#5 Auburn at #20 Kansas State – Thursday, 9/18 7:30 pm EST, ESPN
Auburn travels to the Little Apple to take on Kansas State on a rare SEC out-of-conference Thursday night showdown. Kansas State has played well defensively so far this season, but without much of a challenge. That will change with Auburn coming to town. The Tigers rushing attack has picked up right where they left off last year running for 300+ yards in each of their first two games while averaging 6.73 yards per carry. Auburn was also impressive through the air in the season opener against Arkansas. Kansas State has been stingy on defense giving up just 3.00 yards per carry through two games. Something’s got to give here and unless the Thursday-Night-Home-Underdog Voodoo comes out, I have a sneaking suspicion it will be Kansas State that does the giving.
Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech – Saturday, 9/20 12:00 pm EST, ESPN
The ACC Coastal division looks to be wide open again this year. Virginia Tech pulled a Virginia Tech this past weekend following up an impressive win at Ohio State with a loss at home to East Carolina. Meanwhile, Georgia Tech needed a score with just 35 seconds remaining to avoid the upset against Georgia Southern. In a division seemingly marred by mediocrity, the winner of this one should at least get a leg up in the race for the ACC Championship.
Florida at #3 Alabama – Saturday, 9/20 3:30 pm EST, CBS
Despite the unblemished record, Alabama hasn’t looked as invincible this year as they normally do against overmatched opponents. That’s certainly not to say that the Crimson Tide still aren’t one of the best teams in the land, however. Bama averages almost 3.0 yards per play more than there opponents thus far and has outscored to opposition 126-35. They have shown some vulnerability though, particularly in the passing game. West Virginia threw for 365 yards in the opener with a 8.1 yards per attempt average. Florida rolls into town with an offense that certainly looks to be improved through two games over last year’s ineptitude. The Gators needed three overtimes to get by Kentucky at home in the swamp, though and that’s certainly not an encouraging sign when they’re now heading into Bryant-Denny Stadium to face the Crimson Tide.
#4 Oklahoma at West Virginia - Saturday, 9/20 7:30 pm EST, Fox
Oklahoma travels to Morgantown to face a feisty Mountaineer squad from West Virginia. With a cupcake in between, West Virginia has looked very good in giving Alabama a game and rather shaky in beating Maryland by just a field goal. What hasn’t been shaky is the Mountaineer offense and the passing attack led by Clint Trickett. Trickett is averaging 408 yards per game and completing 75% of his passes. The Mountaineers may need every bit of that offense because Oklahoma has been firing on all cylinders offensively and West Virginia has given up some points and yards so far this season. It’s a tricky game for the Sooners, who have National Championship aspirations, as a night game in Morgantown is no gimmie.
Miami at #24 Nebraska – Saturday, 9/20 8:00 pm EST, ESPN2
There was a time not too terribly long ago when this would have been the game of the year. Those days have long passed for the Hurricanes and Cornhuskers, though. Now this is a helmet game of two once programs struggling for relevance. I hate talking about conference pride, but this is one that both respective conferences could use. The Big10 has been an embarrassment thus far in out of conference play and really could use any win against another power conference and a name team. The ACC is fighting for respectability and while a Miami win over Nebraska surely won’t vault the ACC into the conversation as the top conference, a loss to the Big10 at this juncture would put a dent in the rise that the conference has experienced over the last couple of years.
Others to Watch
Virginia at #21 BYU – Saturday, 9/20 3:30 pm EST, ESPN
North Carolina at East Carolina – 9/20 3:30 pm EST, ESPNU
#2 Oregon at Washington State – 9/20 10:30 pm EST, ESPN