The Magnificent Seven: Week XII

We finally broke through with our best week of the season. And while its hard to complain about a 6-1 week, we were pretty damn close to the white whale of 7-0. Check the North Texas/Army box score for more info. Anyway, we'll see how the follow up goes.   

Last Week: 6-1

Overall: 43-33-1

Wyoming +10 Colorado State

In my opinion, the Mountain West was a bit myopic when they announced a scheduling agreement with the surviving members of the Pac-12 (Oregon State and Washington State) and reduced their number of conference games from eight to seven. Contracting the conference season by 12.5% has resulted in a realistic scenario where we will be denied a Boise State/UNLV rematch in the Mountain West Championship Game. No shade to Colorado State, but the Broncos and Rebels are the two best teams in the league. However, they have already faced off this season, with the Broncos winning in Sin City a few weeks ago. Neither the Broncos nor the Rebels play the Rams in the regular season, so if Colorado State wins out to finish 7-0 in league play, they will qualify for the conference title game. The Rams are likely to be favored in their final three games (Wyoming, Fresno State, and Utah State), so this is not a pipe dream. Anyway, the first leg of that Mountain West parlay comes Friday night in the Border War, with the winner walking away with the Bronze Boot. Both teams struggled early in the 2024 season, but have turned things around. Colorado State began the year 1-2, but have won five of six and four in a row despite the absence of star receiver Tory Horton, who injured his knee a month ago and is out for the remainder of the season. Wyoming began the season 0-4 under first year head coach Jay Sawvel, and while they won just two of their next five games, they have covered as an underdog in four consecutive games, with two coming away from Laramie. At 2-7, Wyoming can't get to a bowl game, so I expect them to be motivated to ruin their rivals season. Plus, Wyoming has dominated this series of late, winning seven of the past ten meetings. They have been underdogs (as they are here) in six of those ten games, and have posted an ATS record of 5-1 with four outright wins. I expect a close game in Fort Collins on Friday. 

UTSA +2 North Texas

North Texas gave a master class in how to lose (and not cover) a football game last week. The Mean Green were stopped on downs inside the Army five, threw two interceptions in the endzone, and were stopped on downs another time for good measure. All together, North Texas scored three points on three drives that began with a first and goal and four total trips inside the red zone. The Mean Green are in real danger of squandering a bowl bid after a 5-1 start (although they should be significant favorites against Temple in the regular season finale). Meanwhile, UTSA needs two wins in their final two games to clinch a fifth consecutive bowl game under head coach Jeff Traylor. The Roadrunners won't live up to their preseason expectations, but winning six games would still be an accomplishment, especially after a 2-4 start. Outside of last week's game against Army, North Texas has scored at least 35 points against every non-power conference team they have faced, so they should be able to move the ball against UTSA. However, the Roadrunners run defense is strong, so North Texas will probably be in a few more third and longs than they are accustomed to. And the North Texas defense is still one of the worst in the nation. The Mean Green held Army to 14 points last week, but there were only seven drives by the Black Knights in that game and Army's final drive ran out the clock. The North Texas defense has been especially bad on the road, allowing over 41 points per game in ten contests since Eric Morris became head coach. Couple that with how good UTSA has been as a home underdog under Traylor (5-1 ATS with four outright wins), and you have to back the Roadrunners in this spot. 

Utah +11 Colorado

After a 4-0 start to their first season in the Big 12, Utah has fallen on hard times. The Utes have dropped five in a row, including a gut-wrenching loss to their unbeaten arch rivals in the Holy War last week. The offense has been among the worst of any power conference team. In Big 12 play, the Utes are averaging just north of five yards per play and just under 16 points per game. The defense has remained strong though, allowing just over five yards per play and 20 points per game. Five of their six conference games have been decided by one possession (1-4 record) so the Utes have been competitive in most games. Turnovers have also been a problem, with the Utes posting a -8 turnover margin in their six Big 12 games. Can they rebound from that tough loss as they travel to face a Colorado team that has a shot at returning to the Big 12 Championship Game for the first time in nearly 20 years? Granted, they were not in the Big 12 for a majority of that time, but still, this has been quite the turnaround for Coach Prime. The Buffaloes have won six of seven with the past three victories all coming by double digits. Apparently having a couple future top ten draft picks is a good way to build your team. How well can Colorado transition to from the role of (Travis) hunter to hunted? After last season's showing, not much was expected of the Buffaloes in their second season under Coach Prime. Now Colorado is laying ten points against the preseason favorite to win the Big 12 (and a team that was highly ranked in the preseason AP Poll). Colorado is 0-2 ATS as a double digit home favorite under Deion, with both instances coming last season. Colorado outlasted Colorado State in double overtime and blew a huge lead to Stanford. They have not been trusted to lay a big number since. Utah has dominated this series which became an annual occurrence when both teams joined the Pac-12 in 2011. The Utes are 11-2 straight up, including 5-1 in Boulder with their lone loss coming in 2016 against a Colorado team that played in the Pac-12 Championship Game. The Utes covered as nine point underdogs. I expect a similar result here. Utah probably does not have enough on offense to win this game outright, but their defense should keep it within one score. 

Rutgers +6 Maryland

This is a must win game for Maryland if the Terrapins have designs on qualifying for a fourth consecutive bowl game. Maryland is 4-5 and needs to win two if its final three games to get to six wins. Their regular season finale is at Penn State, a team they are 1-9 against since James Franklin became head coach (seven of last nine losses by an average of more than 37 points per game). Go ahead and chalk that one in the 'L' column. So Maryland must beat Rutgers and then Iowa at home next week to have a shot at the postseason. Rutgers also needs one additional win to attain bowl eligibility for the second consecutive season, so both squads should be properly motivated here. But how can a Maryland team that has lost four of five, with their lone victory in that span coming by one point against jet lagged Southern Cal, be laying nearly a touchdown? These team have both been pretty bad in Big 10 play, being outgained by more than a yard per play by their conference opponents. Rutgers has at least had more instances of competency, beating Washington and Minnesota in conference play and handling Virginia Tech on the road in the non-con. Maryland has had one good data point since the September, so I recommend you back the Scarlet Knights catching the points. 

San Jose State +13.5 Boise State

I expected 2024 to be a rebuilding year for San Jose State. The Spartans lost a good head coach when Brent Brennan took the Arizona job in the offseason. They replaced him with Ken Niumatalolo, a coach that struggled over his final few years at Navy. Niumatalolo posted four losing seasons over his final five years at the Naval Academy, so I think being skeptical of his hire was warranted. However, he has proven the doubters wrong, clinching a third consecutive bowl bid for the Spartans. Can they shake up the Mountain West and college football playoff races by upsetting league overlord Boise State? I think they have a shot. San Jose State has a solid run defense, allowing under four yards per carry on the season. I expect Ashton Jeanty to still cross the century mark, as he has in every game this season, but they will be hard earned yards. Boise State is four wins away from a trip to the college football playoff, so the pressure in this game is all on one sideline. San Jose State is just 1-4 against the Broncos since joining the Mountain West, but they are 4-1 ATS, covering each of the past four meetings, including last season in Boise when they blew a large halftime lead. Take the Spartans to keep this one close, and don't be shocked if the college football playoff rankings are shuffled significantly after this game. 

