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11/19 12:51 CST College football picks: Ohio State's defense putting up numbers
comparable to those of best ever
College football picks: Ohio State's defense putting up numbers comparable to
those of best ever
By ERIC OLSON
AP College Football Writer
No. 1 Ohio State's defense is widely regarded as best in the country this
season and is building a case to be considered among the greatest of all time.
First-year defensive coordinator Matt Patricia's unit is allowing 212.6 yards
per game, the second-best mark through 10 games in at least 25 years, according
to Sportradar. Alabama allowed 181.4 per game at a comparable point in 2011.
The Buckeyes have surrendered just 75 points, the same number as 2023 national
champion Michigan at this point in the season. That 2011 'Bama defense gave up
71 through 10 games.
Opponents' 67 scrimmage plays of 10-plus yards are second fewest in at least 10
years; Wisconsin allowed 66 in 2021.
The Buckeyes' defense also is getting off the field in a hurry. They average an
FBS-low 55 plays per game and have forced punts on 54 of 101 series, with 27 of
those punts coming on three-and-outs. Opponents average 0.65 points per
possession, fewest in the nation, according to CFB Graphs.
The picks for this week's FBS vs. FBS games, with Top 25 rankings and lines
from BetMGM Sportsbook:
Rutgers at No. 1 Ohio State (minus 31 1/2) Buckeyes have won four straight games by no fewer than 24 points. The Big Ten teams Rutgers has beaten (Purdue and Maryland) are a combined 1-14 in conference play. Pick: Ohio State 48-10.
Charlotte (plus 44 1/2) at No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs should be able to to rest their starters early with a rivalry game against a ranked Georgia Tech team up next. Charlotte hasn't beaten an FBS opponent, losing all by double digits. Pick: Georgia 49-7.
No. 16 Southern California at No. 6 Oregon (minus 9 1/2)
First Top 25 matchup of Trojans and Ducks since 2015, and this one has College Football Playoff implications. Trojans average 18 points and 114 yards less on the road than they do at home. Pick: Oregon 35-24.
No. 23 Missouri (plus 7 1/2) at No. 8 Oklahoma Tigers and Sooners are 1-2 in defense in the SEC. National rushing leader Ahmad Hardy, coming off a 300-yard game against Mississippi State, will be a handful for OU. Pick: Oklahoma 23-17.
Syracuse at No. 9 Notre Dame (minus 35 1/2)
Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love picks up yards in big chunks and CJ Carr does the same through the air. Bad combination for Syracuse, which gives up yards in big chunks on the ground and through the air. Pick: Notre Dame 52-14.
No. 11 BYU (minus 2 1/2) at Cincinnati
BYU played its best game of the year in its 31-point win over TCU. Cincinnati, which averaged better than 38 points per game while getting off to a 7-1 start, averaged 19 in losses to Utah and Arizona. Pick: BYU 29-26.
Kentucky at No. 12 Vanderbilt (minus 9 1/2)
Commodores must win this game and at Tennessee next week to keep their playoff hopes alive. Kentucky comes in on a three-game winning streak, its longest in two years. Pick: Vanderbilt 27-17.
Kansas State (plus 17 1/2) at No. 13 Utah
Utes scored 159 points against Colorado, Cincinnati and Baylor for their highest total over three straight conference games since 2004. Kansas State has five touchdowns on its last 26 possessions. Pick: Utah 33-21.
No. 14 Miami at Virginia Tech (plus 17 1/2)
Hurricanes must win, and look good doing it, to keep their playoff hopes alive. Hokies were eliminated from bowl contention with their loss at Florida State. But spirits are high in Blacksburg with this week's hiring of James Franklin. Pick: Miami 31-19.
Pittsburgh (plus 2 1/2) at No. 15 Georgia Tech
Yellow Jackets have the nation's No. 1 offense, but their defense gave up a combined 11 scoring drives of 75-plus yards in a loss to NC State and a win over Boston College. Pittsburgh clings to ACC title game hopes. Pick: Pittsburgh 38-37.
Arkansas (plus 9 1/2) at No. 17 Texas
Five of Arkansas' eight losses are by three points or less and a sixth was by six points. If the Razorbacks can protect Taylen Green, they have enough offense to pull a major upset. Pick: Arkansas 34-31.
No. 18 Michigan (minus 13 1/2) at Maryland
Wolverines committed five turnovers against Northwestern and would have lost if not for Dominic Zvada's field goal as time ran out. If they take care of the ball, they'll have no problem with the Terrapins. Pick: Michigan 30-14.
No. 20 Tennessee (minus 4 1/2) at Florida
This is nowhere near the rivalry it once was, but the Gators said this week they're embracing it. That won't be enough. Volunteers have more than enough offense to end a 10-game losing streak at the Swamp, as long as their defense can make some stops. Pick: Tennessee 38-33.
Washington State (plus 13 1/2) at No. 21 James Madison Washington State looks better on a resume than most Sun Belt Conference teams, so James Madison would like to make a statement to the CFP committee. Cougars giving up 11.3 points per game over last six. They're traveling across three time zones for the third time. Pick: Washington State 28-27.
No. 22 North Texas (minus 18 1/2) at Rice
Mean Green have regained their traction since that loss to South Florida. They've gone over 50 points in three of their four straight wins since. Of Rice's five wins, four are against teams with losing records. Pick: North Texas 49-23.
No. 24 Tulane at Temple
(plus 8 1/2) Green Wave have regrouped nicely since stumbling at UTSA and are CFP selection committee's top Group of Five team. Temple is within one win of bowl eligibility for first time since 2019. Pick: Tulane 27-20.
