A blockbuster weekend closes out the first month of the season.
As a friendly reminder, this list does not typically include the Penn State game or Big Ten games, as they are covered in the game preview and conference preview.
FRIDAY
(#24)TCU at Arizona State
9 p.m., FOX
TCU took care of business in the non-conference portion of the schedule, wrapping up with an impressive 35-24 victory over SMU. The same can’t be said for the Sun Devils, who suffered an embarassing loss to Mississippi State in week two that dropped them from #12 all the way out of the rankings. This could end up being a key game as both have hopes of a Big XII crown as both programs seek another playoff run.
Prediction: TCU-34, Arizona State-31
SATURDAY
Notre Dame at Arkansas
Noon, ABC
Both of these teams could be entering this game undefeated if not for a few bad breaks. Notre Dame lost two games in the final seconds, while Arkansas fumbled away two potential game-winning drives, including a near-upset of Ole Miss. The Irish seem like the clear favorite, but the Razorbacks will give them everything they have at home. At least one team will have luck on its side in an attempt to salvage the season.
Prediction: Notre Dame-34, Arkansas-30
(#4)LSU at (#13)Ole Miss
3:30 p.m., ABC
This series has been wildly entertaining in recent years, and this match-up should be no different. It’s been difficult to get a read on either team – Ole Miss looked slow out of the gate before walloping Tulane 45-10 on Saturday. LSU is off to a fantastic start, but winning at Clemson and holding Florida to 10 points isn’t as impressive in retrospect. The winner gets a huge resume-building win in what should be a massive fight for a playoff spot in a crowded SEC race.
Prediction: LSU-26, Ole Miss-21
Auburn at (#9)Texas A&M
3:30 p.m., ESPN
Speaking of the crowded SEC race…Texas A&M is looking to build off its thrilling last-second victory over Notre Dame, but getting past Auburn wil not be easy. The Tigers are better than expected, and while they aren’t likely to head to the SEC Championship game, they will cost a few teams a trip to Atlanta (as well as the playoffs).
Prediction: Texas A&M-38, Auburn-35
(#17)Alabama at (#5)Georgia
7:30 p.m., ABC
Both teams had challenging road contests, with much different results. Georgia proved resiliant with a comeback overtime victory over Tennessee when they made all the right plays when they mattered most. Alabama struggled on both sides of the ball in week one, suffering a 31-17 loss at Florida State. The Tide will have a tiny margin of error the rest of the way with two losses before the end of September, and have their work cut out for them against an always talented Georgia team in Athens.
Prediction: Georgia-27, Alabama-23
Category: General Sports
