Bob Balfe
College Football
NOON EST
Rotation #136
UCF -7 over West Virginia
UCF is looking for their first win in BIG 12, while WVU has played a softer schedule and appears to be the better team. The Knights are at home and have a lot of speedy and talented receivers. UCF also has a great running game. QB John Rhys Plumlee is an experienced player who will find cracks in the Mountaineers’ defense. West Virginia has a limited amount of talent on the offensive side of the football and will be in for a shock against a team that is a little bit faster. Take UCF.
College Football
3:30 PM EST
Rotation #157
Purdue +2.5 over Nebraska
Purdue is itching for a win as they have struggled the past few weeks. Nebraska has won two in a row, but they played the worst teams in the BIG 10. The Cornhuskers have severe issues on their offensive line, as three starters are out. Nebraska is down receivers, so Purdue’s defense must focus on the running game. The Cornhusker’s opening day starter, Jeff Sims, has been out for a few weeks, so they are limited offensively. With a new offensive line, look for a lot of penalties. Purdue is looking to spoil Nebraska’s homecoming. Look for a low-scoring game in which the Boilermakers come out victorious. Take Purdue.
College Football
3:30 PM EST
Rotation #165
Oregon -6.5 over Utah
There are better days than today for football in Salt Lake City. It’s an early local time start, and it’s cold and windy, so we will see which team wakes up first. I was impressed with Utah last week as they pounded USC on the road. USC has the worst defense in college football, so Utah can’t run the same plays against Oregon. The Utes are on their 3rd string QB and have been without quality skilled players due to injury all year. The Ducks’ defense should slow down the offense today. The Ducks have an experienced QB in Bo Nix who can win big road games and have outstanding running backs and wide receivers. Utah has a veteran coaching staff, a massive plus in football, but they lack the raw skill to keep up today. Take Oregon.
College Football
3:30 PM EST
Rotation #198
Auburn -6.5 over Mississippi State
Today’s game is a battle of first-year coaching staff, and both teams have struggled in the SEC so far. Mississippi State beat up on a MAC conference team two weeks ago and last week beat Arkansas, the worst team in the SEC. The Tigers have more juice on offense, but they are far better on defense. The Bulldogs’ secondary is vulnerable, while Auburn’s secondary consists of veteran players. Look for QB Payton Thorne to be sharp today. The Tigers are at home, looking to get an SEC win. Homefield is big when two mediocre teams face off. Take Auburn