TCU at No. 25 Houston (minus 1 1/2)
Whichever team takes care of the ball wins. Houston turned it over four times in each of its last two games. TCU's Josh Hoover has thrown a combined four interceptions in his last two games, three leading to touchdowns. Pick: Houston 32-29. Byes: No. 2 Indiana, No. 5 Mississippi, No. 6 Texas Tech, No. 19 Virginia.
AP predictions scorecard Last week: Straight-up --- 16-5; Against spread --- 6-15. Season: Straight-up --- 156-48; Against spread --- 93-110-1. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
Rutgers at No. 1 Ohio State (minus 31 1/2) Buckeyes have won four straight games by no fewer than 24 points. The Big Ten teams Rutgers has beaten (Purdue and Maryland) are a combined 1-14 in conference play. Pick: Ohio State 48-10.
Charlotte (plus 44 1/2) at No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs should be able to to rest their starters early with a rivalry game against a ranked Georgia Tech team up next. Charlotte hasn't beaten an FBS opponent, losing all by double digits. Pick: Georgia 49-7.
No. 16 Southern California at No. 6 Oregon (minus 9 1/2)
First Top 25 matchup of Trojans and Ducks since 2015, and this one has College Football Playoff implications. Trojans average 18 points and 114 yards less on the road than they do at home. Pick: Oregon 35-24.
No. 23 Missouri (plus 7 1/2) at No. 8 Oklahoma Tigers and Sooners are 1-2 in defense in the SEC. National rushing leader Ahmad Hardy, coming off a 300-yard game against Mississippi State, will be a handful for OU. Pick: Oklahoma 23-17.
Syracuse at No. 9 Notre Dame (minus 35 1/2)
Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love picks up yards in big chunks and CJ Carr does the same through the air. Bad combination for Syracuse, which gives up yards in big chunks on the ground and through the air. Pick: Notre Dame 52-14.
No. 11 BYU (minus 2 1/2) at Cincinnati
BYU played its best game of the year in its 31-point win over TCU. Cincinnati, which averaged better than 38 points per game while getting off to a 7-1 start, averaged 19 in losses to Utah and Arizona. Pick: BYU 29-26.
Kentucky at No. 12 Vanderbilt (minus 9 1/2)
Commodores must win this game and at Tennessee next week to keep their playoff hopes alive. Kentucky comes in on a three-game winning streak, its longest in two years. Pick: Vanderbilt 27-17.
Kansas State (plus 17 1/2) at No. 13 Utah
Utes scored 159 points against Colorado, Cincinnati and Baylor for their highest total over three straight conference games since 2004. Kansas State has five touchdowns on its last 26 possessions. Pick: Utah 33-21.
No. 14 Miami at Virginia Tech (plus 17 1/2)
Hurricanes must win, and look good doing it, to keep their playoff hopes alive. Hokies were eliminated from bowl contention with their loss at Florida State. But spirits are high in Blacksburg with this week's hiring of James Franklin. Pick: Miami 31-19.
Pittsburgh (plus 2 1/2) at No. 15 Georgia Tech
Yellow Jackets have the nation's No. 1 offense, but their defense gave up a combined 11 scoring drives of 75-plus yards in a loss to NC State and a win over Boston College. Pittsburgh clings to ACC title game hopes. Pick: Pittsburgh 38-37.
Arkansas (plus 9 1/2) at No. 17 Texas
Five of Arkansas' eight losses are by three points or less and a sixth was by six points. If the Razorbacks can protect Taylen Green, they have enough offense to pull a major upset. Pick: Arkansas 34-31.
No. 18 Michigan (minus 13 1/2) at Maryland
Wolverines committed five turnovers against Northwestern and would have lost if not for Dominic Zvada's field goal as time ran out. If they take care of the ball, they'll have no problem with the Terrapins. Pick: Michigan 30-14.
No. 20 Tennessee (minus 4 1/2) at Florida
This is nowhere near the rivalry it once was, but the Gators said this week they're embracing it. That won't be enough. Volunteers have more than enough offense to end a 10-game losing streak at the Swamp, as long as their defense can make some stops. Pick: Tennessee 38-33.
Washington State (plus 13 1/2) at No. 21 James Madison Washington State looks better on a resume than most Sun Belt Conference teams, so James Madison would like to make a statement to the CFP committee. Cougars giving up 11.3 points per game over last six. They're traveling across three time zones for the third time. Pick: Washington State 28-27.
No. 22 North Texas (minus 18 1/2) at Rice
Mean Green have regained their traction since that loss to South Florida. They've gone over 50 points in three of their four straight wins since. Of Rice's five wins, four are against teams with losing records. Pick: North Texas 49-23.
No. 24 Tulane at Temple
(plus 8 1/2) Green Wave have regrouped nicely since stumbling at UTSA and are CFP selection committee's top Group of Five team. Temple is within one win of bowl eligibility for first time since 2019. Pick: Tulane 27-20.
TCU at No. 25 Houston (minus 1 1/2)
Whichever team takes care of the ball wins. Houston turned it over four times in each of its last two games. TCU's Josh Hoover has thrown a combined four interceptions in his last two games, three leading to touchdowns. Pick: Houston 32-29. Byes: No. 2 Indiana, No. 5 Mississippi, No. 6 Texas Tech, No. 19 Virginia.
AP predictions scorecard Last week: Straight-up --- 16-5; Against spread --- 6-15. Season: Straight-up --- 156-48; Against spread --- 93-110-1. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
