NFL Week 4 Picks 2025 (Thursday 25th September-Monday 29th September)

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Minnesota Vikings Pick: The next game on schedule for both of these teams is against the Cleveland Browns, but they will get to that in different weeks.

For the first time in NFL history, a regular season game is set to be played in Dublin, Ireland and it will be hosted by the Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1), who have owners with links to the country.

They are facing the Minnesota Vikings (2-1), who will be facing the Cleveland Browns next week in London and become the first NFL team to play back to back international games in different countries.

It is a non-Conference game, but the international setting and the Steelers and Vikings both being involved in what should be competitive Divisions should mean there is a full focus on the game.

The Vikings are playing an international game for the third time in four seasons, including last year when they got the better of Aaron Rodgers and his New York Jets team in London. That experience is important and it is perhaps contributing to the Vikings being set as the favourite in Dublin, while they can also expect to be favoured when facing Cleveland next week in London.

Aaron Rodgers has helped the Steelers into a winning position through three weeks, but all has not been completely smooth for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Road wins over the New York Jets, which Rodgers really enjoyed, and the New England Patriots have sandwiched a loss to the Seattle Seahawks and it should be noted that the NFC West team are the only one that hold a winning record.

One of the big issues early in the season has been the Pittsburgh Offensive Line and they have struggled to open running lanes, while also having issues with protecting Aaron Rodgers and giving the veteran time to find Receivers down the field. An early chemistry has been built with DK Metcalf, but the Steelers Offensive Line have to find a way to establish the run in this game to make things more comfortable for Aaron Rodgers.

They are facing a Vikings Defensive Line that has had a slow start to the new season, but it is still tough to envision the Steelers suddenly ripping off big gains on the ground. The team are averaging just 2.8 yards per carry through three games and that has put their veteran Quarter Back in a tough spot, especially as they have struggled in pass protection.

Failing to run the ball efficiently against the Minnesota Vikings will lead to more pressure up front and this is a team that has rushed the passer really well. Any time Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers are behind the chains, the Vikings should be able to get close to him and that will only serve to attack what many believed could be a vulnerable Secondary.

This is clearly going to be the best Quarter Back that Minnesota will have seen through four games, but no one likes having to throw under duress and it could be key to at least stall some drives and force Field Goals or Punts rather than giving up Touchdowns.

Running the ball could be a tough task for the Steelers, but the Minnesota Offensive Line have to be really confident that they can establish Jordan Mason early and often. He is the lead Running Back with Aaron Jones out, but Mason showed his worth in the win last week and this Pittsburgh Defensive Line that has not been reaching the standards of the Steel Curtain of old.

In recent years it has been possible to run the ball against Pittsburgh and the early signs are not good for the Steelers, which should mean the Vikings are putting Carson Wentz in the best spot to be successful.

JJ McCarthy is travelling with the team for this two week business trip, but Head Coach Kevin O'Connell has made it clear that he does not expect the young signal-caller to be available to play. That means the job is in the hands of Carson Wentz, a Quarter Back who looked like he was going to be a franchise player early in his Philadelphia career, but who has become a backup in recent seasons.

However, he is operating under the guidance of a Head Coach who has earned a big reputation at getting the best out of his Quarter Back and Wentz had a solid first start for the Vikings as they comfortably rolled past Cincinnati.

If the team is running the ball as well as they can, things should be pretty comfortable for Carson Wentz who has Jordan Addison available for the first time this season. Justin Jefferson is one of the top Receivers in the League, and some would THE top Receiver, and the Vikings should be able to attack this Secondary from third and manageable range, which would also mean slowing down the Pittsburgh pass rush.

The Steelers could have a couple of key Defensive Backs available for this one, which is important to aid them, but the key will be to find a way to stop the run. Being unable to do that will just make it comfortable for Carson Wentz to get the ball out of his hands quickly and that should see the Vikings moving the chains and ultimately pushing into a position to win this game.

Turnovers are always a factor that could be decisive, but this Vikings Defensive unit may make the bigger plays, especially on the Line of Scrimmage, and that can see the NFC North team come out on top.

Mike Tomlin and Aaron Rodgers both have very strong records as the underdog and that has to be respected.

However, the Quarter Back was beaten in that exact spot by the Minnesota Vikings in London last season, and the team with the stronger expectations at the Line of Scrimmage on both sides of the ball can come through in a tough game here.

Los Angeles Chargers @ New York Giants Pick: Making a perfect start to the season would please any team, but there is something extra special about beating all three Divisional rivals. That is the case for the Los Angeles Chargers (3-0) through the first three weeks of the season and Head Coach Jim Harbaugh has to be really excited about what he has seen from his team, as well as the early struggles of main AFC West rivals Kansas City Chiefs.

There has been plenty of praise for his players, but no one can secure Playoff spots in September and Harbaugh will be testing his team and their concentration levels.

This is a tough spot- the early Sunday kick off on the East Coast is never easy for any team coming from the Pacific Time Zone, but the Chargers are facing a New York Giants (0-3) team that looks firmly in transition.

After the latest defeat, Head Coach Brian Daboll had to listen to the fans and his time in charge of the Giants will come down to how Jaxson Dart performs at Quarter Back. Russell Wilson has looked a shadow of the player he once was and the fans were demanding to see Dart so the decision was an easy one to make, while an injury to starting Running Back Tyrone Tracy Jr means Cam Skattebo will be earning the majority of carries.

Some have suggested that Daboll would have been better off waiting a couple of weeks before bringing Jaxson Dart in for his first NFL start once this game was out of the way, but time has run out for the Head Coach who oversaw a 3-14 record in 2024.

There could be opportunities for Skattebo to run the ball effectively, although the Giants Offensive Line have had their issues early this season. They will need to try and establish the rookie, who is going to run hard against a Chargers Defensive Line that have struggled to stop the run, while Jaxson Dart is more mobile than Russell Wilson and he will be willing to run with the ball.

Running the ball is likely going to be the focus considering some of the issues the Giants have had in pass protection, while the Chargers Secondary have also continued to play at a high level. Any rookie is going to have to deal with picking up the pace of the NFL and Jaxson Dart will have some difficult moments in this game, which should give an experienced and talented Chargers team the edge.

Najee Harris was lost for the season last week, but Omarion Hampton might thrive with the backfield completely his as he showed last week. Another rookie, Hampton may have a bigger impact on the ground and he showed that he can catch passes coming out of the backfield which gives the Chargers yet another threat.

It is Justin Herbert who has been on the end of a whole lot of praise and he should be in a better position if Hampton can establish the run as Jim Harbaugh likes.

