Week 4 2017

Results of Last Week's Games to Watch

1. #16 TCU Horned Frogs @ #6 Oklahoma State Cowboys 

Coming into this important Big 12 showdown, Oklahoma State was one of the hottest teams in the nation.   Through 3 non-conference games, the Cowboys scored an incredible average of 50 points per game on the talent and experience of quarterback Mason Rudolph, running back Justice Hill, and wide receiver James Washington.   Many believed that the only chance TCU had was to turn the game into a high-scoring shootout, which the Horned Frogs could not sustain.  The boys from Fort Worth were definitely the underdogs, or should I say, the underfrogs.

The early stages of the game was anything but a shootout.  The Horned Frogs struck first with a methodical 12 play drive that ended in a field goal.  Much to the surprise of the home crowd, the TCU defense forced Oklahoma State to punt after a series of six plays. The Horned Frogs offense, led by quarterback Kenny Hill and running Darius Anderson, also couldn't manufacture any points on their next drive and punted the ball.  TCU punter Adam Nunez kicked a good one, the ball bouncing around inside the ten yard line.  A member of the Oklahoma State punt coverage team unwisely touched the ball while failing to recover it, allowing TCU's Garrett Wallow the chance to regain possession of the ball inside the 10 yard line.  Despite the exceptional new field position, the Horned Frogs could only manage to tally a field goal. 

On the Cowboys' ensuing drive, the fireworks began with a 86 yard pass and catch between Mason Rudolph and James Washington, his top receiver.  The Horned Frogs responded with a long drive, powered by running back Darius Anderson and two personal foul penalties on the Cowboys.   On the 7th play, Anderson dashed through a big hole in the defensive line, cut back to the left, weaved around another defender, and made it to front left corner of the endzone before being pushed out of bounds.  

Justice Hill and Rudolph led Oklahoma State on a torrid pace down the field on the next possession, until the 9th play of the drive.  Defensive end Ben Banogu chased down a scrambling Mason Rudolph and knocked the ball out of his hands.  It was recovered by defender Jordan Brailford, a pivotal play to put it lightly.  With the ball in his hands again, Quarterback Kenny Hill led the Horned Frogs on a 9 play TD drive that ended with a beautiful lob to receiver John Diarse for a touchdown.

Oklahoma State's next drive ended in a field goal and that was the last points of the half. Leading by a score of 20-10 was not a position many expected the Horned Frogs to be in at the half, but they would show they were there to stay in the 2nd half.  Defensive tackle Chris Bradley intercepted an attempted screen pass by Mason Rudolph on Oklahoma's State first drive of the second half.  Six plays later and TCU was up by 17 points after another touchdown run by Anderson.  The margin between the two teams grew and shrank throughout the rest of the game, but the Horned Frogs never gave up their lead. Yet again, TCU pulled off an impressive road upset.

Final Score: TCU 44 Oklahoma State 31

2.  #17 Mississippi State Bulldogs @ #11 Georgia Bulldogs 

This game jumped onto my radar only to crash in a ball of flames.  The Georgia variety of Bulldogs dominated the game in its entirety.  Case in point: Georgia's first offensive play. Head Coach Kirby Smart decided to dip into his bag of tricks and call a trick play known as a flea flicker.  Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm handed the ball off to star running back Nick Chubb.  Chubb stopped before reaching the offensive line, turned around, and lateraled the ball back to Fromm.  By this point, the Mississippi State secondary was in disarray and Georgia receiver Terry Godwin was wide open.  Fromm lofted a perfectly arcing pass, Godwin caught it in stride, and he sped into the endzone.  Georgia had executed the flea flicker to perfection and the entire Mississippi State team looked as shell-shocked as their defense had on that play for the rest of the game.  Fromm added a second touchdown pass and Chubb scored two TDs as well.  Georgia would compile over 200 rushing yards and just over 400 total yards against a defense that completely stopped LSU's usually potent running game in the previous week.  Mississippi State managed a measly 3 points and, just like that, Mississippi State is back where they started: an afterthought in the SEC.

Final Score: Georgia 31 Mississippi State 3

Most Exciting Game of the Week 

Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Texas A&M Aggies 

Two of the last three games between these two tough SEC foes had gone to overtime. Would this time be any different?

