Week 2 College Football Free Picks at SBR Forum

Sept. 10, 2011 - PRLog -- San Jose, Costa Rica -  College football picks and real time odds site SBRForum.com announces its week 2 college football picks for the 2011 NCAA football season. Our resident handicappers provide their analysis on how to bet this week.

Alabama vs Penn State
Alabama defeated Penn State, 24-3, in last September’s meeting between the foes, cashing as a 14 ½-point home favorite but will taking the "under" in today's match up be the best bet? Sportsbooks opened Alabama as a 10-point road favorite, while first setting the ‘total’ at 43 ½. Early wagers on Penn State and the ‘under’ drove the numbers south to 9 ½ and 42, respectively.

Alabama’s four intercepted passes last week should likewise be enough for Saban and his coaching staff to pound the Nittany Lions by running the ball.  Penn State should show improvement in containing Richardson’s rushing more than last year’s meeting, while being focused on facing Alabama in this revenge spot against a highly-ranked foe.

The ‘under’ collected at 5-2-1 in Alabama’s eight regular-season spots last year with the ‘total’ closing at 53 or less, while cashing at 4-1 in Penn State’s five games during its 2010 campaign that had a ‘total’ of 45 or less.  Look for ‘under’ backers to get the money again on Saturday, having no fear in this matchup plunging below a low number.

Michigan vs Notre Dame
Sportsbooks opened with Notre Dame as a -3.5 point odds favorite but the number dropped a smidge to -3 where it’s holding steady. The total opened at -55 but is also available as low as -54.5 or 55.5.

The Michigan Wolverines (1-0 SU & ATS) opened their season with a weather shortened 34-10 victory over Western Michigan. QB Denard Robinson threw for just 98 yards and had 46 rush yards but no touchdowns and appeared to be uncomfortable in the new pro-style offense installed by new coach Brady Hoke.

Notre Dame (0-1 SU & ATS) dug a big hole early and couldn’t overcome five turnovers in its 23-20 loss to South Florida at South Bend. The Irish had two fumbles and an interception inside the red zone and the fumble was returned 96 yards for a score. On offense ND failed to convert on its first four chances inside the red zone prompting a change at QB.

Notre Dame has tried coach after coach with Kelly being the latest to get in over his head. There’s just no reason to back the Fighting Irish in this one so take the Wolverines at +4 ½.

Utah vs USC
In the first conference game in the history of the newly named Pac-12, one of the two new members of the former Pac-10, the Utah Utes (1-0 overall, 0-0 away) pay a visit to the conferences poster children, the USC Trojans (1-0 overall, 1-0 home) at the historic Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA at 7:35 ET in a game televised nationally on Versus.

Utah is now 58-20 straight up under current coach Kyle Whittingham, who is now in his seventh year at the helm, and as you might expect, the Utes have been very dangerous as underdogs, as they are an eye-popping 27-9-1, 75.0 percent against the spread the last 37 times they have been cast in this role!

Last year was the year that the Trojans were first hit with their NCAA sanctions, and they promptly went an uncharacteristically mediocre 5-4 against the spread in their lined games including going just 1-2 ATS as home favorites. Well, you can now make that 1-3 ATS since the sanctions after the non-cover vs. Minnesota last week as 24-point favorites, a spread that was impossible to cover given that USC only scored 19 total points.

Look for Utah to give an emotional effort in its first game ever in the conference, at the very least taking this game down to the wire and at best pulling off the upset. Take Utah +9 (-110)

Nebraska vs Fresno State
Nebraska hosts Fresno State in Lincoln, Nebraska on Saturday,September 10th at 7:00 pm ET. The Cornhuskers are the College Football odds favorites, listed at -28 with the total at 51.5.

While both teams started four new offensive lineman in their openers, the Nebraska Cornhuskers fared well while the Bulldogs didn't. For the 1st time ever, Nebraska started a freshman at offensive line. (right tackle Ryan Moore).

Carr was sacked 4 times in a 36-21 defeat to the California Bears. Carr was tough on himself after the game, rating his performance a failure. He'll have to regain his composure quickly as Nebraska has one of the best defenses in the country.

Although Derek Carr will be a good quarterback in the future for Fresno State, he's in the wrong place at the wrong time. He lacks the pass protection and Nebraska's defense will be a virtual shadow to every Bulldog receiver. Fresno State had a tough time with California and now they're going to Lincoln to play Nebraska. Take Nebraska -28.

Oregon State vs Wisconsin
The Beavers suffered a stunning 29-28 overtime loss and now barring an upset of their own, they Beavers are likely to be eaten alive by the Badgers when the two teams meet Saturday in Madison, Wisconsin.

These are not the best of times for Oregon State head coach Mike Riley. His team opened its football season on Saturday as a -27.5 point odds favorite over Football Championship Subdivision team Sacramento State and laid a big egg.

Wisconsin is the college football betting favorite for the second straight week. They opened at -18 but that number has jumped to -21 or -21.5 and there’s even been a -22 point sighting.

Wisconsin is 7-0-1 ATS over its last eight games overall and 4-0-1 in their last five games overall. The ‘over’ is 8-2-1 in the Badgers last 11 games overall.
OSU is 13-3 ATS in its last 16 road games and 9-3 in their past 12 outings against a team with a winning record.
The two teams will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of their first and only meeting. The Badgers defeated the Beavers 23-20 in 1961.

It’s Wisconsin in this college football pick. Bank on the number settling at -21 come kickoff time and that’s a number that Bielema’s team should be able to cover easily. This is the absolute worst case scenario for the Beavers who don’t match up well in any facet of the game. This one will get ugly.

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Cynthia Paniagua
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