2014 College Football Picks: Week 6 Early Games Odds and Predictions – Free College Football Picks 10/4/14: After a somewhat quiet slate of games in Week 5, the sixth week of the college football season is absolutely loaded with big games. In fact, there will be six different matchups between top-25 teams this weekend, including five between top-15 teams. Needless to say, plenty is a stake in several conferences, and the college football playoff picture is going to look a little different when this weekend’s action wraps up. With that in mind, here is closer look at Saturday’s early marquee matchups.
No. 6 Texas A&M Aggies at No. 12 Mississippi State Bulldogs
How ridiculously loaded is the SEC West? Six of the seven teams in the division are currently ranked in the top 15 nationally, and two of them will meet in this one. Both teams bring powerful offenses to the table, and both teams are led by early Heisman Trophy hopefuls. Texas A&M quarterback Kenny Hill is throwing for almost 300 yards per game while Mississippi State dual-threat quarterback Dak Prescott is averaging 336 yards of offense per game.
While both sides can score points in bunches, this particular matchup plays into the Bulldogs’ favor. For one, the Aggies will be playing their sixth game in six weeks, and the Bulldogs will be hosting the game coming off an off week. Meanwhile, Texas A&M has looked shaky on defense at times and just needed overtime to sneak by Arkansas last weekend. Mississippi State on the other hand went into “Death Valley” and physically abused LSU two weeks ago, running over and around the normally stingy Tigers’ defense. Look for Prescott and company to make a few more plays than Hill and the Aggies and come out on top in a shootout.
Prediction: Mississippi State Bulldogs (-2.5) Cover the Spread
No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide at No. 11 Ole Miss Rebels
This meeting will be the first major test for both sides, but it could actually be a bigger test for the Crimson Tide. After all, the Rebels are the home team and have an experienced quarterback in Bo Wallace under center. On the flip side, Alabama’s first-year starter Blake Sims will be playing in a big game in a hostile environment for the first time and will be doing so against an Ole Miss defense that has allowed the third-fewest points in the country.
Of course, Alabama shut out the Rebels last year, and the Crimson Tide bring a top-10 scoring defense into Saturday’s matchup. However, Alabama’s defense hasn’t been forcing many turnovers, which has been the Achilles heel for Wallace and the Ole Miss offense in the past. Meanwhile, Alabama’s offense has been turnover prone despite the fact that the Crimson Tide have been piling up yards and points. Keep in mind that Alabama only scored 25 points against the Rebels at home last year with proven starter A.J. McCarron running the show so there is no guarantee Sims is going to walk in and light up the scoreboard. Look for Ole Miss to give the Crimson Tide all they can handle in this one.
Prediction: Ole Miss Rebels (+6.5) Cover the Spread
No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners at No. 25 TCU Horned Frogs
Oklahoma has two big games on its schedule this year, and Saturday’s meeting with TCU is one of them. The Horned Frogs and Sooners have decided four of their last five meetings by a touchdown or less, and this year’s TCU team currently ranks second in the country in both points and yards allowed. That being said, the Horned Frogs have played a cupcake schedule to date, and an Oklahoma team that is loaded with talent and experience on both sides of the ball is one heck of a jump in competition. History says this game will be close, but the Sooners are the more complete, more prepared team.
Prediction: Oklahoma Sooners (-5) Cover the Spread
No. 14 Stanford Cardinal at No. 9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Stanford has won four of the last five games in this series, including a 27-20 victory last year. In general, physical, defensive-minded battles have been the norm between these two teams, and that shouldn’t change Saturday. After all, the Cardinal have the top-ranked scoring defense in the country, and the Fighting Irish have allowed the fourth-fewest points. Surprisingly, Notre Dame is an underdog at home in this one, and while Stanford did win last year’s meeting, the Fighting Irish didn’t have quarterback Everett Golson in that contest. Golson has been a new man since returning from his one-year suspension, and he clearly used the time off to polish up his passing skills while maintaining his explosive scrambling ability. He will be the X-factor that leads the Fighting Irish to a victory in another slugfest.
Prediction: Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+2) Cover the Spread
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