Season record: 16-9
Last week: 4-2 (Clemson -7, Clemson/Syracuse under 53, Kentucky -1.5, Nebraska +17.5, Houston +8.5, Arkansas State/UMass over 55.5)
Started the day with a bang thanks to Clemson and Kentucky. However, Nebraska and Houston let us down. We did close out with a winner on the Arkansas State and UMass over thanks to another stellar performance from Arkansas State quarterback Jaylen Raynor.
I am now 64% on the year. Let’s keep it rolling!
Maryland Terrapins (5-0) @ #4 Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0) | October 7 | 11:00 AM CT | Ohio Stadium
Line: Ohio State -19.5 | Total: 57.5
The Big Ten’s two best offenses in terms of yards per game meet in Columbus this weekend. Maryland leads the league at 454.8 yards per game, while Ohio State is second with 447.5 yards per game.
Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa is coming off his best game of the season. Tagovailoa completed 24 of 34 passes for 352 yards and 5 touchdowns. He also ran for another. That performance earned Tagovailoa numerous accolades.
What can Tagovailoa do as an encore?
He will get an Ohio State defense that has been dominant to start the season. The Buckeyes have allowed only 4.1 yards per play on the season, good for fourth nationally.
The Maryland offense presents a test that Ohio State has not faced yet. Maryland receiver Tai Felton was the recipient of three of Tagovailoa’s touchdown passes last week.
Felton is now tied with fellow receiver Kaden Prather with a team-leading three touchdown catches. Then there is Jeshaun Jones, the sixth-year senior, who leads the Terrapins wtih 319 receiving yards.
On the other side, we know Ohio State has great receivers in Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. The pair has amassed 599 yards and 6 touchdowns through four games. Harrison Jr. did suffer an ankle injury in the win over Notre Dame. Reports are that he is good to go.
If the star receiver is less than 100%, that will be a big setback for the Ohio State offense with an unproven quarterback in Kyle McCord. McCord is completing 65.5% of his passes on the season. However, his six touchdown passes have come against Western Kentucky and Youngstown State. Against Indiana and Notre Dame, he had none.
The Maryland defense has been respectable, allowing 4.81 yards per play. The Terrapins are also third nationally with eight interceptions.
I think the Terrapins will give the Buckeyes a game. Give me Maryland +19.5.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights (4-1) @ Wisconsin Badgers (3-1) | October 7 | 11:00 AM CT | Camp Randall Stadium
Line: Wisconsin -14 | Total: 44.5
Two weeks ago, I really wanted to take Rutgers against Michigan. However, I felt like the Wolverines may be too much for the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers was able to come away with a 24-point loss and a push.
This week, Rutgers is on the road again at Wisconsin. The Badgers were on a bye, while Rutgers put it on lowly Wagner by a score of 52-3. The Scarlet Knights held them to only six first downs in the contest.
Of course, this week is another step up in class for Rutgers. But unlike Michigan, this should be one they can handle. While Wisconsin defeated Purdue by a score of 38-17, the Boilermakers found success on the ground. On the day, Purdue ran for 194 yards on 31 carries.
What does Rutgers do? Run the ball and play defense. The Scarlet Knights lead the Big Ten with 15 rushing touchdowns on the season. Kyle Monangai leads the way with six and he will be looking for a bounce back from the aforementioned Michigan game. The Wolverines held him to only 27 yards on 11 carries.
Wisconsin also features a running game which is led by Braelon Allen. Allen has 371 yards and 6 touchdowns on the season. The Rutgers defense will have to be better than what they showed against Michigan. In that game, the Scarlet Knights gave up 201 yards on the ground.
Wisconsin is not Michigan, and the Scarlet Knights are coming to play. I am taking Rutgers +14.
Purdue Boilermakers (2-3) @ Iowa Hawkeyes (4-1) | October 7 | 2:30 PM CT | Kinnick Stadium
Line: Iowa -2.5 | Total: 39
Coming into the season, I thought there were too many jokes about the Iowa offense. However, a month into the season, I think it is fair to say they were warranted. The offense simply cannot score. In the Hawkeyes’ last two games, their offense has reached the offense just once. Iowa did get a punt return touchdown thanks to defensive back Cooper DeJean.
DeJean’s ability has led Iowa fans to wonder about the possibility of him playing offense. However, it is Iowa, and the possibility of excitement on offense is pretty much illegal.
So now Iowa will go back to playing bad offensive football, and now with backup quarterback Deacon Hill in the fold after a season-ending injury to starter Cade McNamara. Hill was 11 of 27 with a QBR of 23.5.
It has been a rough start to the season for Purdue. The Boilermakers are off to a 2-3 start, but they may have found their groove in last week’s win over Illinois. Quarterback Hudson Card played a clean game with two touchdown passes and no interceptions. The ground game was also working as they ran for 189 yards and 3 touchdowns.
More importantly, it was the Purdue defense that really stepped up. The Boilermakers racked up five sacks and also had a defensive score.
Say less, I will take Purdue +2.5.
#11 Alabama Crimson Tide (4-1) @ Texas A&M (4-1) | October 7 | 2:30 PM CT | Kyle Field
Line: Alabama -2.5 | Total: 47
Somehow or another both Alabama and Texas A&M have settled on a starting quarterback. For Alabama, Jalen Milroe has cemented himself as the starter after back-to-back SEC wins over Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Meanwhile, Max Johnson has taken over for an injured Conner Weigman.
Milroe has nice numbers on the season. He is completing 69.2% of his passes and averaging 10.7 yards per attempt. However, Alabama only attempts 21.6 passes per game, which is 126th in the country.
Texas A&M is also attempting less passes as of late. While the Aggies average 36 passes per game, they attempted 25 against Auburn, then 28 against Arkansas.
While the quarterbacks may be the headline, these are two SEC teams who still believe in defense. Both teams come in holding opponents to only 4.2 yards per play.
I think this game will be dictated by the defenses, so I will take under 47.
Arkansas Razorbacks (2-3) @ #16 Ole Miss Rebels (4-1) | October 7 | 6:30 PM CT | Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Line: Ole Miss -11.5 | Total: 63.5
While Alabama and Texas A&M figures to be lower scoring, this game between Arkansas and Ole Miss does not. I am still a bit sour from the shootout between LSU and Ole Miss, which featured 104 points and 1,343 yards of offense.
This week against Arkansas figures to be more of the same. The Ole Miss defense was on the field for 75 plays against LSU last week. The Rebels were gashed both on the ground and through the air as they gave up 637 yards.
The Arkansas defense has also given up its share of big plays. The Razorbacks have given up 509 yards and 414 yards in the past two weeks, to LSU and Texas A&M, respectively.
Give me the over 63.5.
OUTTA HERE!
Clarknado Sports 