Can it be? Multiple matchups of ranked teams playing each other in games that actually make you wonder who will win? It must be October.
After far too many games throwing darts at 48-point spreads and questioning what you’re doing with your life while watching games less interesting than timeshare presentations, the college football season really begins this week, with the state of Mississippi holding more intrigue than anywhere in the nation — an occurrence which may never be seen again in any other facet of life.
The weekend’s two best games take place in the Magnolia State, featuring an unprecedented doubleheader of No. 12 Mississippi State hosting No. 6 Texas A&M followed by No. 3 Alabama at No. 11 Mississippi.
It was 1958 — four years before James Meredith became the first black student on the Oxford campus — when the Mississippi schools were both ranked this high in the same season. Both are 4-0 in the same season for the first time ever, with Ole Miss at 4-0 for the first time since Archie Manning was quarterback.
In these two towns — Oxford and Starkville — football isn’t more important than breathing, but the former often feels like the reason for the latter, as fans cram the fervor of four professional teams in one city into one college team.
“Football in the South is something people take an awful lot of pride in and something they really go hang their hat on,” Bulldogs coach Dan Mullen said. “It’s fantastic that we can give people here in Mississippi something to be proud of.”
It is a rare moment and a moment the fans deserve, but what happens in life isn’t even remotely attached to what is deserved.
Alabama (-6) will bring out Bo Wallace’s turnover tendencies, while the Aggies (+1½) will continue to defy expectations, following the 1998 Tennessee playbook by only getting better after losing the best player in the country.
Arizona (+23) over OREGON: There will be no upset like last season, but the Ducks’ inability to stop the pass against Washington State doesn’t bode well against Anu Solomon’s 363.5 yards per game through the air.
SYRACUSE (+1½) over Louisville: Cardinals quarterback Will Gardner’s questionable status makes it too risky to back freshman Reggie Bonnafon in this Big East, err, ACC matchup.
Ohio State (-7½) over MARYLAND: Stefon Diggs should tear apart Ohio State’s secondary, but the star receiver won’t be used enough, as the Terrapins fail to keep pace with the Buckeyes’ explosive offense.
Florida (+2½) over TENNESSEE: Peyton Manning is long gone, but the Volunteers still can’t figure out how to beat the Gators, winners of the past nine meetings.
Wake Forest (+39) over FLORIDA ST.: Hey, Horatio, many things are rotten in the city of Tallahassee.
TCU (+5) over Oklahoma: The Horned Frogs always keeps it closer with the Sooners than it seems they should, and this year’s experienced squad is playing well enough to believe it finally can topple the Big 12’s top team.
TEXAS (+16½) over Baylor: Instinct says to go with the Bears any time a spread is this low, logic says to run away from a team backed by enough people to move the line four points.
Stanford (-2) over NOTRE DAME: Stanford, allowing a nation-best 6.5 points per game and 74 passing yards per game, will overwhelm a Fighting Irish offense that hasn’t faced anything other than mediocre opponents thus far.
AUBURN (-7¹/₂) over Lsu: This isn’t the ideal game for Les Miles to give freshman quarterback Brandon Harris his first start.
Michigan (+3) over RUTGERS: Because nobody believes in them, even though there are many valid reasons to stay away from the Wolverines for the rest of the season.
Arizona St. (+11½) over USC: A double-digit line is an overreaction to the Sun Devils’ blowout loss to UCLA last week. And if injured quarterback Taylor Kelly can somehow play, this is a lock.
Nebraska (+7) over MICHIGAN STATE: This is the biggest Big Ten game left this season, and these are the only two teams with a clear path to the playoff. The Cornhuskers are the last unbeaten team in the conference, while the Spartans are the best one-loss team in the country (with that loss coming at Oregon, the No. 2 team in the country) and are doing what the committee claims they want to see by playing a harder schedule. The Spartans should win, but it could come down to the final minutes.
UCLA (-13) over Utah: To paraphrase a former President: “Fool me once, shame on the Bruins. Fool me, you can’t get fooled again!”
Best Bets: Alabama, Arizona, Auburn
Record: 37-35-2; Best Bets: 7-7-1