College Football Week 8 Picks 2025 (Saturday 18th October)

The twelve team format of the Playoffs in College Football does mean the season will continue for some time over the months ahead, but the regular season is a little over a month away from being concluded.

Games are becoming that much more important and the margin for error becomes narrower and narrower as teams jockey for places in the Championship Game and then being invited into the Playoff.

One loss is not fatal, although depending which team hands that out, but two losses becomes problematic, although this season feels much different than those we have seen over the last fifteen to twenty years.

In an era of the transfer portal, many people are suggesting that the top teams are pretty tightly bunched these days and historically successful schools are being challenged by 'up-starts' wherever you look.

If the ACC Championship Game was played this weekend, it would be between Georgia Tech and Virginia, while the SEC Championship Game would be Mississippi against Texas A&M. The Indiana Hoosiers surprised everyone last year by making the Playoff, but this is a school on the up and the upset win over the Oregon Ducks means they are leading the way in the Big Ten.

So much can change between now and the end of Thanksgiving Weekend, but it does feel like teams with two losses are likely to be involved in the Playoff.

The likes of Notre Dame and Texas may feel they have little more room for error having suffered two defeats already, but they are right in the mix, while an improving Clemson Tigers team already has three losses, but are slowing climbing the ranks in the ACC.

The way things are panning out, there are going to be some controversial decisions that may be needed to be made by the College Football Playoff Committee once all the Championships have been handed out.

And anyone who needs to sign up to play, you can use the links for Bet365, Bodog and Bovada to do so.

Texas A&M Aggies @ Arkansas Razorbacks Pick: Only two teams remain unbeaten that are playing in the SEC and the Texas A&M Aggies (6-0) are going to have that challenged in the next four weeks. They will be playing three consecutive road games in that stretch, with one Bye Week ahead of Week 11.

Two of those three teams to be faced have a single loss each, but first the Texas A&M Aggies play a second road game of the season at the Arkansas Razorbacks (2-4).

This is the first SEC road game following a win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in South Bend earlier in the season and the Aggies are down as significant favourites having compiled a 3-0 start in the Conference.

However, they will have noted the fight that the Arkansas Razorbacks produced in the loss at Tennessee last week and so nothing can be taken for granted.

A new Head Coach search continues for the Razorbacks, and they are 0-2 in the SEC this season, but they showed against the Volunteers that this is a team that will not give up easily. Being motivated at home is much easier too and there is not a lot wrong with an Offensive unit that is well balanced and capable of moving the chains consistently.

That does make the Arkansas Razorbacks a team that has to be respected, although they are facing a Texas A&M Defensive unit that have thrived on this side of the ball.

It all begins up front for the Aggies with a Defensive Line that will feel they can find a way to slow down an Arkansas team picking up 6.1 yards per carry. Even as the competition has ramped up, the Razorbacks have continued to impress with the way they have been able to move the ball on the ground, and this is going to be a key part of the game.

The Aggies will believe that winning up front will make it tough for the Razorbacks to make the plays through the air against this Secondary- the other side of the coin is that Arkansas may feel that being ahead of the chains may just open the door for Taylen Green to get the ball out of his hands quickly and make the passes needed to keep the Offensive unit chugging.

A narrow lean has to be with the Aggies, who will then look for the pass rush to really rattle this Quarter Back, while turnovers are always important. Unfortunately for the Razorbacks, ball security has been a real issue for them in recent games and extra possessions for the road team will feel like a serious edge for the favourite.

As good as the Razorbacks have been with the ball in hand, they have been tremendously poor Defensively and that is where those extra possessions can really hurt.

It is very difficult too see how Arkansas can make any kind of consistent stop when they have been allowing teams to run and throw the ball with efficiency. In recent games teams have ripped off huge gains on the ground and that is almost certainly going to be the case for the Texas A&M Offensive Line, which in turn will make things very comfortable for Marcel Reed at Quarter Back.

He will have seen the huge passing numbers being allowed by this Secondary, while Reed is not expected to face much in terms of pass rush pressure when he does drop back to throw.

Avoiding turnovers will give Texas A&M a huge edge in this contest and there is every chance they can beat the Razorbacks for a fourth time in a row.

