Saturday Selections: 11/6/2021

I know that I have been slacking on the blog. Senior fall sucks. That still isn’t an excuse for how inconsistent I have been posting recently. I have been tweeting my picks in case I didn’t have enough time to make posts. Last week, we saw some incredible games, including a comeback win by Michigan State led by Kenneth Walker III’s five touchdowns. Now, we look ahead to Week 10, which includes Texas A&M hosting Auburn, Wake Forest putting their undefeated record on the line visiting Chapel Hill, and the battle of two NFL QB prospects when Malik Willis and Liberty take on Matt Corral and Ole Miss. Here are my selections for today:

USC (4-4) at Arizona State (5-3) (-9)

USC has been disappointing this year, especially when they were supposed to have a great year with Kedon Slovis and Drake London. London is out for the season with an injury, so now it’s up to Slovis to find a new top target. USC is nowhere near back to where they should be, but it could help with a change in their head coach. Arizona stayed with the Trojans last week, who is one of the worst teams in FBS right now. Arizona State wins with Jayden Daniels leading the way.

Tune into USC at Arizona State at 10:30 PM ET on ESPN.

SMU (7-1) (-5) at Memphis (4-4)

SMU lost on a game-winning touchdown return against Houston last week. That ending was unbelievable, but the Mustangs have to travel to Memphis, where the Tigers have won six of the last seven games, with SMU winning the most recent game. I would not count out Tanner Mordecai and the Mustangs just yet, they’re still a good team at 7-1. Memphis has only one win in the American this season, which was against a bad Navy team. They are a mismatch for the Mustangs.

Tune into SMU at Memphis at 12 PM ET on ESPNU.

#11 Oklahoma State (7-1) (-3.5) at West Virginia (4-4)

Oklahoma State is ranked 7th in FBS for their defense, which will be key in this matchup against the Mountaineers. Oklahoma State has won six straight against West Virginia, winning three straight games in Morgantown. I hate picking chalk, but Oklahoma State looks like a promising pick to win.

Tune into Oklahoma State at West Virginia at 3:30 PM ET on ESPN.

Clemson (5-3) (-4) at Louisville (4-4)

I was going to pick Louisville, especially with Clemson having one of the worst offensive years I have ever seen. However, Clemson has never lost to Louisville, which dates back to 2014. Louisville will have to face Clemson’s tough defense, which is ranked 3rd in FBS for scoring defense. Clemson wins, but Louisville will have to make big plays on offense to answer Clemson’s bad offense.

Tune into Clemson at Louisville at 7:30 PM ET on ACC Network.

#12 Baylor (7-1) (-7) at TCU (3-5)

Baylor also happens to have one of the best defenses in the Big 12, holding opponents to 19.4 points per game. TCU leads the series 56-53-7, with wins in five of the last six meetings. Baylor has resilience, while TCU is 1-4 in the Big 12 this season. Don’t count TCU out yet, but I’m taking the Bears.

Tune into Baylor at TCU at 3:30 PM ET on FOX.

Tennessee (4-4) (-1) at #18 Kentucky (6-2)

Tennessee dominates the all-time series 81-26-9, but I am still surprised that they are even favored on the road against a much better Kentucky team. In the last 15 home night games, Kentucky is 13-2. Mark Stoops will lead the Wildcats to a rare victory over Tennessee in Lexington.

Tune into Tennessee at Kentucky at 7 PM ET on ESPN2.

Texas (4-4) at Iowa State (5-3) (-6.5)

Texas is ranked 10th in FBS in scoring offense, but it’s their defense that makes them choke their leads against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Baylor. If Texas can prevent Brock Purdy and Breece Hall from getting inside the red zone (9th in FBS), Texas will have a good chance. Iowa State has a better defense, but Texas wins, breaking their three-game losing streak.

Tune into Texas at Iowa State at 7:30 PM ET on Fox Sports 1.

