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CFB Blowout Game of the Week. My selection is on Troy minus the points over Texas State at 3 pm et on Saturday.

Troy has its work cut out for it in order to gain Bowl eligibility this season but it all starts with this very winnable game against Texas State. With the Trojans highly-unlikely to beat both Louisiana-Lafayette and Appalachian State over their final two games, this almost becomes a must-win. I'm confident we'll see the Trojans perform accordingly. If you follow my plays regularly, you know that I'm not very high on Texas State, even though it has shown up and battled on occasion this season, even managing to win three games outright. I still believe the Bobcats have one of the weakest offenses in the entire FBS. They did score 30 points in a win last week, but that came against lowly South Alabama (1-8). Troy possesses a far more dynamic offense with QB Kaleb Barker having thrown for over 300 yards on five different occasions, while tossing at least two touchdown passes in eight of nine games this season. RB DK Billingsley has made the most of relatively limited touches, rushing for over 100 yards on four different occasions. He's coming off his best performance of the season last time out, running for 163 yards and two touchdowns on only 14 carries. The Trojans defense leaves a lot to be desired but I'm not convinced Texas State will be able to take full advantage. Take Troy (10*).

My selection is on the 'under' between Louisiana Tech and Marshall at 7 pm et on Friday.

Louisiana Tech has been absolutely mowing down the competition in C-USA play, but has also faced an extremely light schedule recently. Since the start of October, the Bulldogs have gone bye week, UMass, Southern Miss, UTEP and North Texas. Those four opponents represent four of the weakest defensive teams in the country. While the Bulldogs have absolutely scored at will over the last month, this is the same team that was held to 20 points against Grambling State and put up only 23 points at Rice. Marshall isn't likely to blow the doors off of Louisiana Tech here, and that should lend itself to a lower-scoring affair than the oddsmakers are calling for. The Thundering Herd were in an absolute smash spot offensively last time out against Rice, but could only muster 20 points. QB Isaiah Green has proven to be a game manager more than anything else, throwing for fewer than 270 yards in all but one game this season, while managing more than single touchdown pass on just three occasions. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on the 'over' between North Carolina and Pittsburgh at 8 pm et on Thursday.

Both of these teams come in well-rested having not played since November 2nd, giving them ample time to gameplan for this key mid-November showdown. North Carolina QB Sam Howell has thrown for over 340 yards in three of his last four games, compiling an incredible 15 touchdown passes over that stretch. That's not to mention the Tar Heels very capable backfield tandem of Javonte Williams and Michael Carter. Pitt's offense has left a lot to be desired over its last few games, all of the lower-scoring variety, but I expect a big bounce-back here. QB Kenny Pickett has thrown four interceptions over his last two games, but I don't expect him to simply be a game manager in this contest. The Panthers know they'll need to go on the attack to keep pace with an improving Tar Heels offense, and I look for them to find some success with the Pickett-to-Ffrench connection. Maurice Ffrench hasn't hauled in a touchdown in his last two games, but should find the end zone against a beatable Tar Heels secondary here. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on Buffalo minus the points over Kent State at 7 pm et on Thursday.

I've said it on a few occasions this season and I'll say it again here; Kent State is one of the nation's weakest teams, particularly on the defensive side of the football, and I look for the Golden Flashes to get gashed once again here. Most jumped off the Buffalo bandwagon early this season as the Bulls dropped their first two MAC contests. Since then, all they've done is reel off three straight wins, outscoring the opposition by an incredible 107-34 margin. Of course their opposition has left a lot to be desired but you can only play the teams in front of you, and they catch another favorable matchup here, noting that the Bulls routed the Golden Flashes 48-14 in their most recent meeting last November. Buffalo will undoubtedly gain Bowl eligibility at some point, but it would certainly rather take care of that right here tonight. Take Buffalo (10*).

My selection is on the 'under' between Northern Illinois and Toledo at 8 pm et on Wednesday.

Toledo has been involved in back-to-back high-scoring shootouts, flaming a couple of bad defenses in Eastern Michigan and Kent State in posting consecutive victories. I expect the Rockets to face a little more resistance against rival Northern Illinois here. The Huskies are fresh off a beatdown at the hands of Central Michigan but will undoubtedly get up for this game, knowing they need to run the table over their final three games to become Bowl eligible. With a win here, that would certainly still be well within the realm of possibility, noting they have two home games to close out the regular season. Note that Northern Illinois has held five of nine opponents this season to 27 points or less. The Huskies biggest issue has been their lack of consistent offensive production, scoring 24 points or less in seven of nine contests. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on the 'over' between Eastern Michigan and Akron at 6 pm et on Tuesday.

Akron has scored a grand total of just nine points over its last four games but here the Zips have a fine opportunity to bust out against a weak Eastern Michigan defense. The Eagles have allowed 30+ points in five of nine contests this season, while also giving up 29 points against FCS opponent Central Connecticut State. Prior to its current lull, Akron had scored 60 points over its previous three games. Defensively, the Zips have only managed to limit their points allowed thanks to game script. Make no mistake, this is one of the worst defensive teams in the nation. Eastern Michigan is in a clear 'get-right' spot offensively after getting trounced by Buffalo at home last time out. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on Kentucky minus the points over Tennessee at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

Kentucky controls its own destiny as far as Bowl eligibility goes with a relatively light schedule remaining. The Wildcats have won two of their last three games following a three-game slide and enter this contest off their bye week. While they were idle last week, Tennessee was steamrolling a solid UAB squad by a 30-7 score at home. Even off back-to-back wins, I'm not convinced the Vols are all the way back after a rough start to the season. With only three games left on the schedule and in need of two victories, they're facing an uphill battle toward Bowl eligibility. When these two teams met last year the Vols secured a 24-7 victory but I won't be surprised if the script is flipped this time around. Take Kentucky (10*).

My selection is on Alabama minus the points over LSU at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

We've picked our spots going against the Crimson Tide in recent years, but not during the regular season. Once again, I look for Alabama to prove itself in this massive showdown with LSU. Yes, this is the best Tigers squad we've seen in years but I'm not sure that means they can hang with the Tide for 60 minutes. The key here should be the Alabama defense, as it will clamp down on LSU QB Joe Burrow. The Tigers haven't had to play from behind much at all this season but that's almost a certainty on Saturday afternoon at Bryant-Denny Stadium. All indications are that Alabama will have Tua back at its disposal and I look for him to lead the Tide to another convincing win over an SEC rival. Take Alabama (10*).

CFB Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'under' between UTSA and Old Dominion at 2 pm et on Saturday.

I'm not anticipating much in the way of offensive fireworks in this matchup on Saturday afternoon. The UTSA defense hasn't been performing well lately but has also faced the likes of UAB and Texas A&M in two of its last three games. Here, it takes a big step down in class against a punchless Old Dominion offense. The Monarchs battled hard but ultimately fell a touchdown short in a 24-17 setback at Florida International last week. ODU has now been held to 17 points or less in five consecutive games. The Monarchs haven't always been stout defensively this season but catch a favorable matchup against a banged-up and talent-shy Roadrunners offense. Take the under (10*).

CFB Pac-12 Game of the Month. My selection is on Oregon State plus the points over Washington at 10:30 pm et on Friday.

This isn't the same Washington squad we've seen in years past, as evidenced by the fact that the Huskies have already dropped four games in Pac-12 play. They should be on upset alert again on Friday night as they face an upstart Oregon State squad that needs two victories in its final four games to become Bowl eligible. Given it still has to play Arizona State, Washington State and Oregon, with the latter two matchups coming on the road, this game is virtually a must-win. The Beavers are fresh off a 56-point explosion at Arizona last week. While their defense leaves a lot to be desired, their offense has shown the ability to score at will. I'm comfortable grabbing a generous helping of points with the home side here. Take Oregon State (10*).

My selection is on Toledo minus the points over Kent State at 7 pm et on Tuesday.

Toledo hasn't been very good since losing QB Mitchell Guadagni to injury but it is coming off a much-needed win over Eastern Michigan last time out and I look for it to keep things rolling at home against Kent State in another big MAC affair on Tuesday night. The key here will be the Rockets ground attack. They have a dynamic running game that should be able to control proceedings against the Golden Flashes. Kent State has a rather punchless offense and while the Flashes have faced a pretty tough schedule to be sure, I simply feel they're one of the weakest teams in the MAC and the nation. We're being asked to lay a reasonable number with the superior team at home. Take Toledo (10*).

My selection is on Louisiana-Lafayette minus the points over Texas State at 5 pm et on Saturday.

We cashed a ticket fading Texas State last Saturday against Arkansas State and I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the same play here. The Bobcats have two wins to their credit this season but I still believe they’re one of the weakest teams in FBS. Not surprisingly, their limited offense struggled to get anything going last Saturday against the Red Wolves, scoring a pair of second quarter touchdowns but that was it. They’ll be hard-pressed to improve on that performance against a good Ragin’ Cajuns defense here. Louisiana-Lafayette is fresh off its bye week, which came on the heels of a big 17-point road win over rival Arkansas State. RB Trey Ragas’ health is in question as he recovers from an ankle injury but even if he can’t go, the Ragin’ Cajuns still have a terrific stable of dynamic running backs to lean on. I’m confident we’ll see them build an early lead in this one and let their defense and ground attack take care of the rest, ultimately pulling away for a cover on Saturday. Take Louisiana-Lafayette (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between TCU and Oklahoma State at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

TCU is coming off a huge 37-27 win over Texas last Saturday and fresh off that offensive breakout, most are expecting a shootout in Stillwater this week. I’m not so easily convinced. Keep in mind, prior to last week’s win, the Horned Frogs had scored just 41 points combined in dropping back-to-back games against Iowa State and Kansas State – both on the road. Oklahoma State by no means possesses an elite defense but I do think the Cowboys can keep the Horned Frogs inconsistent offense in check on Saturday. On the flip side, the TCU defense has shown signs of turning things around over the last couple of weeks. They didn’t give up a touchdown until four minutes into the second quarter last week against Texas and when it mattered most they stepped up, allowing just one second half touchdown. The Horned Frogs will undoubtedly have their hands full trying to slow down dynamic Cowboys RB Chuba Hubbard on Saturday but it’s worth noting that they’ve allowed just one 100+ yard rusher this season and that was Iowa State QB Brock Purdy, who gained 102 yards on the ground against them. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on Marshall minus the points over Rice at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

This was a blowout last year as Marshall rolled to a 41-14 victory and I’m expecting more of the same on Saturday. Rice checks in 0-8 on the campaign but the fact that it has at least kept things somewhat competitive helps keep the line in check here. RB Aston Walter suffered a shoulder injury last week and while he is expected to play, he won’t be at full strength. You can be sure the Thundering Herd have been keying their defensive gameplan on Walter as he’s proven to be the Owls only true playmaker on offense this season. Marshall hasn’t been able to take a breath in a few weeks, coming off back-to-back tightly-contested affairs against Florida Atlantic and Western Kentucky (it won both games). The Thundering Herd have faced a truly difficult schedule to this point but now get four straight winnable games to close out the season to improve their Bowl positioning. Look for them to take full advantage of this blowout waiting to happen against one of the nation’s weakest FBS teams. Take Marshall (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between Northern Illinois and Central Michigan at 12 noon et on Saturday.

We missed the mark with the ‘under’ in Northern Illinois’ last game, a 49-0 rout of lowly Akron last Saturday. I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the same play here, however. The Huskies offense has been inconsistent this season and will certainly be stepping up in class here off the win over the Zips. I’m confident we’ll see them keep their offensive gameplan focused on the ground where RB Tre Harbison has been terrific. That strategy should help keep the chains, and more important for us, the clock moving. Central Michigan entered last week’s date with Buffalo on a serious roll offensively but that had more to do with the level of opposition it had faced through the first three weeks of October than anything else (the Chippewas faced Eastern Michigan, New Mexico State and Bowling Green over a three-week stretch). Last week, the Chips could only manage 20 points in a blowout loss to Buffalo, turning the football over four times in the process. Much like NIU, I look for CMU to keep the football on the ground for much of the afternoon on Saturday, with RB Jonathan Ward having rushed for over 100 yards in four of his last five games. Take the under (10*).

