Jarvis Benjamin Variety Hour

I’d say that last week’s heavyweight matchups provided just about everything they were anticipated to. The slate this week is definitely a lot less top heavy, with five T20 teams off. There are still a bunch of great games to look forward to (along with the inevitable Pac-12 cannibalization we get every year).

4-3-1 last week at the counter. If you know me you know I REALLY don’t like a push. I don’t want to say I’d rather lose but I might. #winners stay in the 60% range, though. 21-14-1 (football numbers!) on the year and 135-88-2 in the last two. 

Now. Here’s what puts asses in the seats.    

1. Georgia Bulldogs (4-0) This Week: -14.5 @ Auburn (3-1): Better. Definitely better than what we’ve seen thus far this season from the Dogs. UAB scoring 14 in the first half was not on my bingo card, but I think Coach Smart’s team took a step forward last week. Brock Bowers FINALLY found the end zone with two receiving touchdowns; and in (probably) more important news, Carson Beck kept a clean sheet in the turnover department (in probably his best game so far too). All of that said; if you know me, you know that a step forward last week is a great opportunity to fade! War Damn Eagle. 

2. Michigan Wolverines (4-0) This Week: -18 @ Nebraska (2-2): To be totally honest: Rutgers played the Wolverines a lot closer than 31-7 suggests. I don’t see Michigan being less than a 17-point favorite in any of their next FIVE games. Get USC to the Big 10 STAT! I’d love to sit here and try and endorse that sad-sack Matt Rhule and Nebraska this week; but truly, I love the Jarv-heads more than that. Jimmy wins the first road game of the year for Michigan. By plenty. 

3. Texas Longhorns (4-0) This Week: -18 vs. Kansas (4-0): I will touch on it more later; but this game is going to RULE. I took my lumps last week: putting my faith in Dave Aranda’s team for the (hopefully) last time. Steve Sark’s defense held them to two measly field goals in the first half, and that would be all. If Texas is truly a national contender, the defense is going to need to prove it against a much tougher opponent this week. They should win, and defend home turf in Austin; but the nine-game streak of holding opponents under 30 points will definitely be tough to preserve.       

4. Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0) This Week: BYE (Undefeated): First off, I’d like to congratulate close personal friend, Ryan Day, for FINALLY shutting up Lou Holtz! That guy has done nothing but disrespect Coach Day, his program AND the state of Ohio for the last 86 (yes, he’s that old) years! It’s about time someone put that punk in his place! What’s unfortunate for Coach Day is: Lou Holtz is correct. Ohio State plays a softer brand of football than _____ (insert any Big 10 team here). Remember who told you, when this team loses to a non-Michigan team in the regular season this year.  

5. USC Trojans (4-0) This Week: -21.5 @ Colorado (3-1): Five more touchdowns for Caleb Williams, and it seems that he is the early VERY popular public choice to win the Heisman. The Trojans were not at their best last week, which is to be expected off a bye. I’m not a Lincoln Riley guy; but I am incredibly excited to watch his team play this week. I’m not sure they will dominate from start to finish as much as Oregon did last week, but I don’t think this game should be close. USC’s defensive line is no joke; and I have to assume Coach Prime will be better mentally equipped, after playing a premier team already. Incredibly intriguing, to say the least.  

6. Florida State Seminoles (4-0) This Week: BYE (Never Lost): Stop me if you’ve heard this before; College Football is more fun when Florida State is good! They did what they had to do this week, going TO Clemson and knocking off the Tigers. The Noles also won this week missing a TON of typical contributors. FSU will go into the Bye on a high note, and is in a relatively strong position to run the table. It’s probably worth mentioning that Jordan Travis aggravated his non-throwing shoulder. Heading into a Bye week, I probably could have gotten away without saying it. 

7. Penn State Nittany Lions (4-0) This Week: -26 @ Northwestern (2-2): Last week I predicted that Penn State would be ready for offensive wunderkind Brian Ferentz; this week, I’d say a shutout is pretty indicative that they were. Drew Allar threw for four touchdowns and kept the Hawkeyes on the mat the entire afternoon. I have been nothing but wrong about Northwestern all year (s/o UTEP), so Penn State better be ready heading to the Windy City. Should be the Nittany Lions, relatively comfortably. A trip to the Shoe is less than a month away… 

8. Washington Huskies (4-0) This Week: -18 @ Arizona (3-1): Washington can score at will. Cal is not really one of the premier defenses in the country that you read about; but 45 points in the first half is nothing to be looked over, regardless of the opponent. This high-flying offense has VAULTED the boy Michael Penix into the front of the Heisman conversation, and deservedly so. Penix boasts 16 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions this season so far. The Huskies are firing on all cylinders; but this is a major look-ahead spot. Oregon comes to Seattle next week. Get your popcorn ready. 

