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By Owen Pannell | KZA Sports We’re officially halfway through the college football regular season. The first half flew by, so make sure to enjoy every second of the rest of the season. Here is your preview to get you ready for week 8. Biggest Games 1. Utah (-3.5) at BYU - 8:00 pm ET The Holy War. One of the best, least talked about rivalries in college football. We’ve got 2 teams that absolutely LOATHE each other, and there’s Big 12 Championship implications on the line. I can’t wait for this game, even though it doesn’t have the top teams a couple of these other matchups have, it’s the best game of the week, in my opinion. 2. Ole Miss at Georgia (-7.5) - 3:30 pm ET The marquee matchup of the week, we’ve got Ole MIss and Georgia. If the Bulldogs lose, they're out of the SEC title race. Ole Miss looks like they could be possible title contenders and getting this win would be MASSIVE for them. 3. Tennessee at Alabama (-7.5) - 7:30 pm ET I’ve seen people hating on this rivalry, but I don’t know why. Personally, I think it’s a fun game every year. Both of these teams have playoffs aspirations and a 2nd loss here would hurt either of them tremendously. Someone will be getting a huge win and someone a crushing loss. This is what we live for. 4. USC at Notre Dame (-8.5) - 7:30 pm ET One of the most traditional rivalries in college football. USC-ND has been a staple for years, and there’s a lot at stake in this matchup. A loss would eliminate Notre Dame from playoff contention, and, for USC it would make their path to the playoffs almost impossible.  5. LSU at Vanderbilt (-2.5) - 12:00 pm ET Vanderbilt favored over LSU? That’s something I never thought I’d see. LSU really needs this win. They haven’t beaten a great team thus far and, although Vandy isn’t necessarily a great team, getting this win would prove a lot. The Commodores are legit in playoff talks with a win here, and 10 wins seems likely if they get this done. HM. UNLV at Boise State (-10.5) - 3:30 pm ET Keep an eye on this one, UNLV could suffer their first loss which would all but eliminate them from the playoffs. However, if they beat Boise State, it would put them squarely in the top 3 G6 teams. Upset Alert 1. Texas Tech (-9.5) at Arizona State - 4:00 pm ET Coming off a crushing loss, the very talented Sun Devils are going to have a big time bounce back game. Texas Tech looks like one of the best teams in the country, but this is their toughest test to date. Arizona State will certainly come out swinging. 2. Louisville at Miami (-13.5) - 7:00 pm ET Friday Miami is the best team in the country. However, a Friday night game against a solid team can be trouble. Louisville isn’t to be taken lightly. If the Hurricanes don’t want to be upset they need to lock in. 3. Texas (-12.5) at Kentucky - 7:00 pm ET Coming off a massive Red River win, going to play at Kentucky might be a little challenge. I expect the Longhorns to take care of business, but they can’t come in expecting to blow them out. Biggest Storylines - Mateer & OU bounce back How will the Sooners respond after getting manhandled in the Cotton Bowl? How will Mateer respond after the worst game of his career? They go on the road to South Carolina, which is a winnable game, but going to be very tough. - SEC Title favorite Texas A&M, Ole Miss, and Alabama are at the top of the SEC right now in my eyes. Ole Miss and Alabama both have huge games on Saturday, so we could see a clear frontrunner after this weekend. - USC I’m very confused with this USC team. Are they playoff contenders or just a decent Big 10 team? We’ll find out when they play at Notre Dame. A win would certainly put them in the top 15. Weekday College Football Thursday: - Tulsa at East Carolina (-17.5) - 7:30 pm ET The only Thursday night game, I always enjoy watching Tulsa football. They are big underdogs in this one, East Carolina is a very solid team. Friday: - Nebraska (-8.5) at Minnesota - 8:00 pm ET A top 25 team in Nebraska going on the road, that’s a solid game. Minnesota is not great, but they have the potential to win this. - UNC at Cal (-10.5) - 10:30 pm ET Most folks on the East coast will be asleep, but it’ll be a fun matchup for those that are tuned in. Bill Belichick has not been doing well, but getting this win would be very nice. Predictions - Louisville at Miami (-13.5): Miami Although it could be an upset, I think Miami will be able to get it done. - Nebraska (-8.5) at Minnesota: Nebraska Nebraska is more talented than Minnesota, and they will win on the road. - North Carolina at Cal (-10.5): North Carolina I think UNC finally gets a solid win with Bill B. - Oklahoma (-5.5) at South Carolina: Oklahoma OU is in store for a huge bounce back game, I’ve got the Sooners by double digits. - LSU at Vanderbilt (-2.5): LSU LSU is a better football team than Vanderbilt. It’ll be close, but give me the Tigers. - Georgia Tech at Duke (-1.5): Georgia Tech Even though they are technically underdogs, I think Georgia Tech will be able to get the dub. - Washington at Michigan (-6.5): Washington This is a criminally underrated Washington team. Michigan hasn’t looked great so far, so I’ve got the Huskies. - Arizona at Houston (-1.5): Arizona This will be a fun one, but Arizona has the slight edge in my eyes. - Baylor at TCU (-2.5): Baylor Sawyer Robertson is about to go nuts in this rivalry. I’m predicting OT, but the Bears will win. - Purdue at Northwestern (-3.5): Purdue Coming off of a big win, the Wildcats are due for a let down game. - Texas A&M (-7.5) at Arkansas: Texas A&M They could be the best team in the SEC, and I think they’ll show that. - Ole Miss at Georgia (-7.5): Georgia At home, I like the Bulldogs. If Ole Miss was at home, I’d pick them though. - SMU at Clemson (-9.5): Clemson In the battle of disappointing ACC teams, Clemson will come out on top. - UNLV at Boise State (-10.5): Boise State UNLV has avoided losing for far too long. They will fall to the Broncos. - Texas Tech (-9.5) at Arizona State: Arizona State It hurts me to pick against Texas Tech, I’ve been a huge fan of them all year, but this is just the perfect storm for an upset. - Mississippi State at Florida (-8.5): Florida The Gators will bounce back from a loss to the Aggies with a big offensive performance. - Texas (-12.5) at Kentucky: Texas I want to pick Kentucky, but I just don’t think they have the roster to beat Texas. - Penn State at Iowa (-2.5): Iowa Penn State is a dumpster fire. Iowa will hand them their 4th straight loss. - Maryland at UCLA (-3.5): Maryland Maryland is going to end UCLA’s little run that people are loving on. - Tennessee at Alabama (-7.5): Alabama Alabama has the best roster in the SEC, I think they’ll get a big win over the Vols. - USC at Notre Dame (-8.5): USC Notre Dame has some flaws that I think USC can definitely exploit. Jordan Maiava is going to have a day. - Missouri (-1.5) at Auburn: Missouri Auburn cannot buy a victory, and they won’t here. They’re going to complain about the refs again, but they’ll be 0-4 in SEC play. - Utah (-3.5) at BYU: Utah Utah will win the Holy War, handing BYU their first loss. - UTEP (-2.5) at Sam Houston: Sam Houston If there’s ever a time to get your first win, it’s now for the Bearkats. - Tulsa at East Carolina (-17.5): Tulsa The Golden Hurricane are going to pull off a pretty big upset in the AAC. You can find Owen Pannell on X here. Shop our collegiate apparel  here.

By Owen Pannell | KZA Sports Week 7 was INSANE, full of celebration for some and heartbreak for others. Personally, I was on the heartbreak side unfortunately. Here is your week 7 college football report: Important Results - USF- 63 North Texas- 36 This was a 21-21 ball game at halftime. The Bulls absolutely dominated the 2nd half, and they certainly look like the group of 6 favorites. This is a crushing loss for the Mean Green, in their most attended game ever, they got embarrassed.  - Oklahoma- 6 Texas- 23 As a Sooner fan who was in attendance, I can tell you that this loss was hard to take for Sooner Nation. Texas dominated the 2nd half, especially on defense. John Mateer had by far his worst game as a Sooner, erasing his Heisman chances. The Sooners still can be a playoff team, but they have an absolute gauntlet coming up. Texas needed this win badly to get their season back on track, props to them for coming ready to play. - Indiana- 30 Oregon- 20 WHAT! I couldn’t watch this game obviously, but when I found out IU won I was in absolute shock. They are legit title contenders, I was a doubter until now. This loss sucks for Oregon, they can still have a successful season but this is a setback for sure. - Alabama- 27 Missouri- 24 Missouri almost got a great win, but Alabama was able to get it done. The Tigers are still playoff contenders, but this would have been a great win to get. Alabama is a top 2 team in the SEC, and ever since the FSU loss they look like natty contenders. Upset Alert - Ole Miss- 24 Washington State- 21 This was almost BAD for the Rebels. Losing this would have been catastrophic. They were able to hang on, but this was way too close for comfort. - Georgia- 20 Auburn- 10 Honestly, Auburn should have won this game. They were robbed of a touchdown (I’ve sure you’ve heard about it) and they were just terrible offensively in the 2nd half. Props to Georgia though for not falling victim to the upset bug. - Tennessee- 34 Arkansas- 31 Arkansas seems to always give Tennessee a game, and they did again. They almost had a nice little 4th quarter comeback, but it just wasn’t meant to be. The Vols keep their playoff hopes alive and well. - Utah- 42 Arizona State- 10 I did not expect this. Although it technically isn’t an upset, Utah absolutely DOMINATED the Sun Devils. The Utes are definitely Big 12 contenders when they play like this. - Colorado- 24 Iowa State- 17 This is a great win for the Buffs. They needed this to avoid dropping to 2-5 which would be catastrophic, and they beat a good, ranked, Iowa State team. Big win for my guy Isaiah Magar. - Pittsburgh- 34 Florida State- 31 Andddd there goes Florida State’s season. They legit prepared all offseason for the Alabama game, but forgot they still had to play 11 other games. They drop to 3-3, and 0-3 in the ACC, which eliminates them from CFP contention. - Northwestern- 22 Penn State- 21 The James Franklin era comes to an end for Penn State. This is an absolutely unacceptable loss, and following the loss to UCLA (who might be solid??), it’s the breaking point. Props to the Wildcats for getting this win, they are lowkey solid. Best Games This does not include games I’ve already mentioned - BYU- 33 Arizona- 27 (2OT) We live for overtime, and we got that with an undefeated BYU and a decent Arizona team. The Cougars were able to stay undefeated with a good win. Arizona has bounced back very nicely from their awful season a year ago. - Nebraska- 34 Maryland- 31 Nebraska had an impressive 4th quarter to get this comeback win over Maryland. It ended up getting them ranked in the AP, and they improve to 5-1 so technically their playoff hopes are alive. - UNLV- 51 Air Force- 48 UNLV’s playoff hopes were almost ended, but they stay alive as they improve to 6-0. A crazy 4th quarter, where we saw 42 total points, ended up going in favor of the Rebels. Air Force drops to a poor 1-5. My Predictions Weekly record: 15-10 (60%) Total record: 104-76 (58%) Weekly points: 38 Total points: 270.5 Mid week, but it was a crazy one so I’m fine with 15/25. Next week we’re going to bounce back with 20 correct picks. Will be legendary. Also, feel free to play along! Just pick 25 games each week and post them to X using #KZACFBpicks and use the scoring system down below. The winner each week gets a cash prize! -35+ = 0.5 points -21.5-34.5 = 1 point -15.5-21 = 1.5 points -11-15 = 2 points -7-10.5 = 2.5 points -3.5-6.5 = 3 points -0.5-3 = 3.5 points +0.5-3 = 4.5 points +3.5-6.5 = 5 points +7-10.5 = 5.5 points +11-15 = 6 points +15.5-21 = 6.5 points +21.5-34.5 = 7.5 points +35+ = 10 points You can find Owen Pannell on X here. Shop our collegiate apparel  here.

