No. 3 TCU @ No. 5 Utah, 3:30PM ET
Let me get this straight. ABC is going to show Nebraska-Iowa State but not TCU-Utah? ESPN is going to show Illinois-Michigan but not TCU-Utah? ESPN3 is going to show Nevada-Idaho but not TCU-Utah? I’m sure there’s nothing these networks can do contractually to show what they want to show, but what a rip off for college football fans. This is the best game of the week and nobody outside of the Mountain West coverage areas will see it. Last year the Utes traveled to TCU and were gorilla-smacked 55-28. But two years ago in Utah, the Utes held the Horned Frogs to just 10 points in a 13-10 victory. Can Utah pull off the upset in their biggest home game of the year? Or can TCU use this game as a catalyst to get into the BCS title game should Oregon or Auburn (or Boise State for that matter) fall? In what will be the Utes last year in the MWC before they move to the Pac-12, this should be one heck of a bout.
CURRENT ODDS: TCU –4.5

No. 6 Alabama @ No. 10 LSU, 3:30PM ET
It’s rare that a huge SEC matchup like this takes a backseat to a Mountain West game, but with TCU and Utah playing this Saturday it’s easy to forget that Bama and LSU will square off. (Although not to SEC fans, of course.) Both teams are coming off bye weeks, although the Tide thumped Tennessee 41-10 two weeks ago and the Tigers fell to Auburn, 24-17. Alabama got the benefit of both Michigan State and Missouri losing last week and has now climbed back into title contention. A win over LSU this week on the road would catapult them into the top-5 because somebody will obviously lose between No. 4 TCU and No. 5 Utah. But they’ll have to get through LSU first, which is 14-1 under Les Miles while coming off a loss.
CURRENT ODDS: ALABAMA –6.5

No. 15 Arizona @ No. 13 Stanford, 8:00PM ET
This matchup features teams tied for second place in the Pac-10, as Stanford is off to its best start in 40 years and Arizona has the tools on defense to shut down Andrew Luck and the Cardinal offense. Stanford currently is fifth in the FBS in scoring at 42.4 points, while Arizona is seventh in the nation in scoring defense at 14.4 points. Something has to give. Luck completed 19-of-26 passes for 192 yards with a touchdown and also ran for a 51-yard score in a 41-0 beatdown of Washington last Saturday. The Wildcats, who are having their best season since 1998, tipped UCLA 29-21 last Saturday. Should be a great one in the Pac-10 this weekend.
CURRENT ODDS: STANFORD –9.5

No. 18 Arkansas @ No. 19 South Carolina, 7:00PM ET
It’ll be a battle of two-loss teams in the SEC when the Razorbacks travel to Williams-Brice Stadium to take on the Gamecocks. South Carolina is in a familiar situation, as this is the third time in four seasons in which the Gamecocks are 6-2. Of course, this is usually the point in the season when things go downhill for Steve Spurrier’s squad. They lost their final five games to finish 6-6 in 2007, their final three games in 2008 to finish 7-6 and four of five last year to finish 7-6. On the other side, Ryan Mallett just lost his best receiver Greg Childs for the season. Childs suffered a patella tendon injury against Vanderbilt last week and is now done for the year. He led the team with 46 catches for 659 yards and six touchdown receptions.
CURRENT ODDS: SOUTH CAROLINA –4

2010 College Football Week 10 Opening Point Spreads

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No. 6 LSU @ No. 4 Auburn, 3:30PM ET, Saturday
What a terrific matchup in the SEC this weekend. LSU currently owns the No. 3 defense in the nation, but Auburn has the nation’s ninth-ranked offense, led by dual-threat quarterback Cam Newton. Auburn racked up 65 points against Arkansas last week and is averaging 40 points a game so far this season. On the other side, LSU is seeking more consistency out of its two quarterbacks, Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee. The duo struggled again last week against FCS opponent McNeese, as offensive production has killed LSU virtually all season.
CURRENT ODDS: AUBURN –6

