There was a time when New York City was the epicenter of college football. The Bronx was host to the best rivalry in the land, the borough where national championships were decided.
Now, Notre Dame and Army return to Yankee Stadium for just the second time in 55 years, with more at stake than any matchup since their scoreless tie in the 1946 “Game of the Century.”
No. 6 Notre Dame (9-1) will not make the College Football Playoff with another loss. No. 19 Army (9-0) has had the good fortune of having its best season since 1958 in the first year of the 12-team playoff, giving the Black Knights a once-unfathomable opportunity to earn a berth if they run the table.
It has the makings of a meeting that can’t match the build. While Army has played the second-easiest schedule in the nation this season, the Irish arrive with eight straight wins, decided by an average of more than 32 points, including a 51-14 embarrassment of previously unbeaten Navy.
But Army is not Navy. Any service member will tell you that.
Navy’s triple-option offense worked against Notre Dame, amassing 222 rushing yards and 5.3 yards per carry. Army’s is even better, with the nation’s best ground game averaging 330 yards per game, behind senior quarterback Bryson Daily. The Midshipmen’s problems were caused by six turnovers. Army is the least-turnover prone team in the nation, average 0.4 per game
The Irish offense has been among the nation’s best, but they have also feasted upon seven defenses ranked outside the top 75. Army, which ranks fourth in the nation in total defense and just held North Texas to 38 points below its season average, represents the toughest defense Notre Dame has faced since Week 2, when the Irish were held to 14 points in a stunning loss to Northern Illinois.
Notre Dame will likely prevail. The disparities in size and talent are too much to overcome. But Army (+14.5) will not go down without a fight.
Indiana (+13.5) over OHIO STATE
It is also easy to poke holes in the Hoosiers’ unbeaten season. Indiana has not played one ranked team and owns the 106th-ranked schedule in the nation, but the Hoosiers take no plays off, trailing for less than 15 minutes of the entire season, while boasting the nation’s second-highest scoring offense, under first-year coach Curt Cignetti. The Buckeyes are averaging just over 28 points per game since standout left tackle Josh Simmons was lost for the season and may now be without starting center Seth McLaughlin.
Illinois (-1) over RUTGERS
With a win, the Scarlet Knights have a chance to finish with a winning record in the Big Ten for the first time. It will also require them winning three straight Big Ten games for the first time since joining the league in 2014.
Wake Forest (+23.5) over MIAMI
The Hurricanes’ problems predate their loss to Georgia Tech. Four of Miami’s past six games have been decided by one possession — excluding a win over Duke, when it trailed by double-digits — because of a defense that’s held only one offense (Florida State’s 133rd-ranked unit) under 28 points in the past two months.
FLORIDA (+10) over Ole Miss
The Gators have found hope since committing to DJ Lagway, who most recently led an upset of LSU. The talented freshman quarterback may be the SEC’s best one day.
Smu (-9.5) over VIRGINIA
The Mustangs will finish their first season in the ACC playing two of the league’s original members and two teams from California. I’d like a refund on the time I spent mourning Maryland’s departure from the ACC.
UMass (+42.5) over GEORGIA
The last time the Bulldogs looked like a national title contender — following their win at Texas — they were nearly upset by Florida, then sacked by Ole Miss. Despite how impressive Georgia appeared in its win over Tennessee, don’t expect similar focus from a team that is 2-7 against the spread as a favorite and has scored 42 points once this season.
TENNESSEE (-41.5) over Utep
With the Vols in danger of being the odd team out in a pile-up of two-loss SEC teams, Josh Heupel has no choice but to keep the pedal on the floor for 60 minutes. It won’t be out of character for the coach who ordered an onside kick with a 30-0 lead against Kent State, and who led the Vols to a pair of wins against non-power conference teams by a combined score of 140-3.
Kentucky (+20.5) over TEXAS
The No. 3 Longhorns have the ranking of a juggernaut but have done nothing to earn the reputation. With a play-in game to the SEC Championship looming next week at Texas A&M, Texas could find an unexpected fight against the Wildcats, who beat Ole Miss, and nearly upset both Georgia and Tennessee.
Penn State (-11.5) over MINNESOTA
While Ohio State plays its third top-five matchup of the season, the Nittany Lions continue their walk on easy street, only needing another pair of wins as a double-digit favorite (Minnesota, Maryland) to clinch a playoff berth. James Franklin is at his best when the opponents aren’t.
Byu (+3) over ARIZONA STATE
Both teams are in position to take the Big 12 title and the playoff spot that comes with it. The Cougars are coming off their first loss, courtesy of a muffed punt and four red-zone trips without a touchdown. BYU’s defense — the best Arizona State has faced this season — won’t be stranded again.
KANSAS (+2.5) over Colorado
Props to Deion Sanders, Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, but the schedule-makers deserve the bulk of the credit for Colorado being in playoff position, playing the easiest slate in the Big 12. The Jayhawks have collected more impressive wins in the past two weeks (Iowa State, BYU) than Colorado has earned all season. and they haven’t suffered a loss by more than four points since September.
Boise State (-22.5) over WYOMING
Home field won’t help the Cowboys, who are 1-4 in Laramie and have lost two games against ranked teams by an average of more than 30 points. Ashton Jeanty will make the Heisman race competitive again, facing the nation’s 119th-ranked run defense.
Betting on College Football?
AUBURN (+2.5) over Texas A&M
The Tigers have a top-15 defense. The Aggies’ freshman quarterback, Marcel Reed, has played one road game in the past two months, resulting in a 24-point loss at South Carolina. Texas A&M, 3-7 against the spread as a favorite, could be caught looking ahead to the renewal of its rivalry with Texas, with a potential SEC title game berth at stake. The trap is set, under the lights at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Alabama (-13.5) over OKLAHOMA
Jalen Milroe may finish the season as a Heisman finalist, but the improvement of the Crimson Tide’s defense makes them title contenders. Alabama, which is allowing an average of 11 points over its past four games, ranks fourth in the nation in takeaways (2.3 per game), heading into a matchup with the most turnover-prone team in the SEC.
Best bets: Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama
Season: 92-87-1 (13-22-1)
2014-23 record: 1,272-1,206-30
