School soccer’s dash to the end line within the playoff race begins this weekend with a number of matchups involving top-25 competitors which might be certain to spike how the CFP choice committee handicaps their rankings transferring ahead.
Unbeaten BYU’s trek to Lubbock to battle Texas Tech is a heavyweight showdown within the Huge 12 that determines the league’s playoff frontrunner down the stretch. Oregon’s powerful highway sport at Iowa is a show-me alternative for the Geese, whose lack of high quality wins are a significant speaking level.
In our newest installment of weekly predictions, quite a few video games are highlighted by multi-touchdown spreads, which suggests in case your urge for food’s rising for a colossal upset, you may be in luck.
Final week’s outcomes: Brad Crawford (6-4, 5-5 ATS); Chris Hummer (6-4, 4-6). Gunner Stockton’s kneel down on the 1-yard line within the ultimate moments of Georgia’s win over Florida is unforgivable when you had the Bulldogs masking, like we did. That one harm. Hummer’s choose of NC State masking (and successful) in opposition to Georgia Tech was a superb one and I picked up a sport within the standings with Texas outlasting Vanderbilt.
Season outcomes: Crawford (71-29 straight, 52-48 ATS); Hummer (73-27; 48-52).
For readability, these strains had been taken from FanDuel Sportsbook on Nov. 3. New customers at FanDuel Sportsbook get $300 in bonus bets with a successful $5 wager.
No. 7 BYU at No. 8 Texas Tech
Hummer (Texas Tech -10.5): BYU is nice. The Cougars are additionally lucky to be unbeaten given how they’ve squeaked out wins. Texas Tech, for its half, is dominant when quarterback Behren Morton begins. Mix these components with this being a win-or-miss-the-Huge 12-Championship sport for the Crimson Raiders, and I will choose the house crew. I am additionally going to choose them to cowl. That is a number of factors. However the Crimson Raiders have not performed a sport inside 20 factors that Morton began. They proceed that streak in opposition to the Cougars and a real freshman QB. … Texas Tech 34, BYU 20.
Crawford (BYU +10.5): This line’s daring me to take the unbeaten Cougars with the factors and in opposition to my higher judgment, I will do it. Persevering with to fade BYU this season is unhealthy juju and I feel Kalani Sitake’s crew is out to show some extent this weekend. That does not imply they will win, however I like BYU maintaining it throughout the quantity. … Texas Tech 31, BYU 24.
Hummer (Penn State +13.5): This will probably be an attention-grabbing sport for Indiana. Aside from Oregon and maybe Iowa, Penn State is essentially the most proficient crew the Hoosiers have performed this season. The Nittany Lions might have misplaced 5 straight, however you noticed in the way in which they pushed Ohio State for a half that they are nonetheless aggressive. The superior stats lean Indiana on this sport. I do not assume this sport is in query straight up. However I do assume PSU is taking part in effectively sufficient and is proficient sufficient up entrance to maintain this shut. Penn State covers if it might probably keep away from crippling turnovers. … Indiana 35, Penn State 24.
Crawford (Indiana -13.5): Let’s roll with the Hoosiers once more. They’re one of many two finest groups within the nation no matter the place you assume they need to be within the polls up so far and play to an ordinary all different coaches covet. Fernando Mendoza is without doubt one of the Heisman frontrunners for a cause and will have a stellar day inside Beaver Stadium. … Indiana 38, Penn State 17.
No. 9 Oregon at No. 20 Iowa
Hummer (Iowa +5.5): This can be a fascinating matchup of Oregon’s velocity with Iowa’s physicality and line of scrimmage play. The Geese are a superb crew within the trenches. However they don’t seem to be elite. There is a world the place Iowa controls the road of scrimmage on Saturday. However can the Hawkeyes shorten the sport sufficient to maintain the scoring shut? I feel they do for a superb stretch of the sport. It is powerful to play at Kinnick Stadium, and Iowa thrives on operating the ball and controlling the clock. I am not choosing Iowa outright. I do not belief a surging Hawkeyes offense fairly that a lot. However give me the duvet. … Oregon 24, Iowa 20.
