Where did the season trail? It felt luxuriate in a few weeks previously I used to be writing the principal Six Pack of the season, but now the whole customary season has flown by and it is conference championship weekend. Conference titles are on the line, and in some cases, College Football Playoff spots.
Or no longer it is gripping and sad on the same time. After this weekend, we will mild possess the bowl video games and the playoff, but while I luxuriate in this time of yr, there’s nothing rather luxuriate in a college soccer Saturday. Or no longer it is a ways the final one of many season, and it is a ways an improbable smaller model than the one we’re used to, so we higher admire it depend. All odds are through Caesars Sportsbook.
Games of the Week
Featured Game | Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Georgia Bulldogs
No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 3 Alabama: Teams are luxuriate in other folks. They’ll repeat you who they are even as you listen to them and peek what they acquire. Alabama has been telling you what it is all season prolonged, but masses of different folks admire no longer desire to hear it. Alabama is an perfect team. Or no longer it is one of many ideal groups in the country, capable of beating any one. But it will not be a dominant Alabama team. Or no longer it will not be up to the same customary as many Alabama groups we have got seen enlighten national titles. This is why Gash Saban used to be so pissed off with followers earlier than the Iron Bowl, and it is why he used to be so gratified and relieved when the Tide squeaked by with a enlighten.
I’m in a position to no longer steal a Crimson Tide team in this dynasty period that’s been less bodily dominant on the offensive line. It showed up early in the season in a terminate enlighten over Florida and used to be exposed in the loss to Texas A&M. It made extra appearances in terminate calls in opposition to LSU, Arkansas and Auburn. Now, that offensive line goes in opposition to the ideal defense and entrance seven in the country, and I admire no longer luxuriate in its chances of conserving up. Nor acquire I reflect the Alabama defense, which has no longer been nice, is capable of slowing down the Georgia offense sufficient to contain as terminate as they need.
Esteem Alabama, Georgia told us who it is all season. Or no longer it is a ways the ideal team in the country. Or no longer it is a ways a dominant force and we will all in the end peek the variation on Saturday in Atlanta. Georgia 28, Alabama 17 | Georgia -6.5
Featured Game | Oklahoma Insist Cowboys vs. Baylor Bears
No. 5 Oklahoma Insist vs. No. 9 Baylor: When these two met in the customary season, it wasn’t moderately. Oklahoma Insist won the game 24-10 and Baylor used to be held to most productive 280 yards of offense. If no longer for Oklahoma Insist’s three turnovers, it might perhaps perhaps maybe perhaps’ve been a blowout. Sadly, it will not be as easy as announcing, “Oklahoma Insist ought to’ve won by extra so let’s lay the aspects with the Cowboys.” They’re each masses of now — they’re each higher. Oklahoma Insist’s offense has improved all season prolonged, as has Baylor on each sides of the ball.
Now they meet in a neutral spot, with Oklahoma Insist coming off a nice enlighten over Oklahoma in Bedlam. I’m in a position to no longer attend but wonder if there might perhaps maybe perhaps be something of an emotional letdown for the Cowboys that causes them to acquire out of the gates slowly. There’s also the Dave Aranda element. He is with out doubt one of many higher defensive minds in the game, and when he will get a 2nd crack at you and knows what you clutch to have to acquire, I belief he can set up together a game understanding to decelerate the Cowboys. This game will more than likely be low-scoring and physical, but the whole is comparatively too low for me to carry the below. As an different, I could carry the Bears and the aspects. Neither the kind of defenses goes to let the masses of pull a ways-off. Oklahoma Insist 24, Baylor 20 | Baylor +5.5
Lock of the Week
Featured Game | UTSA Roadrunners vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Western Kentucky at UTSA (Friday): I disfavor that I am making this clutch. I undoubtedly acquire. Ahead of the season started, I took out a future on UTSA to enlighten Conference USA at +425, so I undoubtedly possess a vested interest in the Roadrunners worthwhile this game. The scenario is I admire no longer reflect they’re going to! While I’ve enjoyed watching UTSA, it is a ways a team limping to the live line. Thru the principal eight video games of the season, the us defense had a success price of 64.3% and allowed 1.42 aspects per possession. Over the final four video games, its success price has dropped to 61.7% and the aspects per possession possess jumped to 2.37. That is no longer a nice signal ahead of a game in opposition to one of many most explosive offenses in the country.
