Stopping Corey Grant and the Auburn running game is hard for any defense to do. (Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports)
Welcome to Week Four of The Lowe Down.
Alright! Things are about to get interesting in the college football world. Off-field incidents aside (and they are plentiful), key matchups with potential playoff implications are popping up left and right, and this is the week we should start to find out who is for real and who isn’t.
Look, it’s still very early in the season. But we should gather a lot of intel from the Auburn/K-State, Alabama/Florida, Mississippi State/LSU, Oklahoma/West Virginia and Clemson/Florida State games.
It’s still unclear how good some teams really are, and championship teams improve week to week, but there’s just not enough data right now to say that this team is a sure-fire playoff team or that team is a sure-fire playoff team. After this week, however, we will start to get a clearer picture of which teams could be.
Last week’s record was 14-6, bringing the yearly record to 49-15. To the games we go …
@MattLowe777
Thursday, September 18
No. 5 Auburn (2-0) at No. 20 Kansas State (2-0) 6:30 p.m. CT ESPN
The Tigers’ defense took a hit to the midsection when it was announced that starting safety Jermaine Whitehead had been suspended for this big non-conference showdown for a violation of team rules. The loss of Whitehead is significant considering the Tigers don’t have much experienced depth behind him. Joshua Holsey, a good player who has played safety, could slide into his spot from cornerback. True freshman Stephen Roberts or junior Derrick Moncrief may also be called upon. Regardless of who it is, look for Kansas State quarterback Jake Waters to attack the middle of the field against Auburn when he goes to the air. The Tigers have been vulnerable to the pass early in the season and this could be an area where the Wildcats can have some success, especially throwing to home run threat Tyler Lockett, who can score from anywhere at any time. Both teams feature quality running games, but Auburn’s big, athletic, offensive line has a major advantage over a K-State defensive line that relies more on quickness and agility rather than sheer strength. This is a crucial matchup to watch. If Auburn has its way with the Wildcats front seven, then it will be a long night for Bill Snyder’s team. The Tigers wear ya down and they get better as the game goes — a trademark of a good team. It’s also a trademark of a team that’s in great physical shape.
The Lowe Down: Auburn 45, Kansas State 29
Friday, September 19
UConn 20, South Florida 23 ESPN
Saturday, September 20
Georgia Tech (3-0) at Virginia Tech (2-1) 11:00 p.m. CT ESPN
What in the world happened to the Hokies last weekend? Most who follow college football closely know East Carolina’s a talented squad, especially offensively, but VT just flat-out got whipped at home by the Pirates just one week after it knocked off Ohio State in Columbus. Can the Hokies bounce back and get a win against a team that it’s gone 8-2 against over the last 10 meetings? It should. But it won’t be easy. Georgia Tech’s ground game, led by quarterback Justin Thomas and tailbacks Zach Laskey and Charles Perkins, is a load to handle, and 6-3, 225-pound wideout DeAndre Smelter (nine catches for 239 yards and three TDs) may be the best NFL prospect the Yellow Jackets have had at receiver since current Denver star Demaryius Thomas.
The Lowe Down: Georgia Tech 26, Virginia Tech 29
Bowling Green (2-1) at Wisconsin (1-0) 11:00 p.m. CT ESPN2
After rallying to defeat Indiana 45-42 last week, the Falcons enter their matchup with the Badgers riding a wave of confidence due to the emergence of sophomore quarterback James Knapke, who has stepped in for junior Matt Johnson after he was injured in the opening week loss to Western Kentucky and played well. Knapke completed 46 of 74 passes for 395 yards and three touchdowns versus the Hoosiers, and he could be in line for another bid day against a Wisconsin defense that’s still solidifying in the secondary. The Badgers get the win, but the Falcons put up a good fight.
