SAM’S STILL THE MAN
SAM DARNOLD was given the best odds to win the Heisman Trophy prior to the season, and the worst chance to take the trophy home. As the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the next NFL draft, Darnold’s ceiling was sideways. If he were to be given a 98 grade for the season, everyone would ask where the other two points were.
Darnold never again could be the exciting surprise he was last season, taking over a team — as a redshirt freshman — that opened 1-2 and leading the Trojans to nine consecutive wins to end the season. This year, Darnold has been a relative disappointment, throwing nine touchdown passes and seven interceptions, after getting intercepted nine times all of last season. The 20-year-old sophomore admitted this week he’s “trying to force things” and has been “impatient,” clearly struggling to adjust to the enormous expectations thrust upon him.
Meanwhile, Washington State’s Luke Falk has morphed into a dark horse Heisman candidate, throwing for 1,378 yards, with 14 touchdowns and one interception, while leading the Cougars to a 4-0 start. Falk is even being mentioned as a potential firstround selection, benefiting from being ignored for so long.
Unlike Falk, Darnold had no other direction to go. His ceiling was sideways. Yet, even during the worst stretch of his young career, Darnold still has led the Trojans to 13 straight wins.
Maybe Washington State coach Mike Leach is right. Maybe Darnold isn’t NFL ready “today.”
But he will look like it Friday night, stealing the show as he did in the two biggest games of his career: beating undefeated Washington on the road last season, and coming back against Penn State in the Rose Bowl. In Falk’s biggest game last year, he threw three interceptions and just one touchdown pass in a 45-17 loss at home to Washington.
The season barely has begun. The best player still has time to be recognized as the best. Stick by Sam, and Usc (-3½) .
IOWA STATE (+5½) over Texas: With all of that being said, a loss at USC two weeks ago doesn’t qualify as momentum.
DUKE (+61/2) over Miami: Incredibly, the Hurricanes’ football team looks to be the clean program on campus now.
WISCONSIN (-14) over Northwestern: The Badgers should look even better than they have all season, coming off a bye. The only potential trouble ahead for the soonto-be Big Ten West champions is staying focused in their middling division.
Vanderbilt (+10) over FLORIDA: The first team to 10 points may win.
Syracuse (+12) over NORTH CAROLINA STATE: The Wolfpack is this week’s top letdown candidate, following their upset over Florida State.
PENN STATE (-17½) over Indiana: May the onslaughts continue.
TENNESSEE (+71/2) over Georgia: Congratulations to the Bulldogs, the newest — ultimately and inevitably unsuccessful — SEC threat to Alabama. But don’t bank on Georgia being as dominant away from home, having squeaked out a one-point win over Notre Dame in its lone road game this season.
Miami (Ohio) (+21½) over NOTRE DAME: Boredom is the worst enemy of a big spread.
Mississippi State (+9) over AUBURN: Overreactions aren’t just reserved for the second week of the season. Nick Fitzgerald will win back some fans with a strong performance, and keep the outcome in doubt until the final minutes.
Ohio State (-291/2) over RUTGERS: If the spread were under 70, I would take the Buckeyes. Since sneaking into the Big Ten, New Jersey’s best FBS team has lost its three meetings to Ohio State by a combined score of 163-24
VIRGINIA TECH (+71/2) over Clemson: The Tigers’ defense should carry the team to a close win, rattling Virginia Tech freshman quarterback Josh Jackson in the biggest game of his young career, but I’m still not sold on Kelly Bryant and the Clemson offense, which scored just seven points in the first three quarters against Boston College last week.
OREGON STATE (+26½) over Washington: The Huskies looked fantastic last week, as they have nearly every week over the past two seasons, but their 27-point win at Colorado seems to have reminded the country that they made the playoff last season. Chris Petersen, I’ll catch back up with you when the public (nearly 80 percent of which is taking Washington) forgets about you again.
Oklahoma State (-9½) over TEXAS TECH: The first team to 100 should win. Count on the Cowboys — who have averaged better than 56 points per game in their last six meetings against the Red Raiders — bouncing back after their loss to TCU. Add, an over (81) bet, too.
Mississippi (+27½) over ALABAMA: The Crimson Tide have followed the same script of the past few seasons: Open with a win over a national power, then post underwhelming efforts against underwhelming opponents, before stomping on a supposedly up-and-coming SEC program, which they did with their 59-0 win over Vanderbilt last weekend. Ole Miss no longer poses a threat to upset Alabama, but the Rebels have won two of the past three meetings, and lost last year’s matchup, 48-43. Ole Miss won’t be intimidated, and Alabama won’t see enough of a challenge to flex its muscles this week.
BEST BETS: USC, Mississippi State, Ohio State THIS SEASON: 36-24; BEST BETS: 11-1 2014-16 RECORD: 381-370-7