Fearless Rick & Coin Flip Week 3 NFL Picks

Week 2 Results:
Rick: 5-10-1; Flip: 4-11-1
Cumulative: Rick: 8-20-4; 5-23-4

Thursday, September 19

New England Patriots at New York Jets (-6, 38.5), 8:15 p.m. (Prime Video - Jets seem to be putting it all together, rallying at Tennessee last week, then holding off a late surge from the Titans to hold on for the 24-17 win. New England lost a tough one at home vs. Seattle in OT, 23-20.

Pats rushed for 185 yards against Seattle but probably won't do that against New York. Once again, just from the QB comparison, Jacoby Brissett vs. Aaron Rodgers, one would lean toward the homies here.

Coin Flip: New England

Fearless Rick's Pick: Jets 31 Patriots 21

Sunday, September 22

New York Giants at Cleveland Browns (-6.5, 38.5), 1 p.m. ET (FOX) - Cleveland did just enough to win on the road at Jacksonville, 18-13, evening their record at 1-1. They now have momentum in the running game and on pass defense, holding Trevor Lawrence to just 14-30 passing.

The Giants played well enough to win, but losing kicker Graham Gano on the opening kickoff doomed their chances, scoring three TDs and not converting on one missed extra point and two two-point attempts, ending up on the wrong side of a 21-18 score as Washington kicker Austin Seibert converted his seventh field goal at the buzzer. Browns will have a tussle here, and may be upset by the 0-2 Giants.

Coin Flip: New York Giants

Fearless Rick's Pick: Browns 20 Giants 17

Chicago Bears at Indianapolis Colts (-1, 43.5), 1 p.m. ET (CBS) - For the second time in two weeks, QB Caleb Williams has not lived up to expectations, going 23-37 with no TDs and 2 picks in a 19-13 loss at Houston, after a sketchy performance in week 1, when Tennessee handed the Bears the win.

The Colts are now 0-2, understandably losing at Green Bay, as the inspired Packers played tough defense and Malik Willis was solid, replacing injured Jordan Love at QB. After getting down 10-0 in the first quarter, the Colts only allowed a pair of field goals. Chicago may be lucky to find the end zone at all.

Coin Flip: Chicago

Fearless Rick's Pick: Colts 24 Bears 10

Houston Texans (-2.5, 46) at Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m. ET (CBS) - Houston is solid, but Minnesota's handling of the 49ers last week was impressive, downing the NFC champs, 23-17. Vikes get to remain home for a second straight week while the Texans travel after a Sunday nighter.

Not buying the Vikings as home dogs after such a confidence-building performance.

Coin Flip: Houston

Fearless Rick's Pick: Vikings 24 Texans 21

Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints (-2.5, 49.5), 1 p.m. ET (FOX) - After leading the league in scoring two weeks in a row, 47-10 over Carolina, and 44-19 at Dallas last week, until somebody finds a way to slow down the Carr-Kamara-Olave Express, the Saints appear to have the dominant offense in the league.

The Eagles have no excuse for allowing a late TD and a 22-21 home loss to the Falcons Monday night, and the short work week will work against them.

Coin Flip: Philadelphia

Fearless Rick's Pick: Saints 34 Eagles 20

Los Angeles Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers (-1.5, 35.5), 1 p.m. ET (CBS) - The Steelers have played surprisingly well, given they have Chicago castoff Justin Fields behind center, but their defense has also risen to the occasion in wins at Atlanta and Denver.

The Chargers are a different animal, also 2-0, topping Las Vegas and Carolina handily over the first two weeks. Justin Herbert hasn't had to do much because RB JK Dobbins has been a load, leading the league in rushing with 266 yards.

Coin Flip: Pittsburgh

Fearless Rick's Pick: Chargers 27 Steelers 17

Denver Broncos at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-6.5, 39.5), 1 p.m. ET (FOX) - Denver's Bo Nix is taking his licks as his NFL experience matures, but Tampa Bay doesn't appear to be a place for him to earn his first victory. The Bucs are 2-0, while the Broncos slumped to 0-2, scoring only two Will Lutz field goals in a 13-6 home loss to the Steelers.

Meanwhile, the Buccaneers flew into Detroit and stuck it to the Lions, 20-16, and now return home with plenty of confidence and momentum. Baker Mayfield playing like an MVP.

Coin Flip: Tampa Bay

Fearless Rick's Pick: Buccaneers 24 Broncos 14

Green Bay Packers at Tennessee Titans (-3, 36.5), 1 p.m. ET (FOX) - If Tennessee QB Will Levis doesn't stop turning the ball over, he may find himself watching Mason Rudolph run the Titans' offense.

Green Bay, now 1-1, and coming off a 16-10 victory over the Colts, won't miss Jordan Love so much if the defense keeps playing quality football and Malik Willis subs like he did against the Colts. Overall, there's no way the Titans are a better team than the Packers, Love or no Love.

Coin Flip: Green Bay

Fearless Rick's Pick: Packers 26 Titans 13

Carolina Panthers at Las Vegas Raiders (-5.5, 41), 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS) - The Panthers have proven to be, after only two weeks, the worst team in the NFL, having scored just 17 points, while allowing 73. Raiders coming off thrilling upset in Baltimore last week, sending the Ravens to an 0-2 mark with a 26-23 win while they evened their record at 1-1. No excuses for the Raiders to not win big at home.

Coin Flip: Carolina

Fearless Rick's Pick: Raiders 30 Panthers 9

Miami Dolphins at Seattle Seahawks (-4.5, 41.5), 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS) - No Tua for Miami means no wins for a while, beginning in Seattle, already a tough enough place to play. Skylar Thompson gets to meet the Seahawk defense. Good luck.

Miami's defense will be on the field most of the day and should be exhausted by the fourth quarter, where the Seahawks tool it up and go to 3-0.

Coin Flip: Seattle

Fearless Rick's Pick: Seahawks 31 Dolphins 7

Detroit Lions (-3, 52.5) at Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX) - Arizona is 1-1 and tied with the 49ers the NFC West, both trailing Seattle, after dumping on the Rams last week, 41-10. Unless Detroit comes through with a better effort than their 20-16 loss to the Buccaneers last week, Arizona may just stun another playoff hopeful.

Somebody please point out why the Lions are favored on the road?

Coin Flip: Detroit

Fearless Rick's Pick: Cardinals 27 Lions 24

Baltimore Ravens (-1.5, 48.5) at Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX) - Here's another head-scratcher. How was New Orleans able to run and pass for 432 yards of offense against the highly-capable Dallas defense, and, how did the Raiders manage to whip the Ravens in Baltimore, 26-23?

Well, the Ravens still haven't quite figured out their offense, though it's a safe bet that the Dallas defense has. Baltimore is a far cry from being the Saints. Dallas is likely to recover at home and make the Ravens - who will likely improve as the season progresses - 0-3.

Coin Flip: Baltimore

Fearless Rick's Pick: Cowboys 22 Ravens 20

San Francisco 49ers (-7, 43) at Los Angeles Rams, 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX) - These two split their two games last season, each winning on the road. With Deebo Samuel doubtful to go and Christian McCaffrey on the IR, don't expect the SF defense to keep the Rams from scoring indefinitely. This could be the upset of the week.

Coin Flip: San Francisco

Fearless Rick's Pick: Rams 27 49ers 20

Kansas City Chiefs (-3, 46.5) at Atlanta Falcons, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC) - The Chiefs won but didn't cover last week against the Bengals, winning, 26-25, while the Falcons got their offense driving just in time to upend the Eagles on Monday night, 22-21.

Two teams that won their last games by one point, but the Chiefs 2-0, the Falcons, 1-1. Mahomes, Kelce and company should take care of business whether Taylor Swift is in a skybox or not.

Coin Flip: Atlanta

Fearless Rick's Pick: Chiefs 31 Falcons 14

Monday, September 23

Jacksonville Jaguars at Buffalo Bills (-5, 45.5), 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) - Jacksonville is now 0-2 after consecutive losses to Miami and Cleveland, making this a tougher task than it need be.

