Scully’s Week 7 College Football Free Picks
October 11th, 2018
Scully’s Week 7 College Football Free Picks
James Scully is back after splitting last weekend at 2-2 ATS, largely due to NC State blowing a 25-point lead. At 13-10-1 ATS on the season, Scully brings you his Week 7 college football free picks.
*ATS (Against the Spread) / SU (Straight Up) * PK indicates pick *home team in caps
Iowa Hawkeyes -5.0 vs INDIANA HOOSIERS (Saturday 12:00 ET)
Iowa lost six defensive starters, including a pair of All-Americans and future NFL players, and a total of 14 players departed from last season’s two-deep roster. Iowa State lost their starting QB and didn’t move the ball effectively in the week 2 match-up and many thought this was the same defensive unit from years past. But reality has set in the past two weeks as a discombobulated Wisconsin traveled to Iowa City and dropped 28 points on the Hawkeyes in a double-digit win, and Iowa gave up 31 points last week to a putrid Minnesota offense that was held to 13 points the week before in a blowout loss to Maryland. Gophers moved the ball all game despite terrible QB play, with three interceptions and five sacks costing them a chance at winning, and Hawks now travel for the second of back-to-back road games to meet an Indiana (+5) offense at a whole different level. Hoosiers held their own for three quarters at Ohio State last week, scoring five times and trailing the nation’s second-best team by a 35-26 margin entering the final stanza, and it’s easy to appreciate the direction this 4-2 SU team is headed under second-year coach Tom Allen. QB Peyton Ramsey starting to blossom, throwing for 322 yards, three TDs and no interceptions last week, and a pair of his weapons had more than 100 yards receiving. They’ll put up a lot passing yards on a suspect Iowa secondary and Indiana is averaging 163 rushing yards per game. The difference between these offenses is night-and-day, with a pedestrian Iowa attack failing to score more than 17 points in both games against decent teams this year, and the Hawkeyes aren’t as good defensively this year. Indiana capable of winning this game straight-up and we love grabbing more than a FG at home!
Week 7 College Football Free Picks – Bet Indiana +5 over Iowa!
Washington Huskies -3.0 vs OREGON DUCKS (Saturday 3:30 ET)
Washington has the players, with QB Browning, RB Gaskin and WR Fuller, to field one of the best offenses in the nation. And the defensive front seven was projected to be terrific. But we’ve reached the midway point of the season and teams are what they produce on the field. And the Huskies have failed to meet expectations with a 2-4 ATS record. The offense didn’t show up in a 21-16 loss to Auburn and the defense underperformed in close wins over Arizona St. and UCLA. And they now face the #1-ranked NFL QB prospect in Justin Hebert (Alabama’s Tua a true sophomore). Washington has gotten by with a 3-0 Pac-12 record, but this will be a tough road contest against a prolific offensive attack and they’ll be hard-pressed to match points with Oregon (-3). Ducks had a week off to prepare and that’s been the right recipe for their spread attack, posting a 6-0 ATS mark as underdogs following a bye week. And Oregon knows how to play this opponent, going 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings (two SU wins in last four years). Oregon let the Stanford game slip away due to their own mistakes but rebounded nicely with a 42-24 trouncing of California last time out. They’re one of the nation’s top offensive teams, producing 13 pass plays of 30+ yards, and Washington has not been pressuring opposing QBs effectively. Hebert is poised for another big game and an opportunistic Oregon defense (4 interceptions last game) will make enough plays to bolster the home crowd. Love the points and expecting a Ducks victory!
Week 7 College Football Free Picks – Bet Oregon +3 over Washington!
Missouri Tigers +28.0 vs ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (Saturday 7:00 ET)
Missouri able to score points but 1-2 ATS in a pair of games since losing their top WR, Emanuel Hall, to a groin injury. He’ll be out again this weekend and that won’t help QB Lock against a formidable front seven. Missouri 0-3 ATS in last three road games and plays little defense, allowing more than 28 points and nearly 400 yards per game. And they now step up against the best offense in the country. This game promises to get ugly quick. Alabama (-28) 5-0 ATS the week after playing Arkansas and motivated to finish after surrendering 31 against the Hogs, with the opposition scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter for the second straight week. That brought the ire of Nick Saban, who roundly criticized his defense and said there will be personnel changes if things don’t get cleaned up. Saban has not lost four straight ATS in the last decade and the previous three games have all been back-door covers in the second half of blowout wins. QB Tua unstoppable as the best player in the nation and poised for another big display as he marches toward the Heisman; Bama averaging 56 points and 567 yards per game and may be covering this number by halftime! The defense can still shut down high-scoring attacks as they showed in a 62-7 win over Ole Miss earlier this season and Tide remains the clear crème of the crop in college football. Alabama won four SEC games by at least 59 points last year and they’ll get back on track with a complete game that results in an easy cover! Alabama is my favorite pick this Saturday despite the huge number, and I like it even more consider that Missouri's top receiver is out with injury.
