Will LSU Get Swamped In The Swamp?
They are sighing relief in Columbus and Clemson, trying to put on happy faces in Happy Valley, feeling solid in South Bend, starting to believe in Baton Rouge and starting to make room for another trophy in Tuscaloosa.
As college football heads into October, a few teams are more on solid ground for potential playoff potential while a few others – notably a pair of Tigers in the South – are on the verge of falling off a cliff. And still more are not only off the cliff but plunging to new depths of dispair.
All times Pacific because The Prognosticator lives on the West Coast.
Texas at Oklahoma (at Cotton Bowl in Dallas, 9 a.m., FOX)
To some, it seems as if the Steers are finally getting steered in the right direction. In reality, they are simply using a little momentum from beating a poorly-coached USC team and they won’t be able to keep pace with the red team in the Red River Rivalry – or, to some, the Red River Showdown. The Boomers will keep things interesting with a defense that can give up big plays by the wagonload. The fans will be drinking out of their team-colored coolers on the Texas State Fairgrounds but it will be the Boomers who will be booming the loudest into the night. Winner: Oklahoma
Alabama at Arkansas (9 a.m., ESPN)
The Pachyderms stomp into Arkansas with the force of a stampede and the power of a powerful Crimson Tide. Touchdown Tua is a one-man tidal wave but the Tide brings wave after wave after wave of talent and the Razorbacks will be knocked out to sea before they will be able to see what hit them. Winner: Alabama
LSU at Florida (12:30 p.m., CBS)
Coach O’s Bayou Boys head in into Swamp to hunt down a bunch of Gators in a hostile environment that the hosts hope chews up the visitors from Louisiana like a pot of jambalaya. But it’s the Gators that will be the Po-Boys, for they don’t have enough bite on offense to break through the thick defensive skin of the Tigers. This is going to more more of a wrestling match than a shootout and the bayou is going to be tougher territory to navigate than the Swamp. Winner: LSU
Indiana at Ohio State (1 p.m., FOX)
The Acorns rolled out of Happy Valley a bunch of happy nuts and facing the Hoosiers won’t cause them any concerns about cracking the week after a big win. The visitors have feasted on a steady diet of cupcakes to date but in Columbus they won’t get near the bowl of nuts put on the party table. Winner: Ohio State
Kentucky at Texas A&M (4 p.m., ESPN)
This is pretty wild, The Prognosticator writing about a bunch of Cats that, to this point, have been running wild this season. They may need their own 12th Man, however, to overcome the stand-up fans at Kyle Field. The Jimbos are not the scattered bunch of the Sumlin years but don’t think that just because this isn’t basketball the Cats can’t go wild again. Winner: Texas A&M.
Washington at UCLA (4:30 p.m., FOX)
The one-time Trampolines have no spring in their step this year and are thus like one of those rusty old toys sitting out in a back corner of the yard unused and forgotten. They are as flat as a the stomach on a cheerleader but not nearly as attractive. The U-Dubers, who have very little bite on offense, will be able to take full advantage of this, fooling themselves and a few other less knowledgable college football “experts” into thinking they are better than they are with a blowout win. Winner: Washington
Nebraska at Wisconsin (4:30 p.m., Big 10 Network)
This is a marquee matchup in names only so much so even the conference acknowledges it by hiding it from national view on the Big 10 Network. The Shuckers are as cooked as popcorn and about as light. The Badgers are fighting for respectability to get back in the College Football Playoffs talk but pounding a patsy isn’t going to do anything to help their cause. Winner: Wisconsin
Vanderbilt at Georgia (4:30 p.m., SEC Network)
The Dawgs hope not to get themselves into a Hairy situation against a Commodores team that nearly upset Notre Dame. That’s as likely to happen as UGA being left in Savannah. The ‘Dores are going to be doormats in this one as the Bulldogs use this game to sharpen their teeth for the next week against LSU. Winner: Georgia
Auburn at Mississippi State (4:30 p.m., ESPN2)
The Bus Gus hits the highway for the first time this year going against some Bulldogs who have lost their bite with two consecutive losses. It was 10 years ago that these two schools played in a 3-2 final that is remembered as “the game that set football back 20 years.” It may be much the same this year with two good defensive teams that are as explosive on offense as a dud Fourth of July firecracker. Winner: Auburn
Notre Dame at Virginia Tech (5 p.m., ABC)
Are the Irish for real? They are real excited about this season’s possibilities but head into what could be a buzzsaw in Blacksburg. The schizophrenic Lunchpails could not beat back a bunch of fluttering Monarchs butterflies and then unloaded on undefeated Blue Devils. The Prognosticator is not sold on the Domers and feel they are about to get gobbled up by the Gobblers. Winner: Virginia Tech
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