Welcome back to another edition of Nikkel’s Picks! I hope you are doing well and enjoying your week thus far! I had a second straight week of 4-6 unfortunately. I sit six games below .500 with a record of 28-34. We need to have a big week this week. So here’s ten picks that I like this week, starting with The Sooners and Cowboys.
Dallas has a bye (They need it after Sunday)
Oklahoma State at #13 BYU (Friday at 9:15 p.m. CT, ESPN)
The pick: Oklahoma State +9.5
Look, Provo is scary at night. It’s even scarier on a Friday night. However, with Oklahoma State coming off a bye and losing three straight. It would be classic Mike Gundy to strike when you least expect it. Who’s the Cowboys QB? No idea! Will the offense be better? Probably not! But can Mike Gundy pull out a random victory out of his keester? You bet! (BYU will probably win by three touchdowns now.)
South Carolina at Oklahoma (Saturday at 11:45 a.m. CT, SEC Network)
The pick: Under 40.5 points
Both of these offenses are terrible. I would recommend not watching this game. It’s going to be an ugly Big Ten-esque struggle. But that is a testament to the defense but mainly more of a criticism to the offenses. The move here is the under and not looking back.
Now to the rest of the nation.
Nebraska at #16 Indiana (Saturday at 11 a.m. CT, FOX)
The pick: Nebraska +6.5
Indiana is a mighty 6-0, but this is without question, the toughest opponent on the Hoosiers schedule to date. They have played six bad and/or average teams this season and took advantage. Nebraska is the tougher team and the better team. I know it’s in Indiana but Bloomington is not a hostile environment. The Cornhuskers will win this game and the fact the spread is +6.5 feels like free money to me.
#7 Alabama at #11 Tennessee (Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT, ABC)
The pick: Tennessee +2.5
The Third Saturday in October is a fantastic rivalry game and both teams are coming off of losses, then very shaky games against inferior opponents. They’re both kinda the same team right now. With Tennessee being at home, I lean toward the Vols. The home team has won the last two in this rivalry. I’ll take Rocky Top here in front of the Knoxville faithful.
#12 Notre Dame vs Georgia Tech (in Atlanta, Georgia) (Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT, ESPN)
The pick: Georgia Tech +11.5
This game is being played at Mercedes Benz Stadium instead of Bobby Dodd Stadium. Guessing that’s just so more Notre Dame fans can come to the game. But I love Georgia Tech in this spot. They play great as underdogs. They are a sneaky cover team and the Yellowjackets can slug with anybody. I’ll take the ramblin’ wreck here in ATL.
#24 Michigan at #22 Illinois (Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT, CBS)
The pick: Illinois +3.5
Michigan has no offense. They go into the den of the fighting Illini and I think are going to get bottled up. Illinois has an edge on the offensive end. This game is going to be a 10-7 game that Illinois wins. I’ll take the home underdog here too.
#8 LSU at Arkansas (Saturday at 6 p.m. CT, ESPN)
The pick: Arkansas +2.5
This is the ultimate trap game for the Bayou Bengals. Fresh off a thrilling victory for the Rebels of Ole Miss, LSU is riding a high that Arkansas experienced a week ago. The hogs are fresh off a bye and have been getting healthy and ready for the battle of the Golden Boot. I’m going with the Razorbacks and another field storming in Fayetteville.
Texans at Packers (Sunday at 12 p.m. CT, CBS)
The pick: Over 47.5 points
So I’m going to try an over at Lambeau Field again, it barely worked last week. But I know the Texans are more capable of hitting this over more so than the Cardinals. This game should be a battle of two elite quarterbacks and elite offenses. I want to see points scored and I think we will see such a thing. It’s going to be a shootout. The over is the play here.
Chiefs at 49ers (Sunday at 3:25 p.m. CT, FOX)
The pick: Chiefs +1.5
It doesn’t matter that the Niners are at home. It’s going to be the Chiefs. They always find a way and it doesn’t help that Christian McCaffrey is gone and that this San Fran team is banged up. The Chiefs are inevitable and a Harrison Butker 48-yard field goal will be the dagger in a 23-20 contest.
Ravens at Buccaneers (Monday at 7:15 p.m. CT, ESPN/ABC)
The pick: Buccaneers +3.5
This is a great Monday Night Football matchup and could easily be a Super Bowl matchup. The Buccaneers are very, very good at playing the underdog role. They’re a 3.5 underdog against a really good Ravens team, who have won four straight. In the six Ravens games this season, five were one possession games, three were decided by exactly three points. The Ravens play close games. The Buccaneers can compete with this Ravens team. This is a three point ball game. I’m taking the Buccaneers here.
Parlay of the Week: Orange Crush Parlay
Tennessee money line (+128)
Illinois +3.5 (-115)
(+326)
Two picks I like added more sizzle on the Tennessee game with a straight win for them. We’re gonna have a fun time with this one. Both teams wear orange, it’s October. Spooky season. Let’s ride with this one.
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