Now that Penn State has lost to UCLA and Nittany Lions coach James Franklin referenced the long trip to the West Coast as part of the reason, there has been a lot of discussion this week about college football teams having to travel across the country to play games.
This was part of the deal when the Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conference expanded last year. When things don’t go well, the strain of long-distance travel tends to come up as an excuse.
In Big Ten games this season, teams playing three time zones away are 4-2. Penn State has been on the wrong side as a host and visitor — losing at home to Oregon as a 4 1/2-point favorite and losing at UCLA as a 24 1/2-point favorite.
In the ACC, the visiting team is 1-3. Boston College lost at Stanford as a two-touchdown favorite and lost to California at home as a 5 1/2-point favorite.
Last year, the visiting team in these games was 5-11 in the Big Ten. The record was 7-5 in the ACC, but it must be noted all 12 of those games involved western teams Cal and Stanford, and they struggled regardless of where they played while combining to go 9-16 overall.
There are four of these three-time-zone games in the Big Ten this week: Rutgers at Washington on Friday, and UCLA at Michigan State, No. 7 Indiana at No. 3 Oregon and No. 15 Michigan at Southern California on Saturday. Wake Forest of the ACC plays a nonconference game at Oregon State on Saturday.
Michigan is among teams traveling on Thursday, a day earlier than usual, for Saturday games. The Wolverines learned from last year’s 27-17 loss at Washington, with coach Sherrone Moore saying this week that his team was “a little groggy” against the Huskies. Moore noted that flying causes dehydration and that it takes extra time to recover after five hours on a plane.
“Teams flying this way have to adjust as well,” he said, “so I think you can’t make those things an excuse.”
The picks for this week’s games involving AP Top 25 teams and lines from BetMGM Sportsbook:
No. 1 Ohio State (minus 14 1/2) at No. 17 Illinois
Julian Sayin went over 300 yards passing for the third time last week against Minnesota, and now he goes against a defense that’s given up that many three times.
Pick: Ohio State 35-20.
No. 7 Indiana at No. 3 Oregon (minus 7 1/2)
Hoosiers have proved their doubters wrong repeatedly since Curt Cignetti took over, yet it’s hard to pick against an Oregon team that’s 7-1 at home against Top 25 opponents in Dan Lanning’s four seasons.
Pick: Oregon 28-20.
Washington State at No. 4 Mississippi (minus 32 1/2)
Trinidad Chambliss’ 1,219 yards in total offense for the Rebels over his first three starts were most of any QB from Sept. 13-27. Look for him to pick up where he left off after last week’s open date.
Pick: Mississippi 55-20.
Florida at No. 5 Texas A&M (minus 7 1/2)
Florida has scored a total of 17 points in two road games against ranked opponents. Texas A&M’s last two opponents have combined for 19 points and 1-for-23 on third-down conversions.
Pick: Texas A&M 28-20.
No. 6 Oklahoma (plus 1 1/2) vs. Texas in Dallas
Sooners are tied for second in the nation with 21 sacks and licking their chops at the prospect of getting after Arch Manning. Florida sacked him six times and had him under pressure on 26 of his 42 dropbacks, according to Pro Football Focus.
Pick: Oklahoma 27-21.
No. 8 Alabama (minus 3) at No. 14 Missouri
Crimson Tide are building momentum with their four-game win streak. Tigers haven’t beaten a top-10 team in Columbia since 2010.
Pick: Alabama 30-24.
Kansas at No. 9 Texas Tech (minus 13 1/2)
Jayhawks won three straight against ranked opponents last November, but the momentum won’t carry over against one of the most complete teams in the country.
Pick: Texas Tech 45-21.
No. 10 Georgia (minus 3 1/2) at Auburn
Georgia’s defense has struggled to pressure QBs. Auburn’s 21 sacks allowed are most in the country.
Pick: Georgia 29-17.
South Carolina (plus 8 1/2) at No. 11 LSU
Gamecocks think they found their run game against Kentucky in their last game. Tigers are still looking for theirs.
Pick: LSU 24-17.
Arkansas (plus 12 1/2) at No. 12 Tennessee
Bobby Petrino is back as Razorbacks’ head coach, this time on an interim basis, after the firing of Sam Pittman.
Pick: Tennessee 42-35.
Virginia Tech (plus 14 1/2) at No. 13 Georgia Tech
Three of the Yellow Jackets’ five wins have been one-score games and they are coming off a much-needed open date. Hokies have shown they’re capable of playing good teams close.
Pick: Georgia Tech 33-30.
No. 15 Michigan at Southern California (minus 2 1/2)
Wolverines have quietly gone about their business and sit 4-1. This should be their last big test before Ohio State on Nov. 29.
Pick: USC 26-21.
North Carolina State (plus 22 1/2) at No. 16 Notre Dame
It’s the battle of the CJs — Wolfpack QB CJ Bailey vs. Fighting Irish QB CJ Carr. Both are having good seasons, other than Bailey’s three-interception game against Duke.
Pick: Notre Dame 38-21.
No. 18 BYU (minus 2 1/2) at Arizona
Arizona and BYU are 1-2 in pass defense in the Big 12 and both are holding opponents under 100 yards per game on the ground.
Pick: BYU 21-17.
No. 21 Arizona State (plus 5 1/2) at Utah
Big 12 rushing leader Raleek Brown, limited to nine carries last season because of a hamstring injury, has been a revelation for the Sun Devils.
Pick: Arizona State 27-24.
No. 22 Iowa State (minus 3 1/2) at Colorado
The Cyclones would love to get their run game going to help out a shorthanded defense that got gashed by Cincinnati.
Pick: Iowa State 28-21.
No. 24 South Florida (minus 1) at North Texas
North Texas has its first 5-0 start since 1959 against one of the weakest schedules in the country. Bulls have been there, done that this season.
Pick: South Florida 31-27.
Pittsburgh at No. 25 Florida State
(minus 10 1/2)
Pitt couldn’t have asked for more from freshman QB Mason Heintschel vs. Boston College in his first start. FSU is a different animal.
Pick: Florida State 35-17.
Byes: No. 2 Miami, No. 19 Virginia, No. 20 Vanderbilt, No. 23 Memphis.
AP predictions scorecard
Last week: Straight-up — 10-5; Against spread — 8-7.
Season: Straight-up — 79-15; Against spread — 46-48.
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By ERIC OLSON
AP College Football Writer
