Posts Tagged ‘Mississippi State Bulldogs’

January 26th, 2013 By Andrew Ryan

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CappersInfo is back with its Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Florida Gators picks and predictions, as we look to give you all of the college basketball advice and tips that you need to beat your online sportsbook for this crucial Saturday night tilt.

College Basketball Picks: Florida Gators @ Mississippi State Bulldogs
Date: Saturday, January 26th, 8:00 ET
Location: Humphrey Coliseum, Starkville, MS
Mississippi State vs. Florida Live TV: ESPN2

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This seems to be an easy game on one blush, knowing that the Bulldogs and the Gators are going in completely opposite directions. UF is 15-2 and is surely nearing the top line for the NCAA Tournament. The boys in orange and blue have fought through some nagging injuries and have only seemed to get better and better as a result. The Gators have won seven straight games and have covered five in a row. In each of those five covers, the club has been a double digit favorite, and all of the wins have come by at least 21 points. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs have dropped three in a row by an average of 24.3 points per game. It’s really easy to just ultimately dismiss a team that simply can’t score all that much in Mississippi State, but that wouldn’t necessarily be the wise thing to do. This is a tremendous college basketball point spread that we are getting on our side. We know that recent numbers suggest that the Gators will cover, but there has to be some market correction at some point. Teams simply don’t win all of their conference games by double digit margins, particularly the road games.

Mississippi State vs. Florida Pick: Mississippi State Bulldogs +20
Mississippi State vs. Florida Prediction: Florida 68 – Mississippi State 61

 
December 31st, 2012 By Jack Wilshire

I’ve been studying the ‘total’ for the Gator Bowl odds for quite some time, and I’m ready to make my Gator Bowl picks for the clash between the Northwestern Wildcats and the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Mississippi State vs. Northwestern kickoff is set for 12:00 p.m. ET at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, FL, and I’m going to show you which way to bet on college football to make your CFB pick on for this great game.

2013 Gator Bowl
Mississippi State Bulldogs (8-4, 6-6 ATS) +1.5
Northwestern Wildcats (9-3, 11-1 ATS) -1.5
Over/Under 53.5

The Wildcats were one of the best ATS teams in the country this year at 11-1, and the common thought is that they should be the team to back in this game. This is about the ‘total’ though, and I know that I have a tough time justifying taking the ‘over’ in this one. The Wildcats are going to try to run the heck out of the football, and though they to operate at a breakneck pace when they can and do all sorts of goofy things with two quarterbacks and a slew of men rushing the ball, the Bulldogs have the defense to string things out and use speed to get to the football.

This is an MSU team that I think is severely underrated this year. The club allowed just 22.4 points per game this year, and if you take out the four losses, that average comes scream down into the low-teens. It was a defense that just didn’t relent this year, and hindsight 20/20, even holding QB Johnny Manziel and the Texas A&M Aggies’ offense down 38 points this year is quite the accomplishment. Head Coach Dan Mullen is going to want to run the heck out of the football, and he is going to do so even though his reserve back, RB Nick Griffin tore his ACL in preparation for this game. I expect to see a lot out of RB LaDarius Perkins on Tuesday afternoon, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he touched the ball 20-25 times.

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Northwestern played some scary good defense this year as well, and most probably didn’t even realize it. The 38 points allowed to the Michigan Wolverines was aided by overtime, and the 39 points allowed to the Penn State Nittany Lions seemed to be a bit of an anomaly. The rest of the season since Week 1, the club was holding teams all over the place in the teens and the low 20s, and that’s what I expect to see once again in this one. I don’t think that neither club touches 30, and if that’s the case, it should be a game that stays beneath the number.

Mississippi State vs. Northwestern Picks & Tips: Under 53.5

 
December 31st, 2012 By Andrew Ryan

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The Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Northwestern Wildcats are going to square off on the Gator Bowl odds and betting lines. Join us here at Cappers Info, as we make our Gator Bowl picks & predictions for football for what should be a great game on Tuesday.

Gator Bowl Picks: Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Northwestern Wildcats
Date: Tuesday, January 1st, 12:00 ET
Location: EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL
Gator Bowl Betting Odds: Northwestern -1.5
Mississippi State vs. Northwestern Live TV: ESPN2

The 2013 calendar year kicks off in Jacksonville with the Gator Bowl, which should be a heck of a game to take in. The Bulldogs are coming out of the SEC with eight wins to their credit, and when you look back at their four losses, you have to still remain impressed. There aren’t many teams that beat Alabama, LSU, or Texas A&M, and the slip in the Egg Bowl really wasn’t all that notable, knowing that the game meant a heck of a lot more to the Ole Miss Rebels than it did to MSU. The Bulldogs are led by QB Tyler Russell, who very quietly had a great year, throwing the ball for 2,791 yards and 22 TDs. RB LaDarius Perkins and WR Chad Bumphis do a little bit of everything, as they were stars offensively for the team and also were featured on special teams as returners. Both men had over 900 yards from scrimmage this year, and Perkins needs 59 yards in this game to become a 1,000-yard back.

