We are heading into week 4 of the college football season which means fall has arrived and we are starting to get into league games so the real race begins for the BCS Bowls.
Here are some big games to watch and wager on over the first weekend of autumn.
Thursday September 23rd – Miami -4 1/2 at Pitt:
Miami is playing their first game since they got beat at Ohio St 36-24. Jacory Harris was picked off four times (3 were in-and-out of Miami receivers’ hands) yet the Canes racked up over 350 yards of offense against the #2 ranked team in the country. Pitt does have a top 5 RB in sophomore Dion Lewis, but the Panthers lost their best player on defense in DE Greg Romeus. Pitt had a loss to Utah on their opening night and they had an unimpressive win versus New Hampshire two weeks ago so it doesn’t seem like they will be able to handle the speed of the Canes.
Prediction: Miami -4 1/2 will cover
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Oklahoma -13 @ Cincinnati
Oklahoma is coming off a hard fought win against Air Force. The Sooners now travel to Cincinnati where a year ago this game could have been the best of the day. Cincy is coming off a loss last Thursday at NC St and they are struggling to find an identity under their head new coach. Oklahoma is a Jekyll and Hyde team when you consider they squeak by Air Force, but a week before dismantle Florida State. This is the week where Oklahoma shows its power and beats a lost Cincy team.
Prediction: Oklahoma -13 will cover
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Alabama -7 @ Arkansas
The best team in CFB travels to their first SEC clash against #10 Arkansas and Heisman candidate QB Ryan Mallet. Alabama has beaten a young inexperienced Penn St team, a lousy Duke squad and lowly San Jose St. Not exactly a schedule to get ready for the SEC. Arkansas already went into Georgia and won so their confidence should be high. The score should be tight so look for Arkansas to get a lead and then stay within striking distance as long as their defense can stop Bama’s running game.
Prediction: Arkansas + 7 will cover
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Boise St -17 vs Oregon State
Oregon State painted their practice field “Bronco Blue” so they could get used to the most famous CFB field in the NCAA. All the painting will not work because eBoise St. will flex it’s BCS muscle and control this game from start to finish and win going away. Boise will show the voters they can beat a top ACC and Pac-10 foe.
Prediction: Boise St -17 will cover
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Stanford -4 1/2 @ Notre Dame
Stanford has won their first 3 games by a total of 114 points and may have the best QB in all of college football. Notre Dame squeaked by a horrid Pur-don’t team in its opener and lost to Michigan and Michigan State over the last 2 weeks. They are at home against a hot underrated team and the Irish really don’t have a defense to stop Andy Luck and the Cardinal. This could get ugly and if the game was set to play in Palo Alto the line would be 14 points easy.
Prediction: Stanford – 4 1/2 will cover
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On a side note here are the “I can’t believe you are playing these guys” games of the week.
Wisconsin vs Austin Peay, Ohio State vs Eastern Michigan and Nebraska vs South Dakota State