College Football: 25 Bold Predictions for Top 25 in Week 5
Bold prediction: Bulldogs set Butch Jones’ hot set ablaze. Tennessee is not expected to challenge the Bulldogs on Saturday. But that doesn’t mean the Vols’ fandom has come to grips with that reality. Georgia is on a collision course with Florida for the top spot in the SEC East. Tennessee will finish somewhere in the middle of the pack. Now, however, after a crushing loss against the Gators and a disappointing win over UMass it’s already starting to get uncomfortable for Jones. One more loss will put him in danger of a pink slip, and soon.
Bold prediction: Jake Browning bounces back. Last week against Colorado Jake Browning had one touchdown pass and one interception. That’s far from the norm that Washington fans have come to expect. Even without the help of receiver Chico McClatcher, who is out for the season with a broken ankle, Browning is going to bounce back. He’s too good for back to back poor performances. Sans McClatcher, the Huskies will be just fine.
Bold prediction: Sam Darnold has a Heisman moment. The recipe for a Heisman trophy takes a few key ingredients. One of those pieces is a moment that defines a game and perhaps a season for that player and their team. Trailing Washington State, Darnold is going to be put in a position where he has to win the game on his arm. If he does, all his early season struggles will be forgotten. If he doesn’t the Trojans will have their first loss of the season with several more challenging contests looming. Darnold rises to the occasion and the Trojans win in spectacular fashion.
Bold prediction: Penn State wins, but drops out of the top five. The Nittany Lions won a thriller in Week 4 against Iowa, but it wasn’t all sunshine and roses. Trace McSorely did not play well, and had it not been for Saquon Barkley, they’d probably have left Kinnick Stadium with a loss. They scratch out another close win on Saturday, but they won’t get the same benefit of the doubt with a win over Indiana and will be penalized in the polls.