CFB C-USA Game of the Year. My selection is on Florida International minus the points over Old Dominion at 12 noon et on Saturday.

I love the bounce back spot for FIU here as it returns home following a beatdown at the hands of Middle Tennessee State last week. The loss dropped the Panthers to 4-4 on the season but they remain very much in contention for a Bowl game. That certainly depends on getting a win here, and I’m confident we’ll see them secure the victory in convincing fashion. At 1-7, Old Dominion is a true doormat this season. The Monarchs lone victory came back in August against FCS squad Norfolk State. They check into this one having scored just one offensive touchdown in their last 11 quarters of football. FIU has certainly shown blowout potential here at home this season, where it owns victories by 13, 44, 25 and 15-point margins, its lone home loss coming against a quality opponent in Western Kentucky – a game in which it covered the spread. Note that Panthers QB James Morgan has been quietly efficient, throwing seven touchdowns and no interceptions over his last four games. Meanwhile, RB Anthony Jones has rushed for 421 yards on just 72 carries, while finding the end zone five times over that same stretch. The Panthers are heavily favored for a reason in this early start matchup. I’ll lay the points. Take Florida International (10*).

CFB AAC Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Navy and Connecticut at 8 pm et on Friday.

We missed the mark with the 'under' in Navy's high-scoring win over Tulane last week but I won't hesitate to go back to the well with the same play as the Midshipmen hit the road to face lowly UConn on a short week. Last week's high-scoring result was certainly game script dependent as Tulane simply couldn't stop the Navy offense early on, digging a 24-0 hole just five minutes into the second quarter. From there things really opened up. I expect a different story to unfold here. Connecticut stunningly put up 56 points in a win at UMass last week but will face a much tougher challenge here. Note that prior to last week's performance, the Huskies had scored 22 points or less in five straight games and had topped out at 24 points, that coming in a season-opening win over FCS squad Wagner. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between Notre Dame and Michigan at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

We won with the ‘under’ when these two teams hooked up to kick off the season last year and I’ll make the same play here. The Irish are coming off three consecutive relatively high-scoring affairs in which they put up a combined 117 points. I’m not counting on QB Ian Book and the Notre Dame offense to bust out again here, however. Michigan has one of the best defenses in the country, and will certainly be up for this showdown at the Big House. I’m confident we’ll see the Irish lean heavily on RB Tony Jones Jr. off three straight 100+ yard rushing performances but he’ll be stepping up in competition after running all over Virginia, Bowling Green and USC. We’ve already seen the Wolverines offense get stymied on a number of occasions this season and should expect no different here. I don’t think we’ll see Jim Harbaugh throw QB Shea Patterson to the wolves here. Look for him to once again be asked to manage the game and avoid the big mistakes against an opportunistic Irish defense. Take the under (10*).

CFB Sun Belt Game of the Year. My selection is on Arkansas State minus the points over Texas State at 7 pm et on Saturday.

Texas State has somewhat surprisingly held its own in most games this season but still checks in sporting a 2-4 record. Arkansas State has been up and down and comes into this one off of back-to-back losses. Notably, last week’s 17-point loss on paper could have really gone either away as Louisiana-Lafayette pulled away with a couple of late touchdowns. I do still feel the Red Wolves are one of the better teams  in the Sun Belt and if they have their sights set on Bowl eligibility, this is a game they need to get. I expect them to win this one comfortably. QB Layne Hatcher has thrown for 10 touchdowns over his last game and last week we saw RB Marcel Murray carry a full workload, running 35 times for 164 yards while adding three catches. Texas State QB Gresch Jensen suffered a concussion last week and the Bobcats top rusher Caleb Twyford is actually a wide receiver that has run for more than 78 yards only once this season. Arkansas State took this matchup 33-7 last season and I’m anticipating another blowout here. Take Arkansas State (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between Texas and TCU at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

We won with the ‘under’ in TCU’s loss at Kansas State last week and I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the same play here. The Horned Frogs didn’t find the end zone until the second quarter in last week’s contest, and when the game was on the line, couldn’t score a single touchdown in the game’s final 23+ minutes. The fact is, TCU has had considerable offensive success in just two of five games this season and one of those came against lowly Kansas, who Texas hung 50 points on last week. The Longhorns know they’ll need to be better defensively after giving up a stunning 48 points against the Jayhawks last Saturday. I’m confident they’ll respond favorably here after holding TCU to just 16 points in last year’s matchup. Note that just two weeks ago, Texas held mighty Oklahoma out of the end zone from just under 10 minutes left in the first quarter until midway through the third quarter. The Longhorns may not have an elite defense this season, but it’s not as if they’re facing an offensive juggernaut on Saturday. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between Akron and Northern Illinois at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

Akron’s offense couldn’t have looked much worse than it did in last week’s 21-0 loss at home against Buffalo (we won with the Bulls in that game). Rather than fade the Zips again here, we’ll turn our attention to the total and back the ‘under’ as they hit the road to face Northern Illinois. One area where I do expect some improvement from the Zips offensively is on the ground. You can run on the Huskies this season and that bodes well for Akron as it looks to effectively shorten this game and churn out long drives. That of course also serves our purposes well with a play on the ‘under’. Northern Illinois lost starting QB Ross Bowers to a concussion in last week’s loss to Miami-Ohio. Regardless who is under center, the Huskies have had a tough time getting anything going offensively this season. Save for a few breakdowns from opposing defenses resulting in big plays, Northern Illinois has been kept at bay for much of the campaign. RB Tre Harbison has seen his workload increase over the last few games and has had some success, but it’s worth noting that he has reached the end zone in just two of six contests this season. He’ll likely be the focal point of the Huskies offense on Saturday but that only strengthens our position on the ‘under’ as he should be able to help NIU churn out long, time-consuming drives against a Zips defense that has at the very least been able to limit opposing passing attacks, not allowing a quarterback to throw for over 200 yards since September 21st against Troy. Take the under (10*).

CFB AAC Total of the Month. My selection is on the ‘under’ between Tulane and Navy at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

These two teams combined to score 57 points in last year’s matchup – a narrow one-point Green Wave victory. I’m anticipating a lower-scoring affair this time around. Tulane is fresh off a beatdown at the hands of Memphis last week. The Green Wave are certainly a better defensive team than they showed in that contest. Memphis went into that one highly-motivated after suffering its first loss of the season the week previous at Temple. Navy has been rolling along, scoring a whopping 114 points over the course of its current three-game winning streak. Keep in mind, those wins came against Air Force, Tulsa and South Florida. Just two weeks ago Tulane gave up only seven points in a blowout win over Connecticut, allowing the Huskies to gain just 134 yards through the air and less than 100 on the ground. This is obviously a much tougher matchup but my point is, the Green Wave are capable of stiffening up defensively. Remember, earlier this season they gave up just 24 points on the road against Auburn, holding the Tigers off the scoreboard for the entire first quarter and giving up just a single touchdown in the second half. Navy’s lone defeat this season came at the hands of aforementioned Memphis. After allowing a touchdown with just under 10 minutes left in the first quarter, the Middies didn’t give up another offensive touchdown until nearly six minutes into the third quarter. Take the under (10*).

CFB Pac-12 Game of the Month. My selection is on USC minus the points over Colorado at 9 pm et on Friday.

The USC Trojans are dealing with a number of key injuries on the defensive side of the football but that's certainly been factored into this line. I like the upside of the Trojans offense as they head to Boulder to face an awful Colorado defense. On the flip side, the Buffaloes offense has disappointed this season - the duo of QB Steven Montez and WR Laviska Shenault Jr. in particular. The Trojans 'next man up' philosophy on defense has served them well and I believe this is another matchup they can handle. Note that Colorado has scored just 13 points in its last two games. Even when the Buffaloes did put up 30 points in a losing effort against Arizona three weeks ago they still didn't manage to find the end zone until the final two minutes of the first half and failed to score a touchdown over the game's critical final 20 minutes. USC rode a big game from freshman RB Kenan Christon last week as he ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns on just eight carries. Take USC (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between Tulane and Memphis at 7 pm et on Saturday.

We won with the ‘under’ in Tulane’s rout of Connecticut last Saturday and I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the same play here. The Green Wave will obviously be facing a much tougher challenge this time around. Note that Tulane hasn’t really been overly tested but when it did go on the road to face Auburn it managed just six points. Memphis isn’t Auburn but will pose a difficult challenge. Last week, the Tigers didn’t bring their ‘A’ game defensively, digging themselves a 23-7 first half hole before rallying. I do give them credit for stiffening up in the second half, allowing just a single touchdown in the game’s final 30 minutes. Look for the Tigers to come out of the gate much stronger back at home. The Green Wave by no means possess an elite defense, but we have certainly seen positive signs. Going back to that matchup with Auburn, they held the Tigers out of the end zone until the second quarter and also went a stretch of 22 game minutes from the second quarter into the third quarter before allowing another touchdown. When these two teams squared off last season Tulane rolled to a 40-24 victory. I expect this one to be more tightly contested, which should lend itself to a lower-scoring affair. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on SMU minus the points over Temple at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

This is being pegged as a real tough test for SMU as it welcomes 5-1 Temple to Gerald J. Ford Stadium on Saturday afternoon. I’m confident the Mustangs will be up to the challenge. Temple should be commended for its strong start, but it’s not as if it has been overly tested. The Owls wins have come against Bucknell, Maryland, Georgia Tech, East Carolina and Memphis. The win over Maryland certainly could have gone either way as they won by a score of 20-17 and last week the Owls did everything they could to give the game away after building a big 23-7 first half lead against a shell-shocked Memphis squad. Here, I’m confident the Owls will get the Mustangs best punch. SMU enters the game off its bye week which came on the heels of a wild 43-37 triple-overtime win over Tulsa. It certainly got caught flat-footed in that one – its first game as a top-25 ranked team since 1986 – falling behind big before rallying with three unanswered fourth quarter touchdowns to force overtime. Temple should garner its full attention here. The Mustangs have put up 40+ points in all but one of their six games so far this season and should approach that number again. I’m not convinced the Owls will be able to keep up. Take SMU (10*).

CFB Blowout Game of the Month. My selection is on Buffalo minus the points over Akron at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

This one has blowout written all over it as a hungry Buffalo squad travels to face winless Akron. The Bulls have faced a tough early season schedule so it’s not surprising that they enter this contest with just two wins to their credit. Things do get easier from here, starting with what should be a layup against the Zips. Look for the Buffalo ground game to really get rolling in this one. Note that last week Akron got torched for 208 rushing yards on 39 attempts by Kent State running back Will Matthews and quarterback Dustin Crum. Buffalo’s tandem of Kevin Marks and Jaret Patterson have the potential to improve on those numbers here. Buffalo has shown it has blowout potential having already defeated FCS squad Robert Morris (who I wouldn’t rank far below Akron) 35-10 and Temple 38-22. The Bulls took this matchup by a 24-6 score last season. Take Buffalo (10*).

CFB Big 12 Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between TCU and Kansas State at 2:30 pm et on Saturday.

Things really got away from TCU in its most recent game as it dropped an ugly 49-24 decision on the road against Iowa State. I look for the Horned Frogs to do a much better job of controlling proceedings against Kansas State on Saturday and that lends itself to a much lower-scoring affair. Keep in mind, that game against Iowa State essentially turned on a Cyclones defensive fumble return for a touchdown three minutes into the second quarter. Offensively, TCU has shown flashes of brilliance but those flashes have been few and far between. QB Max Duggan has been inconsistent at best, passing for over 200 yards only once, that coming in comeback mode against Iowa State. There's no question, the Horned Frogs will face a tough challenge in the form of Kansas State's defense on Saturday. After dropping back-to-back conference tilts against Oklahoma State and Baylor, in blowout fashion no less, this is obviously a huge game for the Wildcats. Like TCU, Kansas State's offense has been less than impressive. At home against Baylor, Kansas State didn't find the end zone until there were less than seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The good news is, in that same contest, the 'Cats held Baylor out of the end zone until the final seven minutes of the first half. This was a defensive struggle last year with TCU prevailing 14-13. Take the under (10*).

