Ohio State Buckeyes

CFP Rankings: Picking the Spread of Games Involving Top 10 Teams

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Apr 16, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) runs for a gain during the first quarter of the Spring Game at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Picking games involving Top 10 teams in the CFP rankings.

I am glad they have finally came out with the CFP rankings. The last two weeks that I picked games involving the AP Top 10 teams were terrible. I had a pretty nice season going until I went 3-7 in those two weeks.

I didn’t make any picks last week and I am glad I didn’t. Man there were a bunch of upsets and close games. I don’t know if I would have picked any of them correctly.

Hopefully with the CFP rankings that are now out, I will improve my 25-22 record for the season. If any of the following games were played Thursday or will be played tonight, I’m not cheating just not paying attention.

I still think real football powers should play on Saturdays unless it’s a postseason game. That’s why I am so disappointed that the Big Ten, and my Buckeyes, agreed to start playing Friday night games beginning in 2018.

Ohio state AD Gene Smith should know better. High School football in Ohio is HUGE and the young boys should have Friday nights as their own.

Well that’s my rant for this week, now on to my picks sure to go wrong.

Odds are from a cbssports.com:

#1 Alabama by 7.5 over LSU

Alabama is playing the best football of any team in the country. Their defense could possibly outscore LSU themselves. Easy victory for the Crimson Tide?

I’m not so sure. Running back Leonard Fournette is gaining steam and is a big play waiting to happen every time he touches the football. Also, LSU usually plays Alabama tough at home.

For that reason, I will anticipate a close game decided by a touchdown or less. I will take LSU and the points.

#2 Clemson by 26.5 over Syracuse

Will the real Clemson Tigers please show up? Will this be the team that has won five games by a touchdown or less and looks overrated? Or the team that won by 46 points or more like they did in two of their other three wins.

I thought the Tigers were the favorites to win the National championship at the beginning of the season but they haven’t played like it. I have lost whenever I picked them to cover the spread this season I think. Possibly every time I said they wouldn’t as well.

So expect Clemson to win big because I am taking Syracuse and the points.

#3 Michigan by 30.5 over Maryland

I hate to write this, but Michigan is right there with Alabama playing dominant football. Possibly even more so than the Crimson Tide.

Coach Durbin knows the Wolverine defense better than anyone but it doesn’t matter. He doesn’t have the players to do anything about it. I don’t think Maryland can hold Michigan’s offense down either.

Michigan wins big and covers.

#4 Texas A&M by 13.5 over Mississippi State

Funniest thing I heard last week was when I heard why Texas A&M should be ranked above Ohio State in the CFP rankings. He said the Aggies played the Crimson Tide to the very end, until the middle of the third quarter. Then they lost by 19.

So, how do you pick between an overrated team who shouldn’t be this high in the CFP rankings and and average conference foe playing at home? I will take the home team when the spread is this high.

I’ll take Mississippi State and the points.

#5 Washington by 16.5 over California

Washington is coming off a tough road win over Utah so there could be a hangover early on. The Huskies have been playing very good football this season and I think they have too much firepower for the Bears.

The game may be close for a couple of quarters but I see Washington pulling away in the second half and covering the spread.

#6 Ohio State by 17.5 over Nebraska

I think Nebraska drew the short straw having to play Ohio State at this time. The Buckeyes are taking a ton of heat for their offensive play of late and now they are going to get to play a home game at night. If the Buckeyes are going to explode on offense in any game the remainder of the season, it could be in this one.

Nebraska is coming off a tough loss to Wisconsin as well. Some might say The Badgers are too highly ranked by the CFP committee but nobody can deny they are one of the most physical teams in the nation, so the Cornhuskers will probably still be feeling the effects of last weeks game. Nebraska’s offensive line is banged up as well.

Just bad timing for a very good team. I have the Buckeyes covering the spread.

#7 Louisville by 24.5 over Boston College

I don’t see Louisville playing a close game again like they did last week against Virginia. If the Cardinal wide receivers could have caught the football early in that game, it wouldn’t have been close enough for Lamar Jackson to have a Heisman moment late in the game.

Even Clemson dropped 50 against Boston College so Louisville may put up 70. I will take the Cardinals and give the points.

#8 Wisconsin by 6.5 over Northwestern

Really good match-up here. Wisconsin is playing very well and Northwestern is better than their record shows. Wisconsin has one of the best defenses in the country but the Wildcats have the best passing combo in the Big Ten.

Wisconsin is a little banged up and Northwestern is playing at home. I can’t even decide who I think will win so I have to take the Wildcats and the points in this game.