Alabama will put a ton of pressure on Georgia’s true freshman QB Jake Fromm.  He doesn't scramble much and the Bama defense will shut down the run. The Georgia offense is very similar to Alabama's and their defense has practiced against those type of runs and pocket passers all year.  QB's who scramble are what gives the Tide problems.

The Alabama defense is the big difference maker in this spot. This isn't the Sooners' defense. Alabama doesn't lose to QBs like Jake Fromm and the Dawgs' running game will be slowed. The Crimson Tide don't lose to SEC East teams, either. Look for Alabama to win by 2 scores or more here on Monday night in the Championship Game.

5*

I think this is going to be a major mismatch. Central Florida has simply never faced a defense like Auburn’s this season. This is a major step up in class for Central Florida. The Tigers rank fifth in the country in overall defensive and No. 1 in limiting explosiveness. Look for Auburn to get the job done on the offensive and defensive lines and pull away for a big win in the 2nd half. PLAY AUBURN with confidence.

5* 

I’m not sure Mississippi State cares much about this game after a disappointing finish to the year, especially considering the Bulldogs’ entire staff took off for Gainesville, leaving the running backs coach behind to coach this bowl game. More importantly, Miss State will also be without their star quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, so I don’t think they can exploit the Louisville defense. 

 At the end of the day, Petrino still hates the world and has a lot to prove and he would love nothing more than to rout the SEC team.

 Bottom line Louisville and their high powered offense and consistently improved defense from week to week will get it done here over Louisville. Look for Louisville to come up big here.

5*

Ohio State will get up to face USC in a big way as this team will absolutely relish the opportunity to face the Trojans and they have a lot to prove to the Committee in particular for next year. This is a USC team that has struggled agianst elite defenses and this is a Ohio State that is prepped by Urban Meyer who is as good as it comes when it comes to Bowl Games and he has a lot to prove to himself and his fanbase in regards to the Bowl game after falling short the previous year. Ohio State’s defense is one of the top units in the country. Look for it to dominate and the Buckeyes to pull away. Let's roll with Ohio State on Friday night!

5* 

Wake Forrest will get up to face the SEC team here as this team is vastly underrated coming into this game. You have a Wake Forrest team that did not like how they finished against Duke giving up 31 points and falling short but this is a team that had beat the likes of top 25 NC State 30-24, dropped 64 on Syrause, went toe to toe against Notre Dame and played both Clemson and FSU close. Let's roll with Wake to get it done over Texas A&M who is without their regular season coach Sumlin.

5* 

 THis is one of the weaker Navy teams I've seen in years.  Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall has plenty of experience facing the triple option, and his Cavaliers notched an upset win over Georgia Tech earlier this season. Navy ranks 112th in sacks, which should give Virginia all day to pass. As a result of the Army/Navy game, UVA will have the preparation advantage, and the Cavaliers won’t lack in motivation for the program’s first bowl appearance since 2011. Virginia’s 69.7% red zone scoring percentage allowed (fifth in the nation) will play a major role; Navy’s defense ranks 111th in comparison. I think Virginia is the far superior team.

Khalil Tate should be a good enough reason to back Arizona here on Wednesday night, as Purdue ranks 92nd in defending rush explosiveness. Arizona is bigger and better in the trenches and I like the Wildcats to be able to move the ball. Khalil Tate ARZ QB is an electric dual-threat quarterback will thrive after getting some time as the No. 1 quarterback in a camp-like setting during bowl prep, and become even more dangerous in an offense under Rich Rodriguez that thrived under his direction in 2017. Purdue will be forced into point-a-minute football, and the Boilermakers will run out of gas. PLAY ARIZONA -3 with confidence here as our 10* COLLEGE BOWL GAME OF THE WEEK! 

The West Virginia offense will be without Will Grier, and the West Virginia defense is one of the nation’s worst units, allowing well above of 6 yards per play. 

Utah will be up for this game and their defense forces a lot of turnovers and give how banged up and disappointed West Virginia is that their quarterback is not playing and this will be a major difference maker.

 Utah is a team that is 6-6 and it would look great for this coaching staff to pull a win here against West Virginia for morale for sure. This is a team that would love nothing more than to bring pride to their conference by beating a Big 12 team and the Utes are a disciplined Football Team when it comes to their defense as a top 35 defense, a top 50 offense, a team that beat Colorado 31-13 in their last game, lost to Washington by just 3 points as a heavy underdog on the road, beat UCLA 48-17 and nearly beat USC by losing by 1 point on the road which speaks volumes. 

Utah should get their 12th victory in their past 13 Bowl games with a big ATS win and cover against the Mountaineers in the ZAXBY'S HEART OF DALLAS BOWL GAME.

10* BOWL BURIAL PLAY

One area in which Texas Tech has a distinct advantage over South Florida in is how much more battle tested they have been this season, with a strength of schedule that ranked over 100 spots more difficult that the Bulls. All six losses by the Red Raiders this season came against teams that made a bowl game, while USF played only three teams that made the postseason and went a disappointing 1-2 in those games, including a home loss to a Houston team that Texas Tech was able to beat on the road as a touchdown underdog. 

It comes down to - will Texas Tech keep their guys on the same page on the field and have them step up? Keke Coutee and the very skilled Dylan Cantrell needs to continue improving his route running - when he is hitting his edges it makes them that much more dangerous. And no question - Justin Stockton is going to absolutely thrive in the Texas Tech backfield, Stockton is an underrated player and shakes up the entire Texas Tech offense in a good and big way.

I think a serous defensive and coverage improvement - is not entirely possible without a complete DB overhaul for South Florida. 

Bulls are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games.

I’m not sure how high the South Florida motivation level will be for a repeat trip to the Birmingham Bowl, after the last-minute loss against UCF kept them out of the AAC Championship. USF had much higher preseason expectations, so Texas Tech should come out as the more fired up and hungry team. Texas Tech wins here on Saturday afternoon.

5*

These two teams ended their seasons in completely different ways. Central Michigan won and covered each of its final five games, while Wyoming ended the year with an embarrassing loss to San Jose State. 

Even if Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen plays, which I don't think he will as he could be a first-round NFL draft pick. As good as Allen is, he was unable to carry the Cowboys to a great season. The Chippewas ended their season on a five-game winning streak and a huge victory over a very good Northern Illinois squad. I think Central Michigan is the right play here on Friday evening as the MAC get a win in the Bowls.

5*

UAB played about as a weak of a schedule as you could play.  Ohio played well but struggled in the end with a few cold weather games.  Now they get to go to the Bahamas being recharged and fresh and ready for a big win in the warm weather. 

UAB’s offense struggled considerably in their L/3 gms. While being

held to just 180 yds vs Fla wasn’t surprising, they were also held to

just 265 yds vs UTSA & their 334 yds vs UTEP was 123 yds less than

the Miners allow on avg.

UAB cannot stop the run and that is the strength of the OHIO U team.

The Ohio rushing attack, which averages 5.6 yards per carry (top 12 in the nation), should feast against a UAB defense allowing 4.4 yards per carry (70th in the nation). I like the experienced team and coach Frank Solich to get a double digit WIN here on Friday afternoon.

10* BOWL BURIAL

The Temple Owls have started playing better offensively down the stretch. Their defense has also been the direct beneficiary of this and will look to keep it rolling on Thursday night.

I'm laying the 7 with Temple here as we have another team with FIU as just like last night they aren't traveling anywhere and the team doesn't get hyped up for a bowl in their home state usually.

 It’s tough to trust an FIU defense that ranks outside of the top 100 in both rushing and passing. The Temple athletes will shine in the warm weather and the Temple defense is tough.

5*

SMU New head coach Sonny Dykes will coach the Mustangs in the Frisco Bowl on Wednesday night, as Chad Morris left for Arkansas. 

SMU should enjoy the support of the home crowd playing 30 miles from campus, but teams don't normally get fired up playing in a Bowl game so close to home.

Also you cant really lay points with an SMU defense that allows 6.7 yards per play, 123rd in the country and worst among all bowl teams.

 The coach is gone and we saw what happened to Oregon after their coach bolted.  Now, I see that their best playmaker, cornerback Jordan Wyatt, will not play against a La Tech team that has won their bowl game in each of the past three years and know how to prep with the extra time. Also, Louisiana Tech ranks 43rd in defending explosive passing, which should generate enough stops and put a lot of pressure on SMU.  I'll take the points with LOU TECH.

