South Carolina needed TWO blocked punt returns for touchdowns to get to 35 points last week against Georgia State. But the Gamecocks’ offense should be on full display this week at Arkansas, who could be down two defensive starters.

Like South Carolina, the Razorbacks won their season opener. But in defeating Cincinnati 31-24 as a 6.5-point favorites, Arkansas gave up plenty of yards (438) and honestly was fortunate not to allow more points. Six different times, the Bearcats offense crossed midfield only to come up empty. They also started a drive inside the Arkansas’ five-yard line and wound up settling for a field goal. 

But I was impressed with the Arkansas’ offense, specifically QB Jefferson, who accounted for four touchdowns last Saturday. He put up 9.3 yards per attempt last season, so a strong showing was really not that much of a surprise. Also, the Arkansas’ rushing attack seems like it won’t skip a beat, despite Trelon Smith leaving.

South Carolina’s defense was pretty bad at stopping the run in 2021 and with only one starter back along the defensive line, they figure to struggle to stop Arkansas from moving the chains.

But as I stated at the top, look for a better showing from the SC offense in this game. Oklahoma transfer Spencer Rattler has a great set of skill position players surrounding him. Look for the Gamecocks to take advantage of a possibly depleted Arkansas secondary. 10*

Boise State turned in a truly horrible first half performance last week in Corvallis and as a result, found themselves down 24-0 going into the break. Winning the second half 17-10 was of little consequence as the Broncos ended up going down 34-17 at the hands of Oregon State. Based on that performance, I think the number is too high this week in New Mexico.

Not much is expected in Albuquerque this year. But the Lobos did start 2022 with a big 41-0 win over Maine. Now while everyone realizes that’s a FCS opponent, New Mexico did hold the Bears to 118 total yards and just 2.5 per play. UNM gained 437 yards in the game and six per play.

After just one game, there’s already some question as to who will be under center for Boise. Hank Bachmeier threw two first half interceptions last week and thus got benched for Taylen Green, who came in and threw for 155 yards. As of press time, Bachmeier is still listed as QB1. But this uncertainty about the position can’t be good for the offense.

New Mexico’s offense is all about running the ball. Look for them to control the clock, making it difficult for Boise State to pull away. Honestly, based on what we saw last week, there’s no reason to believe the Broncos will run away with this game.

A Friday night home game is a big deal for New Mexico and I’m expecting an inspired effort where they keep the game close. The Lobos seem like they’re a better football team compared to last year. The Broncos are now just 7-7 straight up their last 14 games. 9*

What a letdown Louisville was last week. The Cardinals lost 31-7 at Syracuse in a completely misleading final. I say that not just as “sour grapes” after a bad bet, but knowing full well Louisville came away with seven points on five drives inside the Orange 40-yard line. 

Even though QB Malik Cunningham did not play great against Syracuse, the offense still averaged 6.2 yards per play. What happened is they were undone by three costly turnovers. 

Central Florida faced a FCS school in its opening game, so we really can’t make “heads or tails” of the Golden Knights just yet. But we do know they lost three of last year’s starters along the defensive line. Louisville should be able to run the ball more effectively and hold up in the face of pressure better than they did in Week 1.

Louisville won this matchup last year, 41-34 as a seven-point dog. It came down to the wire with a pick-six on the final play deciding things. I’m not saying they’ll be able to beat the Cardinals again, but all the Golden Knights need is to stay within a score. I think they do that here.

Cunningham should have a bounce back game (he had 384 yards in this game last year) and we’re getting a ton of value with Louisville being off a loss. The Cardinals are 10-4-1 ATS off a loss. 9* 

Two years ago, Clemson hung 73 points on Georgia Tech in what was utter humiliation for the Yellow Jackets. But last year, the game ended just 14-8 in Clemson’s favor. That was an early sign that it might be a “down year” for Dabo’s Tigers, who lost three of their first seven games. 

But Clemson ended 2021 on a 6-0 run and now seems primed to have a bounce back season. The defense was NOT the problem last season (only 14.8 points/game allowed) and should be one of the very best in the country for ‘22. 

Meanwhile, it’s been a pretty ugly three seasons for Geoff Collins at Georgia Tech. Especially when facing Clemson. Transitioning away from the triple option (to a spread offense) has not gone all that well in Atlanta. Incredibly, the Yellow Jackets have scored a combined 29 points in the last three meetings with Clemson. I’m not expecting them to score a ton tonight either.

Therefore, I’ll ride with the Under here. Georgia Tech’s offensive line is young and two of the top three receivers from last year are gone. I don’t see them doing well against what is perhaps the nation’s best offensive line.

Clemson’s offense wasn’t that great last year and I don’t see them scoring 40+ points tonight. Play the Under. 

The Brian Kelly era gets underway at LSU Sunday night against Florida State. While this is the Tigers’ first game of the season, FSU played last week and won 47-7 over Duquesne. I wouldn’t put much stock in that victory though as it came against a FCS team. Mike Norvell, entering his fourth year at Tallahassee, still has a lot of work to do. 

This game is in New Orleans, so that’s an edge to LSU, even though they’d prefer it being in Baton Rouge. Kelly has won 40 straight games when favored. That includes a 41-38 win over Florida State in the opening game last season, when Kelly was still at Notre Dame.

How much better LSU will be in 2022 remains to be seen. But we know they will be healthier. Their 74 starts lost to injury last season were the most in the entire country. Jayden Daniels, one of 19 transfers that Kelly brought in, is expected to be the starting QB tonight. But my eyes are more focused on the Tigers defense, which should be a lot better this year. 

Yes, it was “just a FCS opponent.” But FSU giving only seven points was encouraging. The Seminoles have eight starters back on defense this year and I think they’ll do a good job here against an opponent breaking in a new starting quarterback.

The Under is 9-4 in Florida State’s past 13 games and that’s the way I see this one going.

Washington should run away with a victory in their opening game in what promises to be a bounce back season under new coach Kalen DeBoer. 

DeBoer did a great job leading Fresno State to a 10-3 record last season. He’s got more talent to work with in Seattle and brought in Michael Penix (transfer from Indiana) to play quarterback.

The Huskies’ defense has experience and there shouldn’t be much of a learning curve under the new co-coordinators DeBoer brought with him from Frenso.

DeBoer will certainly want to make a “statement” in his first game. With a FCS opponent on deck, there’s really no reason to hold back or “hide” anything. Kent State is going to be in a lot of trouble in this late Saturday matchup. 

The Golden Flashes have made it to a bowl two of the last three seasons, but there are heavy losses on offense with the QB, both WRs and four offensive linemen having to be replaced. This is a giant mismatch on the Week 1 card.

Louisville and Syracuse each have a head coach on the proverbial hot seat. Scott Satterfield went 8-5 his first year at Louisville, but is just 10-14 since. Dino Babers is still hanging on at Syracuse despite a 29-43 record over six years. A win here is desperately needed for both Satterfield and Babers. Only one can get it though.

Satterfield’s overall results may not be up to snuff. But Syracuse is a team he’s handled all three seasons. The Cardinals have beaten the Orange three straight years, outscoring them 127-37 along the way. The last two years it’s been 71-3. 

The Louisville offense should be excellent this year with QB Malik Cunningham back. I think they have the potential to put up 40 points per game. What about the defense? Seven starters are back and eight transfers were brought in. So the Cardinals will be stronger on that side of the ball.

Cunningham has killed the Orange defense in the past with nine touchdown passes in two games. He’s a threat to run (1031 yards last year) and with Syracuse breaking in an entirely new starting D-line, I don’t like their chances against the senior L’ville QB this time either. The third time will not be the charm.

Given the series history, which includes eight straight covers by the team that is favored, you’ve got to like Louisville here. Cunningham is the difference maker with Cuse QB Shrader remains a question mark. 10*

Liberty has a had a couple of great season but QB Maik Willis is gone and could be a NFL starter (for the Titans) by the end of the year. For Liberty, the loss of Willis means the offense is set to take a step back in 2022.

In addition to having to replace its starting QB, the Flames are further due to regress because even with Willis they overachieved. Last year they were 11th in finishing drives but only 40th in success rate. I think you’ll see the Flames stall out more, or having to settle for field goals. 

Seven defensive starters and the top 10 tacklers are back for Southern Miss.  So this unit should be much improved. At least that’s the hope in Hattiesburg as the Golden Eagles move to the Sun Belt Conference this season after going 3-9 in 2021 (won their last two games).

But the USM offense, even with RB Frank Gore, is a major question mark. It was held below 20 points nine times in 2021. 

A x-factor in this game is that the new Southern Miss offensive coordinator previously served as Liberty’s offensive line coach. So he’ll bring over a familiarity with the opponent. This will be nothing like the last time these teams met (2020), a 56-35 Liberty win. 10*

Chip Kelly is only 18-25 in his four years at UCLA. But it was finally a winning season last year at 8-4. With Dorian Thompson-Robinson back for another year, the Bruins’ offense should be explosive and I see them routing Bowling Green in the opener.

Scott Loeffler is just 7-22 in his three years at Bowling Green with four of the wins coming last year. The Falcons do bring back one of the more experienced offenses in the country, however this group was only able to put up 21 points per game in ‘21. They still don’t have enough to keep up with DTR and the Bruins.

The defensive side of the ball was BG’s strength last season. But it still struggled to stop the run and will have to deal with Zach Charbonnet, who had 1153 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. 

UCLA averaged 37 points per game last year. Against FBS teams, BG scored more than 26 once.

It’s a big number to lay in the opener. But Kelly is all-too-aware of what’s going on at USC and doesn’t want to lose the headlines in Los Angeles. UCLA has a very easy non-conference schedule and will want to start like they did last year when they blew out Hawaii 44-10 in the first game. Won’t be close at the Rose Bowl. 9* 

Both Duke and Temple went 3-9 last season and there have been coaching changes for the 2022 season. 

David Cutcliffe retired after 13 seasons at Duke and was replaced by former A&M and Notre Dame defensive coordinator Mike Elko. His task is a challenging one - rebuild a Blue Devils’ defense that was positively awful last season, giving up 518 yards and over 40 points per game.

Over on the Temple sideline, former Texas run game coordinator Stan Drayton is the new man for the job. Expect a renewed focus on the rushing attack from the Owls, which probably isn’t a bad idea considering QB D’Wan Mathis is pretty inconsistent and completed just 59% of his passes last season. At one point, it appeared that Mathis was set to transfer out of the program.

