There were some really fun college football games last week. There were a ton of comebacks and it made for an interesting week betting.
I went 11-9 last week. I missed a few games by a half a point, but made up for it with some moneyline upset bets. A few injuries also messed with what I still feel were smart plays. You can’t predict injuries, so it’s just part of gambling.
There are some banged up quarterbacks out there. Make sure to keep an eye on injury reports as we get closer to kickoff.
We at ‘America’s White Boy’ pick against the spread for all the big college football games on Saturday (September 19th, 2015), and pick some smaller conference games as well. Enjoy!
Stanford at USC (-10) – My pick is Stanford Cardinal
It’s odd seeing a double-digit spread in a Stanford/USC game. It hasn’t happened since 2010 when Stanford won outright when they were 10-point underdogs. I had high hopes for Stanford QB Kevin Hogan, but he seemed to have plateaued. The Trojans have looked great so far, but have only faced small schools. USC QB Cody Kessler started out how he left off last season. He is making sophomore WR JuJu Smith into a star. I’m just not sold on the large spread, so the points look good.
Florida at Kentucky (+3.5) – My pick is Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky hasn’t beaten Florida in forever. They took last year’s game into overtime, but lost. It was their first win against the spread over Florida since 2006. Kentucky QB Patrick Towles should have a nice game. He struggled against South Carolina’s defense, but their running game bailed him out for the upset. I’m taking the points and a possible moneyline play on Kentucky
Clemson at Louisville (+7) – My pick is Clemson Tigers
Clemson seems to always start off hot and then fall on their faces when they get into their ACC schedule. They have looked great so far, but they have played cupcake opponents. Louisville has been tested against Auburn and Houston, losing both games. They haven’t gotten much from their quarterback position. They have talented receivers, but it doesn’t matter if a quarterback can’t get them the ball. I’m taking Clemson to cover on the road.
Georgia Tech at Notre Dame (+3) – My pick is Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Notre Dame squeaked by Virginia last week after losing starting QB Malik Zaire for the season. I rode Georgia Tech all last season. Their triple-option is extremely difficult to defend. Yes, Notre Dame faces Navy every year, but GT’s attack is much better. I’m taking Georgia Tech to cover on the road.
South Carolina at Georgia (-17) – My pick is Georgia Bulldogs
South Carolina suffered an upset loss to Kentucky last week. Georgia RB Nick Chubb is amazing, but South Carolina do still has some studs on defense. A line hasn’t been this high in a South Carolina/Georgia game since 2005. I’m taking a risk and picking the Dawgs.
Texas Tech at Arkansas (-11.5) – My pick is Arkansas Razorbacks
Texas Tech can put up points in a hurry, but can they stop the other team? The Red Raiders will throw the ball 50 times a game, but their offense is one-dimensional. Arkansas has a better all-around offense, but last week’s loss to Toledo is a huge red flag. I admit that I missed the game, but read a few game reports. I expect a lot of carries from Arkansas RB Alex Collins. I’m taking Arkansas to cover at home.
California at Texas (+6.5) – My pick is California Golden Bears
Offense has been a struggle at Texas. Head coach Charlie Strong doesn’t have his guys in place yet. It will take one or two more recruiting years to get the right players in place. They did put up some points against Rice last week, but Rice doesn’t have a very good defense. I love Cal QB Jared Goff. I think he will have a memorable game on the road. I’m taking Cal to cover.
Rutgers at Penn State (-9.5) – My pick is Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Here’s the reason I’m picking Rutgers. They do struggle against the pass, but Penn State QB Christian Hackenberg hasn’t had an adequate passing game for over a calendar year. It’s as simple as that. Neither team is very good. I’m taking the points.
Pittsburgh at Iowa (-5.5) – My pick is Pittsburgh Panthers
Both teams rely on their ground game to win. Iowa has been strong on run defense and that isn’t a strong area for Pittsburgh. Iowa is coming off a rivalry game and this has a chance of being a letdown game if they aren’t coming in as prepared. This one will be tight all game. I have to take the points.
Ball State at Eastern Michigan (+6) – My pick is Ball State Cardinals
This is when we pick a smaller conference game. Eastern Michigan has been the laughing stock of the MAC for quite awhile. They have a better team this season. Ball State is 0-2 ATS so far this season. They took a payday last week and got walloped by Texas A&M last week. Ball State will rebound this week and cover on the road.
QUICK HITS
Western Kentucky at Indiana (-2) – My pick is Indiana
Virginia Tech at Purdue (+6) – My pick is Virginia Tech
Nebraska at Miami (FL) (-3.5) – My pick is Miami (FL)
BYU at UCLA (-16) – My pick is BYU
SMU at TCU (-38) – My pick is TCU
Colorado at Colorado State (+3.5) – My pick is Colorado State
Temple at UMass (+10.5) – My pick is Temple
Louisiana Tech at Kansas State (-9.5) – My pick is Kansas State
Northwestern at Duke (-3.5) – My pick is Northwestern
Florida State at Boston College (+8) – My pick is Boston College
Sweetbob’s college football picks against the spread record in previous seasons:
2013: 134-79-8
2014: 148-118-4
2015: 11-9-0
*These picks are for entertainment purposes
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About the Author…
Bobby Roberts (otherwise known as Sweetbob) is the creator of ‘America’s White Boy’ and contributor at Project Shanks. His writing has been featured on ESPN’s ‘SportsNation’, Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks, Guyspeed, and various other sites. You can follow him on Twitter at @Sweetbob.