College Football Predictions Week 2: The NFL will be getting plenty of attention tonight with its Packers/Saints opener from Lambeau Field but college football predictions Week 2 delivers a a treat of its own from Stillwater, Okla., when the Arizona Wildcats invade Boone Pickens Stadium to take on No. 7 Oklahoma State in a ESPN televised game. Both schools got 2011 off to a good start with SU wins against weak competition. The Pokes put up 61 points on the Ragin Cajuns but the kids from Louisiana exposed some issues in the Cowboys defense by scoring 34 of their own. Arizona spent week-1 beating up on Northern Arizona of the FCS Big Sky Conference by the score of 41-10. If ULL was able to score 34 on the Cowboys' porous defense imagine what a good Pac-12 team can do. Don't be surprised if the Cats cover the spread in this one.
Another good looking Big 12/Pac-12 match-up kicks off Friday night in Tempe, Ariz., between the No. 19 Missouri Tigers and No. 23 Arizona State Sun Devils. ASU was a 48-14 winner over FCS UC Davis in a non-lined game while Missouri defeated Miami(Ohio) getting a SU 17-6 victory but fell short of covering ATS as a 19-point favorite. SBGglobal.com has lined the Sun Devils 7.5-chalk favorites with a 52.5 total. I look for this game to be close; maybe by a field-goal. Missouri will cover in this game getting 7.5 points.
No. 17 Mississippi State should display a little hunger when the Bulldogs take on No. 22 Auburn down on the Alabama plains early Saturday (12:20 PM ET). Last week the Utah State Aggies exposed the Tigers weaknesses on both side of the ball but were unable to close out a victory. Instead, Auburn was saved by its kicking game, the only faction of the team that showed up ready to play. The Bulldogs will win this game SU and should have little problem covering as 6.5-point road favorites.
It took TCU three quarters before it started to play football at Baylor. BU QB Robert Griffin III had a huge day running and throwing past the previously celebrated Horned Frogs defense. TCU was ambushed, losing as a 4-chalk favorite. Coach Gary Patterson will not allow that to happen again. Known as a defensive guru, he'll have the Frogs ready to play this weekend at Air Force. TCU is favored by -2 in this one. Frogs get their first win and cover at Air Force.
Oregon State was thoroughly embarrassed losing its home opener last Saturday to Sacramento State of the Big Sky (FCS) league. Perhaps the Beavers were looking ahead to playing No. 9 Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisc. The Beavers traditionally have problems early but rally later in the season. That's too bad because Wisconsin has the talent and ability to make this one ugly. SBGglobal.com has the Badgers listed 20.5 favorites and I'll be surprised if they don't cover. Count this one up for Wisconsin +20.5.
Notre Dame, now out of the Top-25 after its home loss to South Florida, will try to get its first win of 2011 against the Michigan Wolverines. Oddsmakers have found reason to line the Irish 3.5-chalk favorites with a 55.5 betting total. Already ND is facing an 0-2 start if it loses this game. I sort of think they will lose – at Ann Arbor – in the Big House.
