Fall is just about here, which for Texas means 85-degree afternoons and nights in the 60s. After suffering through nastacularly hot weather for the last six months, I'll take it... Cooler temps means football season is ramping up. And with a big weekend here, the Crystal Ball is feelin' it. Some predictions:Iowa beats Pittsburgh at Heinz Field on the strength of their defense, but it's close. I foresee one of those anemic-offenses, no-one-can-convert-on-third-down kind of games.
Alabama is clearly better than Arkansas this year, but Nick Saban's teams tend to show inconsistency once conference play starts. Still, I think 'Bama handles the hostile Hog crowd and beats Arkansas with offensive balance.
UPSET ALERT: Watch for Troy to give Ohio State a run for its money in Columbus. Ohio State is coming off a bad loss and Troy is hungry and has the talent and offense to pull off the upset. If Ohio State comes out angry and uses QB Terrelle Pryor early and often, I think the Buckeyes win. If the Bucks look like they are sleepwalking and feeling sorry for themselves, then I predict upset city.
Florida handles Tennessee in Knoxville, but it's one of those classic afternoon-on-CBS, SEC slugfests that comes down to defense and special teams. Florida's defense and special teams are better and that makes the difference.
Texas A&M will be fired up in College Station, but Miami's speed and defense help the Hurricanes overcome an anemic passing game to win.
Michigan State forces Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen into some poor decisions and the Spartans beat the visiting Irish by more than a touchdown.
Virginia Tech at North Carolina. A tough one. One week, North Carolina barely survives against McNeese State. The next, the Tar Heels hit the road and crush Rutgers on national television. What's the Crystal Ball to do? As the experts say, always put your money on defense: Virginia Tech's D has gotten better and is certainly much stouter than the one Rutgers puts on the field. The speed of the Hokies neutralizes Carolina's burning WR Brandon Tate and Virginia Tech wins in Chapel Hill.
An interesting league matchup in the solid-as-a-rock Mountain West: Utah (3-0) at Air Force (3-0). The cadets will raise a fury in the stands, but I think Utah has too much offensive balance to lose.
UPSET ALERT: An inspired and surprisingly talented Ball State team beats in-state rival Indiana. The Cardinals will rely heavily on screens and draws.
TCU runs over SMU in Dallas, but the Mustangs show signs of improvement offensively.
Is Florida State good enough to knock off Wake Forest at home? I say yes, but it's awfully close. In fact, I would not be surprised if the Deacons steal one at the end. Wake has a lot of heart and a good junior QB in Riley Skinner. The Seminoles take an early lead and then hold on for dear life.
Now for the Big Ones...
Many have focused on defense in the LSU-Auburn showdown. Both Ds are stacked, yes. That said, I think it will come down to who can convert on third down, especially when the stakes are highest. The answer is LSU.
Georgia at Arizona State. A big game for both teams. Georgia can chalk up a successful "road test" and solidify its Top Five standing. Arizona State can infuse some pride into the Pac-10 and reestablish itself on the national scene. The crowd will be into it early, but I think Georgia is just too talented and balanced offensively to lose. ASU and QB Rudy Carpenter will do their best, but the Bulldogs win comfortably.
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