I do expect Duke’s defense to improve under Elko, if for no other reason that it can’t get any worse. Temple doesn’t really have the kind of offense to take advantage anyway. There were nine games last season where the Owls scored 14 points or less.

Don’t look for Duke’s offense to do much of anything. The Blue Devils averaged only 22.8 points a year ago and have lost their starting QB, top RB and top WR. Take the Under here.

Michigan State probably won’t match 2021’s 11-2 SU record, but they’ll have an excellent defense and should easily overwhelm an inexperienced Western Michigan team in the opener. 

Sparty won all six of its home games last year, one of them over a Michigan team that made the CFP Playoff. The six wins were by an average of 13 points and while I need a bigger margin of victory Friday, this Western Michigan team is one of the weaker opponents to visit in East Lansing in quite some time.

The Broncos lose QB Kaleb Eleby and his production will be almost impossible to replace even though the team went a disappointing 8-5 with him at the helm last year. WMU was actually favored in all eight MAC games in 2021. This year, they figure to take some lumps early on.

The offensive line is young and will struggle to protect new QB Salopek, a freshman, against what is likely to be a ferocious Spartans’ pass rush. 

MSU covered 10 of 13 games last season and will win here by at least four scores. Last time these teams played it was 51-17 Sparty. Lay the number. 8*

It’s nice to see this rivalry being revived. This is the first “Backyard Brawl” since 2011 when WVU prevailed 21-20 in Morgantown. The Mountaineers have actually won seven of the last ten meetings, as well as four of the last five, but obviously little of that matters now as more than a decade has passed since the programs last met on the football field.

Pitt’s players, coaching staff and fans should care though. It’s an important game to start the season, not just because of the rivalry, but also because the Panthers have high hopes for ‘22. While they do lose QB Pickett, OC Whipple and top WR Addison, the three top running backs all return and Slovis has transferred from USC to replace Pickett. This Pitt team will again be a force in the ACC, a conference they won last season.

West Virginia hasn’t won more than six games in any of the previous three seasons and figures to be near the bottom of the Big 12 again this year. The defensive side of the ball lost a lot, particularly at linebacker and in the secondary. There’s just 11 returning starters total and the Mountaineers lost their QB, top RB and top WR from a season ago. 

With this being a rivalry game, it’s only natural to “think upset,” but I just can’t see WVU hanging with this Pitt team. The Panthers have a decisive edge on defense. Transfer JT Daniels may be in for a long night in his first game in a Mountaineer uniform. The home team is very strong along the defensive line and in the back end.

Pitt is not only 16-4 SU its last 20 games as a favorite, but they’ve covered 13 times. They are 6-2 ATS last eight tries as a favorite of 3.5 to 10 points.  WVU is 2-8 SU/3-7 ATS L10 road games. Lay the number. 9* Pitt

No matter where you look, you will not find a College Football team with less experience than Nevada. I believe this will be a major detriment for the Wolf Pack, who are laying points in the season opener. 

The Wolf Pack went 8-4 last year in the regular season with three of the losses coming by two points. But then they were rolled in the bowl game, 52-24 by Western Michigan, and their coach Mike Norvell left for rival Colorado State. First year coach Ken Wilson is stepping into a tough situation in Reno as QB Strong is gone as are the top SEVEN receivers from last year. Only six starters are back. 

New Mexico State is again pegged to be one of the worst teams in College Football. They also have a new coach, Jerry Kill, who had previous success at Northern Illinois and Minnesota. While the Aggies are underdogs here, I think the players and coaching staff view this as a very winnable game and will want to get the Kill-era off to a strong start. At home, getting points against such an experienced team, they are the play. 

Last year’s NMSU team was a little bit better than you might realize as they led both San Diego State and Utah State at the half. Kill did a nice job in the transfer portal, adding a number of talented players. 

Nevada lost its starting right tackle to a season-ending injury and he was the lone returnee along the offensive line. Wilson has never been a head coach at this level and I just can’t see this Wolf Pack team winning by double digits tonight. 8*

I like the Wyoming-Illinois opener to go Over the total. This is a very low total by 2022 College Football standards. 

Wyoming’s offense was hard to get a read on last year. There were six games where they didn’t score 20 points. But there were also four where they scored 44 or more. What we know heading into this season is that the Cowboys like to run the ball. They averaged the 16th most yards per carry in all of CFB last year.

Titus Swen will be the lead RB this year and should move the sticks against an Illini defense that won’t be able to match last year’s surprising numbers. But the problem for Wyoming will be their own defense, which lost a ton of talent on the backend, including all four starters in the secondary and both linebackers. 

The Pokes are one of the least experienced teams in the land entering this season and the loss of defensive talent is a big reason for that. Illinois is bringing its top three rushers back from last year, one of which (Chase Brown) averaged 5.9 yards per carry. 10*

Brett Bielema’s new QB is Tommy DeVito, who transferred in from Syracuse. I expect the Illini to be much better on the offensive side in 2020. Love the Over here.

Neither SEC team had much difficulty winning on New Year’s Eve. Alabama beat Cincinnati 27-6 in one semifinal. Georgia beat Michigan 34-11 in the second semifinal. Now it’s a rematch of the SEC Championship Game, only this time a much bigger prize is on the line - the National Championship.

Alabama beat Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, 41-24 as a six-point underdog. The Crimson Tide are again underdogs here, although the line is obviously shorter. But it’s hard for me to shake what happened back on December 4th. I expect the Tide to win again here and give Nick Saban his seventh National Championship since coming to Tuscaloosa (and third in the past five years). 

Bama’s offense is simply way better than any other that Georgia has faced this year. The Tide account for nearly one-third of the points allowed by the Bulldogs’ defense this season. 

The SEC Championship is the only time Alabama has been an underdog in many, many years. It’s a little surprising that the oddsmakers don’t have them favored for this rematch. They have dominated Georgia, winning the previous seven matchups. The last time Bama lost to Georgia was Saban’s first season here, which was 2007, the last season where the Tide weren’t ranked #1 at some point. 

Georgia has not covered the spread in back-to-back games since starting the year out at 5-1 ATS. Alabama is clearly a “psychological hurdle” for them and one they are unlikely to clear on the 10th. Take the points with ALABAMA.

We’ve seen a pretty substantial line move here due to the fact LSU lost its QB (transfer portal) and two of its top defensive players (opt outs). The Tigers will also have an interim coach after Ed Oregeron was dismissed in favor of Brian Kelly. But even so, LSU has more talent than Kansas State and I’ll gladly grab the points in the Texas Bowl.

Kansas State is 7-5 but lost its last two games in pretty feeble fashion. They went down 20-10 to Baylor and 22-17 to Texas. The Wildcats are also dealing with turnover on the coaching staff as they’ll have a new offensive coordinator for Tuesday’s game. Also, QB Skyler Thompson suffered a lower leg injury late in the year. Can’t count on him being the same, even if he does decide to play here. 

Kansas State’s best win this year was probably … West Virginia? They won just two games away from home and one of them was by a single point. The other was at Kansas. The offense has averaged less than 300 yards in its last three games.

It will be interesting to see if LSU elects to start Garrett Nussmeier, a decision that would cost the QB his redshirt season. Regardless, I expect the Tigers that do suit up to really play hard as they look to impress the incoming coaching staff. If LSU had its full complement of players, they would win this game in blowout fashion. Even down a few, they should still keep it close at the very worst. Take LSU plus the points

Utah/Ohio State

Utah won't be rolling over here. The Utes have won six straight and all signs point to a possible big upset here as well. Most recently Utah beat Oregon 38-10 in the PAC 12 Championship, while Ohio State enters off a 42-27 loss to Michigan as a 6.5-point favorite. 

Utah has lost its last two bowl games, putting an added motivation incentive here. Overall the Utes averaged 35.1 PPG, while allowing 20.9. QB Cameron Rising had 2,279 yards, 18 TD's and only five INT's.

With their nine-game win streak in the rear-view mirror, I believe the Buckeyes are ripe for the picking tonight. Ohio State and CJ Stroud average 45.5 PPG, while allowing 20.9. 

The Utes have won of the best running games in the country, averaging more than 200 yards per game. The Buckeyes have been great defensively (again) all season, but note that they're just 2-7 ATS in their last nine off a SU/ATS loss in which it conceded 40 or more points in.

This one comes down to the wire, so let's grab the points! Utah 10* GAME OF MONTH. 

Oklahoma State/Notre Dame

Oklahoma State went 11-2. The Cowboys would ultimately go on to lose to Baylor in the Big 12 Title game. Normally OKS is known for its high-octane offense, but they held opponents to just 17 points per game, which ranks seventh in the country. The Cowboys were ranked second in the country on allowed third down conversions, conceding just 25 percent of such instances. They also led the nation in sacks with 55. The offense took a step back this sesaon though, entering averaging 30 PPG, which ranks 50th. QB Spencer Sanders had a pedestrian season, throwing for 2,468 yards, but with a 16:14 TD:INT ratio.

Brian Kelly has already left Notre Dame and several key players have opted out. Marcus Freeman is the new coach. Kyren Williams has left for the NFL. He was the team's leading rusher and had the second most TD's only behidn QB Jack Coan. The Irish rank ninth overall on the defensive end, conceding 18.3 PPG. 

Many new faces, but these defenses are elite. Each ranks in the Top 10. Expect them to be the main story line in tomorrow's summaries. 10* BOWL TOTAL OF YEAR. 

No one but the BearCats think they have a chance in this game, but they are unbeaten, and playing against a Crimson Tide team that is not without stumbles this year. What does Cincinnati need to do to stay close to Alabama? Alabama is a pass- first offense generating over 400 yards avg. in their last three games, and they blew out Georgia’s fine pass defense last game. The Bearcats’ run defense has improved over the last three games and they are exceptional in red zone defense, so the Tide’s running game is not such a threat. Slowing the passing game is possible: the Bearcats’ sack totals over the last three games have risen dramatically, and they have limited opposing Qbs in yards and yard per attempt..

As far as the Crimson Tide’s defense goes, two things stand out; nobody has much success running on them, and they are tough on opposing Qbs. Cincinnati’s pass offense does not compare. They have had success running the ball in their last three games, but that likely will not wash against Alabama.

Of all options in this game I like the total. The Alabama/Georgia game will be a roadmap for Cincinnati of where not to go. I don’t see the Bearcats scoring a ton of points, but I do see them holding Alabama to respectable levels. Look for the Bearcats to key on Bryce Young, and take away some of those huge plays. Take the total to go Under.

