Jarvis Benjamin Variety Hour

Welcome back to the Most Correct Top 25ish Teams in the developed world. A few big boys with moderate level tests this week. We also have Dan Quinn in mid-season form in Week 1. Cowboys here. Football back. Let’s get into it. 

BTW. 6-4 in Week 1, followed by 6-4 in Week 2. Hovering at 60% on CFB plays posted on X: @JBV60SHOW. I want my bird. 

And we’re off:

1. Georgia Bulldogs (2-0) This Week: -27.5 vs. South Carolina (1-1): *whispers* Anybody else not that impressed yet? In my expert opinion, the Dogs have not shown even close to their best game yet. 0-2 ATS in a rather sleepwalk-ish start to the season for Coach Smart and friends. I do like Georgia to clear the big number this week. And seriously, what more needs to happen for a program-wide disciplined driving class? 

2. Michigan Wolverines (2-0) This Week: -40 vs. Bowling Green (1-1): This was awesome. Blake Corum is a ton of fun to watch. Michigan will continue to check boxes and pummel bad teams until Coach Jimmy returns. They should open conference play in a battle of unbeaten teams next week. Unfortunately, that game won’t be close for long. 

3. USC Trojans (3-0) This Week: BYE: Elephant in the room? Haven’t fact checked, but, this feels like the highest I’ve ever had USC, by a lot. The offense is absolutely ridiculous. Caleb Williams (whose Dad says he’s not definitely going to the Draft next year?????) is almost so good that he’s hurting his case for back-to-back Heismans. Last week he had 280 yards and 3 touchdowns in the FIRST HALF. You see what I mean? The Trojans put up 50 burgers weekly and make it look effortless. Watch out Lincoln, the Bye Week has never lost. 

4. Texas Longhorns (2-0) This Week: -28 vs. Wyoming (2-0): Texas is BAAAACK! What a win for my boy Coach Sark and his team on Saturday. Quinn Ewers looked like the highly touted recruit he was coming out of high school and torched the Alabama defense for 350 with 3 touchdowns! It is about four weeks too early, but you have to assume that if Texas takes care of business the rest of the way, they are playoff bound! Right? Right. Wyoming will be in the game much longer than people thing for a 28-point dog, but the Horns will get the job done.

5. Florida State Seminoles (2-0) This Week: -27.5 @ Boston College (1-1): If you know me, you know the Red Bandana game is one of my favorite events of the year. That’s this Saturday in Chestnut Hill. Welles Crowder (BC Alum ‘99) worked in the South Tower on 9/11/01. He became known as ‘The Man in the Red Bandana’ for the mask he wore over his face to guard him from the smoke and debris as he ran back into the South Tower twice, to help rescue survivors. #Somethings

6. Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0) This Week: -27.5 vs. Western Kentucky (2-0): Probably not the best Buckeye team these rankings have seen. Similar to Michigan, Ohio State will continue to check boxes in the early season to stay in contention. Unlike Michigan, the Bucks don’t play Rutgers next week. Gulp! Western Kentucky will give close personal friend Ryan Day a run for his money this week. They have the offense to stay tight, and will. 

7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (3-0) This Week: -34 vs. Central Michigan (1-1): A wise man told me that a Brian Kelly led Notre Dame squad loses that game last week in Raleigh. After about a minute of consideration, I realized that wise man was right. What I saw on Saturday after the rainstorm(s), was different than the Notre Dame teams of recent memory. By a lot. Sam Hartman and Audric Estime lead an offense that most defenses will not have answers for. I also was told all of these things would be true about the Steelers. Too soon?

8. Penn State Nittany Lions (2-0) This Week: -14 @ Illinois (1-1): Penn State is good! They dismantled Delaware (obviously) and have their first Big 10 test this week. The last time the Nittany Lions were in Champaign; they trailed 24-21 in the 3rd quarter. What happened next: you ask? 42 in a row for State Penn and a 63-24 win (Miles Sanders/Trace McSorley masterclass). I expect more of the same this week. Maybe not 42 in the second half; but it’s Penn State, by a lot. James Franklin (who 10000% knows the point spread (look into it) has a national contender in State College. 

