Lines are accurate as of 9AM PT on Wednesday Sept 15. Home team is listed first
Results
Last Week: Straight Up: 7-3, Against the Spread: 6-4
Season: Straight Up: 15-5, Against the Spread: 11-7-2
All games are on Saturday unless otherwise noted
Game of the Week – Arizona vs Iowa (-2) – 730 PM PT, ESPN
Neither team has been tested thus far against suspect competition. Last season, Iowa won 27-17 in Iowa City before Nick Foles took over as the Arizona quarterback. Foles' presence plus the still question-laden and inexperienced Iowa offensive line plus Arizona at home equals a hard-fought Wildcat win.
Texas Tech vs Texas (-3) – 5PM PT, ABC or ESPN2
The Texas offense has not been very good thus far, especially running. Even though Texas Tech didn't look great against SMU, this is a Tommy Tuberville coached team. If he has any offensive talent at all (which he does here), this is about the last team you want to see on your schedule as a top ten team, especially if you have trouble running the ball and have an inexperienced quarterback.
Texas Tech 27, Texas 20
Oklahoma (-17) vs Air Force – 1230PT, FSN
This game is completely dependent on Oklahoma's mindset. If they play like last Air Force with its limited talent pool doesn't have the players to keep up. If they play like the second half of the Utah St. game, this could be a real game. It shouldn't be that hard to figure out which one I think will happen.
Oklahoma 45, Air Force 20
Auburn (-7) vs Clemson – 4PM PT, ESPN
The Auburn defense needs to get ready for a big challenge, especially against the run. Though they no longer have CJ Spiller, Clemson is still plenty talented in the running game with Andre Ellington leading the charge. The problem for Clemson (I so wanted to write Tigers there but that just doesn't work in this game) is that their defense is shaky and untested. While's Auburn's is just as shaky, I have to pick to one that has shown it can buckle down under pressure.
Auburn 31, Clemson 28
Georgia (-2.5) vs Arkansas – 9AM, ESPN
I'm not sold on the Arkansas defense at all despite two good performances thus far. I also think Georgia is going to open the offense up with Aaron Murray knowing they are in for a shootout. It won't be as high a scoring as last year, but the Bulldogs will get the job done, somehow.
Georgia 34, Arkansas 30
Nevada vs Cal (-2.5) – 7PM PT Friday, ESPN2
This might be the most difficult pick of the week. For years Cal has been playing like a more talented version of the Michigan St. teams under Bobby Williams and John L. Smith, wilting at the first sign of adversity. Well, there is a good chance that adversity will come here, if Nevada can get over that whole Cal is from a BCS conference thing as the Wolfpack, even if they are good enough and talented enough to win games like this, tend to not show up and get destroyed (see last season's 35-0 loss at Notre Dame). In other words, this game is all mental. Does Nevada show up to play and if they do, will Cal break?
Cal 41, Nevada 30
Florida St. (-10) vs BYU – 1230 PM PT, ESPNU
Both teams are coming off losses to opponents who play each other in a much higher game on this list. For BYU, there are major issues to deal with. For one thing they were pushed all over the field in this game last year. For another, its on the road and they have a full-blown quarterback controversy. For Florida St., its about the defense. The offense is fine and as I said in the lowlights post, it's tough to play at a high level when you know you must score every time you touch the ball. Luckily for Florida St., BYU isn't as good on offense as Oklahoma, or even as good as they normally are.
Florida St. 33, BYU 20
LSU (-8) vs Mississippi St. - 4PM PT, ESPNU
LSU seems ripe for the picking on an upset just like Texas, but Mississippi St. still has issues as the Auburn game showed last week and there is no way they get this done playing on the road unless the LSU quarterback situation continues to worsen.
LSU 20, Mississippi St. 10
West Virginia (-10) vs Maryland – 9AM PT, ESPNU
Both teams here have torched FCS competition and been lucky to survive their other game without a loss. For Maryland, they were out gained by over 200 yards against Navy but stood on their heads in their redzone and on their goaline to survive. For West Virginia, they didn't bother to play except for the final 10 minutes against Marshall. Neither team is really all that good, but when in doubt, take the home team with the streak in the series.
West Virginia 27, Maryland 20
Virginia Tech (-19) vs East Carolina – 930AM PT, ESPN3.com
Let me be the first to say that this line is ridiculous. East Carolina challenged Virginia Tech last year and beat them the year before and this Virginia Tech team obviously has some issues. I think they are going to win the game because I think the East Carolina defense has some major problems right now, but its going to be a lot closer than the odds makers see to expect. If by some chance they don't win, good luck even getting to a bowl game, any bowl game Hokies.
Virginia Tech 37, East Carolina 27
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