We're just two weeks into the season, so it is not time to hit the panic button. Yet.
Last week's 3-7 record against the spread dropped the season record to 7-13. Yeah, it's ugly, but there is a lot of ball left to be played.
On the positive side, I told you last week I didn't believe the national hype on Ohio State. Oklahoma went to the Horseshoe and beat down the Buckeyes. I think there are more beatings to come for The Ohio State.
On the negative side, I missed South Carolina again. The Gamecocks are 2-0 and probably will be 4-0 before getting tested again. I thought Penn State would cover against Pitt. It didn't. I picked Boston College at home in a pick'em against Wake Forest, but the Deacons blasted the Eagles.
I don't know the answer, but I thought I would just throw out this observation. When was the last time Duke and Wake Forest were both double-digit favorites on the same Saturday?
Let's move on. As always, 10 games against the spread for entertainment purposes only.
Here are this week's selections.
Oklahoma State at Pittsburgh -14.0 -- Last year's meeting in Stillwater was a shootout the Cowboys won in overtime. This is a much different Pitt team. The Panthers are missing a lot of their offensive pieces from a year ago. The Cowboys can still score and score a lot. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Kentucky at South Carolina -6.0 -- The Gamecocks, off to a surprising 2-0 start, welcome Kentucky to Columbia for their 2017 home opener. Will the Gamecocks stumble? Nope. Pick -- South Carolina
Clemson at Louisville +3.0 -- The dynamic Lamar Jackson meets a Clemson defensive unit that is allowing just 118 total yards per game. Jackson usually gets that much in the first quarter. Something has got to give. What do you do with Jackson? Do you go after him risking flushing him out of the pocket? Or do you drop back and defend and force him to throw? Clemson did a good job against Jackson in the first half last year, but he ran crazy in the second half. The unknown for this game is the Clemson offense. How many points can it produce? Can the Tigers keep the ball and keep Jackson off the field? The Tigers helped the Cardinals last year with five turnovers. That cannot happen Saturday. I am expecting another close one. I am betting the difference is the Tigers have been here before and will handle the spotlight better. Pick -- Clemson
Baylor at Duke -14.0 -- Duke smashed a good Northwestern team last week. Baylor is a five-alarm dumpster fire. Pick -- Duke
Notre Dame at Boston College -13.5 -- Notre Dame is a mess. Boston College is a bigger mess. Pick -- Notre Dame
Tennessee at Florida -5.5 -- Back in the day, this was a highly anticipated game in the SEC and on the national level. But both of these teams have major issues. Florida can't score. Tennessee's defense got torched by Georgia Tech's triple option. Will the hurricane aftermath in the state of Florida have an effect on the Gators? Will Tennessee head coach Butch Jones finally win a game that means something? I don't understand the spread, so I am picking the Vols. Pick -- Tennessee
LSU at Mississippi State +7.0 -- What is LSU? Have the Tigers solved their offensive problems? Mississippi State has beaten Charleston Southern and Louisiana Tech. So what? History tells you to pick LSU. But strange things can happen in Stark-Vegas, especially early in the season. Take the points. Pick -- Mississippi State
Kansas State at Vanderbilt +4.0 -- Kansas State, as always, is a darkhorse in the Big 12 race. This is Vandy's first major test of the season. Pick -- Kansas State
Texas at Southern Cal -15.0 -- Texas bounced back last week after laying an opening egg against Maryland, but Southern Cal is a different type of animal. One Texas isn't ready for at this time. Fight on! Pick -- Southern Cal
Utah State at Wake Forest -13.5 -- Utah State must really be awful. Pick -- Wake Forest
Last Week Against The Spread -- 3-7
For The Season -- 7-13
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