Last Week in Review By Dr. Senkbeil

Rivalry week is here!  Last week was ok (15-10 including other games) and the misses were primarily swing games where the spread was within 3 points.  How did South Alabama lose by 52 points to winless Georgia Southern?

Weekend of 11/25/17 game lines as of Wednesday 11/22 1pm EST:  

 

• Ole Miss +14.5 at Mississippi State
  Ole Miss will score on anybody and get into shootouts.  State was awful against Arkansas and are now back at home (where they are dominant) for the always heated Egg Bowl.  The extra 0.5 has me leaning Ole Miss to stay within the spread but lose.

 

• Baylor at TCU -24.5
  TCU crushed Texas Tech last week and Baylor 1-10 looked about the same as usual.  TCU should be able to pour it on Baylor at home, but that Big12 championship game looms so maybe they will rest?  Nah. Horned frogs cover

 

• Miami -13.5 at Pitt
  I was right thinking UVA would be a thorn in Miami’s side and I am still not sold on this team being ranked 2nd.  Now they go on the road to play a Pitt team that has been better during the later part of the season.  Miami has to win and then they have to beat Clemson the following week.  Are they looking ahead?  I think they are focused to enough to win by 17.

 

• Missouri -10 at Arkansas
  Mizzou is on fire and covering every week.  They will score and score on Arkansas.  Bielema gets fired. Arkansas played better last week but I think they lose this one by more than 10.

 

• USF at UCF -10.5
  The battle of I4 has been brewing all year.  UCF has been a monster on offense and USF has been more defensive under Charlie Strong this year.  UCF needs to make a statement to the playoff committee.  Will they respect a 30 point beatdown of a good USF team?  Will that make the committee notice?  No

 

• Virginia Tech -7.5 at Virginia
  This line sounds right.  UVA has been inconsistent and V Tech hasnt looked great lately.  Since I have to include this for rivalry week, I will pick V tech but I would not be surprised to see a 7 point win with this spread.  That half point bothers me.  They only beat Pitt by 6 last week.

 

• Texas Tech at  Texas-10
  Tex Tech stunk it up last week at TCU and Texas beat WVU by 14. The short term trend of 1 week influenced this line, but I think it is right.  The Longhorns will win this one and probably by more than 10.

 

• UCONN +5.5 at Cincinnati
  This is not a rivalry but Cincy  just lost to ECU by 28!  Besides being at home, I do not understand why they are favored.  I think UCONN wins outright.

 

• Indiana at Purdue -2.5
  Purdue just went into Iowa and won.  How did that happen?  Indiana just destroyed Rutgers…??  I am confused since both of those results are head scratchers.  I will take the home Boilers to cover this.

 

• Ohio State -12 at Michigan
  The Buckeyes are a much better team than Michigan this year if they want to be.  Beat Michigan convincingly and then do the same to Wisconsin and then they are in the playoff.  Can Michigan spoil the plan?  Yes, but only if the Buckeyes sabotage themselves.

 

• Louisville -10 at Kentucky
  These 2 teams are trending in opposite directions lately.  Louisville should be able to win by 14 or more.

 

• UGA -11 at G Tech
  UGA got back to business last week against Kentucky and GTech was embarrassed by Duke.  UGA has far superior athletes that should be able to handle the option.

 

• FSU -5 at Florida
  FSU annihilated a bad FCS team to build confidence and UF soundly beat a surprisingly good UAB team.  In one of the worst editions of this rivalry, both teams are possibly beginning to find something?  FSU has more potential and UF even at home just cant stop tripping over itself this season.  FSU by 7

 

• Duke +12 at Wake
  Wake is better this year, but that is a lot of points in this game.  Duke will stay in this game and stay within 12.

 

• UNC +16.5 at NC State
  See above.  NC State has started to unravel late in the year and injury plagued UNC is starting to regain some of its earlier season form.  UNC stays within 16.5

 

• Wisconsin -17 at Minnesota
  Minnesota lost by 39 to Northwestern last week.  Badgers!

 

• Bama -4.5 at Auburn
  The marquee game!  The line is right.
  For those of you who do not know, the passion (lunacy?) of the fanbases in this game is often unhealthy and absurd.  I love this game, and this year it should be highly entertaining.  The closest comparison is 2013 and that was the best college football game I have ever seen.  How is this game in 2017 different and how is it similar?
  Auburn is currently looking better at the end of the season.  In 2013 they were on fire.
  Auburn has a really good defense and an offense that has been inconsistent.  In 2013 they  were the opposite.
  Bama has recently looked mortal.  In 2013 they looked invincible.

  So the 2013 game was an invincible team meeting the hottest team in the country in Auburn at Jordan Hare.  2017 is a Bama team hobbled by injuries meeting an Auburn team that has found some consistency and confidence.  2017 is nowhere near 2013, but the end result is similar in that the game should be evenly matched.

  Auburn will be rocking but Bama qb Jalen Hurts is smooth under pressure.  Bama will shutdown Auburn’s run game and force them to throw. Has Auburn developed enough of a passing game?  Bama’s qb and receivers will be the difference and I think they win by 3-7 points.  Bama by 7.

Be sure to keep your eye out for our weekly blog with Dr. Senkbeil’s picks every Thursday. Challenge your college buddies and coworkers on your Alma Mater’s game and raise money for charity in the process! Don’t have the GoodBookey app? Download it below. Talk some smack and give back!