Buffalo improved to 2-0, dispatching with the Dolphins 31-10 while putting Miami QB Tagovialoa out for an extended rest, giving Buffalo a real leg up in the division. Buffalo probably won't be messing around here, and Jacksonville looks like George Foreman on the ropes against Muhammad Ali.

Coin Flip: Buffalo

Fearless Rick's Pick: Bills 30 Jaguars 14

Washington Commanders at Cincinnati Bengals (-7, 48.5), 8:15 p.m. ET (ABC) - The Bengals have everything going for them except the ability to defeat the Chiefs. Their narrow, 26-25 loss at KC last week was a tough one, but the Bengals, being 0-2, aren't likely to suffer a letdown, especially back at home.

Washington was just lucky that the Giants didn't have a place-kicker in their 21-18 win, depending on seven field goals to get past their NFC East rivals. Not going to go that way here.

Coin Flip: Cincinnati

Fearless Rick's Pick: Bengals 28 Commanders 10

Fearless Rick & Coin Flip Week 2 NFL Picks

Week 1 Results: Rick: 3-10-3; Flip: 1-12-3

Thursday, September 12

Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins, (-2.5, 50.5) 8:15 pm ET (Prime Video) - Both teams got off to slow starts in their openers but finished with victories, setting up this early-season divisional showdown. Buffalo has owned the Dolphins the past five years. Miami has an explosive offense, but the Bills have Josh Allen, a force of nature.

Coin Flip: Miami

Fearless Rick's Pick: Bills 34 Dolphins 30

Sunday, September 15

Las Vegas Raiders at Baltimore Ravens, (-9, 41.5) 1 pm ET (CBS) - Baltimore lost at Kansas City last week, but that was not unexpected. They're still one of the top four teams in the AFC. The Raiders, who lost to the Chargers, are just trying to make the playoffs.

Coin Flip: Baltimore

Fearless Rick's Pick: Ravens 28 Raiders 14

Los Angeles Chargers (-6, 39.5) at Carolina Panthers, 1 pm ET (CBS) - The Panthers got anointed by the Saints in week 1, 47-10, and could be the league's worst team. Until they manage a victory, best to stand opposed to them. Chargers were solid, though unspectacular in their opener against Las Vegas, and appear to have worked out some of their defensive issues from last season.

Coin Flip: Carolina

Fearless Rick's Pick: Chargers 38 Panthers 10

New Orleans Saints at Dallas Cowboys, (-6, 46.5) 1 pm ET (FOX) - The Cowboys simply overwhelmed the Browns last Sunday, 33-17. The Saints were also impressive, whipping up on division rival Carolina, 47-10.

The Cowboys are a world of difference from Carolina, so the Saints will have an uphill battle against a very aggressive defense all day long. Dallas has the goods in its home opener.

Coin Flip: Dallas

Fearless Rick's Pick: Cowboys 26 Saints 17

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions, (-7.5, 51.5) 1 pm ET (FOX) - It's showtime for the Bucs, heading north in fair weather to meet the Lions, coming off a 26-20 OT win against the Rams in LA.

While the Lions will be serenaded by wide-eyed fans in their home opener, the Bucs are no slouches, having won their division and made the playoffs last season. These two last met in the divisional round of last season's playoffs, the Lions emerging with a 31-23 victory. This could be closer, especially if Baker Mayfield shows up in good form.

Coin Flip: Detroit

Fearless Rick's Pick: Lions 30 Buccaneers 27

Indianapolis Colts (-3, 41) at Green Bay Packers, 1 pm ET (FOX) - Packers' QB Jordan Love is listed as doubtful with a sprained left MCL, though he could still play. Line may move by game time, but the Packers still look like the better team overall. Points a bonus, for now.

Coin Flip: Indianapolis

Fearless Rick's Pick: Packers 24 Colts 21

Cleveland Browns at Jacksonville Jaguars, (-3.5, 41.5) 1 pm ET (CBS) - Jacksonville was rolling early in their Miami opener, but ran out of plays in the second half and could not maintain the lead. Cleveland has multiple issues, not the least of which is the health of their starting tackles, missing in week 1, and tight end, David Njoku, who is out.

Jaguars should get back on track against a hurting Cleveland squad.

Coin Flip: Jacksonville

Fearless Rick's Pick: Jaguars 23 Browns 16

San Francisco 49ers (-6, 45.5) at Minnesota Vikings, 1 pm ET (CBS) - Always a threat whenever Justin Jefferson is on the field, the Vikings made quick work of the Giants in Week 1, with sustained defensive presence throughout their 28-6 triumph. San Francisco proved it was solid as ever even without Christian McCaffrey, who is likely to miss this contest as well. Road game, conference game, so its important to both teams.

Vikings, getting six at home is appealing, but very risky.

Coin Flip: San Francisco

Fearless Rick's Pick: 49ers 24 Vikings 14

Seattle Seahawks (-3.5, 38) at New England Patriots, 1 pm ET (FOX) - The Patriots did well to upend Cincinnati, 16-10, but a long cross-country trip into a hostile environment may portend ill for New England.

Geno Smith has reinvented himself into a quality QB the past few years and his supporting cast is talented.

Coin Flip: Seattle

Fearless Rick's Pick: Seahawks 27 Patriots 13

New York Jets (-3.5, 42) at Tennessee Titans, 1 pm ET (CBS) - Titans gave away the game to an overrated Bears team last week, blowing a halftime lead and turning the ball over repeatedly in the second half. The Jets' defense was a real letdown in their loss to the 49ers, but Aaron Rodgers was able to move the ball effectively. They're a better team than the Titans, if only from the QB comparison.

Coin Flip: New York Jets

Fearless Rick's Pick: Jets 30 Titans 13

New York Giants at Washington Commanders, (-1.5, 43.5) 1 pm ET (FOX) - Washington may not have much defense and the Giants sorely need to start winning. This would be as good a place as any, the Giants having won their last two in Washington handily.

Coin Flip: Washington

Fearless Rick's Pick: Giants 26 Commanders 18

Los Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals, (-1, 49) 4:05 pm ET (FOX) - The Cardinals have lost five straight to the Rams. Don't think they're about to break that streak despite a smattering of optimism from fans and maybe even the oddsmakers.

Coin Flip: Los Angeles Rams

Fearless Rick's Pick: Rams 34 Cardinals 24

Pittsburgh Steelers (-2.5, 36.5) at Denver Broncos, 4:25 pm ET (CBS) - Denver's 26-20 loss at Seattle wasn't much of a letdown. After all, it was Bo Nix's first start in the NFL, so there's plenty for the Broncos to build upon.

Pittsburgh beat Atlanta, which was not a big deal, and they're still pondering who will start, Russell Wilson or Justin Fields. Siding with the home team against a line that just looks wrong.

Coin Flip: Pittsburgh

Fearless Rick's Pick: Broncos 27 Steelers 17

Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs, (-5.5, 47.5) 4:25 pm ET (CBS) - Betting against the Chiefs at home may cause financial and emotional distress. Don't do it.

Coin Flip: Kansas City

Fearless Rick's Pick: Chiefs 27 Bengals 13

Chicago Bears at Houston Texans, (-6, 45.5) 8:20 pm ET (NBC) - Caleb Williams was a disappointment in his NFL debut last week. The Bears topped the Titans, 24-17, mostly due to Tennessee miscues.

Houston got after it, outlasting Indianapolis, 29-27. The Bears go on the road here at the Texans' home opener. May not be a pleasant experience for rookies.

Coin Flip: Chicago

Fearless Rick's Pick: Texans 31 Bears 24

Monday, September 16

Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles, (-6.5, 47) 8:15 pm ET (ESPN) -
Eagles looked pretty solid beating the Packers in Brazil last Friday and should be rested for their home opener.