He has been making big plays in the passing game, despite having been put under pressure in the pass rush and this Giants Secondary has been exploited in the three games played. Justin Herbert has looked after the ball, which is really important, and is more than capable of moving forward in the pocket to avoid pass rush pressure and pick up yards with his legs.

However, it is Herbert's arm that can put the Chargers in a position to win this game on the road and his team are 7-2 against the spread as road favourites under the current Head Coach. Last season they won games at Carolina, Cleveland, Atlanta and New England as road favourites and Jim Harbaugh is a Head Coach who will have the team motivated and focused in a tough scheduling spot.

You have to believe the home crowd will be firmly behind Jaxson Dart in his first start for the team, but it could become difficult if the Giants have to become one-dimensional Offensively to get back into the game.

This is where the Chargers could take over and they may be able to make a late stop to secure a win by at least a converted Touchdown.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pick: For much of the game in Week 3, it felt like a matter of time before the Philadelphia Eagles (3-0) would officially lose their first game of 2025. They were trailing for so long and looked lost Offensively, but the late rally saw the Eagles fight back and move ahead of the Los Angeles Rams with the minutes ticking down in the Fourth Quarter.

The Rams rallied and had a Field Goal lined up to win the game, but the Eagles blocked the kick, ran back the ball for a Touchdown and somehow not only won, but covered the spread.

It was a fortunate selection to say the least.

They are out on the road in Week 4 and the Philadelphia Eagles are in a rare position for a team that finished 18-3 in 2024.

One of those defeats was avenged in the Playoffs, but this is the one game that the Eagles will play in 2025 with revenge on the mind. Under the current Head Coach, the Eagles are 22-10 against the spread with the revenge angle in their favour as they prepare to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-0) who had a late Field Goal to beat the New York Jets in Week 3.

The win is welcome, but Mike Evans has been lost to an injury and Baker Mayfield is playing through the pain, although the Tampa Bay Offensive Line could be bolstered.

The Buccaneers will lean on Bucky Irving and Rachaad White who will be looking to establish the run against the Eagles Defensive Line, which has had problems on the ground. That will help considering the lack of experience that the Buccaneers have in the passing game without the big target of Evans, which will be evident in a game against this very good Philadelphia Secondary.

Credit has to be given to the Secondary considering there has been a lack of pass rush pressure generated by Philadelphia and the Eagles will expect to be able to make enough plays when the ball is in the air to stall some of the Tampa Bay drives.

There is almost certainly going to be a similar feeling in the Buccaneers camp.

Head Coach Todd Bowles has a strong Defensive unit that has been very difficult to run against in the last couple of seasons and another strong start has been made by the Defensive Line.

Saquon Barkley showed he is a special Running Back, but it has not been the most productive of starts in 2025 and the Offensive Line is a little banged up. Some of the criticism is that the new Offensive Co-Ordinator has been guilty of making predictable calls and that has stymied some of the early Offensive showing.

Even the passing game has yet to really spark, but the Eagles have plenty of talent on this side of the ball as they showed in the fightback to beat the Rams in Week 3.

Quarter Back Jalen Hurts is capable of moving the ball out of the Run-Option and he is also a better passer than some will have you believe. It helps he has the likes of AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith to target, while Dallas Goedert was back in action last week, and the Eagles should have the capabilities of moving the ball and scoring points.

Tampa Bay have played well to win all three games this season, but they have faced the Atlanta Hawks, Houston Texans and New York Jets with the last of those teams missing Justin Fields. None of those teams have produced a lot Offensively, but this Philadelphia Eagles team will be motivated against an opponent that has a good recent record against them.

The Eagles are 5-2 against the spread when set as the road favourite in their last seven outings in such a spot, and they may have the talent on the Offensive side od the ball to put up enough points to cover this spread.

If they can force the Buccaneers to have to throw the ball to keep up, the Philadelphia Eagles could make a big play or two to stall a late drive and that may ultimately prove to be the difference in this contest between two unbeaten teams.

Indianapolis Colts @ Los Angeles Rams Pick: There is a Thursday Night Football game on deck for the Los Angeles Rams (2-1) and that against a Divisional rival that has begun the season with a perfect record. The scheduling spot does feel a little tough for the Rams having somehow failed to beat the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3 and with a short week coming up, but Head Coach Sean McVay will be looking for a bounce back performance from his experienced roster.

They should also have the additional focus of facing an unbeaten opponent when hosting the Indianapolis Colts (3-0), a team who have made a surprising start with Daniel Jones at Quarter Back.

Most would have tipped up the Colts to be chasing the Houston Texans in the AFC South, but they are leading the way in the Division.

Wins over the Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans are not the most eye-catching, but the Colts have thumped both opponents. They were fortunate to beat the Denver Nuggets when a late flag gave the Colts a second chance to hit a game winning Field Goal in Week 2, but this is something of a prove it kind of outing for them.

Jonathan Taylor has made a really strong start to the season and the Indianapolis Offensive Line have been key to opening up the running lanes, but this is a Rams team that have focused on being able to play the run better than previous years. Most of the attention for that improvement is trying to shut down the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Rams played Saquon Barkley well in Week 3 to believe they can have success against Taylor.

That will change the dynamics for Daniel Jones at Quarter Back, although he is a player capable of tucking the ball away and look to pick up chunks of yardage on the ground too.

He has been well protected early this season, but this could be a tougher test against a strong Los Angeles pass rush and especially if Daniel Jones is throwing from third and long spots. The Rams Secondary have also been playing well thanks to that pressure up front and this is unlikely to be a day when the Indianapolis Punter gets to put his feet up.

While the Colts could have some challenges establishing the run, the Rams should be more effective with the Indianapolis Defensive Line perhaps the least impressive of the units on both sides of the ball. That is not to say the Colts have been terrible, but they are have allowed some big carries and the Rams could be able to use their solid Offensive Line to open up gaps up front.

This is going to be key for Matthew Stafford, especially if Davante Adams is not able to suit up for the Rams.

Operating out of third and manageable spots should allow Stafford to use all of his experience to keep the chains moving, even against this Colts Secondary that have opened the season playing the pass very effectively.

The schedule is tough for the Rams, but this is also feels like the first really big test for the Indianapolis Colts.

Having the hook is always dangerous when opposing the underdog, but the Los Angeles Rams should be focused after the loss in Week 3 and they can make up for that, while also staying in touch with the early pacesetters in the NFC West.

