I play 7 games every Saturday and these are the games I'm putting my hard earned money on and why:
1.Arkansas-Mississippi.Take Arkansas -9.5....Arkansas has done very good against the spread in the "Nutt House" this year having gone 4-1 and only missing as a 30 point chalk over La.Monroe. After watching him several times this year I'm convinced that senior Ark. QB Matt Jones should be a first round draft choice in the NFL. You don't see very many mobile 6'3 QB's who have both a great arm and 4.4 speed. This kid is something else, and he makes good decisions too. Mississippi on the other hand is taking a 2 QB rotation on the road in a hostile environment. The Rebels have only had 3 road games. And 2 of them have resulted in losses. After losing a couple very close games to good teams (Georgia-S.Car.) I expect the Razorbacks to give Mississippi a good ole "Arkansas ambush". Arkansas 31-13
2.Alabama-LSU. Take Alabama +7....A 6-3 Bama team on the rise is visiting a 6-2 LSU team who is playing very average football. Bama is beginning to play much better on offense, especially in their rushing game. But the strength of this squad is their defense (no.1 in total "D", 15 ppg), which bodes well on the road. Alabama has giving up more than 2 td's only once this year. And that was early in the season after QB Brody Coyle went down and they played at Ark. Since then this team has inproved tremendously having played Tennessee to the wire in a game they should have won. LSU on the other hand has played with a lethargic offense who has lost too many skill players off of their national championship squad. They're also banged up a little with All-American center Wilkerson out with a injury. The Crimson Tide is 7-1 against the spread in their last 8 visits to Baton Rouge. Seeing as this is in Baton Rouge I'm looking for a tight low scoring game. But I'm calling for an outright Bama win here. Alabama 17-14
3.Georgia-Auburn. Take Georgia +5.5...This is a classic SEC matchup and a very big game for both teams. Georgia has had it's ups and downs this year dealing with injuries, but i believe this team has righted it's ship and is playing it's best football right now. On the other hand Auburn has played up all year. They are an impressive team who has played better as they've gone along. They have also had a favorable schedule with all of their tough games except Tennesse played at home. What really stuck out to me in comparing these 2 teams is quality wins. Auburn has only played 2 winning teams all year! That's why their stuck in third place in the BCS. Georgia on the other hand has played 5 winning teams. They've also had to play in some hostile enviorments (S.Carolina, Arkansas, Florida). I believe this Georgia team is road tested. And they bring the winningest QB in SEC history David Green (40-9 as a starter). And he loves hostile envioronments (15-1 as a visitor). I expect the talented Bulldog defensive backs to shut down or slow down the Auburn attack, and I call for this to be a close game for the entire 60 minutes. But in the SEC the home team always has the big advantage. I call for Auburn to win, but in a very tight game. Auburn 17-16.