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Northwestern just continued to cover spreads left and right this year, and the argument could be made that it exceeded its own expectations this year by more than any other team in the Big Ten. You don’t think of this as a team that averaged over 31 points per game, nor do you think of it as a team that averaged allowing less than 23 points per game, but that was the end result. The rushing attack was out of this world this year and ended up ranking No. 15 in the land at 230.9 yards per game. RB Venric Mark was outstanding, rushing for 1,310 yards and 11 TDs, while QB Kain Kolter ran some of the offense and ended with 820 rushing yards, 796 passing yards, and a total of 20 touchdowns. Watch out for Kolter to play some wide out as well, as he caught 16 passes in the rare instances that he was used as a receiver as well. This is definitely a team that has some talent on it, and QB Trevor Siemian is good enough to work the ball up the field if he is given the chance to do so.

Normally speaking, it’s awfully bad news to fade a team that went 11-1 ATS on the season. However, normally speaking, it’s awfully bad news to fade a team from the SEC against a team from the Big Ten. The Big Ten has just been atrocious in these situations in the past, especially in the bowl games played here in the Sunshine State, and knowing that we can get a very solid Mississippi State team with a point and a half on our side to start, we just can’t pass on the chance.

Mississippi State vs. Northwestern Pick: Mississippi State Bulldogs +1.5
Gator Bowl Score Prediction: Mississippi State 27 – Northwestern 24

 
November 3rd, 2012 By Andrew Ryan

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The 2012 college football season is back, and here at Cappers Info, we’ll be looking at some of the best games on the docket each and every week, as we try to make the most money possible off of the CFB odds for the week. Join us on Saturday night, as we make our Texas A&M Aggies @ Mississippi State Bulldogs free picks and predictions for what should be a great clash on the gridiron.

Week 10 College Football Picks: Texas A&M Aggies @ Mississippi State Bulldogs
Date: Saturday, November 3rd, 12:00 ET
Location: Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville, MS
CFB Betting Odds: Texas A&M -6.5
Texas A&M @ Mississippi State Live TV: ESPN

The oddsmakers have to be thinking that the Aggies are the better of these two teams even though they both have very similar records and rankings this year. The truth of the matter is that neither of these teams are totally out of the discussion for the SEC West title quite yet, but winning out is a pre-requisite for both to stay in the thick of the fight. The Bulldogs have only been beaten once this year, and there surely is no issue losing on the road to the No. 1 team in the country, even if it came in a blowout. They haven’t played all that much of a schedule though, and this might be the second toughest team that they have faced this year. Texas A&M clearly has the best talent on the field in QB Johnny Manziel, who already has four road wins to his credit, two of which have come in the SEC, and his only two losses have been by a combined eight points to LSU and Florida, both of which are legitimately amongst the best 10 teams in the land this year. It feels like the oddsmakers got the college football point spreads right in this one, as A&M should land a double digit drumming of the hosts.

Texas A&M @ Mississippi State Pick: Texas A&M -6.5
Texas A&M @ Mississippi State Score Prediction: Texas A&M 42 – Mississippi State 28

 
October 22nd, 2012 By Andrew Ryan
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The Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Alabama Crimson Tide are going to square off in Week 9 of the college football betting campaign. Join us here at Cappers Info, as we make our predictions for football for what should be a great game on Saturday.

Week 9 College Football Picks: Mississippi State Bulldogs @ Alabama Crimson Tide
Date: Saturday, October 27th, 8:30 ET
Location: Bryant Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL
CFB Betting Odds: Alabama -24
Mississippi State vs. Alabama Live TV: ESPN

Many are going to back the No. 12 team in the country for sure in this one, as Mississippi State is going to come to Tuscaloosa thinking that it is going to beat the top team in the land. These Bulldogs definitely don’t lack swagger, but what they do lack is the speed, size, and depth to be able to keep up with the Crimson Tide. It’s not like Alabama is in that bad of shape, though it is coming off of one of its worst defensive showings in quite some time when it allowed 13 to the Tennessee Volunteers. The bigger concern here for the Crimson Tide is looking ahead to next week’s showdown with the LSU Tigers. As long as that doesn’t turn out to be the case when push comes to shove, Alabama really should have no problem putting this game away. The defense will surely hold MSU in the mid- to high-teens at best, and the offense will continue to do its thing and get at least into the 30s. If that turns out to be the case, there will be a point in which the Tide can just name the final score. They’ll want to prove a point and send a big message to LSU and the rest of the nation.

