College Football Week Nine Picks

Bralon Addison

3 Oregon vs. 12 UCLA
After being dominated by Stanford last week, the Bruins hope to recover this week against the Ducks.That won't be easy as they need to stop the explosive Ducks on the road. Brett Hundley struggled mightily against Stanford last week but Oregon's defense is worse than Stanford's. Along with back Jordan James Oregon's defense will have some real issues containing UCLA. But, can the Bruins' stop the Ducks? Marcus Mariota is a real Heisman threat, having 19 touchdowns and zero picks, well engineering an offense that is putting up 57.6 points per game, 2nd best in the nation. UCLA will also have to contain back Byron Marshall and sophomore wide receiver Bralon Addison. This won't be a blowout but UCLA isn't on the same level as Oregon nor Stanford.
Oregon, 58 UCLA, 42

10 Texas Tech vs. 15 Oklahoma
The Big 12 race will heat up this week, as the undefeated Texas Tech Red Raiders travel to Oklahoma to meet up with the Sooners. Oklahoma's pass defense has been fantastic this year but in this one they will have to handle the two-quarterback system of Baker Mayfield and Davis Webb. Both have played well this year but they are both prone to turnovers, which isn't too much of a surprise, considering how much they throw the ball. They have relied on Jace Amaro, a big target who is to big for defensive backs but too fast for linebackers. Tech's defense has been surprisingly strong this year but stopping dual threat Blake Bell has proven to be difficult and the rushing attack has been solid. Both of these teams have a lot to prove: Texas Tech has to prove themselves, they haven't beat a significant opponent yet this year, while Oklahoma has to prove that their defense is legit. Tech hasn't proven themselves yet and on the road with an offense that can be very inconsistent, Oklahoma is the smarter pick.
Oklahoma, 38 Texas Tech, 28

6 Stanford vs. 25 Oregon State
After their stunning opening loss to Eastern Washington to begin the season, the Beavers have won six straight, propelled by junior QB Sean Mannion, who has passed for nearly 3,000 yards and has 29 touchdowns. If there is a defense inside the Pac-12 that can handle Mannion and the high-scoring Beavers it is likely Stanford. Their defense is constantly putting pressure on the QB, led by Shayne Skov. As much as Oregon State scores their defense has been just average at best and the Cardinal have proven they have an efficient offense. They have a psychical offense and dominate in the trenches. Attempting to tackle senior back Tyler Gaffney is extremely difficult as he thrives through contact and ran for 171 yards against UCLA. The Beavers do force turnovers often and Kevin Hogan turned the ball over a lot in their loss to Utah. If he plays smarter against the Beavers they should be able to pull out the win but stopping Mannion should be their number one priority.
Stanford, 34 Oregon State, 24

Other Picks
5 Missouri, 41 21 South Carolina, 27
1 Alabama, 27 Tennessee, 17
24 Nebraska, 35 Minnesota, 14
16 Texas A&M, 48 Vanderbilt, 30
9 Clemson, 35 Maryland, 20
Current Picks Record: 45-19