5*

This could be a blowout from the get go as you have an elite top 15 offense in the nation facing an Akron team that though is 7-6, is 83rd in pass defense. 

FAU, one of only five teams in the country averaging more than 6 yards per rush attempt, will face an Akron defense allowing 5.0 yards per carry, 105th in the country. FAU should run it up as they get to play in their home stadium, as they have been doing for the last month-plus. 

Akron also lost 0-52 to Penn State and 14-41 to Iowa State as well whereas you have a team like FAU that will want to make headlines and will want to blow some teams out of the water as Lane Kiffin continues to make waves and looks to show off to both Athletic Directors across the country in his first successful season at FAU. FAU just beat a better North Texas team than Akron 41-17 and also beat Louisiana Tech on the road 48-23, make no mistake, a strong showing here will allow for a big bowl to come calling next year.

5*

QB Justice Hansen leads a prolific Arkansas State passing attack that averages 341 yards per game, sixth best in FBS. MTSU simply does not have the personnel in their defensive backfield to slow down the Red Wolves. Both teams possess vulnerable offensive lines, but Arkansas State’s defensive line, a unit ranked fifth overall in adjusted sack rate, is much better equipped to generate pressure than the Blue Raiders’ defensive line, which is ranked 47th. The ARK ST Red Wolves are one of the best teams in the Sun Belt Conference. They’re explosive on both sides of the ball. The Blue Raiders have struggled this season on the defensive side of the ball and will find it very difficult to contain the spread attack of Arkansas State especially on this fast turf field which favors Arkansas St. on Saturday night.

10* BOWL GAME OF THE WEEK 

A lot of question marks in this game, as Boise State’s leading rusher Alexander Mattison is listed as questionable with an ankle injury. If everyone can go, this is strength on strength, as we will see an Oregon offense that ranks top 20 in yards per carry (5.4) meet a Boise State defense that ranks top 20 in yards per rush allowed (3.5). Oregon is a different team with Justin Herbert back under center, and they are also without their head coach. I think the Oregon Ducks have enough speed to get this win as the Boise St defense is good but their offense is terrible. Oregon coach Mario Cristobal confirmed today that Freeman has decided not to risk injury in Saturday's bowl game against Boise State. Even with Royce Freeman their RB OUT, the Ducks have enough talent to get the cash. Lay the 7 pts with Oregon.

5* 

Let's roll with the underdog here in the first Bowl Game of the year as North Texas is trying to shake off a horrible game against FAU in losing 17-41 as an 11-point underdog. They will be very angry coming into this game facing Troy. Remember, this was a North Texas team that had covered 4 straight games coming into the FAU game, including big wins over Rice, Army, Louisiana Tech and UTEP. This is a team that is ranked 19th in the nation in total offense, 21st in pass offense, and 64th in passing yards allowed with some decent defensive backs. Plus, Troy has won 6 straight and covered 3 straight, but they face a very potent North Texas team in this one. At the end of the day, this comes down to the more motivated team, and for a team like Troy who had beat LSU, for them to face North Texas after winning 10 games is a disappointment for a Bowl game. Let's roll with the active underdog here to get it done.

5* 

The Georgia Bulldogs were the best looking team in the country through the first couple months of the regular season, but Georgia has faded a bit in the minds of the committee ever since their blowout loss on the road against Auburn.

Three weeks ago Georgia was a 2.5-point favorite at Auburn but Auburn won impressively doubling total yards and first downs in the game and then went on to beat Alabama in the Iron Bowl. Auburn played all of their tough games at home and they are a different team on the road.

My feeling is that these two teams are very equal and Auburn is coming off a tough game with Alabama and have injuries on the O and D-Lines. Both defenses are great at stopping the run and pass. Georgia will be a vastly different team this time around and I like the game in the dome which helps with their team speed and I think they open up the playbook a bit more and use more of a passing attack. Also an edge to the Georgia Special Teams on punts and kickoffs.

Auburn is coming off its Super Bowl beating Bama last weekend.  I'm grabbing the GEORGIA BULLDOGS playing with major revenge behind Kirby Smart  here on Saturday afternoon.

10* Game of the Week

Memphis had 4 turnovers and gave up over 600 total yards of offense the first time these 2 teams met.

UCF also might have some distractions with Nebraska and other schools going after Scott Frost.

Why not take one of the hottest teams in the nation who is looking to avenge one of the ugliest defeats in school history and this coaching staff's history against UCF. 

Since Patrick Taylor Jr. and Darrell Henderson started putting up the massive rushing yards like they have the Tigers have beaten teams beyond handily. Memphis has won 7 out of their last 8 games, there is a reason for that. 

I don't think Adrian Killins Jr is quite enough to carry this UCF team on his shoulders here. He hasn't been able to show that steadiness like they wanted him to so far. 

Knights are 2-5-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record

 I believe Memphis can and they have a great shot at winning this one outright after the brutal beat-down they took earlier in the season.

Take MEMPHIS plus the points in this early kickoff on Saturday to knock off the undefeated Central Florida squad.

5*

This Stanford team has been playing great lately with home-field advantage in a rematch with USC for the Pac-12 title. 

They are a great team at converting 3rd downs and also at rushing the ball.  Now late in the season with a strong offensive line and revenge from a 42-24 loss to USC early in the season and allowing USC to get 623 total yards.

Now Stanford has won eight of nine with the lone defeat coming by three points. They have impressive home upsets of Washington and Notre Dame in the past three weeks. Stanford has been helped by a steadily improving defense and the emergence of K.J. Costello at QB to boost the offense.  USC is very inconsistent and just a few plays away from having 5 losses.

Look for Stanford to come out strong and play more physical in this game and get the win.

5*

This should be an interesting matchup, but it’s a shame we’ll get the exact same matchup for the MWC title game which cheapen the experience for today’s contest. Fresno State will want to keep a few tricks up their sleeves given they know Boise State is the better overall squad and as a result we like the Broncos to go on to win and cover the spread. Fresno has already said they will keep it basic and not show anything today.

 If Fresno HC Jeff Tedford has trick  plays up his sleeve you won’t see them here. Boise has been a machine down the stretch going 6-1 ATS with the ATS loss a 10 point win against Wyoming w/ QB Allen healthy laying 14 while Fresno is 1-2-1 ATS their last 4 with the ATS win hosting an Allen-less Wyoming and winning by 6. In both teams last 4 games Fresno is +31 YOG against UNLV, BYU, Hawaii & Wyoming while Boise is +159 YPG against Utah St, Nevada, Colorado St and Air Force. Broncos have covered all 5 road games this season and are 9-1 ATS as a MountainWest favorite of 3 or more.

I like BOISE St here.

5*

Toledo is 6-1 in conference play and playing some of their best ball of the season right now. Toledo was routed by Western Michigan last year by a score of 55-35, and they will remember that as they face them this week and they had this game circled on their calendars. Toledo has revenge, sits at an impressive 9-2, has the 7th best offense in America and a respectable top 45 passing defense. Toledo just dropped 66 points on Bowling Green and is the same team that put up 30 points against Miami earlier this year. Look for Toledo to do well with revenge in mind, a shot at the league championship and even a significantly better bowl game as they get to the 10-win mark.

5* 

Mizzu is a great team at home and not so good on the road. And then their are teams like Missouri that were 1-5 and then had a four game run against Idaho, UConn along with home victories against struggling Florida and Tennessee teams mixed in. So now the public sees four consecutive wins, a win over Tennessee costing Volunteers HC Butch Jones his job and outscoring their opponents 215-66 along the way. I believe this line is way to high. Vandy QB, Jake Shurmur is a good SEC quarterback that has thrown for 2200 yards and 21 touchdowns. He alone can keep the Commodores in this game with this generous pointspread.

5* 

Ole Miss has won two consecutive games and will become bowl eligible with a victory today. Last week, Ole Miss scored on their first five drives and put the game away. Look for QB Jordan Ta’amu to lead the Rebels to a third straight win as they continue a late season surge. It seems strange that heading into week 12, Texas A&M is still unsure of their starting quarterback. They switched again last week which worked at home against New Mexico. Now turn it around and enter Ole Miss at Oxford. Thats a night and day difference. Texas A&M Aggies are 3-14 ATS in their last 17 games in November. Either they lose focus from mediocre play or the players depth chart has been compromised by poor recruiting. Look for an Ole Miss team to win and win big as I don't think A&M will be able to stop them much.

