We're doing the college football preview one day early because one of my picks for the weekend involves a Friday night game that has major BCS implications. For teams with national championship aspirations, they only have a couple of chances left to make an impression on pollsters with big performances, so we could see some lopsided scores.
We may not get any changes to the order of the BCS after this week's games, but I'm really looking forward to next week when a lot of important games are scheduled for the US Thanksgiving weekend. Alright, let's get to the picks.
Fresno State Bulldogs (+30) vs. Boise State Broncos
It's unfortunate that the college football system of awarding a national championship is so flawed and the team that might get hurt the most is Boise State. They could easily go undefeated and still be passed up for the national championship because Oregon and Auburn are both undefeated as well.
Before they can think about an undefeated season, they have to get past Fresno State tonight in what is traditionally a tough WAC matchup. Kellen Moore has lit up opposing pass defences for Boise State this year, but Fresno State may offer more resistance as they've given up less than 200 yards passing a game. Fresno State is also coming off a 1-point loss to ranked Nevada last week. If the Bulldogs win, it would be a major upset, but don't be surprised if they keep the game close.
Wisconsin Badgers (-4.5) vs. Michigan Wolverines
Wisconsin seems to come up on this list every week, but they're really a bettor's dream because they are consistent in their plan to run the football, but they're consistent at getting the job done as well. You know what you're going to get when you decide to invest in the Badgers.
Wisconsin is coming off an 83 point performance against Indiana last week thanks to 338 yards rushing. Even though the Wolverines are 7-3 on the year, Michigan might be tailor-made for Wisconsin since they've given up an average of 183 yards rushing against Big Ten opponents.
Ohio State Buckeyes (-3) vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Every single year, the Buckeyes are in a position where they need big wins late in the year in order to keep their BCS position. This week is no different as they take on the 21st ranked Hawkeyes. As opposed to past years where they may have sown up the title already, it's so important for the Buckeyes to win out the rest of the year because they are tied with Michigan State and Wisconsin for the lead in the race for the Big Ten title.
I think it's just comes down to overall talent on the field. Ohio State is always near the top of the country in recruiting and can always attract the top players. Iowa may be able to work hard and be well-coached, but I just don't think it will be enough against a team that's built to win national championships, not just conference ones.