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November 5th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: Washington Huskies @ Oregon Ducks
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 3:30 ET
Location: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR
Game Line: Oregon -34.5
Over/Under 67.5

Simply put, without QB Jake Locker in the lineup, the Huskies don't even remotely have a chance of hanging around in this game. Locker is the heart and soul of this team, and he has basically accounted for all of the offense this year. Now, QB Keith White is going to thrown into the mix having thrown just nine passes in his entire career. The true frosh won't last against an Oregon offense that has dropped 42 or more points on everyone it has faced this year and is averaging over 575 yards per game. This could be a real showcase for RB LaMichael James, who is gunning for his third 200+ yard rushing game this year, a feat which could certainly be had against a defense that was just run over last week to the tune of 41 points against the Stanford Cardinal. All you'll be hearing atop the BCS rankings for another week is Quack! Quack!

Free College Football Picks: Oregon -34.5
Prediction: Oregon 52 – Washington 10

Matchup: Alabama Crimson Tide @ LSU Tigers
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 3:30 ET
Location: Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA
Game Line: LSU +6.5
Over/Under 44

We've already talked quite a bit about this big time tussle in the Bayou, and we think that we have already made our point clear that we love the Bayou Bengals. This is a rough scheduling spot for the Tide even though they are off of their bye week, as it was also a bye for LSU. Giving two weeks for HC Les Miles to draw up more tricks seems to be a little unfair. The question is going to be whether the offense for LSU can really get enough going to keep the Alabama offense out of sync. If the Tide get this game into the high 20s, there is no chance for LSU to survive. However, we've seen the "Mad Hatter" pull off stranger things, and we think the Tigers are going to roar loudly on Saturday.

Free College Football Picks: LSU +6.5
Prediction: LSU 20 – Alabama 16

Matchup: Hawaii Warriors @ Boise State Broncos
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 3:30 ET
Location: Bronco Stadium, Boise, ID
Game Line: Boise State -21
Over/Under 66

One would think that the only hope the Warriors have in this one is to try to make it a shootout. Their defense just isn't good enough to compete with Boise State, and the Broncos have one of the most high octane offenses in the land as well. This isn't a test like that of the Virginia Tech Hokies earlier in the season. This is a legitimate home game against a long time rival, and it isn't an opportunity that Boise State figures to pass on in its showcase season. QB Bryant Moniz is going to be in for his biggest test of the season, even bigger than when the USC Trojans paid a visit to the Big Island. Hawaii has the longest ATS winning streak in the nation coming into this week at six games, but that all comes to a close as QB Kellen Moore and the gang put the Warriors down and move one step closer to the BCS.

Free College Football Picks: Boise State -21
Prediction: Boise State 41 – Hawaii 17

Matchup: TCU Horned Frogs @ Utah Utes
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 3:30 ET
Location: Rice Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, UT
Game Line: Utah +4.5
Over/Under 51.5

Is this really the game of the year? The Horned Frogs know that the reward for winning this game on the road would probably be the coveted No. 2 ranking in the BCS next week, as they will probably hop over the Auburn Tigers, who are taking on an FCS opponent. TCU has a lot of great things going for it, including a defense that ranks No. 1 in the nation in three major statistical categories. HC Gary Patterson lives for games like this one, and he knows that QB Andy Dalton is the man that can get the job done by going on the road and taking care of the Utes. Don't think for one minute that the combination of QB Jordan Wynn, RB Eddie Wide, and RB Matt Asiata are just rolling over and dying, though. Rice Eccles Stadium is one of the more hellacious places to go play in the MWC. Here's the thing, though. Utah has struggled just a bit against some of the better teams on its schedule. Against better teams than that, the Horned Frogs just keep continuing to roll and really haven't had a close call this year. They might get challenged on Saturday afternoon, but when push really comes to shove, TCU is winning this game by two scores.

Free College Football Picks: TCU -4.5
Prediction: TCU 24 – Utah 13

Matchup: North Carolina Tar Heels @ Florida State Seminoles
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 3:30 ET
Location: Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Game Line: Florida State -10.5
Over/Under 49

If you really believe that the garnet and gold have the best team on their half of the ACC Atlantic Division, this is the game for you. Florida State is coming home for what should be an emotion tie just a week after getting beaten at the gun in a crushing defeat by the NC State Wolfpack at Carter Finley Stadium on national TV. QB Christian Ponder is going to want to make amends for fumbling on the final drive of the game that could've won it, and the defense is certainly going to want to make up for its three second half touchdowns allowed to the Wolfpack. The Noles haven't even given up that many points in a full game this year at home. North Carolina is a mess right now, and it was lucky to survive against lowly William & Mary last weekend. The Heels are well on their way to another disappointing defeat in the Sunshine State after getting blown away by the Miami Hurricanes two weeks ago.