CFB MAC Total of the Year. My selection is on the 'over' between Toledo and Ball State at 2 pm et on Saturday.

This matchup was no contest a year ago as Toledo rolled to a 45-13 win. As the line would indicate, this should be a far more competitive affair, and I believe that lends itself to a high-scoring game. Ball State has reeled off back-to-back wins after starting its campaign with a 1-3 record. The Cardinals have already been involved in some shootouts. They can beat you through the air and on the ground with little talked about RB Caleb Huntley absolutely going off over the last two games, rushing for 309 yards on 64 carries. The touchdowns haven't come just yet (he has just five through six games this season) but it's only a matter of time. QB Drew Plitt has been bombing away, attempting at least 32 passes in five of six games to date. He has already tossed 13 touchdowns. The Cardinals will need all of that offense and then some against a Toledo squad that will be in a sour mood after scoring just seven points in a loss at Bowling Green last week. Keep in mind, the Rockets entered that game sporting a 4-1 record, having scored 145 points over the course of a four-game winning streak. Rockets RB Bryant Koback has already ran for at least 177 yards on two different occasions this season and should have a field day against the Ball State defense on Saturday. Toledo admittedly has questions at QB after Mitchell Guadagni suffered an injury last week but it's not as if he's been setting the MAC on fire. Take the over (10*).

CFB ACC Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Pittsburgh and Syracuse at 7 pm et on Friday.

Most are expecting a shootout in this Friday night ACC tilt but I'm looking for a different story to unfold at the Carrier Dome. Pittsburgh is coming off a wild, high-scoring 33-30 win at Duke last time out. Keep in mind, the Panthers built a huge 26-3 lead in that contest and actually didn't give up a touchdown until the final three minutes of the third quarter. They sagged late and let the Blue Devils stage a furious rally, even giving up the lead in the fourth quarter before securing the win with a late touchdown. That should only amp up their concentration on the defensive side of the football in this one, and I see this as a manageable matchup against an inconsistent Syracuse offense. Note that earlier this season, Pitt didn't give up a touchdown against a powerful UCF offense until the final five minutes of the first half. Syracuse is coming off a tough 16-10 loss at N.C. State last week. The Orange are off to a frustrating 3-3 start. QB Tommy DeVito has looked terrific at times but has been far too inconsistent. 11 of his 12 touchdown passes have come in three games and he has also thrown five interceptions. Syracuse's ground attack has been equally inconsistent. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on Louisiana-Lafayette minus the points over Arkansas State at 7:30 pm et on Thursday.

The Ragin' Cajuns are coming off a tough 17-7 loss at home against Appalachian State in a rematch of last year's Sun Belt championship game. They're installed as a road favorite here in what looks like a tough matchup with Arkansas State, on paper at least. In a game that has true shootout potential, I have more confidence in the Louisiana-Lafayette defense to get a couple of key stops when it needs it on Thursday night. I also like the fact that the Ragin' Cajuns boast one of the best rushing attacks in the nation. They have the tandem of backs in Elijah Mitchell and Trey Ragas to effectively shorten this game and put it away for good should they be able to build a lead. Arkansas State has absolutely exploded offensively over its last few games with QB Layne Hatcher tossing eight touchdown passes in his last two contests. Don't count on a repeat performance against a capable Cajuns defense here. Take Louisiana-Lafayette (10*).

My selection is on LSU minus the points over Florida at 8 pm et on Saturday.

This is the marquee matchup on Saturday’s board as the 6-0 Gators challenge the 5-0 Tigers in the Bayou. While Florida is coming off a hard-fought emotional home win over rival Auburn last Saturday, LSU enjoyed nothing more than a tune-up in a 42-6 rout of Utah State. I’m still not sure we’ve seen the best the Tigers have to offer, which is saying something considering they’ve scored 60+ points on two separate occasions already this season. This is the game where I look for the LSU defense to step to the forefront and serve as the key to victory. Gators standouts Lamical Perine and Freddie Swain absolutely exploded against Auburn last Saturday but I’m confident the Tigers will do a better job of keeping that duo in check in this one. Florida QB Kyle Trask has managed the last couple of games nicely but won’t be able to match LSU QB Joe Burrow in this one. While we can’t expect Burrow to keep up his ridiculous pace, I do look for him to consistently put the Tigers in good position to score on Saturday night, ultimately helping them pull away for another convincing win. Take LSU (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between Army and Western Kentucky at 7 pm et on Saturday.

We’re dealing with a relatively low posted total in this one but the number is warranted in my opinion. Army is coming off back-to-back uncharacteristic high-scoring games, splitting those contests against Morgan State and Tulane. This one sets up as a slugfest, however, noting that Western Kentucky has seen three of its five games this season total 34 points or less. The Hilltoppers have managed to score more than 21 points only once, and that came back in Week 1 against FCS squad Central Arkansas. While last week’s game got away from them, the Black Knights have proven they can play hard-nosed defensive football, allowing a grand total of just 65 points through their first four contests this season. Take the under (10*).

CFB Big 12 Game of the Month. My selection is on Baylor minus the points over Texas Tech at 4 pm et on Saturday.

Baylor is one of the nation’s more surprising undefeated teams as we head into mid-October. The Bears are coming off back-to-back impressive wins over Iowa State and Kansas State and now have the opportunity to really get rolling before heading on the road for a showdown with Oklahoma State next week. Texas Tech is in a clear letdown spot here as it tries to follow up a surprising 45-35 win over Oklahoma State last Saturday. The Red Raiders jumped all over a Cowboys squad that was arguably ‘fat and happy’ off a big win over Kansas State the week previous. Keep in mind, Texas Tech is still playing without starting QB Alan Bowman. Jett Duffey has filled in admirably, not only this season but last year as well, but faces a tall task against a quality Baylor defense here. Just two weeks ago, Duffey was held to 11-of-20 passing for 120 yards and ran the ball seven times for just 16 yards against Oklahoma. Take Baylor (10*).

CFB Total of the Week. My selection is on the ‘under’ between Connecticut and Tulane at 3:45 pm et on Saturday.

Connecticut was in a terrific spot to earn its second win of the season last week as it hosted an injury-plagued South Florida squad at home. Not only did the Huskies fail to win that game, they got blown out by a 48-22 score. Their lone victory this season came against FCS squad Wagner at home back in Week 1. Things won’t get any easier as they travel to face upstart Tulane here, noting that UConn has topped out at 24 points – that performance coming against aforementioned Wagner. Tulane was involved in a surprising shootout against Army at West Point last Saturday, prevailing by a 42-33 score. That was actually the Green Wave’s second consecutive shootout win after defeating Houston 38-31 two weeks previous. I don’t think Tulane will be interested in getting involved in another high-scoring affair here. Remember, earlier this season we saw the Green Wave give up just 44 points over a three-game stretch that included a road date with Auburn (they gave up 24 points in that loss). This is a ‘win and move on’ type of situation for the Green Wave and that sets up well for us with an ‘under’ ticket in hand. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on Alabama minus the points over Texas A&M at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

We got backdoored by Texas A&M earlier this season as it scored a last-second touchdown to close the gap to 14 points at Clemson. I won’t hesitate to go back to the well fading the Aggies here, however, as they face another steep challenge against Alabama. We actually cashed an ‘under’ ticket the last time A&M took the field, two weeks ago against Arkansas in Dallas. The Aggies had a tough time putting away a middle-of-the-road Arkansas squad on that day, ultimately prevailing by a 31-27 score. QB Kellen Mond has now thrown four interceptions and has fumbled the football three times through five games this season. If he can’t take care of the football against the Crimson Tide it will be lights out in a hurry for the Aggies. There’s not a lot to say about Alabama. The Tide continue to roll but after giving up a grand total of 43 points in their first four games they allowed 31 against Ole Miss last Saturday. That should help keep their motivation level high as they head to College Station, noting that ‘Bama took this matchup by 22 points last season. Take Alabama (10*).

My selection is on Georgia minus the points over South Carolina at 12 noon et on Saturday.

Georgia doesn’t seem to garner the same respect level as Alabama and Oklahoma but it should. The Bulldogs are off to a perfect 5-0 start, allowing a grand total of just 54 points in the process. The final score read 43-14 but last week’s win in Tennessee wasn’t a true blowout. Here, I look for Georgia to be even sharper. South Carolina has won twice in five games so far this season, including a 24-7 rout of Kentucky last week. That could leave the Gamecocks a little ‘fat and happy’ entering this not likely winnable contest on Saturday. Note that South Carolina has topped the 24-point mark only once this season and that came against FCS squad Charleston Southern. In the Gamecocks two road games to date they gave up 58 points against North Carolina and Missouri. Georgia rolled to a 24-point victory in this matchup last year but I don’t expect it to overlook South Carolina in this spot. Take Georgia (10*).

CFB AAC Game of the Year. My selection is on Memphis minus the points over Temple at 12 noon et on Saturday.

I really like the way this spot sets up for a Memphis team that remains under the radar despite its perfect 5-0 record. The Tigers are coming off a 52-point explosion on the road against Louisiana-Monroe last week. RB Kenneth Gainwell is seemingly getting better with each passing game, racking up well north of 350 rush yards and four touchdowns over his last three contests. The Tigers defense didn’t perform particularly well in last week’s win, but did earn the game-sealing interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. We have seen this unit step up when it has needed to – remember Memphis defeated Ole Miss by a 15-10 score back in Week 1. We suffered a tough backdoor defeat with Temple last week as it won in unimpressive fashion at East Carolina. The Owls are off to a solid 4-1 start this season but only their victory over then-21st ranked Maryland back on September 14th was all that impressive. Their offense seems to be regressing each week and that’s certainly not encouraging as they could very well need to keep up in a shootout here on Saturday. Take Memphis (10*).

My selection is on the 'under' between Virginia and Miami at 8 pm et on Friday.

The Hurricanes are coming off a high-scoring affair last week against Virginia Tech while Virginia is coming off a much-needed bye week following an ugly performance on the road against Notre Dame. I'm anticipating a relatively low-scoring affair here. The Canes ultimately put up 35 points and now starting QB N'Kosi Perry threw for over 400 yards and four touchdowns last week against the Hokies but that had everything to do with the fact they were playing out of a 28-0 hole in the second quarter. Miami isn't built to win shootouts and won't be interested in another track meet here. The same goes for Virginia. The Cavaliers are off to a 4-1 start this season but have played a rather uneven brand of football on both offense and defense. With no semblance of a ground game, I'm not sure they're going to be able to generate a lot of offense against a good Miami defense in bounce-back mode here. Defensively, I do think the Cavaliers can limit the Canes offense that isn't as good as it showed on the scoresheet last week. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on Louisiana-Monroe minus the points over Texas State at 9:15 pm et on Thursday.

At the onset of the season I had Texas State rated as one of the worst teams in the entire nation and despite the Bobcats 2-3 record, I still believe that is the case. Louisiana-Monroe checks in with an identical 2-3 mark but it has certainly faced a difficult draw with its three losses coming against Florida State and Iowa State on the road and undefeated Memphis at home. Even though the Warhawks lost by 19 at home against the Tigers last time out, that was a competitive game until the fourth quarter. Texas State has one impressive victory to its credit, or somewhat impressive at least. The Bobcats took down Georgia State by a 37-34 score at home back on September 21st. Keep in mind, they needed three overtimes to get it done and it's worth noting they didn't reach the end zone on offense until the final four minutes of the first half and then not again until overtime. The Warhawks took this matchup a year ago and I expect a similar story to unfold here. Take Louisiana-Monroe (10*).