Tennessee +10 Georgia

I understand why this spread is above ten points. Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava is in concussion protocol and may not play. Even when he has played, the Tennessee offense has struggled. Tennessee is 0-3 against Georgia under Josh Heupel, losing by an average of 22 points per game. And the Bulldogs are probably pissed after their latest showing (or no-show) against Ole Miss. I understand why the spread is this high, but that doesn't mean I agree with it. This Tennessee defense is elite. The Vols have not allowed more than 19 points in any game this season. If we assume Tennessee has their worst defensive effort of the season in Athens, how many points are they allowing? The over/under on this game (48 points) implies a 29-19 Georgia win. I don't think the Bulldogs are scoring close to 30 points. This is not the same Georgia team that ran roughshod through the SEC in 2021, 2022, and 2023. They dominated Texas in Austin, but they escaped a bad Kentucky team by a single point, allowed 31 points at home to the worst team in the SEC (Mississippi State), and were life and death with Florida in the Cocktail Party in the second half after Florida was forced to turn to a quarterback that transferred from Yale. Maybe Athens magic gives the Bulldogs a boost and they force some turnovers and rout Tennessee. I think the more likely result is a rock fight reminiscent of an SEC conference game from the 1990's. In a low-scoring affair, you have to back the team catching double digits. 

New Mexico +12 Washington State

Perhaps one good thing about the expanded college football playoff is the committee does seem to value the performance of non-power conference teams. In fact, when it comes to Washington State, I would argue the committee is holding the Cougars in too high esteem. In the old days when only the top four teams qualified for the college football playoff, undefeated Group of Five teams like UCF never rose higher than 12th (2017) or 8th (2018). Meanwhile, Washington State is currently 18th despite a middling resume. The Cougars have beaten two mid-level power conference teams (Texas Tech and Washington) at home and at a neutral site. Their next best wins have come against San Jose State and Fresno State by two points and eight points respectively. They also lost by three touchdowns on the road to the best team on their schedule (Boise State). And that performance against the Broncos is one of the reasons I believe they will struggle to cover this large number. The Cougars could not stop Heisman contender Ashton Jeanty in their game against the Broncos and they have bene pretty poor at stopping the run all season. Against a weak schedule, their nine opponents have averaged over five yards per carry. Utah State averaged nearly seven yards per carry against them last week! New Mexico does not have an Ashton Jeanty on their roster, but they do have a quarterback and running back combo (Devon Dampier and Eli Sanders) that have combined for more than 1700 yards on the ground at more than seven yards per carry. The Lobos and Cougars should both have success running the ball (New Mexico's defense can't defense the run or the pass), but that constant running will keep the clock moving. New Mexico has an outside shot at bowl eligibility, needing to sweep their final two games to get to six wins in Bronco Mendenhall's first season. They should be motivated against a ranked team at home. This is the first ranked team to visit Albuquerque since Boise State in 2018. Hopefully this result is a little better, but even if Mew Mexico is down multiple scores in the fourth, the back door should be wide open for a Lobo cover. 

The Magnificent Seven: Week XI

A perfectly middling week to open November. We'll try and do better with two picks from Friday's games. What could possibly go wrong?  

Last Week: 3-3-1

Overall: 37-32-1

Rice +9.5 Memphis

This is the fourth consecutive week we have faded Memphis on this blog. Thus far, we are 3-0. Eventually, the Tigers will cover as a favorite, and it may even be this week, but for now, I don't think the betting market has caught up to how bad (or more accurately, mediocre) the Tigers are. Case in point, under Mike Norvell (coach from 2016 through 2019), the Tigers were a combined 23-11 ATS as a favorite (13-7 at home and 10-4 on the road). Conversely, under Ryan Silverfield (coach since 2020), the Tigers are 9-23-1 ATS as a favorite (4-14-1 at home and 5-9 on the road). Over the past three weeks, the Tigers won a track meet at home against North Texas, nearly lost at home to Charlotte as a massive favorite, and lost at UTSA in a game that was not as close as the final eight point margin. That loss to Charlotte basically ended their conference title and by extension, their college football playoff hopes. ESPN's Football Power Index gives them less than a 1% chance to win the AAC. Will they be motivated to win by margin against Rice with their dreams dashed? More importantly, would they be able to smash Rice if they were properly motivated? The Owls fired their coach a little more than a week ago after a 2-6 start and responded by upsetting Navy last week. Rice's interim coach is Pete Alamar, a man in his mid-sixties who has never been a head coach at any level, so you have to believe he will pull out all the stops in what will likely be a brief period leading the Owls. Rice still has an outside shot at bowl eligibility, needing to sweep their final three games to get to six wins, so I think the motivation angle favors Rice. Like UTSA last week, the Owls also do a good job against the run. Since being gashed by Army in mid-September, the Owls have held their past five opponents to 3.6 yards per carry. If they can avoid giving up explosive runs to Memphis, they should be able to hang in this game. Take the Owls as we continue our fade of Memphis. 

UCLA +6.5 Iowa

Don't look now, but Iowa actually has a functional offense this season, especially at home. The Hawkeyes were pretty mediocre on offense in 2021, averaging just over 23 points per game. However, the team regressed significantly on that side of the ball in 2022 and 2023. The Hawkeyes averaged under 20 points per game both seasons and scored at least 30 points twice (in 27 games). This season, the Hawkeyes have actually scored 40 points or more in their past three homes games and are averaging nearly 31 points per game overall. If they maintain this pace, that would be their highest per game scoring output over a full season since 2018 (they averaged nearly 32 points per game over an eight game schedule in 2020). Road games, of which there have only been three, have not been as kind to the Hawkeyes. They are averaging under 20 points per game on the road. Now they head to the west coast on a short week to face an improving UCLA team. The Bruins had a rough four games stretch early in the year where they faced four teams currently ranked in the top fifteen of the AP Poll (Indiana, LSU, Oregon, and Penn State). The Bruins lost all four of those, but covered three of them. And since the schedule has eased up, the Bruins have started winning more games. They led Minnesota for the majority of the game, but the Gophers scored a late touchdown to escape. Then the Bruins went on the road and upset Rutgers and Nebraska as underdogs. Not only is this a bad spot for Iowa schedule wise, but the Bruins are also a bad matchup. UCLA's run defense is stout, allowing just 3.3 yards per rush, and that is despite playing four teams with a credible shot at making the college football playoff. Iowa averages nearly six yards per carry and prefer to keep the ball on the ground. They run the ball on more than 60% of their offensive plays. UCLA should put them in a few third and longs and put pressure on the Iowa passing game to put them in scoring position. Take the Bruins to cover this number and potentially win their third consecutive game as an underdog. 

West Virginia +5 Cincinnati

The Mountaineers and Bearcats were both members of the Big East before conference expansion accelerated in the early 2010s. They met for seven straight years between 2005 and 2011. West Virginia went 5-2 in those seven contests (4-2-1 ATS) including 3-1 (both straight up and ATS in Cincinnati). Obviously those games from more than a decade ago have no impact on this game Saturday, but I like to look at the series history to see if any trends can be identified. As for this game, both teams are off a bye and need to finish strong to get to a bowl. Cincinnati needs to find one additional win on their schedule, while West Virginia is two wins shy of bowl eligibility. The Mountaineers will most likely be starting their backup quarterback, but I don't think there is a major drop off to Nicco Marchiol from Garrett Greene. While Cincinnati has the better record, West Virginia has faced the more difficult schedule. The Mountaineers four losses have all come to teams currently ranked in the AP Poll (Penn State, Pittsburgh, Iowa State, and Kansas State). These two teams feel evenly matched, so this number should be a tick lower (two and a half to three points). Back the Mountaineers in what should be a close game. 

Ole Miss +2.5 Georgia

I am wrong often, but I am also confident enough to admit my mistakes. In the offseason, I was not buying into the Ole Miss hype, and even put my money on it. Somehow, thanks to a home loss to a bad Kentucky team, the Rebels are one defeat away from cashing that ticket. However, I don't think that loss comes on Saturday. That Kentucky loss will be studied by historians hundreds of years in the future. As for this game, if we ignore our preseason priors, there is no question Ole Miss has played better in 2024, especially at quarterback. In fact, Carson Beck is arguably a liability for Georgia. Beck has thrown 11 interceptions on the season (tied for fourth most nationally). Meanwhile, Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart has thrown just three interceptions (versus 21 touchdowns), while averaging over 11 yards per pass. Georgia has faced the more difficult schedule, with Clemson, Alabama, and Texas currently ranked in the most recent AP Poll. Ole Miss has faced just one team that is currently ranked (LSU) which they lost, but this is the last stand for Ole Miss. If they win out, there is a good chance they will be selected for the expanded college football playoff field. A loss here extinguishes any hope. Georgia can probably survive a loss, especially with Tennessee on deck and a victory at Texas in their pocket. Were I an Ole Miss fan, I would be a little wary of Lane's track record in big games (1-4 against top ten teams at Ole Miss), their performance in Athens last year, and the potential that Georgia has just been sleepwalking through the season. But if I showed you a blind resume of these two teams, you would probably make Ole Miss a slight home favorite. Since they are catching points, you have to back the Rebels. 

