Week 12 provided us with exactly what we were looking for; a winning weekend.  While the Clemson Tigers’ continued struggles cost us one game, we were able to make up for it thanks to victories from Kansas Sate and Houston.  That leaves us at 19-14 heading into rivalry weekend.  There are several intriguing match-ups scheduled for what should be an exciting Saturday of college football.

Here is a look at three of those match-ups we like against the spread.

Game: #2 Alabama @ #24 Auburn
Pick: Auburn +21
Reason: It is tough to go against Alabama in this game, but with a 21-point spread in an Iron Bowl, you almost have to go with the underdog.  These two rivals have a knack for playing close games against one another, no matter where they find themselves ranked.  Only once in their last nine meetings has the margin of victory been more than 10 points.  It is hard to believe that the Tigers will come out on top in this game, but with home-field advantage on their side they should be able to keep it within three touchdowns.

Game: #22 Notre Dame @ #6 Stanford
Pick: Stanford -6.5
Reason: The Stanford Cardinals have been near-perfect this season, winning ten of their 11 games and covering the spread in nine of them.  Ad for the Fighting Irish, they have a respectable 8-3 record, but are a terrible 4-6-1 against the spread.  The Cards have failed to cover the spread in each of their last two games, but welcoming rival Notre Dame to Stanford Stadium should provide Andrew Luck and company with a much needed spark.  Look for them to win the game by at least a touchdown.

Game: #17 Clemson @ #12 South Carolina
Pick: South Carolina -3.5
Reason: For much of the season we have been riding the Clemson Tigers, and while that move did pay off in a big way at the beginning of the season, it has failed us miserable as of late.  After going undefeated through the first three games of the season, the Tigers have lost two of their last three and have failed to cover the spread in each of their last three games.  The Tigers have struggled against the run at times this season and they will be up against a Gamecocks team that has averaged nearly 200 yards per game on the ground.  Look for the Gamecock’s pass defense to keep Tajh Boyd in check and their running game should do enough on offense to earn them the win and the cover.

Last Week’s Record: (2-1), 2011 Record: (19-14)

It was a terrible weekend for us last week as Stanford was pounded by the Oregon Ducks offense, Alabama fell just half-a-point short of covering their 17.5-point spread, and Oklahoma State and Texas Tech were one touchdown away from going over the total in their game. That resulted in a disappointing 0-3 week, our first of the season. We will certainly do all that we can in order to ensure that there is not a second.

Here is a look at our picks for week 12,

Game: #13 Kansas State @ #23 Texas
Pick: Kansas State +8
Reason: Kansas State is 8-2 on the season, 8-2 against the spread, and they have covered in four of their last five games.  As for the Longhorns, they have covered the spread in only two of their last five games.  The Wildcats have dominated the head-to-head series between these two teams over the past few decades, having won five of the seven meetings and covering the spread all seven times.  Kansas State’s only losses this season have come against Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.  Look for them to at least keep things close against Texas and possibly come away with the road victory.

Game: SMU @ #11 Houston
Pick: Houston -20.5
Reason: Houston is an impressive 10-0 this season and they are 8-2 against the spread.  They have covered the spread in each of their last five games, while SMU has failed to cover the spread in each of their last four games.  The Mustangs have fallen on hard times as of late, losing three of their last four and watching their record drop to 6-4 on the season.  Look for the Cougars to take advantage of a slumping SMU team as they should put up more than enough points to come away with the win and the cover.

Game: #7 Clemson @ North Carolina State
Pick: Clemson -7.5
Reason: The Tigers have had themselves quite the season thus far, having won nine of their ten games and they have already clinched a spot in the ACC title game.  Don’t expect them to let down, as they will want to head into the Conference Championship game on a high note after suffering through disappointing efforts in each of their last two games.  The Tigers have failed to cover the spread in both of those games (a 31-28 win over Wake Forest and a 31-17 loss to Georgia Tech), but they had covered the spread in seven of their eight games before that.   As for NC State, they are a disappointing 3-6-1 ATS this season.  Don’t let the Tigers’ recent troubles worry you.  They are the better team and they should prove that by winning this game by more than a touchdown.