10* 

We were going with FRESNO ST as our College Football Game of the Year! This is a 7-3 team who faces another 7-3 team in Wyoming with a banged up QB Allen who hasn't practiced all week. Fresno State rolls in coached by Jeff Tedford who is mad at the world after his last firing and has turned this program around. Tedford has a top 12 defense in Fresno State, 15th in points allowed, a team who routed San Diego State 27-3 on the road as a 6.5 point underdog and a team who is not afraid at all at the big moments given the competition they have faced. They are rolling into Wyoming and are not afraid by any means after having played at Alabama and Washington. Wyoming for as good as they are defensively as a top 30 defense, they are 129th in total offense and 126th in rushing. Rushing will be KEY because there are expected high winds for this game and running the ball will be important. Fresno State has a decent balance and a better defense and a team that has faced tougher competition all year. Lastly, FRESNO ST is a PERFECT 7-0 ATS its last 7 games when facing a team with a winning record.

10* GAME OF THE YEAR 

The #5 ranked Wisconsin Badgers are very good and not getting a lot of respect. They are very good especially at home as they lead the NCAA in 3rd down conversions at 52%. I think Wisconsin stays unbeaten this week. Playing in Madison is no treat for the visitor and Wisconsin is doing all their normal Badger things at a very high level. Wisky forces turnovers and they don't turn the ball over. I think they win by double-digits here on Saturday afternoon.

5* 

After their strong 2016 season it's been disappointing seeing New Mexico take such a large step back this year, especially within conference. The Lobos might be lacking motivation coming into their final couple of regular season games given they don't have bowl eligibility on the line. The UNLV Rebels will look for their third win in their last four games when they hit the road to take on the New Mexico Lobos at University Stadium in Albuquerque, NM on Friday night. The Rebels have posted a perfect 4-0 ATS record in their last four games following an ATS loss and they have gone an excellent 5-2 ATS in their last seven head to head meetings with New Mexico. Two more wins and UNLV will become bowl eligible. NM is in a brutal five-game losing streak. During that span, New Mexico has scored just 51 points -- just over 10 points a game -- while giving up 186. The Rebels are led by RB Lexington Thomas, who has racked up 15 touchdowns and 1,146 yards. UNLV is a perfect 5-0 against the spread in its last five road games while New Mexico is 1-4 against the spread in its last five overall. Take the points with UNLV here on Friday night.

5* 

I like ND in this one on Saturday night. I think they are very solid on both sides of the ball. The major advantage in this game will be Notre Dame's improved secondary. The lack of running on the Miami side and the great D-line of Notre Dame will force them into unmanageable 3rd and long situations. I see several ADVANTAGES going ND's way here on Saturday night. Miami has been getting breaks with 12 takeaways in their last 3 games. Notre Dame does not turn the ball over with just 2 turnovers in their last 6 games and they run the ball extremely well.

10* College Game of the Month 

TCU has the athletes and the scheme to disrupt the flow of the Sooners' offensive attack. We’ve seen the Horned Frogs do it this season against WVU, Oklahoma State, SMU and soon-to-be Oklahoma. OKL just put up 58 pts last week but the TCU defense will pressure them and force turnovers. Just look at what happened against Iowa State. TCU will bring pressure from everywhere, force Baker Mayfield into mistakes and the flaws of the Sooner defense will let TCU score here. I'm on TCU plus the points.

5* 

The Tide have only played in 2 true road games so far this season and their last road game was a competitive 27-19 win against a weak Texas A&M squad. Mississippi State has been having themselves a strong season outside of their 2 game road stretch early in conference against Georgia and Auburn. Mississippi State was probably looking ahead on the schedule to this matchup against Alabama given the Bulldogs had a tough time putting away an improving UMass squad last week, picking up the victory by a final of 34-23. Mississippi State plays a similar brand of ball in comparison with Alabama ranking 11th in the nation in rushing, 31st in scoring, and 14th in total defense. QB Nick Fitzgerald has been special throwing for 1500 yards and 13 TDs while also leading the team with 800 yards and 12 TDs on the ground. This is the recipe for beating this Alabama team. We like Mississippi State to keep things competitive enough in this defensive battle as they go on to cover the large spread.

10* Underdog Slammer

The Huskies are hands down the superior team here who have also allowed just 91.1 rypg this season. They want to win big to move up in the rankings on the Friday night primetime game. The Cardinal depend too much on running the ball and this Huskies defense does not allow opponents to do that The Cardinal simply do not have an offense that can keep up with the Huskies who have averaged 38.6 ppg this season. The Huskies are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 conference games and 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall. Play the Washington Huskies on Friday night.

5* 

Toledo has allowed just 80 points in its five conference games and getting great play from their QB Logan Woodside.  He has thrown 19 TD's and just 2 INT's.

Toledo is strong just about everywhere. The difference between Toledo and everyone else is Woodside

and the Rockets great receivers. Take the Toledo Rockets tonight.

5*

Miami is undefeated this season but getting no respect. Virginia Tech has played mostly poor offenses. In their only two games against Top-75 offenses, the Hokies allowed 27.5 points per game. Miami scores more at home and allows more points at home than it does on the road. This is a huge game for both teams, and Miami will be rocking on Saturday night and they're expect a sold out game. After Miami wins here they'll move up higher in the rankings and then they play ND. The Hurricane defense is very good and I think that will be the difference tonight.

10* 

It has been a terrible season for Florida State. They started as the No. 2 team in the country but they have lost five of their seven games, including back-to-back losses to Louisville and Boston College. They really only had 1 bad game and that was last week at BC in the cold. They were blown out last week but I think that was as low as they will go and with an extra day to prep and playing at home I think we'll see a solid effort. Syracuse lost by eight points at Miami their last time out and they have not won a road game all season. Their last road win was over a year ago at Boston College. The home team is 5-1 ATS in this series and the favorite is 4-1 ATS. Florida State is due for a big effort and I think they will get a blowout win here at home on Saturday afternoon.

5* 

Auburn is mad at the world and they just destroyed Arkansas and now they will roll into Texas A&M and probably destroy them too. In regards to defense, Auburn has been playing extremely well on the defensive side of the football yielding just 300 yards per game as a borderline top 10 unit. Considering the Aggies struggles on offense, I just do not see many ways they can keep this game close unless they come up with turnovers. Auburn will go for the jugular here and the blowout as this team is not out of the hunt by any stretch of the means yet with Georgia and Alabama on deck, they have a point to prove and by blowing a SEC team it helps them as well in all tie-breaking scenarios down the road.

10* College Game of the Week 

These 2 teams are headed in opposite directions in terms of health. The Chippewas have been bolstered with the return on their John Mackey and TE Tyler Conklin and in his 3 games back he has had 16 receptions for 229 yards and WR Corey Willis who missed 4 games and had 5 catches for 98 yards last game. 

Central has lost 3 straight in this rivalry, but right now they are the better team here and catching 4 pts.

Western Michigan true frosh Reece Goodard will be making his first start at QB as Jon Wassinik was injured last game. That means more sack chances for DE Joe Ostman who leads the FBS with 10 sacks and with that pass rush the Chip’s are #9 in the country with 10 interceptions and #5 in turnovers gained with 18.

Everything to me points to Central Michigan in this battle on Wednesday night on National TV and I'll back them +4.

5*

This is a senior-led New Mexico State team and I absolutely believe everyone associated with the program is looking at this game as The Game. A win over Arkansas State would get the Aggies to 4-4 and give them a very good chance at becoming bowl eligible. I think NM St will score its share of points here as their offense is good. Larry Rose III is a dynamic offensive player, Jason Huntley has been a legit weapon any time he touches the ball and QB Tyler Rogers is pretty good as long as he’s not forcing the ball into traffic. I'm on the small home underdog who is rested with 2 weeks to prep and playing with revenge. 

5*

I'll grab the points with the Wolfpack as they head to South Bend to challenge the Irish on Saturday afternoon. N.C. State is off to a terrific 6-1 start this season, an identical record to that of Notre Dame. The Wolfpack are in a good spot here, coming off their bye week and they are a very athletic team. Remember, just last year, N.C. State prevailed in a low-scoring 10-3 affair against Notre Dame. The N.C. State defense has certainly held its own this season, particularly against the run, allowing just three yards per rush. That's a key in this matchup as they keep the Irish offense in check for much of Saturday's game and I'll gladly take the +7 with NC St.

