Standings:
1.) Draper 5-1 (1-1 upset)
2.) Seeberg 4-2 (1-1 upset)
2.) Schweinfurth 4-2 (0-2 upset)
4.) Hoying 3-3 (1-1 upset)
After a couple weeks of one or two monster games flanked by legions of lesser matchups, week 3 brings some meat onto the table all Saturday long, including the young season's first premier matchup in conference play, and the potential for a preseason Playoff favorite to face elimination from contention in just their second game.
Georgia Bulldogs @ Tennessee Volunteers
Draper: Clear game of the week in Knoxville. Is Bobby Hill able to recreate the magic of Rocky Top in year two? So far, the loss of Nico has appeared to be a blessing in disguise as they've destroyed the competition thus far. The Dawgs have been less than inspiring thus far, but they've taken care of business. Neyland (Horseshoe South?) will certainly be insane which has led to a few famous upsets of the Tide, but the Bulldogs are still looking to prove they're in the small group of consistent contenders. Stockton isn't super flashy, but I think he'll do enough to get a big road win to send give the Vols a dose of reality. UGA: 24--UT: 20
Hoying: Sometimes a football is a literal football, and sometimes it's the metaphorical football held by Lucy while good old Charlie Brown runs up to try to kick it again. Tennessee hasn't beaten Georgia since Jauan Jennings caught a Hail Mary pass in the end zone wayyyy back in 2016. And the Georgia D seems to have learned its lesson since that last second failure, as the Vols have cracked 20 against the Bulldogs just once since then (UGA put up 44 in that game to make sure it was never in doubt). And this year, once again, the D in Dawg stands for defense, as a dominating performance against Austin Peay last weekend made up for a puzzlingly sputtering day on the other side of the ball. Tennessee, meanwhile, has been scoring in bunches (even without Squirrel White catching passes for them anymore) but has been a bit more porous on the other side of the ball. They say defense travels, particularly in the still-early stages of a season seeing both of these teams break in new QBs after their respective predecessors both (!) transferred out. Never mess with a streak until it's over. UGA: 24--UT: 17
Schweinfurth: Georgia feels like a sneaky good team. There hasn't been too much said to this point (then again, I haven't been able to watch much ball this year) about them. They are a good team. Just keep them off the roads. I'm not sure the Vols can hang here. UGA: 35--UT: 17
Seeberg: So the analytics, from what I’ve seen, have Tennessee favored in this one? I…feel hoodwinked. The Vols are certainly much improved under Heupel, but they haven’t yet stacked talent year over year like the Bulldogs. Neyland (south) may help to equalize things but until they prove they can win against a big boy other than that absurd shootout with Bama a few years back, I’m rolling with UGA- as long as the players aren’t driving the buses. UGA: 31—UT: 20
Draper: Clear game of the week in Knoxville. Is Bobby Hill able to recreate the magic of Rocky Top in year two? So far, the loss of Nico has appeared to be a blessing in disguise as they've destroyed the competition thus far. The Dawgs have been less than inspiring thus far, but they've taken care of business. Neyland (Horseshoe South?) will certainly be insane which has led to a few famous upsets of the Tide, but the Bulldogs are still looking to prove they're in the small group of consistent contenders. Stockton isn't super flashy, but I think he'll do enough to get a big road win to send give the Vols a dose of reality. UGA: 24--UT: 20
Hoying: Sometimes a football is a literal football, and sometimes it's the metaphorical football held by Lucy while good old Charlie Brown runs up to try to kick it again. Tennessee hasn't beaten Georgia since Jauan Jennings caught a Hail Mary pass in the end zone wayyyy back in 2016. And the Georgia D seems to have learned its lesson since that last second failure, as the Vols have cracked 20 against the Bulldogs just once since then (UGA put up 44 in that game to make sure it was never in doubt). And this year, once again, the D in Dawg stands for defense, as a dominating performance against Austin Peay last weekend made up for a puzzlingly sputtering day on the other side of the ball. Tennessee, meanwhile, has been scoring in bunches (even without Squirrel White catching passes for them anymore) but has been a bit more porous on the other side of the ball. They say defense travels, particularly in the still-early stages of a season seeing both of these teams break in new QBs after their respective predecessors both (!) transferred out. Never mess with a streak until it's over. UGA: 24--UT: 17