Last Week’s Record: (0-3), 2011 Record: (17-13)

Some sluggish play from the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Alabama’s inability to kick a kick-goal if their life depended on it resulted in two losses for us during week 10.  Luckily Houston was able to come through for us and salvage one victory, leaving us at 1-2 last week and 17-10 on the season.  With only a few more weeks remaining, we are looking to improve our record from a respectable one to an incredible one.

Here are the picks that we believe will help us do just that.

Game: #2 Oklahoma State @ Texas Tech
Pick: Over 78
Reason: Oklahoma State has gone iver in four of their last five games, with the other game resulting in a push.  They are also averaging a 50.1 points per game and 387.6 passing yards per game, both good enough for second in the nation.  They will be up against a Texas tech team that is scoring 36.8 points per game and is allowing 34.2 points against per game.  Texas Tech has also gone over the total in seven of their last eight games.  Both teams have strong passing games and weak defenses.  Look for this contest to turn into a shootout and go over the total.

Game: #7 Oregon @ #4 Stanford
Pick: Stanford -3
Reason: In addition to having one of the best offenses in the nation (48.2 points per game, third in the nation), Stanford also has one of the best defenses (16.6 points against per game, 11th in the nation).  Stanford is also 9-0 straight up and against the spread this season, while Oregon is 5-4 against the spread.  With home-field advantage and a spot in the national championship game on the line, don’t expect Stanford to let this opportunity to slip away.  We expect the to win and cover the spread.

Game: #3 Alabama @ Mississippi State
Pick: Alabama -17.5
Reason: Despite losing to LSU last weekend, Alabama still has a chance to squeak into the National Championship game, as they are ranked third int he nation in the BCS rankings.  They are 8-1 straight-up and 7-2 against the spread this season.  As for Mississippi State, they are 4-5 against the spread this season.  Alabama has covered the spread in the last three meetings between these two teams this season.  Look for them to be fired up after last weeks loss, as they should blow out Mississippi State and cover the spread in the process.

Last Week’s Record: (1-2), 2011 Record: (17-10)

The Bills finally found success in Toronto, but their victory over the Redskins would turn out to be our only win in week 8. As for the losses, those would come courtesy of the Patriots , who were finally solved by the Steelers, and the Bengals, who continue to surprise just about everyone. The 1-2 weekend has moved us to .500 on the season, with a 11-11-2 record.

Here is a look at three games we like for week 9.

Game: San Francisco 49ers @ Washington Redskins
Pick: 49ers -4
Reason: No one seems to be able to run the ball against the 49ers this season, as they have yet to allow a rushing touchdown this season and are yielding only 73.4 yards against per game on the ground.  That is especially bad news for the Washington Redskins, who will likely have to rely on the arm of John Beck to win them this game.  San Francisco is 6-0-1 ATS this season and has already had success on the east coast against the Lions, Bengals and Eagles.  Look for them to continue their impressive run with an easy victory in Washington.

Game: New York Giants @ New England Patriots
Pick: Over 51
Reason: The New England Patriots are incredible at home and that is largely a result of the fact that their defense is almost unstoppable there.  Eight of their last nine home games have gone over the total and they have averaged 28.3 points per game at home this season.  The Giants have gone over in five of their last seven games and they are averaging 24.9 points per game this season.  Both defenses have looked vulnerable.  We expect the high-powered offenses of both teams to expose the weak defenses and put plenty of points on the board in this game.

Game: Cincinnati Bengals @ Tennessee Titans
Pick: Bengals +2.5
Reason: The Bengals have been quite the surprise this season, as few expected them to post a 5-2 record seven games into the season.  They are 6-1 against the spread and have been solid defensively, ranking ninth against the pass, second against the rush, and fourth in scoring defense.  The Titans’ inability to run the ball should make them one-dimensional.  Look for Marvin Lewis and the Bengals defense to take advantage of that, as we expect them to come away with the cover and the impressive road victory.

2011 Record: (11-11-2), Last Week: (1-2)

Week nine did not turn out as we had originally planned, as we were handed our first losing weekend of the season.  Oklahoma State rolled to the easy victory, but neither Clemson nor Kansas State were able to keep their games even remotely close, leaving us with a 1-2 record and dropping our overall record to 16-8.  With all of the winning we had been doing throughout the first eight weeks of the season, I guess it was only a matter of time before we had a bit of a setback, but we are ready to bounce back immediately with our week ten picks

Here they are.