Much as expected, the momentum swung wildly throughout the first half, mainly due to the up and downs in the play of the Arkansas offensive line, led by junior Connor Lanfear.  When they were playing well, running back David Williams had room to run and quarterback Austin Allen had time to throw.  Early in the second quarter, Arkansas built a two touchdown lead, but then their offensive production halted, allowing A&M to put together a string of 10 straight points to make the score 21-17 at the half.  

Arkansas' offense once again failed to produce any points on their first possession of the third quarter and that's all the opportunity Texas A&M needed.  Aggies freshman quarterback Kellen Mond completed a pass for 14 yards on the first play of the drive and a gutsy 4th down completion to retain possession of the ball.  Three plays later, on 3rd down, running back Keith Ford broke off a 23 run for a touchdown.

Now trailing by 3, the Razorbacks offense responded three possessions later with a 6 play TD drive fueled by a pair of 20 yard rushes by running backs Jordan Jones and Devwah Whaley and a 25 yard completion from Allen to David Williams.  The Aggies fired back, constructing a long 13 play drive that resulted in a 37 yard field goal by kicker Daniel LaCamera.  

Arkansas punted on their next drive and their lead remained at a narrow one point margin.  Texas A&M got the ball near midfield and the fireworks began.  On 3rd and 1, Keith Ford blasted through the line en route to a big 44 yard touchdown run.  In an effort to build a 7 point lead, the Aggies went for 2 with a trick play but failed.  Their lead remained at 5.  After this was a string of 3 straight touchdown drives.  First, Arkansas took the lead back on a drive that reached the endzone on the 7th play after a 44 yard pass and catch between Austin Allen and Jonathan Nance.  A successful pass from Allen to tight end Jeremy Patton on the 2 point conversion attempt gave Arkansas a 3 point lead.

Trailing once again, the Aggies didn't even have to snap the ball to score another touchdown.  Kick returner Christian Kirk caught the kickoff at his goal line and used simple straight line speed and a slight turn to the left to crank off an impressive 100 yard return touchdown.

The last of the 3 straight touchdown drives belonged to the Razorbacks. The drive started quickly with a beautifully-designed screen pass to tight end Evan Cantrell that went for 31 yards.  Following two unproductive plays, Allen lofted another deep pass to receiver Jonathan Nance who caught it inside the 5 yard line.  A simple handoff to David Williams, combined with excellent blocking of the Arkansas offensive line, resulted in another Arkansas touchdown.

This time the Arkansas kicker opted for a short kickoff so Christian Kirk would not have a chance to run another one back.  It was a smart tactic but it backfired when a member of the A&M return team corralled the ball and returned it just past midfield.  Only 3 1/2 minutes remained, and the Aggies were trailing by 3, but they had more than enough time with field position like that.  The resulting drive consisted of 11 plays, none more important than Mond's 2nd 4th down completion of the day, this time to wide receiver Damion Ratley.  Reaching the Arkansas 10 yard line with 8 seconds left, Head Coach Kevin Sumlin opted to go for a field goal instead of having his freshman quarterback risk one last throw into the endzone.  LaCamera converted the short field goal and the Arkansas vs. Texas A&M game was headed for overtime for the 3rd time in 4 years.

Texas A&M got the ball first in overtime and didn't take long to score.  A pass interference flag on Arkansas on the 2nd play moved the ball at the 10 yard line.  On the very next play, Mond fired a perfect pass to Christian Kirk for a touchdown.  

It was now Arkansas' turn.  Three straight productive run plays gave the Razorbacks a first down.  Could this game be destined for a second overtime?  Two plays later, however, the situation for Arkansas began to look tenuous.  They faced another 3rd down, this time a 3rd and 7.  The center hikes the ball to Allen, he drops backs, then spots a tight end in the back of the endzone.  Allen zings the pass as hard as he can and the pass looks like it might get there.  But defensive back Armani Watts has the pass read perfectly.  He zips in front of the tight end and catches the ball cleanly, becoming an instant hero.

The Aggies immediately stream onto the field, celebrating yet another close victory over the Razorbacks.

Final Score: Texas A&M 50 Arkansas 43 (OT)

Top Two Games to Watch: Week 5 

1.  #2 Clemson Tigers @ #12 Virginia Tech Hokies: 9/30 at 8 p.m. on ESPN

For the 2nd time in 3 weeks, Clemson takes a trip out of state to face a top 25 team.  Will the Tigers continue to prove they can be a national title contender even during a so-called "rebuilding" year?  Or will the Hokies score a season-defining upset that will vault them into the top 10?

