College Football Three and Out: Week 9

First and 9: Recapping week 8

Top-10 Bold Prediction: Aggies rack up over 500 yards on Tide

It was actually Texas A&M's red-zone defense that kept them in the game until late in the third quarter, as their offense was held well under their average yardage.  Alabama is looking more and more like they might run the table, with only games at LSU and against Auburn as realistic roadblocks, before a seemingly inevitable SEC title game bid.

B1G Bold Prediction: Iowa tops Wisconsin in B1G West clash

The Hawkeyes put up a fight, but the Badgers' defense was too much, as Iowa was denied the end zone and scored only 9 points.  Wisconsin takes on Nebraska this week in a do-or-die battle for control of the B1G West.  If they can handle the Cornhuskers, and Ohio State beats them as well the following week, Wisconsin will be back in the driver's seat for the division race.

Buckeye Bold Prediction: Silver Bullets hold Saquon Barkley under 100 yards

Well, they narrowly managed to keep Barkely under the century mark, but couldn't escape Happy Valley unscathed.  The Buckeyes actually led in most statistical categories, and looked to be mostly in control heading into the 4th quarter with a 14-point lead.  A few missed tackles, some bad pass-protection, and two special teams blunders later and Ohio State was knocked from the ranks of the unbeatens.  The good news is that this loss alone will likely not hurt OSU's playoff hopes.  They don't quite control their own destiny in the B1G East race, but might as well, as I just can't see Penn State winning out and Michigan losing a game before coming to Columbus.  And a one-loss Ohio State team with a conference title on it's resume will still be very appealing to the committee.  The real question is how this young team of Buckeyes respond to the loss.

Why-not Bold Prediction: Horned Frogs spoil Mountaineers' perfect record

West Virginia impressed in this win, but I am standing firm on my assessment of the Mountaineers: they will finish the season with multiple losses.  They travel to Oklahoma State this week in what could be a tough contest, but the real challenges come in the final weeks of the season when they take on Oklahoma and Baylor.

Not-so-bold Bold Prediction: Rice wins a football game

They did it!  They may have given up 44 points to their FCS opponent but they won the game!

Week 8 record: 2 - 3

2016 record: 17 - 23

Second and 17: Predicting the future!

Top-10 Bold Prediction: Florida State downs Clemson

The Seminoles have only lost to Clemson at home once in the last 17 years, and they've won 3 of the last 4.  They might be behind in the ACC Atlantic race, but I believe Florida State has the advantage this weekend.  Tigers lose their first of the 2016 season, 30 - 24.

B1G Bold Prediction: Michigan State stuns Michigan again

There's really no reason to think that the Spartan's can pull off this upset.  It would take about ten miracles the magnitude of this one for Michigan State to have any chance.  But who knows?  It is a rivalry game, and Dino's boys have nothing to lose.  I say Sparty gets it done, 17 - 13.

Buckeye Bold Prediction: Angry Buckeyes score 50+ on Wildcats

I almost feel bad for Northwestern.  They travel to Columbus to take on a pissed-off bunch of Buckeyes who just heard all week about how they didn't do their job last Saturday.  The O-line will be better and coaches will make some adjustments as the offense comes out red hot in a blowout win.  Northwestern has been surging, but it gets ugly for them this weekend.  OSU wins 56 - 17.

Why-not Bold Prediction: Cowboys tame the Broncos

Boise State is eyeing another major bowl appearance, sitting at 7-0 and occupying the #13 spot in the AP rankings.  But Wyoming has an offense that could make things interesting.  I could see them pulling off the upset.  41 - 38, Cowboys.

Not-so-bold Bold Prediction: Kansas holds Oklahoma under 100 points

I believe.

Third and 5: Time to panic

Attention Buckeyes: the season is over.  The offense is broken.  That mojo we captured at the end of 2014?  Lost and gone forever.  Somewhere between Tom Herman leaving for Houston and the mess of a game in Happy Valley on Saturday our coaches forgot how to call plays.  We might as well just root on the Indians through the next few days (Go Tribe!) and then stick our heads in the ground until Spring rolls around.  We won't beat Michigan.  We might not even beat Nebraska.  Let's just clean house on the offensive staff and see if we can regroup for next year.

Or... we can recognize the Penn State loss for what it is: the fifth loss in as many seasons under Meyer.  If my math is correct, that's an average of one loss per season.  This was our loss for this season.  Do you remember what happened after the last time we lost a game?  We stormed into Ann Arbor and obliterated the Wolverines in Harbaugh's debut in The Game.  Then we plowed over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl.  The last loss before that sent us on a warpath.  We won 23 straight games.  This wasn't a season-derailing loss, it was our wake-up call for the 2016 season.  It was the moment these young Buckeyes got to taste defeat, had to deal with the questions and the doubts and the criticism that can only fuel them to work harder, play harder, dig deeper.  It was the worst thing that could happen for everyone on our schedule and whomever is unfortunate enough to face us in the postseason.