Games between the rivals have usually been sent to neutral field in recent years, but Texas A&M have a chance to really make a statement by winning this one in a true road setting.

A couple of key stops and perhaps a turnover or two will be important as far as this spread goes, but the Aggies are capable of creating those and they may be able to win this one with something to spare.

Michigan State Spartans @ Indiana Hoosiers Pick: Two years ago, the Indiana Hoosiers (6-0) finished with a 3-9 record and Head Coach Tom Allen was fired after his seventh year at the helm.

In came Curt Cignetti and even the biggest, most optimistic fan could not have foreseen what was to come.

Last year the Hoosiers finished with an 11-2 record and had been invited into the College Football Playoff and there was a concern that they would struggle to match those heights again. Instead, Indiana have not only begun this season unbeaten, but they are 3-0 in the Big Ten and have just produced an incredibly important win at the home of the Oregon Ducks.

Suffice to say, the Hoosiers are now favourites to reach the Big Ten Conference Championship Game and return to the Playoff.

With Penn State capitulating and hit by key injuries, the Indiana Hoosiers have a clear path to win out, but the Head Coach will be reminding his players to focus. He has underlined his commitment to Indiana by signing a big contract extension and Curt Cignetti has stated he is not going anywhere after being linked with a now vacant role with the Nittany Lions.

The fans are going to be ready to get right behind this team and Head Coach.

Standing in the way is the Michigan State Spartans (3-3) who have lost all three Big Ten games played this season.

The Spartans were 7 point favourites last time out, but you would not have guessed that as they were crushed at home by the UCLA Bruins and it is hard to imagine them being very competitive here, as the spread set for the game makes clear.

The Line of Scrimmage is so, so important in any American Football game and the Michigan State Offensive Line have really had problems opening up running lanes all season. That has been very true as they have moved into Big Ten play and they are not going to get any change out of this Hoosiers Defensive Line and so the pressure is immediately on Aidan Chiles and the Spartans passing game.

Well it would be on Aidan Chiles, but the Quarter Back has to be seen as a major doubt for the road team, which would mean Alessio Milivojevic is given the start. This would be a huge issue for the Spartans with the inexperience of Milivojevic, and especially if the Quarter Back is being asked to do more with the team playing behind the chains.

He will be faced up by a fierce and productive Indiana pass rush, while the Hoosiers Secondary have stepped up another level as the competition has ramped up.

With all that said, the big question is whether the Indiana Hoosiers focus for long enough to earn the blowout, or do they begin to look ahead to Week 9 and a game against a UCLA team that have won two in a row.

The expectation has to be that the extension signed by Curt Cignetti and the team returning home after consecutive road wins will have the fans right behind the Hoosiers and push them to secure a big win.

The last time Indiana played here, they beat Illinois by 53 points and they are going to be very comfortable calling plays with the ball in hand.

Michigan State's Defensive Line have struggled to stop the run and this should see the Indiana Hoosiers constantly playing in front of the chains and will allow Quarter Back Fernando Mendoza to continue to enhance his reputation at the position. Running the ball efficiently means opening up the playbook in the passing game and Mendoza will certainly feel his Receivers can win out and find spaces in this Spartans Secondary.

There is no doubt that this is a big number, but the Hoosiers look a team on a mission and it may be difficult for Michigan State to find anything consistently Offensively. That should mean field position is in favour of the Hoosiers, while there is also the chance that an inexperienced Quarter Back makes mistakes to offer up those extra possessions to allow Indiana to pull clear.

Indiana are more than capable of crushing teams here, as they have shown in the home wins secured so far this season, and the Spartans could be the latest to be shown how improved this Hoosiers program is under Curt Cignetti.

Texas Longhorns @ Kentucky Wildcats Pick: Losses to the Ohio State Buckeyes and Florida Gators have put the pre-season Number 1 Ranked team, the Texas Longhorns (4-2) in a difficult position. They will have taken a lot of confidence out of the fact that they were able to win the Red River Rivalry game against previously unbeaten Oklahoma Sooners and that means the Longhorns are 1-1 in SEC play.

