NCAA Football Picks – Oklahoma St @ Texas A&M Odds and Predictions on ESPN – Week 4 NCAA Football Spreads and Odds

Week 4 Free College Football Picks and Spreads: Oklahoma St Cowboys @ Texas A&M Aggies 2011 NCAA Football Vegas Odds, Free Picks, and Expert Predictions on ESPN Saturday 9/24/11: While the future of the Big 12 is up in the air as teams decide whether or not to leave the conference, this weekend, two of the best the Big 12 has to offer will go head to head when No. 8 Texas A&M (2-0) plays host to No. 7 Oklahoma State (3-0). Needless to say, when two teams ranked in the top 10 nationally get together, there are championship implications at stake. The winner will be the frontrunner to challenge No. 1 Oklahoma for the conference title and have a realistic shot at playing in a BCS game. Armed with home field advantage, the Aggies enter the matchup as 4 ½-point favorites against the Cowboys.

In terms of star power, Oklahoma State has the edge. Quarterback Brandon Weeden is coming off a season when he topped 4,000 yards through the air, and he currently leads the country with more than 1,100 yards passing in 2011. His top target is defending Biletnikoff award winner Justin Blackmon, and the two have once again teamed up to make the Cowboys’ offense one of the best in the nation. In fact, Oklahoma State enters Saturday’s showdown with the Aggies averaging more than 50 points a game and more than 600 yards of offense.

While the Cowboys have the players being talked about by the media, the Aggies have plenty of talent as well. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill has been stellar since taking over as starter midway through last season, and Texas A&M has lost just a single game with Tannehill under center. Running back Cyrus Gray has excelled during the same stretch, rushing for more than 100 yards in nine straight games. Wide receiver Jeff Fuller has exploded as well, emerging as one of the five best receivers in the country. Although a little more balanced than the Cowboys’ attack, the Aggies bring a potent offense to the table as well.

The X-factor could be Oklahoma State running back Joseph Randall. He has been a pleasant surprise for the Cowboys, rushing for at least 120 yards in all three games this season. Randall currently leads the conference with seven rushing touchdowns, and with defenses being forced to key on Weeden and the passing attack, he may not slow down. He is that extra element that could be the difference between the Cowboys winning and losing close games, and based on last year’s meeting between the two teams, Saturday’s showdown should be a close one. Oklahoma State won 38-35 on a field goal as time expired one year ago.

Texas A&M turned the ball over five times in that meeting, including five interceptions. However, the offense has been much more efficient and effective since Tannehill has taken the reins. The Aggies also bring experienced offensive and defensive lines into the contest. Texas A&M has been able to pressure opposing quarterbacks while keeping Tannehill upright, and for all the numbers Weeden has amassed, he can be a little loose with the football. He has six interceptions in three games, and this is the type of game that could be decided by a turnover.

While Weeden and Cowboys have an elite offense, the Aggies are solid, experienced team from top to bottom. They managed to take Oklahoma State to the wire last season despite five turnovers, and with Tannheill running the offense, the odds of Texas A&M being as careless with the ball this time around are slim. It should be another high-scoring affair, but with Weeden’s tendency to take too many risks, the Aggies and their always-loud home crowd should move one step closer to a Big 12 title.

Prediction: Texas A&M Aggies (-4 ½) Cover the Spread

Free College Football Picks and NCAAF Predictions: Texas A&M -4.5 to cover the spread

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