Mississippi State @ Alabama Pick: Alabama -24
Mississippi State @ Alabama Score Prediction: Alabama 41 – Mississippi State 13

 
October 19th, 2012 By Andrew Ryan

Of all of the games on the Saturday 10/20 college football betting schedule, one of my favorite is the clash between the MTSU Blue Raiders and the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Join me for my Week 8 tips for this 6:00 p.m. ET kickoff that can be seen on ESPN2.

MTSU Blue Raiders (4-2, 4-2 ATS) +19
#16 Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-2, 4-2 ATS) -19
Over/Under 55

Middle Tennessee State is certainly not a pushover of a Sun Belt team. The squad has already gone on the road this year and absolutely smacked down the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Atlanta. I’m definitely not calling for an upset in this one, but this feels like a game in which the Bulldogs are going to screw around and come up short of the cover in spite of one of these sometimes nervy 10-14 point victories.

The schedule ahead is what really has us concerned for the Bulldogs. The next three games after this one are against Alabama, Texas A&M, and LSU, and that’s when the season will be made or broken. This is really the best team that Mississippi State has seen in quite some time, and Head Coach Dan Mullen knows that this is a great opportunity that he has to take his team to the next level of being a title contender.

Still, remember all of the great games that the Sun Belt has played this year already against the SEC. Western Kentucky has beaten Kentucky and covered Alabama. Louisiana Monroe beat Arkansas and almost beat Auburn. Heck, Troy even gave a fight to Mississippi State all the way through. It just seems like the lesser conference is starting to inch a little closer to the big boys, and with that being said, the Blue Raiders are probably the right selection to make on Saturday night on national television.

MTSU @ Mississippi State Tips: Middle Tennessee State +19

 
October 13th, 2012 By Andrew Ryan
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Week 7 pointspreads are out, and here at Cappers Info, we are set to analyze the college football odds for one of the top games on the slate. The Tennessee Volunteers vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs odds are posted, and we are set to make our CFB picks for another great game.

Week 7 College Football Picks: Tennessee Volunteers @ Mississippi State Bulldogs
Date: Saturday, October 13th, 9:00 ET
Location: Heinz Field, Mississippi State, PA
CFB Betting Odds: Mississippi State -3
Tennessee vs. Mississippi State Live TV: ESPN2

This is almost a bit like an NFL game and an NFL pointspread when you think about it. The Bulldogs are favored by a field goal, and the favored team is getting about 60% of the betting action. We’ve sat and looked at this one for quite some time, and in the end, the underdog seems to be the way to go when push comes to shove. We do really think that this Tennessee teams has something special about it. There are only a pair of losses, and both are to teams that have been ranked in the Top 5 in the nation at one point or another, and there is no shame in that. Mississippi State has won seven in a row, but this just feels like a game that could be problematic. QB Tyler Bray is one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC, and he is the one man that can win this game by himself. He just might be able to do it.

Tennessee @ Mississippi State Pick: Tennessee +3
Tennessee @ Mississippi State Score Prediction: Tennessee 27 – Mississippi State 21

 
September 7th, 2012 By Andrew Ryan
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Week 2 pointspreads are out, and here at Cappers Info, we are set to analyze the college football odds for one of the top games on the slate. The Auburn Tigers vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs odds are posted, and we are set to make our CFB picks for another great game.

Week 2 College Football Picks: Auburn Tigers @ Mississippi State Bulldogs
Date: Saturday, September 8th, 12:00 ET
Location: Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville, MS
CFB Betting Odds: Mississippi State -3
Auburn vs. Mississippi State Live TV: ESPN

This is most certainly going to be a tough, tough call to make this week, but we think that we have the right side of this SEC showdown in Starkville on Saturday afternoon. Auburn was beaten last week by a very good Clemson side 26-19 at the Georgia Dome in a game that very easily could have gone the other way. Yes, the SEC Tigers weren’t as strong as the ACC Tigers, but just to be able to stick around was impressive. We didn’t learn a heck of a lot about this Mississippi State team with a win over Jackson State, but what we do immediately recognize is the fact that this is a veteran team that has the ability to do some real damage. However, there has to be a matter of urgency here for the Tigers. They’re already 0-1, and if this one is lost, the team is really staring at a 1-4 start to the season in the face with really just two more shoe-in victories left to go. The Bulldogs are a solid bunch, but we aren’t so sure that they should be laying points in this game. Go with QB Kiehl Frazier and Auburn to pull off the upset on the road.

Auburn @ Mississippi State Pick: Auburn Tigers +3
Auburn @ Mississippi State Score Prediction: Auburn 24 – Mississippi State 20

 
December 30th, 2011 By Andrew Ryan

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The ACC and the SEC meet up in a slew of bowl games over the course of the year, and the Music City Bowl is no exception. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons will take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs in Nashville, and we are set to make our Music City Bowl picks for the game on the 30th.