By Owen Pannell | KZA Sports Well, that did not go the way we wanted. Texas simply dominated us in the 2nd half, and we did not deserve to win. The season is NOT over, however. While it hurts to lose Red River, in this era of college football, one loss is not a death sentence. But before we get into the rest of the year, let’s take a look at what went wrong. Key Takeaways - Mateer was not ready He claims his pain was not a problem, and that might be true, but after not playing for an extended period of time he was clearly not ready to play this game. Mentally, he made multiple very bad mistakes, and he had far too many inaccurate throws. This was the worst possible performance he could have had. The only positive is that he certainly does not want this to be his mark left on this rivalry. This might entice him to return next year. - Jaydn Ott is done for After missing a block then dropping a pass on back-to-back plays, we didn’t see Ott again. He’s just unplayable at this point and the coaching staff needs to cut their losses and just keep him off the field. - Defense did their part They gave up 13 points in the 2nd half (20 if you count the PR TD), but we should have won the game with their performance. We had the lead at halftime solely because of them, but the offense just could not do anything. A wasted performance from this defense. - Arch played perfectly This isn’t about the Sooners, but I’m going to tip my hat to Arch Manning. I’ve been making fun of him all year, but he did exactly what he needed to do to win this game. No mistakes, just ran the offense efficiently. I thought we would be able to make him have an awful game, but we couldn’t. - No run game, no success If we don’t figure this run game out, we will end up with a 6 or 7 win team. Blaylock and Robinson might be the duo to get it done, but it honestly starts with the offensive line, and especially the tight ends. The TEs couldn’t block without holding to save their life, and the OL was just not creating holes. We MUST get it figured out if the Sooners are going to make a playoff appearance. Best Players - RB Xavier Robinson He doesn’t look great in the box score, but I like what he did overall. Both the run and pass blocking were solid. He might be the guy to be the #2 back. - WR Deion Burks You could tell he really wanted this one. He was good on Saturday, with 5 catches for 64 yards. It sucks that he’ll end up 0-2 vs Texas though. - DE Taylor Wein Taylor Wein was GREAT in the Cotton Bowl, his best performance as a Sooner in my opinion. 3 TFL’s that were huge, sad to waste this. - CTH Kendal Daniels Daniels was very good in his first Red River, 6 tackles and 2 TFL’s. He was fun to watch. - DE R Mason Thomas Generating our only sack of the day, R Mason could have had a better game, but he certainly wasn’t the reason we lost. - CB Courtland Guillory He didn’t play a ton, but I liked what I saw from Guillory. He had a nice pass breakup, and didn’t allow any catches if I’m not mistaken - K Tate Sandell Scored our only points of the day, Sandell continues to be elite. This is the best I’ve felt about a kicker since Gabe Brkic. Positives - Motivation The only positive I’m taking from this game, this is certainly going to be motivation for the players and coaching staff until next time we play Texas. They don’t have time to worry about it now, but hopefully they’ll be motivated to fix their problems fast. This is a very talented team, and it cannot go to waste. Plus, all offseason you know they’re going to be thinking about this. Back to back embarrassments in the Cotton Bowl is unacceptable. Negatives - No run game 30 attempts for 48 yards. That is one of the worst statlines I’ve ever seen. This has to be fixed, or we’re going to have a very long year. - Mateer I’m certainly doubting Mateer more than I was a week ago. He’s out of the Heisman race no question, but is he good enough to get us to 10 wins with this schedule?  - No turnovers This team still can’t find a way to force a turnover. I’ve said it a thousand times and I’ll say it again, turnovers are CRUCIAL to winning big games. We can’t expect to be successful losing the turnover battle every game. This loss hurts, but we can’t let it ruin the rest of our season. We must put it behind us, fix our mistakes and move on. This is a great team who will do great things. Well, that did not go the way we wanted. Texas simply dominated us in the 2nd half, and we did not deserve to win. The season is NOT over, while it hurts to lose Red River, in this era of college football, 1 loss is not a death sentence. But before we get into the rest of the year, let’s take a look at what went wrong. Key Takeaways - Mateer was not ready He claims his pain was not a problem, and that might be true, but after not playing for an extended period of time he was clearly not ready to play this game. Mentally he made multiple very bad mistakes, and he had far too many inaccurate throws. This was the worst possible performance he could have had. The only positive, he certainly does not want this to be his mark left on this rivalry. This might entice him to return next year. - Jaydn Ott is done for After missing a block then dropping a pass on back to back plays, we didn’t see Ott again. He’s just unplayable at this point, and the coaching staff needs to cut their losses and just keep him off the field. - Defense did their part They gave up 13 points in the 2nd half (20 if you count the PR TD), but we should have won the game with their performance. We had the lead at halftime solely because of them, but the offense just could not do anything. A wasted performance from this defense. - Arch played perfectly This isn’t about the Sooners, but I’m going to tip my hat to Arch Manning. I’ve been making fun of him all year, but he did exactly what he needed to do to win this game. No mistakes, just ran the offense efficiently. I thought we would be able to make him have an awful game, but we couldn’t. - No run game, no success If we don’t figure this run game out, we will end up with a 6 or 7 win team. Blaylock and Robinson might be the duo to get it done, but it honestly starts with the offensive line, and especially the tight ends. The TEs couldn’t block without holding to save their life, and the OL was just not creating holes. We MUST get it figured out if the Sooners are going to make a playoff appearance. Best Players - RB Xavier Robinson He doesn’t look great in the box score, but I like what he did overall. Run game, pass game, blocking were all solid. He might be the guy to be the #2 back. - WR Deion Burks You could tell he really wanted this one. He was good on Saturday, with 5 catches for 64 yards. It sucks that he’ll end up 0-2 vs Texas though. - DE Taylor Wein Taylor Wein was GREAT in the Cotton Bowl, his best performance as a Sooner in my opinion. 3 TFL’s that were huge, sad to waste this. - CTH Kendal Daniels Daniels was very good in his first Red River, 6 tackles and 2 TFL’s. He was fun to watch. - DE R Mason Thomas Generating our only sack of the day, R Mason could have had a better game, but he certainly wasn’t the reason we lost. - CB Courtland Guillory He didn’t play a ton, but I liked what I saw from Guillory. He had a nice pass breakup, and didn’t allow any catches if I’m not mistaken. - K Tate Sandell Scored our only points of the day, Sandell continues to be elite. This is the best I’ve felt about a kicker since Gabe Brkic. Positives - Motivation The only positive I’m taking from this game, this is certainly going to be motivation for the players and coaching staff until next time we play Texas. They don’t have time to worry about it now, but hopefully they’ll be motivated to fix their problems fast. This is a very talented team, and it cannot go to waste. Plus, all offseason you know they’re going to be thinking about this. Back to back embarrassments in the Cotton Bowl is unacceptable. Negatives - No run game 30 attempts for 48 yards. That is one of the worst statlines I’ve ever seen. This has to be fixed, or we’re going to have a very long year. - Mateer I’m certainly doubting Mateer more than I was a week ago. He’s out of the Heisman race no question, but is he good enough to get us to 10 wins with this schedule?  - No turnovers This team still can’t find a way to force a turnover. I’ve said it a thousand times and I’ll say it again, turnovers are CRUCIAL to winning big games. We can’t expect to be successful losing the turnover battle every game. This loss hurts, but we can’t let it ruin the rest of our season. We must put it behind us, fix our mistakes and move on. This is a great team who will do great things. You can find Owen Pannell on X here. Shop our collegiate apparel  here.

