Missouri laid an egg last week, but in our eyes, that just makes them good candidates for a bounce-back effort this week. The Tigers are the better team here, playing on the road, where the spread isn't as prohibitive as it would be elsewhere. Also, Kentucky is playing a WR at QB, and while Bowden is dangerous, it leaves the 'Cats a bit one-dimensional on that side of the ball. We're giving the points with Mizzou for our free college football pick.

I am not here to hard sell the Zips to you, it is not a pretty situation in Akron, but nevertheless, the points here are ludicrous. The Zips offense though scores on average 12.3 points per match (129th in the FBS), has broken 20-point threshold three times this season (one of which was against a reputable outfit in UAB). I suspect against an accommodating NIU defense that Akron will have favorable conditions to generate a few scores and as a result, come in under this extremely lofty number.

Texas was given a scare in their last game, but they will not get one in this game. While the Longhorns obviously, have some issues on defense, their offense will more than make up for it. They will run the ball well, and Ehlinger will have a big game in the air even against a good TCU pass defense. This game will not be a blowout, but Texas will win handily and keep their Big 10 title hopes alive while sending TCU under .500.

These teams have played two common opponents so far this season; LSU beat Florida and Mississippi State by a combined 37 points, while Auburn beat the Bulldogs but lost to the Gators. Also, while these two teams are close to even on defense Louisiana State owns the edge on offense. This game shouldn't be a blowout, but we're still giving the points with LSU for our free college football pick.

Appalachian State will stay unbeaten after this game. However, I do not see them winning this match by 25 points strictly because of the previously mentioned short week the Mountaineers have to work with. App State will not be looking past USA, but they have bigger fish to fry. Georgia Southern routed Appalachian State last year when the two met in Statesboro, and there is little doubt that the Mountaineers want to return the favor. I expect the Mountaineers to put this one to bed early and bring in the reserves, setting up USA to take advantage of a few junk-time scores and cover as a result.

It would be ambitious to suggest that the Cougars may upset the Mustangs outright, but I certainly believe that UH will give SMU a good scare. This game, like Houston's other stints against WSU and the Green Wave, will be a back and forth affair that will likely be settled on the final drive. SMU will once again dig into its bag of tricks to escape as it did against Tulsa and TCU to keep their NY6 aspirations alive. However, Houston is going to make them sweat every step of the way.

When I look at this line, it truly stinks of a potential upset. After all, you have an undefeated, ranked team spotting a low quantity of points to an unranked opponent with a losing record; That looks like a trap. For those that are adventurous enough to play the Cougars on the Money Line at +205, I recommend splitting your bet with half of a unit on the ML and the other half with the points. Given how these games have often been settled on the last play, BYU could easily play Boise tough, but the Broncos could somehow manage to escape. Nevertheless, such a turn of events enables the Cougars to come in under the number. From my perspective, a field goal will likely decide the fate of this game regardless of who wins it.

I would not be shocked by any means if the Eagles went onto win this game outright. If some were bold enough to take EMU on the Money Line on Saturday, I would not dissuade that venture. Nevertheless, the fact remains that since the upset potential in the game is quite significant, the amount of points offered makes the Eagles a true value wager, and that is how I am going to play this one. Regardless of who wins this game, it will not be settled by a more than a touchdown in either direction.

Make no mistake about this one, this is not going to be a College Football Playoff battle, but that doesn't mean that there isn't value to be had. Though it may be the Owls' only triumph of the year, Rice will bring the Roadrunners "win streak" in this series to an end. The Owls will be triumphant in convincing fashion. I have Rice winning this match by double-digits. Swallow the points.

This game has a shootout written all over it., as each team can light up the scoreboard, and I expect they both will participate in this game. Both of the Cowboys losses have been on the road, and back at home, they will not be as sloppy as in their last match where they coughed up the rock five times. Hubbard will have another big game, and OSU will get the win and cover handing Baylor their first loss of the season.

South Carolina is coming off that huge win over Georgia, but a letdown this week almost seems inevitable. Florida, meanwhile, is coming off a tough loss, but we expect a bounce-back effort this week. So we're giving the points with the Gators here for our free college football pick.