My selection is on Michigan State plus the points over Ohio State at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

We won with Ohio State in its absolute annihilation of Nebraska last Saturday night but I'm expecting a much tighter affair this week as the Buckeyes welcome Michigan State to The Horseshoe. We also cashed in this matchup a year ago, winning a ticket on the 'under'. I do think we'll see points come at a premium again this year (last year's tilt reached only 32 total points). With that in mind, we're being given an awful lot of points with a quality Spartans squad. All most bettors can remember is Michigan State's ugly low-scoring home loss to Arizona State earlier this season. Outside of that game, the Spartans offense has performed well, however, and combine that with a terrific defense and I think Michigan State can stick around and make things interesting here. With a pointspread this generous and considering the tendency the Buckeyes have shown to ease off the gas in the later stages of football games (due entirely to building insurmountable leads), Spartans tickets should be in play right down to the final whistle. Take Michigan State (10*).

My selection is on the 'over' between Western Michigan and Toledo at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

This one is being pegged as a shootout and I expect it to play out as exactly that on Saturday afternoon at the Glass Bowl. Last year this matchup produced 75 points in a game that wasn't competitive as Toledo rolled to a 51-24 victory. I do feel the Broncos are much better-suited to surviving a shootout this time around, keeping in mind we cashed a ticket on the 'over' in Western Michigan's wild 52-33 loss at Syracuse just two weeks ago. Things predictably settled down in the Broncos 31-15 win over Western Michigan last week but I'm confident the offense will ramp back up again here. Toledo is coming off a hard-fought 28-21 home win over BYU last week - the Rockets really couldn't have performed any better defensively in that one. Just two weeks ago they allowed 35 points in a narrow win at Colorado State. This is a team that can light it up through the air and on the ground and one that should have little trouble ripping through a weak Western Michigan defense. The concern for the Rockets has to be that they'll be in for a letdown here, particularly on the defensive side of the football, and the Broncos will certainly be ready to take advantage of that. This is a high total, but it's high for a reason. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on Army plus the points over Tulane at 12 noon et on Saturday.

In a game where points should come at a premium, I'll gladly grab the points with what I believe is the better team, at home no less, on Saturday afternoon. Tulane is coming off an emotional 38-31 win over Houston on national tv, but that came more than two weeks ago. The Green Wave were certainly up for that spotlight game at home but I'm not convinced we're going to see the same type of emotionally-fueled performance here. Army stumbled out of the gates this season, narrowly escaping with a 14-7 win over Rice back in Week 1. The Black Knights have gotten stronger with each passing week, however, including a near stunning upset win on the road against Michigan and back-to-back blowout victories over UTSA and Morgan State. Like Tulane, Army is also coming off its bye week. In what should be a competitive contest, I like the Knights to come away victorious. Take Army (10*).

My selection is on New Mexico plus the points over San Jose State at 10 pm et on Friday.

This isn't a pretty matchup by any means as New Mexico travels to face San Jose State with both teams sporting identical 2-2 records. All that most remember about the Lobos is that they got throttled 66-14 at Notre Dame two weeks ago. But let's keep things in perspective. New Mexico actually didn't allow an offensive touchdown until over three minutes into the second quarter in that game. They suffered some big defensive breakdowns allowing big play touchdowns in that contest, but won't face anything close to the same type of challenge against the Spartans here. San Jose State is coming off a 41-24 loss to Air Force last week. After scoring a touchdown in the first five minutes of the game, the Spartans didn't reach the end zone again until there were less than four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. In their first home game this season - a 34-16 loss against Tulsa - the Spartans didn't reach the end zone until over halfway through the second quarter and then not again until there were less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter. Look for New Mexico to do a good job of shortening this game by churning out long drives, which obviously works in our favor with a play on the underdog. Take New Mexico (10*).

My selection is on Temple minus the points over East Carolina at 8 pm et on Thursday.

Temple has absolutely owned this series, reeling off five straight double-digit victories in five meetings since 2014. The Owls are off to a 3-1 start this season but haven't looked all that impressive in getting there. Here, on the national stage on Thursday night, I look for them to get loose against an East Carolina squad that isn't as good as it 3-2 record would seem to indicate. We were on the 'over' in East Carolina's narrow 24-21 win over Old Dominion last Saturday. That was by no means an impressive victory as neither team was able to get anything going in a truly ugly affair. Save for a 48-point outburst against FCS squad Gardner-Webb, the Pirates offense has been non-existent this season. The game script should set up well for the Owls to ultimately put this game away with a dynamic offense that has yet to really get rolling this season. Veteran QB Adam Russo got bogged down against Georgia Tech last week but has still thrown 10 touchdowns through four games this season. Meanwhile, RB Re'Mahn Davis is coming off a breakout 135-yards, two-touchdown performance against the Yellow Jackets and should run wild on an ECU defense that got torched for 315 yards on the ground against Navy earlier this season. Take Temple (10*).

CFB Sun Belt Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between Georgia Southern and South Alabama at 7:30 pm et on Thursday.

We're looking at a low total here largely due to the fact that these two teams have just two wins between them and both have been wildly inconsistent, and downright awful at times, on the offensive side of the football. I do have confidence in the quarterback play on both sides, however, and think this total should be set in the 50's - noting that last year's meeting produced north of 60 points in a Georgia Southern blowout. I do anticipate a more competitive affair here. South Alabama has the pieces in place on offense for a breakout with QB Cephus Johnson making strides and showing his ability to move the football on the ground and RB Tra Minter one of the most overlooked and underrated running backs in the country who is also capable of contributing big plays in the return game. Georgia Southern should have little trouble moving the football with QB Shai Werts leading the charge. The Jaguars possess one of the weaker defenses in the nation and didn't have a hope of slowing the Eagles offense last season. I don't see much changing here for the Jags on the defensive side of the football. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on Ohio State minus the points over Nebraska at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

Ohio State continues to steamroll inferior competition and while Nebraska looks like it poses a significant challenge on paper, I’m not sure it’s going to play out that way on the field. The Cornhuskers are coming off yet another offensive explosion last week, scoring 42 points in a road win over Illinois. QB Adrian Martinez has done it all on a weekly basis but I’m confident the Buckeyes can develop a gameplan to slow down the Huskers dynamic quarterback. The argument can certainly be made that Ohio State has been the most impressive team in college football so far this season, outscoring the opposition by a ridiculous 214-36 margin. This represents the Buckeyes first true test and I definitely believe they’ll be up for it, especially after narrowly escaping with a 36-31 in this same matchup last November. Lost in Nebraska’s hot start offensively has been its awful defensive play against any opponent with a pulse, giving up 34 points at Colorado and 38 at Illinois. Home cooking has been kind so far, but those performances came against South Alabama and Northern Illinois as double-digit favorites. Expect a different story to unfold here. Take Ohio State (10*).

CFB Big Ten Total of the Year. My selection is on the ‘under’ between Ohio State and Nebraska at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

We won with the ‘over’ in Ohio State’s last road game, a 51-10 win at Indiana two weeks ago. While I do expect to see another strong showing from the Buckeyes defense, I also look for Nebraska to feed off the energy of a raucous home crowd and at least hold their own defensively for a stretch in this one, which will be enough to keep the final score ‘under’ the inflated total. It’s hard to imagine any Ohio State total not being inflated at this point as the Buckeyes have scored an incredible 214 points through four games, looking virtually unstoppable in the process. I simply see this as the game where things settle down a little bit. I’m not sure Ohio State is interested in getting involved in another shootout with the Cornhuskers after narrowly escaping with a 36-31 victory in this matchup last November. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on Kansas State plus the points over Oklahoma State at 7 pm et on Saturday.

While Oklahoma State was involved in a shootout loss against rival Texas last Saturday, Kansas State was idle and enters this game with its undefeated record intact. The Wildcats have just one impressive win to their credit, that coming in their last game, a 31-24 win as a touchdown underdog at Mississippi State (we won with the ‘over’ in that game). I do like the way this one sets up for Kansas State as well as I expect it to run the football at will and control the clock, ultimately shortening this game against offensive-minded Oklahoma State. The Cowboys have a potent ground attack of their own but I suspect they’ll be in tough contending with a rested and ready Wildcats defense. Note that Kansas State held Mississippi State out of the end zone in the critical final 19 minutes of the game two weeks ago, after falling behind 21-17. Wildcats QB Skylar Thompson hasn’t been racking up the completions or yardage totals but has been efficient, throwing four touchdowns compared to no interceptions through three games. Take Kansas State (10*).

My selection is on the ‘over’ between East Carolina and Old Dominion at 6 pm et on Saturday.

We saw a wild, high-scoring affair between these two teams last September as East Carolina pulled out a 37-35 victory. While I’m not anticipating that level of shootout on this occasion, I do think the potential is there for this one to fly ‘over’ the relatively low posted total. Save for a 48-point outburst against FCS squad Gardner-Webb, East Carolina hasn’t been able to get much going offensively this season. It is, however, coming off a victory over William & Mary last week that saw it get a spark from its ground game and I see this as an excellent opportunity to build on that performance against an Old Dominion defense that has been better than advertised but may be in for a letdown here. Old Dominion has dropped back-to-back games at Virginia Tech and Virginia after opening its campaign with a field goal win over Norfolk State. The Monarchs games have been lower-scoring than expected on the whole which certainly helps our cause playing the ‘over’ in this one. Note that we played the ‘over’ in ODU’s 31-17 loss at Virginia Tech earlier this season, a game that fell just short of the total. The Monarchs allowed an offensive touchdown in all four quarters in that game. This is a smash spot for the ODU offense against a Pirates defense that has been crushed in its only two games against FBS competition, allowing a whopping 76 points against N.C. State and Navy. The 42 points ECU allowed at against Navy could have been even worse had the Midshipmen not eased off the gas after building a 39-point lead. Here, I’m anticipating a more competitive game and that lends itself to a high-scoring result. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between Texas A&M and Arkansas at 12 noon et on Saturday.

This matchup produced just 41 total points last season and I believe oddsmakers are being very generous putting this total in the high-50’s on Saturday. Texas A&M has exploded against the likes of Texas State and Lamar but has been held at bay in both of its ‘step-up’ games against Clemson and Auburn. Of course, those latter two opponents are two of the best teams in the entire country and Arkansas is far from their level. With that being said this is a strong motivational spot for the Razorbacks at home off a poor showing against San Jose State on this field just last week. I’m confident the ‘Hogs will hold their own defensively but not so sold on their offense which has been completely held at bay in two of four games this season, including a matchup against Ole Miss in which they didn’t score an offensive touchdown until the game’s final two minutes. Last week we saw Arkansas score a touchdown with about a minute left in the first quarter but then didn’t reach the end zone again until the first two minutes of the fourth quarter – and that was against a San Jose State squad that had given up 34 points in a blowout loss against Tulsa the game previous. I don’t see the Razorbacks busting out offensively against an Aggies team that is better than their 2-2 record indicates. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on the 'over' between Duke and Virginia Tech at 7 pm et on Friday.

With Virginia Tech coming off back-to-back relatively low-scoring contests here in Blacksburg we're dealing with a reasonably low total as the Hokies host the Blue Devils on Friday night. I'm anticipating plenty of offense, however. Note that Virginia Tech has scored at least an offensive touchdown in all four quarters of two of its three games to date this season. Last time out against Furman, the Hokies got off to a very slow start but ultimately rallied to score three second half touchdowns in a narrow victory. Save for a beatdown at the hands of Alabama back in Week 1 (in which it gave up five offensive touchdowns in the second and third quarters) Duke hasn't really been tested defensively with its last two wins coming against North Carolina A&T and Middle Tennessee. Offensively, the Blue Devils haven't really missed a beat without QB Daniel Jones, with Quentin Harris passing for nearly 600 yards and eight touchdowns over the last two games. The last meeting between these two teams totaled just 45 points last September but that only serves to keep this total in a reasonable range. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on the 'over' between Navy and Memphis at 8 pm et on Thursday.