North Texas +4 Army

The betting market is very efficient, so this line makes you wonder what in the world is afoot. Why is an unbeaten team laying just four points on the road against a defense that can charitably be described as horrendous? This line makes it extremely likely that Army quarterback Bryson Daily is out. Daily missed last week's game against Air Force and the Black Knights put up their worst offensive showing of the season, gaining just 255 yards while scoring 20 points. Perhaps Army is holding him out in the hopes he will be able to play in their game next week against Notre Dame. You don't typically think of service academies being in lookahead spots, but that potential certainly exists. North Texas also represents the best offense Army will have faced all year. The Black Knights have allowed just north of 11 points per game on the season, but North Texas should triple that output even with limited possessions. I've faded Army twice this season and had my teeth kicked in both times. But I'm a glutton for punishment and will probably need to make a dental appointment after Saturday. 

South Carolina -3.5 Vanderbilt

Once again, Vanderbilt continued their impersonation of a service academy, covering and winning outright as an underdog at Auburn. On the season, Vandy is 6-0 ATS as an underdog with four outright wins (three as a double digit underdog). They are 0-2 ATS as a favorite, losing one of those games outright. So why are we not backing the Commodores at home facing a team coming off a home upset of a top ten team? Shouldn't we be fading South Carolina? Well, for starters, this is the smallest spread Vanderbilt has faced as an underdog this season. Were they catching double digits as they were for most of the season, or even a touchdown, as they were last week at Auburn, I would advise you to stay away. The market has had a difficult time pricing Vanderbilt this season, but I think we may be looking at an overcorrection here. In addition, while Vanderbilt currently has a winning SEC record (3-2), they do not have the profile of a team with a winning conference record. They have been outgained by more than a yard per play by conference opponents (4.89 to 6.09). The Commodores have been a bit fortunate on the margins. They have converted 3 of 4 fourth down attempts against SEC foes. Meanwhile, their SEC opponents have converted 4 of 8 fourth down attempts. Vanderbilt has also been clutch in the field goal department too, connecting on 8 of 10 attempts in conference play. Their SEC opponents have made just half (5 of 10) of their field goal attempts. And star quarterback Diego Pavia is playing hurt. In the past two games, Pavia has thrown for less than 150 yards in both and averaged just 3.3 yards per carry. Pavia is the engine of this revitalized Vanderbilt team and his diminished mobility is not a good sign against an outstanding South Carolina defensive line. Finally, last week's victory against Auburn has the feeling of a 'Mission Accomplished' game. The victory clinched a bowl bid for Vanderbilt and the Commodores have a bye coming up next week. Don't worry, we haven't abandoned them for good. Once they lose in this spot and give Pavia some time off to heal, I expect we'll be back on them against either LSU or Tennessee over the final two weeks of the regular season. 

Louisiana Tech +10 Jacksonville State

Jacksonville State is not a team I would typically want to stand in front of. After an 0-3 start to the season, the Gamecocks have won five consecutive games by an average margin of nearly thirty points per game. Most of those teams have been bad, with Liberty representing the strongest victim. The good news for Jacksonville State is Conference USA is arguably the weakest FBS conference, so outside of Western Kentucky (or maybe Sam Houston State), they will not face a good team the remainder of the regular season. However, I think Louisiana Tech presents an interesting challenge for the Gamecocks. For the unfamiliar, Jacksonville State is coached by Rich Rodriguez, accidental creator of the zone read option. The Gamecocks play fast and run the damn ball. In their five game winning streak, the Gamecocks are averaging over 350 yards per game on the ground and over seven yards per carry. Louisiana Tech is not good, but the Bulldogs have been able to stop the run. Opponents are averaging just 3.2 yards per carry this season. The Bulldogs have not been able to run the ball themselves (averaging under three yards per carry), but they may be able to turn this into a rock fight. No team has scored more than thirty points against the Bulldogs in regulation, so if the Bulldogs can manufacture some offense and force some turnovers, they could upend the Conference USA race. Finally, while Sonny Cumbie has not had a great deal of success at Louisiana Tech, his teams have kept the losses at home close. The Bulldogs are just 8-7 in Ruston, but five of those seven losses have come by a touchdown or less, and only one came by more than ten points. 

The Magnificent Seven: Week X

Somehow we broke through and posted another winning week. Can we make it three in a row and start November off strong? Home teams in bold. 

Last Week: 4-3

Overall: 34-29

UTSA +7 Memphis

As someone currently holding a Memphis under 9.5 regular season wins ticket, I can tell you the Tigers are going to wind up being one of the worst ten win teams I have ever seen. And God forbid they beat Tulane in their regular season finale and we are forced to consider them as a potential entrant in the expanded College Football Playoff. What has impressed you most about the Tigers this season? Was it beating the worst Florida State team in a generation by eight? Scoring 21 points against South Florida and their backup quarterback? Their track meet victory against North Texas? Their comeback win at home against Charlotte? When the smoke clears, the Tigers will wind up having beaten exactly one team (South Florida maybe) that participates in a bowl game. They will have done this despite playing in the strongest Group of Five conference and facing two defending conference champions (Florida State and Troy) in the non-con. Ryan Silverfield must have made a Gerry Faustian bargain to save his job. While the Tigers will probably escape San Antonio with a win, a cover is another story. Under Silverfield, the Tigers have torched money as a favorite. As a home favorite, they are 4-14-1 ATS. They are slightly better as a road favorite, going 5-8 ATS. Despite their ATS struggles, the Tigers don't actually lose these games though. As a home favorite, they are 16-3 straight up and as a road favorite, they are 9-4 straight up. I expect more of the same here in a place where UTSA is rarely an underdog. The Roadrunners have been underdogs just five other times since Jeff Traylor arrived in 2020. They are 4-1 ATS in those games, and have not been a home underdog since the 2022 season opener. UTSA just coughed up a game against Tulsa where they lead by 28 points at halftime, but I expect a strong effort as they return to the Alamodome for a three-game home stand. UTSA also does a great job of shutting down the run, permitting under three yards per carry on the season. They should force Memphis into multiple third and longs and make quarterback Seth Henigan beat them with his arm. Roc Taylor will probably make an incredible play at a crucial moment and the Tigers will escape, but they won't cover this number. 

Tulsa +3 UAB

I don't think this game will be must see TV for folks who are not alumni of either school. The Golden Hurricane and Blazers are both led by second year head coaches (Kevin Wilson and Trent Dilfer respectively) who are a combined 12-27 at their posts. Tulsa has at least beaten some FBS teams this season. UAB is on a seven game skid against teams from the highest division of college football since beating Temple in last season's penultimate game. Both teams will most likely be led by backup quarterbacks in this game. UAB quarterback Jacob Zeno has been injured off and on for much of the season forcing the Blazers to turn to likely pedophile Jalen Kitna. Kitna and Zeno have been equally bad. Meanwhile, Tulsa will likely start Cooper Legas after he led a spirited comeback against UTSA last week. Legas has tossed nearly as many touchdown passes (6) in 48 pass attempts as former starter Kirk Francis has in 212 (7). Legas is an experienced quarterback who was competent at Utah State, so it is unclear why it took a massive halftime deficit before he was given an opportunity to play. Anyway, I think Legas starts, and while Tulsa has not been good this season, UAB is a dead team walking. Trent Dilfer will be fired at the end of the season, if not before, and the Blazers will hope everyone forgets this idiotic hire. I guess the oddsmakers had to make one team the favorite in this game, but it should not be the full three. Take the Golden Hurricane in this spot as they shovel some dirt on Dilfer. 