So, thank you, Penn State.  Oh, and we're looking forward to seeing you in Columbus next year.

Fourth down: Never kick the ball again.  Go for it.

College Football Three and Out: Week 8

First and 10: Recapping week 6

Top-10 Bold Prediction: Tennessee knocks off Bama

No dice here, as Alabama demolished the Vols, 49 - 10.  Will anyone in the SEC be able to challenge the Tide?

B1G Bold Prediction: Hoosiers deal Huskers first loss

Indiana fought back valiantly, but a 10-point 4th quarter for Nebraska stymied the Hoosiers.

Buckeye Bold Prediction: Bucks tally 200+ yards on the ground vs stiff Wiscy defense

Ohio State found more success on the ground vs the Badgers than anyone else had this year, but still fell just short of the 200 yard mark.  But the bigger concern for the Buckeyes was the passing game, particularly in the first half, as Wisconsin took a 10-point lead into the locker room.  But OSU made the necessary halftime adjustments, and rallied back to eventually force overtime.  Behind a gutsy performance by Barrett and a strong defensive effort down the stretch, the Buckeyes came out of Mad-town with the win.

Why-not Bold Prediction: Missouri beats Florida

At first, this looked like it was going to be another low-scoring match, and it probably would have been if not for three defensive / special-teams touchdowns for the Gators.  Who knows what would have happened otherwise.  With the win, Florida keeps their SEC East aspirations alive.

Not-so-bold Bold Prediction: Either Illinois or Rutgers notch a conference win

Illinois managed to get their first conference victory, as they beat Rutgers 24 - 7.  The Scarlet Knights, on the other hand, were not so lucky, as they lost to the Illini, 24 - 7.

Week 7 record: 1 - 4

2016 record: 15 - 20

Second and 5: Predicting the future!

Top-10 Bold Prediction: Aggies rack up over 500 yards on Tide

I'm not sure if Texas A&M will be able to pull off the upset (actually, I'm pretty sure they won't), but I do think they'll be able to move the ball on Alabama, especially through the air.  On average, Saban's squad is only giving up 274 yards per game, good for 5th in the country.  But they've had moments of porousness, particularly in games against Ole Miss and Arkansas.  A&M comes up just short in a high-scoring match, while the Crimson Tide survives, 52 - 48.

B1G Bold Prediction: Iowa tops Wisconsin in B1G West clash

The Badgers lost an emotional battle in overtime with the Buckeyes, in their third straight match-up against a top-10 opponent (though it's hard to believe that Michigan State was once ranked that high).  Iowa was looking like they were headed for a disaster of a season early on, but have since righted the ship, at least for now.  This is a must-win game for both of these programs, trying to stay alive in the hunt for a division title.  Wisconsin is the better team, but they are worn out, and I think the Hawkeyes get the better of them in Iowa City, 30 - 25.

Buckeye Bold Prediction: Silver Bullets hold Saquon Barkley under 100 yards

The Bucks were gashed on the ground by Corey Clement last week, and won't have any time off before facing another talented running back in PSU's Saquon Barkley.  Barkley hurt the Buckeyes last year, racking up 194 rushing yards in a losing effort in Columbus.  I think Ohio State builds on a strong second half at Wisconsin last week and zones in on the Penn State running back.  OSU wins, 35 - 13, shutting down #26 in the process.

Why-not Bold Prediction: Horned Frogs spoil Mountaineers' perfect record

This is West Virginia's first real test. and I expect them to fail it.  Of course, it will probably be a shootout, and to be honest anything can happen in that kind of game.  But no matter what happens here, I just can't see the Mountaineers finishing with any less than two or three losses this year.  But if I had to guess, I'd say TCU wins this one, 56 - 49.

Not-so-bold Bold Prediction: Rice wins a football game

The Owls are the last remaining win-less team in FBS, and they finally face a team on their level.  Prairie View A&M comes to town, and Rice should maybe probably win?  This still might be my boldest not-so-bold bold prediction to date.

Third and 3: Checking in on my preseason bold predictions

I made some bold predictions for 2016 back in early September.  Let's see how they're looking at the halfway point of the regular season.

Top-10 Bold Prediction: Alabama misses the playoff

Status: Yellow

Right now, Alabama is undefeated and firmly in the top spot of the AP poll.  They've looked dominant, but obviously college football is unpredictable and a given team's outlook can change in an instant.

