Picking winners "against the spread" should be approximately a 50-50 proposition. The line is designed to have the wagers split evenly between the two teams. So the fact that I've gone 7-23 over the last 5 weeks defies all logic.
It also means that I'm that much closer to my first winning week of the season, maybe even this week, so here goes:
#6 Boise State (-23) at Utah State: Believe it or not, the line on this game opened at 24 on Sunday, meaning a majority of the money has come in on the Aggies. I like Gary Andersen as much as the next sportscaster, but I'm not convinced they'll be able to slow down the Broncos. I'm sayin' 41-14 Boise.
Colorado State (-4) at New Mexico: This is the game to stay out of the Mountain West Conference cellar, neither team has won a league game yet! While both teams have problems, the Rams have been the biggest disappointment in the MWC, but they'll beat the Lobos, and cover, 28-20.
#4 TCU (-32) at Wyoming: 32?! Wow, that's a big number! In Laramie... in November?! The Horned Frogs looked like one of the 2 or 3 best teams in the country last week at home against Utah, but they'll come back down to earth (at least a little bit) this week. 45-17 TCU.
San Diego State at #21 Utah (-20): Another big number, but I think the Utes will be out to prove they're a better football team that what they showed on that big national stage last week. The Aztecs meanwhile, lost a horrible game last week, getting outscored 24-0 in the fourth quarter, at home, to lose to Wyoming. I like Utah in this one, 38-14.
Air Force at #22 BYU (-10): The question going into this game is, which Cougar team will show up? Will it be the one that dismantled Wyoming ... or the one that barely beat New Mexico? I can see the Falcons hanging around into the fourth quarter before BYU gets the job done, 31-24 Cougars.
And with a possible Rose Bowl bid on the line in Tucson, I don't see the Arizona Wildcats hangin' with #11 Oregon (-6). The Ducks ran into a buzzsaw (aka the Stanford Cardinal) 2 weeks ago, but they shouldn't lose again on the road to Pasadena. Take the Ducks and give the points, 30-20 Oregon.
