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October 21st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor
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Here at Cappers Info, we are taking a weekly look at the teams that could be ones ripe to pull off some major upsets! Check out the potentially ugly dogs that could come up and bite you in the butt in you aren't careful for the Week 8 of college football betting action!

Underdog Pick #1: North Carolina Tar Heels (+210 at Diamond Sportsbook) @ Miami Hurricanes, Saturday, 7:30 ET: Miami needs to be very, very careful in this game, or it will get picked off and be finished in the ACC Coastal Division this year. The Canes have never really had much success against North Carolina, going just 2-4 SU and 0-5-1 ATS in six tries since joining the ACC. The Tar Heels are very quietly one of the best ATS teams in the nation this year, and all of a sudden, four straight foes, some of which have relatively potent offensive units, have been kept in the teens in scoring. In those games, North Carolina is 4-0 SU and ATS. Miami really slacked off last week against the Duke Blue Devils, which is the only game that we have to work with after the debilitating loss against the Florida State Seminoles two weeks ago. This is a bad, bad spot for "The U," even at home, and with HC Randy Shannon not really having much in the way of a reputation for getting his team up after it has been eliminated from National Championship contention, we think that this is an absolutely fantastic price on the men from Tobacco Road.

Underdog Pick #2: Kansas Jayhawks (+400 at Diamond Sportsbook) vs. Texas A&M Aggies, Saturday 7:00 ET: We tend to think that the Aggies are a train wreck waiting to happen right now. QB Jerrod Johnson has had some iffy game over the last few weeks, and we tend to believe that he might be in for a disastrous outing in this one. This looks way too much like the game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, when the Jayhawks came out of nowhere to pull off an outright upset. This is historically a relatively close series, and HC Turner Gill has a crew that badly needs to get back in the saddle after losing 59-7 and 55-7 in their last two games. A&M hasn't won in four tries, and this could potentially be a disaster waiting to happen. Go big or go home, right? We'll take Rock Chalk to make matters worse for HC Mike Sherman and company on Saturday.

Underdog Pick #3: Washington Huskies (+210 at Diamond Sportsbook) @ Arizona Wildcats, Saturday, 10:15 ET: Arizona is going to be debuting a new QB this week in either Matt Scott or Bryson Beirne, and both are likely to take snaps against the Huskies. U-Dub knows who its quarterback is, and QB Jake Locker is still on the rebound from that awful game he had against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Don't kid yourself: The Huskies are legit. This is a team that can be the Oregon Ducks and win the Pac-10 this year if given the opportunity and the chips fall properly. We aren't so sure that this line is right even if QB Nick Foles didn't injure he knee. With Foles not in the fold, we tend to believe that the Huskies should be favored. You betcha we're backing them to win this game at least one out of three times!

Underdog Pick #4: Tennessee Volunteers (+500 at Diamond Sportsbook) vs. Alabama Crimson Tide, Saturday, 7:00 ET: Remember when we backed Tennessee playing in the Bayou against the LSU Tigers and came up that one play short of a very similar upset? The Tide need to be very careful once again, as we think they are absolute in the danger zone to get knocked out of the BCS National Championship picture. This is the third straight week in which Alabama is taking on a foe coming off of a bye week, and the last time that it played a game like that on the road, the South Carolina Gamecocks picked it off. This isn't quite the same team, but it isn't quite the same setting either. Rocky Top at night is a horror to go play at for the opposition. Yes, the Vols were blown out at night by the Oregon Ducks, but this is a totally different scenario in a conference battle. Tennessee fell just short last year, winning 12-10 in Tuscaloosa, and we absolutely think that it is taking this tussle at least one out of five times, especially knowing how horrendously tired the Crimson Tide must be of playing tough teams.

Underdog Pick #5: LSU Tigers (+180 at Diamond Sportsbook) @ Auburn Tigers, Saturday, 3:30 ET: The marquee game of the day is going to be one of the big upsets of the weekend as well. The Bayou Bengals just have a fantastic setup in this one. Their defense is speedy enough to take care of the X-Factor with QB Cam Newton, something that the defense of the Arkansas Razorbacks didn't have. Their offense has the right tools with the short passing game and hardnosed running game to really frustrate the Auburn defense. The scheduling spot is just perfect as well. LSU had its letdown game from when it beat the Florida Gators already, as it struggled with McNeese State at times. Auburn is just coming off the biggest win of the year, and it came in a game that was significantly closer and significantly tougher than the final score suggests. These Tigers have had a ton of lives this year already, squeaking out wins against the Clemson Tigers, South Carolina Gamecocks, Kentucky Wildcats, and now the Hogs as well. At some point, luck is going to run out at Jordan Hare Stadium. That luck runs out on Saturday.

Underdog Pick #6: Utah State Aggies (+140 at Diamond Sportsbook) vs. Hawaii Warriors, Saturday, 5:00 ET: We were just going to leave it at five underdog plays this week, but this one might be the best spot of the bunch. The Aggies are in a perfect spot, just like LSU is in this weekend. They are coming off of a bye week and are welcoming in Hawaii, which just came off of its biggest win of the season against the Nevada Wolf Pack. Yes, this offense can sling the ball all over the field, and yes, it will get its scores, but if you remember properly, this was also an offense that was really screwed up by the Colorado Buffaloes' defense on the road earlier this season. We've said it time and time again. Hawaii just isn't cut out to play games away from the Big Island. Utah State knows that this is the last gasp if a bowl game is in its future, and we thoroughly expect, just like we saw against the BYU Cougars in primetime football a few weeks ago, that the Aggies are going to come out firing on all cylinders and take down a very unsuspecting bunch of Warriors.

