College Football Picks Today: Three Best Bets for Saturday's Massive Slate

In college football, we wait weeks like this. Seven different ranked matchups are on the schedule this week, and plenty will carry major weight for the final playoff rankings.

I’m here to give picks for my three favorite games of the weekend, and all of them could be elimination games.

Let’s get into the picks!

#9 BYU vs #3 Utah -4.5 Total: 48.5

This line is the definition of a trap game. Utah is coming off their biggest win of the year over a fun Cincinnati team, while BYU has looked sluggish in their two contests since their big win over Notre Dame. I think this game is pretty easy to decide, and it comes down to the fact that I have zero faith in Devon Dampier.

The Utah QB played his most complete game of the year in their win over Cincy, but he’s struggled to push the ball downfield every time he's faced an elite defense. Last year on the road, Utah couldn’t get much going offensively because the Utes struggled to give Dampier time to throw. Their line isn’t as strong this year, and I expect a ton of pressure to be sent his way. A healthy LJ Martin would make this an easy pick, but I’m betting more on Bear Bachmeier to play a clean, turnover-free game.

Pick: BYU +4.5 and u48.5

#5 Alabama vs #14 LSU -6 Total: 52.5

Has anyone considered that neither one of these teams is very good? Bama had some early wins over Kentucky and South Carolina, but looked like a completely different offense once they faced the top of the conference in Georgia and Tennessee. LSU, on the other hand, doesn’t have any good wins, but they have what the SEC would call “good losses”, with tight contests against Ole Miss and Kentucky.

That being said, I still think LSU will roll in this game. Keelon Russell is one of the more exciting young QBs in the sport, but has looked far less explosive against elite defenses. The Tigers' defense has been humming recently, and I expect nothing less with the LSU faithful behind them in Baton Rouge. I think LSU wins despite their offense and mucks this one up in a low-scoring affair. I’m not sure they cover, but they will keep points at a minimum.

Pick: u52.5

#1 Miami vs #11 Notre Dame -7 Total: 54.5

After nine weeks of college football, I feel comfortable saying these are two of the best teams analytically in the country; however, football isn’t played on a calculator; it’s played between the white lines. Both Miami and Notre Dame have looked great against their lesser competition, but neither has much of a resume-defining win.

More specifically, Notre Dame has zero good wins on their resume, and now with their backs against the wall, this one becomes a must-win. Unfortunately for them, they haven’t seen a single player as good as Darian Mensah or Malachi Toney all year long. I think Miami’s been holding back a lot on offense, and we’ll see a potential Heisman moment on Saturday night. I love Miami and the over in this one.

Pick: Miami +7 o54.5