Saturday November 14th VIP Picks

Southern Miss Vs. Western Kentucky

NCAA Football
12:00 PM EST
Rotation #141
TCU +3 over WVU (loss)
This game last year was a defensive battle that WVU won in the closing minute.  TCU was stunned and eliminated from getting a bowl bid.  This Horned Frogs team remembers that feeling and are looking for payback.  Right off the bat the coaching experience favors TCU.  This is a staff that has been in place for years.  WVU comes into the season with all new coordinators and a 2nd year head coach.    The real key in this game is WVU QB Leddie Brown.  Brown is questionable to play.  This is a guy who is their workhorse and accounts for 30% of their touches.  This would be a big loss not to have him in his game and the fact he is not 100% is big.  TCU has a good secondary so I am not worried about a lot of passing yards.  Both teams have looked really solid on defense.  This should be another close game.  Gary Patterson should put together a game plan to come away with a big road win.  Take TCU.

NCAA Football
12:00 PM EST
Rotation #163
Indiana -7.5 over Michigan State (win)
It is weird seeing Indiana as big favorites over Michigan State, but the talent gap is that large.  Indiana has a duel threat QB in Michael Penix and a solid defense.  Michigan State is a vanilla offense and has a lot of turnover in the defense.  The Spartans are breaking in a brand new coaching staff across the board and just are not that good of a football team.  This team has not been a powerhouse in the BIG 10 for a while now and that really has hit hard in recruiting.  Indiana should frustrate them and Michigan State won’t be able to keep up on the scoreboard.  Take Indiana.

NCAA Football
12:00 PM EST
Rotation #169
Middle Tennessee State +24 over Marshall (loss)
This is going to be an emotional pregame as Marshall honors the 50 year anniversary of the most tragic day in college football history.  If you are not familiar with the Marshall Plane Crash be sure to google it and learn more about that tragic day.  Middle Tennessee State isn’t a great football team, but they have won this matchup the last two seasons and Asher O’Hara is good enough to move the ball with his arm and legs.  Marshall is the better team with the better defense, but I do think they are overrated due to their weak schedule.  This is a team with a new QB in Grant Wells and I think this spread is way too high.  Asher O’Hara is a guy that can be hit or miss, but on his good days can lead his offense to a lot of points.  Look for the Blue Raiders to be in this game by a closer score than the experts in Vegas predicted.  Take MTSU.

NCAA Football
3
:30 PM EST
Rotation #222
Western Kentucky -8 over Southern Miss (loss)
Southern Miss is a mess.  This team is on their 3rd coach of the year and now on their third quarterback.  Jack Abraham opted out of the season, Tate Whaley won’t play with a concussion and they now will depend on Trey Lowe in his first start.  This is a team that just won’t click on offense.  Western Kentucky has struggled themselves on offense, but today will get a weak defense that can’t stop the run.  Tyrell Pigrome will run all over this team and his style of play won’t throw interceptions so Southern Miss just won’t have multiple chances to put up easy points.  This spread seems high for a WKU offense that struggles, but Southern Miss is so dysfunctional right now that I can’t see any scenario that has them in this game in the 4th quarter.  Take WKU.

NCAA Football
4:00 PM EST
Rotation #198
Texas Tech +1.5  over Baylor (win)
When doing my weekly prep this was going to be an OVER the total game, but there will be heavy winds in Lubbock, TX today.  Baylor does not run the ball well at all and if it turns into a ground game I like Tech more.  Baylor sports a first year coaching staff that has yet to find a true identity with this football team.  Charlie Brewer is a very good QB, but the winds today will slow him up.  I am not a fan of this Baylor front seven as they have a weak defensive line and they lost their QB on defense in LB Terrel Bernard.  That’s a big loss in a game where tackling will up a key to try to stop the running game.  Take Texas Tech.

NCAA Football
7:30 PM EST
Rotation #162
Michigan +6.5 over Wisconsin  (loss)
At first glance Wisconsin wins in a blowout.  Paul Chryst is a great head coach and Graham Mertz had an amazing debut three weeks ago against Illinois where he only had 1 incomplete pass.  The problem I have with Wisconsin is we don’t know if Mertz is going to play and let’s be honest, EVERYBODY torches the Illinois Defense.  This guy would be making his first road start.  If he doesn’t play the Badgers could be down to their 4th option at QB this year and Jack Coan is out this year and Chase Wolf is ill.  There are a lot of guys on this team with Covid and this team has not been practicing.  Jim Harbaugh is on the hot seat and it will not be a good look if he loses to a mash unit that has not played in weeks.  Michigan can run the ball and they do have decent receivers.  Look for the Wolverines to at least stay in this game until the end.   This team needs to take advantage of the Badgers rust.  Take Michigan.

NCAA Football
10:30 PM EST
Rotation #189
UNLV +15.5 over San Jose State (loss)
SJSU is 3-0 and could be 4-0 for the first time since 1955.  This has not been a good football program and loves the fact they landed Nick Starkel who played at the biggest programs in American.  Starkel played for Alabama and Texas A&M.  This is a guy who is playing down in competition and always will be the best player on the field in this conference, but will he even play today.  Starkel took a nasty head hit to the turf last week and usually programs are not bringing their QB back the very next week from something like that.  Why play him against a bad UNLV team anyway?  We might see more of Nick Nash who is more of a runner.  That creates a totally different package for this team.  UNLV has a bad defense, but their offense is getting better.  Max Gilliam is starting to find his wheels as a QB in addition to having a couple of decent targets to throw the ball to.  SJSU is a slow paced offense that takes their time snapping the ball.  I think Starkel will miss this game and if he does I just don’t see SJSU doing enough to win by this margin.  Take UNLV.