North Carolina -2.5 Florida State

This bet gives me a little trepidation as Mack Brown does not have a great history leading teams from Chapel Hill down to Tallahassee. In a different era, Brown took quality Tar Heel teams down to face the class of the ACC in 1992, 1994, and 1996 and left with double digit losses each time. In his second tenure, he took a top five North Carolina team to Tallahassee to face a rebuilding Florida State in the Covid season laying double digits and also left with a defeat. Collectively, the Tar Heels have been terrible as road favorites since Brown returned in 2019, posting a 4-12-1 ATS record. So why am I trying to catch the falling knife with the Tar Heels this week? Have you seen Florida State this season? Their offense is among the worst at the power conference level. The Seminoles have scored 21, 13, 12, 14, 16, 13, 16, and 14 points in their eight games this season. They have not busted a Blackjack hand the entire year! And what do they have to play for at 1-7 coming off a loss to their in-state rival? North Carolina on the other hand, seemed rejuvenated after their bye, dominating Virginia and accumulating an absurd ten sacks! This bet will probably blow up in my face, but with the number less than three, the Tar Heels are the play. 

Washington +2.5 Southern Cal

When he left Oklahoma at the end of the 2021 regular season, Lincoln Riley caused both the Sooners and Trojans to experience mutual assured destruction. Both teams have had one good year since (2022 for the Trojans and 2023 for the Sooners), but the other two have been mediocre for both by historical standards. Oklahoma finished 6-6 in the 2022 regular season and are on pace to finish with a similar record this year. At 4-4, they have a game remaining with Maine, but close the year against three teams currently ranked in the AP Poll (Alabama, Missouri, and LSU). Southern Cal finished 7-5 in the regular season last year (after a 6-0 start) and at 4-4, they appear headed for another 6-6 or 7-5 finish. And to sniff 7-5, the Trojans have to win this game. Despite playing in the same conference, this is just the fifth meeting between these two teams in the past ten years. For what its worth, Washington has won three of the previous four, sweeping both games in Los Angeles (2015 and 2023) and splitting the games in Seattle (2016 and 2019). The Huskies are also 4-4, but have a much better statistical profile than the Trojans. Washington has outgained Big 10 foes by nearly a yard and a half per play (6.02 to 4.55) compared to less than half a yard per play for Southern Cal (6.16 to 5.78). But the Huskies have not done the little things. They have struggled in the red zone, scoring touchdowns on less than half (10 of 22) their red zone possessions. They have also struggled kicking field goals, converting on just over 60% of their attempts (11 of 18). The Huskies are probably paying the football gods back for their fantastic good fortune last season (perfect 8-0 in one possession games) on their way to the national championship game. Despite their struggles this season, I think this is a good spot for Washington. The Huskies have won 18 consecutive home games (last loss was the regular season finale in 2021) and Southern Cal has been horrendous as a road favorite under Lincoln Riley. The Trojans are just 2-9 ATS with five outright losses and have failed to cover the past five times they have been road favorites. Dating back to his time at Oklahoma, Riley's teams are 8-20-1 ATS as road favorites. Back the Huskies at home as they also need this game to have any shot at the postseason with road trips to Penn State and Oregon remaining on the schedule. 

Texas A&M -2 South Carolina

When you make picks against the spread, you have to be prepared to look foolish and I am ready to do this just that. If I told you an SEC team was unbeaten in conference play in November and was laying less than a field goal on the road against a solid team, but one with limited offensive capabilities, you would probably want to back them, right? If I also told you that same team had dominated this series, wouldn't that make you want to play them even more? Since joining the SEC, Texas A&M is 9-1 against South Carolina. They are just 5-5 ATS, but that is partially because they have been favored by at least a touchdown in seven of those ten games. The Aggies lost their most recent trip to Columbia in 2022, but this version is better coached and in contention for an SEC title. Plus, while South Carolina is off a bye, Texas A&M is staring a bye in the face after this game. They can give maximum effort and attempt to improve to 6-0 in the SEC before enjoying a bye and a home game with New Mexico State before SEC play resumes in late November. South Carolina has been mediocre as a home underdog under Shane Beamer, posting a 5-5 ATS mark (1-1 this season). The Gamecocks may also be overvalued by the betting market after their last game. The Gamecocks scored two defensive touchdowns early in Norman and were never in danger against the offensively challenged Sooners. South Carolina has one of the better defenses in the SEC (third in yards allowed per play in conference games), but their offense is also one of the worst. The Gamecocks ripped off several big plays against LSU (6.52 yards per play), but in their other four SEC games, they have combined to average just 4.50 yards per play. The market has not reacted to Texas A&M like they are an unbeaten (in conference) SEC team. If they were laying a touchdown, South Carolina would be the play. But with this spread under a field goal, you have to back the Aggies. 

Pittsburgh +7.5 SMU

Turnovers were the stories for the Panthers and the Mustangs in their most recent games. Pitt forced five Syracuse turnovers, returning three interceptions for touchdowns in an easy win on Thursday night. Meanwhile, SMU turned the ball over six times against Duke, but escaped thanks to a blocked field goal at the end of regulation and a failed two points conversion by the Blue Devils. The victories set up a pretty big game in the ACC. The Panthers and Mustangs are both 4-0 in the ACC and ranked in the top twenty of the latest AP Poll. Pitt is unbeaten overall and control their destiny in regards to the ACC Championship Game and College Football Playoff. SMU has one loss (to BYU), but despite their unbeaten conference record do not control their destiny in regards to the ACC Championship Game. There is still an outside possibility that Clemson, Miami, and SMU all finish with identical 8-0 league records (Pitt faces Clemson in two weeks, so that possibility does not exist for them). I'm not sure how the ACC would break that three-way tie. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but for some reason I feel like SMU would be the odd team out in that situation. As I mentioned, that is a remote possibility, but deserves to be mentioned as we enter the final month of the regular season. As for this game, these two teams seem like they are pretty evenly matched. Both offenses have been fantastic overall and SMU has been especially good on that side of the ball since their bye week. After struggling in early season games against Nevada and BYU (44 total points), the Mustangs have averaged 42 points per game over their last five. Pitt has averaged nearly 36 points per game against FBS opponents, and were only really stymied by Cal. The Panthers have played the more difficult schedule with five of their seven games coming against likely or potential bowl teams. SMU has played the strongest opponent (BYU), but they have also beaten up on Houston Baptist, Florida State, Nevada, and Stanford. That schedule strength makes me believe Pitt is a little better than their raw stats while SMU is a bit worse. In addition, Pitt has been great as a road underdog under Narduzzi. They are 17-13 ATS in the role, and that includes an 0-4 ATS mark for last season's team (the worst Pitt team since either Johnny Majors 2.0 or Walt Harris was on the sideline). Finally, while SMU is 6-4 ATS as a home favorite under Rhett Lashlee, those six covers have come against Florida State (this season), Louisiana Tech, Navy twice, North Texas, and Tulsa. I expect a tight game, so back the team catching a full touchdown. 

