Ringer's Record
Last Week ATS: 9-8
Last Week SU: 16-3
Season ATS: 47-30 (61%)
Season SU: 73-11 (87%)
Ball St. (+37.5) at 1 Oklahoma
Oklahoma remained the top team in the Ringer Poll, despite falling behind against Missouri last week. After two hard fought games, the Sooners can rest easily as they host Ball St. this week. Ball St. has had a nice 3-1 start, but they will be no match for Oklahoma. Still, I like the Cardinals getting the points.
Prediction - Oklahoma 48 Ball St. 13
2 Alabama (-5.5) at 12 Florida
It's not every day that a team comes into The Swamp as favorites. That is the case this week. I foolishly picked 'Bama to lose at home last week. Florida has looked solid so far, particularly on defense. But you know the saying, "fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me". I can't go against the Tide two weeks in a row.
Prediction - Alabama 27 Florida 17
Kentucky (+29.5) at 3 LSU
LSU is everyone's flavor of the month. As well they should be, after beating three ranked teams in the first four weeks of the season. September is coming to an end though. I don't see LSU having much trouble with an overmatched Kentucky, but I'll take the Wildcats getting more than four touchdowns.
Prediction - LSU 34 Kentucky 13
Nevada (+27.5) at 4 Boise St.
They may not be conference rivals this season, but believe me this game means a lot to Boise. Remember that Nevada kept the Broncos from a trip to the Rose Bowl last season by handing them their only defeat. Nevada lost their top playmakers, while Boise attained a lot of theirs. Add in the revenge factor and I think Boise romps.
Prediction - Boise St. 48 Nevada 14
UCLA (+20.5) at 5 Stanford
The nation's top QB returns home for the first time since the opening week of the season. That means bad news for the Bruins. UCLA gave up 49 points last time they played a ranked team, and Stanford is 3-0 ATS this season. Look for the Cardinal to continue that trend and win big.
Prediction - Stanford 42 UCLA 13
8 Nebraska (+9.5) at 7 Wisconsin
Nebraska opens up their inaugural Big Ten slate with a road trip to Madison. The Blackshirts could not get a tougher test. The crowd is always hostile, but even more so at night. Wisconsin has played some of the nation's best football, and have gotten excellent play on both sides of the ball. The crowd will have plenty of reason to jump around, as the Badgers give the Huskers a nasty welcome to the Big Ten.
Prediction - Wisconsin 31 Nebraska 16
Auburn (+10.5) at 10 South Carolina
This is a rematch of the 2010 SEC Championship. Auburn won that game handily, but they don't have Cam Newton taking snaps anymore. South Carolina has been winning ugly, but winning nonetheless. I expect them to control the ball with Marcus Lattimore and continue that trend this week to avenge the SEC title game loss in a close one.
Prediction - South Carolina 27 Auburn 21
17 Clemson (+7.5) at 11 Virginia Tech
The Clemson Tigers may be the nation's biggest surprise so far. Their 4-0 start includes wins over the defending National Champion (Auburn), and the preseason favorite to win the ACC (Florida St.). Clemson has had a knack for failing to live up to expectations. This team went from having none to plenty in the last two weeks. There's no way they make it three in a row. Virginia Tech wins a close one in Blacksburg.
Prediction - Virginia Tech 28 Clemson 27
13 Texas A&M (-3.5) vs. 19 Arkansas (at Arlington, TX)
Both of these teams saw any dream of a national title run come to an end last week. A&M coughed up a 17-point lead at home to Oklahoma St., while Arkansas never stood a chance against Alabama. Which team will bounce back quicker? I'll go with Arkansas for two reasons. First they didn't lose in heartbreaking fashion like the Aggies. second, their expectations weren't as high coming into the season.
Prediction - Arkansas 34 Texas A&M 31
14 Texas (-10.5) at Iowa St.
This is an unlikely match of unbeatens. I'm not a huge believer in the Longhorns, but I had them 3-0 at this point. I certainly didn't see Iowa St. at 3-0, but the Cyclones have been impressive so far. They have won their last two games in come from behind fashion against BCS school, Iowa and UConn. I don't think they can pull it off two years in a row against Texas, but it will be a close one.
Prediction - Texas 24 Iowa St. 21
15 Baylor (-3.5) at Kansas St.
The stat of the year so far is that RG3 has thrown more TD passes than he has incompletions so far. This is the highest Baylor has been ranked in decades because of it. Kansas St. is no slouch though. The Wildcats went to Miami and knocked off the U last week. One of these teams will get to 4-0, and I have to believe it's Baylor until someone can show they can slow RG3.
Prediction - Baylor 34 Kansas St. 28
16 South Florida (-2.5) at Pittsburgh
South Florida heads to Pittsburgh for this week's Thursday night game on ESPN. This game is sure to play a pivotal role in the Big East picture. These two teams already have one common opponent this year. South Florida beat Notre Dame on the road. Pittsburgh lost to Notre Dame at home. that must mean South Florida will beat Pittsburgh.
Prediction - South Florida 27 Pittsburgh 23
Minnesota (+20.5) at 18 Michigan
Denard Robinson continued to be magnificent last week versus Brady Hoke's old squad, San Diego St. How long can he keep it up? He faces another multi-dimensional QB in Minnesota's MarQueis Gray this week. Minnesota continues to bring up the rear in the Big Ten, but I expect Gray and the Gophers to give Michigan a fight in this one.
Prediction - Michigan 35 Minnesota 16
SMU (+11.5) at 20 TCU
An old SWC rivalry is renewed when the Pony Express takes the short trip to Fort Worth to take on the Horned Frogs of TCU. SMU was my preseason favorite to win C-USA. I picked them to cover the spread in Week 1 versus A&M and they were demolished. Do I test my thoughts of SMU again? I'll give it another try, simply because I don't think TCU is as good as we thought they were either.
Prediction - TCU 38 SMU 28
Northwestern (+6.5) at 21 Illinois
It's always a toss up when these two schools get together. I thought Illinois has showed me something after they beat a very good Arizona St. team. Then they came back last week and nearly lost to Western Michigan. Which Illinois team will show up this week. Probably somewhere in the middle, which will be good enough for a close victory but I like Northwestern with the points.
Prediction - Illinois 27 Northwestern 24
Bowling Green (+20.5) at 22 West Virginia
The Mountaineers got exposed last week versus LSU. It doesn't mean they aren't a good team, it just means they aren't ready to compete for a national title. I expect Geno Smith and this offense to continue putting up huge numbers. If they can pass for over 400 yards on LSU, they can certainly sling it all over Bowling Green. Give me WVU big.
Prediction - West Virginia 41 Bowling Green 12
23 Michigan St. (+3) at Ohio St.
As a man that was born and raised an Ohio St. fan, it pains me to see them struggling. Even in a 20-point victory over Colorado last week there was enough stuff I saw that worries me. Michigan St. bounced back from a poor performance at Notre Dame to win by 30 against Central Michigan. This one is a complete toss up, but maybe my negativity is getting the best of me. I think Sparty will win.
Prediction - Michigan St. 28 Ohio St. 21
24 Georgia Tech (-11.5) at NC State
Boy has NC State turned out to be worse than I thought they were going to be. this is one team I was dead wrong on at the beginning of the season. I thought Mike Glennon could fill in for the departed Russell Wilson nicely at QB. He and his teammates looked awful in an embarrassing 44-14 loss to Cincy on national TV last week. Georgia Tech looks tough, give me them.
Prediction - Georgia Tech 37 NC State 20
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