Pittsburgh/Michigan State

I absolutely  believe that this one favors the 11-2 Pittsburgh Panthers. Michigan State is only the "home" team on paper. 

The Panthers were 5-0 on the road this year, while MSU was just 4-2. The Panthers won the the ACC title, while the Spartans finished in third in the Big Ten East. 

Pittsburgh is led by QB Kenny Pickett, who had 4,319 passing yards, 42 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The Panthers average 40.2 PPG, while allowing 24.4. Pickett is gone for the draft, but I don't expect much of a drop off here with Nick Patti, who completed 85.7 percent of his passes for 140 yards.

The Spartans are led by Payton Thorne, who had 2,886 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions. MSU averages 31 PPG, while allowing 26.6. MSU will be without star RB Kenneth Walker III though.

Both teams were great in stopping the run, but the Panthers finished with 51 sacks this season, which was second in the nation.

Look for Pittsburgh to grind out a win here. 8* BOWL PLAY on Pittsburgh. 

You won’t know the players (and coaches) without a program in this one. Both teams are off disappointing ends to their years, losing head coaches to other institutions, and key players to the NFL draft, not to mention demoralizing losses. Oregon may also be affected by covid. The Ducks looked very poor against Utah (twice), and will have a long way to come back to make this game competitive. The Ducks run game and QB. Brown’s effectiveness took a real hit in their last games. Losing their best defensive player is troubling. The Ducks’ offense is very young. It will be tough to adjust to the changes.

The Sooners have lost key defensive pieces as well. Young QB Caleb Williams had a tough time of late but spent a lot of time on his back; he was pressured mercilessly in his last two games. The Ducks do not pressure the QB particularly well, and will be without their best pass rusher. Look for Williams to bounce back and step it out on the National stage. The Sooners have the benefit of a very experienced “guest” head coach, which may be of some motivation. I am on the Sooners to win and cover. Don’t delay on this one!

WVU/Minnesota

This one is going to be close. I mean, I expect this one to be decided by whichever team has its hands on the ball last. THAT close!

WVU is gunning for its third straight win. It most recently beat Kansas by a score of 34-28 as 15.5-point favorites. 

The Gophers finished 8-4, while WVU was 6-6. Minnesota beat Wisconsin 23-13 as 7-point dogs in their finale.

Minnesota averages 26.5 PPG, while WVU averages 23.3.

The Gophers have the upper-hand defensively, conceding 18.3, while the Mountaineers allow 26.5.

I like Jarret Doege to test this Minnesota secondary and to at the very least, have his team competitive until the final moments. 8* BOWL play ON WVU. 

WMU/Nevada

These team's end of season numbers are similar, but WMU faced the more difficult overall schedule.

The Western Michigan Broncos average 30 PPG, while allowing 28.6. Nevada averages 36.7 PPG, while allowing 24.4. 

Each is led by a dynamic, playmaking QB. WMU has Kaleb Eleby, who finished with 3,115 yards passing, 21 TD's and five interceptions. Nevada is led by Carson Strong, who finished with 4,186 yards passing, 36 TD's and eight INT's. 

Nevada will also have an interim coach here in Vau Taua, who will fill in for Jay Norvell, who has already taken off for the Colorado State head coaching job.

WMU's entire roster will essentially be on the field of play today as well. Look for that to be a big difference-maker and lay the points. 10* COACHES CORNER on WMU. 

Georgia State/Ball State

While both teams looked decent defensively at times down the stretch of the regular season, that side of the ball was each their weak points.

Georgia State is 7-5. It's coming off a 37-10 win over Troy. QB Darren Grainger is a dual-threat that finished with 1,512 yards passing, 16 TD's and four INT's, while also rushing for 524 yards (4.3 YPC), and two rushing TD's. 

Defensively though they allow 27.7 PPG. Drew Pitt and the Cardinals will look to take advantage. Pitt finished with 2,248 yards passing, 17 TD's and finve IT's this year (also had 150 rushing yards.)

However, like their opponent today, the Cardinals weakness this season was on the defensive side of the ball where they allowed 26.5 PPG on average (the Bulls were 9 of 18 on third down in their last game and they converted their only fourth down attempt as well.) 

Expect these two well-rested sides to push the pace from the start. This one flies over the number. 10* TOTAL COACHES CORNER on over. 

Kent/Wyoming

It's the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. The Golden Flashes finished 7-6 and first in the MAC East Division. The Cowboys were 6-6 and finished fourth in the Mountain Division of the MWC.

Kent averages 30.3 PPG, while the Cowboys average only 23.5. The Golden Flashes have struggled defensively, but they catch a big break here facing this stagnant Cowboys' offense. 

Wyoming dropped six of its last final eight games. Sean Chambers is going to have to shoulder the load here with the Golden Flashes stacking the box. Chambers threw more INT's than TD's this year. 

The Cowboys have one of the worst run defenses in the country, which plays right into Kent's strength on the offensive side.

I think the outright is possible, but let's grab the points. 8* SPECIAL on Kent. 

UL Lafayette/Marshall

This is the New Orleans Bowl. While the outright is possible, let's grab the points.

This is a neutral site game, but Lafayette should have more fans in the stands because of the proximity, but regardless I like the underdog in this one. The Herd finished 7-5. Marshall averages 34 points per game, while allowing 22.8.

The No. 17 Ragin Cajuns beat App State 24-16 in the Sun Belt Conferece Championship game. UL Lafayette averages 30.7 PPG, while allowing 18.3.

The Herd have the offense to keep pace and their defense will be one of hte best that the Cajuns have faced all season.

I expect a war until the final horn. 10* PLAYBOOK on Marshall. 

Houston/Cincinnati.

The Cougars went 11-1 on the season, while the Bearcats enter at 12-0. With a win today, Cincinnati can become the first group of five conference program to reach the Playoff since it was started back in 2014. 

Houston averages 38.8 PPG. QB Clayton Tune was great with 3,013 passing yards and 26 touchdowns. Alton McCaskill has 844 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground.

The Cougars have been stout defensively as well, allowing 19.8 PPG.

That defense will be tested like it hasn't seen all season though with the Bearcats offense that averages 39.6 PPG. Desmond Ritter has 3,000 passing yards and 27 TD's, along with 342 rushing yards and six rushing TD's. 

The Bearcats defense has also been remarkable, allowing just 15.8 PPG.

Finally note that Cincinnati is 4-1 ATS in its last five following an ATS victory, while the Cougars are just 4-11 ATS in their last 15 following a SU win of more than 20 points.

Lay the points, expect a blowout. Cincinnati 10* Game of the Week. 

Georgia Southern/App State

No outright, but closer than expected.

This is the "Deeper Than Hate Rivalry" matchup at the Kidd Brewer Stadium. Georgia Southern is off a 34-17 home loss to BYU as a 20-point underdog.

App State though has already locked up top spot and a place in the conferene title game, so I expect it to take the proverbial "foot off the gas" in the second half.

And that'll leave the door WIDE open for the Eagles to run through here. Connor Cigelske was a bright spot in his team's loss last weekend going 11 of 14 for 122 yards, while also rushing for 20 more. Overall the Eagles average 21.8, while allowing 31.8.

The Mountaineers have nothing to play for here. They average 36.5 PPG, while allowing 20.4. Chase Brice is amazing, but I expect the team to play conservative in the second half.

This spread is too large. Georgia Southern. 8* play. 

Houston/UConn

Outright win? I'm not saying that of course. But I think that Houston will go up big, then cost to victory here in the second half as it prepares for the Conference Championship game and its Bowl berth. 

Houston is 10-1 and off the 31-13 home win over Memphis (note that the Cougars are just 2-7 ATS in their last nine off a SU/ATS home win in which they held their opponent to 13 or fewer points in.)

UConn has only played three games this year that were decided by ten points or fewer. The Huskies are averaging 15.5 PPG, while conceding 37.9. 

Houston averages 38.2 PPG, while allowing 20.1. The only knock against the Cougars this season is their level of competition.

But it's senior night for UConn as well. I say that the Huskies comfortably sneak in through the back door. 10* COACHES CORNER on UCONN. 

USF/UCF

USF is 2-9. UCF is 7-4. This is senior night for the Knights, but I think they'll get caught looking past their lowly opponent today. 

While the Bulls are only 2-9 SU, they've been profitable for bettors this season at 6-5 ATS. 

And while UCF is 7-4 SU (including 6-0 at home), it's only 4-7 ATS (incl. just 3-3 ATS at home.)

With the majority of the public money on the favorite here, I say this line is absolutely inflated.

USF lost this game by a score of 58-46 last season, and I expect a similar effort from the Bulls here as well.

The numbers/trends and overall situation points to the points as the savvy move. 8* Playbook on USF. 

Missouri/Arkansas.

Both teams are bowl eligible, but an upset victory today for the Tigers will ensure that they have nothing to worry about.

Arkansas is 7-4 overall, and 5-1 at home. It's off a "near miss" in its last game, falling 42-35 at Alabama as a 20.5-point underdog.

After that emotional setback, I say that the Razorbacks have a predictable mental letdown here. I'm not calling for a straight up upset or anything like that, but I do absolutely believe that the stage is set for a much tighter game than most are expecting.

The setback to Alabama actually broke a slide of five straight ATS losses for Arkansas.

The Tigers? They're off a thrilling 24-23 OT win at home over Florida to move to 6-5 and I say they have the offense and the overall motivation to keep this one interesting. 8* COACHES CORNER on Missouri. 

Wyoming/Utah State

This is a big game for 5-5 Wyoming, which needs one more win to become eligible. It does have another chance next weekend, but with nothing to lose here as it tries to score the upset, I do indeed expect the visiting side to keep this one close down the stretch.

The Cowboys are led by a rushing offense that is ranked 47th in the nation. Xazavian Valladay has 797 passing yards and five TD's. Titus Swen has 549 rushing yards and four major scores.

I say Utah State, which smashed SJSU 48-17 in its last game, gets caught complacent here.

Logan Bonner has 25 TD's and ten INT's this year, but the Cowboys are adept at defending the pass.

I expect the visiting to hang around late, so grab as many points as you can!

10* MOUNTAIN WEST GAME OF YEAR on Wyoming.

FSU/BC

Florida State has two more opportunities to become bowl eligible, while BC has already earned that at 6-4. That latest sixth win came last weekend in a 41-30 victory at Georgia Tech.

