Jim Feist
Oregon State vs. USC
Play: USC -20½
This is a revenge game as USC lost only one game last season, 27-21 at Oregon State. Oregon State (3-2 SU, 1-3 ATS) has run through some variations of its 'Wildcat' package during practice last week, but this USC defense is fast and tough. The USC Trojans (5-1 SU/2-4 ATS) come off a 34-27 win at Notre Dame. Prior to that they had a showdown at Cal, and clobbered the Bears, 30-3. Freshman QB Matt Barkley (5 TDs, 3 INTs) has returned from a bruised shoulder against Ohio State. The ground game has been doing most of the damage behind RB Joe McKnight and senior Allen Bradford, though Barkley had 380 yards passing in Saturday’s win at Notre Dame. This offense is averaging 30 points and over 200 yards rushing and passing. The home team has had this one circled for a year. Play USC.
Sal Michaels
Auburn vs. LSU
Play: Auburn +7½
This battle of SEC opponents should be a great one Saturday Night on National TV. Auburn is coming off of two straight losses after starting the season winning 5 straight. Their latest loss was to the hands of Kentucky at home as 13.5 point favorites. LSU is coming off a bye week after losing their first game of the season after five straight wins previous to their bye week to Florida at home, 13-3. The last two match-ups between these two rivals have been good ones. Last September when they faced off, LSU sped ahead of Auburn at Auburn 26-21 and in ’07, LSU defeated Auburn at LSU 30-24. LSU has the straight-up match-up lead but against the spread, Auburn is 5-3 since 1992 at LSU. I also have a conference situation that hits well over 80% in 40+ occurrences that favors Auburn in this game. Take the points with Auburn.
Stephen Nover
Akron at SYRACUSE -10'
I'm not in the habit of laying big points with Syracuse, but I'll make an exception in this case.
Mainly, though, this is a fade against Akron. The Zips have yet to beat an FBS opponent. They are so decimated by injuries so much that the coaching staff ran an ad in the student newspaper looking for experienced high school quarterbacks to help.
Is it really that bad? Yes. Akron is down to its third-string quarterback, freshman Patrick Nicely. The backup quarterback is a walk-on freshman.
All together, the Zips have 13 scholarship players out for the season. They just lost senior wide receiver, Deryn Bowser, who led them in receptions last year and was tied for first this season, along with also losing linebacker Aaron Williams. The Zips also could be missing cornerback Manley Walker.
It shouldn't be shocking Akron's offense has scored 21 points or fewer in the last four games. If you just count FBS opponents, Akron is averaging 14.6 points on the season. It's not like Akron has a good defense to fall back. The Zips rank 112th in total defense.
Akron is 0-3 in the MAC having lost in its past three games to Central Michigan, Ohio and Buffalo by an average loss of 14.3 points. It's doubtful the Zips are going to have much zip for this non-conference matchups.
That's not the case for Syracuse, which is in revenge mode after Akron ruined the Orangemen's home opener last season with a 42-28 upset win. Syracuse coach Doug Marrone really would like to get past the embarrassing Greg Robinson era by leading his alma mater to a bowl game.
The 2-4 Orangemen have failed to step up against tough Big East foes West Virginia and South Florida in their last two games. Syracuse was idle last week. So the situational spot is right for Syracuse to put up a big victory margin against a weak and badly banged-up foe.
The Orangemen's leading rusher, Delone Carter, was a former Mr. Football in Ohio so he should be fired-up. So should much-maligned quarterback Greg Paulus, a Syracuse native who has been up and down.
Syracuse traditionally has fared well versus MAC opponents going 10-2-1 against the spread versus them. The Orangement also are 14-5-1 against the number when hosting opponents with a losing road record.
5♦ SYRACUSE
Jeff Hochman
Iowa vs. Michigan State
Play: Michigan St -1.5
Michigan State did not play a great game last week but rallied late for a win over Northwestern to make it three straight victories . The Spartans have out-gained their opponent in all but one game this year. The home team has won straight up in each of the last nine meetings in this series and Michigan State QB Kirk Cousins has been the more efficient passer in this match-up. Iowa is undefeated but still come up as underdogs. That should tell you something right there. Take the home team in this one to win by 6.
