Week 7 Predictions

NC State (-7) @ East Carolina

Dare I believe in the Wolfpack too much? Except for the hiccup at the end of the VA Tech game, they've been solid. The Pirates are averaging almost 38 points a game, and played decently against their other ACC competition... Split 'em.

The Call: NC State wins, but East Carolina covers the spread

The Result: East Carolina 33-27
Close one. It'll be interesting to see where the ACC goes in the next couple of years. (Not because of this one game, of course - because of the last few seasons.)
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Maryland @ Clemson (-15.5)

Kind of an interesting one here. The Tigers are giving over two TD's at home, but they're sitting at 2-3, while the Terrapins are 4-1 so far. But Maryland hasn't beaten anyone of note and has the meat of their ACC schedule ahead of them. Are they for real? The road doesn't get much easier for Clemson though. Can they stop a 3-game slide?

The Call: Clemson wins, but Maryland covers the spread

The Result: Clemson 31-7
Good call by the bookies.
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Missouri @ Texas A&M (-3.5)

Don't know how you can pick against the Tigers in this one, getting points and all.

The Call: Missouri by 9

The Result: Missouri 30-9
These next two games, against Oklahoma and Nebraska, will really test the Tigers. But if they can win them, or even just win against the Huskers, they're probably Big12 Championship Game bound.
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Bowling Green @ Temple (-19.5)

Hmmm... this is turning into the week of losing but covering...

The Call: Temple wins, but Bowling Green covers the spread

The Result: Temple 28-27
Yup.
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Western Michigan @ Notre Dame (-24)

The Irish haven't really gotten off to the start they wanted, but this is a chance to get above .500 - they'll make it happen. (If only to break the monotony.)

The Call: Notre Dame by 28

The Result: Notre Dame 44-20
Argh. Almost as bad as missing the spread by 1/2 a point.
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Iowa (-3) @ Michigan

I still believe in the Hawkeyes, but I think Robinson will be able to work through their D. Can the Iowa offense keep up against the porous Wolverine D? Yup.

The Call: Iowa by 7

The Result: Iowa 38-28
The Hawkeyes game against Michigan State on Halloween weekend could be for the Big10 title. Just sayin'.
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California @ USC (-2.5)

We all know the Trojan D isn't what it used to be, but the offense can keep pace with anybody on a good day. The Bears have a QB whose experience will help move the ball, but they'll need some bounces their way to win this one.

The Call: USC by 7

The Result: USC 48-14
So that's what happens when both the Trojan offense and defense play well. Cal, moreso that most any team (except maybe Georgia), is like being on a roller coaster in the dark - you know there's gonna be big ups and downs, but when is a mystery.
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Arkansas @ Auburn (-4)

Good one in the SEC. The Tigers have been able to put points on the board, but so have their opponents. The same goes for the Razorbacks, but they've played the tougher schedule so far.

The Call: Auburn by 6

The Result: Auburn 65-43
Really? Was the coin flip "Heads we all play defense tonight, Tails we don't"?
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Texas (+9.5) @ Nebraska

The Huskers have been waiting for this game for a looooong time. The Longhorns have the talent, but they're just not meshing right now.

The Call: Nebraska by 14

The Result: Texas 20-13
Bad night for the Huskers. I don't know if wanting it too much played with their minds a bit (an ironic twist on the "such-and-such a team just wanted it more today" drivel we hear from announcers), but it's apparent that Texas was ready and still has a lot of oomph in them. They're not going to go down without a fight.
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South Carolina @ Kentucky (+4.5)

This isn't the smartest call, but the Wildcats are able to put points on the board, and the Gamecocks are coming off a huge emotional win.

The Call: Kentucky by 3

The Result: Kentucky 31-28
I'm not the best prognosticator when it comes to all these games, as my record shows, but I'm feeling good about this one.
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Ohio State @ Wisconsin (+3.5)

Nah, the Buckeyes have this one easy.

The Call: Ohio State by 17

The Result: Wisconsin 31-18
Yeah, not so much about this one. The Buckeyes, like the Tide last week, are still probably a top-5 team. One bad week doesn't change that. But the big "1" in the L column has come back to haunt so many good teams... are we going to see a repeat of the chaos of 2007, when the top teams started dropping like flies every week? Probably not, but I'd be we're in for at least a couple more...
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Nevada @ Hawaii (+7)

A Good game on tap in the WAC here. The Wolf Pack are rolling, but might they be thinking too far ahead to Boise State? The Warriors have been solid this year too... should be a lot of points in this one.

The Call: Nevada by 10

The Result: Hawaii 27-21
The Wolfpack are still dangerous, but now Boise State has another conference foe to be wary of.
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8-4 straight up, 7.5-4.5 against the spread. Better than usual.