This is a 10* play on Buffalo@Toldeo to go UNDER the total.

Buffalo's defense looked pretty dominant in a 30-3 win over the Ohio Bobcats last week. It's not like we should be surprised though, they pitched a shutout on the road versus Western Michigan a few weeks earlier. The Bulls have now allowed an averafe of fewer than 9 points per game over their last six.

The Bulls will face a tough Toledo Team tonight, and their star running back David Fluellen. The Rockets rely on their running game for offense, averaging 239 yards per game (15th). Fluellen though may not be 100%, after suffering a leg injury that caused him to miss last week's game against Eastern Washington.

Toledo won last year's meeting by a score of 25-20 in Buffalo. This year the Bulls appear to be much tougher defensively, and with both teams leaning on the run, I think the total in the mid fifties is just a little too high.

Take the UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on SDST@SJST to go OVER the total.

The Aztecs are coming off a home win over New Mexico last week, in a close 35-30 game that didn't see a lot of defense. We might expect a similar game tonight in San Jose, as the Spartans defense hasn't look great this season either.

The Spartans beat the Aztecs in San Diego last year by a score of 38-34, and these teams have seen the total go over in three of four meetings since 2005.

Neither team puts much of an emphasis on the run, preferring to air it out, and neither defense is particularly good at defending the pass.

Last week the Aztecs allowed the Lobos to drive the length of the field in the final 1:50 to make it a five-point game, before recovering the onside kick attempt.

I'm expecting to see a sloppy game between two evenly matched teams, going back and forth with plenty of points being scored.

Take the OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Alabama Crimson Tide.

When it comes to big rivalry games in college football, it doesn't get any bigger than LSU vs Alabama. With Stanford upsetting Oregon on Thursday, this game takes on even more meaning, as a slip up from the Tide would leave the rankings wide open.

That's not likely going to happen though, as this year's LSU team isn't nearly as dominant defensively as the team that lost at home to Alabama in a close game last year.

Alabama's #1 ranked defense appears to be at least as good as it was last year, and the Tide have allowed an average of fewer than four points per game at home this year. Yes, that's right .. FOUR POINTS.

That includes shutouts over Mississippi and Arkansas. The Tigers two losses have both come in close games on the road, and one of those came at Mississippi.

The Tigers are just 1-2 on the road this year, allowing an average of over 32 points in those games. That's not going to cut it in Alabama.

Tide Roll.

GL,

Jesse Schule

10*

This is a 10* play on BYU@WISC to go UNDER the total.

The Badgers offense really struggled last week in Iowa, with Joel Stave completing 11-of-19 for 144 yards with a pair of TDs and an INT. They went into the fourth quarter clinging to a 14-9 lead, but went on to score 14 unanswered points, thanks to a pair of Iowa interceptions.

They return home to face BYU, a team that is know for stellar defense. The Cougars have won 2-of-3 on the road, and two of those games were tight defensive battles, losing 19-16 at Virginia, and defeating the Utah State Aggies by a score of 31-14 in Logan.

Both teams have seen the total go under the number in five of eight games, and part of the reason for that is a heavy focus on running the football for both teams.

The Badgers are one of the top run stopping teams in the country, allowing an average of just 91 yards per game.

Points should be hard to come by in Madison this afternoon.

Take the UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Mississippi Rebels.

The Arkansas Razorbacks have been exposed as a fraud. After starting the season with three straight victories, they've been blown out in each of their last four games, and they've lost five straight.

Last week against Auburn, they turned the ball over three times in a 35-17 loss on their home field. It's not going to get any easier on the road in Mississippi, taking on a Rebels team that put up 59 points on Idaho last week.

The Razorbacks have played their last five games against SEC teams, losing by an average margin of 30 points. Three of those five games were played in Arkansas, and here they are on the road getting three scores against the Rebels.

I don't expect Mississippi to have any trouble running up the score today, especially given that Arkansas QB Brandon Allen has thrown six picks and just four TDs over his last five starts.

Take the Rebels.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Kansas State Wildcats.

The Wildcats come into Texas with a 4-4 record, but they have momentum coming off a pair of impressive victories. The Red Raiders have been trending the opposite direction, coming off consecutive losses to Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

The Red Raiders looked good jumping out to a 6-0 start, but reality is starting to set in. They are terrible defensively, and backup quarterback Davis Webb has been prone to turn the ball over.

That's a recipe for disaster going up against a very strong Kansas State defense, that came just minutes away from pitching a shutout against Iowa State last week. Only a late fumble in their own territory prevented the Wildcats from registering the clean sheet.

John Hubert ran for 105 yards on just 15 carries last week, just his second 100+ yard game of the season. The Wildcats should be able to pound the Red Raiders with the run, as Texas Tech has really struggled to defend the run this year.

The Cowboys ran for over 280 yards in Lubbock last week, en route to a 52-34 victory. I don't expect the Red Raiders to have any more success against the Wildcats, and we should see K-State win outright.

Take the Wildcats.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Cincinnati Bearcats.

The SMU Mustangs have impressed with their passing game, ranking 5th in the nation with an average of over 380 yards per game. Unfortunately their defense is allowing opponents an average of over 42 points per game, resulting in a 3-4 record heading into Cincinnati this Saturday.

The Mustangs haven't had a lot of success scoring on teams that are above .500, averaging fewer than 18 points in losses to Texas A&M, TCU and Texas Tech. The Bearcats defense ranks far better than any of those teams, and they are particularly good at home.

Cincinnati is 4-0 at home so far, winning those games by an average margin of more than 35 points.

The Mustangs are coming off back-to-back wins over Temple and Memphis, but both of those games were fairly close, decided by an average margin of 7.5 points. The Bearcats beat Temple by an 18 point margin, and knocked off the Tigers in Memphis by a score of 34-21.

I expect Cincy to win this game by double digits.

Take the Bearcats.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on MIZZ@UK to go UNDER the total.

The Wildcats are 2-3 at home, and all but one of those five games has gone under the total. While they only have two wins on the season, both against very poor teams, they haven't really given up a ton of points, allowing an average of just over 27 points per game.

They will host a very good Missouri team today, but the Tigers could have a backup signal caller filling in for James Franklin.

Reports out of the Missouri camp have suggested that Franklin might be healthy enough to start, but it would seem pretty reckless rushing him back against a team that they should beat easily. Regardless, if he does get the start, expect him to have a very cautious approach, and a conservative game plan.

The Tigers defense should get the job done, ranking second in the nation with 17 interceptions so far. They picked off Tennessee's Josh Dobbs twice last week, holding the Vols to just three points.

The Tigers won last year's meeting by a score of 33-10, and I expect to see a similar score here in today's game.

Take the UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Baylor Bears.

If you have been reading my weekly columns, you should already know that I have been high on Baylor since Week 1. With the Bears hosting Oklahoma on Thursday night, we should find out once and for all, just how good these Baylor Bears really are.
Baylor has blown away the competition every week, with the only exception being a 35-25 win at Kansas State three weeks ago.

That was on the road though, and at home this team has just annihilated it's opponents. One of those teams was the West Virginia Mountaineers, who they defeated by a score of 73-42.

The Mountaineers scored 21 points in the fourth quarter, after Baylor pulled it's starters with a 40+ point lead in the fourth quarter.

The Sooners have yet to face a true top 25 team, let alone a team that might just be the best in the nation. Technically they played the Red Raiders and Irish when they were still in the rankings, but neither of those teams is anywhere near as skilled as dangerous as Baylor.

As I have been saying since Week 1, I believe that outside of Oregon, the Bears have the best offense in College football. They should win this game by three scores.

Take Baylor.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Buffalo Bulls.

The Buffalo Bulls host the Ohio Bobcats in a MAC clash Tuesday, and the Bulls need to win to remain PERFECT in the MAC. The Bobcats have other ideas, trailing Buffalo by just one game. These two teams have split the last two meetings, with the home team sneaking out a victory by a slim margin in each of those games.

Both teams have similar numbers defensively, but that's a little misleading. The Bulls faced two of the nation's highest scoring teams, giving up 110 points to Ohio State and Baylor in their first two games of the season. Since then they have won six straight, and they have allowed an average of just 12 points per game against unranked teams.
The Bulls have been particularly strong on defense at home, allowing an average of less than 10 points in their last three home games. I expect the Bulls to remain perfect in the MAC with another win at home tonight.

Take the home team.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Nevada Wolfpack.

Last weekend I bet against the Fresno State Bulldogs, as they played on the road at San Diego State. The Bulldogs would win the game in overtime, but once again failed to cover the spread. While they have won all of their seven games so far, they are just 1-6 against the spread.

The Bulldogs host Nevada on Saturday, and they beat the Wolfpack last season by a score of 52-36. Prior to that though, the Wolfpack had won the previous four meetings outright.

Nevada is just 3-4 on the season, and coming off three straight losses. One of those cam on the road in overtime, against the same San Diego State team that the Bulldogs defeated in overtime last week.

Fresno State's defense is terrible, and they are being asked to cover an enormous spread against a Nevada team that can score points. They rank 81st in the nation in scoring defense allowing opponents 30 points per game. Four of their seven wins have come by seven points or less, and only once have they won by 20 or more points.

Nothing we have seen from this team suggests that this game will be easy, and they are giving up way too many points.

Take the dog.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on Oklahoma State Cowboys.

The Cowboys have won three straight against TCU, Kansas State and Iowa State. They are on the road Saturday taking on Texas Tech, coming off it's first loss of the season at Oklahoma.