Crawford (Oregon -5.5): Assuming the Geese play as much as the competitors right here and generate a couple of explosives within the passing sport, Oregon ought to cowl. That mentioned, Dan Lanning’s squad would not have a single win this season over a crew inside the highest 40 of the Massey Scores, so that they’re untested a bit outdoors of that dwelling loss to Indiana. We’ll see if Oregon is a legit playoff crew this weekend or if it has gotten there primarily based on model alone by way of 10 weeks. … Oregon 30, Iowa 17.
Watch Oregon vs. Iowa dwell Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS and streaming dwell on CBSSports.com, the CBS Sports activities App and Paramount+ Premium.
Hummer (Georgia -7.5): Georgia’s lived on the sting this season in SEC play. The Bulldogs of Athens have performed six SEC video games and 5 of them have been determined by 10 factors or fewer. Georgia begins sluggish and lacks the elite protection they’ve had in previous seasons. Mississippi State, for its half, is extra aggressive than it has been in years. However I nonetheless really feel like there is a large expertise hole on this sport, and I belief Georgia to go on the highway and deal with the surroundings in Starkville. … Georgia 34, Mississippi State 24.
Crawford (Georgia -7.5): Mississippi State snapped its 16-game SEC shedding skid final week at Arkansas, a lot wanted positivity for second-year coach Jeff Lebby and his hopes of turning issues round in Starkville. Now, this weekend’s dwelling sport ought to embody fairly a couple of red-clan Dawgs followers, so the surroundings may not be as intimidating as most highway venues within the SEC. Georgia has to keep away from trying previous this one in opposition to a hungry, now assured, soccer crew. … Georgia 27, Mississippi State 17.
Hummer (Missouri +6.5): Every part we have seen from Missouri this 12 months tells you this ought to be a canopy and perhaps an upset. The Tigers are glorious within the trenches, run the ball exceptionally effectively and get pleasure from coming off a bye. The issue is I do not know what true freshman quarterback Matt Zollers will appear like being thrust into motion. However I nonetheless just like the Tigers to make this shut. Zollers confirmed a number of poise when inserted in opposition to Vanderbilt, and the Aggies have been sometimes gettable on protection. The Aggies stay unbeaten, however Missouri retains it shut sufficient. … Texas A&M 34, Missouri 28.
Crawford (Texas A&M -6.5): Missouri has Texas A&M’s full consideration. Whereas this sport possible will get the “lure sport” connotation elsewhere, you are not going to seek out that right here. It is a highway sport within the SEC and Aggies coach Mike Elko is aware of his crew might want to play their finest to take out a well-coached, defensive-minded squad below Eli Drinkwitz. The SEC’s lone remaining unbeaten runs its streak to 9 and strikes nearer to No. 1. … Texas A&M 28, Missouri 14.
Hummer (Clemson -2): This is able to have been a banger simply a few years in the past. As a substitute, it is a matchup of two disappointing groups. For those who take a look at the superior stats, neither of those groups are unhealthy. There are holes. Clemson’s O-line is a matter, it struggles to run the ball and Clemson’s safeties can get picked on. Florida State, for its half, would not create a lot of a move rush and may get picked aside by way of the air. However I will take the house crew. Clemson is barely extra proficient, and so they do have the our bodies defensively to sluggish FSU’s run sport. … Clemson 24, Florida State 21.
Crawford (Clemson -2): These two groups have fallen arduous this season. It is arduous to consider each preseason darlings within the ACC are unranked and preventing for bowl eligibility in November, however that is the place we’re in an unpredictable league with two coaches struggling to seek out wins. Sooner or later, Clemson’s six-game dwelling shedding streak to Energy 4 competitors has to finish. I will go forward and make the decision that it occurs on Saturday. … Clemson 23, Florida State 20.
