Articles on CappersPicks.com are written by Q (the Head Honcho) at Cappers Picks or by our resident "in house" handicapper Razor Ray Monohan! Enjoy the free picks folks! "Pad that bankroll one day at a time!"
The Wisconsin Badgers are currently ranked No. 25 entering their matchup with the Illinois Fighting Illini. Wisconsin is coming off of a 35-6 beatdown of the then-No. 19 Northwestern Wildcats, while Illinois is dealing with a 39-19 loss to Nebraska in its rearview mirror.
The Red River Rivalry. An annual game that splits the stadium down the center into two categories: Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns. Entering this year’s battle between the two rivals, the game lacks the luster of the past, as Texas is a 14-point underdog.
The Oregon State Beavers and the Washington State Cougars are set to face off in a battle of two teams who have incredibly potent passing attacks.
These two squads combine for 780.3 yards per contest through the air, which should create a ton of excitement for fans. Both of these teams have surprised a number of people in 2013, and a good one could be in store for Week 7.
Oregon State (4-1, 2-0 Pac-12) @ Washington St. (4-2, 2-1 Pac-12)
Saturday, Oct. 12 10:30 PM ET @ Martin Stadium
Moneyline: N/A
Spread: Washington St. -1.5
O/U: 63
[dfads params=’groups=63740&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
ATS Matchup Stats | Betting Insight!
Check out our in-house Handicapper!!! Buy Razor Ray’s COLLEGE FOOTBALL Picks!
The Beavers may have lost their first game of the year to an FCS opponent, but they’ve redeemed themselves nicely, going 4-0 in their four games since. Now they’re up against a team that will fight fire with fire when it comes to the passing attack.
Washington State is ninth in the country in yards per contest. It throws the ball for 359.7 yards per game, and it is scoring 30.8 points per contest as a result. If you’re the Beavers, getting pressure on Connor Halliday is going to be crucial. The quarterback has thrown for 13 touchdowns on the year, but he’s far from perfect, as he’s tallied 11 interceptions as well.
Offensively, Oregon State has to continue doing what it’s been doing. It is second in the country in passing, as it has thrown for 420.6 yards per game, and it is scoring 41.6 points per contest—a much better number than it put up most of last season. Unfortunately, defense has been a problem, as the Beavers are giving up 31.6 points each outing.
Washington State needs to stick to what it has done well thus far. Against a struggling defense, there’s no need to try and get fancy by running the ball. The Cougars are throwing for 359.7 yards per contest, compared to just 58.7 yards on the ground. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Washington State has to take care of the football. Oregon State hasn’t been the dominant defensive force it was a year ago, but it still has veteran players who know how to take advantage of given opportunities. Holliday has to be smart and not rush things if the passing game is going to be effective.
The bad news is that Oregon State is coming off of a bye week and it appears to be healthy. The Beavers have been banged up all season, and now Washington State draws the short straw when it comes to taking on a unit at full strength.
The good news for both teams is that they have winning records. That’s the first time we can say that in this matchup since 2003.
The bad news is that one team has to lose, and while Washington State is a 1.5-point favorite, it is far from a long shot.
This one should be a lengthy, entertaining battle between two pass-happy teams. Oregon State and Washington State will put on quite a show, but don’t be shocked if it’s the Beavers sneaking away with the upset win when it’s all said and done.
They have two of the best players on the field between Sean Mannion and Brandin Cooks, and that tandem should do some serious damage in Pullman this weekend.
Score Prediction: Oklahoma 41 – Texas 24
The Stanford Cardinal may be the No. 5 team in the country, but they’re coming off a big-time scare against the University of Washington last weekend. The Huskies played them until the very end, and the Cardinal were barely able to escape with a three-point win.
The UNLV Rebels and the Hawaii Warriors are set to face off Saturday night, and while last year’s contest was one-sided in favor of Hawaii, the script might be flipped in 2013. The Warriors are 0-5 up to this point in the season. UNLV, on the other hand, has won its last three games despite losing its first two.
For the first time in school history, the University of Washington will be the site of ESPN’s College Gameday, and for good reason. The No. 16 Washington Huskies are slated to host the No. 2 Oregon Ducks in a matchup of bitter Pac-12 rivals.
The Arizona State Sun Devils are coming off of a tough three-point loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, while the Colorado Buffaloes were completely blown out by the No. 2 Oregon Ducks in Week 6. Both teams are looking to prove they’re better than their most recent showings, and both will look to bounce back against one another on Saturday.
The Detroit Lions made a little history a couple weeks ago when they snapped a 21-game losing streak in Washington. Now Jim Schwartz’s team looks to snap another losing streak when they travel to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers.
Many will be surprised to see these teams meet with a combined record of 7-1, but the Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs have been playing great football, and one will take a huge step towards a playoff berth with a win in this matchup.
The Jacksonville Jaguars will travel to the Edward Jones Dome on Sunday to take on the St. Louis Rams in a matchup between teams that can’t be happy with their starts to the year, combining for just a single win between them.
The Patriots head to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals in what is sure to be a display of both power offenses. While both teams are improving their defenses slowly but surely, the juggernaut offenses still reign supreme.
Last week, the New Orleans Saints kept their undefeated season alive after beating then-also-unbeaten Miami in a showdown in the Big Easy. This week, they head to Chicago where the Bears are licking their chops after dropping their first game of the year last week.
The West Virginia Mountaineers are coming off of a huge upset victory against the Oklahoma State Cowboys, and they have all of the confidence and momentum in the world as a result. Unfortunately for them, the No. 17 Baylor Bears are hoping to rain on their parade.
The No. 2 Oregon Ducks are set to hit the road for the first time since Week 2 when they take on the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. Their last opponent away from Autzen Stadium was Virginia when they took down the Cavaliers 59-10. If Colorado wants to avoid a similar fate, it better bring its A Game.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys were caught by surprise last week when they fell to the unranked West Virginia Mountaineers 30-21 on the road. WVU took out its frustration on the Cowboys following its 37-0 loss the week before, and now OSU will look to do the same to Kansas State.
In the Pac-12, Wild Wild West is a reality. With Sonny Dykes and Mike Leach at the helm, you know these teams are capable of putting on a western style shootout that will surely keep the scoreboard operators busy.