Atlanta is coming off consecutive 7-10 seasons and aren't much better even with Kirk Cousins at QB. Recall, the Eagles started out last season 5-0 and then 10-1. Repeat performance?

Coin Flip: Philadelphia

Fearless Rick's Pick: Eagles 31 Falcons 17

Fearless Rick & Coin Flip Week 1 NFL Picks

Here's the rundown from three weeks of Preseason Picks:
Rick: 29-18-1; Flip: 23-24-1

Week 0 and Week 1 College Picks:
Rick: 10-13; Flip: 15-8

All Times Eastern

Thursday, September 5

Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs (-3, 46), 8:20 pm (NBC) - Great NFL opener with Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson meeting after the Chiefs prevailed in last season's AFC Championship, a 17-10 KC win en route to the Super Bowl and another championship. Probably best to just watch and enjoy, but the Chiefs were just 5-4 at home straight up while the Ravens were 6-1 as road warriors last season.

Coin Flip: Baltimore

Fearless Rick's Pick: Ravens 27 Chiefs 26

Friday, September 6

Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5, 49) (at Sao Paulo, Brazil), 8:15 pm (Peacock) - Foreign location may cause distractions, but these two playoff teams from 2023 will do their best to adjust. Hard to believe the Eagles are favored after the way last season ended in collapse while the Packers ripped the Cowboys, 48-32 in the wild card and lost by a field goal at San Fran in the divisional clash.

Coin Flip: Green Bay

Fearless Rick's Pick: Packers 31 Eagles 24

Sunday, September 8

Pittsburgh Steelers at Atlanta Falcons (-3, 42), 1 pm (FOX) - Quarterback position a concern for both teams, with Kirk Cousins getting the nod in Atlanta and the Steelers also going with a veteran in Russell Wilson. Defenses should keep both somewhat in check, making this a good UNDER play. Steelers went 10-9 last year and made the playoffs, while the Falcons flopped at 7-10 but made multiple off-season changes.

Coin Flip: Atlanta

Fearless Rick's Pick: Falcons 24 Steelers 14

Arizona Cardinals at Buffalo Bills (-6, 48), 1 pm (CBS) - The Cardinals were 4-13 in 2023 and Buffalo is a tough place to start the season. Bills made the playoffs as usual last season, rallying for five straight wins to end the season after a rough, 6-6 start. After ousting Pittsburgh in the wild card, the Bills fell to eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City, 27-24.

Buffalo breaks in a bunch of new receivers, so they'll need to lean on Josh Allen and running back James Cook, who dazzled last season. Might be a slow start for the Bills, but the fans will be wild and help lift them to a win.

Coin Flip: Arizona

Fearless Rick's Pick: Bills 31 Cardinals 17

Tennessee Titans at Chicago Bears (-4.5, 45.5), 1 pm (FOX) - Chicago's been getting the full hype treatment from the NFL and sports media over Caleb Williams, who is starting his first pro game. Loads of changes in Tennessee, including new head coach Brian Callahan who comes with deep roots and a revamped offense.

While Williams will almost certainly become an NFL star, Titans' QB Will Levis got plenty of experience last year in eight starts. Both teams were unbeaten in the preseason.

Coin Flip: Tennessee

Fearless Rick's Pick: Titans 23 Bears 21

New England Patriots at Cincinnati Bengals (-9, 40.5), 1 pm (CBS) - While the Bengals certainly appear to be the bette team and have home field advantage, a number of issues will need to be addressed here. Ja/Mar Chase remains unsigned and Joe Burrow hasn't taken a snap since last November. As it is, the Bengals were only 5-5 with Burrow last season and ended 9-8 and out of the playoffs.

The Patriots break in Jared Mayo as head coach after Bill Belichick's 24 year reign, as they try to improve on last season's dismal 4-13 mark. Veteran Jacoby Brissett gets the start at QB, but backup Drank Made and Joe Milton are the future. Interesting place to take a stab with the biggest spread on the board in what may turn into a defensive struggle.

Coin Flip: Cincinnati

Fearless Rick's Pick: Patriots 17 Bengals 14

Houston Texans (-2.5, 48) at Indianapolis Colts, 1 pm (CBS) - Houston made big noise last season with C.J. Stroud and the team appears ready to make the next sep forward. The Colts, who went 9-8 last season and just missed the playoffs, go with Anthony Richardson at QB and are likely to vie for the division crown in the AFC South, making this divisional meeting very important to both squads.

Coin Flip: Houston

Fearless Rick's Pick: Texans 27 Colts 20

Jacksonville Jaguars at Miami Dolphins (-3, 49.5), 1 pm (CBS) - Better have the snacks and beverages nearby for this one because the scoreboard is likely to be lit up without let up. Impossible to predict, this game could easily go into overtime. OVER a must, take the points and enjoy.

Coin Flip: Jacksonville

Fearless Rick's Pick: Jaguars 38 Dolphins 35

Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints (-4. 41.5), 1 pm (FOX) - Carolina just 2-15 last season, beaten twice by the Saints, 20-17 in Carolina and 28-6 in New Orleans. Saints eyeing division title, so putting this one in the books is important to that end. Looks too easy, but sometimes it really is.

Coin Flip: Carolina

Fearless Rick's Pick: Saints 31 Panthers 14

Minnesota Vikings (-1, 41.5) at New York Giants, 1 pm (FOX) - Both teams were flops in 2023, Minnesota losing sic of last seven to finish 7-10; Giants 6-11. Both teams lost starting QBs before mid-season and will be seeking redemption in 2024. Giants actually look to be in better shape with Daniel Jones returning, while the Vikings settle on Sam Darnold as signal-caller.

Coin Flip: Minnesota

Fearless Rick's Pick: Giants 20 Vikings 13

Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers (-3, 40.5), 4:05 pm (CBS) - Vegas going with seasoned Gardner Minshew behind center, the Chargers return Justin Herbert after a troubled, 5-12, season. Coach Jim Harbaugh returns to the pros after taking Michigan to the college title last season. Herbert listed as questionable, Divisional match, Raiders may have an edge off 8-9 mark in 2023.

Coin Flip: Las Vegas

Fearless Rick's Pick: Raiders 26 Chargers 24

Denver Broncos at Seattle Seahawks (-6, 42), 4:05 pm (CBS) - Broncos were 8-9 last year; Seahawks, 9-8. Denver is pinning its hopes on rookie Bo Nix at QB, who looked sharp in preseason action. Pretty big spread considering the upside for Nix, even though it's his first pro game. He can fling it with the best and his running ability may prove decisive.

Coin Flip: Denver

Fearless Rick's Pick: Broncos 24 Seahawks 21

Dallas Cowboys at Cleveland Browns (-2.5, 42.5), 4:25 pm (CBS) - Browns a slight favorite at home makes sense, but, with CeeDee Lamb out and retread Ezekiel Elliot returning at running back, the Dallas offense may struggle.

Cleveland is in a rugged division and needs all the wins they can get. Deshaun Watson emerged from the shadows last season and should have plenty of gas and a solid line against a solid Dallas defense.

Coin Flip: Cleveland

Fearless Rick's Pick: Cleveland 23 Cowboys 17

Washington Commanders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3, 43.5), 4:25 pm (FOX) - Tampa's Baker Mayfield has an assortment of options on offense, including running backs Rachaad White and Bucky Irving, plus Mike Evans and Chris Godwin at wideout. The Commanders are coming off a 4-13 season with questions still lingering. Jayden Daniels from LSU may be salvation at QB, but the Commanders allowed a league high 518 points in 2023.

May be the blowout of the week.

Coin Flip: Washington

Fearless Rick's Pick: Buccaneers 45 Commanders 17

Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions (-3.5, 51), 8:20 pm (NBC) - Ought to be a fun Sunday night with Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff flinging all over the field. Both teams appear to be playoff-bound this season and will look to get a leg up in potential conference tie-breaker. Tough line favors the Rams, who are likely to keep this one close.

