Breaking down the biggest games of this weekend’s college football slate

The 2020 college football season is officially in full swing, and we’re starting to get a clearer sense of where the conferences currently playing stand. Unfortunately we had a number of big postponements this week, particularly in the SEC, limiting the amount of truly marquee matchups on the card.

That being said there are still some great games, and having the PAC 12 back in action certainly helps. Without further ado let’s dive into a few of the biggest contests this weekend.

#9 Miami Hurricanes at Virginia Tech Hokies – 12 p.m ET (ESPN)

This one should be very interesting. The Hurricanes are ranked as a top-ten team, but they certainly aren’t getting respected like one. In fact, oddsmakers actually have them as a slight underdog here. That’s some great bulletin board material for Miami, as just about everybody seems to think they’re overrated. That’s understandable since they haven’t beaten any great teams, but at the same time their only loss was to Clemson.

Virginia Tech is coming off a devastating last-second loss to Liberty, and I can’t wait to see how they respond to that heartbreaker. D’eriq King has been putting up huge numbers, and he’ll have a big chip on his shoulder here as an underdog. Hendon Hooker has also been dynamic since taking over as the Hokies’ quarterback, and it should be a ton of fun to see two dual-threat quarterbacks who can make electric plays with their legs go at it here. Our expert thinks Miami takes this one.

#20 USC Trojans at Arizona Wildcats – 3:30 p.m ET (FOX)

We’ll learn a lot more about USC, and in turn the entire PAC 12 in this one. The Trojans were moments away from being upset by Arizona State in their first game, but a recovered onside kick and heroics from Kedon Slovis saved them in the end. If they can build on that momentum and come out and dominate here, then I think they’ve got a good shot to edge out Oregon for best team in the conference. If they sleepwalk again, then it’ll tell us everything we need to know about Clay Helton’s squad.

Helton’s teams have been perennial underachievers, and they desperately need to make a statement here after last week’s close call. Arizona had their first game against Utah scrapped because of COVID-19, so this will be their 2020 debut. I’m excited to see what they look like in the post-Khalil Tate era, and Grant Gunnell played really well as a freshman down the stretch last year. That being said, we’re rolling with the Trojans here.

#13 Wisconsin Badgers at Michigan Wolverines – 7:30 p.m ET (ABC)

Arguably the biggest game of the weekend will take place in primetime in the Big Ten. Wisconsin’s offense looked better than it has in years in their first game, and then their season got derailed by COVID. They’re now back after two postponements, and fortunately it looks like they’ll have quarterback Graham Mertz back for this one. Mertz was being hailed as the savior of the program after Week 1, and he’s now got high expectations to meet.

The Wolverines on the other hand are nearing rock bottom, as they just got pummeled by Indiana the week after getting shockingly upset by rival Michigan State. It’s looking like yet another lost year for Jim Harbaugh’s team, and this could really be their last stand. If they lose this one, the pressure on Harbaugh will intensify even more, and the two sides could be headed for divorce. A win here would silence a lot of critics, but we don’t think they’re going to get it.

Want the best college football picks all season long? Check out our ‘NCAAF picks‘ tab for breakdowns and picks on every big game of the 2020 season. 

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