Frank Jordan
LAA Angels vs. New York Yankees
Play:New York Yankees
The Yankees couldn't get past the house of horrors know as Angel Stadium as they blew a couple of games late, but they are heading home where they took 3 of 4 from Anaheim in the regular season and each of the first two games of the playoffs. This is a great pitchers duel between lefties as Pettitte and Saunders square off. Look for the Yankee bats to come alive despite the poor weather as they blast their way into the World Series on the strength of 4 home runs a couple from some of the slumping players. Play NY Yankees
Rob Vinciletti
Texas A&M vs. Texas Tech
Play: Texas Tech -22
Last week the Red raiders went into Lincoln and surprised the Huskers with a solid 31-10 win as a double digit dog. Today the come home to face a Texas A@M team that was blown out 62-14 at Kansas.St. This game could get ugly again for the Aggies as they will have a tough time stopping a potent Texas Tech offense that is averaging over 50 points per game at home. In the last 7 games here T.Tech has covered every time. The Aggies mean while have allowed well over 40 points in both games they have played away from home. When the Aggies lose on the road they are just 2-37 ats. They are 1-10 ats away with revenge vs an opponent that is off a double digit win. Look for Texas Tech to control this one.
Scott Spreitzer
Iowa St. at Nebraska
Prediction: Nebraska
The Cornhuskers, and especially that "boy named Suh," received a lot of love from the national media after knocking off Missouri, 27-12 on the road on October 8. The defense and Suh deserve a ton of praise...still. Last week, the "Blackshirts" stuffed the high-flying Texas Tech offense. The Huskers held the Red Raiders to 15 first downs and just 259-total yards on just 4.5-yards per play. Nebraska actually out-gained Tech, despite losing 31-10. Tech ran the ball for only 25-yards on 25-carries, and QB Sheffield threw just one TD pass and was sacked five times. But the Nebraska offense fell right on their tails. After pulling one out with a 27-point late-game barrage against Mizzou, the Husker offense produced three points through the first three quarters against Tech. Super-Frosh Cody Green came into the game at QB and led the Huskers on their only TD drive. There are a lot of grumblings in the heartland as Husker-faithful have had all they can take from QB Zac Lee. We will see Green in this one rather quickly if Lee can't get the offense going. But I expect the Husker offense to find success against a weak ISU defense. UNL should also receive solid field position thanks to their dominating defense. It doesn't help the Cyclones that their top offensive players are banged-up for this game. QB Austen Arnaud and RB Alexander Robinson are not 100% healthy. And now they'll face a defense that has allowed just 25, 91, and 86 rushing yards to Texas Tech, Missouri, and Va Tech, respectively. Nebraska also gets a fantastic pass rush from its front four, which allows the DBs to stay focused and close to opposing receivers. Nebraska was shown their weaknesses in last week's contest with Tech. But ISU, although improving, have a long way to go before they reach next-level status. I expect the Husker defense to swarm the mediocre ISU offense. Eventually, the Nebraska offense will do their part, also. This one has bounce-back blowout written all over it, and I expect the Huskers to hand ISU their 15th consecutive Big-12 road loss. I'm laying the points with Nebraska on Saturday.
Tom Freese
Los Angeles Kings at Phoenix Coyotes
Prediction: Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix is 8-2 their last 10 home games and they are 4-0 after allowing 2 or less goals in their last game. The Coyotes are 4-1 vs. winning teams and they are 4-1 when playing with one day of rest. Los Angeles is 17-39 their last 56 road games vs. a team with a home winning percentage of over 60%. The Kings are 6-16 their last 22 road games and they are 2-6 their last 8 games vs. winning teams. PLAY ON PHOENIX -
BIG AL
Los Angeles at New York
The Angels finally scored some runs on Thursday night and have lived to fight another day in this ALCS. It wasn't easy, as they continue to have some issues with closer Brian Fuentes, but the seven runs they put across the plate against Yankee pitching was the most they've scored so far in the postseason, and only three runs less than the total runs (10) that they've scored in the other four ALCS games combined. They did it the only way possible for this team, by playing some small ball (the Angels didn't have a home run in game five and only have three in the ALCS so far). But lefties have been the Angels' kryptonite so far in these playoffs and they have to face a very good one tonight in the Yankees veteran Andy Pettitte. Pettitte has many fine postseasons to his credit and this one is no exception. So far in the 2009 playoffs, Pettitte has only allowed four earned runs in 12 2/3 innings and he has had both of his starts on the road. In fact, in his last seven post-season starts, Pettitte has only had the benefit of pitching in front of his home crowd on one occasion, so tonight he should be extra tough in the Bronx. The Angels will throw their own lefty at New York in Joe Saunders, but the problem is that unlike his own team, the Yankees have not struggled vs. lefties so far in the playoffs. In the three 2009 post-season games in which the Yanks have faced lefthanded starters - one against the Twins (Duensing) and two against this Angels team (Saunders and Kazmir), the Yankees are 3-0 and have outscored their opponents by 21-6.