Coin Flip: Los Angeles Rams

Fearless Rick's Pick: Lions 30 Rams 28

Monday, September 9

New York Jets at San Francisco 49ers (-3.5, 43), 8:15 pm (ESPN/ABC) - Aaron Rodgers returns as the 40-year-old veteran and the Jets couldn't be happier. If Rodgers can produce some offense, the Jets have one of the better defenses in the league.

The 49ers were within a whisker of winning the Super Bowl and should be competitive all season long. Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle combine for a formidable offense. Jets' running back, Breece Hall, had 994 rushing yards and 76 receptions for 591yards. He keeps the Jets in the conversation, which may not be resolved until the final seconds in this classy match-up.

Coin Flip: New York Jets

Your ad could be in the next issue of idleguy.com for as little as $6 per month. Contact Fearless Rick using the form on page 12 for more information.

Fearless Rick & Coin Flip Week 5 College Football Picks

All Times Eastern

Week 4 Results: Rick: 5-8; Flip: 8-5
Cumulative: Rick: 26-37; Flip: 35-28

Friday, September 27

7:00 pm Virginia Tech at 7 Miami (-17.5, 54.5) (ESPN) - The 2-2 Hokies have wins over Marshall and Old Dominion and losses to Vanderbilt and Rutgers. Miami towers over the ACC presently, Leading in points scored (209) and second to Louisville (33 in three games), in points allowed (41). Last week's 28-0 second half produced another blowout win for the Hurricanes, 50-15.

Coin Flip: Miami

Fearless Rick's Pick: Hurricanes 48 Hokies 14

8:00 pm Washington at Rutgers (-2.5, 44.5) (FOX) - Despite losing a slew of starters from last season, the Huskies may be surprisingly good in their first season as a member of the Big Ten. In their three wins (one loss, to Washington State, 24-19), the defense has allowed a mere 17 points.

Rutgers, 3-0, topped Virginia Tech last week, 26-23, but this is a team that was 3-6 in conference play last season, beating only Northwestern, Michigan State, and Indiana.

Coin Flip: Rutgers

Fearless Rick's Pick: Huskies 31 Scarlet Knights 20

Saturday, September 28

12:00 pm Kentucky at 6 Ole Miss (-17, 53) (ABC) - The Wildcats nearly upended Georgia two weeks ago, losing, 13-12, just a week after being blown out at home by South Carolina, 31-6, so they're a Jekyl and Hyde type of team.

Which will show up at Ole Miss is unknown. What is apparent is Jaxson Dart behind center, completing passes at nearly 80% efficiency, along with running backs Henry Parrish Jr. and Matt Jones, comprising one of the best backfields in the country.

Coin Flip: Ole Miss

Fearless Rick's Pick: Ole Miss 42 Wildcats 10

12:00 pm Minnesota at 12 Michigan (-9.5, 35.5) (FOX) - The Wolverine running game was extremely impressive in last week's outing, a 27-24 home win over USC, and the defense was fairly stout throughout. The Golden Gophers already have losses to North Carolina (19-17) and Iowa (31-14), and have limits on offense.

Chalk up another conference win for Michigan, a team on the improve.

Coin Flip: Michigan

Fearless Rick's Pick: Wolverines 24 Golden Gophers 6

12:00 pm 20 Oklahoma State at 23 Kansas State (-5, 56) (ESPN) - The Cowboys battled a very game Utah squad last week, falling 22-19, and seek to even their Big 12 record at 1-1.

BYU stunned Kansas State, 38-9, and are 3-1 on the season. These two meet regularly, with the Cowboys winning four of the last five.

Coin Flip: Kansas State

Fearless Rick's Pick: Cowboys 31 Wildcats 29

12:00 pm 22 BYU at Baylor (-3.5, 45.5) (FS1) - Strange to see 2-2 Baylor favored, after losing at Colorado last week, 38-31, especially after BYU slaughtered K-State, 38-9. The Bears can hang with most Big 12 teams, and may prevail here.

Coin Flip: Baylor

Fearless Rick's Pick: Bears 26 Cougars 23

3:30 pm Wisconsin at 13 USC (-15.5, 51.5) (CBS) - Having had an extra week to mull over their 42-10 loss to Alabama, the Badgers are probably going to be fired up for their Big Ten opener.

USC was handled by Michigan last week, 27-24, their run defense somewhat porous, and their opening week, 27-20, win over LSU is nothing special. It would be a bit of a surprise for the Trojans to win this by more than two touchdowns and the Badgers may surprise them.

Coin Flip: Wisconsin

Fearless Rick's Pick: Badgers 24 Trojans 23

3:30 pm 15 Louisville at 16 Notre Dame (-6.5, 46) (Peacock) - Best to tread lightly here, as there's no way to know how good 3-0 Louisville is, though their 31-19 win over Georgia Tech was solid. Notre Dame needs to probably win all of their remaining games to get into the national playoffs, but they seem to be coming together after the Northern Illinois 16-14 upset with two straight wins.

The Irish have allowed only 10 points in two straight wins and Louisville has given up only 33 in three games.

Coin Flip: Louisville

Fearless Rick's Pick: Fighting Irish 24 Cardinals 14

3:30 pm 21 Oklahoma (-2, 45.5) at Auburn (ABC) - Oklahoma's foray into the SEC began with a 25-15 loss to a very good Tennessee squad, and they should get themselves straightened out against a sub-par Auburn squad which was last seen taking a home loss to Arkansas, 24-14.

Coin Flip: Auburn

Fearless Rick's Pick: Sooners 34 Tigers 14

7:00 pm Stanford at 17 Clemson (-21.5, 57.5) (ESPN) - Stanford kicked off its ACC debut in fine fashion, stunning Syracuse with a last-second field goal, 26-24. At the same time, Clemson was tearing up NC State, 59-35, somewhat redeeming themselves for their opener, a 34-3 thrashing by Georgia.

While Clemson cold easily win this by 30, Cardinal QB Ashton Daniels played well against the Orange and overall, the Stanford defense was steady.

Coin Flip: Clemson

Fearless Rick's Pick: Tigers 35 Cardinal 21

7:30 pm 2 Georgia (-2, 48.5) at 4 Alabama (ABC) - Obviously the game of the week, pits the two SEC powerhouses in an early season showdown for supremacy. The Bulldogs come off a close call in a 13-12 win over Kentucky, while the Tide players felt no pressure handling Wisconsin, 42-10.

Both 3-0 teams have had an extra week to prepare for this one, but Alabama sure looks like an offensive menace and has made a habit of ruining Georgia's plans, winning two of the last three meetings. Georgia's last win over Alabama came in the national championship at the end of the 2021 season, 33-18.

Coin Flip: Georgia

Fearless Rick's Pick: Crimson Tide 28 Bulldogs 23

7:30 pm 19 Illinois at 9 Penn State (-18, 47.5) - As good as Penn State might appear to be, the Illini played one heck of a tough game in their win at Nebraska last week, a 31-24 OT victory. Now 4-0, this will be their sternest test, but they appear to be good enough to hang right with the Nittany Lions, who haven't played a quality team yet (West Virginia, Bowling Green, Kent State).

Coin Flip: Illinois

Fearless Rick's Pick: Nittany Lions 28 Fighting Illini 23

10:15 pm Arizona at 10 Utah (-10, 47.5) (ESPN) - Utah's lights out defense seems to improve every week, and now they have two reliable quarterbacks, Cameron Rising and Isaac Wilson, who led the Utes to a 22-19 win over Oklahoma State last week.

Arizona (2-1) lost at Kansas State two weeks ago, 31-7. The Utes are going to make Arizona wish they had opted for the ACC instead of the Big 12.

Coin Flip: Utah

Fearless Rick's Pick: Utes 31 Wildcats 13

11:00 pm 8 Oregon (-25.5, 55) at UCLA (FOX) - For what it's worth, UCLA made some plays early against LSU, but were overwhelmed late, in a 34-17 loss in Baton Rouge. They might be more comfortable at home against a better-known rival.

