Alright we're back for week 6 and we're diving full into the heart
of conference season. Author's note: first 11 games posted 6:14 pm 10/4/12
Thursday, October 4th, 2012:
Arkansas State at Florida
International, 6:30 pm ESPNU, I include this game
because it will give us some insight into two teams that could be influential
in the conference championship in the Sun Belt. The favorites currently are WKU
and ULM for good reasons; both have beaten BCS foes and shown up big in the
non-conference season. Arkansas State is in the first season of the Gus Malzahn
era and is feeling some growing pains of a ne regime. Florida International is
led by the steady Mario Cristoball and has a program that has figured prominently
into the past couple conference races. Winner:
FIU ATS: FIU +1.5
#13 USC at Utah, 8:00
pm ESPN, This game was billed as one of USC’s toughest tests at the start
of the year as the Utes had a talented veteran team that figured to compete in the
Pac-12 South. With a loss to Utah State and lackluster performances in the non-con
many doubts have crept in about the success of the Utes season. USC on the
other hand got manhandled by Stanford and has fallen from grace in many eyes
around the country but this is still one of the two most talented teams in the Pac-12
and very near the top in the country. Winner:
USC ATS: Utah +14
Saturday, October 6th, 2012:
Kansas at #7 Kansas State, 11:00
am FX, Remember when we all thought Charlie Weis was a genius and would
revolutionize college football… Pepperidge Farms remembers. Winner: Kansas State ATS: Kansas State -24
Connecticut at #22 Rutgers, 11:00
am ESPNU, Rutgers got shelled by Rutgers last season and it really set the Scarlet
Knights back… this year the gap between these two squads still exist and we get
to see if Rutgers is ready to play and challenge Louisville in the Big East. Winner: Rutgers ATS: Rutgers -7
#24 Northwestern at Penn
State, 11:00 am ESPN, Who would have thought we
would be in this predicament, a solid above average Northwestern team coming to
Happy Valley to face a Penn State team that hasn’t looked as god awful as many
of us thought they would in year 1 after the Sandusky incident. Northwestern
has been innovative with their use of Colter and should be able to challenge a
still pretty good Penn State defense. Winner:
Penn State ATS: Northwestern +3
#20 Mississippi State at
Kentucky, 11:21 am SEC Network, With the end of
baseball season I wanted to get this joke in once. Kentucky has a clown
football team bro. Winner: Mississippi
State ATS: Mississippi State -10
Arizona at #18 Stanford, 2:00
pm FOX, Arizona has played a couple of quality opponents tough but with
Stanford coming off a rough loss to Washington on the road this week the
Cardinal should be ready to prove the critics wrong and stomp the Wildcats. Winner: Stanford ATS: Stanford -9
#4 LSU at #10 Florida, 2:30
pm CBS, A matchup of two teams that should be dead center of the discussion
about conference and divisional champs in the SEC this season. LSU is coming
off back to back sloppy outings against Towson and Auburn, should still be
firmly in the National Chapmionship discussion, however a big win against Florida
would go a long way toward easing the fears surrounding this Tiger team.
Florida on the other hand is a surprise contender after a couple of down years
for the program, Will Muschamp has this team moving in a positive direction
after a slow start against Bowling Green. The defenses will come ready to play,
but who’s offense will provide enough to give themselves an advantage in the Southeastern
Conference. Winner: LSU ATS: LSU -2.5
Georgia Tech at #15 Clemson, 2:30
pm ESPN, Oh my how our opinion on Georgia Tech has come crashing down since
the season opener versus Virginia Tech, with a loss to an FCS team to boot
Georgia Tech has a tough climb to weather before any trust can be placed.
Clemson on the other hand comes off a hard fought game versus Florida State in
which they held a double digit third quarter lead. Let’s see how Dabo’s team reacts
after a tough loss. Winner: Clemson ATS: Clemson -10
Iowa State at #15 TCU, 2:30
pm, With today’s suspension of Casey Pachall this game takes on a new face.
TCU hasn’t been a model of consistency this season and the loss of the staring
QB 5 weeks in can only hurt that problem. The good news for TCU is that Iowa
State hasn’t been all that good itself this season and Steele Jantz hasn’t
captured our imaginations like last season. Winner: Iowa State ATS: Iowa
State +10
#17 Oklahoma at Texas Tech, 2:30
pm ESPN2/ABC, A rematch of one of the biggest upsets of the 2011 season
happens in Lubbock this weekend as Bob Stoops and Co. visit Tommy Tubberville’s
Red Raiders. This game should feature points on both ends in the first half and
the Oklahoma’s defense slowing down Tech in the second. (also the believed plot
of last year’s game.) Winner: Oklahoma
ATS: Oklahoma -5
Washington State at #14
Oregon State, 5:00 pm Pac-12 Network, I want to like
Washington State because of Mike Leach but this team isn’t good yet. Oregon
State may be the surprise of the year in any conference not just the Pac-12. Winner: Oregon State ATS: Oregon State -15
#5 Georgia at #6 South
Carolina, 6:00 pm ESPN, Another marquee SEC game
in week 6 and this one will go a long way in deciding the east. Georgia comes
in playing the best football outside of Alabama. The defense had a few bumps
against an average Tennessee team but they were shuffling players around with
the return of two starters from suspension. South Carolina has gotten past the
Connor Shaw injury and is running as smoothly as any team in the Old Ball
Coaches tenure at the school. Winner: Georgia
ATS: Georgia +1
#8 West Virginia at #11
Texas, 6:00 pm FOX, Texas gave up plenty of
yards to a pretty good Oklahoma State team that will only get better this
season, but still isn’t completely kicking. West Virginia is coming off a 70
point performance against air… I mean Baylor and should have a stiffer test
versus a much better Texas D. I think they can put up enough to stress David
Ash but will there be enough defense from the ‘Neers. Winner: West Virginia ATS: West
Virginia +7
Miami (FL) at #9 Notre Dame, 6:30
pm NBC, Miami is better than they looked against Kansas State but Notre
Dame is having a rejuvenation behind talent like Man’ti Teo and an elite
defense. Winner: Notre Dame ATS: Notre Dame -14
#3 Florida State at North
Carolina State, 7:00 pm ESPN2, Remember when we thought
this would be a great test for the ‘Noles. A stout NC State defense has looked
porous especially on the back end where they were supposed to be most talented.
Florida State got through the USF game and can take another nice step in making
believers in this year’s team with back to back road wins. Winner: Florida State ATS: NC
State +17
#21 Nebraska at #12 Ohio
State, 7:00 pm ABC, Let’s start out by saying
these are the two best teams in the Big Ten (take a moment to be depressed it’s
alright). Nebraska comes off a scrappy home win over Wisconsin last week in
which they looked dominant on both lines in the second half. Ohio State won on
the road in East Lansing and was just the latest team to take advantage of a
MSU team that lacks for any real offensive substance. Winner: Ohio State ATS: Ohio
State -3.5
#25 UCLA at California, 9:00
pm Pac-12 Network, Two teams headed in different directions as Mora has
really turned around a down trending UCLA program, while Tedford continues to
fail to live up to the promise of his early career. Winner: UCLA ATS: UCLA
-2.5
#23 Washington at #2 Oregon, 9:30
pm ESPN, Which Washington team are we going to see in Autzen this week?
Will it be the Huskies team that was outmanned in the Bayou or the Huskies team
that was more physical than Stanford last week? The Washington team that shows
up will dictate this game. Winner: Oregon
ATS: Washington +25
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