The Five Best Games of the Upcoming College Football Weekend- Week 5

The University of Notre Dame.

No game last weekend was really worthy of discussing, but we've got a great slate of College Football games to look forward to this weekend. Here we go....

Wisconsin @ Ohio State (Saturday 8:00 p.m. on ABC)

I wish I could be more excited for this game. Maybe if it was being played at Camp Randall or maybe if Wisconsin had beaten Arizona State two weekends ago. However, the 3-1 Badgers will be traveling to Columbus this weekend to face off against the Buckeyes, and I expect Ohio State to win by at least two touchdowns.  Yes, Wisconsin does have a solid running game and yes, Ohio State’s rush defense leaves much to be desired. Nevertheless, Coach Urban Meyer isn’t going to let the Buckeyes play poorly in their first real game of the season. However, what will be interesting from this game will be how Coach Meyer handles the Braxton Miller-Kenny Guiton situation. I expect Miller to start, but if he struggles early on, I wouldn’t be surprised if Meyer threw Guiton in the game. Think Everett Golson-Tommy Rees last year or Matt Saracen-J.D. McCoy. Who doesn’t love a QB battle?

USC @ Arizona State (Saturday 10:30 p.m. on ESPN2)

 
Neither of these teams are currently ranked in the AP Top 25 poll, however this is still a very compelling game for a couple of reasons. First, the outcome should be a major factor in the hierarchy of the PAC-12 South. While I still expect UCLA to win this division, thanks to ASU’s quarterback play and USC’s solid defense, I wouldn’t be surprised to see either of these teams in the PAC-12 Championship Game. Additionally, this is probably a must win game for Coach Lane Kiffin. USC has easily the best receiving corps in the PAC-12, yet Kiffin’s offense has been anemic through four games this season. With an impatient fan base and cross-town UCLA getting all the recent praise, don’t be shocked if Kiffin is canned after a loss this weekend. I’m expecting a low-scoring affair here; however the stakes will be considerably high.

Oklahoma @ Notre Dame (Saturday 3:30 p.m. on NBC)

Although Notre Dame won’t be in the National Championship game this year thanks to their loss at Michigan, they still might be BCS bound come January. The Irish are currently 3-1 and have a number of showcase games remaining on their schedule including, of course, this weekend’s home game against the Sooners. However, the Notre Dame offense has looked particularly sloppy in their first four games. Oklahoma, on the other hand, already looks like the best team in the Big 12 (not much of a compliment) thanks to a stingy defense and Junior QB Blake “The Belldozer” Bell. Yet, thanks to the current state of the Big 12, the Sooners will likely have to go undefeated to play for a National Title. Basically, the stakes are high for both teams and I expect a stellar matchup in South Bend. Note: I’ll be attending this game and live tweeting my entire weekend in South Bend, follow me @SeanColeTPC.

LSU @ Georgia (Saturday 3:30 p.m. on CBS)

After last weekend, where the entire SEC seemingly played an ITT Tech Satellite Campus, it’s refreshing to see some powerhouse SEC matchups on the schedule. The major story here is Zach Mettenberger, who thanks to new Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron, looks like easily the best LSU QB since Matt Flynn. Add to that a solid running game and it seems like the Tigers should roll the Bulldogs this weekend. However, the LSU Defense is a little off this year and I expect Georgia QB Aaron Murray and running back Todd Gurley to take full advantage of that. Expect a close game where both teams score about 30 points. However, regardless of outcome, this is big-time SEC football and that’s always going to be a must watch.

Ole Miss @ Alabama (Saturday 6:30 p.m. on ESPN)

If this game were being played in Oxford, there’s a chance I might have predicted an upset here. However, this very talented Ole Miss team is still too young and Saban is too good of a coach for the Rebels to pull off a win over the Crimson Tide. Nevertheless, Ole Miss is off to a stellar start and I want to see how the Hugh Freeze’s squad stacks up against the best college football team in the country. Additionally, true freshman Defensive End Robert Nkemdiche will be back on the field for the Rebels come Saturday, so I’m curious  ofwhat he’ll be able to do against the Crimson Tide Offensive Line. Basically, Alabama is playing a ranked SEC Team, it’s a very big deal.