Jarvis Benjamin Variety Hour

The first major weekend of conference play is (mostly) here; and what a slate we have in store this upcoming weekend folks. 7 games between ranked teams. SEVEN! We are in for an absurdly good weekend of football.

To the surprise of no one, the #winners continue to come. 5-3 last week, bringing the ‘23 season to 17-11 (60.7%) and the career (last year + this year) CFB record to 131-85-1 (60.2%). Not to toot my own horn, but that’s really good. For those laymen out there, you need to hit at 52.4% to turn a profit. Don’t let it fall on deaf ears folks.          X: @JBV60SHOW  –  jarvisbenjamin.com

To the task at hand:

1. Georgia Bulldogs (3-0) This Week: -42 vs. UAB (1-2): As I said last week, I am not impressed yet. After sleep-walking through the first half, going into halftime down double-digits to *checks notes* Spencer Rattler?? (Yes they won by 10) I am still not impressed! It is very possible that big bad Trent Dilfer and that porous UAB Blazer defense will be the wake-up call/get-right game that the Dogs have been looking for this week. It is also possible that Carson Beck just stinks. We’re about to find out. Luckily for Kirby, no one listed below has been all that impressive either. It’s the Dogs until it’s not!

2. Michigan Wolverines (3-0) This Week: -24 vs. Rutgers (3-0): Jimmy is back, and it could not have come at a better time for Michigan. The Wolverines are limping into Big 10 play, skating by Bowling Green at home last week in a game that was far closer than the final score suggests. The boy JJ McCarthy threw three picks and left a ton to be desired against a bottom-half(?) MAC team. Rutgers poses a good test and a decent way to ease back in for Coach Harbaugh. The defense is obviously great, but luckily for Michigan, I’m not sure the Scarlett Knights have enough on offense to make JJ pay, should he throw three more to the wrong team. 

3. USC Trojans (3-0) This Week: -34 @ Arizona State (1-2): The Trojans escaped the early bye unscathed and now have to travel to Tempe for what should be a relatively entertaining game. The Sun Devils got shut out at home last week by my Fresno State Bulldogs, so I’d imagine the typically tough Trojan defense will have their work cut out for them. ASU also turned the ball over 8 times last week. I’d imagine ball security is being talked about a bit around the facility. USC wins, ASU keeps it close (within five touchdowns). 

4. Texas Longhorns (3-0) This Week: -15 @ Baylor (1-2): Last week I said, Wyoming would be in the game much longer than people thought, but the Horns would get the job done. I’d say that 31-10 with Texas scoring three unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter was pretty spot on. All this came after Wyoming possessed the ball for nearly 40 minutes! Texas has not been 3-0 since 2012, which is crazy to think about. I’ll keep the predictions a little more tame this week; Baylor runs the ball and stays within the number Saturday night in Waco. 

5. Ohio State Buckeyes (3-0) This Week: -3 @ Notre Dame (4-0): There’s the Buckeye offense we’re used to. Granted, it was against Western Kentucky, but it has to be comforting for Coach Day to see his offense FINALLY put up 60+. There is about 0 chance the Bucks put up 60 this week. Simply put, I like Notre Dame at home in this spot. Kyle McCord has shown NOTHING that should make anyone comfortable enough to lay a field goal on the road Saturday night. Ohio State hasn’t been to South Bend since 1996 but beat (did not cover) the Irish at the Shoe Week 1 last year. 

6. Florida State Seminoles (3-0) This Week: -2.5 @ Clemson (2-1): College Football Saturday starts with a heavyweight fight. This game definitely lacks the luster it would have had, had Clemson beat Duke, but I digress. Clemson beat the Seminoles last year in Tallahassee (and the last 7 times overall!), and I’d imagine Jimbo Fisher (coward and fraud) has had revenge on his mind since. Admittedly, if this game was Saturday night, I’d probably be leaning toward the Tigers. I think that FSU was looking ahead last week (past the Red Bandana, shoutout) to this matchup. It’s all Seminoles. 

7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-0) This Week: +3 vs. Ohio State (3-0): As I mentioned above, I’m on the Irish here. This is the biggest game of the Bean Man’s life (probably Sam Hartman too) and he is prepared. Marcus Freeman WILL be reminding his team that they were leading at the half last year, and came up short. Ohio State is going to be tough to keep the 40-point streak alive against, but a healthy dose of Audric Estime will put the Irish on the right track. Do the job. 