TCU +3 Baylor

The latest edition of The Revivalry kicks off Saturday night in Waco. TCU has dominated the series recently, winning 12 of the 16 contests this century. The Horned Frogs have dominated in both Fort Worth and Waco, posting identical 6-2 records in each venue. In the four games TCU lost, the margin has been two points, three points, three points, and six points (in overtime). Those four losses also came to very good Baylor teams. The 2011, 2013, and 2019 teams finished 13th in the final AP Poll and the 2014 team finished 7th. You'll notice the current incarnation of Baylor is 4-4 and unlikely to enjoy any national significance in 2024. However, they may do (or have already done) enough to save Dave Aranda's job. Aranda guided the Bears to a Big 12 title in 2021, but in his other four seasons in charge, Baylor is just 15-27 overall and 10-22 in Big 12 play. The Bears are also just 9-11 at home in Big 12 play under Aranda (4-11 outside of 2021). TCU has the stronger statistical profile, has the better history in this series, and is likely due for some turnover regression (forced only four all season). The fact that the Horned Frogs are 5-3 despite a -11 turnover margin indicates they are probably a bit better than their record and undervalued by the betting market. Take the Frogs and the points. 

The Magnificent Seven: Week IX

We finally broke our month long losing skid. And it could have been a very special week if I didn't fade those service academies like a dummy. Home teams in bold. 

Last Week: 5-2

Overall: 30-26

Boise State -3 UNLV

This could be the first of two between these Mountain West favorites. Despite each team entering with a loss, both have a good shot at reaching the College Football Playoff by winning here and then winning out. Boise State has dominated this series since joining the Mountain West. The Broncos are 6-0 straight up against the Rebels, with each victory coming by at least 17 points. Most of those wins came before UNLV hired Barry Odom and righted the ship, but even last year, the best Rebels team in a generation (or two) lost by 24 points at home (in the conference title game no less). UNLV is probably slightly better than they were last season, but this is a terrible spot for them. They have played three challenging games in a row, losing a heartbreaker at home to Syracuse, traveling to Utah State to play at elevation, and then traveling to Oregon State and winning a tight game. Meanwhile Boise State is off a bye and has had ample time to prepare for the UNLV Go Go Offense. I don't expect the Broncos to completely shut down the UNLV attack, but they do lead the nation in sacks and are third in tackles for loss. They should generate enough negative plays to prevent UNLV from marching up and down the field. And when the Broncos have the ball, the Rebels should have their hands full with Ashton Jeanty. The Boise State running back has nearly equaled last season's rushing total in just six games! He is averaging over 200 yards per game on the ground and nearly ten yards per carry! Take the Broncos laying just a field goal against a team they are used to dominating. 

Washington +6.5 Indiana

College GameDay is headed to Bloomington for the first time (on a Saturday) this week. The Hoosiers opened the 2017 season hosting Ohio State and got the weekday version of GameDay, but this is the real deal. Indiana is 7-0 and ranked thirteenth in the most recent edition of the AP Poll. This is their highest ranking in a non-Covid season since they rose to number eleven in 1987. Unfortunately, the Hoosiers will be playing without their starting quarterback in this game (and perhaps more) as Kurtis Rourke was injured in their beatdown of Nebraska last week. Rourke's injury two seasons ago sidetracked a potential conference title run at Ohio, and we'll see if a similar result befalls the Hoosiers. While Indiana is 7-0, reigning national runner-up Washington is just 4-3, losing tight games to Washington State and Rutgers and getting blown out in their most recent outing against Iowa. The Huskies have a good pass defense and should be able to contain Indiana's backup quarterback, Tayven Jackson. In six games last season Jackson was not particularly impressive. He has posted great numbers in very limited action this season, but the offense should be significantly downgraded for Rourke's injury. This is the peak of the market for Indiana. If Rourke were playing, I could understand this line being what it is (or perhaps a bit more), but with Jackson getting the start, Washington off a bye, and Indiana facing pressure as a home favorite with College GameDay in town, you have to back the Huskies. Just hope they don't have to kick too many field goals. 

Charlotte +18.5 Memphis

As I mentioned in the intro, I had a pretty good run last week except when I faded the service academies. While fading Navy, I simultaneously backed Charlotte and the 49ers were down 38 points roughly 20 minutes into the game. However, that big margin was almost entirely attributable to turnovers. The 49ers actually outgained Navy (363 to 288) and were pretty even with them on a per play basis (5.19 to 5.24), but five turnovers did them in. If the 49ers continue to be loose with the football, a Memphis cover will not be in doubt, but I expect a better showing. Maybe only four turnovers or perhaps three. In all seriousness though, turnovers are hard to handicap and one should probably go into games expecting a margin somewhere between plus or minus one when prospecting how a game will play out. While Charlotte was getting blasted by Navy, Memphis beat North Texas in a game where the two teams combined for nearly 100 points. It was good for the Tigers to get the win and stay in the AAC race, but it showed their defensive improvement in the previous two games (Middle Tennessee and South Florida) was a schedule induced mirage. Charlotte is not going to put up 44 points like North Texas did last week, but they should be able to score in the twenties. Memphis would then need to score in the high thirties to cover this number and I don't think they can. Plus, Memphis has been awful under Ryan Silverfield as a home favorite. The Tigers are just 4-13-1 ATS as a home favorite, including 3-9 ATS as a double digit home favorite. Charlotte is undervalued by the market after their poor showing last week and its only natural for Memphis to have a bit of a letdown after surviving North Texas. 

Stanford +2.5 Wake Forest

The Stanford rebuild is not going as fast as I expected. When the Cardinal hired Troy Taylor to replace the retiring David Shaw, I thought Stanford would be competing for a bowl bid at minimum in his second season. Taylor, a real Larry Coker doppelganger, guided Sacramento State to a 30-8 record and three FCS playoff appearances in three seasons before heading to Palo Alto. But Stanford is just 5-14 overall midway through his second season. And the Cardinal have a nasty habit of getting their teeth kicked in. Six of their nine losses last season came by double digits and four of their five losses this season have come by at least 24 points. But I think (or hope) this is the bottom of the market for Stanford. The Cardinal have dropped four in a row in non-competitive fashion, but three of those teams are currently ranked in the AP Poll (Clemson, Notre Dame, and SMU) and the fourth has snapped out of their early season funk (Virginia Tech). Against the mediocre teams on their schedule (TCU and Syracuse), the Cardinal have acquitted themselves well. They lost by a touchdown to TCU at home and beat Syracuse on the road on a last second field goal. Describing Wake Forest as mediocre would be charitable. The Demon Deacons have won two road games against FBS opponents this season (by a combined seven points), but they have a terrible track record under Dave Clawson laying points away from Winston-Salem. Against power conference opponents, they are just 2-7 ATS as a road favorite with five outright losses. Stanford's offensive struggles of late (38 total points in their four game skid) have been due to a porous offensive line. The Cardinal have allowed 25 sacks on the season (only three teams have allowed more). However, Wake Forest has one of the worst pass rushes in the country, generating just eight sacks on the year (124th nationally). Stanford has faced a brutal schedule over the past month so their value is depressed and they are playing at home against a bad favorite traveling across the country. Take the Cardinal to get their second ever ACC victory. 

Minnesota -4 Maryland

This seems like a pretty big hangover spot for Maryland. The Terps became the fourth Big 10 team this season to pull off a fourth quarter comeback and knock off Southern Cal last week. Maryland executed the controversial 'down by fourteen and go for two after scoring a touchdown' strategy (we need to shorten the name or come up with an acronym). The win moved Maryland to 4-3 on the season and kept their hopes for a fourth consecutive bowl game alive. Now they face a team that was in a similar position a few weeks ago. The Gophers became the second Big 10 team to pull off a fourth quarter comeback against Southern Cal and subsequently hit the road to face UCLA. The Gophers were shutout in the first half, but rallied to win in the final seconds. They are off a bye and return home hoping to also notch their fifth win of the season. Mike Locksley has had much better success at Maryland than I envisioned when he was hired, but he has struggled as a road underdog in Big 10 play. His teams are just 3-11 ATS as road underdogs in conference play and each of their covers has been as a double digit underdog. They have not covered tight road spreads in Big 10 play. In addition, while they are a respectable 8-15 straight up in Big 10 road games under Locksley, seven of those wins came with Taulia Tagovailoa at quarterback. Without Tua's brother, they are just 1-5 in Big 10 road games with the victory coming against Rutgers in 2019. Rutgers was quite bad that season. Maryland is getting a little too much credit for beating a Southern Cal team that has not won in the Eastern time zone since Reconstruction (or something like that). Take the Gophers to cover this small number. 

