Welcome back for week 9 of my CFB Picks, as always I'll give my thoughts on the games, the spread and hopefully some insight into the conferences races as they continue to heat up and clear up. As always I would enjoy to hear form those who read and all times are central. So without further ado let's get to it...
Thursday, October 27, 2011:
Rice at #17 Houston, 7:00 pm, Houston comes in riding the wave of Case Keenum's final year on campus and an undefeated record which shouldn't stop this week as they take on the Rice Owls. Winner: Houston 59-14 ATS: Houston -28
Saturday, October 30, 2011:
#11 Michigan State at #14 Nebraska, 11:00 am ESPN, Michigan State is coming of a game ending Hail Mary touchdown against Wisconsin last week, as Nebraska comes off of a blow out of the Golden Gophers. Michigan State has the best defense in the Big Ten and an offense that can do enough as long as Kirk Cousins is on his game. Nebraska has disappointed on both sides of the ball but Lincoln is a tough place to play. Winner: Nebraska 31-28 ATS: Michigan State +4
Missouri at #16 Texas A&M, 11:00 am FX, Missouri is a solid mid-tier team in the Big XII but Texas A&M is one of the four best teams in what is this year's deepest conference. Texas A&M doesn't pose much on the defensive side of the ball but Missouri's only hope is to contain the Aggie offense if they have a chance in this game. Winner: Texas A&M 45-20 ATS: Texas A&M -10
Purdue at #18 Michigan, 11;00 am ESPN2, Michigan has been a team that has looked very good against foes it should crush but against anybody with a pulse on defense has been a little bit shaky and the basics start to muddle within the offense leaving them in wholes they can't dig out of. Winner: Michigan 38-35 ATS: Purdue +13.5
#10 Arkansas at Vanderbilt, 11:21 SEC Network, Vanderbilt has shown some positive improvements in its first year under James Franklin. Arkansas continues to look like the 3rd best team in the West and would probably be the front runner in the SEC East. Winner: Arkansas 34-13 ATS: Arkansas -8 (sorry forgot to put this in during the week)
#12 Virginia Tech at Duke, 11:30 pm, Duke has been improving every year under David Cutcliffe but they still lag behind the majority of AQ schools in talent and facilities. Virginia Tech continues to gel even after an early season loss at the hands of Clemson. Logan Thomas continues to make strides in his game as he replaces Tyrod Taylor. Winner: Virginia Tech 35-14 ATS: Virginia Tech -14.5
Washington State at #7 Oregon, 2:00 pm, Washington State has improved this year and actually beat an FBS team, however Oregon is out of their league in both talent and coaching and it'll show this week in Autzen Stadium. Winner: Oregon 63-20 ATS: Oregon -35
Baylor at #3 Oklahoma State, 2:30 pm ABC/ESPN2, With an undefeated Kansas State team on the schedule next week and a Baylor team that can put up points behind RG3, I think this is a major trap game for the Cowboys. Winner: Oklahoma State 45-38 ATS: Baylor +14
#9 Oklahoma at #8 Kansas State, 2:30 pm ESPN, In the line of week from talking heads, Oklahoma was the team you expected to be undefeated coming into this game. Bill Snyder has now resurrected this program multiple times and has his team set up to control their own destiny in the conference and national title race. Oklahoma is coming off a horrible loss to Texas Tech and considering Bob Stoops' .808 win percentage they don't lose two in a row too often. Winner: Oklahoma 31-28 ATS: Kansas State +13.5
Illinois at #19 Penn State, 2:30 pm ABC/ESPN2, Illinois is much much worse than their 6-0 record to start the year indicated. Penn State is better than anyone thought other than maybe Joe Paterno but has one of the countries best defenses. Winner Penn State 27-13 ATS: Penn State -5
#22 Georgia vs Florida, 2:30 pm CBS, the artist formerly known as The World's Largest Cocktail party comes to us from Jacksonville again this year and should be the launching pad for Georgia's SEC East title run. If the Bulldogs stumble however there are a myriad of possibilities that come into play for the division. Winner: Georgia 31-20 ATS: Georgia -3
#25 West Virginia at Rutgers, 2:30 pm ABC, to me a more who would have thought game is this weeks Big East game between the Mountaineers and the Scarlet Knights. WVU is a half game back in the standings to Rutgers which just doesn't seem right. Winner: WVU 31-28 ATS: Rutgers +7
Navy at Notre Dame, 2:30 pm NBC, Navy has pulled off the upset of ND multiple times in the last four years with senior laden teams and dysfunction in South Bend. I think Brian Kelly can pull this team together after the USC loss and invokes the pride of his team to show up for this game. Winner: Notre Dame 35-20 ATS : Notre Dame -21.5
Colorado at #21 Arizona State, 5:30 pm, Colorado is the Kansas/Ole Miss of the west. Winner: Arizona State 52-24 ATS: Colorado +31
Iowa State at #20 Texas Tech, 6:00 pm, Trap game, coming off an upset of a top 3 team this Tech team has to play an Iowa state team that would appear to have taken a step back from last years progress. Winner: Iowa State 31-28 ATS: Iowa State +14.5
Ole Miss at #23 Auburn, 6:00 pm ESNPU, Ole Miss is a bad bad team in any conference. Winner: Auburn 41-17 ATS: Auburn -12.5
Kansas at #24 Texas, 6:00 pm Longhorn Network, Kansas comes in as one of the worst teams in the country and Texas comes in as the most overrated team in the country. Winner: Texas 38-10 ATS: Texas -28 (Push)
#13 South Carolina at Tennessee, 6:15 pm ESPN2, This is a game of what could have been, with Lattimore and Bray injured this game has lost much of what it had earlier in the season. South Carolina has the greater talent especially on defense and should walk away. Winner: South Carolina 31-17 ATS: South Carolina -3.5
#5 Clemson at Georgia Tech, 7:00 pm ABC, Georgia Tech's last two games have been disappointments and struggles that may signal that teams have figured out how to prepare for Paul Johnson's triple option. Clemson comes in with a ton of positive feelings behind it but I feel the pressure of a disappointing history beginning to build as it continues it's run. This feels like a Clemson team preparing to Clemson all over itself. Winner: Clemson 31-28 ATS: Georgia Tech +3.5
#6 Stanford at USC, 7:00 pm ABC, USC is coming off a big win in South Bend last week and the best win of the Kiffin era. Stanford is coming off a blowout of Washington at home and should be looking forward to it's chance to solidify it's standing before the Oregon game to come. I think this game comes down to how Monte Kiffin and the defense, a unit that has struggled throughout much of the season, does against Andrew Luck. Winner: Stanford 31-27 ATS: USC +7.5
#15 Wisconsin at Ohio State, 7:00 pm ESPN, Coming off a tough loss to Michigan State we will be able to tell a lot about this Wisconsin team and how they bounce back after a gut wrenching loss. Ohio State on the other hand has been solid since the return of three of their suspended players and should pose a good test on the heals of an emotional loss. Winner: Wisconsin 28-20 ATS: Wisconsin -7
Enjoy the week of college football and I'll be back to recap the games and the polls on Sunday. All times are central and all rankings are BCS. Please feel free to leave thoughts and comments.
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