The season – for both college football and the NFL – rolls on. Join our four writers for The Alabama Take each Friday afternoon as they make the best and worst predictions on the college and NFL games. And in the meantime, be sure to check out Takin’ On Sports, a weekly podcast dedicated to all things sports related. As for our writers week to week, they’ll lose a lot, cry even more, and make plenty of friends along the way.
2026 Results
Blaine Duncan: 4-7 (Week Three: 2-2)
TD Wood: 6-5 (Week Three: 3-1)
Mallory McCormack: 5-5-1 (Week Three: 2-2)
Greg Bosworth: 5-5-1 (Week Two: 3-1)
Blaine Duncan
I improved in Week Three, albeit slightly, but it was more than a slight disappointment for Lane Kiffin. Boo hoo. The great news for Kiffin? With the 138-team college playoff, you can now lose all of your games and still be eligible. What a wonderful world!
Missouri at Mississippi State (-6) – State’s quarterback Kamario Taylor is the real deal. A touchdown win at home for a night game in Starkville – a hard place to play despite the record of past years – seems like a great bet.
Texas at Tennessee (OVER: 54.5) – Surely Texas covers a 4.5 line, but it could come down to a field goal. If that’s the case, this game could be more of a shoot out. The Vols have the ability to score, and the Longhorns should be revving up about now.
Ole Miss at Florida (-3) – Emotions surely ran high for Ole Miss last week, and that can be draining. Not only could it be a hangover game for the Rebs, Florida looks to be confident after an important win over Auburn. I like the Gators in the Swamp despite the movement of the line.
NFL Game of the Week
Bengals (-3.5) at Steelers – I’m not crazy about this being a road game, but I do like Cincinnati to get a win on Sunday and the rest of my games this weekend count on the home teams covering. I’ll play the odds.
TD Wood
Week Three delivered the goods, didn’t it? Also, did Mallory survive? Hard to believe, but this week could be even better. We get six matchups between ranked teams! Saturday’s going to be a glorious day to sit on the couch and watch football.
Utah (-8) at Iowa State – While the Cyclones haven’t been as bad as most thought, I think they’re going to be a team that beats the teams they should, but doesn’t really pose a threat to the good teams on their schedule. Utah is a good team on their schedule. A potentially very good team. I like the Utes to roll.
Missouri State at SMU (-34) – This feels like a good spot for a “get right” game for the Mustangs. They’ve been sloppy this year, and it cost them against Louisville. Unfortunately for Missouri State, they’re the perfect opponent at the perfect time.
Oregon at USC (+3) – This is it, this is Lincoln Riley’s moment. His time to get his signature win at USC. If the Trojans can win this, they can seriously talk about themselves as playoff contenders. There’s just something off with Oregon this season, so this is USC’s best chance in years.
NFL Game of the Week
Chiefs (-10.5) at Dolphins – I’m serious about riding the Dolphins futility all season.
Mallory McCormack
Let the record show that I never once booed that Heaux when he set foot in Vaught Hemingway Stadium Saturday. However, I did yell the phrase from “Neck” (you know the one 😉) and sang “Dancing Queen” and “Callin’ Baton Rouge” at the top of my lungs. Somehow I survived (unlike Jaxson’s knee 😢). But that was last week and this is this week. So let’s see what bad choices I can make.
Vandy at Auburn (-9.5) – Vandy got lucky last weekend. Auburn hung with the Gators more than I thought they would. Vandy won’t get the same luck this weekend, and I think the Auburn faithful will be loud to make sure they don’t.
South Carolina at Alabama (-12) – I like the Tide to roll more than they did against the Seminoles. And maybe with less lighting in the area.
Missouri (+5.5) at Mississippi State – Kamario is great. There’s a reason Chris Jones wants to give NIL money to keep him at State. But don’t underestimate both Cayden Lee and Austin Simmons as well as the Missouri coaching staff knowing what those cowbells are going to be like. I don’t know is Mizzou gets the win, but I think they keep it reeeeaaallllyyy close.
NFL Game of the Week
Titans at Giants (-2.5) – I may not get another chance to take my team this year, but I have a feeling that Jameis will be a little more prepared this week. No more looking like he got caught on the Publix security camera.
Greg Bosworth
Had a great Week Three and trying to match it again or get the clean sweep this weekend. Fingers crossed. It is a very interesting college football weekend, and I’m excited for quite a few matchups. With that being said, here we go with the picks:
Oklahoma at Georgia (-13.5) – The Sooners offense is abysmal and it could get ugly in Athens if Mateer is off as he has been for the last two games and they can’t run the ball again. This is the first serious game for Georgia, but at home, they should be able to pull away and cover the spread when OU’s defense gets tired.
Boise State at Western Michigan (+7) – Kalamazoo is going to be a great atmosphere for what has all the feelings of a Group of Six elimination game for a playoff spot. Its the Broncos versus the Broncos, and obviously the winner will have the upper hand in the race for that one coveted playoff spot. I just feel like the home team’s defense will keep them in the game to cover, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they win the game. This is the type of game GameDay would have considered going to in the past.
UCLA (-1.5) at Maryland – West Coast teams usually struggle heading to the East Coast, but I like the Bruins in this spot. I like what Bob Chesney is doing in Westwood, and I am getting the feeling after the Terp’s loss a week ago to VA Tech, that things are about to unravel.
NFL Game of the Week
Chiefs (-10.5) at Dolphins – The NFL season has been weird so far and right when you think you have it figured out, the Falcons look like a competent football team. That being said, I am going with what seems the easiest: picking against Miami.
Note: All games are against the spread. Odds are taken from MGM Grand Sportsbook.
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