SATURDAY CHOSEN ONES

College football is where we start, especially since 16th-ranked Syracuse returned to the Carrier Dome after the frustration of the 19 yellow flags tossed its way, the 182 yards, and from a two-touchdown halftime lead at packed No. 5 Clemson, all those times pointing to the Orange by the referees made for the huge turnabout and the Tigers surviving.

But now the previously undefeated Cuse stands at 6-1 and expects the huge Dome crowd welcoming Norte Dame, which doesn’t shape up as the Fighting Irish in head coach Marcus Freeman’s initial season. He lost his first two and is now at 4-3 and hopeful of at least going 6-6 and landing in the bowl game.

No such problem for Syracuse as its 6-0 start was its best since 2006 and already qualifies it for a bowl invitation. The Orange is favored by 3, but should do better than that and doesn’t expect to be embarrassingly flagged back home in upstate New York. It will be cold outside, but the former Piety Hill Indians should warm up the full house. SYRACUSE 28, NOTRE DAME 17

Then there’s unranked Oklahoma recovering from three straight losses and getting to 4-3 overall as it plays this time at disappointing Iowa State, but is only favored by 1 and one-half. But with starting quarter Gabriel returning last week, the offense moved the ball while the defense had a good start to hang on. OKLAHOMA 33, IOWA STATE 21

No. 15 Mississippi had a very accommodating defense in falling last week at LSU and now heads for skidding Texas A & M’s no more ranked Aggies, who have dropped three in a row and is a 2 and one-half point underdog at home. It now looks like a big test for both and a slight advantage for TEXAS A & M 30, OLE MISS 24

Miami, the one from South Florida, comes off a stunning loss at home to so-so Virginia, and now travel up to the Cavaliers in a clash of unranked teams. But the Hurricanes are favored by 2 and figures to be a tight tussle that favors the home side, so VIRGINIA 20, MIAMI 13

No. 3 Tennessee is unbeaten and welcomes No. 19 Kentucky with top-ranked Georgia on the horizon. The Wildcats have been up and down, probably won’t be a pushover, but the Volunteers, favored by 12 and a-half, should be just too tough at home and go with TENNESSEE 35, KENTUCKY 21

Then there’s those Bulldogs on top of the heap and is heavily favored by 22 and a-half over a Florida rival in a slump for this annual get together in Jacksonville, Fla., and unless the Gators can come away with a superman performance, it looks like GEORGIA 40, FLORIDA 20

No. 2 Ohio State is at No. 13 Penn State and has beaten the Nittany Lions five straight times, but none by more than 13 points, and Penn State has been decent on defense but it needs a better offensive to come anywhere near upsetting the Buckeyes. OHIO STATE 23, PENN STATE 13

Right below Tennessee as No. 4, Michigan is home to a disappointing Michigan State rival and is a huge 22 and one-half point to keep the Spartans going down once again. One good note for State, second-year head coach Mel Tucker is 2-0 against the Wolverines. But 3-0 doesn’t appear to be this time, with MICHIGAN 37, MICHIGAN STATE 14

No. 7 TCU is favored by 8 at unranked West Virgina, and the soaring, undefeated Horned Frogs shouldn’t fall on the road after four-straight wins over ranked opponents. The Mountaineers always play well on their turf but TCU 33, WEST VIRGINIA 12

At No. 8 is Oregan coming off a impressive win over Southern California coached by Lincoln Riley who buzzed out from Oklahoma, took some Sooners with him, but here the Ducks are 18 points superior at the California Bears and continue riding high, OREGON 37, CALIFORNIA 10

Oklahoma State is ranked 9th and come off the comeback triumph over Texas with a probable toughie on the road at Kansas State. The Cowboys are only favored by 2 and it might be Wildcats time are home, KANSAS STATE 28, OKLAHOMA STATE 24

It’s a tie at No. 10 between Wake Forest and USC. The Deamon Deacons have the tougher test at Louisville, is the 3 and one-half point pick, should slip by, with WAKE FOREST 35, LOUISVILLE 30

As for Southern Cal, it’s favored by 15 and one-half at the weak-defensive Arizona team and it looks like USC 50, ARIZONA 20

No. 12 UCLA is home to unranked Stanford, which doesn’t play anywhere on the road as it does at Palo Alto and the Bruins are favored by 17, with UCLA 42, STANFORD 23

No. 17 Illinois is a surprise and has won three in a row as it heads to Nebraska as a 7 and one-half choice and it looks like ILLINOIS 27, NEBRASKA 17

At No. 22 is Cincinnati, last year’s surprise team, but it’s only a one-half point favorite at Central Florida, so

here the home team, CENTRAL FLORIDA 20, CINCINNATI 14

No. 21 North Carolina is home to previously ranked Pittsburgh, is favored by 4, and it could be an even match-up with NORTH CAROLINA 38, PITTSBURGH 31

Then comes Missouri at No. 25 South Carolina, and the suddenly winning Gamecocks are a 3-point pick and SOUTH CAROLINA, with former Sooner Spencer Rattler at quarterback, makes it SOUTH CAROLINA 27, MISSOURI 14