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ROBERT FERRINGO
SATURDAY COLLEGE FOOTBALL SELECTIONS
1-Unit Play. Take #123 Virginia Tech (-15) over Wake Forest (12:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
2-Unit Play. Take #128 Tennessee (-3.5) over Missouri (7:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
This one is pretty straightforward: we have an unranked team favored over a ranked team here. That is a huge indicator. The public is piling on Missouri but the Tigers are no great shakes; they are simply the tallest midget in a bad SEC East. (And no one will say it, but the SEC East is awful. That division may not be much better than the AAC.) Tennessee switched quarterbacks a few weeks ago and when they did everything clicked into place. Justin Worley was a loser so the move was a major upgrade and they’ve scored 95 points in two games since. Tennessee only lost to Alabama by 14 at home and were only outgained by 86 yards in that one. Missouri has won four straight, but all four wins have come against terrible teams. In fact, they don’t have an impressive win on their entire resume and Missouri is not one of the 20 best teams in college football. Not even close. I’ll go with the hot home team and Butch Jones has his guys running hot.
2-Unit Play. Take #130 South Carolina (-24.5) over South Alabama (Noon, Saturday, Nov. 22)
South Carolina is bad. They are not that bad. I know this seems like a letdown game after a win at Florida and a potential look ahead game before Clemson. But South Carolina isn’t playing for anything. They aren’t good enough to look past anyone and I don’t think Steve Spurrier would allow it. This is just a paycheck game for USA and if this game had been played back in September the spread probably would’ve been about 38. Well, USC is a better team now than they were then. Talent alone should get the Cocks past this number and USA knows what it is in for in this one.
1-Unit Play. Take ‘Under’ 52.5 Vanderbilt at Mississippi State (7:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
2-Unit Play. Take #140 Ohio State (-34) over Indiana (Noon, Saturday, Nov. 22)
Urban Meyer has proven in his career that he has no problem running it up against weak and unsuspecting opponents. That’s exactly what I see happening here. The Buckeyes are motivated by the fact that they are still not getting national respect in regards to the Bowl Playoffs. They need to not only win this game, but win big. Indiana is ripe for a blowout. This was supposed to be their year. They were finally going to get back to a bowl game. But they lost some tough games early and then they lost their starting quarterback. Once it became obvious that this was going to be another losing season in Bloomington you could just feel the air suck out of this locker room. They don’t care. They are just playing out the string. And their defense is probably the worst in the Big Ten. It is the perfect storm for a 55-13 blowout going Ohio State’s way.
1-Unit Play. Take #141 Maryland (+5) over Michigan (3:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
1-Unit Play. Take #144 Oklahoma (-25) over Kansas (Noon, Saturday, Nov. 22)
3-Unit Play. Take #160 UAB (+20) over Marshall (Noon, Saturday, Nov. 22)
Marshall is ranked and undefeated. Thus, they have a big bull’s eye on their backs. Marshall is coming off a ridiculous performance against a god Rice team last week, outgaining the Owls by over 400 yards and winning 41-14. Marshall has just been wrecking people. But they also haven’t played anyone of any consequence this year. Honestly, their schedule has been a joke. UAB is no great shakes. But they are an Alabama team, playing at home, and playing with revenge for a 56-14 embarrassment last year. The underdog is 6-3 ATS in this series and this is just too many points to lay on the road. Marshall has as much pressure on them as any team in the country. They have to be perfect to stay perfect. UAB is coming off a bye and they were able to stay within 28 points of Arkansas – on the road – just a few games ago. I think they can bow their back and they are just a turnover or two away from threatening an upset. Marshall is going to win this game. But, again, this is a huge number and UAB isn’t some walkover team. I’ll say Marshall by 16 and the points will hold up.
1-Unit Play. Take #164 Colorado State (-21.5) over New Mexico (1:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
2-Unit Play. Take #165 Texas-San Antonio (+9.5) over Western Kentucky (Noon, Saturday, Nov. 22)
The Hilltoppers have the No. 124 defense in the country. They are No. 123 in points allowed and ranked lower than No. 110 against the run and the pass. I have a hard time laying this many points with a team that just can’t get stops. UT-SA is one of the most experienced teams in the country. They’ve had a disappointing season but they are better than their record suggests. The Toppers are coming off an awesome performance in a blowout win over a tired Army team. And they could be looking ahead to a date with a Top 20 Marshall team next week. In between is this underachieving Roadrunners squad. I think UT-SA has enough juice to pull an upset here so I’ll take the points and buckle up.