Free College Football Picks: Florida State -10.5
Prediction: Florida State 31 – North Carolina 16

Matchup: Northwestern Wildcats @ Penn State Nittany Lions
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 3:30 ET
Location: Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA
Game Line: Penn State -6
Over/Under 48

Don't be overly shocked if this turns out to be a fantastic game in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions and Wildcats are both looking to improve their bowl positioning this year and they are both rock solid clubs. Northwestern has really slipped against the NCAA football odds of late, dropping five in a row. However, the Wildcats still have one of the most consistent dual threat quarterbacks in the Big Ten in QB Dan Persa, and he is figuring out on the job how he can win games in a very tough conference. The Nittany Lions are getting back QB Robert Bolden after his one week absence, and this is going to be one of the more difficult games for the youngster to deal with this year. It feels like every single season, Northwestern has this way of playing really, really tight games against Big Ten teams in games that maybe aren't of the utmost importance, and this sort of feels like one of those games. Fortunately, unlike last week against the Indiana Hoosiers, we don't have to pick a winner. We just need the Cats to stay close to stick in front of the number.

Free College Football Picks: Northwestern +6
Prediction: Penn State 28 – Northwestern 24

Matchup: Nebraska Cornhuskers @ Iowa State Cyclones
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 3:30 ET
Location: Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, IA
Game Line: Iowa State +17.5
Over/Under 57.5

Here's the million dollar question in this NCAA football betting affair: Which Iowa State team is going to show up? Is the one going to take the field that was absolutely blown to bits by both the Utah Utes and Oklahoma Sooners in back to back weeks, or will the ISU that went on the road and beat the Texas Longhorns and smashed both the Kansas Jayhawks and Texas Tech Red Raiders be on the gridiron? It's not totally inconceivable to think that the Cyclones could still win the Big XII North, but obviously, this is a must win game. The Huskers are probably in no mood to screw around after finally making themselves the only team in this conference that really controlled their own destiny last week when they beat the Missouri Tigers. Still, we know that RB Roy Helu isn't rushing for 300 yards again this week, and we aren't so sure how healthy QB Taylor Martinez really is. On top of that, this is a ton of points to be giving a home team in a conference tussle, especially one that has the caliber enough to go bowling this year.

Free College Football Picks: Iowa State +17.5
Prediction: Nebraska 31 – Iowa State 20

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November 5th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: Wisconsin Badgers @ Purdue Boilermakers
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 12:00 ET
Location: Ross Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN
Game Line: Purdue +20
Over/Under 51.5

The Boilermakers have just been an offensive train wreck this year, and for good reason. QB Robert Marve was supposed to be the savior of the team, but he has since been knocked out for the season. Now, without a running game (RB Ralph Bolden has been out for the whole season as well) or a passing game, it's a miracle how Purdue scores anything. Wisconsin has had a bye week to get its feet back on the ground after taking care of the Ohio State Buckeyes and Iowa Hawkeyes in back to back weeks. There's no reason that a red hot bunch of Badgers should be winning this game by anything less than three TDs.

Free College Football Picks: Wisconsin -20
Prediction: Wisconsin 34 – Purdue 10

Matchup: Iowa Hawkeyes @ Indiana Hoosiers
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 12:00 ET
Location: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN
Game Line: Indiana +17.5
Over/Under 54

Last season, the Hoosiers were really in a prime position to knock off the Hawkeyes with an outright upset before the wheels fell off at Kinnick Stadium and Iowa ended up finding a way to cover a very similar point spread. We aren't so sure that that will be the case again this season. Yes, the Hawkeyes have a significantly better team than do the Hoosiers, but IU has always been a real thorn in the side to Iowa. As long as QB Ben Chappell proves to be healthy enough to give it a go in this one (and that's in doubt, so be sure to check the injury report before unloading), the Hoosiers have a real chance at pulling off the upset. We don't think that it will happen, but we aren't ready to take QB Ricky Stanzi on the road and laying over two TDs against a team that is good enough to be a bowl squad this year in a conference tussle.

Free College Football Picks: Indiana +17.5
Prediction: Iowa 28 – Indiana 20

Matchup: Minnesota Golden Gophers @ Michigan State Spartans
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 12:00 ET
Location: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI
Game Line: Michigan State -24.5
Over/Under 57.5

The Spartans have to be angry after losing last week to the Iowa Hawkeyes in a bad way, and we tend to believe that this is a game in which they can exact some revenge. Sure, we know that these two teams don't like each other and that the Golden Gophers theoretically shouldn't just be taking a dive in a game like this even though they are 1-8 on the season, but what other result is really possible? QB Adam Weber needs to have a tremendous game to avoid Minnesota suffering what should be an absolutely brutal defeat. It will be a great bounce back game for QB Kirk Cousins, RB Le'Veon Bell, and RB Edwin Baker, all of which were absolutely shut down last week by Iowa.