FSU salvaged its season with a last second win over Miami at Tallahassee as well, as QB Jordan Travis has 274 yards passing, along with 62 yards rushing and two TD's. 

Eagles' QB Phil Jurkovec accounted for five TD's in his team's win last weekend, but I say an inevitable letdown is imminent here for the Eagles, who are just 2-6 ATS in their last eight after scoring 40 or more points in a SU/ATS victory in their last outing.

8* HIGH-NOON BLOWOUT on FSU. 

Arizona/Washington State.

Arizona is 1-9. It has nothing to play for here. Washington State is 5-5. It has everything to play for here, especially with a tough matchup in the Apple Cup at Washington next weekend.

It's now or never for the Cougars to gain eligibility. They most recently fell 38-24 at Oregon. QB Jayden de Laura finished with 280 passing yards, two TD's and two INT's. 

I just can't see playing the role of spoiler being enough motivation for the Wildcats today. As Kramer once said to Jerry: "Stick a fork in them, they're done!" 

Arizona is off a 38-29 home loss to Utah. QB Will Plummer was decent with 223 yards passing and a TD.

The Wildcats concede 29.5 PPG this year, while the Cougars allow 26. 

Washington State though is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 against teams with losing records. Arizon hasn't fared nearly as well for bettors in this spot though, going just 2-7 ATS in its last nine conference road games as an underdog in the +13.5 to +15.5 points range. 

Good news for WSU's defense today is that Arizona is averaging just 17.8 PPG over its last five. 

Lay the points. 8* PLAYBOOK on Washington State. 

NIU/Buffalo.

Buffalo has two chances to try and earn eligibility. NIU is 7-3. The Huskies can improve their berth with a win, but I think the more desperate home side steps up and delivers in this crucial moment.

Buffalo is off a humbling 27-point loss to Miami Ohio. NIU posted a tight one-point win at home over Ball State for its seventh win of the year and I think it'll have a letdown here. Rocky Lombardi is in unchartered territory and I expect him to stumble.

This is Kyle Vantrease's moment to step up. The Bulls are 7-2 ATS in their last nine following a 24-points or greater SU/ATS loss in their previous outing.

The outright is possible, but grab the points!

8* SPECIAL on Buffalo. 

Bowling Green/Miami Ohio.

With a chance to earn bowl eligibility with a win today, I expect the Redhawks to not only win here today at home in this favorable matchup, but to do it in blowout style.

Bowling Green is just 3-7 SU this year. It's a disproportianate 7-3 ATS though. Miami Ohio is 5-5 SU and 4-6 ATS.

Bowling Green was just torched 49-17 at home by Toledo and I think it'll have a difficult time keeping pace here today as well as an even bigger underdog.

Miami Ohio ran up thescore in last weekend's 48-18 win here at home over Buffalo as a 7-point favorite and all signs point to a duplicate game-plan here.

10* COACHES CORNER Miami Ohio. 

Notre Dame/Virginia 

Both teams are eligible. Each is looking to improve its bowl berth now. An upset victory over the Irish would sure look good on the Cavs resume.

While it's not out of the question obviously, I'm going to grab the points in a contest which I envision being decided in the final moments.

The Irish have used three different QB's this season (Jack Coan, Tyler Buchner and Drew Pyne.) 

The Notre Dame defense is elite as well. Last week it held Navy to 6 points.

The Cavaliers won their sixth game of the year, then they came up short in last week's 66-49 loss to BYU on October 30th.

They come out of their bye week having posted 48 or more points in three straight games.

With a week off to prepare, I think UVA coach Bronco Mendenhall will have a good game-plan drawn up.

As I said, I think the outright/upset is possible, but let's grab the points. 10* PLAY-BOOK on UVA. 

Mississippi State/Auburn

Auburn is 6-3 and it's now bowl elgible. Mississippi State is just 5-4 though, so I expect it to fight tooth and nail today to also become eligible. Outright win is possible, but let's grab the points.

The Bulldogs are off a tight 31-28 loss to Arkansas, while Auburn fell 20-3 to Texas A&M.

Mississippi State has lost three straight in this series, so it'll be motivated to reverse that trend. 

The Bulldogs are led by dynamic QB Will Rogers (great name!), as he's completed nearly 75.2 percent of his passes. Auburn has struggled against the pass, which doesn't bode well facing a Mike Leach offense. 

The Tigers have been good under first-year head coach Bryan Harsin. RB Tank Bigsby is an offensive standout. 

Auburn though is 0-4 ATS in its last four home games vs. a team with a winning road record. Mississippi State on the other hand is 4-1 ATS in its last five as a conference road dog in the +4.5 to +6.5 points range.

The Bulldogs have so far covered as a road underdog in both such instances this season and everything points to that trend continuing today. 8* SHOW-DOWN on Mississippi State.

Wyoming/Boise State.

Wyoming if 5-4. Boise State is 5-4. The Cowboys are just 1-4 in conference, while the Broncos are 3-2. 

The Cowboys kept their bowl hopes alive with a big 31-17 home win over Colorado State. I say they keep it rolling here. QB Levi Williams had 92 passing yards and two TDs.

Boise State improved to one game over .500 last time out as well with a 40-14 road win at Fresno State, with QB Hank Bachmeier going 15 of 27 for 283 yards and a TD.

Ultimately though in this crucial game, I tihnk it'll be the Cowboys' stout defensive play which keeps them in it late (concede only 21.3 PPG).

Boise State is the better team, but I don't think by this many points. 10* PLAYBOOK on Wyoming. 

UNC/Pittsburgh.

UNC needs one more win to become eligible, but I think it'll come up short on the short week. The Tar Heels had fight from behind all day in last week's upset OT win at home over Wake Forest.

Can anyone say "letdown" spot?!

Pitt on the other hand is off a 54-29 win over Duke and I believe it's superior defense will prove to be the difference-maker today. 

The bottom line here is though, that this game doesn't in fact "mean more" to the Tar Heels. If Pitt wins out, then it'll earn a spot in the ACC Title game. 

The Panthers are a perfect 4-0 ATS in their last four after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game as well, while the Tar Heels are just 2-8 ATS in their last ten following a SU victory.

Lay the points and expect a decisive result.

10* ACC GAME OF YEAR on Pittsburgh. 

Ball State/NIU 

NIU is bowl eligible at 6-3, while Ball State needs one more victory as it's just 5-4. I think this matters. I believe the more desperate team will find a way to victory this evening (and that hungrier tearm is definitely the Cardinals!)

NIU lost 52-47 at Kent State last time out and I think it comes in exhausted here. Ball State is off a 31-25 win at Akron, but it can't be happy with the performance as the Cardinals were a 20-point favorite in that one.

The Huskies are terrible defensively and the Cardinals are 7-2 ATS in their last nine as a road favorite in the -1.5 to -3.5 range.

I'm laying the points, the play here is Ball State.

Buffalo/Miami Ohio.

Buffalo is 4-5. It's gone 2-3 in conference play. They're off a 56-44 loss to Bowling Green. 

Miami Ohio is also 4-5. Both teams need two more victories to become bowl eligible. The Redhawks though are 3-2 in conference play. Off an upset 35-33 loss to Ohio, I like Miami Ohio to get back on track here in this crucial and important matchup.

The Bulls' offense revolves around RB Dylan Mcduffee, but their defense concedes 31.8 PPG. 

That's bad news facing the Redhawks, who have the 34th ranked passing attack in the country with 264 yards per game. Keep your eyes on QB Brett Gabbert, who already has 1,435 passing yards.

Buffalo's defensive issues come back to haunt it again. Lay the points, the play is Miami Ohio.

Mississippi State @ Arkansas

This is a big game for both teams, as each sits at 5-3. They each need one more win to become bowl eligible. However, I really do think that the home field will be a big advantage for the Razorbacks today.

Mississippi State is off a 31-17 home win over Kentucky, but I think it'll stumble here on the road. 

Arkansas State won't be lacking for motivation here obviously, as it's just 1-3 and last in the SEC West. Arkansas pulled off the upset 21-14 last year over Ole Miss as a 16.5-point dog. 

Will Rogers was 36 of 39 for Ole Miss last weekend, but I'm not expecting lightning to strike twice for him this weekend.

Arkansas comes in rested as well off its bye. The Razorbacks are 100% healthy and they're 7-2 ATS in their last nine when coming out of their bye week and playing at home.

Look for Ole Miss to stumble off last week's big win and for the rested home side to pull away down the stretch.

Liberty @ Ole Miss 

Two teams that are already bowl eligible will look to close out the regular season strong and improve their berth in the process.

Liberty is 7-2 and off a 62-17 crushing of UMass. QB Malik Willis had 307 passing yards and four TD's. 

The Rebels moved to 6-2, but they then fell flat in last week's 31-20 road loss against No. 18 Auburn. QB Matt Corral was a bright spot with 289 yards passing. 

I don't expect a heavy emphasis put on the defensive side by either club. Look for this to fly over in the latter stages. The play is the over.

Duke @ Wake Forest

Duke comes into this ACC Matchup with a 3-4 record. Last week, they got absolutely torched by UVA 48-0. That makes them now 0-8 their past 8 games played against opponents from this conference. On the road this year, the Blue Devils are a sad 0-3 ATS. They've also allowed 440+ yards per game from their opponents.

The Demon Deaconds come into this game with a perfect 7-0 record. They are off a huge win against Army where they dropped 70 points on the scoreboard. Dating back a few seasons, Wake Forest is a dominant 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games played in October. QB Sam Hartman has been unbelievable this season as well. With 19 TDs and only 3INTs, while adding 4 more TDs on the ground, Wake couldn't be more happy.

With Wake Forest having beaten UVA by 20, and Duke losing to them by 50, I expect no short of an annihilation this Saturday. Take the Demon Deacons.

Michigan @ Michigan State

Two 7-0 teams collide on Saturday afternoon. This has all the feelings of a good old fashioned "slobber knocker." I think that the team that has possession of the football last is going to come out on top, it's seriously that close.

And so, that definitely means that I'm going to grab the points and the determined home side.

One thing benefitting MSU here is it comes out of its bye week. It's had an entire week off to prepare for this one. 

These teams are very similar on both sides of the ball. Their offenses for the most part revolve around the run game. 

MSU though is 5-1 ATS in its last six here against the Wolverines, while Michigan is interestingly 0-5 ATS in its last five against the East Division.