Schweinfurth: Georgia feels like a sneaky good team. There hasn't been too much said to this point (then again, I haven't been able to watch much ball this year) about them. They are a good team. Just keep them off the roads. I'm not sure the Vols can hang here. UGA: 35--UT: 17
Seeberg: So the analytics, from what I’ve seen, have Tennessee favored in this one? I…feel hoodwinked. The Vols are certainly much improved under Heupel, but they haven’t yet stacked talent year over year like the Bulldogs. Neyland (south) may help to equalize things but until they prove they can win against a big boy other than that absurd shootout with Bama a few years back, I’m rolling with UGA- as long as the players aren’t driving the buses. UGA: 31—UT: 20
South Florida Bulls @ Miami Hurricanes
Draper: USF is the flavor of the month with 2 great wins to start the season, but there are still questions. Boise may not be any good, and Napier is another level of stupid. However, getting a win in the Swamp is no small task. Miami is living large after a nice win over the Irish in week one, but can they have consistent success? I'm not sold on the Carson Beck experiment, but, while USF is a fun story, I don't see it continuing. Just look to the wise guys and the lack of respect given to the Bulls. I tend to agree. The convicts continue their top 10 pace...for now. USF: 16--UM: 30
Hoying: Preseason polls are stupid, and early season polls are equally stupid. All week we've had to hear about how South Florida is the "most accomplished" team so far, based on beating two fringe top-25 teams that may not even be sniffing the rankings by season's end. Do we really think the Bulls have what it takes to hang with the mighty Miami Hurricanes after barely hanging on to an upset win over an overrated Florida team last week? No. They don't. Late game meltdowns against Notre Dame (who ended up ranked #2 last year, mind you) aside, the Hurricanes are still in early season maybe-this-is-their-year-for-real-this-time form. Don't get me wrong, I fully expect the U to faceplant at some point this season (maybe once they finally have to leave the state of Florida in November), but the Bulls don't have the horses to get it done this week. USF: 17--UM: 34
Schweinfurth: USF has been a great story to this point. I mean, who saw them beating two top 25 teams to start the year? I'm not sold on Boise and Florida may be really bad. Miami looks mostly competent again. At "home" with a veteran QB? Should be good for the Canes. USF: 21--UM: 38
Seeberg: Props to USF for cashing my upset pick last week, but now they’re ranked they get picked with the big games! The Gators were fraudulent (gotta be a “days til Napier gets canned” countdown clock somewhere in Gainesville), but the Hurricanes already have a top 10 win under their belt. I’m not convinced the Canes are title contenders; they’re good-to-very-good at just about everything but not quite elite anywhere. Still, that should be enough to end the Bulls’ remarkable start to the season. Beck and Co. pull away late. USF: 17—UM: 31
Draper: USF is the flavor of the month with 2 great wins to start the season, but there are still questions. Boise may not be any good, and Napier is another level of stupid. However, getting a win in the Swamp is no small task. Miami is living large after a nice win over the Irish in week one, but can they have consistent success? I'm not sold on the Carson Beck experiment, but, while USF is a fun story, I don't see it continuing. Just look to the wise guys and the lack of respect given to the Bulls. I tend to agree. The convicts continue their top 10 pace...for now. USF: 16--UM: 30
Hoying: Preseason polls are stupid, and early season polls are equally stupid. All week we've had to hear about how South Florida is the "most accomplished" team so far, based on beating two fringe top-25 teams that may not even be sniffing the rankings by season's end. Do we really think the Bulls have what it takes to hang with the mighty Miami Hurricanes after barely hanging on to an upset win over an overrated Florida team last week? No. They don't. Late game meltdowns against Notre Dame (who ended up ranked #2 last year, mind you) aside, the Hurricanes are still in early season maybe-this-is-their-year-for-real-this-time form. Don't get me wrong, I fully expect the U to faceplant at some point this season (maybe once they finally have to leave the state of Florida in November), but the Bulls don't have the horses to get it done this week. USF: 17--UM: 34