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Music City Bowl Matchup: Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Music City Bowl Date/Time: Friday, December 30th, 6:40 ET
Music City Bowl Location: LP Field, Nashville, TN
Music City Bowl Odds: Mississippi State -6.5
Music City Bowl Total: 48
Music City Bowl TV Coverage: ESPN, ESPN3.com

The Demon Deacons have to be shaking their head about this matchup. They probably ended up playing a terrible game at the end of the year at home against the Vanderbilt Commodores, a 41-7 defeat. The Bulldogs did go just 6-6 this year, but take a look at the six losses… @ Auburn, vs. LSU, @ Georgia, vs. South Carolina, vs. Alabama, @ Arkansas. Yikes! That’s a murderer’s row of games, and aside from that, MSU was an undefeated team that played tremendous football.

What we are probably going to see in this one is a heck of a lot of defense and some sloppy offense. Mississippi State, thanks to the fact that it played such a terrible schedule, ranked No. 87 in the country at 355.1 yards per game, and No. 73 in scoring at 25.5 points per game. Wake Forest averaged just 374.5 yards per game, No. 76 in the land, and 26.8 points per game, No. 61 against a significantly easier schedule.

Running backs are going to be used quite a bit in this one. For Mississippi State, the ball will be put in the hands of RB Vick Ballard and RB LaDarius Perkins. These two rumbled 260 times over the course of the year, and they combined for over 1,400 yards and 10 TDs. The offense isn’t quite as much predicated on the run as it was last year, though neither QB Chris Relf nor QB Tyler Russell were really all that efficient. Neither one threw for even 1,100 yards on the season, though both took a ton of snaps in doing so. Though Wake Forest ranked No. 96 in the country on the ground, RB Brandon Pendergrass will certainly be a factor in the offense. He had 750 yards on the ground this year, and he could really have a big time impact on this game by the time it is said and done with.

If there is a shot for Wake Forest to do some damage in this game, it is going to be WR Chris Givens that has to do the work. He averaged over 17 yards per reception this year, and he always has the ability to break free and put together a big time play. Though Mississippi State was prone to the big play this year, it has a defense that really was able to shut down the majority of plays. QB Tanner Price is going to have to put together a great game, and after seeing Vandy run right through the Deacs in Nashville, we just don’t see how the Demon Deacons are going to be able to compete in this one. Quite honestly, we would have rather seen the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in this game. MSU was able to beat the snot out of the Michigan Wolverines last year in the Gator Bowl, and this is a significantly easier game than that.

Free Music City Bowl Pick: Mississippi State -6.5

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October 14th, 2011 By Andrew Ryan

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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!

Year To Date Record: 39-32 ATS

Upset Record: 6-15 -$410

Underdog Pick #1: Mississippi State Bulldogs (+120 at Wager Web Sportsbook) vs. South Carolina Gamecocks, Saturday, 12:20 ET: We can’t help but wonder if things are going to fall apart for the Gamecocks in these next few weeks. South Carolina really hasn’t looked all that stellar for the most part this year, and now, it has to go on the road on a brutal test in Starkville. Mississippi State has all sorts of quarterback problems, but we have to think that it will come to play in what amounts to be one of the biggest games of the season. The Dogs were able to take down a lot of big time teams at home last season, and they’ll be able to slay the Cocks on Saturday.

Underdog Pick #2: Auburn Tigers (+110 at Wager Web Sportsbook) vs. Florida Gators, Saturday 7:00 ET: Auburn isn’t exactly the greatest team in the SEC this year, but we know that the Tigers have been able to play with some big time teams. All of a sudden, that loss against Clemson doesn’t look all that bad, knowing that the Tigers are in the Top 10 in the land. QB Barrett Trotter is going to have his work cut out for him against this Florida defense, but at home, he should be okay. The real questions are going to be for the Florida offense, as QB John Brantley is still out of the fold. No matter which one of the youngsters are going to end up going against these Tigers, they aren’t going to be able to pull off this victory on the road. The wrong team is absolutely favored in this game.

Underdog Pick #3: UCF Knights (+150 at Wager Web Sportsbook) @ SMU Mustangs, Saturday, 3:30 ET: UCF hasn’t had the greatest season in the world, and we have some real questions right now about this offense, but we have to remember that it has played against some reasonable defenses and has played in some awful weather at times. Everyone is high on the Mustangs right now after their upset of TCU, but we just aren’t all that sure. Last year, UCF absolutely dominated the ‘Stangs at Bright House Networks Stadium in the Conference USA Championship Game, which propelled the team to its first bowl win, the Liberty Bowl. This is a big game for an up and coming program, and if the Knights want to get into the Big East, this is the type of game that it really should win.

