Teams: No. 18 Auburn at No. 13 LSU
Date: Saturday, September 19
Time: 2:30 p.m.
TV: CBS
It’s Tigers vs. Tigers. It’s this season’s first ranked match up in Tiger Stadium. The only thing that manages to tame this game is that it’s a day game.
LSU managed to escape Starkville, Mississippi, and its cowbells with a 21-19 victory. Sophomore quarterback Brandon Harris didn’t get to throw the ball much, but when he did, he was effective. LSU had its way on the ground, rushing 47 times for 266 yards. Sophomore running back Leonard Fournette rushed 28 times for 159 yards and three scores alone to put himself in the thick of the Heisman race.
Auburn looked less than impressive in its last game, a 27-20 overtime victory against Jacksonville State.
Auburn trailed late in the game and never looked comfortable, and junior quarterback Jeremy Johnson continued to be careless with the football, throwing two interceptions. The Auburn offense was outgained by Jacksonville State, and the defense allowed 161 rushing yards.
LSU should be able to impose its will on Auburn’s front seven if Harris is given the opportunity to do just enough in the passing game.
Teams: Northern Illinois at No. 1 Ohio State
Date: Saturday, September 19
Time: 2:30 p.m.
TV: ABC/ESPN2
I might be a bad person for telling you to watch Ohio State beat Northern Illinois by more than five touchdowns, but it’ll be fun to watch the number on the scoreboard grow larger and larger. Can the Buckeyes cover the enormous spread? I say they can.
NIU has already allowed 56 points in just two games this season. Its opponents? UNLV and Murray State. Ohio State has multiple Heisman candidates on its offense — the Buckeyes can realistically put 60 points on the board. The Ohio State offense will be fun to watch until they pull their starters. After that, I’d recommend changing the channel.
Teams: Stanford at No. 6 USC
Date: Saturday, September 19
Time: 7 p.m.
TV: ABC
Stanford and USC always seem to put on a show. No matter what the teams are ranked, both teams are always up for this game. If you don’t believe me, the last five contests between the Trojans and the Cardinal have been decided by 23 points combined.
The Trojans will certainly be the favorites with a Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback in senior Cody Kessler. I expect them to have far too much firepower for Stanford, but that’s what I thought as well in 2007 when the Cardinal knocked off then-No. 2 USC as a 41-point underdog. I also thought USC had too much in 2012 whenthen-No. 21 Stanford upset the then-No. 2 Trojans.
USC should win comfortably, but you just never know with this game.
Teams: No. 15 Ole Miss at No. 2 Alabama
Date: Saturday, September 19
Time: 8:15 p.m.
TV: ESPN
This is a mouthwatering matchup.
The Ole Miss offense has been an unstoppable force so far this season. The Rebels have scored 76 and 73 points this season, outscoring opponents 149-24. Junior quarterback Chad Kelly suddenly has everyone in Oxford, Mississippi, excited once again after Bo Wallace’s departure.
However, Ole Miss is meeting its first true test of the season, and it’s a stern one. Alabama’s defense is a significant step up from the University of Tennessee at Martin and Fresno State. If anybody is going to devise a plan to stop a high-powered offense, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to bet on Alabama coach Nick Saban and his defensive coordinator, Kirby Smart.
On the offensive side of the ball, Alabama’s lead running back, junior Derrick Henry, is a one-man wrecking crew. He’s put up scary numbers, 243 rushing yards and six touchdowns in just two games. It’ll be fun to see how the Rebel defense handles a guy who is in the thick of the Heisman race. I think it’ll go down to the wire Saturday night.
Teams: No. 19 BYU at No. 10 UCLA
Date: Saturday, September 19
Time: 9:30 p.m.
TV: FOX Sports 1
I really have no idea how BYU is undefeated. The Cougars faced two late game deficits in the first two weeks, and both times they’ve had a hail mary win them the game. Oh, and they won both of those with a backup quarterback.
UCLA is a much more hard-nosed test. The Bruins are serious contenders in the Pac-12 and are the best team BYU has faced by a wide margin. But the 2013 Auburn Tigers taught me to never, ever count out the team of destiny. Can the Cougars pull off a third miracle in a row? That question being answered alone is reason enough to watch.