Since today is really Tuesday 
and I'm already behind schedule for the week, I think I'd better go ahead and get this preview thread up for this week...
Thu 7:30 (ESPN) #5 Clemson [3-0] at Georgia Tech [3-0/1-0]
This game has already been previewed in another thread. Clemson opens laying 9.5 on Grant Field.
12:00 (ABC) #13 Florida State [2-1/0-1] at South Florida [3-0]
The Noles play their 3rd game in the first 4 weeks away from home before back home to Tallahassee for 3 of the next 4. These are 2 teams with very different results on the road this past weekend as USF blew out Syracuse while FSU suffered one of their worst losses in a very long time. Series is FSU 2-1…USF won the first meeting ever back in ’09 but FSU has won the last 2 meetings by double digits in ’12 and ’15. The Noles are “only” laying 6 pts.
12:30 (ACC Network) East Carolina [2-1] at Virginia Tech [2-1/1-0]
Va Tech is coming off an absolute humiliation of Boston College in Blacksburg while ECU lost for the first time this season at South Carolina. These 2 teams first met in 1956 which was a Hokies blowout win. They started the series back up as long-standing independents at the time in 1987 and have met 19 times since. VPI&SU leads the series 13-7. However, the Pirates have won the past 2 seasons, breaking a 4-game winning streak by the Hokies. This should be a very good game to watch as these two normally get after it pretty well against one another. The Hokies open as 11 pt favorites.
12:30 (RSN) Central Michigan [3-0] at Virginia [0-3]
While Central Michigan’s win in Week 2 at ranked Oklahoma State was marred in controversy, what has been forgotten is win controversially or lose, they went out and put themselves in position to win. This will be perhaps one of the few legit chances for a win this season in Charlottesville. Virginia blew a lead at UConn this past week while CMU blew out UNLV to stay undefeated on the season. CMU will puts points on the board. The question is whether UVA can keep up. UVA has won the only meeting between the 2 programs back in 1996 in blowout fashion. That likely won’t happen again this year. Central Michigan will be laying 4 pts at Scott Sisson Stadium to start the betting week. I admit I am starting to feel a little bit sorry for the Wahoos. Wait. Hmmm. Naaaaaaaah.
1:00 (CBS Sports Network) Syracuse [1-2/0-1] at Connecticut [2-1]
UConn hosts its 2nd straight ACC foe and 2nd straight ACC foe that appears will fight it out for the label of the ACC’s worst. This will be the Orange’s first road game of the season. UCONN leads the all-time series 6-3. I was a bit surprised these 2 programs had only faced one another 9 times. They met every year between ’04 and ’12 when UCONN raised up to D1A level into the Big East. Cuse did blow out UCONN, 40-10, in their last meeting in ’12. The Huskies will be laying 6 pts at home.
1:00 (ACC Network Extra) Wagner [2-0] at Boston College [1-2/0-1]
If you are following this scrimmage, please seek help. Wagner is D1AA.
3:30 (ESPN-2 or ESPN-U) Pittsburgh [2-1] at Cheaters [2-1]
This could be *THE* game which decides the ACC Coastal. Though, that may be said a lot over the remainder of the season. It is the ACC opener for each team. Pitt is coming off a tough loss at Okie State where they were tied and holding momentum until a lengthy weather delay changed the finishing course of the game. The Cheaters are coming off their first home game that saw them down 21-14 to D1AA James Madison as the Dukes torched Gene Chizik’s defense with 3 TD’s on their first 3 drives. These 2 have met 10 times and the Cheaters own a 7-3 advantage. The Cheaters are 3-0 over Pitt since Pitt joined the ACC. The Cheaters will start the week as a 7 pt favorite.
3:30 (NBC) Duke [1-2/0-1] at Notre Dame [1-2]
The Blue Devils travel to the Great Lakes area for the 2nd week in a row coming off a road loss at Northwestern (and a 2-game losing streak). The Irish made a nice comeback after getting way behind Sparty at home Saturday night, but it wasn’t enough. It does my heart good to see the Irish pretty much out of the playoff race by September 19. ND leads this series with Duke, 3-1. Duke did get a win by a large margin, 37-13, back in 1961. Last time they met was 2007 when the Irish won 28-7. Notre Dame opens as 21.5 pt favorites.
3:30 (Big Ten Network) Wake Forest [3-0/1-0] at Indiana [2-0]
Wake is coming off a home win over Delaware. Indiana was off Week 3 and is 2-0. A battle of unbeatens? Who would have thought that? Indiana won the only meeting in the series a season ago in Winston, 31-24. The Hoosiers open as a 7 pt favorite at home.
