College Football Week 4 Bold Predictions

1. At least one of the top 5 4 teams in the AP poll goes down

Auburn already survived a scare from Kansas State, but the game was close up to the end.  Florida State plays without star QB Winston for the first half against Clemson.  Oregon looks like a lock to beat Washington State but may be overlooking the Cougars' #1 ranked passing attack.  Alabama faces Florida in a SEC match-up where anything can happen.  Oklahoma takes on a battle-tested West Virginia team without really being tested thus far themselves.  I think one or more of these teams gets knocked off the top of the rankings this weekend.

2. Miami upsets #24 Nebraska

Maybe this isn't that bold of a prediction, given the Big Ten's struggles this season.  Nevertheless, the Cornhuskers are 8 point favorites at home against the Hurricanes.  If we see the Nebraska team that barely scraped by McNeese State, Miami will win this one hands-down.  Otherwise, it will be a close game, but I still give the edge to Miami, 31 - 28.

3. Virginia Tech continues freefall with a loss to Georgia Tech

The Hokies will be looking to rebound after a surprising loss to East Carolina.  This is another game they should win, so it's all about the mentality coming into this game.  Will they use the loss as motivation to work harder this week and prepare against a ho-hum opponent?  Or will they be down on themselves after such a letdown coming off of the big win against Ohio State?  I could see a lack of motivation here, but we'll see.  My guess is 23 - 20, Georgia Tech.

4. Georgia running back Todd Gurley accumulates 100+ all-purpose yards in the first quarter vs Troy

If I didn't think Georgia would have a 50-point lead by halftime, I'd be calling for 400+ yards for their Heisman candidate running back through all four quarters.  Instead, watch for Gurley to have a big first quarter against a Troy team that has let opponents run all over them in their first three games.  Look for Gurley to have a couple good returns, combined with some long runs, to easily eclipse 100 yards in the first quarter, before Georgia puts him back on the shelf.

5. Jameis Winston makes it through the weekend without getting into any more off-field trouble

This may be my boldest prediction yet.  Despite some amount of effort (presumably), Florida State quarterback Jameis Winson can't seem to stay out of trouble.  His latest act of inexplicable bone-headedness involved him standing on a table on campus and screaming obscenities.  Winston won the Heisman and led the Seminoles to a national championship last year, and will try to repeat both feats this year.  But while his play-making ability on the field is undeniable, his decision-making ability off the field is highly questionable.  His QB rating was 184.8 last year, and is 157.4 so far in 2014, but his maturity level hovers around that of a 12-year-old boy.  NFL scouts will undoubtedly take note of his strong arm, but critics are quick to point out his thick skull and apparent lack of moral compass.  Luckily for Winston, his behavior is only deemed half-wrong by Florida State, based on the half-game suspension.  And he may still have a bright NFL future ahead of him, given that horrible people can still have a lucrative career in football, as has been proven.