Green Bay Packers @ Dallas Cowboys Pick: It was never going to be hard for Micah Parsons to find motivation in his very quick return to the Dallas Cowboys (1-2), but comments made by Jerry Jones during the week will only have intensified the situation.

Contract negotiations had dragged on for months, but it was still a huge surprise to see the Cowboys trading away someone like Parsons ahead of his prime years. To send him to a Conference rival is even more bizarre and Micah Parsons and the Green Bay Packers (2-1) will be looking to make a big statement.

They were upset in Week 3 at the Cleveland Browns, but the Packers should have won that game, and they are not facing a team with the same kind of Defensive power in this one.

Injuries on the other side of the ball are going to make it very tough for Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys and it makes it an interesting tactic from Jones to try and rattle Parsons. The Cowboys owner spoke about some of the issues Parsons has had in run blocking and might be expecting Javonte Williams to continue his fine start to the season behind this Dallas Offensive Line.

However, this is the first time the Cowboys could be facing a Defensive Line as strong as the one that the Packers have trotting out onto the field and Williams may not have nearly the same room as in the previous three games. Stopping the run might also have become the focus for Green Bay after the injury to CeeDee Lamb, which has taken away Dak Prescott's favourite target, and the Packers can win up front.

Dak Prescott can still make big plays, but it would be all the tougher from third and long and with Micah Parsons breathing down his neck.

Without CeeDee Lamb, Prescott will need players like Jake Ferguson to step up, but throwing against this Green Bay Secondary will be difficult all day and it could be a tough night in the office for the Quarter Back and the Offensive unit.

The Packers have also had some early struggles running the ball and Josh Jacobs is a little banged up, but there should be more opportunities in this game. Handing the ball off to Jacobs and looking to remain in front of the chains is important for the Packers, but it should be possible to do that and make life a little more comfortable for Jordan Love at Quarter Back.

Kenny Clark was part of the Micah Parsons trade and will be looking to help his new team clamp down on the run, but the road team should have enough successes to keep the Quarter Back in a strong position.

Jordan Love will also be without a key Receiver, but he should have some time in the pocket when he drops back to throw and this Cowboys Secondary have struggled against the pass through the first three weeks of the season. The ball is spread around by Love and he should be able to find open Receivers, which should put the Packers in a spot to win and cover on the road.

Dallas will not have forgotten the Playoff beating here at the end of the 2023 season, but they have lost five in a row and a late Sack from Micah Parsons could put the final touches on this one.

MY PICKS: Minnesota Vikings - 2.5 Points @ 1.83 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Los Angeles Chargers - 6 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Philadelphia Eagles - 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Los Angeles Rams - 3.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Green Bay Packers - 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Week 3: 5-3, + 1.56 Units (8 Units Staked, + 19.50% Yield)

Week 2: 3-2, + 0.67 Units (5 Units Staked, + 13.40% Yield)

Week 1: 0-2, - 2 Units (2 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

College Football Week 5 Picks 2025 (Saturday 27th September)

The last three weeks have been something of a frustrating time for the College Football Picks and there have been a number of late scores that have been given up to flip the spread.

Last week it was the USC Trojans who were on their way to a cover, but allowed a long Touchdown pass to be completed with less than three minutes left on the clock to give up a second backdoor cover in three games.

Backing them this week may feel a little risky with that in mind, but they should be ready to show the rest of the Big Ten that they are a genuine contender within the Conference and perhaps for even more.

Moving into Week 5 does mean the Conference schedules are really underway and there are some big, big games over the weekend.

All eyes will be on the Penn State-Oregon and Georgia-Alabama games, but those are very tough to predict and instead the focus is on other games as far as the selections go.

The majority of selections are from games in the first two windows of action on Saturday with the last being a late, late night show from the Big 12.

USC Trojans @ Illinois Fighting Illini Pick: Some will argue that the Big Ten may be the toughest Conference in College Football with the Ohio State Buckeyes the National Champions and the likes of the Oregon Ducks, Penn State Nittany Lions and Indiana Hoosiers all looking capable of matching the Playoff runs from 2024.

Add the USC Trojans (4-0) to the mix after they continued their perfect start to the season with a big home win over the Michigan State Spartans. That victory also means USC are leading the way in the Big Ten Conference with the 2-0 record in the books, although this is a team that is still going to learn a lot more about themselves in the weeks and months ahead.

Wins over the Purdue Boilermakers and Michigan State Spartans are decent enough, but the Trojans will be set for a challenge in Week 5 when visiting the Illinois Fighting Illini (3-1).

Granted, there may have been a really different feel around the game if the Fighting Illini had not just been crushed by 53 points at the home of the Hoosiers.

Losing is one thing and the Fighting Illini will be aware that they still have time to turn the perceptions around, but the bigger impact is the number of injuries suffered in the Secondary both before the loss to the Hoosiers and during the defeat. In the Big Ten you need your best players and Illinois are going to be without some hugely influential players that will make it tough to slow down a USC Offensive unit that have begun the season incredibly brightly.

The early Saturday kick off time is an issue, but USC did not let that bother them in the road win over Purdue.

There will be a real feeling on the Offensive side of the ball that the Trojans can do much of what they like considering how well the Offensive Line are playing. They should be able to establish the run very efficiently and this is just going to make things as comfortable as possible for Quarter Back Jayden Maiava, even if Ja'Kobi Lane has to miss another game.

With the injuries in the Secondary and the likelihood of the Trojans running the ball very well, Jayden Maiava should have his way as he continues to be well protected and it should mean the USC Trojans can pile up some points.

The pressure will subsequently be on Luke Altmyer and the Illinois Fighting Illini Offensive unit to at least be able to control the tempo of this game and to try and keep up with the Trojans on the scoreboard.

There are very little positives to take out of the beat down in Indiana and Luke Altmyer struggled with less than 150 passing yards thrown.

Problems began right up front as the Offensive Line struggled to open up holes in the running game and the grand total of 2 rushing yards last week was clearly a big issue. Despite the three wins secured early, the Fighting Illini had been inconsistent on the ground and they are not likely to see much change out of this strong looking USC Defensive Line.

It wasn't just run blocking, but the Illinois Offensive Line struggled in pass protection and there is every chance that the Quarter Back is going to be under siege for a second game in a row. Seven Sacks were produced by the Hoosiers and this Trojans pass rush are going to feel they are in and around Luke Altmyer all day if the Fighting Illini have struggled to run the ball.

As teams have chased big deficits, the Trojans have allowed some passing yards to be given up, but this looks another big test for the Fighting Illini Offensively having failed as comprehensively as they did in Week 4.