Game: #1 LSU @ #2 Alabama
Pick: Alabama -4.5
Reason: Here it is!  The match-up everyone has been waiting for has finally arrived.  For the first time in history, two SEC teams that are ranked 1 and 2 in the nation will meet prior to the conference championship game.  You’d have a tough time finding a closer match-up than this, which usually means the underdog is a good play, but I can’t help but think otherwise.  Both team’s defenses are just about even and LSU may be better on special teams, but Alabama appears to have two important advantages in this game; their offense and home-field advantage.  While LSU has proven that they can beat ranked teams on the road, they haven’t faced a team as good as the Crimson Tide in front of a crowd like the one they will be confronted with at Bryant-Denny Stadium.  Look for running back Trent Richardson and quarterback AJ McCarron to be the difference as the Roll Tide rolls to the victory and the cover.

Game: #13 Houston @ UAB
Pick: Houston -27.5
Reason: The Houston Cougars are 8-0 this season and have been averaging 453.3 passing yards and 52.3 points per game (both best in the nation) while allowing 24.8 points against.  As for UAB, they are 1-7 on the season and are allowing 35.1 points against per game, while scoring only 14.9 points per game.  Cougars quarterback Case Keenum already has 32 touchdown passes and only three interceptions thus far this season, and on Saturday he will be up against one of the worst defensive units in the nation.  This game has “Houston blowout” written all over it.  Look for them to win big and cover the 27.5-point spread in the process.

Game: Northwestern @ #10 Nebraska
Pick: Nebraska -17
Reason: After an embarrassing loss to the Wisconsin Badgers, the Nebraska Cornhuskers have put together three straight victories, including wins against Ohio State and Michigan State.  Last weeks’ 24-3 victory over the Spartans was their most impressive performance of the season, and they should be able to build off it when they take on a Northwestern team whose defense is currently ranked at the bottom of the Big Ten.  The Cornhuskers’ ground game has been phenomenal, averaging 252.1 rushing yards per game.  Look for them to control the clock and the tempo of this game, as they come away with the easy victory against an over-matched Northwestern team.

Last Week’s Record: (1-2), 2011 Record: (16-8)

The heavy favorites let us down last weekend as the Packers couldn’t cover their 9.5-point spread, while the Baltimore Ravens went on to lose their game straight-up.  Thankfully, Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos were able to mount a miraculous comeback and give us one win on the weekend, leaving us with a 10-9-2 record on the season.

We’ll look to rebound in week 8 with the following picks.

Game: New England Patriots @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Pick: Packers -9.5
Reason: Tom Brady is 6-1 in his career against the Steelers and 4-1 in five career starts at Heinz Field.  The Patriots as a team have won five of their last six trips to Pittsburgh and their spread formations and ability to throw the ball down the field should keep the Steelers defense off-balanced all day long.  Despite a 5-2 record, the Steelers are only 3-4 against the spread this season.  As for the Pats, they are 4-2 ATS and should improve upon that record with a win at Heinz Field on Sunday.

Game: Washington Redskins @ Buffalo Bills
Pick: Bills -4.5
Reason: This game may be playerd at a neutral field, as it is set to take place at the Rogers Center in Toronto, Canada, but a majority of the fans in attendance will undoubtedly be rooting for the Bills.  Buffalo has failed to win in each of their last three visits to Toronto, but this is clearly not the same Bills teams as those who have traveled north of the boarder in the past.  The Redskins are a banged-up team, and their only win in their last four games was an unimpressive 7-point victory over the winless Rams.  Look for a well-rested Bills team to come out of their bye week with an easy victory in front of their Canadian fans.

Game: Cincinnati Bengals @ Seattle Seahawks
Pick: Seahawks +2
Reason: As many of us already know, the Seahawks are a completely different team when playing in front of the hometown fans at CenturyLink Field.  They have covered the spread in both of their home games this season and the crowd certainly will not make things easy for Bengals rookie quarterback Andy Dalton.  The Seahawks have covered or pushed in each of their last four games and they should continue to find success at home as they come away with the win against Cincinnati on Sunday.