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October 21st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: South Florida Bulls @ Cincinnati Bearcats
Date: Friday, October 22nd, 8:00 ET
Location: Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
Game Line: Cincinnati -7.5
Over/Under 47.5

The 3-3 Cincinnati Bearcats will play their second straight Friday night game against a Big East opponent this week, when they take on the 3-3 South Florida Bulls. Last week, the Bearcats played a wild game against the Louisville Cardinals and came out with a 35-27 road win. In the win, QB Zach Collaros had a very efficient game, completing 18 of 28 passes for 275 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. RB Isaiah Pead also had a huge game, carrying the ball 21 times for 145 yards and keeping the ball out of Louisville’s hands. On the day, Cincinnati put up 453 yards of offense and moved to 1-0 in conference. The Bearcats will need to put together a better performance on defense though after giving up 434 yards to Louisville and allowing Cardinals RB Bilal Powell to rush for over 200 yards on the evening. South Florida was nothing short of dreadful in their 20-6 loss against West Virginia last Thursday night. Sophomore QB BJ Daniels looked like he had regressed and was flustered all night, completing 20 of 30 passes for just 119 yards and throwing three interceptions while getting sacked four times. RB Moise Plancher was better, carrying the ball 11 times for 63 yards, but needs to be more effective if the Bulls hope to win in Cincinnati. On the bright side, the South Florida defense completely shut down the explosive Noel Devine, holding Devine to just 29 yards on 13 carries and holding West Virginia to under 300 total yards.

Free College Football Picks: South Florida +7.5
Prediction: Cincinnati 21 South Florida 17

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October 21st, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: UCLA Bruins @ #1 Oregon Ducks
Date: Thursday, October 21st, 9:00 ET
Location: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR
Game Line: Oregon -24.5
Over/Under 60.5

The 6-0 #1 ranked Oregon Ducks will look to keep their hopes for an undefeated season and a BCS Title Game appearance intact this Thursday night when they host the UCLA Bruins. Oregon will try not to fall to the #1 jinx we have seen in the last few weeks after Alabama was knocked off by South Carolina two weeks ago and Ohio State was thumped by Wisconsin last Saturday. Oregon comes into this game with one of the most dynamic offenses in the country, averaging an eye-popping 54 PPG and 567 YPG. The Ducks haven’t done it just by racking up big numbers against bad teams either, as Oregon has dropped at least 42 points against everyone on their schedule. QB Darron Thomas looks set to go in this game after suffering a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder last Saturday. Thomas went 8-12 for 153 yards with a touchdown before the injury and the Oregon offense hasn’t missed a beat with him under center instead of Jeremiah Masoli. If Thomas can’t go, Nate Costa is a back-up with a lot of experience in the offense. On the other side of the ball, the Bruins have had a pretty erratic 2010 campaign so far. UCLA scored huge wins against a then-ranked Houston squad and shockingly blew out #7 Texas 34-12 on the road. However, the Bruins were embarrassed by Stanford and California, and many pundits don’t know quite what to make of this team. UCLA has a muddled quarterback situation right now and it’s unclear whether Kevin Prince or Richard Brehaut will start on Thursday night. Prince has struggled mightily this season, completing just 45% of his passes for 384 yards with three touchdowns against five interceptions. Prince is the starter, but has a sore right knee, and if he can’t go Brehaut will take the snaps for the Bruins on Thursday. Whoever is behind center though must improve UCLA’s anemic passing offense, which is one of the worst in the country, averaging under 100 yards passing a game. On defense, UCLA has one of the top secondaries in the conference, so the key to them shutting down the Oregon offense will be to stop Heisman Trophy candidate RB LaMichael James.

Free College Football Picks: Oregon -24.5
Prediction: Oregon 48 UCLA 17

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October 15th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: Missouri Tigers @ Texas A&M Aggies
Date: Saturday, October 16th, 12:00 ET
Location: Kyle Field, College Station, TX
Game Line: Texas A&M -3.5
Over/Under 57.5

There are plenty of cases this week where a ranked team is an underdog to an unranked team while playing on the road. This is perhaps the most dangerous of all of the spots, though. We continually talk about perception here at Cappers Info, and perception is key in this one as well. A&M is just a few plays away from being a 5-0 team, and if that were the case, the Aggies would have an even better ranking than the Tigers. There's a reason for that. Missouri might be fool's gold right now, especially since the toughest tasks on this schedule were both nearly failed against the Illinois Fighting Illini and the San Diego State Aztecs. This is clearly the toughest challenge. We love QB Blaine Gabbert, and we know that this offense could be good for 50 points against almost anyone in the nation, but we also know that there is a big problem on the horizon. HC Gary Pinkel's team might be looking forward to games against the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Oklahoma Sooners. Gabbert might be great, but the star in this game is QB Jerrod Johnson. His legs are only good for 113 yards so far this year, but that doesn't mean that he isn't able to put together a 100+ yard performance against anyone in the nation. He has also thrown for 1,486 yards and 13 TDs. The problem is nine picks and the fact that the offensive line has struggled. When push comes to shove though, this is a game that will belong to the hosts, as the 12th Man is going to be incredibly loud at Kyle Field.

Free College Football Picks: Texas A&M -3.5
Prediction: Texas A&M 31 -Missouri 24

Matchup: North Carolina State Wolfpack @ East Carolina Pirates
Date: Saturday, October 16th, 12:00 ET
Location: Dowdy Ficklen Stadium, Greenville, NC
Game Line: East Carolina +7.5
Over/Under 67.5

This one has the real potential to be a shootout. The Pirates don't have a chance of stopping QB Russell Wilson and the Wolfpack offense, but they do have the abilities to run up and down the field themselves. NC State knows that it can put the pill wherever he wants to against a secondary that ranks No. 114 in the nation in total defense at 457.6 yards per game. ECU has only kept one foe under 42 points this year, and that was a very lowly Memphis Tigers team that put up a whopping 27 with no semblance of an offense. The Wolfpack rank No. 8 in passing in the country at 311.0 yards per game, and Saturday should be no exception. On the other side of the ball, QB Dominique Davis is going to have his work cut out for him. Davis is up against a defense that is holding foes to 326.2 yards per game this season. NC State has only given up more than 28 points once this year, which is very bad news for the hosts. The Wolfpack have already won games against the Conference USA favorites (Central Florida) and one of the better teams in the ACC (Georgia Tech) on the road this year by at least a touchdown. This should be no exception.

