Absolutely, Fresno was helped by Boise QB Maddux Madsen getting KO'd early in the Bulldogs' 30-7 win on the blue carpet two weeks ago (November 1). Broncos backup QB Max Cutforth could not pass the ball more than five yards beyond the line of scrimmage, and Fresno took advantage. The subsequent bye allowed some time to pause for the Bulldogs and first-year HC Matt Entz, with Fresno now bowl-eligible and with a chance at a 9-3 regular season mark. The road win at Hawaii impressed, and while soph QB Carson Conklin has yet to throw a TD pass, he limited mistakes at Boise. Wyoming's offense is pedestrian and QB Kaden Anderson has not delivered many big plays...this is a game Fresno can win. Play FSU

Maybe it was the heavy rain last week in Honololu that pushed the Aztecs off course. Whatever, it was an uncharacteristic effort from what had been the MW's best team. Now SDSU is back home at Snapdragon, where the Aztecs have roughed up everybody this season and pitched two of their three shutouts in 2025. SDSU has only allowed 31 points across four home games, less than 8 ppg. Without QB Maddux Madsen, Boise looks ill-equipped to dent the Aztec defense...especially as backup Max Cutforth couldn't throw the ball five yards past the line of scrimmage in the loss to Fresno State two weeks ago, as the Broncos become completely one-dimensional minus Madsen. Play SDSU

Sorry MTSU, but your decision to move out Rick Stockstill (who had taken the Blue Raiders to ten bowls) and replace him with Derek Mason is looking like one of the worst coaching decisions in recent years. Mason, whose Vanderbilt tenure ended with a winless 2020 before brief stints as DC at Oklahoma State and Auburn went sour, is 4-17 at Murfreesboro, and has taken to dismissing assistants in recent weeks as an answer to the MTSU woes. Looks more like hunting for scapegoats after allowing 56 to FIU (FIU!) last week. Meanwhile, WKU has owned MTSU and steam toward another CUSA title game appearance for HC Tyson Helton, who's been able to use two QBs (Maverick McIvor and, recently, frosh Rodney Tisdale). Play WKU

Late word from Charlottesville that Cavs QB Chandler Morris, KO'd last week vs Wake Forest, might start for this ACC showdown at Durham. Even if Morris features, however, his numbers have been dropping noticeably the last month, and the Hoos have been flying closer to the flame than any team this season, with three OT wins and a couple of last-minute escapes vs. Washington State and Cal counted among their last five wins. Duke is better than its 5-4 record, having shot itself in the foot too many times, but the ACC title remains within the Blue Devils' grasp, and QB Darian Mensah (22 TDP and just 4 picks) has produced much better than Morris this season. Duke's best efforts extend this margin! Play Duke

For most, it was another spread cover last week for USM (-5.5 most of the week), making the Golden Eagles 4-0-1 vs. the line their last five. Moreover, HC Charles Huff is now 16-3-1 vs. the line since 2024 when he led Marshall to the Belt title. USM on course to do the same for Huff, and note that QB Braylon Braxton (38 TDP and just 7 picks since LY with Huff's teams) returned to the field after a brief KO last week vs. Ark State and should be good to go. USM also leads the nation in TO margin team (+16!)...a good category to lead. Meanwhile, the Bobcats continue their Comet Kahoutek (false alarm) act, dropping seven straight vs. the line! Play USM.

If CSU thought dismissing Jay Norvell might provide a spark for the Rams; think again; ; CSU is 0-2 and being outscored a whopping 70-10 across the two games with interim Tyson Summers, hardly proving any upgrade from the end of the Norvell era . Indeed, the Rams could be excused for wishing rather to forfeit their remaining games, as any players with eligibility remaining look toward the portal. Among other negatives, the QB situation has been a mess since QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi was benched in September, then entering the portal. No wonder CSU has dropped six of its last seven games. Meanwhile, Jason Eck has the Lobos bowl-eligible and winging with back-to-back rousing wins over the Utags and UNLV. Play New Mexico

UConn QB Joe Fagnano in the midst of one of the best season in recent annals; try 25 TD passes against no picks! The Huskies showed their mettle last week by outscoring potent Duke as Jim Mora readies UConn for another bowl invite. This one might not come easily, as sticking Air Force in the middle of the schedule without an extra prep week has haunted teams in the past. The Falcs finally broke thru at San Jose State to win 26-16 on Saturday night after playing four straight games decided by three points. Remember, the Force won its last four to close 2024, can get bowl-eligible by doing so again in November, and QB Liam Szarka is now a certified option wizard. Play AFA.