The Trojans are just 3-12 against the spread in the last fifteen games in which they have been set as the road favourite and that does temper some enthusiasm to back them here.

However, they look the stronger team on both sides of the ball and this feels like a very tough spot for Illinois after all they suffered last week.

Head Coach Bret Bielema has a good record after a loss and he has been a solid underdog to back, but his Illinois team are just 2-3 against the spread as the home underdog in the last couple of seasons. They will be better than last week, which is not going to be too difficult, but the USC Trojans can do enough Offensively to pull away and then allow the pass rush to force the stops needed to secure a win by double digits for a fifth time in five outings in 2025.

Utah State Aggies @ Vanderbilt Commodores Pick: As a former player, Head Coach Clark Lea was always going to take the job with the Vanderbilt Commodores (4-0) and the only way was up after the team had finished 0-9 in the 2020 season.

With that being said, the Commodores finished 2-10 in two of the first three seasons under this Head Coach and 5-7 in 2022, while Vanderbilt had not had a winning record since 2013.

All that changed in 2024 with the team winning a Bowl Game to end the season at 7-6 and that includes Clark Lea leading the team to a first ever win against a top five Ranked opponent when upsetting the Alabama Crimson Tide. They finished 3-5 within the tough SEC, and Vanderbilt have brought back 19 starters from the team that achieved so much last time around, which has in turn sparked this 4-0 start.

Week 6 sees the rematch with the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, but all of the focus this week is on Vanderbilt beating the Utah State Aggies (3-1).

Three straight losing seasons have been placed in the books, but Utah State are being led by Bronco Mendenhall in his first season as Head Coach and they are one win away from matching the total from last season. There is a huge amount of respect for Mendenhall in the Vanderbilt Coaching ranks, including Clark Lea who has described the veteran as a 'mentor'.

Utah State have an upset win on the board against the Air Force Falcons, but they were well beaten in the sole road game played at Texas A&M Aggies.

Healthy respect aside, this is a big chance for Vanderbilt to conclude September as an unbeaten team and playing with confidence before heading into Alabama where the home team will be desperate for revenge. They will accept that the Aggies can cause problems with a dual-threat at the Quarter Back position, but this Commodores Defensive Line have clamped down on the run early this season and they will be looking to do the same here.

Quarter Back Bryson Barnes has put up some solid numbers in the first four games of the season, but he will be under a lot of pressure if the Aggies are not able to run the ball. His Offensive Line have not been nearly as productive when it comes to pass protection and Barnes will be aware that this Vanderbilt pass rush is going to be coming for him.

That pressure up front has protected the Secondary and Bryson Barnes will just need to be aware of turning the ball over under pressure.

These issues were on display when Utah State were beaten at Texas A&M earlier this season and the road team are going to have to work hard to shut down what has been a very confident Vanderbilt Offensive unit.

Like the Mountain West team, Vanderbilt have a dual-threat playing from the Quarter Back position in Diego Pavia and he has almost 900 passing yards and over 200 rushing yards already this season. In the defeat to fellow SEC team Texas A&M, Utah State were not able to slow down the ground attack and this Commodores Offensive Line are going to believe they can set the team up in manageable spots throughout the game.

It should open things up for Diego Pavia, who has been very well protected when dropping back to throw the ball, and the Quarter Back can have success moving the chains with his arm.

The Commodores are not a team who have been set as the home favourite too often in recent seasons and they have generally underperformed when they have. However, this Vanderbilt team is extremely confident and experienced and they have covered as the home favourite twice, while blowing out the South Carolina Gamecocks on the road as a narrow underdog.

There is a chance that Clark Lea calls off the dogs if they have a big lead with the game against Alabama in mind, and that could allow a backdoor cover.

However, there is a feeling around this part of Nashville that hasn't been around for a long time and the Head Coach will want his team to ride to Alabama with a huge amount of belief. That should mean allowing the Offensive players to do their thing for long enough to win this game and cover the mark set as the Commodores continue to fly and try to prove themselves as something truly special this season.

Ohio State Buckeyes @ Washington Huskies Pick: They may have lost two games last season, but the Ohio State Buckeyes (3-0) ran through the Playoff without being pushed and they ended the year as National Champions.

Once again they are amongst the favourites to win the National Championship and the win over the Texas Longhorns in Week 1 has only strengthened the claims.

Head Coach Ryan Day is preparing his team for the opening Big Ten Conference game and it looks a real test for the Buckeyes in a true road setting.

The Washington Huskies (3-0) have also made a perfect start to the 2025 season and Head Coach Jedd Fisch is looking for much better having guided the Huskies to a 6-7 record in 2024. He was in a tough spot when taking over from Kalen DeBoer who had taken the Huskies to the National Championship Game in 2023 and had helped the team win twenty-five games across two years.

It was also a season in which Jedd Fisch was taking a team that was moving into the tough Big Ten Conference and the Huskies finished 4-5 in those games, which makes this home opener something of a statement game for the underdog as much as the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The Offensive Line let the Washington Huskies down last season, but that has been a unit that they have actively looked to improve. The early signs are better, but the Huskies are going to be tested up front by this Ohio State pass rush and especially if the home team are not able to establish the run.

It will be the Line of Scrimmage that is massively important on this side of the ball and the Buckeyes Defensive Line have to be confident having had at least one really difficult match up with the Texas Longhorns. The overall performances have been very good when it comes to playing the run and the Buckeyes will feel they can shift the pressure onto Demond Williams Jr at Quarter Back, although they will have to be wary of his ability to move the ball with his legs as much as his arm.

Demond Williams Jr is going to be up against a top Ohio State Secondary and care will have to be taken that he is not pushing the envelope so far to end up making costly mistakes.

The Huskies have won their last twenty-two games at home, but the Buckeyes represent as tough a visiting team that they will have hosted in that time.

We will also learn a lot more about the Washington Defensive unit, which has started the season very well, when they go up against this Buckeyes team.

Once again the Line of Scrimmage is going to be hugely important and the Buckeyes Offensive Line will look to impose themselves on the Washington Defensive Line. This is where the early scheduling can make a difference and the Huskies have simply not faced any team with the power of the Buckeyes, while the latter have already earned that win over Texas which has been mentioned above.

The strength to open up running lanes has also been backed up by very good pass protection and that should give Quarter Back Julian Sayin an opportunity to keep the chains moving. There have been one or two holes in the Washington Secondary that will excite the talented Receivers that the Buckeyes have and they will feel they can win their battles and give Sayin places to throw the ball.