5* 

Ohio St is also rested and ready for some revenge here on Saturday afternoon. There is a reason why Ohio State is favored by nearly a touchdown here and the line is barely moving considering that nearly 70% are on Penn State but the line is holding steady. Ohio State did not start the year strong against Oklahoma and now look at them, a typical Urban Meyer team that is clicking in all cylinders. Ohio State has revenge, is at home and will be wanting to blow Penn State out of the water here and coming off of a BYE Week. Coach Meyers always comes out STRONG with extra time to prep.

The home team has covered the past four meetings and the Buckeyes have revenge on their minds. The Buckeyes haven't played anyone since losing to Oklahoma, but they've practiced well against them all and J.T. Barrett has 18 TDs and no picks in the five games since the OU loss. Penn State has not looked sharp this year on the road and we think they will be rattled and Ohio State will not let up on the gas this year. Ohio St wins and wins big on Saturday afternoon.

10* GAME OF THE MONTH! 

The biggest narrative that the media will plug all week is the story of the two offenses taking the field in Morgantown. We can expect a shootout here and I think the home underdog will keep it close here. This game features two exciting QBs. The focus immediately turns to which defense can you trust to get stops. I really like what West Virginia has on the back seven. Athletically, the Mountaineers are very similar to TCU. That defense gave Oklahoma State fits, and the Cowboys will have another struggle in Morgantown. Not only can WVU cover, they can win outright if Will Grier comes up big.

10* 

The Tigers have ruled this series, winning 10 straight and the past six by double figures so this is a major revenge spot for TULANE and they are a much improved team.

Memphis has a high octane offense with their only flaw, their defense. They are allowing 34 per to opponents. They are 2-2 ats in conference play. Tulane has been solid with one bad loss to Oklahoma and they have a great ball control rushing attack and playing a primetime game should add some extra motivation for Tulane. They are 3-0 ATS in conference play as well.  We'll back the underdog in this one on Friday night.

5*

This will sound weird, but the 2-5 Eastern Michigan Eagles are not a bad football team. They’ve had two overtime losses and three other losses by five points or fewer. 

You have an Eastern Michigan team that is picking up some steam as a strong ATS cover of late. This teams strength is their defense, which is a top 35 in overall defense and top 10 in passing yards allowed. 

On top of that, this team has an offense that features a top 35 passing attack and an overall defense that is top 30 in points allowed. They come off an impressive effort against Western Michigan, losing 17-20 in overtime but prior to that had covered against Army, losing 27-28 as a 4.5 point underdog, losing to Toledo by 5 points as a 13.5 point underdog and losing to Kentucky 20-24 as well as a 14 point underdog. 

This team lost to Northern Illinois last year 31-24 in OT.

We like Eastern Michigan to hang tough and keep this one close throughout.

5*

Last year, an inexperienced Penn State club was humbled by Michigan in a 49-10 loss. Penn St hasn't played the toughest of schedules and the Michigan defense is very good.

I think that will give them an opportunity even against a complete team like Penn State. The Nittany Lions offense while talented does not present the biggest mismatch advantage in terms of talent or scheme over the Michigan defense.  They should be able to keep the Penn St running game in check.

I think the 9.5 points here on Saturday night are an advantage in a game that I expect to be really low in terms of scoring. I'm on the Michigan Wolverines with the pts.

10* Oddsmaker Mistake Play

Iowa is 4-2 and they have a tough defense. They've also played a much tough schedule so far.

 So far, the aggregate record of the teams they've played is 25-11.

I'm certainly not saying the Hawks are great, but they are the better team especially on defense with their linebackers.

They lost on final play of the game to Penn St, and at Mich St(who just won at the big house), plus the tight game vs. Iowa St.

I like IOWA to get the win here on Saturday afternoon.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK

This will be the biggest game for the rest of the year for Memphis. Now newly ranked #25 going on the road will not be easy. If the defense plays as well as they did against Navy, the Tigers should win this one. Memphis is very good at causing turnovers and winning the turnover battle. Grab a full field goal with Memphis while you can. They could run the table with a win here and their offense is very explosive and now play on National TV Thursday night.

5* 

Rich Rod deserves credit for turning around the Wildcats this season and likely saving his job. The same cannot be said for Jim Mora, as he has yet to elevate the Bruins to one of the top teams in the league. UCLA has been on the road a lot lately and just seem tired. It will be very hot for this game at kickoff in the 90's. Arizona should be able to move the ball at will behind their tough rushing attack. The Wildcats defense is far from stout but they have improved by over 50 ypg and close to 12 ppg from last season so the unit is heading in the right direction. UCLA struggles to stop the run and that is what Arizona does best. UCLA is 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games and ARIZONA gets the big primetime win at home here on Saturday night.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK 

Its not often that you see New Mexico State a touchdown favorite but we like them on the road here against a rebuilding Georgia Southern squad. The New Mexico State program is top 30 offense, top 10 in passing yards and they can put up points in a hurry. This team is also top 55 in passing yards allowed and lost to Georgia Southern 19-22 last year and have revenge in this game. They have lost back to back games to both Arkansas and App State and can ill afford to lose 3 in a row as they are still in the hunt for a Bowl if they beat these weaker schools. Georgia Southern is one of the worst offensive teams in the country and I like New Mexico St to get us the WIN and COVER in this one on Saturday night.

5* 

It's safe to say that the Sooners got caught sleeping against Iowa State. This is a rivalry game that they can't afford to sleep through. Texas' defense will be up for the challenge, but I don't foresee its offense keeping pace. The fact remains, the Sooners owned the longest winning streak in the country before they were victimized by Iowa State. Oklahoma was flat out embarrassed last week This was a team many portrayed as a threat to both Alabama and Clemson. Now, OU fell flat on its face. Since the stock is so low on the Sooners, this is a prime position to catch them at a reduced price as they look to take out the frustration on their oldest foe. Baker Mayfield has 15 TD's and Zero INT's and OKL is too strong on both sides of the ball and they'll get a double digit win here.

5* 

We get Rutgers who is rested and playing with revenge on Saturday afternoon. We see that 80% of the public is on Illinois is something that allowed us to take a closer look at this game. Rutgers is led by former Ohio State Defensive Coordinator Chris Ash who knows how to build a winning culture as he has been around one with Urban Meyer. Their defense is aggressive and tough up front. Not surprisingly you have a Rutgers team that is top 50 when it comes in defense and Ash is getting a lot of his players given the talent level that he has and he is doing a quality job recruiting as well. And, we like the fact this team is coming off a 56-0 ass whooping against Ohio St. We think Rutgers gets up for this game and gets the win for us. 

5* Underdog Slammer

Wisconsin struggled last week but pulled away in the end. 

 Wisconsin was able to post impressive offensive numbers its first three games albeit against the soft defenses of Utah State, Florida Atlantic and BYU. Last week, facing a bit more resistance, the Badgers managed only 306 total yards in their 33-24 win over Northwestern. The final tally was very deceiving as both teams combined for only 550 yards but five turnovers and a pick six helped it go over the total. Last year's meeting saw Wisconsin grind out a 23-17 win in Madison and I like the Cornhuskers to keep it close.

One noticeable change during Nebraska's two recent wins was a far more conservative game plan. The Cornhuskers ran the ball 85 times vs. only 45 pass attempts. 

Nebraska is very good at home in night games and I like them getting the pts here on Saturday night. 

10* Underdog Game of the Month

This is the first night game ever between these 2 teams and you can expect Michgian to be rocking on Saturday night.

Michigan State has a decent offense, but they do not matchup well against Michigan's defense. The Wolverines will pressure the hell out of the Spartans.

I believe Michigan's defense is better than last years and that is scary. I believe John O'Korn will get the starting job for this game and Michigan will move the ball on offense with ease.  If you factor in the home field advantage especially since it's a night game i don't think Mich State has a chance. 
Michigan wins big on Saturday night!

5*

Purdue has played well against elite teams (Michigan & Louisville) and has the home-crowd advantage, not to mention the emotion of losing coach Tiller earlier this week.  The school plans to honor prior to the game so you can bet there will be a little extra electricity to the home crowd and the players in this one.

Purdue's offense looked awful vs. Michigan with just 10 pts and an embarrassing running game, but I look for them to be focused and bounce back here at home. I think their QB is a talented player as well.

We have Purdue coming off its bye week and playing for Coach Tiller with pride. The Boilermakers are 9-2 SU & 8-3 ATS in their last 11 home meetings with Minnesota. Purdue is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 games after gaining 100 or fewer rushing yards in its previous game. Take Purdue to take care of business and get the WIN and COVER here on Saturday.

