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.