During a usual season, Thanksgiving week means rivalry week, but as with just about everything else in the 2020 college football season, this week will look different than usual. NC State has momentum on its side going against a Syracuse team that sits at the bottom of the ACC, Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan are primed for a shootout and Missouri looks to keep Vanderbilt winless on the season.
NC State (-14) at Syracuse
I do not like spreads of two touchdowns. In college, where teams play hard until the clock runs out and can put up points in a hurry, garbage time always threatens a team’s chances at covering. However, the Wolfpack has played well lately, and I think the Pack is up to the task. Redshirt junior quarterback Bailey Hockman continues to show he can lead NC State’s offense, the running game remains a strong counterbalance to the pass game and the defense is coming off its best game of the season.
The team on the other side of the field is heading in the opposite direction. Syracuse has looked like a team that has just quit. Head coach Dino Babers appeared to be building something at Syracuse when the team went 10-3 in 2018. Since then, the team has gone 6-15. I don’t know what has happened to the Orange, but it is clearly a program that has run out of steam. Going beyond my cliches about the state of the Syracuse football program, the team’s common opponents lead me to believe that the Wolfpack can cover this spread. Syracuse has lost to Wake Forest, Duke and Liberty, all by at least 14 points. The Wolfpack beat all three of those opponents.
Pick: NC State (-14)
Central Michigan at Eastern Michigan (Total: 59)
MACtion is getting a little more exciting this week as its usual midweek action was moved to Friday. I generally don’t pick outside the Power Five conferences, but this seemed too easy. I know this matchup isn’t at the top of any sports fan’s watch list this weekend, but if you like offense, it should be. The high-octane offenses of Central and Eastern Michigan are averaging 38 and 27 points, respectively, over the first three games of the season.
Not only do the teams have good offenses, but their defenses have looked shaky at best. Both teams are allowing more than 25 points per game. Last week alone, these teams gave up 97 points combined. I don’t see these two teams reversing trends and playing in a hard-fought defensive battle.
Pick: Over 59
Missouri (-14) at Vanderbilt
Missouri was left with an opening after a number of positive COVID-19 tests forced Arkansas to cancel this weekend’s matchup. This worked out for both Vanderbilt and Missouri, as the two programs were able to schedule a makeup game for the matchup between the two schools that was canceled in mid-October.
Vanderbilt has occasionally shown signs of life, but there’s no hiding a zero in the win column over halfway through the season. In seven games, Vanderbilt’s point differential is almost minus-20 points per game. It is also the only team in the SEC without a win, and every other team in the conference has at least two wins.
Neither of these teams are good, but Missouri is at least solid. Missouri has three wins this season, including a win over a solid Kentucky team. In addition to its three wins, Missouri has played good games against Florida, Tennessee and Alabama. It was never in a position to legitimately win these games, but its performance certainly wasn’t embarrassing.
Pick: Missouri (-15.5)
Last edition, I went 2-1 to get my record to 3-3 on the season. I incorrectly picked that Arkansas would keep it close with Florida, but correctly predicted that NC State and Indiana would cover in favorable matchups.
Wolfpack Wager Record: 9-15
Bryan Pyrtle: 2-1
Andy Mayer: 3-3
Camden Speight: 3-3
Will Thornhill: 1-5
Ben Ellis: 0-3
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