B1G Bold Prediction: Michigan Regresses

Status: Orange

The Wolverines lost 3 games in 2015, and like Alabama, are still undefeated.  So for this prediction to materialize, they'd need to not only lose to OSU and whomever they face in the postseason, but drop two others that they really should win.  It's still technically possible, but seems unlikely.

Buckeye Bold Prediction: OSU has a quarterback and running back both eclipse 1000 yards

Status: Green

This prediction is very much alive, as there are actually 3 Buckeyes who could be in reach of 1000 rushing yards by the end of the year.  Weber should easily hit that mark, and Samuel is on pace for 900.  Barrett is also on pace for around 900.  But if he's used as heavily in the run game in conference games down the stretch as he was the last two weeks against Wisconsin and Indiana, then 1000 yards is definitely possible.  It may not be ideal to run the QB that much, but you do what you gotta do to win.

Why-not Bold Prediction: Group of Five team makes the playoff

Status: Orange

Houston looked like a real contender after taking down Oklahoma in week 1, then the Navy game happened.  The Cougars are still ranked fairly high, but would definitely need help to make the final four (not to mention, they still have to play Louisville).  Same goes for Boise State, even if they go undefeated.  The Broncos simply don't have a tough enough schedule to justify a playoff spot, unless we end up with multiple 2-loss Power 5 champs.  Western Michigan is the third team that could also sneak in, if real chaos breaks out.

Not-so-bold Bold Prediction: People disagree with CFP Committee's top 4

Status: Green

It's obviously too early to know this for sure, but I don't see any reason why people won't be displeased no matter who the committee picks.

Fourth down: Hand it off to Weber.

College Football Three and Out: Week 7

First and 1: Recapping week 6

Top-10 Bold Prediction: Oregon stuns Washington

Nope.

B1G Bold Prediction: Maryland defeats Penn State by two or more scores

Nope.

Buckeye Bold Prediction: OSU takes 3+ touchdown lead into halftime against Indiana

Nope.

Why-not Bold Prediction: Alabama falls to Arkansas

Nope.

Not-so-bold Bold Prediction: Michigan learns how to "line up" properly

Yeah, I guess so.

Week 6 record: 1 - 4
2016 record: 14 - 16

Second and 3: Predicting the future!

Top-10 Bold Prediction: Tennessee knocks off Bama

 The Vols' magic ran out last week in another crazy finish, this time against Texas A&M.  They rebound this weekend by taking down the number one team, 35 - 33.

B1G Bold Prediction: Hoosiers deal Huskers first loss

Nebraska's win against Oregon has looked less and less impressive as the season has gone on, and so despite being undefeated, the Cornhuskers really appear very vulnerable.  If Indiana plays with the same intensity and focus that they have the past couple weeks against Michigan State and Ohio State, they will come out on top at home.  Hoosiers by 3.

Buckeye Bold Prediction: Bucks tally 200+ yards on the ground vs stiff Wiscy defense

The Badgers are ranked fourth nationally in run defense, while the Buckeyes feature the country's third best rushing attack, so you know something's got to give.  Wisconsin hasn't allowed more than 130 yards on the ground in a game, but that changes on Saturday.  Ohio State needs to be more balanced than they were against Indiana, but if they find a groove in the passing game, look out.  The Badgers haven't faced athletes like this, and the speed on the edges kills them, as OSU runs over Wisconsin, winning 31 - 14.

Why-not Bold Prediction: Missouri beats Florida

Florida is inept on offense once again, so anything is possible.  I mean, they narrowly beat Vanderbilt, 13 - 6.  The Tigers capitalize on a late Gator turnover to win a low-scoring affair.

Not-so-bold Bold Prediction: Either Illinois or Rutgers notch a conference win

Both of these teams are win-less in Big Ten play but look to change that this weekend.  They haven't looked good, but you could argue that their respective opponents have looked even worse. I think one of them gets a victory on Saturday.

Third and 7: New Pac-12 North contenders emerge

Oregon and Stanford have owned the Pac-12 in recent years, as either the Ducks or Cardinal have claimed the conference title in each of the past 7 years. And their dominance in the north division has been even more evident. But this year looks different. Washington and Washington State are the only teams left in the Pac-12 North without a conference loss, and both teams delivered beatdowns to the former top dogs of the league the past two weeks. It looks like one of the teams from the Evergreen state will win the division and quite possibly the conference title. The regular season finale that pits these rivals against one another looms large.

Fourth down: Send out Johnston. This is gonna be a battle.

