College Football
NOON EST
Rotation # 330
Iowa State -3.5 over Iowa (loss)
Kirk Ferentz is a great coach and always has his Iowa team in a position to compete, but I am not so sure about their running game, as they are missing Kamari Moulton today. The Hawkeyes don’t have a lot of talent at the receiver position, and QB Mark Gronowski has yet to prove himself against a big-name opponent. The Cyclones return their starting QB in Rocco Becht and two good running backs from a season ago in Carson Hansen and Abu Sama. Iowa State has a massive offensive line that should be able to open up running lanes. If the Cyclones can limit Kaden Wetjen’s touches on special teams, they should be able to secure the victory. Take Iowa State.
College Football
NOON EST
Rotation # 335
Illinois -2.5 over Duke (win)
Illinois will face Duke in an early-season road test. QB Luke Altmyer is back, and the running backs are Aidan Laughery and Kaden Feagin. The Illini have an experienced offensive line that returns four starters who started every game last year. The jury is still out on Duke transfer quarterback Darian Mensah, who came from Tulane. The Blue Devils have a decent offensive line, and we will see if running back Jaquez Moore is ready to step up into a starting position. The Illini look to be more sound on both sides of the ball. Fifth-year Head Coach Bret Bielema is in a prime position to make a run in the BIG 10. Take Illinois.
College Football
3:30 PM EST
Rotation # 341-342
Ole Miss/Kentucky Over 49.5
Ole Miss enters the season in the top 25, looking to stay relevant in the SEC with a new QB and running game. The Rebels return a lot of talent at the receiver position, and although they do have a new offensive line, it has a lot of beef up front. Kentucky is looking to improve from its disastrous one win in the SEC last year as it starts Zach Calzada at quarterback, a 7th-year senior. Nebraska transfer Dante Dowdell will look to showcase his talents behind another massive offensive line. Both teams should be able to get the running games going and open up the pass. Ole Miss has a lot of question marks in their secondary that the Wildcats must exploit. Kentucky offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan must allow Calzada to take deep shots. Look for both teams to do enough to make this a higher-scoring game. Take the Over.