College football picks: Michigan State outlasts Purdue, Tennessee wins and USC falls

Each week, the Times’ national college sports reporter J. Brady McCollough will pick the week’s eight best games — that have a combination of big-brand intrigue and a spread within a touchdown — plus the USC and UCLA games. Through nine weeks, McCollough is 46-44.

Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne looks to pass during a win over Michigan State on Oct. 30.

(Al Goldis / Associated Press)

This has emotional letdown game written all over it for the Spartans, who came back from a 16-point deficit to knock off rival Michigan last Saturday and fully inserted themselves into the playoff race. They might know that Purdue under Jeff Brohm has been an assassin of top-five opponents — then-No. 2 Iowa the most recent victim — but there’s no denying that this trip to West Lafayette should be fraught with difficulty for Michigan State. Still, there just seems to be something special about these Spartans, who will be led once again by Heisman Trophy candidate Kenneth Walker III. Michigan State 31, Purdue 26

Wake Forest wide receiver Ke’Shawn Williams celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Duke on Oct. 30.

(Matt Kelley / Associated Press)

What does Wake Forest have to do to get respect? The Demon Deacons, 8-0 and ranked in the top 10 of the College Football Playoff rankings, are nearly a field-goal underdog against North Carolina, 4-4 and one of the country’s grand disappointments. Maybe a convincing win in Chapel Hill would do it? Too bad Wake Forest’s defense will have trouble getting off the field against Sam Howell and the Tar Heels. The Demon Deacons will have to settle for survival. Wake Forest 48, North Carolina 44

Sports

College football: Best games to watch in Week 10

Here’s a look at college football games worth watching, including No. 3 Michigan State at Purdue and No. 13 Auburn at No. 14 Texas A&M.

Nov. 4, 2021

Baylor running back Abram Smith carries the ball during a win over Texas on Oct. 30.

(Sam Hodde / Associated Press)

This week, after two decades at the helm of Texas Christian, Gary Patterson and the school parted ways as the Horned Frogs struggled at 3-5. Will TCU’s players rally together to prove something about the program Patterson built? They might, but they’re running into an opponent in Baylor that has a Big 12 championship on its mind and a budding young coach in Dave Aranda making the right moves each week. Baylor 35, TCU 24

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy takes the field with his players before a game against Kansas on Oct. 30.

(Brody Schmidt / Associated Press)

Like Baylor, Oklahoma State has everything in front of it in regard to the Big 12 championship and a potential playoff spot. But the Cowboys have to visit Morgantown, where West Virginia just beat Iowa State and knocked the Cyclones out of the Big 12 race. Defense travels, though, and Oklahoma State has a unit that is tough enough to escape those country roads. Oklahoma State 24, West Virginia 20

Sports

Commentary: Cincinnati is the biggest loser and USC is a surprise winner in CFP rankings

The initial college football rankings are sure to upset a lot of teams, most notably Luke Fickell’s Bearcats at Cincinnati. But that could benefit the Trojans.

Nov. 2, 2021

Auburn quarterback Bo Nix throws a pass against Mississippi on Oct. 30.

(Butch Dill / Associated Press)

The SEC West division is not fully within Alabama’s grasp just yet. Auburn and Alabama each have one conference loss and will meet in the Iron Bowl at season’s end. Texas A&M has two SEC losses but has that big win over Alabama to help with a potential tiebreaker. The Aggies need to win out and have Auburn and Alabama lose two games, and their easiest path is to knock off the Tigers and hope Auburn wins the Iron Bowl. Texas A&M will take the first step Saturday. Texas A&M 28, Auburn 24

Mississippi State running back Dillon Johnson scores a touchdown against Kentucky on Oct. 30.

(Rogelio V. Solis / Associated Press)

Mississippi State was the highest-ranked three-loss team in the first CFP rankings because of its wins over North Carolina State, Texas A&M and Kentucky. The Bulldogs showed they could win on the road in College Station, but can they do it again against a capable Arkansas team that is hungry to lock up a bowl trip? That’s asking a lot for Mike Leach’s team. Arkansas 30, Mississippi State 27

USC Sports

USC vs. Arizona State matchups: Will Trojans’ running game overshadow QB carousel?

It remains to be seen how playing time might be split between Kedon Slovis and Jaxson Dart, but USC’s chance for success likely rests in the run game.

Nov. 5, 2021

Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker throws against Mississippi on Oct. 16.

(Wade Payne / Associated Press)

Josh Heupel’s first season at Tennessee has been up and down, but the Volunteers have real upside with Hendon Hooker at quarterback. Kentucky’s dream season has taken back-to-back hits against Georgia and Mississippi State, but the Wildcats can conceivably go 10-2 if they get back on track against their old rivals. Tennessee has what it takes to get its first validating victory of the Heupel era. Tennessee 28, Kentucky 23

Washington coach Jimmy Lake shouts during a game against California on Sept. 25.

(Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)

As if Washington coach Jimmy Lake hasn’t gotten himself into enough trouble this season, losing to Montana and Oregon State on the way to a 4-4 start, he kicked off Oregon week by stating that the Ducks weren’t the Huskies’ rivals in recruiting because their academics didn’t stack up. Lake said that prestigious private universities Stanford, USC and Notre Dame were more like Washington’s rivals on the recruiting trail. Oregon, trying to stay in the race for a playoff spot, was already going to attempt to destroy its rival. Now imagine how those comments went over in Eugene. Oregon 38, Washington 16

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian watches his players warm up before a game against Baylor on Oct. 30.

(Sam Hodde / Associated Press)

Each week, we keep waiting for Steve Sarkisian’s first Texas team to live up to his motto of “all gas, no brakes.” But during a three-game losing streak that has dropped the Longhorns to 4-4, the better phrase would be “all gas, no breaks.” Is Texas snakebit or just not that good? We’ll get another chance to find out about Texas against an Iowa State team that always relishes messing with the Longhorns. Iowa State 35, Texas 31

Arizona State quarterback Jayden Daniels looks to pass against Washington State on Oct. 30.

(Darryl Webb / Associated Press)

For the Trojans to get to six wins and bowl eligibility under interim head coach Donte Williams, they’re going to have to win at least one game as a clear underdog. And the task will be even tougher without injured wide receiver Drake London, who was on his way to winning the Biletnikoff Award. Arizona State’s offense should present a lot of challenges for USC’s injury-ravaged defense, and the Trojans’ offense will not enjoy its first experience of life without Drake. Arizona State 42, USC 24