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Only one Top 25 match up this weekend which is between Stanford and Arizona State. This weekend has such a dearth of exciting match ups on paper that Gameday is currently in Fargo, ND visiting the home of North Dakota State University. Nevertheless it's still football season, and fall is beginning to show up, so settle in, grab the remote, grab a beer, and join us in our weekly open thread.
Your Week 4 College Football Listings
12 p.m. ET | Florida A&M | at | 4 Ohio State | Big Ten Network | |
12 p.m. ET | FIU | at | 7 Louisville | WHAS, ESPN Regional | |
12 p.m. ET | Wake Forest | at | Army | CBSSN | |
12 p.m. ET | Toledo | at | Central Michigan | ESPN Regional, ESPN3.com | |
12 p.m. ET | North Carolina | at | Georgia Tech | ESPN | |
12 p.m. ET | Louisiana Tech | at | Kansas | FS1 | |
12 p.m. ET | Vanderbilt | at | Massachusetts | ESPN News | |
12 p.m. ET | San Jose State | at | Minnesota | ESPN 2 | |
12 p.m. ET | Marshall | at | Virginia Tech | ESPNU | |
12 p.m. ET | Middle Tennessee | at | FAU | CSS, CSN-HOU, BAY | |
12:01 p.m. ET | Western Michigan | at | Iowa | Big Ten Network | |
12:21 p.m. ET | North Texas | at | 9 Georgia | SEC Network, MSG | |
12:30 p.m. ET | Pittsburgh | at | Duke | ACC Network | |
12:30 p.m. ET | Tulane | at | Syracuse | RSN, MSG+, FSN-S, FSN-DET | |
1 p.m. ET | Ball State | at | Eastern Michigan | ESPN3.com | |
2 p.m. ET | Jacksonville State | at | Georgia State | ESPN3.com | |
2 p.m. ET | Austin Peay | at | Ohio | ESPN3.com | |
3 p.m. ET | Idaho State | at | 17 Washington | Pac-12 Network | |
3 p.m. ET | Panhandle State | at | Montana | Max Media | |
3 p.m. ET | Houston | vs | Rice | FSN-FL, MW, MASN2, MSG+ | |
3 p.m. ET | Northwestern State | at | UAB | UABSports.com | |
3 p.m. ET | Stony Brook | at | Villanova | CSN | |
3:30 p.m. ET | Maine | at | 18 Northwestern | Big Ten Network | |
3:30 p.m. ET | Tennessee | at | 19 Florida | CBS | |
3:30 p.m. ET | Michigan State | at | 22 Notre Dame | NBC | |
3:30 p.m. ET | Purdue | at | 24 Wisconsin | ABC/ESPN 2 | |
3:30 p.m. ET | Murray State | at | Bowling Green | ESPN3.com | |
3:30 p.m. ET | West Virginia | vs | Maryland | ESPNU | |
3:30 p.m. ET | South Dakota State | at | Nebraska | Big Ten Network | |
3:30 p.m. ET | Kent State | at | Penn State | Big Ten Network | |
3:30 p.m. ET | Arkansas | at | Rutgers | ESPN | |
3:30 p.m. ET | Utah State | at | USC | ABC/ESPN 2 | |
3:30 p.m. ET | VMI | at | Virginia | ESPN3.com | |
3:30 p.m. ET | Delaware State | at | North Dakota State | ND NBC, ESPN3.com | |
4 p.m. ET | ULM | at | 20 Baylor | FS1 | |
4 p.m. ET | Cincinnati | at | Miami (Ohio) | ESPN3.com | |
4:30 p.m. ET | Arkansas State | at | Memphis | ESPN3.com | |
6 p.m. ET | Bethune-Cookman | at | 8 Florida State | ESPN3.com | |
6 p.m. ET | Louisiana-Lafayette | at | Akron | ESPN3.com | |
6 p.m. ET | Lafayette | at | Penn | LSN, ESPN3.com | |
6 p.m. ET | Lehigh | at | Princeton | NBCSN | |
7 p.m. ET | 23 Arizona State | at | 5 Stanford | FOX | |
7 p.m. ET | Colorado State | at | 1 Alabama | ESPN 2 | |
7 p.m. ET | Savannah State | at | 16 Miami | ESPN3.com | |
7 p.m. ET | SMU | at | 10 Texas A&M | ESPNU | |
7 p.m. ET | Texas State | at | 25 Texas Tech | FSN-FL, MSG+, SportSouth | |
7 p.m. ET | Eastern Illinois | at | Northern Illinois | ESPN3.com | |
7 p.m. ET | Morgan State | at | Western Kentucky | ESPN3.com | |
7 p.m. ET | Montana State | at | Stephen F. Austin | Max Media | |
7 p.m. ET | Rhode Island | at | William & Mary | CSN | |
7:30 p.m. ET | Troy | at | Mississippi State | FSN-S, SunSports | |
7:30 p.m. ET | Oregon State | at | San Diego State | CBSSN | |
7:45 p.m. ET | Auburn | at | 6 LSU | ABC/ESPN | |
8 p.m. ET | 15 Michigan | at | Connecticut | ABC | |
8 p.m. ET | Missouri | at | Indiana | Big Ten Network | |
8 p.m. ET | Kansas State | at | Texas | ABC/ESPN | |
8 p.m. ET | UTSA | at | UTEP | FOX College Sports | |
8:05 p.m. ET | Hawaii | at | Nevada | Oceanic PPV | |
9 p.m. ET | Western Illinois | at | UNLV | KWWN | |
10:15 p.m. ET | Wyoming | at | Air Force | ESPNU | |
10:15 p.m. ET | Utah | at | BYU | ESPN 2 | |
10:30 p.m. ET | New Mexico St | at | 13 UCLA | Pac-12 Network | |
10:30 p.m. ET | Idaho | at | Washington State | Pac-12 Network |
Big XII Predictions
Louisiana Tech @ Kansas - Saturday 9/21, 11:00 AM CDT - FS1
Line: KU -10.5
Kansas is looking for its first win against an FBS opponent since 2011 and there doesn't come a better match up than hosting Skip Holtz and Louisiana Tech. Tech isn't the same after head coach Sonny Dykes and offensive coordinator Tony Franklin left for Cal and this this is not nearly as likely to be as dangerous for Kansas as it would have been last year.
