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She went 4-5 against the spread last week to improve two games over .500 for the season against the number. The good: Another special upset with Clemson’s win over Notre Dame. The bad: Picking USC to lose by just two to Washington. The Ugly: Picking LSU to beat Alabama.
Here are this week’s guesses.
Check out Stuart Mandel’s picks.
(All point spreads come from BetMGM, click here For live odds, all kickoff times are in Eastern Time.)
No. 3 Michigan (-4.5) at No. 10 Penn State, noon (Fox)
This will be a tough place for the Wolverines to play, but JJ McCarthy (21 TDs, four INTs shy of Ann Arbor since the start of 2022) and Michigan have plenty of experience on the road. I think they’ll be able to handle the environment as well as all the drama going on around their show.
Michigan 28, Penn State 20
Pickaxe: Michigan -4.5
No. 8 Alabama (-10.5) at Kentucky, noon (ESPN)
The Cats snapped a three-game losing skid by beating Mississippi State on the road. Obviously, Alabama is a different animal, especially the way Jalen Milroe is playing. UK’s offensive line has been solid, and I think this group will hold up well enough to keep this group close heading into the fourth quarter.
Alabama 31, Kentucky 24
Pickaxe: Kentucky +10.5
No. 13 Tennessee (-1.5) at No. 14 Missouri, 3:30 p.m. (CBS)
Eli Drinkwitz’s team was bombed by the Vols last year (66-24), just as they were at Kansas State (40-12). The Tigers got revenge on the Cats earlier this season, and I think they’ll get some payback in Tennessee this week.
Missouri 27, Tennessee 24
Pickaxe: Missouri +1.5
No. 18 Utah at No. 5 Washington (-9.5), 3:30 p.m. (Fox)
The Utes defense is really salty at home. Off the bat, it’s been a different story, and the Huskies have the kind of offensive lineman and passing offense with Michael Penix Jr. (just 13 sacks allowed in last 22 games) that I expect will be fine this weekend in Seattle.
Washington 34, Utah 20
Pickaxe: Washington -9.5
Miami at No. 4 Florida State (-14.5), 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
Kane’s offense has been stuttering since the hot start in the first month of the season, and this will be a tough ride. They have a talented line, but I don’t see them playing mistake-free football against a team with the best offense they’ve seen yet.
Florida State 34, Miami 17
Pickaxe: Florida State -14.5
West Virginia at No. 17 Oklahoma (-12.5), 7 p.m. (Fox)
Neil Brown has got the Mountaineers rolling again, and their running game has been strengthened in the past month. But I don’t think they’d be bothered by a team with veteran leadership good enough to keep the Sooners from freefalling.
Oklahoma 27, West Virginia 23
Pickaxe: West Virginia +12.5
No. 9 Ole Miss at No. 2 Georgia (-10.5), 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Can Lane Kiffin’s team handle its biggest test? The Rebels are good, but the Dodges are physically tough. Unless quarterback Jackson Dart can play the best game of his career, I don’t see Ole Miss winning in Athens in a game Georgia will be prepared for.
Georgia 38, Ole Miss 23
Pickaxe: Georgia -10.5
Florida at No. 19 LSU (-14), 7:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
The Gators have been better than expected while the Tigers have been worse. But I still have a lot more confidence in LSU’s talent than Florida, especially in a game in Baton Rouge.
LSU 37, FL 20
Pickaxe: LSU-14
No. 7 Texas (-10) at TCU, 7:30 p.m. (ABC)
Quinn Ewers is back and the Horns should be very talented for a TCU team that has lost four of its last five games.
TX 34, TCU 14
Pickaxe: Texas -10
USC at No. 6 Oregon (-15.5), 10:30 p.m. (Fox)
Even with a new defensive player, the Trojans don’t have the personnel to keep up with the Ducks the way QB Bo Nix is playing.
Oregon 49, USC 31
Pickaxe: Oregon State -15.5
Tulsa at No. 23 Tulane (-23.5), noon (Fox)
The Green Wave are Class AAC while Tulsa has lost four straight games — two of which were blowouts and the last, a heartbreaker in overtime against Charlotte after leading by 17 points at one point.
Tulane 52, Tulsa 17
Pickaxe: Tulane -23.5
Feldman’s own disorder
Maryland (-2.5) at Nebraska, noon (Peacock)
Even though the Huskers took a bad loss at Michigan State, their defense was really solid, and I’ll take a hunch that they can get a bowl qualifier at home against a struggling team.
Nebraska 23, Maryland 20
Pickaxe: Nebraska +2.5
(Photo by JJ McCarthy and Jim Harbaugh: Gregory Shamos/Getty Images)
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