4.Minnesota-Iowa.Take Minnesota -3...Minnesota has been a dreadful team on the road 1-4, but have been a perfect 5-0 at home. Iowa has much the same story. This team has only had 3 road games all year. And 2 of them have turned out bad. Also keep in mind that iowa is a young team with only 9 returning starters. And their sophmore QB Drew Tate hasn't been nearly as effective on the road in hostile enviorments. This is bound to be an emotional game for Minnesota having dropped their last 2 in a row after having a good winning season. I expect the Golphers to pull out all the stops to keep their perfect home record intact and to find a good slot in a bowl game. I'm taking Minnesota 27-20
5.Purdue-Ohio St..Take Purdue -4..This is Purdue's frustration game. They've dropped 4 games in a row by a total of 10 points! On the other hand the Buckeyes won a very misleading game last week. Michigan St. did everything they could to lose that game, including 2 idiotic rollout punts. One that lead to a td return. Even their coach said that he made a stupid call. It ended up being the difference in that game since State played catchup the rest of the day. But this isn't a running team Ohio St. faces this week. This is a frustrated passing team with ex-Heisman trophy candidate Kyle Orton ready to show his stuff again. Purdue 35-17
6.OU-Nebraska.Take Nebraska -30.. First I'll just say I'm a #1 Sooners fan. And I've been following my team closely all year. The one thing that I feel has gone against them as far as betting their games is I feel the oddsmakers have put the line way too high week after week. Especially at home. OU is more of a ball control team this year. They prefer to run first instead of pass. That means for most of their games they are not going to light up the scoreboard. I don't believe your going to see the same kind of game that you've seen the last 2 weeks with Texas A&M and OSU. I expect this to be more of a defensive ball control game. The forecast also calls for some very nasty weather (cold, rain) in Norman Saturday. These 2 teams are longtime rivals, and I expect this game to bring out the best in both teams. This is also a special game for OU defensive corrdinator Bo Pelini who was dismissed as interim head coach off of Nebraska's staff last year. So I smell a little revenge in the air by way of OU's defense. I'll take OU in what will be a lower scoring game than expected. 31-7
7.Colorado-Kansas St.Take Colorado +2.5....In my opinion the Big 12 South is the best "mini-conference" in the country. On the other hand the Big 12 North division is one of the most dreadful. And it's giving the Big 12 a bad name. I don't think it's going to get any better this week. Kansas St. is in the drivers seat and can determine their own fate here. But I don't believe it will happen. They gave up 500 yards of total offense against a very bad Missouri offense last week. And the injuries keep mounting on the Kansas St. sideline, especially on defense. Something you don't want to happen when going on the road for a second straight week. Especially in Boulder where the Wildcats have covered the spread only 2 times in their last 13 visits. Colorado on the other hand is starting to heal up a little with ace all purpose running back Purify back in the lineup and their best QB Joel Klatt back as starter. I'm smelling a minor upset here that's going to put the North division in further tumoil. They'll end up having to draw straws to see who goes to the Big 12 Championship to face OU. Maybe they should all just stay home. Colorado wins 38-28.
1.Arkansas-Mississippi.Take Arkansas -9.5....Arkansas has done very good against the spread in the "Nutt House" this year having gone 4-1 and only missing as a 30 point chalk over La.Monroe. After watching him several times this year I'm convinced that senior Ark. QB Matt Jones should be a first round draft choice in the NFL. You don't see very many mobile 6'3 QB's who have both a great arm and 4.4 speed. This kid is something else, and he makes good decisions too. Mississippi on the other hand is taking a 2 QB rotation on the road in a hostile environment. The Rebels have only had 3 road games. And 2 of them have resulted in losses. After losing a couple very close games to good teams (Georgia-S.Car.) I expect the Razorbacks to give Mississippi a good ole "Arkansas ambush". Arkansas 31-13
2.Alabama-LSU. Take Alabama +7....A 6-3 Bama team on the rise is visiting a 6-2 LSU team who is playing very average football. Bama is beginning to play much better on offense, especially in their rushing game. But the strength of this squad is their defense (no.1 in total "D", 15 ppg), which bodes well on the road. Alabama has giving up more than 2 td's only once this year. And that was early in the season after QB Brody Coyle went down and they played at Ark. Since then this team has inproved tremendously having played Tennessee to the wire in a game they should have won. LSU on the other hand has played with a lethargic offense who has lost too many skill players off of their national championship squad. They're also banged up a little with All-American center Wilkerson out with a injury. The Crimson Tide is 7-1 against the spread in their last 8 visits to Baton Rouge. Seeing as this is in Baton Rouge I'm looking for a tight low scoring game. But I'm calling for an outright Bama win here. Alabama 17-14
3.Georgia-Auburn. Take Georgia +5.5...This is a classic SEC matchup and a very big game for both teams. Georgia has had it's ups and downs this year dealing with injuries, but i believe this team has righted it's ship and is playing it's best football right now. On the other hand Auburn has played up all year. They are an impressive team who has played better as they've gone along. They have also had a favorable schedule with all of their tough games except Tennesse played at home. What really stuck out to me in comparing these 2 teams is quality wins. Auburn has only played 2 winning teams all year! That's why their stuck in third place in the BCS. Georgia on the other hand has played 5 winning teams. They've also had to play in some hostile enviorments (S.Carolina, Arkansas, Florida). I believe this Georgia team is road tested. And they bring the winningest QB in SEC history David Green (40-9 as a starter). And he loves hostile envioronments (15-1 as a visitor). I expect the talented Bulldog defensive backs to shut down or slow down the Auburn attack, and I call for this to be a close game for the entire 60 minutes. But in the SEC the home team always has the big advantage. I call for Auburn to win, but in a very tight game. Auburn 17-16.