Free College Football Picks: Michigan State -24.5
Prediction: Michigan State 41 – Minnesota 14

Matchup: North Carolina State Wolfpack @ Clemson Tigers
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 12:00 ET
Location: Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC
Game Line: Clemson -4
Over/Under 50.5

This could largely be considered the game of the year for the Wolfpack. If they win this one, the coast could be relatively clear towards the ACC Championship Game. They got some great news last week as well when Clemson was knocked off by the Boston College Eagles in Chestnut Hill. Depending on your belief, it could be that the Tigers just aren't that good, or that they were already looking forward to that duel against NC State. We're hoping that it's the latter. Death Valley is always a major pain to go into, and especially off of that tremendous win over the Florida State Seminoles, we can't help but wonder if the Wolfpack are going to crash back to earth in a game that is do or die for the Tigers if they have any hopes of bowling this season.

Free College Football Picks: Clemson -4
Prediction: Clemson 31 – NC State 24

Matchup: Baylor Bears @ Oklahoma State Cowboys
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 12:30 ET
Location: Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK
Game Line: Oklahoma State -8
Over/Under 72.5

There certainly isn't going to be any shortage of offense in this one, as both the Bears and Pokes have high octane offenses that can run up and down the field in a hurry. QB Robert Griffin and QB Brandon Weeden are two of the best signal callers in a great conference, and they should both be putting on a show on Saturday. Baylor is a sneaky team right now and is coming off of the big "upset" at the Texas Longhorns last week. Things just don't look quite as right for the Cowboys, and we aren't so sure how WR Justin Blackmon is going to come back to the lineup after his one game suspension. This is a big, big game in the Big XII South, and we tend to think that the Bears are going to be able to leave Stillwater with their magical season still intact.

Free College Football Picks: Baylor +8
Prediction: Baylor 41 – Oklahoma State 35

Matchup: Illinois Fighting Illini @ Michigan Wolverines
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 12:00 ET
Location: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI
Game Line: Michigan -3
Over/Under 57.5

Uh-oh Michigan… Does this look familiar? The men in maize and blue got off to a fantastic start last season and ended up tanking last year, and this is an eerily familiar setting. The Wolverines have absolutely no defense right now to speak of, which really plays into the hands of an Illinois offense that is getting better and better every single week. This isn't exactly a bowl elimination game, as both teams theoretically should get there… but we can already see the noose getting tighter around HC Rich Rodriguez's neck. If he loses this one, the only thing that might save his job would be a win over the Ohio State Buckeyes in the biggest game of the season. Don't kid yourself about Illinois. This is a team that can ball. It did something a few weeks ago that Michigan couldn't do last week: Beat the Penn State Nittany Lions in Happy Valley.

Free College Football Picks: Illinois +3
Prediction: Illinois 33 – Michigan 30

Matchup: Louisville Cardinals @ Syracuse Orange
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 12:00 ET
Location: Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY
Game Line: Syracuse -6
Over/Under 44

College football betting action in the Big East hasn't exactly been sexy this year, but the Orange can win this one, they can lock down their bowl bid for the first time in years! We're not totally sure whether QB Adam Froman is going to be a go or not for the Cards, but we aren't as worried about him as we are about Syracuse's chances of stopping RB Bilal Powell, one of the few 1,000 yard rushers so far on the season. However, the Orange just keep finding ways to win games, and we tend to believe that this is going to be no exception. This is the first time that they have been favored in a game against the Cards since 2003, and the dog has covered every single time that these teams have met since 1985, but we aren't worried. The 'Cuse have covered five straight in this series and even have a pair of outright upsets (including once in Louisville as a 37 point dog!). Get your bowling shoes on Syracuse fans!

Free College Football Picks: Syracuse -6
Prediction: Syracuse 23 – Louisville 14

Matchup: Maryland Terrapins @ Miami Hurricanes
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 12:00 ET
Location: Sun Life Stadium, Miami, FL
Game Line: Miami -7.5
Over/Under 46

Simply put, the wrong team in favored in this game. The Terps are coming off of an absolute offensive explosion against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and they are still the forgotten team that is in the driver's seat in the ACC Atlantic Division. The Canes looked like they just gave up last week at the Virginia Cavaliers, and they are clearly playing to the level of their opponents right now. QB Jacory Harris is out of the lineup, and that just might be the death sentence for HC Randy Shannon. We're amazed that Shannon kept his job after two years ago when the Virginia Cavaliers came into South Beach and shut out Miami and its last ever game at the Orange Bowl. Don't be shocked if the outcome is awfully similar on Saturday.

Free College Football Picks: Maryland +7.5
Prediction: Maryland 17 – Miami 6

Matchup: Florida Gators @ Vanderbilt Commodores
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 12:20 ET
Location: Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville, TN
Game Line: Vanderbilt +14
Over/Under 46

Sandwich game alert! The Gators are coming off of their emotional overtime win over the Georgia Bulldogs, and unless they lose this week and the South Carolina Gamecocks beat the Arkansas Razorbacks, next week's duel against the Cocks at home is for the SEC East title. Vanderbilt has been struggling all season long, but we wonder how much the Gators really want to show this week against a lowly bunch of 'Dores with the Ol' Ball Coach coming back to Gainesville next weekend. Will QB Trey Burton see more snaps? If he does, we tend to think that Florida will beat this line. But if he doesn't, we aren't even totally sure that the blue and orange escape the Music City with a victory. The Commodores always seem to play Florida tough, and this year will be no exception in what should be a real defensive struggle.