There are more on the line that just bragging rights this season. Major implications for the College Football Playoff race and the Big Ten are on the line today.

Everything points to, at the very least, a comfortable cover for the home side. The play is MSU.

Troy @ Coastal Carolina

Troy is 4-3. It's a big underdog on the road here against 6-1 Coastal Carolina. The Trojans won't be just rolling over here though.

Troy is off a confidence-building 31-28 road win over Texas State. QB Gunnar Watson was 22 of 29 passing for 182 yards and a TD in the victory.

The Chanticleers though are coming off their first loss of the season in last week's 30-27 road loss at Appalachian State. Clearly, Coastal Carolina will be looking to take out its frustrations this week on this weak Trojans defense as it looks to make an immediate return to the winners circle.

The Trojans have been decent defensively this year in conceding only 19.6 PPG, but they just allowed 28 to the Bobcats, so I believe they're going to be in trouble again here on the road.

CC QB Grayson McCall owns the sixth-highest QBR in college football at 85.8 and he's completed 77.3 percent of his passes for 1,769 yards with 15 touchdowns to a single pick.

I think these two offenses move the chains from start to finish. Look for this total to fly over before the final whistle sounds. The play is the over.

Clemson @ Pittsburgh

I like Pittsburgh to keep the foot on the gas in this one. Clemson is 4-2 and 3-1 in the ACC, most recently coming off a tight 17-14 win against Syracuse, unable to cover the large spread.

The Panthers are 5-1 and 2-0 in conference. They most recently beat Virginia Tech 28-7. 

DJ Uiagalelei passed for 181 yards and one touchdown in Clemson's win last weekend, but he now faces one of the best defenses he's ever played against.

Pittsburgh has conceded just 35 points in its past three games and it hasn’t allowed more than 100 yards rushing in those contests. 

The Panthers are also 5-1 ATS in their last six against the Conference, while the Tigers are just 2-6 ATS in their last eight as a road dog in the +2.5 to +4.5 points range.

I think Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett is the difference-maker in the end.

Lay the points, the play is on Pittsburgh.

LSU @ Ole Miss 

LSU is 4-3. It's offense has played well and it's defense hasn't. QB Max Johnson has stepped up under center with 1863 passing yards and 20 touchdowns.

That offense has been forced to play well for the Tigers to stay competitive though each week, as the defense is allowing 28.7 PPG. 

Ole Miss is on a misson to win the SEC and it'll look to take advntage of this suspect Tigers' offense. The Running Rebels average 43.7 PPG. QB Matt Corral has 1728 passing yards and 14 touchdowns while also leading the Rebels in rushing with 450 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.

The one down fall for Ole Miss? Like its counterpart today, it's on the defensive side of the ball where the Rebels are conceding 30.2 PPG.

Look for these offenses to pile on the points quickly. This number is low, the play is the over.

Cinci @ Navy

Now 6-0 including a huge win against the Irish at South Bend, the Bearcats are looking like one of the best teams in the nation yet again this year. With 16 total TDs and only 2 INTs, QB Desmond Ridder is definitely in the MVP conversation. He's looking to build on that against a struggling Navy squad.

To be completely honest, the Midshipmen have been awful. With a 1-5 record on the season, they are a miserable 1-10 in their last 11 games dating back to last season. Let's not forget in the last meeting against Cinci, Navy failed to even get on the board in the 42-0 loss (2018.)

Expect the #2 team in the country to absolutely destroy this weak Navy team. The line might scare people off, but it won't be enough, I guarantee it. Take Cinci

Army @ Wisconsin

Army is 4-1 after losing to Ball State on the road by 12 points. I think the Black Knights can bounce back here though. Wisconsin enters at 2-3 after beating Illinois by 24 on the road.

But despite stumbling last week, Army still averages 34.4 PPG. QB Christian Anderson has 431 rushing yrds and five touchdowns. 

The Badgers are coming off a shutout, but note that they're just 2-8 ATS in their last ten off a SU/ATS road shutout victory in which they scored 21 or more points in. QB Graham Mertz has 781 passing yards, but only two passing TD's.

Wisconsin is also just 2-5 ATS in its last seven at home, while the Black Knights are 6-1 ATS in their last seven after scoring less than 20 points in their last game.

The Badgers only average 19.6 PPG, while Army averages 20.8. I have a hard time seeing Wisconsin pulling away.

Grab the points, the play is Army.

Liberty @ UL Monroe

This is a complete mismatch no matter how you look at it.

Liberty comes into this game with only the one loss (5-1) against Syracuse, but they are 17-2 in thier last 19 games dating back to last season.

Louisiana Monroe is only 2-6 in their last 6 games played at home.

The Flames have limited opponents to only 164.5 passing yards per game, while UL Monroe has given up 466 total yards per game.

Take Liberty and expect it to be one of the biggest blowouts of the day

Toledo @ Central Michigan 

Toledo comes into this game 3-3, but they've definitely looked solid. Although they don't habe the greatest record, the Rockets are a perfect 5-0 ATS in thier last 5 games played on the road. They've also absolutely destroyed Central Michigan in the past... 10-1 in thier last 11 games against them.

CMU is also 3-3 but they have gotten blown out by a not so strong LSU team and haven't looked great. The Chippewas come into this one only 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games against opponents from inside the Mid-American conference.

With Toledo having more talent, especially on the defensive side of the ball and with Central Michigan only 2-4 ATS this season, give me Toledo.

Sd St @ Sj St

Have you ever heard the story of David vs. Goliath? In that story, the underdog somehow manages to win against all odds.

That's not going to be the case here today though in my opinion. SDSU is led by RB Greg Bell offensively. So far he has 94 rushes for 520 yards (5.5 yards per carry) with five TD's. 

I can't see SJSU mustering much off an offensive attack against SDSU, which concedes just 16.6 points per contest. 

The Spartans only allow 23.8 PPG, but their strength of schedule has to be questioned. 

This is one of the best offenses that SJSU has seen. And there's no question it's the best defense it's seen.

Look for SDSU to pull away for a comfortable win and cover as this one comes down the stretch. ANNIHILATION on SDSU

Appalachian State @ UL Lafayette

App State enters with fresh legs after its bye last week. Previous to that it defeated Georgia State 45-16. In that victory, the Mountaineers postd 502 yards of total offense, while limiting Georgia State to just 380, while also forcing three turnovers.

Louisiana also enters off its bye week. Previous to that it beat South Alabama 20-18. Somehow the Cajuns pulled off the victory despite allowing 387 yards and being held to just 283 of their own. 

And that's bad news here for this home side in my opinion, as the visitors are conceding just 20 PPG this season. 

The App State offense averages 35.6 PPG, led by Chase Brice, who has 1,360 passing yards with eight touchdowns and three picks.

Louisiana Lafayette averages 28.4 PPG, while allowing 22.8. Levi Lewis has seven touchdowns and just one interception. 

The Cajuns are also just 1-5 ATS in their last six at home, while App State is 10-1 ATS in its last 11 following a bye. 

Let's avoid the spread here though and hammer this one on the moneyline.

Michigan @ Nebraska

Michigan is going to have a letdown, but it's not going to be this weekend.

The Wolverines are 5-0, most recently coming off a 38-17 victory over Wisconsin.

Nebraska is off a 56-7 win over Northwestern.

The Wolverines won four straight at home though before hitting the road and defeating the Badgers last weekend.

I just can't see the Huskers keeping pace with this high-flying Wolerines offense though that enters averaging 40.2 PPG. QB Cade McNamara has 731 yards passing and five TD's, while RB Blake Corum has 521 rushing yards and seven major scores on the ground.

Michigan allows just 12.8 PPG, while Wisconsin concedes 15.5

Previous to last week's win, the Huskers had lost two straight. Wisconsin averages 32.2 PPG, led by Adrian Martinez who has 1,463 passing yards, six TD's and two INT's. 

Nebraska though is a poor 1-5-1 ATS in its last seven home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

Michigan faced the best rush defense in the nation last weekend and still posted over 100 yards. 

Go with the Wolverines here to pull away down the stretch.

Penn State @ Iowa

I'm going to forget about the spread here and just play the home side to win this game straight-up on the money-line.

The Nittany Lions are 5-0 and they'e coming off a 24-0 victorey over Indiana at home last time out. 

Penn State QB Sean Clifford had 178 yards passing, three TD's and an INT. 

But Iowa is now also 5-0 afrer a blowout 51-14 road victory over Maryland. QB Spencer Petras was 21 of 30 for 259 yards and three TD's. 

These teams played last year and the Hawkeyes won on the road by a score of 41-21. While this one could be a little tighter, I do expect another decisive vicory for the Hawkeyes here.

Penn State concedes just 12 PPG. Iowa though allows just 11.6.

Iowa RB Tyler Goodson is going to keep this Nittany Lions defense honest today. I don't think you can underestimate how important home-field is for Iowa this evening.

Really great value here on the home side on the money-line.

Oklahoma vs Texas

OU has started the season 5-0. That adds to their perfect 10-game winning streak dating back to last season. QB and potential heisman winner Spencer Rattler has looked excellent so far. This should be a good test but I think he has it in him. The Sooners are also a perfect 9-0 in their last 9 games inside the Big 12.

The Longhorns suffered a huge loss to Arkansas in week 2. Since then, they've won 3 straight to make them 4-1. However in their last game against the TCU, they didn't look the sharpest. QB Thompson was only 12 of 22, passing for 142 yards, a touchdown and an interceptiion. That will definitely not be enough to beat the Sooners this week.

Having said that, I like Oklahoma a lot this week. It should be fun as always, but expect Spencer Rattler and the guys in Red and White to comes out on top here. Take OU ML.

Coastal Carolina @ Arkansas State

Coastal Carolina is averaging 48.2 PP, which ranks second in the natoin. Its strength is its run game which ranks fifth in the nation. 

Arkansas State just gave up over 500 rushing yards in its last game. Arkansas State has scored 67 points over its last two games, but it's conceded 100. 

In fact Arkansas State currently ranks the second-worst in the FBS in allowing 45.6 PPG.

Each team's numbers are a bit skewed because of the level of competition it's faced, but regardless, we have essentially the No. 1 offense in the nation, going up against the worst defense in the country.

This one is going to get ugly fast and I simply don't see Grayson McCall and this stable of CC RB's taking the foot off the gas, even if they have a huge lead.

The Red Wolves are also just 1-5 ATS in their last six after allowing 40 or more points in their previous game, while CC is 7-2 ATS in its last nine on the road. 

