Week 3 Games of the Week: How to watch, Previews, and Predictions
PREVIOUSLY: WEEK 2 RECAP, G5 TOP 4, CFP TEAMS, GOPHERS UPDATE
For the traditionalists who think UCLA will walk over the Tigers, you may be surprised on Saturday. It was just two years ago that Memphis upset #13 Ole Miss, the same Rebels that upset #2 Alabama just a few weeks earlier. Coach Mike Norvell wasn't around then, but he's still very familiar with that history as well as this UCLA team. Norvell was Arizona State's offensive coordinator before he got the Memphis job. UCLA should be familiar with the offensive concepts that Memphis run, but they will have to adjust to the players they face.
Memphis quarterback Riley Ferguson is vastly underrated, and he leads an offense that is dangerous. Receiver Anthony Miller was one of the top receivers in the nation last year, and he has support as well. Phil Mayhue and Tony Pollard are explosive as well, and Pollard is also one of the most dangerous returner in the country. UCLA is usually good against the pass, but their run defense is less than stellar. Memphis has the weapons to take advantage of that as well. Running backs Doroland Dorceus, Patrick Taylor Jr, and Darrell Henderson all returned this season, and will have already gotten off to a good start.
Can Memphis pull off the upset? Is UCLA actually turning things around? Believe it or not, this game will tell as a lot about both teams.
My pick: UPSET SPECIAL: Memphis 45 UCLA 38
Want to watch a shootout? Tune into this game. Tulsa's defense is giving up 300 yards on the ground and in the air, and has allowed 101 points. The Golden Hurricane did, however, score eight rushing touchdowns last week against UL-Lafayette. Running back D'Angelo Brewer had a career best 262 yards and three touchdowns against the Ragin' Cajuns, and is going to be a focal point for Toledo's defense.
The Rockets offense is led by Logan Woodside, who threw for 43 touchdowns last season, but has only thrown two due to a lack of competition. In the meantime, his running backs have dominated, resulting in Woodside's lack of production. This game should feature the senior quarterback a lot more with a lack of resistance from Tulsa's defense. If Toledo's defense can stifle Brewer and the run game, they will force quarterback Chad President to beat them with his arm.
My pick: Toledo 55 Tulsa 42
Lamar Jackson was supposed to struggle against Clemson's defense last year, and the hype would die down because of it. 457 total yards later, the hype train was alive and well. Saturday's game has a similar story. Jackson is playing surreal football once again, and he looks like an even better quarterback than last season. The question still remains, however, if his teammates can help him out.
Louisville struggled with their opening game against Purdue, and needed a second half comeback to survive. In Week 2, the Cardinals defense couldn't find a way to stop North Carolina, but Jackson couldn't be stopped either. Jackson's play could be the difference in this game, but his defense will need to step up against a Tigers offense that's still breaking in a new quarterback.
Kelly Bryant hasn't looked bad, but Deshaun Watson's replacement hasn't exactly summoned playoff talks. Clemson scored just 14 points against Auburn last week, but could they do more damage against a struggling Cardinals defense? Bryant will be the determining factor in that answer. The defense did their part against Auburn, producing 11 sacks and limited the Tigers to just six points. There aren't any questions about the defense, but we also said that before last year's game against Jackson.
My pick: UPSET SPECIAL: Louisville 35 Clemson 31
Texas head coach Tom Herman has plenty of upsets on his resume, and has numerous Top 5 upsets as well. Sadly, this is probably his most impossible task yet. He had better chances winning with Houston last year against both Oklahoma and Louisville, and Cougars fans will love to hear that. Texas has already lost to Maryland, and all of the hype surrounding the program has essentially been wiped away.
USC almost suffered the same fate as the Longhorns in their first game, but pulled away from Western Michigan in the fourth quarter. They went on to dominate Stanford last week, and the offense looked unstoppable. Sam Darnold appears to be the real deal, and running backs Ronald Jones II and Stephen Carr are tough to stop. Where the Trojans need help is stopping the run on defense. If the front seven can regroup, USC should have no problems with Texas even with their talent.
Is it weird to think that Tom Herman's seat is already heating up after three games? Ok, that's a little extreme. But it is Texas, and you know a handful of fans/boosters won't be happy with a 1-2 start. It seems like this week is my upset week, but I can't convince myself that Herman can recreate the magic he had out east with the Cougars.
My pick: USC 42 Texas 35