Free College Football Picks: East Carolina +7.5
Prediction: NC State 45 – East Carolina 27

Matchup: Illinois Fighting Illini @ Michigan State Spartans
Date: Saturday, October 16th, 12:00 ET
Location: Spartans Stadium, East Lansing, MI
Game Line: Michigan State -7
Over/Under 50.5

The Illini and Spartans are both coming off of tremendous road wins that might make the difference in their seasons last week. For Illinois, it picked up a big 'W' against the Penn State Nittany Lions in what might have been one of the biggest games in the coaching career of HC Ron Zook. The Illini are still a young team, especially at the quarterback position with QB Nathan Scheelhaase. The good news is that he is holding on to the football, which is going to be vital this week against the Spartans as well. Michigan State is going to try to pick up a lot of yards on the ground in this one with RBs Le'Veon Bell and Edwin Baker. The two have just gone bananas this year, combining for over 1,200 total yards. They are the reason that the Spartans are 6-0 on the year and are right on the cusp of being ranked in the Top 10 in the country. This line is rather fishy, though. We know that Illinois has some potential, but what we don't know is whether it was a flash in the pan or not. We tend to believe that the Spartans are going to fall off the face of the earth eventually. They'll figure out how to win this game, but laying seven seems just too tempting. Don't fall into this trap on the NCAA football odds.

Free College Football Picks: Illinois +7
Prediction: Michigan State 28 – Illinois 24

Matchup: Boston College Eagles @ Florida State Seminoles
Date: Saturday, October 16th, 12:00 ET
Location: Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Game Line: Florida State -21.5
Over/Under 46.5

The Seminoles have absolutely dominated NCAA football betting action in the ACC this year, crippling all three teams that they have run into in the conference. The biggest game came last week against the Miami Hurricanes, a 45-17 thrashing in South Beach. The rushing game for the Noles is working well with the Pistol attack, though none of the three major backs, RB Ty Jones, RB Jermaine Thomas, and RB Chris Thompson have accounted for 500+ yards on the season. QB Christian Ponder is a warrior and has played well this year. The difference has been the defense, which is holding teams to half the points per game that it allowed last year and over 100 fewer yards per game. Rushing the passer is the key. QB Chase Rettig made his first career start against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish two weeks ago. He threw for 72 yards and a TD before getting injured, but he left that game down 21-7 and never really felt comfortable. With RB Montel Harris struggling, there really aren't any options for the Eagles to turn to offensively. This is the only team that has never lost a game at the Doak, and the Seminoles are going to want to make sure that their first 'L' comes in emphatic fashion. This is going to be one of the ugliest games of the weekend. There's a reason that Boston College is one of two winless ATS teams in the land.

Free College Football Picks: Florida State -21.5
Prediction: Florida State 51 – Boston College 7

Matchup: Western Michigan Broncos @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Date: Saturday, October 16th, 2:30 ET
Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
Game Line: Notre Dame -24
Over/Under 53

The Broncos seem like they're overmatched heading into South Bend, but the oddsmakers have been generous and given us a whole bunch of points to work with. QB Alex Carder is a warrior, and he has the ability to throw for over 300 yards in every single game. The Notre Dame defense hasn't been good enough to stop this attack to the fullest extent. The only question in our minds is whether the Golden Domers are going to put enough points on the board to cover this spread. Though this is probably the easiest test of the season to date, Notre Dame will be playing without TE Kyle Rudolph for the first time. We also know that QB Nate Montana might be making just his second appearance in his freshman year if this one gets ugly, and that could leave the backdoor very, very open. QB Dayne Crist is solid, but RB Armando Allen hasn't proven that he can really salt a game away quite yet and there are no other viable options ready to take the ball behind him. There's no doubt that Notre Dame will win, but winning by at least four scores seems like a bit of a stretch.

Free College Football Picks: Western Michigan +24
Prediction: Notre Dame 40 – Western Michigan 20

Matchup: Iowa Hawkeyes @ Michigan Wolverines
Date: Saturday, October 16th, 3:30 ET
Location: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI
Game Line: Michigan +3
Over/Under 53.5

After an iffy game against the Michigan State Spartans, there is a lot on the line this week for QB Denard Robinson and the Wolverines. A loss would send Michigan to 5-2, take it out of the Big Ten title race, and potentially continue a tailspin very similar to what happened last year when the team came out of the blocks at 4-0 before failing to make a bowl game. Odds have it, the Heisman Trophy campaign for QB Denard Robinson would taper out as well in spite of the fact that he was the favorite last week at this time. Iowa presents a foe that Big Blue is familiar with and nearly beat last year before we really knew that the Hawkeyes were going to be one of the best 5-10 teams in the country. Now, there is no doubt, and even though Iowa has a ranking at No. 15, we know that it is significantly better than a 4-1 record would indicate. We still have to remember that QB Ricky Stanzi just refuses to lose. He has only been defeated once, and whether it's pretty or not, he always seems to get the job done. The Hawkeyes are a whopping 12-2 ATS in their L/14 road games. Unlike Michigan, which really doesn't have a super quality win this year, the Hawkeyes have proven that they can play with some of the best in the land, especially after absolutely crippling the Penn State Nittany Lions last week. There's a reason that they are road favorites in this game. Iowa will roll in the Big House for the first time since 2002.

Free College Football Picks: Iowa -3
Prediction: Iowa 31 – Michigan 16

Matchup: California Golden Bears @ USC Trojans
Date: Saturday, October 16th, 3:30 ET
Location: Los Angeles Coliseum, Los Angeles California
Game Line: USC -2.5
Over/Under 54

This is quite the interesting instate battle between two teams that really don't like each other. The problem is that neither the Trojans nor Bears are playing well enough for us to be thrilled about supporting them. The implication here is that Cal is a slightly better team than USC on a neutral field, something that we're not so sure is the case. What we are sure of is the fact that the Trojans could be on the verge of a collapse. They were tripped up right at the end of the game by the Stanford Cardinal last week, a game that proved to be very winnable. QB Matt Barkley has played his heart out, throwing for 1,517 yards and 15 scores against just four picks on the year. We like QB Kevin Riley as well, but his 931 yards and nine TDs aren't numbers that are as strong. Here's the biggest issue we have: Cal hasn't scored a touchdown on this defense in three games and hasn't scored more than two TDs in a game against the Men of Troy since 2003. HC Jeff Tedford has never had luck, whether it be as a head coach or as an offensive coordinator against USC. We're reluctant about it, but we'll take the Trojans in a very tightly run contest.

