I went 4 for 5 on my pick em’s again…I wish we could stop counting the ballot there, but I haaad to go and add spreads and over/unders. In all honesty, I purposefully miss those to stay humble and hungry. This week, however, with Thanksgiving looming, I’m going to go 5/5 on all metrics and make everyone who reads this article, thankful.
Brief Recap of Last Week
– Clemson 24 Pitt 20
Clemson survived a DOG fight up in Pittsburgh from a dominating performance from DE TJ Parker and some late game heroics from Cade Klubnik. I would say, “they don’t ask how, they ask how many,” but in the College Football Playoff era, they most certainly ask “how?”
– South Carolina 34 Missouri 30
Kudos to Missouri for making this a game. South Carolina finally found a way to win a one score game, by driving the field with less than 2 minutes to go. It’d be real shame if you left the game before that happened…
– Arizona St. 24 Kansas St. 14
This game was over in the first half, but Kansas St. made it look respectable late in the 4th. Nobody wants to face Kenny Dillingham’s Sun Devils right now as they join South Carolina and Colorado as the hottest teams in college football.
– Georgia 31 Tennessee 17
This game might’ve gotten away from me a little bit. I completely forgot to take in account how much Carson Beck loves to face teams in orange – could it be that he’s used to seeing his teammates in orange jumpsuits…too soon? Anyway, Tennessee jumped out to a 10-0 lead early and I was feeling confident in my pick, then Georgia woke up and put the Volunteers to sleep.
– Kansas 17 BYU 13
BYU has officially passed the horseshoe that’s been lodged inside of them all year like a kidney stone. And, just like a kidney stone, boy was that a painful way to lose. Hats off to Kansas for going to Provo after dark and coming out victorious.
1. 5 Indiana at 2 Ohio St.
Indiana is headed to Ohio St. for their biggest challenge this season. Despite all the naysayers who think Indiana is overrated, they have continuously won, and being 10-0 against anyone is hard to do. With that being said, thisis by far the toughest test that Indiana will have all year. Everywhere the Hoosier are strong, the Buckeyes are on par or better: Indiana ranks 1st in rush defense, Ohio St. ranks 4th. Indiana ranks 21st in pass defense, Ohio St. ranks 6th. Indiana ranks 23rd in passing, Ohio St. ranks 31st. Indiana ranks 47thin rushing, Ohio St. ranks 40th. I love my Hoosiers, but I think being on the road for the big moment will finally cause Choo-Choosier Express to station.
Ohio St. 28 Indiana 20
Indiana +11.5
Under 52.5
2. 14 BYU at 21 Arizona St.
BYU lost in the weirdest way possible last week by muffing a quarterback pooch kick to essentially gift Kansas the go-ahead touchdown. Arizona St. is one of the hottest teams in the country and has the privilege of hosting BYU for what looks to be a ticket puncher to the Big 12 title game. Despite what the rankings say and the statistics, I think this game could get ugly for the Cougars. The Sun Devils kill the BYU magic and end up in Jerry World December 7th.
Arizona St. 35 BYU 24
Arizona St. -3.5
Over 49.5
3. 16 Colorado at Kansas
Speaking of teams that are hot at the right time, Colorado and Kansas couldn’t be any hotter. Kansas has won 2 straight after losing 5 one score game this year, so don’t get caught up in the Jayhawks’ 4-6 record, this team is not an easy out. Colorado comes in with one of the hottest passing attacks in the nation and they get to face a Kansas pass defense that ranks 81st in the nation. However, it’s the running games that will decide this matchup – Colorado is the penultimate rushing attack with an abysmal 77 yards per game and Kansas boasts the 23rd rushing attack at 199.5 yards per game. Kansas stays hot and severely hurts Colorado’s playoff hopes.
Kansas 31 Colorado 27
Kansas +2.5
Under 59.5
4. 19 Army at 6 Notre Dame
Every week that I’ve picked against Notre Dame, the Irish’s opponent gets whooped up on. I don’t know if Marcus Freeman is using my picks as bulletin board material (I can’t prove that he isn’t) so I’m going to try and pull a little okie-doke on him. All jokes aside, I really think Notre Dame wins this game, and wins it big. Army is on a tear and won’t be an easy out…early, but I think the Irish are just too much for the Black Knights
Notre Dame 42 Army 21
Notre Dame -14.5
Over 45.5
5. Vanderbilt at LSU
In the past 4 weeks, no one has been beaten down quiet like the Bayou Bengals. They got smacked by Alabama, they blew the game to Texas A&M, they lost to Florida, and they just lost the number 1 quarterback in the 2024 recruiting cycle. I think, with this game being in Baton Rouge, LSU is finally able to get the monkey off their back against the Fighting Diego Pavias – if they don’t, make sure you look out for some Louisiana boosters to post GoFundMe’s to pay Brian Kelly’s buyout.
LSU 31 Vanderbilt 24
Vanderbilt +7.5
Over 53.5