Vanderbilt +19 Texas

I've said (or written) it several times on this blog. Vanderbilt is spiritually running the triple option. That is the perfect offense for a team that will be at a talent disadvantage in pretty much every conference game they play. And the tenants of betting for and against a triple option team have applied to Vanderbilt perfectly this season. Against FBS opponents, they are 4-0 ATS as an underdog (all as a double digit underdog), winning three of the games outright. And they are 0-2 ATS as a favorite. One of those games as a favorite was an outright loss at Georgia State. I didn't have the stones to back Ball State catching somewhere around 26 points against the Commodores last week because the Cardinals are so bad, but the cover was never in doubt. Vanderbilt was never in real danger of losing, but thanks to the running clock and limited possessions, they only won by ten points. Now they get Texas in the biggest home game in school history. Can they pull another massive upset as a home underdog and insert themselves into the SEC race? Winning the game outright will require a decent amount of luck (as did the victory against Alabama), but I expect Vanderbilt to be in this game for the duration. The Longhorns were the consensus number one team in the country last week after a masterful performance through their first six games. However, while that schedule was high on name recognition (Michigan and Oklahoma), it was light on heft. The Longhorns faced an elite team (or what qualifies as an elite team in 2024) and fell at home to Georgia. Of course, Vanderbilt is not in Georgia's class, but I will argue that Diego Pavia is the best quarterback Texas will have faced thus far in 2024. Pavia runs the Vanderbilt offense masterfully, mixing runs with timely passes to accumulate first downs and keep the clock running. His (and the other New Mexico State transplants) impact on the Vanderbilt program cannot be overstated. In Clark Lea's first three seasons, Vanderbilt was a double digit underdog 26 times. They were just 10-16 ATS with two outright wins. In 2024, the Commodores are a perfect 4-0 ATS as a double digit underdog, with three outright wins and a loss in overtime. Lets also not engage in a revisionist campaign on Steve Sarkisian's track record as a road favorite. His teams at Texas are just 6-5 ATS in the role (11-10 ATS if we include his time at Washington and Southern Cal) and 1-2 ATS as a double digit road favorite. Texas has not played a true road game since their trip to Ann Arbor in the second week of the season. I can't wait to see what the atmosphere is like in Nashville as Vanderbilt takes the field as a ranked team for the first time since 2008 (they finished ranked in 2012 and 2013, but never played a game as a ranked team). Until further notice always back Diego as a double digit underdog. 

San Jose State +5 Fresno State

These two California schools have been conference mates for the majority of the past fifty five years. Both were in the Pacific Coast Athletic Association from 1969 through 1987 and stayed with the league when it changed its name to the Big West in 1988. From that point on, Fresno State tried to stay one step ahead of the Spartans. The Bulldogs joined the WAC in 1992, while San Jose State stuck in out until the Big West died, eventually joining the WAC in 1996. Fresno State departed the WAC after the 2011 season and joined the Mountain West with San Jose State joining one season later in 2012. Now the Bulldogs, along with a few other Mountain West teams, are joining the newly constituted Pac-12 (or 10 or 8). If history is any guide though, San Jose State will join them within the next five years. But what does all that history have to do with this game? Well, despite the presence of new head coaches at both programs, these two teams are quite familiar with each other. It almost feels like an NFL division game. In those NFL division games, if the teams are pretty evenly matched, which these two appear to be, the oddsmakers will typically make the home team a favorite by two and a half to three points. As you can see, this number is higher than that. Perhaps I'm using faulty logic, but if anything, I would argue San Jose State has been more impressive in 2024 and has the best player on the field in wide receiver Nick Nash. Nash has caught 72 passes through seven games and scored 11 touchdowns (both tops in the nation). Fresno State is living off the reputation they developed under Jeff Tedford and should not be laying this many points against a solid conference foe. 

The Magnificent Seven: Week VIII

Another week. Another three wins and four losses. I noticed in this weeks column, I have managed to select all road teams. What could go wrong? Home teams in bold. 

Last Week: 3-4

Overall: 25-24

Oklahoma State +9.5 BYU

Expectations could not have been more diverse for these two teams heading into 2024. Oklahoma State was expected to contend for the Big 12 title (consensus second according to Stassen), while BYU was expected to finish near the basement of the league standings (third from the bottom). A month ago, BYU was a pleasant surprise, with a perfect 3-0 mark in the non-con. Meanwhile, Oklahoma State was also 3-0, with a home escape against Arkansas, and two dominant wins against overmatched foes. Had this game been played then, Oklahoma State probably would have been a slight favorite in Provo. But now the market has swung a bit too far. The Cougars are unbeaten, overall and in Big 12 play, but their record is buoyed by a good turnover margin (+7) and four non-offensive touchdowns. The Cougars have played four games against power conference opponents (Arizona, Baylor, Kansas State, and SMU). In two of those games, the Cougars have a +6 turnover margin (Arizona and Kansas State), winning those games by a combined 51 points. In their other two games, their turnover margin is even and they have won by a combined nine points. If the Cougars end up three turnovers in the black against Oklahoma State, they will win and cover, but turnover margin is highly variable and subject to the whims of the universe. At the other end of the spectrum, Oklahoma State has lost three in a row, something that has happened just two other times in the regular season under Mike Gundy (2005 and 2014). I expect the Cowboys to play their best game of the season with their backs against the wall. BYU does not profile as a great team to lay a big number with. Since Zach Wilson matriculated after the 2020 season, BYU is just 3-6 ATS as a home favorite. They may not be able to keep it up over the rest of the season, but Oklahoma State will rise up and put a scare into the unbeaten Cougars on Friday night. 

Wisconsin -7 Northwestern

The Badgers may have figured things out in Luke Fickell's second season. After a disappointing 7-5 regular season campaign in 2023 replete with four losses as a betting favorite (including one at home to Northwestern), Wisconsin dropped their first two games against power conference opponents in 2024. They fell at home to Alabama by 32 and then lost to Southern Cal by 17. In the loss to Alabama, quarterback Tyler Van Dyke went down with an injury. His replacement, Braedyn Locke started slow, completing just half his passes against the Crimson Tide and Trojans. However, in the past two games, he has completed nearly 68% of his passes while averaging over ten yards per throw. He has made more mistakes than you would like (tossing three interceptions), but the Badgers have scored 94 points in the two games. One of them came against Purdue, but last week, the Boilermakers showed they had not quit on the season. The other came against a decent defense in Rutgers. Northwestern is pretty much Rutgers with higher academic standards. The Wildcats don't play offense particularly well, but if you commit a ton of turnovers (like Maryland did last week), the Wildcats will parlay those into an ugly blowout win. I don't think the market has properly priced the improvement at the quarterback position for Wisconsin and Northwestern's victory against Maryland was extremely misleading. The Badgers might be pretty good and with home games remaining against Penn State and Oregon, have a chance to shake up not just the Big 10, but also the college football playoff race. 