The Playoff Committee are almost certainly going to forgive Texas for the loss to the Buckeyes, but the defeat to the Gators is more damaging.

It all means that Texas are likely going to need to win out to earn an invite into the College Football Playoff and they have to build on the momentum from beating Oklahoma.

This is a second road game to be played in the SEC after that loss in Gainesville, but Texas should be more comfortable against the Kentucky Wildcats (2-3) who have already been beaten in all three SEC games played this season. The most competitive defeat was at home against the Mississippi Rebels, but Kentucky were well beaten in road games at South Carolina and Georgia.

Kentucky have an experienced Head Coach and are coming into this one having been on a Bye Week in Week 7, but Mark Stoops is only 8-14 against the spread with his team having had rest.

One of the big issues that will have needed to be addressed is finding a consistent running attack to just ease the burden on Quarter Back Cutter Boley- the Wildcats Offensive Line have have really begun to struggle as the Conference play has gotten under way and they are not expected to have much success against this Texas Defensive Line.

That will mean Cutter Boley having to make plays from what could be a collapsing pocket around him and the Quarter Back will have noted the Interceptions that Texas have been able to pile up thanks to that pressure up front. The Longhorns Secondary have played the pass well enough to believe they can make stops if they can back up the Wildcats into third and long spots on the field and one of the pre-season favourites have a big edge on this side of the ball.

You cannot completely dismiss Kentucky's chances of making some plays and have some Offensive success, but it is unlikely to be consistent and the potential for turning the ball over is higher than they would like.

The Wildcats Defensive Line are going to have to play well to see if they can give their own Secondary some protection by making sure Texas are stuck in third and long spots. Over the course of the season, Kentucky have been pretty good at playing the run, but they will have some tough moments against this Longhorns Offensive Line.

Any time the Longhorns are in third and manageable spots, they will feel comfortable with much talked about Arch Manning at Quarter Back.

The young player will have time in the pocket considering the lack of pass rush success the Wildcats have had in recent games, and Manning will certainly have noted some of the passing numbers being given up by the home team. Playing on the road is a different test for most at this level and Arch Manning will have to show what he has learned from that defeat at the Florida Gators, but this is an 'easier' match up and Texas should make that clear with the way they manage things.

Texas have not really impressed as much as was hoped in pre-season, but they can keep the positives ticking over after the win over the Oklahoma Sooners. Games against Georgia and Texas A&M in November are going to be huge for the Longhorns, but they have to make sure they are riding a four game winning run when facing the Bulldogs and that means winning here.

With a turnover or two, the Longhorns can surpass the performance of the Mississippi Rebels, who won by 7 points here, and Texas are capable of covering this big line as the road favourite.

Missouri Tigers @ Auburn Tigers Pick: They have won twenty-one games between 2023 and 2024 and the Missouri Tigers (5-1) had made a perfect start to 2025 going into a big 'prove it' game in Week 7 against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

It was a nip and tuck game throughout, but Missouri came up short and they are looking to bounce back in a big road test in the SEC and make sure they keep themselves in contention for a College Football Playoff spot.

The defeat to the Crimson Tide has dropped Missouri to 1-1 in Conference play, but they are facing an Auburn Tigers (3-3) team who will still be wondering how things got away from them in Week 7 against the Georgia Bulldogs. The second half performance has led to some questioning whether a change needs to be made at Quarter Back, while others will point to some questionable first half officiating in the eventual loss to the Bulldogs, and Auburn will go into this game at 0-3 in the SEC.

Another losing season in Auburn is unthinkable, but that is what Head Coach Huge Freeze and the team are facing and fans are not going to be very happy.

A really big problem for the Auburn Tigers has been the inability to establish the run and the Offensive Line are set to face a Missouri team that have been very good up front. Even Alabama failed to average 3 yards per carry against the Missouri Defensive Line and Auburn are not expected to have a lot of joy, which means all eyes will once again be on Quarter Back Jackson Arnold.

He has failed to live up to the expectations and there has been some talk about handing things over to Ashton Daniels, who has started twenty games for Stanford. In that time, Daniels has 21 Touchdown passes, but also 20 Interceptions and so Hugh Freeze has announced he will roll with Jackson Arnold again.