Free College Football Picks: USC -2.5
Prediction: USC 27 – Cal 21

Matchup: Oklahoma State Cowboys @ Texas Tech Red Raiders
Date: Saturday, October 16th, 3:30 ET
Location: Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock, TX
Game Line: Texas Tech -3
Over/Under 69

Fireworks could be flying when the Pokes and Red Raiders duke it out in Lubbock on Saturday afternoon. This is a dangerous spot for an Oklahoma State team that has yet to play a road game of any concern this year. There is no doubt that QB Brandon Weeden, RB Kendall Hunter, and WR Justin Blackmon are all superstars that can put up gaudy numbers, but numbers in the Big XII don't necessarily win you ball games. At some point, you have to play some defense. The 'D' did come up with four picks against QB Jerrod Johnson and the Texas A&M Aggies in the one real test this year, but that doesn't mean that the Okies can stop the Air Raid. QB Taylor Potts has tossed 17 TD passes this year and has thrown for 1,649 yards. HC Tommy Tuberville is getting more and more comfortable here as the weeks are going by, and a 45-38 win over the Baylor Bears last week was a good response to a 52-38 loss to the Iowa State Cyclones the week before. If this game were in Stillwater, we wouldn't bat an eyelash about taking the Pokes. However, in Lubbock, this Tech team gives it everything it has, and we don't want to get in the way of that one bit.

Free College Football Picks: Texas Tech -3
Prediction: Texas Tech 41 – Oklahoma State 34

Matchup: Texas Longhorns @ Nebraska Cornhuskers
Date: Saturday, October 16th, 3:30 ET
Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE
Game Line: Nebraska -10
Over/Under 46.5

If you like defense, this is the game for you… at least if the Longhorns have any hope of survival in this one. Texas just doesn't have the offense to be able to compete with the Black Shirts defense. HC Bo Pelini has given this team a real shot in the arm, and there is a legitimate chance to win the National Championship on the back of this 'D'. Don't forget about QB Taylor Martinez either, as he is built very much so in the QB Denard Robinson mold. Martinez is No. 4 in the country in rushing on the year, and he can get the ball up the field if need be just like Robinson can as well. Heisman hopeful? Don't count out the possibility. Texas does rank No. 7 in the land in pass defense, but after letting both RB DeMarco Murray and RB Johnathan Franklin run all over it in recent weeks, we are pessimistic about how strong this rush 'D' really is. At the outset of the season, there's no doubt that the Longhorns would probably be right around +3 or so in this game, but they haven't proven that they are worthy of sticking within double digits. It might only take 17-20 points for the 'Huskers to cover the college football odds in this one.

Free College Football Picks: Nebraska -10
Prediction: Nebraska 23 – Texas 9

Matchup: Arkansas Razorbacks @ Auburn Tigers
Date: Saturday, October 16th, 3:30 ET
Location: Jordan Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL
Game Line: Auburn -3.5
Over/Under 60

One of the many crucial SEC West affairs on the season will be kicking off on Saturday at Jordan Hare Stadium, as the No. 7 Tigers and No. 13 Razorbacks duke it out. Arkansas knows that this is a do or die game if it has any chance of winning the SEC West, while Auburn probably knows the same thing with the Iron Bowl being played in Tuscaloosa this season. The Hogs had the Alabama Crimson Tide dead to rights three weeks ago, but they fired back last week with a solid outing against the Texas A&M Aggies to restore their Top 15 ranking in the country. QB Ryan Mallett is probably in his last chance right now to become a Heisman Trophy candidate. Once again though, Auburn's QB Cam Newton is thinking the same thing. Newton is a great dual threat, and he can always turn around and hand the ball to either RB Michael Dyer or RB Onterio McCalebb. Either man has the ability to rush for 100 yards on any given Saturday. The Tigers just barely survived against the Clemson Tigers, South Carolina Gamecocks, and the Kentucky Wildcats this year, and they are just about running out of lives. It's high time that someone gives this team a run for its money that it cannot overcome. Arkansas might have the best defense in the SEC, and that's certainly saying something considering the fact that Alabama, LSU, and Florida all have premier 'D's. To us, it's an insult that the Razorbacks are underdogs here, and they'll prove it with a big "upset" on Saturday.

Free College Football Picks: Arkansas +3.5
Prediction: Arkansas 28 – Auburn 17

Matchup: BYU Cougars @ TCU Horned Frogs
Date: Saturday, October 16th, 4:00 ET
Location: Amon Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Game Line: TCU -29
Over/Under 48.5

If BYU's offense weren't terrible, we'd still think that the unit would have a hard time putting any points up against this defense. The Horned Frogs have just been untouchable of late, as they have pitched back to back shutouts and haven't allowed a single point in over 130 minutes of NCAA football betting action. The offense behind QB Andy Dalton, RB Ed Wesley, and RB Matthew Tucker is absolutely one of the best in the Mountain West as well. QB Jake Heaps is going to try to do something that his predecessor, QB Max Hall, couldn't do: Beat the Horned Frogs. Good luck, kid. TCU might have the best team it has ever had, while BYU has one of its worst in years. The Horned Frogs won 39-7 last year in Provo and 32-7 in Fort Worth the year before. What do you think is going to happen this time around???

Free College Football Picks: TCU -29
Prediction: TCU 41 – BYU 3

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October 13th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor
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Here at Cappers Info, we are taking a weekly look at the teams that could be ones ripe to pull off some major upsets! Check out the potentially ugly dogs that could come up and bite you in the butt in you aren't careful for the Week 7 of college football betting action!

Underdog Pick #1: Army Black Knights (+230 at Diamond Sportsbook) @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Saturday, 2:00 ET: The Black Knights know that they need at least one more victory to make it to a bowl game for the first time in seemingly forever, and this seems like a prototypical spot for that. Rutgers has already lost one game it had no business losing this year when it dropped to the Tulane Green Wave at home. The Scarlet Knights are going with QB Chas Dodd under center this week, which could be a hassle against one of the better pass defenses in the country. Rutgers' defense is getting worse and worse every week, and RB Jordan Todman rumbled for 123 yards on the ground last week in a win against the Connecticut Huskies. The Black Knights are averaging 32.3 points per game and are putting together 274.3 yards per game on the ground. No one really cares in this triple option offense whether anyone can throw the ball or not, as demonstrated by the dead last ranked passing game in the country at just 68.0 yards per game. Still, this is a favorable matchup for a team that has already won three road games this year, including one against that same Tulane squad that won in Piscataway the week before. Don't be shocked if Army takes care of this knightly battle in East Rutherford.

