Weekend Predictions: Falcons will fare better no matter the quarterback

The Falcons and Georgia Tech lost. Georgia was never in danger of losing from the moment it scheduled Western Kentucky, so the Bulldogs don’t count.

Never mind the Braves taking two games from the Phillies last weekend because that’s baseball and, more importantly, it doesn’t work for my setup.

Weekend Predictions had the best results among the locals. My 7-4 record picking games against the spread in Week 2 is the best since a 7-4 record in Week 13 of last year. I blew my winning record over the final four weeks last year, but things are looking up now that I’ve managed to get back above break-even.

No pick for Georgia Tech’s game against Mercer of the FCS this weekend. But I’m taking over 100 rushing yards for the Bears.

Panthers (-2½) at Falcons

Panthers quarterback Bryce Young should share some money with the Falcons if he ends up getting a contract extension. Young’s passer rating against the Falcons (95.3) is second highest among the nine opponents he’s faced at least twice. Young’s 4-1 record against the Falcons includes three game-winning drives in the fourth quarter.

Meanwhile, the Falcons are a mess at quarterback before their home opener. I expect more from Cooper Rush if he starts this game. He’s had more time for his bad back to heal and to run the first-team offense in practice. Even better for the Falcons if Michael Penix Jr. is the starter. I’m picking the Falcons to win straight up.

No. 2 Georgia (-24½) at Arkansas

Arkansas coach Ryan Silverfield took a swipe last year at Georgia’s history of players getting arrested on driving-related charges. It would have been funny, if not for the two tragic deaths and the public endangerment. Silverfield said he apologized to Georgia coach Kirby Smart, who brushed off the incident this week.

This is Georgia’s first real test of the season, relatively speaking. The Razorbacks are better than Tennessee State and Western Kentucky, but they are subpar by SEC standards. Based on the thrashing the Hogs took in Utah last weekend, their defense isn’t any better than last year. The Bulldogs have looked so good that I’m going against my nature and picking them to cover as the big road favorite.

Kennesaw State (+34½) at No. 15 Tennessee

After losing at home to Georgia State, Kennesaw State heads to Knoxville to earn its $1 million check. It’s not an impossible task for the Owls to beat the Vols. Georgia State won in Knoxville as a 25-point underdog in 2019. I’d settle for the Owls putting up a fight because I’m taking them with the points.

Georgia State (+17½) at UCF

Remember Scott Frost? He led UCF to a 13-0 record in 2017, including a Peach Bowl win over Auburn. That remains Frost’s only winning season in seven full years as a coach. UCF brought him back last year hoping that he could rediscover that magic, but the Knights finished 5-7. UCF star quarterback Alonza Barnett III (hamstring) won’t play, so I’ll take a chance and side with the Panthers.

Other college games of interest

No. 7 LSU (-2½) at No. 8 Ole Miss

LSU surprisingly listed starting quarterback Sam Leavitt as doubtful on the team’s SEC Wednesday night availability report. Is Leavitt really at risk of not playing, or is Tigers coach Lane Kiffin just trolling his former employer? I’m hoping it’s gamesmanship by Kiffin because it would be funny if Ole Miss files a protest with the league. I’m taking Ole Miss as the home underdog, just in case Kiffin is being honest.

Florida State (+19½) at No. 10 Alabama

Florida State fired athletics director Michael Alford on Monday. A day later, a picture surfaced on social media that supposedly showed a moving van at the house of FSU’s embattled coach, Mike Norvell. Surprisingly in this era of digital manipulation, there really was a moving van at Norvell’s house. He said it was for furniture delivery, but it won’t be long before the moving van shows up for real. Bama is my pick.

No. 16 SMU (+1½) at No. 23 Louisville

ACC media picked these two teams as the top challengers to Miami in the ACC even though none of three played in the 2025 league championship game. Duke beat Virginia in that game, then was left out of the College Football Playoff while Miami got in. The ACC changed its tiebreaker rules this year so that the CFP won’t have to be so obvious about picking teams for TV ratings. I like SMU to cover.

Florida (-2½) at Auburn

There have been a lot of lean years for Auburn football since coach Gus Malzahn’s last hurrah. Tigers faithful could reach the breaking point if their team loses against the coach Auburn really wanted in just the second meeting with old-school rival Florida since 2011. Gatos coach Jon Sumrall is the guy Auburn wanted before hiring Alex Golesh. Give me Auburn and the points.

Other NFL games of interest

Browns (+8½) at Buccaneers

Deshaun Watson is a daily reminder to the Browns of just how badly they messed up their quarterback situation. Bucs assistant coach Ken Zampese helpfully turned the knife this week. Zampese, who was on Cleveland’s staff when current Tampa Bay QB Baker Mayfield was there, told ESPN: “They had the guy and they gave him up.” I’m backing the Bucs to cover while hoping Good Baker shows up in an emotional game for him.

Saints (+8½) at Ravens

The Saints lost in overtime at Detroit last weekend after a controversial call went against them (it was the right call based on a convoluted rule no one understands). The worst part is it gave Saints fans an opening to do the thing they love: pretending their team is the victim of an NFL conspiracy. QB Tyler Shough’s good closing performance against the Lions is enough to convince me to take the Saints and the points.

Packers (-3½) at Jets

The Falcons will play at Green Bay on Thursday night in Week 3. I didn’t like their chances, until the Packers blew a 22-10 lead in the second half against fill-in Vikings QB Carson Wentz in Week 1. The Jets won at Tennessee in Week 1 to take the lead over the Falcons in the race to end the two longest playoff droughts in the NFL (15 seasons for New York, eight for the Falcons). The Jets are my pick.