OKLAHOMA/OHIO STATE PICK; Big Twelve Weekly Review; Predictions for Week 2; National Rankings; ….

Week one in the Big Twelve saw the conference’s best teams win easily with exception of West Virginia who was beaten by Virginia Tech in a well played game and the Texas Longhorns, who were a huge disappointment when they were slapped with a home loss to the Maryland Terps.

Quarterback play by the league’s best, Bake Mayfield of OU and Mason Rudolph was outstanding as both showed why they are in the hunt for the Heisman Trophy.

Oklahoma should give Ohio State all they want Saturday night in Columbus. Look for a much tighter game than last year with the Buckeyes taking a hard earned win.  But nothing is a given with the Sooners and an upset is a strong possibility. As you know, I always pick the home team when all things are equal. I think both teams are about as close as you can get.  Ohio State has some weak areas that they will need to shore up to the Big Red. Their defensive secondary could get lit by OU.  If Mayfield can get hot and the receivers make the catches, look for a barn burner.  If the offensive line of OU can hold off the front seven of the Bucks from dominating, it will be a hum dinger of a game. Ohio State 32, OU 28.

The Cowboys will score at will with South Alabama.  OSU in a walk.  Pokes 56, South Alabama 22.

My Big Twelve Rank

1.  Oklahoma

2.  Oklahoma State

3.  West Virginia

4.  Kansas State

5.  TCU

6.  Iowa State

7.  Texas

8.  Texas Tech

9.  Kansas

10.  Baylor

All teams are 1-0 except Baylor, West Virginia, and Texas who are at 0-1 for the year.

Baylor loses to Liberty in a stunner in Waco.  They lose their best running back and it is going to be a long season for new head coach Matt Rhule.  All the other schools besides Texas and West Virginia beat suspect competition.  Even Tulsa, a ten win team last year, is not anywhere as good this season as Oklahoma State did what they were suppose to do, beat them like a dead dog.

National Rankings

1. Alabama

2. Ohio State

3. Oklahoma

4. Clemson

5. Oklahoma State

6. Penn State

7. USC

8. Washington

9. Florida State

10. Wisconsin

11. LSU

12. Stanford

13. Miami, Fla.

14. Michigan

15. Kansas State

16. Virginia Tech

17. Auburn

18. Notre Dame

19. Louisville

20. Tennessee

21. Auburn

22. West Virginia

23. Georgia

24. Oregon

25. Florida

     

     

BIG TWELVE PREDICTIONS

Ohio State 31 and Oklahoma 28

Oklahoma State 56 at South Alabama 22  (Friday)

Iowa State 24 and Iowa 20

Kansas State 48 and Charlotte 10

West Virginia 62 and East Carolina 7

Arkansas 23 and TCU 20

Texas 45 and San Jose State 24

Central Michigan 28 at Kansas 27

Baylor 38 and UTSA 32

Last Week:  8-2 Season:  8-2

NATIONAL PREDICTIONS

ACC

Auburn  18  at Clemson  24
Louisville  31 at North Carolina 30
Pitt  17   at Penn State  35
Wake Forest  29 at Boston College  27
Northwestern  24   at Duke  21
Indiana  20  at Virginia 28
Middle Tennessee  21  at Syracuse 26
Miami, Fla 44  at Arkansas State 23
Marshall  21 at NC State  27
ULM  10   at Florida State 39
Jacksonville State  14 at Georgia Tech 27
Delaware  6 at Virginia Tech  47

AAC

Houston  26 at Arizona  29
Memphis  21 at UCF  31
Louisiana 17at Tulsa  28
Cincinnati 7 at Michigan  45
Tulane 13 at Navy  21
USF 27 at Connecticut 15
North Texas  26 at SMU 27
Villanova  14 at Temple  25

BIG TEN

Ohio 20 at Purdue 38 (Friday)Houston at Arizona
Nebraska 24 at Oregon  31
Western Michigan 20 at Michigan State 21
Minnesota 27  at Oregon State 24
Western Kentucky 17 at Illinois 28
Florida Atlantic 0 at Wisconsin 50
Towson 3 at Maryland 65

C-USA

Mississippi State 38 at Louisiana Tech 21
Old Dominion 20 at Massachusetts 27
Rice 14 at UTEP 21
Southern 14 at Southern Miss  18
UAB 21 at Ball State 20
Alcorn State 6 at FIU 27

MAC

Toledo 31 at Nevada 34
Eastern Michigan 7 at Rutgers 37
Buffalo 21 at Army 31
Eastern Illinois 17 at Northern Illinois 21
South Dakota 31 at Bowling Green 25
Howard 7 at Kent State 10
Austin Peay 12 at Miami Univ. 23
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 12 at Akron 42

MOUNTAIN WEST

Idaho State 13  at Utah State 32 (Friday)

Boise State  20 at Washington State  26
San Diego State 32 at Arizona State  45
Hawai‘i  31 at UCLA 62
UNLV 21  at Idaho 23
New Mexico State 27 at New Mexico 24
Fresno State 6 at Alabama 35
Abilene Christian 7 at Colorado State  32
Gardner-Webb 14 at Wyoming 56

PAC-12

Stanford  35 at USC 27
Utah  28 at BYU 9
Texas State 7 at Colorado 48
Weber State 7 at California 61
Montana 10  at Washington 55

SEC

Georgia 21  at Notre Dame 22
South Carolina  47 at Missouri 42
Mississippi State 42  at Louisiana Tech 14
Indiana State 0  at Tennessee 49
Eastern Kentucky 14 at Kentucky 43
UT Chattanooga 8 at LSU 79
UT Martin 13 at Ole Miss 53
Nicholls State 3 at Texas A&M 67
Northern Colorado 0 at Florida 43
Alabama A&M  0 at Vanderbilt 46

SUN BELT

New Hampshire 16 at Georgia Southern 31
Alabama State 7 at Troy 34
Savannah State 6 at Appalachian State 25

Feature Photo found at:  http://www.soonersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=31000&ATCLID=211664996

Secondary photo:  Oklahoma State’s Thabo Mwaniki (right) brings down Tulsa’s Corey Taylor II during a football game at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla., on Thursday, August 31, 2017. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World