Underdog Pick #2: Kentucky Wildcats (+180 at Diamond Sportsbook) @ South Carolina Gamecocks, Saturday 6:00 ET: It's not that we really believe that the Wildcats have the better team, but we know that this is the worst potential scheduling spot in the world for the Gamecocks. South Carolina is coming off of the biggest win in the school's history, an upset of the No. 1 team in the country, the Alabama Crimson Tide. Now, it has to go on the road against a Kentucky team that it has beaten about a million straight times. The Wildcats played a whale of a game last week against the Auburn Tigers and nearly took down a Top 10 team in the process. HC Joker Phillips really has this team playing hard right now, and Kentucky has a bowl game in its sights this year. A win over South Carolina wouldn't just send the Cats one step closer to a bowl, but could keep it in the race in the SEC East to boot. Also, take notice of this line… Auburn beat South Carolina by the narrowest of margins at home, then turned around and nearly lost to the Wildcats last week… Yet the line is a tad shorter this week than it was last week… Does someone know something that we don't know? The Cats are going to scratch in this game.

Underdog Pick #3: Virginia Cavaliers (+200 at Diamond Sportsbook) vs. North Carolina Tar Heels, Saturday, 6:00 ET: The Tar Heels are starting to get their acts together, but unfortunately for them, so are the Cavvies. UVA had a great second half against the Florida State Seminoles two weeks ago at home and ended up playing reasonably well against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets last week. North Carolina hasn't allowed more than 17 points in a game in its L/3, but we think that changes on Saturday. QB Marc Verica might need to play the game of his life to get the job done, but it is a very distinct possibility, especially without a win against an FBS teams on the season, that the Cavs pull off a tremendous upset to shake the ACC.

Underdog Pick #4: Arkansas Razorbacks (+150 at Diamond Sportsbook) @ Auburn Tigers, Saturday, 3:30 ET: We've saved the absolutely best for last. The Tigers have just narrowly survived defeats in the past, and we think that these cats are running out of lives. Auburn is a relatively two dimensional team. QB Cam Newton does most of his damage from outside the pocket, and when he does that, he has the ability to rocket the ball down the field. RB Michael Dyer and RB Onterio McCalebb makes up for the other dimension of this squad. Arkansas isn't going to just get run over, which was demonstrated by the fact that it hung tough with the Alabama Crimson Tide three weeks ago. The pass defense for Auburn has been iffy this year at best, ranking No. 91 in the nation at 239.2 yards per game. QB Ryan Mallett must be licking his chops. He has the ability to come on the road and redeem himself for throwing those three picks against Alabama. Don't be shocked if he makes it to the 350 yard barrier, and if he does that, the Hogs are going to be very capable of pulling off this upset.

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October 13th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: Cincinnati Bearcats @ Louisville Cardinals
Date: Friday, October 15th, 8:00 ET
Location: Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, KY
Game Line: Cincinnati -2.5
Over/Under 58

The 3-2 Louisville Cardinals and the 2-3 Cincinnati Bearcats kick off their conference slates this Friday night when the two meet in Louisville. First-year HC Charlie Strong has breathed some life into a Cardinals program that was moribund under former HC Steve Kragthorpe. Under Strong, Louisville’s defense is much improved over the sieve it was in 2009, currently allowing 329 YPG. The Cardinals offense has also improved on the offensive side of the ball, racking up 461.4 YPG thus far this season. Last week against Memphis, the Cardinals put together their most dominant performance yet in a 56-0 rout of the Tigers. Louisville’s defense held Memphis to just 223 total yards and the Tigers only averaged a paltry 3.5 yards per play on the day. Louisville’s offense was simply electric and torched the Tigers for 574 yards while averaging over 10 yards per play. Leading the way was QB Adam Froman, who completed 12 of 16 passes for 235 yards and four touchdowns. On the ground, RB Bilal Powell carried the ball 18 times for 204 yards and two touchdowns. As for the Bearcats, new HC Butch Jones had some big shoes to fill when former coach Brian Kelly left for Notre Dame and his schedule didn’t do him any favors. Road losses to North Carolina State and Fresno State and a home loss to mighty Oklahoma have dipped the program under .500 for the first time in recent memory, but Jones has shown signs that he is getting his feet under him. Last week against Miami (OH), the Bearcats put together their most complete game thus far in a 45-3 romp of the Redhawks. The Bearcats put up over 600 total yards of offense and averaged over 9 yards per play, while the defense held Miami (OH) to just 269 total yards and 4 yards per play. The backfield combo of QB Zach Collaros and RB Isaiah Pead will need to come up big for the Bearcats if they hope to score a Big East road win.

Free College Football Picks: Louisville +2.5
Prediction: Louisville 27 Cincinnati 20

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October 13th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: Ohio State Buckeyes @ Wisconsin Badgers
Date: Saturday, October 16th, 7:00 ET
Location: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, WI
Game Line: Ohio State -4
Over/Under 49

When Ohio State has the ball… Statistically speaking this season, the Buckeyes have been absolutely fantastic on offense. QB Terrelle Pryor is now the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy at a number of different sportsbooks, and for good reason. He is certainly the best player on what might be the best team in the country. Pryor is just a yard shy of the team lead in rushing with 354 yards and three TDs, and he has thrown for a whopping 15 TD passes in just six games. His 1,349 yards through the air is validating himself as a legitimate passing quarterback that can run, as opposed to just a runner that can do some throwing of the pill. There are three legitimate rushing threats as well out of the backfield, as RB Daniel Herron, RB Jamal Berry, and RB Brandon Saine have combined for 757 rushing yards between them. Watch out for WR Dane Sanzenbacher as well. He might only have 27 catches, but he has 411 yards and a team high seven TDs to show for his work. This team is very well rounded and is scoring 43.2 points per game thus far on the season, the sixth best mark in the country. The Badgers just haven't looked great defensively in recent weeks, allowing big play after big play against the Michigan State Spartans and giving up 23 points to a Minnesota Golden Gophers offense that has struggled all season long. Still, at 308.3 yards per game allowed and 19.0 points per game allowed, this is the strength of the Badgers. There are just too many weapons to not give the Buckeyes the edge in this department.
Final Grades
Ohio State Buckeyes: A
Wisconsin Badgers: B-