Week 7 College Football Free Picks – Bet Alabama -28 over Missouri!
Wisconsin Badgers +8.5 vs MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (Saturday 7:30 ET)
This line drifting up for good reason: Wisconsin doesn’t have the right chemistry this season and appears headed for a drubbing against a surging opponent with revenge in the Big House. Many will point to the offense, which has clearly struggled at times, but Badgers’ defense the main culprit. They’re not close to being the same defensive presence this year, allowing punchless offenses to move the ball on them while being a solid favorite in every game, and their ineptitude places the offense in a difficult position. it was an embarrassing display last week as Nebraska’s maligned QB threw for 384 yards and no interceptions and Huskers gained 111 yards rushing. Of course, Nebraska shot themselves in the foot with 100+ penalty yards and multiple turnovers, but they still gained 518 yards and Wisconsin hasn’t played a team this season that can stay within three TDs of Michigan (-8.5). Wolverines seeking a pound of flesh after being embarrassed in a non-competitive 24-10 loss to Wisconsin late last year. They have the top-ranked defense in the country by yards allowed (230 per game) and are 11th in points allowed (15 per game). Badgers will struggle to move the ball all game and Michigan’s offense hitting its best stride, with RB Higdon recording 100+ rushing yards the last three weeks and QB Patterson displaying excellent accuracy, completing nearly 70% passes this year with 10 TDs and three interceptions. Michigan has a clear edge on both sides of the ball this year and is 5-1 ATS in last six home games. Wisconsin has fared well as a road dog and against Michigan in recent years, but this is a down season for the Badgers and those trends won’t have any bearing on this outcome. Michigan still restoring their reputation after an ugly opening-season loss to Notre Dame and has the personnel to make a statement Saturday. We’ll lay the points in a double-digit win!
Week 7 College Football Free Picks – Bet Michigan -8.5 over Wisconsin!
*ATS (Against the Spread) / SU (Straight Up) * PK indicates pick *home team in caps
Iowa Hawkeyes -5.0 vs INDIANA HOOSIERS (Saturday 12:00 ET)
Iowa lost six defensive starters, including a pair of All-Americans and future NFL players, and a total of 14 players departed from last season’s two-deep roster. Iowa State lost their starting QB and didn’t move the ball effectively in the week 2 match-up and many thought this was the same defensive unit from years past. But reality has set in the past two weeks as a discombobulated Wisconsin traveled to Iowa City and dropped 28 points on the Hawkeyes in a double-digit win, and Iowa gave up 31 points last week to a putrid Minnesota offense that was held to 13 points the week before in a blowout loss to Maryland. Gophers moved the ball all game despite terrible QB play, with three interceptions and five sacks costing them a chance at winning, and Hawks now travel for the second of back-to-back road games to meet an Indiana (+5) offense at a whole different level. Hoosiers held their own for three quarters at Ohio State last week, scoring five times and trailing the nation’s second-best team by a 35-26 margin entering the final stanza, and it’s easy to appreciate the direction this 4-2 SU team is headed under second-year coach Tom Allen. QB Peyton Ramsey starting to blossom, throwing for 322 yards, three TDs and no interceptions last week, and a pair of his weapons had more than 100 yards receiving. They’ll put up a lot passing yards on a suspect Iowa secondary and Indiana is averaging 163 rushing yards per game. The difference between these offenses is night-and-day, with a pedestrian Iowa attack failing to score more than 17 points in both games against decent teams this year, and the Hawkeyes aren’t as good defensively this year. Indiana capable of winning this game straight-up and we love grabbing more than a FG at home!
Week 7 College Football Free Picks – Bet Indiana +5 over Iowa!