We saw a relatively low-scoring affair between these two teams in last year's meeting as Navy prevailed by a 22-21 score. Both the Midshipmen and Tigers enter this contest with undefeated records but their early schedules have been admittedly soft. With both coming off bye weeks they'll be eager to get rolling again here, and I'm anticipating a competitive, high-scoring contest. We certainly haven't seen the best from either offense in the early going this season, which is saying something considering Navy has scored 87 points through two games while Memphis has put up a whopping 97 points in its last two contests. While the Memphis ground game is capable of cranking it up against any opponent, I think this is the game where we'll see Tigers QB Brady White move the football at will against the Navy secondary. The question is whether Navy can keep up as a double-digit underdog. I do believe the Midshipmen will find some success offensively with QB Malcolm Perry rounding back into form. Last season was a general disappointment for the Middies offense but they're off to a solid start this year with Perry coming off a 156-yard, four touchdown rushing day against East Carolina last time out, adding two touchdowns through the air as well. I had this total pegged in the high-50's so I'm willing to take a shot at the current number. Take the over (10*).

CFB TV Total of the Month. My selection is on the ‘under’ between Notre Dame and Georgia at 8 pm et on Saturday.

The last time these two teams met back in 2017 they combined to score just 39 points in a one-point Georgia victory. While many are expecting a much higher-scoring affair this time around, I don’t see it. Yes, Notre Dame is fresh off a 66-point explosion against New Mexico but the Lobos are one of the country’s weakest teams. Prior to that the Irish had their hands full on the road against Louisville, eventually pulling away for a 35-17 win. Georgia has taken full advantage of a fairly weak early-season schedule, scoring a combined 148 points in wins over Vanderbilt, Murray State and Arkansas State. Defensively, the Bulldogs haven’t really been tested but there’s no question this is an elite group. The same goes for the Irish, who save for a couple of lapses have been rock solid through two games. They did give up 17 points against a mediocre Louisville offense in Week 1, but it’s worth noting that after giving up two touchdowns in the game’s first 11 minutes, they held the Cardinals out of the end zone the rest of the way. Over their last 7+ quarters of action the Irish have allowed just two touchdowns. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on Baylor minus the points over Rice at 7 pm et on Saturday.

While we are being asked to lay a lot of points in this game, I believe the line could be even higher. Baylor is off to a perfect 2-0 start, beating up on Stephen F. Austin and Texas-San Antonio to the tune of a combined 119-31 score. Rice might actually be worse than both of those teams. I like the way Baylor has essentially ‘run up the score’ against its first two opponents, scoring three fourth quarter touchdowns despite those two contests having already been completely out of hand. While Rice comes in off physical affairs against Wake Forest and Texas in the last two weeks, Baylor is fresh off its bye week. The Owls “only” lost by 35 points last week against Texas, largely due to the Longhorns simply running out the clock in the last 20+ minutes of the game (they did score a kick return touchdown in the game’s final minute). Save for a strong showing against Army’s option-based offense in Week 1, the Owls haven’t had any luck slowing opposing offenses. They particularly struggle against teams that can air it out and Baylor certainly falls in that category. Note that over its last two games, Rice has allowed opposing quarterbacks to go 49-of-61 passing for 650 yards, six touchdowns an no interceptions. Baylor QB Charlie Brewer is still rounding into form but has already thrown for six touchdowns an no interceptions through two games. His efficiency will only improve (he’s 33-of-47 passing for 362 yards so far) and I fully expect to see him dominate the Owls secondary in this contest. Take Baylor (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between SMU and TCU at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

I absolutely love the way the ‘under’ sets up in this one as the undefeated Mustangs and Horned Frogs go head-to-head in Texas. SMU has absolutely shredded opposing defenses through three games, racking up 133 points. Keep in mind, those performances came against the likes of Arkansas State, North Texas and Texas State. This will certainly be the Mustangs toughest test to date against a terrific TCU defense. The Horned Frogs have allowed just 20 points through two games. Last time out against Purdue, TCU didn’t allow a touchdown until the final four minutes of the fourth quarter when the game was already well out of hand. The Horned Frogs will certainly have their guard up against undefeated SMU and its high-octane offense. While the Mustangs aren’t known for their defensive ability and have given up 74 points through three games there is some reason for optimism here. Even when SMU gave up 30 points at Arkansas State in Week 1 it gave up a touchdown in the game’s first two minutes before holding the Red Wolves out of the end zone again until the third quarter. They gave up only two touchdowns in the first 58 minutes of the game against a good North Texas offense two weeks ago. My point is, they’re capable of holding up well for stretches and its not as if TCU is an offensive juggernaut. Last week at Purdue the Horned Frogs scored a touchdown in the final two minutes of the first quarter but didn’t find the end zone again until nearly midway through the third quarter. Even in their home-opener against FCS squad Arkansas-Pine Bluff they managed just one touchdown until the final 10 seconds of the third quarter. Take the under (10*).

CFB SEC Total of the Year. My selection is on the ‘over’ between Auburn and Texas A&M at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

This matchup didn’t develop into a shootout last year as Auburn prevailed by a 28-24 score. I do think the potential is there for this year’s meeting to play out a little differently, however. Auburn didn’t exactly come roaring out of the gates this season, needing a big fourth quarter rally to outlast Oregon by a 27-21 score back in Week 1. The Tigers followed that up with an unimpressive 24-6 win over Tulane but then got loose for a 55-16 rout of Kent State last Saturday. I believe that explosive performance last week, in which they scored two offensive touchdowns in three of four quarters, was just what the doctor ordered heading into this showdown. Texas A&M turned in a similar performance last week, blowing the doors off FCS squad Lamar 62-3. I liked the way the Aggies kept their foot on the gas in that contest, even scoring two fourth quarter touchdowns when the game was already completely out of hand. They may need all the offense they can get against Auburn this week. Texas A&M has actually held up quite well defensively through three games, although the loss to Clemson certainly could have been much worse had the Tigers not eased up after building a big second half lead (not to mention the fact that Clemson is still finding its offensive rhythm. Given the early season schedules, we really don’t know exactly how good either of these defenses are. I have more faith in the offenses ability to produce at this stage of the season. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on the ‘over’ between Western Michigan and Syracuse at 12 noon et on Saturday.

We missed the mark with the ‘over’ in Syracuse’s blowout loss at home against Clemson last Saturday night but despite that dud, I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the same play here. Western Michigan will be Syracuse’s opponent this time around and the Broncos are off to an excellent offensive start, having scored 122 points through three games, albeit with most of the damage being done in matchups with Monmouth and Georgia State. Western Michigan was held to only 17 points in its lone road test to date, but that came against Michigan State in East Lansing – a tough challenge to be sure. Credit WMU for scoring a pair of touchdowns and putting together three scoring drives in that contest. Here, the Broncos should find the going much easier against a Syracuse squad that has only been able to slow down FCS opponent Liberty through three games this season. In the Orange’s other two contests they allowed a whopping 104 points against Maryland and Clemson. We saw the Syracuse offense get bogged down last Saturday but that was against one of the best defenses in college football in Clemson. I fully expect a strong bounce-back performance against the Broncos. Note that two weeks ago against Michigan State, Western Michigan allowed three offensive touchdowns in the first quarter alone and six over the course of the game. The Broncos have really had a tough time containing opposing ground games so far this season and will have their hands full again at the Carrier Dome. This one has true shootout potential noting that last year’s meeting produced 97 points. Take the over (10*).

CFB MWC Total of the Month. My selection is on the ‘over’ between Air Force and Boise State at 9 pm et on Friday.

We saw a shootout between these two teams last year as Boise State prevailed by a 48-38 score in a wild contest. I expect more of the same as the Falcons and Broncos do battle on Friday night in Boise. We won with Air Force in its outright underdog victory on the road against Colorado last Saturday. That win didn’t come easy as the Falcons coughed up a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter before winning in overtime. This is an experienced Air Force offense that is operating at a high-level running the option. Remember, in its season-opener it put together five touchdown drives in the first half alone, albeit against FCS squad Colgate. Here, the Falcons know they’ll need to put 7’s on the board on most drives in order to keep up with the Broncos. Boise State is off to a perfect 3-0 start this season but after scoring 36 points in its season-opening win at Florida State, it has sputtered a bit, scoring 59 points in its last two wins over Marshall and Portland State, both at home. The last time we saw the Broncos on national TV they managed only 14 points in the victory over Marshall. I look for them to find a lot more success moving the ball against a middle-of-the-road Air Force defense. I liked the way Boise State worked sophomore dual-threat QB Chase Cord into the action last week against Portland State. He essentially took over the game late, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another. His presence gives the Broncos offense another element that Air Force will need to prepare for after really struggling defensively in this matchup a year ago. Credit Boise State for giving up just 17 points in its last two games but I don’t believe those results necessarily mean its defense is elite. As a single-digit favorite at home, I don’t think we’re going to see the Broncos run away and hide in this one, and that lends itself to a high-scoring affair on the blue turf. Take the over (10*).

CFB AAC Total of the Year. My selection is on the ‘under’ between Houston and Tulane at 8 pm et on Thursday.

We’ve split a couple of totals plays on games involving Houston this season, playing the ‘over’ on both occasions. Here, I’m anticipating a lower-scoring affair as the Cougars travel to face upstart Tulane. Despite scoring 92 points through three games this season, the Houston offense really hasn’t been all that imposing. In their opener at Oklahoma, the Cougars didn’t find the end zone until less than five minutes were left in the first half. They turned in a terrific stretch of offensive football early against FCS squad Prairie View A&M the next week but didn’t reach the end zone after the game’s first 20 minutes. Last Friday night against Washington State the Cougars put together two touchdown drives in the second quarter but didn’t find the end zone again until there were two minutes left in the fourth quarter. You get the picture. Tulane is coming off a 58-point explosion last week, but that came against FCS squad Missouri State. Note that the Green Wave have yet to have a quarterback throw for more than 200 yards or anyone rush for 100 yards in their first three contests. Tulane has taken care of business against the opponents it should but scored just six points in its lone loss, a 24-6 setback at Tulane two weeks ago. The Green Wave defense has been as good as advertised, giving up just 40 points through three games, including only 24 at the Hands of Auburn. In that game against the Tigers, they held QB Bo Nix to just 19-of-37 passing for 207 yards and limited lead rusher JaTarvious Whitlow to less than 100 yards on the ground. Houston took this matchup in blowout fashion last year, 48-17. I’m anticipating a much tighter affair here. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on the ‘over’ between Clemson and Syracuse at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

I’m expecting a shootout at the Carrier Dome on Saturday night as Clemson puts its undefeated record on the line against Syracuse. Despite scoring 76 points through their first two games, the Tigers actually haven’t been operating at a truly high level offensively just yet. QB Trevor Lawrence has completed just 37-of-58 passes for 436 yards, two touchdowns and a surprisingly three interceptions through two games but I look for a big bounce-back performance in ideal conditions inside the Carrier Dome on Saturday. After cruising to a shutout win over FCS squad Liberty in its opener, Syracuse got rolled by a 63-20 score at Maryland last week. The Tigers gave up six touchdowns in the first half alone in that game and don’t appear well-suited to slow down the multi-faceted Tigers offensive attack here. We can count on the Orange to at least try to keep pace here, noting that they did score two touchdowns in the first quarter-and-a-half of last week’s game before things got completely out of hand. A return home should certainly help their cause as this team is built for the fast track. Clemson’s defense was certainly up for last week’s showdown with Texas A&M but we could certainly see a bit of a letdown in that regard here. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between Iowa and Iowa State at 4 pm et on Saturday.