When Wisconsin has the ball… There's no doubt what the Badgers are going to try to accomplish when they step on the field offensively. They plan on running the ball and running it right at you. No gimmicks. No trickeration. Just straight handoffs, and come try to tackle us. RB John Clay has rumbled for 692 yards on 115 carries with nine scores on the season, but unlike last year when there really wasn't anything else in the backfield to take off some of the load, he now has RB James White to rely on as well. White has 485 yards and eight scores, and he is averaging 7.7 yards per carry. QB Scott Tolzien definitely doesn't quite have a complete grade this year. We love the fact that he is averaging 9.1 yards per pass attempt, but only seven TDs against two picks doesn't give us all that much confidence, especially since he only has one receiver that has more than 15 catches for 172 yards. The good news is that WR Nick Toon is back, and he has already caught 11 passes in just three games on the season. Of late, there have at least been a few chinks in the Ohio State armor defensively. Yes, this team still ranks No. 13 in pass defense, No. 4 in rush defense, No. 3 in total defense, and No. 6 in scoring, but that doesn't mean that there haven't been some flaws that are notable. The Buckeyes might have one of the best defenses in the land, but at least based on performances of late, we're going to give a slight edge here to the Badgers.
Final Grades
Ohio State Buckeyes: B+
Wisconsin Badgers: A-

Intangibles…. The first intangible that must be noted is the fact that we aren't so sure that the Buckeyes can play on the road. They only have one road game this year, and they were tested every single step of the way by the Illinois Fighting Illini. Of course, what we do know is that Illinois turned around the next week, marched into Happy Valley, and beat down the Penn State Nittany Lions. Maybe the Illini really are that good. What else we know is that Ohio State's special teams have been nothing to write home about. A field goal has already been blocked and returned for a TD this season, and there have been two kick returns for scores as well. The Badgers might not have a fantastic special teams unit, but they do know that they have a head coach that is gritty and won't let his team quit in HC Brett Bielema. There's also definitely an aura surrounding Camp Randall that cannot be ignored, especially at night. Since the middle of October 2008, there has only been one team to march into Madison and come away with a victory, and that was a very special Iowa Hawkeyes team last year. We also know that Wisconsin isn't going to be intimidated, as it has wins in 2004, 2003, 2001, and 1999 against Ohio State. Needless to say, the edge here is going to the hosts.
Final Grades
Ohio State Buckeyes: C
Wisconsin Badgers: B+

The Final Report Card… This is a very, very tough game for Ohio State, especially with that No. 1 ranking sitting on its plate. That will only amp up the Camp Randall crowd, which will be "jumping around" from the very first kickoff. If the Badgers can figure out how to slow down Pryor, this game has the potential to be very, very bloody. The Buckeyes tripped in an inexcusable way last year to the Purdue Boilermakers, and a very similar type of offensive outing would not only see them get beaten in Camp Randall, but beaten down in a bad way to the point that they would not be able to return to the National Championship picture. With the spread being so close, we have to have confidence that the Badgers can win this game, and our final grades give them the edge even though the Buckeyes have the better team.
Final Overall Grades
Ohio State Buckeyes: B+
Wisconsin Badgers: A

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October 13th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: Kansas State Wildcats @ Kansas Jayhawks
Date: Thursday, October 14th, 7:30 ET
Location: University of Kansas Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, KS
Game Line: Kansas St -2.5
Over/Under 50.5

The Sunflower State Showdown lacks a little of the luster seen in previous years, but that doesn’t mean the in-state rivalry between the 2-3 Kansas Jayhawks and the 4-1 Kansas St Wildcats will mean any less to the teams involved Thursday night. To say that first year head coach Turner Gill has gotten off to a rocky start with the Jayhawks is a bit of an understatement. Kansas opened their season with a humiliating 6-3 loss against FCS North Dakota State and was blown out by the Baylor Bears two weeks ago in Waco. The 55-7 win that the Bears recorded was the biggest conference win in Baylor history, and it completely dominated the Jayhawks from start to finish. The Jayhawks allowed an eye-popping 678 total yards while their offense could only muster 270 total yards and turned the ball over four times against the Bears. Needless to say, the Jayhawks will need a much better performance in order to beat the Wildcats. Kansas State is coming off an embarrassing outing itself, falling 48-13 to Nebraska in Manhattan last Thursday night on HC Bill Snyder’s birthday nonetheless. The Wildcats defense allowed the Nebraska offense to rush for 451 yards and gave up over 10 yards per play to the Cornhuskers. In particular, Nebraska QB Taylor Martinez was allowed to run wild, carrying the ball 15 times for 241 yards and four touchdowns. For the Wildcats, RB Darren Thomas was completely shut down by the Huskers’ defense despite coming into the game as one of the leading rushers in the country. Thomas carried the ball 22 times for 63 yards and will need to have a better game against the Jayhawks as the Wildcat offense runs through him.

Free College Football Picks: Kansas +2.5
Prediction: Kansas 24 Kansas St 21
Matchup: South Florida Bulls @ #25 West Virginia Mountaineers
Date: Thursday, October 14th, 7:45 ET
Location: Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, WV
Game Line: West Virginia -10.5
Over/Under 43

West Virginia kicks off Big East play Thursday night when they host the South Florida Bulls at Mountaineer Field. The Mountaineers are 4-1 with their only loss being at the hands of undefeated LSU in Death Valley and look to be the class of the Big East this season. Last Saturday against the UNLV Rebels, the Mountaineers put together their most dominant performance of the season, scoring a huge 49-10 victory to get back into the Top 25. RB Noel Devine was battling a toe injury and only carried the ball three times, but racked up 84 yards and two touchdowns in limited action in the victory. QB Geno Smith also had a fantastic day for West Virginia, throwing for 220 yards and three touchdowns in the win. HC Bill Stewart’s defense has also been stellar this year, allowing just 255 yards per game and seven touchdowns in five games in 2010. As for South Florida, HC Skip Holtz has gotten off to a less than stellar start in his first year on the job, losing both games against BCS conference opponents while only mustering wins against two Sun Belt conference teams and an FCS team. Last week against Syracuse, the Bulls put together a pitiful performance at home in a 13-9 loss. QB BJ Daniels was downright dreadful, completing just 9 of 23 passes for 124 yards and two interceptions while being sacked four times. The South Florida offense as a whole was only able to muster 219 yards against the typically porous Orange defense and the USF defense allowed over 300 yards of offense to a Cuse offense which is typically pitiful in conference play. If the Bulls hope to come out of Morgantown with a win on Thursday, Daniels will need to outperform Smith and limit his turnovers.