Interceptions have been something of an issue for Julian Sayin, but he has plenty of talent around him to make up for any mistakes and the Ohio State Buckeyes can really display their superiority, even on the road.

The Huskies just feel like a team that have more to prove, and this is a significant step up in class compared with the three teams beaten.

Ohio State are also playing after a Bye Week and they are 10-7 against the spread with rest under Head Coach Ryan Day- he should have the Buckeyes really well prepared and they were also 5-2 against the spread as the road favourite in 2024, a number that they can improve in Week 5.

Auburn Tigers @ Texas A&M Aggies Pick: There was plenty of controversy attached to the Auburn Tigers (3-1) losing their unbeaten record in a road loss at the Oklahoma Sooners in Week 4, but the team has to move on. The SEC admitted that the officials had made a mistake when allowing a Sooners Touchdown to stand and that will have made the 7 point loss sting, especially for a Head Coach who has had two losing seasons and can ill-afford a third.

Recent years have been tough for Auburn as they have slipped behind the standards of some of the other top schools in the SEC and losing records have become the norm. Hugh Freeze was appointed as Head Coach to turn that around, but he has an 11-14 record in the first two seasons.

There have been things to like about Auburn through the first four weeks of the season, but the loss last week means they need to show immediate recovery powers as they face an opponent that will be targeting a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Texas A&M Aggies (3-0) have an upset win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish under their belt and they are playing for the first time since then.

An opening SEC game is always going to present a new challenge, but the Aggies are at home and there is a feeling that Texas A&M have shown something very positive in winning on the road at Notre Dame. Head Coach Mike Elko is trying to keep things in perspective by pointing out the team are 0-0 in SEC play this season, but the Aggies have been noted with a move into the top ten of the early Rankings.

This is the first of three consecutive home Conference games and the experienced Aggies should have taken full advantage of the Bye Week by focusing on the tape from the Oklahoma win over Auburn.

The key will be up front as the Aggies Defensive Line looks to control the Line of Scrimmage and clamp down on the Auburn rushing attack- this is a team that only allowed 3.5 yards per carry on the season last year and Texas A&M have picked up from where they left off with a strong beginning to this campaign.

Slowing down the run and forcing Jackson Arnold to beat them with his arm will be seen as a big win for the Aggies, especially when you factor in the pass protection issues that were on display in the loss to the Sooners. Some of that has been put on the Quarter Back, but the Offensive Line should take a fair portion of the blame for the Sacks racking up and now they have to deal with a very productive Texas A&M pass rush.

Issues in pass protection have limited the numbers that Jackson Arnold has been able to produce, although there has to be some credit for the fact that the Quarter Back has yet to throw an Interception, despite the pressure being put on him.

Even then, it looks like it will be another difficult day moving the ball with any consistency and that will put the pressure on the Tigers Defensive unit.

There hasn't been much going wrong for the Aggies Offensive plans early in the season, although they may feel that this is the toughest Defensive unit they will have to face.

Both teams will be well aware of the battle at the Line of Scrimmage- last season the Aggies finished second in the SEC in terms of rushing yards per game, and they have begun this season with strong ground numbers, but they are facing an Auburn Defensive Line that prides itself on being able to slow the run. In 2024 the Tigers only allowed 3 yards per carry, and they limited the Sooners to just 35 ground yards last season with this Line looking even tougher this season.

You know that neither will want to take a backwards step and so there will be plenty of runs called by the home team to try and break through, while Quarter Back Marcel Reed is capable of moving the ball with his legs.

However, it is the arm that has been impressing through three games and Marcel Reed has one edge over Jackson Arnold and that is he is playing behind an Offensive Line that has offered him time in the pocket. Keeping the Auburn pass rush at bay will be a challenge, but Reed is also going to have noted some of the holes that have been evident in the Tigers Secondary and he is going to have talented Receivers finding a way to get open and give the home team an opportunity to move the chains.

This is where the Aggies may end up having the edge and they can earn revenge for the very narrow defeat to Auburn at the back end of the 2024 season.

It was a dramatic game won in a Fourth Overtime, while the Tigers had pushed the game into Overtime by scoring a Field Goal with 5 seconds remaining in regulation.

This will not have been forgotten by the Aggies, who have a 6-0 record against the spread when set as Conference favourites of less than 16 points and with the revenge angle on their side.

Auburn have bounced back from defeats pretty well against the spread under Head Coach Hugh Freeze, but they are 0-5 against the spread when facing an opponent playing with revenge and the Texas A&M Aggies can display they are a serious Playoff contender with a solid home win in Week 5 of the season as the SEC schedule gets underway at College Station.

Tennessee Volunteers @ Mississippi State Bulldogs Pick: Once again the Georgia Bulldogs have found a way to get the better of the Tennessee Volunteers (3-1), but there is still so much for the Volunteers to play for through the remainder of the regular season. One defeat is not going to keep them out of the College Football Playoff and the team responded to the heartbreaking defeat to the Bulldogs by crushing the UAB Blazers in Week 4.

However, there is a pressure on Tennessee to get back on track in the SEC having dropped the opening Conference game and they are facing the Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-0) who lost all eight SEC games played last season.

Credit has to be given to the Bulldogs in the fact they have already doubled the win total of 2024 through the first four games, but the schedule has been relatively comfortable. The narrow win over the Arizona State Sun Devils, a team that made the Playoff Bracket last season, will have given Mississippi State a lot of belief, especially as they had been set as the home underdog in that game.

It is a win that could look very good come the end of the season, but this is the start of a run of eight SEC games in succession and that is when the schedule does look extremely challenging.

The Bulldogs do have some experienced players on the roster, although the team lost valuable players from last season in the transfer portal. Despite those losses, the start made to the 2025 campaign will have given the Bulldogs a huge amount of belief, even if they are about to step up a level or two in terms of competition.

Running the ball against this Volunteers Defensive Line has proven to be a huge challenge in recent years and everything points to this being a strength of the unit once again. The Mississippi State Offensive Line have begun the season very well, but the schedule has helped and the expectation is that Quarter Back Blake Shapen is going to have to make plenty of plays with his arm to keep things moving.

Blake Shapen was the understudy at the position last season so the system is not something that will be unfamiliar to him and he has made a strong start. 884 passing yards with 7 Touchdown passes has to be respected, but playing from behind the chains will be a different test for the Quarter Back, as will the fact that he is likely to be under pressure from this Tennessee pass rush.

There have been one or two spaces to exploit in the Secondary, which will give Blake Shapen and the Bulldogs something to attack, but finding the consistency will be the test for the home underdog.

