All times Eastern
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9 Tennessee (-2.5, 43.5) @ Texas A&M 3:00 pm (ESPN) - The Vols are rolling, winning four of five, including a 34-6 thumping of Kentucky last week, behind RB DeSean Bishop (1,066 yards, 13 TDs) and a defense allowing just 4.75 yards per play. Texas A&M is a disappointing 4-5 (1-5 SEC) and has scored just 9 and 6 points in two of its last three road trips. Kyle Field is a tough place to play, and the Aggies will be fired up to save their season, but Tennessee has the better offense, defense and running game. Big Orange wins by more than a field goal.
Coin Flip: Tennessee
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Volunteers 27 Aggies 20
Missouri @ 1 Georgia (-15, 47.5) 3:30 pm (ABC) - Georgia (8-1) is rolling, crushing Ole Miss 42-7 and Florida 27-8, and its defense allows just 4.2 yards per play. Missouri (6-3) is solid but erratic, scoring just 3 points at Ole Miss after a 34-10 win at Arkansas. Fifteen points is a big number in an SEC game, though, and the Tigers' defense is good enough (4.9 yards per play allowed) to keep it from getting out of hand. Dawgs win comfortably, but not by three scores.
Coin Flip: Georgia
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Bulldogs 31 Tigers 20
15 USC @ 6 Indiana (-7.5, 50) 3:30 pm (CBS) - Indiana's defense is suffocating, allowing just 4.1 yards per play with 32 sacks, but the Hoosiers' offense has gone cold in close wins over Minnesota (23-16) and Michigan (13-6). Here's the stat that matters: Indiana is 1-5 against the spread at home. USC (7-2) just knocked off Ohio State 30-18 and has won three of four. The Hoosiers grind out a win, but the Trojans stay inside the number.
Coin Flip: USC
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Hoosiers 24 Trojans 20
Baylor @ 12 BYU (-7, 49) 3:30 pm (FOX) - BYU is 5-0 in Provo, but the Cougars have lost two of their last four and failed to cover in three of their last five. Baylor (6-3) travels well, going 3-1 against the spread on the road, and just put up 42 on Iowa State and 41 on UCF. The Bears' defense has been better than BYU's on a per-play basis, too. LaVell Edwards Stadium is a tough place to win, but a touchdown is too much to give.
Coin Flip: Baylor
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Cougars 27 Bears 24
Boston College @ 3 Notre Dame (-30, 52.5) 3:30 pm (NBC) - The Holy War isn't much of a war these days. Notre Dame (8-1) owns the nation's No. 1 total defense (236 yards allowed per game) and averages 39 points a game, with QB CJ Carr climbing the Heisman ladder after beating Miami. Boston College (4-5) got pounded 47-2 at Duke two weeks ago. The Irish roll, but 30 points is a mountain, and Marcus Freeman will empty the bench in the fourth quarter.
Coin Flip: Boston College
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Fighting Irish 45 Eagles 17
Michigan @ 18 Oregon (-11, 38.5) 3:30 pm (FS1) - Michigan (5-4) has a good defense, allowing just 16 points per game, but the Wolverines can't score, averaging under 20 points and managing only six in a loss to Michigan State. Oregon (6-3) just put 41 on Ohio State and throws for 285 yards a game. That's a bad combination for the visitors at noisy Autzen Stadium. The Ducks pull away in the second half.
Coin Flip: Oregon
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Ducks 27 Wolverines 13
Florida @ 13 Kentucky (-4, 52.5) 6:15 pm (ESPN) - Kentucky (7-2) is 5-2 against the spread and has won four of its last five, including one-point thrillers over LSU and South Carolina. The Wildcats' defense has 12 interceptions, and Florida has thrown 10 of them this year. The Gators (5-4) have lost four of their last five, with the exception being a stunning upset at Texas. Kroger Field will be rocking under the lights, and the 'Cats take care of business.
Coin Flip: Kentucky
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Wildcats 31 Gators 21
2 Utah (-3, 54) @ 22 Arizona 7:30 pm (FOX) - The unbeaten Utes (9-0) are 7-2 against the spread and run the ball for more than five yards a carry. But Arizona (7-2) is 5-0 at home and can throw it, averaging over nine yards per pass attempt. Utah has been living close to the edge lately, with a 27-24 escape at Colorado and an eight-point win over BYU. Expect a shootout in the desert. The Utes stay unbeaten, but just barely.
Coin Flip: Utah
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Utes 28 Wildcats 27
8 Texas @ 24 LSU (-4, 47) 7:30 pm (ABC) - Texas (7-2) has won three straight, and Arch Manning is finally cooking, with six TD passes and no interceptions in the last two games. But the Longhorns' offense still ranks near the bottom of the country in efficiency, and LSU's defense ranks among the nation's best. The Tigers (6-3) are coming off a 31-13 loss to Alabama, and a night game in Death Valley is the perfect place to bounce back. LSU covers.
Coin Flip: Texas
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Tigers 24 Longhorns 17
Purdue @ 16 Iowa (-16.5, 47.5) 7:30 pm (NBC) - This one has classic Iowa written all over it. Iowa (7-2) has allowed just 110 points all season, and opponents average a paltry 2.5 yards per carry against the Hawkeyes. Purdue (3-6) has lost three straight and gives up more than five yards a carry, which means a long night of Iowa ground-and-pound at Kinnick. The Boilermakers can throw a little, but not enough.
Coin Flip: Purdue
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Hawkeyes 31 Boilermakers 10
20 South Carolina (-8, 51) @ Arkansas 7:45 pm (SECN) - A team with an outside chance of reaching the CFP is 6-3 South Carolina, losers of three straight midseason before winning four straight over Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and last week, Texas A&M.
The Razorbacks are a pitiful 1-5 in the SEC and 3-6 overall, unlikely to even get to a bowl game. The Gamecocks have to avoid looking ahead to Georgia next week and take care of business on their road trip. Shouldn’t be too difficult.
Coin Flip: Arkansas
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Gamecocks 38 Razorbacks 13
10 Texas Tech @ Oklahoma State (-3.5, 72) 9:30 pm (ESPN) - Bring your scoreboard operator a calculator. Oklahoma State (6-3) has turned things around under first-year coach Eric Morris, and QB Drew Mestemaker (2,962 yards, 29 TDs) leads an offense that ranks third in the country in both scoring (43.9 points a game) and passing. That's bad news for Texas Tech (8-1), whose pass defense ranks among the worst in FBS.
The Red Raiders can run it, with J'Koby Williams near 1,000 yards, and just outlasted West Virginia 53-48. But QB Tommy Castellanos makes his first road start in a loud Boone Pickens Stadium at night, where the Pokes have won nine of the last 11 meetings. Cowboys in a shootout.
Coin Flip: Oklahoma State
Fearless Rick’s Pick: Cowboys 42 Red Raiders 35
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