My pick: Clemson

2. #5 USC Trojans @ #16 Washington State Cougars: 9/29 at 10:30 p.m. on ESPN  (DVR it)

A lot of the talk before the season regarding potential Heisman winners centered around USC senior quarterback Sam Darnold.  However, through 4 games, Darnold has thrown only two less interceptions than he had all of last season.  Will Darnold's mistakes finally catch up to the Trojans, giving the Cougars a chance to notch a huge upset?  Or will USC once again show that Washington State is nothing more than an upstart in the PAC 12?

My pick: Washington State 

Week 3 2017

Results of Last Week's Games to Watch 

(Or Games I would have picked had a hurricane not come to town)

1.  #3 Clemson Tigers @ #14 Louisville Cardinals

This game pitted the reigning Heisman trophy winner (Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson) against the reigning National Champion Clemson Tigers.  The Cardinals fans were dressed in black as were the players, making this a "Blackout" game.  

Jackson and the Lousville offense started off slowly with two three-and-outs, mainly due to the wily Clemson defense that showed up ready to play.  The Tigers took a early 7-0 lead on a 10 play, 79 yard drive that ended with quarterback Kelly Bryant dashing in for a 7 yard TD run.  On the Cardinals' third possession starting deep in their own territory, Jackson found his rhythm on designed quarterback runs, chewing up 55 yards on just 3 carries.  On the 6th play of the drive, Jackson scrambled out of the pocket and fired a perfect pass into tight coverage that was caught by tight end Charles Standberry.

For the nest few possessions, the defenses asserted themselves.  The only possible points for the next 10 minutes of play went to Clemson on a field goal that they missed.  Then, midway through the second quarter, the Tigers moved the ball enough to get in range for a 31 yard field goal that kicker Greg Heugel made.

By this time, Lamar Jackson was definitely off his game, pressured by the Clemson defensive line and linebackers.  After yet another Louisville punt, Kelly Bryant was getting ready to light up the scoreboard.  On a play snapped from the Clemson 21 yard line, Bryant lofted a deep pass to star receiver Ray-Ray McCloud who caught it in stride on the way to a 79 yard touchdown. 

The Tigers added another field goal late in the second quarter to take a 19-7 halftime lead (one of the extra points was blocked).  Although the margin was still less than 2 touchdowns, the gap seemed almost insurmountable because of the highly confident and very strong Clemson defense.  Linebacker Dorian O'Daniel snagged a 44 yard interception return for a TD (pick-six) early in the 3rd quarter, shutting the door hard on any potential comeback by Louisville.   The final score showed that the 2017 Clemson Tigers might be just as formidable as last year's championship team.

Final Score: Clemson 47 Louisville 21

Most Exciting Game of the Week

#23 Tennessee Volunteers @ #24 Florida Gators 

Dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Irma will be a long endeavor. The Gators football team had a lot to play for, mainly an opportunity to give fans across the state something to cheer about. 

The game started much as I thought it would, a low-scoring affair created by Florida's stifling defense and inept offense.  Brightening my dim view of the Gators' offense were two productive drives which 6 points on 2 field goals by reliable kicker Eddy Pineiro.  The defense did more than their fair share, preventing Tennessee from moving the ball except with great difficulty.  The score was 6-3 at the half, thanks to a long 51 yard field goal by Tennessee kicker Brent Cimaglia.

The third quarter was not eventful, but the 4th quarter was a sight to behold.  Tennessee had the ball at the start of the 4th quarter, but the Florida secondary was itching to get their hands on the ball.  Freshman cornerback C.J. Henderson, who already had a pick-six in the Florida first game stepped in front a receiver and carried the ball to the endzone for a 16 yard touchdown.  

Now leading 13-3, I thought the Gators' defense could take it from here, based on their performance so far.  At first my prediction seemed correct when Florida defender Malik Davis picked up a fumble and returned for what could have been a touchdown. Unfortunately, Davis wasn't paying attention and let the ball get knocked off of his hands by a Tennessee player just before he crossed the goal line.

