ESPN's Handicappers Picks Conference Championships

[bones]

Bear Bets - here it is. Ill recap this afternoon
Bear WEEK 13: 1-5
SEASON: 29-41

Championship Picks:
UNLV +2.5
MI/Iowa UNDER 35.5
He leans TX -15

Sidekick:
Tez Johnson Over 75.5 receiving yards

Bear 1-1
Season: 30-42

 

[bones]

Clay Travis
WEEK 13: 8-5
SEASON: 75-84

Clay Travis' College Football Picks For Week 14: Cash In With Title Game Wins, Don't Bet Against Nick Saban

Okay, we fought our way back to respectability in the final week of the college football season, going 8-5 overall and putting our end of the regular season record at 75-84.

www.outkick.com

New Mexico vs Liberty -10 WIN
All Jamey Chadwell does is win. He’s now 12-0 on the year and somehow no one is hiring him despite what he has done the past three seasons. I know New Mexico State has the most stunning win of the season — on the road at Auburn by three touchdowns two weeks ago — but Liberty wins by two touchdowns. The Flames stay scorching hot, winning by more than two touchdowns to get to 13-0.

Oregon -9.5 vs Washington LOSE
I know this is a massive number, but Washington has been playing with fire for weeks now and despite the fact that the Huskies won the earlier match up, I just think Oregon is a substantially better team now. So much so that I like the Ducks by double digits and for Bo Nix to lock up with the Heisman with a scintillating performance on a Friday night in Las Vegas.

OKSt vs Texas OVER 54.5 WIN
Mike Gundy’s team is a huge two touchdown+ underdog, but the Pokes were fortunate to win at home against BYU last week and I feel like Texas might well blow them out. But then again it’s Texas. And if there’s one thing the Longhorns have taught us over the past 15 years it’s that Texas always falls flat on its face at some point in every season. So instead of laying a ton of points and expecting a big win, I’m going to roll with the over hitting instead. I think both teams go for 24 or more and the total soars way past this number.

Boise vs UNLV +2.5 LOSE
Barry Odom’s done an incredible job with UNLV this year and I think he caps off a 9-3 season with a conference championship. I feel even better since UNLV didn’t play great last week in a loss to San Jose State. Plus, can you imagine how crazy it would be if Boise State won the conference title after firing their coach? Come on, that’s bonkers. UNLV wins outright, but take the points just to be safe.

SMU vs Tulane OVER 48.5 LOSE
Maybe I’m walking into a gambling buzzsaw here, but SMU has scored points against everyone this year, particularly down the stretch. SMU has scored 55, 69, 36, 45, 38, and 59 in the past six weeks. And you’re telling me that suddenly they aren’t going to score any points at all against Tulane? And that they aren’t going to give up many either? I just don’t see it. Especially since it’s not like Tulane has the 1985 Bears defense. Plus, Tulane is scoring points too. The over’s the play and I’m so confident in that, tap the veins boys and girls, the over is our blood bank guarantee for the week.

GA vs Bama +5.5 WIN
Maybe I’m an idiot — and certainly that has been alleged a ton over the years and there is ample evidence to support it — but Nick Saban with no one believing in his team is a recipe for gambling disaster. I’m not saying the Tide is going to win, but Alabama was fortunate to win in 2021 at Auburn and everyone thought Georgia would romp the Tide. And then Alabama beat Georgia in the SEC title game — yes, Georgia came back to win the title — but Nick Saban’s team is almost never an underdog and as good as I think Georgia is, this is a big number to need to win by, especially with all the pressure on Georgia. Give me the Tide to cover here.

MI vs Iowa Over 34.5 LOSE
Michigan is a 23-point favorite in a game with an over/under of 34.5. That means Vegas is telling us Michigan wins something like 28-3? That seems off. I think Michigan’s offense will have good success against Iowa and the pace of the game will dictate we surge past 34.5, yes, even in an Iowa game. Give me the over in the Big Ten title game.

Ville vs FSU -2.5 WIN
This is a bet on Mike Norvell’s ability to get his team the win more than anything else. Yes, Florida State is substantially weaker without Jordan Travis at quarterback, but it just went on the road and won at Florida. Now Louisville, which hasn’t played that well down the stretch against inferior opponents, is traveling to a neutral site stadium coming off a tough loss to Kentucky and we essentially have an even number. I just feel like FSU is much better at most positions than Louisville is and that will reveal itself even with a weaker quarterback. Which is why ultimately FSU finds a way to get the win as a result. Give me the Seminoles by three or more. Plus, and this is key, FSU may go for style points if they get up, I don’t see them letting their foot off the gas since they don’t just want to win, they want to impress the committee too.

Army vs Navy UNDER 30.5
It’s a tradition, we love America at Outkick, but we always take the under in Army-Navy games.

Travis: 4-4
Season: 79-88

 

[bones]

I took Bama +2 vs MI preselection for 3 units. I will stick with it

I also took UDUB +3.5 vs Texas - do not know what line will actually be or if I stay with it

 

[TahoeLegend]

Adam Kramer picks for first weekend of bowl games:

Adam Kramer—(3-2) (60-61) (75-52)
N Mexico St/Fresno St over 51x
Cal +3
UTSA -10
Utah -7
Air Force +3Georgia State +1
Duke +7x
S Jose St/Coastal Carolina o 53x

 

[lb49ers]

SVP Winners

Cal (+3)

NFL
Pittsburgh +1x
Washington +6x
Jacksonville +3
Buffalo -2x

 

[lb49ers]

Cowherd's Blazin' 5

Detroit -4x 28-23
LA Rams -6x 33-24
Arizona +12x 20-28
Buffalo -1x 28-24
Seattle +3 27-26

 

[TahoeLegend]

Stanford Steve—(2-1) (41-44) Three Year Record (103-79)
New Orleans -6

The Bear—(1-1) (28-42) Three Year Record (98-89)

Scott Van Pelt—(3-3) (53-62) Three Year Record (164-125)
Cal +3
NFL
Pittsburgh +1x
Washington +6x
Jacksonville +3
Buffalo -2x

Other Pickers:
Adam Kramer—(3-2) (60-61) (75-52)
N Mexico St/Fresno St over 51x
Cal +3
UTSA -10
Utah -7
Air Force +3
Georgia State +1
Duke +7x
S Jose St/Coastal Carolina o 53x

Colin Cowherd Blazing Five—(3-2) (39-35) Three Year Record (94-100)
Detroit -4x 28-20 lose
NY Jets +1x 21-20 win
San Francisco -2x 30-26 win
LA Rams -3x 27-20
Jacksonville -8x 32-20

My Picks— (1-1) (20-20) Three Year Record (150-97)

Joe Fortenbaugh— (2-1) (24-23) Two Year Record (45-41)
Georgia Southern -3x
New Mexico State -3x
Jax State -2x

 

[TahoeLegend]

No weather problems for any bowl game except Miami Ohio and App State and it's major weather expected there. Heavy rain forecast with wind steady at 17mph, gusts to 30. This is a major storm that will move right up the east coast on Sunday, so some NFL games may feel it.

NCAAF Weather Today - Weather Report for September 22, 2024

Daily NCAAF weather forecasts for every field, including temperature, wind, and chance of rain or snow. See how the it will affect games this week.

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