Year To Date: 7-8 (-1.85 units)

I can’t lie, last week hurt. In what will most likely be looked back at as the best slate of the college football season, we were just off on some of our predictions in a week I was more confident than normal that we would be perfect. Being at a wedding and having to stream Tulane vs Tulsa football during the best man speech was never a place I thought I’d end up, but it’s the life I live. Here’s to hoping this week is better.

Washington -5.5 vs Maryland -110

Everyone was in on Washington last week against Ohio State in a game many believed could come down to the wire. Ryan Day and the rest of the Buckeyes laughed in our faces as they dominated the Huskies from start to finish, effectively shutting down Demond Williams from escaping the pocket and making plays with his legs. To put it simply, I just don’t see that happening two weeks in a row. Maryland has exceeded expectations this year, in big part to their defensive unit that is 25th in the country in run defense highlighted by a pair of freshmen on the defensive line in Sidney Stewart and Zahir Mathis. The Terrapins have been a fun story so far, but against a team loaded with veterans and coming off of a tough loss, the Huskies might be looking to make a statement. Demond Williams and Jonah Coleman were both bottled up last week, Washington should be looking to prove that last weeks performance was a blip on a radar for a team that should be looking to get Top 25 votes.

Florida State vs Miami Over 53.5 -112

In what looked to be a top 10 matchup before Florida State’s dramatic upset loss to Virginia, the Seminoles now have a steep hill to climb to get back on track. The Miami Hurricanes will travel to Doak S. Campbell Stadium really looking to kill their in state rival’s chances at making the College Football Playoffs by handing them a second consecutive loss. Whichever way this game goes there is one thing that I expect to happen, points will be scored in bunches. Last week Florida State proved to have some significant flaws on the defensive end, specifically the run defense as they allowed 211 rush yards and were constantly gashed on the ground on 3rd down. Running back Mark Fletcher Jr. is going to be a major player in this matchup for Miami, if the Hurricanes can establish a run game early and allow Carson Beck to pick and choose his spots, I expect the veteran quarterback to have a great game. Miami’s defense has proven to be rock solid early in the season, but if Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos is forced to throw caution to the wind and freestyle I can see him putting up some big numbers to stay in this game. This game could end up being complete chaos, and that usually means good things for the over.

Mississippi State +17.5 vs Texas A&M -115

Things are seemingly on the up and up in Starkville. Mississippi as head coach Jeff Lebby has the Mississippi State Bulldogs looking extremely frisky in the SEC. An early season upset of Arizona State and a game that came down to the wire last week against Tennessee, Mississippi State is trying to prove that they are no longer living in the cellar of one of the strongest conferences in the country. One of the biggest reasons for this turnaround is the willingness for the Bulldogs to swing big in the transfer portal and try to rebuild over the offseason. Both leading receivers Brenen Thompson (Oklahoma) and Anthony Evans (Georgia) were poached from in the conference and have given quarterback Blake Shapen steady options on the outside to move the ball. Although some of these players are coming from big programs, the biggest transfer is the one coming from the smallest school. Fluff Bothwell (fire name alert) has been a revelation since moving from South Alabama and has given the Bulldogs a quiet force that can shoulder an entire offense, proven by his 5.8 yards per carry and 6 touchdowns.

Yes, Texas A&M can put up points with the best of them. Marcel Reed has taken a step forward this year and he has made the Aggies look like a legit threat to make the College Football Playoffs, but I think they could be in a spot where they’re looking ahead to next week against a Florida team that has underperformed but are in the perfect spot to pull off an upset. Top Aggies target Mario Craver will look for a bit of revenge as well, as the elite prospect is playing against his former team for the first time after leaving in the transfer portal. When it comes down to it, I just don’t know if Texas A&M has enough firepower to beat Mississippi State by more than two touchdowns. I understand that in years past the Bulldogs haven’t gotten much respect, but this year feels different. I’m not ready to say that Mississippi State is ready to pull the outright upset, but I do believe they have enough to finish within the number.