After facing Georgia, this is another very big test for Arnold at Quarter Back and he is likely to be feeling plenty of heat from the Missouri pass rush in this game. The team have not helped by having Jackson Arnold try to pilot the Offense from third and long spots, but he is likely going to have to do that here and Missouri's pressure up front will stall drives.

Credit has to be given to Jackson Arnold for the fact that despite that pressure being faced, he has yet to throw an Interception and Punting is not always a bad thing, even if the fans are going to voice their frustrations around that.

This could develop into a battle of field position and so keeping things clean is key for the home team and especially as Missouri are out on the road for the first time in 2025.

Missouri's Offensive Line did give the team a chance in the loss to Alabama last week and they were able to run the ball with some effectiveness, even if Ahmad Hardy was not able to reach the levels he had prior to the game with the Crimson Tide. With a dual-threat ability from the Quarter Back position, Missouri should feel they can run the ball with some success, even against this tough Auburn Defensvie Line, and that will be important in a tough road environment.

Quarter Back Beau Pribula has been keeping his running numbers down earlier in the season, but made an impact with his legs against South Carolina and Alabama. That will be needed again to keep him out of third and long spots, especially having thrown 5 Interceptions already this season.

Two of those were thrown in the loss to Alabama and it is vital for the Missouri Quarter Back to avoid mistakes in this one. He should be playing with a relatively clean pocket, which will certainly help, and using the legs is important, while also being reminded that a Punt is not a detrimental situation to be in.

Eliah Drinkwitz has proven himself to be a solid Head Coach and his Missouri Tigers are 12-7 against the spread following a loss, while they won't be concerned about being set as road favourites having produced a 6-0 record against the spread in that spot since 2023.

Playing after a big test against Alabama is difficult, but Auburn were battling Georgia in Week 7 and invested plenty themselves to come up short again in the SEC.

Hugh Freeze is 6-3 against the spread playing with revenge with Auburn, but Missouri can do just enough to win this one and maintain their place amongst the top teams in the Conference. They could be the team with a bit more consistency Offensively, and that can show up in this Conference game, although one that will likely go down to the wire.

Utah Utes @ BYU Cougars Pick: There is a real rivalry between these teams and this year the 'Holy War' will be used to separate some of the top teams in the Big 12 Conference.

The BYU Cougars (6-0) are unbeaten and 3-0 in Conference play, while the Utah Utes (5-1) are 2-1 in the Big 12- last year the top of the Conference came down to tie-breakers and so this is game that could give the fans bragging rights, but also perhaps offer one a route into the College Football Playoff in December.

All credit has to be given to the Utes for bouncing back from a thumping against Texas Tech Red Raiders and they have won two in a row. Not only have they won those games, but the Red Raiders have completely dominated West Virginia and Arizona State and that is perhaps why they have been set as the favourite.

They also play with revenge having lost to the Cougars last year, and Utah are going to want to lean on the Offensive Line and see if they can bully BYU in the trenches. Doing that would put the Utes in a really good position Offensively, especially as the Cougars Secondary have been playing at a strong level.

Devon Dampier will likely be operating with plenty of protection and that will give him a chance to make some big plays as he looks to help Utah push themselves into a position to move past this rival in the standings.

However, the Cougars Offensive Line are also going to be pretty confident that they can establish the run and that will give the home underdog every chance of keeping this competitive and perhaps even earn the upset.

Just as is the case on the other side of the ball, BYU understand and appreciate the importance of having plenty of success on the ground to keep the team in front of the chains. The Utah Secondary is playing very well and they do get a bit more a push up front when Quarter Backs have stepped back to throw, which will cause problems if the Cougars are stuck behind the chains.

BYU have won two in a row in this rivalry and they do look worthy of being backed with the points to keep things tight on the scoreboard with a Field Goal win either way being likely.

