College football is the embodiment of high drama — even more so when contests featuring serious implications are on the slate. Week 6 of the 2015 campaign, thankfully, features more than a few such matchups.
The outcome of these upcoming games will send ripples into the national landscape and will help further define the season as a whole.
Now, it’s time to don the ocular of foresight and predict some winners.
Oklahoma (No. 10) at Texas
Is there any chance Charlie Strong can resurrect his broken program in time to rekindle this forgotten rivalry?
Probably not. But if he could, then the Longhorns would sent Oklahoma tumbling down the polls.
The Sooners come into this contest riding a freight train of positive momentum, having dispatched their previous four opponents by an average score of 42-22. Junior quarterback Baker Mayfield has come into his own this season and has taken control of the offense, throwing 13 touchdowns and just three interceptions.
Meanwhile, Texas limps into the game on a three-game losing streak, featuring a defense that allows over 500 yards and 38 points every weekend.
Prediction: Oklahoma wins, 42-13.
Georgia Tech at Clemson (No. 6)
Clemson, fresh off a monumental win over Notre Dame at home last weekend, could be in danger of falling in a trap-game scenario. Georgia Tech has lost three games in a row and has fallen out of the rankings altogether.
But make no mistake about it: The Yellowjackets could get rolling on offense and run down Clemson’s defense, and all it takes is a turnover or two for a game to turn. Should Georgia Tech emerge victorious, it could mean a trip back into the rankings and it would rock Clemson’s burgeoning playoff hopes.
That said, young Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson has shown poise under pressure, the Tigers are playing at home, and the team’s defense neutralized a fairly potent Irish rushing attack last weekend.
Prediction: Clemson wins 31-17.
Georgia (No. 19) at Tennessee
If Georgia head coach Mark Richt isn’t careful, the shock of last weekend’s beatdown at home by Alabama could linger on Saturday when the Bulldogs head into Knoxville, Tn. The Crimson Tide washed over Georgia like a tsunami, but thankfully Richt has a lifeboat by the name of Nick Chubb for the upcoming SEC battle.
If he’s smart, Richt will let Chubb carry Georgia’s offense. As we saw last Saturday, the electric running back can take it to the house on any given play. One more 100-plus yard rushing performance will propel him past Herschel Walker for the all-time Georgia lead, with 14 games in a row.
Tennessee has been sort of a disaster this year, losing three games by a total of 12 points. The fans know they could be looking at a record of 5-0 right now if not for some unbelievably bad moves by head coach Butch Jones.
With that in mind, this game is in no way easy to predict. If Tennessee doesn’t shoot itself in the foot, and if Jalen Hurd can outplay Chubb and runs wild over Georgia’s defense, then we could have a huge upset on our hands.
Prediction: Tennessee pulls off the upset, 24-23.
Northwestern (No. 13) at Michigan (No. 18)
Anyone tuning into this Big Ten slobber-knocker hoping to see some high-flying offense will be sorely disappointed. Northwestern and Michigan both come into the contest with top-10 defenses, and the Wolverines have shut out their last two opponents.
Northwestern has found a way to come out of every scrap to date with a win, and Michigan’s only loss came in Week 1 against a dominating Utah squad that has made minced meat out of some other top programs.
The Big House will be rocking, which should give Michigan the edge, but the contest will be determined by the two quarterbacks — both of whom are a bit rough around the edges. Despite the fact Jake Rudock has been turnover-prone, he’ll come out looking better than freshman Clayton Thorson, who’ll be forced into some mistakes by Michigan’s outstanding defense.
Prediction: Michigan holds serve, winning 17-13.
Miami at Florida State (No. 12)
This in-state rivalry gives Miami head coach Al Golden a perfect platform from which to either fail miserably — thus sealing his fate as a goner — or to inspire his program to take down a national powerhouse and break a five-game losing streak under his command against the Seminoles.
Miami’s fan base has been calling for Golden’s release since the start of the season, and the loss to Cincinnati only made things worse. Andrea Adelson of ESPN believes one more loss to FSU, which would be six straight, would be the final nail in his coffin.
Florida State, at home, should handle the Hurricanes. Featuring the No. 5-ranked defense in the land, the Seminoles are allowing just 11.5 points per contest. Running back Dalvin Cook, who is the heart and soul of FSU’s offense, looks like a go in the contest after tweaking his hamstring last weekend.
Prediction: Florida State wins 27-13.
California (No. 23) at Utah (No. 5)
This is the biggest game of the week.
Utah has a chance to further solidify itself as a playoff contender. Having already dispatched top programs in Michigan and Oregon, another victory over a top-25 team would be huge. The Utes feature one of the most balanced programs in the nation, featuring depth and talent at every position.
On the other side, the top quarterback in the nation has propelled Cal into the upper echelon of the national landscape. If Jared Goff finds a way to outmaneuver Utah’s stingy, swarming defense, then you can expect to see Cal launch up into the top 15 heading into the second half of the season.
Pressure doesn’t seem to effect the lanky quarterback, and we should expect him to continue playing well this weekend. If Cal can find a way to keep Goff clean in the pocket, then the Golden Bears most certainly can win this game on the road in Salt Lake City.
Prediction: Cal wins 35-31.