No. 10 Wisconsin @ No. 13 Iowa, 3:30PM ET, Saturday
Kinnick Stadium will be the sight of a massive bout in the Big Ten this Saturday as No. 13 Iowa hosts No. 10 Wisconsin. The Badgers are fresh off a big upset of previously No. 1 Ohio State and a win over fellow Big Ten rival Iowa would help them climb further up the top-10. The Hawkeyes are expected to get a big dose of running back John Clay, who rushed for over 100 yards in the Badgers’ win over the Buckeyes last Saturday. He’ll face a stiff challenge this weekend against college football’s No. 7 rushing defense. With Michigan State and Ohio State coming up in the next month, this is just the first of three huge home tests for Iowa the rest of the way.
CURRENT ODDS: IOWA –5.5

No. 14 Nebraska vs. No. 17 Oklahoma State, 3:30PM ET
After suffering a brutal loss to Big 12 rival Texas last week, Nebraska looks to rebound against another tough conference foe when it travels to Stillwater this Saturday. The Huskers have won six straight on the road, but the Cowboys have been victorious in six of their last six home games. That said, Oklahoma State has struggled against top-25 competition, dropping 20 of their last 25 games against ranked opponents. The Cowboys are averaging 49.5 points and 535.3 yards per game this season, which puts them second to only Oregon in both of those categories. Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini should put together a sound defensive game plan in order to slow the Cowboys’ passing attack and you know he wants to hand Oklahoma State its first loss of the season, much like Texas did to his squad last week.
CURRENT ODDS: NEBRASKA –5.5

No. 3 Oklahoma @ No. 11 Missouri, 8:00PM ET, Saturday
The current BCS standings have Oklahoma ranked No. 1, but the AP Top 25 has the Sooners at No. 3. Either way, OU will be tested this Saturday by a MIZZOU team looking to jump into the top-10. The Sooners have won seven straight games over the Tigers and 19 of the last 20 meetings between these two teams. The only time Missouri beat Oklahoma was back in 1998 and if the Tigers are to get their second victory against the Sooners, they’ll have to slow quarterback Landry Jones and OU’s explosive passing attack. Jones was 30-of-34 for 334 yards and three touchdowns against Iowa State last Saturday, which was the highest completion percentage of any Oklahoma quarterback with at least 25 attempts.
CURRENT ODDS: OKLAHOMA –3 (53.5)

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No. 1 Ohio State at. No. 18 Wisconsin, 7:00PM ET
Thanks to Alabama’s collapse at South Carolina last Saturday, the Buckeyes have moved into the No. 1 spot in the top-25. But there’s no time to celebrate with a trip to Madison coming up this weekend and a clash with fellow Big Ten foe Wisconsin. The Badgers have been tough to beat at home, going 40-4 at Camp Randall Stadium since the start of the 2004 season. They’ve also won 25 of their last 28 night games and this contest takes on extra meaning because one more loss will likely knock them out of the Big Ten title race. (They suffered their first loss to weeks ago at Michigan State.)
Current Point Spread: Ohio State –3.5

No. 12 Arkansas at. No. 7 Auburn, 3:30PM ET
The Tigers have won three games this year by only three points, so obviously they’re accustomed to winning close games. That’s good, because they may have another tight one on their hands this Saturday when they host No. 12 Arkansas, who has beaten Auburn in three of the last four meetings. In October of last year, the Hogs crushed the Tigers 44-23 and they’ll be looking for a similar effort this Saturday in order to leapfrog into the top-10.
Current Point Spread: Auburn –4

No. 15 Iowa at. Michigan, 3:30PM ET
The Wolverines had a golden opportunity slip through their fingers last weekend when they lost to Michigan State at home. But they get another chance to prove that they’re legitimate Big Ten contenders if they can knock off a well-rested Iowa team with one of the best defenses in the nation. The Hawkeyes are allowing a nation’s best 10.2 points per game, although they’ll face a unique challenge this week in talented quarterback Denard Robinson. The Spartans limited Robinson to a season-low 86 yards on 21 carries and also intercepted him three times last Saturday. He was also only 6-of-14 passing in the second half and that’s not going to cut it against the Hawkeyes’ stingy defense.
Current Point Spread: Iowa –3.5

No. 10 South Carolina at. Kentucky, 6:00PM ET
All eyes will be on the Gamecocks this week after they knocked off previously No. 1 Alabama last Saturday. The Wildcats enter this weekend with a 3-3 record, but there’s no doubt they have enough talent to pull off an upset at home. That said, running back Derrick Locke is doubtful after he suffered a shoulder stinger against Auburn last week, so an upset will be harder to come by for Kentucky. South Carolina has lost six consecutive conference road games since it last beat the Wildcats in Lexington on October 11, 2008. Yet another road loss this weekend will certainly erase what the Gamecocks did last week at home against the Tide in terms of the top-25.
Current Posting Spread: South Carolina –4.5

2010 College Football Week 7 Opening Point Spreads:

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We’re still days away from another Saturday in college football, but here are some point spreads that jumped out at me in this weekend’s slate of action.