9. Alabama Crimson Tide (1-1) This Week: -32 @ South Florida (1-1): Woof. The typically strong Alabama defense was no match for the Horns on Saturday. I alluded to it earlier, but the SEC as a whole seems to be in the midst of a down year. The Saban off-a-loss stats are insane; but, the Tide are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 road openers AND they host Lane Kiffin and his Rebs next week. Not for me, but, the Bulls are probably worth a shout. 

10. Washington Huskies (2-0) This Week: -16 @ Michigan State (2-0): That Huskie offense continues to roll! Plain and simple, Michigan State does not have nearly enough to keep this game close. To the untrained eye, a P5 (B10 specifically!) team catching over two touchdowns is too many points to pass up. Luckily for you, I have a trained eye. Mark your calendars now: 10/14. Oregon @ Washington. Both teams off a bye. Points. Points. Points. 

11. Oregon Ducks (2-0) This Week: -38 vs. Hawai’i (1-2): Absolutely criminal cover for the Ducks in Lubbock on Saturday Night. They probably had no business even winning that game, let alone covering! A 20-3 edge in the 4th will do that. This is the first time in 20 years that Tech will start the season 0-2. As seems to be the common theme: Oregon is checking boxes before conference play. The name of the game is to set yourself up for conference play and so far, the Ducks have done a good job. 

12. Tennessee Volunteers (2-0) This Week: -6.5 @ Florida (1-1): As I have mentioned (twice), the SEC is not exactly what we’re used to the SEC being. Tennessee put up the fewest points at Rocky Top in the Josh Heupel Era and slept walk past Austin Peay. Admittedly, that was almost definitely due to the Vols looking ahead to Florida, but I digress. It didn’t make my card, but I would not be surprised at all to see the Gators take down Tennessee here. College football is sometimes so unpredictable its predictable. Think about it. 

13. Oklahoma Sooners (2-0) This Week: -27 @ Tulsa (1-1): I’m way higher on Oklahoma than the other T25 poll. (I’m fairly certain) this is the second best team in the Big 12. I was spreading the good word of Dillon Gabriel last week, and he responded with four touchdowns. I’d venture to guess that this is somewhat of a rivalry game; as Tulsa IS in Oklahoma. Who knew? Both sides have to win for it to be considered a rivalry though, and the Golden Hurricane (singular!) have not beat the Sooners since 1942. 

14. Utah Utes (2-0) This Week: Line TBD vs. Weber State (2-0): Real talk, I said to multiple people that “Utah was gonna ‘f’ around and ruin the season before Cam even plays” and man did they almost. I (and Dave Aranda) have NO idea how Baylor did not end up winning that game. The Utes have started two quarterbacks throught two games and very well could have a third this week should Cam return! I don’t think he will, with UCLA coming to Salt Lake City next week.

15. Kansas State Wildcats (2-0) This Week: -5 @ Missouri (2-0): K-State was SO close to making the card this week. Will Howard is another Big 12 quarterback that no one is talking about (except Kelly in Vegas) that probably could be in the Heisman conversation. 5 touchdowns in the air and two more on the ground through two weeks is a pretty good start. The Wildcats whooped Mizzou last year in the Little Apple, and will probably be out for revenge; Will and friends better be ready from the jump. 

16. LSU Tigers (1-1) This Week: -10 @ Mississippi State (2-0): I said last week I would hate to be Grambling, and Brian Kelly hung 72 on them, proving me right. Let the record show, I would still hate to be Grambling State AND I wouldn’t really want to be LSU this week either. Mississippi State is going to give the Tigers all they can handle on Saturday in Starkville. The Bulldogs have started the last two years 0-1 in SEC play, thanks to these LSU Tigers. Full on, screw the points Upset Alert. *Eyes Emoji*

17. Ole Miss Rebels (2-0) This Week: -20 vs. Georgia Tech (1-1): Death, taxes, and Lane Kiffin having a productive offense. There is a vicious rumor going around that Ben Mintz flipped the coin for this game, after his rendition of Jay-Z and Kanye’s feature hit off the Watch the Throne album. I’m not sure if this is true. I’m choosing to believe it, nonetheless. Rebs by a lot (in what should be a sneaky high scoring game).

18. Miami Hurricanes (2-0) This Week: Line TBD vs. Bethune-Cookman (1-1): The U Part 3? Miami looked good last week. Truthfully, I thought A&M would beat them handily and we’d be making the same jokes about no one going to the games (still true). But, as Mario Cristobal said, ‘We got dogs this year’ and were they barking Saturday. My only gripe with Miami right now is the quarterback giving himself a nickname. That never ages well.

