Jonny Knows Picks: College Edition Week 9

After seven weeks of winning plays, I finally had a losing week in college football. 

Can’t win ’em all. 

I went 1-2 with my column picks and I’m now 27-13 against the spread on the season here. Just a reminder, this is the place where I pick the biggest TV games of the week because I know those are the ones many of you really want to hear about. 

To hear about even more games, catch me on Periscope @JonnyOddsShark every Saturday at 9:30 a.m. ET where I go over my personal picks for the week. I’m now 47-28 against the spread on the season and 18-6 with my Great White Shark plays. 

Oklahoma State-West Virginia +7.5, 73.5 – noon ET, ABC 

West Virginia is 3-0 against the spread at home this season and once again it feels like they are getting a pretty good line. Will Grier leads the nation in TD passes and ranks fourth in passing yards so the Mountaineers are going to get their points. The concern is they are second-worst in the Big 12 at stopping the run. But I’m not sure that’s much to be worried about because OK State has three key bodies banged up on the O-line, which led to some conservative play-calling and mediocre running for 3.1 yards per play on 51 rushes last week. 

Pick: West Virginia 

Penn State-Ohio State -6.5, 54.5 - 3:30 p.m. ET, FOX 

The big story here is the offenses. Penn State has Heisman Trophy fave Saquon Barkley. Ohio State is on pace to be the highest-scoring Ohio State team in school history (47.3 points per game). But it’s the defenses I’m looking at here. Penn State is third in the nation in sacks with 24. Eighth in red-zone D. First in scoring D and fourth in tackles for a loss. Ohio State has the No. 6 red-zone D and 14th rushing defense, among other things. I think defense wins the day and this total is looking lofty. 

Pick: UNDER 

NC State-Notre Dame -7, 58.5 – 3:30 p.m. ET, NBC 

I think for the first time this season we’re seeing Notre Dame a tad overvalued. So things are back to normal. The key to beating Notre Dame is slowing down the rush and keeping Brandon Wimbush in the pocket. NC State can do that with the No. 7 rushing defense in the nation and a very tough front seven. The Pack also have an efficient QB in Ryan Finley who has 11 TDs and no interceptions this season, so I think NC State keeps this one very close. 

Pick: NC State 

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