November 7 has the kind of college football slate fans circle on the calendar. Top 25 games are stacked from start to finish, the weather is right, and playoff pressure is about to hit full force.
That means eliminations are coming, and Ole Miss could be staring at the edge depending on what happens against Georgia. At the same time, undefeated teams are on the line as Miami heads to Notre Dame and UCLA travels north to face a scrappy Minnesota team.
Last week’s picks went 3-1, pushing the season mark to 21-14, and with the biggest weekend of the year here, the betting board is full of noise. The line in Miami-Notre Dame moved from -4.5 to -7.5 after news that Malachi Toney would be out, a swing that says plenty about how the market is reacting right now.
With that in mind, here are the Week 10 locks.
Cincinnati at No. 17 Houston (-10.5): Cincinnati is running into its third straight top 25 opponent, and after the upset of Texas Tech, this feels like a tougher ask.
The Bearcats are 0-2 on the road in Big 12 play, while Houston still has a path to finishing strong and reaching 10 wins. This looks like a spot where the Cougars separate and cover.
Rutgers at Wisconsin (-17.5): This is the kind of home-favorite number that makes sense this week. Rutgers has been rough at times, and Wisconsin’s season has taken a positive turn overall. The Badgers’ loss to Iowa last week won’t linger long if they handle business here, and the expectation is that they get back on track and cover against the Scarlet Knights.
No. 5 Alabama at No.
14 LSU (-6): Alabama is not being treated like a playoff team here, and the expectation is that the Tide leave Baton Rouge with a loss, maybe a convincing one. Even without a late kickoff, the atmosphere should be there for LSU, because it’s a day that ends in y.
Alabama’s defense may slow Sam Leavitt, but his mobility is enough to help LSU stay within the number and cover at home.
No. 2 Georgia at No.
10 Ole Miss (+3.5): Georgia already survived its one real road test by beating Alabama 20-17 in Tuscaloosa, and another close one feels possible in Oxford. The Bulldogs might win by three again, but the extra half-point gives Ole Miss the edge against the spread.
If Gunner Stockton gives away one fumble and Trinidad Chambliss puts together a clean game, the Rebels have a real shot to pull it off and keep their playoff hopes alive.
In Other News...
Georgia Heads To Ole Miss With Gunner Stockton Facing His Toughest Test
Georgias trip to Oxford brings a different kind of stress test for Gunner Stockton, one that goes beyond the usual road-game noise. Ole Miss has made it clear it wants to get hands on receivers early, shrink the easy throws and make the Georgia quarterback hold the ball long enough for pressure to arrive.
For a Bulldogs offense still settling around Stockton, that means the passing game has to answer a defense built to disrupt timing and force uncomfortable decisions. The Rebels approach is straightforward enough in theory, but it can change the rhythm of a game quickly if Georgia cannot win cleanly at the line and keep Stockton on schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Faces One Huge Test In Trying To Topple Georgia
Auburns upset of No. 1 Georgia offered Ole Miss a useful blueprint, but not necessarily a realistic one. The Tigers won the turnover battle by three and kept drives alive with successful fourth-down conversions, two ingredients that can change a game against a heavyweight in a hurry. Now the Rebels are preparing to host No. 2 Georgia, and the challenge is figuring out how much of that formula can actually carry over to Oxford.
Ole Miss has been solid but not dominant in turnover luck this season, sitting at even in that department, while Georgia remains one of the nations best teams at taking care of the ball. That puts extra pressure on the Rebels to find other ways to create an edge, whether through aggressive fourth-down calls or a more balanced offense that can keep the Bulldogs from settling in. Against a team like Georgia, the margin for error is thin, and Ole Miss will need more than just a good plan to make the upset feel possible. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Must Disrupt One Georgia Strength To Flip This Rivalry
Ole Miss is seeing Georgia again, and this one carries a familiar edge after the Bulldogs took the first two meetings between the teams in the calendar year, including a College Football Playoff quarterfinal. The Rebels know the challenge by now: Georgia has been able to control the matchup, and the task this time is to make the Bulldogs play on Ole Misss terms instead of settling into their preferred rhythm.
Gunner Stockton is central to that plan, because Georgias offense has looked most comfortable when he can operate cleanly and keep the unit moving. For Ole Miss, the path to changing the result starts with disrupting that comfort, forcing pressure and making the Bulldogs work harder for every possession. If the Rebels can do that, they give themselves a real chance to turn a rivalry that has gone Georgias way into something far more competitive. [Read more 🡒]