College Football Week 10 Predictions: OSU/Penn State, Pitt/SMU, ILL/Minn, Wisc/Iowa and more

Week 9 saw Texas A&M shine late and Kennesaw State getting off the schneid. Week 10 features two ranked versus ranked matchups. One is in the Big Ten, and the other is in the ACC. Speaking of rankings, the playoff rankings will be released this coming Tuesday. The season’s first two months have flown by, but November tends to be a marathon instead of a sprint. In the last month of the regular season, games that appear safe for the unbeaten favorite end up going the opposite way. Will this be another November to remember?

#3 Penn State vs. #4 Ohio State: If the Buckeyes want revenge on the Oregon Ducks it all starts here. Of course, Ohio State damn near got caught looking ahead to this marquee matchup squeaking out a win over Nebraska in week 9. Penn State pulled away in the second half against Wisconsin and had to do it without starting QB Drew Allar. Allar suffered an injury to his knee and is listed as questionable.

Backup quarterback Beau Pribula is more of a run threat than Allar, as it appeared the Nittany Lions were setting up basic pass plays for him to get rid of the ball quickly. The biggest issue for the Buckeyes is their run game struggles, which were compounded by losing two offensive tackles. It’s a tough one here to predict, but this College Football podcaster will side with the more talented overall road team and the uncertainty of Allar.

The Pick: Ohio State -3.5 

DraftKings

4.5/5

Tip: Bet Ohio State -3.5

• Buckeyes more talented
• Penn State at home
• Will Drew Allar play

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#18 Pittsburgh vs. #20 SMU: Yet another equally matched marquee contest, this time in the ACC. On paper, both have explosive offenses, with SMU running the ball 40 more yards a game and Pitt throwing it 50 more yards per outing. Both defenses can stop the run statistically but don’t defend the pass that well. Panthers QB Eli Holstein is banged up but should be ready for Saturday night’s showdown. Many media members think Pitt is being disrespected in the AP poll. SMU was poised for a great season in the ACC but stumbled out of the gate barely defeating Nevada and losing to BYU. Look for the outcome to be on the table in the closing minutes.

The Pick: SMU wins but +7.5 Pittsburgh 

DraftKings

4.5/5

Tip: Bet Pitt +7.5

• Two explosive offenses
• SMU at home
• Expect a close game

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Under The Radar

#10 Texas A&M vs. South Carolina: This SEC tussle has all the makings of a hangover spot for the Aggies. Fresh off their important win over LSU and still no conference losses, Texas A&M is in a great position for a date in the title game. Which quarterback will we see start for the Aggies? We could possibly see both Weigman and Reed, given the stout Gamecocks defensive line will be tougher to run against than LSU. Getting out to a good start is crucial for South Carolina. The Gamecocks were so close to upsetting Alabama and LSU. Could South Carolina finally break through for their biggest win of the season?

The Pick: South Carolina +3 

#24 Illinois vs. Minnesota: This Big Ten scrap is flying under the radar. The spread movement has been the main topic of interest. The Gophers opened as a +2.5 road dog, which was very respectable, by the way. Only to see Minnesota flip the script, becoming the favorite overnight -3. Even as a lifetime Gophers fan it makes me scratch my head. Although Illini is coming off a bad performance, we’re talking about the #1 team in the nation in Oregon. Illinois did have multiple players leave last week’s game due to injury but still. The stat that stands out the most is Bret Bielema’s 9-0 record against the Gophers at Wisconsin and Illinois. 2 out of the last 3 games between Illini and Minnesota were razor close, so maybe PJ Fleck stops the streak. The Gopher’s pass defense is top-notch and will be tested against a quarterback who’s playing pretty well in Luke Altmyer.

The Pick: Illinois +3 

Saturday Upset Special

Vanderbilt upsets Auburn as a +7.5 ultra live road dog.

Hardcore Barnburners

TCU vs. Baylor: These Big-12 squads got off to rocky starts but found a way to settle the ship and win games. Baylor tends to lose close and win big as does TCU. Bowl eligibility and keeping the momentum going are the stakes in this one. Add in the fact that the total points are set around 64, which makes this a game worth watching.

 The Pick: TCU +3

Wisconsin vs. Iowa: From a shootout in the Big-12 to a slow-paced grinder in the Big Ten. Iowa beat most unranked opponents until the Hawkeyes ran into an improving Michigan State. Wisconsin seemed to be turning the corner as they strung a few wins together but faltered down the stretch versus Penn State. This one here has the perfect ingredients of a grimy fight to the end barnburner for the hardcores.

The Pick: Iowa -3

Against The Spread

Texas Tech +13.5 versus #11 Iowa State

Louisville +10.5 versus #11 Clemson

Duke +21 versus #5 Miami

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Quick Hits Recap

-Texas A&M outscored LSU 31-6 in the second half winning 38-23.

-Backup QB Marcel Reed rushed for 3 touchdowns.

-LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier threw for a whopping 405 yards but had 3 costly interceptions in the loss.

-Notre Dame rushed for 264 yards in their blowout 51-14 win over Navy.

-Indiana tied their best start in school history moving to 8-0. Another eye popping stat, the Hoosiers have yet to trail this year.

-Florida State’s record of 1-7 is worst start thru 8 games since 1974.

-Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith tied Cris Carter with 8 receiving touchdowns as a true freshman.

-Tulsa QB Cooper Legas had 5 touchdowns to cap off a 28-point comeback beating UTSA 46-45.

Written by Chris Carlson Host of The College Ball Show Podcast available at blogtalkradio.com/ropeadoperadio & Follow on Twitter @RopeADopeRadio