Week 10 Games of the Week and FBS/FCS Picks

After a lackluster week 9 as far as huge FBS matchups were concerned, we have the opportunity to get November started with a bang, as for the first time this season, we are starting to get loaded up with marquee matchups in larger quantities. Of course, the biggest tilts are in the Big 12 and AAC, where the top teams have yet to take each other on until now, so let the fireworks fly as we head into the stretch run of the 2015 season.

Games of the Week

FBS

PRS #3 TCU at PRS #5 Oklahoma State

It’s no secret that the Big 12 has been over inflated due to having three teams unbeaten this season. 60% of this conference is barely average or terrible this fall, and one of those unbeaten is guaranteed to fall when these two teams clash in Stillwater this weekend. The way the Oklahoma State defense stumbled and bumbled in giving up 53 points to Texas Tech last week, I don’t see how this unit can stop TCU this week. The Frogs have a legit Heisman contender in Trevone Boykin, and the rest of the offense has been unstoppable.
Pick: TCU…Nobody has fully bought in on OSU all season, and you may see why this week.

PRS #32 Navy at PRS #4 Memphis

There are four teams in the AAC that have yet to lose a conference game, and these are two of them. Navy has lost a game this season (Notre Dame), but Memphis remains unbeaten overall, but despite that, this should be a dog fight. Navy may be the underdog here, as Memphis can move the ball at will, but what will be key is what the Tigers defense does with the option attack.
Pick: Memphis…Memphis is just too much fire, and the Middies cannot keep up the offensive tempo.

PRS #18 Florida State at PRS #8 Clemson

The annual war will bring a likely divisional winner about here, as there are no other teams within reach of these two in the Atlantic Division. DeShawn Watson is finally starting to look like a star for the Tigers, while the Seminoles have a QB controversy after what Sean Maguire did against Syracuse. Neither team is as good as they can be at this point, but the Tigers may be just good enough to take this one.
Pick: Clemson…They just have more overall talent right now, but the defense has to be A game quality.

PRS #11 LSU at PRS #14 Alabama

Ole Miss still has something to say about who wins the SEC West, but the winner here will likely beat out the Rebels when all is said and done. These two teams are the meat of the West despite the Rebels having beaten Alabama already being an issue for the Tide. If Alabama wins this game, and LSU beats Ole Miss, the division belongs to the Tide. Alabama is in must win territory, and LSU can still afford a loss. That being said, LSU is playing some of their best football, and although they are not perfect, they represent a strong chance of winning this road trip.
Pick: Alabama…the Tide defense may be key in this one, and Alabama is just more desperate in this situation.

PRS #35 Duke at PRS #28 North Carolina

Pitt is still in the mix in the Coastal Division, but the winner between North Carolina and Duke would be the likely representative to play Clemson or Florida State in the ACC title game. Duke should be in the driver’s seat, but a horrible officiating crew, and a ridiculous hesitation to reverse the results of the loss to Miami, has Duke with their backs against the ropes. How Duke reacts to that overt robbery last week will go a long way in determining the winner here. North Carolina has been unstoppable, and has already beaten Pitt, but a loss here would hand all of the cards over Duke. Everyone has something to play for here.
Pick: North Carolina…Duke’s defense may be the best that UNC has played this season, but UNC has more firepower.

Arkansas State at PRS #22 Appalachian State

Whichever of these teams wins this week will hold all the cards in deciding the winner of the Sun Belt title this season. Arkansas State has been heating up after a slow start, and App State may have been looking past Troy last week to this game just a bit and barely got away with a win. Ark State did the same and let Georgia State hang around before Freddi Knighton took over. This will likely be a war, with the victor being likely SBC champs.

FCS

PRS #2 Jacksonville State at PRS #29 Eastern Illinois

The final two unbeaten teams in Ohio Valley Conference meet up this week, and if Jacksonville State wants this title, the Gamecocks are going to have to go on the road and get it. Eastern Illinois started off slow, but is playing their best football of the year right now. JSU should have beaten Auburn, but fell short, but has seen little else to stop their streak this season. The winner here likely gets the auto birth in the FCS playoffs.
Pick: Jacksonville State…The Gamecocks have been on fire this season, and EIU may be in over their heads even at home this week.

PRS #21 Sam Houston State at PRS #4 McNeese State
SHSU stumbled out of the blocks this season, but once Southland Conference play began, KC Keeler’s club found their groove, and they have been cruising ever since. McNeese State was scheduled to play LSU this season, and when that game got cancelled, it allowed the Cowboys to plow through their schedule unbeaten up to this point. McNeese State only needs this win, and they can claim the SLC title and an FCS playoff birth. Lose, and they are in a virtual tie with the Bearkats.
Pick: McNeese State…The Cowboys are in a perfect situation to lock up a conference title and start planning for the postseason. This is too good to let get by.

PRS #7 Illinois State at PRS #20 South Dakota State

The Red Birds nearly stumbled last week in a 27-24 win over Indiana State. ISU remained unbeaten in Missouri Valley Conference play, and they control their own destiny as the season progresses, but that all goes out the window with a loss to the Jackrabbits, as ISU would be tied with North Dakota State, and the two do not play.
Pick: Illinois State…The Red Birds have a lot to play for on the road, but the theme this week is winning on the road in FCS football, and ISU is not immune to that need.