Oklahoma State and Clemson both kept their undefeated seasons alive with big wins.  Unfortunately for Wisconsin, they couldn’t do the same as they were handed their first loss of the season by Michigan State.  That would also turn out to be our only loss of the weekend, as our picks in week 8 went 2-1 and bumped our overall record to an impressive 15-6.  We’ll look to continue rolling with our picks in week nine.

Here is a look at what we like.

Game: Baylor @ #3 Oklahoma State
Pick: Oklahoma State -14
Reason: Oklahoma State have been great this season, winning each of their seven games and covering the spread in six of them.  They have been doing most of their damage on offense, as quarterback Brandon Weeden and receiver Justin Blackmon have helped the Cowboys rack up the second most passing yards and points in the nation.  Baylor will have a tough time stopping them on Saturday, as the Cowboys have covered the spread in each of the last five meetings between these two teams.  They should make it six in a row today.

Game: #4 Clemson @ Georgia Tech
Pick: Clemson -3
Reason: Clemson continues to roll, as they are 8-0 on the season and 7-1 against the spread.  They will be up against a Georgia Tech team that has lost its last two games against Virginia and Miami.  The Yellow Jackets have also failed to cover the spread in each of their last four games.  They will be in tough tonight against a Clemson offense that is led by Heisman candidate Tajh Boyd.  Look for the Tigers to remain undefeated, as they come away with the win and the cover on the road.

Game: #9 Oklahoma @ #8 Kansas State
Pick: Kansas State -13
Reason: Oklahoma will be looking to bounce back following last weekend’s loss to Texas Tech, but their will be in tough against a Kansas State team that is 7-0 on the season, 6-1 against the spread, and has beaten the likes of Miami, Baylor, Missouri and Texas Tech.  Look for the Cougars to use their running game, their defense, and home field advantage to keep this game close enough to come away with the cover.

Last Week’s Record: (2-1), 2011 Record: (15-6)

We went with three road favorites ranked in the top ten last week and it couldn’t have worked out any better for us, as LSU, Oklahoma State and Clemson all covered their respective spreads, giving us a perfect 3-0 record for the week.  That bumped our season record to an impressive 13-5 and we see more success in the weeks ahead, beginning with tomorrow’s week eight action.

Here is a look at what we like.

Game: #4 Oklahoma State @ Missouri
Pick: Oklahoma State -7
Reason: Last week we took Oklahoma State at -7 on the road in Texas and it worked out great for us.  Once again we find the Cowboys favored by 7 on the road against a conference foe, and once again we are going to go with them to cover the spread.  Missouri has won all three of their home games thus far this season, but those games were against Miami-Ohio, Western Illinois and Iowa State.  They have never seen anything quite like the potent Oklahoma State offense, which is led by Heisman candidates Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon.  The Cowboys have already found success on the road against Texas A&M and Texas.  We expect them to do the same against Missouri, as they beat them and cover the one-touchdown spread in the process.

Game: North Carolina @ #7 Clemson
Pick: Clemson -10.5
Reason: The Tigers have been playing great for both themselves and the bettors this season.  Not only are they 7-0 straight-up, but they are also 6-1 against the spread.  Clemson has won four of their last five games by more than ten points, and among those big wins are road victories over Virginia Tech and Maryland.  The Tigers have won three games against ranked opponents this season and they should have no problem beating a Tar Heels team that is 1-2 against ACC opponents this season.  Look for Clemson to win big tomorrow.

Game: #6 Wisconsin @ #16 Michigan State
Pick: Wisconsin -7
Reason: Wisconsin has quietly been one of the most impressive teams in the Big 10 and in the entire NCAA thus far this season.  None of their opponents have come within 30 points of them, and while many of those victories have come against below-average opponents, one of those wins was against a No. 8-ranked Nebraska team.  The Spartans defense has been stellar this season, allowing the fourth-fewest points against in the NCAA, but they have yet to face a quarterback like the Badgers’ Russell Wilson.  Look for Wilson to lead his team to the win and the cover.

