Week 12 College Football Picks: Getting Back After It

TokenSportsGuys11 years ago

We would all probably have better luck picking next week’s top four teams selected by the college football playoff committee by throwing darts at an eight-team dartboard than actually trying to understand how the committee comes up with its selections. This week won’t make that job any easier. Regardless of the committee’s schizophrenic selection process, week 12 provides us with a huge opportunity to make some money.

Lock Of The Week:

Kentucky @ Tennessee

Spread: Tenn -7.5
TSG Pick: Kentucky +7.5
Summary: Both of these young teams have been handed their fair share of hard knocks in an extremely tough SEC this season. Tennessee tested Georgia at home while Kentucky fought to the final quarter against Mississippi State. This game could go either way, but we are hard pressed to believe the Vols deserve more than a touchdown advantage against a Kentucky team that is arguably (and statistically) a better squad.

LSU @ Arkansas

Spread: Arkansas -2.5
TSG Pick: LSU +2.5
Summary: Arkansas has had its shining moments this year, but this shit is ridiculous. LSU is still a very good ball club, and it should be favored in this game unless there are some suspensions that we’re unaware of. The Tigers will earn a statement win on the road against the Razorbacks by at least a touchdown.

Thursday:

East Carolina @ Cincinnati

Spread: ECU -2
TSG Pick: Cincinnati +2
Summary: East Carolina dropped its last contest against a worthy opponent, the Temple Owls. The Pirates seem to be getting worse while Cincinnati finally seems to be hitting its stride. We will side with the home team on a Thursday night game, which is sure to provide the Bearcats with enough momentum to win by at least a field goal.

Saturday:

Ohio State @ Minnesota

Spread: OSU -12
TSG Pick: Minn +12
Summary: Minnesota continues to fly under a lot of radars. Although the team dropped one to Illinois a few weeks ago, its only other loss came from TCU in a game where Minnesota only allowed 30 points from the Horned Frogs. Ohio State is good, but 12 points on the road against a competitive underdog will leave some surprised about how close this game actually ends up being.

Virginia Tech @ Duke

Spread: Duke -5
TSG Pick: Duke -5
Summary: Duke has been a steady player for us all year. Virginia Tech seemed to lose its football identity after the Ohio State upset, and the Hokies have been looking for it ever since. The Blue Devils aren’t even a touchdown favorite at home against an ACC squad not named Florida State? We’ll take it.

South Carolina @ Florida

Spread: Florida -6.5
TSG Pick: South Carolina +6.5
Summary: This one really is a coin flip. No one can really guess which teams will show up for either side. Both teams have the ability to play horrendous football one game and look like a decent competitor the next game. This one may just be a gut feeling, but we are swinging the Cocks as a 6.5 underdog against Florida.

TCU @ Kansas

Spread: TCU -28
TSG Pick: TCU -28
Summary: TCU just beat the #7 Kansas State Wildcats by 21 points last week. KSU and Kansas are in completely different stratospheres when it comes to football capabilities, and we are lucky enough to watch the Horned Frogs prove this fact on Saturday. I wouldn’t be surprised to see TCU try to hang another 80+ scoring barrage, now that its playoff hopes are so close and so far away all in the same breathe.

Mississippi State @ Alabama

Spread: Alabama -7
TSG Pick: Mississippi State +7
Summary: This one will be a showdown. Mississippi State loves to score, and Alabama’s defense displayed its resilience against LSU last week. Worst case scenario for the Bulldogs is that this game goes longer than the four rounds allotted, in which case they will almost certainly cover in overtime, even with a loss.

Nebraska @ Wisconsin

Spread: Wisconsin -6
TSG Pick:Wisconsin -6
Summary:Wisconsin and Nebraska are so similar in the fact that both teams rely almost solely on their star running backs. This game will come down to who can prevent the turnovers and who can capitalize on them. In a ground and pound affair like this, we usually like to side with the home team.

Utah @ Stanford

Spread:Stanford -7.5
TSG Pick: Utah +7.5
Summary: The 14-point swing created by Utah’s Kaelin Clay last week against Oregon could point to the fact that the Ducks pulled out the win. Former Mizzou offensive coordinator Dave Christensen is at the offensive helm for the Utes, and this guy knows how to score points in a hurry. Stanford seems to have gotten over its scoring woes, but it is in no position to get into a shootout with a pass-happy underrated squad with a chip on its shoulder.

Auburn @ Georgia

Spread: Georgia -2.5
TSG Pick: Auburn +2.5
Summary: Can we all continue to tweet at Mark Reicht for a repeat blackout game against Auburn? Seriously, check out the videos and tell me this isn’t one of the greatest college football atmospheres captured on tape. With Todd Gurley back in the lineup, the Bulldogs are poised to get off to an early lead. The Tigers are still licking their wounds and kicking themselves in the ass for literally giving the game away twice to a subpar A&M football team. Auburn will come out more focused than it has in weeks since it seems this is the game the Tigers were looking forward to last week, anway.

Missouri @ Texas A&M

Spread: Texas A&M -5.5
TSG Pick: Mizzou +5.5
Summary: Speaking of A&M, the Aggies lucked the hell out last week. Sure, the Aggies jumped to an early lead at home against Auburn and somehow figured out a way to get Auburn to give them the ball and the victory, but the first half of last week’s game was very similar to their play against South Carolina. Don’t be fooled. Missouri’s offense has had a week to (hopefully, dear God) find a way to get the ball in the hands of playmakers, and the Tiger defense is still one of the hardest defenses to pass against, solely because of the defensive line disruption. Mizzou pulls this one out to keep its spot atop the SEC East.

Florida State @ Miami

Spread: FSU -1.5
TSG Pick: FSU -1.5
Summary: Athlete for athlete, Miami may be the very best match-up for Jameis and the Seminoles. This game will come down to coaching, which should make this a breeze for FSU. However, this is all dependent on if Jameis can make it through the week without doing anything else newsworthy. This kid needs some help.

Arizona State @ Oregon State

Spread: ASU -9.5
TSG Pick: ASU -9.5
Summary: Arizona State laid the smackdown on the Golden Domers last week in the first half, and it let off the gas to leave a score that was not really indicative of how bad of a beating it truly was. Oregon State will get down early in the third without an answer for the Sun Devils. ASU wins this by at least two touchdowns.

Take a picture of this week’s top four playoff teams, because it is very likely two or three of those teams may not be present come next week. Happy betting and good luck as always. Follow your boys @tokensportsguys for in-game commentary and whiskey-fueled sporting opinions..

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