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Simply in the context of pure football-watching enjoyment, last weekend was historical. I can not remember a day when, game-after-game, players and teams were so evidently pouring it all out on the field. Multiple games provided breath-holding, heart-pumping, hands sweating fantastic finishes, From Alabama-Tennessee to Oklahoma State-TCU, from USC-Utah to Wisconsin-Michigan State and beyond, the list of great games was long and the hits just kept on coming.
So now what?
We are certainly ready for a sequel performance, so let's see what we get from this week's lineup of games.
There are two matchups of teams ranked in the Super 16 Poll, including UCLA at Oregon. The Bruins are 6-0 for the first time since 2005 as they head to Autzen to battle the mighty Ducks. These are the last two teams standing in the PAC-12 with undefeated conference records, and both should be more than ready to play after enjoying a bye week.
My Congrove Computer Rankings at CollegeFootballPoll.com have Oregon by a surprisingly large 16.04-point margin which is well above the 6.5-point spread at FanDuel Sportsbook. I thought maybe that was a by-product of UCLA's lower preseason expectations than what we're seeing unfold on the field, so I looked deeper into the numbers and found that the computer's trend line still has Oregon by a solid 10.
The other game pitting Super 16 Poll members against each other is Clemson hosting Syracuse. The Tigers are riding winning streaks of 13 games over-all and 37 games at home, both of which lead the FBS. Clemson has lost a TOTAL of 4 games to ACC foes since the 2017 season when the 'Cuse handed Clemson its only loss of the regular season by a 27-24 count in Syracuse. Clemson's last home loss was to Pitt on November 12, 2016.
Syracuse is one of the biggest surprises of the season, having already surpassed the computer's preseason projection of 5 wins which, by the way, was more than all other prognosticators gave the Orange. This is Dino Babers' 7th year at the helm, and it has taken four years to get the program back to bowl-eligibility status for just the second time in his tenure.
The computer has Clemson by 11.36 against a 13.5-point spread at most sportsbooks. The computer trend line shrinks the projected margin to just 7.
Four teams in the Sweet 16 Poll are idle, including No. 1 Georgia. Joining the 'Dawgs on the sideline this week are No. 4 Michigan, No. 12 USC and No. 15 Utah.
No. 2 Ohio State hosts Iowa as a 19.89-point computer pick against a nearly 30-point line.
No. 3 Tennessee gets an expected breather at home against FCS member UT-Martin as the Vols are favored by 41.10. Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker has moved to 2nd in the Heisman Favorites Odds at FanDuel.com, behind Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud.
Alabama hosts Mississippi State with both teams looking to rebound from upset losses. The environment in Tuscaloosa will be even more hostile as a result of the Tide's 52-49 loss at Alabama, but the Bulldogs will come to fight for respect after falling 27-17 at Kentucky. With a 2-2 conference record, Mississippi State will need to win every remaining game on its SEC schedule to have a shot at the division title in the western half of the SEC. The line seems a bit silly with Alabama favored by 21-1/2, while the computer puts it at a more reasonable 13.48.
The fans for No. 7 TCU are being treated to a tremendous home slate. They've already witnessed a 31-point win over Oklahoma, and a dramatic comeback win over Oklahoma State. Now they get to see their Horned Frogs host Kansas State in a battle between the only two remaining schools in the Big 12 with an unblemished conference record. It seems a little unfair to everyone else that all these big games keep wining up in Fort Worth. This one gets a tantalizing close spread from the so-called experts with the line set at 3.5 in favor of TCU. The computer basically agrees with that assessment as it has the Horned Frogs by 4.07.
Ole Miss hits the road to take on a resurgent LSU team that's coming off a 45-35 win at Florida. Quietly, the Tigers are 3-1 in the SEC and tied for second with Alabama in the western division, just a half-game behind the 3-0 Rebels. Lane Kiffin's squad gets a 5.46-point edge from the computer, but had become an underdog at the sportsbooks on Monday evening by as much as 2 points after opening as 1-1/2 point favorites.
Texas, which survived its visit from Iowa State by eking out a 24-21 win as a 17-point favorite, must now visit a wounded Oklahoma State team that will be looking to regroup from the loss at TCU. The Cowboys surrendered a 17-point lead in that contest. The computer has Oklahoma State by 6.89 over the Longhorns. The oddsmaker disagree and installed Texas as a 3.5-point favorite at the open. As of Monday evening, that line had ballooned to as much as 6-1/2.
Texas and Oklahoma State are still in the hunt for the Big 12 title, but each has a loss to TCU. In fact, all intelligent Longhorn and Cowboy fans will be rooting for Kansas State win over TCU this Saturday as the Cowboys visit Kansas State next week, and the Longhorns head to Manhattan the following week.
As for the rest of the teams in the Super 16 Poll, No. 14 Wake Forest hosts Boston College while No. 16 Penn State entertains Minnesota.
Wake is a 20-point favorite by the oddsmaker and computer after taking a bye week.
Penn State opened as a 5-point favorite, but gets only a 0.81-point and from the computer as the Nittany Lions and Golden Gophers both look to rebound from losses.
There will be 118 FBS vs. FCS matchups this season with App State, Army and Marshall each playing two such games, and 115 other FBS schools playing one apiece.
One of this season's final 6 FBS-FCS matchups takes place on Saturday with UT-Martin visiting Tennessee.
The FBS is 104-8 vs. the FCS this year, and 1,678-148 (.919) since we began tracking this in 2003.
Here are the FCS wins in 2022:
September 2: William & Mary 41, Charlotte 24
September 3: Delaware14, Navy 7
September 10: Weber State 35, Utah State 7
September 10: Incarnate Word 55, Nevada 41
September 10: Holy Cross 37, Buffalo 31
September 10: Eastern Kentucky 59, Bowling Green 57 (7 OT's)
September 17: Southern Illinois 31, Northwestern 24
September 24: Sacramento State 41, Colorado State 10
CLEMSON - Won 13 straight over-all (FBS longest); Won 37 straight home games (FBS longest).
Last: Won 34-28 at Florida State on Saturday, October 15.
Next: Hosts Syracuse on Saturday, October 22.
CINCINNATI: Won 18 straight conference games (FBS longest).
Last: Won 28-24 vs. USF on Saturday, October 8.
Next: at SMU on Saturday, October 22.
GEORGIA - Won 9 straight true road games (FBS longest).
Last: Won 55-0 at home over Vanderbilt on Saturday, October 15.
Next: Plays Florida in Jacksonville on Saturday, October 29.
MASSACHUSETTS - Lost 10 straight to FBS schools (FBS longest).
Last: Lost 34-7 at home to Buffalo on Saturday, October 15.
Next: Hosts New Mexico State on Saturday, October 29.
VANDERBILT - Lost 24 straight conference games (FBS longest).
Last: Lost 55-0 at Georgia on Saturday, October 15.
Next: Visits Missouri on Saturday, October 22.
NEW MEXICO STATE - Lost 21 straight road games (FBS longest).
Last: won 21-9 at home over New Mexico on Saturday, October 15.
Next: Hosts San Jose State on Saturday, October 22.