Free College Football Picks: West Virginia -10.5
Prediction: West Virginia 29 South Florida 10

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October 12th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: UCF Knights @ Marshall Thundering Herd
Date: Wednesday, October 13th, 8:00 ET
Location: Joan C. Edwards Stadium, Huntington, WV
Game Line: UCF -5.5
Over/Under 44.5

The 3-2 UCF Knights will try to remain undefeated in Conference USA play when they play their second straight nationally televised Wednesday night game against the 1-4 Marshall Thundering Herd. Last week, UCF dominated UAB 42-7 thanks to a fantastic defensive performance by one of the best units in C-USA. The Knights defense held the Blazers to just 269 total yards, forced three turnovers, and scored twice against a UAB offense that was averaging over 400 YPG. On the offensive side of the ball, QB Jeff Godfrey again proved to be a spark plug for the Knights offense, completing 9 of 11 passes for 137 yards while running for 80 yards on nine carries. RB Ronnie Weaver contributed as well, carrying the ball for 50 yards and two touchdowns. As for Marshall, the Thundering Herd suffered a significant blow two Saturdays ago when QB AJ Graham hurt his ankle in the team’s 41-16 loss to Southern Miss. Graham is a very talented quarterback who was recruited by many top flight programs, so his loss is a big one for the Herd. QB Brian Anderson will receive the lion’s share of the snaps against the Knights. Anderson has been pretty solid on the year, completing 58% of his passes for 880 yards with eight touchdowns and five interceptions. If the Thundering Herd hope to upset the Knights this Wednesday night, they will need Anderson to step up in a big way as the Knights have one of the top rush defenses in the country.

Free College Football Picks: UCF -5.5
Prediction: UCF 30 Marshall 17

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October 8th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Matchup: Indiana Hoosiers @ Ohio State Buckeyes
Date: Saturday, October 9th, 12:00 ET
Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH
Game Line: Ohio State -22.5
Over/Under 57.5

Many might think that the way to go in this NCAA football betting battle is by taking the visiting Hoosiers due to the nature of what they did last week in nearly upsetting the Michigan Wolverines. However, we must remember that IU hasn't faced a team that plays defense like Ohio State all season long, and it also hasn't played a real road test against a legitimate conference contender at this point either. We love QB Ben Chappell and think that he has the goods to be a professional quarterback at some level, but this is too tough of a matchup for him to excel. The Buckeyes had their slip last week against Illinois and lived to tell about it. Unless there is a bit of a look ahead syndrome going on with the Wisconsin Badgers coming up next week, we are sure that OSU is going to want to come back and absolutely throw the gauntlet down. QB Denard Robinson absolutely shredded this Indiana defense last week. QB Terrelle Pryor might be able to do the same. The difference is that the Hoosiers won't be scoring 35 points this weekend like they did last weekend.

Free College Football Picks: Ohio State -22.5
Prediction: Ohio State 45 – Indiana 17

Matchup: Illinois Fighting Illini @ Penn State Nittany Lions
Date: Saturday, October 9th, 12:00 ET
Location: Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA
Game Line: Penn State -7.5
Over/Under 42

The Nittany Lions are out of the Top 25 this week, while the Illini nearly snuck into it after a near miss against the Ohio State Buckeyes last weekend. The bottom line for the Nittany Lions is that they are going to be overmatched by the best teams in the Big Ten all season long due to the fact that QB Robert Bolden, as a freshman, just isn't able to keep up with what the conference is throwing his way. However, Illinois isn't a top notch Big Ten team, nor is it even remotely close. This is also a team with a freshman QB Nathan Scheelhaase. Yes, Scheelhaase put together a respectable performance last weekend against the Bucks, but this game will be significantly different on the road in front of 90,000+ screaming fans in Happy Valley. PSU is going to be eager to prove that last week's loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes on the road was merely a bump in the road, and it will do so by stomping Illinois with a strong second half, just like the Bucks did last weekend.

Free College Football Picks: Penn State -7.5
Prediction: Penn State 27 – Illinois 13

Matchup: Tennessee Volunteers @ Georgia Bulldogs
Date: Saturday, October 9th, 12:21 ET
Location: Sanford Stadium, Athens, GA
Game Line: Georgia -11
Over/Under 48

"Between the Hedges" we go for another SEC betting battle between the Dawgs and the Vols. These two teams really don't like each other, and the Bulldogs are going to want to get some big time payback for last season's 45-19 blowout on Rocky Top. The Dawgs only have one win in this series since 2005, including when the Vols came here and won 51-33 in 2006. Tennessee has covered the NCAA football betting lines in four straight between these SEC East rivals. Georgia has never gotten off to this bad of a start in SEC play, nor has it ever endured a four game losing streak under HC Mark Richt. Is this team better than its record? Probably. Is it significantly better than its record? Probably not. UGA has gotten a real shot in the arm with the return of WR AJ Green to the lineup, but the Volunteers are only going to have to key in on him to stop on this offense. Last week, when faced with a similar situation with the LSU Tigers and RB Steven Ridley, Tennessee came just one play away from pulling off the ultimate upset in the Bayou. Don't be so surprised if an upset is in the cards, and if that's the case, Richt might find himself out of a job before the beginning of next week, as 1-5 won't sit well with the Georgia boosters.

Free College Football Picks: Tennessee +11
Prediction: Tennessee 20 – Georgia 17

Matchup: Alabama Crimson Tide @ South Carolina Gamecocks
Date: Saturday, October 9th, 3:30 ET
Location: Williams Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC
Game Line: South Carolina +7
Over/Under 47.5

It's easy to just make college football picks on the Crimson Tide after destroying the Florida Gators last weekend, but this is a type of challenge of the likes that has not been seen before by this team. Yes, the Tide rolled into Fayetteville and took care of the Arkansas Razorbacks with a nice surge at the end of the game. We must note that that was Alabama's one failed cover of the season to date. The difference here? The Gamecocks have had two weeks to prepare for this game and haven't really had anything on their minds but getting revenge for the game two weeks ago at Jordan Hare Stadium, a narrow defeat against the Texas A&M Aggies. We know that RB Mark Ingram is still probably the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. We still know that QB Greg McElroy hasn't lost a game as a starting quarterback since he was in eighth grade. We still know that the Tide just absolutely crippled the Florida offense last week and has the top scoring 'D' in the land. But there's something about this game that just feels different. The Ol' Ball Coach, HC Steve Spurrier has to have some things up his sleeve, and all of the tricks will be coming out of the bag in this one. This would be a defining moment in South Carolina football history if it could win this game, and we think that the upset just might be in the cards on Saturday afternoon.

