Now here are Saturday’s games and some are going to be affected by weather particularly hurricane Isaias in the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. Some may have 50 miles an hour wind gusts and heavy rains, possibly lightning delays. Just pay attention to over/under line movements.
The Tuesday through Friday games are in the previous post. We are starting with the early games on Saturday. The first game up is undefeated and unranked Nebraska hosting undefeated #7 Indiana. The Hoosiers are favored by -7 1/2. Nebraska is a little pissed at being unbeaten but not ranked. This is not your Daddy’s Nebraska. The schedule they have played is laughable. If they can upset Indy, they will be ranked next week. Nebraska is only 2-9-1 against the spread versus ranked teams. Indiana is 17-5 against the spread versus The Big including 1-1 this year. They are also 8-3 against the spread as a road favorite. I will take another favorite. Give me Indiana -7 1/2. The next game is surprising Wake Forest going to North Carolina State as a -4 point favorite. The Demon Deacons are 13-5 against the spread including 4-1 this year. NC State is 10-2 against the spread including 1-0 this year. The home team is 0-3 straight up and against the spread in this series. This should be a very good ACC match up, but with conflicting stats, I will just watch this one. There are a couple of Big 12 contests that could determine which teams stay in the conference title hunt. Arizona travels 2 time zones over to West Virginia, who is getting +3 1/2 points. Another no play for me with conflicting bad trends and stats. Arizona is only 2-8 straight up and 4 and 6 against the spread the week before a bye. West Virginia is only 10-15-1 against the spread as a dog including 1-0 this year. The other Big 12 game has Central Florida at #18 Oklahoma State game. The Cowboys are favored -8 1/2. They are also 7-3 against the spread off a bye week. Central Florida comes off a loss at Houston and must now play another Conference Contender on the road. The knights are only 10-24-1 against the spread coming off a loss including 1 and 1 this year. I hate to go with another favorite, but the stats say to do it. I am leaning Oklahoma State -8 1/2. Let’s turn our attention to the SEC for a couple of games. The first one I am not playing due to the hurricane in The Gulf Of America. The game is South Carolina with embattled coach Shane Beamer bring their 3 consecutive conference losses to #16 Florida fresh off their beat down at Missouri last weekend. The Gators are favored by -11 1/2 points. Florida is 6-2 straight up and 5-3 against the spread in this series. The Gamecocks are 14-6-1 against the spread following a loss including 0-2 this year. I put the stats for you to use as you will, but I am passing. The final early game has Texas A&M traveling to #14 Missouri. The Tigers are favored by 5 points. Mizzou is 23-2 straight up at home including 3-0 this year. They are also 11-4 against the spread at home including 1-1 this year. The Aggies are just 11-20 against the spread under Coach Elko including 2-1 this year. The Aggies have won and covered the last 3 in this series. It is possible that Missouri may have a let down after destroying Florida last week, but I don’t think so at home. Take another favorite. Missouri -5.
The mid day time slot features the Red River Shoot Out in Dallas between #1 Texas and reeling Oklahoma after losing 2 of the last 3 games in which QB John Mateer has really struggled. Both teams are off a bye week. The Horns opened as a – 8 1/2 point favorite. That line has dropped to – 7 1/2???? That is strange. Do the ” boys in the desert” know something? Both defenses are excellent as the Over/Under sits at 39. I know it is a huge rivalry and anything can happen. I don’t have any trends, just a gut feeling. If Mateer doesn’t turn the ball over, a big if, I look for The Sooner D to keep the game close. Finally a dog.Take Oklahoma + 7 1/2. There is a very interesting contest in The ACC with unranked and unbeaten Duke traveling to Georgia Tech as a -6 1/2 point favorite. The Blue Devils are 5-1 straight up and 4-2 off a bye. The Yellow Jackets are 8-0 against the spread as a single digit conference dog. Take the home standing Tech team + 6 1/2 on what may be a very wet day. Do let a good trend and stat game go to waste because it is under the radar. U Conn travels to Temple. The Owls are favored by -3 points. They are also 9-3 against the spread as a home favorite. Add that U Conn is a paltry 13-50 against the spread on the road. Because it is 2 bad teams, I lean Temple -3. There is a very important Big game between Unbeaten #21 UCLA traveling to Eugene, Oregon to take on The Ducks. Oregon is favored by 11 1/2. Oregon is also 11-1 straight up but only 7-5 against the spread in this series. UCLA is 5-2 against the spread versus ranked teams. I know who I like, but I can’t pull the trigger. If you do, good luck.
The night slate has the headliner game with #2 Georgia going to face #6 Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The hurricane is supposed to be past there by kick off, but may still have a shower hanging around. This game always has conference and national implications with this year being no different. Alabama is favored by 1 1/2. Georgia has not beaten Alabama in the regular season since 2007. Mathew Stafford was the Bulldog quarterback at that time.Coach Smart is also only 2-7 straight up against the Tide. Bama is 9-2 straight up and 6-5 against the spread in this series. They are also 8-2 against the spread at home including 2-1 this year. The dog in this series is 10-3 against the spread. Georgia is Georgia, but untested this year. Alabama’s young all everything quarterback, Kelon Russell, has not faced a defense the caliber he will see Saturday Night. Georgia has not seen this much offensive firepower since they lost to the 2020 Crimson Tide. I am not playing this game, because I don’t want my heart to maybe influence my choice. Watch and enjoy a game between 2 very good football teams. Another SEC game has #10 LSU going into Lexington to face Kentucky. The Tigers are favored by 9. The home team has won the last 5 straight up and covered 8 of the last 9. Kentucky is also 10-5 as a home dog versus ranked opponents including 0-1 this year. Give me The Wildcats + 9. Now head to Happy Valley where #19 Southern Cal comes calling on Penn State. The Nittany Lions have lost 2 consecutive games. Can anyone tell me why Penn State is favored by 1 1/2???? Does someone know something? Southern Cal is a miserable 2-15-1 straight up and 1-16-1 against the spread playing east of The Mississippi River. They made a trip east to Rutgers 3 weeks ago and won 42-35 as a 24 point favorite. Penn State is also 9-4 against the spread as a single digit favorite including 0-1 this year. I am going to lean Penn State -1 1/2 and go with the somebody that knows something. The final game of this Week 6 is for control of The Pac 12 Conference. #23 Boise goes to Fresno State as a 6 1/2 point favorite. Revenge is on the minds of The Broncos as Fresno beat them in Boise last year 30-7. The next stats will tell you Boise does not lose many on The Blue Rug. Boise is 22-1 straight up and 19-4 against the spread in this series. Fresno is however 8-2 against the spread versus ranked opponents including 0-1 this season. Take Boise -6 1/2.
Wow. This has been a busy week and I have picked too many games, 15. Certainly too many favorites, 11. Oh, well. I don’t choose with my heart or who I want to win. I look for whatever the most and best stats tell me. Here is a review of both week 6 posts; Tuesday through Friday and then this one with Saturday’s. You can look on the previous post as well to get Friday’s info. The leans were/are: Troy -11; Arkansas State -1 1/2; San Jose -6; Louisville -3 1/2; Oklahoma State -8 1/2; Temple -3; and Penn State -1 1/2. The plays are: UTSA -7; BYU -10; Indiana -7 1/2; Missouri -5; Oklahoma+7 1/2; Georgia Tech +6 1/2; Kentucky +9; and Boise -6 1/2.
Check back next week and we will have more games and more information. Good luck to all, strictly for entertainment purposes only.
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