Alex Frank | Sports Director Zach Fries | Staff Reporter Joe Petrosino | Staff Reporter
Ethan Bastian | Staff Reporter Sean McMahon | Staff Reporter
There may not have been as much chaos last week throughout the college football landscape but the intensity is only going to get greater.
Those who watched the Clemson-Texas A&M game this past Saturday could see the emotion from both the Aggies players and head coach Jimbo Fisher. Texas A&M only lost that game by two points and this game showed that every single one for every single FBS team is important.
The same can be said for our league and here are the standings in the #BattlefortheBoathouse after two weeks with a change atop the leader board.
Alex: 20-10 Zach: 22-8 Joe: 19-11 Ethan: 21-9 Sean: 21-9
With that, here are our week three picks with the broadcasters for each game in parentheses.
Note: We had made our picks for Thursday and Friday before this article was published. Those who did not get their pick at the time of the game have an “N/A” and were given a loss in the stadings.
Thursday
Boston College @ Wake Forest – 5:30 p.m. E.T. on ESPN (Dave Flemming, Brock Huard)
Alex: Wake Forest 27 Boston College 24 Zach: Boston College 31 Wake Forest 24 Joe: N/A
Ethan: Boston College 27 Wake Forest 21 Sean: N/A
Ethan: Boston College vs Wake Forest will be a close game throughout. These are two up-and-coming teams who are not in the national championship picture, but this still should be a fun game to watch. Look for a close game throughout that will come down to the wire.
Friday
Georgia State @ Memphis – 7 p.m. E.T. on ESPN (Jason Benetti, Kelly Stouffer)
Alex: Memphis 48 Georgia State 20 Zach: Memphis 40 Georgia State 21
Joe: Memphis 38 Georgia State 10 Ethan: Memphis 31 Georgia State 28
Sean: Memphis 25 Georgia State 14
Ethan: Georgia State vs Memphis should be a close game as well. Look for this to come down to a field goal at the end which can always be shaky with college kickers. But I think that will be deciding factor in this contest.
Saturday
5. Oklahoma @ Iowa State – Noon E.T. on ABC (Dave Pasch, Greg McElroy, Tom Luginbill)
Alex: Oklahoma 41 Iowa State 17 Zach: Oklahoma 38 Iowa State 17 Joe: Oklahoma 38 Iowa State 35
Ethan: Oklahoma 38 Iowa State 31 Sean: Oklahoma 55 Iowa State 18
Alex: So far Oklahoma has proven they don’t miss former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Baker Mayfield that much. That’s because his successor, Kyler Murray, has been tremendous through the season’s first two weeks. This will be the Sooners’ first road game of the season, though, and Iowa State has pulled off upsets of championship contenders in recent years, including over then fourth-ranked TCU in October of last year. I still expect the Sooners, though, to win this one dominantly.
Kent State @ 11. Penn State – noon E.T. on FS1 – (Tim Brando, Spencer Tillman, Holly Sanders)
Alex: Penn State 38 Kent State 24 Zach: Penn State 34 Kent State 12 Joe: Penn State 31 Kent State 17
Ethan: Penn State 38 Kent State 31 Sean: Penn State 41 Kent State 9
Joe: Penn state seems to be hitting their stride after blowing out Pittsburgh last week. I think quarterback Trayce McSorley and the Penn State offense get started early and Kent state will struggle to keep up.
Florida State @ Syracuse – noon E.T. on ESPN (Mark Jones, Dusty Dvoracek,
Alex: Syracuse 31 Florida State 28 Zach: Syracuse 34 Florida State 24 Joe: Florida State 24 Syracuse 14
Ethan: Florida State 38 Syracuse 30 Sean: Syracuse 21 Florida State 10
Ethan: Florida State vs Syracuse will be won by the Seminoles. We are in a rebuilding era of the Seminoles right now as they are still figuring things out, but they should have enough talent to outlast The Orange.
Vanderbilt @ 8. Notre Dame – 2:30 E.T. on NBC (Mike Tirico, Doug Flutie, Kathryn Tappen)
Alex: Notre Dame 38 Vanderbilt 17 Zach: Notre Dame 33 Florida State 20
Joe: Notre Dame 35 Vanderbilt 10 Etahn: Notre Dame 38 Vanderbilt 24
Sean: Notre Dame 40 Vanderbilt 21
Alex: Notre Dame barely squeaked past Ball State last week after a thrilling season-opening win against Michigan. With a very tough stretch in the schedule coming up, the Fighting Irish need to get this win and I think they will convincingly get it.
BYU @ 6. Wisconsin – 3:30 E.T. on ABC (Bob Wischusen, Brock Huard, Allison Williams)
Alex: Wisconsin 28 BYU 24 Zach: Wisconsin 31 BYU 13 Joe: Wisconsin 42 BYU 13
Ethan: Wisconsin 27 BYU 14 Sean: Wisconsin 42 BYU 22
Alex: I think this game will play out a lot closer than expected. Let’s not forget this BYU team went into Tucson and took down quarterback Khalil Tate and the vaunted Arizona Wildcats offense in week one. Wisconsin doesn’t have that dynamic of a QB in Alex Hornibrook but they do have a style of football that can wear opposing defenses down. The Cougars will keep it close but I can’t not pick the Badgers at home.
