Every week during football season, our sports staff will discuss different aspects of the upcoming week in college football. Today, digital sports editor Victor Flores and sports reporters Chris Keizur, Ryan Kostecka, Madison Guernsey and Hayden Kim discuss what to look forward to on Saturday.
1) Do you see any top-25 teams getting upset this weekend?
Victor Flores — Coming off a blowout loss to Oregon, people might not be expecting Tennessee to give No. 19 Florida much of a challenge. But Tennessee’s humongous offensive line could somewhat neutralize Florida’s elite defense, forcing the Gators’ offense (64th in the FBS in yards per game) to step up. Also watch out for Purdue against No. 24 Wisconsin.
Chris Keizur — No. 5 Stanford has a real chance to lose this weekend against No. 23 Arizona State. The Cardinal have not been tested at this point and the Sun Devils are a strong team. If Stanford wants to win they will have to be able to slow down ASU’s impressive aerial attack, which ranks 8th in the country in passing yards per game.
Ryan Kostecka — I don’t see any of the top teams in the country falling this week … expect maybe No. 22 Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish could definitely lose to a tough, underrated Michigan State squad. With Notre Dame’s schedule, no game is a “gimme” and the Irish could be looking ahead to next week’s showdown against Oklahoma. The Irish will win, but it will be closer than people expect.
Madison Guernsey — Notre Dame will lose to Michigan State. The Spartans are 3-0 this season and are better than the Fighting Irish on both sides of the ball. This will be Michigan State’s first road game of 2013 but expect the Spartans, who have one of the nation’s best defenses, to stay undefeated in a close win.
Hayden Kim — Notre Dame is coming off a poor performance against a Purdue team that should have come away with a win. The Fighting Irish will now have to turn around and face a 3-0 Michigan State team that has one of the better defenses in the nation. While Michigan State will be the visitors, don’t be surprised when they pull the upset against No. 22 Notre Dame.
2) What is the best game of the weekend?
Victor Flores — ESPN’s College GameDay might be covering North Dakota State-Delaware State, but the best game is No. 23 Arizona State at No. 5 Stanford. However, Michigan State at No. 22 Notre Dame should be a close game between two teams with above-average defenses. Don’t sleep on the “Holy War” between Utah and BYU, either.
Chris Keizur — Unfortunately, this weekend only features one matchup between top 25 teams: No. 5 Stanford and No. 23 Arizona State. That will be the game you will most want to tune in for. Beyond that, keep your eye on Auburn at No. 6 LSU. Though LSU is the heavy favorite, this is a classic trap game for the home team as they may be looking ahead to their big game against Georgia next week.
Ryan Kostecka — The conventional pick is Arizona State-Stanford because it’s a big measuring stick for both teams. Arizona State winning introduces them as a possible Rose Bowl contender while a Stanford win makes their national title l hopes more realistic. I’m going with Fresno State-Boise State. It’s the best game of the year between teams not playing in an automatic qualifying (AQ) conference. A Fresno State win keeps their slim BCS hopes alive.
Madison Guernsey — The only top-25 matchup is Arizona State at Stanford, and while it will be a good game to see how good both teams really are, I think the Cardinal will win by at least two touchdowns. Tennessee at No. 19 Florida presents the most entertaining contest. It’s the first SEC game for both teams, and each are coming off important losses. One of these teams has to make a statement, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Volunteers pull through.
Hayden Kim — There is no question where the nation’s eyes will be this weekend. Coming off a dramatic win against Wisconsin, No. 23 ranked Arizona State is heading to Palo Alto as they get set to play No. 5 Stanford in what will be one of the biggest Pac-12 matchups of the year. Whatever the result, this will be a game that will be looked back at when it’s time to decide not only the Pac-12 champions, but potentially the national champions as well.
3) Who will have the best individual performance this weekend?
Victor Flores — It appears Ohio State’s Braxton Miller will play this Saturday against 1-2 Florida A&M (who plays in the FCS), which could result in some gaudy numbers by the Buckeyes quarterback. Some of the top Heisman candidates, like Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel and Florida State’s Jameis Winston, are also facing poor teams, so expect big days from them, as well. Also watch out for Marqise Lee (WR, USC), who seems due for a huge performance after a lackluster first three games.
Chris Keizur — Bishop Sankey, running back for the Washington Huskies, is set to have a big game this weekend. Against Idaho State, who I don’t think will have much of a chance, the Huskies are going to get up big early. This will lead to some yards on the ground as head coach Steve Sarkisian will look to run out the clock. I see Sankey ending with 200+ yards and three touchdowns.
Ryan Kostecka — Look for UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley to man-handle a pretty bad New Mexico State team. Hundley could easily pass for 300+ yards, four touchdowns and run for an additional 100+ yards and a touchdown. That’s a big-time performance heading into Pac-12 play. Sankey could also add to his nation-leading 184 rushing yards per game.
Madison Guernsey — Texas Tech freshman quarterback Baker Mayfield will go off against Texas State, who ranks 105th nationally in passing yards allowed per game but first against the run, meaning the Red Raiders will need to air it out. Mayfield has thrown for 996 yards already and should collect 350 more plus three touchdowns against the Bobcats.
Hayden Kim — Johnny Manziel is coming off a disappointing loss against top-ranked Alabama and will be looking to take that anger out on SMU this weekend. With virtually no pressure and no national audience waiting to gnaw at his every move, Manziel will have his usual evening of fame following a dominant performance against a mediocre SMU team.
4) What should Oregon be doing this week to get prepared for the rest of their season?
Victor Flores — The Ducks should be taking it easy. Coach Mark Helfrich said he isn’t going to have his players gameplan for California until next week, so the Oregon players should take advantage of the down time. With Pac-12 play starting next week, the Ducks won’t have an opportunity to rest like this for at least two months.
Chris Keizur — Oregon needs to set up a tribute to the gods of favorable road games. This season, almost all of their tough matchups are being played away from the friendly confines of Autzen Stadium as they take on No. 17 Washington and No. 5 Stanford. The Ducks will need to be able to maintain their focus and level of play in some hostile environments.
Ryan Kostecka — The Ducks are flying high right now and deserve some down time, but too much rest against a decent Cal team could lead to a shocking game result. Oregon needs to do a mixture of staying focused and relaxing. Several Oregon players are going home to see their families, so they should enjoy that, but they should also make sure to rest their bodies and keep their minds sharp.
Madison Guernsey — Keep doing what they’re doing and maintaining controlled egos. Their preparation has remained the same over the last few years and it’s paid off, so there’s no reason to change it now. They can afford to relax a little this weekend and then focus on Cal starting next week.
Hayden Kim — This is a week where one position needs to be figured out: place kickers. Sure, the tight ends and running backs will need some time to work themselves out, but with Pac-12 play right around the corner, the Ducks will need to solidify a more solid rotation between Alejandro Maldonado and Matt Wogan while they have some extra time. Rest will also be key as the veterans take their time to rejuvenate their bodies, while the younger players put in reps they normally wouldn’t see.