Lay the points, the play is Coastal Carolina.

Florida @ Kentucky

Florida is good, but that loss to Bama could come back to haunt them later in the year. Although being 3-1 this season, the Gators are only 3-4 in thier last 7 games. CB Kaiir Elam will most likely play, but he might be bothered by his knee a bit this game. He's their only guy who's forced an INT this season so far.

Many may consider this Kentucky team a joke, but they are 4-0 for a reason. With wins over Mizzouri and South Carolina, the Wildcats are looking like one of their strongest groups in a long time. Dating back to last year, they've now won 6 straight games.

Florida is definitely the favorites and everyone expects them to blow UK out. But don't underestimate the Wildcats. I expect a close hard/rough game this Saturday. Give me Kentucky.

UL Monroe @ Coastal Carolina

After getting dominated in week 1, UL Monroe has won two straight to get back in the bowl hunt. Although they are 2-1, they've been awful on the road. Dating back to last season, the Warhawks are a terrible 0-9 in their last 9 road games. they are also 1-8 in their last 9 games played against teams in their Conference (Sun Belt.)

Coastal Carolina has been near perfect dating back to last season, with only the one loss. After last week's 53-3 win, the Chanticleers are a perfect 10-0 in their last 10 home games. I expect QB McCall to have anothe excellent game against this weak opponent.

This is a complete mismatch on both sides of the ball and the oddsmakers know it. The spread is big, but it's not big enough. Expect atleast a 40pt win for CCU.

Arkansas @ Georgia 

Off a dominant win against the Texas A&M Aggies last weekend, the Razorbacks sure aren't getting the respect that they deserve yet. Being ranked #8 is a good spot for them. But +19 against a team that's ranked 6 spots ahead of them, C'mon. If you didn't watch last weekend, Arkansas absolutely crushed A&M. 

Georgia has been excellent don't get me wrong, but 19 points is way too much. The Bulldogs are dealing with injuries all over the place too. George Pickens, one of the best WRs in America is out (as we knew,) QB JT Daniels is still dealing with a back injury, big time LB Nolan Smith is probable, but he's been hurt with one of his legs, and big TE Darnaell Washington is Questionable with a foot injury. 

Both teams come in undefeated and only one will stay that way. I wouldn't be shocked at all if the Razorbacks pulled this one off, but I'll gladly take them +19. 

Houston @ Tulsa

Houston is 3-1 and Tulsa is 1-3. Off a 41-34 win over Arkansas State last week, I think the Golden Hurricane will take a step back here. The Cougars are coming off a 28-20 home win over Navy. Clayton Tune had 257 yards and a TD. Davis Brin had 355 yards, three TD's and a pick in his team's win over the Red Wolves. Houston's only conceding 16.3 PPG this year, while Tualsa is allowing 30.5. The road team has covered in eight of the past nine meetings, so I'm grabbing the points and rolling with Houston in this one.

West Virginia @ Oklahoma

The Mountaineers are now 2-1 after a 27-21 win over then No. 15-ranked Virginia Tech. 

The Sooners are off a 23-16 victory over Nebraska as 22.5 point favorites.

So far WVU is averaging 39 PPG, throwing for 271.3 and rushing for 139.7. QB Jarret Doege had 193 yards, two TD's and an INT last week. The Mountaineers have also been good defensively in conceding just 17 PPG.

The Sooners may be 3-0, but I think they'll have a fight on their hands here today. Okalahoma is averaging 45.7 PPG, while allowing 17. Spencer Rattler had 214 yards and a TD in the Sooners victory last week.

Oklahoma though is poor in this spot for bettors (3-8 ATS its last 11 after scorign 40 or more points in its previous game), while WVU has been good (5-1 ATS its last six games played in September.) 

I think the Sooners are susceptible defensively. Grab all these points, the play is West Virginia 10* BIG PLAY

Texas Tech @ Texas 

The Longhorns are 2-1, while the Red Raiders are undefeated. 

To say this is a "revenge" game though would be an understatement for the Red Raiders here, as they've lost three in a row in this series, including a 63-56 OT thriller last year. 

Texas Tech hasn't played the stiffest of competition yet, but it's passed all early tests easily. In the most recent win over FIU, QB Tyler Shough had 399 yards passing and four touchdowns. 

Texas is off a 58-0 win over Rice. The previous week the Longhorns loast 40-21 to Arkansas. 

Texas took out its frustrations on Rice and rolled up 620 yards of offense. 

The Longhorns though are just 2-7 ATS in their last nine after posting a shutout win in their previous outing. 

I think his Red Raiders' offense can hang with Texas late (like last year!) Grab the points 8* SHOWDOWN

Liberty @ Syracuse

Liberty will look to keep the momentum rolling here after starting off 3-0 and coming off of a 45-17 victory over Old Dominion last weekend. Look for Malik Willis to have another big day, he was 21 of 28 for 242 yards and four touchdowns.

Syracuse is 2-1 so far and it's off a 62-24 victory over Albany. RB Sean Tucker is the featured offensive player for the Orange, he already has 367 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns, while also adding seven catches for 148 yards and another receiving TD.

These have been two decent defenses, but that's been mostly due to the level of competition. Look for this one to fly well over before the final whistle sounds. 10* Play Take OVER

Marshall @ Appalachian State

Off a tough loss to Eastern Carolina last weekend, Marshall now travels to North Carolina where they'll take on the always dangerous Mountaineers. Although they are 2-1, the Thundering Hurd are 1-2 ATS on the season, 1-4 dating back to last year. They've also lost 5 of their last 7 games as an underdog.

For Appalachian State, they've looked very sharp, despite losing a tough one to Miami. They are now a dominant 19-1 in thier last 20 games played at home. They are aksi 8-1  in their last 9 games against opponents from the Conference USA. 

Having said that, I think Marshall will be very shy/unconfident after that shocking loss last week. Expect the Mountaineers to jump all over that and make them pay. Take App State.

Arizona State @ BYU

Both teams are in the Top 25. ASU is ranked in 19th, and while it's had to deal with a couple of "cream puffs" to open, it's still outscored the opposition 78-24. 

ASU QB Jayden Daniels had 175 passing yards, two TD's and two INT's in last week's win. 

BYU is off an upset 26-17 win over then No. 21 Utah in its last outing and I say it'll finally take a step back here. The difference in the end was that the Cougars forced two turnovers, while giving up none. I do like Jaylen Hall, who has five TD's and no INT's this year.

But the Sun Devils are now a clear step up in competition on both sides of the ball. ASU's superior offense will be too much for BYU to keep up to in my opinion.

Let's skip the spread, lay the price on the money line here. The play is Arizona State money line.

Arakansas State @ Washington

Off a heartbreaking loss in Week 2 against Memphis, Arkansas St falls to 1-1.  That makes them only 2-6 in their last 8 games dating back to last season. Even worse, they are only 1-7 L8 games played on the road. 

The Huskies have not looked good this season either. It's obvious that they are struggling. But, they've domianted the Sun Belt Conference in the past and I expect that to continue here. They are also 16-4 in their last 20 games played at home. 

While this will be a wet/rainy game in Washington, I believe that the bigger name school will show the country that they aren't the joke everyone thinks they are here. Also, look for TE Cade Otton to have a big game here. Take Washington.

Virginia Tech @ West Virginia

Off back-to-back wins to open up the season, the Hokies now find themselves ranked #15 in the country. Having said that, Tech is only 4-8 ATS in their L12 games played in week 3. 

WVU barely lost in week 1 against Maryland, but bounced back in a huge way last weekend with a dominant 66-0 victory. That makes them now a perfect 6-0 in their last six games at home. 

Although VT might be ranked and the better team in everyone elses opinion, the Mountaineers are absolute killers on their home field. Expect another big performance from them here. Take West Virginia.

Maryland @ Illinois

After upsetting Nebraska out of the gate, it seemed Illinois might be poised for a fast start. The Fighting Illini lost their next two games though. This is a team with a new coach essentially in a rebuilding year. The Illini are 1-5 ATS their last six games. 

The Terrapins beat West Virginia and then won their next game by a score of 62-0. No rebuilding for them. Their coach is in his third year here and they've got big plans for the season. 

In the only previous meeting, the Terrapins outgained Illinois by a 712-493 margin, crushing them 63-33. The Terrapins ran for more than 400 yards. That was in 2018 but 2021 looks like another big win. Lay the points with Maryland. 

Ohio @ UL Lafayette

The Ragin' Cajuns are going to be difficult to score against. They were a bit hungover from the Texas loss and gave up some late points in last week's win. This week, a defense which returned 10 starters will be sure not to allow the same thing to happen. The under is 5-0 in the Ragin' Cajuns last 5 games after they passed for 280 yards in their previous game.

Ohio has gotten off to a terrible start. The Bobcats are 0-2 and they lost to the Duquesne Dukes last game. That was the first FCS win in history for the Dukes. Ohio scored only 26 points against a 1AA team which had allowed 45 the previous game. Seven of those points came when the Bobcats returned the opening kick for a TD. Without that, their score looks even worse. 

The Ragin' Cajuns are 4-0 to the under their last four Thursday games and this one adds to that. Take the Under. 

Vanderbilt @ Colorado State

The Commodores scored only three points in their Week 1 game. That was a very disappointing loss against East Tennessee State. Vanderbilt was favored by more than 3 touchdowns. That showed just how bad Vanderbilt really is. Scoring won't be any easier this week.

The Rams were better than Vanderbilt but they weren't good either. They lost against South Dakota State, scoring only 23 points. Vanderbilt rushed for 2.7 yards per carry, CSU ran for 3.1 ypg. 

Commodores 4-0 to the Under L4 non-conference games. Rams 5-0 to the Under L5 vs. losing teams. Take the UNDER

Iowa vs Iowa State

The Hawkeyes come into this huge rivalry game off a dominating defensive performance against the Hoosiers last Saturday. Having said that, their offense wasn't at all the greatest as QB Spencer Petras only was 13-27 for 145 yards in the air.

Iowa State is also off a win. They definitely showed some room for improvement, but the duo of QB Brock Purdy and RB Breece Hall is a force to be wreckon with. Last week, Hall made it 13 consecutive games with atleast a rushing TD and I expect that to continue here. The Cyclones are also a perfect 6-0 in their last 6 games at home.

With both teams off wins this is going to be a very tough/physcial game. The battle of Iowa starts at 4:30pmET and I expect Iowa State to edge out the red hot Hawkeyes in this one. Take Iowa State ML.

