Alex Frank | Sports Director Zach Fries | Staff Reporter Joe Petrosino | Staff Reporter
Ethan Bastian | Staff Reporter Sean McMahon | Staff Reporter
Upsets ruled the college football landscape last week, which caused a major shake-up in the top 10.
Some of us were on point with our upset picks while others were a little behind the 8-ball on them. BYU anyone?
I will admit that I had originally typed into the document that BYU was going to win but then thought better to not pick against Wisconsin at home. But look what happened.
The lesson learned here; go with your gut because something ultimately leads you to your initial choice.
With that, here are the standings through three weeks in the #BattlefortheBoathouse and our week four picks. Broadcasters for the games are in parentheses.
Alex: 30-16 Zach: 33-13 Joe: 27-19 Ethan: 31-15 Sean: 29-17
Thursday
Tulsa @ Temple – 7:30 E.T. on ESPN (Dave Flemming, Dusty Dvoracek, Dan Orlovsky)
Alex: Temple 31 Tulsa 20 Zach: Temple 34 Tulsa 20 Joe: Temple 34 Tulsa 27
Ethan: Temple 27 Tulsa 24 Sean: Temple 30 Tulsa 18
Ethan: This will be an interesting match up. With Temple coming off a big win vs. Maryland they do not want to have a let down this week vs. Tulsa. Anything can happen in the madness of college football but I’m rolling with the Owls to keep the momentum going.
Friday
Florida Atlantic @ 16. UCF – 7 E.T. on ESPN (Jason Benetti, Kelly Stouffer)
Alex: UCF 42 Florida Atlantic 20 Zach: UCF 45 Florida Atlantic 20 Joe: UCF 35 Florida Atlantic 14
Ethan: UCF 21 Florida Atlantic 14 Sean: UCF 35 Florida Atlantic 20
Ethan: Florida Atlantic vs UCF is a battle of the Sunshine State. UCF is still undefeated at 3-0 and they don’t want to lose a home game like this so early in their schedule. Look for them to have a close, but solid victory.
10. Penn State @ Illinois – 9 E.T. on FS1 (Justin Kutcher, DeMarco Murray, Petros Papadakis)
Alex: Penn State 34 Illinois 20 Zach: Penn State 35 Illinois 17 Joe: Penn State 49 Illinois 10
Ethan: Penn State 27 Illinois 20 Sean: Penn State 45 Illinois 18
Joe: With a Heisman hopeful in quarterback Trayce McSorley the Nittany Lions should roll over the Illini, and they should start looking forward to the big game next week against the Buckeyes.
Washington State @ USC – 10:30 p.m. on ESPN (Dave Pasch, Greg McElroy, Tom Luginbill)
Alex: USC 38 Washington State 24 Zach: USC 28 Washington State 24
Joe: USC 31 Washington State 21 Ethan: USC 28 Washington State 20
Sean: Washington State 29 USC 23
Ethan: Washington State vs USC should be a good one. USC needs this victory after two tough losses to big time rivals in the Stanford Cardinal and Texas Longhorns. If they want a shot at staying in the Pac 12 race, this is a must win.
Saturday
8. Notre Dame @ Wake Forest – noon on ABC (Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge)
Alex: Notre Dame 28 Wake Forest 27 Zach: Notre Dame 30 Wake Forest 27
Joe: Notre Dame 28 Wake Forest 17 Ethan: Notre Dame 40 Wake Forest 28
Sean: Notre Dame 35 Wake Forest 12
Alex: This is Notre Dame’s first road game of the season, and they can’t overlook it for an all-important game against Stanford next week that will have major implications on the College Football Playoff race. The Fighting Irish have squeaked out wins in their last two games against Ball State and Vanderbilt, two teams they should have beaten rather handily. It’s also worth noting Wake Forest gave the Irish a battle last year in South Bend and this year’s game is in Winston Salem. I think Notre Dame will win but by the narrowest of margins.