Despite their 3-0 record, the Ducks haven't been very impressive and the Bruins should be able to mount some offense against them. Could be a late light upset. In any case, it's hard to pass up 25.5 points in a conference game, even if it is the Big Ten.

Coin Flip: UCLA

Fearless Rick's Pick: Ducks 34 Bruins 24

Fearless Rick & Coin Flip Week 4 College Football Picks

All Times Eastern

Week 3 Results: Rick: 5-9; Flip: 6-8
Cumulative: Rick: 21-29; Flip: 27-23

Friday, September 20

7:00 pm Stanford at Syracuse (-8, 57.5) - After holding on for a 31-28 win over Georgia Tech on September 7, the 2-0 Orange took a week off and remain home to host the 1-1 Cardinal. QB Kyle McCord, senior transfer from Ohio State has thrown 8 TDs and one pick in Syracuse's two wins and should be able to find holes in Stanford's defense.

Bear in mind that the Cardinal players and coaches have to travel all the way from the West coast to play in an openly hostile environment. Things could go the Orange way easily.

Coin Flip: Syracuse

Fearless Rick's Pick: Orange 35 Cardinal 23

8:00 pm 24 Illinois at 22 Nebraska (-7.5, 42.5) - Both teams enter this contest at 3-0 and ranked in the AP Top 25, making this conference game mighty important even though it's still early.

The last meeting was 2023 in Champagne, with Nebraska coming out ahead, 20-7. In 2022, the Illini topped the 'Huskers, 26-9, in Lincoln. Illinois upset Kansas, 23-17, on 9/7 and last week thumped Central Michigan, 30-9.

Nebraska is coming off dominating wins over UTEP (40-7), Colorado (28-10) and Northern Iowa (34-3). Illinois may not be as easy, but the Cornhuskers have gotten better with freshman QB Dylan Raiola guiding the offense and the defense appears well-coached.

Coin Flip: Illinois

Fearless Rick's Pick: Cornhuskers 30 Fighting Illini 17

Saturday, September 21

12:00 pm NC State at 21 Clemson (-20.5, 46.5) - Hard to gauge Clemson off their routing against Georgia - a 34-3 pounding - and their September 7 rip over Appalacian State, 66-20. Last season, the Wolfpack prevailed at home, edging the Tigers, 24-17.

It may be different this time around. NC State showed little in their 51-10 loss to Tennessee and the come from behind win over Louisiana Tech last week, 30-20, was no great accomplishment as freshman C.J. Bailey took over at QB. Clemson's defense figures to stop the 'Pack in their tracks.

Coin Flip: NC State

Fearless Rick's Pick: Tigers 41 Wolfpack 13

3:30 pm UCLA at 16 LSU (-24, 56.5) - UCLA's decision to join the Big Ten may not be the best decision by the athletic department. They were absolutely wrecked by Indiana last week, 42-13, and now have to travel to the deep South to face an improving LSU squad.

Don't let LSU's 27-20 loss to USC or last week's 36-33 win at South Carolina fool you into thinking the Tigers aren't a quality team. Both SC's were up to the challenge and played strong football. UCLA might wish they'd never made this match-up.

Coin Flip: UCLA

Fearless Rick's Pick: Tigers 54 Bruins 10

3:30 pm Georgia Tech at Louisville (-10, 58) - With lopsided wins over Austin Peay (62-0) and Jacksonville State (49-14), there isn't much to go on concerning Louisville, but, last season they were 10-4. A lot of the faces have changed, including at QB, now led by sixth-year senior Tyler Shough, who is prone to error (36-17 TD:INT ratio).

The Yellow Jackets are more of a known quantity. At 3-1, their 24-21 win over Florida State and 31-28 loss at Syracuse suggest they can hang with some of the better teams in the ACC. They could easily stun the Cardinals.

Coin Flip: Louisville

Fearless Rick's Pick: Yellow Jackets 27 Cardinals 24

3:30 pm USC (-5.5, 46.5) at Michigan - Hate to say it, but Michigan shouldn't be ranked and probably won't be after the Trojans are done with them. The Wolverines were outclassed by Texas, 31-12, and their two wins, over Fresno State and Arkansas State were not impressive, especially from a defensive perspective.

USC's 27-20 win over LSU and subsequent 48-0 mauling of Utah State shows that the Trojans have plenty to offer and are a probable playoff team and among the favorites in the Big Ten conference.

The Trojans

Coin Flip: USC

Fearless Rick's Pick: Trojans 31 Wolverines 14

3:30 pm Arkansas at Auburn (-3, 56.5) - Pretty solid SEC match-up, with both teams sporting 201 records. The Razorbacks took Oklahoma State to double overtime, before falling 39-31, but rebounded for a 37-37 win over UAB last week.

Auburn last to Cal, 21-14, in week 2, than thumped New Mexico, 45-19 last weekend. The Tigers hammered Arkansas last season, 48-10, but they may find it tough to contain RB Jaqinden Jackson and wideout Andrew Armstrong. Both teams seem to be improving, close call.

Coin Flip: Auburn

Fearless Rick's Pick: Razorbacks 26 Tigers 23

4:00 pm 12 Utah (-2.5, 54) at 14 Oklahoma State - Big 12 showdown ought to be a hum-dinger. Utah QB Cameron Rising is expected to return for the Utes, while Okie QB Alan Bowman has been sharp in the Cowboys' three wins. Utah is also 3-0, and has one of the better defenses in the country.

Being favored in Cowboy country is a rarity, but the Utes fit the bill. Still, the game may devolve into a battle of wits between coaches Kyle Wittingham (Utah) and Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy, both in their 20th season. If there ever was a toss-up, this one is it. We'll take the home team with points.

Coin Flip: Oklahoma State

Fearless Rick's Pick: Cowboys 31 Utes 29

7:00 pm 8 Miami (-16.5, 65) at South Florida - Miami has given up just 26 points in three wins, while scoring 159. South Florida already has a 42-16 humbling at Alabama on their resume, and big wins over Bethune-Cookman and Southern Miss don't count for much.

When Cam Ward and the Hurricanes took down the Florida Gators, 41-17, in the swamp, they showed who they really were, and that is possibly the class of the ACC and a likely playoff participant.

Coin Flip: Miami

Fearless Rick's Pick: Hurricanes 48 Bulls 24

7:30 pm 6 Tennessee (-7, 57.5) at 15 Oklahoma - The Sooners haven't looked very impressive beating Houston, 16-12, and Tulane, 34-19 the past two weeks.

The Vols, however, may be from another universe.The fast-strike Tennessee offense has scored 191 points in three wins, while their defense has allowed only 13. The Sooners may be a very good team, but one has to wonder just how good the #6 Vols are, and they may be getting better. Coach Josh Heupel, a former star QB at Oklahoma and later an assistant coach, in in his fourth season at Tennessee, and has surrounded himself with hand-picked recruits.

Coin Flip: Tennessee

Fearless Rick's Pick: Volunteers 38 Sooners 21

7:30 pm Iowa (-2.5, 35.5) at Minnesota - While pundits rave over Iowa's defense, Minnesota has pitched two straight shutouts, 48-0 over Rhode Island and 27-0 over Nevada. They opened the season with a 19-17 loss to North Carolina.

Iowa, also 2-1, loss a nail-biter to Iowa State, where the defense let down in the second half, 20-19. Last week's 38-21 win over Troy may be more telling about some slight deficiencies on defense that the Gophers may be able to exploit.

Iowa won eight straight, from 2015-2022, before Minnesota turns the tables on them last season with a 12-10 victory. Be prepared for a defensive struggle.

Coin Flip: Iowa

Fearless Rick's Pick: Golden Gophers 20 Hawkeyes 13

8:00 pm Baylor at Colorado (-1.5, 52) - Can Colorado live up to the "Prime Time" hype against a serious Big 12 opponent?

