Another week in the books, and another mixed bag of results for our Friday Locks crew. Collectively, we went 6-6 last week, bringing our season record to 21-24. It’s clear that we have our work cut out for us if we want to improve our performance.
This week, we’re focusing on a total of 9 different games, including the highly anticipated matchup between USC and Michigan. Three of our guys have weighed in on this game, offering their insights and predictions.
While USC boasts a high-powered offense led by quarterback Miller Moss, questions surround their defense’s ability to handle Michigan’s physical style of play. A major concern for the Trojans lies with containing Michigan’s dominant rushing attack. Senior running back Kalel Mullings averages a staggering 7.5 yards per carry, and his punishing style could overwhelm a USC defense that hasn’t faced such a force this season. The outcome of this game may hinge on whether the Trojans can adjust their defensive approach and slow down the Wolverines’ ground game.
Check out our picks below.
Week 4 Picks
Caleb
Nebraska (-8.5) vs Illinois | Nebraska’s offense has looked really good this season. I think they will put up a lot of points and win by double digits
USC (-6.5) vs Michigan | Michigan hasn’t looked great this season. We’ve seen this USC offense be able to score a lot of points but haven’t seen the same from Michigan.
LSU (-22.5) vs UCLA | UCLA isn’t a very good team at all. LSU needs to keep the momentum rolling with a big win vs UCLA
Arkansas (+3.5) vs Auburn | Neither of these teams have really looked great this season. I have a little more faith in Arkansas being able to move the ball.
Craig
BYU (+6.5) vs Kansas State | Anytime you play a night game in Provo there’s bound to be issues. This could be a trap game for Kansas State
USC (-5) vs Michigan | I typically steer away from teams that are going into Ann Arbor. That being said, Michigan hasn’t looked impressive on offense all season. If this game turns into a shootout, I like the Trojans.
Nebraska (-7.5) vs Illinois | Matt Rhule has Nebraska right where they need to be. It used to be almost impossible to go into Memorial Stadium and leave with a win. The way things are rolling right now makes me feel like Nebraska is back to that place again.
Matt
Illinois (+8.5) at Nebraska | The Fighting Illini are holding teams to 4.6 yards a snap – down from 5.3 last year. Additionally, the Fighting Illini have a strong ground game, averaging 4.4 yards a carry. That’s a good recipe when you’re a multi-score underdog on the road.
NC State (+18.5) at Clemson | The Wolfpack have been adept at creating turnovers, ranking 11th nationally with 10 takeaways through their first two games. I’m anticipating that to be a factor in this game.
Michigan (+4.5) vs. USC | Michigan’s powerful running game, led by Kalel Mullings, could be a key factor in their favor against USC. The Trojans may struggle to contain Mullings, who averages an impressive 7.5 yards per carry.
Zack
Arkansas State Red Wolves (+21.5) at Iowa State Cyclones | Arkansas State isn’t great, but they played Michigan close last week, and I think they’ll be able to stay within 3 touchdowns against Iowa State, even though this game is in Ames.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (+10) at Louisville Cardinals | Louisville has played no real competition, and Georgia Tech’s offense is going to make this a single-digit game.
Vanderbilt Commodores at Missouri Tigers (-20) | Vandy tried hard to pretend to be good at football for a couple of weeks, but their true colors came out last week as they dropped a game to Georgia State. Missouri looks legit, and I think they blow this one open early to cover the 20-point spread.
Season Results
| Name | Last Week | Overall |
| Matt | 2-1 | 8-4 |
| Caleb | 1-2 | 5-4 |
| Zack | 1-2 | 4-8 |
| Craig | 2-1 | 4-8 |
Follow us on Twitter: @SportsHeartland
One Reply to “USC or Michigan? Friday Locks: Week 4”