College football rankings and accurate weekly picks. Exclusive content, features, and analysis.
www.collegefootballpoll.com
Easy Pickins
EASTERN MICHIGAN (-1.5) by 7.70 over Buffalo - Wednesday, November 20. Eastern Michigan, despite being 5-5 overall on the field and 2-4 in MAC play, is 7-3 ATS over-all and 4-1 at home. Buffalo, which is 6-4 over-all and 4-2 in the MAC, is just 2-3 ATS on the road. The computer trend line has the Eagles by just 3. EMU ranks better in the MAC on offense (4th vs. 9th) and defense (7th vs. 10th). The Eagles lead the series 7-4 after snapping a 3-game losing streak with last year's win at Buffalo.
GEORGIA TECH (-8.5) by 9.72 over NC State - Thursday, November 21. The Jackets (6-4, 4-3) are 4-0 on their actual home field at Bobby Dodd Stadium (the Notre Dame loss was in Mercedes-Benz). The Ramblin' Wreck have a whopping 18.91-point edge on the computer trend line. Among ACC teams, GT outranks NCSU on offense (8th to 13th) and defense (2nd vs. 12th). The Pack are 5-5, 2-4 with both conference wins vs. the new west coast teams, Cal and Stanford. This is only the Wolfpack's 3rd game at an opponent's venue and they were 1-1 ATS in the other 2, while GT is 3-0-1 ATS at home and 3-1-1 over-all as the favorite.
Upsets
Brigham Young by 5.11 over ARIZONA STATE (-3.5) - Saturday, November 23. This computer pick seems iffy and it's own trend line has the Sun Devils favored by 3.62. Check back later for more commentary and analysis.
BOSTON COLLEGE by 3.12 over North Carolina (-2.5) - Saturday, November 23. This computer pick is backed up the trend line which favors the Eagles by 3.83, but it doesn't take into account the loss of Thomas Castellanos at QB who left the team after being demoted in the days leading up to this past weekend's game which the Eagles lost 38-28 at SMU. in fairness, BC was ranked next-to-last in the ACC in passing yards per game. UNC has won 5 straight in the series for a 6-2 over-all lead and the last BC win came in 2004.
WEST VIRGINIA by 4.35 over Central Florida (-2.5) - Saturday, November 23. WVU (5-5, 4-3) is just 2-4 at home, including 1-3 in Big 12 games. UCF (4-6, 2-5) has lost 5 of its last 6 and is 1-3 on the road with 3 straight road losses after the furious comeback win at TCU in week 3. The computer trend line flips this pick to the Knights by 1.99.
FAU by 4.34 over Charlotte (-2.5) - Saturday, November 23. FAU (2-8, 0-6) is last in the AAC (2-8, 0-6) in Tom Herman's second season as head (6-16, 3-9), and losers of 5 straight. Charlotte (3-7, 2-4) has lost 4 straight in Biff Poggi's second season as head coach and his rein has produced similar results as the Owls (6-16, 4-10). These are the No. 11 (FAU) and 13 teams in the 14-team American Conference on offense, and the No. 10 (FAU) and 12 teams on defense. The computer trend line has the visiting 49ers by 1.14. FAU has won 5 straight in the series, and the last 4 by an average score of 35-11.
KANSAS by 3.5 over Colorado (-2.5) - Saturday, November 23. The computer trend line flips this pick to the Buffs by 6.72. Colorado enters this game tied for first with BYU in the Big 12 and has two of the most prolific players in the college game right now with Shedeur Sanders at QB and Travis Hunter seemingly everywhere else at every minute of the game. It might be difficult to call Hunter the best receiver or the best DB, but as we've said along, he should be the Heisman winner. It might be difficult to call Shedeur the best QB, but he's certainly one of them and nearly 81% of the teams' offense comes through the air. But Kansas is dangerous with wins in 3 of the last 4 games, and a higher conference rank than Colorado on offense (8 to 11) while the Buffs hold a slight advantage on defense (8 vs. 10).
Illinois by 2.86 over RUTGERS (-1.5) - Saturday, November 23. Check back later for more commentary and analysis.
Wisconsin by 5.53 over NEBRASKA (-2.50) - Saturday, November 23. Check back later for more commentary and analysis.
OKLAHOMA STATE by 5.57 over Texas Tech (-3.5) - Saturday, November 23. Check back later for more commentary and analysis.