Both teams are 2-1, but Baylor showed some grit in a 23-12 loss to Utah, whereas the Buffaloes were herded out of town by Nebraska, 28-10. Baylor probably has an edge on defense while the offenses are roughly a draw.

Coin Flip: Colorado

Fearless Rick's Pick: Bears 31 Buffaloes 24

10:30 pm 13 Kansas State (-6.5, 48) at BYU - The Wildcats made quick work of Arizona last week with a 31-7 win. BYU is certainly no pushover, but sophomore QB Avery Johnson is wise beyond his years, and running back DJ Giddens rushed for 1,226 yards last season and his picked up where he left off, averaging 6.6 yards per carry. K-State may just have too many offensive weapons for BYU to handle.

Coin Flip: Kansas State

Fearless Rick's Pick: Kansas State 30 BYU 20

Fearless Rick & Coin Flip Week 3 College Football Picks

Results:
Week 2: Rick: 6-7; Flip: 6-7
Cumulative: Rick: 16-20; Flip: 21-15

Friday, September 13

7:30 pm UNLV at Kansas (-7, 57.5) - Kansas, which was ranked as high as 16 in the Coaches Poll before losing at Illinois, 23-17, was knocked completely out of the Top 25, but may find a way back in, starting with a rebounding win over the visiting Rebels.

UNLV is 2-0, last week humiliating Utah Tech, 72-14, after topping Houston, 27-7 in their opener on the road. UNLV was 9-5 last season, ending with a 49-36 loss to Kansas in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, so there's familiarity here. Not much to go on other than that bowl meeting, and Kansas will likely correct the mistakes that cost them last week.

Coin Flip: Kansas

Fearless Rick's Pick: Jayhawks 38 Rebels 24

7:30 pm 20 Arizona at 14 Kansas State (-7, 58) - K-State survived a scare at Tulane last week, eventually prevailing, 34-27, in what was probably a good learning experience. Offensively, D.J. Giddens has rushed for over 100 yards in each of the Wildcats' first two games and did so six times last season.

Arizona has won nine straight games, including their first two of this season. Those wins in 2023 weren't just puff, they topped Washington State, Oregon State, UCLA, Utah, and Oklahoma (Alamo Bowl), all of which were ranked. Sophomore QB Noah Fifita can light it up despite struggling a bit in the first half of last week's 22-10 win over Northern Arizona.

Arizona looks like the real deal and should give Kansas State all they can handle in this all-Wildcats match-up.

Coin Flip: Arizona

Fearless Rick's Pick: Arizona 38 Kansas State 24

Saturday, September 14

12:00 pm 4 Alabama (-15.5, 50.5) at Wisconsin FOX - Wisconsin, despite being 2-0, is not ranked, while the 2-0 Crimson Tide maintained their #4 ranking even though they struggled mightily with South Florida last week.

The Badgers have wins over Western Michigan (28-14) and South Dakota (27-13), two fairly capable teams. Alabama topped Western Kentucky, 63-0, in week 1, and prevailed, 42-16, over USF, so, if that's struggling, this squad is built and ready to rock. Alabama's superior athletes and speed will probably be decisive.

Coin Flip: Wisconsin

Fearless Rick's Pick: Crimson Tide 35 Badgers 10

12:00 pm 16 LSU (-7, 50.5) at South Carolina ABC - The Gamecock defense showed up big last week at Kentucky, in a no-doubter, 31-6, victory. They escaped Old Dominion in week 1, 23-19, but this is a team that is improving. How fast is the question. South Carolina won three SEC games last season and the team looks to make a bowl this year after finishing 5-7 in 2023. They have a rugged schedule ahead, including this visit by the Tigers.

Head coach Brian Kelly is in his third year at LSU and has a record of 21-8, which is fine, but not national championship level. On the road, they may not be as effective as the line suggests. South Carolina will be a tough out, playing with confidence.

Coin Flip: South Carolina

Fearless Rick's Pick: Gamecocks 23 Tigers 20

12:00 pm 13 Oklahoma State (-20.5, 62.5) at Tulsa - The Cowboys were in a life-and-death struggle with Arkansas last week, eventually pulling out the improbable 39-31 victory in double overtime to get to 2-0 on the season.

Tulsa, 1-1, after losing at Arkansas State last week, 28-24, may not be a pushover, though they're likely not at the same level as OK State.

Coin Flip: Oklahoma State

Fearless Rick's Pick: Cowboys 48 Golden Hurricane 17

12:45 pm 24 Boston College at 6 Missouri (-16.5, 54) SEC Network - While it is evident that Missouri is the real deal, ranking 6th in the AP Top 25 with back-to-back shutouts over Murray State (51-0) and Buffalo (38-0), BC's upset, 28-13, win over Florida State and subsequent 56-0 thrashing of Duquesne just five days later, suggests that they will be competitive here.

The Eagles were 6-6 last year, losing their last three games of the regular season before topping SMU, 23-14, in the Fenway Bowl. They're off to a good start, but the Tigers are a ferocious bunch and the fans are likely to be insane for this one. Tough call, but Missouri was 11-2 last season and is a legitimate threat for the SEC title. BC's defense won't make this easy for them.

Coin Flip: Missouri

Fearless Rick's Pick: Tigers 31 Eagles 10

3:30 pm 9 Oregon (-16, 50) at Oregon State FOX - The Ducks have not yet impressed anybody in any way. In fact, they've dropped in the rankings (AP) from #3 preseason, to #7 last week, to #9 this week. Last week's narrow, 37-34, win over Boise State is telling.

2-0 Oregon State may or may not be good enough to make the new 12-team playoff, but they're probably a bowl-eligible type team, owing partially to their funky schedule as one of just two teams left in the PAC-12 (PAC-2?). This is a fierce rivalry and the Beavers may not be cordial hosts.

Coin Flip: Oregon State

Fearless Rick's Pick: Beavers 27 Ducks 20

3:30 pm Tulane at 15 Oklahoma (-14, 51) ESPN - Now in the SEC, Oklahoma needs to step up their game if they intend to make the playoffs or challenge in the SEC. Last week's 16-12 win over Houston wasn't very eye-appealing. Meanwhile, Tulane gave Kansas State all they could handle, eventually falling, 34-27. Green Wave plus two TDs. Sure.

Coin Flip: Oklahoma

Fearless Rick's Pick: Sooners 31 Green Wave 24

3:30 pm 18 Notre Dame (-11.5, 45.5) at Purdue CBS - Notre Dame's season ended at the final gun of their 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois, which may be near the top of the Mid-American conference, though it's awful early to tell.

Purdue has had two full weeks to prepare for this game after dumping Indiana State, 49-0, in their August 31 opener. They also have home field in this intrastate rivalry.

Coin Flip: Purdue

Fearless Rick's Pick: Boilermakers 22 Fighting Irish 16

4:30 pm 12 Utah (-21.5, 46.5) at Utah State CBSSN - Utah QB Cam Rising left last week's 23-12 win over Baylor with an injury to his throwing hand, but he's expected to start against Utah State. Whether he starts or not may not matter. The Aggies were humbled by USC last week, 48-0, so they're probably not the same caliber team as the Utes, who have enough on defense to keep Utah State from scoring with any kind of frequency.

Coin Flip: Utah

Fearless Rick's Pick: Utes 45 Aggies 13

6:30 pm 5 Ole Miss (-23.5, 63.5) at Wake Forest CW - The Rebels moved up to #5 in both the AP and Coaches Poll, registering blowout wins over Furman (76-0) and Middle Tennessee State (52-3).

How good is Wake Forest? Not very. They were 1-7 in the ACC last season and 4-8 overall. Doubtful they will be able to hang in with Ole Miss for long.

Coin Flip: Ole Miss

Fearless Rick's Pick: Rebels 48 Demon Deacons 10

7:30 pm 1 Georgia (-24, 45) at Kentucky ABC - The #1 Bulldogs aren't going to lose this game. Not a chance. They've allowed all of two field goals in back-to-back wins over Clemson and Tennessee Tech, their season opener over the Tigers obviously the more impactful game.