Washington Huskies -3.0 vs OREGON DUCKS (Saturday 3:30 ET)
Washington has the players, with QB Browning, RB Gaskin and WR Fuller, to field one of the best offenses in the nation. And the defensive front seven was projected to be terrific. But we’ve reached the midway point of the season and teams are what they produce on the field. And the Huskies have failed to meet expectations with a 2-4 ATS record. The offense didn’t show up in a 21-16 loss to Auburn and the defense underperformed in close wins over Arizona St. and UCLA. And they now face the #1-ranked NFL QB prospect in Justin Hebert (Alabama’s Tua a true sophomore). Washington has gotten by with a 3-0 Pac-12 record, but this will be a tough road contest against a prolific offensive attack and they’ll be hard-pressed to match points with Oregon (-3). Ducks had a week off to prepare and that’s been the right recipe for their spread attack, posting a 6-0 ATS mark as underdogs following a bye week. And Oregon knows how to play this opponent, going 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings (two SU wins in last four years). Oregon let the Stanford game slip away due to their own mistakes but rebounded nicely with a 42-24 trouncing of California last time out. They’re one of the nation’s top offensive teams, producing 13 pass plays of 30+ yards, and Washington has not been pressuring opposing QBs effectively. Hebert is poised for another big game and an opportunistic Oregon defense (4 interceptions last game) will make enough plays to bolster the home crowd. Love the points and expecting a Ducks victory!
Week 7 College Football Free Picks – Bet Oregon +3 over Washington!
Missouri Tigers +28.0 vs ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (Saturday 7:00 ET)
Missouri able to score points but 1-2 ATS in a pair of games since losing their top WR, Emanuel Hall, to a groin injury. He’ll be out again this weekend and that won’t help QB Lock against a formidable front seven. Missouri 0-3 ATS in last three road games and plays little defense, allowing more than 28 points and nearly 400 yards per game. And they now step up against the best offense in the country. This game promises to get ugly quick. Alabama (-28) 5-0 ATS the week after playing Arkansas and motivated to finish after surrendering 31 against the Hogs, with the opposition scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter for the second straight week. That brought the ire of Nick Saban, who roundly criticized his defense and said there will be personnel changes if things don’t get cleaned up. Saban has not lost four straight ATS in the last decade and the previous three games have all been back-door covers in the second half of blowout wins. QB Tua unstoppable as the best player in the nation and poised for another big display as he marches toward the Heisman; Bama averaging 56 points and 567 yards per game and may be covering this number by halftime! The defense can still shut down high-scoring attacks as they showed in a 62-7 win over Ole Miss earlier this season and Tide remains the clear crème of the crop in college football. Alabama won four SEC games by at least 59 points last year and they’ll get back on track with a complete game that results in an easy cover! Alabama is my favorite pick this Saturday despite the huge number, and I like it even more consider that Missouri's top receiver is out with injury.
Week 7 College Football Free Picks – Bet Alabama -28 over Missouri!
Wisconsin Badgers +8.5 vs MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (Saturday 7:30 ET)
This line drifting up for good reason: Wisconsin doesn’t have the right chemistry this season and appears headed for a drubbing against a surging opponent with revenge in the Big House. Many will point to the offense, which has clearly struggled at times, but Badgers’ defense the main culprit. They’re not close to being the same defensive presence this year, allowing punchless offenses to move the ball on them while being a solid favorite in every game, and their ineptitude places the offense in a difficult position. it was an embarrassing display last week as Nebraska’s maligned QB threw for 384 yards and no interceptions and Huskers gained 111 yards rushing. Of course, Nebraska shot themselves in the foot with 100+ penalty yards and multiple turnovers, but they still gained 518 yards and Wisconsin hasn’t played a team this season that can stay within three TDs of Michigan (-8.5). Wolverines seeking a pound of flesh after being embarrassed in a non-competitive 24-10 loss to Wisconsin late last year. They have the top-ranked defense in the country by yards allowed (230 per game) and are 11th in points allowed (15 per game). Badgers will struggle to move the ball all game and Michigan’s offense hitting its best stride, with RB Higdon recording 100+ rushing yards the last three weeks and QB Patterson displaying excellent accuracy, completing nearly 70% passes this year with 10 TDs and three interceptions. Michigan has a clear edge on both sides of the ball this year and is 5-1 ATS in last six home games. Wisconsin has fared well as a road dog and against Michigan in recent years, but this is a down season for the Badgers and those trends won’t have any bearing on this outcome. Michigan still restoring their reputation after an ugly opening-season loss to Notre Dame and has the personnel to make a statement Saturday. We’ll lay the points in a double-digit win!
Week 7 College Football Free Picks – Bet Michigan -8.5 over Wisconsin!
James Scully is a professional handicapper who hails from the great state of Ohio. You can follow him on Twitter @JamesScully.
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