What ten games appear to be the best bets and the best point total picks going into the first weekend of Week 2? Here you go. Enjoy.
Week 2 Fearless Predictions, Game Previews
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10 Best Over/Under Point Total Picks So Far: 6-7
Click on each game for the game preview and fearless prediction.
10. Tulane at Auburn
LINE: Auburn -17.5, o/u: 51.5
POINT TOTAL PICK: Under
You’re banking on the Tulane defense. Auburn will win, but coming off the tough, physical game against Oregon, don’t expect the offense to be sharp. The veteran Green Wave defense is good enough to keep the score low, and there’s a shot the Auburn D shuts down the Tulane O cold. Be sort of stunned if either team rolls past 30 points.
9. Illinois at UConn
LINE: Illinois -20.5, o/u: 59.5
POINT TOTAL PICK: Under
There’s a caveat here. It’s Week 2, and there’s a chance this goes way, way, way the other way if the UConn defense turns into the 2018 UConn defense again. If that’s the case, Illinois could win this 58-3. The Illini offense was great in the opener against Akron, but even if it blows up on the road, watch out for the defense to hold down the Husky offense that sputtered against Wagner. Don’t expect both teams to hang in the 30s.
8. Rutgers at Iowa
LINE: Iowa -19.5, o/u: 48.5
POINT TOTAL PICK: Over
You always want to be on the over when one of the teams has the potential to cover the number by itself. Rutgers might be better this year, and the defense isn’t too miserable, but at home, Iowa has the ability to get at least 40 of this. Even if it’s at around 30, the Scarlet Knights have enough of an offense to help the cause. Expect these two to match the 14-7 final score from their 2016 meeting in the first quarter.
7. Ohio at Pitt
LINE: Pitt -5.5, o/u: 54.5
POINT TOTAL PICK: Over
Don’t get hung up on the 14 points scored by Pitt in the loss to Virginia – this is going to be a sneaky-good offensive game. To go elitist, the Panther offense – which is a whole lot better than it looked last week – should be able to put up at least 28 points against an Ohio team that’s good, but allowed that many or more six times last season. The Bobcats are dangerous enough to score at least 20, and more like 28 in this.
6. Oregon State at Hawaii
LINE: Hawaii -5.5, o/u: 78.5
POINT TOTAL PICK: Over
It’s not smart, it’s not sound, and it’s not the way you should look at things in a professional sort of way, but …
OF COURSE you want the over in a Hawaii game that’s going until 2 am on the east coast.
After putting up 45 on Arizona – even with six turnovers – you really think Hawaii isn’t going to hang up at least that many against an Oregon State defense that got hit for 52 by Oklahoma State? The Cowboys have a Power Five defense – not a great one, but they have athletes – and Oregon State was able to bomb away for 36 points.
Both teams will play in the 40s. You’re not skipping sleep for anything less.
NEXT: The Top Five
5. Old Dominion at Virginia Tech
LINE: Virginia Tech -28.5, o/u: 55.5
POINT TOTAL PICK: Over
Virginia Tech is going to really, really, really care.
It’s coming off a loss in the ACC opener against Boston College, it needs a win after going 4-8 in its last 12 games, and …
It’s an angry, focused team after losing to Old Dominion 49-35 last year.
The Hokies put up 28 on the road last week against Boston College, and it would’ve been a whole lot more if they didn’t turn it over five times. Considering they need a cathartic moment with the offense blowing up, and with the way the passing game should click for well over 300 yards, Tech should be able to push for close to 50 all on its own.
There’s a slight concern that Old Dominion gets totally shut down cold.
It was ugly in the 24-21 win over Norfolk State, and it doesn’t have the type of high-powered offense that should be able to put up anywhere near the numbers it did last year.
And if it does … great. You’re going with the over here, anyway, because Virginia Tech is about to bring the thump.