The Lowe Down: Bowling Green 24, Wisconsin 38
Florida (2-0) at No. 3 Alabama (3-0) 2:30 p.m. CT CBS
Although Alabama is loaded with talent, it’s a team that remains a work in progress. The quarterback position is still in flux — although Blake Sims has looked much better than ballyhooed FSU transfer Jacob Coker from what I’ve seen — and the Crimson Tide defense hasn’t looked as dominant as it has in recent seasons under Nick Saban. With that being said, Saban’s team is still good. But just how good it is remains to be seen. Playing a team like Florida — which features a veteran quarterback (Jeff Driskel), a strong tailback (Matt Jones), an emerging receiving threat (Demarcus Robinson) and a stout defense, which includes talented pass rusher Dante Fowler and a shutdown corner Vernon Hargreaves III — will give us a better idea of what kind of team the Crimson Tide really has. The Amari Cooper/Hargreaves matchup will be outstanding to watch, as will Driskel squaring off against the Alabama D. I’m also wondering when dynamic tight end O.J. Howard will be involved in the Crimson Tide offense? No catches to this point is mind-boggling to me.
The Lowe Down: Florida 17, Alabama 26
Mississippi State (3-0) at No. 8 LSU (3-0) 6:00 p.m. CT ESPN
Before the season began I would’ve said this game would be a defensive slugfest. But I’m not so sure about that now. The Bulldogs haven’t looked as strong on defense as I thought they were, and it appears the Tigers have gotten into a groove on offense. Quarterback Anthony Jennings has settled in nicely in Cam Cameron’s offense and that powerful Tigers’ running game, which features Kenny Hilliard, Terrence Magee and Leonard Fournette, is downright nasty. Dak Prescott and the Bulldogs will put up a nice fight here, but there’s a reason why Mississippi State hasn’t beaten LSU since 1999. Les Miles’ crew does the deed.
The Lowe Down: Mississippi State 21, LSU 35
No. 4 Oklahoma (3-0) at West Virginia (2-1) 6:30 p.m. CT FOX
The Sooners are fresh off an impressive win over Tennessee, but this could be a spot in which they get tested. In the last two meetings, the Mountaineers have lost by a total of eight points (50-49 score in 2012 at home; 16-9 at Oklahoma in 2013) so they’ve shown a propensity to give OU a battle. A HUGE matchup to watch in this game will be pass protection for West Virginia on offense. The Sooners can really get after the passer with outstanding rushers like Eric Striker, Charles Tapper, Chuku Ndulue and Quentin Hayes, and the Mountaineers passing game is explosive. If the offensive line can give Clint Trickett time to throw, West Virginia has a chance. OU’s top running back, Keith Ford, is out, so that also helps the Mountaineers cause.
The Lowe Down: Oklahoma 31, West Virginia 27
No. 22 Clemson (1-1) at No. 1 Florida State (2-0) 7:00 p.m. CT ABC
Alright Clemson, here is your chance to throw a big ol’ wrench into the playoff hunt early on. Jameis Winston is riding the pine for a half due to a suspension, and the ‘Noles could be ripe for an upset if you are ready to play. Are you up to it? Hey, it’s possible. Despite losing to a talented Georgia team, Clemson has good athletes all over the field and it can get after the passer on defense, which will be critical with Winston on the bench. Sean Mcguire will be making the start for FSU in place of No. 5, and just how well he adjusts to the big stage will be interesting to watch. If Clemson can build a solid lead by half, then it has a chance.
The Lowe Down: Clemson 24, Florida State 34
No. Oregon (3-0) at Washington State (1-2) 9:30 p.m. CT ESPN
The Ducks appeared to take their foot off the gas in the win over Wyoming last week but don’t expect that to be the case this weekend. Mike Leach-coached teams can score and score at will, and you can bet Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich will want his team to jump out to a fast start and bury any hopes of a Cougar upset as quickly as possible. Oregon rolls.
The Lowe Down: Oregon 56, Washington State 21
In other Saturday games:
Iowa 23, Pitt 26
Eastern Michigan 7, No. 11 Michigan State 58
Troy 10, No. 13 Georgia 59
Maryland 26, Syracuse 30
No. 6 Texas A&M 42, SMU 14
North Carolina 30, East Carolina 34
Virginia 24, No. 21 BYU 27
Utah 17, Michigan 24
Indiana 23, No. 18 Missouri 43
Northern Illinois 23, Arkansas 40
No. 14 South Carolina 38, Vanderbilt 10
Miami 16, No. 24 Nebraska 38
California 27, Arizona 33