Free College Football Picks: Vanderbilt +14
Prediction: Florida 16 – Vanderbilt 10

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November 4th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: Western Michigan Broncos @ Central Michigan Chippewas
Date: Friday, November 5th, 6:00 ET
Location: Kelly/Shorts Stadium, Mount Pleasant, MI
Game Line: Central Michigan -3.5
Over/Under 51.5

It’s the battle of the Directional Michigan schools on Friday night in Mt. Pleasant, when the 3-5 Western Michigan Broncos take on the 2-7 Central Michigan Chippewas. Both Western Michigan and Central Michigan are having down seasons after being atop the MAC West over the past few years. Central Michigan greatly misses All-MAC QB Dan LeFevour and HC Butch Jones. New QB Ryan Radcliff has failed to match LeFevour’s vast production, completing 58.6% of his passes for 2342 yards with 12 touchdowns and 15 interceptions thus far this season. Last week in the Chippewas’ 17-14 loss to Bowling Green, Radcliff completed 14 of 25 passes for 132 yards with a touchdown and an interception. On the positive side, RB Paris Cotton looked good against the Falcons, carrying the ball 23 times for 111 yards. As for Western Michigan, QB Alex Carder hasn’t been much of a step down from QB Tim Hiller this season. Last week, Carder was able to throw all over the Northern Illinois defense, completing 31 of 53 passes for 360 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions and came close to leading the Broncos to a victory over the division leading Huskies before falling 28-21. WR Jordan White was the primary target most of the day, catching 14 balls for 180 yards and a score.

Free College Football Picks: Western Michigan +3.5
Prediction: Western Michigan 31 Central Michigan 28


Matchup: UCF Knights @ Houston Cougars
Date: Friday, November 5th, 8:00 ET
Location: John O’Quinn Field at Robertson Stadium, Houston, TX
Game Line: Houston -1.5
Over/Under 61.5

A possible preview of the Conference USA will take place Friday night when the 6-2 UCF Knights travel to Houston to take on the 5-3 Cougars. UCF has won four straight conference games to take sole possession of first place atop the C-USA East standings. They are led on offense by the backfield duo of RB Ronnie Weaver and QB Jeff Godfrey. Godfrey has done very well since taking over for QB Ryan Calabrese, and the dual threat freshman has taken great strides since winning the job. In last week’s big 49-35 win against East Carolina, Godfrey completed 8 of 12 passes for 159 yards with two touchdowns. Weaver and fellow RB Latavius Murray had a huge game on the ground for the Knights, combining to carry the rock for 227 yards and five touchdowns in the victory. Houston has turned its team remarkably in a short amount of time after losing Heisman Trophy contending QB Case Keenum and backup QB Cotton Turner in a loss to UCLA early in the season. In the last two weeks, the Cougars have scored huge wins against SMU and Memphis to put them in a tie for first atop C-USA West. Last week against Memphis, Houston dominated the game from start to finish, rushing out to a 35-3 halftime lead en route to a 56-17 victory. QB David Piland had a fantastic day, completing 20 of 23 passes for 292 yards and five touchdowns and RB Michael Hayes added 123 yards and a touchdown on the ground. This is an extremely important game for both teams so expect a hard fought affair.

Free College Football Picks: Houston -1.5
Prediction: Houston 38 UCF 34

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November 4th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Cincinnati Bengals will look to avoid a second straight NFL betting defeat at home against a divisional rival when they take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on MNF.

Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals
Date: Monday, November 8th, 8:30 ET
Location: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
Game Line: Cincinnati +5
Over/Under 41.5

Steelers Notes: The Steelers have a lot of issues right now, but there are so many positive things going their way that they are hard to ignore. LB James Harrison has had a number of talks with the NFL about these hits that he has been issuing to opposing players, and it is a wonder whether that is going to really hurt this defense when push comes to shove. Pittsburgh has the most feared defense in the NFL, especially for opposing ground games. The Steelers are allowing a svelte 58.9 yards per game on the ground, easily the best in the NFL, and opposing rushers are averaging less than three yards per carry this year. The secondary has been a tad suspect, allowing 243.1 yards per game, but the end result has only been allowing 14.6 points per game. QB Ben Roethlisberger really hasn't played all that well this year, but he is hitting the big shots that this offense direly needed. Following his four game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy, Big Ben has come back and completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 754 yards and five TDs against two picks. WR Mike Wallace has only caught 17 passes this year, but he has certainly made the most of them, accounting for 397 yards and four TDs. WR Hines Ward has now caught 15 passes in his last three games, which is a real switch from the six catches he had in his previous three games. This offense just won't go anywhere without RB Rashard Mendenhall, though. He has a whopping 146 carries this year for 603 yards and six of the offense's 14 TDs on the season.

