College football Week 3 predictions: National writers pick BC & Missouri

Hummer (Arizona +6.5) — It’ll be interesting to see how these teams handle each other’s strengths. K-State is excellent at the point of attack on both sides of the ball and features a headache-inducing rushing attack. Arizona, meanwhile, is going to throw a lot with Noah Fifita. I like Arizona overall this year, but I think is a tough matchup for a team that’s already surrendered more than four yards a carry this season against inferior competition. K-State, which is averaging nearly eight yards a rush through two games, snaps the FBS’ longest active win streak at nine games. … Kansas State 28, Arizona 24.

Crawford (Arizona +6.5) — The quarterback matchup in this is worth rearranging your schedule on Friday night. It’s appointment viewing, folks, and doesn’t even count as a Big 12 game. That’s right. Since it was scheduled prior to Arizona’s jump, this is simply a matchup between nationally-ranked teams. But with few “good on good” matchups in Week 3, this is one to pay attention to ahead of the Saturday slate. I’m going with Arizona on the road. … Arizona 31, Kansas State 30.

Hummer (Missouri -16.5) — This will be a much different test for Boston College than Florida State in Week 1. The Tigers have been almost effortlessly good early through two games, and I don’t think Boston College has the tools necessary in the passing game – Thomas Castellanos is awesome but still developing as a passer – to really expose Missouri in the area they perhaps have the most questions. Boston College will try to shorten this game, which gives me a bit of pause, but I like Missouri to cover at home. … Missouri 34, Boston College 17.

Hummer (Missouri -16.5) — No one thought this would be a game between ranked teams a few weeks ago, but here we are thanks to Bill O’Brien’s surprising start with the Eagles. And that’s good news for Missouri, whose SEC schedule this fall pales in comparison to all the other league teams currently ranked inside the top 10 of the AP Poll. Missouri’s defense has impressed without Blake Baker, but this is the first real test against a playmaker like Castellanos. Missouri gets a late score to cover. … Missouri 38, Boston College 20.

Hummer (Tulane +13.5) — The Green Wave lost last week, but they were cooking for a bit against Kansas State. But some of the deficiencies Tulane has displayed early this season – opponents are averaging nearly five yards per carry and the Green Wave rank 85th in opposing passer rating – could help Oklahoma where it’s struggled: Offense, particularly the o-line and wide receiver. This is the type of game both units can get right, particularly if the Sooners get a bit healthier at wide receiver. OU’s defense continues to swarm, and OU’s offense does just enough. … Oklahoma 31, Tulane 27.

Crawford (Tulane +13.5) — This is a big spot for both teams. Tulane squandered a chance at a nationally-ranked win last week against Kansas State with a fumble in the fourth quarter, so it’s hard to determine which Green Wave will show given that emotional letdown. And for the Sooners, they’re hosting Tennessee in next week’s SEC opener, so there’s some lookahead worry. There’s a chance this one’s another nail-biter for Brent Venables, but the Sooners will get it done. … Oklahoma 34, Tulane 24.

Hummer (Oregon State +13.5) — Maybe I’m a sucker, but I think Oregon is going to look like Oregon at some point. The Ducks’ biggest issue early this year is a suspect offensive line, but even that unit showed significant improvement in the second half last week against Boise State after making some changes up front. But … this is a bad matchup for Oregon, at least on paper. The same team that got gashed on the ground last week by Boise State will go up against a Beavers offense that ranks fifth nationally in rushing yards per game. Until I see the Ducks fully get things sorted out, I think they’re venerable. And Corvallis won’t be an easy place to play this week with a lot of hard feelings about Oregon’s Pac-12 divorce.  … Oregon 31, Oregon State 24.

Crawford (Oregon -13.5) — Oregon is 0-2 ATS this fall. That has to change. Maybe it happens this week in a rare early-season rivalry game. I’m worried about the Ducks up front, by the way. Right now, they don’t have the look of a playoff team with potential fatal flaws in the trenches. There’s time to get it corrected, however. I’m out on Dan Lanning and Oregon this season if the Ducks fail to pass the eye test for the third consecutive week, especially with tougher games ahead. And that’s no disrespect to the Beavers. … Oregon 34, Oregon State 17.

Hummer (Georgia -23.5) — Interesting matchup here with former Georgia QB Brock Vandagriff going up against the team he signed with of high school. The Wildcats were embarrassed last week against South Carolina with its passing attack managing just 44 total yards. Things won’t get any easier against UGA’s defense. The Bulldogs have won 14 straight meetings in this series. Make it 15. They cover, too. … Georgia 45, Kentucky 20.

Crawford (Georgia -23.5) — Is South Carolina’s defensive front more dominant than Georgia? If you don’t believe it is, this should be an easy selection. Kentucky is soft up front and right now, the Wildcats are struggling to get the football in the hands of playmakers because there’s simply no push and — no time — being provided at the line of scrimmage. Getting to bowl eligibility will be an uphill climb for Mark Stoops and his team. … Georgia 34, Kentucky 7.