1-Unit Play. Take #176 Houston (-20) over Tulsa (3:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
1-Unit Play. Take #178 Oregon (-32.5) over Colorado (4:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
2-Unit Play. Take #174 Baylor (-28.5) over Oklahoma State (7:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
I honestly was leaning on Oklahoma State through most of the week. I just can’t get used to seeing this team catching this many points. And I’m not a big Baylor guy at all. But the fact of the matter is that Ok. State is just too beat up and too undermanned to spring an upset here. They have gotten thrashed the last four weeks and the last two times they went on the road they lost by 33 and 34 points. The home team has dominated this series and the favorite is a shocking 9-2 ATS in the last 11 meetings. Also, Baylor has some serious revenge after getting smoked last November. They lost 49-17 in Stillwater and that game cost them a shot at a national title. Like Ohio State,
1-Unit Play. Take #184 California (+5.5) over Stanford (4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
2-Unit Play. Take #193 Washington State (+16) over Arizona State (1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
Arizona State had its bubble burst last week and I expect a hangover this week. Mike Leach is just one of those guys that you just do not want to lay points to. It doesn’t matter that his team stinks: the guy has a system and the system has always been great as an underdog. Leach has had two weeks to prep and this game strikes me as a major letdown spot for the Sun Devils. I don’t think this young team will respond well to last week’s bubble-bursting loss and I definitely think they will look past the Cougars to next week’s showdown with Arizona. Does Wazzou have enough juice for the upset? Hell no. But this team won at Utah and hung around with Oregon and Cal so they have enough to keep this one respectable.
2-Unit Play. Take #188 Utah (-4) over Arizona (7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
I am just not buying Arizona this year. I know they have a gaudy ranking, but their results are less than impressive to me. They should no have beaten Washington last week and they are just 2-7 ATS in their last nine games – a real indicator that this team is a paper tiger. Outside of the win over Oregon – which was a complete and total fluke – Arizona has done nothing but muster close wins against bad teams like Nevada, UT-San Antonio, and Cal (who is actually decent; but that game was at home). Utah’s defense is no joke. And they play great at home in front of their wacky Mormon faithful. This is the biggest game they have had in Utah in a long time and I think that they are up for it. We have a lower-ranked team favored over a higher ranked team and that is a system play for me. I’ll go with the Utes.
3-Unit Play. Take #190 Washington (-6) over Oregon State (3:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
My friend is my friend until he is my enemy. I won my top college game last week with Oregon State pulling the outright upset over Arizona State. But now they are on the road in a letdown/look ahead situation after that big upset and with rival Oregon in the Civil War on deck. Washington has won three of the last four meetings in this series and they won by 42 points in Corvallis last year. They came up just short of knocking off Arizona on the road last week and if you look at the Huskies results they have been knocking on the door during a frustrating two months. They are better than their modest record suggests. I think Washington is going to take out some of that frustration on the visiting team and I expect a ‘C’ effort from Oregon Sate in this one.
2-Unit Play. Take #192 Clemson (-40.5) over Georgia State (3:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
I don’t mind laying points in these mismatch games this late in the year. Sometimes a small school can catch a power team napping back in September and jump on a team that is still shaking off the rust. But by this point Clemson is just a machine. They are pissed after getting manhandled by Georgia Tech last week and they will take it out on another Georgia team. It’s not beyond the Tigers to throw up 60 or 70 points and I absolutely think they will do that here today.
1-Unit Play. Take #196 Memphis (-20) over South Florida (4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
2-Unit Play. Take #199 Cincinnati (-9.5) over Connecticut (8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
Note: This play is from the KING System.
Look, no bet against the Huskies is a bad bet. This program is a complete and total train wreck. By some Act of God they beat Central Florida at home. But other than that this team has gotten slapped around repeatedly this season, and for several others. This series has not been close in recent years. The Bearcats have won three straight by 25, 17 and 8 points and they have covered in all three games. Cincinnati is coming off a big win over East Carolina and the last three teams at Connecticut’s level that they played they won by 24, 17 and 38 points. Cincinnati had a three-game losing streak in the middle of the year against three really good teams (Ohio State, Memphis and Miami). But other than that they have gotten the job done. If Connecticut plays out of its mind and pulls an upset here then so be it. But they should probably be a two-touchdown underdog every time they take the field. And if they can lose at home by 26 to Temple, by 17 to Bowling Green, and by 25 to BYU then they can lose by 20 to UC.
