This week of college football is going to be the best of the season. The schedule is absolutely loaded with top-25 matchups. We’ve got a couple at noon, two more at 3:30, and three in primetime. There are also a ton of great games that don’t have a number next to either team’s name.

Since it’s Friday, it’s time to make some predictions, so here’s who I’m picking in the early games. But don’t worry, tomorrow morning we’ll have predictions out for the rest of the day as well.

No.7 Texas at No.18 Missouri

Odds: TEX -2.5

The Texas Longhorns dropped back-to-back games a few weeks ago, but they have since knocked off Ole Miss and Mississippi State to earn themselves a spot back in the top-10. I feel like seven is a bit high for a two-loss team, but we’ll see whether they can justify their ranking over the next two weeks against No. 18 Missouri and No. 14 LSU.

This week, the Longhorns will travel north to Columbia, Missouri, to face the 18th-ranked Tigers, who also have two losses, both of which have come against ranked teams. Missouri doesn’t have the same quality of wins as Texas, but it is a dangerous team, especially on their home turf.

Both of these teams have an explosive but inconsistent offense and a really good defense. Both rank in the top-25 in PPG allowed, so this should be a fairly low-scoring affair. A lot of people will be riding with Texas, but I think I trust Austin Simmons to avoid a big mistake more than I trust Arch Manning, so for that reason, I’m taking Missouri in the upset. This should be an incredibly entertaining start to a loaded weekend.

Final Score: Missouri 23, Texas 20

No.9 BYU at No.3 Utah

Odds: UTAH -4.5

This is the biggest game the Big 12 has had in a long, long time. The conference is trying to get at least two teams into the College Football Playoff this year, and for that reason, I think they’d love to see BYU win. Having two one-loss teams in the top-10 puts them in a really good spot moving forward, but the Utes are going to do everything they can to keep their undefeated season alive.

Utah hasn’t really beaten anyone this year. Houston is good, but are they actually as good as their ranking suggests? I don’t think so, and they only beat them by eight. But there’s no denying that their offense isn’t explosive and their defense isn’t one of the best in the country. I just don’t think they’re actually the third-best team in the country.

As for BYU, they’ve proven they can beat a really good team by beating Notre Dame, but then they went and lost to UCF the very next week. That was obviously a bit of a fluke, but that’s a bad, bad loss to have on your resume. And if they don’t beat Utah, they won’t get another chance for a signature win unless they get into the Big 12 championship game.

A win almost certainly locks Utah into a CFP spot. A win for BYU doesn’t guarantee one, but its remaining schedule offers few chances to lose. This game is massive for both sides, and if it were at BYU I may feel differently, but I think the Utes take a close one.

Final Score: Utah 25, BYU 22

Clemson at Syracuse

Odds: CLEM -2.5

Could you imagine saying a few years ago that Clemson wasn’t even a field goal favorite against Syracuse? It’s a strange world we live in now, but even though Clemson isn’t as good as they once were, I still think this line is disrespectful.

The game is at Syracuse, which matters, but the Tigers aren’t as bad as everyone says. Their three losses have come to No. 14 LSU, No. 1 Miami, and Virginia Tech, who are 6-2 and received 12 votes in the AP Poll. They have beaten every other team they’ve played, so they basically win games they’re supposed to, but aren’t good enough to beat elite opponents. And you know what this is? A game they’re supposed to win. I think Clemson wins by a touchdown.

Final Score: Clemson 28, Syracuse 21

Iowa State at Baylor

Odds: BAY -9.5

Iowa State was a pretty consistent threat in the Big 12 under Matt Campbell, but now that he’s gone, the Cyclones have been pretty irrelevant. They’re 4-4 this season with a 2-3 Big 12 record, and now they have to travel to Baylor to face a 5-3 Bears squad. I know Dave Aranda was fired after back-to-back losses to TCU and Kansas, but this is an offense that can score a lot of points in a hurry with DJ Lagway under center.

Meanwhile, Iowa State’s defense has really struggled, giving up nearly 30 points per game, which ranks 97th in the nation. This game could get out of hand quick.

Final Score: Baylor 44, Iowa State 31

Florida State at Boston College

Odds: FSU -6.5

Florida State is a strange football team. They’ve played three ranked opponents this year and have given all of them some trouble, but they go out and lose by 24 to Louisville and 12 to Clemson. This team has potential, but they just can’t stack the wins, and that’s exactly why Mike Norvell was fired after last week’s loss.

This week, though, FSU has a great chance to get back in the win column. They head to Boston College, which has four wins on the season, but their best win is against Pitt, who has fallen off hard after a hot start. I think the Seminoles, with a new coach and a new fire under them, get a much-needed win.

Final Score: FSU 27, Boston College 20

UNC at UConn

Odds: UNC -7.5

Bill Belichick’s UNC Tar Heels got hot for a minute with wins over Pitt and Duke, but have since dropped two straight to Syracuse and Miami; they were very competitive in both. Now they get a UConn team whose best win is against Temple. UNC should win this one pretty easily.

Final Score: UNC 30, UConn 17

Duke at NC State

Odds: DUKE -4

The Duke Blue Devils have been a pretty good football team in recent years, and this year is no different. They’re 6-2 and are coming off a 47-2 win over Boston College, and now they hit the road and head to Raleigh to face an NC State team that has really struggled recently. They’re coming off a 21-point win over Cal, but before that, they had dropped back-to-back games to Wake Forest and Stanford.

If this game were at Duke, it would probably be a blowout, but I still think the Blue Devils get a nice road win to advance to 7-2.

Final Score: Duke 31, NC State 27

Arkansas at Auburn

Odds: AUB -10.5

If Auburn didn’t upset Georgia, their season would look a lot different. They’d be 3-5 with their biggest win coming against Baylor all the way back in Week 1, and they’d be riding a four-game losing streak. But luckily for them, they get to host what is either the worst or second-worst SEC team in Arkansas. They’ll make the Tigers look like a national championship contender this week.

Final Score: Auburn 33, Arkansas 13