8:00 (CBS Sports Network) #3 Louisville [3-0/1-0] at Marshall [1-1]
The Cards are of course coming off the huge win over the Noles. Marshall is coming off a home loss to Akron to the tune of 65-38. Ouch! While UofL may letdown some this week, they still should have no problem with the Herd. 65 points allowed at home? WOW! Check this out though…these 2 programs, which are only a 3 hour drive apart, have met 28 times with UofL holding a 16-12 lead. Marshall has won the last 4 in a row including a 17-13 victory in their last meeting in 2011. The Cardinals open laying 24 pts.
NC State and Miami (resting for their trip to Grant Field) are off this week.
And a few others…
12:00 (ESPN) #12 Cesspool [3-0/1-0] at Ole Miss [1-2/0-1]
The Cesspool is coming off a late win at Mizzou while Ole Miss is coming off an emotional loss at home against #1 Bama. Ole Miss has had tough schedule so far. Can the Rebs get up for yet another top team? Their 3rd in the first 4 weeks. Prior to expansion, the Cesspool played Ole Miss every season. They’ve met 45 times and the Cesspool leads the series, 32-12-1. Of course, Ole Miss was terrible for quite a long time at the basement of the SEC along with Vandy & Miss State what seemed like every year for decades. The Cesspool has won 10 in a row over the Rebs between ’97 and ’12. The last Ole Miss win came in ’96 (20 years ago!). The Rebs open as 7.5 pt favorites.
3:30 (CBS) #19 Florida [3-0/1-0] at #14 Tennessee [3-0/0-0]
This is the hump game for the Vols program. Can UT finally get over the hump after so many close losses in recent years against their nemesis? In this key SEC-East battle, the Vols hope to break an 11-game losing streak to the Gators. That losing streak has allowed UF to take a 26-19 lead in the 45-game series. Florida is coming off a home win over North Texas while the Vols once again played to the level of their competition (a bad habit under Butch Jones) and is coming off a tough home win over Ohio – a game that was in doubt with 5 minutes left. The Vols are laying 7.5 pts to open the week.
8:00 (ABC) #7 Stanford [2-0/1-0] at UCLA [2-1]
How about some prime time west coast foosball? Stanford has a Heisman candidate. The Cardinal are coming off a big home win over Southern Cal, 27-10, after taking Week 2 off. UCLA lost its opener in overtime at Texas A&M before defeating UNLV and then their defense took over in their Week 3 win at BYU, 17-14. These 2 programs have met a whopping 87 times with the Bruins holding a 45-39-3 lead. The Cardinal though has won the last 8 meetings. The win which started the streak back in ’09 broke a 5-game winning streak by UCLA. Stanford will be laying 2.5 pts at the Rose Bowl.
and I'm already behind schedule for the week, I think I'd better go ahead and get this preview thread up for this week...Thu 7:30 (ESPN) #5 Clemson [3-0] at Georgia Tech [3-0/1-0]
This game has already been previewed in another thread. Clemson opens laying 9.5 on Grant Field.
12:00 (ABC) #13 Florida State [2-1/0-1] at South Florida [3-0]
The Noles play their 3rd game in the first 4 weeks away from home before back home to Tallahassee for 3 of the next 4. These are 2 teams with very different results on the road this past weekend as USF blew out Syracuse while FSU suffered one of their worst losses in a very long time. Series is FSU 2-1…USF won the first meeting ever back in ’09 but FSU has won the last 2 meetings by double digits in ’12 and ’15. The Noles are “only” laying 6 pts.
12:30 (ACC Network) East Carolina [2-1] at Virginia Tech [2-1/1-0]
Va Tech is coming off an absolute humiliation of Boston College in Blacksburg while ECU lost for the first time this season at South Carolina. These 2 teams first met in 1956 which was a Hokies blowout win. They started the series back up as long-standing independents at the time in 1987 and have met 19 times since. VPI&SU leads the series 13-7. However, the Pirates have won the past 2 seasons, breaking a 4-game winning streak by the Hokies. This should be a very good game to watch as these two normally get after it pretty well against one another. The Hokies open as 11 pt favorites.
12:30 (RSN) Central Michigan [3-0] at Virginia [0-3]
While Central Michigan’s win in Week 2 at ranked Oklahoma State was marred in controversy, what has been forgotten is win controversially or lose, they went out and put themselves in position to win. This will be perhaps one of the few legit chances for a win this season in Charlottesville. Virginia blew a lead at UConn this past week while CMU blew out UNLV to stay undefeated on the season. CMU will puts points on the board. The question is whether UVA can keep up. UVA has won the only meeting between the 2 programs back in 1996 in blowout fashion. That likely won’t happen again this year. Central Michigan will be laying 4 pts at Scott Sisson Stadium to start the betting week. I admit I am starting to feel a little bit sorry for the Wahoos. Wait. Hmmm. Naaaaaaaah.