Afterwards, the Volunteers offense finally got going on a touchdown drive that covered 80 yards in just five plays.  Finding that their lead was dwindling, the Gators' offense was getting ready to become what is expected of them.  A great kick return by receiver Kyrie Cleveland gave the offense fantastic starting field position at the Tennessee 44.  After two runs plays which netted 5 yards, Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks threw a 3rd down pass to Cleveland who caught for it for a first down.  Two plays later, Franks completed a 13 yard pass to receiver Brandon Powell for another first down.    Running back Mark Thompson pounded the ball down to the 5 yard line on the following play and Franks capped off the drive with a TD pass to Brandon Powell. 

Tennessee was not about to concede the game and responded with a 75 yard touchdown drive that took only two plays.  On the ensuing Florida drive, a pass by Franks bounced off the hands of a receiver and was intercepted by Tennessee.  The Volunteers subsequently drove the ball deep into the red zone, but the Gators defense held firm. With only 50 seconds left, Tennessee kicker Austin Medley tied the game at 20.  

Facing the looming specter of overtime gave the Franks, the offensive line and the receiver a shot of adrenaline.  The Gators got 1 first down but took 41 seconds to do so, leaving only seconds on the clock.  On the last play of regulation, Franks caught the shotgun snap and scrambled to his right.  He cocked his cannon of his arm upon noticing that receiver Kyrie Cleveland had slipped behind the defense.

Franks heaved the ball 65 yards and it was caught by Cleveland for a jaw-dropping, delirium-inducing, game-winning touchdown.

Florida players and coaches streamed onto the field and formed a dog-pile on top of Kyrie Cleveland.  Feleipe Franks was ecstatic and gave some Gators fans joyous high-fives.  All of the Florida fans were celebrating, and for just a few precious minutes, the effects of a hurricane were the last thing on their minds.

Final Score: Florida 26 Tennessee 20  

Top 2 Games to Watch: Week 4

1.  #16 TCU Horned Frogs @ #6 Oklahoma State Cowboys 

Will the Cowboys blow away another opponent in a barrage of Mason Rudolph touchdown passes or will the Horned Frogs' own high-scoring offense score more?

My pick: TCU, of course!

2.  #17 Mississippi State Bulldogs @ #11 Georgia Bulldogs

This game leapt onto my radar because of Mississippi State's jump from unranked to #17. This rapid shift in ranking in certainly warranted after Mississippi State shocked #11 LSU in an incredible 37-7 win.  Will Mississippi State tally a second straight win over a top 15 team or will Georgia defend their turf with a close victory?

My pick: Mississippi State 

Week 2 2017: Hurricane Edition

The Tossing of the Sea

This week's post has nothing to do with football, but concerns something far more important: debriefing the experiences of a hurricane.

When Irma took that westward jog over to the west coast of Florida, I was thinking: "Lord, not again."  You see we went through Charley and it really did a number on our previous home.  I really did not want to go through that whole traumatic experience again.  I was honestly more nervous the day before it hit than the day it actually did.  I was much more at peace when it hit because two couples came over to our house to ride it out with us.  Their presence was truly a blessing provided by God.  We ate, played games, and laughed while the wind rattled our shutters.  Before I knew it, it was over.

Fortunately for us, our neighborhood ended up faring very well.   Due to the quick weakening of Irma once it made landfall, which I firmly believe was due to the power of prayer, and a move of the eye of the storm to the east, the North Port/Port Charlotte area suffered much less damage than I thought it would.  However, other areas like Naples, Fort Myers, Miami, Daytona Beach, and Arcadia were not so fortunate.  I will be praying for the families and individuals in those cities as they attempt to rebuild and make sense of it all.

My spirit is lifted when I hear stories of all the aid and assistance being provided wherever it is needed.  Whether this aid comes from Christian organizations such as Samaritan's Purse, secular sources like the Red Cross, or just kind individuals, it warms my heart to know that in a crisis, help is never far away.

But this destructive storm reminds me of something far more important.  You see I believe without a shadow of a doubt that God allowed Harvey and Irma to hit the United States to serve as a wake up call for all Americans.  In Luke 21: 25-27 Jesus says, “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.  People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.  At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."  These hurricanes, a product of "the tossing of the sea," on top of earthquakes, tsunamis, and the like make it very clear that the end times are near.