2-Unit Play. Take #206 UCLA (-3.5) over USC (8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
SATURDAY COLLEGE FOOTBALL SELECTIONS
1-Unit Play. Take #123 Virginia Tech (-15) over Wake Forest (12:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
2-Unit Play. Take #128 Tennessee (-3.5) over Missouri (7:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
This one is pretty straightforward: we have an unranked team favored over a ranked team here. That is a huge indicator. The public is piling on Missouri but the Tigers are no great shakes; they are simply the tallest midget in a bad SEC East. (And no one will say it, but the SEC East is awful. That division may not be much better than the AAC.) Tennessee switched quarterbacks a few weeks ago and when they did everything clicked into place. Justin Worley was a loser so the move was a major upgrade and they’ve scored 95 points in two games since. Tennessee only lost to Alabama by 14 at home and were only outgained by 86 yards in that one. Missouri has won four straight, but all four wins have come against terrible teams. In fact, they don’t have an impressive win on their entire resume and Missouri is not one of the 20 best teams in college football. Not even close. I’ll go with the hot home team and Butch Jones has his guys running hot.
2-Unit Play. Take #130 South Carolina (-24.5) over South Alabama (Noon, Saturday, Nov. 22)
South Carolina is bad. They are not that bad. I know this seems like a letdown game after a win at Florida and a potential look ahead game before Clemson. But South Carolina isn’t playing for anything. They aren’t good enough to look past anyone and I don’t think Steve Spurrier would allow it. This is just a paycheck game for USA and if this game had been played back in September the spread probably would’ve been about 38. Well, USC is a better team now than they were then. Talent alone should get the Cocks past this number and USA knows what it is in for in this one.
1-Unit Play. Take ‘Under’ 52.5 Vanderbilt at Mississippi State (7:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
2-Unit Play. Take #140 Ohio State (-34) over Indiana (Noon, Saturday, Nov. 22)
Urban Meyer has proven in his career that he has no problem running it up against weak and unsuspecting opponents. That’s exactly what I see happening here. The Buckeyes are motivated by the fact that they are still not getting national respect in regards to the Bowl Playoffs. They need to not only win this game, but win big. Indiana is ripe for a blowout. This was supposed to be their year. They were finally going to get back to a bowl game. But they lost some tough games early and then they lost their starting quarterback. Once it became obvious that this was going to be another losing season in Bloomington you could just feel the air suck out of this locker room. They don’t care. They are just playing out the string. And their defense is probably the worst in the Big Ten. It is the perfect storm for a 55-13 blowout going Ohio State’s way.
1-Unit Play. Take #141 Maryland (+5) over Michigan (3:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
1-Unit Play. Take #144 Oklahoma (-25) over Kansas (Noon, Saturday, Nov. 22)
3-Unit Play. Take #160 UAB (+20) over Marshall (Noon, Saturday, Nov. 22)
Marshall is ranked and undefeated. Thus, they have a big bull’s eye on their backs. Marshall is coming off a ridiculous performance against a god Rice team last week, outgaining the Owls by over 400 yards and winning 41-14. Marshall has just been wrecking people. But they also haven’t played anyone of any consequence this year. Honestly, their schedule has been a joke. UAB is no great shakes. But they are an Alabama team, playing at home, and playing with revenge for a 56-14 embarrassment last year. The underdog is 6-3 ATS in this series and this is just too many points to lay on the road. Marshall has as much pressure on them as any team in the country. They have to be perfect to stay perfect. UAB is coming off a bye and they were able to stay within 28 points of Arkansas – on the road – just a few games ago. I think they can bow their back and they are just a turnover or two away from threatening an upset. Marshall is going to win this game. But, again, this is a huge number and UAB isn’t some walkover team. I’ll say Marshall by 16 and the points will hold up.
1-Unit Play. Take #164 Colorado State (-21.5) over New Mexico (1:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
2-Unit Play. Take #165 Texas-San Antonio (+9.5) over Western Kentucky (Noon, Saturday, Nov. 22)
The Hilltoppers have the No. 124 defense in the country. They are No. 123 in points allowed and ranked lower than No. 110 against the run and the pass. I have a hard time laying this many points with a team that just can’t get stops. UT-SA is one of the most experienced teams in the country. They’ve had a disappointing season but they are better than their record suggests. The Toppers are coming off an awesome performance in a blowout win over a tired Army team. And they could be looking ahead to a date with a Top 20 Marshall team next week. In between is this underachieving Roadrunners squad. I think UT-SA has enough juice to pull an upset here so I’ll take the points and buckle up.
