HOUSTON -6.5 over Southern Mississippi PINNACLE
This is a big inter-conference game for both these teams, as Conference USA play is predictably turning into a four-horse race between Houston, Southern Miss, East Carolina and UTEP. Houston has slipped only once this season, losing to UTEP after pulling off huge upsets at Oklahoma State and Texas Tech in consecutive weeks. That loss knocked them out of the National Rankings but more importantly put them behind the eight ball for the conference crown. Houston is led by NFL prospect Case Keenum, who has a ridiculous 20-4 touchdown to interception ratio and has completed 70% of his passes. Houston can score with the any team in Division 1 but like many non BCS schools their defense can’t be counted on to make consistent stops. Southern Mississippi is very similar to Houston, as it also has an offense that can rack up points but really struggles to stop quality opponents on defense. This game’s total is set at 62½, and that means the odds-makers believe these two teams will trade touchdowns. So why take Houston? Firstly, I believe they have the edge on offense, as they are currently ranked third in the FBS in points per game at 40.4. Secondly, Houston has a major edge at quarterback, as Southern Mississippi lost their starter Austin Davis for the season and had to replace him with untested Martevious Young. Young is going to play his first conference road game and if this College Football season has taught us anything, it’s that untested quarterback’s playing on the road almost always struggle. Lastly, Houston isn’t going to look ahead like it did three weeks ago against UTEP because they know they need to win out for a chance to play in this season’s conference title game. That loss might have very well cost them an undefeated season and you can be sure second year coach Kevin Sumlin will remind his players of it and have them focused on this conference showdown. Play: #190 Houston –6½ (Risking 2.18 units to win 2).

South Carolina +6 over TENNESSEE PINNACLE
Tennessee had a legitimate chance to pull of what was to be undoubtedly the biggest upset of this season last week, losing to #1 Alabama 12-10 on a last second field goal block. Lane Kiffin hammered the officiating after the game, as his team was repeatedly penalized in the fourth quarter while Alabama finished the entire game with one penalty. Tennessee played their hearts out and still lost and that’s what makes this a very dangerous game for them. Not only did Tennessee fall to 3-4 on the season, they squandered the chance to realistically get to six wins and become bowl eligible in Kiffin’s first season. South Carolina meanwhile is ranked nationally and sports a 5-2 record that includes a big upset at the hands of Mississippi and a last second loss to Georgia. South Carolina can run the ball, as their dual threat of Kenny Miles and Jarvis Gilles both average more than five yards per carry. That’s important because South Carolina was the worst teams in the SEC running the ball last year and that put too much pressure on quarterback Stephen Garcia. With the running game keeping the defense honest, Garcia has the second most passing yards in the SEC, a stunning turnaround for a guy couldn’t do anything last year. Garcia can now be trusted to make good decisions and run a watered-down version of the Spurrier Offense. Tennessee’s defensive numbers look great but need to be looked at with some caution as they played a weak non-conference schedule and haven’t really faced elite offenses. The bottom line is that Tennessee is not ready to get over the mental hurdle of last week’s loss and face what could be Steve Spurrier’s best South Carolina team since he took over five years ago. To be able to catch six points against a team I already think is wrongly favored makes this wager a must play. Play: #185 South Carolina +6 (Risking 2.06 units to win 2).