The 2017-2018 College Football Season rolls along. Week 6 starts out with a bang. On Thursday, 17 Louisville battles 24 NC State. Both teams have their sights on an ACC Championship Game bid. The battle should be much closer than last year’s contest where Louisville rolled NC State 54 to 13.
There’s also a Friday game that I believe is worth handicapping. It involves 2 squads, BYU and Boise State, that have no shot of making it to a New Year’s Day Bowl Game. Some of the best possible plays are in games like BYU versus Boise State on Friday.
Check out my 2017 College Football Week 6 Preview!
2017 College Football Week 6 Preview
Thursday, Oct. 5
17 Louisville -4 at 24 NC State +4
72% of college football handicappers are all over Louisville. I can see why. The Cardinals boast one of the most electrifying players in NCAAF history. QB Lamar Jackson won the Heisman Trophy last season. If Louisville had been closer to Clemson in a loss earlier this season, he’d be the frontrunner for the Heisman again.
But, Clemson dominated Louisville. NC State is a decent football team while Louisville is 1 and 4 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win. I’m taking the points.
Pick: NC State +4
Friday, Oct. 6
Boise State -8 at BYU +8
The line has gone up from Boise State -7 to Boise State -8. The line could end up Boise State -9 by the time they kick it off Oct. 6. Does BYU have any shot of covering versus Boise State? I don’t believe the Cougars do. BYU is one of the worst teams in college football. Since beating Portland State 20 to 6 in Week 1, the Cougars have fallen on hard times.
BYU has lost 4 straight. One of the losses was a 24 to 40 letdown to Utah State at home as a 1-point favorite. The Cougars are 0 and 5 ATS. They should end up 0 and 6 ATS after Friday night’s game.
Best Pick: Boise State -8
Saturday, Oct. 7
Wake Forest +21.5 at 2 Clemson -21.5
Clemson is a huge 21.5 favorite to put a beat down onto the scrappy Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Wake Forest isn’t a bad team. The Deacons pushed in their last, a 19 to 26 loss to Florida State. Clemson could be down for a letdown affair after already having played and beaten Auburn, Louisville, and Virginia Tech. I must go with the points.
Pick: Wake Forest +21.5
6 Georgia -17.5 at Vanderbilt +17.5
Georgia was brilliant beating Tennessee 41 to 7. I don’t believe Georgia is as good as the 41 to 7 victory over the Vols imply. I’m also not so sure the Bulldogs 31 to 3 win over Mississippi State a couple of weeks ago points to an 18-point cover over the Vanderbilt Commodores.
Here’s another College Football Week 6 game where I’m taking the points. I think Vandy plays well on Saturday.
Pick: Vanderbilt +17.5
Ole Miss +21 at 13 Auburn -21
Ole Miss is a horrible, ridiculously bad, football team. Alabama blasted the Rebels 66 to 3. Auburn shouldn’t beat Ole Miss 66 to 3. I’ll take 54 to 7, or even 54 to 10.
Best Pick: Auburn -21
Iowa State +28 at 3 Oklahoma -28
Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield remains the Heisman Trophy winning frontrunner. Mayfield and the Sooners took College Football Week 5 off. They deserved a week off after playing so well since the beginning of the season.
I’m not comfortable laying the 28 points, though. Iowa State isn’t a horrible team. The Cyclones are 3 and 1 against the spread. They only lost 7 to 17 to Texas in their last as a +5 home favorite. Iowa State’s defense should keep them in this game versus the Sooners in Week 6.
Pick: Iowa State +28.
4 Penn State -14 at Northwestern +14
This isn’t an easy game to handicap. At times, Penn State has looked like the very best team in all college football. At other times, Penn State has barely escaped a game without a loss. The last time the Nittany Lions had a tough game it was on the road versus Iowa. The Lions only beat the Hawkeyes by 3 points, 21 to 19, as a 13-point favorite. I must take the 14 on Northwestern.
Pick: Northwestern +14
12 Miami -3 at Florida State +3
I see this year’s battle between Miami and Florida State as a horse race between one equine that’s been running at a high class level, and another equine that’s moving up in class. Florida State is the team that’s running at the higher class level. I think the Seminoles hand Miami a straight up loss.
Pick: Florida State +3
22 Notre Dame -17 at North Carolina +17
North Carolina allows an average of 33 points per game. Notre Dame averages 41.4 points per. This should be a blowout of epic proportions with Notre Dame winning by at least 4 touchdowns.
Best Pick: Notre Dame -17
Air Force +7.5 at Navy -7.5
Air Force travels to Navy in the yearly battle between the 2 military schools. Navy almost always covers the spread when the matchup takes place in Annapolis. Air Force is a terrible 1 and 8 against the spread in the last 9 meetings versus Navy at Navy. I don’t see any reason to go against such a powerful trend.
Pick: Navy -7.5
23 West Virginia +14 at 10 Texas Christian -14
Texas Christian is ranked 8th in the AP Poll. They’re ranked 10th in the Coaches Poll. The biggest issue West Virginia has in this game is dealing with TCU’s defense. The Horned Frogs should score points at will versus the Mountaineers’ defense. Will West Virginia keep up? I don’t believe so. This is the best TCU defense I’ve seen in a long time.
Best Pick: TCU -14
LSU +3.5 at 20 Florida -3.5
LSU should be a +6 dog at least versus Florida in this game. The Tigers lost 21 to 24 to Troy last week as a huge 20.5 favorite. LSU has no shot of keeping it close against the Florida Gators. Florida has gotten back on track after the 17 to 33 loss to Michigan in Week 1.
Best Pick: Florida -3.5
Maryland +31.5 at 9 Ohio State -31.5
Ohio State is favored by over 30 points. I don’t believe Ohio State is 30 points better than Maryland. The 1.5 points is just an add on to the 30 points I’m already taking. Maryland should have no trouble keeping this closer than 31.5.
Pick: Maryland
Oregon State +34 at 15 USC -34
USC’s offensive line hasn’t gelled the way it must for the Trojans to win the Pac 12, much less get to the College Football Playoff. In regards to this game, USC’s an easy bet. The Trojans should have no trouble absolutely dominating Oregon State. The Beavers are in the BYU, Ole Miss category of former good college football team.
Best Pick: USC -34
1 Alabama -26.5 at Texas A&M +26.5
Alabama decided to pummel Ole Miss last Saturday because a player at Ole Miss provided a chop block to an Alabama player. Texas A&M is a much classier team than Ole Miss. Not only that, but A&M has been playing well since the 44 to 45 implosion versus UCLA in Week 1.
Best Pick: Texas A&M +26.5
Michigan State +13.5 at 7 Michigan -13.5
Michigan State’s program hasn’t come around since Sparty made it to the CFP two seasons ago. Michigan’s offense might get a big bump with coach Jim Harbaugh switching quarterbacks from Wilton Speight to John O’Korn.
Pick: Michigan -13.5
11 Washington State +2.5 at Oregon -2.5
Here’s a strange against the spread line. Oregon’s offense is fantastic. Washington State’s offense is fantastic as well. When it comes to games like this, I almost always side with the team with the better defense. In this case, that’s Washington State.
Best Pick: Washington State +2.5
8 Wisconsin -11.5 at Nebraska +11.5
Wisconsin is a much better team than Nebraska. However, the Cornhuskers have pride. When it comes to Big Ten rivalry games, it’s difficult for me to not take the points. Programs know each other so well that it’s almost impossible to lay the points. I like Nebraska.
Pick: Nebraska +11.5