This has traditionally been a low-scoring matchup with last year’s meeting producing a grand total of just 16 points. Iowa was involved in a higher-scoring game than expected in its season-opener, defeating Miami-Ohio by a 38-14 score. It’s worth noting that there were only 17 points scored in the first half of that contest. Iowa didn’t manage to find the end zone until nearly halfway through the second quarter. Again last week we saw the Hawkeyes offense sputter a bit as it scored two early touchdowns but then went from midway through the second quarter until less than three minutes remaining in the third quarter to reach the end zone again. They ultimately won that game by a 30-0 score over Rutgers. Iowa State hasn’t played since pulling out a 29-26 triple-overtime win over FCS squad Northern Iowa back on August 31st. That game saw just 26 points scored in regulation time. Iowa State didn’t register a touchdown until midway through the third quarter. The Cyclones didn’t actually give up an offensive touchdown until the second overtime period in that game. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between UNLV and Northwestern at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

UNLV is coming off back-to-back relatively high-scoring games to open the season but both of those came at home. After scoring a whopping 56 points in a season-opening win over FCS squad Southern Utah the Rebels were brought right back to Earth in a 43-17 loss to Arkansas State last week. Note that UNLV didn’t actually allow an offensive touchdown in that game until over six minutes into the second quarter and that was against an underrated Arkansas State offense. Once the Red Wolves jumped ahead by a considerable margin the Rebels came unglued. Note that UNLV allowed a touchdown around six minutes into the second quarter against Southern Utah in its opener but then didn’t give up another touchdown until the fourth quarter. This week’s opponent, Northwestern, is by no means an offensive juggernaut. The Wildcats offense really struggled, albeit against a terrific defense, at Stanford in its season-opener. However, defensively give them credit as they allowed just one offensive touchdown in the entire game and that didn’t come until the final four minutes of the first half. Northwestern isn’t really the type of team that is likely to run away and hide, regardless of the level of competition and I don’t think the UNLV offense has enough to help this one ‘over’ the total. Take the under (10*).

CFB Underdog Game of the Month. My selection is on Air Force plus the points over Colorado at 1 pm et on Saturday.

Air Force got a nice tune-up for this game last week as it rolled to a 48-7 win over Colgate in its season-opener. Not surprisingly, an offense that returns most of the talent from last year’s squad put together a touchdown drive just over four minutes into the game and then added four more in the second quarter. The Falcons held Colgate off the scoreboard entirely until the final 10 seconds of the third quarter. Colorado pulled a minor upset of Nebraska at home last week, rallying back from a 17-0 halftime deficit. I can’t help but feel a letdown could be in order here, however. Note that the Buffaloes didn’t find the end zone until the final two minutes of the third quarter in that game and then things essentially turned on a complete defensive breakdown by Nebraska in the first minute of the fourth quarter, as K.D. Nixon hauled in a 96-yard touchdown pass. The Falcons were awful against the pass last season but do return experience in the secondary and they’ll certainly be on guard against the Buffaloes strength, which is their passing game, in this one. Take Air Force (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between Arkansas State and Georgia at 12 noon et on Saturday.

Arkansas State has been involved in back-to-back high-scoring games to open the season but those results weren’t unexpected against SMU and UNLV. Here, the Red Wolves will be taking a major step up in class on the road against Georgia and I don’t expect their offense to thrive as it has in the last two weeks. Keep in mind, last week against a bad UNLV defense, Arkansas State didn’t find the end zone on offense until nearly midway through the second quarter. In the Red Wolves season opener against SMU they scored a touchdown in the first two minutes of the game but then didn’t reach the end zone again until early in the third quarter. Defensively, the potential is certainly there for Arkansas State to get torched in this game but I do think its offense can do enough to control the clock somewhat and keep the Georgia offense off the field for stretches. What I’m not convinced of is that the Red Wolves can end those offensive drives with points on the board. Georgia has scored 93 points through two games but 63 of those came against FCS squad Murray State last week. That game essentially turned on an early second quarter fumble return for a touchdown from the Bulldogs. From there they absolutely exploded, scoring four offensive touchdowns in a seven-minute stretch in the second quarter. Through two games, Georgia has allowed only one offensive touchdown and that came on a defensive breakdown early in last week’s game against Murray State (60-yard touchdown pass). Take the under (10*).

My selection is on the ‘over’ between Maryland and Temple at 12 noon et on Saturday.

This has the potential to be one of the higher-scoring games on Saturday’s board as far as I’m concerned. Maryland is due for a letdown after lighting up Howard and Syracuse for 142 points in its first two games. I don’t think this is the spot, however, as Temple hasn’t been tested, rolling to a 56-12 win over FCS opponent Bucknell last week. There’s no question the Owls were impressive in that victory as they scored three touchdowns in the game’s first 13 minutes and never let up, even scoring two fourth quarter touchdowns when they were already up by 30 points. Keep in mind, Temple has an experienced quarterback in Anthony Russo and he was on point last week, completing 32-of-41 passes for 409 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Maryland actually gave up two touchdowns in the first quarter-and-a-half against Syracuse last week before a couple of late first half touchdowns of its own put things out of reach. I liked the way the Terps kept pouring it on, scoring a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns after they had already built a 29-point advantage. Expect a shootout here. Take the over (10*).

CFB Non-Conference Total of the Month. My selection is on the ‘over’ between Kansas State and Mississippi State at 12 noon et on Saturday.

Kansas State has feasted on a couple of inferior opponents to open the season, rolling to a 49-14 win over Nicholls State and a 52-0 shutout of Bowling Green. I like the way the Wildcats have gotten off to extremely fast starts, putting together five scoring drives in the first quarter of their first two games, including four offensive touchdowns. That’s certainly a promising start following a dismal offensive campaign a year ago. Ball State transfer RB James Gilbert has been a bright spot, racking up 218 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries. QB Skylar Thompson, albeit against inferior opposition, has seemingly found some rhythm, completing 26-of-35 passes for 363 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Now the Wildcats face a tougher test in SEC opponent Mississippi State, but I do think Kansas State can still keep it rolling offensively. Note that in the Bulldogs toughest test to date, they allowed 28 points against Louisiana-Lafayette. Last week they gave up only 15 points against Southern Miss, and none until less than five minutes were left in the third quarter but it is worth noting that the Eagles drove into Mississippi State territory in two of their first three drives, missing a field goal on one and giving up a fumble on another. Once the Bulldogs build a sizable lead Southern Miss completed abandoned its gameplan and couldn’t get anything more going on offense. Here, I’m obviously anticipating a more competitive affair and I believe that lends itself to a relatively high-scoring game between two offenses that have been very efficient in the early going. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on the ‘over’ between Washington State and Houston at 9:15 pm et on Friday.

This matchup will be pegged as a shootout and that’s precisely how I expect it to play out on Friday night in Houston. Note that this game will be played in ideal conditions inside NRG Stadium, the home of the Houston Texans. Washington State is off to a 2-0 start but that was fully expected given it opened against New Mexico State and Northern Colorado. I do like the fact that despite being involved in two blowouts, the Cougars didn’t let up as those games progressed, scoring at least a touchdown in all eight quarters of football played this season. They know they’ll need to score early and often here as Houston has the personnel to match them touchdown for touchdown. Washington State QB Anthony Gordon has completed 60-of-74 passes for 884 yards, nine touchdowns and one interception through two games. Houston checks in sporting a 1-1 record, opening with a blowout loss at Oklahoma before bouncing back with a blowout win of its own against FCS squad Prairie View A&M last week. Cougars QB D’Eriq King has not performed particularly well through two games this season but I’m confident he can turn it around. The good news is the Houston ground game appears to be in midseason form and should open things up for King against Wazzu here. Even without King in top form, it took Houston less than a quarter to rack up 24 points last week. That game saw five scoring drives in the first quarter alone. The Cougars were able to ease off the gas pedal in that game, but that won’t be the case here. This total is high, but the number is warranted in my opinion. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on the ‘over’ between Kansas and Boston College at 7:30 pm et on Friday.

High-scoring games should be the norm in games involving Boston College this season and while Kansas doesn’t look like a formidable opponent coming off a 12-7 loss to Coastal Carolina, I do think the Jayhawks can have enough offensive success to push this one ‘over’ the total. Note that Kansas did have RB Pooka Williams back following a one-game suspension last week and he ran for 99 yards on 22 carries. Senior RB Khalil Herbert has run for 170 yards and a touchdown through two games. The Jayhawks know they won’t be able to rely on their defense to keep them in this game as Boston College has exploded out of the gates offensively, scoring nine touchdowns in the first half alone in its first two games. The Eagles have an experienced offense led by RB A.J. Dillon who has ran for three touchdowns already this season. While the Kansas defense has held up well so far, it has faced the likes of Indiana State and Coastal Carolina. This game represents a major step up in class. Take the over (10*).

CFB ACC Total of the Year. My selection is on the ‘under’ between North Carolina and Wake Forest at 6 pm et on Friday.

Wake Forest is coming off back-to-back high-scoring games (and ‘over’ results) to open the season but I look for this particular contest to be lower-scoring than most are expecting. The Demon Deacons have played two below-average defensive teams in their first two games, Utah State and Rice. Their offense has certainly clicked, putting up a whopping 79 points already but here they’ll face a tougher test in the form of 2-0 North Carolina. The Tar Heels have allowed just 45 points through two games against South Carolina and Miami, so it’s not as if they’ve played FCS pushovers. Against the Gamecocks, UNC gave up a touchdown with just over three minutes left in the first quarter but then held them out of the end zone until there was just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter. Last week, the Tar Heels didn’t give up an offensive touchdown until the final 25 seconds of the first half against Miami. On the flip side, the Demon Deacons defense has been up and down but did settle in last week (admittedly after Rice lost its starting quarterback to injury), holding the Owls scoreless in the second and third quarters before allowing a garbage time touchdown once the game was out of hand in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. With North Carolina playing on a short week off back-to-back tightly-contested victories, I don’t think it will have any interest in getting involved in a shootout here. Tar Heels QB Sam Howell has attempted exactly 24 passes in each of the first two games. North Carolina has proven capable of controlling the clock by moving the football on the ground and I’m anticipating a similar gameplan here. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on UCF minus the points over Florida Atlantic at 7 pm et on Saturday.

This matchup was no contest a year ago as the Knights rolled to a 56-36 win over FAU. This time around, I look for a much better performance from the UCF defense as it once again disposes of the Owls without much trouble. The Knights couldn’t have looked much better than they did in last week’s 62-0 rout of FCS squad Florida A&M. They were ahead 55-0 before two minutes had expired in the third quarter. While they’ll definitely get a tougher matchup from Lane Kiffin’s Owls, I’m confident they’ll be up for the challenge and like the fact that they’re hitting the road to avoid any sort of letdown here. FAU fell behind 28-0 just over midway through the first quarter against Ohio State last week and didn’t find the end zone until the fourth quarter in an eventual 45-21 loss. While the Owls probably aren’t as bad as they looked in that mismatch, this isn’t the ‘get right’ matchup they need in Week 2. Even if their defense holds up better than it did against UCF last year, I’m not convinced their offense can score enough to stay inside this reasonable number. Take UCF (10*).

My selection is on Mississippi State minus the points over Southern Miss at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

I’ll lay the points with the Bulldogs in this one as they look for a sharper performance after escaping with a 38-28 win at Louisiana-Lafayette last week. There were certainly defensive concerns, particularly in the fourth quarter after they thought they had put the game away sporting a 35-14 lead. I see this as a more favorable matchup at home against Southern Miss. The Eagles are fresh off a 38-10 rout of FCS squad Alcorn State last Saturday. Keep in mind, they didn’t manage a single offensive touchdown until nearly seven minutes into the third quarter in that game, and that came only thanks to a defensive breakdown from Alcorn State (55-yard touchdown pass). Jaylond Adams ran back a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in that contest. I’m higher on Mississippi State than most and don’t mind laying two-plus touchdowns in its home opener against a C-USA opponent. Take Mississippi State (10*).

CFB Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Clemson minus the points over Texas A&M at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

We won with Clemson in its rout of Georgia Tech last week and I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the Tigers again in a tougher matchup (on paper) against Texas A&M this Saturday. It wasn’t a completely clean effort from the Tigers last week by any means, yet they still managed to win by a 38-point margin. I certainly expect QB Trevor Lawrence to be sharper after completing just 13-of-23 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns a week ago. The Aggies will undoubtedly have Clemson’s full attention after the Tigers narrowly escaped with a 28-26 win in last year’s meeting. Last week, Texas A&M rolled to a 41-7 win after jumping ahead 28-0 at halftime but that was against one of the worst teams in FBS in Texas State. With experienced QB Kellen Mond leading a tremendous offense I think the Aggies will get baited into a shootout here, but I don’t believe that serves them well. I ultimately expect the Tigers defense to pin back its ears and get after Mond while its offense does the rest, as it cruises to a comfortable victory. Take Clemson (10*).