10* Oddsmaker Mistake Play

This should be a good chance for Memphis to bounce back coming off of their tough result last week at UCF.

 UConn hasn't been great out of the gate and shown a lot of weaknesses on the defensive side of the ball which isn't ideal coming into this matchup against what can be a very high powered Memphis offensive attack. 

This is a great chance for the Memphis offense to breakout and get a big road win.

I'm laying the points with Memphis on Friday night, as I look for them to bounce back and get a BIG WIN on Friday night.  They were outplayed and out-coached vs Central Florida last weekend.

 UConn is just 5-16-1 ATS in its last 22 home games, and I see the trend continuing here tonight.

Memphis by 24.

5*

When you watch the powerful offensive game of Virginia Tech they score 40 a game, and score quite easily - they can make the tough plays that teams need to - when necessary to win bigger games. Virginia Tech offense can always be counted on for putting up fast points, and will do again. With a season average of 12.11 yards per catch - Ray-Ray McCloud doesn’t produce nearly as much as the Hokies star WR, Cam Phillips and his 15.38 /yards per reception during his season at Virginia Tech - they have far better weapons at WR, and it will make a huge difference. It comes down to the passing game of Clemson - they cant seem to get their own WR involved on the field and get them to step up when needed. Clemson and their very talented RB Travis Etienne need to improve on his pass blocking side of the ball. Virginia Tech has too much attacking skill here.

I think the setting and matchup is positive for Virginia Tech. If they limit big plays and Jackson plays well, they can win this football game. It is going to be a difficult challenge but I like Virginia Tech at home and getting the points. The Hokies will be play outstanding team defense Saturday night and I see the Hokies making a key play on Special Teams to get us the cover and another College Football winner. Clemson is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 conference games and the Hokies are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games. Also, throw in that the home team in this series has covered 5 out of 7 games and Saturday night in Blacksburg will be rocking!

10* 

The misleading final scores from last week’s games provide us with excellent line value on the Spartans. Iowa comes in off a heartbreak loss at home vs. Penn St and still hanging their heads. Despite losing by just two points, Iowa was actually dominated from the line of scrimmage by the Nittany Lions. The Hawkeyes were outgained by over 300 total yards in the loss. Meanwhile, Michigan State is home for the fourth consecutive week and is coming off a 38-18 loss to Notre Dame. Despite losing by twenty points, the Spartans actually outgained Notre Dame by 141 total yards but lost due to 3 turnovers and a ton of penalties. The Spartans have committed the 13th-fewest number of penalties this season (head coach Mark Dantonio is one of the nation’s best) and I expect a focused effort here. The Spartans should get the win and cover here at home on Saturday afternoon.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK 

I think this is going to be a really good close game. Both teams have faced fairly similar levels of compitition so far this year and have very similar stats. I really want to see the orange pull this game out and think they have a better chance than most people are giving them credit for. Syracuse loves to push the pace offensively and run a lot of plays. NC State is more of a patient offensive attack. Defensively, you can give the talent edge to the Wolfpack, but the Orange play well collectively as a unit. This will be a lot closer than people think. Keep an eye on Syracuse QB Eric Dungey to make some big plays.

5* 

This is the closest spread in this matchup over the past 10 meetings, but in my mind, it should be even smaller. The Duke defense is one of the best they've had especially against the run. Duke looks like they're one of the teams most overlooked coming into the year in the ACC and I'm looking forward to seeing if the Blue Devils can keep up their high level of play this week against one of the top teams in the conference. Big win for Duke last week against rival UNC and now Duke gets a chance to further their cause to get into the top 25 if they can come through today at home. Miami has had their season altered by the Hurricane, as this is only their 3rd game. Look for DUKE to keep it close throughout behind their defense here at home.

5* 

Both teams are undefeated coming into this game, although I have been more impressed with Iowa’s resume, which includes a double-digit win over Wyoming and a road victory at Iowa State. Penn St has played a very weak cupcake schedule so far. The Hawkeyes are averaging 33.0 points and 398 total yards per game at 5.3 yards per play against teams that would combine to allow 5.2 yards per play to a mediocre attack to they are just slightly above average offensively. However, Iowa possesses an outstanding defense especially at home where the Hawkeyes have yielded just 8.5 points and 269 total yards per game at 4.6 yards per play and 31.6 yards per point. Iowa’s defensive backfield has been spectacular this season as well and their linebackers are always tough. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz is a profitable 9-2 ATS as a conference home underdog of more than seven points, including 7-1 ATS with revenge and 4-0 ATS at home with triple-revenge. Ferentz is also an incredible 19-5-1 ATS when playing with revenge with the Hawkeyes, including 10-0-1 ATS over the last eleven circumstances. Look for Iowa to keep this one close throughout so we are backing the home underdog on Saturday night.

5* 

Fifth-year head coach Mark Stoops finally got the message that in order to compete in the SEC, you have to value the football, run the football, and play solid defense. Through three games, UK is +4 in turnover margin, owns a 121-70 run/pass ratio, and is allowing only 346.7 ypg. For seven of the eight quarters it has played, Florida's offense has been nothing short of abysmal. The Gators managed 11 rushing yards vs. Michigan and if you eliminate their Hail Mary toss at the end of last week's win over Tennessee, they would have been outgained by 125 yards to the Vols. For casual bettors, Kentucky's 30-game losing streak to Florida is going to make this a "Gators or pass" game. But in those 30 games, how many times could you confidently say Kentucky had the ability to win the line of scrimmage battle? I feel they'll do so in Saturday's matchup which is why I'm on the short home underdog to pull the upset at home. 

5*

Arkansas has to try finding more better plays for their top WR, Jonathan Nance. Arkansas has had a steady decline in their offensive output from last season, when they were putting up over 30/game but they'll get back on track here Saturday afternoon. I don't think that Arkansas is going to miss out on a chance to pull a key SEC upset here. Bret Bielema has lost to A&M five straight years, including a 21-point rout last season after back-to-back overtime heartbreakers in 2014 and 2015. Well, it is time for the Razorbacks to snap the streak. This A&M team has issues. Kevin Sumlin has fans and alumni openly campaigning for his firing. The Aggies still have that unreal choke against UCLA hanging over them. They were also unimpressive in a 10-point win over Nicholls State and the Aggies were actually down 21-14 at halftime last week against Louisiana-Lafayette. Arkansas has had two weeks to prepare for this game and lick its wounds after falling to TCU. But that 28-7 loss was a bit misleading, as it was 14-7 with less than three minutes left to play and Arkansas had two missed field goals. I think Arkansas is extremely motivated in this game and I think that they are more focused than the Aggies. There's no way you can trust the Aggies' offense, as its been a mess. The biggest issue is at QB. I like how the Razorbacks are built on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Look for them to bounce back and control the offensive and defensive lines in this one. I like the Razorbacks to get this win here.

10* College Game of the Month 

I'm looking for this to be a shootout and Texas has too many athletes to pass up this high number. Both teams have found themselves in high scoring affairs in their first two. Their average scores are almost identical: USC 48-27, Texas 46-27. Both defenses have struggled against lesser opponents. Texas lost 51-41 at home to Maryland as an 18-point favorite. USC will get plenty of points, but Texas should keep up. I'm anticipating a close game and Texas to stay within 10 pts. Take the Longhorns as our 10* Game of the Week.

10*

The Fighting Irish are hungry for a big win as they are looking to forget last week's heart breaking 20-19 home loss to Georgia. A look inside the numbers reveal that Notre Dame tends to stay on a roll when they're defense is rolling. They are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games after their defense allows less than 170 yards passing in the previous game. We also see there is a big advantage in this series to being the road team as the home team is a mere 1-4 ATS in the series. We already know that Boston College is a terrible home team, 3-9-2 ATS in their last 14 home games. And we know that when they get crushed they usually take the following week off as they are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up loss of more than 20 points. This BC team is not good and ND had a very focused week of practice. I look for Notre Dame to win by 3 TD's.

5*

New Baylor coach Matt Rhule did a great job at Temple and he will turn this program around, despite discouraging losses in the first two weeks. It won't take long because he has the talent. Going out on the road should take some pressure off the players. Duke has played great in its first two games abut this is a look-ahead spot with rival North Carolina on deck. What would this line have been before the season? My guess would be Baylor -6. But after the Bears lost two home games to Liberty and UTSA, they are now 14-point dogs at Duke. Meanwhile, Duke just blew the doors off Northwestern 41-17 last week. So everyone is high on the Blue Devils now all of a sudden. I think Baylor still has the superior talent in this one, despite the slow start and HC Rhule is 21-7 ATS as an underdog. I think this one stays close throughout.