Auburn +4.5 Missouri

How can it be that a team ranked in the top twenty is only slightly more than a field goal favorite against a team that enters with an 0-4 record against power conference opponents? Let's dive inside the numbers. Missouri has faced three power conference opponents (Boston College, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt), posted a 2-1 record, been outscored by 22 points, and outgained on a per play basis by more than a yard (5.38 to 6.63). Meanwhile, Auburn as previously mentioned, is 0-4 against power conference opponents, has been outscored by 41 points, but has outgained their foes by more than a yard on a per play basis (6.12 to 5.03). The difference is close games performance and turnovers. Missouri is 2-0 in close games, beating Boston College by six and Vanderbilt by three in overtime. They have a good, but not great turnover margin of +2 in those three games. Auburn, on the other hand, is 0-2 in close games, losing to Cal by seven and Oklahoma by six. They also have a terrible turnover margin of -9 in those four games. If you merely looked at those per play numbers and ignored the record, I'd argue Auburn should be favored in this spot. Missouri has dominated the three weak opponents on their schedule, pounding Murray State, Buffalo, and Massachusetts by a combined score of 134-3 and outgaining them by nearly three and a half yards per play. Rolling up big margins against outmanned opponents can tell us something about a team. However, the Tigers have shown in their three games against legitimate competition they are not a darkhorse contender in the SEC as some may have imagined in the preseason. Auburn is off a bye and needs this game to have any hopes of participating in the postseason. Take the Tigers with deeper SEC roots to win this game. 

East Carolina +15.5 Army

The Black Knights of the Hudson are ranked for just the fifth time in a season since the early 1960s. Their previous regular season forays as a ranked team did not go so well, as they lost three of five, with both victories coming against Navy in their annual rivalry clash. The Black Knights are looking to win their seventh game overall (sixth in league play) and inch ever closer to a spot in the AAC Championship Game. Army has dominated their first six opponents, winning by an average of nearly thirty points per game. However, their schedule has been among the easiest in college football. The five FBS teams they have beaten (Florida Atlantic, Rice, Temple, Tulsa, and UAB) have combined for a 4-22 record against FBS opponents. East Carolina, with two FBS wins, represents at least a minor step up in class. In addition, the Pirates were embarrassed by Charlotte the last time they took the field, allowing the 49ers to drop the dreaded double nickel on them. Coming off a bye, I expect a strong effort from East Carolina. The Pirates also have a strong track record as a road underdog under head coach Mike Houston, posting a 14-8 ATS record in the role, including 8-2 ATS as a double digit road underdog. Plus, service academies, even ones as dominant as Army, are typically a bad play when laying more than two touchdowns. This is the peak of the market for Army and the nadir for East Carolina. Back the Pirates and see if they can put a scare into one of the few remaining unbeaten college football teams. 

Charlotte +17 Navy

Speaking of service academies laying double digits...

Navy has taken nicely to the Wing T offense utilized by new offensive coordinator Drew Cronic. The Midshipmen have already scored more points through five games (218) than they did in twelve last season (212). I love the fact that Army and Navy are unbeaten, but its hard to keep this superb level of performance up all season. Charlotte also catches Navy in a nice sandwich spot. The Midshipmen were off last week, but they beat rival Air Force in their last game, and get a shot at a big scalp next week when they face Notre Dame in MetLife Stadium. Charlotte is also off a bye and has won two in a row after a woeful start to the season. The 49ers may have also found their quarterback of the future. Deshawn Purdie replaced an ineffective Trexler Ivey in the second half of their game against Rice, led a comeback win, and played well in their dismantling of East Carolina the next week. Charlotte has already matched their win total from last season and have an outside shot at getting to just the second bowl game in school history. The 49ers have also been great as road underdogs under head coach Biff Poggi, posting a 7-2 ATS record in the role, including 4-1 ATS as a double digit road underdog. Navy has too much firepower to call for an outright upset, but I like the 49ers catching a big number. 

Georgia +5 Texas

As far as SEC schedules go, the Texas Longhorns could not have crafted an easier one thus far in 2024. Their non-conference slate consisted of Colorado State, Louisiana-Monroe, and UTSA. While the Rams and Warhawks may eventually qualify for bowl games, neither is in the same stratosphere as Texas in regards to talent and while UTSA has a strong recent history at the mid-major level, they are nowhere near where they have been over the previous half-decade. Their other non-conference game was on the road against the defending national champs, but Michigan is unable to throw the football. Their two SEC games have come against the worst team in the league (Mississippi State) and a team missing roughly all their wide receivers (Oklahoma). The Longhorns have dominated against that schedule, but Georgia (even what appears to be a diminished Bulldog squad) represents a significant step up in competition. The Bulldogs have not played great in their four league games. They barely survived a road trip to Kentucky, fell way behind Alabama before staging a comeback and eventually losing a tenuous lead, cruised past Auburn, but didn't dominate the Tigers, and looked disinterested in a home win against Mississippi State. This is not the 2021, 2022, or 2023 Georgia squad, but they are still one of the best teams in the SEC and have shown they are capable of a complete performance (remember the opener against Clemson) and should be plenty desperate in this spot. If the Bulldogs lose, they will have two conference losses, with a road trip to Ole Miss, a home date with Tennessee, and the always dangerous Cocktail Party with Florida still on the schedule. They won't be eliminated from conference title contention, but their margin for error will be. And if you will allow me a brief digression. If the Bulldogs lose here and lose to say Ole Miss in a few weeks, they will be an interesting case study for the expanded college football playoff. They won't have any great wins (Tennessee would probably be their best scalp), but will have three quality losses on the road. I think they probably get in with that resume. Anyway, I think we see the best Georgia performance since their victory against Clemson. Texas should be favored at home, but not by more than a field goal. 

North Texas +12 Memphis

Halfway through the 2024 season, the Memphis offense may not be as formidable as we expected in the preseason. The Tigers scored twenty points against Florida State, 24 against a putrid Middle Tennessee defense, and 21 last week against South Florida. I expect them to eclipse that thirty against a bad Mean Green defense, but the Tigers will probably need to score in the forties or higher to cover this number. North Texas needed a stirring comeback to beat Florida Atlantic last week, but the Mean Green have moved the ball against every non-power opponent they have faced. In their four games against fellow mid-major football programs (Florida Atlantic, South Alabama, Tulsa, and Wyoming), North Texas has averaged over 47 points per game. The Memphis defense has played well against the bad or hurt offenses they have faced. Troy, Florida State, Middle Tennessee, and South Florida combined to score 39 total points against the Tigers, but the one competent and healthy offense on the schedule (Navy) ripped them to shreds, averaging over ten yards per play and scoring 56 points. The North Texas defense is too much of a liability for them to win the game, but this should be a back and forth affair and even a two touchdown lead late in the game will not be safe for Memphis. The backdoor should be wide open and I expect North Texas to waltz through it. 

The Magnificent Seven: Week VII

A third losing week in a row. Hopefully, things can turn around this week As always, home teams in bold. 

Last Week: 3-4

Overall: 22-20

Kent State +6.5 Ball State

Their are three winless teams in college football: FBS neophyte Kennesaw State, new Mountain West member UTEP, and the Golden Flashes of Kent State. Kent State is 0-5 this season, and they have yet to beat an FBS team under second year head coach Ken Burns (not that Ken Burns). Despite those documented facts, I think the Golden Flashes are primed to get their first win of the season. Read on to find out why. For starters, Ball State is pretty bad in their own right. Their defense is in the running for the worst in college football. In their four games against FBS opponents, the Cardinals have allowed 207 total points. The Miami Hurricanes dropped 62 points on them, but more damning is the fact that the three Group of Five opponents they have faced, including two mid-level MAC teams (Central Michigan and Western Michigan) have averaged over 48 points per game, 498 yards per game, and over eight yards per play. That is not the type of defense you want to lay points on the road with, even against Kent State. And the Golden Flashes may have found something on offense. They scored 33 points in their most recent game (though they allowed 52) against Eastern Michigan. It was their second best point and yardage total under Burns. Off a bye, they should be able to move the ball and score points against a porous Ball State defense. Can they get enough stops of their own to clinch their first win? I think so. Ball State has only been a road favorite six times in eight seasons under head coach Mike Neu. They are 2-4 ATS in those games and are just 12-19 overall in MAC road games under Neu. Take the Golden Flashes and the points as they nab their first win since the end of the 2022 season. 