No. 7 Florida vs. No. 1 Alabama, 8:00PM ET
This is the second of three games the Crimson Tide will play against top 25 teams (assuming South Carolina stays in the top 25 after this week) and their second big SEC challenge. They escaped disaster last weekend in Fayetteville with a come-from-behind win over Arkansas and now take on a Florida team that crushed Kentucky last Saturday. Pundits have noted that the Gators’ offense hasn’t been as explosive as it has in years past and that may be the case. But they’ve scored at least 31 points in each of their first four games, including 48 last week against Kentucky and 31 against Tennessee two weekends ago. Nine points seems a tad high for a game of this magnitude.
THE LEAN: FLORIDA +9

No. 21 Texas vs. No. 8 Oklahoma, 3:30PM ET
Whether they were caught looking ahead or just had an off day, the Longhorns’ loss to UCLA last Saturday was devastating. The good thing is that they can’t dwell on the defeat for too long with the “Red River Rivalry” set to renew this weekend. The Sooners’ have only won by a touchdown or less in three of their four games to start the season, but they could be catching the Longhorns at an opportune time. Texas actually matches up pretty well with OU, but 4.5 points isn’t much to lay with the favorite here and the spread could go down closer to game time.
THE LEAN: OKLAHOMA –4.5

No. 11 Wisconsin vs. No. 24 Michigan State, 3:30PM ET
The Badgers are off to a perfect start on the new year, but have failed to cover against the three FBS teams they’ve faced thus far. The Spartans play tough at home and should get a huge lift with the return of head coach Mark Dantonio, who is expected to coach from the press box after he suffered a heart attack two weeks ago. Wisconsin looks awfully tempting at –1, but I fear this game could be a trap. I like MSU.
THE LEAN: MICHIGAN STATE +1

No. 22 Penn State vs. No. 17 Iowa, 8:05PM ET
I think Penn State is playing exactly how everyone should have expected them to play. They’re a young team overall and while they’ve managed to win three of their first four games, they’ve suffered plenty of ups and downs. They needed a strong second half to knock off Temple last weekend and now they have to go into hostile environment to take on the Hawkeyes team that has looked great at home (albeit against Eastern Illinois, Iowa State and Ball State) thus far. The only time the Nittany Lions played on the road this year they looked completely helpless against Alabama. It shouldn’t be total domination like it was in Tuscaloosa that day, but Iowa should wear PSU down in the fourth quarter and pull away.
THE LEAN: IOWA -7

Below is a complete list of point spreads for Week 5 in college football.

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We’ve still got a couple of days before another Saturday in college football kicks off, but here are some point spreads that jumped out at me in this weekend’s slate of action.

No. 19 Miami vs. Pittsburgh +3.5, Thursday, 7:30PM ET
This is a pretty even matchup across the board, which is why I like PITT getting the points at home in a nationally televised game. The only thing I caution is that the Panthers just lost star defensive end Greg Romeus to an injury and have been dealing with some off-field issues. But truth be told, that’s why I like them even more. The Hurricanes have won six straight over the Panthers and the public is going to be all over Miami. This line could move up to +4 or even +4.5 by kickoff and again, this is more of an even matchup than people think.
LEAN: PITTSBURGH +3.5

No. 24 Oregon State +17 vs. No. 3 Boise State, Saturday, 8:00PM ET
I always hesitate fading Boise State in nationally televised games against good opponents (and in the case of Oregon State, a ranked opponent) because they like to use these opportunities to showcase themselves to BCS voters (see the Virginia Tech game in Week 1 as a prime example). But Oregon State is no joke and went toe-to-toe with TCU in the opening weekend before eventually falling, 30-21. I think odds makers have the line set high because in the last meeting between these two teams, the Broncos crushed the Beavers, 42-14. But there’s something about getting 17 points with a ranked team that intrigues me.
LEAN: OREGON STATE +17