My selection is on the ‘under’ between West Virginia and Missouri at 12 noon et on Saturday.

These two teams are coming off very different results last week as West Virginia escaped with a 20-13 win over FCS squad James Madison while Missouri fell by a 37-31 score on the road against Wyoming. There are a couple of things to note when it comes to the Tigers wild, high-scoring affair a week ago. Their offense scored two touchdowns in the first quarter but didn’t reach the end zone again until a couple of minutes into the fourth quarter. Clemson transfer Kelly Bryant was terrific for the most part, but he’ll face a tougher test against the Mountaineers defense this week. West Virginia allowed a rushing touchdown late in the first quarter against JMU but then didn’t give up another TD the rest of the way. The Missouri defense couldn’t stop the Wyoming ground game but did do a nice job of completely shutting down the Cowboys through the air. Keep in mind, the Tigers didn’t give up an offensive touchdown until over midway through the second quarter and ultimately allowed only three offensive touchdowns in the game, with two of them coming on long runs of 60+ yards. I don’t expect to see those type of defensive breakdowns back home as a two-touchdown favorite this week. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on the ‘over’ between Old Dominion and Virginia Tech at 12 noon et on Saturday.

This is a rematch of last year’s wild 49-35 upset win by Old Dominion and I’m anticipating another high-scoring affair. ODU managed only 24 points in last week’s narrow win over FCS squad Norfolk State but keep in mind that was against a quality FCS program. The Monarchs were efficient moving the football, particularly on the ground, as they put together three offensive touchdown drives. Concerning was the fact that their defense sagged when they could have put the game away, giving up two touchdowns in the first 10 minutes of the fourth quarter. Virginia Tech scored offensive touchdowns in all four quarters against Boston College last week but couldn’t hold up at all defensively, giving up five offensive touchdowns in a 35-28 loss. While this isn’t as tough of a matchup by any means, I’m not convinced the Hokies defensive issues can be fixed in a week. Take the over (10*).

CFB Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'under' between Marshall and Boise State at 9 pm et on Friday.

We won with Boise State but missed with the 'under' in the Broncos come-from-behind win over Florida State in what turned out to be a true road game due to Hurricane Dorian last week. I won't hesitate to go back to the well with the same play on the total here as Boise welcomes C-USA opponent Marshall on Friday night. All indications are that the Broncos have no interest in getting involved in another wild, high-scoring shootout here. Head coach Brian Harsin has been emphasizing tackling, ball security and field position in advance of this game (which will be played on a short week after that grueling affair in Tallahassee). It's worth noting that despite allowing 31 points against the Seminoles, Boise State did show the ability to play sound defense for an extended stretch, holding a better offense than they'll face on Friday scoreless over the game's final 34 minutes. Offensively, the Broncos didn't find the end zone in that game until there were just over four minutes left in the first half. Marshall put up 56 points in a blowout win last week, but that came at home against FCS squad VMI. I'll also point out that the Thundering Herd didn't score a touchdown in that game until just over three minutes remaining in the first quarter. The game essentially turned on a punt return touchdown less than two minutes later. From there, the floodgates opened. I certainly don't expect the Broncos defense to wilt the same way the Keydets' did last week. Credit the Marshall defense to limiting VMI to only 201 passing yards last week, not easing off even after building the insurmountable lead early. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on the 'over' between Houston and Oklahoma at 7:30 pm et on Sunday.

This total is exorbitantly high, but it is so for a reason. Houston's offense is absolutely loaded this season with QB D'Eriq King back from injury and a wealth of talent around him. Oklahoma may be a college football superpower but its defense hasn't been good in recent years, and this is an awfully tough matchup right out of the gate. The Sooners lose a ton of talent on offense heading into this season but the cupboard is never bare in Norman. After losing Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray in consecutive years they won't be turning to an unseasoned freshman - instead it will be veteran QB Jalen Hurts running the offense and I don't expect this unit to miss a beat. The last time these two programs met back in September 2016 a true shootout never developed. I expect a different story to unfold here as both teams should find the end zone at will all night long. Take the over (10*).

CFB Game of the Month. My selection is on Auburn minus the points over Oregon at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

It's another hyped-up Pac-12 vs. SEC matchup as Oregon looks to stage the upset against Auburn on Saturday night. I wouldn't count on that happening, however. The Ducks have the projected first quarterback to be taken in the 2020 NFL Draft in Justin Herbert. With that being said, he'll be facing a major challenge here in an Auburn defense that is once again loaded with talent. I actually think it will be the Auburn offense that really shines in this matchup, however. The Tigers offensive line boasts five seniors and that should make all the difference in the world for an offense that sputtered in 2018. QB Jarrett Stidham is now a New England Patriot, and the Tigers will go with true freshman Bo Nix as their starter. Head coach Gus Malzahn has indicated that he won't hold anything back in the playbook with Nix at the helm, and I tend to believe him. Nix walks into an ideal situation with a loaded backfield, not to mention a hungry and talented wide receiver corps. The matchup is fine as the Ducks are certainly beatable defensively. The question will be whether the Tigers defense can weather the early storm and ultimately take control of this game. I believe they can and will and just like last year, we'll open our season with a big winner on Auburn. Take Auburn (10*).

My selection is on Georgia Southern plus the points over LSU at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

I'll take a flyer on Georgia Southern on Saturday night as it heads to the Bayou to tangle with LSU. Style points don't matter one bit in this season-opening non-conference matchup for the Tigers. With Texas on deck there's really no reason to leave it all on the field and throttle the Eagles. Keep in mind, Georgia Southern went into Death Valley and lost by 31 points against Clemson last year, and that was three weeks into the season, when the Tigers had already gotten rolling. In that game, the Eagles held Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence to just 12-of-19 passing for 194 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Georgia Southern actually gained less than two yards per rush in that contest, but still controlled the football for over 31 minutes. The Eagles return plenty of talent on both sides of the football and their option-based offense should be able to effectively shorten this game and help keep within arm's reach of the loaded Tigers. Take Georgia Southern (10*).

My selection is on Pittsburgh plus the points over Virginia at 7:30 pm et on Saturday.

Virginia is coming off a rare winning season in 2018 - its first winning campaign since 2011 and prior to that you would have to go back to 2007 to find the last time it posted more wins than losses. Meanwhile, Pitt quietly has a pretty good thing going under Pat Narduzzi with just one losing season in its last four. I really don't think there's a lot separating these two teams, just as there wasn't last year when Pitt went on the road in sloppy conditions and delivered a 23-13 win. You would have to go back to 2014 to find the last time the Cavaliers beat the Panthers and that was as a five-point home favorite. I think Pitt has just enough to prevail here, and love the line shift we've seen leading up to the game. Take Pittsburgh (10*).

My selection is on Boise State plus the points over Florida State at 7 pm et on Saturday.

I simply feel that too much respect is being given to Florida State, not to mention the benefit of the doubt following a disappointing 5-7 campaign a year ago. Maybe the Seminoles get off to a much different start than we saw from them last year, but I certainly don't expect them to cruise against a perennial powerhouse like Boise State. As is the case with any elite program, there's plenty of shuffling and re-stocking of the cupboard to be done in Boise. But I like where the Broncos are at following last year's 10-3 campaign. In fact, the Broncos are now an incredible 31-9 over the last three years. The biggest question is whether true freshman QB Hank Bachmeier can step in and fill the shoes left by now-Denver Broncos Brett Rypien. Bachmeier will have plenty of talent around him and I'm confident he'll be able to guide the offense to great heights again this year. He won't be asked to do a ton in this particular matchup. Look for the Boise State talented defense to be what keeps the Broncos in this one from start to finish. Take Boise State (10*).

My selection is on the 'under' between Boise State and Florida State at 7 pm et on Saturday.

I expect the offenses to rule the night as these two powerful programs go head-to-head in a key Week 1 matchup. Both teams have some uncertainty at quarterback, even if they are saying all the right things heading in. Boise State turns to a true freshman to run the offense in Hank Bachmeier. He's going to be a good one but how much of the offensive playbook will they put in his hands on night one of the season? Against a defense as fierce as Florida State's? I'm not sure he'll be asked to do too much. James Blackman is the man under center for the Seminoles after winning the job in fall camp. He of course does have experience running this offense but the 'Noles are perennial under-achievers offensively and I'm not convinced the start of the 2019 campaign will prove any different against a formidable defensive opponent in Boise State. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on the 'under' between Utah State and Wake Forest at 8 pm et on Friday.

If this matchup were to take place a couple of weeks from now I might be on the opposite side of the total but here in Week 1, I look for the defenses to be a little ahead of the offenses. Both the Aggies and Demon Deacons are dealing with some key losses on the offensive side of the football. For Utah State, most of QB Jordan Love's top targets are gone from a year ago. So is RB Darwin Thompson. The pieces are in place for the offense to keep rolling, but I do think it's going to take some time, and this isn't an ideal matchup, traveling east to face an upstart Wake Forest squad that has been to three straight Bowl games, and one that took the last meeting between these teams in 2017 by a lopsided 46-10 score. I don't expect to see the Demon Deacons to run wild against the Aggies defense this time around, however. Utah State boasts a stronger defense now, even after losing some key parts from last year's group. Meanwhile, Wake Forest knows that it needs to be better - much better- on the defensive side of the football in order to take a step forward in the ACC this year. I'm confident the 'D' can and will be better, and it all starts with this matchup. Offensively, the Deacons lose their star WR Greg Dortch, who was a do-it-all type that will certainly be missed all over the field. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on the 'under' between Kent State and Arizona State at 10 pm et on Thursday.

We've seen fairly consistent money flow in support of the 'over' in advance of this non-conference matchup on Thursday night. At first glance, I can see where 'over' backers are coming from. After all, Kent State had one of the MAC's worst defenses last season - a unit that truly has nowhere to go but up with plenty of experience returning - and also boasts a capable offense led by veteran QB Woody Barrett - a former Auburn transfer. Keep in mind, the Golden Flashes offense tried their best to play fast last season, using the gimmick name 'FlashFast', but still scored more than 26 points in a game against FBS opposition only twice. I expect similar tough sledding here as they travel across the country to face an underrated Sun Devils defense that figures to improve on a campaign that saw it allow just 112 points in six home games last season. On the flip side, the Arizona State offense is ushering in a new era with freshman Jayden Daniels having won the starting QB job. Not only that, but the Sun Devils are missing one of their anchors on the offensive line in Zach Robertson who is away from the team dealing with personal issues. We'll see flashes of brilliance from Daniels on Thursday night, but I'm not convinced we'll see the full scope of the offense in Week 1. Of course, gone are QB Manny Wilkins and WR N'Keal Harry who lit it up in the passing game a year ago. Expect to see plenty from RB Eno Benjamin, but Herm Edwards won't overwork his bell cow should things get out of hand. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on Clemson minus the points over Georgia Tech at 8 pm et on Thursday.

This may seem like a very lofty pointspread given the fact the Tigers haven't sniffed out a win of this magnitude against Georgia Tech over the years. But here's the thing; the Yellow Jackets controlled the football for over 36 minutes thanks to their option offense in this matchup last year - and still lost by 28 points! Now they're moving to a more pro-style offense (while also changing their defensive scheme) and I don't think it bodes well as they open the season in Death Valley on Thursday night. The Tigers obviously lose plenty of talent to the NFL after a season that culminated with a dominating victory over Alabama in the National Championship Game (we won with Clemson in that one). That's nothing new, however, and the cupboard is still without question well-stocked. It may take a little bit of time for the offense to really get rolling, but I'm confident we'll see the Tigers eventually run away and hide in this one. I'm not sure the oddsmakers can set the line high enough. Take Clemson (10*).

