The Top 4 are all playing this weekend and this is “grind time” when teams can see the end of the season and become more vulnerable to the upset if they fail to focus on the task at hand!
Bama has a Bye week. Not only did they need it to get some folks healthy but Saban needed a reason to wear his costume all weekend instead of just Monday Night.
Padre is coming off a bye week as well and ready for his Gators to take on Georgia in Jacksonville as well as full of fresh prognostications!
Georgia 44 Florida 13
It’s “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party”, and, well, this pastor is gonna need all of the world’s cocktails to get through it. It’s not a sin if it’s to drown out those football and recruiting woes, Right?!?!?!? Oh, and Tennessee @ Georgia next week may be #1 vs. #2. Next week I may need to go to “The Universe’s Biggest Cosmic Kegger” to emotionally deal with that game. Is jealousy a sin too ?!?!?? Asking for a friend!
UCF 27 Cincy 24
After beating Cincy, UCF goes from self-proclaimed National Champions to self-proclaimed “Universal Champions.” The just skip “World Champion” all together. After all, someone has to host my “Universal Kegger” next week.
Ohio State 41 Penn State 20
Is Penn State ever REALLY “back”??? Really??? Buckeyes romp.
Arkansas 30 Auburn 23
This game intrigues me. It’s unique because……………oh who am i kidding?? I am only putting this on here because my dear Arkansas friend didn’t like me not including the Hogs in my picks the last time they played. The things we do for friendships.
Tennessee 48 Kentucky 20
Tennessee scores a lot of points– on everybody. Kentucky scores NOT a lot of points on most anybody. I am no math major, more philosophical and theological, but a lot of points sounds like more than NOT a lot of points. I’ll take lots of points for the win, Bob. Now back to Rocky Top for the 137th time tonight!!!
Ole Miss 26 Texas A & M 24
Ole Miss goes into College Station and gets the Dub. Then next week, Florida travels to College Station with bowl eligibility actually a big concern. And if you think I am in an irritable fan mood now, wait and see what happens if Florida loses that one next week and goes to 4-5. My internal tank for fan maturity and patience will drop to “Lane Kiffin Trophy Case Level”: EMPTY!!!
Upset of the Week Nebraska 23 Illinois 20
Tommy Frazier isn’t running out of that tunnel!! But neither is Jeff George for the Illini. I don’t know why, but I think the Huskers pull off this upset!
Padre is out and 110% focused on his Gators until Sunday!!
ZT will be eating heavy this week in preparation for the National Peanut Festival which starts in 7 days. Much like those competitive eaters at Nathan’s on Coney Island on the 4th of July, ZT know what it takes to be able to take full advantage of a 10,000 calorie loop around the midway. Training is critical but taking time to prognosticate!!
#2 THE Ohio State Buckeyes @ #13 Penn State Nittany Lions 11am cdt
Who are the Buckeyes? ZT says a legit contender and this will be a week to solidify their #2 slot (even though just being 4 is really all that matters, right?). They didn’t look great vs. Iowa but crushed them anyway while PSU bounced back nicely from their Michigan disaster with a nice W over the Golden Gophers. OSU’s Defense is solid. PSU HC James Franklin “stein” will have to have a bag FULL of tricks and offered some treats ( aka turnovers ) to have any chance in this one. Some early momentum being in Happy Valley but Halloween is on a Monday, not Saturday, so no matter how many tricks they have, there will be no treats!!! THE Buckeyes 31 State Zoo Lion 21
Florida Gators @ #1 Georgia Bulldogs in Jacksonville, FL 230pm cdt
No one really giving Gators a chance in Jacksonville this week at the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Dawgs won their last 2 games by a combined score of 97-10. Ok, it was Auburn & Vandy but still…… One other factor, Dawgs have to be careful not to look over the fence at Tennessee next week. ZT confident Kirby “Get” Smart will not let that happen. Gators can run the ball and for them to win, QB AR 15 has to be better than his best of 2022 and the defense MUST get off the field on 3rd down ( currently ranked 130 of 131 ). Gators solid early, then Dawgs take over. Dawgs 38 Gators 20
