NCAAF Pick: Missouri +6½ (-105) at Bookmaker (visit our Bookmaker Review)
Join us for a free college football picks journey through three conferences, starting with a double-Tigers matchup from the SEC.
LSU Tigers vs. Missouri Tigers
Saturday, October 7, 2023 – 12:00 PM EDT at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field
The first Saturday of October includes four battles between ranked teams on the bill, and the collision between No. 23 LSU and No. 21 Missouri features a pair of the top running backs in the Southeastern Conference.
Teams a Combined 9-1 O/U
Many of the top sportsbooks sent LSU out as an even-touchdown favorite before early trading dropped the spread a half-point to -6½. Both sides have been profitable ‘over’ bets this season, and Saturday’s skirmish is sitting on 63 for the total at most outlets.
This is just the third time this pair of Tigers have shared a gridiron as SEC opponents, with their only other meeting coming in the 1978 Liberty Bowl. The 2016 clash in Baton Rouge went to LSU, 42-7, and the 2020 meeting in Columbia was won by Missouri, 45-42. The Bayou Bengals covered as 12-point favorites at home while Columbia was getting 14 at Faurot Field.
Mizzou Run D Ranks 9th in Country
Louisiana State is coming off a tough loss to Ole Miss, with the two squads combining for over 1,300 yards of offense. The Tigers rallied from a 14-0 hole early, then watched as the Rebels scored three touchdowns in the final quarter for the 55-49 final. Logan Diggs went over 100 yards rushing for the second time this season, and scored twice.
Missouri moved to 5-0 for the first time in 10 seasons with a 38-21 win over Vanderbilt in Nashville. The Tigers reeled off 21 straight points in the second and third quarters, and the Missouri defense held another opponent under 100 yards rushing.
This will be the toughest test for Missouri’s defense, and the smart play is to take the points on the home underdogs.
NCAAF Pick: Missouri +6½ (-105) at Bookmaker
Syracuse Orange at North Carolina Tar Heels
Saturday, October 7, 2023 – 03:30 PM EDT at Kenan Stadium
North Carolina took Week 5 off, and you know the Tar Heels were all gathered around their televisions scouting Syracuse’s loss at home to Clemson. Can the Tar Heels hand the Orange a second consecutive loss this Saturday in Chapel Hill?
Heels 1-3 ATS Last 4 Home Affairs
If the NCAAF odds for the contest are any indication, Syracuse is going down in defeat once again. North Carolina backers are required to give up 8-9 points in this one, depending on where they shop, and most shops are selling the total at 58½.
Once again, this is not a frequently-played series, with Saturday’s skirmish just the third time the Orange and Tar Heels tangled as ACC football rivals. It has been a split in the previous two meetings with each school winning once and totals also halving. North Carolina covered both conference clashes (2018, 2020).
‘Cuse 2-7 O/U Last 9 ACC Tilts
Syracuse was its own worst enemy last week against Clemson, turning the ball over three times and committing nine penalties that cost the Orange more than 90 yards. Clemson scored touchdowns after all three Syracuse turnovers, and the Orange lost the posing battle by about seven minutes.
North Carolina took advantage of turnovers and special teams play in a 41-24 win at Pittsburgh a couple of weeks ago, easily covering the 7-point spread. Drake Maye had an efficient afternoon by completing 22-of-30 attempts for nearly 300 yards.
Bank on the defenses in this one to keep it ‘under’ the total.
NCAAF Pick: Under 58½ (-110) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
TCU Horned Frogs vs. Iowa State Cyclones
Saturday, October 7, 2023 – 8:00 PM EDT at Jack Trice Stadium
There should be a touch of fall in the air Saturday evening in Ames, and the lads from TCU who have endured a hot summer down in Texas will certainly welcome the cooler temps. Whether or not the Iowa State defense is as welcoming remains to be seen.
Frogs & Cyclones Coming Off Losses
BetOnline is carrying TCU as a 6½-point favorite and lists the scoreboard target at 50½, one of the lowest totals on the Week 6 board.
The Horned Frogs lead the all-time series 9-5 (7-5 as Big 12 foes), and won a laugher last year in Ft. Worth by a 62-14 count. That contest wrapped up an undefeated regular season for TCU.
Iowa State had won the three previous encounters, all of which went ‘over’ the totals like last year. The Cyclones have also won and covered the last three matchups in Ames, the scoreboard running 2-1 O/U in those contests.
Neither team looked good a week ago when TCU inexplicably lost 24-21 to West Virginia as 14-point chalk while Iowa State was blown out by Oklahoma 50-20. The points and the Cyclones is my final free pick for Week 6.
NCAAF Pick: Iowa State +6½ (-105) at Bookmaker
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
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