Western Kentucky ranks 17th nationally in offensive success price and seventh in aspects per power at 3.23. It has won seven straight, and its final loss used to be to UTSA. But what stands out about that 52-46 UTSA enlighten is that Western Kentucky had 670 yards of offense in and a possibility to enlighten in the absolute best seconds when quarterback Bailey Zappe threw an interception in the purple zone. There’s a solid argument to be made that the Hilltoppers were the higher team that day, they factual didn’t acquire the enlighten. I reflect they’re going to be the higher team again on Friday evening, but they’re going to acquire the dub this time. Western Kentucky 38, UTSA 34 | Western Kentucky -3
Astronomical Ten Championship of the Week
Featured Game | Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Michigan Wolverines
No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 13 Iowa: OK, Michigan. I am convinced. I mean, how might perhaps maybe perhaps I no longer be? I spent all season watching you and believing you were a undoubtedly correct soccer team, but I wasn’t going to determine to it except I noticed how you performed in opposition to Ohio Insist. I might perhaps maybe perhaps exclaim you did moderately great! So successfully that I am no longer even alarmed about an emotional letdown a week later. This Wolverines team is simply too solid in every space with too great left to play for to reflect they is no longer going to point to up for this game willing to roll.
In the period in-between, I am no longer going to knock Iowa for getting this a ways since it deserves to be here. Its defense is extraordinary and its special groups are successfully-known. These two areas possess helped it overcome an anemic offense, but here’s a horrible matchup for the Hawkeyes. Every little thing Iowa excels at, Michigan does too, excluding the Wolverines are higher and possess extra talent. Oh, and the Wolverines offense can ranking aspects. Iowa’s can no longer. Or no longer it is very advanced to hang with elite groups even as you admire no longer possess an offense, and admire no mistake about it Michigan is elite. Michigan 27, Iowa 14 | Michigan -11
Below of the Week
Featured Game | San Diego Insist Aztecs vs. Utah Insist Aggies
Utah Insist at No. 19 San Diego Insist: Customarily, you clutch to have to stay to something legitimate. San Diego Insist is luxuriate in your first automobile, the one which obtained you thru college and the early fragment of maturity. Despite the indisputable truth that it wasn’t the good automobile and the air conditioning stopped working four years earlier than the engine did, it obtained you where you fundamental to be. That is how I undoubtedly feel about taking the below in a San Diego Insist game. The Aztecs are going to acquire you to your vacation situation.
This elite defense ranks third nationally in success price, sixth in defensive EPA and sixth in aspects allowed per power. The Utah Insist offense is inefficient, struggles to whole drives in the purple zone and largely relies on explosive performs — explosive performs that San Diego Insist hasn’t allowed all season. Stumble on for the Aztecs to manipulate the ball on offense and smother the Aggies when on defense. San Diego Insist 24, Utah Insist 17 | Below 50
Up-Tempo Crew of the Week
Featured Game | Northern Illinois Huskies vs. Kent Insist Golden Flashes
Kent Insist vs. Northern Illinois: While I am gratified for Northern Illinois for surpassing expectations, the underlying metrics suggest the Huskies don’t seem like rather as correct as their 8-4 file suggests. Genuinely, while the Huskies were 6-2 in conference play, they allowed extra aspects than they scored. They were factual perfect in one-ranking video games, nonetheless it is laborious to admire a living playing that design, and now they’re going to be coping with an explosive Kent Insist offense indoors and on turf.
The Golden Flashes started the season slowly, but obtained entering into conference play. As well they beat Northern Illinois 52-47 earlier this season and I peek the rematch playing out in an identical vogue. The Flashes had 682 yards of offense in the game and averaged 8.0 yards per carry on the ground. NIU’s speeding assault — which it leans closely on — used to be held to most productive 3.4 yards per carry, and the Huskies obtained by with an uncharacteristic performance during the air. I admire no longer belief the Huskies to acquire that again if Kent Insist can restrict them on the ground. Kent Insist 38, Northern Illinois 31 | Kent Insist -3.5
SportsLine Get of the Week
No. 21 Houston at No. 4 Cincinnati: Whoops! I’ve bustle out of room in The Six Pack this weekend, but there’s mild one masses of play I luxuriate in. Cincinnati is having a behold to alter into the principal Community of Five team to reach the College Football Playoff, but the ideal inquire is no longer whether the Bearcats will enlighten. Or no longer it is will they duvet? Head to my SportsLine web page to search out out.
Games of the Week |
0-2 |
14-12 |
Lock of the Week |
1-0 |
8-5 |
Overall |
3-3 |
46-32 |
Which college soccer picks can you admire with self belief all over Championship Week, and which two underdogs will enlighten outright? Talk over with SportsLine to sight which groups will enlighten and duvet the unfold — all from a confirmed computer model that has returned nearly $3,700 in profit over the past five-plus seasons — and glean out.