Straight Outta Crompton

ALABAMA -14 v. Tennessee

Nick Saban will not hesitate to run it up in an effort to put presumptuous pip-squeak Lane Kiffin back in his place. UT had last week off, but rather than prepare for the Tide, Kiffin and Odjeron were flying around in a helicopter trying to impress high school kids.

Georgia’s defense made Crompton look like P Manning in UT’s last game, but the Vols are in for a rude awakening against the Tide. If Tennessee attempts to run the same play-action bootleg twenty times in the first half Bama will knock Crompton right out of the game. I expect the Tide defense and special teams to score two TDs and hold UT to ten or less points. Even with McElroy struggling, Ingram and the Bama run game can put up at least ten points. Spread covered.

MIAMI -4.5 v. Clemson

Regular readers of this column know how Sir Pix-a-lot feels about Clemson – they stink and have delusions of grandeur. Vegas is giving Clemson way too much credit for a home win over Wake Forest last week coming off their bye. Miami pounded Georgia Tech by 16 in their last ACC home game and Tech is a much better team than Clemson.

Clemson is 0-2 on the road this season, including a loss to lowly Maryland. Miami has a far superior team and is playing for an ACC Championship game bid, I don’t think they are going to let Clemson trip them up at home. Plus, this is just the kind of big game that the Tigers always lose. Miami wins going away.

OREGON STATE +21 @ Southern California

The Beavers have given the Trojans fits lately, winning two of the last three. Clearly Vegas thinks that USC will be out for revenge and run it up at home in this one. I don’t buy it – partly because USC does not look that special this year and also because the Beavers have a lot of confidence going against them. Many of Oregon State’s best players are guys from California that were not recruited by USC and they have this game circled. Last year the Trojans could not come close to stopping Quizz from running it on them. The Beavers also have shown a pattern of getting better as the season goes on – I predict that the spread is never in question in this one and USC has to fight hard for the win.

SOUTH FLORIDA +7 @ Pittsburg

The Bulls were not ready to match up with Cincy but they are still a strong team, especially on defense where they are led by NFL quality ends Selvie and Pierre-Paul. South Florida is not afraid of traveling to Heinz Field, where they have won two of the last three at Pitt. Pitt is a solid team and freshman RB Dion Lewis is off to a great start, but the Bulls have their own freshman star in QB Daniels, who has shown great mobility and playmaking ability. South Florida already has a win at FSU this year; I’m not sure if they will pull another road upset but I like the points in this even matchup.