Western Kentucky @ Army

Western Kentucky comes into this game off a week 1 win against a not so good Tennessee-Martin team. The Hiltoppers may have won that game, but I expect a completely different outcome here. The Hilltoppers are only 2-9-1 ATS in their L12 games played on Saturday.

The Black Nights looked absolutely dominant in week 1 against Georgia State (as an underdog) making it look easy. Army only threw the ball 4 times total, but when you can run the ball 67 times and average 4 yards per carry it's going to be tough for any team to compete against that. Army is also a perfect 9-0 in their last 9 games played at home.

Although both teams are off a win, the Black Nights looked like they could beat some of the best teams in the league with their unique play-style. Look for Army to dominate from the opening kickoff. Tale Army

Kansas @ Coastal Carolina 

What? A team from the Sun Belt laying this many points against a Big 12 team? It must be some kind of joke. That's the reaction some might have if they didn't know the real story. 

Kansas isn't just any Big 12 team. The Jayhawks are the single worst Big 12 team. Coastal Carolina isn't just any Sun Belt team. The Chanticleers are the best SBC team. They won 11 games last year and brought back 19 starters. Week 1 saw them deliver a 52-14 blowout.

The Jayhawks kept things reasonably close against Coastal Carolina the past two years. This is the first time they meet in Conway though and its going to get ugly. Lay the points with Coastal Carolina.

Louisville vs. Ole Miss

The underdog came back to cover in last night's game. The Rebels will make sure it doesn't happen twice in a row. 

The Cardinals aren't a bad team. The problem is that Ole Miss is a lot better than they even realize. The Rebels were tied 42-42 in a game against Alabama last season and they return 17 starters from that team. The offense is among the best in the country and the defense will be much better than last year. 

The Rebels are 13-5 last 18, against the spread in neutral site games. Last time they opened the season at a neutral site, they beat Texas Tech 47-27. This one should play out similarly. Lay the points with Ole Miss. 

Northwestern State @ North Texas

Big class difference between these schools, as evidenced by the pointspread. North Texas has a big game at SMU next and will use this game to build confidence for that one. They haven't won at SMU since 1933 but with an experienced team, this could be the year they have a shot. Blowing out Northwestern State will help prepare for that possibility. 

Mean Green bring back 19 starters, 9 on offense, 10 on defense. Those 19 returning players began last year with a 57-31 beating of another outmatched team.

Coach Littrell is 5-0 in his games against FCS schools, winning by nearly 30 points per game. Lay the points with North Texas. 

Fresno State @ Oregon

Fans of offense are in for a treat. Fresno State averaged 32.8 ppg and 479 ypg last year. This year's offense is loaded and already scored 45 points and 538 yards against UConn its opener. 

Oregon has 9 returning offensive starters. They have an experienced QB, throwing to excellent receivers, playing behind an experienced offensive line. The Ducks scored more than 30 points in every game but one last year. 

Ducks are 6-2 to the over last eight times they faced a team with a winning record. Bulldogs are 5-1 to the over last six times they were off an ATS win. Go with the Over. 

Penn State @ Wisconsin

Two quality teams here, making this a very big game. Wisconsin has plans to win the West. Penn State hopes to challenge Ohio State in the East. The Nittany Lions outgained Big Ten opponents by +102 yards per game last season and they're going to be better this year. 

Nittany Lions are 4-0 ATS their last four and 6-1 ATS their last seven in September.

Badgers are 1-4 ATS last five overall, 0-4 ATS last four Big Ten games. 

Wisconsin is always tough but Penn State has still won the last four meetings. Three were decided by 7 or less. Grab the points with Penn St.

Old Dominion Monarchs @ Wake Forest Demon Deacons

The Monarchs haven't played a game since 2019 and in that season, they were an awful 1-11, including losing each of their last 10. Because of their year off, they have lost some key players and will lack experience out there this campaign. Even the coach is new and hasn't coached a single NCAAFB game as HC in his life. Entering this game against the Demon Deacons,  the Monarchs are a sad 1-5 ATS in their L6 week 1 games. Expect another dreadful year from there guys.

Wake Forest is bringing back 20 of thier 22 starters from last season, including every offensive starter. Although they ended the season 4-5, they beat teams like Virginia Tech on the road when they were ranked #19th in the country. Dating back to 2019, the Demon Deacons are a perfect 6-0 ATS at home in their last 6 games. This year I expect a much stronger group of guys with much more experience to bring home a bowl game. 

With Wake Forest as the much better team, I expect a blowout here in North Carolina. -32 is a lot, but this one should be easier than people think. Take the Demon Deacons!

East Carolina vs. Appalachian State

The Mountaineers are loaded on both sides of the ball. Appalachian State averaged better than 34 points last season, as well as more than 450 yards. Many of the skill players that put up those numbers are back. The secondary was already the best in the Sun Belt and the Mountaineers bring back 10 defensive starters. 

The Pirates are a bad defensive team. They will have trouble stopping the balanced Mountaineer attack. Thursday night football has not been kind to ECU. The Pirates are 5-12 ATS their last 17 Thursday games. They are also 4-11 ATS their last 15 outside of their own conference. 

The Mountaineers are better on both sides of the ball. They won't be stopped in this one. Lay the points with Appalachian State. 

UTEP Miners @ New Mexico State Aggies

Although having a rough 3-5 2020 campaign, the Miners have high expectations for this season. With every offensive starter returning, they'll have all the chemistry in the world. Dating back to last season, UTEP is 4-1 ATS thier L5 games AND, going back even further, they are 4-2 SU in their L6 games played in August. In the past, Texas El Paso has owned this series as they are a dominant 8-3 the past 11 games against the Aggies.

New Mexico State is coming off a 2020 where they played 0 games. They did play 2 spring games this year though and that might of helped a little bit. But the Aggies are returning just 3 of 22 starters from 2019 and I expect that to be a problem this season. In the 2 games this spring QB Jonah Johnson only threw for 358 yards, with 1TD and 3INTs. They did have some success running the ball but I believe that UTEP will be able to shut that down for most of the game. NMSU is also a sad 0-6 in their last 6 season openers.

Having said all that, the Miners are the far better side and has played with each other for a long time. I expect a dominant win here for them. Take UTEP with ease.

The set-up: What more can be said about these two teams which literally hasn't been said a million times at this point by every talking head and so called expert out there? The strengths and weaknesses and cast of characters, including coaches, is well known even to casual College Football fans. These teams are both really similar as well as far as their numbers. Frankly, it wouldn't be too difficult to write a convincing argument for either of these teams to win and cover this contest. I'm not here to give you individual player breakdowns, as I think that's meaningless at this point. I'm here to tell you why these two teams are going to play to a lower-scoring game, instead of a higher-scoring one.

The pick: The extra time off between games is going to have a bigger detrimental effect on these offenses in my opinion. This can still be a higher-scoring game, and stay "under" this sky-high total, and that's exactly what I'm expecting. These are two of the best defenses that each of these offenses has seen all year and I expect those units to be the main storylines in tomorrow's summaries. This number is too high.

This is a 10* TOTAL OF THE MONTH on the UNDER OSU/Bama.

The set-up: A&M averages 31.67 PPG and it allows 21.1. UNC averages 43.0 PPG, while allowing 28.36. Both teams are dealing with injury issues and with players opting out of this game to prepare for the NFL draft, but I still think that Texas A&M is a bit of a fraud. The SEC overall had a down year and the Aggies numbers are skewed a bit in my opinion. UNC's offense is potent and it's faced some of the best defenses around. 

The pick: A&M is good, but not good enough to be the fifth ranked team in the nation. I'll point out as well that UNC is 7-2 ATS in its last nine as an underdog in the 7 to 9.5 points range. Look for these two hungry teams to battle tooth and nail until the final moments and make sure to grab as many points as you can.

This is a 10* ULTIMATE OF THE ULTIMATE on North Carolina.

The set-up: NC State won each of its last four games, including over Florida State, Liberty, Syracuse and Georgia Tech. Kentucky on the other hand lost four of its last five. I like Bailey Hockman in this matchup, as Kentucky's secondary and defense overall is banged up. 

The pick: NC State is also 4-1 ATS in its last five vs. teams with losing records and 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 bowl games. The Wildcats only scored an average of 21.7 PPG this year and I think they'll have trouble keeping pace down the stretch. Grab the points.

This is a 9* PLAY-BOOK on NC State.

The set-up: This is the second game of the College Football Playoff Semifinal. Clemson has faced the 36th toughest schedule and Ohio State has faced the 67th. Ohio State beat Northwestern 22-10 to win the Big Ten Championship, while Clemson won the ACC crown with a 34-10 win over Notre Dame. This game features two of the best QB's in the nation in Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence. The Buckeyes average 42.5 PPG, and they concede 21, while Clemson averages 44.9 PPG, while allowing 17.5. 

The pick: Clemson though is interestingly just 1-4 ATS in its last five after postin more than 450 total yards in its previous game, while Ohio State is 20-8 ATS in its last 28 as an underdog. This is the first non-conferece game for each team and I think that Fields has the offense to keep this one close and competitive until the final moments. I'm grabbing the points.

This is a 10* BOWL GAME OF THE YEAR on Ohio State.

The set-up: Both teams come in having played to many "unders" this year. Ball State has seen the total go under in four of its last five, including two straight, while San Jose State has seen the total dip below the posted number in six of seven this year, including in its last five straight. These two non-conference opponents get ready to battle in the Arizona Bowl on Thursday afternoon and in my opinion, these trends of lower-scoring games is going to end, as I look for these two non conference opponents to open up the playbook and air this one out. 

The pick: Ball State averages 34.3 PPG, which ranks 26th in the nation, while the Spartans allow just 17.86 PPG, ranked 13th. San Jose State has faced some suspect competition this year though to pad those stats. Spartans' QB Nick Starkel has 16 passing touchdowns and only four interceptions. San Jose State's offense averages 30.9 PPG, so expect SJSU to keep pace with the high-flying Cardinals as well. This one has "over" written all over it.

This is a 10* SUPER TOTAL on the OVER Ball State/San Jose State.

The set-up: The Badgers snapped a three-game slide with a 20-17 win over Minnesota in their finale and I think they're going to find a way to get the job done here as well. The Demon Deacons enter having lost back-to-back games, including a humbling 45-21 loss to Louisville as one point favorites last time out. Wake has a good offense, which averaged 37 PPG, but it was atrocious defensively, allowing 31.6. Sam Hartman was a bright spot for the Wake, finishing with 1,906 passing yards, ten TD's and just one INT. 