1:00 (CBS Sports Network) Syracuse [1-2/0-1] at Connecticut [2-1]
UConn hosts its 2nd straight ACC foe and 2nd straight ACC foe that appears will fight it out for the label of the ACC’s worst. This will be the Orange’s first road game of the season. UCONN leads the all-time series 6-3. I was a bit surprised these 2 programs had only faced one another 9 times. They met every year between ’04 and ’12 when UCONN raised up to D1A level into the Big East. Cuse did blow out UCONN, 40-10, in their last meeting in ’12. The Huskies will be laying 6 pts at home.
1:00 (ACC Network Extra) Wagner [2-0] at Boston College [1-2/0-1]
If you are following this scrimmage, please seek help. Wagner is D1AA.
3:30 (ESPN-2 or ESPN-U) Pittsburgh [2-1] at Cheaters [2-1]
This could be *THE* game which decides the ACC Coastal. Though, that may be said a lot over the remainder of the season. It is the ACC opener for each team. Pitt is coming off a tough loss at Okie State where they were tied and holding momentum until a lengthy weather delay changed the finishing course of the game. The Cheaters are coming off their first home game that saw them down 21-14 to D1AA James Madison as the Dukes torched Gene Chizik’s defense with 3 TD’s on their first 3 drives. These 2 have met 10 times and the Cheaters own a 7-3 advantage. The Cheaters are 3-0 over Pitt since Pitt joined the ACC. The Cheaters will start the week as a 7 pt favorite.
3:30 (NBC) Duke [1-2/0-1] at Notre Dame [1-2]
The Blue Devils travel to the Great Lakes area for the 2nd week in a row coming off a road loss at Northwestern (and a 2-game losing streak). The Irish made a nice comeback after getting way behind Sparty at home Saturday night, but it wasn’t enough. It does my heart good to see the Irish pretty much out of the playoff race by September 19. ND leads this series with Duke, 3-1. Duke did get a win by a large margin, 37-13, back in 1961. Last time they met was 2007 when the Irish won 28-7. Notre Dame opens as 21.5 pt favorites.
3:30 (Big Ten Network) Wake Forest [3-0/1-0] at Indiana [2-0]
Wake is coming off a home win over Delaware. Indiana was off Week 3 and is 2-0. A battle of unbeatens? Who would have thought that? Indiana won the only meeting in the series a season ago in Winston, 31-24. The Hoosiers open as a 7 pt favorite at home.
8:00 (CBS Sports Network) #3 Louisville [3-0/1-0] at Marshall [1-1]
The Cards are of course coming off the huge win over the Noles. Marshall is coming off a home loss to Akron to the tune of 65-38. Ouch! While UofL may letdown some this week, they still should have no problem with the Herd. 65 points allowed at home? WOW! Check this out though…these 2 programs, which are only a 3 hour drive apart, have met 28 times with UofL holding a 16-12 lead. Marshall has won the last 4 in a row including a 17-13 victory in their last meeting in 2011. The Cardinals open laying 24 pts.
NC State and Miami (resting for their trip to Grant Field) are off this week.
And a few others…
12:00 (ESPN) #12 Cesspool [3-0/1-0] at Ole Miss [1-2/0-1]
The Cesspool is coming off a late win at Mizzou while Ole Miss is coming off an emotional loss at home against #1 Bama. Ole Miss has had tough schedule so far. Can the Rebs get up for yet another top team? Their 3rd in the first 4 weeks. Prior to expansion, the Cesspool played Ole Miss every season. They’ve met 45 times and the Cesspool leads the series, 32-12-1. Of course, Ole Miss was terrible for quite a long time at the basement of the SEC along with Vandy & Miss State what seemed like every year for decades. The Cesspool has won 10 in a row over the Rebs between ’97 and ’12. The last Ole Miss win came in ’96 (20 years ago!). The Rebs open as 7.5 pt favorites.
3:30 (CBS) #19 Florida [3-0/1-0] at #14 Tennessee [3-0/0-0]
This is the hump game for the Vols program. Can UT finally get over the hump after so many close losses in recent years against their nemesis? In this key SEC-East battle, the Vols hope to break an 11-game losing streak to the Gators. That losing streak has allowed UF to take a 26-19 lead in the 45-game series. Florida is coming off a home win over North Texas while the Vols once again played to the level of their competition (a bad habit under Butch Jones) and is coming off a tough home win over Ohio – a game that was in doubt with 5 minutes left. The Vols are laying 7.5 pts to open the week.
8:00 (ABC) #7 Stanford [2-0/1-0] at UCLA [2-1]
How about some prime time west coast foosball? Stanford has a Heisman candidate. The Cardinal are coming off a big home win over Southern Cal, 27-10, after taking Week 2 off. UCLA lost its opener in overtime at Texas A&M before defeating UNLV and then their defense took over in their Week 3 win at BYU, 17-14. These 2 programs have met a whopping 87 times with the Bruins holding a 45-39-3 lead. The Cardinal though has won the last 8 meetings. The win which started the streak back in ’09 broke a 5-game winning streak by UCLA. Stanford will be laying 2.5 pts at the Rose Bowl.
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