Schweinfurth: USF has been a great story to this point. I mean, who saw them beating two top 25 teams to start the year? I'm not sold on Boise and Florida may be really bad. Miami looks mostly competent again. At "home" with a veteran QB? Should be good for the Canes. USF: 21--UM: 38
Seeberg: Props to USF for cashing my upset pick last week, but now they’re ranked they get picked with the big games! The Gators were fraudulent (gotta be a “days til Napier gets canned” countdown clock somewhere in Gainesville), but the Hurricanes already have a top 10 win under their belt. I’m not convinced the Canes are title contenders; they’re good-to-very-good at just about everything but not quite elite anywhere. Still, that should be enough to end the Bulls’ remarkable start to the season. Beck and Co. pull away late. USF: 17—UM: 31
Texas A&M Aggies @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Draper: Is this a big game? I guess there's some name branded-ness here, but I don't really feel great about either team. The Aggies are so very consistent and 8-4 is calling. The Irish saw some flashes with Carr on the road in a near comeback in front of the 'raucous' South Florida crowd. A home game is just what the youngster needs to right the ship. Honestly, neither of these teams strike me as top contenders (except the Irish schedule is T-to the-RASH). I wouldn't be shocked if an Irish win is the first in a string of 11 straight....until the playoffs. Could A&M win? Absolutely. Could they faceplant? Of course. Ride the roller coaster and see what happens. I see a ground and pound game with Love followed by some key QB scrambles to elevate the Irish to victory. TAMU: 20--ND: 27
Hoying: So about that late game meltdown...for the second game in a row, the Irish showed tremendous resolve in rallying late against an opponent that had been fully pummeling them to that point, but unlike in last year's CFP final, ND almost pulled off the comeback this time. The loss to Miami was forgivable, if disheartening, but now desperation mode should be setting in for the Irish. Unless USC continues their early season surge, Texas A&M might be the last ranked team on Notre Dame's schedule, which means that even if the Irish run off 10 straight wins following this week, a 10-2 record would likely leave them outside the CFP looking in. Do the Aggies have what it takes to deliver a good old fashioned September playoff knockout blow? Hard to say. Expectations were certainly higher for the Irish this year than for A&M, and the Aggies haven't looked dominant in early games against UTSA and Utah State. At least the run D tightened up a little against the Beehive State Aggies, because if Notre Dame ever remembers to just give the ball to Jeremiyah Love, TAMU could be in trouble. With their backs up against the wall, I expect Coach Freeman to put the Irish in position to make a statement and keep another season's championship hopes alive. TAMU: 20--ND: 23
Schweinfurth: These are two teams I have no feel for. The Irish are breaking in a new QB this year and the Aggies are an okay team? I'll take the home team on this, but close. TAMU: 17--ND: 20
Seeberg: Potential fraud alert for whoever loses this one! Last year the Irish won this one on the road, promptly lost to Northern Illinois, then went on a tear until they hit the Buckeye Buzzsaw in the title game. This season they already have a loss, however, and a second one could keep them out of the playoffs with a weak remaining schedule. Still…I mean does anyone think TAMU is legit or are they just masquerading as one of the perennially, unnecessarily ranked SEC teams? My bet is the latter. Golden Domers stay relevant this season at home. TAMU: 13—ND: 24
Draper: Is this a big game? I guess there's some name branded-ness here, but I don't really feel great about either team. The Aggies are so very consistent and 8-4 is calling. The Irish saw some flashes with Carr on the road in a near comeback in front of the 'raucous' South Florida crowd. A home game is just what the youngster needs to right the ship. Honestly, neither of these teams strike me as top contenders (except the Irish schedule is T-to the-RASH). I wouldn't be shocked if an Irish win is the first in a string of 11 straight....until the playoffs. Could A&M win? Absolutely. Could they faceplant? Of course. Ride the roller coaster and see what happens. I see a ground and pound game with Love followed by some key QB scrambles to elevate the Irish to victory. TAMU: 20--ND: 27