The pick: Wisconsin only averaged 22.3 PPG, but it made up for it on the other end by playing "lights out" defense, conceding just 15.7 PPG this year. Graham Mertz finished with eight TD's and five interceptions this season, but note that the Badgers are 7-2 ATS in their last nine after allowing 18 points or less in a SU victory in their last outing. I think Wisconsin effectively slows down Wake and I look for Mertz to take advantage of this extremely bad Wake secondary. Lay the points!

This is a 10* play on Wisconsin.

The set-up: Oklahoma State was 7-3 in Big 12 play. The Cowboys alternated wins and losses over the final month. Miami was 8-2 overall. The Hurricanes were on a five-game win streak before a 62-26 loss to UNC in their last game. The Cowboys have a strong run game, but Miami's rush defense is decent. Overall Oklahoma State averages 29.5 PPG, while allowing 21.9. QB Spencer Sanders though heads into this game without the services of top RB Chuba Hubbard. 

The pick: Miami averaged 34 PPG. QB D'Eriq King had 2,573 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions. The Hurricanes allowed 26.0 PPG and I'd argue that their schedule was much more difficult than they Cowboys. With a spread like this, clearly the oddsmakers think these teams are very evenly matched. While I respect the OK State rushing game, I think Miami's big line will contain that aspect and turn the Cowboys one-dimensional. I like King to post a big game here as well. I'm on the Hurricanes.

This is a 10* BLOWOUT on Miami.

The set-up: WKU has one of the worst offenses in all of the FBS and the total has gone "under" in four of its last five overall. Note that ten of WKU's 11 games this year have had a total of 56 or fewer points scored. On the flip-side though, WKU has played pretty good defensively down the stretch, as it's conceded only 14.3 PPG over its last four.

The pick: Georgia State has given up an average of only 18.3 PPG over its last three games, so these are two teams which come in firing on all cylinders on the defensive side of the ball. With so much time off in between games, I believe these offenses suffer and I look for these defensive units to become the main storylines in tomorrow's summaries. This number is a tad high.

This is a 10* TOP TOTAL on the UNDER WKU/Georgia State.

The set-up: This game is being played in Frisco Texas due to COVID restrictions. Both teams are defensively challenged and I expect a shootout from start to finish. The Warriors finished 4-4, while Houston was 3-4. The Cougars have plenty of offensive talent which I expect to run up this score. Hawaii won't have the luxury to sit back and wait for Houston to make a mistake. The Warriors average 26 points per game, but their passing attack is ranked a respectable 49th with 243.4 yards per game. Hawaii is going to have to put the foot on the gas throughout as well, as note that it's defense was terrible, allowing 29.3 PPG. 

The pick: Houston's defense is porous as well. The Cougars have allowed 19 touchdowns to opponents this year in just 29 red zone trips. Note as well that defensive star Payton Turner (who finished with 17 tackles and five sacks this year), has opted out of playing in this game. Clayton Tune likes to throw the ball, he averages 261.7 passing yards per game. The lowest point total that Houston gave up this season was 21. Suffice it to say, I expect this total to fly over sooner, rather than later!

This is a 10* TOTAL BLOWOUT on the OVER Hawaii/Houston.

The set-up: Louisiana Tech receives the bowl bid despite the 4-4 record. LA Tech has struggled thoughout the season on the offensive side of the ball, averaging just 325.1 YPG on the ground. LA Tech was poor defensively as well, conceding 34.3 PPG. 

The pick: Georgia Southern doesn't score a lot either, averaging just 26.3 PPG, but it makes up for it on the other end by allowing just 22.3. Note as well that the Georgia Southern offense will be without both No. 1 and No. 2 QB's, as Shai Werts and backup Justin Tomlin are out for this one. LA Tech struggles at the best of times to move the ball and now they face one of the best defenses they've seen all year. Expect a hard-fought, but ultimately lower-scoring New Orleans Bowl once it's all said and done.

This is a 10* play on the UNDER Georgia Southern/Louisiana Tech.

The set-up: Tulane likes to run the ball. Nevada likes to throw the ball. Tulane was poor defensively and Nevada was in the middle of the pack. The Green Wave are led by their two RB's in Stephon Huderson and Cameron Carroll. QB Mike Pratt had a sharp 18:5 TD:INT this year. Overall Tulane averages 35.4 PPG. 

The pick: Nevada and Carson Strong average 29.9 PPG. The Wolfpack won their first five games and then faltered down the stretch, losing their last two. This is a big opportunity to end the season on a high note and against a secondary which was terrible against the pass. Note that Strong leads a passing attack which ranks tenth in the country. I believe each offense will move the chains efficiently and I expec this total to fly "over" the number sooner, rather than later.

This is a 10* TOTAL OF THE WEEK on the OVER Tulane/Nevada.

The set-up: App State has closed out each of the last five years with a Bowl win and it's heavily favored to do so again on Monday afternoon. The Mountaineers finished 8-3 this season after a 34-26 win over Georgia Southern last week. UNT is 4-5, most recently entering off a 45-43 shootout victory over UTEP on Friday. While each team just finished playing to a higher-scoring victory, I think this Bowl contest at a weird time of the day and with little time to prepare, definitely sets up as a lower-scoring battle, rather than a high-scoring shootout. App State averages 31.8 PPG and it allows just 19.3. UNT averaged 35.1 PPG, while allowing 41.3. 

The pick: The Mountaineers are in no fear of losing this game outright and I don't expect them to run up the score either. App State is going to run the ball and control the clock as it looks to close out this difficult campaign with one more victory. I think UNT will struggle to move the ball in the second half of this game and that'll help in contributing to push this total "under" once it's all said and done.

This is a 10* play on the UNDER App State/UNT.

The set-up: Alabama is really good. Great offense, great defense and it's well coached as well. Florida also has a really good offense and a decent defense. Florida lost to LSU last time out and even with a win today, it wouldn't make the College Football Playoff. But the Gators would love nothing more than to hand the Tide their first loss of the season. Despite the loss to LSU last weekend, QB Kyle Trask still had 474 yards passing and two TD's. The Bama defense has been sharp of late, but the unit has yet to see an offense quite as dynamic as this.

The pick: Mac Jones is in line for the Heisman now, but for a few weeks Trask was in the conversation as well. With one last chance to impress, I like Trask to help his team keep this one interesting late. Note as well that Florida is 8-2 ATS in its last ten after allowing 35 points or more in a SU/ATS loss in its previous outing. As I mentioned off the top, I don't predict an outright upset, but everything does point to this one being much more competitive than what this spread would suggest. Grab the points.

This is a 10* ULTIMATE OF THE ULTIMATE on Florida.

The set-up: Both teams opened up the season with skay starts, but each closed strong. Iowa State scored a win over Oklahoma early and it'll look to duplicate that performance here in the Big 12 title game. Oklahoma's defense has come a long way since, but so too has its offense behind Spencer Rattler, who took a few games to really get going. Oklahoma closed out the regular season with six straight wins, all of the blowout variety. The Sooners have plenty of motivation to run up the score today. 

The pick: Iowa State enters off a 42-6 beatdown of WVU last time out and I like it to build off that impressive performance. Brock Purdy has regressed slightly this season from last, but with these two competent quarterbacks playing for a chance for the title, this one has "shootout" written all over it in my opinion. And that's my read on this one, I look for these two QB's to be the main storylines in tomorrow's summaries.

This is a 9* TOTAL on the OVER Oklahoma/Iowa State.

The set-up: No upsets here, as I like the App State Mountaineers to lay the hammer down from start to finish. Neither team will be in the Championship game, but it's still an important contest to determine the second-place finisher in the division. App State lost 24-21 to Louisiana last time out. In that contest senior QB Zac Thomas had the absolute worst game of his career, going 10 of 21 for 92 yards and two interceptions. Suffice it to say, I don't expect that lightning bolt of futility to strike twice. Georgia Southern enters off a 20-3 win over FAU, using their backup QB in Justin Tomlin, who was 3 of 12 for 70 yards, while also rushing for an additional 78. Keep your eyes on Camerun Peoples for App State, as he has 738 rushing yards and seven TD's so far this season.

The pick: Georgia Southern is stout against the run, but with its attention on Peoples, I'm predicting a massive bounce-back game here for the highly motivated Thomas. The QB issues are Georgia Southern aren't trivial. Getting by FAU is one thing, but trying to keep up with this pissed off Mountaineers side is quite another. I'm laying the points in this great situational spot.

This is an 8* DESTRUCTION on App State.

The set-up: Utah would love to hand Colorado its first and only loss of the season, as this is the final regular season game for both teams. Colorado beat Arizona 24-13 on Saturday, as Jarek Broussard rushed for a career-high 301 yards. The Utes won their first game of the season last time out, beating Oregon State 30-24. RB Tyler Jordan had 167 rushing yards and a TD in the victory. The Buffs strength on offense is their run game, but the Utes strength on defense is stopping the run, allowing just 104.7 YPG on the ground. 

The pick: Utah's defense has also allowed just 11 first downs in 38 third-down attempts this year. Utah made big strides last week holding on for its first victory and I think it has the defense to slow the Buffs' offense down, making it much more one dimensional. And that's it in a nutshell. The outright win is obviously possible, but let's grab the points.

This is a 10* PAC 12 GAME OF THE YEAR on Utah.

The set-up: FAU had a week off and returned to action last weekend and promptly fell 20-3 to Georgia Southern. FAU is now 5-2 overall and 4-1 in Conference USA standings. Southern Mississipi comes in fresh and focussed after its last two games were cancelled because of COVID concerns. The Eagles are just 2-7 and they last fell 23-20 to UTSA, but Southern Miss won't be rolling over in this nationally televised contest. Neither teams scores a lot and each is decent defensively (especially FAU, which concedes only 12.4 PPG), and those facts have definitely helped in driving this O/U line down. However, I think it's too low considering the overall situation.

The pick: Also note that Southern Miss has seen the total go "over" in eight of its last 11 when playing with two or more weeks of rest, while FAU has seen the total fly "over" in 14 of its last 22 after scoring three or less points in a loss in its previous outing. I look for this one to fly "over" as the game comes down the stretch.

This is a 10* TOTAL OF THE WEEK on the OVER FAU/Southern Miss.