The Red Raiders have been flirting with disaster for weeks, turning the ball over and playing sloppy football, and it finally caught up with them in Oklahoma. A pair of interceptions and a fumble proved to be the difference in a 38-30 loss to the Sooners.

They aren't going to find it any easier against Oklahoma's other team, the Cowboy's defense has been vastly improved this season. They forced a pair of fumbles and an INT a blowout win over the Cyclones in Iowa last week.

The passing game hasn't been nearly as good for the Cowboys this year, but they are making up for it with a strong defense and a good running game. Desmond Roland ran for a career high 216 yards on 26 carries last week, getting in the endzone four times.

The Sooners didn't have any trouble running on the Raider last week, rushing for 277 yards and three TDs. The Mountaineers ran for 183 yards the week earlier, and even the Cyclones were able to run for 143 yards and three scores three weeks ago.

I've had the Red Raiders pegged as overrated for quite some time, and I think they are gonna be in way over their heads here this Saturday.

Take the Cowboys.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the West Virginia Mountaineers.

The Horned Frogs have had a disastrous season so far, losing 5-of-8 games. Their offense hasn't been able to get anything going, averaging just 23 points per game (95th in the nation).

TCU has scored just 17 points the past two weeks, losing back to back games to Texas and Oklahoma State. They host a West Virginia team Saturday that has been surprisingly good defensively this year.

The Mountaineers though have lost three straight since upsetting the Cowboys at home in the final week of September. This week's game against the Horned Frogs figures to be a little easier than road games at Baylor and Kansas State, and a home loss by a score of 37-27 to Texas Tech.

last week the TCU offense really struggled, in a 30-7 home loss to the Longhorns. Casey Pachall came in to replace a struggling Trevone Boykin, but he completed just 13-of-34 attempts, getting picked off once and failing to get in the endzone. The Horned Frogs only points came on a TD pass from wide receiver Cameron Echols-Luper.

The Mountaineers loss to Kansas State looks like a one-sided affair with a score of 35-12, but that's a little misleading. West Virginia was trailing by just two points (14-12) heading into the fourth quarter.

The Mountaineers are getting far too many points against a team that has looked terrible on offense all year.

Take the points.

GL,

Jesse Schule.

This is a 6* play on UNC.

A tough schedule has taken it's toll on the Tar Heels, and they only have two wins in their first seven games. They snapped a four game losing streak with a win on the road over Boston College last week, and their defense came up big, holding the Eagles to just 57 yards passing.

The Wolfpack might have a tough time passing this week, with backup quarterback Brandon Mitchell who has yet to throw a touchdown this season, and threw for just 128 yards against FSU last week.

N.C. State has averaged just 13 points, while losing it's last three games. Last week's loss to FSU doesn't tell us much, but a home loss to Syracuse and a loss on the road to Wake Forest are quite telling.

The Wolfpack have seen the total go below the number in nine of it's last 10 home games, and today's total is actually higher than it was in any of the last 10 meetings between these two teams.

Take the Tar Heels.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on UNC@NCST to go UNDER the total.

A tough schedule has taken it's toll on the Tar Heels, and they only have two wins in their first seven games. They snapped a four game losing streak with a win on the road over Boston College last week, and their defense came up big, holding the Eagles to just 57 yards passing.

The Wolfpack might have a tough time passing this week, with backup quarterback Brandon Mitchell who has yet to throw a touchdown this season, and threw for just 128 yards against FSU last week.

N.C. State has averaged just 13 points, while losing it's last three games. Last week's loss to FSU doesn't tell us much, but a home loss to Syracuse and a loss on the road to Wake Forest are quite telling.

The Wolfpack have seen the total go below the number in nine of it's last 10 home games, and today's total is actually higher than it was in any of the last 10 meetings between these two teams.

Take the UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on WIS@IOWA to go UNDER the total.

Two of the best defenses in the Big Ten conference will be showcased in Iowa this Saturday, with the Hawkeyes hosting the Wisconsin Badgers. The Hawkeyes are coming off an impressive 17-10 victory over Northwestern last week.

Iowa is ranked 12th nationally in scoring defense, allowing just over 18 points per game. It's not like they have had a soft schedule either, they've played Northern Illinois, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Northwestern, teams that have all spent time in the top 25 rankings this season.

Two weeks ago they went into Columbus and pushed the Buckeyes to the brink, in a game that was tied until Ohio State scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win 34-24.

The Badgers have lost 2-of-3 on the road, although they really got hosed in the desert, in a game that they likely would have won had the officials not botched the call on the final play of the game.

The Hawkeyes have covered the points in seven of their last nine meetings with the Badgers, and they won six of those seven games outright.

I am expecting another close, low scoring affair between these two teams this Saturday.

Take the UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 6* play on the Oregon State Beavers.

The Beavers were rolling, winners of six straight until they ran into Stanford last week. They will try to get back on track at home tonight against the Trojans, who haven't won in Oregon for almost a decade.

The Trojans have the tough task of facing the country's top passing defense, and quarterback Sean Mannion who leads the nation with 3263 yards and 30 TDs on the season.

The Cardinal defense was successful in slowing down Mannion and Cooks last week, but USC hasn't had much success against top flight offenses. The Trojans were lit up in a 62-41 loss to the Sun Devils in Arizona, and they allowed 30 points to the Wildcats at home a week later.

USC has lost each of it's last two games on the road, and the Trojans lone victory away from L.A. came against the lowly Hawaiian Warriors.

The Trojans passing game doesn't pose much of a threat, and I can't see them scoring enough points to keep up with the Beavers. Even if they play well, no lead will be safe against Oregon State.

Take the home team.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Cincinnati Bearcats.

Cincinnati has been very impressive winning back to back games over Temple and Connecticut. Both those games were at home though, and they lost to the South Florida Bulls in their last road game.

That was a difficult game for the Bearcats, and they were playing with heavy hearts after losing teammate Ben Flick who was killed in a car crash that injured two other players.

It appeared that their heads weren't in the game, as costly fumbles and a blocked FG returned for a touchdown proved to be too much to overcome.

I expect Cincinnati to have moved on, and we shouldn't see such a sloppy performance tonight in Memphis. They face a Tigers team that has just one victory this season, and has lost three straight, two of those at home.

The Southern Methodist Mustangs handed them a loss in their last game at home, despite turning the ball over three times. The Tigers defense wasn't able to stop the Mustangs from moving the ball, and it's not going to get any easier tonight against the Bearcats.

Take Cincy.

GL

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Penn State Nittany Lions.

The Buckeyes survived a scare from Iowa last week, in a game that was tied heading into the fourth quarter. OSU scored 10 unanswered points in the final period to win 34-24, moving to 7-0.

While they remain undefeated, the Buckeyes haven't dominated their opponents in Big Ten play, all three of their in conference games have been decided by 10 points or less.

Penn State defeated the Wolverines 43-40 in overtime last week, and they'll look to bring that momentum into this contest versus another divisional opponent.

Christian Hackenberg threw for 305 yards and three TDs in the win over Michigan last week. Penn State's offense has moved the ball effectively all season, ranking 26th with an average of over 280 yards passing per contest.

The Buckeyes defense is starting to show cracks, and this could be the week that those cracks start to really open up.

I'm pretty confident that the Nittany Lions can hang around, avoiding a loss by more than two scores.

Take Penn State.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Temple Owls.

After starting the season 0-6, the Owls finally got the money off their backs with a win at home over Army last Saturday. They will head out on the road this week, getting a whole ton of points against a very mediocre Mustangs team.

Southern Methodist is coming off a win on the road versus Memphis, just it's second win of the season. SMU has just one victory in three home games, and that was by just a one point margin, winning 31-30 over Montana State.

With a defense that is allowing over 40 points per game, it's mind boggling that the Mustangs come in as a big favorite. The Owls might have but a single victory, but they've avoided getting blown out against some tough teams.

They covered in Week 1 playing the Irish at South Bend, and they kept it close enough to beat the spread in losses to Louisville and Cincinnati as well.

This appears to be a very winnable game for the Owls, don't be surprised to see a close game here.

Take the points.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Vanderbilt Commodores.

After losing outright to Auburn at home last week, the Aggies opened as a double digit favorite over the Commodores this Saturday. That's asking a lot of team that's defense is nothing short of a disaster.

Texas A&M is allowing just under 500 yards per game, the 6th worst total defense in the country. The Tigers ran all over them last week, running for 379 yards.

This is great news for the Commodores, who will likely start backup quarterback Patton Robinette, who had to come in last week to replace Austyn Carta-Samuels in the win over Georgia.

If the Aggies can't stop the run, there won't be any reason to put pressure on Robinette, limiting him to short easy passes. This Vandy team has played close games against the likes of Ole Miss and South Carolina on the road, so It's not asking a lot to hang around versus an Aggies team that allows almost as many points as they score.

Johnny Football is dealing with a sore shoulder, but he will start. He took some tough knocks last week, and threw a couple picks, but that didn't stop him from throwing for over 450 yards and four TDs.

I believe the popularity of the Heisman candidate results in an inflated line, and the Aggies shouldn't be giving up more than a TD here.

Take the points.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the BYU Cougars.

Boise State comes into Provo Friday night with a 5-2 record, but the Broncos have not looked good against top tier teams this season. The began the year with an ugly loss in Washington, getting blown out 38-6 by the Huskies.

Joe Southwick only threw for 152 yards with no TDs and an interception in that game. With Southwick sidelined with an ankle injury, the Broncos hand the reigns to Grant Hedrick. He wasn't all that impressive in his first start of the season, only throwing for 150 yards without getting in the endzone, and tossing an interception.