MY PICKS: Texas A&M Aggies - 7.5 Points @ 1.95 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Indiana Hoosiers - 27.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Texas Longhorns - 12.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Missouri Tigers - 1.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

BYU Cougars + 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Week 7: 4-1, + 2.62 Units (5 Units Staked, + 52.40% Yield)

Week 6: 2-4, - 2.22 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37% Yield)

Week 5: 1-5, - 4.20 Units (6 Units Staked, - 70% Yield)

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)

NFL Week 7 Picks 2025 (Thursday 16th October-Monday 20th October)

You wait several months for the season to get underway and in the blink of an eye you are almost at the halfway mark of the regular season.

Right now you have to feel the top of the NFL has a vacuum to fill with every team showing signs of vulnerabilities and an opportunity for a surprising team to come through the pack looks to be wide open.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions were amongst the best teams in the NFL last season and both look very capable of making a real run, especially if they can get back up to full health. Out of the two teams, the Chiefs are certainly looking pretty good as right now, while the Lions will be hoping the Secondary will be looking much stronger in December when things really begin to matter.

Teams like the Baltimore Ravens are already in a really difficult situation as injuries have piled up, and the same can be said for the Cincinnati Bengals, while the likes of the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles have suffered consecutive losses since opening 4-0 and have displayed some worrying issues of their own.

If the Playoffs were to begin today, the Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots would be top four Seeds in the AFC, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles would be in the same position in the NFC.

Not many would be rushing out to back any of those teams to win the Super Bowl this weekend, but it just underlines the openness at the very top of the NFL.

Over the coming weeks the best teams should begin to separate as more games, and thus more data, is seen by the fans.

It will be interesting to see how many of those eight teams mentioned are still occupying top four Seeds at the beginning of December with more than half of the games played and Bye Weeks completed.

The hope is that by then we will also see a big improvement in the numbers for the NFL Picks after another difficult week for the selections made.

Everything came down to the final game of the Sunday action, but the Detroit Lions were well beaten by the Kansas City Chiefs and almost meant a losing week was secured.

The last of the London games will be played this Sunday and the reality is the games have been as poor as expected when the announcement was made ahead of the 2025 schedule being released.

Both the Denver Broncos and New York Jets produced a horrific game in Week 6 and it is very hard to justify the pricing that the NFL have placed for the games they are sending over to London.

They will feel they have saved the best for last, but Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, New York Jets, Los Angeles Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars means the teams coming over have largely been selected from the bottom third of the League. If the NFL wants to continue charging a fortune to watch the games, hopefully they will send over better teams in 2026, but there are other international markets that will also be demanding the same.

It has been a tough opening six weeks to the season for the NFL Picks, but we go again and that all begins on Thursday Night Football in a AFC North Divisional game.

Picks will be added to the thread in the next couple of days.

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Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals Pick: There are a number of trends that have to give you pause for though immediately and those are all suggesting that backing the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) would be a mistake. The team have just crushed the Cleveland Browns at home to take a firm grip of the AFC North, especially as the main rivals have been decimated by injury, but Pittsburgh have regularly laid an egg in this kind of spot.

Head Coach Mike Tomlin is widely respected, but he has a losing record against the spread when set as the favourite- that is pretty incredible to think about considering he has never overseen a losing season, but you can make a case that the teams considered 'strong' by the public will have to deal with inflated lines.

But how about the fact that the Steelers have a 1-10 record on Thursday Night Football when facing a team that are coming in off a loss? You could suggest that the short week means Pittsburgh overlook some opponents, although a Divisional game should increase the focus.

The last time the Steelers were asked to lay at least this many points on the road was back in 2020 when it happened in three games and they were only 1-2 against the spread.

Face it, the Pittsburgh Steelers are not a team you want to make with this kind of line or on Thursday Night Football having lost three of their last four appearances on the short week outright.

So why do I think the Pittsburgh Steelers will win and cover? They are facing a Cincinnati Bengals (2-4) team ravaged by injury and who are led by Joe Flacco, a Quarter Back who is only getting to grips with what is expected from him and who has had his difficulties facing Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Steelers Head Coach was offering Flacco plenty of praise, while also criticising the Cleveland Browns for dealing the veteran within the Division to a rival that was 'hurting' in that position. Joe Flacco was not able to prevent the Bengals from losing at the Green Bay Packers in Week 6, but he has a few more days to get used to the team and played pretty well in the second to give him some momentum to build on.