No. 12 South Carolina +3 vs. No. 17 Auburn, Saturday, 7:45PM ET
Maybe they were looking ahead to this game, but the Tigers were fortunate to get a win last week against Clemson at home. Auburn has won three of their past four games by a field goal dating back to a thrilling overtime win over Northwestern in the Outback Bowl last season. Seeing as how they’re a little beat up right now, I like the Gamecocks getting points here, although keep in mind that they’ve lost four straight since last beating the Tigers in 1933.
LEAN: SOUTH CAROLINA +3

No. 1 Alabama -7 vs. No. 10 Arkansas, Saturday, 3:30PM ET
I keep going back and forth on this one, but now that ‘Bama is back at full strength offensively with Mark Ingram I have a slight lean towards the Tide – even in Fayetteville. Last year, Arkansas’ quarterback Ryan Mallett threw for just 160 yards in a loss to the Tide. ‘Bama has also won three straight games in this series and although I hesitate laying a touchdown on the road against a good Razorback team, I like the Tide as of right now. (Although I admit this will probably be a game I scratch off my list and just enjoy the action on Saturday.)
LEAN: ALABAMA –7

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We’ve still got a couple of days before another Saturday in college football kicks off, but here are some point spreads that jumped out at me for this weekend’s slate of action.

East Carolina +19 at. Virginia Tech, 1:30PM ET
The Hokies are reeling after dropping their opener against Boise State and then being shocked by James Madison at home last Saturday. While they’re still very much alive in the ACC, I’m not sure what kind of mental condition Frank Beamer’s squad is in right now. So getting almost three touchdowns with an underrated, undefeated East Carolina team is a gift. This smells a little bit like a trap, but still…19 points? I like the Pirates.

USC vs. Minnesota +12, 3:30PM ET
Virginia Tech’s defeat to James Madison overshadowed the Gophers’ embarrassing 41-38 home loss to FCS South Dakota. But USC is 0-2 ATS to start the year and barely squeaked by Virginia at home last weekend. I generally like taking home teams getting points and considering this is unfamiliar territory for USC, I like Minnesota. (Although I’d like them a lot more if they were getting two touchdowns instead of 12 points.)

Texas vs. Texas Tech +3, 8:00PM ET
This is a statement game for the Red Raiders, who would love to earn a victory and catapult into the top 25. The Longhorns are only 3-3 in Lubbock under Mack Brown and we all remember what happened the last time Texas traveled to Tech. The Raiders won’t have Michael Crabtree for this game, but I see an outright victory.

Utah -22 at. New Mexico, 8:00PM ET
Twenty-two points is a ton to give up when taking a road team, but the Lobos have allowed 124 points this season, which is the most of any FBS team. Utah has won three straight over New Mexico and leads the all-time series 32-17-2. Yes, I think the Lobos are as bad as they played in the first two weeks of the season, which includes a 72-0 loss at Oregon and a 52-17 loss to Texas Tech at home last week.

Read on for the rest of this weekend’s point spreads.

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Schedule, game times and interesting tidbits about the top 25 action in Week 2 of college football…

(Games are listed by date and time)

Thursday, September 9

No. 21 Auburn vs. Mississippi State, 7:30PM ET
The Tigers have won eight of the last nine meetings between these two teams, including four straight on the road. After throwing for 186 yards and three touchdowns as well as rushing for 171 yards and two scores in a 52-26 win over Arkansas State last Saturday, Auburn’s Cameron Netwon was named the SEC’s offensive player of the week. He’ll have to be on top of his game tonight in Starkville, after Mississippi State held Memphis to only 41 yards rushing last Saturday in a 49-7 victory. This will be both teams’ conference opener.
Odds: Auburn –1.5 (56.5)

Friday, September 10

No. 23 West Virginia vs. Marshall, 7:00PM ET
This will be the fifth straight meeting between these two teams, as the Mountaineers have won the previous four meetings by a combined score of 141-43. Marshall was crushed 45-7 by Ohio State last week, while West Virginia routed Coastal Carolina, 38-0. Thundering Herd head coach Doc Holliday faces his alma mater and former boss Bill Stewart in this contest, and hopes that Marshall’s defense can improve on the 529 yards of total offense they allowed last week to the Buckeyes.
Odds: West Virginia –12 (47)

