It may be years before we see a repeat of last week.
Who believed Marshall would win at No. 8 Notre Dame? Who picked Appalachian State to win at No. 6 Texas A&M? Congratulations to anyone crazy enough to put those outright winners in a parlay with Washington State, a 17-point underdog that won at No. 19 Wisconsin.
It created an extraordinary weekend and provided more evidence of the potential of an expanded playoff, but the thrill of such unexpected outcomes has unintended consequences. One is the absence of a marquee matchup this week — Miami at Texas A&M no longer holds must-see status — with no game featuring a pair of ranked teams without a loss.
What was overshadowed, however, both by Notre Dame being knocked out of championship contention in September and by Texas A&M’s dreams arriving at death’s door before SEC play was the emergence of a sleeper with a realistic path to the playoff.
As most of the country slept, BYU took down No. 9 Baylor in double overtime. If the Cougars — the most recent football team outside a power conference to win a national championship (1984) — replicate Cincinnati’s undefeated run from last season, their schedule may be considered strong enough to vault them ahead of one-loss power conference champions. In addition to a neutral-site game against Notre Dame, No. 12 BYU hosts No. 10 Arkansas, before finishing the regular season with trips to Boise State and Stanford.
First, however, the Cougars travel to No. 25 Oregon on Saturday afternoon.
BYU quarterback Jaren HallAP Over the past two seasons, Jaren Hall has led the Cougars to wins over three ranked teams. Last week, the dynamic quarterback pulled one out without his top two receivers (Puka Nacua, Gunner Romney). They could return Saturday, but their presence isn’t necessary for BYU (+3.5) to topple another conference contender that is looking to find its footing with a new coach and quarterback.
The Cougars can beat any team left on their schedule. It will be fascinating to find out if they will.
SOUTH CAROLINA (+24.5) over Georgia
The Gamecocks have offered no hints that they can slow down the best team in the nation or score on a team that hasn’t surrendered a touchdown this season, but South Carolina similarly presented little hope when it covered last season’s 31-point spread and when it upset the Bulldogs as a 24.5-point underdog in 2019. Under Kirby Smart, Georgia has covered fewer than 38 percent of its games as a favorite of at least 20 points.
Connecticut (+47.5) over MICHIGAN
Even with J.J. McCarthy leading an improved attack, the Wolverines don’t deserve the Alabama treatment just yet.
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NEBRASKA (+10.5) over Oklahoma
The Cornhuskers — and their incomprehensibly loyal fans, who have sold out Memorial Stadium for every game since 1962 — are clearly going to be fired up after the firing of head coach Scott Frost. How else could a public university justify not waiting two weeks (the team has a bye next week!) to reduce Frost’s buyout by $7.5 million?
California (+10.5) over NOTRE DAME
Don’t expect Marcus Freeman to lose his first four games as coach of the Fighting Irish, but losing starting quarterback Tyler Buchner to injury will cause even more problems for an offense that ranks 104th in the nation.
Notre Dame coach Marcus FreemanAPMississippi (-16.5) over GEORGIA TECH
It doesn’t matter whom Lane Kiffin puts under center. The Yellow Jackets’ 120th-ranked offense isn’t equipped to keep pace with the second-fastest offense in the land.
Penn State (-3) over AUBURN
Jordan-Hare Stadium barely helped the Tigers sneak past San Jose State. It certainly won’t faze Nittany Lions senior quarterback Sean Clifford, who threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns last year in a win over Auburn.
ALABAMA (-49) over Louisiana-Monroe
The Crimson Tide’s 55-0 rout of Utah State in Week 1 is a taste of what’s to come, following the near-upset at Texas last week. Alabama has covered its past two games when favored by at least 47 points.
Betting on College Football?
Toledo (+32) over OHIO STATE
The best team in the MAC deserves more respect. A three-point loss at Notre Dame last year showcased the Rockets’ potential.
Texas Tech (+10) over NORTH CAROLINA STATE
Backup quarterback Donovan Smith will be ready for another shootout after leading the Red Raiders to a double-overtime win over Houston.
WASHINGTON (-3.5) over Michigan State
Payton Thorne’s turnover problems won’t improve in his toughest test of the year — and without Kenneth Walker III to bail him out anymore. I’ll make a side bet that the broadcast team describes this win by an unranked favorite over the No. 11 team in the nation as an “upset.”
Miami (+5.5) over TEXAS A&M
I’d like to see Haynes King play well at least one time before backing the perennially overrated Aggies. It should be easy for the unproven sophomore after the monumental upset to Appalachian State last week. No pressure, kid.
San Diego State (+21) over UTAH
The Aztecs won’t replicate their triple-overtime upset of last year over the Utes, but Brady Hoke’s defense — the best in the Mountain West last season — remains strong enough to limit the damage.
Fresno State (+12) over USC
Just as during Lincoln Riley’s tenure in Oklahoma, every team west of the Mississippi will struggle to keep up with his Trojans’ offense. But Alex Grinch’s turnover-reliant USC defense won’t be able to take advantage of NFL prospect Jake Haener, who has been intercepted in just one of his past nine games.
Best bets: Toledo, San Diego State, Fresno State
This season: 11-17-2
2014-21 record: 1,030-970-19