5*

We all know about the high powered offense that the Cowboys bring to the table. Pitt as we know plays a way different style of football. This is the type of style that generally the Big 12 struggles with because they don't have the big physical lineman. Pitt prefers the ground and pound and just like last year they took the Cowboys down to the wire. So last week this Pitt team if you look at the box score actually out played Penn St. They out gained them by 30 yards had 10 more first downs but had 3 major turnovers. I think they are catching Oklahoma St at the right time here as they have a huge game with TCU on deck next weekend. I'm on the home underdog with the PITT PANTHERS on Saturday afternoon.

5*

We are passing the Thursday NFL and College Football and turn our attention to Friday night College Football here.
Both of these teams are 2-0 to start the season.
Charlie Strong's South Florida team is 2-0 and ranked 21st in the nation and get a primetime game on Friday night.
 South Florida has a prolific offense and an improving defense under Strong.

In the past nine years Illinois has never won more than a single road game in a season and has put up just a 8-33 away record in that time span, are just 5-11 against the spread in their last 16 games as a road dog, are 3-8 versus the number in their last 11 against teams with a winning record and have lost their last 17 straight games against ranked opponents. Now they find themselves traveling to Florida on a short week with injuries on both sides of the ball and facing a USF team that has had an extra week to prepare.
 That should be the difference here in that South Florida's defense should hold against an average Illinois defense and South Florida's offense should still be able to move the ball with all the talent they have.

5*

10* UNDERDOG GAME OF THE WEEK:

The Cornhuskers enter into this game barely getting by Arkansas state last week, and they didn't want to show much while Oregon is still sky high after putting up 77 points in their opener. This will be a great battle in the trenches. Both teams have shown a dedication to the run game, and can run it well. The Huskers, in my opinion, have better weapons on the perimeter and had their number last season. The Cornhuskers are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS loss. Ducks are 1-8-1 ATS in their last 10 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game. I like NEBRASKA plus the pts here on Saturday afternoon. 

Iowa won this rivalry game last year 42-3 as a 15-point favorite, and has the better team once again this year. Iowa has got to try and keep drives going, and they have the better offensive line and better linebackers on defense. The Hawkeyes D played well vs Wyoming, versus a probable NFL QB in Josh Allen of Wyoming. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz always has his teams ready on the road, and the Hawkeyes will have their share of fans in the stadium and I'm backing IOWA on Saturday afternoon as they win by 10 or more.

10* Oddsmaker Mistake Play 

The North Carolina defense looked lost late against a rebuilding Cal team most had relegated to the Pac-12 basement at the start of the year. Louisville a bit ambushed by a fired up and match improved Purdue team and they showed last night the Boilermakers are for real. Lamar Jackson is once again off to a fast start and we can expect a much more focused and prepared Louisville team to take care of business here on Saturday in this early kickoff.

5* 

Purdue's defense was decent in its 35-28 loss to Louisville last week, but it still was the Boilermarkers' eighth loss in a row.

They've covered only twice in their last 10 home games. Meanwhile, Ohio has covered eight of its last nine of the road and a very solid team. What consistently stands out about Frank Solich's Bobcats is their well-coached defense. I like Ohio U to play them tough and get the win over Purdue.

Take OHIO U plus the pts.

5*

Josh Rosen is the key to this game. Rosen is a Heisman Trophy candidate and possibly a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
UCLA head coach Jim Mora is a good coach and will have his boys prepared here at home.
 He was brought in to turn around the program and that is just what he did. Winning 29 games in his first three years was the best mark by any coach in UCLA's history. Throw out last year with the injury to Rosen and an inexperienced offensive coordinator. Jedd Fisch is the new OC and a big upgrade. UCLA also has revenge from last year after losing 31-24 in the Rose Bowl. In that game Josh Rosen threw 3 INT’s. He was learning a new offense that was hurt after 6 games. Rosen is primed for a great season and the Bruins have 9 starters back on offense.
A new A&M QB will be starting here on the road and A&M Myles Garret was #1 overall pick in draft his counterpart at DE, Daeshon Hall, was a 3rd round pick.
Take UCLA here at home on Sunday night.

5*

Marshall really struggled last season with a mark of 3-9 SU, 3-8 ATS. Lone victories included Morgan State and Florida Atlantic. They allowed 200 or more YPG both running and passing and just not a good team. Their QB Litton returns as the starting signal caller, but much of the blame for last year’s internal discord was from him. Until things turn around, we will follow the momentum of each team including that of Miami, Ohio who began last year going 0-6 SU then made the QB change to Ragland (17TD's/1 INT) and the Red Hawks finished the year 6-1 SU, ATS including a narrow miss in their Bowl game, a 17-16 loss (as a +14 underdog to an SEC team) Miss St. Not only did they make it to a bowl game but they gained experience and 3 extra weeks of practice last December. They also have 17 returning starters including QB Ragland and over 80 returning lettermen, and this is one of the most experienced teams in the Nation. I'm backing Miami-Ohio, who is well coached, with solid QB play and their momentum from last season as I believe these 2 teams are headed in opposite directions.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK

There’s a lot of excitement in Austin with the arrival of head coach Tom Herman. The offense will get a big boost under him but its going to take time. I still have questions about the defense as well. Will the Longhorns be able to stop the run? That's what they’ll see a lot of against the Maryland Terps, who boast a deep stable of backs and a strong Offensive-line that can dictate up front and create holes. There are many distractions with flooding and the practices aren't as focused for Texas for obvious reasons. I'm taking Maryland with the points in this battle on Saturday night primetime TV action.

5*

Colorado State's red zone ability has looked like a very consistent threat and an end result concern on every possession for opponents. Whether by running, passing or by good special teams play - the guys gets it done for the Rams. Nick Stevens is a huge threat, in a solid passing game for the Rams as well. Stevens always finds way to keep Colorado State involved throughout their games. Colorado State has too much firepower for Colorado to try and keep in check. Colorado has not scored well, at all, in the last 2 games they have played. The Colorado St Rams are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall

We cashed our 5* BEST BET with Colorado State over Oregon State last Saturday, as CSU blew out the Beavers, 58-27. They'll have a big advantage vs. their cross-state rival, Colorado, as the Buffaloes haven't played any games yet this season to work out any of the kinks. These teams have met every season for the past 22 years, and the team that lost the previous year has gone 15-5-1 ATS, including 8-0-1 ATS when priced from -3 to +6.5 points! With the Rams playing with revenge from a 44-7 loss last season. Co St got crushed last year by Colorado, so they have had this game circled all year and I look for them to get their revenge here on Friday night.

5*

This game might be competitive for a while, but the Cowboys will pull away and win by 21+ I believe. The Tulsa defense won't be able to contain Heisman candidate Mason Rudolph and they should be able to score many and often in this game. This is a veteran team and well coached. Okl St is also my pick to win the BIG 12 conference and I say they come out on fire here at home Thursday night. Lay it with the Cowboys.

5*

UMass went to Hawaii in the regular-season finale last year and they put on a show with 940 yards of total offense. Hawaii won 46-40, but UMass got the +7 cover. UMass went 2-10 last season, but 7-5 ATS. I expect Hawaii to make some adjustments and this UMass defense allowed 35.5 ppg and 453 ypg last year. Hawaii's offense is solid with QB Dru Brown returning big and better. I like Hawaii here who made it to a bowl last season and got 3 extra weeks of practice time. Hawaii gets a rare win here on the road.

5*

Alabama was not happy last year even though they beat Clemson. Their defense gave up a ton of yards and points. Nick Saban will have his boys ready tonight. Stepping into the offensive coordinator role for the title affair will be Steve Sarkisian the former USC Head Coach. Sarkisian spent the year as an offensive analyst for Alabama but will step into his new role following the release of Kiffen. He plans on throwing some new looks in the offense and Clemson would know what to expect. I expect BAMA to win by double digits here tonight! ROLL TIDE!

