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Georgia (5-2) vs #11 Florida (6-1) (3:30 PM ET, on CBS, in Jacksonville, Florida)
My pick: #11 Florida defeats Georgia 24-16
What to watch for: Florida's defense. Florida's defense has played pretty well so far this season, and it'll be important for them to keep it up in this one. Florida's offense played decent on the road vs LSU, but I think they'll need to win this one with defense, and I think they will. Georgia is coming off of a much needed bye week, but so is Florida, and I think with that bye week, Florida will play to their full potential in this one to get the victory.
My thoughts/reasons: Georgia's offense, and pretty much their whole team has taken a fall after losing to now #7 Alabama, and I think that they'll keep this game close throughout. But I think that in the end, Florida will make the plays needed to pull out the victory over Georgia in a pretty close game.
Photo credit: Gerald Herbert - AP
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#3 Clemson (7-0) at North Carolina State (5-2) (3:30 PM ET, on ABC/ESPN2, in Raleigh, North Carolina) UPSET
My pick: North Carolina State defeats #3 Clemson 27-24
What to watch for: NC State's defense. NC State's defense has played decently the whole season, not exceptionally, but not badly. But in this matchup, they'll need to at the least, limit Clemson's offense to a sub par game. Clemson has one of the best offenses, if not the best offense in the ACC, and if NC State's defense doesn't limit them in anyway, they could be in for a long day. With that being said, I think NC State will be able to force Clemson to play a sloppy enough game on the offensive side of the ball to get a big upset victory over #3 Clemson.
My thoughts/reasons: It's hard to pick against Clemson again, I picked against them two times in a row, and this is the third. But, I think that NC State will be able to keep it close the whole way through, and then come up big when it matters the most in a game where Clemson could be looking ahead a little bit to their game vs #17 Florida State.
Photo credit: Peter Casey - USA Today Sports
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#9 Notre Dame (6-1) at #21 Temple (7-0) (8:00 PM ET, on ABC, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania UPSET
My pick: #21 Temple defeats #9 Notre Dame 24-20
What to watch for: Temple's defense. Temple's defense has played very well in the games they have played this season, but in this game, they'll face the best or at least one of the best offenses they'll face this season. Temple will have a tough task at hand trying to stop Notre Dame's offense, but if they can limit Notre Dame enough to take the pressure of their offense, I think they'll pull off the upset, and although Notre Dame is coming off the bye week, I see Temple doing just that to get the big victory over a top-10 opponent to stay unbeaten.
My thoughts/reasons: Notre Dame is a very good football team, but I think that they'll struggle to play to their full potential in this game, and being on the road doesn't help. So I think that Temple will play a sound game, while Notre Dame plays sloppy, and I think that will be one of the main reasons the Irish fall in another close game.
Photo credit: Mitchell Leff - Getty Images
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#8 Stanford (6-1) at Washington State (5-2) (10:30 PM ET, on ESPN, in Pullman, Washington)
My pick: #8 Stanford defeats Washington State 34-28
What to watch for: Stanford's running game. Stanford has one of the best running games in college football, and that rushing attack is led by possible Heisman candidate Christian McCaffery. In this game, I think Stanford's ability to run the ball will be very important. Yes, passing will be a big part as well in a game I think will be close, but if Stanford can't run the ball, I don't think they'll be able to pass it. So the key to the game for Stanford, in my opinion, is running the football, and although Washington State's defense has improved as the season has gone on, I think the Stanford running game will be too much for the Cougars to handle.
My thoughts/reasons: Ever since Stanford lost to Northwestern in week one, they've been on fire. They've beaten teams by a combined 138 points, so Washington State will have their hands full in this one. But I think that Washington State will play well, and keep it close, but I think that Stanford will hold on to improve to 7-1 on the season.
Photo credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP
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My Sneaky Good Game Of The Week
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#19 Ole Miss (6-2) at Auburn (4-3) (12:00 PM ET, on SECN, in Auburn, Alabama) UPSET
My pick: Auburn defeats #19 Ole Miss 34-31
What to watch for: Auburn's passing game. Auburn has relied mostly on their running game this season, and that's fine, but you'll have to be able to pass the ball at some point, and just like if you're a passing team, you'll have to be able to run the ball at some point. Not that it won't be important for Auburn to run the ball, but in a game that I think could have multiple lead changes, and that could go down to the wire, Auburn's ability to pass could be the difference. I think that although Ole Miss has a talented defense, and they're getting back Robert Nkemdiche who can rush the passer, I think that Auburn will be able to pass the ball effectively enough to pull off the upset over Ole Miss at home.
My thoughts/reasons: This game is quietly one of the most important games of the whole week. An Auburn win pretty much knocks Ole Miss out of the SEC West race, and pretty much secures Auburn a bowl appearance, and an Ole Miss win keeps the Rebels alive in the SEC West race. So this game is very important for both teams, and the SEC west race. In terms of the game, I think it'll be close pretty much the whole way through, but I think that Auburn will be able to make the plays late to get the victory.
Photo credit: Chris Brashers - Icon Sportswire
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