Go with upstarts Wake, Baylor, MSU vs. spread
Top wagering picks for college football Week 10 based on lines from Tipico Sportsbook:
No. 13 Baylor (7-1) at TCU (3-5)
A disappointing season has turned into chaos for TCU. Head coach Gary Patterson is out after last week’s loss to Kansas State, while star RB Zach Evans’ status with the team is mysteriously up in the air. Baylor, meanwhile, has ripped off three straight wins, covering all three as well as six of its last seven. Look for the Bears’ top-20 offense to keep things rolling here against an uncharacteristically shaky Horned Frogs defense. Pick: Baylor -6.5
No. 6 Michigan State (8-0) at Purdue (5-3)
This is the ultimate letdown spot on the road for the top-10 Spartans after they beat rival Michigan last week. Purdue also has some decent wins on its ledger, including a 24-7 upset vs. then-No. 2 Iowa in Week 7. But with a top-10 offense and top-40 defense in terms of yards per play, Michigan State is the better team and should keep its undefeated streak against the spread alive. Pick: Michigan State -3.5
No. 9 Wake Forest (8-0) at North Carolina (4-4)
It’s not often you see an undefeated, top-10 team as an underdog to a .500 opponent, but that’s what we have here. Expect a ton of points in this one between two prolific offenses – Wake Forest is averaging 43.9 points per game to North Carolina’s 36.5 – and a pair of less-than-stellar defenses. The Tar Heels are coming off a road loss to Notre Dame while Wake Forest cruised to a 45-7 win over Duke last week. Look for Wake Forest to keep its dream season going for another week.
Pick: Wake Forest +2.5
Texas (4-4) at Iowa State (5-3)
Texas continued its downward spiral last week with a 31-24 loss to Baylor; the Longhorns have now failed to cover in each of its last three games. The Cyclones are coming off a 38-31 loss to West Virginia last week but had won three straight Big-12 games prior to that matchup. Iowa State’s elite defense (292.1 yards per game; fifth nationally) will be the difference here; the Cyclone should keep Texas off the scoreboard just enough to cover.
Pick: Iowa State -6.5