Kentucky got blown out by South Carolina last week, 31-6, as QB Brock Vandagriff looked frightened every time he dropped back to pass (3-for-10, 30 yards, pick, four sacks). He'll do even worse against the Bulldogs, if he even keeps his starting job.

Last season, the Bulldogs romped the Wildcats, 51-13.

Coin Flip: Kentucky

Fearless Rick's Pick: Bulldogs 49 Wildcats 3

7:30 pm Colorado (-7.5, 58.5) at Colorado State CBS - This is not a very good game for prime time TV, even with Prime Time Sanders coaching the Buffs. They have no defense and were wrecked by Nebraska last week, 28-10, and the Cornhuskers, though better than last season, are pretty much a mid-pack type of Big Ten team.

The Rams were rocked by Texas, 52-0, in week 1, but managed a 38-17 win over Northern Colorado last week. They are not very good and should lose this game, but given the opposition, may pull off an upset on their home turf. Colorado is overhyped. Please wager a very minimal amount on this if playing it at all.

Coin Flip: Colorado State

Fearless Rick's Pick: Huskies 33 Rams 27

7:30 pm UCF at TCU (-1.5, 61.5) FOX - Not much to go on in this contest, though TCU did top Stanford in their opener, 34-27 and then walked all over Long Island U. last week, 45-0. The Knights of UCF usually field a quality team, though last year was their first losing season since 2016. They came out firing, with wins over New Hampshire (57-3) and Sam Houston (45-14), but that's really not anything out of the ordinary.

Might actually be a good game between two 2-0 teams with high hopes. Going with the coin flip on this one.

Coin Flip: UCF

Fearless Rick's Pick: Knights 31 Horned Frogs 23

Fearless Rick & Coin Flip Week 2 College Football Picks

Week 0, Week 1 Results:
Rick: 10-13; Flip: 15-8

All Times Eastern

Friday, September 6

7:00 pm BYU at SMU (-11.5, 55.5) ESPN2 - Now a part of the ACC, the 2-0 Mustangs will have plenty of time to prepare for conference play. After this game, a 9/21 game vs. TCU and a week off, They host Florida State on 9/28.

The Big 12's BYU topped Southern Illinois, 41-13, in week one and look to improve upon a 5-7 campaign in 2023, which ended with five straight losses. QB Jake Retzlaff got solid experience last season, starting the final four games, and seemed to be getting better in the Cougars' 31-24 loss to Oklahoma and the 40-34 double-overtime defeat at Oklahoma State.

SMU closed out their 2023 regular season with eight straight wins, but those games were against the likes of Temple, Rice, Memphis, and Navy. This season's slate is tougher and the Mustangs will be lucky to escape with a win against an improving BYU team.

Coin Flip: BYU

Fearless Rick's Pick: Mustangs 31 Cougars 28

10:00 pm Duke at Northwestern (-2.5, 37) FS1 - Northwestern just managed to get by Miami of Ohio, 13-6, last week. Duke's 26-3 win over Elon didn't prove much, except that Texas transfer, Maalik Murphy, is a good fit at QB, showing for 291 yards and a pair of scores.

The Blue Devils finished last season with a respectable 8-5 record and this will be a good test for them. Northwestern had the same record last season, and won their last four games, including a 14-7 win over Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. QB Mike Wright is a Miss. State transfer, a senior, and was 18-for-30 in the Wildcats' 13-6 win over Miami of Ohio.

Duke hammered the Wildcats, 38-14 last September, but both teams underwent major changes since then.

Coin Flip: Duke

Fearless Rick's Pick: Wildcats 20 Blue Devils 13

Saturday, September 7

12:00 pm 3 Texas (-7.5, 42.5) at 10 Michigan FOX - The Wolverines returned almost no starters from their championship team of last season, and even lost head coach Jim Harbaugh to the NFL. Michigan was not impressive in their 30-10 win over Fresno State in week one, while the Longhorns shut out Colorado State, 52-0. Texas isn't ranked #3 for nothing, but the top 10 ranking for Michigan is on reputation alone and the Wolverine offense will be exposed as less than effective.

Texas may have a big lead at halftime and coast from there.

Coin Flip: Michigan

Fearless Rick's Pick: Longhorns 34 Wolverines 17

12:00 pm Arkansas at 16 Oklahoma State (-7.5, 62.5) ABC - Both teams should be lighting up the scoreboard, but the Cowboys have lost just five times at home the last five seasons, or once per year on average. Oklahoma State took care of South Dakota State last week in their season opener, 44-20. Ollie Gordon rushed for 126 yards and Texas Tech transfer Alan Bowman threw for 245 yards and two TD passes..

The Cowboys are a legitimate playoff team, having gone 10-4 last season with a 31-23 win over Texas A&M in the Texas Bowl last December.

Arkansas looks good to go after a 70-0 whitewash of Arkansas-Pine Bluff.The Hogs were just 1-7 in the SEC last season, but now have Boise State transfer, Taylen Green at QB. He threw for 229 yards and a pair of scores in last week's tune-up. The question is whether the Arkansas defense can hold up against a serious offense.

Coin Flip: Oklahoma State

Fearless Rick's Pick: Cowboys 38 Razorbacks 27

12:00 pm 23 Georgia Tech (-3, 61) at Syracuse - The Yellow Jackets proved their 24-21 win over Florida State was no fluke, powering past Georgia State last week, 35-12. The dangerous duo of QB Haynes King and RB Jamal Haynes has the Yellow Jacket offense buzzing.

Syracuse was just 2-6 in conference play last season including a 31-22 loss to Georgia Tech. Kyle McCord, the Ohio State transfer, lit up Ohio last week with 354 yards passing and four TD strikes. A big test for both schools in an important conference game that could turn into a track meet.

Coin Flip: Syracuse

Fearless Rick's Pick: Orange 38 Yellow Jackets 34

3:30 pm Northern Illinois at 5 Notre Dame (-28, 44.5) NBC - Usually a MAC powerhouse, the Huskies slipped to 7-6 last season, but got off to a good start with last week's 54-15 rout of Western Illinois. The going gets tougher against the Fighting Irish, who slugged out a 23-13 victory over Texas A&M and may have one of the most talented secondaries in the country.

Riley Leonard, the Duke transfer, was efficient and poised, and will likely continue to improve as the weeks roll on. Northern Illinois faces an uphill task against the Golden Domers.

Coin Flip: Notre Dame

Fearless Rick's Pick: Fighting Irish 42 Huskies 7

3:30 pm Baylor at 11 Utah (-14.5, 56) FOX - Baylor QB Dequan Finn, a Toledo transfer, threw two TDs but also two interceptions in the Bears' opening week, 45-3, win over pushover Tarleton State, raising questions about the Baylor offense. Baylor was just 3-9 last season and 2-7 in conference, beating only UCF and Cincinnati.

Utah, with Cameron Rising throwing five TD passes, routed Southern Utah, 49-0, last week, and as long as Rising remains healthy the Utes can do some damage in the Big 12. This may be a walkover for Utah, as they appear better than the Bears on both sides of the ball.

Coin Flip: Utah

Fearless Rick's Pick: Utes 42 Bears 13

3:30 pm Iowa State at 21 Iowa (-3.5, 35.5) CBS - Iowa's defense is top tier and the addition of Cade McNamara (from Michigan) looked promising as the Hawkeyes rolled up 40 points in their shutout over Illinois State.

Cyclone QB Rocco Becht looked sharp in Iowa State's 21-3 win over North Dakota to open their 2024 campaign. This figures to be a defensive struggle, but both offense are improved this year.

This game is an annual tradition, but the Hawkyes have won the last nine straight. Could this be the Cyclones year to break the trend? May be close, but Iowa's defense should seal the deal for the Hawkeyes.

