NCAA College Football Week 6 Picks - Early Games
NCAA College Football Week 5 Early Games
All times Eastern
Week 5 results: Rick: 8-6; Coin: 3-11
Thursday, October 8
7:30 pm Tulane at Houston (-6 1/2, 59) - The Cougars have had three games postponed. They were supped to play Rice, Baylor and North Texas, but COVID-19 protocols prevented the games from taking place. In 2019, Houston underperformed expectations, going 4-8, closing out the season with a 56-41 loss to Navy.
Their opponents scored at last 31 points in each of Houston's losses and they allowed 44 or more five times, so the defense isn't really sound. The offense doesn't exactly excite.
2-1 Tulane's sole defeat was a 27-24 upending by Navy in which the Green Wave failed to score in the second half while allowing Navy to put up their entire output. Undeterred, they came back the following week (9/26) to defeat Southern Miss, 66-24.
Making Houston nearly a TD favorite is a pretty big guess against a team that seems to possess a smoking offense.
Coin Flip: Houston
Prediction: Green Wave 42 Cougars 31
7:00 pm Louisville (-4, 64) at Georgia Tech - Both teams are 1-2, but Louisville's losses came against Pitt (23-20) and powerhouse Miami (47-34), while Georgia Tech topped Florida State, 16-13, but has come up short in subsequent losses to UCF and Syracuse by wide margins.
The Cardinals have sufficient offensive ability to keep the Tech offense on the sideline and do some serious scoring damage. Going back to last season, the Yellow Jackets are 3-7 in their last 10 games. Unlikely to mount much of an offense, Tech seems to be up against it here.
Coin Flip: Louisville
Prediction: Cardinals 38 Yellow Jackets 24
12:00 #19 Virginia Tech at #8 North Carolina (-5, 60) - The last two meetings between these ACC foes have been close calls, both going the Hokies' way, 22-19, in 2018, at UNC, and 43-41 last season at VaTech.
The Hokies are 2-0 having knocked off NC State, 45-24, but they struggled against Duke, pulling out a 38-31 win. UNC is likewise 2-0, with wins over Syracuse (31-6) and Boston College, 26-22, the most recent win less impressive than expected from the Tar Heels. The Hokies want to run the ball, but Carolina is only allowing 54 yards per game rushing, so they may be able to control time of possession and field position.
Tech's offense is more versatile, however, and that could confuse the Tar Heel defense. UNC also has offensive options. Too close to call straight up, so getting points may be worth a look.
Coin Flip: North Carolina
Prediction: Tar Heels 30 Hokies 27
Oklahoma will do its share of scoring as well. Texas has allowed 89 points in it's last two games, a 63-56 OT win over Texas Tech and a 33-31 loss to TCU, last week.
The Sooners lost to Kansas State, 38-35, in week 4, and last week blew a lead and were upended by Iowa State, 37-30. Played at the Cotton Bowl, this is usually a major rivalry, but with neither team seemingly on track, it won't get the usual attention.
Coin Flip: Texas
Prediction: Sooners 42 Longhorns 36
LSU shrugged off their 44-34 loss to Mississippi State and vanquished Vandy, 41-7, last week. Meanwhile, Missouri is looking like an SEC tackling dummy with losses to Alabama, 38-19, and last week, at Tennessee, 35-12.
The line is not quite three touchdowns, but it's enough that the LSU Tigers will have to contend. They should manage to put a pretty good spanking on their northern-neighboring Tigers.
Coin Flip: LSU
Prediction: LSU Tigers 52 Missouri Tigers 20
The Cavaliers pounded Duke, 38-20, in week 4, but lost, 41-23, at Clemson, as expected. That defeat doesn't really look too bad, considering Clemson is ranked #1.
The Wolfpack is much improved over last season, which ended with six straight losses. Virginia went to the ACC championship last season and were roughed up by Clemson, 62-17, and they lost to Florida in the Orange Bowl, 36-28. Virginia should be able to handle the Wolfpack offense as the Cavalier defense is an improving unit.
Coin Flip: Virginia
Prediction: Cavaliers 41 Wolfpack 24
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NCAA Week 6 late Games
Cumulative: Rick: 24-32-1; Coin: 20-36-1
Friday, October 9
Saturday, October 10
12:00 pm #22 Texas vs. Oklahoma (-2, 72) - One thing that is for certain here is that the Longhorns will score plenty of points. Oklahoma's defense hasn't been able to slow down anybody, losing their last two due to repeated defensive lapses and poor tackling.
12:00 Missouri at #17 LSU (-20, 53) - This originally looked like it could be a runaway contest down in the bayou, but Hurricane Delta forced the game to be moved to Missouri and played at noon, rather than the original 9:00 pm start time.
12:00 NC State at Virginia (-9 1/2, 63 1/2) - NC State has stunned Virginia three of the last four years, winning at home in 2019, 35-21, and they're off to a 2-1 start to this season, with wins over Wake Forest and Pitt and a 45-24 loss to Virginia Tech.