Those are some pretty poor numbers against a Nevada defense that has allowed an average of over 37 points per game (116th in the nation).

This Cougars defense hasn't put up the numbers they did last year, but they are still more than capable of terrorizing an inexperienced quarterback.

Last year these two teams played an epic defensive battle that ended with a final score of 7-6, with the Broncos winning on the blue turf. This season's version of the Cougar defense is allowing an average of 21 points per game, quite respectable, but a far cry from numbers they put up last year.

Still, we've seen them come up big at home, with wins over Texas, Utah State and Georgia Tech.

Expect to see BYU shut down the Broncos backup signal caller, winning and covering in a low scoring affair.

Take BYU.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on BSU@BYU to go UNDER the total.

Boise State comes into Provo Friday night with a 5-2 record, but the Broncos have not looked good against top tier teams this season. The began the year with an ugly loss in Washington, getting blown out 38-6 by the Huskies.

Joe Southwick only threw for 152 yards with no TDs and an interception in that game. With Southwick sidelined with an ankle injury, the Broncos hand the reigns to Grant Hedrick. He wasn't all that impressive in his first start of the season, only throwing for 150 yards without getting in the endzone, and tossing an interception.

Those are some pretty poor numbers against a Nevada defense that has allowed an average of over 37 points per game (116th in the nation).

This Cougars defense hasn't put up the numbers they did last year, but they are still more than capable of terrorizing an inexperienced quarterback.

Last year these two teams played an epic defensive battle that ended with a final score of 7-6, with the Broncos winning on the blue turf. This season's version of the Cougar defense is allowing an average of 21 points per game, quite respectable, but a far cry from numbers they put up last year.

Still, we've seen them come up big at home, with wins over Texas, Utah State and Georgia Tech.

Expect to see BYU shut down the Broncos backup signal caller, winning and covering in a low scoring affair.

Take the UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Kentucky Wildcats.

Both the Kentucky Wildcats and the Mississippi State Bulldogs are positioned at the bottom of the SEC standings, with a combined conference record of 0-5. One of these teams is going to get it's first conference victory tonight, and it's the home team that is the big favorite.

At 1-5, it's easy to see why the Wildcats are getting a bunch of points on the road. When you look at their schedule though, they've played four straight games against elite top 25 teams, and one of those was a 7-point loss to the Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium.

The Bulldogs have a better record, and better numbers on both offense and defense, but they've played a much softer schedule. Last week they barely beat Bowling Green, winning 21-20 at home.

Kentucky ranks 89th in the nation on defense, allowing 29 points per game, but given that they've played Alabama, South Carolina, Louisville and Florida, I see those numbers as pretty solid.

They held the Gators and the Cardinals below 30 points, and the score didn't get out of hand in either of those games. I'm expecting tonight's game to be a low scoring affair, and I think the Wildcats will have a chance to upset an overrated opponent.

Take UK.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on UK@MSST to go UNDER the total.

Both the Kentucky Wildcats and the Mississippi State Bulldogs are positioned at the bottom of the SEC standings, with a combined conference record of 0-5. One of these teams is going to get it's first conference victory tonight, and it's the home team that is the big favorite.

At 1-5, it's easy to see why the Wildcats are getting a bunch of points on the road. When you look at their schedule though, they've played four straight games against elite top 25 teams, and one of those was a 7-point loss to the Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium.

The Bulldogs have a better record, and better numbers on both offense and defense, but they've played a much softer schedule. Last week they barely beat Bowling Green, winning 21-20 at home.

Kentucky ranks 89th in the nation on defense, allowing 29 points per game, but given that they've played Alabama, South Carolina, Louisville and Florida, I see those numbers as pretty solid.

They held the Gators and the Cardinals below 30 points, and the score didn't get out of hand in either of those games. I'm expecting tonight's game to be a low scoring affair, and I think the Wildcats will have a chance to upset an overrated opponent.

Take the UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Arkansas State Red Wolves.

Two of the top teams in the Sun Belt Conference face off on Tuesday night, and the 4-2 Ragin' Cajuns are laying points on the road versus Arkansas State.

The Red Wolves were underdogs on the road last year, but they made the home team look bad in a 50-27 blowout win. Despite the fact the Ragin' Cajuns come in with a better record, I don't see any reason why we won't see a similar story this time around.

Arkansas State hasn't had an easy schedule by any stretch of the imagination, with two of their losses coming to SEC powerhouses Auburn and Missouri. They haven't lost at home yet this season, and they only lost one home game all of last year.

The Red Wolves quarterback Adam Kennedy had his best game of the season at home last week, throwing for 375 yards and four TDs in the win over Idaho.

Take the home team.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Oregon Beavers.

I bet on the Beavers in Washington last week, as well as giving out a free play on the total to go OVER. I nailed both, as the Beavers ran away with it by a score of 52-24.

This is the same Cougars team that doubled up on Cal 44-22 in Berkley the week earlier. Now the Beavers and their high octane offense are will see if they can run up the score against this sad sacked Cal team.

The Beavers really went to town on Cal last year, blowing out the Bears by a score of 62-14 in Oregon.

Oregon State's quarterback Sean Mannion leads the nation in passing yards with 2511 yards and 25 TDs. His best game was his last, with just shy of 500 yards and four TDs.

The Bears defense has allowed over 43 points per game this year, and I don't think they have any chance of slowing down Mannion and the Beavers.

Take ORST.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

I spent the better part of last season telling everyone that the Irish were overrated. I watched them awkwardly put together an undefeated season, setting up a date with Alabama in the BCS Title Game. I bet on the Crimson Tide for the game, as well as the half, and threw in a play on the total to go over.. cashing in with the 3-0 card.

At the beginning of this season, I predicted that Notre Dame would fall out of the top 25 rankings in the first few weeks of the season, which they did.

Needless to say, I'm not a big fan of the Irish. That being said, while some might think this year's squad is nowhere near as good as the team that ran the table last year, I really don't think they are that far off.

The Irish can still play tough defense, especially at home. It was less than a year ago that the Irish defeated the Trojans in California. It's bound to be even tougher for USC on the road, with a QB that hasn't really been able to move the ball effectively, even against average defenses.

Last week at home versus Arizona, Kessler completed just 15-of-30 attempts, and he's facing a much stronger defense in a hostile environment today.

The Irish have fallen out of favor with the betting public, but I think the time to buy on Notre Dame is now.

Take the home team.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Auburn Tigers.

The Aggies are 5-1, and their only loss came in a relatively close game against Alabama. They've scored at least 40 points in every single game they've played this year, but they haven't exactly been keeping opponents out of the endzone.

Texas A&M has allowed an average of 32 points per game, worse than 95 other schools. Last week they came back in the fourth quarter to tie the score in Mississippi in the final minutes, then kicked the winning FG as time expired.

Ole Miss racked up 329 passing yards and five TDs against the A&M secondary. This is the same Mississippi team that Auburn defeated 30-22 the previous week.

The Tigers have put up some pretty impressive numbers defensively when you consider their tough schedule. They rank 20th in the nation, allowing opponents an average of under 19 points per game.

While the "hype" surrounding these teams is miles apart, these teams aren't so different talent wise. The home team is giving up an awful lot of points all things considered.

Take the points.

GL.

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the UCF Knights.

The public loves Louisville at home in this Friday night clash with UCF, but I'm not about to lay all those points on the home team who is facing their toughest test of the season.

I've seen people on the forums saying: "Lou is allowing an average of 7.3 points per game and UCF is allowing an average of 16.6 points per game. Lou will score on average 41 a game with UCF doing 31."

If that's the kind of logic (or lack thereof) that you use to handicap games, then you're probably making your bookmaker a very happy man.

Sure the Cardinal rank 1st in the nation in points allowed, but they have padded their stats against some pretty soft competition, while UCF has played the likes of the Gamecocks and Nittany Lions.

The Knights won on the road in Happy Valley, upsetting Penn State 34-31, and they came very near to pulling off the upset at home against South Carolina, losing 28-25.

Louisville might be without two of it's top receivers, as DeVante Parker is nursing a shoulder injury, and Kai De La Cruz is suffering from pulled groin.

Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was a little off last week, tossing a pick in the endzone and losing a fumble in a 24-10 win over Rutgers.

It won't get any easier against a UCF defense that is allowing just 16.6 points per game, ranking just out of the top 10 (11th in the nation). The fact that the Knights have played a tougher schedule, makes their defensive numbers that much more impressive.

Take the points.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a Free play on ORST@WSU to go OVER the total.

Saturday night's Pac-12 showdown between the Beavers and the Cougars features two of the top 3 quarterbacks in the country (statistically). Oregon State's Sean Mannion leads the nation in passing yards with 2018, while Connor Halliday is third with 1993.

The Beavers lost their season opener to Eastern Washington, but have since won four straight. The Cougars were blown out at home by Stanford two weeks ago, but bounce back with a lop-sided win over Cal this weekend.

Both teams rely on an all out aerial attack, while neither team has had much success defensively. Oregon State is coming off a bye week, after a blowout win over the Colorado Buffaloes in Oregon at the end of September.

The Beavers have likely used the added time off to put together an elaborate bag of tricks on offense.

Oregon State has won five of the last six meetings, and each of their last three visits to Washington. Two of those three games saw the total go over the number, and all three were blowouts, decided by 20+ points.

With the Beavers defense not what it was in past seasons, this one might be a little closer, and both teams should find the endzone early and often.

