College Football Tournament Week 4 - Get Back Up

Week 3 Recap

It was a tough weekend all around – our beloved Frogs took the loss in Arlington, College Football Tournament favorite Hawaii got eliminated, and the Frogs O’ War readers went a disgraceful 2-5 in elimination game picks. Weather again caused havoc in the southeast, cancelling some key matchups that could have brought major Tournament implication, likely keeping some teams around longer than they deserve. In all, 16 teams dropped out of contention, including at least one team from every conference.

FOW reader picks: Week 2: 2-5; Season: 12-12 (50%)

---

Week 4

This is a letdown week. You may get knocked down, but you get up again, now they can never keep you down. Or if you are a bit younger, perhaps you look yourself in the mirror and say you’re gonna win, if they knock you down nine times, you better get up ten. We are coming off all the excitement of the pre-season highlighted games, including our own let down against the Buckeyes. Major conference tilts are starting, but we do not know yet what any of it will ultimately mean. The continued winning from the top teams can breed apathy at this point of the season. For the Frogs it means getting just as amped and prepared to travel to Austin as we all were to enter Jerry World. For the College Football Tournament, it means further sorting the haves from the have-nots. It is often the seemingly quiet weeks that bring the most chaos, so don’t be surprised to see some of the blue bloods take a dive. Which ones will get back up and survive to next week?

1. FAU @ UCF (-13.5) – The state of Florida has been floundering this season, as the Gators, Seminoles, and Hurricanes have all taken early losses. The fate of the Sunshine State may be determined here, as Kiffin’s crew will have a shot at ending the UCF championship-defense this week. Just as in 2017, UCF had a game against a P5 opponent cancelled due to a hurricane, this year missing out on the opportunity to show out against a lowly Tar Heel squad. People travel to Orlando to take photos with smiling furry friends…the Owls will instead be greeted by the frightening skull-smashing Knightro. FAU better not get overly cocky, should they appear to have the upper hand.

Where to watch: Fri. 9/21, 6:00 PM, ESPN

---

2. Nevada @ Toledo (-10.5) – Toledo is embarking on a back-to-back Mountain West stretch that may represent the last opportunity for the Rockets to lose. Given the spread, oddsmakers do not think there is much of a chance for the Wolf Pack this week. You might think it’s gonna be a long long time until a touchdown brings them down to find they’re not the team they think they are at home. The Rockets, man, may burn out their fuse out here alone. (I’m so sorry…)

Where to watch: Sat. 9/22, 11:00 AM, CBS Sports

---

3. Ohio @ Cincinnati (-8) – The battle of the cats; Bob vs. Bear. Having easily rolled low-level competition (including Chip Kelly’s UCLA), Cinci looks like a team to be reckoned with, and likely to have a deep run in the Tournament. The Bearcats should be highly favored until November, where they get a 3-game AAC gauntlet of Navy, USF, and UCF. THE Ohio Bobcats will have their hands full fighting the Bearcats.

Where to watch: Sat. 9/22, 11:00 AM, ESPNU

---

4. Kansas @ Baylor (-7.5) – Hosting P5 teams in Week 3, these two had exact opposite results – the Jayhawks smashed Rutgers while the Bears got out-classed by Duke. Hot take talking heads of the national media have decided that Kansas is a Big XII contender this season, which…..not sure if serious. Of course, this is the same punditry that expected Baylor to win the Big XII last season. This is the best chance for a conference win for both teams, but neither should get too comfortable in the College Football Tournament, as each has to face an Oklahoma school next week. The winner here likely won’t be around for long, but it sure would be fun for Baylor to fall at the hands of the Jayhawks.

Where to watch: Sat. 9/22, 2:30 PM, FS1

---

5. Florida International @ Miami Florida (-26.5) – Another elimination battle for positioning in the Florida Power Rankings appears to be substantially more one-sided than our earlier offering. Props to The U for going on the road to a strong G5 program and returning with a victory – may not mean much at the end of the season, but Miami should get credit for going where most Power 5 teams wouldn’t go. Mark Richt will be hoping to cruise here ahead of the headline matchup against FSU next week.

Where to watch: Sat. 9/22, 2:30 PM, ESPN2

---

6. Coastal Carolina @ Louisiana Lafayette (-4) – ULL has taken to branding itself simply as “Louisiana,” in an effort to portray class, superiority, and recognition above its in-state peers. There was even state legislation enacted to prevent such a branding effort in order to protect other schools in the Louisiana University system. The Ragin’ Cajuns have no interest in adhering to this state statute thumbing their noses at their rivals in Monroe, who maintain that “This controversy will not end until Jesus comes again.” The Carolina Coast has taken a beating over the last week, but the Chanticleers have stayed above the fray to remain in the Tournament.

Where to watch: Sat. 9/22, 6:00 PM, ESPN+

---

7. Troy (-6) @ UL-Monroe – “Hi, I’m Troy Football. You may remember me from such games as ‘Murder Smurfs: Victim One’ and ‘Melting Frost: Humiliating a Hometown Hero’” Troy waltzed into Lincoln, with the best helmets outside of Fort Worth, and eliminated the once-mighty Cornhuskers. The big win put the Trojans back into the G5 NY6 picture, but they’ll need to see Week 1 opponent Boise keep losing to have any realistic shot, while of course running the table themselves. Uncle Monroe took a loss in Aggieland last week, but continues to pull out close victories against low-level opponents. This spread is curiously low considering the performances this season, tread lightly gamblers.

Where to watch: Sat. 9/22, 6:00 PM, ESPN+

---

8. UNLV @ Arkansas State (-8) – Viva Jonesboro! The Red Wolves got waxed by Alabama, but that is no great sin, as it seems everyone would suffer a similar fate in Tuscaloosa. The Mountain West and the Sun Belt enter the week as the strongest G5 conferences, each with 7 teams still alive in the Tournament. Those numbers will dwindle after week 4, but this is the best chance to truly demonstrate conference supremacy.

Where to watch: Sat. 9/22, 6:00 PM, ESPN+

---