Bengals Notes: The Bengals are about as bi-polar as you can get this year, and the captain of this bi-polar ship is QB Carson Palmer. Palmer has had three games this year in which he has thrown for at least 345 yards, but four games in which he hasn't even reached 210 yards. The good news is that he is really getting the ball through his four top targets. WR Terrell Owens has 45 catches this season for 629 yards and five years in a season that is reviving his career. WR Chad Ochocinco has 458 yards and two TDs. The two rookies on this offense, WR Jordan Shipley and TE Jermaine Gresham have combined for 53 catches, 550 yards, and three TDs. RB Cedric Benson has rushed for 545 yards this year and two TDs, but he just doesn't feel like he has the same sort of gusto this year that he did when he was named Comeback Player of the Year in 2009. The real problems are coming on the other side of the ball, though. The Bengals only have six sacks as a team, which is tied for the worst mark in the NFL, and if you take away DB Leon Hall, the team only has a total of ten forced turnovers in seven games. This unit has allowed at least 22 points in each of its last four games, all defeats both SU and ATS. Needless to say, a sixth loss this year, especially with a trip to Lucas Oil Stadium coming up next week, would be catastrophic. This schedule is brutally tough down the stretch, and things are going to need to change in a hurry for "Who Dey" nation to get back towards the postseason again.

The Final Word: The Bengals have everything to play for here, but if there is a team that can just suck the wind out of a stadium, Pittsburgh is it. It might not be the prettiest of games, but making your NFL picks on the Steelers seems to be the right call even though this is a lot of points to be laying on the road, especially in a divisional tussle. You can bet though, that the Steelers are going to be looking for a big time serving of revenge to heap on Cincinnati's plate after last year's sweep that helped keep the black and gold out of the playoffs.

Free Pro Football Picks: Pittsburgh -5
Prediction: Pittsburgh 16 – Cincinnati 6

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November 3rd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: Alabama Crimson Tide @ LSU Tigers
Date: Saturday, November 6th, 3:30 ET
Location: Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA
Game Line: LSU +6.5
Over/Under 44.5

When Alabama has the ball… We aren't so sure that the Crimson Tide know what it's like to face a defense that is this good. Yes, the South Carolina Gamecocks and Arkansas Razorbacks both have units to be reckoned with, but none are as good as that of LSU. The Tigers are only allowing 11.2 points and 220.2 yards per game this year when playing at home, including just 2.9 yards per rush and 4.6 yards per pass. The Bayou Bengals have only allowed a grand total of six TDs this year at home, and it only took a superhuman effort by QB Cam Newton to put just 24 points on the board against them two weeks ago in a 24-17 win at Jordan Hare Stadium. Now, we know that this offense has some talent for the Tide, though. RB Mark Ingram might not be the Heisman Trophy candidate he was a year ago, but he has done a nice job this season, rushing for 544 yards and eight scores. RB Trent Richardson might actually be the better back of the two. He is averaging 7.0 yards per carry and has 606 yards on the season. QB Greg McElroy has only lost one game in his collegiate career, and he isn't quite ready to make this one No. 2 yet. He is averaging 9.2 yards per pass play on the season, is completing 70.6 percent of his passes, and has a TD/INT ratio of 11/3. Still, we aren't so sure, even with all of this talent (and we haven't even mentioned that of WR Julio Jones!) that Alabama is really matching up all that well with the LSU 'D', especially on the road.

Final Grades
Alabama Crimson Tide: B
LSU Tigers: A+

When LSU has the ball… This probably isn't the side of the ball in which either team can really win this game, but it surely is the side for both that can lose it. If the LSU offense doesn't get going, the defense is going to be good enough to pick up the slack, but turnovers can be killers and destroy any chance of winning the game. We already know that QB Jordan Jefferson is pick prone, as he has eight already this season against just two touchdown passes. The same could be said about Alabama here. The Tide don't have the same type of dominant defense this year as they did last season, though they still rank No. 2 in the country in scoring. Some turnovers and can win this game, but the offense is going to have to do its share. However, if the 'D' falls victim to some big plays, the Crimson Tide just don't have a chance, as the only team in the nation that might be able to win a shootout in the Bayou is the Oregon Ducks, and we aren't even so sure that they can do that either. HC Les Miles knows that punting the ball is quite alright. Drives which string together two first downs and end with a punt are perfectly fine. RB Steven Ridley is going to be the catalyst to this offense. He has rushed for 724 yards this year and six TDs. Still, the offense only ranks No. 101 in the land in total offense at 317.9 yards per game and is No. 25 in scoring at 25.5 points per game. It's definitely an edge to Alabama, and it's a big one, but this isn't the crucial factor in any LSU game.