Coin Flip: Iowa State

Fearless Rick's Pick: Hawkeyes 27 Cyclones 17

3:30 pm South Carolina at Kentucky (-10, 42.5) ABC - The Wildcats took care of Southern Miss, 31-0, while the Gamecocks struggled to a 23-19 victory at home over Old Dominion. It wasn't supposed to be that close, but, South Carolina is still struggling offensively and may duplicate their 5-7 record from last season.

They did manage a 17-14 win over the Wildcats last season, but they had Spencer Rattler behind center. Lanorris Sellers doesn't give them that kind of experience, plus this game is in Kentucky this time around. The Wildcats will get more out of their QB, Georgia transfer Brock Vandagriff.

Coin Flip: Kentucky

Fearless Rick's Pick: Wildcats 27 Gamecocks 10

7:00 pm South Florida at 4 Alabama (-31, 63.5) ESPN - South Florida took down Bethune-Cookman, 48-3, in their opener while Alabama was trouncing Western Kentucky, 63-0.

The Crimson Tide defeated the Bulls last season, 17-3, with Ty Simpson at quarterback. This time, Alabama will start Jalen Milroe and the outcome will likely be the same - an Alabama victory - but the score will be vastly different.

Coin Flip: Alabama

Fearless Rick's Pick: Crimson Tide 54 Bulls 13

7:30 pm 14 Tennessee (-10, 61.5) at 24 NC State ABC - The Vols' Nico Iamaleava looked like the real deal in Tennessee's opening weekend 69-3 slaughter of Chattanooga. Also, Dylan Sampson's 124 yards rushing was a bonus.

Grayson McCall went through the portal over the off-season and moved from Coastal Carolina to NC State and threw three Td passes in his Wolfpack debut, but the defense was shaky, allowing three touchdowns by the underdog Catamounts. That's not going to cut it against the Vols.

Coin Flip: NC State

Fearless Rick's Pick: Volunteers 38 Wolfpack 17

7:30 pm Colorado at Nebraska (-7.5, 56.5) NBC - Coach Prime Time and his son, Shedeur Sanders aren't going to sneak up on anyone, including the Cornhuskers, whom they stunned last season, 36-14.

It's likely that the Buffs are better than they were last year, but so is Nebraska, winners over UTEP last week, by a 40-7 tally. That score may be a bit deceiving, as Nebraska yielded a lot of ground on defense, but so did Colorado in their 31-26 win over a pretty good North Dakota State squad. This game may be won by a touchdown or less, and it could go either way.

Coin Flip: Nebraska

Fearless Rick's Pick: Buffaloes 26 Cornhuskers 24

10:00 pm Boise State at 7 Oregon (-20, 60.5) Peacock - The Broncos may have been surprised by the Eagles of Georgia Southern last week, actually falling behind, 36-37, early in the fourth quarter, but they rallied for three straight TDs to put the game away. Junior RB Ashotn Jeanty was a runaway train with 267 yards rushing and 6 TDs.

Hard to say whether Boise's defense was bad or the Eagles' offense good, but the Broncos are probably going to keep their meeting with Oregon a little closer than the line suggests.

The Ducks didn't dominate Idaho last week as expected, coming away with a 24-14 win. Oregon went 12-2 last season, both losses to the Washington Huskies, who went all the way to playing for the national championship, but Oregon had Bo Nix then, and now have former Oklahoma QB Dillion Gabriel. Were the Ducks playing possum or are they not really so good? We're going to find out. They did drop four spots in the AP Poll and fell from #3 to #6 in the coaches poll.

Prepare for lots of scoring.

Coin Flip: Boise State

Fearless Rick's Pick: Ducks 42 Broncos 31

College Football Week 1 Impressions

From the very first game, with Georgia Tech upending heavily-favored Florida State, 24-21, the 2024 version of college football figured to be different, confusing, confounding, and fun.

With multiple changes via the bulking up of the SEC, Big Ten (now Big 18), ACC, and Big 12, by virtue of the disintegration of the PAC-12, and at last, a playoff system that will involve more than four teams, multiple players making moves through the transfer portal, and college players being allowed to receive money from endorsements and endowments, college football enters an entirely new era, one that figures to evolve though the season and in subsequent years.

At least the college braintrust thankfully didn't tinker with kickoffs, like the NFL, but what's up with Washington State and Oregon State? They're now the PAC-2?

After a weekend loaded with lopsided scores, there was more than a handful of take-aways and insights heading into week two.

Probably the most easily-spotted observation is that the SEC is loaded. The addition of Texas, Oklahoma only made the conference even more challenging.

Some of the scores out of the SEC were mind-blowing. Missouri 51 Murray State 0. Oklahoma 51 Temple 3. Texas 52 Colorado State 0. Alabama 63 Western Kentucky 0. Ole Miss 76 Furman 0. Tennessee 69 Chattanooga 3. Of the games played by ranked SEC teams which won, the cumulative score was 362-6. In six games, only two opponents scored, and those were just field goals. Amazing.

Perhaps the most impressive win by an SEC squad, however, was Georgia's 34-3 slaughter of Clemson. The Tigers aren't a bad team by any measure, but they were chickenfeed to the Bulldogs.

Two ranked SEC teams lost in Week 1, the first being Texas A&M. They battled, but eventually could not contain Notre Dame in a gritty, defensive struggle, dropping a 24-13 decision to the Irish. Notre Dame's transfer quarterback, Riley Leonard, didn't have his best day - that's to come - but played under control and with great situational awareness.

The other loser out of the SEC was LSU, which ran into an unsuspected buzzsaw in USC. The Trojans came from behind for a 27-20 win, QB Miller Moss looking like the reincarnation of Warren Moon, smooth in the pocket and accurate downfield, throwing for 378 yards to a motherlode of wideouts. LSU may not be so bad, as USC could be very, very good. The Big Ten better be ready.

Of Big Ten teams, the most impressive beyond the USC fireworks was likely Iowa, routing Illinois State, 40-0 behind Michigan transfer, Cade McNamara, who struck up the band for 251 yards and three scoring strikes. Iowa's defense figures to be one of the best in the country, and if the Hawkeyes can score, look out.

Penn State took a while to get started against West Virginia, but eventually overwhelmed the Mountaineers, 34-12. They weren't flashy, but very effective running the ball and their defense will only get better as the season progresses.

Ohio State rolled to a 52-6 win over Akron, but the defense was actually sloppy, giving up lots of yardage. The Buckeyes have a couple of budding superstars in running back TreVeyon Henderson and wideout Jeremiah Smith.

Michigan wasn't impressive in their 30-10 win over Fresno State, neither was #3-ranked Oregon, only beating Idaho, 24-14. Once conference play gets underway, both of these programs could crack under pressure.

The ACC looks to be up for grabs. Clemson is good enough to make the conference championship. Lessons were learned in the loss to Georgia, but they'll contend in the ACC, which is not particularly strong. Cam Ward (385 yards passing) and Miami appear to be the team to beat, possibly Georgia Tech. Transfer players made huge impacts for both teams. Florida State, now 0-2 after consecutive losses to Georgia Tech and Boston College, is - hate to say this after just two games - burnt toast. QB DJ Ulagalelei can't cut it at this level and the Seminole defense, which was supposed to be a strong point, isn't helping hm at all.

For a sense of where things are headed, keep a weekly tab on UCLA and Hawaii. The Bruins eked out a 16-13 win under the hot Pacific sun in one of the weekend's weirdest games, featuring two interceptions by each quarterback, a Hawaii lost fumble and fake punt the led to a touchdown. Hawaii may be pretty good in the Mountain West, but UCLA may be overmatched in Big Ten play.

Boise State's 56-45 win at Georgia Southern was an eye-opener if only to suggest not selling the Sun Belt short when bowl season rolls around.

Week 1 was highlight rich, entertaining, and instructive, bookended by snakebitten Florida State, which lost the opening game of the season in week 0, and were dumped by Boston College in the last game of week 1, on Monday, Labor Day, 10 forgettable days in Tallahassee.