Hummer (LSU +10.5): It is troublesome to know the way LSU goes to reply after Brian Kelly’s firing and an offensive coordinator change. These two groups aren’t far aside when it comes to expertise. However the Tigers have actual issues within the run sport and stopping groups from attacking them in the midst of the sphere. However we have seen on a couple of event groups reply effectively after an interim change. I feel LSU goes to play arduous. There’s sufficient expertise there for the Tigers to maintain it shut. … Alabama 34, LSU 24.
Crawford (Alabama -10.5): Selecting too many favorites this week it seems like, however Alabama ought to be up for this one in opposition to certainly one of 4 SEC groups proper now below interim management. The Tigers are unranked and outdoors of the playoff image whereas the Crimson Tide are gunning for a top-4 seed and berth in Atlanta with a few extra wins. Kalen DeBoer continues to emphasize the week-to-week mentality for his crew and quarterback Ty Simpson might take an enormous step within the Heisman race with a multi-touchdown outing. Give me Alabama, large. … Alabama 31, LSU 10.
Hummer (Navy +24.5): Barring a shock, the Irish are going to win this sport. They’re extra proficient and have the run protection (twelfth nationally) to sluggish the nation’s most effective down-to-down speeding assault. The query turns into can Navy hold it shut sufficient? The Midshipmen will management the clock. However I do not belief a protection that ranks 87th nationally in yards allowed per play to offer a lot resistance per week after it bought blasted by North Texas. Nonetheless, 24.5 is a large line. Navy places collectively one or two lengthy scoring drives and manages to cowl. … Notre Dame 38, Navy 14.
Crawford (Navy +24.5): The Midshipmen had been my preseason choose to win the American and get to the playoff. That is not occurring after the loss at North Texas knocked Navy from the ranks of the unbeaten, however I feel this crew will present some struggle this weekend in opposition to the Combating Irish. Now, if fumble points present up once more like they did in final season’s matchup, this one’s a rout within the different course. For those who’re taking the Navy aspect right here, you are hoping for fewer possessions and a pair clock-eating drives from the Midshipment to cowl. … Notre Dame 31, Navy 14.
Auburn at No. 16 Vanderbilt
Hummer (Vanderbilt -7): Diego Pavia should be just a little unhappy he did not get to face Hugh Freeze one final time. As it’s, I will take Vanderbilt on this matchup. Auburn’s protection is nice. It has been good all 12 months. However I simply do not see Auburn as constructed, even after a quarterback change, managing to attain sufficient factors to beat Vanderbilt. … Vanderbilt 27, Auburn 18.
Crawford (Vanderbilt -7): This one might get ugly when you think about the main focus one crew has on staying within the playoff race and the opposite on an interim coach following Hugh Freeze’s firing. The Tigers have managed to maintain each SEC sport they’ve performed inside a possession or two this season, therefore the road right here. It would not matter who begins at quarterback for Auburn, although. Vanderbilt ought to dominate this one. … Vanderbilt 24, Auburn 7.
No. 1 Ohio State at Purdue
Hummer (Ohio State -28): We have seen some bizarre stuff occur when Ohio State travels to Purdue up to now. However the Boilermakers have proven some actual cracks throughout their seven-game shedding streak. The nice offensive groups have scored on Purdue with out a lot downside. The Boilermakers aren’t actually scoring these days, both, managing simply 15 factors on common over their final 4 video games. Ohio State is by far one of the best crew Purdue’s seen this season. They get a win and a canopy. … Ohio State 42, Purdue 13.
Crawford (Ohio State -28): I am not a fan of giving a house crew 4 touchdowns, however the Buckeyes are actually, actually proficient. You may make the argument in actual fact that Ohio State might have the 5 finest gamers in faculty soccer this season at quarterback, linebacker, security and two phenoms at wideout. It will not shock me right here if the Boilermakers hold it shut for a half and maybe cowl late, so I would not go too heavy on this play. … Ohio State 38, Purdue 7.