Final Grades
Alabama Crimson Tide: B+
LSU Tigers: C-

Intangibles…. It goes without saying that this is very much so at the advantage of the Tigers. Alabama knows that it can win games like this, as it proved that it could win in the Bayou two years ago when it did so in overtime on the march to the SEC Championship Game. However, Baton Rouge might be the hardest place to play football in the country, especially when those shadows start getting a bit longer and the day turns to night. It is also critical to note that there has been two weeks for both of these teams to prepare. HC Nick Saban is the better coach, but there isn't a man in the country that we want calling the big shot in a big game like this than the Mad Hatter himself, HC Les Miles. Miles was the man that called the fake field goal that ultimately beat the Florida Gators in the Swamp, and we know that he has tricks like that one up his sleeve every single week. The bad news for Miles is that he has to do that to get his offense going at times. The good news is that there is no better in the game at it.

Final Grades
Alabama Crimson Tide: B-
LSU Tigers: A+

The Final Report Card… We just can't give the upper hand here to the visitors. This is a tough, tough game. Alabama's only real big edge in this one comes on its defense, and there is only so much one unit can do to make a game. The offense is going to be in charge of taking this crowd out of the equation, and if it can't do that, this is a scary situation. LSU is a team that has been disrespected by everyone all season long, but we certainly aren't issuing any sort of disrespect here on Saturday afternoon. These two teams are about as level as they could be, but we're giving the ever so slight nod to the hosts.

Final Overall Grades
Alabama Crimson Tide: A-
LSU Tigers: A

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November 3rd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: Buffalo Bulls @ Ohio Bobcats
Date: Thursday, November 4th, 7:30 ET
Location: Peden Stadium, Athens, OH
Game Line: Ohio -15.5
Over/Under 45.5

The 6-3 Ohio Bobcats will look to stay atop the MAC East standings on Thursday night when they host the 2-6 Buffalo Bulls. Last Saturday, the Bobcats pulled out a late fourth quarter win against the lowly Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns to become bowl eligible. Ohio looked sloppy throughout most of the game, but overcame four Boo Jackson interceptions to get a 38-31 victory. In the game, Jackson completed 16 of 22 passes for 240 yards with three touchdowns and also ran for 74 yards and a touchdown. WR Steven Goulet was Jackson’s favorite target, catching five balls for 126 yards on the afternoon. As for Buffalo, the Bulls have fallen mightily after losing HC Turner Gill to the Kansas Jayhawks in the offseason. In their 21-9 loss to Miami (OH) last Saturday, the offense was only able to muster 265 total yards of offense. QB Alex Zordich only completed 16 of 33 passes for 210 yards and no scores, while the running game combined to carry the ball 34 times for 55 yards. Over their last three games, the Bulls have been outscored 108 to 23 by MAC opponents.

Free College Football Picks: Ohio -15.5
Prediction: Ohio 38 Buffalo 10


Matchup: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets @ #20 Virginia Tech Hokies
Date: Thursday, November 4th, 7:45 ET
Location: Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, VA
Game Line: Virginia Tech -12.5
Over/Under 56.5

6-2 Virginia Tech will try to put a hammerlock on the ACC Coastal title when they host the 5-3 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Thursday night. Virginia Tech has been on a roll since dropping their first two games of the season, winning six straight en route to a two game lead on the rest of the division. Two Saturdays ago, the Hokies made short work of the Duke Blue Devils in a 44-7 romp. QB Tyrod Taylor picked apart the Duke defense, completing 13 of 17 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns on the afternoon. The Hokies were dominant in all phases of the game, racking up 491 total yards of offense while only allowing Duke to muster 208 total yards. As for the Yellow Jackets, HC Paul Johnson’s team has had an up and down season. Two Saturdays ago, they dropped their second game in conference play, a 27-13 loss to Clemson. QB Joshua Nesbitt was simply awful when he dropped back to throw, completing just six of 19 passes for 83 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Nesbitt also was uncharacteristically bad with his legs, carrying the ball 15 times for a total of two yards. The Georgia Tech running game wasn’t bad in the loss though, as the Yellow Jackets carried the ball for 242 yards on 49 carries (4.9 YPC). If Georgia Tech hopes to pull off the upset on Thursday, they will need their run game to dominate while also stopping the Hokies’ rushing attack.