Saturday, September 11

San Jose State vs. No. 11 Wisconsin, 12:00PM ET
One week after getting crushed by Alabama, the Spartans will once again play the cupcake role when they take on a Badgers team that rolled UNLV 41-21 last Saturday. Wisconsin hasn’t lost a home opener since Colorado beat them 43-7 in 1995. This will only be the second meeting between these two programs, as the Badgers lead the all-time series 1-0. For San Jose State to have a chance, it’ll have to slow down a Wisconsin running game that amassed 278 yards on the ground last week.
Odds: Wisconsin –38 (56)

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Here’s a quick run down of the top 25 action in college football for Week 1. (Dear sweet Heaven…football is back.)

San Jose State at. No. 1 Alabama, 7:00PM ET
After winning the national championship last season, Alabama looks to defend without Heisman running back Mark Ingram for their opener. They shouldn’t have any problems with a Spartans team that is 0-8 against the spread in their last eight road games and 0-5 ATS in their last five games on grass. The Tide, meanwhile, are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games in September.
Odds: Alabama –37.5 (51.5)

No. 5 Boise State vs. No. 6 Virginia Tech, 8:00PM ET (Monday)
The highlight of the Week 1 schedule won’t be played until Monday night, but it’s shaping up to be an incredible bout. The Broncos are 5-0 ATS in their last five games in September, while VA Tech is 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall. The over is also 5-0 in the Broncos last five games on fieldturf and 4-1 in the Hokies last five games at a neutral site.
Odds: Boise State –1.5 (51)

Miami (OH) at. No. 4 Florida, 12:00PM ET
The Tim Tebow-less era starts in Gainesville this afternoon when the Gators host MAC opponent Miami of Ohio. The Redhawks are 0-5 against the spread in their last five games in September, while Florida is 4-1 ATS in their last five home games.
Odds: Florida –38 (54.5)

No. 5 Texas at. Rice, 3:30PM ET
Out is Colt McCoy and in is talented youngster Garrett Gilbert. The Longhorns are 4-0 against the spread in their last four meetings with Rice and 8-2 ATS in their last 10 vs. Conference USA. The Owls are just 1-7 ATS in their last eight games against the Big 12.
Odds: Texas –31 (56)

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Along with a complete list of point spreads and odds for Week 10’s action in college football, here is a quick-hit look at some of the marquee matchups:

No. 9 LSU at No. 3 Alabama, Saturday, 3:30PM ET
After losing to Florida in Baton Rouge three weeks ago, LSU has rattled off two wins in impressive fashion. While Auburn and Tulane aren’t powerhouse opponents, the Tigers combined to score 73 points in those games and showed an offensive pulse. But can they do the same against a worthy defensive opponent like Alabama? The Tigers only mustered three points against the Gators and will certainly have their hands full trying to move the ball against a Tide defense that ranks No. 4 in the nation and should be well rested coming off a bye.
Odds: Alabama –7.5.

No. 8 Oregon at Stanford, Saturday, 3:30PM ET
Oregon is one of the hottest teams in the nation right now, but will they suffer a letdown after beating No. 5 USC last week? Stanford has been solid at home this year, beating previously ranked Washington 34-14, UCLA 24-16 and a decent Arizona State team 33-14. They had defensive troubles in road losses to Oregon State and Arizona this season (and also lost to a pesky Wake Forest team earlier in the year), but otherwise the Cardinal has been competitive. The Ducks’ offensive attack is firing on all cylinders right now, but the game this week in Stanford is far from a gimmie.
Odds: Oregon -6.

No. 16 Ohio State at No. 11 Penn State, Saturday, 3:30PM ET
If either of these teams wants to keep Iowa in their sites in the Big Ten, a win is a must this Saturday in University Park. Since his brutal display in Purdue three weeks ago, Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor has looked better the past two weeks. But Minnesota and New Mexico State don’t have the kind of defensive prowess that Penn State has and Pryor could be in for a long day on Saturday. The Lions have been outstanding since their loss to Iowa in late September, rattling off five straight wins while beating opponents by a 176-43 margin. The Buckeyes’ defense should be up for the challenge, but will Pryor?
Odds: Penn State –4.

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