If there wasn't a rivalry between these two powerful programs, the game's name, Two Teams Going Different Directions, would be perfect. Since the Big 8 era, these two teams have been competitors but their programs have been going in different directions since. Nebraska scheduled a home and home for 2021–2022, after leaving the conference in 2011. Despite being a 22-point favorite at home, Oklahoma very narrowly prevailed in 2021 by a score of 23 to 16. On the heels of their 2021 season as the greatest 3-9 team in history, Nebraska entered the 2022 season with all the publicity possible.

They were ultra-competitive in 2021 and lost 8 of their 9 games by one score or fewer, last week they canned Scott Frost after a sluggish start so it will be interesting how this Nebraska team responds. They are only an 11.5-point underdog in the rematch from last year despite all the excitement in Lincoln. The fact that they are playing at home and the fact that the Sooners lost offensive genius head coach Lincoln Riley to USC during the offseason are likely contributing factors in some of this. Going into this game against Oklahoma, the Huskers are 0-3 against the spread for the season, and I anticipate that trend to continue.

When the name, image, and likeness rule was adopted by the NCAA on June 30, 2021, college athletics underwent a permanent transformation. This makes it possible for student-athletes to earn justly deserved money from sponsorship and endorsement arrangements at the collegiate level. The University of Miami and Texas A&M are two institutions that have adopted this and implemented it more than any other programs so far. The concept of paying players is not new to Miami; in fact, there have been rumors and legal claims of their doing so since the 1980s.

It's also rumored that Texas A&M's top recruiting class for the 2022 graduating class cost the school's boosters $30 million. Miami has an average overall ranking of 18, and A&M has had to recruit classes that have placed in the top 10 in the last three years. The results for A&M have yet to be seen on the field, despite having such highly ranked classes. Jimbo Fisher and the previous A&M coach Kevin Sumlin both have comparable win-loss records. Last week, Texas A&M hosted App State as an 18.5-point favorite. A&M lost by a field goal, a heartbreaking loss for the Aggies. By dominating the line of scrimmage and stopping A&M's weak offense, the Mountaineers doubled A&M's time of procession. Miami, on the other hand, stumbled in the opening half against a Southern Miss club whose defense is not among the top 75 in the nation. They ultimately prevailed 30-7. Texas A&M has struggled offensively this season, but Miami is 1-0 against the spread. A&M's weak offensive performance and the over under this week of 54.5 points make me anticipate a low-scoring contest coming Saturday.

Not only did Trojan's new head coach Lincoln Riley bring an offense, but he also brought the players. Jordan Addison, the Biletnikoff award winner, and former 5-star Caleb Williams, who was with him at Oklahoma, both transferred to the Trojans. USC will play a difficult Fresno State team led by senior Jake Haener, who ranks among the top G5 quarterbacks in my opinion.

You might say it's Haener's game of vengeance because he's always wanted to be a Trojan, but the chances aren't in their favor. Over the offseason, Fresno State lost Kalen DeBoer, its talented and seasoned head coach, to Washington. However, with Jeff Tedford taking over as head coach, the cupboard isn't as empty as you may imagine. In the past, Tedford has led both California and Fresno State to big wins.

USC has gone 2-0 against the spread this season, and they are doing it in fine fashion after hitting both of their previous games' totals. They exceeded the 61-point mark in just their first game alone. On the other hand, Fresno State is 0-2 this year against the spread and 1-1 in overs. The question is whether you believe Fresno State can score as many points as the Trojans considering the game has an over/under of 74 points. I believe the game to be closer than people might anticipate given that the Trojans are a 12-point underdog, thus I'd recommend taking the Under and the Trojans.

This Saturday, one of the weekend's major matchups takes place at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Due to the rankings, the game might not be particularly significant, but it pits two programs from top conferences against one another. This marks the conclusion of a home-and-home series that Penn State won 28-20 in Happy Valley last season.

Since hiring Brian Harsin, Auburn has been in a state of flux; quarterback Bo Nix, who left for Oregon in the spring, is no longer on the team. If you ask Auburn supporters, as Bo Nix was also known as Throw Picks, this may be a good thing. In its last 15 games, Auburn is 6-9 against the spread, which isn't much worse than Penn State's 9-6 record. Over the past two years, these programs have virtually exactly paralleled one another. That reason alone means the quarterback makes the biggest difference; Penn State starts Sean Clifford, a senior, while Auburn starts T.J. Finley, a 6'7" monster that has had a down year so far. Finley may come to mind as the quarterback who came dangerously close to upsetting Alabama in the 2021 Iron Bowl. As the home underdog and with the public betting on PSU -3, I think Auburn will pull off a surprise.

Georgia's defense, which might be among the finest in college football history, lost 7 starters from the previous season. Given how many players they had to replace this fall, many people were anticipating them to regress, yet they have only given up 3 points in their first two games. Although playing Oregon in week one, a club that defeated Eastern Washington by a score of 70 points the week before, is still amazing, it may not be as impressive when you consider that they played Samford the week before. Their offensive, which is currently ranked 10th in the nation, is the one aspect about them that stands out.

The Gamecocks hope to buck the pattern of Georgia's victories of 28 points or more in each of the previous two games. After being switched by Caleb Williams last year, former prodigy freshman Spencer Rattler, a recent transfer from Oklahoma, begins for South Carolina. Georgia is 1-0 when betting on the under and 1-1 against the spread so far this season. Since 2021, they have gone undefeated against the spread as the visiting team, while South Carolina is 4-3. Rattler has, though, displayed glimmers for South Carolina this season. The 24.5-point spread is the only aspect of this game that worries me; will they be able to continue their offensive onslaught after scoring only 33 points against Samford? South Carolina doesn't have an offense or defense that ranks in the top 50, so I'd still take a bet on Georgia.