#19 Kentucky Wildcats @ #3 Tennessee Volunteers 600pm cdt
Yada yada yada about Vols secondary giving up too many points and reminding all they have a date in Athens with Dawgs next week. ZT does believe this team is more susceptible to get distracted by the hype. Wildcats quietly come to town at 5-2 and after a 45-42 loss in Lexington. Both QB’s played last year and lit it up. UT’s Hooker and KY’s Levis are 2 of the best QB’s in the SEC. Problem? This ain’t last year, this ain’t Lexington, and the UT hillbillies still think the tooth fairy doesn’t visit because they all have so few teeth ( we all know their Dads steal the money for moonshine after mom hides it under the pillow ). Wildcats coming off a bye helps but this shootout will end in another Vol victory. Toothless Hillbillies in Orange Jumpsuits 34 Bourbon drinking Wildcats 28
Michigan State Spartans @ #4 Michigan Wolverines 630pm cdt
This is still a HUGE rivalry game. ZT saw this 1st hand last season in a Dallas Sports bar when the Spartans came back from 16 points down to take the Paul Bunyan Trophy back to East Lansing. No one in the Blue and Maze was even slightly amused. Spartan HC Mel “I make Harbaugh pucker” Tucker is currently on a 2-0 win streak with inferior teams. Mich QB JJ “Dynomite!” McCarthy has 9 TD’s and only 2 INTs. RB Blake “my NIL watch is a” Corum averages over 6 YPG and has 13 TDs. Spartans have lived off capitalizing on the turnover but those will be few and far between on Saturday night. Werewolves of Ann Arbor 35 Spooked Sparty 17
ZT Halloween Treat Selections
Arkansas Razorbacks @ Auburn Tigers 11am cdt
Why would ZT consider this game? Hogs demolished the BYU Cougars in Provo leading into a bye week before traveling to Auburn. Tigers also had a much needed bye week after 3 straight losses. Get a 12 pack of Bud Light, some fireball and go ahead and put on some Depends ( aka “drinking pants” ) so you don’t have to miss a play in this wild one!! Hogs 48 Tigers 41
Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ #16 Syracuse Orangemen 11am cdt
How do you NOT go with the ORANGEMEN on Halloween weekend? ZT notes Halloween Orange is much better than UT Vols Orange. ZT loves both of these Coaches but Dino getting the nod in this one with the better Defense!! Dino’s Orange People 28 Unlucky Leprechauns 24
#9 Oklahoma State Cowboys @ #22 Kansas State Wildcats 230pm cdt
What do these 2 have in common? Both loss to TCU and the winner of this one takes over 2nd place in Big 12! Cowboys QB Spencer Sanders threw for 391 yds vs. Texas and dispelled concerns about his shoulder, which is good since the ground game has been flat. That guy is tougher than a steak from Golden Corral. Need balance against a SOLID Wildcat defense. KSU offense will not know if QB Martinez can go but they do have a solid #2 in Will “I understand the deal” Howard who threw for over 200 yds last week. RB “The Double” Deuce Vaughn is difference maker in this one ( ZT with ANOTHER Road House Movie reference….bet he still goes to Red Box for a DVD on Friday Nights! ) Purple Power Cats 28 Cowboys 24
#20 Cincinnati Bearcats @ UCF Knights 230pm cdt
These teams get along like Trump and Biden ( or Trump and most anyone ). Cincy has won 6 straight since the opening loss to Arkansas while UCF needs a rebound from a loss, at home, to the ECU Pirates. Knights QB John Rhys “glumly” Plumlee turned it over 4 times last week ( 3 INTs & 1 Fumble ) ZT expects him to look more like Chumlee than Plumlee this week as well ( Ok ZT, how many people reading this blog watch Pawn Stars reruns like you and even know who Chumlee is?? ) Upset Special Bearcats 28 Knights in hock 27
Pittsburgh Panthers @ #21 North Carolina Tar Heels 7pm cdt
Why are the 2-4 Panthers ONLY a 4 point underdog to 6-1 UNC? Because it’s homecoming in Chapel Hill and the basketball team has started practicing so just too many distractions. Add in that Pitt took the UT Vols to OT in game 2. Ok, this should be a good one…Tar Heels with just too much offense & Pitt QB Slovis a bit banged up so……… Tar Heels 31 Panthers 24
ZT going back to finish a 5 lb. bag of boiled peanuts and a 12 pack of Crunchy Taco Supremes…….
Pigskin Prognostications by the Piedmont Padre and Zimmern's Twin 