Last week: 6-9

Season: 12-15

I will do better this week. Probably not, but that’s the plan.

All games Saturday.

Missouri at No.15 Kansas State (-4.5), 11 a.m.: This might be one of the best games on a dud weekend. It’s still too early to know after wins over SE Missouri and Troy, but I think the Wildcats might be sneaky good. A lopsided loss for Mizzou would be bad, bad news for Eli Drinkwitz. Pick: Kansas State -4.5

Iowa State (-3.5) at Ohio, 11 a.m.: In a rarity in college football nowadays, a Power Five school goes on the road to play a Group of Five school, just like Oklahoma going to Tulsa. The difference here is that Tulsa played at Washington last week and Iowa State is the only Power Five school on Ohio’s schedule. The Bobcats will be up for this one. Upset alert. Pick: Ohio +3.5

No.19 Oklahoma (-26.5) at Tulsa, 2:30 p.m.: The Sooners had a bit of a hiccup last week against SMU.  Though Oklahoma did what was needed to cover, there were enough things that they’ll want to correct, especially up front. I think the Sooners will be sharp on the ground and Tulsa will struggle to match up physically. Turnovers could be the way Tulsa keeps it close. Pick: Oklahoma -26.5 — I’ll predict a score of 45-14.

Miami (OH) at Cincinnati (-14.5), 6 p.m.: Classic sandwich game for the Bearcats, placed between a big win at Pitt and a huge Big 12 opener next week against Oklahoma. Pick: Miami (OH) +14.5

South Alabama at Oklahoma State (-7.5), 6 p.m.: I don’t have any better idea about who the quarterback is going to be than you, Mike Gundy or anyone else, but Mike Gundy is a beautiful weirdo, and in a beautifully weird way, I’m guessing all three quarterbacks play well again for the Cowboys. South Alabama has been disappointing, losing big to Tulane and going into halftime tied 7-7 with SE Louisiana (FCS) last week. Pick: Oklahoma State -7.5, Cowboys win 31-13.

Fifty years ago today, Barry Switzer was distraught despite his Sooners rolling in his debut as head coach. https://t.co/6x9RkL60qB

— Berry Tramel (@BerryTramel) September 15, 2023

BYU at Arkansas (-8.5), 6:30 p.m.: The competition steps way up for the Cougars this week after beating up on Sam Houston State and Southern Utah in the first two weeks. Arkansas struggled last week at times against Kent State, and I’m guessing that gets their attention with a Power Five non-conference opponent coming to Fayetteville. Pick: Arkansas -8.5

Pittsburgh at West Virginia (-1.5), 6:30 p.m.: Rivalry games are hard to pick, but I find them even harder when neither team is very good. So I’ve decided to try a new method, and that is to pick against the team that has the most to lose. This could be Neal Brown’s Waterloo. Pick: Pittsburgh +1.5

Wyoming at No.4 Texas (-29.5), 7 p.m.: This has got “sucker bet of the century” written all over it. How could the Horns not be down after the win last week at Tuscaloosa? I’ll present a different theory. The way Texas won last week, taking the physicality to the mighty Tide shows that this team takes care of business. For once, I won’t fall for a sucker bet. Pick: Texas -29.5

TCU (-7.5) at Houston, 7:30 p.m.: TCU played in the championship game last season and Houston just lost to Rice. Those two things alone make you want to immediately think the Frogs will go in and dominate, but this is Houston’s first-ever Big 12 home game, and I will pick all four of the new schools to cover in those games. Pick: Houston +7.5

Kansas (-27.5) at Nevada, 9:30 p.m.: Nevada might be the worst team in the FBS. It’s a shame it doesn’t play Arkansas State this season. Pick: Kansas -27.5

No.10 Alabama (-31.5) at South Florida, 2:30 p.m.: No sucker bet against Texas, but I’ll definitely play the Bama rebound. I’m guessing this week of practice wasn’t much fun in Tuscaloosa. Pick: Alabama -31.5

No. 11 Tennessee (-6.5) at Florida, 6 p.m.: I saw a Tennessee tag on a car at Starbucks this morning. Pick: Tennessee -6.5

Colorado State at No. 18 Colorado (-23.5), 9 p.m.: Apologies to Coach Prime for the last two picks against the Buffaloes. Boulder will look beautiful on Saturday night. Pick: Colorado -23.5