2. Georgia @ Missouri – noon on ESPN (Steve Levy, Brian Griese)
Alex: Georgia 38 Missouri 10 Zach: Georgia 38 Missouri 28 Joe: Georgia 48 Missouri 24
Ethan: Georgia 38 Missouri 35 Sean: Georgia 45 Missouri 23
Ethan: Georgia vs Missouri is always an exciting matchup. Although Georgia should be the favorite, it’s on the road, and you can’t help but think the Tigers are going to make it hard for the Dawgs to get out of the state of Missouri without their first loss. But Bulldogs close!
Nebraska @ 19. Michigan – noon on FS1 (Tim Brando, Spencer Tillman)
Alex: Michigan 34 Nebraska 27 Zach: Michigan 27 Nebraska 10 Joe: Michigan 31 Nebraska 18
Ethan: Michigan 45 Nebraska 25 Sean: Michigan 35 Nebraska 17
Joe: Nebraska has yet to win a game under head coach Scott Frost, and I don’t see that changing when they enter the Big House. I see Michigan and their offensive and defensive lines overpowering and wearing down the Nebraska fronts by the fourth quarter. The Wolverines will take control late.
22. Texas A&M @ 1. Alabama – 3:30 E.T. on CBS (Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jamie Erdahl)
Alex: Alabama 41 Texas A&M 17 Zach: Alabama 48 Texas A&M 21 Joe: Alabama 45 Texas A&M 17
Ethan: Alabama 35 Texas A&M 31 Sean: Alabama 54 Texas A&M 27
Zach: After allowing a 75-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage , Alabama flipped the script and annihilated Ole Miss last week 63-7. The defense is among Nick Saban’s best ever at Alabama, and QB Tua Tagovailoa has been excellent so far. Texas A&M nearly beat Clemson two weeks ago, and Aggie fans should feel confident that Jimbo Fisher will bring A&M near the top of the SEC West. But Alabama still reigns supreme in the SEC, and they will beat Texas A&M with ease.
3. Clemson @ Georgia Tech – 3:30 E.T. on ABC (Mark Jones, Dusty Dvoracek)
Alex: Clemson 38 Georgia Tech 13 Zach: Clemson 37 Georgia Tech 24 Joe: Clemson 38 Georgia Tech 14
Ethan: Clemson 45 Georgia Tech 41 Sean: Clemson 38 Texas A&M 32
Alex: The biggest question coming into this game is whether or not Clemson’s sensational defensive line will be able to stop Georgia Tech’s triple-option offense. For me, the answer is yes. After barely squeaking by Texas A&M two weeks ago, I think that only made this team tougher in terms of being able to win any game, anywhere against any opponent. Clemson will get a conference-opening win handily.
Kansas State @ 12. West Virginia – 3:30 E.T. on ESPN (Clay Matvick, Dan Orlovsky)
Alex: West Virginia 42 Kansas State 21 Zach: West Virginia 42 Kansas State 21
Joe: West Virginia 42 Kansas State 20 Ethan: West Virginia 28 Kansas State 27
Sean: West Virginia 42 Kansas State 28
Ethan: Kansas State vs West Virginia is my closest matchup this weekend. I expect this to be a one-point game that is won by the kicker. Maybe both teams’ kickers can showcase their skills because after last Sunday, the Kicker position is a needed one in the NFL.
Kansas @ Baylor – 3:30 E.T. on FS1 (Eric Collins, Evan Moore)
Alex: Baylor 45 Kansas 42 Zach: Baylor 31 Kansas 28
Ethan: Baylor 31 Kansas 24 Sean: Kansas 38 Baylor 34
Joe: Kansas has struggled to put a decent team together the past several years. they are a little better than previous years but they will not be able to keep up with the Baylor offense.
Joe: Kansas has struggled to put a decent team together the past several years. They are a little better than previous years, but they will not be able to keep up with the Baylor offense.