By Owen Pannell | KZA Sports IT'S TIME. The greatest game in all of sports is this Saturday, and I cannot wait. I’ll actually be in attendance, and I’m so excited to experience the greatest atmosphere in sports, and watch the Sooners get a win. We don’t know yet if John Mateer will be available, but I have 100% confidence either way. Here is your 2025 Red River preview. Keys to Victory - Run the ball Especially if Hawkins is at QB, it’s going to be very hard to win this game without a run game. Hawkins adds an even bigger threat than Mateer does on the ground, but we are going to need a back to step up. - Force turnovers Turnovers are always a massive part of the storyline in these matchups. Whoever forces more generally has more success, and in a game like this that will most likely stay true. Forcing Arch into some mistakes would shake his already shaken confidence, and make the rest of the game even easier defensively. - Stop the run If the Sooners make the shorthorns win the game with the arm of Arch Manning, losing the game seems very unlikely. Florida held them to 52 yards on the ground, and we definitely have a better defense than them.  I love the matchup at the line of scrimmage for OU, and with star Texas RB CJ Baxter likely out again, so this should be a success. - Big plays The Red River runs off of big plays. Every single game, you can point to a handful of plays by the winning team and say “that won them the game”. We haven’t seen much of it this year, but I really am hoping to see a 60+ yard touchdown. - Pressure the QB We’ve been elite at this all year, pressuring the QB will be massive for the Sooners. 5+ sacks would certainly make it very hard for texas to win, and with their poor offensive line play, it’s definitely possible. Making Arch speed up his already poor decision making would force him into mistakes. Biggest Storylines - The Golden Hat You don’t even need to make storylines for this game. Taking back the Golden Hat is all these 2 teams care about right now. Not the playoff implications, not being ranked higher, nothing other than beating the team on the other side of the river.  - John Mateer All week people have been talking about John Mateer. Currently, he’s listed as questionable, which implies there’s a 50 percent chance he plays. If he plays, that would be absolutely legendary, and I don’t see how the Sooners wouldn’t get this win. - Arch Manning The OU QB has been making good headlines, while the Texas QB has been making awful headlines. Is this the game where Arch Manning finally looks like the man we were promised he would be?  Things I want to see - A run game I’ve been saying this all year, but we need a run game if we want to make it far into the postseason. The Texas defense is the best one we’ve played all year, so it would certainly be impressive to put up 150+ on the ground. - Win the turnover battle I said this before and I’ll say it again, we must win the turnover battle. Let’s say Mateer doesn’t play, and Hawkins goes out and has 2-3 turnovers, that puts us in a very difficult position to win. However, if we limit the turnovers to 0 or 1, and the defense forces a couple, we will win the game. Texas will only win if they dominate the turnover battle. - WIN WIN WIN WIN At the end of the day, I don’t care about how it looks, I just want to win. If OU leaves the Cotton Bowl 6-0, I’ll be the happiest man on Earth. Key OU Players - The QB Whether it’s Mateer or Hawkins, we need our QB to play amazing. Mateer needs to make some big plays if he’s the one under center, but Hawkins just needs to limit the mistakes in my opinion. - RB Tory Blaylock Blaylock has been our best running back all year long, and we’re certainly going to need him to show up in Dallas. If he gives us 65+ yards on the ground, I’ll consider that a success. - RB Jaydn Ott We saw him get involved last weekend, but if he could be a difference maker and bust out a couple long runs, that would be massive. - WR Isaiah Sategna Sategna has been our best receiver so far, and in the return game he’s been electric. We’re going to see a couple big plays from him, calling it now. - WR Deion Burks Burks has been quiet recently, it’s time he has another massive game. This man has to find the endzone. - TE Jaren Kanak It’s hard to find someone who hates Texas as much as Jaren Kanak. He’s been a top TE in college football so far, and I promise you he’s going to have an impact here. - DE R Mason Thomas R Mason is about to be in the nightmares of Arch Manning. He’ll be living in the Texas backfield all day long. - DT David Stone The best defensive tackle in the country is David Stone. He’s certainly going to be a key factor in both stopping the run and getting to the QB. - CB Eli Bowen After making his return last week, Bowen should be a full go and ready to strap up these shorthorn receivers. - CTH Kendal Daniels Kendal Daniels will bring pain to Texas, no doubt about it. He’s going to be flying all around delivering big hits and making huge tackles. - LB Kip Lewis OU’s leading tackler thus far, he needs to take a leave out of Danny Stutsman’s playbook and come to the field ANGRY. - SS Peyton Bowen Bowen is going to have an insane game, I can just feel it. He went off against Texas as a freshman in 2023, and a sequel to that is coming. - K Tate Sandell Kicking could very well be the difference in this game, and if it is I’m glad we have Mr Sandell. Only missed 1 kick all year, he’s basically automatic. Top Texas Players - WR Parker Livingstone Despite suffering a leg injury, Livingstone is expected to play. He’s been the Horns best WR so far, with 279 yards and 3 TDs. - WR Ryan Wingo Another good receiver Texas has is Ryan Wingo, who has been a little disappointing, but is still certainly a playmaker. - DB Michael Taffe A very experienced DB, Taffe is a key part to this great Texas defense. - LB Anthony Hill Jr Arguably the best backer in college football, Hill is certainly going to cause some issues for the Sooners. - DE Colin Simmons He only has 1.5 sacks this year, but he is a very talented edge rusher. The OL will have their hands full with him. - CB Malik Mohummad Muhummad is expected to make his return after missing the Florida game. He is easily the best corner for Texas, and arguably one of the best in the nation. Prediction I’ve got the Sooners dominating in the Cotton Bowl, getting a 31-10 win. This would all but knock Texas out of the playoffs, and I can’t wait. LET”S GO BEAT TEXAS! BOOMER! OU- 31 TEX- 10 You can find Owen Pannell on X here. Get the "Red River Revenge" shirt here.

By Owen Pannell | KZA Sports With John Mateer’s status up in the air, we don’t know who will start at QB for the Sooners. Arch Manning will be going up against either John Mateer or Michael Hawkins Jr. In an unbiased view, how do these three quarterbacks stack up against each other? Overview John Mateer Mateer is obviously the best QB out of these three—arguably the best in the country. However, even if he does play, he won’t be 100%. To make it interesting, I’m going to analyze him as if he’s playing at 75–80%. Mike Hawkins Jr MHJ started Red River last year for the Sooners, but he definitely doesn’t want to remember it. His start last week against Kent State had some flaws for sure, but he has a lot to bring to the table. Arch Manning The Heisman favorite entering the year, he has easily been the most disappointing player in the country. He’s going to have a really tough time against this Sooner defense—and is he even better than Mike Hawkins? Arm Strength Mike Hawkins Jr Arch Manning John Mateer If Mateer were healthy, he would be at the top of the list. However, his injury will certainly affect this. Hawkins definitely gets more zip on the ball than Arch and can throw it just as far, if not farther. Accuracy John Mateer Arch Manning Mike Hawkins Jr This is where Mateer thrives. Even with his hand surgery, he still has by far the best accuracy in this group. However, this is where Hawkins really struggles. Manning isn’t that much better than MHJ, though. Decision Making John Mateer Mike Hawkins Jr Arch Manning Again, Mateer far and away outmatches these two in this category. Hawkins and Manning definitely struggle here, but Arch struggles a heck of a lot more. He has some of the worst decision-making I have literally ever seen. Pocket Presence John Mateer Arch Manning Mike Hawkins Jr Another category where John takes the cake, but this is Hawkins’ biggest weakness, in my opinion. Many times, as soon as possible, he dips out of the pocket and blows up the whole play. Arch isn’t terrible, but he could certainly be better. Rushing Ability Mike Hawkins Jr John Mateer Arch Manning All three of these quarterbacks are very athletic, but this is Hawkins’ strong suit. He’s a very good runner and extremely fast. I put Mateer at 2—he’s been arguably the Sooners’ best rusher this season. Vision John Mateer Arch Manning Mike Hawkins Jr In terms of finding the open guy, Mateer isn’t even close to these guys. Manning and Hawkins both struggle with this, but I’d give the edge to Manning. Clutch John Mateer Mike Hawkins Jr Arch Manning It was insanely close between 1 and 2—I almost gave the edge to Hawkins because of what he showed last season—but you just know Mateer will win the ballgame if it’s close. We saw a flash of it vs. Auburn, but if he plays and this one is close, we’ll really see it. Leadership John Mateer Mike Hawkins Jr Arch Manning Mateer is the clear number one here, but it’s close between 2 and 3. Arch might be more vocal than Hawkins, but his performance on the field does not back it up. MHJ will do literally whatever he needs to do to win the game, and that’s a real leader. Throwing Mechanics John Mateer Arch Manning Mike Hawkins Jr Mechanics-wise, Hawkins is clearly last. He’s always throwing some sidearm pass with wild footwork—but I mean, it works sometimes. Mateer has great mechanics, and Manning’s are alright. Improv Mike Hawkins Jr John Mateer Arch Manning Mike and John are extremely close in this one, but I’m going to give the edge to Mike. His best plays are when he makes something out of an absolute disaster, which he’s done many times throughout his career. Mateer is also extremely good at it—he’s well above Manning. Conclusion Now, let’s rank these QBs based on where I just put them in each category. First place gets 1 point, second gets 2, and third gets 3. Lowest score wins. John Mateer — 14 Mike Hawkins Jr — 21 Arch Manning — 25 So, based on my formula (take it with a grain of salt, but I know what I’m talking about), John Mateer is by far the best QB who could play in this game—as we all know—followed by Mike Hawkins. Both Sooner QBs being ahead of the preseason Heisman favorite is something most people did not expect going into this game. I’m very proud to say I never bought into the Arch Manning hype, and I never sold my Mike Hawkins stock. Is MHJ actually better than Arch Manning? Will John Mateer get himself right back into the Heisman race? Is Arch Manning finally going to have a breakout game? There are many questions going into this matchup—and we’ll get the answers on Saturday. You can find Owen Pannell on X here. Shop our collegiate apparel  here.

