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(#12)LSU at (#7)Auburn
3:30 p.m. CBS
The college football gods have blessed us with an early-season conference showdown that will match the intensity of late-season tilt. Auburn-LSU is one of college football’s most underrated rivalries, with nearly each game offering a wildly entertaining showdown with plenty of smashmouth football. The atmosphere will be off-the-walls at Jordan-Hare Stadium as these teams will leave it all on the field with playoff aspirations on the line.
Prediction: Auburn- 23, LSU- 20
(#17)Boise State at (#24)Oklahoma State
3:30 p.m. ESPN
Like offense? Well, oh boy, will you enjoy this one. The lowest point total for either team so far this season is 55, so there should be plenty of offensive fireworks to go around. This game has the feel of either the last team with the ball wins with a score in the closing seconds, or a late turnover puts an end to an otherwise back-and-forth affair. If these teams score as much as predicted, this game may just stretch on until the start of the Ohio State-TCU game.
Prediction: Oklahoma State-56, Boise State-51
(#4)Ohio State vs. (#15)TCU
8 p.m. ABC
This game could be an excellent test for new Buckeyes quarterback Dwayne Haskins, as he faces one of college football’s great defensive masterminds in TCU head coach Gary Patterson. Haskins has looked more like a seasoned Heisman contender than someone just learning the intricacies of being a big-time college quarterback- at least against Oregon State and Rutgers. This game is of special interest for Penn State fans as they look forward to Ohio State coming to town in just two weeks. If TCU is able to frustrate Haskins, it could be used as a blueprint on how to slow down the Buckeyes offense. If Ohio State rolls, well, we may want to start praying.
Prediction: Ohio State- 31, TCU-24
(#10)Washington at Utah
10 p.m. ESPN
This is a good one if you’re not quite ready for your day of college football to end, or at the very least, for something to drift off to after a long day on the sofa. Every game for the remainder of the season is an absolute must-win for the Huskies following a tough loss to Auburn in week one. Utah is never an easy victory, but they will need to find a way to put more points on the board following a sluggish 17-6 victory against Northern Illinois in week two.
Prediction: Washington-34, Utah-24