North Carolina +5 Georgia Tech

North Carolina is reeling, having lost three in a row, but I think this might be the spot to buy the proverbial dip (Skoal preferably). Speaking of threes, Georgia Tech has also won three straight in this series. The spread on this game indicates the betting market believes four in a row is likely, but this is a tremendous role reversal for these two teams. In each of the past three games, North Carolina entered both ranked and as a double digit favorite. I know North Carolina no longer has a future NFL quarterback taking snaps, but this spread may have gone too far in the other direction. This is also just the second time under Brent Key, and just the fourth time since Paul Johnson left, that Georgia Tech has been a favorite on the road. They are 0-3 ATS and 1-2 straight up in the three previous times they have been laying points away from Atlanta. Plus, just last week, Pitt was only laying two and a half to three points against the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill. Is Georgia Tech better than Pitt? All those factors add up to a Tar Heel selection. Maybe Mack Brown crashes into retirement on a nine-game losing streak, but I think North Carolina has enough fight to win a few more games before the curtain closes, starting with this one against the Yellow Jackets. 

Buffalo +9.5 Toledo

With their victory against Miami last week, Toledo has now won nine straight regular season MAC games and are in good position to qualify for a third consecutive MAC Championship Game. However, I think the Rockets are a good fade candidate this week for several reasons. For starters, they are probably not as good as their 4-1 record would indicate. They are getting a lot of mileage out of their road blowout of a bad Mississippi State team. The Miami team they beat last week may also end up not being very good, and they lost their lone road game against a quality opponent (Western Kentucky). In addition, they may be overlooking the Bulls. Their next two games are against Northern Illinois and Bowling Green, two teams thought to also be contenders in the MAC. Finally, Buffalo is off a bye after being embarrassed by the Connecticut Huskies two weeks ago. The last thing the market saw was Buffalo losing by six touchdowns to Connecticut. But no team is ever really as bad as they look one week or as good as they look the next. The Bulls have a quality head coach with significant MAC experience and should be fresh and revitalized off their bye. Since joining the MAC, the Bulls are 3-1 straight up against Toledo at home and 4-0 ATS. Take the Bulls to keep this one close and potentially shake up the MAC race. 

South Florida +7 Memphis

This game was originally scheduled to be played on Friday night, but with the impending arrival of Hurricane Milton, has been moved to Saturday afternoon. If it is played, I think South Florida has a great shot at breaking out of their mini-skid. The Bulls have dropped two in a row and three of four. However, two of those losses came to teams currently ranked in the top ten (Alabama and Miami) and another team that may be end up being the AAC champion (Tulane). Two of those games (Alabama and Tulane) were also on the road, so a home date with Memphis will represent a significant downgrade in difficulty. While South Florida has faced two elite and one good team, Memphis has dealt with a relatively easy schedule. The three FBS teams the Tigers have beaten (Florida State, Middle Tennessee State, and Troy) have a combined 1-14 record against FBS opponents. The one good team Memphis faced absolutely throttled them. Navy needed a late interception to seal the win against the Tigers, but the Midshipmen rolled up over 550 yards of offense and averaged ten yards per play. South Florida probably won't put up numbers quite that good, but they should move the ball with relative ease and scored in the thirties at minimum. Memphis has been awful as a road favorite under Ryan Silverfield, posting a 4-8 ATS record. Navy exposed the Tigers defensive deficiencies and I expect South Florida to follow suit and win the game outright. 

Georgia State -1.5 Old Dominion

These two teams were picked to finish at the bottom of the Sun Belt East division in the preseason, and outside of a shocking victory by Georgia State against Vanderbilt, have not done much to dissuade your humble narrator from thinking that is where they end up when the season is complete. Old Dominion put up a decent fight in their conference opener against Coastal Carolina last week, but they allowed 45 points and nearly eight yards per play to the Chanticleers. Since opening the year with a solid showing in Columbia against South Carolina, the Monarchs have allowed over 460 yards per game and 6.2 yards per play to their other four opponents. That is not a recipe for winning road conference games, particularly against a team with a competent passing offense. Christian Veilleux, a Pitt transfer, has thrown every pass for the Panthers this season and has posted solid numbers despite facing two power conference opponents. Meanwhile, the Monarchs may be without their starting quarterback. Grant Wilson was injured in their victory against Bowling Green two weeks ago. Backup Colton Joseph came on and led Old Dominion to an upset win with some big runs, but his performance was more uneven last week against Coastal Carolina. With another week of tape, and coming off a bye, I expect Georgia State to be prepared for his athleticism. Georgia State is the better team, is playing at home, and is off a bye. Take them to cover this small number. 

Vanderbilt +13.5 Kentucky

The Commodores have been in the news lately. They scored one of the biggest upsets of the season and in their history last week when they knocked off number one Alabama. With that win, I expected this number to be closer to a touchdown or perhaps even less. When I saw it was double digits I was shocked. Obviously, Vanderbilt needed some luck to knock off Alabama. They got it in the form of a pick six and a sack fumble that stopped an Alabama drive. Without those two plays, Vanderbilt probably loses. However, this was not an extremely fluky game that you can just wave off. The Commodores never trailed and actually outgained Alabama (thanks to running thirty more plays). They dominated the clock and converted short third and fourth downs like a triple option team which is spiritually, what the Commodores are this season. And when triple option teams have a dynamic quarterback, like Diego Pavia, they are capable of winning (and covering) as big underdogs. If the Commodores can shake off the massive media attention they generated after their victory against the Crimson Tide, they have a great shot at covering another big number. Kentucky is probably more talented than Vanderbilt, but this is not a team that should be laying double digits against a quality conference opponent. In their three games against SEC teams this season, the Wildcats have scored six, twelve, and twenty points. They will probably need to get to at least thirty to cover this number, and even then, that might not be enough. Vanderbilt is not the only team in this game that will be looking to play at a slow pace. Kentucky games actually see fewer possessions (ten per team) than Vanderbilt games (eleven per team). If there are fewer than twelve possessions apiece in this game, it will be very difficult for Kentucky to score enough to cover this number. Kentucky has also not done well as a large favorite under Mark Stoops. As a double digit home favorite, they are 10-13 ATS, but just 1-4 ATS against power conference opponents. And while they have dominated the series against Vanderbilt since Stoops arrived in 2013, winning eight of the eleven games, they have done poorly ATS, covering just four times. They have been double digit home favorites against Vanderbilt four times under Stoops. They have failed to cover each time and lost one of the games outright. Kentucky is coming off a bye and a top ten win of their own, but this Wildcat team is built to grind out conference games, not overwhelm opponents with their offensive prowess. Take Vanderbilt and the points and don't be shocked if they pull off their third outright upset as a double digit underdog. 

West Virginia +3 Iowa State

We knew before the season started that the Big 12 race would be one of the more unpredictable and fun ones in college football. And thus far, it has lived up to the hype. There are five teams currently unbeaten in Big 12 play and two of them are involved in this contest in Morgantown (BYU, Colorado, and Texas Tech are the other three). West Virginia dropped two games in the non-con (Penn State and Pitt), but they are still alive for a college football playoff bid under the new system. Meanwhile, Iowa State is 5-0 and does not face a team currently ranked in the AP Poll until late November. If they can avoid slipping up on this road trip, they could be 10-0 when they travel to Salt Lake City on November 23. But lets not get ahead of ourselves. Can the Cyclones escape their trip east? Unfortunately, for the Cyclones, the Mountaineers may be uniquely designed to pull off the upset. As they have done for the duration of the Matt Campbell era, Iowa State plays very good defense. However, their run defense has been a bit suspect. Iowa gained over 200 yards rushing and averaged over five yards per carry and Houston also averaged over five yards per rush against the Cyclones. West Virginia averages over five yards per carry on the season and mobile quarterback Garrett Greene has nearly 300 yards rushing thus far. Since joining the Big 12, West Virginia has beaten Iowa State two of three times in Morgantown. I think it will be three of four after Saturday night.