By Owen Pannell | KZA Sports WOOOOOOOOO it’s the best week of the ENTIRE year. The Red River Rivalry. Even if you aren’t an Oklahoma or Texas fan, this is a LOADED college football weekend. Biggest Games 1. Oklahoma vs Texas (-2.5) - 3:30 pm ET Some of y’all might think there’s a better game than this, but I promise you there isn’t. Undoubtedly a top 2 rivalry in college football, and it’s not number 2. This is the epitome of college football, and I CANNOT wait (I’ll be in attendance). Texas needs this win badly, but OU has looked very nice. The biggest storyline will be if injured Sooner QB John Mateer plays or not. If he does, I don’t see a world where Texas wins (how are they favored?). 2. Indiana at Oregon (-7.5) - 3:30 pm ET Gameday will be at this game after the embarrassment that is Texas football lost in the Swamp. Oregon has looked like a top team in the country, but the Penn State win might not be as good as we thought. Meanwhile, IU has been amazing and they have a real shot to win this ball game. 3. Alabama (-2.5) at Missouri - 12:00 pm ET Undefeated Missouri hosts top 10 Alabama in a massive SEC showdown. The Tigers have been quietly a really good team this year, but ever since week 1, Alabama has been an absolute buzzsaw. It’ll be tough for both teams, but it’ll be a high quality win for whoever wins. 4. South Florida at North Texas (-1.5) - 7:30 pm ET Friday Quite possibly the biggest G6 game of the year, and it’s going to have a ton of eyes on it on Friday night. South Florida got back into the top 25 this week, but North Texas is 5-0 and has been playing great football. Whoever wins will be right in the thick of the battle for the CFP. 5. Ohio State (-14.5) at Illinois - 12:00 pm ET Ohio State needs a good win here. The Texas win does not look impressive at all anymore. If Illinois gets this win, that would look absolutely amazing on their resume. They aren’t back in the CFP discussion yet, but they will be with a win. Upset Alert 1. Pittsburgh at Florida State (-10.5) - 12:00 pm ET FSU needs a win here to get their season back on track, but Pitt looked pretty dang good last weekend. The Seminoles should be ready to play, but they have to be careful about letting the Panthers into this game. 2. UCF at Cincinnati (-11.5) - 12:00 pm ET Cincy is coming off of a big win over Iowa State, and UCF isn’t a terrible team. The Bearcats better be ready to play in this one, or their Big 12 title hopes could vanish. 3. Navy (-7.5) at Temple - 4:00 pm ET Navy is 5-0 and have a real shot at the CFP if they run the table. Temple could be a problem though, they are a very solid team and playing on the road against the Owls is just a weird feeling.  Biggest Storylines - Oklahoma QB All eyes will be on John Mateer’s thumb this week. If he can play, and then leads the Sooners to a victory, that would be absolutely legendary. Mike Hawkins Jr struggled a bit last Saturday, so the Longhorns might have a chance if he is the QB. - IU If the Hoosiers win, we have to put them at the top of the Big Ten. Ohio State isn’t the best team in my opinion, and the Hoosiers have looked great, and this win would be insane. - G6 favorite Memphis has secured themselves in the CFP conversation for now, but the winner of South Florida-North Texas has a real argument to pass them. Whoever wins will control their own destiny the rest of the way. Weekday CFB There’s not only Friday games this week, but also some very solid weekday games. We already talked about UNT-USF, but let’s take a look at the rest of the action before Saturday. - Wednesday CUSA This is some real college football sicko stuff, but on Wednesday night we’ve got Missouri State at Middle Tennessee and Liberty at UTEP. Both games have next to no meaning, but I’ll still be tuning in. - Louisiana Tech (-6.5) at Kennesaw State - 7:00 pm ET Thursday This CUSA game has a bit more at stake. Both teams are undefeated in conference play, and especially Louisiana Tech has a shot at winning it. - East Carolina at Tulane (-6.5) - 7:30 pm ET Thursday Another Thursday night game with conference implications. Both teams are undefeated in the American, and Tulane has CFP hopes. A loss for either team would definitely hurt their goals for this season, and would eliminate Tulane from playoff contention. - Rutgers at Washington (-9.5) - 9:00 pm ET Friday Rutgers has been off to a rough start in conference play so far, and Washington is coming off of a very close game vs Maryland. I wouldn’t say this game will have a crazy postseason impact, but a Friday night Big Ten game is always nice. Predictions - Louisiana Tech (-6.5) at Kennesaw State: Louisiana Tech La Tech has a very solid CUSA team who will compete for a championship, and they’ll get a solid road win here. - East Carolina at Tulane (-6.5): Tulane At home, the Green Wave will not let their playoff chances be erased. - South Florida at North Texas (-1.5): North Texas Denton will be rocking on Friday night, and I’ve got the Mean Green getting a massive win to improve to 6-0. - Rutgers at Washington (-9.5): Washington The Huskies just outmatch Rutgers, and they’re at home. They won’t lose. - Oklahoma vs* Texas (-2.5): Oklahoma I have no idea how Texas is favored, even if Mateer doesn’t play, the Sooners will take back the Golden Hat. - Ohio State (-14.5) at Illinois: Ohio State I don’t see the Buckeyes picking up their first loss here, I think they’ll take care of business. - Alabama (-2.5) at Missouri: Alabama Missouri will suffer their first L, Alabama is just too talented for them. - Pittsburgh at Florida State (-10.5): Florida State Although they are on upset alert, I think the Seminoles get a bounce back win. - UCF at Cincinnati (-11.5): Cincinnati Also on upset alert, it might be close for a while, but the Bearkats will come out with a win. - Indiana at Oregon (-7.5): Oregon With Gameday in town, the Ducks will make another statement to why they should be number 1. - Iowa State (-3.5) at Colorado: Iowa State I think it’ll be a close one, but Colorado has just not been good this year. Give me the Cyclones. - Nebraska (-6.5) at Maryland: Nebraska The Huskers are a better team than Maryland, and even though they are on the road, they’ll get a win. - TCU at Kansas State (-1.5): TCU TCU is very decent, and the Wildcats have been poor all year. The Horned Frogs will win on the road. - Arkansas at Tennessee (-12.5): Tennessee It might be close for the first quarter, but I think the Vols will pull away. - Florida at Texas A&M (-7.5): Texas A&M Riding high after their upset over Texas, Florida will have a letdown game and the Aggies will get a dub. - Iowa (-3.5) at Wisconsin: Iowa Wisconsin is straight up bad. Iowa will dominate with their defense. - Kansas at Texas Tech (-13.5): Texas Tech I don’t think Kansas will get the upset here, the Red Raiders will continue their impressive streak. - Georgia (-3.5) at Auburn: Georgia Georgia’s defense will have an absolute field day vs this Auburn offense. The Bulldogs by double digits. - Michigan at USC (-2.5): Michigan I think Bryce Underwood will be great as the Wolverines get a massive win over the Trojans. - Purdue at Minnesota (-7.5): Purdue I like the Boilermakers this year, I think they’ll get a nice upset win over the Gophers. - South Carolina at LSU (-9.5): LSU LSU has certainly been iffy so far, but they will get a solid win here. - BYU (-1.5) at Arizona: BYU The Cougars are a quiet Big 12 contender, and it might be close but they’ll get a good victory on the road. - Arizona State at Utah (-5.5): Arizona State This is going to be a good one, I think the Sun Devils are the more talented team, and it’ll show in the 4th. - NC State at Notre Dame (-21.5): Notre Dame The Irish have been good recently, and with every game as a must win, they will get it done. - Navy (-7.5) at Temple: Navy The Midshipmen will continue their undefeated season in Philly. You can find Owen Pannell on X here. Shop our collegiate apparel  here. ‌

By Owen Pannell | KZA Sports The preseason 1 and 2 drop out of the top 25, Miami survives the gauntlet, Alabama doesn’t fall to Pavia, a lot of things happened this weekend in college football. Here is your week 6 CFB report: Important results - Miami- 28 Florida State- 22 Despite a 19-0 4th quarter, Florida State could not complete the comeback on in state rival Miami. The Hurricanes have, in my opinion, the best case for number 1 in the country after this win. Florida State falls to 3-2, but there season is far from over, that Alabama win keeps getting better and better. - UCLA- 42 Penn State- 37 WHAT??!! That was all of our reactions while watching this game. Winless UCLA took out the 7th ranked team in the country in an absolute shocker. They fired their HC, OC, and DC and won this game. Nico Iamalleava was amazing, and Penn State just didn’t come to play. This has to be the craziest upset of the season. - Florida- 29 Texas- 21 The preseason number 1 has been extremely disappointing this year. Picking up their 2nd loss this early in the season is not good, and dropped them out of the top 25. They have Red River next week, so they need to lock in. - Alabama- 30 Vanderbilt- 14 We were all hoping Diego Pavia could pull off another insane win, but it just wasn’t meant to be. Alabama looked great, ever since the FSU loss they have looked like a top 5 team in the country. - Cincinnati- 38 Iowa State- 30 The Bearkats were technically favored, but this feels like an upset. The Cyclones suffer their first loss to Cincy, who could be a legit Big 12 contender. Iowa State can’t hit the panic button, their season is not over. However, this loss does hurt. Upset Alert Other than games I already mentioned, there were not really any other major upsets, or near upsets sadly. In a heartbreaking event, we will be without an “Upset Alert” section to this article. Best Games This does not include previously mentioned games - Virginia- 30 Louisville- 27 (OT) This is a massive win for the Cavaliers. They just beat FSU, and now they beat a good Louisville team. They are legit ACC contenders, they’re either the 2nd or 3rd best team in the conference right now. In terms of the actual game, it was insane. A great 4th quarter from Louisville forced overtime, where J’Mari Taylor was able to win it for Virginia with a 2 yard touchdown run. - Western Kentucky- 27 Delaware- 24 This was some great Friday night entertainment. Delaware had their most attended football game in school history, and they were very close to forcing OT, but their kicker missed the field goal to give the Hilltoppers the win in a nail biter. - Baylor- 35 Kansas State- 34 In a crucial Big 12 game, an absolutely crazy pick 6 won the game for the Bears. Kansas State needed this one badly to get their season on the tracks, but Baylor had other plans. Both QBs were good, passing for over 330 yards each. A missed field goal by Kansas State kicker Luis Rodriguez will haunt them as they fall to 2-4. - Navy- 34 Air Force- 31 Over 500 passing yards in Navy vs Air Force? Yeah, it’s a new era. Blake Horvath was INSANE as the Midshipmen improve to 5-0, 469 total yards with 4 TDs. Navy receiver Eli Heidenreich also went nuts, 8 catches for 243 yards ad 3 TDs. If you just looked at the stats in this game, you would not guess it was 2 military academies playing. - Washington- 24 Maryland- 20 Washington got a much needed bounce back win over a good Maryland team on the road. They were down 20-0, but it didn’t matter. A 21-0 4th quarter got the Huskies the win, as their postseason hopes stay alive. My Predictions Weekly record: 18-7 (72%) Total record: 89-66 (57%) Weekly points: 42 Total points: 232.5 It was a solid showing, but this season is not going the way I wanted. We need a few 17+ win weeks to get this train back on track.  Also, feel free to play along! Just pick 25 games each week and post them using #KZACFBpicks and use the scoring system down below. The winner each week gets a cash prize! -35+ = 0.5 points -21.5-34.5 = 1 point -15.5-21 = 1.5 points -11-15 = 2 points -7-10.5 = 2.5 points -3.5-6.5 = 3 points -0.5-3 = 3.5 points +0.5-3 = 4.5 points +3.5-6.5 = 5 points +7-10.5 = 5.5 points +11-15 = 6 points +15.5-21 = 6.5 points +21.5-34.5 = 7.5 points +35+ = 10 points You can find Owen Pannell on X here. Shop our collegiate apparel  here. ‌

