win eight games this year, but this won’t be one of them. PiRate Rating: BYU by 16.9/Mean Rating: BYU by 16/PiRate Viewer Rating: B+
7:00 PM: Arizona State at Georgia—Arizona State has never played in an SEC stadium (unless you count the 1951 visit to then Southwest Conference member Arkansas). In their only two games against SEC teams, the Sun Devils lost at home to Georgia last year and at home to LSU in 2005. ASU Coach Dennis Erickson knows a little about winning in the Deep South, having claimed a national title at Miami. He may have an average squad or some degree better, but wins against Idaho State and Louisiana Monroe has yet to prove anything. Georgia has already played three tough games, winning two SEC battles already. The Bulldog defense has yet to shut anybody down, but the offense has looked impressive in wins over South Carolina and Arkansas. This game will tell us a lot more about these two conferences as the season progresses, but it should be exciting itself. The weather could be a major factor as well. PiRate Rating: Georgia by 15.6/Mean Rating: Georgia by 7/PiRate Viewer Rating: A
7:00 PM: Army at Iowa State—Say What? This game is an important one? You betcha! It looks like the “trade” of Gene Chizik to Auburn for Paul Rhoads could prove to be a win-win decision. Iowa State could be looking at a possibility of sneaking into the eighth or ninth Big 12 bowl slot if they can win this game. Kansas State, Texas A&M, Colorado, and Baylor present winnable games if the Cyclones can stop the option game of the Cadets. On the other side of the equation, Army needs only to become bowl eligible to earn a guaranteed bowl bid. The Cadets are 2-1 and have winnable games left against Tulane, Vanderbilt, Temple, VMI, North Texas, and of course Navy. If Army wins this game, then we are confident in saying they will earn their first bowl trip since 1996. This game becomes, in essence, a bowl qualifier. That’s why it makes our list of the key 25 games this week. PiRate Rating: ISU by 12.4/Mean Rating: ISU by 10/PiRate Viewer Rating: A-
7:00 PM: Middle Tennessee at North Texas—This is the second key Sunbelt Conference game this week. Middle Tennessee is the only SBC team to own four wins on the road against teams from BCS conferences, and the Blue Raiders made it number four last week by winning at Maryland (the second consecutive win over the Terps). North Texas showed signs of life this year in winning at Ball State and giving Ohio U a great battle, but quarterback Riley Dodge went down with an injury in the third quarter of that game. He missed last week’s blowout loss at Alabama, but he will return this week. He gives the Mean Green a chance in this game. PiRate Rating: Middle Tenn by 8.7/Mean Rating: Middle Tenn by 8/PiRate Viewer Rating: B
7:30 PM: Arizona at Oregon State—Both teams lost to undefeated, out-of-conference opponents last week, but the winner of this game could challenge in the Pac-10. We don’t think either can go on the road and beat both Cal and USC (both play these two powers on the road), but the winner of this game should stay in contention for one of the Pac-10’s top four bowls. PiRate Rating: Oregon State by 3.9/Mean Rating: Oregon State by 2/PiRate Viewer Rating: B
8:00 PM: Iowa at Penn State—Could this game be for the Big 10 Championship? It’s possible. Iowa stumbled out of the gate with Northern Iowa, but impressive wins over Iowa State and Arizona have the Hawkeyes 3-0 for the third time in four years. This is more than just any big game for Penn State; the Nittany Lions came into this game last year ranked number three at 9-0 and lost 24-23 in Iowa City. Penn State is undefeated again and ranked number five this time, but Joe Pa’s team has played three patsies. The winner of this game will be the leader in the clubhouse in the Big 10, but with Michigan, Ohio State, and even Wisconsin still around, they won’t have it wrapped up. PiRate Rating: Penn State by 5.6/Mean Rating: Penn State by 4/PiRate Viewer Rating: A+
9:00 PM: Washington at Stanford—Can you believe this game? Washington is the second ever team to crack the AP poll rankings in September after being winless the year before (Florida in 1980). Stanford is close to being 3-0, and the Cardinal have not been this good since 2001. Simply put, the winner of this contest is going to a bowl game this year. You’ll see two great quarterbacks in this one. Stanford’s Andrew Luck is just a freshman, but he’s averaging 9.3 yards per pass attempt and completing 62.3% of his passes. Washington’s Jake Locker is leading the Pac-10 in total offense. PiRate Rating: Stanford by 9.5/Mean Rating: Stanford by 8/PiRate Viewer Rating: A
9:15 PM: Texas Tech at Houston—These teams haven’t played each other since the Southwest Conference days, and it should be one of the most exciting games of the season. You have two teams that average better than 400 passing yards per game. Houston’s Case Keenum has a shot at an NFL career in a couple of years, while Texas Tech’s Taylor Potts may be the best quarterback Coach Mike Leach has placed in his offense. PiRate Rating: Texas Tech by 6.2/Mean Rating: Texas Tech by 3/PiRate Viewer Rating: A-
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