Week 9 Games of the Week and Picks

Week nine of the 2015 College Football season is already upon us, but if you are looking for gems in the schedule this week, you will be far from impressed. As we have done all season long, we are giving you a glimpse into our games of the week for both FBS and FCS football, and will pick every FBS and FCS game played this week. For the 2^nd consecutive week, the overall quality of the FBS schedule is rather weak, and the bulk of the great action will come via the FCS slate of games that includes several ranked opponents taking each other on. One reason for this is that five of our top 6 PRS ranked schools are idle this week, including each of the top four. Here is a look ahead at week 9…

FBS

PRS #17 Notre Dame at PRS #5 Temple

This is another huge opportunity for Temple to make a national case for a NY6 bowl this winter, and is the biggest opportunity yet for the nation to get a look at the Owls this season (Temple beat Penn State earlier this season). If the Owls win this game, they would go to 8-0 on the year, and one would think that Matt Ruhle would be on the top of many short lists for head coach openings next season (think Maryland, Rutgers, Illinois). Notre Dame, on the other hand, is coming off a bye week, and is rested and ready. The Irish should have the athletes to shut down Temple, but this may be one of their toughest tests yet to determine how good they are. Does Temple have a little more magic in the bottle?
Pick: Notre Dame…I feel this will be a close battle, but we always go with who has the better athletes.

PRS #31 North Carolina at PRS #25 Pittsburgh

Nobody wants to talk about these two programs in ACC play, but other than Clemson, and after Florida State taking a dive last week, these are two programs that could easily find themselves playing for an AC title at this point. Pitt is 4-0 in coastal play, while UNC is 3-0. Both teams are 6-1 overall. The winner here will move on to try to take out Duke at the top of the heap before the season is out for control and a likely birth in the ACC title game. It doesn’t get more important than this game when it comes to conference races.
Pick: With the more consistent offense, UNC looks like the stronger pick on the road.

 

FCS

PRS #1 James Madison at PRS #19 William & Mary

James Madison took their first hit of the year last Saturday in a loss to now #8 Richmond by a score of 59-49. William and Mary is coming off a 40-7 drubbing of Hampton. The Tribe certainly has the hot hand right now, but JMU has been dominant before last week, and even with the loss had enough points piled up to stay number one. Was the Dukes loss a fluke, or could they be ready for a dive? We will find out Saturday in Williamsburg.
Pick: James Madison…We have to believe that the Dukes will bounce back, but this is tough.

PRS #2 Coastal Carolina at PRS #14 Charleston Southern

This is no doubt the de facto Big South title game between the two best teams in the small league. Charleston Southern is 3-0 in league play, while CCU is 2-0. Coastal Carolina is 7-0, while the Buccaneers are 6-1, with their only loss coming against FBS Troy. The Buccaneers hammered Gardner-Webb 34-0 last week, while the Chanticleers squeaked by Monmouth 23-20. An upset by CSU gives them the upper hand, and a likely conference title, but the same can be said for CCU. Either way, expect a war.
Pick: Charleston Southern…Going upset here, as our gut says that CSU may be the hotter ticket right now.

PRS #9 Dartmouth at PRS #3 Harvard

Dartmouth and Harvard are the last two unbeaten teams in the Ivy League right now overall, but Penn sure will be happy to be one of two unbeaten in conference play if they can take care of their business this week, because someone here will leave Friday with one loss. A win here, and a win over Penn will likely lead the victor here to an Ivy League crown.
Pick: Harvard…Have to go Crimson at home this week, as they rarely ever lose in Cambridge.

PRS #15 Eastern Kentucky at PRS #5 Jacksonville State

Other than these two clubs, only Eastern Illinois remains unbeaten in Ohio Valley Conference play, and that number will go to two this weekend, most likely. Jacksonville State had Auburn on the ropes this fall, and is the stronger of the two, and will be at home. Eastern Kentucky is in a more desperate situation, as despite their OVC record, they can hardly afford another loss this season as they sit at 5-2 currently, and still have a shot at an FCS playoff birth. There is a ton on the line, and even though this isn’t exactly a title game, it will have the feel of one.
Pick: Jacksonville State…The Gamecocks look to be strong enough to take the league and make a deep playoff run.

PRS #27 Jacksonville at PRS #6 Dayton

This is just another slugfest in FCS football this weekend. JU was shocked last week in a road loss at Drake, while Dayton, largely strong all season, barely held on to beat Butler last week. Neither team is coming off of their strongest game, but Dayton sure would love to get to the FCS playoffs, and JU is the only real road block left in their way. JU isn’t eligible for a playoff birth because of sanctions, but they would love to play spoiler here.
Pick: Dayton…Flyers are at home, and the Dolphins are on their second straight northern road game. Flyers look good to claim PFL title.