Hummer (UTSA +33.5) — This UTSA team isn’t the same one that’s won two conference titles the previous three years. The Roadrunners were blown out last week by Texas State, and there are some real concerns about their passing attack and quarterback play. Still, Texas is coming off one of the biggest wins of the season and 33 points (5 scores) is a lot to cover, especially as the Longhorns try to stay healthy ahead of SEC play. Give me the Roadrunners to cover here. They do just enough. … Texas 42, UTSA 10.

Crawford (UTSA +33.5) — This one has a couple factors that should always make you lean underdog here. First, there’s no way the Longhorns will play with the same level of energy shown last week in Ann Arbor and after the Roadrunners were blitzed by another in-state foe, of course the public is going to fade UTSA. Those couple dozen players for the Roadrunners who didn’t get the coveted Texas offer as prospects, well, here’s their chance to shine. Texas has more talent and depth, but 33.5 points is a lot here. … Texas 45, UTSA 14.

Hummer (Florida +4) — Life at one of these programs is going to be very uncomfortable come Sunday. It’s hard to really bet either of them given they’re a combined 0-4 ATS this year and have looked generally uninspiring. Neither of these teams have outstanding skill weapons, so this game should come down to the trenches and which QB plays better. In that regard, I like the Gators here. Texas A&M has the best unit (the d-line) but the Gators have the experienced QB (Graham Mertz) and a lot of depth on both lines of scrimmage. Gators pull the upset at home. … Florida 21, Texas A&M 20.

Crawford (Florida +4) — I’m going to go ahead and say it — this one’s a must-win for both teams. I don’t see a scenario in which either squad can overcome a 1-2 start to this season given the rest of the slate for each, especially the Gators. If Mertz struggles, there’s going to be calls from the Swamp for D.J. Lagway after last week’s showing. We’ll see if Florida’s home-field advantage still means something in Week 3. … Florida 24, Texas A&M 21.

Hummer (Purdue +11.5) — That feels like a lot of points for Notre Dame. The Irish have greatly struggled to produce points in bunches this year and Purdue, which is coming off a bye, showed some real pop in Week 1 as a passing attack. I would expect Notre Dame to play much better this week – honestly, it can’t play worse – but Hudson Card keeps the Boilermakers around the hoop in this one. … Notre Dame 24, Purdue 20.

Crawford (Purdue +11.5) — Big fan of home teams getting points and coming off an open week with excess time to prepare. That said, Ryan Walters would’ve rather had Notre Dame come in here unbeaten instead of the Fighting Irish’s backs being against the wall, but NIU had others plans. We’ll see which version of Notre Dame shows this weekend, the group that beat Texas A&M on the road or one that struggled to put away a Group of Five opponent. … Notre Dame 27, Purdue 20.

Hummer (Alabama -15.5) — Wisconsin isn’t easing into Big Ten play, huh? The Badgers have looked anything but explosive offensively early this year, though part of that is looking a bit vanilla ahead of this game. But this is just a difficult matchup for the Badgers, who just don’t have the type of speed on offense (or really even the o-line this year to bully) Alabama. If the Tide’s o-line can find some sort of consistency – a big issue last week against USF – I like them to cover. … Alabama 38, Wisconsin 21.

Crawford (Alabama -15.5) — This is the matchup where Alabama looks the part, right? I’m going to be honest — I’ve been unimpressed with the Luke Fickell era thus far with the Badgers, but here’s a major opportunity for Wisconsin to get back on the map nationally at Camp Randall. Alabama has the talent edge at most positions and if the Crimson Tide’s able to get pressure on Tyler Van Dyke, I love the cover here. … Alabama 34, Wisconsin 17.

Hummer (LSU -7.5) — Interesting matchup in the trenches here. The Gamecocks have been an elite pass rushing unit early this season, which has kept them in games despite shaky offensive production (124th nationally in yards per play). But there’s a much tougher task this week across from them with LSU’s offensive line, one of the truly elite units in the country. The Tigers have struggled for stretches through two games, but I’m still bullish on their chances at contention. That starts with a convincing road win in Columbia. … LSU 28, South Carolina 20.

Crawford (South Carolina +7.5) — I picked this game as one of LSU’s three projected losses this season during the summer and nothing over the first two weeks of the season is changing that selection for me. South Carolina’s offense might not be clicking just yet, but quarterback LaNorris Sellers is improving with every rep and this is a potential “get right” game on that side of the football against, surprisingly, the SEC’s worst defense up to this point. Williams Brice will be rocking and the Gamecocks will snap a six-game skid against nationally-ranked competition. … South Carolina 24, LSU 20.