The upsets keep coming, followed by “coachspeak” about parity in college football.
asserted
upsets → come → football
The trendlines appear to back it up.
asserted
trendlines → appear → it
All this is according to Sportradar.
uncertain
this → accord → Sportradar
A total of 69 one-score conference games have been played in the Power Four so far this season, which means there is a lot of riveting football going on.
asserted
which → play → football
No. 1 Miami (minus 14 1/2) at North Carolina
Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney are the hottest things going right now and both are in the mix for the Heisman Trophy.
asserted
both → go → Trophy
The Tar Heels’ middle-of-the-pack ACC defense shriveled in the fourth quarter against struggling Syracuse.
asserted
defense → shrivel → Syracuse
No. 2 Ohio State (minus 6 1/2) at Southern California
The Buckeyes go to the West Coast for their first game without Julian Sayin.
asserted
Buckeyes → go → Sayin
Their defense is capable of carrying the load in this one.
asserted
defense → carry → one
No. 17 Florida (plus 11 1/2) at No. 3 Georgia
Georgia, coming off open date following the Auburn upset, hasn’t lost consecutive games since the 2018 season.
asserted
Georgia → come → season
Gators could have QB Aaron Philo (shoulder) back or go with Tramell Jones again.
uncertain
Gators → have → Jones
Pick: Georgia 27-17.
Minnesota (plus 20 1/2) at No. 4 Indiana
This seems like a big spread for a Hoosiers team that hasn’t scored more than 20 points in any of its last three games and has a quarterback who’s been banged up.
asserted
who → seem → quarterback
No. 5 Notre Dame (minus 30) at Navy
The Fighting Irish have had a couple weeks to stew over what happened at BYU and will take it out on an underperforming Navy defense.
asserted
what → stew → defense
No. 6 Utah (minus 6 1/2) at Cincinnati
The Holy War against No. 8 BYU is looming next week, but Cincinnati will get the Utes’ full attention after what the Bearcats did to Texas Tech last week.
asserted
Bearcats → loom → Tech
Nevada at No. 7 UCLA (minus 22 1/2)
UCLA steps out of conference to face a middling Mountain West team.
asserted
UCLA → step → team
QB Ty Dieffenbach continues to build chemistry with the backing of the Big Ten’s best run game.
asserted
Dieffenbach → continue → game
BYU is back home, in bounce-back mode and looking to get out to a fast start after two close games.
asserted
BYU → bounce → games
The Longhorns calmed the waters in Austin with their win over Mississippi and won’t slip up against a spiraling Bulldogs team that lost QB Kamario Taylor for the season.
asserted
that → calm → season
Auburn at No. 12 Mississippi (minus 13)
Rebels’ playoff hopes dangling and RB Kewan Lacy (shoulder) is out.
asserted
Lacy → dangle → ?
Expect Trinidad Chambliss, picked off three times by Texas, to be better against an Auburn defense that’s allowed over 700 yards passing over last two games.
asserted
that → expect → games
No. 22 Arizona (plus 3 1/2) at No. 13 Texas Tech
Wildcats riding momentum of five-game win streak into Lubbock, where they haven’t won since 1935.
asserted
they → rid → 1935
Red Raiders have lost their mojo, and it showed at Cincinnati.
asserted
it → lose → Cincinnati
Virginia at No. 14 Wake Forest (minus 12)
Demon Deacons have won four straight, the last three by lopsided scores.
asserted
Deacons → win → scores
Virginia hasn’t been getting much done on offense, but Tony Elliott gave QB Beau Pribula a vote of confidence this week.
asserted
Elliott → get → confidence
Texas State (plus 11) at No. 20 Boise State
Matchup of a couple young coaches whose stars are rising in Bobcats’ GJ Kinne and Broncos’ Spencer Danielson.
asserted
stars → rise → Kinne
No. 20 Northwestern (plus 3 1/2) at Oregon
Chip Kelly, who has worked wonders as Northwestern’s first-year offensive coordinator, returns to Eugene to face the program he led to a 46-7 record from 2009-12 after two years as OC.
asserted
he → work → OC
No. 23 Missouri (minus 10) at Arkansas
All-America RB Ahmad Hardy returned to practice this week, but Jamal Roberts will continue to be the bell cow for the Tigers.
asserted
Roberts → return → Tigers
No. 24 Oklahoma State (minus 9 1/2) at Iowa State
Cyclones have given up over 300 yards passing in two straight games.
asserted
Cyclones → give → games
Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker has thrown for over 300 in six straight.
asserted
Mestemaker → throw → six
No. 25 Wisconsin (plus 3 1/2) at Iowa
Iowa has won four straight over the Badgers and outscored them 79-10 the last two meetings.
asserted
Iowa → win → them
The Aporia