Mississippi State have produced some early solid numbers on the Defensive side of the ball, but the level of competition cannot be ignored.

In Week 5 they are facing one of the stronger teams in the SEC who are being led very competently by Quarter Back Joey Aguiar.

Everything begins on the Offensive Line though and this Volunteers team have piled up the yardage on the ground and while playing stronger opponents than they one they face on Saturday. Stopping the run was a huge issue for the Bulldogs Defensive Line last season and the Tennessee Volunteers are likely to pummel them in this one and make sure Joey Aguilar is in a much more comfortable position to make plays against the Secondary.

If they are playing in front of the chains as expected, the Bulldogs Secondary are going to find it very difficult to make the same kinds of plays as they have against weaker opponents. This should give Tennessee the opportunities to move the ball pretty comfortably for much of the afternoon and they can win this game and cover the spread.

In recent years the Bulldogs have been a pretty poor home underdog with a 3-9-1 record against the spread since the beginning of the 2021 season. They are 2-3 against the spread in that spot under Head Coach Jeff Lebby, while Tennessee finished 3-1 against the spread as the road favourite last season.

This is the first true road game of the season, which is always going to be a test of character, but the Volunteers are going into a Bye Week following this one and they can put everything into this game.

Being 0-1 in the SEC means there is some urgency too and the Volunteers are unlikely to overlook the hosts, who have made a perfect start to the 2025 season, which should lead to a Tennessee win by double digits.

BYU Cougars @ Colorado Buffaloes Pick: These two teams were involved in a rare Conference Bowl Game at the end of last season and the BYU Cougars (3-0) blew out the Colorado Buffaloes (2-2). Head Coach Deion Sanders has downplayed the revenge angle and instead is motivated by trying to help the Buffaloes move back above 0.500, while this is also an important game for Colorado in the Big 12 having dropped their opening Conference game.

So much has changed for the Buffaloes from 2024 with some key players Drafted to play in the NFL and most expected a step back for the team after the 9-4 finish last time around. Only tie-breakers prevented the Buffaloes from playing in the Big 12 Championship Game and perhaps even the College Football Playoff, but matching that record and run looks much more uncertain with the team in something of a transition.

The Buffaloes improved from 4 wins in Coach Prime's first season in charge to 9 wins in 2024, but a winning record might be seen as a success in 2025.

A home loss to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackes and a blowout road loss to the Houston Cougars has been the outcome for the Buffaloes when playing Power 4 Conference teams. While the BYU Cougars have not exactly had the toughest of schedules to open the season, this is going to be another stiff test for Colorado considering how good the Big 12 Conference contenders have looked.

Last season BYU were another team who finished 7-2 in Big 12 play, but they also missed out on the Championship Game on tie-breakers.

Motivation is high to go at least a step further in 2025 and the Cougars have some key Offensive players back, and that experience makes them a considerable threat.

The Offensive Line have ripped open some big running games in this unbeaten start to the season and they will be hugely encouraged by the yardage that the Buffaloes have given up on the ground. It looks like the Colorado Defensive Line is set for a step backwards compared with 2024 and the Cougars should be able to establish the ground game, which in turn should makes things that much more comfortable for Quarter Back Bear Bachmeier.

He will have time in the pocket and Chase Roberts has begun 2025 from where he left off last season and the road team will feel they can move the chains with plenty of consistency over the course of this game.

One of the key reasons the Cougars were able to have such a successful 2024 was the play of the Defensive unit and the early signs is that the 2025 unit is going to be just as tough.

They have clamped down on the run through the opening three games and that is going to be key for them against the Buffaloes as they look to force the Quarter Back to make the big plays for the home team. There has been an uncertainty around the position early in the season and so the Cougars will be really confident if they can have Colorado backed up into third and long spots.

Kaidon Salter is almost certainly going to be given the start, but Deion Sanders is not going to be worried about having to shift him out if the game plan is not being executed. The Quarter Back will have picked up some confidence from his play against the Wyoming Cowboys last time out, but Salter is facing a Cougars Secondary that has played the pass very well.

BYU have also gotten plenty of pass rush pressure up front and Colorado's Offensive Line may not allow Kaidon Salter, or any other Quarter Back, to have the time needed if they are in third and long spots. Throwing under pressure is very dangerous against the Cougars Defensive Backs and a turnover or two may just set the road team on the way to a win and a cover.

Deion Sanders is a huge motivator for the Colorado players and they are 9-5 against the spread when set as the underdog, although 0-2 this season.

They are 8-2 against the spread playing with the revenge factor and the Bowl Game defeat will not have been forgotten by anyone in Boulder.

However, this BYU team look like genuine Big 12 Championship contenders and they are 4-2 against the spread in the last six games when set as the road favourite. Imposing themselves at the Line of Scrimmage on both sides of the ball should give the Cougars the edge and they can win this one by at least a converted Touchdown margin.

MY PICKS: USC Trojans - 7 Points @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Vanderbilt Commodores - 22.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Ohio State Buckeyes - 8.5 Points @ 1.80 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Texas A&M Aggies - 6.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Tennessee Volunteers - 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

BYU Cougars - 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Week 4: 2-4, - 2.14 Units (6 Units Staked, - 35.67% Yield)

Week 3: 4-4, - 0.36 (8 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Week 1: 1-4, - 3.14 Units (5 Units Staked, - 62.80% Yield)

Week 0: 2-1, + 0.75 Units (3 Units Staked, + 25% Yield)

College Football Week 4 Picks 2025 (Saturday 20th September)

The majority of teams in the College Football ranks will really be getting their Conference part of the schedule moving as we progress into Week 4 and over the next several weeks the pretenders will begin to be separated from the contenders.

There are teams that have already suffered losses that could end their hopes of making the twelve team Playoff- Notre Dame Fighting Irish have lost twice and they really have no margin for error the rest of the way, while also needing other results to land their way, while the Clemson Tigers are also in early trouble at 1-2.

However, for others like the Tennessee Volunteers, a close defeat against a quality opponent like Georgia will not be a fatal blow and they will still have plenty of reasons to believe the rest of the way.

More movement within the College Football Ranks will be expected once the Week 4 action is completed, but one news story of interest this week was the report that a game will be played at Wembley Stadium, London next season.

In Week 0, the Kansas State Wildcats and Iowa State Cyclones met in Dublin, but College Football has yet to follow the NFL to England and that is expected to change.