Hoying: So about that late game meltdown...for the second game in a row, the Irish showed tremendous resolve in rallying late against an opponent that had been fully pummeling them to that point, but unlike in last year's CFP final, ND almost pulled off the comeback this time. The loss to Miami was forgivable, if disheartening, but now desperation mode should be setting in for the Irish. Unless USC continues their early season surge, Texas A&M might be the last ranked team on Notre Dame's schedule, which means that even if the Irish run off 10 straight wins following this week, a 10-2 record would likely leave them outside the CFP looking in. Do the Aggies have what it takes to deliver a good old fashioned September playoff knockout blow? Hard to say. Expectations were certainly higher for the Irish this year than for A&M, and the Aggies haven't looked dominant in early games against UTSA and Utah State. At least the run D tightened up a little against the Beehive State Aggies, because if Notre Dame ever remembers to just give the ball to Jeremiyah Love, TAMU could be in trouble. With their backs up against the wall, I expect Coach Freeman to put the Irish in position to make a statement and keep another season's championship hopes alive. TAMU: 20--ND: 23
Schweinfurth: These are two teams I have no feel for. The Irish are breaking in a new QB this year and the Aggies are an okay team? I'll take the home team on this, but close. TAMU: 17--ND: 20
Seeberg: Potential fraud alert for whoever loses this one! Last year the Irish won this one on the road, promptly lost to Northern Illinois, then went on a tear until they hit the Buckeye Buzzsaw in the title game. This season they already have a loss, however, and a second one could keep them out of the playoffs with a weak remaining schedule. Still…I mean does anyone think TAMU is legit or are they just masquerading as one of the perennially, unnecessarily ranked SEC teams? My bet is the latter. Golden Domers stay relevant this season at home. TAMU: 13—ND: 24
Ohio Bobcats @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: Welcome to that other team from the great state of Ohio. They're riding high after beating the Eers (in Athens?!?) but Rich Rod doesn't inspire fear anymore. The Bobcats are a step up from Grambling but a distant call from the Longhorns. The biggest danger is complacency for the Scarlet and Gray, but I don't think this coaching staff will let that happen. Sayin will have a nice game with 3 TDs through the air, but at least 1 pick. The Bucks will try hard to get the run game going, but while we'll see some flashes, it still won't inspire. I'd like to see a little more of Bo Jackson just to see what we have in the youngster. JJ and Tate shine again and the Bullets continue their impressive start to the repeat campaign--hopefully dialing up some more pressure from the front seven. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. OU: 10--OSU: 47
Hoying: Hey, everybody, the Ohio Bobcats beat the West Virginia Mountaineers last week! That puts them in a very special club called...everyone! Seriously, good for the Bobcats to bounce back after losing a heartbreaker in the opener to Rutgers. Senior QB Peter Navarro willed OU to a victory behind his three INTs. OK, he also put up 87 yards on the ground, so the Silver Bullets are going to have to be on their toes for this one. The good news is that if Jim Knowles was the mad scientist for the Buckeye defense, Matt Patricia has been a veritable Ms. Frizzle out of the gates with the exotic looks he's deployed to flummox Texas and Grambling alike. That being said, the one unit that hasn't seen a lot of production over the first two weeks has been the defensive ends. Rock and Roll McDonald has been doing more than his share in the middle of the line but the losses of Buckeye fixtures Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau have been keenly felt over the past couple of weeks. Of course, with Julian Sayin being capable of hitting every throw on the field, and his O-line giving him all day to throw (even against Texas) the Bucks can afford to give up a few points, maybe even their first red zone score of the year. But I wouldn't worry about this one being close. The only thing the Buckeyes have to fear is a college dropout infiltrating the ranks of the mascots to sucker punch our beloved nut. Watch your back, Brutus. OU: 10--OSU: 45