Free College Football Picks: Georgia Tech +12.5
Prediction: Virginia Tech 31 Georgia Tech 24

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November 3rd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: Rutgers Scarlet Knights @ South Florida Bulls
Date: Wednesday, November 2nd, 7:00 ET
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Game Line: South Florida -10
Over/Under 41.5

Wednesday night is a night for the Big East conference to shine in the national spotlight when the 4-3 South Florida Bulls host the 4-3 Rutgers Scarlet Knights. A week and a half ago, the Bulls secured a huge conference win when they went into Cincinnati and knocked off the Bearcats 38-30 as a double digit road underdog. QB BJ Daniels finally showed the promise that Bulls fans saw last season, completing 13 of 16 passes for 286 yards with two touchdowns while also carrying the ball for 35 yards and two touchdowns in the victory. Most importantly, Daniels avoided the turnover bugaboo that has plagued him through much of the season. However, the USF defense will have to do much better after giving up close to 600 total yards of offense to the Bearcats. The Scarlet Knights will look to bounce back after a 41-21 loss to Pittsburgh in their last game. Rutgers continued to struggle mightily on offense, with quarterbacks Chas Dodd and Tom Savage combining to complete 10 of 22 passes for 108 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Dodd has been named the starter for the game but Savage could very well see some time again. Rutgers’ defense will also need to improve if Greg Schiano wants to walk out of Tampa with a win after allowing over 500 total yards of offense to the Panthers two Saturdays ago.

Free College Football Picks: Rutgers +10
Prediction: South Florida 20 Rutgers 17

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November 1st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Join us at Cappers Info, as we make our World Series picks for Game 5 of the Fall Classic between the San Francisco Giants and the Texas Rangers.

Matchup: San Francisco Giants @ Texas Rangers Game 5
Date: Monday, November 1st, 7:27 ET
Location: Ballpark in Arlington, Arlington, TX
Game Line: Texas -175
Over/Under 6 (o-130)

Giants Notes: If the Giants could just figure out how to win one of the next three games, they'll be coming back to the Bay with the team's first championship in 53 years. Even though this was a rotation that was heralded due to the great play of RHP Tim Lincecum, RHP Matt Cain, and LHP Jonathan Sanchez, it was the scary good pitching performance of LHP Madison Bumgarner that might have put the Fall Classic away once and for all on Halloween night in the Lone Star State. Bumgarner might only pitch in this series one time, but he might have stolen the MVP Award as well as a rookie. He clearly turned in the best pitching performance of series, going eight shutout innings and fanning six, allowing just three hits and two walks. Bumgarner faced just three batters over the minimum in those eight innings, while closer Brian Wilson went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth with two K's to seal the deal. DH Aubrey Huff went yard in the third inning to start the scoring, and a solo homer by C Buster Posey put away any chance that the Rangers had of making a comeback in the 4-0 win for the visitors. SS Edgar Renteria is now batting .429 in the series, while Huff is up to .357. Game 1 was supposed to be a game in which Lincecum had to be flawless just to compete with greatness. However, he got away with an incredibly mediocre start, particularly by his standards. Lincecum went just 5.2 innings and allowed four earned runs on eight hits with two walks, striking out just three Rangers. However, his batting order really picked him up on that epic Wednesday night, as San Fran logged an 11-7 victory. It was a great time for the G-Men to score the most runs in a game that they put together for their top right hander since winning 15-2 over the Milwaukee Brewers on July 7th.

Rangers Notes: The Rangers might have been a scrappy club all season long that figured out how to win games when they really needed to, but this mountain is probably going to prove to be too hard to climb. The offense was really shut down on Sunday night, as one again, no one on the team produced more than one hit, and there were only five base runners in total. Once again, Texas wasn't able to really get its speed game involved on the base paths, and once again, the end result was a lackluster result on the scoreboard itself. Perhaps even more frightening on that Halloween night was the fact that the bullpen once again proved to be shoddy at best. This unit did throw five innings, but it allowed two runs and really took any chance away from the lineup of coming back to produce. The damage was done with RHP Tommy Hunter left though, as his two runs allowed on five hits in four frames was just too much to get away with on this night. On Monday, it will probably be the swan song for LHP Cliff Lee. The southpaw is probably throwing in his last game as a member of the Rangers, as he will become a free agent immediately when the season is over with. This will be his first and only outing at home of the playoffs and will need to be another remarkable start for Texas to live another day and force this series back to San Fran. Lee allowed six earned runs and seven in total in just 4.2 innings of work, easily marking the shortest outing with the fewest strikeouts, the most hits allowed, and the most runs allowed in his postseason. He had thrown 24 innings in the playoffs prior to that shaky outing in Game 1 of the World Series, and had struck out 34 batters to show for it after allowing just two runs.

The Final Word: For a team that has looked absolutely dominating in this series, we find it hard to believe that the Rangers are going to choose right now to get their bats rolling. This was expected to be a pitcher's dream in Game 1, and though we got the polar opposite then, we'll get exactly what we bargained for in Game 5. Unfortunately for Lee and the faithful in Arlington, this will be the last game of the season as well, as one blunder will lead the Giants to the title.

Free World Series Picks: San Francisco Giants +165
Prediction: San Francisco 2 – Texas 0

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November 1st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Indianapolis Colts will look to avoid a second straight NFL betting defeat at home against a divisional rival when they take on the Houston Texans on MNF.