Underdog Pick #4: Northwestern Wildcats (+220 at Wager Web Sportsbook) @ Iowa Hawkeyes, Saturday, 7:00 ET: This is the third straight week that we have taken a chance on the Wildcats. We just believe that this team has the ability to win games in this conference now that it has QB Dan Persa back under center. Iowa hasn’t proven anything to us this year. We’re not convinced that the win over Pittsburgh, especially in that come from behind type of fashion was all that special, and we know that the loss to Iowa State was brutal. The Hawkeyes are probably rightfully favored playing at Kinnick Stadium, but there’s no way that the Cats should be more than +150 or so. Remember that this Northwestern team was the one that ended Iowa’s perfect season two years ago right here in the cornfields of Iowa.

Underdog Pick #5: Louisiana Monroe Warhawks (+260 at Wager Web Sportsbook) @ Troy Trojans, Saturday, 7:00 ET: These Sun Belt games are wacky, and there are often some tremendously unpredictable results. In this case, we can see how an upset can happen. Don’t confuse ULM as your average 1-4 team. Don’t worry about these four losses. The schedule has been brutal and last week’s loss to Arkansas State was against another Sun Belt team that we think has the ability to pull off some upsets this year. QB Kolton Browning is one of the better Sun Belt quarterbacks, and he has a team on his side that can shut down QB Corey Robinson. The Trojans lost this fixture last year, and we can totally see them doing the exact same thing this week as well.

 
December 31st, 2010 By Andrew Ryan

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The Mississippi State Bulldogs and Michigan Wolverines are back in a bowl game this year, and the two will be looking for a massive victory in the Sunshine State on New Year's afternoon at the Gator Bowl.

Gator Bowl Matchup: Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Michigan Wolverines
Date: Saturday, January 1st, 1:30 ET
Location: Ever Bank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL
Gator Bowl Line: Mississippi State -4.5
Over/Under 60

Bulldogs Notes: There's not a team in the country that had a more interesting year than the Bulldogs, who fought hard in the SEC to finish at 8-4 on the season. They really did compete with the "Big Four" in the West Division, the Auburn Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Arkansas Razorbacks, and LSU Tigers, and though they were defeated in all four games, they did beat all of the teams on their slate from the East Division. This is an old school SEC team that runs smash mouth ball and plays rock solid defense. RB Vick Ballard has rumbled the ball 167 times for 905 yards and a whopping 17 TDs this year, and when he gets near the end zone, it feels like an automatic six points. QB Chris Relf threw for 1,495 yards in his first year leading this offense, but he is going to probably be without his top receiver, WR Chad Bumphis, who caught 44 balls for 634 yards on the campaign. Instead, Relf will have to us his legs in this one, as he rushed for 671 yards and four scores. RB LaDarius Perkins rumbled for 526 yards on 92 carries and will be used quite a bit in this one as well. The defense for Mississippi State was really the last team to hold down Auburn Tigers QB Cam Newton. Only the Arkansas Razorbacks put more than 30 on this team this year. The squad only allowed 348.2 yards and 20.3 points per game for the season.

Wolverines Notes: Is this a game for the job of Head Coach Rich Rodriguez? The buzzards are swarming right now in Ann Arbor, and even though the Wolverines didn't collapse and fail to miss a bowl game the same way that they did last year, they didn't exactly play well down the stretch either, losing five of their last seven games. The defense was absolutely horrendous at times, allowing 65 to the Illinois Fighting Illini, 48 to the Wisconsin Badgers, and 41 to the Penn State Nittany Lions. The unit ranked No. 104 in the nation at 432.7 yards per game and was No. 102 in scoring at 33.8 points per game. Offensively, averaging 501.3 yards per game was one of the top marks in the nation, but we have to face the fact that this really was a one man band. QB Denard Robinson accounted for almost 4,000 total yards of offense this season, throwing for 2,316 yards and rushing for 1,643 yards. He did miss pieces of games this year, and if he gets injured, there isn't going to be another signal caller to trust, as QB Tate Forcier is academically ineligible. Robinson threw for 16 TDs and rushed for 14 scores, but he really sort of fell apart down the stretch and went from a Heisman Trophy favorite to a man that wasn't even considered as a finalist.

The Final Word: Still, Robinson is a man that refuses to lose at times. He won't quite get the job done, but he can keep the Wolverines inside of this number. Mississippi State is very deserving of a bowl win, and it won't be concerning to anyone in Starkville if this one is won, but not covered. The Dogs will be victorious, but the key to beating the Gator Bowl odds is going with the Wolverines.