My selection is on Cincinnati minus the points over UCLA at 7 pm et on Thursday.

Bettors seem to be looking to back UCLA in this matchup, perhaps as Cincinnati doesn't appear to be a truly intimidating early season foe for a Pac-12 opponent - even after the Bearcats went on the road and won this matchup a year ago. The fact is, the Bearcats went an impressive 11-2 in their second season under head coach Luke Fickell and I believe they have a lot to build from here in 2019. The offense returns a lot of talent from last year's squad and should have little trouble exposing a weak UCLA defense. While the Bearcats do lose a lot from last year's impressive defensive unit, the jury is still out as to whether the Bruins offense can take full advantage. UCLA starting QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson has received a lot of praise but last year completed just 57% of his passes for seven touchdowns and four interceptions while gaining only 1.4 yards per rush. I'm not convinced that Chip Kelly is the answer for the Bruins. The line indicates a virtual toss-up and while it may very well turn out to be that, I like my chances laying the small number with a Bearcats squad that has to feel a little disrespected right out of the gates. Take Cincinnati (10*).

My selection is on the 'under' between Florida and Miami at 7 pm et on Saturday.

This total has dropped considerably since opening and it's the right move in my opinion. Miami will be turning to redshirt freshman Jarren Williams to take over as starting quarterback. While I do feel going with Williams was the right move, I'm not certain we'll see him come out all guns blazing against an elite Florida defense on Saturday. Turnovers were the Hurricanes downfall last year and as a result I'm not expecting to see them really open up the playbook for Williams here, especially considering they're in transition on the offensive line after losing their right and left tackles from last season. The Gators offense has the potential to be electric this season but this is a tough opening week matchup against a talented and experienced Hurricanes defense that will be highly-motivated to play well for new head coach and former defensive coordinator Manny Diaz. Florida's offense only really got rolling in its last four games last season, scoring 35+ points in all four of those contests. Of course, there's a big difference between taking advantage of worn down opposing defenses late in the season and going up against a fresh unit in late August. Keep in mind, like the Canes, the Gators have also suffered big losses on their offensive line, even worse in fact as they lose four starters from last year's team. Both of these teams have everything to play for on Saturday night and I'm anticipating a tightly-contested affair. Take the under (10*).

NCAAF Game of the Month. My selection is on Clemson plus the points over Alabama at 8 pm et on Monday.

This is the fourth straight year that the Tigers and Crimson Tide will meet in the College Football Playoff and after getting blown out in the semi-final last year, I fully expect Dabo Swinney's Tigers to respond with a strong performance here. I'll grab the points in what should be a far more competitive affair than we saw a year ago. Alabama has actually just covered one spread over its last four games, that coming in a 52-21 rout of Auburn back on November 24th. Meanwhile, Clemson rolls into this contest after blowing out Pitt in the ACC Championship Game and Notre Dame in the CFP semi-final. There's really not a lot more to say about this matchup than has already been said. I simply feel that taking the points is the right move in a game where there's little to separate two elite squads. Take Clemson (10*).

NCAAF Bowl Game of the Year. My selection is on Ohio State minus the points over Washington at 5 pm et on Tuesday.

I simply feel there is a considerable class difference in this matchup that isn't being properly reflected in the pointspread. If you're looking for impressive victories on Washington's schedule, they're pretty tough to find. I felt that it was a down year for the Pac-12 as a whole and when the Huskies did step up in class, they lost against Auburn (we won with the Tigers in that game) and also suffered a loss at Oregon. Ohio State closed out the season with five straight wins, including a rout of a game Northwestern squad in the Big Ten Championship Game. The Buckeyes scored at will for much of the season but also proved they could win in a defensive slugfest, posting wins (and covers) at Penn State and Michigan State. There are those that feel the Huskies can hang around with their defense in this matchup - I'm not so easily convinced. Take Ohio State (10*).

My selection is on Iowa plus the points over Mississippi State at 12 noon et on Tuesday.

I really don't feel there's a lot to choose between these two teams and see considerable value backing the Hawkeyes in an underdog role on New Year's Day. Mississippi State is being given the edge by the oddsmakers largely due to the fact that it plays in the SEC. But what did the Bulldogs do to really impress over the course of the season? There was a road win at Kansas State and a couple of blowout home wins over Auburn and Texas A&M but that's really it. Meanwhile, Iowa battled it out in the Big Ten all season long and did manage to stay competitive in tight road losses at Penn State and Purdue. In fact, all four losses the Hawkeyes suffered came by 11 points or less, with the largest margin coming in a home loss to Wisconsin way back on September 22nd. I'm anticipating a competitive affair here and will grab all the points I can get with Iowa. Take Iowa (10*).

My selection is on the 'over' between N.C. State and Texas A&M at 7:30 pm et on Monday.

This game has major shootout potential with both the Wolfpack and the Aggies featuring capable quarterbacks and dynamic ground games. Both offenses are certainly comfortable in what they do and closed out the regular season on high notes with N.C. State routing East Carolina and Texas A&M prevailing in an overtime thriller against LSU, 74-72 (yes, you read that right). Neither defense is a pushover by any means, but these units have also become somewhat accustomed to getting involved in high-scoring affairs. I believe both teams will come in with the mentality that they need to end drives with 7's rather than 3's in order to prevail in this one. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on Pittsburgh plus the points over Stanford at 2 pm et on Monday.

The Panthers have been a pretty tough team to figure out this season, at least up until they had their doors blown off against Clemson in a true mismatch in the ACC Championship Game. Here, I do like Pitt's chances of sticking around against a Stanford squad that finished strong, but still ultimately disappointed in the Pac-12 this season. The Cardinal really had only one notable victory over the final two months of the season, that coming on the road against Cal in their regular season finale. Stanford is really only here thanks to taking care of business against the teams it should beat. I don't believe this is a gimme for the Cardinal by any means. Take Pittsburgh (10*).

NCAAF Bowl Total of the Year. My selection is on the 'under' between Cincinnati and Virginia Tech at 12 noon et on Monday.

Cincinnati put up some big offensive numbers down the stretch this season but it did so against weak opposition. Meanwhile, the Bearcats were held to 13 points against UCF, 26 points in an overtime win over SMU and 17 points in an overtime loss to Temple, just to name a few subpar offensive performances. Virginia Tech isn't the defensive powerhouse it once was, but it can still hang. Like the Bearcats, the Hokies offense didn't do a great job when stepping up in class this season. Prior to scoring 34 and 41 points in their final two regular season games, they had put up 28 points or less in six consecutive contests. I simply feel this total will prove too high. Take the under (10*).

My selection is on Oklahoma plus the points over Alabama at 8 pm et on Saturday.

Most are anticipating a blowout in this 1 vs. 4 matchup but I believe Oklahoma can hang around and make life difficult for the Crimson Tide. Of course, when it comes to the Sooners it's all about their offense. Oklahoma is going to need a monumental effort from Heisman Trophy winner QB Kyler Murray but I do think he has it in him on the big stage on Saturday night. The Sooners have suffered just one loss this season, that coming way back in October against rival Texas, and it came by only three points. Oklahoma had little trouble avenging that defeat, scoring a 39-27 win over the Longhorns in the Big 12 Championship Game earlier this month. This is becoming old hat for Alabama and there's no denying the Tide are once again the nation's best team. However, I do feel the Sooners have an excellent shot at keeping this close, much like Georgia did in the SEC Championship Game. Take Oklahoma (10*).

My selection is on Virginia plus the points over South Carolina at 12 noon et on Saturday.

Virginia ended the regular season on a real sour note with three losses in its final four games to fall into this Bowl game. Meanwhile, South Carolina won four of its last six contests and has been installed as the favorite in this SEC-ACC showdown. I'm not at all impressed by South Carolina's resume and to be completely honest, I don't believe the Gamecocks should be favored in this game. Virginia had its wheels come off late in the season but that could be forgotten with a victory over an SEC opponent here. The Cavaliers did defeat Miami and go on the road and beat Duke during their ACC campaign. Take Virginia (10*).

My selection is on Syracuse minus the points over West Virginia at 5:15 pm et on Friday.

The Orange haven't appeared in a Bowl game since 2013, when they defeated Minnesota as 3.5-point underdogs. We've seen a big line shift here since the news came out that West Virginia QB Will Grier would sit out this game, and that means an awful lot. Grier carried the Mountaineers for much of the season and regardless what head coach Dana Holgorsen says, his absence will certainly be felt here. Credit Syracuse for finishing the regular season on a strong note. The Orange have been terrible at closing out the regular season with any sort of success in recent years, a big reason they've been shut out of Bowl action for the last five years. I fully expect to see Syracuse make the most of its opportunity here, even without some key cogs on the defensive side of the football. Take Syracuse (10*).

My selection is on Wisconsin plus the points over Miami at 5:15 pm et on Thursday.

Miami may be favored in this game but there's really nothing all that impressive on the Hurricanes resume this year and I believe they'll be in tough against a Wisconsin squad that was a disappointment in its own right. The Badgers went a miserable 3-9 ATS during the regular season but I do feel they'll be motivated to end the year on a high note in this matchup. I really liked what I saw from Wisconsin in its late season road win at Purdue, not to mention a road victory against Iowa earlier in the campaign. The venue suits the Badgers well with this game being played in New York. It may not be pretty, but I look for Wisky to pull off the minor upset. Take Wisconsin (10*).

NCAAF Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'over' between Houston and Army at 3:30 pm et on Saturday.

We won with the 'under' in Army's last game, its annual clash with Navy earlier this month. I won't hesitate to switch gears and back the 'over' in this one, however, even with Houston missing QB D'Eriq King to a knee injury. Keep in mind, in the Cougars last game against Memphis, backup QB Clayton Tune threw for over 250 yards and three touchdowns. I do believe the Cougars will be able to move the football against this Army defense. On the flip side, Houston is not a good defensive team, getting ripped time and time again over the course of the season. I'm not sure the extra preparation time will have helped all that much as they get ready to go up against the Army triple-option offense. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on the 'over' between Florida International and Toledo at 12:30 pm et on Friday.

We saw a couple of situations where Toledo came out completely flat and was held down offensively this season but for the most part, the Rockets were explosive to say the least and I fully expect to see them get up for this Bowl tilt with Florida International on Friday. The Panthers saw a similar story unfold over the course of the regular season as they put up some gawdy offensive numbers on several occasions but were also held down in a couple of flat spots. This is not such a flat spot as the Panthers will be up for an opportunity to secure a Bowl win against a MAC opponent. There's little reason to anticipate either team holding much back in the Bahamas on Friday - I believe we're dealing with a reasonable total. Take the over (10*).

My selection is on the 'over' between Marshall and South Florida at 8 pm et on Thursday.

I believe this game has shootout potential, noting that Marshall posted an 8-4 o/u mark during the regular season while South Florida certainly was involved in its share of high-scoring affairs as well. The Bulls limped down the stretch but I don't believe they'll shy away from a shootout on Thursday night. Given they've had no success slowing down opposing running games, they'll be hard-pressed to avoid having to let it rip on offense in order to keep up. If nothing else, Marshall has been consistent putting points on the board this season, putting up at least 20 points in each and every game. The Thundering Herd scored 30+ on five different occasions. I expect a similar story to unfold here. Take the over (10*).

CFB Bowl Game of the Week. My selection is on Marshall minus the points over South Florida at 8 pm et on Thursday.

Outside of an early season win over Georgia Tech I have a tough time finding many quality wins on South Florida's resume and I believe the Bulls will be in tough against the Thundering Herd on Thursday night. These teams are mirror images of one another as far as ATS success goes, with both struggling against the number down the stretch. Marshall is without question the healthier squad heading into this game and I like the advantages the Thundering Herd have in the trenches, where they allowed less than three yards per rush this season in contrast to the Bulls 5.0 yards per rush allowed. Take Marshall (10*).