Iowa at No. 16 Iowa State

Saturday, September 6
9:00 AM PT, FOX

Line: Iowa State –3
Over/Under: 41.5

We get the battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy in Ames this week, a rivalry that always seems to be close, no matter how much better one team appears on paper.

This season, the team that appears better on paper is the Cyclones, but the Hawkeyes have come away victorious in each of their last six meetings at Jack Trice Stadium.

Interestingly, the road team has won the last five in the series.

Iowa showcased a punishing ground attack last week, rolling over Albany to the tune of 310 yards rushing. But the opponent was Albany.

The Greate Danes are a long way from a Cyclone unit that appears to be ready to battle TCU and Arizona State for the Big XII crown.

The Cyclones limited K-State to just 110 yards on the ground in their season-opening win in Dublin. Against the pass, ISU has not been as stout.

In the win over K-State, they allowed 273 yards through the air with a 70% completion rate. They were better in the dominant win over South Dakota, but again, the opponent matters.

The Hawkeye passing attack promises to be better this season with Mark Gronowski pulling the strings in Tim Lester’s offensive system.

We did not see that last week, with just 48 passing yards in the win, but with 300-plus yards on the ground, there didn’t seem to be much need to toss it around.

So, once again this is a rivalry that seems hard to handicap. The one thing that seems to be a certainty is that we can expect a close one in the fourth quarter.

If the Hawks’ passing game can shine, they could extend the road win streak in the series. I think the Cyclones are just a bit better. They pull out a close one and get a narrow cover.

—My Picks—
Against the spread: Iowa State
Points Total: Under
Outright winner: Iowa State

Oklahoma State at No. 6 Oregon

Saturday, September 6
12:30 AM PT, CBS

Line: Oregon –28.5
Over/Under: 57.5

Mike Gundy can coach, no question. He also tends to be outspoken, never shying away from a sound bite.

This week was no different, with the OK State coach initiating an NIL discussion with Dan Lanning.

But lest we forget amid all the talk of UO’s Nike advantage, the Cowboy program is built on T. Boone Pickens money.

Ultimately, the back and forth between the two head coaches this week is much ado about nothing.

Still, it makes this seemingly one-sided matchup seem a bit more appealing, stirring up controversy and attention.

In the end, a big Oregon win on Saturday will have folks saying they were fueled with extra motivation from the comments made during the week.

In reality, Oregon is the superior team. Any big victory stems from the talent gap between the two schools.

Both of these teams picked up wins over FCS opponents last week. The Pokes prevailed by 20 points over UT-Martin, while the Ducks routed Montana State by 46.

If there was a question mark surrounding this Oregon team entering the season, it was the passing attack and—more specifically—the performance of Dante Moore at quarterback.

Now, one week certainly does not make a season, but it definitely can answer a few questions, and Moore looked sharp in the opening win.

If he continues to play like he did in Week One, the Ducks will be hard for any team to beat, let alone an OK State team that seems likely to struggle moving the ball this season.

Pregame hype or not, this one has blowout written all over it.

—My Picks—
Against the spread: Oregon
Points Total: Over
Outright winner: Oregon

Georgia Southern at USC

Saturday, September 6
4:30 PM PT, Big Ten Network

Line: USC –28.5
Over/Under: 60.5

If nothing else, this game sparks intrigue with the return of Clay Helton to the Coliseum.

The former USC head man brings his Georgia Southern team to L.A., hoping the game goes better than his most recent trip out West.

Last week against Fresno State, the Eagles were completely outmatched. It would have been about as ugly as it gets, but this Saturday’s date with the Trojans could be uglier.

The Eagles yielded 537 yards to the Bulldogs, while USC produced 597 against the Bears.

The Trojans deployed a balanced in the attack against the Bears, and figure to do so again vs. Missouri State.

Offensively, the Trojans should be able to do just about anything they want.

It wouldn’t surprise me to see SC put up 400+ yards through the air or 300+ on the ground, depending on their approach.

Despite the lopsided loss last week, the Eagles were able to move the ball.

I don’t think they will be able to so this week.

—My Picks—
Against the spread: USC
Points Total: Over
Outright winner: USC

UCLA at UNLV

Saturday, September 6
5:00 PM PT, CBS Sports Network

Line: UCLA –2.5
Over/Under: 53.5

The Bruins got torched in their opener against an excellent Utah team.