By Owenn Pannell | KZA Sports The Thunder open up preseason play today at 4:00 pm CT. The first game might have already happened when you’re reading this, but here is a preview for the defending champs' preseason games. Schedule: 10/5 at* Hornets 10/6 at* Mavericks 10/9 vs Hornets 10/11 at Pacers 10/14 at Bucks 10/17 vs Nuggets Things we want to see - Nikola Topic ball out In his first NBA game against real NBA players, we want Topic to be able to make a difference. His playmaking should be on display, but the real question is, can he hang with guards he’ll be matchup up against? We will see if he will be able to be a big contributor this season. - Ousmane Dieng take a leap Hopefully we see Ous finally take a leap this season. If he doesn’t, it’ll be his last year on the Thunder. If he plays well, we could trade him at the deadline for assets, do a sign-and-trade, or just resign him. Many more options than if he plays poorly. - Defense be elite Although it’s just the preseason, I’m hoping the defense stays at an elite level. We don’t want to see any post-championship regression on the quest for a back to back. - Ajay Mitchell continue to grow Ajay had an amazing rookie year, even though he missed significant time from injury. He’s in a battle for the backup point guard spot, so how he preforms in the preseason could definitely have an impact. - Brooks Barnhizer make an impact With first round pick Thomas Sorber missing the season with a torn ACL, eyes will be on the other rookie Brooks Barnhizer. He became a fan favorite in the summer league, it’ll be interesting to see how he preforms in the NBA. - NO INJURIES This is by far the most important thing. If one of our key guys, or any of our guys, get hurt in the preseason, that would suck. The starters won’t get that many minutes, but still the risk is there. Top Storylines - 3rd 2-way spot Currently, Brooks Barnhizer and Branden Carlson have 2/3 of the 2-way contracts. Malevy Leons, Chris Youngblood, Zack Austin and Jazian Gortman are competing for the last spot. The play of those guys will definitely be something to keep an eye on. - Backup PG Nikola Topic and Ajay Mitchell are competing for the backup PG spot, and both are great options. Mitchell has the edge when it comes to experience, and current impact. However, Topic has the edge when it comes to ceiling and possible impact. They both play well together in my opinion, Mitchell is less of a playmaker than Topic, but more of a shooter and defender. I’m very excited to watch these 2. - Chet Holmgren I’m expecting a MASSIVE jump from Chet this season, and we could see flashes of the in the preseason. Him and Hart worked out a ton together this offseason, so could we see a nice playmaking jump from Chet? I hope so. You can find Owen Pannell on X here. Shop the Official NBA Store here.

By Owen Pannell | KZA Sports Not necessarily crazy headliner games, but this weekend should be a great college football weekend. Plus, next Saturday is about to be NUTS. Biggest Games 1. Vanderbilt at Alabama (-11.5) - 3:30 pm ET Never thought Vandy would get a game of the week, but here we are. The undefeated Commodores go down to Tuscaloosa to try and take down the Crimson Tide for the 2nd year in a row. College Gameday will be present, and the guest picker will be none other than Theo Von (Diego Pavia’s possible lover). It’ll be very tough for Vandy to pull this one off, but if they do, it’s time we have legit discussions about them being a playoff team. 2. Miami (-4.5) at Florida State - 7:30 pm ET A rivalry game that has major ACC and playoff implications. It could have been a top 10 matchup if FSU didn’t get upset by Virginia last week, but it’s still a very intriguing game. Miami has been one of the best teams in the country, but going on the road in Tallahassee is no easy task. 3. Texas (-5.5) at Florida - 3:30 pm ET Both teams had extremely hyped up QBs that have been disappointing, but the Gators have an abysmal 1-3 record. Yes, they’re schedule is much better than the Longhorns’, but this is definitely a disappointment so far. Both teams really want this win, but Texas has to be sure not to look ahead to Red River. 4. Mississippi State at Texas A&M (-16.5) - 7:30 pm ET Mississippi State almost pulled off a huge upset over Tennessee last week, and now they go down to Kyle Field to take on the 6th ranked Aggies. A&M might actually be good for once, and coming off a close win vs Auburn, they’re ready for more. Favored by 16.5, they are a heavy favorite, but the Bulldogs have been underdogs all year. 5. Virginia at Louisville (-6.5) - 3:30 pm ET Virginia just upset Florida State which earned them the 24th spot in the AP poll, but Louisville is a very talented squad that looks to remain undefeated. Whoever wins should definitely be a top 20 team in my opinion, and they could be ACC contenders. Upset Alert 1. Boise State at Notre Dame (-20.5) - 3:30 pm ET I would be very careful in this one if I was the Irish. Maddux Madsen and Boise State have been playing great ball since their week 1 loss, and with a 20.5 point spread, ND might be taking this one too lightly. I don’t know if I’m going to pick the Broncos, but it’s definitely on my mind. 2. Texas Tech (-11.5) at Houston - 7:00 pm ET I’ve got the Red Raiders as a top 5 team, but missing their starting QB on the road vs an undefeated Houston team could be trouble. The Cougars are coming off a very tight win over Oregon State, and they think they can be contenders in the conference this year. 3. Minnesota at Ohio State (-23.5) - 7:30 pm ET This doesn’t seem too likely, but Minnesota is definitely a solid team, and if the cards fall in their favor, there could be a massive upset in Columbus.  Biggest Storylines - Diego Pavia This man just bleeds headlines. First, Johnny Manziel announces he’ll be on the Vandy sideline, and then his boy Theo Von is announced to be the guest picker. If he somehow upsets Bama for the 2nd time, he’ll be an absolute LEGEND in college football. - Mike Hawkins Jr Another QB that will be in the news this week, Oklahoma backup Michael Hawkins Jr will be filling in for former Heisman favorite John Mateer. Sooner nation needs him to preform well in case they need him next week vs Texas. - Top team in the ACC Whoever wins this Florida State vs Miami game will easily be the top team in the ACC. Florida State could make it back into the top 10 with a win, but the Hurricanes have a case for number 1 if they win.  Friday Night Football 1. West Virginia at BYU (-19.5) - 10:30 pm ET The Friday night headliner this week is a late one, a Big 12 matchup between the Mountaineers and the Cougars. WVU has been disappointing for me this year, and BYU has exceeded expectations after losing Jake Retzlaff. West Virginia is 19.5 point dogs, but I can see a world where they get this dub. 2. Western Kentucky at Delaware (-2.5) - 7:00 pm ET College Football sickos love this matchup. Both teams look like contenders in CUSA, and that’s very impressive for Delaware considering this is their first year in the FBS.  Predictions - Western Kentucky at Delaware (-2.5): Western Kentucky I love the Hilltoppers offense, and I think the Delaware hype may be a little too much. - West Virginia at BYU (-19.5): BYU West Virginia has not been great this year, I think the Cougs will get it done. - Kentucky at Georgia (-19.5): Georgia Georgia wants revenge after last week, they’ll win and cover. - Iowa State at Cincinnati (-1.5): Iowa State Iowa State is a top big 12 contender, and I’ve got them getting a nice road win. - Wisconsin at Michigan (-17.5): Michigan I don’t think they’ll cover, but I do think the Wolverines get it done. - Illinois (-8.5) at Purdue: Illinois Purdue is solid, but Illinois outmatches them. - Boston College at Pittsburgh (-6.5): Pittsburgh Both are mid ACC teams, but I like Pitt a bit more, especially at home. - Clemson (-14.5) at North Carolina: Clemson Nobody in their right mind will watch this game, but I think Clemson will pull it together a bit after a bye week. - Kansas State at Baylor (-5.5): Baylor Sawyer Robertson is one of the nation’s most underrated QB’s, and I think he leads the Bears to a dub. - Texas (-5.5) at Florida: Texas Florida’s offense won’t “pop” against this good Texas defense. - Vanderbilt at Alabama (-11.5): Vanderbilt The stars are aligned for Vandy to pull off another insane upset. I think Pavia makes it happen. - Boise State at Notre Dame (-20.5): Boise State Notre Dame could be taking this game too lightly, I think the Broncos pull off a massive upset. - Virginia at Louisville (-6.5): Louisville Louisville is more talented than Virginia, and in a let down spot for the Cavaliers, I think they get it done. - Washington (-5.5) at Maryland: Washington Washington didn’t look too bad against Ohio State, and Maryland is far lower comp. - Syracuse at SMU (-17.5): SMU It’ll be closer than 17.5, but the Mustangs will win. - Michigan State at Nebraska (-12.5): Nebraska This will be a good game, but Nebraska at home gives them the edge. - Texas Tech (-11.5) at Houston: Texas Tech Despite not having their starting QB, I think the Red Raiders will take care of business in Houston. - UNLV (-3.5) at Wyoming: UNLV The Rebels are quietly in the CFP race, and they will pick up a quality road win over Wyoming. - Minnesota at Ohio State (-23.5): Ohio State Although on upset alert, I think Ohio State will win this handedly. - Miami (-4.5) at Florida State: Florida State Coming off a crushing loss, Florida State has a chance to get right back into the top 10 in a huge rivalry game. I’ve got the Seminoles in an upset. - Mississippi State at Texas A&M (-16.5): Texas A&M I really like the Bulldogs, but I don’t think they’re good enough to win on the road vs A&M. - Colorado at TCU (-13.5): TCU Coming off of a tough loss, TCU will get it done with a nice bounce back win. - Kansas (-3.5) at UCF: Kansas Kansas will get a solid win on the road over a decent UCF team. - Duke (-2.5) at California: Duke Duke’s been very up and down this year, but vs Cal, I think they’ll be up. - Oregon State at App State (-1.5): Oregon State Better late than never, right? Oregon State will finally get their first win on the road vs App State. You can find Owen Pannell on X here. Shop our collegiate apparel  here.