Perhaps most interesting is that the game is rumoured to be played in Week 3 rather than the unofficial opening week of action as has been the case in the past for any international game. It may lead to more games being played in England going forward, although that may depend on how Conferences set up their schedules as not many College teams will be willing to give up home field like they do in the NFL.

That is something to keep an eye on with Kansas Jayhawks and Arizona State Sun Devils rumoured to be the participants at Wembley Stadium in 2026.

It was a better week for the College Football Picks, although still not quite good enough to begin to turn things back around after a poor Week 1 showing.

As we move into Week 4, hopefully a winning set of games can be found with those selections seen below.

Purdue Boilermakers @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish Pick: Ryan Walters looked to be coming into a good situation with the Purdue Boilermakers (2-1), but the 1-11 record in 2024 was never going to be good enough for him to remain as Head Coach.

Unsurprisingly most would have felt the Boilermakers could only go up under Barry Odom, who had been doing a fine job as Head Coach of the UNLV Rebels. He has already helped double the wins from 2024, while the Boilermakers offered some resistance before losing to the USC Trojans at home in the Big Ten last week.

That makes it ten straight Conference defeats for the Boilermakers, but they are heading out to South Bend for this non-Conference game in Week 4.

Motivation will be high against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (0-2) with just 110 miles separating the campuses, while Purdue fans will remember the shellacking handed out by Notre Dame in 2024. That was on the way to National Championship Game, but this Fighting Irish team have already lost two close games to the Miami Hurricanes and Texas A&M Aggies and even making the post-season could be beyond them four weeks into the new season.

Head Coach Marcus Freeman has overseen a solid few seasons with the Fighting Irish, but he will be under pressure if the team are to slip to a third straight defeat in 2025.

There is room for improvement for the Fighting Irish ahead of this game- they have struggled for Offensive consistency and some of that is down to the Offensive Line issues. Notre Dame have not been able to run the ball with real authority, while the Fighting Irish Offensive Line have not been nearly as effective in pass protection as young Quarter Back CJ Carr would have liked.

It has put some pressure on Carr by having to be forced to throw from third and long spots and that has contributed to the Quarter Back opening this season with 3 Touchdown passes along with 2 Interceptions.

He should be able to have success against this Purdue team, although credit has to be given to Barry Odom who has made his reputation as a Defensive Coach and who has already shown he can toughen up this team. Last season the Boilermakers could not make stops, but the Defensive Line has made an encouraging start to the season and could keep the underdog competitive.

Winning at the Line of Scrimmage is so important in any American Football game and Purdue may struggle on the Offensive side of the ball when it comes to establishing the run. They may have some success slowing down the Fighting Irish on the other side, but the Boilermakers are not expected to have much success on the ground and that is going to put the pressure on the Quarter Back.

However, Ryan Browne may have some spaces to exploit considering the early issues Notre Dame have had in the Secondary, although the 4 Interceptions thrown is a problem. The Fighting Irish will also expect a step down compared with the Offensive power of the Hurricanes and Aggies, but there is an opportunity for Browne and the Boilermakers to have some gaps to exploit.

Turnovers are going to be important, but the spread is a big one and Barry Odom's record as an underdog is to be respected.

Notre Dame just need to win and the Purdue Head Coach was 6-3 against the spread as the road underdog with the Rebels.

The 59 point home loss to the Fighting Irish last season gives the road underdog a bit more motivation and the points on offer look appealing enough here.

Florida Gators @ Miami Hurricanes Pick: The 10-3 overall record and the 6-2 Conference record saw the Miami Hurricanes (3-0) come up just short of the College Football Playoff spots.

They did win at least ten games for the first time since 2017, but the pre-season chatter was all about Head Coach Mario Cristobal and whether he could help the Hurricanes meet the new expectations around them.

Despite losing Cam Ward to the NFL as the Number 1 Overall Pick, the Hurricanes have been able to bring in Carson Beck at Quarter Back and the experience of this player cannot be underestimated. Coming through an early test to beat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, last year's National Championship Runners Up, will have raised the expectations further and the ACC looks a pretty open Conference at the very top.

A blowout win over the South Florida Bulls keeps the good times going, but everyone associated with Miami are expected a much tougher test against another in-State rival and one that is already in a desperate position.

Billy Napier may have finished last season by leading the Florida Gators (1-2) to a winning record, but 8-5 is not going to cut it again and the early results have already put the Gators behind the eight ball. Losing at the LSU Tigers is somewhat forgivable, but Florida were also beaten by the aforementioned Bulls and the Head Coach has to be feeling the pressure in his fourth season at the helm.

It is the Offensive side of the game that has been letting Florida down and they will need to put a solid Defensive unit in a better spot.

DJ Lagway is experienced having had to come in for Graham Mertz last season, but it was his 5 Interceptions in the loss to the Tigers that made the difference.

He has to be more careful against this tough Hurricanes Defense and the problem begins right up front with the Florida Offensive Line expected to find it difficult to establish the run. This will automatically mean the Quarter Back is having to force plays from third and long spots, which is a problem when noting 4 of the 6 Interceptions thrown in 2025 have been right out of that spot, and DJ Lagway is also going to be dealing with what has been a solid Miami Secondary.

Pressure can be produced up front and everything is pointing to another tough Offensive day in the office for the Florida Gators.

However, the key for the Gators has to be playing a clean game and at least being able to lean on the Defensive unit to continue to produce at the level they have been. It is a level that will give Florida a chance in every game played as long as they not being forced to protect short fields and the Gators just need Lagway to avoid the Interceptions that can put them on the back foot.

In saying that, Carson Beck is very experienced at Quarter Back and he has enjoyed his two previous games against the Florida Gators when a member of the Georgia Bulldogs. He did throw 3 Interceptions in the win against them last season, but has 4 Touchdown passes and Beck will believe the Hurricanes have the talent to find a way to move the chains.

A lot of the heavy handling may have to be done by Carson Beck considering how well the Florida Defensive Line have been performing early this season. They are going to be tested by the Hurricanes Offensive Line, but it may mean Beck is in a position where he will have to show off all of the experience he has in College Football.

Throwing successfully against this Florida Secondary will not be easy and Carson Beck has to avoid the Interceptions that could swing the game away from Miami. However, the feeling is that Beck can call upon some of his Receivers to win their battles and this is a big opportunity for Miami to show they are a genuine contender to reach the Playoff and perhaps even more.

Last season Florida were embarrassed in a blowout loss to the Miami Hurricanes at home and that will give them plenty of motivation this week.

Back to back road games are very difficult and it does feel like a game that the Miami Hurricanes can win and cover.