9. Oregon Ducks (4-0) This Week: -27 @ Stanford (1-3): DOMINANT. “They’re fighting for clicks, we’re fighting for wins” may be the most true words ever spoken. Oregon dominated the game in the trenches (and when they faked a punt up 13-0) from opening kickoff to the final whistle. As they say: if you don’t like it, do something about it. Oregon is a Pac-12 team with legitimate CFP aspirations. With Bo Nix (who played against Justin Herbert) and that defense, anything can happen in New Jersey. 

10.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-1) This Week: -5.5 @ Duke (4-0): 10 men on the field is a wild strategy. I was fortunate enough to win last week on the Irish, by the hook, rather than a disgusting push. Even though that’s how the game had to end; Notre Dame was the right side in that game. The Irish owned the line of scrimmage practically all night but ultimately began finishing drives too late. As a Notre Dame National Championship ticket owner, I’ve already dismissed Duke. In a shocking (probably untrue) turn of events, the Irish control their own destiny. @Duke. @Louisville vs. USC. #JoinAConference

11.  Alabama Crimson Tide (3-1) This Week: -14.5 @ Mississippi State (2-2): Absolutely nailed this last week. That’s how this goes: Nick Saban (insert: Bill Belichek, Jon Cooper, etc.) suckers us (you all, not me) into thinking they’ve lost a step, or the game has passed them by. Nope. Either kings stay kings, or Lane Kiffin just belongs to Coach Saban. Ok, well those both might be true. The Tide will figure it out; and probably can run the table heading to the SEC Championship. All of that said; if you know me, you know that a step forward last week is a great opportunity to fade! War Damn Eagle. Wait a minute…   

12.  Utah Utes (4-0) This Week: +3 @ Oregon State (3-1): It’s now Friday (the latest a T25 has been finished) and we are STILL awaiting word on Cam Rising. All of the silence and lack of updates lead me to believe he is not going to play. I’m not sure it will matter much. Utah has a Top-10, maybe even Top-5 defense, and DJ will be under duress, a lot. Utah has looked less and less impressive in every game they’ve played so far this year. And in SCORCHING hot takes: I like them to finally wow people tonight. Ute up. 

13. Oklahoma Sooners (4-0) This Week: -20 vs. Iowa State (2-2): This game was nowhere near as close as the scoreboard suggests (another Jarvis cover). I predicted that Cincinnati would try and shorten the game, and to an extent they did, winning the time of possession battle. In my eyes, the difference was the two interceptions by the known to be not-good quarterback. This is a MAJOR lookahead spot, with the Red River Shootout next week. Iowa State is just too bad to back, Lol.     

14.  Washington State Cougars (4-0) This Week: BYE: I told you all about Cam Ward. The guy is an absolute DOG. I called for last week to be his coming out party and Cam answered with 400 yards and four TDs. Is that good? The Cougs are heading to UCLA after the open date this week, and will (probably?) be favored? Who knows; I don’t make the lines, I just pick them.   

15.  LSU Tigers (3-1) This Week: -2.5 @ Ole Miss (3-1): LSU continues to not impress me; week after week after week. Ole Miss just was emasculated by a rival and returns home licking their wounds. I think the difference here will be LSU’s red zone and run defense. If I know anything about Lane Kiffin, I KNOW he will be looking to establish Quinshon Judkins early and often. If I know anything about Brian Kelly, I KNOW he will mismanage his team late. I like whichever team loses this game to completely and utterly pack everything up for the year. A lot to play for.       

16.  North Carolina Tar Heels (4-0) This Week: BYE: North Carolina’s defense looked tough last Saturday night in Pittsburgh, forcing Jurkovec out of the game and four turnovers. I’m not going to give Drake “Look At Me” Maye any credit for that nonsense. UNC hosts Syracuse after the Bye Week, which will (obviously) be beneficial for Mack Brown and friends. With a QB as talented as Maye, the ceiling is certainly the roof.  

17. Miami Hurricanes (4-0) This Week: BYE: The Hurricanes passed the monsoon test with flying colors in Philly last weekend. A bit ironic. Plain and simple: Miami is good. Four weeks into the second season of the Mario Christobal era, I am led to believe that Miami might be back for good! We’ll surely find out soon; the Canes travel to Chapel Hill next week and then host Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers the week after. That is a scary October. Pun intended. Again!   

18. Fresno State Bulldogs (4-0) This Week: -24.5 vs. Nevada (0-4): Touchdowns on your first seven drives calls for a big jump for the Bulldogs. Fresno State is really good people! Mountain West teams continually don’t get the credit they are due, simply because the games are at the worst times and people don’t/can’t watch. As it stands now, they are probably(?) in line for a NY6 bid. Still a ton of work to be done: away games @San Diego State and @Wyoming await. 

