Yes, it is true.

Despite the reality that I have constantly chosen Graham Mertz as my perennial whipping boy, I picked the Gators to beat the Vols.

So they did. Rather easily actually.

Meanwhile I predicted that Pitt would win its brawl with West Virginia. Even though they lost to Cincy, who then lost to Miami (Oh). Forgetting all the while that the Panthers’ twice transferred TPQB Phil Jurkovec was a non entity at Notre Dame, then really bad at Boston College. I mean his mediocrity has made Mertz seem a legit Heisman hopeful.

Anyway Jurkovec did what he does in Morgantown, lose. My mistake.

North Carolina, Kentucky and the Cardinals all took care of biz, as it was stated would happen in this space.

Second 4-1 weekend in a row, making the kid 14-6 for the season.

This week’s winners:

Florida State @ Clemson. The Orange have backed to the pack the last few seasons. Dabo’s lost his touch. So they say, not kept up with the times. And some reliable trusted assistants. His sorta old school ways have turned quaint — to be generous — in the new world of NIL and TP. While Mike Norvell appears to have the Seminoles on a collision course with the Final Four in his fourth campaign in Tallahassee. Clemson clemsoned at Duke, the same day FSU was dismantling formidable LSU. Are the Tigers — the ones in South Carolina — poised to relinquish their spot atop the ACC totem pole? What does last weekend’s narrow escape at BC mean for the visitors here? I’ve got a feelin’. Power of the Rock prevails. Clemson.

Ohio State @ Notre Dame. Ladies, gentlemen, pigskin fanatics across the land, This Is What College Football Is All About. Big time. Big Big Time. Woody. Knute. Hopalong. The Gipper. Archie. The Golden Boy. Brutus Buckeye. O*H*I*O. Grantland Rice is trying to pry open is casket as I type. School is still out — figuratively not literally — on both these contingents. This is oh so much the kind of game when a favored foe travels to South Bend, has the game in hand, then . . . something . . . happens. You look up at TD Jesus, who has a wry smile on his face and is winking, and there are zeros on the clock and ND has somehow ended up with more points on the scoreboard. I shall not tempt that fate. Irish.

Oregon State @ Washington State. Anybody who cares a whit about the traditions of this sport we love should be rooting for both these schools, the charter members of the PAC2. The Beavers and Cougars, kicked to the curb but both undefeated at 3-0, are among the eight current PAC?? members which comprise a third of the Top 25. Two things set Wash State apart here. A couple of their Ws came at the hands of Wisconsin and Colorado State (50-24 on the road). And the battle is in Pullman. It is frankly sad that one of these squads will have to lose. It will be the Beavs. Washington State.

Kentucky @ Vanderbilt. The Wildcats haven’t been tested yet. Vandy has, and even though it’s one of them academic schools, didn’t pass. Twice. Last week it lost in Las Vegas. This week they’ll lose in NashVegas. Cayuts.

Boston College @ Louisville. Let’s start with a cliché. Trap game. Lesser Eagle teams have stunned the Cards in three of the last five seasons. Jeff Hafley is on the Dead Man Walking List. His seat is hot, even though BC came within a face mask penalty of upending Florida State last week. U of L, still looking for its A game, remains Un*De*Fea*Ted.

— c d kaplan