Week 3 Predictions

Is this the biggest weekend of regular season college football ever? It very well may be. If nothing else, it’s certainly the most anticipated September Saturday we’ve ever seen. Get this. Seven top 25 matchups. Ten of the top 20 teams in the country face each other, including two ridiculous top 15 games in the SEC.

We start on Thursday:

Maryland @ West Virginia
On cruise control for the first two weeks, this is where we begin to find out if the Mountaineers are for real. Unless Mississippi State can find a way to move the football, this could actually end up being their stiffest test before the highly anticipated showdown in Louisville on November 2. The Terps, however, have been less than impressive in wins over William & Mary and Middle Tennessee State.

I haven’t seen Maryland at all yet, while West Virginia looked like a PlayStation team in the Marshall game. Based on that, and the home field, there should be some couches ignited tonight.

West Virginia - 31, Maryland - 14


How has Statesboro not adopted this again?

Alabama-Birmingham @ Georgia
We know UAB is no pushover. Having led Oklahoma in the second half, you would even be tempted to think they’ll be a tougher opponent than Colorado next week. The Georgia staff knows this. They will also remind their players of the nail biter these two teams played in Athens in 2003.

The Bulldogs will take this opponent seriously, and they should roll. The offense will get off to a slow start, but the defense will dominate once again.

Georgia - 30, UAB - 10


Georgia-UAB in basketball would probably have a different result.

Michigan @ Notre Dame
Sure, Michigan has been awful in road openers, but I think the bigger question here is, Can Notre Dame get up for a third week in a row? You pretty much know what you’re getting with Michigan, but the jury’s still out as to whether Georgia Tech-ND or Penn State-ND was the real Notre Dame.

Personally, I think it’s a little of both, which means the Irish win, but “closer than the experts think.”

Notre Dame - 28, Michigan - 24


Not so fast, my friend.


Louisiana State @ Auburn
Over/under on number of columnists who start their analysis of this with, “I’ll take the Tigers”? Anyway, both of these teams have been fairly impressive, posting blowout wins over middling Pac-10 teams at home.

Both defenses are good, both quarterbacks are good, and both running games are really good. The only thing I can say for certain is that both offenses will be held below the 41 points they’ve collectively averaged over the first two weekends. I guess home field and the revenge factor (plus, Kenny Irons should be the best player on the field) will be enough to give Auburn the victory.

Auburn - 17, LSU - 13



He'd "take the Tigers."

Miami @ Louisville
This is the toughest pick of the weekend. By far. Is Miami’s offense terrible? Did Florida State make their defense look much, much better than they really are? Does Louisville have enough defense to beat a big-time program? Will they be able to run the ball effectively without Michael Bush?

I’ll be honest. I don’t have the slightest idea how to answer any of those questions. Spending more time on this will probably give me a migraine, so I’ll just say that the Cardinals have a better coach and a better quarterback, so Louisville wins, but does not cover.

Louisville - 35, Miami - 34


Nobody just walks into Papa John's Louisville Cardinals Stadium and comes out with a win. Nobody.