The hot streak finally ended as the lock let us down. The South Carolina Gamecocks came out pretty flat and let Tennessee run them over. Also Jalon Daniels randomly didn’t play, killing a promising over. We’re past last week though, as Week 6 is once again stacked with ranked games to enjoy. This is college football in its prime folks. Cherish these moments.

Colorado at Arizona State: Colorado -4 — 1.1u to win 1u

After a few tough weeks against top tier Pac-12 opponents, I think this is a get back game for the Buffaloes. Coach Prime has allowed his boys to see what the mountaintop looks like, and now they have to find out what it takes to get there. The offense figured something out last week without Travis Hunter and almost worked out a ferocious comeback. I expect them to continue with that momentum and put up a big score on the Sun Devils. The defense still has some things to figure out, but without Jaden Rashada, the Arizona State offense loses a good bit of its teeth. I think Colorado goes out and makes a statement and reads the receipts again in what should be a fairly high-scoring game.

Texas vs. Oklahoma: Texas -6.5 — 1.1u to win 1u

This has the potential to be one of the best Red River Rivalry games in recent memory. It’s almost certainly the game in which both teams have entered with the best form. Undefeated Big 12 titans square off in a game that will heavily decide the fate of the conference at the end of the season. While the Sooners have played well to start the year, I see them as being a tier below the Longhorns. I think Oklahoma is a fringe New Year’s Six team, and Texas is a fringe number one team. This won’t quite be the blowout it was last year, but Texas should still win this one comfortably. It is the superior team in both trenches, and it has the better quarterback as well as offensive weapons. The other position groups are a bit of a wash, but I think with the advantages the Longhorns have, they will win easily.

Washington State at UCLA: Washington State +3.5 — 1.1u to 1u

I’m not quite sure I understand the line here out of Vegas. This feels like a sucker bet, because even with the home field taken into account, I feel like Wazzu should be a favorite here. The Cougars have played the better schedule and had better performances within those games. Cameron Ward is the more experienced quarterback, and while Dante Moore may one day surpass him, at their current levels Ward is the better quarterback. UCLA’s defense has put up good face numbers to start the season, but it has yet to face an offense the caliber of the Washington State Air Raid. This is the sort of game that puts the Cougars on the national radar, because they will probably be feeling a bit slighted after their win over Oregon State garnered little buzz. I think they come out hot and win this game outright, but I’m happy to take the points.

Arkansas State at Troy: Under 51.5 — 1.1u to 1u

Arkansas State’s offense has undergone a renaissance under new quarterback Jaylen Raynor, but I think this week will be his first obstacle. Troy has a very experienced defense that will look to prey on the young quarterback’s confidence. After two sensational games against some of the poorer defenses in the country, the standout freshman will struggle to find his footing a bit here. On the other side of the ball, the Trojans have found their best offense and are handing it off to Kimani Vidal, who has been absolutely pounding the rock to start the year. I expect them to chew the clock once they get the lead, which will end up causing a lower scoring game.

LOCK OF THE WEEK:

Purdue at Iowa: Iowa -2.5 — 2.2u to win 2u

I know, I’m not thrilled about having Iowa in my lock either, but when there’s value you gotta take it. I see value here in a bad Purdue team facing off against a team that is memed to death, but still 4-1. Yes the Iowa offense is a joke, and after Cade McNamara’s unfortunate injury, it may struggle even more, but the offense was never the strength of this team. The Hawkeyes are still a run-first team and will be able to run just as effectively with Deacon Hill in. Defensively, they are still one of the top teams in the country, allowing only 16.8 points a game. They should be able to control the game defensively against a mediocre Boilermakers offense, leading to another Iowa win.

Last Week: 2-3-0 -2.4u

Yearly: 12-13-0 -2.6u