12. LSU @ 7. Auburn – 3:30 p.m. E.T. on CBS (Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jamie Erdahl)
Alex: Auburn 27 LSU 24 Zach: Auburn 24 LSU 20 Joe: Auburn 24 LSU 16
Ethan: LSU 24 Auburn 21 Sean: Auburn 35 LSU 28
Zach: LSU won the Tiger Bowl last year, but this year’s game is at Jordan Hare Stadium in Auburn. I expect a low-scoring affair, as both defenses are among the best in the country. LSU junior QB Joe Burrow has played well so far, but this will be first test in the SEC. Auburn senior QB Jarrett Stidham is no stranger to big games, and I think that will be the difference. Auburn will win a close one.
17. Boise State @ 24. Oklahoma State – 3:30 E.T. on ESPN (Adam Amin, Rod Gilmore, Quint Kessenich)
Alex: Oklahoma State 37 Boise State 32 Zach: Boise State 44 Oklahoma State 38
Joe: Boise State 31 Oklahoma State 28 Ethan: Oklahoma State 27 Boise State 24
Sean: Boise State 34 Oklahoma State 20
Ethan: Boise State vs Oklahoma State will be a close game as well. Oklahoma State is always known for putting up a lot of points which is common in the Big 12 where not a lot of defense is played.
Duke @ Baylor – 3:30 E.T. on FS1 (Brian Custer, Ben Leber)
Alex: Baylor 38 Duke 34 Zach: Duke 27 Baylor 23 Joe: Duke 17 Baylor 7
Ethan: Baylor 50 Duke 30 Sean: Baylor 20 Duke 14
Joe: Duke is coming into this game with a few injured starters, but I think their overall depth and tough defense will make it tough for Baylor to score.
Houston @ Texas Tech – 4:15 E.T. on FOX (Joe Davis, Brady Quinn)
Alex: Texas Tech 42 Houston 34 Zach: Houston 40 Texas Tech 24 Joe: Houston 45 Texas Tech 33
Ethan: Houston 30 Texas Tech 20 Sean: Texas Tech 35 Houston 21
Sean: Houston hasn’t been much of the powerhouse of football they once were just two years ago when they took down Louisville and Oklahoma in the same season, although they have one of the most incredible players in college right now, Ed Oliver. Oliver is a serious threat to any quarterback or offensive lineman. However, Texas Tech’s offensive line hasn’t allowed a sack yet this year. If they can keep Ed Oliver in check, then TT will win.
1. Alabama @ Ole Miss – 7 E.T. on ESPN (Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge)
Alex: Ole Miss 26 Alabama 23 Zach: Alabama 35 Ole Miss 10 Joe: Alabama 36 Ole Miss 17
Ethan: Alabama 35 Ole Miss 24 Sean: Alabama 48 Ole Miss 29
Ethan: Alabama vs Ole Miss will be the first time the Crimson Tide will have to sweat this season. With their new Quarterback balling the way he has been this doesn’t seem like the week for an upset. But the Rebels have done it before.
4. Ohio State @ 15. TCU – 8 E.T. on ABC (Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Maria Taylor)
Alex: Ohio State 38 TCU 31 Zach: Ohio State 38 TCU 24 Joe: Ohio State 55 TCU 20
Ethan: Ohio State 35 TCU 21 Sean: Ohio State 28 TCU 26
Alex: This, ladies and gentlemen, is a Texas-sized showdown. Say those three words slowly to grasp the magnitude of this match up. In what is Ohio State’s final game without head coach Urban Meyer, I think we will find out a lot about this team and whether or not they have that championship mettle that won them the inaugural College Football Playoff four years ago. I like the Buckeyes to make a Lone Star Statement in this one.
22. USC @ Texas – 8:30 E.T. on FOX (Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Jenny Taft)
Alex: Texas 31 USC 28 Zach: Texas 31 USC 28 Joe: USC 24 Texas 17
Ethan: USC 29 Texas 24 Sean: USC 45 Texas 23
Sean: This seems like an easy pick. That’s because it is. There isn’t much to say about Texas. All the talk and no walk. They managed to lose to Maryland for the second year in a row. Meanwhile, USC has a new and exciting starter at quarterback who shows some promise to the Men of Troy. USC wins big.
10. Washington @ Utah – 10 E.T. on ESPN (Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Todd McShay)
Alex: Washington 31 Utah 27 Zach: Washington 24 Utah 21 Joe: Utah 31 Washington 28
Ethan: Washington 40 Utah 24 Sean: Utah 23 Washington 21
Ethan: Washington vs Utah should be in favor of the road team. They already have one loss this year and another one would pretty much be the end of their season as far as making a playoff push. So they should come out motivated this game.
Fresno State @ UCLA – 10:30 E.T. on FS1 (Justin Kutcher, DeMarco Murray, Petros Papadakis)
Alex: UCLA 30 Fresno State 20 Zach: UCLA 30 Fresno State 27 Joe: UCLA 35 Fresno State 32
Ethan: UCLA 21 Fresno State 14 Sean: UCLA 27-17
Joe: UCLA has yet to show they are the high powered offense they’re supposed to be with Chip Kelly at the helm. I like the Fresno defense, but I think UCLA pulls out a tough win.