Take the OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Oregon State Beavers.

Saturday night's Pac-12 showdown between the Beavers and the Cougars features two of the top 3 quarterbacks in the country (statistically). Oregon State's Sean Mannion leads the nation in passing yards with 2018, while Connor Halliday is third with 1993.

The Beavers lost their season opener to Eastern Washington, but have since won four straight. The Cougars were blown out at home by Stanford two weeks ago, but bounce back with a lop-sided win over Cal this weekend.

Both teams rely on an all out aerial attack, while neither team has had much success defensively. Oregon State is coming off a bye week, after a blowout win over the Colorado Buffaloes in Oregon at the end of September.

The Beavers have likely used the added time off to put together an elaborate bag of tricks on offense.

Oregon State has won five of the last six meetings, and each of their last three visits to Washington. Two of those three games saw the total go over the number, and all three were blowouts, decided by 20+ points.

With the Beavers defense is not what it was in past seasons, this one might be a little closer, but after seeing the Cougars give up 55 points to Stanford, who's offense hasn't scored 45 against any other team in five games, I think they're gonna struggle against Oregon State.

Take the BEAVERS.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on BSU@USU to go UNDER the total.

The Aggies have lost their starting quarterback Chuckie Keeton, and his replacement hasn't inspired much confidence so far. With Craig Harrison taking over for the injured Keeton, the Aggies are a sizable underdog at home.

Harrison completed just 18-of-41 passes after coming in against BYU last week, and the Aggies went on to lose 31-14 at home.

I'm still not convinced that Boise State can come to town and run away with the game like BYU did. The Broncos have scored points on weak defenses, but when they found themselves playing the Huskies on the road, they only managed a pair of field goals.

The Aggies still have a strong defense, and I think they will keep the score close. We've seen Utah State play three straight low scoring games, with the number going under the total. With a backup quarterback starting for the home team, expect another low total tonight.

Take the UNDER.

GL.

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on GT@BYU to go UNDER the total.

The Cougars defense just continues to terrorize the opposition, last week rolling over Utah State, and injuring their quarterback for the rest of the season.

I've bet the UNDER in every game BYU has played so far, and I've cashed in winning tickets in four of the five. With such an obvious trend, I would expect tonight's total to be below 50, but instead we see a total well over the 50 mark.

The visiting Yellow Jackets have hit the wall, losing back-to-back games to Miami and Virginia Tech. They were held to just 10 points in a 17-10 loss at home to the Hokies, and I don't see any reason for them to enjoy anymore success tonight.

The Cougars are known to be very tough against the run, and if you take away the run, the Yellow Jackets might as well waive a white flag.

The Yellow Jackets have seen the total fall below the number in six of their last seven versus teams with a winning record, while BYU has seen the total go under in 5-of-6 overall.

Take the UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on Baylor.

"I've said it before, and I'll make no apologies for saying it again! The Bears might just be the best team in the country. I mean, outside of Oregon, what other team could put up 70 points three weeks in a row, while holding opponents to an average of 16.3 points.

This week's thrashing of West Virginia should put the rest of the country on notice, this Baylor team is the real deal. West Virginia might not be a top 25 team, but they did upset the Oklahoma State Cowboys, and their defense limited the Sooners to just 16 points in a losing effort in Oklahoma"

On the road for the first time this season, we will see if this Bears team is all it's cracked up to be. The Wildcats are not the same team they were last year, and even a year ago they had a difficult time trying to keep up to this high octane Bears offense.

The Wildcats were in the hunt for the national title last season, until they lost to Baylor in Texas by a score of 52-24.

Now the public is all over Baylor here, as they are starting to look like the next Oregon or Alabama. Sure they are giving up a lot of points on the road, but all things considered, three scores isn't that unreasonable for a team that's averaged 70 points per game and a margin of victory of 50+.

Take the Bears.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on SCAR@ARK to go OVER the total.

South Carolina has been making news for all the wrong reasons this week, and I pegged the Gamecocks as the most overrated team in my weekly column (Exposing the top 25).

Here is what I had to say: "The Gamecocks have not looked good, failing to cover the points in each of their last three games. Making matters worse for the underachieving squad, their star DE sat out last week with what ESPN's Tim Koen referred to as a "minor or non-existant injury."
Coach Steve Spurrier was not at all happy about Clowney's decision not to play, and he's criticized his player publicly, saying: "If Clowney wants to play, we will welcome him to come play for the team if he wants. But if he doesn't want to play, he doesn't have to play. Simple as that."

Clowney is supposed to play in today's game, but it seems very apparent that his hear isn't in it. He's simply biding his time until he get's the big paycheck when he's drafted by an NFL team. He's more worried about avoiding injury than he is about helping his team, and that doesn't sit well with his coach.

South Carolina barely got by Kentucky last week in Columbia, and the Wildcats put up 28 points on the road in a 35--28 loss. Since Week 1, the Gamecocks have allowed 25+ points in each of their last four games. Not the kind of numbers that were expected from them before the season started.

The are in Arkansas today, facing a Razorbacks team that has lost three straight. Their defense looked particularly vulnerable in a 28-24 loss to Rutgers on the road three weeks ago, and they've since lost by double digits to Texas A&M and Florida.

We've seen the total go over the number in six of the last seven meetings between these two teams, yet today's total is still pretty low.

Take the OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on TEM@CIN to go UNDER the total.

The Owls are still winless at 0-5, and they were blown out at home by Louisville last week by a score of 30-7. They benched their starting quarterback in the second quarter of that game, in favor of freshman P.J. Walker.

Walker made an immediate impact, with a deep completion to Robby Anderson to put the Owls in the red zone. It's not going to be easy for Walker in Cincinnati though, as this Bearcats defense is pretty tough at home. Cincy has allowed an average of just 8 points while winning both their home games so far.

The Bearcats are being asked to cover quite a large spread though, and I'm not convinced their offense is up for the task.

Last week versus South Florida, they fumbled the ball four times, and quarterback Brendon Kay was picked off twice. Kay rallied to throw a pair of TD passes in the fourth, but the Bearcats came up short losing 26-20.

Temple might not be as bad as it's 0-5 record indicates. They have been involved in a lot of low scoring games, (under in 4-of-5) and even when they've been blown out, it hasn't been a complete massacre.

I think it would be a mistake for Cincy to expect a free pass here, and I think the Owls will put up a fight.

Take the UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Temple Owls.

The Owls are still winless at 0-5, and they were blown out at home by Louisville last week by a score of 30-7. They benched their starting quarterback in the second quarter of that game, in favor of freshman P.J. Walker.

Walker made an immediate impact, with a deep completion to Robby Anderson to put the Owls in the red zone. It's not going to be easy for Walker in Cincinnati though, as this Bearcats defense is pretty tough at home. Cincy has allowed an average of just 8 points while winning both their home games so far.

The Bearcats are being asked to cover quite a large spread though, and I'm not convinced their offense is up for the task.

Last week versus South Florida, they fumbled the ball four times, and quarterback Brendon Kay was picked off twice. Kay rallied to throw a pair of TD passes in the fourth, but the Bearcats came up short losing 26-20.

Temple might not be as bad as it's 0-5 record indicates. They have been involved in a lot of low scoring games, (under in 4-of-5) and even when they've been blown out, it hasn't been a complete massacre.

I think it would be a mistake for Cincy to expect a free pass here, and I think the Owls will put up a fight.

Take Temple.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on Rutgers.

The Scarlet Knights had one of the best defensive units in the nation last season, but after losing several starters, this is a much different team in 2013.

Rutgers comes into Louisville with a 4-1 record, with their only loss coming by a single point in overtime to a top 25 team (Fresno State).

Offensively, the Scarlet Knights are having a lot more success than they did a year ago. Quarterback Gary Nova had a difficult end to last season, but he's thrown for over 1100 yards and 13 TDs so far. He was 13-of-28 for 234 yards and a pair of TDs in a 20-17 loss to Louisville last year.

The Cardinals have had a favorable schedule to start the season, and this will be their toughest test so far. They might be without their top wide receiver DeVante Parker, who injured his shoulder against Temple.

Louisville's defense comes in ranked first in the nation allowing an average of just over 6 points per game. Those numbers are a little deceiving though, and I don't expect to see them completely silence this Rutgers team that has scored 50 points in a game twice already this season.

Take the points.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Washington Huskies.

The Huskies are off to a very impressive start, coming into Palo Alto with a 4-0 record, and the fourth best defense in the country, allowing an average of just over 10 points per game.

It's not like Washington has been padding it's stats against weak competition either, in fact you could say they have had a tougher schedule than the Cardinal so far. The Huskies opened the season hosting Boise State, and they dominated that game from start to finish, winning 38-6. They also defeated Illinois (3-1) and Arizona (3-1).

After losing to the Huskies in Washington last year, the Cardinal will be out for revenge on their home field Saturday. It isn't going to be easy though, this Huskies team looks like it might be a whole lot tougher than it was a year ago.

Bishop Sankey ripped through the Cardinal defense last year, with 144 yards and a TD on just 20 carries. He carried the ball 40 times last week, for 161 yards and a TD, and he's averaging more yards per game than any other back in the nation.

Keith Price struggled last year, behind an injury plagued offensive line. It's been a different story this season, as he's thriving behind better pass protection. Price has been around for five years, and has enough experience and patience to be successful against Stanford's tough defense.

I can't say for sure which is the better team, but I think it may well be the Huskies. Even if that's not the case, we're getting an awful generous spread all things considered, and this fixture seems to be destined to be a close, hard fought battle.