#17 Mississippi State (5-3) at Arkansas (5-3) (-4)

Mississippi State is the only team with three wins that are in the initial CFP Top 25. The Bulldogs lead the series in Fayetteville 4-3 but trail the all-time series 17-12-1. Arkansas has lost three of the last four games, but all three were against teams ranked in the CFP Top 25. Should Arkansas be a favorite in this game, even though they’re cold as ice right now? I don’t think so. Arkansas has the better scoring offense and defense, but the Razorbacks need to start winning in the SEC. Their last win at home against an SEC opponent came when they beat Texas A&M, so I’ll take an unranked team to win, hoping to shake up the rankings.

Tune into Mississippi State at Arkansas at 4 PM ET on SEC Network.

Army (4-3) vs. Air Force (6-2) (-2.5)

Army-Air Force has always been a good rivalry to watch. Two of our military academies going head-to-head has never disappointed me. My sister’s boyfriend goes to West Point, but when I make these picks, it is strictly business. These two teams are the two top rushing teams in the country, with Air Force #1 and Army #2. Air Force is 37-17-1 in the series history. The Falcons have a better defense, holding opponents to 16.8 points per game. Army has won three of the last four games against Air Force, but that won’t matter if they can’t stop Air Force. Air Force wins on a game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. This game is in progress, but I made this pick last night.

Tune into Army vs. Air Force at 11:30 AM ET on CBS.

Liberty (6-2) at #16 Ole Miss (6-2) (-9)

Ole Miss lost to Auburn last week for the first time since losing to Alabama in early October. I guess the Rebels just have a problem playing teams in the state of Alabama. This is the first meeting between Liberty and Ole Miss, and boy is it a good one. Malik Willis and Matt Corral are projected to be the top two quarterback prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft. Ole Miss has only lost one non-conference game since 2012, where they lost to #23 California. I think a bounce-back game from Matt Corral and the Rebels is needed to keep their momentum alive. Ole Miss wins by two scores.

Tune into Liberty at Ole Miss at 12 PM ET on SEC Network.

#3 Michigan State (8-0) (-3) at Purdue (5-3)

Michigan State came back against Michigan to win after being down by as much as 16 points. The Spartans have the clear Heisman front-runner in running back Kenneth Walker III. He has been unbelievable to watch, especially with his five-touchdown game against the Wolverines last week. Michigan State leads the all-time series 36-28-3 against Purdue, with an eight-game winning streak dating back to 2007. The Spartans have won the last three games against Purdue in West Lafayette. People say Michigan State is on upset alert, but I think the Spartans come out with the win against a threatening Boilermaker team.

Tune into Michigan State at Purdue at 3:30 PM ET on ABC.

#9 Wake Forest (8-0) at North Carolina (4-4) (-2.5)

I’m surprised North Carolina is a favorite, especially when they are .500 going up against an undefeated Wake Forest team. Even though Wake Forest has a questionable defense, North Carolina allows more points per game. For Tar Heel fans, it is a promising matchup, where they lead the all-time series 70-36-2, with a 39-19-2 record in Chapel Hill. The home team has won in the past six contests, but I think that ends today. Wake Forest has one of the best offenses in the ACC, and I don’t think Sam Howell and his offense can keep up with the Deacs.

Tune into Wake Forest at North Carolina at 12 PM ET on ABC.

#13 Auburn (6-2) at #14 Texas A&M (6-2) (-4.5)

Texas A&M leads the series against Auburn 6-5, but Auburn has dominated the Aggies in College Station, with a 4-0 record. The Tigers have won two straight games, both coming against ranked opponents. The Penn State loss doesn’t look great on their resume, but Auburn still has an edge in this game, with Bo Nix leading the way. Their defense will have to watch out for Zach Calzada and Isaiah Spiller, the two offensive weapons for Texas A&M. Auburn keeps their undefeated record at Kyle Field alive, but Texas A&M leads for most of the game, with Auburn coming back to win.

Tune into Auburn at Texas A&M at 3:30 PM ET on CBS.