Free College Football Picks: South Carolina +7
Prediction: South Carolina 27 – Alabama 26

Matchup: Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Texas A&M Aggies
Date: Saturday, October 9th, 3:30 ET
Location: Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, TX
Game Line: Texas A&M +5.5
Over/Under 62.5

The Hogs and Aggies have ties going back to the olden days, and this is the second straight year that they will play at a neutral site to renew old ties. Last year, QB Ryan Mallett went absolutely bananas, throwing for 271 yards and four TDs against a Texas A&M team that just had no answers. Arkansas is coming off of that crushing fourth quarter rally of a defeat at the hands of the Alabama Crimson Tide, something that clearly will not be forgotten easily. A&M has struggled trying to protect QB Jerrod Johnson, who is one of the best dual threat signal callers in the land. HC Bobby Petrino has been scheming for this one for two weeks. We also tend to believe that the Hogs have the ability to play with the Crimson Tide, therefore they can beat anyone in America. This game will probably be no exception. Last week was a shootout in which Johnson threw four picks against the Oklahoma State Cowboys, and if he makes those same types of mistakes this weekend, it is going to be one heck of a lot afternoon in "Big D."

Free College Football Picks: Arkansas -5.5
Prediction: Arkansas 37 – Texas A&M 21

Matchup: Michigan State Spartans @ Michigan Wolverines
Date: Saturday, October 9th, 3:30 ET
Location: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI
Game Line: Michigan -4.5
Over/Under 62.5

This game has the potential to have some real fireworks in it, as the "Big Game" has really not been this big in a number of years. The Wolverines and Spartans are both 5-0 and both think that this is the year that they can go to the Rose Bowl. However, both have a history of this being the time of year that they fold up shop and are never heard from again, and that's exactly what they're both trying to avoid. For HC Rich Rodriguez, this game is even more important. The Spartans are on house money, and regardless of whether every single game down the stretch is lost or not, HC Mark Dantonio's job is safe after that fake field goal call that beat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Rodriguez… not so much. What Rich Rod does have on his side is the most dynamic player in the country, QB Denard Robinson. He'll become the first man to get to 1,000 rushing yards in all likelihood in this game, and he'll also be well over the 2,000 yard mark for the year between rushing and passing when it's all said and done. The Spartans have never faced a team with this type of an offense and haven't played a true road game this year (the one "road game" was "at" Florida Atlantic… at Ford Field). It will be up to RB Edwin Baker and RB Le'Veon Bell to control the clock and keep Robinson off the field. However, Big Blue has struggled trying to stop the pass this year, not the rush. In fact, this is the worst rated pass defense in the nation at over 307 yards per game. Still, if QB Kirk Cousins can't get going in a big way, Michigan is going to end up rolling over the Spartans. This game means too much to the maize and blue to be beaten. A bowl game will be a guarantee when Saturday is over.

Free College Football Picks: Michigan -4.5
Prediction: Michigan 40 – Michigan State 28

Matchup: Virginia Cavaliers @ Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Date: Saturday, October 9th, 3:30 ET
Location: Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Game Line: Georgia Tech -10
Over/Under 47

The Cavvies were steamrolled last week by the Florida State Seminoles, but they have a shred of promise for the rest of this season. Meanwhile, the Yellow Jackets are still trying to figure out how they have been stung twice this year and why they are just 1-4 ATS a year after going to the Orange Bowl as the ACC champs. QB Josh Nesbitt is just as dangerous now as he was last season when he led this team to a fantastic season, but his 880 total yards in five games just isn't reflecting that. He needs to find a way to get more involved in the offense, which ranks just 58th in the land in total yards at 388.2 yards per game. Virginia hasn't been great, but sticking in front of a double digit spread, even on the road, seems like a legitimate possibility. Something's wrong with the Ramblin' Wreck right now, and we're determined to take advantage of that. GT might win it, but the Cavs are sticking around for the full 60 minutes.

Free College Football Picks: Virginia +10
Prediction: Georgia Tech 24 – Virginia 20

Matchup: Pittsburgh Panthers @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Date: Saturday, October 9th, 3:30 ET
Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN
Game Line: Notre Dame -6
Over/Under 49.5

Is something really wrong with the Panthers right now, or have they just run across a tough spot in the schedule? Their two losses are very respectable ones against the Miami Hurricanes and Utah Utes, and their two wins were both by respectable margins even though they were against sub-par teams. This is the first time this year that they are really on a team in their weight class, per se. The Irish finally got a big win together last week against the Boston College Eagles, and maybe that will jumpstart the season, as the next portion of the schedule just isn't that difficult. The Panthers have health concerns with RB Dion Lewis, while the Irish are still rolling offensively to the tune of 24.6 points per game. We tend to believe that that will be enough to take care of U-Pitt, which really needs to find an identity going into the Big East campaign next week.

Free College Football Picks: Notre Dame -6
Prediction: Notre Dame 28 – Pittsburgh 17

Matchup: Clemson Tigers @ North Carolina Tar Heels
Date: Saturday, October 9th, 3:30 ET
Location: Kenan Memorial Stadium, Chapel Hill, NC
Game Line: North Carolina -2.5
Over/Under 52.5

The Tar Heels are still dealing with a plethora of defensive suspensions, but they seemed to overcome all of those problems last week when they really shut down the powerful East Carolina Pirates with a 42-17 victory. Clemson comes to town now with a slew of questions. The Tigers have two losses, but are defeats against the Auburn Tigers and Miami Hurricanes really that bad? However, they have two wins as well. We already know that beating the North Texas Mean Green and the Presbyterian Blue Hose is nothing to write home about. This is a very good litmus test for both teams. The difference here is that North Carolina is very battle tested and already knows what it takes to win in the ACC. The home game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets might have been a defeat, but it certainly might have set the tone for the rest of the season. UNC is the better team in this battle, and as long as QB TJ Yates doesn't put on his pick face all of a sudden, the Tar Heels should be able to snare a win.

Free College Football Picks: North Carolina -2.5
Prediction: North Carolina 27 – Clemson 20

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