Gator Bowl Free Pick: Michigan +4.5
Gator Bowl Prediction: Mississippi State 34 – Michigan 31

 
November 26th, 2010 By Andrew Ryan

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Matchup: Virginia Cavaliers @ Virginia Tech Hokies
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 12:00 ET
Location: Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, VA
Game Line: Virginia Tech Hokies -23.5
Over/Under 57.5

The rivalry in the state of Virginia this year doesn't have all that much meaning to it, as the Hokies are already going to the ACC Championship Game next week, while the Cavaliers can't make it to a bowl game one way or the other. Both of these teams are solid ATS squads as well, as they are a combined 14-8 in that department. The Hokies have dominated this series, going 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS since 2003, and there is little reason to believe that that won't continue. The Hoos are trying out a bunch of new things this year, and unless QB Marc Verica plans on getting to the 3,000 yard mark this year (which requires 369 passing yards), we don't see how UVA is sticking around with the red hot Hokies, who just want to keep their mojo going into the conference title game.

Free College Football Picks: Virginia Tech -23.5
Prediction: Virginia Tech 38 – Virginia 10

Matchup: Michigan State Spartans @ Penn State Nittany Lions
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 12:00 ET
Location: Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA
Game Line: Michigan State -1.5
Over/Under 51

This is the game that will essentially lock up the Big Ten for the Wisconsin Badgers. The Spartans are just barely hanging on by a thread this season, as they have already had to post major comebacks against both the Northwestern Wildcats and the Purdue Boilermakers to hold on for victories. If those games went the other way and nothing else changed, we know that Penn State would be favored by close to a TD in this one. The bottom line here is that we've had this game circled for quite some time. The Spartans have killed off a number of National Championship hopes for the Nittany Lions over the years, and now Penn State can return the favor and end the Rose Bowl dreams of Michigan State. You know that Joe Pa's crew isn't going to want to pass up on that opportunity.

Free College Football Picks: Penn State +1.5
Prediction: Penn State 23 – Michigan State 17

Matchup: Michigan Wolverines @ Ohio State Buckeyes
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 12:00 ET
Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH
Game Line: Ohio State -16.5
Over/Under 63.5

Ohio State has a chance to finish off an 11 win season if it can continue dominance over the Wolverines. Previous Michigan HC Lloyd Carr was canned because he couldn't beat the Buckeyes, and though we know that HC Rich Rodriguez is safe this year after winning seven games and taking Big Blue to a bowl game, eventually, a win over OSU is going to be required for him to keep his job. QB Denard Robinson is going to have to go wild against one of the top defenses in the country to pull off this upset, but with what we've seen thus far with the Buckeyes at home, where they are 7-0 SU and 7-0 ATS, the NCAA football odds aren't looking so good for the visitors.

Free College Football Picks: Ohio State -16.5
Prediction: Ohio State 41 – Michigan 21

Matchup: BYU Cougars @ Utah Utes
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 3:30 ET
Location: Rice Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, UT
Game Line: Utah -8.5
Over/Under 50

This is going to be one of the most interesting Holy Wars in years. The Utes are really slumping right now, as they only stopped a brutal two game skid in which they scored a total of just nine points last week. BYU, on the other hand, really has its offense in high gear right now, and it has salvaged a bowl bid in a year in which looked like it was going to be a disaster. This is the last meeting of these two teams as members of the MWC. The Cougs will be going independent next year, while Utah is headed to the Pac-10. QB Jake Heaps has really figured it out of late, as he is up to 1,824 yards and ten TDs on the campaign, while his counterpart in this one, QB Jordan Wynn, really hasn't gotten it together this year for the Utes to the fullest capability. Last year's game was an epic 26-23 overtime win for BYU in Provo, and this year's encounter should be every bit as entertaining. We think that Rice Eccles Stadium will claim another foe, but that the Cougs are going to find a way to get out of Salt Lake City with another cover.

Free College Football Picks: BYU +8.5
Prediction: Utah 27 – BYU 21

Matchup: Northwestern Wildcats @ Wisconsin Badgers
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 3:30 ET
Location: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, WI
Game Line: Wisconsin -23.5
Over/Under 57

As long as nothing else screwy happens in the Big Ten over the course of the day, this is going to be the farewell song for the Badgers at home this year, as they head to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl or to Glendale for the BCS Championship Game. The equation in this one is painfully simply. The Wildcats gave up 360 rushing yards last week to Illinois' RB Mikel LeShoure. Last week, Wisconsin's RB Montee Ball and RB James White both rumbled for at least 170 yards apiece. Now, RB John Clay is going to be back in the fold this week as well. At this pace, all three of them could end up with 150 on the ground, especially since the Northwestern offense has totally fallen apart with QB Dan Persa out of the lineup with an Achilles tear. RB Jacob Schmidt and RB Mike Trumpy probably aren't playing either, and if this is the case, QB Evan Watkins is going to be looking like a deer in headlights. Camp Randall will be Jumpin' Around on Saturday afternoon, as their Badgers will have roses between their teeth when this one is over with.

