Fansided

College Football: 5 undefeated teams guaranteed to lose in Week 4

By Patrick Schmidt

FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 19: Oklahoma State Cowboys quarterback Mason Rudolph (#2) scores a touchdown during the Big 12 college football game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Oklahoma State Cowboys on November 19, 2016, at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, TX. Oklahoma State won the game 31-6. (Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images).
FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 19: Oklahoma State Cowboys quarterback Mason Rudolph (#2) scores a touchdown during the Big 12 college football game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Oklahoma State Cowboys on November 19, 2016, at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, TX. Oklahoma State won the game 31-6. (Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images). /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 6
Next
BERKELEY, CA – SEPTEMBER 16: California Golden Bears quarterback Ross Bowers (3) looks to pass down the field during the game between the Ole Miss Rebels and the California Golden Bears on September 16, 2017, at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, CA. (Photo by David Dennis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BERKELEY, CA – SEPTEMBER 16: California Golden Bears quarterback Ross Bowers (3) looks to pass down the field during the game between the Ole Miss Rebels and the California Golden Bears on September 16, 2017, at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, CA. (Photo by David Dennis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

2. California Golden Bears vs. USC Trojans

Credit Cal for getting a win over a SEC opponent last week, but it did come against an Ole Miss team that has an interim head coach and lost their top receiver, A.J. Brown early in the game. But a win is a win is a win and Justin Wilcox has the Golden Bears on a path toward becoming a relevant team in the Pac-12 again, but they’re not ready to compete with a team like the USC Trojans this weekend.

At the risk of providing them some bulletin board material, USC is the superior team, and Cal will go into that game knowing they are outmanned. I expect them to put forth a great effort and they’re not going to roll over for anyone, certainly not a Pac-12 opponent, and certainly not USC.

Having said that, I don’t think USC will play down to their competition for a second week in a row after they needed a field goal as time expired to force overtime against Texas. USC eventually won in double overtime, but this has the potential to be over at halftime.

If Sam Darnold can stop throwing two interceptions every game, USC will have had two more comfortable wins, instead of sweating it out vs. Western Michigan and Texas. With Ronald Jones II and Stephen Carr ready to bounce back after being held in check against Texas, I expect USC to put up 28 points by halftime and finish with 40-plus points. I like the direction Cal is headed under Wilcox, but they’ll hit a bump in the road on Saturday.

Home/College Football