There will be those that say I'm crazy, but I promise you I'm not.  God is just, enacting judgment at the time He wants and in the way He chooses.  He has been keeping track of six thousand years worth of wickedness that people in the world have committed.  Just because He's holding back his wrath doesn't mean He'll hold off forever.  When you rightly realize that current events line up perfectly with signs of the end times described in the Bible, there really should be no doubts left.  The judgment that God is about to wreak upon the Earth will
make the movie "2012" look like child's play.

I would like to point out that I myself could not hope to avoid the coming wrath if it was not for God's offer of salvation that He gave by coming to Earth in human form.  Jesus Christ lived a perfect life and because of that He was able to take the sins of the world upon Himself when He died on the Cross.  God raised Jesus from the dead and He instructed His Disciples to spread a message of hope to the entire world. The message was that everyone who would accept Jesus and their Lord and Savior would be cleansed and forgiven of their sins.  These believers He would accept as his dearly beloved children, shield them from God's wrath, and give them eternal life in a perfect place called Heaven.

Wherever you are regarding faith in God, think long and hard about what you just read.  Come to Jesus.  He wants to save you.  ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LET HIM.

Admit you're a sinner and come to the Cross with a humble heart today. A eternal life of neverending joy awaits you.

Week 1 2017

Results of Last Week's Top Games to Watch

1. Florida State Seminoles vs. Alabama Crimson Tide

As is the case in many highly-anticipated matchups, the game doesn't live up to the hype.  In the first half at least, that was not the case.  Alabama missed a field goal on their first possession, but scored 3 points on a made field goal on their second drive.  The Seminoles came up empty the first time they had the ball, but not the second time.  Quarterback Deondre François completed all 7 of his passes on the drive, including a short TD pass to wide receiver Auden Tate.

The Tide fired back with a 5 play drive in which Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts rushed for 23 yards and passed for 59 yards and a touchdown.  No points were scored in the first half even though the Florida State offense got into the redzone towards the end of the half.  Their drive stalled at the 20 yard line and the resulting field goal was blocked thanks to poor blocking by the kicking team.

The second half started off slowly but quickly took a turn for the worst.  Florida State had to punt on their first drive of the 3rd quarter and so did Alabama.  After the Seminoles' second drive stalled, they once again lined up to punt.  But this time the punt was blocked and recovered by the Tide at their opponents 6 yard line.  Surprisingly, the Florida State defense denied Alabama entrance into the endzone and the Crimson Tide could only score a field goal.

Then things went from bad to worse on the Florida State special teams unit.  Kick returner Keith Gavin was tackled and fumbled the ball towards the beginning of his attempted return.  Alabama recovered at the 11 yard line and one play later scored on an 11 yard touchdown dash by running back Damien Harris.  The Tide held a 21-7 lead after a successful two point conversion and their defense smothered any hope of a comeback.  François through two interceptions on the next two Seminole possessions, but something way more unfortunate was coming his way.  Late in the game, François was rolling out to his right when he was sacked from behind by diving defensive back Ronnie Harrison.  Harrison went for a tackle at the legs and François's legs got caught underneath Harrison's arms.  François fell forward awkwardly and the damage was done.  François suffered a injury to his patellar tendon and is out for the season.  A sad ending to a game that should have been so much better.

Final Score: Alabama 24, Florida State 7

2. Michigan Wolverines vs. Florida Gators 

This game actually started off well enough for the Gators offense, but quickly turned ugly.  On the second play of the opening drive, new starting quarterback Feleipe Franks fired a beautiful 34 yard pass to receiver Josh Hammond who caught over his shoulder before being pushed out of bounds.   Unfortunately, that was the last productive play of the drive and Florida was forced to kick a 46 yard field goal, which was converted by kicker Eddy Pineiro. 

Michigan responded by scoring 10 points on their next two drives, 7 of them on a long 46 yard touchdown pass thrown by senior quarterback Wilton Speight to receiver Talik Black.  Florida's offense continued to sputter, but their defense was anxious to help.  On Michigan's next drive, Florida safety Duke Dawson intercepted a pass thrown deep over the middle by Speight.  Dawson dodged and weaved around the Wolverines now trying to tackle him and made it all the way to the endzone for the touchdown.  Then, three plays into Michigan's next drive, cornerback CJ Henderson intercepted an underthrown pass by Speight and took it down the right sideline for another interception return touchdown.