Free College Football Picks: Wisconsin -23.5
Prediction: Wisconsin 63 – Northwestern 17

Matchup: NC State Wolfpack @ Maryland Terrapins
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 3:30 ET
Location: Byrd Stadium, College Park, MD
Game Line: NC State -1.5
Over/Under 52

The Wolfpack haven't played all that well on the road this year, but they knew coming into last week's clash with the North Carolina Tar Heels that they needed to win twice in order to lock up the ACC Atlantic Division to go to their first ACC Championship Game. The equation is simple. An NCSU win sends the Wolfpack to the game. A loss puts the Florida State Seminoles there for the second time in school history. QB Russell Wilson has all of the pressure on his shoulders to try to take down a team that has played incredibly well at home this year. The Terps don't have anything to really play for except positioning in bowl games, but you can bet that after a great season, Maryland doesn't want to see it all come crashing down with a pair of home losses. Back the hosts, which will send FSU to the league title game.

Free College Football Picks: Maryland Terrapins +1.5
Prediction: Maryland 21 – NC State 20

Matchup: Florida Gators @ Florida State Seminoles
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 3:30 ET
Location: Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Game Line: Florida State -2
Over/Under 51

The truth of the matter is that this game really doesn't mean much to either one of these teams from the perspective of where they are going to go to a bowl game. Odds have it, Florida's fate will be in the hands of the Outback Bowl, which may or may not take it. If not, there will be a lot of bowl games that surpass the Gators before they land one way or the other. The Noles though, are probably going to be the No. 2 or No. 3 team in the conference, which means that they will either be in the Gator Bowl or the Champs Sports Bowl unless they win the ACC. You know that there will be plenty of scoreboard watching in Tallahassee, win or lose against UF. The Maryland Terrapins will be rooted on just as hard as the Noles will at the Doak on Saturday. A win for the team that FSU disposed of last week will send it to the ACC Championship Game. Still, this game takes top priority for the men on the field, as the Seminoles haven't beaten the Gators in six tries. Florida just doesn't look like it has the oomph right now, particularly offensively, to be able to take down the men in garnet and gold. Florida State will get the job done, and there will be a ton of celebrating on the streets of Tallahassee for the first time in years.

Free College Football Picks: Florida State -2
Prediction: Florida State 30 – Florida 21

Matchup: LSU Tigers @ Arkansas Razorbacks
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 3:30 ET
Location: War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock, AR
Game Line: Arkansas -3
Over/Under 54

These two teams really hate each other, as the battle for the Golden Boot is always one of the most brutal battles to watch on the collegiate gridiron all season long. Depending on what happens with the Iron Bowl on Friday afternoon, Arkansas might think that it has a great chance of playing for a BCS bowl game, as a second team from the SEC is likely going to find its way to a major bowl game. LSU knows that a spot in the BCS is guaranteed with a win, as a one loss SEC team is not going to be passed upon under any circumstance. The chance is still there for the Mad Hatter, HC Les Miles and company to go the National Championship Game, especially if they are impressive in this one on the road. We know that statistically speaking, all signs point to Arkansas winning this game, but we're not so sure. LSU just has this knack of winning games like this one, while the Hogs have had the nature to lose them. That parlayed with the fact that the Bayou Bengals have been the dominant team in this series over the years has us waving around purple and gold flags in college football betting action.

Free College Football Picks: LSU +3
Prediction: LSU 23 – Arkansas 20

Matchup: Mississippi State Bulldogs @ Mississippi Rebels
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 7:00 ET
Location: Vaught Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, MS
Game Line: Mississippi State -2.5
Over/Under 54

The annual Egg Bowl is usually a very close run thing, and this year is probably going to be no exception whatsoever. The Bulldogs have lost a pair of games in a row, but no one is blaming them after having a fantastic first nine games of the year. Ole Miss has been disappointing, losing close game after close game. HC Houston Nutt needs something to bring into next season, but we tend to think that the combination of QB Jeremiah Masoli and RB Brandon Bolden are going to get stuffed up. MSU has no fear about going on the road and winning games like this one. Just ask the Florida Gators. The Bulldogs are going to find a way to sneak out of Oxford with a big time win to hopefully snare a bid in a strong bowl like they deserve after a great regular season.

Free College Football Picks: Mississippi State -2.5
Prediction: Mississippi State 27 – Mississippi 20

Matchup: South Carolina Gamecocks @ Clemson Tigers
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 3:30 ET
Location: Clemson Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC
Game Line: South Carolina -2.5
Over/Under 45

Winning in Death Valley is never an easy thing to do, but the Tigers just haven't looked like a team all season long that can beat a team the quality of the Gamecocks. South Carolina didn't take its foot off of the gas pedal last week in the demolition of the Troy Trojans, and we don't see it doing anything of the sorts again this week even though the SEC Championship Game is on deck. The Gamecocks are a legitimate team, and they are going to give Auburn fits for the second time this year inevitably. But before any of that takes place, RB Marcus Lattimore is once again going to prove that he is the best freshman in the entire country, as he leads Cocky over the Tigers in Death Valley on the road.