5*

This Auburn defense is very good. I have said it a couple times this year but it appears that the Big 12 just took the year off on the defensive side of the football and that is no different with the Sooners considering they have allowed almost 30 points on average. If that trend continues, it is really going to be difficult for Oklahoma to win this game despite their weapons on offense. The Tigers have a dynamic rushing attack that can keep the ball away from this Oklahoma offense. The Tigers have averaged 278 yards per game on the ground which officially ranks 6th in the FBS. Running backs Kamryn Pettway and Kerryon Johnson have been excellent in the Auburn backfield. Both tailbacks have average more than 5 yards per carry and are approaching 200 carries each. Together, the two rushers have combined for nearly 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns. I'm taking the points with Auburn, here on Monday night. Auburn has been a solid bowl play under HC Malzahn, losing to Florida State & Wisconsin by identical 34-31 scores, while beating Memphis 31-10 as a 3-point fave last season. Stoops' Sooners have won just five of their last 13 bowls, (4-9 ATS), including 2-6 ATS when favored. I am going with the underdog in this game. I like Auburn’s running style against this Oklahoma defense and I believe the Tigers are good enough to limit the big play ability that Oklahoma consistently relies on. Take Auburn +3.

10*

These are evenly matched teams. Both will come in and try to establish control of the line of scrimmage and put their QB in manageable passing situations. The better defense belongs to the Florida Gators, and they’ve also shown the ability to strike quick in the passing game with WR Antonio Callaway. Florida should have more fans as the game is in Florida.  Also, the Gators played the 3 best defenses in the nation in their last 3 games.  Now rested and playing in the warm weather I expect them to come out firing.

Lastly, things haven't been kind to the Big Ten in bowl season with Ohio State and Michigan coming up short as favorites in their contests recently.

5*

Western Michigan had a tremendous amount of success this season standing 13-0 overall and it’s a shame a group like this isn’t allowed to prove themselves in a bid for the national championship. They have a lot to prove on Monday against a Big Ten team. Western Michigan put up some nice numbers on both sides of the ball this season, but this group builds off of their offense as the Broncos rank 14th in the nation in offensive production and 27th in total defense. Veteran QB Zach Terrell has been a lot of fun to watch during his career and this season he’s thrown for 3,378 yards and 32 TDs to 3 INTs. The ground attack has been anchored by Jarvion Franklin who’s picked up 1,300 yards and 12 TDs. Not the ideal bowl matchup for Wisconsin going against a MAC opponent and the Badgers will get everything they can handle here going against a Western Michigan program that’ll be trying to prove themselves on the national stage. This game means a lot more for Western Michigan and so often these bowl games boil down to who has more motivation coming into the matchup. The Broncos are 10-3 as underdogs since 2014. They've also covered their last six outside of the MAC. Wisky allowed Penn State to throw for 384 yards in the Big Ten Championship Game. Quarterback Zach Terrell has the opportunity for a big game. Take the points with Western Mich on Monday.

5*

Clemson closed out the regular season strong with blowout wins coming against South Carolina and Wake Forest, but in the ACC title game the Tigers had a tough time putting away Va Tech in a 42-35 winning effort. Clemson didn’t quite live up to their very high expectations during the regular season, but this group still put up respectable numbers ranking 9th in the nation in total defense and 13th in offensive production. QB Deshaun Watson has thrown for 3,914 yards and 37 TDs to 15 INTs, while also rushing for 529 yards and 6 TDs.

 Ohio State played well out of conference, but the Buckeyes were mostly fading and struggling to come through with wins during the second half of Big Ten play, even against some of the more manageable steams in the conference.
This isn’t a great matchup for Ohio State in my opinion. The one area in which the Buckeyes match up well is in the secondary. This game will come down to QB play and who can make plays consistently in the passing game. To me, that’s Clemson’s Deshaun Watson.

5*

Alabama is 9-4 against the spread, but this line is high, really high. Nick Saban has failed to cover three of his last four bowl games. Jake Browning and the Huskies are very underrated here and should be able to pass the ball Consider that they have four wins over ranked opponents by an average of 26 points. The key for Washington is to not turn the ball over. A lack of turnovers for Bama's opportunistic defense takes away their biggest strength. I'm not sure Alabama's offense is as good as it appears- they were held to 10 against LSU. Washington is one of the better defenses Alabama will face this season. I think Washington can move the ball downfield and their defense is very athletic. I beleive Washington has enough talent and experience on both sides of the ball to at least keep things close. Head coach Chris Petersen is also a wizard at game planning as an underdog in these tough postseason matchups and had a lot of experience doing that in his time at Boise State. I expect Washington to stay within the number in this one.

10*

Louisiana State are only allowing a puny 3.4 rushing yds/attempt to opponents. Its still just too much to overcome for Louisville to change that.  The offense of Louisiana State has been putting up 28 / game - too much for Louisville. 34 ppg over the last 3 games is hard to overlook and 14 TD RB, Derrius Guice, as a constant scoring threat are too much to try and contain.

The Louisville Oline has looked bad, showing weakness vs giving enough time to throw the ball downfield. Their OTs cannot control Louisiana State's DEs when they starts moving -  especially Arden Key who is responsible for 10 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss.  Louisville isn't going to be able to run the ball as effective as they want to - their running QB isn't showing up here vs the defense of Louisiana State that has only been giving up 3.4 a carry on the season.

The Louisville Cardinals are 1-4 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.

Leonard Fournette is skipping the Citrus Bowl, but he hasn't been 100 percent and Derrius Guice isn't too shabby. He ripped A&M for 285 yards and four TDs in the regular-season finale. Look for the Tigers' defense to contain Lamar Jackson and for the Cardinals to end their once-magical season on a three-game skid. Play LSU in this early Saturday morning kickoff.

5*

We should see a lot of points in this one. Both offenses can run the heck out of the ball. It will come down to which defense you can trust to get a stop. Over the last 3 weeks of the season, the Yellow Jackets played some of their best defense of the year while Kentucky is still high after their big win over Louisville. I like GEO TECH in this one.
Lay the 3.5 points.

5*

Nebraska will go with the ground game for the most part here today. Tennessee had massive problems stopping the run this season – allowing 350-plus rushing yards in four of their final seven games of the regular season. RB Terrell Newby is a little banged up, but his season high so far is 140 yards against Illinois. Big Ten representative Nebraska comes into Friday's contest with an incredible 12 games in the last two seasons decided by a single possession which is great for the underdog Nebraska and now the line is up to 7. On defense Nebraska brings one of the nation's top turnover-generating secondaries into this game. The Huskers have 16 interceptions on the campaign, tied for 13th-most in the nation. Bowl games often come down to motivation, and with hopes of national, conference and even division titles dashed long ago the question for the Vols boils down to just how motivated they'll be to play this one. The TENN defense ranked 109th in FBS in total defense and 73rd in scoring defense, the desire to win a non-traveling bowl game can't possibly get the Vols motivated for this one. Nebraska fans also travel well and I'll back them today plus the points.

5*

The Stanford Cardinal will unfortunately be without their top player and offensive catalyst RB McCaffrey for this bowl game, but it’s understandable as the young man preps for his future in the NFL. Stanford stumbled through the earlier half of their schedule, before closing strong winning their last 5 straight coming into the postseason. In their last outing Stanford went out of conference and beat Rice by a final of 41-17 after coming off back to back road wins against Oregon and Cal. Stanford doesn’t have much offensive punch without McCaffrey and the Cardinals rank 99th in the nation in offensive production compared to 37th in total defense. We really liked the potential of this North Carolina squad throughout the regular season. NC QB Mitch Trubisky is an NFL level talent and he’s been solid throwing for 3,468 yards and 28 TDs to 4 INTs. As for North Carolina, their passing defense has been excellent ranking them No. 14 nationally in yards allowed per game. North Carolina's quarterback flourished in 2016, compiling an impressive 7-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio as well. Stanford is hurt greatly by McCaffrey deciding not to play in the bowl game as he is their key to their offense and special teams. North Carolina stumbled down the stretch, but playing in some better weather should really benefit this offensive attack and their speed. We’ll side with the Tar Heels to push the Cardinal as they go on to cover the spread.

5*

 This is Oklahoma State's 11th straight bowl trip behind Mike Gundy a former Cowboys quarterback. He received good new that quarterback Mason Rudolph and Justin Hill will be returning for a team that ranked 17th nationally in points scored. This past month was a lot of extra time to practice and prepare with his veteran group. On the flip sode, this is the Buffs' first bowl game since 2007! They've had a tremendous season and finished 10-3 against the number, but dropped their last two against the spread. They were trounced in the PAC-12 Championship game by Washington. Their offense that was averaging 32.8 points per game was held to 10 points. It seemed like COL pounded the weaker teams and struggled with the elite ones.  Its the kids and HC first visit to a Bowl game and are inexperienced.
 Oklahoma State has a solid defense and made 13 interceptions on the season. I believe Mason Rudolph will be the x-factor for the Cowboys. If he plays up to his standards, the Cowboys should win outright.