But as is typical of recent years, the Gators offense remained stuck in first gear and the Wolverines managed to score 3 points on an exceptional 55 yard field goal by Quinn Nordin.  The half soon ended with Florida holding a 17-13 lead, but the break did not help the Gators  at all.  Michigan got the ball first in the 3rd quarter and got to work.  Speight began making better decisions and completed 5 out of 7 passes on the drive.  Running back Ty Isaac added a key 18 yard run on 4th down which set up an eventual 3 yard TD run by third string running back Karan Higdon.

The Wolverines scored only 6 more points on offense the rest of the game, but that was more than enough.  The Gators offense made fans wish Tim Tebow could play college football again.  Adding insult to injury was a play that occured when the Gators were backed up against their own endzone.  Feleipe Franks held onto the ball for far too long and was tackled in the endzone.  Franks lost his grip on the ball before he hit the ground and Michigan recovered it for a touchdown.  All I can say is: I hope things improve on offense or the Gators are going to have a really long year.

Final Score: Michigan 33, Florida 17

Most Exciting Game of the Week 

Texas A&M Aggies @ UCLA Bruins 

To say that there were swings in momentum in this game would be gargantuan understatement.  Texas A&M built a staggering 38-10 lead by the end of the first half, thanks to the strength of their running game.  Running backs Keith Ford and Traveon Williams each rushed for over one hundred yards in the first two quarters alone.  Ford ran for 3 touchdowns and Williams complemented him with two more. Unproductive drives and a couple turnovers plagued UCLA for almost 3 quarters until they were trailing by 34 points.  Then, almost as if they had flipped a switch, quarterback Josh Rosen and the UCLA offense finally came alive.

The Bruins started their comeback attempt with an 8 play drive in which Rosen completed 4 of 6 passes for 66 yards.  Running back Soso Jamabo ran for a 2 yard touchdown around the right side of the offensive line and the scored looked a little better for UCLA.  After Texas A&M's ensuing possession ended in a punt, UCLA went on another 8 play touchdown drive fueled by Rosen who completed 6 of 7 passes, the last of which was for 9 yards and a score.  Now within 20 points, a comeback actually began to look like a distinct possibility for the Bruins. 

 After another Aggies punt, the Bruins entered their opponents' territory after 4 plays.  On the 5th play of the drive, Rosen lofted a deep pass to receiver Darren Andrews.  However,  defensive back DeShawn Capers-Smith had it read all the way and leaped up to intercept the pass.  But he underestimated the speed of the pass, the ball sailed just between his hands and was caught by Andrews for a touchdown.  

The Bruins could feel that tonight was their night and the rest of the game proved it.  Defensively, UCLA kept battling and forced A&M to kick a field goal on the subsequent drive, which kicker Braden Mann missed.  Rosen willed his team onward through the next drive, capped off with another wild play.  Rosen rolled out to the left and fired a pass back across his body, most of the time a cardinal sin for quarterbacks.  Fortunately, wide receiver Theo Howard anticipated the trajectory of the pass perfectly, stepping in front of two defenders to snag the ball in the endzone.

It was not long before the Bruins were in the redzone again with the clock ticking down.  With no timeouts remaining for UCLA, Rosen pretended to spike the ball to stop the clock, but instead threw a 10 yard touchdown pass to receiver Jordan Lasley to tie the game.  After a tie-breaking extra point and four meaningless plays by the Aggies, the Bruins celebrated the second largest comeback in college football history.

Final Score: UCLA 45, Texas A&M 44

 Top 2 Games to Watch: Week 2

1.  #6 Oklahoma Sooners @ #2 Ohio State Buckeyes: 9/9 at 7:30 p.m on ABC  

Quarterback J.T. Barrett and the Buckeyes offense eviscerated the Oklahoma defense in a 44-24 rout last year in Oklahoma.  Will the Sooners avenge their home loss by defeating the Buckeyes in Columbus or will Ohio State prove they can handle Oklahoma no matter where they play.

My pick: Ohio State 

2. #12 Auburn Tigers @ #4 Clemson Tigers: 9/9 at 7 p.m. on ESPN 

The storyline of this game is much the same as the first.  Clemson went on the road and best Auburn last year by single digits.  Will the fact that exceptional quarterback Deshaun Watson has gone to the NFL open the door for Auburn to win or will new quarterback Kelly Bryant and the ferocious Clemson defense prove they are the toughest Tigers in the south.

My pick: Clemson