Game of the week

Georgia Bulldogs @ South Carolina Gamecocks

This is the only matchup pitting ranked teams against each other this week. Though a South Carolina team that was blown out in its home opener really should not be ranked until they prove they are better than that performance suggested, and a less than convincing victory over East Carolina feel someway short of doing that. That opening day shellacking by the Aggies dealt a hard blow to the Gamecocks hopes of making the inaugural College Football Playoff, but it was not a killer one. However, it will prove terminal to those hopes if they concede a second home defeat in three games, this time against the Bulldogs.

South Carolina was torched by Aggies quarterback Kenny Hill in that opener and have given up a total of 832 yards through the air in just two games, with both games at home. The good news for the Gamecocks is that the Bulldogs passing attack has yet to click with Hutson Mason at quarterback, and they are likely to still be without some of their receiving options. The bad news for the Gamecocks is that they were also less than convincing against the run, conceding 301 yards at 5 yards per carry against teams that were more interested in passing the ball, how will they fair against Todd Gurley and the rest of Georgia's coterie of talented tailbacks? Regardless of their lackluster start to the season, there is plenty of talent on that Gamecocks roster, and the Head Ball Coach is too wily a coach to come into this match without a plan that makes like difficult for the Bulldogs, but even the best laid plan can be trample underfoot by a phenomenon like Todd Gurley.

Other Games To Watch

Arkansas Razorbacks @ Texas Tech Red Raiders

It is difficult to know what stage this Razorbacks team is at in its evolution under Brett Bielema, as they put up a strong fight for half a match against the reigning SEC champions in the opener and then blew out FCS Nicholls State. Auburn did not pass an awful lot against Arkansas, but they still found it easy enough to complete 16 of 22 passes for 293 yards and 2 touchdowns, an unpleasant reading for a defense that is about to face the air raid in Lubbock, Texas. The Red Raiders passing attack is one of the most potent in football with quarterback Davis Webb having already amassed 730 yards and 7 touchdowns through just two games, and should find plenty of joy against the Razorbacks defense. However it is not all bad for Arkansas, their run heavy offense matches up well against a Texas Tech defense that has allowed 455 yards and 6 touchdowns on the ground against Central Arkansas and UTEP. Expect the Razorbacks to eat up as much of the clock as they can on offense.

Nevada Wolfpack @ Arizona Wildcats

This match throws together a pair of 2-0 teams with something to prove. In the Mountain West, Nevada found themselves on the outside looking in, but have started strong while the more fancied MWC teams such as Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State have stumbled out of the blocks. While Arizona have improved year-over-year under Rich Rod, they still find themselves an afterthought in the Pac-12. The Wolf Pack held a potent Washington State passing attack to just 13 points and will present a challenge to the Wildcats redshirt freshman quarterback Anu Solomon, though slowing down the Wildcats on the ground is a different matter. Arizona was pushed hard by a feisty UTSA team, and will find Nevada quarterback Cody Fajardo a tougher proposition.

Match-Ups To Watch

Paul James - Penn State Nittany Lions Defense

Rutgers running back Paul James has been one of the most impressive players in football through the opening two weeks of the season, having rushed for 216 yards (5.1 avg) and 4 touchdowns, while also taking two receptions for 100 yards and 2 more touchdowns. However, doing that against Washington State and Howard is one thing, it is another thing altogether to repeat those numbers against a Penn State defense that has allowed just 49.5 rushing yards per game, at a measly 1.9 yards/carry, so far this season. If the Nittany Lions get a handle on Paul James, it puts Rutgers fortunes in the hands of quarterback Gary Nova, and while Nova has begun 2014 strongly, that has not worked well for them historically. Thanks to the conference's early season malaise, the winner of this match will be the early leader in the Big Ten East, and that is worth fighting for.

David Cobb - TCU Horned Frogs Defense

Under defensive coordinator Dick Bumpus, TCU's 4-2-5 defense has been excellent on a consistent basis, and occasionally elite. They generate ample quarterback pressure through a talented front four, and emphasize speed and mobility in the back seven. That preference for athleticism over size is optimal for dealing with the spread offense, but if it has a weakness it is a slight susceptibility against a strong ground attack, and that is all that the Gophers have to offer. So far this season Minnesota have rushed for 466 yards while throwing for just 223 yards, in fact running back David Cobb alone has more rushing yards (291) than the team has passing yards. That pattern is unlikely to change drastically against TCU, the Gophers lack the athleticism to truly take on this Horned Frogs secondary, nor is Mitch Leidner a good enough passer to dink and dunk his way down the field. Instead, the burden will fall upon Cobb's capable shoulders, the powerful senior averaged 6.8 yards per carry against Eastern Illinois and Middle Tennessee. That number will drop against TCU, but he is a hard man to shut down completely, as demonstrated by his 101 rushing yards against an excellent Spartan defense at the end of the 2013 season. Everything about this match looks to be in TCU's favor, but if Cobb can get going things will get interesting.