19. Oregon State Beavers (2-0) This Week: -24 vs. San Diego State (2-1): The Conference of Champions is no joke. 7 teams ranked here!! The Beavs have a top-notch defense and DJ has been the leap they needed at quarterback so far. SJSU and UC Davis are not the toughest tests in the world, but the black and orange have won twice. San Diego State poses a bit more of a challenge, but I don’t see Oregon State losing in Corvallis as a three-touchdown-plus favorite. 

20. North Carolina Tar Heels (2-0) This Week: -7.5 vs. Minnesota (2-0): Mack Brown vs. PJ Fleck. Do I need to keep going? Really? Stop me if you’ve heard this, but UNC is checking boxes in the early season. I like this week to be a bit of a statement game for them. I have had the distinct displeasure of watching Minnesota twice in two weeks. I truly can’t recommend it. (Conservatively) Heels by 40.

21. Colorado Buffaloes (2-0) This Week: -22.5 vs. Colorado State (0-1): Let the record show I am still an ‘un-believer’. Let the record also show that Nebraska put together one of the worst showings of football in the first half that I have ever seen. Let the record also also show that Colorado State won the last time these two teams played in Boulder. If I know it, I’m sure Coach Prime does. Even more motivation for the already insufferably motivated. Fun right? Consider me: ‘just about Deion’ed out’. 

22. Washington State Cougars (2-0) This Week: Line TBD vs. Northern Colorado (0-2): HUGE win for another powerhouse program from the Conference of Champions. Wisconsin’s ‘new-look offense’ was stifled for much of the game and Wazzu probably beat them worse than the scoreboard suggests. ANOTHER Pac 12 team with a veteran quarterback who can move the ball around the field in two ways. I sense a trend. Northern Colorado poses no real threat to the Cougs, but this is about as classic as a look-ahead spot can get.

23. Iowa Hawkeyes (2-0) This Week: -28.5 vs. Western Michigan (1-1): Even with the 325 point clause in Brian Ferentz’s contract, this is still Iowa. There is almost no chance they hit that number for the year. WMU is awful and the Hawkeyes have to go to Happy Valley next week, so I have a really hard time seeing them score at least 29 points to cover the number. Something to think about. 

24. UCLA Bruins (2-0) This Week: Line TBD vs. North Carolina Central (2-0): And the final team from the Conference of Champions, this time, with a young quarterback who can command the offense! 3 look-aheads (@ Utah) in a row, I really promise I didn’t do it on purpose. I imagine UCLA will fall off a bit earlier than some of the other strong teams in the Pac 12. But Chip Kelly’s team is gunning for double digit wins again. 

25. Duke Blue Devils (2-0) This Week: -18.5 vs. Northwestern (1-1): Duke took care of business in the ultimate let-down spot against FCS Lafayette, and that is commendable. To be totally honest, I’m not sure how high Duke’s ceiling is. I think that the result in Week 1 vs Clemson said way more about the quality of Dabo’s team than the one in Durham. The Blue Devils have a good chance to be still undefeated when they host Notre Dame the last weekend of September. That would be fun. 

26. Clemson Tigers (1-1) This Week: -24 vs. Florida Atlantic (1-1): Yes, that’s how this goes.  

27. Kentucky Wildcats (2-0) This Week: -25 vs. Akron (1-1): ‘Cats have won 14 straight games against the MAC. Will stay undefeated relatively easily heading into SEC play next week (@ Vandy).

28. Fresno State Bulldogs (2-0) This Week: -3 @ Arizona State (1-1): The Bulldogs have never beaten the Sun Devils in the regular season. #FreeJakeHaener #HesJustAKid #HeDidntKnowBetter

29. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (2-0) This Week: -7 vs. Virginia Tech (1-1): Promises made, promises delivered. Should be undefeated heading to the Big House. 

30. Wisconsin Badgers (1-1) This Week: -19 vs. Georgia Southern (2-0): Luke  Fickell gonna Luke Fickell.
31. Texas A&M Aggies (1-1) This Week -36.5 vs. Louisiana Monroe (2-0): Jimbo Fisher gonna Jimbo Fisher. 

Thank you for your time, as always. Incredibly excited for the next episodes of Winning Time. Enjoy the games folks.

200 years too late. 

Be Well.

JB