Real Kato Blog: College Football 2013: Week 9 Preview

Michigan is idle; N.C. State travels to Florida State.

N.C. State at #2 Florida State
Florida State just finished pasting then-#3 Clemson last week, while N.C. State has lost its last two to inferior competition. On paper, this game figures to be a blowout loss for the Wolfpack.

There is some history of N.C. State shocking Florida State... like last year, when N.C. State won 17-16. And sure... this is college football, and just about anything can happen. But this year, I don't know, man. This NCSU team is inexperienced and wracked with injuries, while FSU looks like a juggernaut on both sides of the ball.

State will get Brandon Mitchell back today, which certainly helps. Pete Thomas proved to be a significant downgrade from Mitchell over the past few weeks; Mitchell's mobility and athleticism will provide a boost for the Wolfpack. But he'll have to stay on his feet against a fast and mean FSU defense; even Tajh Boyd was sacked four times last week.

I expect that NCSU will play with zero abandon and try to stay in the game with big plays to Bryan Underwood. That might work once, but I don't think NCSU will move the ball consistently. And I certainly don't think NCSU has an answer to FSU quarterback Jameis Winston. So yeah... I'm not optimistic.

Prediction: FSU 49, NCSU 13.

Games to Watch on TV
At noon, #24 Nebraska plays Minnesota on ESPN. Minnesota is not good, but neither is Nebraska's defense: this could be a high-scoring and entertaining game. Vanderbilt plays #16 Texas A&M; that game is online on ESPN3, and locally on WNCN 17. Vanderbilt is fresh off a win against Georgia and might put up some points on a mediocre A&M defense.

At 3:30 the NCSU-FSU game is on ABC/ESPN2. An improving Tennessee team takes on #1 Alabama on CBS. #10 Texas Tech plays #15 Oklahoma on Fox. Michigan State plays Illinois on ESPN2/ABC. At 4:00 Utah plays USC on the Pac-12 network; Utah isn't bad, and this will be a real test for USC.

At 7:00 #12 UCLA plays #3 Oregon on ESPN; that's the Game of the Week. But #21 South Carolina plays #5 Missouri on ESPN2, and that should be a doozy too.

At 8:00 Penn State plays #4 Ohio State on ABC.

The late game is a good one: at 10:30 #6 Stanford plays #25 Oregon State on ESPN.

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