4.Minnesota-Iowa.Take Minnesota -3...Minnesota has been a dreadful team on the road 1-4, but have been a perfect 5-0 at home. Iowa has much the same story. This team has only had 3 road games all year. And 2 of them have turned out bad. Also keep in mind that iowa is a young team with only 9 returning starters. And their sophmore QB Drew Tate hasn't been nearly as effective on the road in hostile enviorments. This is bound to be an emotional game for Minnesota having dropped their last 2 in a row after having a good winning season. I expect the Golphers to pull out all the stops to keep their perfect home record intact and to find a good slot in a bowl game. I'm taking Minnesota 27-20
5.Purdue-Ohio St..Take Purdue -4..This is Purdue's frustration game. They've dropped 4 games in a row by a total of 10 points! On the other hand the Buckeyes won a very misleading game last week. Michigan St. did everything they could to lose that game, including 2 idiotic rollout punts. One that lead to a td return. Even their coach said that he made a stupid call. It ended up being the difference in that game since State played catchup the rest of the day. But this isn't a running team Ohio St. faces this week. This is a frustrated passing team with ex-Heisman trophy candidate Kyle Orton ready to show his stuff again. Purdue 35-17
6.OU-Nebraska.Take Nebraska -30.. First I'll just say I'm a #1 Sooners fan. And I've been following my team closely all year. The one thing that I feel has gone against them as far as betting their games is I feel the oddsmakers have put the line way too high week after week. Especially at home. OU is more of a ball control team this year. They prefer to run first instead of pass. That means for most of their games they are not going to light up the scoreboard. I don't believe your going to see the same kind of game that you've seen the last 2 weeks with Texas A&M and OSU. I expect this to be more of a defensive ball control game. The forecast also calls for some very nasty weather (cold, rain) in Norman Saturday. These 2 teams are longtime rivals, and I expect this game to bring out the best in both teams. This is also a special game for OU defensive corrdinator Bo Pelini who was dismissed as interim head coach off of Nebraska's staff last year. So I smell a little revenge in the air by way of OU's defense. I'll take OU in what will be a lower scoring game than expected. 31-7
7.Colorado-Kansas St.Take Colorado +2.5....In my opinion the Big 12 South is the best "mini-conference" in the country. On the other hand the Big 12 North division is one of the most dreadful. And it's giving the Big 12 a bad name. I don't think it's going to get any better this week. Kansas St. is in the drivers seat and can determine their own fate here. But I don't believe it will happen. They gave up 500 yards of total offense against a very bad Missouri offense last week. And the injuries keep mounting on the Kansas St. sideline, especially on defense. Something you don't want to happen when going on the road for a second straight week. Especially in Boulder where the Wildcats have covered the spread only 2 times in their last 13 visits. Colorado on the other hand is starting to heal up a little with ace all purpose running back Purify back in the lineup and their best QB Joel Klatt back as starter. I'm smelling a minor upset here that's going to put the North division in further tumoil. They'll end up having to draw straws to see who goes to the Big 12 Championship to face OU. Maybe they should all just stay home. Colorado wins 38-28.