Take Wash.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Sooners impressed last week, on the road at South Bend, easily handling Nortre Dame. Blake Bell had a big game against a tough defense, completing 22-of-30 passes for 232 yards at a pair of TDs, and running for 59 yards on a dozen carries.

Oklahoma hosts TCU tonight, and the Horned Frogs are coming off a blowout win at home over SMU. This is just the second road game of the season for TCU, and the Horned Frogs suffered a double-digit loss to Texas Tech in their only other game away from home.

Trevone Boykin was picked off twice in the loss to Texas Tech, throwing for fewer than 200 yards and no touchdowns. He only completed 17-of-31 attempts for 231 yards in a loss at home to Oklahoma last season. He's had some big games filling in for Case Pachall, but all of those have come against weak opposition. He's been prone to making costly mistakes when he faces tougher opponents.

The Sooners have allowed an average of just 12 points per game, ranking 6th in the nation in scoring defense. I'd expect the Sooners to be giving up a pair of touchdowns here, but much to my surprise, a double digit victory has them covering the spread. I'm expecting Oklahoma to win big.

Take the Sooners.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Miami Hurricanes.

Georgia Tech has now looked vulnerable in each of the last two weeks. After going down early at home to North Carolina, the Yellow Jackets rallied to score 14 unanswered points in the second half, escaping with a 28-20 victory.

They weren't so fortunate last week, losing 17-10 to Virginia Tech at home. Now the Yellow Jackets head out on the road, facing the Hurricanes in Miami.

The Hurricanes are off to their best start in a decade, with a top 5 recruiting class that is already starting to pay dividends. This year's Miami team looks like it could be the best in a long time, and that's a scary thought for the Jackets, who have lost each of the last four meetings since 2009.

Last season's 42-36 overtime win on the road, was the only one of those games that was close, as the other three were all blowouts.

Miami covered the spread in all four of those games, and bettors have taken notice of an opening line that has the Canes favored by less than a touchdown. This game shouldn't be close, I expect Miami to win by double digits.

Take MIA.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Penn State Nittany Lions.

The Hoosiers are coming off a one-sided loss to Missouri at home, by a score of 45-28. Indiana quarterback Nate Sudfeld was picked off three times, completing just 21-of-39 attempts.

I bet against the Hoosiers last week, and one of the reasons for that was that I thought they were getting too much credit for a win over Bowling Green the previous week.

Scoring on a team out of the MAC is not the same as putting points on the board against an opponent like Penn State, who have allowed an average of fewer than 15 points per game, ranking 13th in the nation. A closer look at Indiana's last victory reveals that the game versus the Falcons wasn't as one-sided as the final score indicates. Two missed field goals, and four failed fourth down conversions put Indiana in excellent field position, instead of putting points on the board for the Falcons.

The Nittany Lions are coming off a 34-0 shutout victory over Kent State, putting them at 3-1, with their only loss coming to a very good Central Florida team.

History is certainly on the side of Penn State, who have won each of the last 10 meetings since 2001, They have covered the spread in 3 of the last 4, and they aren't being asked to cover a very big number here.

Take PSU.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on BYU@USU to go UNDER the total.

The Aggies and the Cougars know each other well, and when these two teams meet, defense is usually the story. It was certainly a showcase of two of the top defenses in the nation last year, when the Cougars won 6-3 in Provo.

In fact, over the past decade, all six previous meetings between these two teams have gone under the total. That being the case, I'm a little shocked to see the number in tonight's game is actually higher than it was in each of the last three meetings.

Certainly neither team has given any reason to expect anymore offense tonight. The Cougars have seen the total go under in 3-of-4 of their games this season, and they combined to score just 33 points in the Holy War against the Utes two weeks ago.

The Aggies have played some high scoring games against inferior opponents, but when facing top defenses they haven't done a lot of scoring. Utah State lost on the road to USC by a score of 17-14, and in Utah to the Utes by a score of 30-26. Both of those combined for fewer points than the listed total in tonight's contests.

The home team is being asked to cover a rather large spread, especially considering that BYU has won the last two meetings, and nine of the last 10.

Take the UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on STAN@WSU to go OVER the total.

As impressive as Mike Leach's defense has been in the first four games of this season, I don't think the Cougars are going to be able to stop Stanford.

Washington State has only allowed 17 points while winning three straight, and their win on the road over USC was quite impressive. Still, we saw Auburn score 31 points on them in their opener, and there's no reason why Stanford can't do even better than that.

The Cardinal won convincingly over a very good Arizona State team last week, by a score of 42-28. They did most of the damage with strong defense and a power running game, gaining 240 yards on the ground and scoring three rushing touchdowns.

The Cougars "Air Raid" offense leans heavily on the passing game, and going up against a tough Stanford defense, that should translate into a lot of three and outs, not taking any time off the clock.

With Washington State expected to struggle on offense, the total for this game is quite low.

I'm expecting the Cougars to turn the ball over early and often, but I also think they will connect on a few of their air attacks, scoring at least enough to push the total over the number. After all, Connor Halliday ranks 6th in total passing yards amongst all the nation's quarterbacks.

Take the Over.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on WISC@OSU to go UNDER the total.

The Buckeyes have been very impressive against inferior competition, but tonight they host a top 25 team in Wisconsin, that might just give them a run for their money.

The Badgers have allowed an average of just over 10 points per game, and by all rights they should still be undefeated. Only a controversial finish in Arizona leaves a blemish on their record, as the officials failed to spot the ball, allowing time to expire when the Badgers should have had an attempt at a chip shot field goal to win it.

The total for this game is significantly higher than it was in any of the previous 10 head to head meetings. Those games trended toward the under at a rate of 6-3-1.

Last season's meeting in Wisconsin finished with the Buckeyes winning in OT by a score of 21-14.

I expect to see another closely contested defensive battle here in this game.

Take the UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Oklahoma Sooners.

I spent the better part of last year saying that the Irish were overrated, and it wasn't until the BCS Title Game that anyone would listen. I had bets on Alabama for the game, for the first half, and the total to go over in a blowout victory (3-0).
In my pre-season edition of the NCAAF Power Rankings, I reluctantly had them ranked in the top 10, but warned that they would be outside the top 25 within a few weeks.They should fall out of the rankings after a loss to Oklahoma here today.

Quarterback Tommy Rees completed 14-of-34 attempts for 141 yards, as the Irish hung on to win 17-13 over Michigan State. This offense is struggling with Rees stepping in to replace Everett Golson.

The Sooners come into South Bend with the 5th ranked defense in the nation, allowing an average of just 9 points per game. They haven't exactly padded their stats against weak teams either, all three of the teams they have defeated flirted with top 25 spots at some point last year.

Blake Bell is coming off a fantastic performance, his first as a starter, completing 27-of-37 attempts for 413 yards and four TDs.

Notre Dame did defeat the Sooners last year, but in doing so they allowed a season high 364 passing yards.

They aren't likely to be so fortunate here this time around.

Take the Sooners.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on COL@ORST to go OVER the total.

The Beavers have won three straight since being upset by Eastern Washington in their home opener. The Oregon State defense hasn't been stopping anyone though, even in the games they have won.

There's nothing wrong with the offense though, and quarterback Sean Mannion leads the nation in passing yards. He's completed over 71% of his passes for more than 1600 yards and 15 touchdowns, with just one interception.

The Buffaloes are another pass happy team, and they rank 7th in the nation passing for an average of over 370 yards per game.

These two teams have played six games between them, and five of those six games have been high scoring tilts, with the number sailing over.

The Buffaloes have seen the total go over in five straight road games, while Oregon State has played five straight overs in games versus Pac-12 opponents. The Beavers have seen the total go over in seven straight against teams with winning records.

All things considered, I think the total here is a little too low.

Take the OVER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on MTU@BYU to go UNDER the total.

The Cougars lost at home to the Utah Utes on Saturday, and they will look to bounce back with a convincing win over the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Friday night. BYU is giving up an awful lot of points, especially when you consider that it's offense failed to score a point in the first half against Utah, and only managed 13 points losing 20-13.

The Blue Raiders though are over-matched, and they haven't fared well in non-conference games, failing to cover the points in each of their last five.

The Cougars have allowed an average of 20 points per game so far, but their previous opponents have all been far better teams that the Blue Raiders. They defeated the Texas Longhorns by a score of 40-21 in their home opener, and last season the Cougars won six of seven home games, allowing an average of 12.8 points in those games.

We can expect to see BYU bounce back from last week's loss, with a one-sided victory here tonight, dominating with their defense.

Take the UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Bryn Renner put North Carolina up 14-0 with a touchdown pass at the end of the first quarter in Atlanta this weekend. The Yellow Jackets came back in the second period, closing the gap and going into the half trailing 20-14.

The second half was all Georgia Tech, as they held the Tar Heels scoreless en route to a 28-20 home victory.

The Yellow Jackets will try to avoid another slow start tonight, as they host Virginia Tech. Hokies quarterback Logan Thomas is no Bryn Renner, he's completed fewer than 50% of his passes this year, and he's been picked off six times compared to only four TD passes.

Thomas had a terrible game last week, completing just 18-of-34 passes and getting picked off twice. The Hokies needed triple overtime to get past Marshall at home last week, and they will certainly have their hands full with Georgia Tech's power running game.

The Yellow Jackets are averaging over 345 rushing yards and over 45 points per game so far. I just can't see Logan Thomas keeping them in this game.

Take GT.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on Utah@BYU to go UNDER the total.