By Owen Pannell | KZA Sports This weekend had some elite college football action. Upsets, big games, OT, all you could ask for. Let’s summarize this crazy Saturday (and Friday). Important results - Virginia- 46 Florida State- 38 (OT) I mentioned it in my week 5 preview, but Florida State was on upset alert going into this game, and they got upset. Virginia looked very solid, and the Seminoles didn’t even look terrible, but losing this one definitely hurts. They can still make the playoffs for sure though, especially with how the Alabama win looks right now.  - Arizona State- 27 TCU- 24 Arizona State jumps back up in the Big 12 title race with this massive win over TCU. A very nice 4th quarter comeback got this win for the Sun Devils, and they earned a spot in the top 25 because of it. Texas Tech and Iowa State are probably above them right now, but ASU could definitely make a run. - Oregon- 30 Penn State- 24 (2OT) Absolutely MASSIVE win for the Ducks. They’ve proved that they are among the top teams in the country, if not the top. Penn State gets another crushing loss in a big game. At this point, you just can’t have any faith in the Nittany Lions doing anything. - Ole Miss- 24 LSU- 19 Ole Miss gets a big win to start 3-0 in the SEC. LSU might not be good at all, but people seem to absolutely love the Rebels now. LSU could be in trouble, their offense is actually atrocious. Playoffs seem unlikely for the Tigers right now, they need to figure it out. - Alabama- 24 Georgia- 21 Georgia just cannot beat Bama. Everyone was picking the Dawgs at home, but they just couldn’t get it done. Alabama looks dang good, and they’ve improved a ton since that FSU loss. Georgia is still a good team, and they can control their own destiny to the playoffs, but I don’t know if they’ll get it done. - Texas A&M- 16 Auburn- 10 Jackson Arnold and Auburn’s offense just looks terrible, but their defense does look legit. I don’t know why Texas A&M is being glazed so hard, they didn’t look that good. It might be Deuce Knight time in Auburn. - Tennessee- 41 Mississippi State- 34 (OT) Mississippi State was so close to an absolutely insane start, but they barely fell to the Vols in OT. This is still a massive improvement for them though, they will easily make a bowl game and they’re taking a huge jump in the right direction. Tennessee wishes they could’ve gotten a bigger win, but they’ll still take it. Upset Alert This includes almost upsets, and doesn’t include games previously mentioned - Indiana- 20 Iowa- 15 Iowa was extremely close to pulling off a big upset over the Hoosiers. A late touchdown by star receiver Elijah Sarratt gave Indiana the win, but it was a great showing by the Hawkeye defense overall. - Houston- 27 Oregon State- 24 (OT) The Beavers almost got their first win of the year vs undefeated Houston, but the Cougars were able to pull it out in OT, in a very entertaining Friday night game. - Georgia Tech- 30 Wake Forest- 29 (OT) The Demon Deacons were up 17-3 at halftime, but after forcing overtime the Yellow Jackets were able to pull out a win and avoid a very discouraging loss. Best Games This does not include previously mentioned games - Illinois- 34 USC- 32 Illinois got a massive bounce back victory with a win over USC. A game winning field goal by David Olano as time expired dealt a crushing blow to the Trojans. - BYU- 24 Colorado-21 This was the night cap so many folks were asleep, but BYU got a nice road win over Coach Prime’s squad. Colorado has been pretty disappointing this year honestly. - Louisville- 34 Pittsburgh- 27 Down 17-0 after the first, Louisville was able to stay undefeated with an amazing comeback that included a 14-0 4th quarter. They might be a threat in the ACC. - Cincinnati- 37 Kansas- 34 Tawee Walker found the endzone with 29 seconds left to give the Bearcats the lead. Personally, I thought the Jayhawks would definitely get this one, but props to Cincy. My Predictions Weekly record: 12-13 (48%) Total record: 71-59 (55%) Weekly points: 35  Total points: 190.5 Another disappointing week. A lot of craziness happened, but I’ve still got to be better. Next week has to be a good one. Also, feel free to play along! Just pick 25 games each week and post them using #KZACFBpicks and use the scoring system down below. The winner each week gets a cash prize! -35+ = 0.5 points -21.5-34.5 = 1 point -15.5-21 = 1.5 points -11-15 = 2 points -7-10.5 = 2.5 points -3.5-6.5 = 3 points -0.5-3 = 3.5 points +0.5-3 = 4.5 points +3.5-6.5 = 5 points +7-10.5 = 5.5 points +11-15 = 6 points +15.5-21 = 6.5 points +21.5-34.5 = 7.5 points +35+ = 10 points You can find Owen Pannell on X here. Shop our collegiate apparel  here.

By Owen Pannell | KZA Sports The NBA season is right around the corner, so let’s preview every team and take a look at their REALISTIC expectations, as well as ceilings and floors. Atlanta Hawks Projected Starters: PG- Trae Young SG- Dyson Daniels SF- Jalen Johnson PF- Kristaps Porzingis  C- Onyeka Okongwu Realistic Expectation: 2nd Round This team is one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference, and when it’s wide open like this it would be a big disappointment to not at least win a playoff series. Ceiling- Finals I don’t know about winning the Finals, but I can certainly see a world where the Hawks win the East. Having Trae Young as your number 1 might not be good enough, but we’ve seen his playoff magic before. Floor- Play-In It’s hard for me to see them not making the playoffs, but the Hawks are a notorious play in team, so unless things are a catastrophic failure, they’ll at least make the play in. Boston Celtics Projected Starters: PG- Derrick White SG- Anfernee Simons SF- Jaylen Brown PF- Sam Hauser C- Neemias Queta Realistic Expectation: Play-In This is going to be a rough year for Celtics fans, I don’t think they’re bad enough to get a good lottery pick, but not good enough to be a real contender. If they get to the play in, maybe win a couple games, that should be enough for this year. Ceiling- 2nd Round In a perfect scenario, I see them winning a playoff series, solely because that’s just what the Celtics do. I don’t see them being a top 2 team in the East under any circumstance. Floor- Top 4 Pick If things start to go South fast and they shut down Brown/White, this could definitely be a team that can snag a very nice draft pick. Brooklyn Nets Projected Starters: PG- Egor Demin SG- Cam Thomas SF- Zaire Williams PF- Michael Porter Jr C- Nic Claxton Realistic Expectation: Lottery The Nets should be trying insanely hard to get that first pick in this loaded draft class. Even if they tried, I don’t think they could make the playoffs, so this is an achievable goal. Ceiling: Play-In This is a long shot, but in a very week East, there’s a world where they snag that 9 or 10 seed. Floor: Worst Team This is the best case scenario for Brooklyn, and it’s not far fetched. They can easily be the worst team in the country if Cam Thomas and MPJ really can’t make it work together. Charlotte Hornets Projected Starters: PG- LaMelo Ball SG- Kon Knueppel SF- Brandon Miller PF- Miles Bridges C- Mason Plumlee Realistic Expectation: Playoffs It’s to the point where the Hornets just desperately need a playoff appearance. Whether it’s through the play in or not, this is a year they can actually make it if they stay healthy. Ceiling: Competitive 1st Round I do not see Charlotte winning a playoff series, but at least being competitive would go a very long way for this fanbase and the future of this team. Floor: Top 4 Lottery Odds They can certainly be one of the worst teams in the league, and getting a top 3 pick in this draft would be huge, so hitting this floor wouldn’t be the worst thing. Chicago Bulls Projected Starters: PG- Josh Giddey SG- Coby White SF- Ayo Dosunmo PF- Matas Buzelis C- Nikola Vucevic Realistic Expectation: Playoffs This is a playoff caliber team in the Eastern Conference. If they were in the West, we’d be talking about them going for a top pick. However, Chicago should certainly be aiming to snag one of those spots in the 5-8 range. Ceiling: 2nd Round It might sound crazy, but I can see this team winning a playoff series if everything goes well for them. Matas Buzellis could take a huge leap, and the backcourt is very solid. Floor: Lottery Just as much as I think this could be a playoff team, I think this could be a lottery team. They have very little room for error when playing the top teams in the East, and 1 key injury could kill the season. Cleveland Cavaliers Projected Starters: PG- Darius Garland SG- Donovan Mitchell SF- De’Andre Hunter PF- Evan Mobley C- Jarrett Allen Realistic Expectation: ECF/Finals The Cavs had an amazing regular season, but fell way short in the playoffs. They bring back most of their roster, so they certainly expect to make some noise. Ceiling: Championship They can definitely win the East, and just last year the Pacers took a far more talented Thunder team to 7, so anything can happen in 1 series. Floor: 1st Round Exit They will at least make the playoffs, but if they have another collapse like they did in the 2nd round, they could certainly be a first round exit. Dallas Mavericks Projected Starters: PG- De’Angelo Russell SG- Klay Thompson SF- Cooper Flagg PF- Anthony Davis C- Dereck Lively Realistic Expectation: Play-In With no Kyrie for likely the whole season, or at least the majority, the Mavs can’t have to high of expectations in this conference. Making the play in would be fine, and hopefully Cooper Flagg balls out. Ceiling: 2nd Round If Kyrie comes back for the end of the of the regular season, I could see them getting a nice playoff series win. Floor: Lottery This seems far more