Last Week’s Record: (3-0), 2011 Record: (13-5)

The Patriots got their revenge on the New York Jets after being beaten by them in the playoffs last season, and a late goal line stand by the Oakland Raiders helped keep their game against the Houston Texans under the total.  That gave us wins in two of our three picks and bumped our record for the season above the .500 mark.  We will look to keep it that way with our week six picks, which feature three favorites.

Here they are.

Game: St. Louis Rams @ Green Bay Packers
Pick: Packers -14
Reason: I usually stay away from large spreads like this one, but it is tough to do so in this case.  The Packers are 4-1 against the spread this season, while the Rams are 0-4 ATS.  Green Bay has one of the league’s most dynamic offenses to go along with a solid defensive unit, while the Rams have been terrible on both sides of the ball this season.  Three of the Rams’ four losses this season have been by more than 10 points, while each of the Packers’ last three victories have been by at least 10 points.  Look for Green Bay to win big and cover the spread in the process.

Game: Dallas Cowboys @ New England Patriots
Pick: Patriots -6
Reason: The Patriots are a tough team to beat at Gillette Stadium, as they have won their last 19 regular season home games.  They are 4-1 ATS this season, while the Cowboys are 1-2-1 ATS this season, and 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven, dating back to last season.  Both teams have potent offenses and question marks on defense.  We expect a shootout to ensue, and that should favor the Pats, who have had plenty of success in those types of games over the past two seasons.

Game: Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears
Pick: Bears -2.5
Reason: The Bears are a disappointing 2-3 on the season, but all three of their losses have come against top teams in the NFC (Lions, Packers and Saints), while their two victories have been against good teams in the Panthers and the Falcons.  Both of the Bears’ wins have come at home, and they should earn another home victory when they take on a Vikings team that has won only one game thus far this season. The Bears have beaten the Bears and covered the spread in their last three meetings, and Chicago is also 9-1 in their last 10 at home against Minnesota.  Look for them to get the win on Sunday night and they shouldn’t have a problem covering the 2.5-point spread in the process.

Last Week’s Record: (2-1), 2011 Record: (7-6-2)

It wasn’t a very good week for us, as Auburn and Arkansas didn’t put up quite as many points as we had initially expected.  As for the Hokies, they were able to come away with a win, but a late surge from the Hurricanes prevented them from covering the spread.  Thankfully, LSU came though for us once again and saved us from going winless in week six.  Now we turn our focus to week seven, as we see three teams ranked within the Top 10 covering their respective point-spreads on the road.

Here they are.

Game: #1 LSU @ Tennessee
Pick: LSU -17
Reason: LSU hasn’t disappointed us thus far this season, and we will continue to ride them this week as they take on a team with a quarterback making his first start of the season for the second time in two weeks.  Last week LSU terrorized Florida freshman Jacoby Brissett, and we expect much of the same when they take on Tennessee’s Matt Simms.  LSU has one of the best defensive units in the nation.  As a result, the Volunteers should have a tough time producing points.  That will make it easy for the Tigers to earn the victory and cover the 17-point spread.

Game: #6 Oklahoma State @ #22 Texas
Pick: Oklahoma State -7
Reason: For the first time this season the Texas Longhorns found themselves up against an elite college offense last week, and they had no answer for it, surrendering 55 points to the Oklahoma Sooners.  Now they will take on an Oklahoma State offense that is just as good, if not better, than the Sooners’ offense.  The Cowboys rank first in the nation in points scored, and second in passing offense.  They have also covered the spread in each of their last four games.  Look for them to make it five covers in a row as they beat the Longhorns by more than a touchdown.

Game: #8 Clemson @ Maryland
Pick: Clemson -8
Reason: Clemson has been a pleasant surprise, although they haven’t been all that pleasant to the other teams in the ACC.  Florida State, Virginia Tech and Boston College have already learned that lesson, and it appears as though Maryland will be next.  The Tigers have covered the spread in each of their last four games, while the Terps have covered in only one of their last four games.  If the Tigers playing on the road has you worried, it shouldn’t.  They were able to go into Lane Stadium two weeks ago and come away with the 23-3 victory over Virginia Tech.  They shouldn’t have a problem doing the same when they visit Byrd Stadium on Saturday.

Last Week’s Record: (1-2), 2011 Record: (10-5)