The Utes hosted the Cougars in Salt Lake City, winning by a score of 24-21. They might be hard pressed to repeat that performance this time around, as the Cougars defense is looking pretty strong.

Last week David Ash completed just 19-of-34 attempts for 251 yards and a pair of TDs in a losing effort, with Texas falling by a score of 40-21.

When these teams met in September of last year, the total was listed at 44.5, and the previous meeting in 2011 saw a total of 46. Both of those games went over the the total, but the total for this game is over 60, higher than it has been in any of the past 10 meetings between these two teams.

The Utes are coming off a loss to Oregon State in overtime, in a 51-48 shootout at Salt Lake City. It wasn't surprising to see a high scoring game against the Beavers, but I wouldn't expect to see as much offense against the Cougars.

Last year the Cougars shutout Hawaii at home, held the USU Aggies to just a field goal, and won their home opener by a score of 30-6 over Washington State. The only opponent that they didn't manage to contain at home was Oregon State.

I expect the Cougars to avenge last year's loss, slowing the Utes offense in a defensive clinic at home.

Take the UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on Missouri vs Indiana to go UNDER the total.

The Hoosiers are coming off a one-sided victory over Bowling Green, winning by a final score of 42-10. On the surface that looks quite impressive, and maybe that's part of the reason why they are getting so much credit coming into today's game against an SEC team that should probably be a significant favorite.

Scoring on a team out of the MAC is not the same as putting points on the board against an opponent from the SEC, even if the Tigers are one of the weaker teams in the nation's toughest conference.

A closer look at last week's victory reveals that the game versus the Falcons wasn't as one-sided as the final score indicates. Two missed field goals, and four failed fourth down conversions put Indiana in excellent field position, instead of putting points on the board for the Falcons.

Missouri isn't likely to be so generous with field position, and while neither team is great defensively, the Tigers should prove to be better.

The total for this game is sky high, but I think that's assuming we will see a close game going back and forth trading scores from both teams.

I'm expecting the Tigers to win handily, and I think Indiana is going to struggle to put points on the board.

Take the Under.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on Missouri.

The Hoosiers are coming off a one-sided victory over Bowling Green, winning by a final score of 42-10. On the surface that looks quite impressive, and maybe that's part of the reason why they are getting so much credit coming into today's game against an SEC team that should probably be a significant favorite.

Scoring on a team out of the MAC is not the same as putting points on the board against an opponent from the SEC, even if the Tigers are one of the weaker teams in the nation's toughest conference.

A closer look at last week's victory reveals that the game versus the Falcons wasn't as one-sided as the final score indicates. Two missed field goals, and four failed fourth down conversions put Indiana in excellent field position, instead of putting points on the board for the Falcons.

Missouri isn't likely to be so generous with field position, and while neither team is great defensively, the Tigers should prove to be better.

The total for this game is sky high, but I think that's assuming we will see a close game going back and forth trading scores from both teams.

I'm expecting the Tigers to win handily, and I think Indiana is going to struggle to put points on the board.

Take Mizzo.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on Arizona State vs Stanford to go UNDER the total.

The Sun Devils were fortunate to get a lucky break last week, as the referees botched the final play, allowing the clock to run down before Wisconsin could kick a game winning field goal.

They will need all the luck they can get this week, going into Palo Alto to take on the Cardinal. Arizona State is just 1-5 ATS in it's last six visits to Stanford, and four of the last five of those games went under the total.

There might not be a better defense in college football, part of the reason why Stanford has won eight of it's last nine home games versus ranked teams.

As good as the #5 ranked Cardinal are defensively, they aren't known to run up the score, with a very conservative approach on offense.

Last week versus Army, Kevin Hogan only attempted 18 passes, hitting his target 11 times for 188 yards. Expect Stanford to lean on it's running game at home, winning a tight low scoring game against a dangerous opponent.

Take the UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Michigan State Spartans.

The Irish struggled last week, barely escaping with a win on the road over Purdue. The Boilermakers were on top 17-10 heading into the fourth quarter, but the Irish rallied to score 21 points in the final period to come from behind and win.

Don't expect Notre Dame to put up a lot of points on this Michigan State defense though, the Spartans have allowed an average of just 12 points per game in three straight victories to start the season.

While there is no denying their defensive prowess, an impotent offense has been their downfall over the past few seasons. Last week versus Youngstown State, sophomore pivot Connor Cook completed 15-of-22 for 202 yards and four TDs.

Sure it was just Youngstown State, but such a standout performance inspires confidence moving forward.

"This will be a great experience for (Cook) because he's going to have an environment to play in that's going to simulate really what a lot of Big Ten environments are going to be from this point on," Dantonio said. "That's going to be a period of growth for him."

I spent the better part of last year saying that the Irish were overrated, and it wasn't until the BCS Title Game that any would listen. I had bets on Alabama for the game, for the first half, and the total to go over in a blowout victory (3-0).

In my pre-season edition of the NCAAF Power Rankings, I reluctantly had them ranked in the top 10, but warned that they would be outside the top 25 within a few weeks.

I like MSU to win outright!

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on Arkansas.

The Razorbacks will be looking to avenge last season`s loss to Rutgers on their home turf, and they appear to be in a good position to do just that. This isn`t the same Rutgers team that started last season 7-0, and we saw evidence of that in Week 1.

The Scarlet Knights almost pulled off the upset, but they came up just short in a 52-51 defeat to Fresno State. The 52 points allowed are 16 more than they surrendered in any of their 12 games last year.

With several key defensive players missing from that squad, this 2013 squad is going to have a tough time containing Arkansas offense.

Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova sustained a concussion in last week`s game, but he`ll likely suit up today. Nova really struggled at the end of last year, with 13 interceptions and just seven TDs in his final six games.

In his last full game, he completed just 12-of-21 passes for 150 yards, with a TD and an INT.

I don`t believe this Rutgers team is good enough to beat an undefeated SEC opponent, even at home.

Take the Razorbacks.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Boise State Broncos.

After opening the season with a devastating one-sided loss to the Huskies in Washington, the Broncos have fallen out of favor with pollsters and punters alike. This perennial top 25 team, known for it's stellar defensive play is an underdog on the road in Fresno tonight.

This is the same Fresno team that only managed 10 points on the blue turf in a 20-10 loss to the Broncos last year. Fresno State is 2-0 and coming off a bye week, but I really wasn't impressed by what I saw from the Bulldogs in the first two weeks.

Rutgers came into town in Week 1 and put up a whopping 51 points. That is 16 more than they scored in any game in 2012, and all 12 of their games last year were against unranked opponents.

Surely allowing over 50 points to a team like Rutgers that lost a lot of the talent it had last year isn't a good sign for this Bulldogs defense.

Joe Southwick completed 93% of his passes for 287 yards in the win over Air Force last week, and he's showed he can be successful against suspect defenses.

Don't be surprised if the Broncos win this game outright, proving they are still the best team in the Mountain West Conference.

Take BSU.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Utah Utes.

The Utes opened the season with an impressive win over rivals Utah State, and then last week they put up 70 points on the Weber State Wildcats.

2012 was a disappointing season for the Utes, but they appear to have turned things around, putting themselves in a position to make some noise in 2013.

Oregon State had a fantastic season last season, but the Beavers seem to have lost the magic that they had a year ago. Oregon State was upset by Eastern Washington in their opening game of the season, and then last week they earned an uninspiring victory over Hawaii at home.

These two teams played a tight, lowing scoring game in Oregon last year, with the Beavers winning 21-7. I expect to see a much different result in the high altitude of Utah tonight.

The Beavers were tied at 14-14 at halftime versus Hawaii last week, this coming after an upset loss in Week 1.

If Oregon State plays anything like they have in the first two games of the season, this game will be a one-sided affair in favor of the home team.

Take Utah.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.

The Hilltoppers were blown out by Tennessee last week, but I think there might be a little overreaction to that loss. Western Kentucky actually had more total yards than Tennessee (393-392). The Vols weren't able to get anything going with the passing game, with quarterback Justin Worley completing just 11-of-19 for 142 yards and a TD along with an INT.

The difference in the game was the five interceptions thrown by Brandon Doughty. I'm expecting him to bounce back with a much better performance this week, against much weaker opposition.

Doughty completed 27-of-34 for 271 yards and a touchdown, without throwing any picks against Kentucky, so he shouldn't have to much trouble moving the ball against the Jaguars.

The running game has been effective for the Hilltoppers, Antonio Andrews has picked up 210 yards on 33 carries in the first two games of the season.

I expect to see Western Kentucky bounce back with a decisive victory here against an inferior opponent.

Take WKU.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Huskies vs Illini to go UNDER the total.

Washington dominated Boise State in a 38-6 blowout win in it's home opener, and the Huskies defense looked impenetrable. After a bye week they come into Soldier Field well rested, having plenty of time to prepare for Illinois.

The home crowd will be behind the Illini, even though this is a neutral site. Illinois looked good in a one-sided win over Cincinnati last week, but they should find things a lot tougher against the dogs.

Their defensive clinic in Week 1 shouldn't really be a surprise, this Huskies team comes into the 2013 season with a reputation for tough gritty battles against Stanford and USC last year, upsetting the Cardinal and just missing the upset against the Trojans.

Both those games were in Washington, and their success on the road has been a question mark. That being said, they did win a couple of low scoring games on the road at the end of last season in California and Colorado.

Expect the Huskies to come out looking to establish the run, as Bishop Sankey is an absolute beast, and almost impossible to stop.