PRS #9 North Carolina A&T at PRS #34 South Carolina State

The Aggies are running the table in the MEAC for a birth in the Heritage Bowl against the SWAC champ, but South Carolina State is just a game behind, and would love to make this a two team race with Bethune-Cookman by beating NC A&T this week at home. The Bulldog defense will be tested, but can they overcome?
Pick: South Carolina State…the Bulldogs are tough at home, and their defense could save the day in this upset pick.

PRS #33 Northern Arizona at PRS #19 Eastern Washington

The Big Sky is a two team race currently between EWU and Southern Utah, with Portland State just hanging on by a game. Northern Arizona is behind the leaders, but they can play spoiler in this race by going on the road and taking out a vulnerable Eagles club. The problem is that the Lumberjacks would have a better shot in Flagstaff than in Cheney.
Pick: Eastern Washington…it won’t be a runaway win, but EWU should survive the test to stay unbeaten in Big Sky play.

PRS #23 Prairie View at PRS #25 Alcorn State

It’s been a crazy season in SWAC play, but this could be a game that very well decides who makes it to the Heritage Bowl. Alcorn State has a lead in the East by a game and a half, but Prairie View is a game back of Grambling in the west. Prairie View is in a must win situation, and it’s on…wait for it…the road.
Pick: Alcorn State…the Braves are in a stronger position, and could lock up the east with a win.

PRS #35 UT-Martin at PRS #24 Eastern Kentucky

After Jacksonville State and Eastern Illinois at the top and unbeaten in OVC play, these two are the next tier at 4-1 each in OVC action. The loser of this game could very well be eliminated for consideration in the FCS playoffs, so neither can afford a loss here.
Pick: UT-Martin…Upset pick is in, as EKU is coming off a horrific loss to Jacksonville State last week, but again, UTM has to win on the road to stay in the hunt.

FBS Picks

Temple over SMU W

Memphis over Navy

Houston over Cincinnati W

Tulsa over UCF W

U Conn over Tulane W

USF over East Carolina

Clemson over Florida State W

Notre Dame over Pittsburgh W

North Carolina over Duke W

NC State over Boston College W

Louisville over Syracuse W

Miami over Virginia W

Baylor over Kansas State W

TCU over Oklahoma State L

Oklahoma over Iowa State

Texas Tech over West Virginia L

Texas over Kansas

Oklahoma over Iowa State

Ohio State over Minnesota

Michigan State over Nebraska

Iowa over Indiana W

Michigan over Rutgers W

Northwestern over Penn State W

Illinois over Purdue W

Wisconsin over Maryland W

Rice over UTEP L

FIU over Charlotte W

Western Kentucky over FAU W

Marshall over Middle Tennessee L

Louisiana Tech over North Texas W

Old Dominion over UTSA

Toledo over Northen Illinois L

Bowling Green over Ohio W

Buffalo over Kent State W

Western Michigan over Ball State W

U Mass over Akron L

Miami (Ohio) over Eastern Michigan W

Nevada over Fresno State W

BYU over San Jose State W

Colorado State over Wyoming W

Utah State over New Mexico L

Air Force over Army W

UNLV over Hawaii

Stanford over Colorado W

Utah over Washington

UCLA over Oregon State W

Washington State over Arizona State W

USC over Arizona

Oregon over California

Mississippi State over Missouri W

Alabama over LSU

Florida over Vanderbilt W

Ole Miss over Arkansas L

Texas A&M over Auburn

Kentucky over Georgia L

Tennessee over South Carolina W

Appalachian State over Arkansas State L

UL-Lafayette over Georgia State W

South Alabama over Idaho W

Troy over UL-Monroe W

Texas State over New Mexico State L FCS Portland State over Northern Colorado L Weber State over UC Davis W Southern Utah over Montana State W Montana over Idaho State W Eastern Washington over Northern Arizona Cal Poly over Sacramento State Charleston Southern over Kennesaw State W Coastal Carolina over Gardner-Webb W Liberty over Presbyterian W Delaware over Albany L William & Mary over Elon W Villanova over Rhode Island W Stony Brook over Howard W Richmond over New Hampshire L Towson over Maine Dartmouth over Cornell W Penn over Princeton W Yale over Brown W Harvard over Columbia W Hampton over Florida A&M W South Carolina State over North Carolina L A&T NC Central over Delaware State W Norfolk State over Savannah State W Bethune-Cookman over Morgan State W Southern Illinois over South Dakota L Youngstown State over Missouri State W Illinois State over South Dakota State L North Dakota State over Western Illinois W Indiana State over Northern Iowa L Duquesne over Sacred Heart W Robert Morris over East Tennessee State W Bryant over Wagner W St. Francis over Central Connecticut State W UT Martin over Eastern Kentucky W Jacksonville State over Eastern Illinois W Tennessee State over Murray State L SE Missouri State over Austin Peay W Lehigh over Holy Cross W Fordham over Bucknell W Colgate over Lafayette W Jacksonville over Davidson W Butler over Valporaiso W Dayton over Morehead State W Marist over Stetson W San Diego over Campbell W Alabama A&M over Mississippi Valley    State W Grambling over Texas Southern W Alcorn State over Prairie View L Southern over UA Pine Bluff W Alabama State over Jackson State Citadel over VMI W Samford over Clark Atlanta W Western Carolina over Furman W Chattanooga over Mercer L Central Arkansas over Stephen F Austin W Northwestern State over Abilene Christian Lamar over Nicholls State W SE Louisiana over Incarnate Word McNeese State over Sam Houston State