1-Unit Play. Take #176 Houston (-20) over Tulsa (3:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
1-Unit Play. Take #178 Oregon (-32.5) over Colorado (4:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
2-Unit Play. Take #174 Baylor (-28.5) over Oklahoma State (7:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
I honestly was leaning on Oklahoma State through most of the week. I just can’t get used to seeing this team catching this many points. And I’m not a big Baylor guy at all. But the fact of the matter is that Ok. State is just too beat up and too undermanned to spring an upset here. They have gotten thrashed the last four weeks and the last two times they went on the road they lost by 33 and 34 points. The home team has dominated this series and the favorite is a shocking 9-2 ATS in the last 11 meetings. Also, Baylor has some serious revenge after getting smoked last November. They lost 49-17 in Stillwater and that game cost them a shot at a national title. Like Ohio State,
1-Unit Play. Take #184 California (+5.5) over Stanford (4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
2-Unit Play. Take #193 Washington State (+16) over Arizona State (1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
Arizona State had its bubble burst last week and I expect a hangover this week. Mike Leach is just one of those guys that you just do not want to lay points to. It doesn’t matter that his team stinks: the guy has a system and the system has always been great as an underdog. Leach has had two weeks to prep and this game strikes me as a major letdown spot for the Sun Devils. I don’t think this young team will respond well to last week’s bubble-bursting loss and I definitely think they will look past the Cougars to next week’s showdown with Arizona. Does Wazzou have enough juice for the upset? Hell no. But this team won at Utah and hung around with Oregon and Cal so they have enough to keep this one respectable.
2-Unit Play. Take #188 Utah (-4) over Arizona (7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
I am just not buying Arizona this year. I know they have a gaudy ranking, but their results are less than impressive to me. They should no have beaten Washington last week and they are just 2-7 ATS in their last nine games – a real indicator that this team is a paper tiger. Outside of the win over Oregon – which was a complete and total fluke – Arizona has done nothing but muster close wins against bad teams like Nevada, UT-San Antonio, and Cal (who is actually decent; but that game was at home). Utah’s defense is no joke. And they play great at home in front of their wacky Mormon faithful. This is the biggest game they have had in Utah in a long time and I think that they are up for it. We have a lower-ranked team favored over a higher ranked team and that is a system play for me. I’ll go with the Utes.
3-Unit Play. Take #190 Washington (-6) over Oregon State (3:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
My friend is my friend until he is my enemy. I won my top college game last week with Oregon State pulling the outright upset over Arizona State. But now they are on the road in a letdown/look ahead situation after that big upset and with rival Oregon in the Civil War on deck. Washington has won three of the last four meetings in this series and they won by 42 points in Corvallis last year. They came up just short of knocking off Arizona on the road last week and if you look at the Huskies results they have been knocking on the door during a frustrating two months. They are better than their modest record suggests. I think Washington is going to take out some of that frustration on the visiting team and I expect a ‘C’ effort from Oregon Sate in this one.
2-Unit Play. Take #192 Clemson (-40.5) over Georgia State (3:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
I don’t mind laying points in these mismatch games this late in the year. Sometimes a small school can catch a power team napping back in September and jump on a team that is still shaking off the rust. But by this point Clemson is just a machine. They are pissed after getting manhandled by Georgia Tech last week and they will take it out on another Georgia team. It’s not beyond the Tigers to throw up 60 or 70 points and I absolutely think they will do that here today.
1-Unit Play. Take #196 Memphis (-20) over South Florida (4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
2-Unit Play. Take #199 Cincinnati (-9.5) over Connecticut (8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
Note: This play is from the KING System.
Look, no bet against the Huskies is a bad bet. This program is a complete and total train wreck. By some Act of God they beat Central Florida at home. But other than that this team has gotten slapped around repeatedly this season, and for several others. This series has not been close in recent years. The Bearcats have won three straight by 25, 17 and 8 points and they have covered in all three games. Cincinnati is coming off a big win over East Carolina and the last three teams at Connecticut’s level that they played they won by 24, 17 and 38 points. Cincinnati had a three-game losing streak in the middle of the year against three really good teams (Ohio State, Memphis and Miami). But other than that they have gotten the job done. If Connecticut plays out of its mind and pulls an upset here then so be it. But they should probably be a two-touchdown underdog every time they take the field. And if they can lose at home by 26 to Temple, by 17 to Bowling Green, and by 25 to BYU then they can lose by 20 to UC.
2-Unit Play. Take #206 UCLA (-3.5) over USC (8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22)
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