likely than the ceiling, if Anthony Davis misses a chunk of time here or there, it’s going to be tough for this team to win games. Denver Nuggets Projected Starters: PG- Jamal Murray SG- Christian Braun SF- Cam Johnson PF- Aaron Gordon C- Nikola Jokic Realistic Expectation: Championship It feels like a championship or bust year for Denver. Jokic’s prime has to be ending soon, and this roster they have around him is arguably the best he’s had. It’s a loaded western conference, but they should be right there at the top, Ceiling: Championship Like I just said, this team can win a championship if things go well for them. They have the 2nd best player in the world, and a great team around him. Their new head coach looked good in the playoffs, but they’re in an absolutely loaded conference. Floor: 1st Round Exit They will make the playoffs for sure, but it’s definitely possible they catch a very solid team in the first round and lose. Detroit Pistons Projected Starters: PG- Cade Cunningham SG- Jaden Ivey SF- Ausar Thompson PF- Ron Holland C- Jalen Duren Realistic Expectation: Playoff Series Win This team is one of the most talented teams in the East. They are very young however, so in my opinion getting a playoff series would be a massive success. Ceiling: Finals I don’t think it’s a stretch to say they can win the East. They actually remind me a lot of the Thunder’s rebuild, and this team could be like the 2024 Thunder. I don’t see a world where they win the Finals, but in a crazy run, they could make it. Floor: Play-In It seems unlikely that they regress this year, but in a worst case scenario they are a play in team. An injury to Cunningham could make this happen. Golden State Warriors Projected Starters: PG- Stephen Curry SG- Brandin Podziemski SF- Buddy Hield PF- Jimmy Butler C- Draymond Green Realistic Expectation: Playoffs Honestly, this team should be happy if they just make the playoffs. Curry is coming to the end of his career, and they’ll need to rebuild soon. They aren’t good enough to really compete in the West, so just aim for a playoff appearance.  Ceiling: WCF Steph and Jimmy on the same team gives them at least a shot at making a run. If they can snag a top 6 team, don’t count them out at making a crazy run. Floor: Lottery It’s harsh, but the West is a harsh league. If one of their stars misses significant time, I’d be shocked if they did make the playoffs. Houston Rockets Projected Starters: PG- Reed Sheppard SG- Amen Thompson SF- Kevin Durant PF- Jabari Smith C- Alperen Sengun Realistic Expectation: WCF The Rockets didn’t make the KD trade to just make the playoffs, they want to make some noise. It’s gonna be tough, but they definitely expect to at least make the WCF. Ceiling: Championship A championship would be huge for this franchise, and it’s not impossible. If they can win the West, which will be very difficult, they will win the Finals. Floor: Play-In This would be a MASSIVE disappointment, but I see a world where they only make the play in. KD might take a step back, and without Fred VanVleet they do not have a reliable PG. Indiana Pacers Projected Starters: PG- Andrew Nembhard SG- Ben Mathurin SF- Aaron Nesmith PF- Pascal Siakam C- Jay Huff Realistic Expectation: Play-In It’s going to be a disappointment for Pacer fans no matter what happens this year. They just aren’t making the finals again, but they can make a play in appearance, and next year become contenders again. Ceiling: 2nd Round It’s possible they snag a playoff spot, then win a big series, but I do not think they get past the 2nd round with this roster. Floor: Early Lottery There’s a solid chance this season just spirals for Indiana, they don’t have their star and a well below average starting center. A good lottery pick would be great, and it makes it look great that they got their pick back. Los Angeles Clippers Projected Starters: PG- James Harden SG- Bradley Beal SF- Kawhi Leonard PF- John Collins C- Ivica Zubac Realistic Expectation: Playoff Run No matter how far it goes, the Clippers need to make a run with this roster. The west is stacked so it might not be far, but this team is good enough to make the finals if the cards fall in their favor. Ceiling: Championship They are going to need to get extremely lucky with injuries, but it’s possible they can make and win the finals. The Thunder are the only team in the west that I see is levels above them, so if OKC falls early, it could be great for the Clips. Floor: Play-In If the injury bug bites, the play in is definitely a possibility for them. The west is so good that Kawhi and Harden missing a month could set them back very far, and with the oldest roster in the NBA, injuries are a guarantee. Los Angeles Lakers Projected Starters: PG- Luka Doncic SG- Austin Reaves SF- Rui Hachimura PF- LeBron James C- Deandre Ayton Realistic Expectation: Playoff Appearance This isn’t a championship team, and coming towards the end of LeBron’s career, the Lakers need to start building for the future. A playoff appearance is a solid achievement, but certainly not the end goal. Ceiling: Championship It seems very unlikely, but once they get to the playoffs, Luka and LeBron could definitely make some magic. It’s not impossible. Floor: Miss the Playoffs A LeBron or Luka injury could destroy the Lakers season. I can see a possibility where they miss the playoffs if they don’t have one of their stars in the play in. Memphis Grizzlies Projected Starters: PG- Ja Morant SG- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope SF- Jaylen Wells PF- Jaren Jackson Jr C- Zach Edey Realistic Expectation: Play-In It’s a lame goal, but in this conference the play in might just be the expectation for this season in Memphis. They have a solid roster, but missing a key piece or 2. Ceiling: Playoff Appearance I hate to say it, but this team is not good enough to win a series in the west. They just don’t have the star power that you need in the playoffs. In the East however, they would definitely be capable. Floor: Early Lottery At worst, or best, Ja Morant goes down again and they grab a nice lottery pick. It wouldn’t be the worst outcome, but it would be disappointing to have another year with Morant wasted. Miami Heat Projected Starters: PG- Davion Mitchell SG- Norman Powell (Tyler Herro out 8-12 weeks) SF- Andrew Wiggins PF- Bam Adebayo C- Kel’el Ware Realistic Expectation: Playoffs Although the team on paper this team might not look like a playoff team, that’s the expectation for the Heat. Once they get Herro back, I actually like this squad a lot. Ceiling: ECF In a crazy run, I can see this team making the conference finals. They will need some luck, but it could happen with this wide open conference. Floor: Lottery Perhaps more likely than hitting their ceiling, this season could go very wrong for the Heat. However, if they get lucky and snag a top prospect, that would be great. Milwaukee Bucks Projected Starters: PG- Kevin Porter Jr SG- Gary Trent Jr SF- Kyle Kuzma PF- Giannis Antetokounmpo C- Myles Turner Realistic Expectation: Playoff Run Giannis might be gone if the Bucks don’t make a playoff run. However, when you look at this roster, it is not the type that would be able to do that. It might be a rough year in Milwaukee. Ceiling: ECF Giannis can carry them to the East Finals, but not farther than that. There is nobody else on this team who is close to an All Star, and teams will be able to solely focus on Giannis. Floor: Bottom 5 Team They do not have their own first, so this would be a disaster, but if Giannis misses time this team will literally be the worst roster in the NBA. They have to pray Giannis stays healthy. Minnesota Timberwolves Projected Starters: PG- Mike Conley SG- Anthony Edwards SF- Jaden McDaniels PF- Julius Randle C- Rudy Gobert Realistic Expectation: Finals It seems like it could be a long shot, but after back to back losses in the conference finals, the Wolves are determined to finally break through. Ceiling: Championship Anthony Edwards could be a top 5 player this year, and when you have a top 5 player you have a chance at a championship. Their team is good enough to win, but it’ll be tough. Floor: 1st Round Exit No playoff series in the West in a free win, and if they aren’t dialed in, Minnesota could definitely fall unexpectedly in the first round. New Orleans Pelicans Projected Starters: PG- Jordan Poole SG- Herb Jones SF- Trey Murphy PF- Zion Williamson C- Yves Missi Realistic Expectation: Development/Stay Healthy This isn’t a playoff team, but if their young guys can get good development that would be a win for the Pels. If Zion stays healthy and has a good year, that would be a MASSIVE win for the Pels. Ceiling: Playoff Appearance If Zion plays 75+ games and plays at an All NBA level, I see a world where they make the play in and snag a spot. Floor: #1 Pick This would be a great outcome, but this team can definitely win the lottery. Zion probably won’t stay healthy, and without him they are a very bad team. New York Knicks Projected Starters: PG- Jalen Brunson SG- Mikal Bridges SF- Josh Hart PF- OG Anunoby C- Karl-Anthony Towns Realistic Expectation: Win the East This is arguably the best team in the East, and they know that. They want revenge for losing in the ECF last year, and to not only make, but win the finals. It’ll be tough against whatever West team makes it though. Ceiling: Championship They can definitely make the finals, and if you make it you can win it. We saw the Pacers almost beat the Thunder, so there’s no reason why the Knicks couldn’t beat the top West team. Floor: 1st Round Exit Something about the Knicks just screams choke. I can see them losing to a team that is objectively worse