5*

The ACC has been a pleasant surprise in bowl games this year. Virginia Tech t nearly beat Clemson and this is a very good team. I give VTech the advantage here and their QB makes good decision. Virginia Tech quarterback Jerod Evans. His numbers were spectacular, throwing for 3,303 yards with a 27:7 touchdown-to-interception ratio and leading Virginia Tech with 759 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. Virginia Tech is the real deal having won the ACC Coastal by virtue of victories over North Carolina and Pittsburgh before playing Clemson close in a loss in the title game. VTech's defensive front is going to bring pressure early and often. One of the main themes of the Arkansas season was the offensive line being unable to keep quarterback Austin Allen from getting slaughtered. Defensively, Virginia Tech holds a sizeable advantage, ranking 19th in total defense compared to Arkansas at No. 75. The Hokies have a huge advantage defensively and too many weapons on offense for Arkansas to keep up with. VT also has an advantage on Special Teams. Lets play the Hokies here in this one.   5*

We are going with S Florida in this bowl game on Thursday. Willie Taggart built a very good football team at USF. He’s now gone to Oregon, but the talent still remains. What will give the Gamecocks problems is the 1-2 rushing punch of QB Quinton Flowers and RB Marlon Mack. They will make this a statement victory for the Bulls. This years version of South Florida football is the best in school history with 10 wins and a bowl game against an SEC opponent. The Bulls have not only set school records with 10 wins as well as total offense (6,181 yards). South Florida enters with four straight wins while the Gamecocks were pounded by Clemson 56-7 in their final game. SC basically won their games where their defense got them 3 or more turnovers. I dont see that happening today. South Florida wins and covers ATS this afternoon.

5*

Kansas State definitely finished stronger between these 2 teams but they also played much weaker oppositions. HC  Bill Snyder-led Wildcats doesn't have the talent A&M has. Kansas State is also 1-5 ATS in their last six bowl games.

The Aggies are starting to get healthy with Myles Garrett and Trevor Knight expected to suit up for this game. They just have too many weapons on offense for Kansas State to keep pace with.

Texas A&M  can really run the ball on offense, while their defense was one of the best against the run. And they allowed just around 21 points a game on the season. Look for Texas A&M to get the win and cover in this one

10* Bowl Game of the Week

Outside of the turnovers, Indiana has played pretty well. As stated before, Lagow has racked up more than 3,000 yards passing. Running back Devine Reading has over 1,000 yards on the season and receiver Nick Westbrook has 49 catches for 915 yards and 5 scores as the go to guy on the outside. Therefore, Indiana is plenty good enough to attack Utah's defense on both the ground and through the air. However, I believe Indiana's best chance will be their ability to attack through the air. The Utes defense has been vulnerable to the pass this season so Lagow will have some opportunities in this game but he has to avoid the turnovers to give Indiana a chance.
 
The Utes have struggled down the stretch as Utah lost 3 of their last 4 games, Indiana's defense will feel confident giving extra help to stop the run which could benefit the Hoosiers' chances.
 
I'm backing the underdog in this one.  Take INDIANA.

5*

Most college football programs would love a 10-win season, but disappointing losses to Wyoming and Air Force in the second half of the season cost Boise State an opportunity to play for a conference title and a spot in a New Year’s Six bowl. The Broncos will be hard pressed to find motivation for this game. Overall, Baylor is averaging 34.9 points and 523.3 yards of total offense per game. They've lost 6 in a row but with a month to prepare and a lot of seniors on this team they want to go out with a WIN. It is worth noting that Baylor has played six teams that rank among the top 25 nationally in total offense while the Broncos have faced only one. Also, the Bears held four opponents to 13 points or fewer, while all but two teams scored at least 16 points against Boise State. Look for Baylor to come in closing out an era and playing loose and with not a care. Too many points in this one so take the dog with BAYLOR.

5*

I think we have a very solid play here in the Bowls as the these 2 teams already played this season and the game/score was very misleading. North Texas has lost all of their games by 14 or more points this season and are lucky to be in a bowl game with a 5-7 record. Army already lost to N Texas this season. It was their sloppiest game in recent years. They had 7 turnovers which included 4 interceptions. That’s tough to do for a team that doesn’t throw the ball. Army also committed 9 penalties in this game and I don’t see that happening again. This Army team has a little time to prepare and will have revenge on their mind. North Texas is terrible vs. the run allowing well over 5 yards per carry. They allowed 9.60 yards per carry in their last game alone. Army ran for 302 yards in the last meeting, but the turnovers killed drives. Army’s defense is much better and I see them dominating this game even if it’s in Texas I think they will actually have a slight advantage in the stands. Texas a big military state and they typically have a ton of Army fans at games when Army comes to town. North Texas will get to lineup against the nation's 4th best defense that has allowed just 288 yards per game and hope to outscore their opponent because we know that Army is going to move the football. Again the matchup is just disastrous for North Texas and I think the result will show here on Tuesday afternoon and Army gets a BIG WIN!

10*

This will be a relatively low-scoring game, which makes taking the points more valuable. The line is now up to +6 with Vandy and they are the better defensive team and 85% change of rain throughout the game.
The Commodores won four of their last six, closing with impressive wins over Ole Miss and Tennessee as substantial underdogs.

The NC St Wolfpack offensive line has had some troubles this year and I beleive that will hurt them here on Monday.
 
This Vanderbilt team finds ways to be competitive and their effort level is always noteworthy. Running back Ralph Webb has easily been the most impressive performer for the offense with 1,172 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. Webb went over the century mark in both of those final two games that resulted in big wins to send the Commodores into the postseason and he will be a big part of the offense’s efforts in this game.

Look for NC State to fall to 0-6 ATS in its last six games against SEC teams. Grab the +6 points with Vanderbilt.

5*

Blue Raiders RB I’Tavius Mathers is a homerun threat and is facing a Hawaii team whose run defense has been in holiday mode all year. Expect MTSU to be able to run and pass the move the ball at will all night long.

I expect QB Brent Stockstill of Middle Tennessee to attack the CBs of Hawaii all day long. Stockstill will be finding every spot on the field to get his guys involved. Middle Tennessee has a really good rushing game and their offense is something fun to watch, and even tougher to defend.

Hawaii doesn't block coming pressure when it comes off the edge good enough to keep extra rushers coming into their backfield. Middle Tennessee and their numerous explosive offensive threats are going to be a great concern for Hawaii.

Rainbow Warriors are 1-6 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.

Take Midd Tenn St.

5*

5*

Colorado St played a much tougher schedule this year and they should have their way tonight. The Rams defense did some good things this season, such as hold opposing quarterbacks to moderate production and generally just being a very scrappy group that plays in rhythm with the offense. Colorado State has been playing some impressive ball looking strong in their final wins against Nex Mexico and SD St. The blowout win on the road against San Diego State was downright incredible, especially when considering how strong the Aztecs looked in their bowl win. Idaho gets the home state advantage, but Colorado State is bringing in a lot of momentum and are much better on offense and Special teams. Look for Colorado St to score TD's and not FG's and pull away in the 2nd half for the ATS Cover for us.

5*

 Wyoming has a very good QB in Josh Allen and a tremendous RB in Brian Hill who will be playing on Sunday’s.  BYU meanwhile is without their senior leader Tasom Hill who ended the year with another injury.

Wyoming faced 9 bowl opponents and really were in every game.

The Wyoming Cowboys had a great year for their program and head coach Bohl finally has this squad heading in the right direction. The rebuild took a little bit of time, but Wyoming now has the pieces in place to compete not just this year, but in the coming years as well in the MWC. Wyoming was able to win their division in the Mountain West getting past Boise State and New Mexico with the tiebreaker. In the conference title game Wyoming came up just short losing to San Diego State by a final of 24-27 after beating SDSU just a couple of weeks prior. RB Brian Hill did work this season picking up 1,767 rushing yards and 21 TDs.

This should be a great game between these two teams that went through solid campaigns out West. I expect a tight game and like Wyoming plus the points.

5*