College Football Pick: Oregon State vs. Wisconsin

September 9, 2011

College Football Pick: Oregon State vs. Wisconsin

Oregon State Beavers vs. Wisconsin Badgers Gambling Odds from BetOnline

NCAA Football Betting Favorite: Wisconsin -20.5

Over/Under: 57

Normally this would be seen as a high-profile non-conference showdown, but Oregon State’s inexplicable loss to Sacramento State last weekend certainly hurt public perception of this matchup. The Badgers did their part by blasting UNLV on opening night last Thursday. Mike Riley’s teams are generally very well-coached and they are definitely capable of pulling off a surprise once in a while. Will Oregon State bounce back strong or will they get run off the field in Madison?

Oregon State’s loss to Sacramento State (an FCS team) came as a massive shock. Oddsmakers had installed Oregon State as a huge 27.5 point favorite, but the Beavers lost 29-28 in overtime. Oregon State racked up 496 yards of total offense, but crucial mistakes really cost them in last week’s loss. Ryan Katz is still the starting quarterback for Oregon State, but after last week his spot is looking far less secure than before. Katz threw for just 87 yards in the first half last week, and he was pulled at halftime. Sean Mannion came in and performed quite well in the second half. Malcolm Agnew really put on a show in his first game as the team’s starting tailback. Agnew ran for 223 yards and three touchdowns. James Rodgers is the star receiver for this team, but he is listed as doubtful for this contest. Oregon State’s defense was solid against the run last week, but they’ll get a big test this weekend. The Beavers secondary was shaky much of last year, and they performed poorly against Sacramento State.

Russell Wilson looked terrific in his debut as the Wisconsin quarterback last Thursday night. Wilson went 10 for 13 passing for 255 yards. Wisconsin has had a great running game for the last few years, but Wilson is the most talented quarterback this team has had in a long time. James White and Montee Ball both had a great opening game. Expect this great tailback tandem to put up a lot of yards on just about everyone they play this season. The strength of this Badgers offense starts with the amazing offensive line. This is a big and nasty offensive line that dominates the line of scrimmage in almost every game. Wisconsin’s offense will be great this year, but it will be the defense that will be a bit of a question mark. The Badgers struggle to get pressure on the quarterback, which could be an issue as the season moves along. J.J. Watt was the leader of this defense, and he will definitely be missed this season. Chris Borland will need to stay healthy and take on the role of the leader of this defensive unit.

Oregon State will almost definitely improve as the season moves on, but they aren’t equipped to keep up with Wisconsin right now. Wisconsin should be able to move the ball at will in this one. I like the Badgers to notch another lopsided victory.

Free College Football Pick: Wisconsin -20.5

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Kyle Hunter

is full-timesports writer and sports handicapper. You simply won’t find someone who loves sports more than Kyle. Kyle considers college football and college basketball his two favorite sports. Kyle has earned many accolades for his highly successful handicapping, and he writes full-time for many top sports websites. Keep an eye out for high quality free sports analysis from Kyle!

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