PRS #28 Western Carolina at PRS #20 Chattanooga

WCU is one game out in the Southern Conference race behind, you guessed it, Chattanooga and Citadel. The Catamounts have already lost to Citadel this season, so this game is a must win on the road for WCU this week, and the Mocs don’t appear ready to capitulate. Chattanooga is 4-0 in conference play, and they know at this point that a loss to WCU would be catastrophic in their quest for the conference title, as WCU would own a tie breaker in the event that they finished even. Both teams desperately need this win.
Pick: Chattanooga…In games like this, the home team generally prevails statistically speaking.

PRS #29 Alcorn State at PRS #22 Southern

Southern is in a must win situation despite being 4-1 in conference play, and the Braves are in 1^st place in the West Division. Alcorn State is an offensive juggernaut, which will test Southern all day long. The Jags are 4-1 in conference play, and are tied for 2^nd in the East with Prairie View, and are 1.5 games behind Grambling. A loss for Southern puts them out of the race, while Alcorn State would fall into a messy tie in the West with a loss.
Pick: Alcorn State…Braves have far more to gain by staying ahead of the pack, and could grab a severe upper hand with this win.

 

FBS Picks

North Carolina over Pittsburgh
Western Michigan over Eastern Michigan
Georgia Southern over Texas State
Buffalo over Miami (Ohio)
TCU over West Virginia
Oregon over Arizona State
East Carolina over U Conn
Louisville over Wake Forest
Louisiana Tech over Rice
Utah State over Wyoming
Florida State over Syracuse
Navy over USF
Western Kentucky over Old Dominion
Penn State over Illinois
Nebraska over Purdue
Ole Miss over Auburn
Texas A&M over South Carolina
Wisconsin over Rutgers
Cincinnati over UCF
Virginia Tech over Boston College
U Mass over Ball State
Akron over Central Michigan
Southern Miss over UTEP
Georgia Tech over Virginia
USC over California
UCLA over Colorado
FIU over FAU
Clemson over NC State
Iowa over Maryland
Oklahoma over Kansas
Oklahoma State over Texas Tech
Appalachian State over Troy
San Diego State over Colorado State
Florida over Georgia
Boise State over UNLV
Marshall over Charlotte
Arkansas over UT Martin
Tulsa over SMU
UL-Lafayette over UL-Monroe
Houston over Vanderbilt
Texas over Iowa State
UTSA over North Texas
Utah over Oregon State
Michigan over Minnesota
Arkansas State over Georgia State
Memphis over Tulane
Duke over Miami
Tennessee over Kentucky
Idaho over New Mexico State
Notre Dame over Temple
Stanford over Washington State
Air Force over Hawaii
Arizona over Washington
 
FCS Picks

Harvard over Dartmouth

St. Francis over Sacred Heart
Stony Brook over Elon
C. Connecticut State over Robert Morris
Duquesne over Wagner
Butler over Marist
Lehigh over Georgetown
Yale over Columbia
Penn over Brown
Kennesaw State over Monmouth
Fordham over Colgate
Dayton over Jacksonville
Savannah State over Howard
Illinois State over Indiana State
San Diego over Stetson
Warner Southern over East Tennessee State
Drake over Morehead State
New Hampshire over Rhode Island
Holy Cross over Bryant
South Carolina State over Hampton
Wofford over VMI
Gardner-Webb over Presbyterian
Towson over Delaware
Montana State over North Dakota
Northern Iowa over South Dakota
Eastern Illinois over Murray State
North Carolina Central over Norfolk State
Tennessee Tech over SE Missouri State
Western Illinois over Youngstown State
Jacksonville State over Eastern Kentucky
Bethune-Cookman over Delaware State
Prairie View over UA Pine Bluff
Chattanooga over Western Carolina
Citadel over Mercer
Campbell over Davidson
Tennessee State over Austin Peay
Lamar over Houston Baptist
North Dakota State over Southern Illinois
Samford over Furman
South Dakota State over Missouri State
Eastern Washington over Weber State
Bucknell over Lafayette
McNeese State over Abilene Christian
Alabama A&M over Alabama State
Princeton over Cornell
Richmond over Albany
James Madison over William & Mary
Northwestern State over Nicholls State
Incarnate Word over Stephen F. Austin
Southern Utah over Cal Poly
Jackson State over Mississippi Valley State
Northern Arizona over Northern Colorado
Alcorn State over Southern
North Carolina A&T over Florida A&M
Portland State over Montana
Charleston Southern over Coastal Carolina
Sam Houston State over Texas A&M Commerce
Villanova over Maine
Central Arkansas over SE Louisiana