This weekend is a quiet one in college football. Very much a pu-pu platter of games that have potential to be interesting, but also wouldn’t surprise you if they were all blowouts. I actually had trouble even picking five games this week. I would pick five, stare at the screen for a few minutes, take one off and replace it with another, stare at the screen, take another off, walk away from the computer to clear my head, come back and finally say, “fuck it.”

So, these are the games I settled on. I’m still not completely sure of all of them, honestly. But, this is where we find ourselves nine weeks into the 2011 season. Each passing week feels more and more like games that don’t involve LSU and Alabama matter less and less. Wisconsin is out of the BCS hunt, Stanford still hasn’t really played anyone, Okie State is going to lose at some point, Boise State simply won’t be allowed to play and Clemson is bound to clemson themselves at some point this year. So far, it’s a bit of a down season. 

But hey, it’s still college football.

Last week: 2-3 / All-time: 107-59

No. 11 Michigan State at No. 14 Nebraska - The day starts off with the first of only two matchups between ranked teams. Both sport solid defenses, but I think that Michigan State’s offense is more dynamic and consistent than Nebraska’s. The Huskers have looked like hot garbage on offense this year, even when things are going well. That doesn’t bode well for when they face a capable defense. 

Michigan State wins, 27-17

Missouri at No. 16 Texas A&M - This could very well be an upset waiting to happen. Missouri is competent on offense. Texas A&M is middling on defense. Teams have been able to throw on them, but running has been a different story. Missouri is a run-first team with a run-first QB. James Franklin has been very average passing the ball. Mizzou has played a tough slate of games, but I don’t think that they quite have the juice to beat the Aggies. 

Texas A&M wins, 38-28

Baylor at No. 3 Oklahoma State - This is one of those games that could end up being either really interesting or a complete blowout. I see no in-between. Either Baylor gets into a total shootout with the Cowboys or they hang for a half and then get blown away in the second half. Baylor’s defense will not stop Oklahoma State, so RGIII is going to have to score every time just to keep up. I think they hang for a half and fall away. Oklahoma State is going to lose some time this year, but this is not the week. 

Oklahoma State wins, 52-35

No. 9 Oklahoma at No. 8 Kansas State - Much like the Baylor/Okie State game, this one could be close or a blowout. If Oklahoma comes into Manhattan flat off their loss last week and lets the Wildcats jump up on them early, we could be in for a grind. But if the Sooners come out sharp, it could get ugly quick. At this point, I’m not willing to bet against Bill Snyder. I’m pretty sure he’s a warlock of some sort. 

Kansas State wins, 27-24

Navy at Notre Dame - Sigh…

I don’t want to pick this game. I really don’t. Given that Navy has had the Irish’s number for the past five years, winning the last two in Notre Dame Stadium and how flat the Irish came out against U$C last week, this game scares the hell out of me. This will be a real test of how good a motivator Brian Kelly is. The drumbeat to march him out of campus has already started, which is just stupid, but with boosters like ND has, it could hamper his tenure from here on out. 

A few quotes really stand out for me. 

“A lot of the guys that are here, we’re re-training.”

“You can see the players I recruited here, you know who they are.”

That’s a little more than just intoning that he’s still having trouble getting Charlie Weis’ players to buy into his system. There had been similar rumblings last year, as well. At every stop, Brian Kelly has imposed his will and style onto the team, not the other way around. He adapts, but slightly and within his guidelines.

I’ve been watching Brian Kelly coach since his days at DII Grand Valley State and have always been impressed with how his teams play. Most casual fans only remember him from the high-flying Cincinnati tenure, but his teams at Grand Valley State were juggernauts both running and passing the ball. They also played composed and with a purpose. I’m not seeing that consistently here at Notre Dame, at all. 

So I have no idea if we’ll see the Notre Dame team that beat down Michigan State 31-13 and Air Force 59-33, or if we’ll see the Notre Dame team that looked lost and flat against U$C. I’m hoping (and betting) that it’s the former. (pleasepleaseplease)

Irish win, 27-17