NEXT: We need offense this week, so …
4. Nebraska at Colorado
LINE: Nebraska -4.5, o/u: 64.5
POINT TOTAL PICK: Over
Before being the type of horrible people who live life picking the under – the next three games after this are a boatload of yuck – let’s root for the offense.
Let’s start by assuming Nebraska is going to wake the (bleep) up after whatever that was against South Alabama.
The Huskers stunk on offense, Adrian Martinez played like he was going at half-speed, and yet they still managed to put up 35 points helped by decent play from the defense and special teams.
But this Nebraska D that gave up 21 points to a USA team that’s hardly an offensive juggernaut.
Colorado, on the other hand, looked like everything was right with the world under new head coach Mel Tucker. With a healthy Laviska Shenault back at receiver, and with a veteran quarterback in Steven Montez, the Buffs were terrific as they hung up 52 points on Colorado State in a blowout win.
These two had a whole lot of fun last season in a 33-28 Colorado win, which doesn’t hit that 65 point mark to go over like you’ll need it to this time around.
Don’t worry about it. Colorado will be good for at least 35 points on its own, Nebraska will bring the O to Boulder, and this should be a bit of a firefight.
At least, it had better be. We need offense this weekend because …
NEXT: Until Proven Otherwise …
3. Western Michigan at Michigan State
LINE: Michigan State -16.5, o/u: 46.5
POINT TOTAL PICK: Under
Over these next three picks, go with the theme of Until Proven Otherwise.
As in assume no one is scoring on Michigan State, until proven otherwise.
The Spartans beat Tulsa 24-7 last week, making it ten games in a row that MSU games have been under 47 points by a mile.
Western Michigan has a nice offense. It put up 48 points in an easy win over Monmouth last week, and there’s some fear that the Spartan offense will spark up, put up 34 on the MAC D, and then …
Nah. Until proven otherwise, you could put the total at around 35 for this and you still might be okay on the under.
NEXT: “Take my eyes, but not the shirt …”
2. Stanford at USC
LINE: USC -3, o/u: 44
POINT TOTAL PICK: Under
You obviously didn’t watch the Stanford 17-7 win over Northwestern, because those who did tore their eyeballs out in a fit of 1) despair over the brutal ugliness of the game and/or 2) was on the wrong end of the bad beat ending.
For those of us who did emerge alive, there are battle scars.
Stanford might never, ever score again, and its opponent might never, ever score.
44 is a WAY low total for anyone, but with no KJ Costello under center for the Cardinal, and with JT Daniels out for USC and freshman – and, really, third-string talent – Kedon Slovis taking over, good luck figuring out where the points are going to come from in what should be a defensive slugfest.
First to score wins?
Last year’s game? 17-3 Stanford, and that was with pieces in place on both sides.
The last three Cardinal games have gone WAY under the 44 point mark, and this one shouldn’t have any problems, either.
NEXT: These two should be more fun, and they really, really aren’t …
1. San Diego State at UCLA
LINE: UCLA -7.5, o/u: 45.5
POINT TOTAL PICK: Under
Again … Until Proven Otherwise …
Where’s the offense on either team?
UCLA was all banged up in the 24-14 loss to Cincinnati, but even if all of the parts are there – like RB Joshua Kelley – it’s going against a San Diego State defense that’s going to finish among the top 25 in the nation, if not top ten.
What about the 6-0 San Diego State win over Weber State did you like?
Throw in the ankle injury to RB Juwan Washington, and it’s not like the Aztecs have a whole slew of offensive weapons about to break free. This team is going to win on defense.
Including the Weber State game, nine of the last 14 San Diego State game have been played under 46 points.
Will the UCLA offense find another gear at home? The last five games of the 2018 regular season blew past 46, but again, San Diego State doesn’t have an offense … at least not yet.
Week 2 Fearless Predictions, Game Previews
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
– CFN Fearless Predictions & Game Previews
– Week 2 Expert Picks & Predictions: Saturday
