Cram Session - Week 5

The two biggest games of the weekend take place at 8 PM. There will be many people switching back and forth between Nebraska/Wisconsin and Alabama/Florida. This is when college football is at its best. The cupcakes get pushed aside and the best conferences finally start having their teams match up. For Nebraska it is the start of a new era and the Big Ten couldn't have made it any more difficult then sending them to Wisconsin for a prime time game.

Game That Matters to Me

Notre Dame (2-2) at Purdue (2-1)

Sometimes you take a win any way you can get it, no matter how ugly it is. That is what Notre Dame did at Pittsburgh last weekend. The offense struggled all day, especially turnover machine QB Tommy Rees. However, Rees came up big at the end of the game when needed and the Irish climbed back to .500. The Irish are back on the road at Purdue, and a win here could set them up nicely for their upcoming next 3 games at home. Purdue is likely to go with dual quarterbacks in this game. The starter will be Caleb TerBush but Robert Marve is back from injury and is expected to see some time. Purdue's strength is their ground game. They average 258.7 yards per game, good enough for 10th in the country. The last few weeks teams have really struggled to run the ball on Notre Dame. Purdue will have to get something going on the ground behind Ralph Bolden or Akeem Shavers, and TerBush is also a threat to run the ball. Justin Siller is the Boilermakers leading receiver but Purdue only goes to the pass when need be. It would be nice if the Irish could finally have a game where they win the turnover battle. Purdue might be the team to do that against. They barely beat Middle Tennessee at home and lost at Rice. This is a team Notre Dame should beat, and beat rather handily, no matter when and where the game is played.

Prediction: Notre Dame 31, Purdue 21


Top 10 - Saturday, October 1

Kentucky (2-2, 0-1) at #1 LSU (4-0, 1-0)

LSU dominated their brutal September stretch and were rewarded by becoming the #1 team in the country. They get a one week break as the awful Wildcats come to Baton Rouge. LSU better enjoy this weekend, because next weekend the Gators come to town.

Prediction: LSU 42, Kentucky 9

Ball State (3-1) at #2 Oklahoma (3-0)

The Sooners scuffled a bit against Missouri at home, falling behind 14-3 early, before turning on the jets and getting the victory. The scuffling was enough though for people to promptly forget they beat Florida State the weekend before and proclaim it a two team race between Alabama and LSU. I'm not ready to cast aside the Sooners that quickly. A win over Ball State won't change anyone 's mind but next weekend is the Red River Shootout against Texas, where the Sooners can repair them image.

Prediction: Oklahoma 41, Ball State 13

#3 Alabama (4-0, 1-0) at #12 Florida (4-0, 2-0)

Will Muschamp faces his first true test as Gators coach. He did have to deal with Tennessee two weeks ago, but the Vols are a shell of their former selves. Through four games the Gators have looked unstoppable running the ball. The man behind that is the certifiably insane Chris Rainey. Rainey has rushed for over 100 yards his last three games. Bama will also have to watch him on the receiving end. He is the Gators leading receiver as well and can break off big plays that way too, as seen against the Vols when he had an 83-yard TD catch. Florida QB John Brantley has been serviceable so far, but if the Tide slow down Rainey, he will have to make a play or two. Gator nation will be holding their collective breaths if that happens. As for Alabama, they have a similar philosophy as Florida. Play ball control on offense and pound teams in submission with their running game. While Rainey does it with finesse, Trent Richardson does it with power running. The Tide have also given Eddie Lacy more time now that the backfield is less crowded with Mark Ingram in the NFL. This game will be very old school, both teams trying to dictate the tempo to one another and the team that is more successful running and stopping the run, will win. The Swamp will be rocking but Bama is just too good.

Prediction: Alabama 30, Florida 20

Nevada (1-2) at #4 Boise State (3-0)

REVENGE!!! The last two weeks teams have gotten revenge in their revenge games. The Huskers beat the Huskies, and the Sooners beat Missouri. Now Boise State will try to avenge their heartbreaking loss last season at Nevada. That loss kept Boise out of the BCS championship game, and the BCS altogether. Nevada no longer has Colin Kaepernick at QB and the shock of that showed in their opening loss disaster at Oreon. They have played more competitively since then and nearly knocked off Texas Tech last weekend. This is the last of their four road games to open the season. Kellen Moore continues to be outstanding and I expect another scintillating performance from him in this game.

Prediction: Boise State 45, Nevada 23

UCLA (2-2, 1-1) at #6 Stanford (3-0, 1-0)

The Cardinal had a week off and now return to biding their time until they travel to USC on October 29th. They get dead man walking Rick Neuheisal and UCLA this weekend at home. UCLA stopped the bleeding a bit with a win against Oregon State next week but the calls for Neuheisel's head will probably return after Andrew Luck and the Cardinal blow out the Bruins Saturday night.

Prediction: Stanford 40, UCLA 14

#8 Nebraska (4-0, 0-0) at #7 Wisconsin (4-0, 0-0)

As a Huskers fan I have been both dreading and looking forward to this game. I am excited for Nebraska to start their Big 10 (really 12) era and for them to start a bunch of new rivalries. However, I am dreading what could happen under the lights against a very good Wisconsin team. The Badgers have been awesome through four games. Now, it remains to be seen how much that means as they have played a bunch of loser bums. Nebraska hasn't faced a murderer's row in their first four but Washington and Wyoming are far better than anything Wisconsin has seen. Nebraska's defense has struggled and trying to slow down Badgers quarterback Russell Wilson will be one of their bigger tests in the last few seasons. Other offensive players that have be on the Huskers radar are RBs Montee Ball and James White, as well as WR Nick Toon (is he related to Al Toon?). The Huskers have slowed down highly touted QBs in the past but this year's defense hasn't shown the form to inspire confidence that will happen again. The offense has been putting up plenty of points and will have to in this game for Nebraska to win. Nebraska obviously has to establish the run with Rex Burkhead and also open up spaces for Taylor Martinez to use his most dangerous weapon, his legs. People waiting for Martinez to become a passing quarterback shouldn't hold their breath. It can be argued whether that is necessary for him to take Nebraska to a championship level but for now he is what he is. Bo Pelini has helped make Nebraska relevant again but he is still searching for that signature win. The Huskers have come up small in big spots like these for the past decade, so the fan base is naturally not feeling so confident about Saturday night. I hope I am wrong.

Prediction: Wisconsin 34, Nebraska 21

Auburn (3-1, 1-0) at #10 South Carolina (4-0, 2-0)

I really want South Carolina to lose a game. They have a dreadful QB in Stephen Garcia and no one with a brain really thinks they are one of the ten best teams in the country. I predicted 9-3 for Auburn before the season and was called crazy. I might be crazy but I am sticking with the Tigers enough to expect them to pull the upset. Garcia can't keep making mistakes week after week and expecting Marcus Lattimore and his defense to bail him out.

Prediction: Auburn 31, South Carolina 30

Last Week: 9-0!!!!
Overall: 34-4