College Football Three and Out: Week 6

First and 13: Recapping week 5

Top-10 Bold Prediction: Louisville beats Clemson by double digits

 It was actually Louisville in danger of losing by double digits, as the Tigers built up an 18-point lead by halftime.  It was a sloppy game (at one point there were three turnovers in three plays), but the final outcome was a victory for Clemson.  The bigger picture is that Jackson and Watson are both still in the mix for the Heisman, and their teams are both definitely in the playoff picture, though Clemson is certainly in the driver's seat in the ACC race.

B1G Bold Prediction: Indiana upsets Michigan State

I almost went with Northwestern to upset Iowa, and was disappointed when I saw the Wildcats get it done against the Hawkeyes.  But it seems there is room for two big under-achievers in the Big Ten, as the Spartans picked up their second loss of the season as well.  Now both these programs look like they'll be on the outside looking in for the B1G race this year.

Buckeye Bold Prediction: Weber rushes for 200+ yards

He had a career rushing day with 144 yards, but a huge OSU lead ruined this prediction since he was done playing by partway through the third quarter.  Demario McCall got to flash his talent in Weber's place, adding another 85 yards on the ground.  Between Weber, Samuel, Barrett, and a mix of other talented young guys, the Buckeyes are obliterating opponents with one of the top rushing attacks in the country.  They should be able to keep it going next week against Indiana, but will face a tough challenge when they travel to Madison to face Wisconsin, who boasts one of the top run defenses.

Why-not Bold Prediction: TCU gives Sooners third loss

It was a back-and-forth game, in which the teams took turns deciding to play defense. Oklahoma played defense just a little bit more than the Horned Frogs, and notched their first respectable win of the season. They take on rival Texas this week, but then will have a stretch of very winnable games before closing the season against Baylor, West Virginia, and Oklahoma State.

Not-so-bold Bold Prediction: FIU scores three or more points

They literally exceeded my expectations 10-fold, as they managed to score 33 points and beat FAU.  Wow.

Week 5 record: 2 - 3
2016 record: 13 - 12

Second and 12: Predicting the future!

Top-10 Bold Prediction: Oregon stuns Washington

 The Ducks have won 12 straight in this series, but for the first time in that span the Huskies look like  the better team.  Old habits die hard, however.  Oregon 36, Washington 28.

B1G Bold Prediction: Maryland defeats Penn State by two or more scores

This will be the 40th meeting between these two teams.  The Terps have beaten PSU twice.  But one of those wins was a 1-point victory just two years ago.  The Nittany Lions won last year, also by a point.  I think Maryland notches their biggest win of the series, as Penn State has just looked awful this season.  Terrapins by 12.

Buckeye Bold Prediction: OSU takes 3+ touchdown lead into halftime against Indiana

Although the Buckeyes come in riding a 20-game win-streak against the Hoosiers, four of the last five contests have been decided in the fourth quarter, with last year's coming down to the final play.  And this edition of the Hoosiers might be the best of the group, seeing how they out-kicked (and out-scored) Michigan State last week in overtime.  But the talent level and hunger of these Buckeyes gives them an edge that lets them put this one away early.  Ohio State builds up a big first half lead and never looks back, winning 49 - 12.

Why-not Bold Prediction: Alabama falls to Arkansas

Why not?  The last two meetings between these schools have been close ones, and it seems about the right time of the season for Saban's squad to have their annual inexplicable loss.  Bert walks away victorious, 24 - 20.

Not-so-bold Bold Prediction: Michigan learns how to "line up" properly

No, no, no.  That's not how you do football.

Third and 5: Wild finishes highlight crazy college football weekend

Iowa State led Baylor by 14 with less than 12 minutes left.

Utah had a first and goal on the 2 yard line with 7 seconds left in their game vs Cal.

Indiana missed a FG in overtime against Michigan State.

Florida State scored the go-ahead touchdown against UNC with just 23 seconds remaining.

Georgia took the lead against Tennessee on a miraculous Hail Mary with only 10 seconds left on the clock.

Only 1 of the 5 teams mentioned above won... the rest all lost.  Indiana got a second try on a game-winning field goal after Michigan State's kicker had already missed theirs.  A leaping penalty ended up giving them that opportunity, and they capitalized.

Iowa state gave up 17 points in 11:40 to lose.

Utah was stuffed on the goal line as time expired.

The Seminoles let North Carolina quickly advance up field and kick a walk-off 54-yard field goal to win it, all in 23 seconds.

Georgia only had to stop one play, from about mid field, after scoring from close to the same place.  They failed to stop Tennessee from doing the exact same thing, as the Vols scored on a 43-yard Hail Mary of their own.

Ya gotta love college football.