Respect has to be given to Billy Napier whose team has a winning record against the spread when playing with revenge, while the Head Coach has a 7-1-1 record against the spread when his team have a losing record. These stats cannot be dismissed, but DJ Lagway may not play a clean enough game for the Florida Gators and they may suffer yet another defeat by double digits when facing a Carson Beck-led opponent.

California Golden Bears @ San Diego State Aztecs Pick: The poor start made by the Clemson Tigers seems to have opened up the ACC and the California Golden Bears (3-0) will certainly feel they can exploit any gaps that have developed at the top.

Last season they finished with a 6-7 record, but there were enough close defeats in that time to believe that better was to come.

Non-Conference results are not always the best indication, but California have beaten Oregon State and Minnesota and they are set as big favourites to beat San Diego State Aztecs (1-1).

In 2024, California were 21 point winners against San Diego State at home and they are a significant favourite on the road. You can understand the reasoning for that considering how well the Golden Bears have begun this season, but they will have to be careful that they are not overlooking this opponent with the first ACC game on deck at Boston College set for Week 5.

The Golden Bears Offensive Line should be able to have some success on the ground as the Washington State Cougars did in their game with the San Diego State Aztecs, although the majority of the pressure will be on Quarter Back Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.

He beat out Devin Brown, a transfer from Ohio State, and Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele has impressed with 6 Touchdowns and a single Interception. After watching Jaxson Potter carve up the San Diego State Secondary, Sagapolutele and the Offense will certainly feel they can pick up where Washington State left off.

One challenge for the Golden Bears is that they are facing a team out of a Bye Week and with adjustments that will have been made. Even then, you have to believe California continue to roll and they can certainly pile up the yards and then see if the Aztecs have enough about them to make this competitive.

They were not able to do that in the blowout loss to the Washington State Cougars and San Diego State will be facing a California Defensive unit that have opened the season looking in very strong form.

San Diego State will want to lean on the Offensive Line and Running Back Lucky Sutton, but that is not going to be easy considering what we have seen from the Golden Bears Defensive Line. The road team will be aware that Sutton is the best player on this side of the ball for the Aztecs, and the home team are not going to be shying away from continuing to pound the rock, but it could be tough to move the chains with any consistency.

That will mean pressure on Jayden Denegal at Quarter Back, who struggled in the road loss at the Cougars.

He has been relatively well protected by the San Diego State Offensive Line, but Denegal has struggled for consistency and that may be the case against this California Secondary. There will be moments of success, but it could be another tough day in the office for this Offense and that could see the California Golden Bears eventually pull clear.

In recent years, the Golden Bears are 8-0 against the spread when playing non-Conference road games, while they are 14-7 against the spread in non-Conference games overall.

The spread is not going to be an easy one to deal with, but the Golden Bears can do enough to secure a two Touchdown win.

Michigan State Spartans @ USC Trojans Pick: Lincoln Riley is in his fourth year as Head Coach of the USC Trojans (3-0) and there is pressure on him to get things moving in a positive direction. His team won 11 games in his first season in charge, but that has dropped to 8 games in 2023 and 7 games in 2024 and the move to the Big Ten Conference means a much tougher route to earn a spot in the Playoff.

The positive is that four Big Ten teams were invited into the twelve team College Football Playoff last season and the USC Trojans have made a positive start to the season. They have already secured a road win in the Conference, which is that much tougher considering the vast range covered within the Conference schedule, and the Trojans are playing with real confidence.

However, there will be no doubt that this game represents the toughest test so far this season when the USC Trojans host the Michigan State Spartans (3-0).

Being in the Big Ten means the Trojans have a very tough schedule beginning this week, but the benefit of hosting is that this late kick off time should give the home team another advantage.

They will have plenty of respect for Michigan State Head Coach Jonathan Smith and USC fans will be familiar with his work with the Oregon State Beavers. After the team won 11 games in 2021, the last three years have been difficult, but the first season under Smith in 2024 showed plenty of positive signs and three straight wins to open this season means expectations are beginning to be increased at Michigan State.

Last season they finished 3-6 in Big Ten play, while the Spartans have not faced any team of real note before this huge statement test.

Like any team in the Conference, Michigan State will have a tough run of games coming up and they have to hope that the three games played are enough preparation for the kind of opponents they will be facing in the Big Ten.

The Spartans will find it tough to run the ball with any consistency against this Trojans Defensive Line and that will mean having to lean on Quarter Back Aiden Chiles to try and keep the team moving. Michigan State have not really impressed when facing weaker opposition compared with the USC Trojans, and so it will make it tough to believe that the road team can have a lot of consistent success when it comes to pounding the ball on the ground.

Aiden Chiles has opened the season with some positive numbers, but he did have 13 Touchdown passes and 11 Interceptions last season and this is going to be the first game where the pressure is on his shoulders. Playing out of third and long is tough and that will only be more difficult when you think of the pass rush pressure the Trojans have been able to generate early this season.

He will also be trying to throw against a ball-hawking Secondary and there is a feeling that Chiles could be forced into a turnover or two that really allows the USC Trojans to break the game open.

Once again all eyes will be on the Line of Scrimmage on both sides of the ball... And the Trojans have to be very confident in what they are running out.

Credit has to be given to the Spartans Defensive Line for the early successes put on the board, but they have not faced an Offensive Line like the one that the Trojans will be trotting out. In the first three wins, USC have crushed teams on the ground and they have picked up 7 yards per carry, which in turn has made things very comfortable for Jayden Maiava at Quarter Back.

Jayden Maiava will be encouraged by the numbers being allowed by the Michigan State Secondary and he has been given plenty of time by the USC Offensive Line when dropping back to throw the ball. With the Receivers around him, Maiava is expected to have another quality showing and he can help the USC Trojans push forward and put a statement win on the board.

Since the start of the 2024 season, USC are 6-0 against the spread as the home favourite.

In recent years, the Michigan State Spartans are 1-7-1 against the spread as underdogs of more than 17 points and they may struggle to keep up with the hosts in this Week 4 clash.

MY PICKS: Purdue Boilermakers + 25.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Miami Hurricanes - 8.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

California Golden Bears - 14 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

USC Trojans - 18.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Memphis Tigers + 7 Points @ 1.95 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Illinois Fighting Illini + 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Week 3: 4-4, - 0.36 (8 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Week 1: 1-4, - 3.14 Units (5 Units Staked, - 62.80% Yield)

Week 0: 2-1, + 0.75 Units (3 Units Staked, + 25% Yield)