Another week of college football, so let’s get right to the picks:
No. 1 Alabama (2-0) at No. 11 Florida (2-0): This is the first time Florida has hosted the nation’s No. 1-ranked team since 2002 when Miami thumped the Gators in Gainesville 41-16.
Alabama is favored by 15, which isn’t unusual. This is the 83rd straight game in which the Crimson Tide has been favored. The last time it wasn’t was 2015 when it was a 1.5-point underdog at Georgia. (Alabama won 38-10.)
Before that 2015 Georgia game, Alabama was favored in 72 straight, after the Tide was a 4.5-point underdog against then-No. 1 Florida in the 2009 SEC Championship Game. (Alabama won 32-13.)
For the Gators, keep an eye on backup quarterback Anthony Richardson, who wears Tim Tebow’s old No. 15 jersey. He’s a change-of-pace guy, as Tebow was for the Gators’ 2006 national champions, and he’s good at it. … Alabama 31, Florida 17.
No. 22 Auburn (2-0) at No. 10 Penn State (2-0): This is the first time these two teams have met and it wasn’t a bowl game. Penn State took Auburn out back and whipped the Tigers 43-14 in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1, 1996, but Auburn won 13-9 in the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1, 2003.
Auburn’s first two opponents were Akron and Alabama State, and those blowouts didn’t give us a good read of this team. Even so, the Tigers look like a better team than they did last year under former coach Gus Malzahn. New coach Bryan Harsin has a chance early to prove he really is the guy. … Auburn 23, Penn State 20.
North Alabama (0-2) at Jacksonville State (1-1): A matchup of former and future rivals. North Alabama and JSU are both in the ASUN Conference, although the Lions’ football team won’t play in the new league until 2022. They’re finishing out an obligation to the Big South.
JSU has dominated the series in recent years, going 12-1-1 in the past 14 meetings. North Alabama has lost to Southeast Louisiana 49-28 and Chattanooga 20-0. … Jacksonville State 27, North Alabama 15.
Nebraska (2-1) at No. 3 Oklahoma (2-0): This used to be one of the best matchups and rivalries in college football, when both were in the same league, the Big 8, then the Big 12. From 1971-80, they were both in the top 10 every time they played but once. Nebraska was No. 11 in 1977. They were both in the top 10 every meeting from 1984-88. In 2000-01, they were both in the top three.
They haven’t faced off since 2010 when then-No. 10 Oklahoma beat then-No. 13 Nebraska 23-20 for the Big 12 championship. … Oklahoma 42, Nebraska 20.
South Carolina (2-0) at No. 2 Georgia (2-0): Georgia is a huge favorite (32 points), but the Gamecocks have pulled their share of upsets in the series, including 2019 at Athens, 2014 at Columbia and 2012 in Columbia. Georgia was ranked in the top six all three times. … Georgia 38, South Carolina 10.
New Mexico (2-0) at No. 7 Texas A&M (2-0): Sophomore Zach Calzada is the man behind center after starting quarterback Haynes King suffered a fractured leg early in last week’s win over Colorado. … Texas A&M 35, New Mexico 10.
No. 19 Arizona State (2-0) at No. 23 Brigham Young (2-0): Arizona State quarterback Jayden Daniels is a decent passer, but he can be pretty electric to watch when he scrambles. … Arizona State 35, Brigham Young 28.
Tennessee Tech (0-2) at Tennessee (1-1): We made fun of old Butch Jones when he coached Tennessee, but danged if he wasn’t better than what came before or after. … Tennessee 26, Tennessee Tech 14.
Stanford (1-1) at Vanderbilt (1-1): Poor Vanderbilt. … Stanford 17, Vanderbilt 6.
Mississippi State (2-0) at Memphis (2-0): Memphis rolled up big numbers against Nicholls and Arkansas State and ranks No. 1 nationally in total offense. … Memphis 45, Mississippi State 42.
Last week: 6-4. Missed on Oregon’s win over Ohio State, Arkansas’ win over Texas and Iowa’s win over Iowa State. As for Jacksonville State, I did pick the Gamecocks to score 20 against Florida State, but I had picked FSU to score 38. Missed big on that.
