Pac-12 picks, Week 6: Back above even
It took five weeks, but finally, my point-spread-picking genius has produced a profitable record.
That’s right: for the first time this season, I enter the week with an above-.500 record against the spread, thanks to a 4-2 showing last week. Let’s continue to take it one pick at a time, keep the positive momentum going and execute the way we know how.
All lines come courtesy of VegasInsider.com, and are for whatever purposes you deem worthy. As always, my pick for the Huskies game will come in a separate post before Saturday.
Last week: 5-1 straight up, 4-2 against the spread.
Overall: 38-7 straight up, 19-17-2 against the spread.
SATURDAY
Colorado at USC, 1 p.m., Pac-12 Networks (USC by 4.5) -- Man, this is a tough one. Part of me wants to keep rolling with the Buffaloes, knowing no Pac-12 South team has looked as consistently impressive as Colorado this season. But the other part of me saw the way the Trojans regrouped at home last week against Arizona State, and wonders if this USC team is beginning to rally around new quarterback Sam Darnold and play to its talent. I might end up apologizing to Colorado yet again, but something tells me the Trojans will protect their home field for the second consecutive week. The pick: USC 35, Colorado 28.
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California at Oregon State, 6 p.m., Pac-12 Networks (Cal by 13.5) -- There’s no way the Beavers hold that Cal offense under 40 points, is there? The pick: California 52, Oregon State 21.
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Arizona at Utah, 7 p.m., FOX Sports 1 (Utah by 10) -- A double-digit point spread seems like a tough ask for this Utes offense against anybody, but Arizona is so beat up that I think Utah will make it happen this week, especially at home. The pick: Utah 28, Arizona 14.
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UCLA at Arizona State, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2 (UCLA by 9.5) -- Really don’t know what to do with this one. UCLA looked better last week against Arizona, but has yet to reach its full potential. And ASU looked terrible last week at USC after starting the season 4-0. That said, I don’t think I trust this UCLA team on the road quite yet. The pick: ASU 31, UCLA 28.
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Washington State at Stanford, 7:30 p.m., ESPN (Stanford by 7.5) -- This point spread opened at 12.5 and has since plummeted. That’s obviously a reaction to last week, when the Cardinal got buried 44-6 by Washington and the Cougars rolled to a 51-33 victory over Oregon. The Cougars played Stanford tough last season, too, losing in Pullman only after missing a potential game-winning field goal in the final seconds. I do think WSU matches up well again this year, particularly with Stanford’s top two cornerbacks again expected to sit out due to injury. Feels like it could be a big week for the Cougars, who could move to 3-2 overall and 2-0 in Pac-12 play with a victory. The pick: Washington State 34, Stanford 27.
This story was originally published October 6, 2016 at 12:09 PM with the headline "Pac-12 picks, Week 6: Back above even."