Matchup: Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts
Date: Monday, November 1st, 8:30 ET
Location: Lucas Oil Field, Indianapolis, IN
Game Line: Indianapolis -5.5
Over/Under 49.5

Texans Notes: The argument could be made that this is the most important game in the history of the Houston Texans. They have never won game in Indianapolis in franchise history, going 0-8 SU in eight tries, and they have never swept a season series against the Colts. At 4-2 coming into Week 8, Houston is a half game behind the Baltimore Ravens for the last Wild Card spot in the AFC and a half game in the rears of the Tennessee Titans for first place in the AFC South. A win could put the team back in first place of the division by itself and will give it a one game lead on the Colts with the tiebreaker for the rest of the season. A loss will almost certainly make the task virtually impossible to get into the postseason, especially with a very difficult schedule left to contend with. There are a number of suspensions and injuries that the Texans have to cope with as well. LB DeMeco Ryans, once a Rookie of the Year in the NFL, was put on IR last week with an Achilles tendon tear, and LT Duane Brown is going to be sitting this one out with a suspension. In the Week 1 meeting of these teams, a 34-24 win for the host Texans at Reliant Stadium, RB Arian Foster went absolutely bananas, running for 231 yards and three TDs on 33 carries. Foster has calmed down quite a bit since that point, but still is in the Top 5 in the NFL in rushing with 635 yards. WR Andre Johnson is well on his way to another 1,000 yard campaign for Houston, as he has 488 yards in just five games and will certainly be a threat to go off for a huge day in Indy on Monday Night. The problem is going to come with a secondary that many think is the worst in the league, averaging allowing 306.2 yards per game.

Colts Notes: QB Peyton Manning had a field day against Houston seven weeks ago, throwing for 433 yards and three TDs in one of the best days of his career. His problem this week is going to be that 22 of his receptions from that Week 1 loss are out of the lineup. WR Austin Collie is listed as doubtful with a hand injury, while TE Dallas Clark's season is over with a wrist injury that he was put on IR for last week. The injury woes continue with DB Jacob Lacey and RB Joseph Addai, both of which are doubtful as well. P Pat McAfee has been suspended to boot. We already know that long term absentees S Bob Sanders, DT Antonio Johnson and S Melvin Bullitt are out for this one as well. Needless to say, Manning has a lot of problems to contend with on both sides of the ball. Still, he'll have WR Reggie Wayne and WR Pierre Garcon, and should be getting back WR Anthony Gonzalez for the first time in well over a season's worth of play. RBs Mike Hart and Donald Brown should get the majority of the carries, though we know that Manning is probably going to be throwing the ball 50+ times in this game against this secondary. The rush defense for Indy is about as woeful as the pass defense is for Houston. However, this is no surprise for any NFL historians, as the Colts have always struggled trying to stop the run. This year is no exception, as they are conceding 137.3 yards per game in that department. Up front, this offensive line has kept Manning relatively clean this year with just six sacks allowed, but three of those six sacks came against these Texans. Someone is going to have to figure out how to put a hat on DE Mario Williams, who only had one sack that day, but did wreck a ton of havoc in the Indy backfield.

The Final Word: Manning knows that this is a game that could start the decline in his career, as a loss would make the road to the postseason incredibly difficult, especially at 0-3 already in division with two games against Tennessee to go. No. 18 won't let it happen. However, this game is still that important to Houston, and we have a feeling that this will be one of these games that Manning leads the troops down on a game winning drive to break the Texans' hearts. We'll take the points.

Free Pro Football Picks: Houston +5.5
Prediction: Indianapolis 27 – Houston 24

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November 1st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders @ Arkansas State Red Wolves
Date: Tuesday, November 1st, 7:00 ET
Location: ASU Stadium, Jonesboro, AR
Game Line: Middle Tennessee State -1.5
Over/Under OTB

Two of the top teams in the Sun Belt Conference meet on Tuesday night when the 3-4 Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders travel to Jonesboro to take on the 3-5 Arkansas State Red Wolves. This season has pretty much been a nightmare for the Blue Raiders. At the start of the year, many pundits had them pegged for double digit wins and they were the favorites to win the conference. However, an early season suspension to QB Dwight Dasher and some key injuries have crippled the Blue Raiders and left them looking up at Troy State in the conference standings. Last weekend against Louisiana-Monroe, MTSU put up one of their best games of the season, cruising to a 38-10. In the game, Dasher showed the promise many saw in him last season by completing 11 of 19 passes for 219 yards with two touchdowns and an interception while also carrying the ball for 66 yards. Arkansas State is coming off a big win of its own, scoring 28 straight points in the fourth quarter to rally and beat Florida Atlantic 37-16. QB Ryan Aplin did well in completing 28 of 46 passes for 230 yards with a TD and an INT and ran for 64 yards and a touchdown to lead the Red Wolves. The Red Wolves dominated time of possession as well, running 91 plays and picking up 29 first downs compared to just 58 plays and 12 first downs for the Owls. Arkansas State will need to control the ball again if they hope to knock off MTSU as a short home dog on Tuesday night.

Free College Football Picks: Middle Tennessee State -1.5
Prediction: Middle Tennessee State 31 Arkansas State 23

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