Schweinfurth: At least this game is a step up. Why did we even schedule Grambling State? Oh well, it gave the Bucks some much needed live fire. Peter Navarro is a good college QB. Don't get me wrong, he is good. This game will be won in the trenches. The Buckeyes are just more talented on the lines. It would be nice to get Peoples going in this one. And oh yea, throw Da Bomb to 4. This shouldn't be a rehash of 2010, but it may be close after the first quarter. The Bucks should win relatively easy and on to the Bye week. OU: 9--OSU: 49
Seeberg: Well crap, someone who posted before me took my score prediction! Oh well, such is life. To their credit, the Bobcats started their season with 3 straight power 4 opponents, nearly beating Rutgers before downing West Virginia (I assume Rich Rod’s time at UM made him unable to tell the difference between Ohio and Ohio State). The Buckeyes are definitely a few levels up from what they’ve seen so far. Keeping Navarro caged in will be key. I’d like to see a scheme similar to when Cody Simon spied Gabriel in the Rose Bowl and closed him out all game to the tune of 2 sacks and defensive MVP. On offense, Sayin showed his insane accuracy, and though receivers may not be quite so open as last week, he should have plenty of chances. Would like to see the run game take a step forward as well. Let’s hammer it down their throats, keep Sayin (and Brutus as mentioned above!) clean, and enjoy the bye week at 3-0 and prepping for a fun road game at Washington. OU: 6—OSU: 42
Hoying: Hey, everybody, the Ohio Bobcats beat the West Virginia Mountaineers last week! That puts them in a very special club called...everyone! Seriously, good for the Bobcats to bounce back after losing a heartbreaker in the opener to Rutgers. Senior QB Peter Navarro willed OU to a victory behind his three INTs. OK, he also put up 87 yards on the ground, so the Silver Bullets are going to have to be on their toes for this one. The good news is that if Jim Knowles was the mad scientist for the Buckeye defense, Matt Patricia has been a veritable Ms. Frizzle out of the gates with the exotic looks he's deployed to flummox Texas and Grambling alike. That being said, the one unit that hasn't seen a lot of production over the first two weeks has been the defensive ends. Rock and Roll McDonald has been doing more than his share in the middle of the line but the losses of Buckeye fixtures Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau have been keenly felt over the past couple of weeks. Of course, with Julian Sayin being capable of hitting every throw on the field, and his O-line giving him all day to throw (even against Texas) the Bucks can afford to give up a few points, maybe even their first red zone score of the year. But I wouldn't worry about this one being close. The only thing the Buckeyes have to fear is a college dropout infiltrating the ranks of the mascots to sucker punch our beloved nut. Watch your back, Brutus. OU: 10--OSU: 45
Schweinfurth: At least this game is a step up. Why did we even schedule Grambling State? Oh well, it gave the Bucks some much needed live fire. Peter Navarro is a good college QB. Don't get me wrong, he is good. This game will be won in the trenches. The Buckeyes are just more talented on the lines. It would be nice to get Peoples going in this one. And oh yea, throw Da Bomb to 4. This shouldn't be a rehash of 2010, but it may be close after the first quarter. The Bucks should win relatively easy and on to the Bye week. OU: 9--OSU: 49
Seeberg: Well crap, someone who posted before me took my score prediction! Oh well, such is life. To their credit, the Bobcats started their season with 3 straight power 4 opponents, nearly beating Rutgers before downing West Virginia (I assume Rich Rod’s time at UM made him unable to tell the difference between Ohio and Ohio State). The Buckeyes are definitely a few levels up from what they’ve seen so far. Keeping Navarro caged in will be key. I’d like to see a scheme similar to when Cody Simon spied Gabriel in the Rose Bowl and closed him out all game to the tune of 2 sacks and defensive MVP. On offense, Sayin showed his insane accuracy, and though receivers may not be quite so open as last week, he should have plenty of chances. Would like to see the run game take a step forward as well. Let’s hammer it down their throats, keep Sayin (and Brutus as mentioned above!) clean, and enjoy the bye week at 3-0 and prepping for a fun road game at Washington. OU: 6—OSU: 42
Upset Special
Draper: Arkansas over Ole Miss
Hoying: Florida over LSU
Schweinfurth: Wisconsin over Bama
Seeberg: Texas State over Arizona State
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