Posted: Friday September 27, 2002 12:21 PM
Updated: Friday September 27, 2002 1:25 PM
CNNSI.com college football writer Stewart Mandel weighs in with his forecast of the weekend's biggest games each Friday during the season.
Week 6
Sat., 3:30 p.m. EDT | ABC
No. 20 Nebraska (3-1) at No. 19 Iowa State (4-1)
Can anyone explain why Frank Solich’s teams curl up into a little ball when they go on the road? Do the linemen eat too many peanuts on the plane? Does their luggage containing the playbooks get accidentally checked to Tupelo? Fortunately for the Huskers, Ames is a short bus trip. Read a book or something on the trip, boys. And this time, when you get there, try to remember you’re freakin’ Nebraska.
Nebraska 31, Iowa State 20
Sat., 6:30 p.m. EDT | Fox Sports
No. 23 Oregon State (4-0) at No. 18 USC (2-1)
Oregon State’s return to the ranks of the relevant could become a threat to this prognosticator’s so-far promising record, seeing as his company has a notorious track record when it comes to forecasting the Beavers’ prospects. But don’t worry. There’s nothing at all dicey about picking a team to win a game against a team it hasn’t beaten on the road in, oh, 42 years.
Oregon State 27, USC 22
Sat., 3:30 p.m. EDT | CBS
Kentucky (4-0) at No. 7 Florida (3-1)
Excuse me, Mr. Zook? We know your first September on the job has already included games against Miami and Tennessee, but would you mind terribly if we take that normally laughable Kentucky game at the end of the month and turn it into a battle against the most impressive, most fired-up team in the league thus far? God forbid you ever get to take a deep breath around here.
Florida 35, Kentucky 28
Sat., Noon EDT | ESPN
Iowa (3-1) at No. 10 Penn State (3-0)
Quite a few Nittany Lions fans were on the phone to their travel agents to discuss New Year’s plans as soon as the Nebraska game got out of hand. Hope their team isn’t that overconfident, because this one’s going to be a doozie. The Hawkeyes get back star tailback Fred Russell, and they’re also pretty darn good at stuffing the run. In Happy Valley, though, the turnovers go Penn State’s way.
Penn State 24, Iowa 23
Sat., 5 p.m. EDT
No. 16 Washington State (3-1) at Cal (3-1)
Washington State without Jason Gesser? Oh, man. That’s like the Pats without Tom Brady. The Lakers without Shaq. Hall without Oates. It might work against Idaho, but Cal has proven it’s no pushover. Wait … what’s that you say? Gesser dragged his sore ribs out onto the practice field Wednesday? He’s probably going to play? … Oh.
Washington State 24, Cal 19
Sat., 7:45 p.m. EDT | ESPN
Alabama (3-1) at Arkansas (2-0)
You’ve seen Auburn, Alabama and LSU in big games. You know all about Eli Manning and Ole Miss, and you know how bad Mississippi State is. But Arkansas has been toiling in virtual anonymity, and folks, what they have is not only the usual hard-nosed defense but an offense that’s found an identity behind athletic QB Matt Jones. Time for a little coming-out party.
Arkansas 23, Alabama 17
Sat., Noon EDT
Duke (1-3) at Navy (1-2)
C’mon, we’ve had this game marked on the calendar for a whole year, we’re not taking it off just because they’ve each won. In trying to determine which is less horrible, you must consider the common denominator: Northwestern. Duke lost by five on the road to the equally moribund Wildcats, but Navy lost by seven at home, and despite gaining nearly 700 yards. Ouuuuch.
Duke 31, Navy 28
Sat., 3 p.m. EDT
This Week's Upset Special
Air Force (3-1) at Utah (2-2)
The Utes, along with Colorado State, are considered the class of the Mountain West, seemingly evidenced when they went to Michigan last week and came within a field goal of a historic upset. But the Falcons one-upped them, putting down upstart Cal on the road. Utah clearly misses top rusher Marty Johnson, while Air Force leads the nation with 344 yards a game on the ground.
Air Force 24, Utah 20
