College Game Day – Three Picks Week Three.  Last week we had another alright week.  Penn State Beat Michigan. SMU beat Temple and BYU Upset Boise State.  Giving us the first 3 – 0 record of the season.  Bringing the College Game Day picks to 6 – 3 for the season.  After that 1 – 2 start we are making things respectable.  Of course that probably means we will give it all back this week.  That is not going to stop us from making our College Game Day picks.  Yes I know it is more than three weeks into the season.  We had a slow start this year and just got the picks going a few weeks ago.  There is really no set structure I had for deciding what games to pick.  I just bring up the schedule and then decide on three games and make my picks.

Impact Game

Auburn at LSU

LSU was expected to be good.  Auburn was expected to be just ok.  Now we end up with Auburn ranked ninth going to the second ranked LSU Tigers.  Even though LSU was expected to be good.  I don’t think that people thought they were going to be this good.  LSU is on a mission to prove that they have the right coach and their quarterback is on a mission to show just what kind of quarterback he is.  Things for LSU are coming together at the right time.  This game is usually pretty close.  Having the same mascot it is always a Tiger fest.  I know not really that funny.  Or not funny in any way.  Their defenses are both pretty close statistically.  In the common game that matter so far.  LSU destroyed Florida 42 – 28.  Auburn lost to Florida 24 – 13.  I know results against common opponents don’t always mean a lot. I do think that this is going to be a pretty good measuring stick here.  I don’t see how the Auburn defense is going to be able to slow down the LSU passing attack.  I see Joe Burrow putting up some big numbers in this game.  I do think that Auburn will be able to score some points.  I just don’t think it will be enough.

LSU 42 Auburn 28

Interesting Game

Wisconsin at Ohio State

This game could also go as the impact game.  The thing that is going to make this game interesting is that with the loss last week.  This will be the game where we find out just what kind of team Wisconsin really is.  The last time that Wisconsin came into Ohio State with such a dominant rusher was 1999.  The player was Ron Dayne.  Wisconsin came into that game having lost two games in a row.  With a 2 – 2 start the Badgers season was looking to be a bust.  At that point Ohio State was ranked 12th and had beaten a Cincinnati team that Wisconsin had lost to.  Things we not looking good for the Badgers in that game.  Ohio State jumped out to an early lead but then Ron Dayne took the game over and Wisconsin ended up winning 42 – 17.  This spurred Wisconsin on to win out and finish the season 10-2 win the Big Ten and the Rose Bowl.   Ohio State limped to a 6 – 6 record.

This really does not parallel this season a whole lot.  it is just some interesting history in the series between these two teams.  Ohio State is way too talented this year to see something like that happen to them.  I do think that last week was just one of those games for Wisconsin.  It seems to happen at least once a season to almost every team.  It just does not matter what you do.  Sometimes nothing really works.  If you look at the Box Score for the Wisconsin Illinois game then going by the stats you would think that Wisconsin won that game.  Wisconsin won in every category except the on category you do not want to be the team with the larger number.  Turn overs.  Wisconsin turned the ball over three times to Illinois only turning it over once.  That leads to some bad things happening.  Ohio State on the other hand has been dominating every team that they play.  The closest game Ohio State has had was their 24 point win over Michigan State.  That game really was not as close as the score indicated.

I do think that this is going to be the biggest test that Ohio State has so far this season.  Wisconsin will show up for this game and even though this is not going to be a top five match up like it could have been  It is still going to be a hard fought game.

Ohio State 31 Wisconsin 26

Upset Game

Boston College At Clemson

Clemson has been playing some dangerous football this year.  Coming close to losing to a North Carolina team that is not that good this year.  Clemson has had some big wins this year as well.  They have been a very inconsistent team.  Boston College has been an up and down team this year as well.  Losing close ones to Wake Forest and to Louisville.  They do have some pretty good talent.  Clemson has the longest winning streak in the country at 19 games.

The game this week is set up pretty good for a let down game for Clemson.  The ESPN match up predictor has them as a 98% favorite.  They are a 35 point favorite on the betting lines.  But that is pretty much the way things go for Clemson in every regular season game.  It seems that the past few years there has been a stumble game for all of the top contenders.  That did not happen to Clemson last year.  Other than this being a home game for Clemson things all point to one of those games where you win in the stats line but lose in the one stat that counts.  The Score.

Boston College 35 Clemson 31