The lone bright spot for Kansas last year, the running game, is suffering from new offensive line starters and Jake Heaps hasn't been as advertised throwing the football. A few more games with lackluster performance and he's likely going to be Dayne Crist 2.0.
No matter in this one. Skip Holtz sucks worse.
Kansas 24, Louisiana Tech 13
Maryland @ West Virginia (Baltimore, MD) - Saturday 9/21, 2:30 PM CDT - ESPNU
Line: Maryland -5
Another test for West Virginia as Maryland ha been solid early this season under second year head coach Randy Edsall. Ford Childress remains at the helm for West Virginia and facing real FBS competition will show whether or not last week's offensive explosion against George State was a fluke.
Maryland's best competition so far this season has been against Connecticut and it will be interesting to see how their 10th overall offense matches up against a West Virginia defense that is even more athletic than last year and better coached. Whichever offense gets going early will take this one and so far I like what I've seen out of West Virginia's defense.
West Virginia 27, Maryland 21
UL-Monroe @ Baylor - Saturday 9/21, 3:00 PM CDT - FS1
Line: Baylor -29.5
Last year's game was a Friday night classic on ESPN and Kolton Browning and most of ULM's offense returns. But then enter Baylor who is averaging 70 points a game behind weapon after weapon and an experienced offensive line. You want another shootout here but it just isn't happening. Baylor looks better now than they did with RGIII in 2011.
Baylor 56, ULM 21
Texas State @ Texas Tech - Saturday 9/21, 6:00 PM CDT - FSN
Line: Texas Tech -27.5
Texas Tech just keeps doing it and it doesn't matter who the quarterback is. After starter Baker Mayfield went down with an injury in the 4th quarter against TCU Davis Webb came in and led the Tech offense on two scoring drives. At some point you think the offense will slow down, but it won't happen against a Texas State squad that ranks 107th in passing defense and that's after playing an awful Southern Mississippi squad.
Texas Tech 48, Texas State 14
Kansas State @ Texas - Saturday 9/21, 7:00 PM CDT - ABC
Line: Texas -5.5
Texas hasn't beaten Kansas State since 2003 and hasn't started 1-3 since 1956. Much has been written about the terrible defensive performance against the run and if this were the Kansas State teams led by Collin Klein I'd put this down as a three touchdown victory by Kansas State. However, Kansas State has struggled to run the ball with any consistency this year behind an experienced offensive line and a quality back like John Hubert. The currently rank a pedestrian 67th nationally in rushing and the only sustained success they've had on the ground has involved quarterback Daniel Sams.
These problems also effect the defense. Kansas State's monstrous time of possession the past two seasons has allowed a defense to stay fresh and attack opposing offenses, but with the struggles on the ground this season the defense has been on the field more. That won't bode well with the return of David Ash to Texas' offense and the likely attempts to run the ball even more to keep their own defense off the field.
The quickest way to tell if Kansas State is serious about winning this game will be the involvement of Sams early. If Bill Snyder commits to Sams' ability to make plays with his legs then Kansas State runs away with this game. If not, Texas rebounds, and I think that's exactly what happens here.
Texas 34, Kansas State 28
Bonus Beer Pick of the Week
Just because Iowa State is off this weekend doesn't mean there isn't beer to be drank. My choice for the nice beginning to fall is the Staghorn Octoberfest from Wisconsin based New Glarus Brewing Company. It's hard to go wrong with anything from New Glarus and this beer is no exception.