Success with the run will lead to a lot of clock killing drives, and this total over 60 looks a little high all things considered.

Take the UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Bowling Green Falcons.

The Bowling Green Falcons defeated Kent State last week, but it should be noted that the Golden Flashes were without star running back Dri Archer. The Falcons will face the Big-10's Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium Saturday. We'll see just how good this team hailing from the Mid American Conference looks against a Big-10 opponent.

The Hoosiers have not had an impressive start to the season, losing at home to Navy last week. The Midshipmen opened up an early lead and never looked back, winning 41-35.

Navy ran all over the Indiana defense, and that's got to be a concern for the Hoosiers coming into today's game. Falcons running back Travis Green could be in for another big day, after running for 145 yards and a touchdown against Kent State last week.

Bowling Green's defense has looked very solid limiting Tulsa to just seven points in Week 1, and then turning in another solid performance on the road last week.

I believe these two teams are moving in different directions, and while the Falcons are a team on the rise, I'm not very optimistic about the Hoosiers.

Take The Falcons.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on Air Force/Boise State to go Over the total.

The Boise State Broncos were destroyed in Week 1 by Washington, but they bounced back with a blowout win over an inferior opponent last week. The Broncos host the Air Force Falcons Friday night, and they are a heavy favorite. The Falcons are still licking their wounds after getting throttled by Utah State over the weekend.

We learned in Week 1 that this Bronco's defense doesn't appear to be the same rock solid unit that played an epic defensive war in a 7-6 home win over BYU last year. The Huskies scored at will, and they did much of the damage with their running game, with 268 yards and three rushing TDs.

We all know what to expect from the Falcons, after all .. to say they lean on the run would be an understatement of enormous proportions. Air Force is ranked in the Top 20 in the nation in rushing after just two weeks in 2013, and they ranked 3rd overall in rushing last year, averaging over 300 yards per game.

The Falcons managed to put up 20 points in a losing effort against Utah State last week, and they might be able to improve on that total this week.

Joe Southwick didn't fare too well against the Huskies, but he tossed five touchdown passes, completing 17-of-25 attempts for 234 yards against Tennessee Martin last week. The Broncos may not be a Top 25 team in 2013, but they can still put points on the board against an inferior opponent.

I expect to see both these teams have their share of success on offense tonight, scoring enough to push the total over the number.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

In my weekly column "Exposing the Top 25", I pegged the Horned Frogs as the most overrated of all the ranked teams this week:

"There

This is a 10* play on USC. The Trojans opened the season on the road in Hawaii, and while they failed to cover, they did dominate the game from start to finish. They went ahead by a score of 30-5 in the final minute of the fourth quarter, only to allow Hawaii to score with 30 seconds remaining on the clock, giving them the back door cover. I expect USC's offense to be a little sharper here at home tonight, having had a game to work out the bugs. Having Silas Redd back in the backfield will certainly help. Redd led the team in rushing with 905 yards and nine touchdowns in 2012. He's returned to practice this week, but his status remains uncertain. The Trojans won't likely have any trouble running the ball against the Cougars, regardless of who's in backfield. Washington State gave up a whopping 295 yards on the ground in their season opener against Auburn. Their poruos defense combined with their pass heavy Air Raid Offense is normally a recipe for high scoring games, especially when playing on the road against superior competition. The Cougars lost their last two road games against Pac-12 opponents, falling 46-7 to Arizona State, and 47-6 to Utah. The Trojans defense picked off Hawaii's Taylor Graham four times and sacked him for a loss seven times. That's a scary thought for Connor Halliday who will be expected to drop back to pass upwards of 60 times tonight. My money is on USC to win in a blowout at home. Take the Trojans. GL, Jesse Schule

This is an 8* play on the Michigan Wolverines.

The Wolverines failed to get in the endzone in 13-6 loss at South Bend last year, and they have revenge on their minds as they get set to host Notre Dame Saturday. The Irish forced six turnovers in last season's win, but they have lost the last three in Ann Arbor. While the outcome is uncertain, you can bet your ass this will be a hell of a game!

I wasn't overly impressed with the Irish last year, as I felt they were incredibly lucky to remain undefeated throughout the season. There were several games that they easily could have lost, one of those was against Michigan, as well as overtime wins against Stanford and Pitt.

This year's team will have a tough time living up to the hype, especially given the loss of Manti Te'o, Everett Golson, Theo Riddick and Cierre Wood.

The Wolverines were impressive in Week 1, putting up 59 points in a blowout win over Central Michigan. I expect to see the home team win and cover easily at home in this game.

Take Michigan.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the South Carolina Gamecocks. Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks will look to hand the Georgia Bulldogs their third loss in as many seasons after winning this fixture the last two years. South Carolina held the Bulldogs scoreless through the first three quarters in a 35-7 blowout at William Brice Stadium last season. Despite their success against Georgia, the Gamecocks are the underdog on the road today. This is definitely a must win for the Bulldogs, who lost their opener at home to Clemson. Not only did they lose the game, they also lost the services of their top receiver Malcolm Mitchell who tore his ACL while celebrating a touchdown. Aaron Murray probably has nightmares about last season's meeting with Jadeveon Clowney. He was just 11-of-31 for 106 yards, and Clowney sacked him for a six yard loss. One of the most highly touted players in the nation, Clowney was pretty quiet while playing through a stomach virus in Week 1. Even without their best player at 100%, the South Carolina defense looked pretty impressive limiting the Tar Heels to just 10 points. They also had no trouble establishing their running game, gaining 228 yards on the ground, led by Mike Davis who had 115 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries. As badly as Georgia needs to win this game, I just don't see any reason why they should be successful against a team that has had their number in recent seasons. I expect the Bulldogs to struggle mightily against this elite defense. Take the Cocks. GL, Jesse Schule

This is 10* play on Boise St. vs Washington to go UNDER the total. The Broncos defeated the Huskies in the Las Vegas Bowl in December by a score of 28-26, and these teams meet again in the opening game of the 2013 season. This time the game is in Washington, and the Huskies are the favorites. Washington comes into the season with very lofty expectations for a team that finished 7-6 in 2012. The Huskies won 2-of-3 home games versus ranked opponents last year, defeating Stanford and Oregon State, while losing to USC. All three of those games were close, low scoring affairs, decided by no more than 10 points. Washington will be missing one of it's biggest offensive threats, the school's career receptions leader among tight ends, Austin Seferian-Jenkins. He had six receptions for 61 yards and a TD in the Las Vegas Bowl. Both these two teams are strong defensively, and I expect both teams to focus heavily on running the ball. I'm expecting to see a game very similar to what we saw in the Las Vegas Bowl, but this time the total falls short of 50. GL, Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Auburn Tigers. The Tigers had a disappointing season last year, winning just three games all season long. Auburn might be one of the worst team's in the SEC, but there is still a huge gap between a poor team in football's best conference, and one of the bottom feeders of the Pac-12. Washington State also finished with just three wins, and aside from an upset over the Huskies, they really didn't have a lot to be positive about in 2012. Things were so bad at Wazzu last year that Mike Leach was quoted in the middle of the season, comparing his seniors to "zombies and empty corpses". There isn't a lot of hope for the Cougars to be any better this season, and starting off the year on the road versus an SEC team isn't going to be easy. One of the Tigers biggest problems last year, was youth, and those players come back with more experience under their belts. We should see at least a slight improvement. Auburn's defense wasn't great last year, but there were inspired performances, holding LSU and Vanderbilt to fewer than 20 points, but losing both those games. There should be some improvement for the Tigers on the defensive side of the ball, and if Leach's "Air Raid" offense is anything like it was last year, they won't have a lot to worry about today. The total for this game is quite high, when you consider that only once in Auburn's six home games did the total go over 60 points, and that was a blowout loss to the Aggies, who owned the 2nd highest scoring offense in the country. Don't expect the Cougars to be putting many points on the board here. GL, Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the NIU Huskies. The Huskies opened last season with a one-point loss to Iowa, and that would be the only game they would lose all season until falling to Florida State in the Orange Bowl. If you weren't convinced that the Huskies were for real, perhaps you would have been a believer when they trailed the mighty Seminoles by just seven points heading into the fourth quarter of a bowl game. Of course the Noles scored twice in the final frame, making the final score a lot less impressive. The point is, these kids can play, even with the best teams in the country. Iowa is not one of the best teams in the country. The Hawkeyes finished last season losing six straight games, and were just 4-8 overall. Iowa's defense is solid, and they should be able to hang around against the Huskies, but with so many options on offense, Jordan Lynch is going to be impossible to stop. Last season Iowa played five straight at home to begin the season, and four of those five games went under the total. Expect a similar story today. GL, Jesse Schule

This is a Free #NCAAF play on the #BYU Cougars.

Few teams fielded a defense capable of dominating games the way the Cougar's did in 2012. Perhaps the most impressive display came in an epic battle with Boise State on September 20, that resulted in the Broncos winning 7-6 when BYU missed a 2-point conversion.

Another thing that was glaringly obvious in that game was that the Cougar's offense was holding the team back. Riley Nelson was playing through injuries, and he finished the season with just 13 touchdowns, and as many INTs.

The offense was at it's best with Taysom Hill at quarterback, and he'll take the reigns in 2013. He completed 24 of 36 attempts, with a TD and an INT in a 6-3 win over the USU Aggies last year. He added 80 yards on the ground in that game, an impressive performance against one of the top defenses in the country.

