2013 College Football Week 14 Picks: Odds and Predictions – Free College Football Picks 11/30/2013: The 2013 college football season is winding down, and for a majority of teams, this weekend marks the end to the regular season. As a result, division and conference titles are on the line for several teams, and there is no shortage of big games on the Week 14 schedule. With that in mind, here is a closer look at a few of the matchups between top 25 teams this weekend.
No. 25 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-3) @ No. 8 Stanford Cardinal (9-2, 7-2 Pac-12)
Last year, these teams took part in a hard-hitting showdown that Notre Dame won a controversial goal line stop in overtime. This time around, the Cardinal roll into the matchup with a top-15 defense that is led by an excellent front seven and a power ground game led by running back Tyler Gaffney. The Fighting Irish have also been solid on the defensive side of the ball, but their offense has leaned heavily on the arm of quarterback Tommy Rees.
Fittingly, both teams have been tough to predict with Stanford beating the like of Oregon, UCLA and Arizona State but suffering shocking losses to Utah and USC and Notre Dame losing to Oklahoma and Michigan but knocking off Michigan State and Arizona State. Neither side is loaded with offensive playmakers, but Stanford’s defense is a safer bet to control a modest Notre Dame offense. Not to mention the fact that the Cardinal have the most explosive offensive weapon in the matchup in the form of receiver Ty Montgomery and the more dependable offense thanks to their ground game.
In the end, Stanford should be able to wear down the Fighting Irish defense with its brand of power football while the Cardinal defense should hold the Notre Dame offense in check. Stanford controls the trenches and takes care of business in this one.
Prediction: Stanford Cardinal (-14 ½) Cover the Spread
No. 21 Texas A&M Aggies @ No. 5 Missouri Tigers
While his chances of repeating as the Heisman Trophy winner likely ended last weekend, Johnny Manziel and the Aggies have a chance to play spoiler in this one. The upstart Tigers can clinch the SEC East and a spot in the conference title game with a victory, but if they lose, South Carolina will win the division.
Both teams bring juggernaut offenses into the matchup. Manziel leads a Texas A&M offense that ranks sixth in scoring and sixth in passing, and receiver Mike Evans has emerged as one of the best big-play targets in the country. For their part, the Tigers rank 14th in the country in scoring and have a top-20 rushing attack. Quarterback James Franklin is healthy again and one of the best dual-threat QBs in the nation while running back Henry Josey has the speed to score whenever he touches the ball.
There is no doubt that both of these teams can put plenty of points on the board and do so in highlight-reel fashion. However, the Tigers also have a stout pass rush the country’s 15th-stingiest defense to fall back on while the Aggies rank 89th in the country in points allowed and are giving up more than 31 points per game. Yes, Manziel and company are going to be able to score points, but they have yet to win a big game. The Aggies went down to Alabama, Auburn and LSU, and in two of the three games, they scored more than 40 points but still lost. In the end, Missouri’s defense is going to be able to make a couple of stops that give the Tigers the edge in what should be a high-scoring shootout.
Prediction: Missouri Tigers (-4 ½) Cover the Spread
No. 22 UCLA Bruins @ No. 23 USC Trojans
Although neither team can win the Pac-12 South, there is plenty on the line when UCLA faces USC in the Battle for Los Angeles this weekend. For one, the game is a heated rivalry so bragging rights alone mean a lot. Not to mention the fact that the teams are likely playing for a spot in the top 25. Perhaps more importantly, the winner could have the leg up as far as recruiting is concerned
For the Bruins, a balanced, potent offense has been the key to their success. Dual-threat quarterback Brett Hundley has been the heart of an attack that ranks in the top 40 in both rushing yards and passing yards and 26th in scoring at 36.6 points per game. On the flip side, the Trojans have been riding their defense to wins lately, and overall, USC ranks in the top 20 nationally in points allowed. On the offensive side of the ball, Cody Kessler has taken control of the quarterback spot, but the Trojans remain inconsistent and average when it comes to putting points on the board.
Early in the year, it appeared that UCLA was going to be by far the best team in Los Angeles. However, the Trojans have turned a corner since Lane Kiffin was fired as coach. The Trojans are suddenly playing to their potential, and since a 14-10 loss to Notre Dame, they have reeled off five straight wins. During the stretch, Kessler has come into his own, throwing seven touchdowns and zero interceptions, including five scores and no picks in the team’s last three games. Meanwhile, UCLA’s defense has been shaky all year, and the offense has struggled against top competition. The Bruins averaged just 12 points in losses to Oregon and Stanford, and the defense hasn’t held a team to less than 24 points since early October. USC’s defense should control the action, and the Trojans’ offense will find enough holes in the UCLA defense to win the game.
Prediction: USC Trojans (-3 ½) Cover the Spread
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