The bookmakers have plenty of data to leverage you this time of year. It’s more of “quality over quantity,” even if the bettor might want to go up to a unit and a half on a bet.
Syracuse at Boston College
I’m still a believer in Syracuse’s offense. There was the turnover fest at Pitt, but they have been the unit a bettor can trust for the most part. On the other side is the defense. The unit the bettor can’t trust.
Couple that with a Boston College team that has scored 24+ points in the last two weeks, and you can see why this has the potential to be a high-scoring game, even though it’s a Noon kickoff.
Pick: o52.5
(3) Georgia -2.5 at (16) Ole Miss
My stubbornness might be influencing my pick here.
Ole Miss is at home in the prime 3:30 window against a Georgia team that isn’t as explosive as those in the past. Yet I like the Dawgs simply because I can’t see them losing to Lane Kiffin in this spot.
Georgia is a championship program, and the bookmakers have bettors thinking that the Rebels are a bargain. I don’t. I love the Dawgs in this spot.
Pick: Georgia -2.5
Vanderbilt +4.5 vs. South Carolina
Vanderbilt getting points at home is a line that some have classified as a “sucker” line.
Well, call me a sucker. The Gamecocks are 29-4 all-time against the Commodores, and South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers is dealing.
For me, this is a classic letdown spot for South Carolina. The Gamecocks are coming off a home win against Texas A&M, and now they hit the road to face Mike Elko’s well-coached team.
Pick: Vanderbilt +4.5
(9) BYU -3 at Utah
Utah’s offense is putrid. The field goal line is based heavily on BYU being on the road and this being a rivalry game.
The Cougars are hands-down the better team, and they have something to play for in the tough Big 12: a College Playoff spot.
I don’t see this as a letdown for BYU
Pick: BYU -3