The Cougars open the season on the road versus Virginia, and this isn't an easy matchup by any means. The Cavs though are coming off a disappointing 4-8 campaign last year, and that has resulted in bringing in new coordinators on both sides of the ball.

The defense should be solid with all four starters returning in the secondary, led by all-star candidate Demetrious Nicholson at cornerback.

The passing game was the Achilles heel last season, and there is no reason to expect it to get any better this year.

This is a nightmare matchup for Virginia, and it's unlikely they will get anything going offensively against this Cougar's defense.

Take BYU.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 2-Team (7.5 point) Teaser on BYU+UNDER.

Few teams fielded a defense capable of dominating games the way the Cougar's did in 2012. Perhaps the most impressive display came in an epic battle with Boise State on September 20, that resulted in the Broncos winning 7-6 when BYU missed a 2-point conversion.

Another thing that was glaringly obvious in that game was that the Cougar's offense was holding the team back. Riley Nelson was playing through injuries, and he finished the season with just 13 touchdowns, and as many INTs.

The offense was at it's best with Taysom Hill at quarterback, and he'll take the reigns in 2013. He completed 24 of 36 attempts, with a TD and an INT in a 6-3 win over the USU Aggies last year. He added 80 yards on the ground in that game, an impressive performance against one of the top defenses in the country.

The Cougars open the season on the road versus Virginia, and this isn't an easy matchup by any means. The Cavs though are coming off a disappointing 4-8 campaign last year, and that has resulted in bringing in new coordinators on both sides of the ball.

The defense should be solid with all four starters returning in the secondary, led by all-star candidate Demetrious Nicholson at cornerback.

The passing game was the Achilles heel last season, and there is no reason to expect it to get any better this year.

This is a nightmare matchup for Virginia, and it's unlikely they will get anything going offensively against this Cougar's defense.

Take BYU+UNDER

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on FAU@MIA UNDER. Miami is coming off a 7-5 season in 2012, but the Hurricanes boast one of the top recruiting classes in the country this season. While many expect Miami to make some noise this season, I wouldn't be surprised if it took time for their top tier newcomers to start paying dividends. The Hurricanes open the season at home against the lowly Florida Atlantic Owls, who lost nine of 13 games in 2012. The Owls might have lost a lot of games, but they didn't just fold like a cheap suit. Even against the likes of Alabama and Georgia, they still kept the margin under 40 points. They lost five of their first six games, and five of those six games failed to reach 50 points, including a 40-7 loss to the Crimson Tide. Owls head coach Carl Pelini has been quoted as saying this year's team boasts "the best crop of young talent in school history". I'm not overly optimistic that FAU will be much improved, but I'm counting on them at least not being any worse. Ultimately the Hurricanes are being asked to cover a spread that is roughly the same as the margin of victory when FAU played the Crimson Tide in Alabama last year. I don't care how good their recruiting class is, they have a long way to go before they deserve any comparisons to Alabama. That being said, I do expect the Hurricanes defense to dominate this game, keeping the total relatively low. Miami will win, but often it's difficult to cover a large spread in Week 1. Take the UNDER. GL, Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on USU@UTAH to go UNDER the total.

Over the years, the Utes have owned their inter-state rivals, but we are seeing a changing of the guard in this, one of the oldest rivalries in college football.

The Aggies won last year's meeting in overtime by a score of 27-20. Utah State went on to have a very successful season, winning 11 of 13 games and blowing out Toledo in the Idaho Potato Bowl.

The Utes finished the year 5-7 and didn't go bowling. Their lack of success was largely due to a stagnant offense that ranked last in the Pac-12 averaging fewer than 200 yards per game passing. Dennis Erickson will come in looking to turn things around, but it's a tough task playing the first game in a new system against a defensive powerhouse like USU.

The Aggies allowed an average of just 15.4 points per game in 2012, good enough to rank 7th in the nation. Utah State sees 7 starters return on offense and the same number of returnees on the defensive side of the ball. They will have a new coach, but don't expect to see this defense decline much.

Utah State didn't see the total go over 50 in any of it's first six games last season, including rivalry matches against the Utah and BYU.

I'm expecting a similar story tonight, in a hard fought, close, low scoring game.

Take the UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a Free #NCAAF 2-Team Teaser with the #Gamecocks + UNDER.

Steve Spurrier and his Gamecocks have a lot of swagger in their step as we approach the 2013 season, and for good reason. South Carolina returns five starters on an elite defense that ranked 11th in the nation in 2012.

They will have both quarterbacks Dylan Thompson and Connor Shaw back for another season, but of all the 12 starters returning in 2013, none are more important than Jadeveon Clowney on defense.

There are few players in college football that are more highly touted than Clowney who had 13 sacks in 2012. Reports out of training camp are that expectations are even higher in 2013 (he was clocked running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash this summer).

They open the season at home, where they were 7-0 last season. They host the Tar Heels who finished in a tie for first in the ACC Coastal division.

North Carolina has to be happy with it's first season under Larry Fedora, they finished with a record of 8-4, including some big wins against the likes of Miami, Virginia Tech and rivals N.C. State. Quarterback Bryn Renner returns after setting a single season school record with 28 touchdown passes in 2012.
This is a tough road game versus an SEC opponent though, so an upset would appear unlikely. The Gamecocks won the last meeting by a score of 21-15 at Chapel Hill back in 2007. South Carolina has taken four of the last five contests dating back to 1988.

The listed total is in the mid fifties, and by adding 7.5 points with a teaser we push it well into the sixties.

South Carolina only saw the total exceed 61 points once in 13 games last year. Their strength isn't in putting points on the board in a hurry, but rather in controlling the clock and shutting down opponents with their elite defense.

Take Gamecocks + UNDER.

GL,

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on the Alabama Crimson Tide.

We have all heard of "The Luck Of The Irish".. well Notre Dame certainly needed a lot of luck to finish this season with an undefeated record. The Irish were fortunate to defeat Stanford at home, after the Cardinal appeared to have scored the go-ahead touchdown in overtime, officials ruled that despite the fact that Stepfan Taylor reached the ball across the goal line before his knee was down, the play had been blown dead. Notre Dame went on to win by a score of 20-13.

The following week they found themselves trailing in the fourth quarter to BYU, but again luck was on their side, and they scored late to win 17-14. Two weeks later, it looked like their luck had run out as they went into the fourth quarter trailing Pittsburgh by 14 points. They rallied to force overtime, eventually winning in the extra period by a score of 29-26.

Now I can't tell you that the Irish don't deserve to be here, or that they just got lucky. After all, they do have the #1 ranked defense in the country allowing just over 10 points per game. It's probably appropriate to say "you gotta be good to get lucky".

Now Alabama is good, in fact they are so good, they don't need to get lucky. They own the #2 defense in the nation, just behind the Irish, but when you consider strength of schedule, you could say that Bama is the better team defensively.

When it comes to offense, there is no question, Alabama is the better team hands down! Led by quarterback A.J. McCarron, who completed 66% of his passes for 2669 yards and 26 touchdowns with just three interceptions. McCarron's biggest asset is that he just doesn't make mistakes, and that will be important against a strong defense like Notre Dame's.

With the #1 & #2 defenses facing off against each other, this is expected to be a low scoring game with the total hovering around 40. Alabama has only played one game all season with fewer than 40 points scored, and that as a 35-0 shutout of Western Kentucky.

I think it's a little naive to think the Notre Dame's defense is going to stop Alabama from scoring, keep in mind this is the same team that piled on 41 points against Michigan in their season opener, and the fewest points they scored all year was a total of 21, in a victory over LSU in the swamp.

Take the Tide to win and cover.

GL

Jesse Schule

This is a 10* play on BAMA vs ND to go OVER the total.

We have all heard of "The Luck Of The Irish".. well Notre Dame certainly needed a lot of luck to finish this season with an undefeated record. The Irish were fortunate to defeat Stanford at home, after the Cardinal appeared to have scored the go-ahead touchdown in overtime, officials ruled that despite the fact that Stepfan Taylor reached the ball across the goal line before his knee was down, the play had been blown dead. Notre Dame went on to win by a score of 20-13.

The following week they found themselves trailing in the fourth quarter to BYU, but again luck was on their side, and they scored late to win 17-14. Two weeks later, it looked like their luck had run out as they went into the fourth quarter trailing Pittsburgh by 14 points. They rallied to force overtime, eventually winning in the extra period by a score of 29-26.

Now I can't tell you that the Irish don't deserve to be here, or that they just got lucky. After all, they do have the #1 ranked defense in the country allowing just over 10 points per game. It's probably appropriate to say "you gotta be good to get lucky".

Now Alabama is good, in fact they are so good, they don't need to get lucky. They own the #2 defense in the nation, just behind the Irish, but when you consider strength of schedule, you could say that Bama is the better team defensively.

When it comes to offense, there is no question, Alabama is the better team hands down! Led by quarterback A.J. McCarron, who completed 66% of his passes for 2669 yards and 26 touchdowns with just three interceptions. McCarron's biggest asset is that he just doesn't make mistakes, and that will be important against a strong defense like Notre Dame's.

With the #1 & #2 defenses facing off against each other, this is expected to be a low scoring game with the total hovering around 40. Alabama has only played one game all season with fewer than 40 points scored, and that as a 35-0 shutout of Western Kentucky.

I think it's a little naive to think the Notre Dame's defense is going to stop Alabama from scoring, keep in mind this is the same team that piled on 41 points against Michigan in their season opener, and the fewest points they scored all year was a total of 21, in a victory over LSU in the swamp.

Take the OVER.

GL

Jesse Schule