than them. Oklahoma City Thunder Projected Starters: PG- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander SG- Lu Dort SF- Jalen Williams PF- Chet Holmgren C- Isaiah Hartenstein Realistic Expectation: Win the Finals After winning last year, there’s only 1 thing that would satisfy the Thunder: another championship. Ceiling: Best Team of All Time The record for regular season wins is 73. The 2025-26 Thunder can break that. They have a legit chance to get 74+ wins, win the championship, and go down as the best team of all time. Floor: 2nd Round Exit The aren’t losing in the first round, but a 2nd round exit is possible. The Nuggets almost got them last year, and the Mavs did get them the year before. Orlando Magic Projected Starters: PG- Jalen Suggs SG- Desmond Bane SF- Franz Wagner PF- Paolo Banchero C- Wendell Carter Realistic Expectation: Playoff Run They wouldn’t have added Desmond Bane if they didn’t expect to make a splash in the postseason. They have a great team who can definitely win the East. It’s time to make some noise. Ceiling: Win the East These guys are capable of making the Finals. Paolo and Franz need to take another jump, but they are right there, and the East is open. Floor: 1st Round Exit They could fold in the playoffs again, maybe the pressure is too big for these young guys. In my opinion, they are a lock for the playoffs. Philadelphia 76ers Projected Starters: PG- Tyrese Maxey SG- Quentin Grimes SF- Paul George PF- Justin Edwards C- Joel Embiid Realistic Expectation: Playoffs After the year they had last year, the Sixers just want to get back to the postseason. Embiid needs to stay healthy, and Maxey needs to keep being great. Ceiling: Win the East This is a long shot, but if things go perfect they can make the Finals. I’m not saying it’ll happen, but if Embiid plays at an MVP level, Maxey is an All Star, and PG gets back to his normal self, nobody in the East is better than this team. Floor: Miss the Playoffs It could essentially become the Tyrese Maxey show. We don’t know what’s going to happen with Joel, and PG will probably be bad again. If that’s the case, they won’t make the playoffs. Phoenix Suns Projected Starters: PG- Devin Booker SG- Jalen Green SF- Dillon Brooks PF- Royce O’Neal C- Mark Williams Realistic Expectation: Play-In If the Suns make the play in, they should be very happy. That would mean that Devin Booker was elite, and the rest of the team was able to mesh. They have a dark future. Ceiling: Playoff Appearance They won’t win a series, but if they make the play in they could go ahead and snag that 8 seed, maybe 7. Floor: Bottom 3 Team They don’t have their pick, but they could easily be one of the worst teams in the league with a couple injuries. Portland Trail Blazers Projected Starters: PG- Jrue Holiday SG- Shaedon Sharpe SF- Deni Avdija PF- Toumani Camara C- Donovan Clingan Realistic Expectation: Play-In I love the direction Portland is going. A Play-In spot would be great experience for this young team, and they could still get a solid pick. Ceiling: Playoffs Like any team in the play in, they would have a chance to grab a playoff spot. It’s probably unlikely, but if Shaedon Sharpe becomes an All Star caliber player, they could be very nice. Floor: Great Pick The schedule is very difficult, and even if their team is solid it could cause them to be bad and get a valuable pick, which wouldn’t hurt at all. Sacramento Kings Projected Starters: PG- Dennis Schroder SG- Zach LaVine SF- DeMar DeRozen PF- Keegan Murray C- Domantis Sabonis Realistic Expectation: Play-In 3 West play in expectations in a row, but the Kings need to make the postseason in some form with this roster. They are the definition of an in between team, which is never a good thing to be. Ceiling: 2nd Round Unlike the previous 2 teams, I can see this team winning a playoff series. They have a unique play style that could give teams some trouble. Floor: 11-12 Seed They could miss the play in if their defense just isn’t good enough, which is a real possibility. They could legit be allowing 120+ points a game. San Antonio Spurs Projected Starters: PG- De’Aaron Fox SG- Stephon Castle SF- Devin Vassell PF- Harrison Barnes C- Victor Wembanyama Realistic Expectation: Playoffs This is the year Wemby makes his first playoff appearance. He’s got the team around him, it’s time to stay healthy and make it healthy. Ceiling: WCF They could make a crazy run if Wemby is just amazing in the playoffs, and they already have a proven clutch player in Fox. I don’t know about the Finals just yet, but this would be huge. Floor: Lottery If Wemby goes down again and misses significant time, they could be in real trouble. They have to pray that doesn’t happen. Toronto Raptors Projected Starters: PG- Immanuel Quickley SG- RJ Barrett SF- Brandon Ingram PF- Scottie Barnes C- Jakob Poeltl Realistic Expectation: Playoffs The Raptors have a good enough team where they should be a playoff team in a weak conference. Barrett needs to be better, and they hope that Ingram gets back to his former self. Ceiling: 2nd Round They MIGHT be able to knock off a top East team, but that seems unlikely. They won’t get past the 2nd round. Floor: Lottery There’s a good chance this roster just doesn’t work, and they miss the playoffs. The Raptors don’t like rebuilding, but getting a top prospect would be great. Utah Jazz Projected Starters: PG- Isaiah Collier SG- Brice Sensabaugh SF- Ace Bailey PF- Lauri Markkanen C- Walker Kessler Realistic Expectation: Player Development The Jazz need to see a huge jump from Cody Williams, and if Collier, George, and Filipowski continue to be good while Bailey has a good rookie year, that would be a success. They don’t want to be good, they want a top pick in this loaded draft. Ceiling: 35 wins I’m sorry to Jazz fans, but in no world does this team get more than 35 wins, and they shouldn’t want to anyway. Floor: Worst Team In my opinion, this is the worst team in the league right now. They are aiming to get a top pick, and I think they will. Washington Wizards Projected Starters: PG- Bub Carrington SG- CJ McCollum SF- Khris Middleton PF- Bilal Coulibaly C- Alex Sarr Realistic Expectation: Player Development Similar to the Jazz, the Wizards just want to see their young guys continue to develop. Coulibaly and Sarr have a chance to be very good in my opinion, hopefully they take a jump. Ceiling: Play-In I might be in the minority, but I think the Wizards could be decent this year. A play in appearance could happen, especially in the East. Floor: Top Pick They would love to add another great young talent, and it’s definitely possible they are one of the worst teams. You can find Owen Pannell on X here. Shop the Official NBA Store here.

By Owen Pannell | KZA Sports Will there be a new #1? How far will Alabama climb after a massive win over Georgia? Who’s the best team in the SEC? There’s many questions to be answered with this AP poll, so let’s take a look. 1. Ohio State (46) 4-0 - 2. Oregon (16) 5-0 +4 3. Miami (4) 4-0 -1 4. Ole Miss 5-0 +9 5. Oklahoma 4-0 +2 6. Texas A&M 4-0 +3 7. Penn State 3-1 -4 8. Indiana 5-0 +3 9. Texas 3-1 +1 10. Alabama 3-1 +7 11. Texas Tech 4-0 +1 12. Georgia 3-1 -7 13. LSU 4-1 -9 14. Iowa State 5-0 - 15. Tennessee 4-1 - 16. Vanderbilt 5-0 +2 17. Georgia Tech 5-0 -1 18. Florida State 3-1 -10 19. Missouri 5-0 +1 20. Michigan 3-1 -1 21. Notre Dame 2-2 +1 22. Illinois 4-1 +1 23. BYU 4-0 +2 24. Virginia 4-1 NR 25. Arizona State 4-1 NR Others receiving votes: South Florida 53, Utah 52, Mississippi State 46, Memphis 38, Louisville 36, USC 22, North Texas 7, Maryland 7, TCU 6, UNLV 3 Dropped from rankings: USC 21, TCU 24 What sticks out - Ohio State at 1 Winning at Penn State is a far better win than beating Texas at home. Ohio State has done nothing to deserve the number 1 spot over Oregon, so it should be Oregon at the top. - Ole Miss top of the SEC Let’s be real here. Ole Miss is not the best team in the SEC. They had close games vs the 2 worst SEC teams, Kentucky and Arkansas, and they beat an LSU team that has not looked good all year, and was only ranked high because of their Clemson win. I’ve got them at 10, which might be too low, but they shouldn’t be top 5. - Oklahoma top 5 As a Sooner fan, seeing this just makes me so happy. Tied for the highest ranking in the BV era, the Sooners are for real this season. Getting into the top 5 is just the start. - FSU drops 10 The Alabama win looks better and better every day, and losing on the road in OT to what is now a top 25 team shouldn’t punish you that much in my opinion. Who got left out? - Mississippi State We’ve had them on here for multiple weeks in a row at this point, but they barely lost to a top 15 team, and you’re ranking a team they beat. The Bulldogs deserve to be in the top 25. - Memphis Memphis has been balling this season. I think it’s time they make a top 25 appearance. Overrated teams - Ohio State Like mentioned earlier, they should not be 1. The Texas win looks mid, and they haven’t beaten anybody else to make them worthy of #1. - Ole Miss Just because they beat an LSU team that hasn’t looked great, they do not deserve a top 5 spot. They haven’t looked amazing this season. - LSU The Clemson win was carrying their ranking, and now that they lost to Ole Miss they should not be a top 15 team. Underrated teams - Texas Tech I legitimately think Texas Tech is a top 5 team. Putting them at 11 seems low, at the very least they deserve top 10. - Florida State They shouldn’t be all the way down at 18 for losing in OT on the road. The Alabama win looks great, and they’re a top 15 team in my opinion. You can find Owen Pannell on X here. Shop our collegiate apparel  here.