College Football Picks

The Buckeyes haven’t covered against the spread in their last three games but probably couldn’t care less, as they continue to win and climb in the rankings. A defensive team historically, Ohio State is now known for their offense. The Buckeyes feature the third ranking passing attack in America (371.4 yards per game) anchored by a man who could perhaps be hoisting the Heisman if he continues to play at this level. Can Dwayne Haskins heat up the field against Purdue and get OSU backers a 14 point cover? Keith franks gives his football pick.

The public perception is that Clemson’s offense is still this fast paced electrifying passing threat that hits big plays everywhere on the field. This shows in the sportsbook’s odds. No doubt Clemson has some enormous talent in the passing game. QB Trevor Lawrence has looked good since taking over the from former starter Kelly Bryant. Lawrence has tossed 11 TDs with just 2 picks and has a host of talented receivers. However, this offense is not nearly as prolific as sports bettors believe. Does that fact leave value in the +17 line? Jay Horne gives his College Football Pick!

Ole Miss Quarterback Jordan Ta’amu has been rock solid with 15 passing scores and 5 picks. Running back Scottie Phillips has racked up 723 yards with 9 touchdowns in the first half of the year. Meanwhile, the Rebels receiving corps has plenty of talent as well with A.J Brown and D.K. Metcalf on the outside. To break it down simply, each team’s offensive weapons attack the defense’s weakness. Jay Horne handicaps this game and offers his football pick.

The Tennessee Volunteers delivered one of the biggest upsets in the SEC last week with an impressive 30-24 victory over no. 21 Auburn. The victory marked the Vols first SEC win since 2016 and poured gasoline on the fire that continues to surround Gus Malzahn’s tenure on the Plains. Most sports bettors aren’t looking for the upset as 28.5 dogs but is that too many points for the Volunteers? Jay Horne breaks down the game.

Oklahoma is coming off a loss to rival Texas in the annual Red River Showdown. The Sooners fell to the Longhorns by a score of 48-45 where over 1,000 yards of offense was produced. Though Oklahoma lost as a touchdown favorite and gave up its top-five ranking in the process, there is more to the story than the final score. The Sooners trailed by 21 points at the beginning of the fourth quarter and they rallied back to tie the game with 2:38 remaining in regulation. Will they ride that 4th quarter when they face TCU on Saturday? Keith Franks has his prediction.

The season is shaping up a bit better for USC after a rough start. Winning a pair of conference games leading into an off-week should help get this team’s confidence level where it needs to be. Granted, a lot hasn’t worked out so far as there have been a bunch of mistakes, and only one cover ATS. There is the element of upside with this being a young team learning with every play. Loot Levinson looks at the Trojans current position and if they should be able to cover the -7 spread versus an undefeated Colorado team..

Oregon enters this game coming off the break, which was proceeded by a big 42-24 win over a then-unbeaten Cal team. The week before that featured an overtime-loss to Stanford. Oregon has proven to be a dangerous team for whoever they face as evident by the +3.5 spread. But is it enough points to make it a value play versus Washington?

The odds are stacked against LSU from a match-up perspective. The Bulldogs have looked extremely strong this year in SEC play easily beating the likes of South Carolina, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt. Obviously the talent level that the Tigers possess is greater than any of those programs but LSU also has some obvious holes in their football team. Jay Horne takes a look at this matchup and makes his prediction.

If you combine Tagovailoa’s success with Alabama’s typically strong running attack behind Najee Harris and Damien Harris, you have one of the most lethal scoring units in the country. Alabama has done a great job of setting the tone with the run and hitting the plays over the top. That exact scenario creates a lot of problems for Missouri’s defense. But we already knew Alabama was high powered. Are they packing enough firepower to cover the 28.5 vs Missouri? Jay Horne gives his pick.

It rarely makes sense to look at a contest two seasons ago as a predictor for NCAA football but this is game is setting up much like the 2016 contest between these two. Wisconsin was good, but imperfect on offense with an inconsistent Alex Hornibrook in his first season as a starter. Michigan was a contender in the Big Ten and beyond but would be up against a tough test that could match size and strength. The result then was a 14-7 grinder that Michigan won. Sportsbooks have the spread at 7.5 meaning the same score would favor the dog. Ted Walker looks ahead to this Saturday night play.