17. TCU @ Texas – 4:30 E.T. on FOX (Joe Davis, Brady Quinn)
Alex: Texas 31 TCU 28 Zach: Texas 34 TCU 28 Joe: TCU 35 Texas 28
Ethan: TCU 30 Texas 30 Sean: Texas 28 TCU 23
Sean: Both teams are coming into this week having been challenged by worthy opponents. TCU took on the mighty Buckeyes and Texas squared off with the Men of Troy. TCU lost, but Texas shocked everybody (especially me) when they showed USC who was boss at home. They absolutely dominated USC. To say that Texas is back is a stretch. At least that’s what I think. Since Texas is probably feeling good about their win against an AP Top 25 team, I think they’ll win against another.
Texas Tech @ 15. Oklahoma State – 7 E.T. on FS1 (Brian Custer, Ben Leber)
Alex: Oklahoma State 48 Texas Tech 38 Zach: Oklahoma State 48 Texas Tech 34
Joe: Oklahoma State 51 Texas Tech 38 Ethan: Oklahoma State 31 Texas Tech 28
Sean: Oklahoma State 28 Texas Tech 26
Joe: There will be a lot of points put up in this one with two very talented offenses. The two big receivers for TTU in Wesley (6’5) and Vasher (6’6) will give the Cowboys some problems but their overall talent on both sides of the ball will prevail.
Florida @ Tennessee – 7 E.T. on ESPN (Adam Amin, Rod Gilmore)
Alex: Tennessee 28 Florida 24 Zach: Florida 23 Tennessee 17 Joe: Florida 24 Tennessee 21
Ethan: Florida 27 Tennessee 21 Sean: Florida 28 Tennessee 26
Ethan: Florida vs Tennessee is always a classic featuring two SEC East teams that don’t like each other and always have a knack for the drama. Tennessee has let me down many times in the past, so I have to roll with the Gators, which pains me as an LSU fan.
7. Stanford @ 20. Oregon – 8 E.T. on ABC (Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Maria Taylor)
Alex: Stanford 31 Oregon 27 Zach: Stanford 31 Oregon 28 Joe: Stanford 24 Oregon 13
Ethan: Stanford 27 Oregon 24 Sean: Stanford 28 Oregon 17
Alex: I love that this match up has national prominence again. From 2010-2013, this match up seemingly shaped not just the Pac12 race but the national championship race as well. Some of those games were extremely memorable including the last one at Oregon which saw Stanford come from behind and win. Oregon is much improved but I think Cardinal running back Brice Love will take over when the game matters most. I like Stanford to win a potential thriller.
19. Wisconsin @ Iowa – 8:30 E.T. on FOX (Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt)
Alex: Wisconsin 30 Iowa 24 Zach: Wisconsin 24 Iowa 20 Joe: Wisconsin 24 Iowa 21
Ethan: Wisconsin 27 Iowa 14 Sean: Iowa 35 Wisconsin 28
Sean: Wisconsin is coming off a bad loss against the BYU Cougars at home. Now they look to try to make a bounce-back into the top 10 starting today against Iowa Hawkeyes in Iowa. Iowa has a very hostile stadium with a crowd so loud that you can’t even hear yourself think. Seeing how Wisconsin might have a hard time coming off a loss and are now playing at Iowa, I don’t think they can handle the noise.
Arizona State @ 10. Washington – 10:30 E.T. on ESPN (Bob Wischusen, Brock Huard)
Alex: Washington 34 Arizona State 27 Zach: Washington 38 Arizona State 10
Joe: Washington 38 Arizona State 23 Ethan: Washington 31 Arizona State 28
Sean: Washington 27 Arizona State 20
Ethan: Arizona State vs Washington is a big game for the Huskies. With already having a loss on their schedule, Washington cannot afford another loss this season if they want to even have a chance to make the playoff with their schedule, So I’m taking them on Saturday.