PLAY NEW YORK
Jr Tips
AUBURN vs. LSU
Auburn visits LSU Saturday night in an SEC West showdown and will be looking for its first win at Tiger Stadium since 1999 although each of the last two games in Baton Rouge came down to the final play. Auburn who has won nine of its last 14 games against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 10 will feature the seventh rushing offense (247.3), eighth in total offense (464.9) and 12th in scoring offense (34.9) in the country. Auburn has only allowed five sacks through seven games this season, which is tied for seventh best in the nation and has scored touchdowns on 70.8 percent of its red zone trips. Auburn's running back Ben Tate ranks seventh nationally in rushing with 122.3 yards per game and has five 100-yard rushing games this season while Auburn's Chris Todd has 12 touchdown passes this season after Auburn had just seven touchdown passes as a team the entire season last year. LSU is coming off a bye week following a 13-3 loss against top-ranked Florida that snapped the Tigers' five-game winning streak to start the season and snapped their 32 straight home winning streak. The Tigers are ranked 14th nationally in scoring defense and they are tied for ninth in turnover margin although they have had a few struggles offensively ranking last in the SEC in total offense. The Auburn Tigers have shown drastic improvement in every offensive category this season with 3,254 yards of offense in seven games which is 92 more than the Tigers had in their first 10 games combined. They are also ranked 12th nationally in scoring offense at 34.9 points per game although LSU will be the first ranked team they have played this season as Auburn's offense has been efficient in the red zone. The Tigers have not only scored on 22 of 24 possessions in the red zone (91.7), which ranks tied for 15th in the nation, but 17 of the 22 scores have been touchdowns. Auburn's TD percentage of 70.8 ranks second in the SEC behind only Arkansas and ten of the scores have come on the ground and seven through the air. The key here will be how LSU's defense fares against Auburn's new and improved offense. Eight of the last 14 games have been decided by a touchdown or less and either team has reached 30 points just one time in the last 5 years. LSU's defense which held Florida to 13 points has had a week to prepare and they will have an answer to slow down Auburn's offense who has yet to face a defense of this caliber. This will be another low scoring game between these rivals on National TV in front of a hostile environment.
TAKE UNDER 50.5
Bob Balfe
Texas -12 over Missouri
Texas is 6-0 this season and want to keep their title hopes alive against a Missouri team that got to much credit to early in the season. Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert has shown he is a talent young QB, but should not be compared to Chase Daniels yet. Gabbert is playing with a hurt ankle and Texas will be looking to knock the QB out of the game for two weeks in a row. Texas has a better offense and a better defense and should win and cover with ease. Take the Longhorns.
Brian Graves
Iowa St. vs Nebraska
Pick: Nebraska -20
The Huskers are going to be an angry bunch and Iowa St. will be no match today. Even though last week's score looks horrible to anyone with Nebraska losing at home to Texas Tech 31-10 the truth is the Huskers defense played pretty well. Any time you keep the Red Raiders under 300 yards total offense your defense has done something. Iowa St. thinks they have an offense but they really don't ask Iowa who has the only defense close to what the Huskers will bring today and Iowa St. was drubbed 35-3 by the Hawkeyes and Iowa caused 6 turnovers. Nebraska takes out some serious frsutration today as they win 45-10!
Jimmy Thompson
Wake Forest vs. Navy
Pick: Wake -1.5
This is going to be a tough for Navy as rain will be falling for the entire game and that normally spells doom for the triple option. It won't help that Navy's best player and QB Ricky Dobbs is going to miss this game. Wake Forest will take advantage of several Navy turnovers and beat the Middies 31-17!
Jimmy Moore
Air Force @ Utah -
Pick: Air Force +9.5
The Falcons have their strong running game (as usual) and they have covered the last 6 games they have played at Utah. Their defense is strong giving up no more than 20 points all season long. Let the Force be with you to win on Saturday afternoon.
Jack Clayton
Iowa St at Nebraska
Pick: Iowa State
Iowa State (4-3 SU, 4-2 ATS) has a new coach in Paul Rhoads, the Auburn defensive coordinator last season. He is opening things up on offense. The Cyclones run a no-huddle at times as under junior QB Austen Arnaud (9 TDs, 4 picks), who is a terrific runner. Nebraska got carved up by Texas Tech last week and Iowa State can score. Play Iowa State!