ROBERT FERRINGO
FRIDAY COLLEGE FOOTBALL SELECTIONS
2-Unit Play. Take #118 Nebraska (+1.5)
over Iowa (3:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 27)
You can count me among those that don’t believe in Iowa. Good team. But it is comical that they are being ranked in the Top 5 in the country. Nebraska has been a major disappointment this season. And they have been comically erratic over the last few years. But here is a chance for Mike Riley and Co. to play spoiler and I think they will be sky high for a chance to expose the Hawkeyes. Nebraska was able to knock off Michigan State in Lincoln this year, and the Spartans actually are one of the best teams in the country. The public is all-in with Iowa in this game, with over 70 percent of the wagers coming down on the highly rated team. But the underdog has won in this series three straight years and is the play here as well.
2-Unit Play. Take #124 Akron (-10.5)
over Kent State (Noon, Friday, Nov. 27)
Akron was a team that came into the year with a lot of hype in the MAC. This was supposed to be one of their best teams in years, but they got off to a really weak start. However, very quietly the Zips have been taking care of business over the last month and have covered three straight and six of eight. They’ve only played two home games since Oct. 4 so they haven’t been able to unload on anyone on their own turf. That’s what I see happening against a weak Kent State squad that is 0-4 ATS in its last four and 1-7 ATS in its last eight. Kent State has only played on the road three times since Sept. 20 and their two losses away from home came by 31 and 27 points. I think Akron can do the same.
1-Unit Play. Take #127 Western Michigan (+8)
over Toledo (Noon, Friday, Nov. 27)
Note: This play is from the KING System.
This line was a little lower than I expected and I thought that was a bit of a red flag. Western Michigan has played back-to-back tough games against Northern Illinois and Bowling Green, two of the best in the MAC. They lost both but I think they can pull the upset in the Glass Bowl. Toledo is in a major letdown spot after their monster win over Bowling Green. And Western Michigan knows it can create plenty of chaos if it wins this game and a couple other things happen to create a four-way tie in the MAC West. This should be a closely played game to the end and I see it being a one-score game either way.
3-Unit Play. Take #132 Arkansas (-14)
over Missouri (2:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 27)
Missouri is done. They are just done with this season and just waiting for it all to end. They have had a crazy last month on campus and football has been secondary to a lot of other issues. The Tigers don’t have a coach, all the assistants have to start looking at other jobs, and the kids just want to get this over with. Arkansas is still a quality team and they play like a sledgehammer. They aren’t going to take it easy on a disinterested and unmotivated Missouri team. The Razorbacks pissed away last week’s game against Mississippi State and lost by one. But they will take out the frustration this week against a clearly inferior foe. Missouri hasn’t played on the road in a month and I think that their bubble is going to burst once they finally leave Columbia. Arkansas is just 6-5 this year and they know they need another impressive win to get themselves into a decent bowl game. The Razorbacks have been awful at home this year. They need to give the boosters something positive to take away from a disappointing season and they will in a game that I think is going to be a rout.
2-Unit Play. Take #135 Tulsa (-7)
over Tulane (8 p.m., Friday, Nov. 27)