Saturday, September 14, 2024 Alabama vs. Wisconsin (NCAAF) - 12:00 PM EDT Premium Pick Pick: Point Spread: +16/-110 Wisconsin Rating: 8* Mike's Saturday CFB Public Missed Perception Play (LOSS) -2,120 Jon Q. Public is feeding on the Crimson Tide (post-Saban) being definitely a legitimate Top-10 CFB team under new HC Kalen DeBoer this season. However, this venue in Madison is not you're typical cup-of-tea waltz for their awaiting visitors. The last 5 seasons @ home, these same Badgers have beaten the likes of Michigan (35-14) & Iowa (24-22) while having a near miss loss to Penn State (16-10). Alabama is entering unchartered waters as this represents their 1st Big Ten road game in 13 seasons as well as their 5th true non-conference traveler in 17 years! They'll take on a Luke Fickell-coached squad that more than showed up in their 35-31 loss to LSU in last season's ReliaQuest Bowl. The important things that stand out that we must recognize are Bama's 0-5 spread mark their last 5 road openers. Crunching the numbers a little deeper finds Wisky is the perfect storm for us when installed as 19 or less underdog AFTER a non-conference win. In this given situation, they chime in with an 8-0 spread mark. I feel Fickell is a prime motivator who gets his teams to over-achieve. Remember, he's the ONLY HC to lead a Group of 5 team to the CFP. I DON'T think he'll miss the opportunity in arguably the biggest staged game in Madison in years. My bottom line says value SCREAMS on the Badgers' side since summer odds had this line around a TD. Now, it's been adjusted by more than a TD from the opener? But are they equipped for the task? The answer is YES with a re-vamped ground game that features senior tailback Chez Mellusi (in his 6th year of eligibility) who has over 2,000 career rushing yards & Oklahoma transfer Tawee Walker whose gained 5 YPR. Under center, they also upgraded by bringing in QB Tyler Van Dyke from Miami of Florida. On defense, Fickell brought in Arkansas transfer LB Jaheim Thomas who was also on that 4th-seeded Cincinnati Bearcats team that made the CFB playoffs in 21'. For this one, Wisconsin's tempo is quick (ranked 15th in pace @ 75 offensive plays per game) which should give them added scoring opportunities here. Let's go Camp Randall Stadium in Madison to play the WISCONSIN BADGERS (buying to + 21 1/2 @ -265) for 8 Stars as my Saturday CFB Public Missed Perception Play! Oregon vs. Oregon State (NCAAF) - 3:30 PM EDT Premium Pick Pick: Point Spread: +17/-110 Oregon State Rating: 8* Mike's CFB Rivalry Game of the Week (LOSS) -2,160 Some still call this the Civil War ( a name they actually agreed upon removing a few year's back & still are searching for a new name) but nevertheless remains the battle for the state of Oregon. Will we be seeing the high-powered Ducks ring up the cash register of points here OR will there be another close-call kind of game? I'm picking the latter here as the last 4 trips to Corvallis for the intrastate Ducks have ended in 3 defeats that include 38-34 & 41-38 losses the last 2. While it appears a disaster waiting to happen for this PAC-2 conference entry (but PAC-6 in 2 years by adding Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State & San Diego State), the homework is telling me otherwise. Yes, they lost their HC, 2 QB's & RB to the omni-present transfer portal. However, new HC Trent Bray acquired UCLA QB Coach & former OSU QB Ryan Gunderson as OC, who coached to brilliance now Cleveland Browns' backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Gunderson is now developing Idaho transfer Gevani McCoy. McCoy (Jerry Rice Award winner) is a dual threat signal-caller who led the Vandals to back-to-back FCS playoff appearances. Like Oregon, the Beavers are 2-0 SU & should have an excellent ground game with RB's Jam Griffin (returned from the portal from Ole Miss) & Anthony Hankerson who combined for 475 rushing yards @ over 6 YPR thus far for the nation's 5th-ranked rushing team. My bottom line points directly @ Ducks' QB Dillon Gabriel who gave the OSU bulletin board material by making derogatory comments about the Beavers' traditional failures this week. With crunching the numbers showing Oregon State 5 straight covers @ Game 3 dogs & the Ducks 2-5 ATS before UCLA, we're more than happy to go to Reser Stadium in Corvallis to play the OREGON STATE BEAVERS (buying to + 21 1/2 @ - 270) as my 8 Star CFB Rivalry Game of the Week! Mike Handzelek's 2024-25 CFB Overall Record: 5-3 for 63% Mike's Overall Net Units: -1,520