Free College Football Picks: South Carolina -2.5
Prediction: South Carolina 26 – Clemson 17

Matchup: Oregon State Beavers @ Stanford Cardinal
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 7:30 ET
Location: Stanford Stadium, Stanford, CA
Game Line: Stanford -13
Over/Under 57

HC Mike Riley has his work cut out for him for his Beavers, as they need to beat either the Cardinal or the Oregon Ducks to go to a bowl game this year. The problem that the Beavs have is that they just can't win games on the road. They've had too many close calls to deal with and have just consistently found ways to drop. Stanford knows that this could be a play in game for the BCS, and maybe even for the BCS Championship if enough you know what breaks loose. The Cardinal are going to be locked in this dog fight with teams like the TCU Horned Frogs, LSU Tigers, and Ohio State Buckeyes for the last at large bowl bids to the BCS, and an impressive victory here against a former Top 25 team would go a long, long way. The offense for Stanford is just too strong, as it has put at least 42 on the board in three of the last four. The Cardinal are 3-0-1 ATS in those four games, and there is no reason that we can see that they would do anything less than come away with a three score victory against Oregon State.

Free College Football Picks: Stanford -13
Prediction: Stanford 38 – Oregon State 21

Matchup: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets @ Georgia Bulldogs
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 7:45 ET
Location: Bulldog Stadium, Athens, GA
Game Line: Georgia -13.5
Over/Under 58.5

The winner of this game is certainly going bowling, while the loser might be in a bit of trouble. We already know that Georgia is playing for its bowl life, something that the Texas Longhorns failed at on Thanksgiving night. One of the most proud programs in the SEC posting a losing season would be fatal for the career of HC Mark Richt, as he will almost certainly be fired by the end of the weekend if the Dawgs don't come out on top in this one. QB Josh Nesbitt has been out of the lineup for the Ramblin' Wreck though, and he isn't going to be back in the fold for the rest of the year. Even though Georgia Tech already has the six wins required to be eligible for a bowl game, there is still a huge question as to whether or not anyone would take the Yellow Jackets if there are more bowl eligible teams than there are tie ins to these bowl games in the ACC. Some weird results have happened in this rivalry game, just like last year when UGA pulled off the upset in Atlanta in a game in which no one really gave the Bulldogs a shot. Don't be overly surprised if HC Paul Johnson has something in store for the Georgia offense that it hasn't seen this year. Take all the points you can get, as un upset might be in the cards.

Free College Football Picks: Georgia Tech +13.5
Prediction: Georgia Tech 21 – Georgia 17

Matchup: Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ USC Trojans
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 8:00 ET
Location: Los Angeles Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
Game Line: USC -4.5
Over/Under 49.5

We're not so sure what in the heck the Fighting Irish have been doing in recent weeks, but even without five of their offensive stars, they just keep continuing to find ways to win games. The Golden Domers fortunately locked up their bowl berth before this game kicked off. But now that that has happened, does USC really have much in the way of motivation to finish off this year? The Trojans slumped down the end of the season last year, and that was with a bowl game coming up. Now, they don't even have one of those to look forward to. These are two of the most bi-polar teams in the entire country that we're dealing with, and as long as that remains the case, we'll take the hotter team with the points and pull for the Irish.

Free College Football Picks: Notre Dame +4.5
Prediction: Notre Dame 20 – USC 13

Matchup: Oklahoma Sooners @ Oklahoma State Cowboys
Date: Saturday, November 27th, 8:00 ET
Location: Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK
Game Line: Oklahoma State -2.5
Over/Under 67.5

Unless the BCS rankings have some tricks up their sleeves that we don't see coming, the winner of this game is going to be taking down the Big XII South and heading to the Big XII Championship Game, where they will be facing with the Nebraska Cornhuskers or Missouri Tigers. This is the first time that Okie State has been favored in this series in well over a decade, and for good reason. The men from Norman have won Bedlam 80 times in 104 meetings and have beaten up the Pokes seven times in a row. That all changes this year, though. This offense for Okie State is just downright scary, as QB Brandon Weeden, WR Justin Blackmon, and RB Kendall Hunter are all capable of putting up absolutely bananas numbers on a regular basis against anyone in the country. Though things have gotten better for Oklahoma, they still aren't where they should be. This defense is still certainly down from what we were expecting at the outset of the season. The team that deserves to win the Big XII South is Oklahoma State, and that's exactly how it is going to be playing out at Boone Pickens Stadium on Saturday night, as the goalposts are coming down in Stillwater.

Free College Football Picks: Oklahoma State -2.5
Prediction: Oklahoma State 37 – Oklahoma 31