It's been a disappointing campaign for Dabo Swinney's Clemson, sitting only 4-5 into tonight. Yet the Tigers have been better since a late-September bye...as long as QB Cade Klubnik is available, which he will be Friday night. Dabo's boys also have revenge on their minds after last year's 33-21 home loss to the Cards. Ever since the rousing upset at Miami in mid-October, the 'Ville has looked flat, laboring vs. heavy underdogs BC and VPI before losing outright at home last week to near-3 TD dog California. As he did last season at USC when a fast start in September preceded getting benched in November, Card QB Miller Moss has seen his effectiveness plummet as this season progresses. Play Clemson

It's a backyard battle here for the "Wagon Wheel" as these schools sit only 15 or so miles apart near the Pro Football HOF in northeast Ohio. Revenge for the Golden Flashes after getting pummeled 38-17 by the nearly ZIps a year ago when everyone was pummeling KSU. Things are better this season under new HC Mark Carney but are drawn a bit more to an Akron side playing its best since Joe Moorhead took over a few years ago and just two wins from bowl eligibility. Well-traveled QB Ben Finley is providing competent leadership and the Zips are balancing the offense nicely with RB Jordan Gant, closing in on 1000 YR. Play Akron.

Back-to-back losses to Boise State and New Mexico have slowed UNLV's progress this season. Still, a better bowl bid might await with a fast finish, and HC Dan Mullen wants to keep his CV as shiny as possible while he looks for a bigger job in November. Rather, this is more a vote against a directionless CSU side and program at a crossroads after hitting the eject button on Jay Norvell in mid-October. The Rams don't have a viable Mountain West QB since benching Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi (who since entered the portal), and the Rams didn't even show up for their first game under interim Tyson Summers, against rival Wyo no less, which stormed to a 28-0 win two weeks ago. Play UNLV

The Golden Bears are understandably frustrated, though they've had shots to win the past two weeks vs. VPI and Virginia. . Yet we're not sure it's in the character of the 'Ville to run up a score on competent ACC opposition, of which we believe Cal still qualifies. The Cards have trouble handling big numbers, most recently a couple of weeks ago at home when one-win BC pushed the 'Ville into the 4th Q of an eventual 38-34 Cards win. If Cal can get its ground game going even somewhat with ex-NC State Kendrick Raphael, giving QB Javon-Kearse Sagpolutele more time to throw, the Bears might even put up a good fight, and look good business to us at this highest-of-teens price. Play Cal

Quite a streak at the moment for Air Force, which has played four straight games, decided by exactly three points. A look at the remaining schedule suggests it is hardly impossible for the Falcs to win out and get bowl-eligible, especially considering they last season when closing with four straight wins. Troy Calhoun's option has a capable pilot in big-play Liam Szarka, and the Falcs as usually ranking high in national rush stats (2nd at 270 ypg). The Spartans have played in the same pattern, losing several close games, though they did recover to top Hawaii 45-38 last week. Still, San Jose has lost four one-score games this season, and has had problems holding leads. Play Air Force.

After a slow start, something good seems to be happening with Coastal, its offense suddenly revived in a current three-game win streak. Scoring 38 ppg across the past three games, the attack has streamlined behind dual-threat QB Samari Collier. It's been the running game, however, that has really erupted for the Chants, bettering 200 yards on the ground in each of the three wins, with Collier's contributions on the ground a contributing factor. Just as appealing is the chance to go against GSU, which rarely covers spreads even though Dell McGee's side is putting up a fight most weeks. Nonetheless, only two spread covers since an upset over Vandy in late September of 2024 suggests the Panthers remain on the go-against list. Play Coastal Carolina

Perhaps Kansas has plateaued under Lance Leipold, and while the Jayhawks should return to a bowl after missing last season, they've not advanced from their breakthrough 2022 & '23 campaigns. A recent string of spread Ls, including last week vs. lowly Oklahoma State, is a reminder, and worth noting KU'sdefense has consistently failed this season in the biggest games, back to early September at Missouri. Allowing just above 40 ppg in the four losses is an indicator where the problems lie. Meanwhile, Arizona is a couple of plays from sitting at 7-1 into November, and a revived QB Noah Fifita is looking more like he did in his frosh year of 2023, and sporting a splendid 21/4 TD pass-interception ratio this season. Play Arizona

We saw how Boise State and Nebraska imploded last Saturday after both of their starting QBs went down. Missouri, however, doesn't seem to have that issue with frosh backup Matt Zollers, who came out firing against Vanderbilt after starter Beau Pribula went down, and had the Tigers within inches of forcing OT or perhaps winning the game vs. the Dores when a last-second pass ended up inches short of the Vandy goal line. The Tigers play big-boy football and so does A&M, but staying unbeaten for an entire season while navigating the various SEC landmines is tricky. The Ags had two close calls already on the road this season at Notre Dame (no shame there) and Arkansas, and this might be no different. Play Missouri