2019 College Football Week 11 Picks – LSU @ Alabama Highlights a Loaded Slate: There never seems to be a shortage of big games on the College Football schedule once the calendar flips to November, and the Week 11 slate certainly doesn’t disappoint. The much-anticipated showdown between LSU and Alabama is the main course this weekend, but there are also two huge games in the Big Ten, including another battle of unbeatens.
2019 College Football Week 11 Picks: LSU @ Alabama Highlights a Loaded Slate
No. 4 Penn State Nittany Lions at No. 17 Minnesota Golden Gophers (+6.5)
For the first time in conference history, a pair of 8-0 Big Ten teams that aren’t Ohio State and Michigan will square off. However, not all undefeated teams are created equal. Give the Golden Gophers credit for beating the teams put in front of them, but they’ve taken full advantage of a backloaded schedule. Enter the Nittany Lions, who already own wins over Michigan, Michigan State and Iowa, and boast one of the best defenses in the country.
Yes, Minnesota has a pair of productive receivers in Rashod Bateman and Tyler Johnson and a quality running back in Rodney Smith, but Penn State may have the best defensive front in the country. The Nittany Lions are allowing just 9.6 points per game and only 68.4 rushing yards per game, and they rank seventh in the country in sacks. The Golden Gophers are in for a rude awakening. The home crowd won’t save them from Penn State’s smothering defense, and I don’t think this game ends up being all that close.
Prediction: Penn State Nittany Lions (-6.5) Cover the Spread
No. 2 LSU Tigers at No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide (-6)
A pair of SEC rivals and national title contenders will face off in one of the biggest games of the 2019 season. The winner will have full control of the toughest division in the toughest conference and the inside track to the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. Meanwhile, the winning quarterback will likely have the inside track to the Heisman Trophy. Both sides are loaded with future NFL players, and the stakes don’t get much higher. This is going to be a good one.
Unlike in years past when this matchup was a low-scoring, defensive struggle, there should be some points put on the board Saturday. Led by quarterback Joe Burrow, the Tigers are averaging 46.8 points per game and 535.9 yards offense. The Crimson Tide are putting up 48.6 points per game and 506.6 yards per offense, and while he is coming off an ankle injury, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is expected to be under center.
In the end, I think Alabama has too many playmakers on offense for LSU to go into Tuscaloosa and come away with the win. Yes, the Tigers have a pair of first-round talents in their secondary in safety Grant Delpit and corner Derek Stingley Jr., but the Crimson Tide have three first-round caliber receivers with the potential No. 1 overall pick throwing to them. I expect both teams to deliver some big plays and put up points, but Alabama has the crowd and the firepower.
Prediction: Alabama Crimson Tide (-6) Cover the Spread
No. 18 Iowa Hawkeyes at No. 13 Wisconsin Badgers (-9)
Despite two conference losses to their names, the Hawkeyes and Badgers are both very much alive in the Big Ten race. Undefeated Minnesota currently sits atop the West Division, but if you read the beginning of this article, you already know that the Golden Gophers face a tough test this weekend. Minnesota still has to play both Iowa and Wisconsin, so the winner of this matchup could potentially be facing a one-loss Minnesota team for the division title in the coming weeks.
As for Saturday’s game, this could be a case of the first team to double-digits wins. Wisconsin leads the country in total defense and ranks fourth in scoring defense, allowing just 11.4 points per game. Iowa is only allowing 10.1 points per game, and they have only allowed opponents to find the end zone 10 times in eight games. Both teams want to win in the trenches, riding the running game on offense and stuffing the run on defense. This is a classic strength-on-strength matchup.
The Badgers boast the best offensive weapon in this showdown in running back Jonathan Taylor, and playing in Camp Randall, I like them to come out on a top in hard-hitting, low-scoring game. However, I’m taking the Hawkeyes and the points if I am betting. Even in their two losses, the Hawkeyes played it to the wire, losing 10-3 to Michigan on the road and losing 17-12 to Penn State at home. I’ll take nine points and the Iowa defense. I’ll also take the under at 38.5.
Prediction: Iowa Hawkeyes (+9) Cover the Spread
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