The college football season is entering week four, and there’s no shortage of drama. Adding to it, widespread conference play opens up this week. Each team is looking to build its resume for the college football playoff committee.
Which teams can validate early-season success? Who can turn early-season woes into a second-half resurgence?
Record:
Alex 8-4
Josh 7-5
No. 4 Penn State versus Iowa
Alex: The Hawkeyes are amped for this one, looking to avenge their 41-14 loss to Penn last season. Penn State Heisman Trophy candidates, quarterback Trace McSorley and running back Saquon Barkley, won’t make it easy. The fourth ranked Nittany Lions have much to prove this season after a crushing Rose Bowl defeat last year. Iowa will give a valiant effort at home in Iowa City, but there’s simply too much star power on the opposing sideline for them to overcome. Penn State gets the win.
Josh: Kinnick Stadium is no friend to highly ranked opponents. Michigan’s playoff dreams were shattered a year ago when Iowa pulled off a remarkable upset. Kirk Ferentz is the longest tenured head coach in college football and for good reason. His defense is tough. His offense is a force running the ball. His quarterbacks do not turn the ball over. Josey Jewell is one of the best linebackers in the country, Akrum Wadley is a bruising tailback, and night games in Iowa City produce drama. But James Franklin is not about to get upset. Saquon Barkley and Mike Gesicki are the best in the country at their positions. Quarterback Trace McSorley is a dynamic, dual-threat weapon. The Nittany Lions take down the Hawkeyes.
No. 16 TCU versus No. 6 Oklahoma State
Alex: TCU hopes to return to the national spotlight with a win over the high-powered Oklahoma State offense and it’s safe to say they face an uphill battle. Since the departure of Trevone Boykin two seasons ago, the Horned Frogs have been fairly irrelevant. The Cowboys, on the other hand, are looking to break through their ceiling and cement themselves as one of the country’s top teams and a contender for the College Football Playoff. Mason Rudolph’s Heisman campaign should continue after blowing out Pitt last week. Oklahoma State wins in a high-scoring contest.
Josh: TCU has finally gotten back to Gary Patterson’s brand of football. The team has one of the tougher defenses in the Big 12, necessary to slow down Mike Gundy’s potent offense. Quarterback Kenny Hill will need to make plays both in the air and on the ground to keep pace in this expected shootout. Cowboy quarterback Mason Rudolph is proving to be one of the top signal callers in the country, poised for a run at the Heisman. Along with an elite wide receiver core and a talented running back, Oklahoma State wins big.
No. 17 Mississippi State versus No. 11 Georgia
Alex: The battle of the Bulldogs. Mississippi State made headlines after dominating LSU in “Starkvegas” last week. Nick Fitzgerald’s play has been outstanding and his defense hasn’t been too far behind. On the other side, Jacob Eason will return to action for Georgia and look to establish SEC East dominance. The Georgia defense will need to play well, as they have been, if they hope to keep State quiet. Otherwise, Eason and company will have to keep up with Fitzgerald and an offense that made LSU look silly. Dan Mullen and his physically tenacious team find a way to grind another one out and escape with a win.
Josh: Both teams have statement wins on their resume. Georgia went to South Bend and beat Notre Dame. Mississippi State throttled LSU at home in an upset. Georgia will most likely start freshman quarterback Jake Fromm, as they rely on Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, and Kirby Smart’s defense to keep the game close. Mississippi State is loaded on both sides of the ball. Nick Fitzgerald has continued his stellar play from a year ago. Combined with one of the best scoring defenses in the country, State wins this battle of the Bulldogs.
Colorado versus No. 7 Washington
Alex: Washington, fresh off a College Football Playoff appearance in 2016, needs a big win over a formidable opponent. They’ll get their shot at the Colorado Buffaloes. Boulder should be rocking Saturday night as fans everywhere hope to find out what the Buffaloes are made of. A rematch of last year’s Pac 12 championship game, the Buffaloes will give this game everything they’ve got in front of a home crowd, hoping to defend their undefeated record. The Huskies’ talent, however, will simply be too much. Jake Browning and company will remind the college football world just how good they can be and exit Boulder with an easy win.
Josh: The last image most people have of Washington is the dismantling they received at the hands of Alabama in the National Semifinal game. Mike McIntyre and Chris Petersen have brought the Buffaloes and Huskies back to relevancy, made evident by how many of their former players were drafted into the NFL earlier this year. Jake Browning leads a potent offensive attack loaded at all levels and Washington’s defense is scary. Taylor Rapp is one of the best safeties in football and Vita Vea is a game wrecker on the defensive line. The Washington Huskies dominate the Buffs in all three phases of a big win.