Each of the last seven meetings in the series between these two teams has been decided by less than the spread on this game. And playing at home means the line on LSU is probably inflated by three or four points. Florida may not win this game outright, but we'll take the Gators and the points for our free college football pick here.

Will there be an upset in this game? I doubt it. However, the likely overinflated number presents a huge issue for anyone laying the lumber. UConn's offense has managed to score 21 against UCF and 23 against Illinois. Most recently, the Huskies put up 22 against USF. Based on the consistency of the Huskie's scoring, I would expect a similar offering from UConn here against the Green Wave, even if the scores come in junk-time. For Tulane to cover, that means were are looking at a 55-plus explosion to come from Tulane, and I can't see that happening given the fact their best offensive performance this season was 42 points against both FIU and Army. I have the Green Wave winning this one 49-21, which will be comfortable enough for the Green Wave to prove a point but nonetheless makes it prudent to take the points.

Alabama's betting record on the road is pretty good, and it would be even better if the Tide hadn't given up a late, meaningless touchdown at South Carolina a few weeks ago. Meanwhile, A&M needed a very late score for that cover against Clemson, lost to Auburn, and struggled to beat a bad Arkansas outfit. So we like Alabama here, playing on the road, where spreads tend to be friendlier.

This game is one that will likely have a lot of twists and turns with plenty of back and forth action. However, in the end, I have the favorite winning this one, perhaps on a game-winning field goal. After all, a motif of Eastern Michigan football for the last two seasons has been ending up on the wrong side of hard-fought losses. I suspect the Eagles will fall here in a similar style, and as a result, Ball State gets the win and cover.

Texas is a great team, but they are facing Hurts and a dangerous passing offense for OU with a pass defense that only ranks 125th in the nation. OU's defense is improved over last season, and while they will not shut the Longhorns down, they will not give up a ton of points. On the other side of the coin, Hurts and company will light up the scoreboard, and because of that, the Sooners will win this game and cover the spread avenging their loss to Texas last season in the Red River rivalry.

The Falcons have managed to cross the 35-point threshold in the last three meetings between both sides (averaging 36 points while doing so), and I expect them to hit the 35-point mark here in the next installment of this MAC feud. The question is whether or not Toledo can put up 70 on the Falcons defense to put them in a position to potentially cover. I would suspect not as the Rocket offense averages less than half that number (33.8 points per contest – 40th in the FBS), and their best offensive performance this season resulted in 45 points against Murray State in early September. Bowling Green is not Murray State; they will enter into this game with a chip on their shoulder looking to assert themselves on their own field. Will the Falcons win? Probably not. However, Bowling Green will make this a fight.

Liberty put up 62 points when it hosted Hampton two weeks ago, and I expect the Flames to post a similarly stellar number against this porous New Mexico State defense. However, the Aggies will not be able to respond as they are up against a Liberty defense that gives up 22.6 points per game (47th in the FBS). If the Aggies are fortunate, they will score 21 points, but I will find that hard to achieve given the fact this outfit has only eclipsed the 17-point market on one occasion this season. This game has blowout written all over it, and Liberty should cover this number easy.

Make no mistake about this one; this is not going to be a battle of the titans by any means. This will be about as pedestrian and lackluster as any game one may come across. However, someone has to win, and my money is on UTEP to do just that. After all, Harris remains a question mark, and even if he is good to go, he will be spearheading the 126th-ranked scoring offense and will not be at 100%. This fact will undoubtedly put UTSA at a disadvantage. For UTEP however, there are not many games on its schedule that it may see as winnable. This match, however, is one game that the Miners know they can win and will be motivated to do so as they can end a rival’s recent supremacy in this series before whatever die-hards sweat this one out with the Miners.

Barring a minor miracle Georgia is going to win this game, and playing on the road means the spread is a few points friendlier. In fact, if the Bulldogs just win this one by last season's score, they'll cover. We're giving the points with UGA for our free college football pick.