10 of the best predictions for college football’s big Saturday. Which games appear to be top bets and top picks for Week 7 games?
Top 10 College Football Predictions: Week 7
Expert exams
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Results so far: 41-29-1
What have you shown us?
We’re halfway through the season and now we’ve got a sample size to get a good sense of how good and bad these teams are.
This week I’m moving away from games that don’t feel right and going with what we know. No, trap games. You didn’t fool me like you did last week at Oklahoma with so many points.
I prefer to go with Bama. Pick against the Tide ATS when everyone is considering a layup — as they did last week against Texas A&M. However, I’m not 100% sure Tennessee can’t pull this off completely. I stand aside.
I know what Clemson is and I love giving Florida State just a 3.5, but something just doesn’t feel right. FSU may have the perfect combination at home.
With that in mind, it’s all about what we can see, what we know and – mostly – what we can prove.
In other words, it’s time to go with the annual bit.
You are a good person. You pay your taxes, put down the toilet seat, and tip generously. You do things the right way and that’s why you deserve these 10 picks.
If they don’t work, it’s not our fault. Any wrong call here means something awry in the matrix — like Nevada-Colorado State last week; More on that later – so let’s start with the week’s single point total exam…
Click on each game for a preview
10. Arizona at Washington
Point total 73
selection under
Now I don’t have to tell you what to do with a point total spread of 35, 50 or more, or a point total in the 70s.
I will repeat, it is really, really, In fact Both teams will find it difficult to get past 70. A team can falter, have multiple turnovers, get the sniffles at a starting quarterback, whatever.
Always take less and enjoy the game, if it can, you paid for the pleasure of an entertaining shootout.
Start with this – Washington is back home. Let’s assume the team finds some semblance of D again after a disastrous two-game road trip to UCLA and Arizona State. It’s very, very doubtful that it will give up 40 to the Wildcats.
Only Arizona fumbled when the turnovers flowed — three against Mississippi State, Cal and Oregon. UW O must hit 40, D must drop 20, and it must push 70 to stop.
9. Auburn at Ole Miss
Tax Ole Miss -15
ATS exam Be missed
This spot found the Georgia Big ATS in Auburn last week, so I’m riding with it. Back with this week’s theme…
What do we know? Auburn can’t score.
It hasn’t topped 17 in over a month, and that puts a lot of pressure on an otherwise solid defense, and things are starting to slip.
The Ole Miss offense may have struggled to put away Tulsa and Kentucky, but the running game was fantastic and the defense was impressive.
Given Auburn’s run defense and knowing it will have to go against type to exceed 17, Ole Miss has scored 33 or more for the fourth time in five games.
Again, going with what we know so far…
8. Cal in Colorado
Tax Leg-15
ATS exam Leg
I know. I know. I am with you. Struggled against UNLV, outscored Washington State 28-9, and had just one good game in a 49-31 win over Arizona.
Let’s get through this together.
What did Colorado show you that you can hang with anyone with a decent team like Cal? Granted, he had two weeks off to take a deep breath after firing head coach Carl Dorrell, but Cal is also coming off the bench.
First, the Buffs have yet to come close to 23 in its five games. Second, it’s last in the nation in stopping third downs, dead last against the run, and second-worst in scoring D. Third, it’s going to take turnovers to pull this off, and Cal hasn’t given up anything over the last three games, with just two turnovers all year.
Until this Colorado ATS train stops, we will continue.
Like Auburn and Colorado, there’s another team that showed you what it’s all about…
7. Miami Virginia Tech
Tax Miami -7
ATS exam Miami
Oh, I’m well aware of Miami’s underwhelming potential, and I don’t blame you for staying away here or going in a different direction.
Over the past three weeks, the Hurricanes have developed a brutal habit of playing up or down their competition and losing. There’s a big reason this time is different.
Miami’s biggest issue was turnovers, and Virginia Tech didn’t carry the ball.
At least the canes were nearby. They couldn’t stop screwing up against Middle Tennessee, and the O did a good job in the loss to North Carolina.
The Hokie defense has been awful over the past three games. The team went 14.5 against Pitt, was outscored by 31 against North Carolina, and was rolled by West Virginia.
Here is the advice. Hold your nose, go with Miami, forget what you did, do something else with your Saturday, you’ll have a nice surprise waiting for you when you get home.
6. Wisconsin at Michigan State
Tax Wisconsin -7.5
ATS exam Wisconsin
Beating Northwestern 42-7 is no reason for anyone to throw a tantrum, but after a brutal loss to Illinois and the firing of Paul Christian, Wisconsin may have made some strides under Jim Leonhart.
But this is about the state of Michigan.
The Spartans throw — always curious what a disciplined passing game with talent can do against Wisconsin — but the run defense worse In the last three games against Minnesota, Maryland and Ohio State. Michael Benix Jr. was too busy throwing for 400 yards to keep Washington running at MSU.
1) Thinking about liking the one at 42, but I’m not going with it because I’m nervous the Badgers might end up hitting themselves if everything goes off the rails. 2) Michigan State hasn’t gotten close to 14 against anyone in its last four games, and 3) is one of the nation’s worst teams in time of possession.
You’re not going to control the ball against the Badgers, and you’re never going to see your O on the field.
warning Outside of a game I’m going for B-Side Deep Cuts in these next selections.