19. Duke Blue Devils (4-0) This Week: +5.5 vs. Notre Dame (4-1): If I didn’t know that Duke wasn’t good, I would be all over them in this spot. Credit to me: making that realization before this game happens. This is arguably the biggest game in the history of Duke Football; and I wish I was being hyperbolic. If anyone can find me a FOOTBALL game that was more important for the Duke Blue Devils, they can write this article next week. Challenge Extended. 

20.  Kentucky Wildcats (4-0) This Week: -2.5 vs. Florida (3-1): Pretty big spot this week for Devin Leary (unfortunately, mid (2 INTs against the POWERFUL Vandy defense last week)) and friends. I said last week that the Cats would be in the T25 this week; and here they are! I also said last week that the Cats would be 5-0 heading to Georgia a week from now. I’ll say later in these rankings that this is Florida’s first and last time being mentioned this year. You do the math. 

21.  Oregon State Beavers (3-1) This Week: -3 vs. Utah (4-0): Death, taxes, and the Pac-12 cannibalizing itself. Corvallis IS the toughest place to play a night game in the Conference Champions besides, ironically, Utah. I have to assume that is already baked into this line, with the Beavs favored by a field goal. Oregon State certainly has the dogs to get this done on Friday night. If the Beavs can get past (maybe) Cam Rising and the boys, their next five games are FAR more favorable. @Cal, vs.UCLA, @Arizona, @Colorado, vs.Stanford. 

22. Iowa Hawkeyes (3-1) This Week: -11.5 vs. Michigan State (2-2): Yuck! (They’d probably still be favored against every team below (yes, that’s how I do this)). In a game that no one should be watching; I think Michigan State will stay close. Iowa is not intimidating in any fashion. James Franklin (I know, different beast) kind of showed the blueprint last week. The Hawkeyes have just a few more weeks being mentioned here.    

23. Missouri Tigers (4-0) This Week: -14 @ Vanderbilt (2-3): I wish I didn’t have to even bother (this team stinks); but the Mizzou Tigers are 4-0 for the first time in 10 years AND Vegas has them as a double-digit favorite to get to 5-0. So here we are! Luther Burden will probably be a first round pick; and I’d even say quarterback Brady Cook is making some strides. The unit kicker’s field goal to beat Kansas State will probably be one of the moments of the season!  

24. Wisconsin Badgers (3-1) This Week: BYE: So Wisconsin lost to Washington State, on the road, and people (probably including me) wrote them off pretty quickly. Here we are two weeks later, and Wazzu is really good! Maybe, just maybe, the season is not over yet for Luke Fickell and Co. The Badgers beat down Purdue on Friday night in the Fetty Wap special (38-17 😉). Rutgers comes to Madison after the Bye and then the Badgers will welcome in the Iowa Hawkeyes. A real chance for Coach Fickell to start rising these rankings is coming.

25. Kansas Jayhawks (4-0) This Week: +18 @ Texas (4-0): Before we get started: there is nothing Kansas loves more than deploying both Jalon Daniels and Jason Bean in the same game. I don’t root for injuries; but if the prop ‘Two Quarterbacks (from same team) to See Game Action’ was listed, I would be pounding it (responsibly). Kansas is really fun to watch! The defense leaves some to be desired and the offense can move the ball like it’s nothing. Jalon Daniels could theoretically play his way into Heisman contention this week; but that’s probably a bit ambitious.     

26.  Louisville Cardinals (4-0) This Week: -3.5 @ North Carolina State (3-1): Unofficial Play; but this is most likely going to be a (responsible) hammer folks. Hydrate up Wolfpack Nation (and parents!). 

27. Kansas State Wildcats (3-1) This Week: BYE: Dismantled UCF. They’ll be back(?) in the Top 15 by year’s end.  

28. Colorado Buffaloes (3-1) This Week: +21.5 vs. USC (4-0): Right > ANYTHING.

29. Florida Gators (3-1) This Week: +2.5 @ Kentucky (4-0): First and final ranking for the Gators this year. 

30.  Tennessee Volunteers (3-1) This Week: -12.5 vs. South Carolina (2-2): Yes. That’s how this works.  

Nothing from the Friday Night slate made the official card but man is it intriguing. HUGE game for the UTEP Miners. HUGE game and opportunity for Wiger Toods. (Yes, Bill Belichek scares me.)

To the Baltimore Orioles, who NO ONE (except me) thought they could do it: Job’s not finished.

200 years too late. 

Be Well.

JB