The Rebels have two games under their belt and have come away with a pair of wins, but have not looked great in either victory.

That brings us to this one, with the Big Ten squad a narrow favorite on the road.

The biggest problem for UCLA last week was running into a much-improved Utah team. The Bruins are not yet at the level of development needed to challenge superior programs.

UCLA’s offensive line did not hold up against the Utes, allowing five tackles for loss and four sacks of Nico Iamaleava in the blowout defeat.

If the Bruins can’t do a better job of keeping their QB upright, they will be in for a long season.

UNLV’s performance in Week One was better than in the previous week. The four interceptions thrown by Idaho State in the opener saved the Rebels.

The Las Vegas crew performed much better against Sam Houston, specifically at the QB position, as Anthony Colandrea completed 82.6% of his passes for 249 yards against the Bearkats.

UCLA is competent at the back end of the defense and could make things more difficult for the Rebel passing game.

The big question is whether UNLV can handle the Bruins the way some of the better Power Four teams might?

This is a chance for the Rebels to make a statement, especially with both San Jose State and Boise State falling flat.

With a win, the Rebels can lay claim as the team to beat in the MW this season.

The Bruins have an opportunity to get a big non-con road win and take a big step toward six wins and a bowl.

I think UCLA gets better line play in this one, allowing Iamaleava to play closer to expectations.

—My Picks—
Against the spread: UCLA
Points Total: Under
Outright winner: UCLA

No. 15 Michigan at No. 18 Oklahoma

Saturday, September 6
7:30 PM PT, ABC

Line: Oklahoma –5.5
Over/Under: 46.5

This seems like a big one, and it is. Will it be everything we imagine when we think of a Michigan vs. Oklahoma matchup? Probably not. But it feels like it is getting closer.

The Wolverines struggled last season in a transition year, but Bryce Underwood might just be a good enough QB to supplement the always-dominant Michigan defense.

The Brent Venables era in Norman has not taken off quite like the Sooners had planned, but there have been glimpses of improvement.

And the talent this season appears to be through the roof.

Underwood’s debut gave Michigan fans reason to be optimistic, with the true freshman throwing for 251 yards. Last season, the Wolverines recorded just two 200+ yard passing games, and the high-water mark was 208.

Likewise for the Sooners, the play of John Mateer is the main reason for optimism. The WSU transfer threw for 392 yards in his OU debut.

Both QBs will face stiffer competition this week, and whichever performs better will walk away with the win.

So, could this be a Playoff preview? Maybe a Playoff elimination game for the loser? Or perhaps we’ll look back on this game in November and say, “What happened to those teams?”

I like to think we are looking at the first option, but would not be surprised if any of those scenarios play out.

Regardless, I am looking forward to this one.

I think Michigan keeps it close with their defense, but the home-team Sooners will notch an SEC victory over their Big Ten opponent this week.

—My Picks—
Against the spread: Michigan
Points Total: Under
Outright winner: Oklahoma

UC Davis at Washington

Saturday, September 6
8:00 PM PT, Big Ten Network

Line: Washington –28.5
Over/Under: 53.5

UC Davis is an outstanding football team on the FCS level. The Huskies certainly will not want to overlook the Aggies, but they should also have little trouble moving to 2-0 on the season.

Simply put, Washington’s running game will be far too much for UC Davis to withstand. And in a worst-case scenario, if the game is close late, UW figures to wear down an Aggie team with far less depth.

Demond Williams stepped into his starring role in the season-opening win over Colorado State last week. The signal-caller accounted for 294 yards, with 68 of them coming on the ground.

Jonah Coleman looked as punishing and elusive as any back in the nation, averaging 7.4 yards per carry as he ran for 177 on the night.

Denzel Boston showed why he is destined to play on Sundays, pulling down five receptions for 92 yards, including a spectacular TD that once again seemed ho-hum.

It was his 10th in the last two seasons.

UC Davis simply will not have an answer to Washington’s firepower on offense.

The Huskies will be able to beat teams in a number of ways this season.

The Aggies will not be able to take away a weapon from one aspect of the UW attack without being susceptible to another.

—My Picks—
Against the spread: Washington
Points Total: Under
Outright winner: Washington