8. Penn State Nittany Lions (3-0) This Week: -14.5 vs. Iowa (3-0): The Penn State defense really flexed its’ muscles last week against Illinois, taking the ball away five times. I don’t imagine it’ll be that overwhelming, but I think it is all Nittany Lions in this one as well. I imagine that Iowa (fresh off the first 40-piece in program history) will be attempting to shorten the game by running the snot out of the ball and keeping the ball out of Cade McNamara’s hands. James Franklin’s defense will be ready. Brian Ferentz is probably getting fired; if I’m being frank. After further research, it is the white-out in Happy Valley. Cya, Brian Ferentz.

9. Washington Huskies (3-0) This Week: -21 vs. California (2-1): Not to toot my own horn, but: “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.” Washington won 41-7. To a T. Toot toot toot toot. 

10. Oregon Ducks (3-0) This Week: -21 vs. Colorado (3-0): I think we are going to learn a lot about Oregon’s Pac-12 and National contender dreams this week. If Oregon is what they think they are (and want to be) they should smoke Colorado. The problem (I know, I’ve been saying it all year) for Colorado is should be depth in the trenches. Theoretically, a Power 5 program, such as Oregon, should have a massive edge in terms of program depth (and therefore, trench depth). But hey, what do I know? Coach Prime continues to prove me wrong. 

11. Utah Utes (3-0) This Week: -4.5 vs. UCLA (3-0): He’s baaaaaaaack! Yes, people, the dark-horse Heisman candidate, Cameron Rising is finally (writing this Thursday (decision day)) back! Ironically, I’m not sure if that will help Utah’s incredibly enigmatic offense right away; but long-term, I can assure you the Utes are happy to have Cam back. All they have to do is win, and they probably will. I like the Utes defense to make Dante Moore look like the freshman he is. It’s Utes by 90 (probably close).  

12. Alabama Crimson Tide (2-1) This Week: -7 vs. Ole Miss (3-0): Yikes! Saban improved his off-a-loss record, but barely. I think everyone in the country was pulling for USF. Personally, I can’t remember Alabama Football ever being under .500 in my life. If you know me, you know that doesn’t mean much though, with my memory. This game feels like everyone thinks they have Saban down and Lane Kiffin has a chance to land the kill shot. I feel like those games usually end in a similar fashion. On the other hand, the Tide seem to still not have a QB1.

13. Oklahoma Sooners (3-0) This Week: -14 @ Cincinnati (2-1): Dillon Gabriel and the Sooner offense show up and score 60-burgers. That’s it! It’s incredibly impressive and I know that I have personally been leading the #GabrielForHeisman campaign. Oklahoma has never lost to Cincinnati, and I don’t necessarily see it happening this week. I do, however, like Coach Scott Satt, Emory Jones (yup.), and co. to do juuuuust enough to keep the first game in the Big 12 close for the Bearcats. 

14.  LSU Tigers (2-1) This Week: -17.5 vs. Arkansas (2-1): Hand up. I was way wrong about Mississippi State giving LSU a run for their money. Not close. Jayden Daniels is very good at football. This game has the potential to be very fun. KJ Jefferson is the type of quarterback who can move the ball in two ways and should be able to stay within the big number. I am forecasting points here. A lot of them. 

15. Ole Miss Rebels (3-0) This Week: +7 vs. Alabama (2-1): As I mentioned earlier, these types of games tend to end the same way. If I was Nick Saban, I would be trying to bully Kiffin and the Rebs with the run game. If Milroe plays for Alabama this is going to be an incredible battle of dual-threat quarterbacks. Last week Jaxson Dart (great name) ran for 135 and 2 touchdowns against the daunting Georgia Tech defense. Bama’s former defensive coordinator is now doing the same job at Ole Miss; which can’t help the Rebs here. Hopefully, this game will stay competitive the entire time. Realistically? I’m not sure. 

16. Oregon State Beavers (3-0) This Week: -3 @ Washington State (3-0): Big game, DJ! The (actually) decent San Diego State defense picked him off twice last week in a glimpse at the typical DJ we all know and love. I’ll get more into Wazzu later, but this game has a very Pros vs. Joes feel. Oregon State, DJ, and that defense are nationally known! How on Earth could Wazzu even keep that game within a field goal??? 

17. Miami Hurricanes (3-0) This Week: -24 @ Temple (2-1): The U is back, I think. This game is a very trappy spot, however. Temple is BRUTAL, Miami is heading to a bye next week and then hosting Georgia Tech. If Miami is what we think they are, this game is closer to -32,-33, no? The weather in Philly is forecasted to be miserable this weekend, which to me is another reason the Hurricanes (pun intended) won’t clear the number here. All they need to do is win. 

