Picking Top 25 Matchups
(14) Syracuse @ (5) Clemson -13.5
Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei. Photo by AP News
This line appears to be a little high which shows that the oddsmakers don’t have a ton of confidence in Syracuse to hang on in this one. But bettors should be hesitant to hammer the points because Vegas always knows something. This game will be the first true road game for the Orange, whose only other road test so far came in week two at UConn. Right now, Clemson is sitting pretty atop the ACC standings, having already played two more conference games than second-place Syracuse. DJ Uiagalelei is having a bounce-back year and has plenty of weapons in the backfield and out wide, and he is going to need them going against the sixth-ranked scoring defense. The Orange are a run-first team, and that will prove to be unsuccessful against this Tigers defensive front, and that will be that. Clemson rolls and proves the oddsmakers right.
Clemson -13.5
(9) UCLA @ (10) Oregon -6
UCLA running back Zach Charbonnet. Photo by Christine Kao/Daily Bruin staff
UCLA head coach Chip Kelly returns to his old stomping grounds leading his unbeaten Bruins into Eugene which should be a fun one. Autzen Stadium is one of the hardest places to play in college football, and the crowd should be into this one hours before kickoff, as they will be host to ESPN’s College Gameday. Oregon, riding a 21-game home winning streak will look to continue that success by getting on the board early and securing a comfortable lead in order to make UCLA one-dimensional. The Bruins are led by talented running back Zach Charbonnet who is 24th in rushing yards, and the Ducks want to see as few touches by him as possible. The weather forecast predicts rain all day, which could make things interesting. Both teams have talented quarterbacks, and both teams want to gain some ground in a tight Pac-10 race. I think that Kelly has his team ready to withstand the early Oregon push, but winning in Autzen will prove to be too difficult.
Pick: UCLA +6
(24) Mississippi State @ (6) Alabama -21
Alabama head coach Nick Saban. Photo by Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports
Everyone is still talking about the incredible win by Tennessee last week over Bama, and you can bet that Nick Saban has not let his team forget it either. The Tide are still in great position to win the SEC West, but with a daunting schedule coming up for them (@ LSU, @ Ole Miss) and ending the season with the Iron Bowl, Alabama has very little wiggle room. They have not lost back-to-back games since 2013, and that is not going to change. Quarterback Will Rogers and the Bulldogs are coming off a crushing loss last week to Kentucky, which really exposed their offense by making them one-dimensional. Rogers is still a great quarterback, but so is Bryce Young, and the Tide are hungry. It’s going to be a bad day to be a Mississippi State Bulldog Saturday.
Pick: Alabama -21
(17) Kansas State @ (8) TCU -3.5
Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn. Photo by Kansas State Sports
A Big 12 showdown between the two remaining unbeaten teams in the conference, under the lights in Fort Worth. This game should be one of the most entertaining games on Saturday as both teams have playoff aspirations. At first look, the big matchup will be TCU’s offense led by quarterback Max Duggan against Kansas State’s top-15 scoring defense, and which of these units can prevail. The Horned Frogs have had little trouble scoring this year, though last week they only produced 16 points in the first three quarters, before putting up 27 in the 4th quarter and overtime combined. However, the Wildcats possess their own firepower in quarterback Adrian Martinez and fan-favorite, running back Deuce Vaughn. This game should be high scoring, but not as high as those accustomed to the Big 12 might think. Look for a fun back-and-forth rushing attack battle between the Martinez/Vaughn combo and TCU’s Kendre Miller, as the more successful side should come out on top. K-State cannot afford a loss here, so they find a way to stay in it late, and maybe even pull off an upset.
Pick: Kansas State +3.5
Other Notable games
(20) Texas -6.5 @ (11) Oklahoma State
Cowboys fans don’t like this line and probably feel disrespected, and they should. The health of Spencer Sanders will be the key here for Ok. St., and if he is full go, this should be a fun battle between him and Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers. It will be a hostile environment in Stillwater and that alone is a good reason to believe the Cowboys can hang on in this wild ride.
Pick: Oklahoma State +6.5
(7) Ole Miss @ LSU -2.5
The Rebels are lucky this game is not at night. Ole Miss should be able to run the ball when they want to, which is good to protect their young quarterback. The wildcard will be LSU’s quarterback Jayden Daniels, and how successful he can be Saturday. Right now, the safe play is to stick with the undefeated team.
Pick: Ole Miss +2.5
