The crucial component to keep in mind when reading any bold predictions column in any sport is that they are, self-evidently, bold. They are meant to go where a normal predictions column will not go—throwing a few darts that, if they hit, will reveal the prognosticator’s special genius.
That’s a long way of saying that last week’s column was a dud. Mea culpa: Nebraska (as is its way) melted down against Oregon, Ohio State overcame Indiana’s pass rush for a narrow win and Ole Miss smashed Missouri. Ex-Alabama coach Nick Saban did emerge as a critic of potential CFP hyper-expansion, but his thoughts didn’t quite break viral contain.
As the dust settles from one of the sport’s wildest weeks, here are four bold predictions for the weekend to come in college football.
Tennessee’s defense makes us wonder why South Carolina was ever favored
At press time, the Gamecocks are 2.5-point favorites over the Volunteers, a semi-confusing line that probably reflects a.) uncertainty at the quarterback position for Tennessee and b.) South Carolina’s 38–19 win at Florida Saturday. Let’s keep the main thing the main thing: the Volunteers’ defense, by a healthy margin, will be the best unit on the field Saturday—its physicality against Alabama, whose offense is better than the Gamecocks’, was a sight to behold. It’s also not like South Carolina torched the Gators from a yardage standpoint—the Gamecocks outgained Florida 393–387 and benefited from good turnover luck. Expect Tennessee to bring South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers back to Earth and score a two-touchdown win.
Cincinnati’s offense keeps Texas Tech within striking distance in a narrow loss
The Bearcats’ and Red Raiders’ average yards per game so far this season: 460 and 422.3, respectively. Cincinnati and Texas Tech’s strength of schedule rankings per College Football Reference: 76th and 74th in FBS. Why, then, is it taken as gospel truth that the Red Raiders’ offense is so much better than the Bearcats’, given that Cincinnati has largely hummed on that side of the ball apart from an Oct. 3 no-show against Arizona? This has the makings of a shootout—note Texas Tech’s defensive regression from a superb 2025—and the Bearcats’ motivated staff will fall just short of an upset, losing 41–37.
Though limited, Kamario Taylor helps Mississippi State upset Oklahoma
It is not immediately clear whether Taylor will play Saturday (Chris Low and Pete Nakos of On3 reported “optimism” around his status Thursday evening), but let’s say he does. The Bulldogs are playing a team roughly comparable to the Gamecocks in ESPN’s Bill Connelly’s SP+ pecking order—South Carolina and the Sooners are 32nd and 34th, respectively—and Mississippi State beat the Gamecocks 41–34 on the road on Sept. 19. Given how lost the Bulldogs looked without him, Taylor playing feels like the trump card for Mississippi State in a bad offense/good defense vs. good offense/bad defense showdown. All the better if the Bulldogs get questionable running back Fluff Bothwell back; he’s topped the century mark three times this season but hasn’t played since Oct. 3 due to a foot injury.
USC roulette results in a surprise blowout win against Wisconsin
As much as the public’s opinion of coach Lincoln Riley’s Trojans (never high to begin with) has deteriorated, USC remains a dangerous team and a genuine CFP contender. The problem is that the Trojans, liable to look horrible against Rutgers and good against Penn State in a four-week span, are wildly difficult to predict. This is an opportunity for USC to reset: the Trojans, coming off a bye, are playing a vastly inferior Badgers offense in clear weather. USC’s beleaguered defense will get a bit of a breather ahead of a breakneck closing stretch (Ohio State! Indiana! UCLA!), and the Trojans will cruise to a 35–16 victory in Madison, Wis.
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