Bold predictions for Week 10 in college football
Shocking disappointments and better-than-expected performances are anticipated each weekend in the wild world of college football. Even if everyone knows they are coming, guessing when and where they will happen is difficult.
The Paste BN Sports college football staff — Jace Evans, Paul Myerberg, George Schroeder, Erick Smith, Eddie Timanus and Dan Wolken — weigh in with some bold predictions for Week 10 of the college football season:
Jace Evans
The Cocktail Party will be low-scoring, ugly and need overtime. The Bulldogs stagger into Jacksonville coming off a ghastly overtime loss at home to South Carolina and perhaps an even more brutal-to-watch 21-0 win over Kentucky in monsoon conditions. The Kyle Trask-led Gators, meanwhile, face their toughest defense since they narrowly edged Auburn in the Swamp. With a spot in the SEC title game essentially on the line the pressure has never been higher, and in a rivalry where strange things usually happen regardless that could produce a tough, strange watch.
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Paul Myerberg
SMU scores at least 40 points, gains at least 450 yards of offense and still loses to Memphis in a game that will be the antidote to the low-scoring slog that is Florida and Georgia. What would a Memphis win mean for the New Year’s Six? It might strengthen the case for the American’s champion making the access bowl by speaking to the depth of a league with three teams in the Amway Coaches Poll and another two (Navy and Central Florida) knocking on the door of the Top 25. And it wouldn’t eliminate SMU from the New Year’s Six.
George Schroeder
It’s not a leap, any year, to say that the success or failure of Georgia’s season hinges on what happens against Florida. But given the preseason expectations for the Bulldogs, and after that terrible loss three weeks ago to South Carolina, it’s especially true on Saturday. They have no margin for error, and they’ve shown some significant flaws. But Georgia will get it done in Jacksonville, winning a Top 10 matchup and preserving (at for now) hopes of running the table and reaching the College Football Playoff.
Erick Smith
Entering the first weekend of November, the Pac-12 has two College Football Playoff contenders seemingly on a collision course for the conference title game that could put the winner in the field if things fall right. But before Oregon and Utah can think about that matchup, both will face challenging tests on the road this weekend.
The Ducks head to Southern California to face the Trojans, who are tied with the Utes for supremacy in the South division. Utah, meanwhile, must visit Washington in one of the more hostile road environments in the conference.
At least one - if not both - will fall on Saturday and result in the conference missing out on the playoff field for the third consecutive season. That's the price of parity in a league where anyone can beat anyone.
Eddie Timanus
Say what you will about the chaotic mess that is the ACC Coastal, but at least it’s competitive with all seven teams within a game in the loss column. Saturday’s tilt between Virginia and North Carolina in Chapel Hill looms quite large in the division race, though it might be a long day for the opposing quarterbacks.
Things could get especially rough for the Tar Heels freshman Sam Howell, who has managed to throw for 22 touchdowns despite getting less-than-stellar protection. UNC has surrendered 27 sacks, nearly three-and-a-half a game. The UVa defense for its part has bagged itself 32 sacks, four per contest.
Life in the pocket hasn’t been much better for Cavaliers QB Bryce Perkins. His line has allowed 26 sacks. The North Carolina pass rush hasn’t been quite as prolific, getting to the opposing signal caller 21 times.
Suffice it to say whichever team addresses its protection issues better and keeps its QB upright more will prevail. The bet here is that will be the visiting Cavs, but it won’t be easy. Nothing ever is in the Coastal.
Dan Wolken
After a pretty disastrous start to the year, there are some positive vibes around Tennessee after competing for three quarters against Alabama and beating South Carolina last weekend. But those positive vibes will end when a very competent Alabama-Birmingham team comes to Neyland. The 6-1 Blazers have been sniffing around a big Power Five upset under Bill Clark and play much better defense than your garden variety Conference USA team. If Tennessee dips emotionally coming off the South Carolina sun, they’ll be ripe for the picking. UAB wins this weekend.