Another weekend, another weekend led by the SEC. Carolina/Ole Miss, Mizzou/A&M, and Tennessee/Arkansas highlight another relatively light weekend in college football. Every season, one of these "light" weekends turns the season upside down with some chaotic upsets.
This week, we have our most recognizable guest picker yet. This is a man that played defensive tackle under Jim Carlen from 1977-1980, was an Honorable Mention All-American, selected to the Blue/Gray All-Star game, spent time in two NFL camps, and was a double graduate from USC. We are talking about Chuck Allen. Allen graduated from the USC School of Law and then began a successful practice in the Upstate. He was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives and later to the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017. Allen also served on the university's Board of Trustees and was awarded Trustee Emeritus by Carolina in 2021. Give his office a call if you need legal help in the Upstate. For the record, he was also 100% correct on the Bob Caslen hire.
All game times are listed in EDT. The lines were locked on Monday and may have moved by the date of this article's publication.
Syracuse (3-1) +6.5 @ #25 UNLV (4-0): Friday, 9:00 on FS1
This is your best on Friday night. Oregon also plays Michigan State, but that game should be a blowout. Let's talk about former UNLV QB Matthew Sluka. This situation is the result of the unprecedented failure of the NCAA. Sluka was part of UNLV's incoming transfer class this offseason, he was also the starter of the undefeated Rebels. He chose to redshirt after allegedly not getting the NIL package he was promised in order to enter his name into the transfer portal yet again this offseason. I'm not going to write 2,000 words on this situation, but it sucks. It shows no loyalty at all on Sluka's part, it also shows the seedy underbelly of NIL recruiting. Sluka can't be the only one that hasn't had an NIL offer fulfilled. I'm not sure what the NCAA expected to happen in the decade that they refused to act on something that everyone saw coming, but here we are.
#9 Missouri (4-0) +1 @ #25 Texas A&M (3-1): Saturday 12:00 on ABC
While only by a single-point, this is the first time Missouri has been an underdog this season. QB Conner Weigman has been dealing with a shoulder injury, sidelining him for A&M’s games against Florida and Arkansas. His replacement, Marcel Reed, has played better thus far. In three starts, Reed has thrown for 585 yards with eight total touchdowns. A&M is a run first team regardless of who is under center. The Aggies average 231.6 yards per game with eight rushing scores. The ground attack is led by RB Le’Veon Moss with 471 yards (third-best in SEC) and three touchdowns.
The Gamecocks will see the Aggies and Tigers firsthand later this season.
SMU (4-1) +7 @ #22 Louisville (3-1): 12:00 on ESPN
It's not yet spring, but the ponies are running next door to Churchill Downs this weekend in Louisville. They ran right through Florida State in Tallahassee last week leaving their fans wondering, is this all the ACC can offer?
In case you were wondering, former Gamecock, (can he really be considered a former Gamecock?), Ahmari Huggins-Bruce has four catches for 38 yards and has returned two punts for a grand total of six yards thus far for the Cardinals.
Boston College (4-1) +3.5 @ Virginia (3-1): 12:00 on ACC Network
The unlikely bowl. Most sites had both Virginia and Boston College at 4.5 wins for the season. BC can surpass that mark in week six with a win in Charlottesville. The Cavaliers are just two wins away from eclipsing their total as well. BC QB Thomas Castellanos is expected to play. He has appeared in four games and has gone 45-of-70 for 729 yards, ten touchdowns, and two interceptions, as well as 43 rush attempts for 112 yards and a touchdown.
UVA's QB Anthony Colandrea is also pretty good. Last season he set Virginia freshman single-season records for completions, passing yards, and total offense. This will be a good game that you probably won't watch.
Iowa (3-1) +20.5 @ #3 Ohio State (4-0): 3:30 on CBS
Based on the Vegas spreads from the first month, it is abundantly clear that the boys in the desert think Ohio State, Texas, Alabama, and Georgia are the four best teams. Tennessee might be knocking on the door. The Buckeyes have historically dominated the series with Iowa (72.3 winning percentage), not quite the same way the Gamecocks have dominated the Buckeyes (100% winning percentage). OSU has won six-of-seven in the series. The schools last met in 2022, with Ohio State winning 54-10. Iowa's offense is slightly more exciting than watching paint dry this year, but don't expect them to keep up with the Buckeyes.
#12 Ole Miss (4-1) -9 @ South Carolina (3-1): 3:30 on ESPN
The Juice Wells Bowl. GamecockScoop is your best source for Gamecock Football coverage each and every week. If you haven't subscribed yet, what are you waiting for? Our subscribers know they'll get plenty of coverage of this game throughout the week.
Lane Kiffin may have saved Juice from a lifetime of pumping gas, but can he and Jaxson Dart save him from 80,000 and a well-rested Gamecock pass rush? Rocket and LaNorris Sellers status? Keep it here for all the answers.
Rutgers (4-0) +7 @ Nebraska (4-1): 4:00 on FS1
Rutgers is one of many surprise unbeaten teams after the first month of the season.
G5 Schools: Army, Navy, Liberty, UNLV, and James Madison
P4 School: Duke, Miami, Pitt, BYU, Iowa State, Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon, Penn State, the aforementioned Scarlett Knights of Rutgers, Texas, Alabama, Missouri, and Tennessee.
How amazing would be if the Army v. Navy game decided the final playoff spot?
#4 Tennessee (4-0) -14 @ Arkansas (3-2): 7:30 on ABC
Arkansas's offense has been stagnant the last two weeks after averaging 46 points per game the first two week. (Thanks Arkansas Pine Bluff) The Hogs then scored just 17 against A&M and only 24 at Auburn. Much of the struggles lie in the passing game. Razorback quarterback Taylen Green has yet to show command of coordinator Bobby Petrino's scheme. Green is completing 54.3% of his passes with five touchdowns and five interceptions.
I could write something about Tennessee, but right now everything is working for the Vols. They are first nationally in scoring offense, 54 points a game, and second in scoring defense allowing only seven points a game.
#10 Michigan (4-1) +3 @ Washington (3-2): 7:30 on NBC
We triple checked this line, Washington is the favorite despite not looking impressive the entire season. The most points the Huskies have scored against a P4 team is 24 against Northwestern. They scored 19 in a home loss to rival Washington State and 18 in a road loss to Rutgers. This is Michigan's first game on the road after opening up with five straight in Ann Arbor. I had to remind myself that this was a rematch of the national championship game last season.
#8 Miami (5-0) -12.5 @ Cal (3-1): 10:30 on ESPN
ESPN's College Day doesn't have a lot of firsts anymore, but this Saturday will mark such occasion. California has never hosted the pregame show, they will this week when undefeated Miami comes to town. The Saturday morning staple hasn't been to the following P4 schools; Maryland, Rutgers, Virginia, Syracuse, SMU and Illinois. Five of those programs could be in the mix later in 2024.
As for this game, we'll see how Miami handles the cross country flight and a half-full stadium, they should be used to the latter. The Golden Bears did lose to Florida State after all.