18. North Carolina Tar Heels (3-0) This Week: -7.5 @ Pittsburgh (1-2): UNC putting it on PJ ‘youngboy’ Fleck last week was the EASIEST side out there. So Jarvis, wouldn’t that logic lead you to believe that UNC will beat Pat Narduzzi and his Pitt Panthers that just lost to *checks notes* WVU even worse? If you really think that’s how this works; you must be new here. 

19. Iowa Hawkeyes (3-0) This Week: +14.5 @ Penn State (3-0): The odds are certainly stacked up against them this week. In the win vs. WMU last week, Iowa’s best offensive weapon (a tight end, duh) crutched off the field. That is certainly going to make it a bit harder to hit 25 points per game. Penn State is a real national contender and Iowa, while yes, in their league, is in a different league. I’d be surprised if this game is close. 

20. Duke Blue Devils (3-0) This Week: -21.5 @ UConn (0-3): *Cough* Mid. Truly is a shame that they beat Clemson in Week 1 and ruined that storyline this week. It is a little ironic (and incredibly funny) that this could be Duke’s best football season EVER and big brother UNC is still better. In a true battle of blue bloods this week, UConn gives the Blue Devils everything they can handle. 

21. Colorado Buffaloes (3-0) This Week: +21 @ Oregon (3-0): Still primed out! The fact that I would have cashed my under last week if not for overtime has nothing to do with it, I promise. Shedeur is really fun to watch, as well as Travis Hunter obviously. The fact that Deion said Shedeur may not go to the NFL next year is CRAZY. This game is a must-watch. He has proved everyone wrong so far, let’s see if he can keep it up. Buffs moneyline could be worth a sprinkle; if you’re feeling crazy. (8-1 or better only!)

22. Washington State Cougars (3-0) This Week: +3 vs. Oregon State (3-0): Sharp sharp side. Wazzu is sneaky good. Cameron Ward is a probable pro, to be totally honest; and this week should be his coming out party. The Beavs won last year, to break an eight-game Cougs winning streak. I like Wazzu to get back to winning ways here.   

23. UCLA Bruins (3-0) This Week: +4.5 @ Utah (3-0): The Conference of Champions is SO good. 8/25 teams ranked this week are from the Pac-12, which is almost unthinkable. Admittedly, we are early in the season, and this week alone will probably weed some out. But damn, is it a good time to be Bill Walton. I think UCLA will be ready for Cam Rising and can keep this game close. As a (semi) Ute fan, I am hoping they don’t have enough.  

24. Clemson Tigers (2-1) This Week: +2.5 vs. Florida State (3-0): I have gone back and forth on who wins this matchup all week, and if you got this far, you know I landed on the Seminoles. After truly #thinking about it, Clemson is Utah from last year. Lose to a far inferior opponent in Week 1 and constantly lose sleep over the fact that it really happened. Sigh. Leave it all out there, Dabo.

25. Tennessee Volunteers (2-1) This Week: -20.5 vs. UTSA (1-2): If Frank Harris plays I’m taking UTSA moneyline (responsibly). Tennessee STINKS! I’m not sure the last time the Vols won at the Swamp, but it might actually be 30 years. Heard this about Joe Milton, and can’t stop thinking about it. All he can do is throw it 40 yards. 10-yard route, 30-yard route, 50-yard route? Every throw is going 40 yards. #Think about it #2.

26. Kentucky Wildcats (3-0) This Week: -14 @ Vanderbilt (2-2): The Cats probably get into the T25 next week. And probably get to 5-0 heading to Athens.

27. Fresno State Bulldogs (3-0) This Week: -27.5 vs. Kent State (1-2): Are we paying attention yet?

28. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (3-0) This Week: +24 @ Michigan (3-0): The last time these teams met at the Big House, RU lost by a touchdown. *eyes emoji*

29. Kansas Jayhawks (3-0) This Week: -9 vs. BYU (3-0): Jalon Daniels is really good at football, too. This should be a sneaky good (new) Big 12 game. 

30. Kansas State Wildcats (2-1) This Week: -6.5 vs. UCF (3-0): You should know by now; this is how it works. 

Breaking 90 = completed. Breaking 80 = begun. #NJDevils training camp opened up today. 75% of all NFL teams that start 3-0 go on to make the playoffs. See you all in Glendale. Cannot lie. It is not bad to be Jarvis Benjamin right about now. 

200 years too late. 

Be Well.

JB