Rushing

Passing

Points

TO’s

ST

Illinois is a shocking 1-15 in Big 10 openers and it won't get any easier this year with the #2 Buckeyes coming to Champaign. Last year the Buckeyes beat the Illini 30-0 in the opener while holding them to just 170 total yds and this year the defense is allowing just 240 yds per game including just 71 rush (2.6). The Buckeyes offense has been explosive avg 507 total yds and are led by Heisman candidate Pryor who is avg 235 pass (66%) with a 10-2 ratio and has 269 rush yds. Last week Pryor accounted for 6 TD's as the Buckeyes scored the most points (73) since 1950. Illinois is coming off a bye week and should be well rested but the Buckeyes have won 7 straight in Champaign (last loss in '91) and should easily make it 8.

PHIL’S FORECAST : OHIO ST 41 ILLINOIS 13

Rushing

Passing

Points

TO’s

ST

Outside of Alabama, Ohio St and Boise St, these two teams have probably been the most impressive so far this season. Oregon's "point-a-minute" offense "only" scored 42 pts last week in the win over Arizona St while the Cardinal are 4-0 for the first time since '86 and are off a dominating 37-14 win at Notre Dame. LY Stanford got Oregon off their 47-20 win against USC and Gerhart rushed for a school-record 223 yards as they became bowl eligible for the first time in 8 years with the 51-42 win. Prior to that game, the Ducks had topped the Cardinal 7 str times by an avg of 39-17 and Autzen stadium will be rocking as the Ducks continue their march to a second straight Pac-10 title.

PHIL’S FORECAST : OREGON 41 STANFORD 31

Rushing

Passing

Points

TO’s

ST

This game has lost a little bit of its luster with Texas getting shocked 34-12 at home to UCLA last week as they turned it over 5 times. It was the Longhorns worst home loss under Mack Brown. The Sooners outside of the Florida St game have failed to put teams away this year and last week led Cincinnati 24-9 3Q before giving up a couple of scores in the 4Q and had to hang on for a 31-29 victory. Last year's game despite the injury to QB Bradford early in the game was controlled by the Sooners and this year they are much more experienced on offense. They are led by QB Jones who is avg 305 ypg (65%) with a 9-3 ratio while his top target WR Broyles leads the NCAA with 41 rec (11.8). RB Murray has 436 yds (4.2) but Oklahoma's defense is allowing a surprising 421 ypg. While both teams have yet to play up to their potential this year on a consistent basis, I expect both to play their best games of the year. In the end I will go with the Sooners who clearly have more firepower on offense and HC Stoops needs this game more (just 1-4 L/5 against Texas).

PHIL’S FORECAST : OKLAHOMA 27 TEXAS 17

Rushing

Passing

Points

TO’s

ST

MSU HC Dantonio after suffering a heart attack two weeks ago will be back in the press box for this one but is still probably a week or two away from being on the sidelines in full coaching capacity. The home team has won five in a row in the series and last year Wisconsin dominated as they jumped out to a 38-16 lead before allowing a couple of garbage TD's. Both teams are off easy wins vs FCS teams and both have similar styles on offense and defense as they look to control the line of scrimmage. MSU outrushes its opp by an avg 232-85 while Wisconsin outrushes its opp by an avg of 260-94. This one is a tough call as both teams are very even and my computer agrees with a 29-29 proj score. With their HC looking on from above, the home Spartans get the extra emotional lift and beat the #11 Badgers in a great game.

PHIL’S FORECAST : MICHIGAN ST 34 WISCONSIN 33

Rushing

Passing

Points

TO’s

ST

Miami is off an impressive win at Pittsburgh which graded out to be the #1 performance of last week according to my computer's game grades. This week they will be taking on a well-rested Clemson team that needed it after the heartbreaking OT loss to Auburn two weeks ago. Clemson has won each of the three ACC meetings with all of them going to OT. Last year's game featured an amazing 12 lead changes and this year I expect it to be no different as it could come down to who has the ball last. I'll give the advantage to the Hurricanes who are more explosive on offense and have one of the most agressive front 7's in the NCAA as they lead with 11.3 tfl per game.

PHIL’S FORECAST: MIAMI, FL 27 CLEMSON 20

Rushing

Passing

Points

TO’s

ST

Last year the Trojans were off a big road win at Ohio St and loss to the Huskies 16-13 on a FG w/:03 left. This will be just the second home game of the Kiffin era as USC is 4-0 for the first time under a new HC since 1951. Washington is off a bye week in which they had to regroup after being humiliated 56-21 to Nebraska. QB Locker's Heisman chances and #1 pick in next year's NFL draft may have suffered a fatal blow as he was just 4-20 for 71 yds with a 1-2 ratio. USC beat the Huskies 56-0 the last time here in '08 and the Trojans will want revenge from last year's upset.

PHIL’S FORECAST : USC 37 WASHINGTON 20

Rushing

Passing

Points

TO’s

ST

Both teams are off solid performances as the Hokies beat Boston College on the road 19-0 and NC State upset defeding ACC Champ Georgia Tech 45-28. The VT/BC game was a bit misleading as the Eagles were int'd in the EZ, missed a FG and then were stopped at the VT1 yd line as the clock ran out in the 1H. NC State is off to a 4-0 start (best S/'02) thanks to their QB Wilson. Last week Wilson threw for a career-high 368 yds and 3 TD's as the Pack finished with 27-15 FD and 527-363 yd edges. Seven of the last 8 games in this series have been decided by 7 pts or less and this one will be no different as I'll go with the Hokies who are 22-6 on the road in the ACC.

PHIL’S FORECAST : VIRGINIA TECH 31 NC STATE 28

Rushing

Passing

Points

TO’s

ST

These two in-state rivals meet in the "Battle for the Fremont Cannon." The series has been dominated by win streaks as Nevada won five straight from '99-'99 while UNLV won five in a row from '00-'04. Now Nevada has the upper hand in the series and have won five in a row. The Wolfpack are ranked for the first time since 1948 after their 27-13 win over BYU and are led by do-everything QB Kaepernick who is avg 231 ypg (69%) with a 7-1 ratio and also has 451 rush yds (8.1). Last year this game was tied at 21 at HT but Nevada blew it open in the 2H with 773 ttl yards and 32 FD's as they had 3 players with 170+ rush yds! The Wolfpack have dominated the LOS the last couple of years and have rushed for a combined 1,003 yds (8.9) and 12 TD's in the last two meetings. Don't expect a new 5 year trend here as the Wolfpack make it 6 in a row and get one game closer to a possible unbeaten showdown with Boise St in November.

PHIL’S FORECAST: NEVADA 41 UNLV 24