Games like the Red River Showdown are built for Heisman Trophy candidates, and Texas running back Bijan Robinson can show why he’s the best player in the nation.
Always a receiving threat out of the backfield, the flourishing sophomore rushed for 216 yards and a pair of touchdowns last week, and Robinson is poised to run wild on Oklahoma’s reeling defense.
Oklahoma has played to the level of its opponents all season, and the dam nearly broke against Kansas State last week. One of the more penalized teams in the nation, the sloppy Sooners had eight more penalties accepted. Defensive backs are entering the transfer portal, and defensive coordinator Alex Grinch is under fire.
Texas has its own defensive woes, but the offense is rolling behind new head coach Steve Sarkisian.
Unlike Oklahoma, the Longhorns play with urgency, and I like Texas to win against the underachieving Sooners.
NCAAF pick: Texas +3.5
Penn State vs. Iowa
Both teams are stout defensively, and Penn State takes care of the football. The Nittany Lions rank 12th in the nation, with a +6 turnover margin, and unlike Iowa’s first five opponents, Penn State won’t give the game away via turnovers.
Iowa ranks last among Big Ten teams in total offense. It’s remarkable what the Hawkeyes have been able to accomplish via defense and turnovers (16 takeaways), but their offensive deficiencies will finally catch up to them against battle-tested Penn State, which gained valuable confidence in early season wins over Wisconsin and Auburn.
NCAAF pick: Penn State +2
Wake Forest vs. Syracuse
Sam Hartman leads one of the nation’s highest-scoring offenses, and Wake Forest will take advantage of a favorable matchup against one-dimensional Syracuse.
Undefeated Wake Forest still has serious ACC title aspirations, and pass defense is its Achilles' heel. The Demon Deacons will catch a break against run-oriented Syracuse, which has a terrible passing game, and the final score won’t be close.
NCAAF pick: Wake Forest -6
