Photo Courtesy: Dominic Ceraldi
By DaVince “Dino” Wright
This Week in College Football
College football is far better than what the NFL is putting on the field right now. Right now, the teams in North Texas are keeping up with the nation’s best teams. SMU, TCU and UNT all have winning records. Keep in mind that teams only need 6 wins to become bowl eligible. Keep an eye on these teams. I’m picking all of them to continue winning and bringing more attention to the state of Texas football. The quarterbacks for UNT, TCU and SMU have all made their marks this season. I believe these guys will be household names by Week 9. Let’s take a quick look at this week’s college football games and my predictions for this weekend.
Game Info
#24 South Florida Bulls vs UNT Mean Green
Friday – October 10 – 6:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN2
DATCU Stadium – Denton, TX
The Mean Green are 5-0 this season. There’s no question that the Mean Green should be in the Top 25 right now. They have wins over Lamar, Western Michigan, Washington State, Army and South Alabama. If they win on Friday night then the Mean Green should be ranked after this one. Keep an eye on starting quarterback Drew Mestemaker. He has 1247 passing yards with 11 touchdowns and no interceptions. He’s one of the best players in the country that no one’s talking about. He’s been the player on the team all season long. He will be the x-factor for UNT this game. The Bulls are 4-1 with wins over Boise State, Florida, South Carolina State and Charlotte. This team is scrappy and will be looking to win on the road in Texas. ESPN has the Mean Green with a 53.4% chance of winning at home. I’m taking UNT by 9!
Final Score
Mean Green – 30
#24 Bulls – 21
Game Info
Stanford Cardinals vs SMU Mustangs
Saturday – October 11 – 11:00 a.m.
TV: The CW Network
Gerald R. Ford Stadium – Dallas, TX
SMU started the season ranked 16th in the nation. Right now the Mustangs are limping into this game at home against the Cardinals. In their first 5 games of the season, SMU is 3-2 with wins over ETAM, MOST and Syracuse. They lost close games to Baylor (overtime) and TCU. This should be an easy game for SMU but Stanford is a wounded team and usually wounded teams play better than the favorite team across the board. Stanford is 2-3 in their last 5 games. They are looking for back-to-back wins. ESPN has the Mustangs with a 86.3% chance of winning at home this weekend. I’m taking SMU by 10!
Final Score
Mustangs – 26
Cardinals – 16
Game Info
TCU Horned Frogs vs Kansas State Wildcats
Saturday – October 11 – 2:30 p.m.
TV: FOX
Bill Snyder Family Stadium – Manhattan, KS
TCU is on a roll. In their last 5 games, the Frogs are 4-1 with wins over Colorado, SMU, ACU and UNC. Their only loss was a very winnable game on the road at Arizona State. The offense will need to score early and often this week. K-State plays well at home so TCU will need to respond to any and all defensive schemes by the Wildcats. Establishing the running game with Kevorian Barnes will be huge. K-State has a dynamic quarterback in Avery Johnson. He will be the x-factor for the Wildcats at home. ESPN has TCU with a 57.8% chance of winning on the road this week. I’m taking TCU by 9!
Final Score
Horned Frogs – 32
Wildcats – 23
Game of the Week
#6 Oklahoma Sooner vs Texas Longhorns
Saturday – October 11 – 2:30 p.m.
TV: ABC
Cotton Bowl – Dallas, TX
This will be a huge game for both teams. Last week the Longhorns dropped a very winnable game on the road in Florida 29-21. Starting quarterback Arch Manning looked as if he was totally lost in crucial parts of the game. Texas would be a better team if they had a quarterback. The Longhorns will need to run the ball from start to finish. That’s the only way they will have a chance of winning in Dallas. OU is ranked #6 in the country because of how well their offensive line protects quarterback. John Mateer is one of the favorites for the Heisman Trophy. He should be back in action for this one after having surgery on his hand. This game will come down to how well both defenses play the run. ESPN has the Longhorns with a 60.9% chance of winning in Dallas this weekend. I’m taking Texas by 6, but I won’t hold my breath!
Final Score
Longhorns – 30
#6 Sooner – 24