Even if Joe Burrow had been healthy, the feeling was that this was going to be a tough season for the Cincinnati Bengals if they could not fix the Defensive problems that had blighted them in 2024. Those have only been magnified with little Offensive output with Jake Browning under Center, but Joe Flacco will find a way to get the ball out to his big time Receivers.

However, the problem in a game like this one is that the Bengals have been incredibly one-dimensional.

Chase Brown has not been able to do much behind this Offensive Line and the Bengals are unlikely to suddenly start ripping off big gains against this Steelers team. After a slow start to the season, the Steelers Defensive Line are looking more like their old selves when it comes to clamping down on the run and they can certainly do enough to make sure Joe Flacco is operating from third and long spots on the field.

The veteran has Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase ready to catch balls and the Pittsburgh Secondary have been vulnerable in the passing game, so you have to expect some positives from the home team. However, the Offensive Line have been struggling in pass protection as much as run blocking and they are going to have to deal with a very strong Pittsburgh pass rushing team that will get to Joe Flacco and stall drives.

And that is ultimately where the feeling is that the Steelers will find a way to win and cover.

The backdoor is always potentially open, especially because we have yet to see the Pittsburgh Offensive Line help establish a consistent running game. They should be able to impose themselves on this Bengals Defensive Line much better than they could against a strong Cleveland Browns team, although there is work to do and Aaron Rodgers is likely going to be key for the road team.

Another veteran at the position, Aaron Rodgers has been pretty well protected in recent games and that has allowed him to keep the chains moving. This week he is facing a team that is expected to be without their best pass rusher and who have struggled to have much of an impact up front anyway, and that should mean Aaron Rodgers has the time to dissect a Secondary that has allowed over 250 passing yards per game.

Recent games have seen the Bengals Secondary declining further and Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers should be in a position where they are moving the chains with a lot more consistency than this Divisional rival.

The Bengals have failed to cover in each of their last three games when set as the home underdog, while a stronger Cincinnati team have lost three home games in succession against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A final drive is likely going to decide whether the road team covers or not, but they are going into the mini-bye and the hope is that Aaron Rodgers is not thinking ahead to a game with the Green Bay Packers coming up in Week 8.

A late Interception may just secure the cover for the Steelers and they can cover this mark set, even if that means overcoming a number of trends that are going against them in this spot.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Los Angeles Rams Pick: The last of the London games in 2025 will be played at Wembley Stadium in Week 7 and it features what has become something of a 'home' team for British fans. The Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2) will continue the partnership with London in the next couple of years too and the familiarity of playing overseas should mean the team are prepared for the contest.

Most of the teams playing in London will come over a few days early to acclimatise, but the Los Angeles Rams (4-2) have decided on a completely unique plan.

They beat the Baltimore Ravens on the road in Week 6 and decided to stay in the area rather than heading back to the West Coast- this means being 'only' five hours behind London time, but Sean McVay and the team have decided they will not fly over to England until Saturday morning, just twenty-four hours before kick off and that is something that has not been done before.

Of course it is a 'business trip' as far as the Rams are concerned, but the conditions in Baltimore have been much warmer than London and there will be plenty of people taking notes as to how the NFC West team performs.

On paper this looks a winnable game and the Rams are favourites after the Jacksonville Jaguars suffered a home loss to the Seattle Seahawks last week. However, Los Angeles will be without their top Receiving option in Puka Nacua and that is a big blow considering he has picked up over 35% of the yards thrown by Matthew Stafford this season.

Throwing is going to be tough anyway if the weather forecast is correct- Wembley Stadium does not have a roof and it is expected to be a day of consistent rain, which is going to make things tough right through the game. And so while the Rams will obviously miss Puka Nacua and his production, the game plan may have been one that looks to keep the ball grounded for long periods and rely on a much shorter passing day.

Fumbles from both Running Backs cost the Los Angeles Rams against the San Francisco 49ers and so there will be pressure on Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. But if they can do that, they should give the Rams a chance to at least keep their veteran Quarter Back in front of the chains, while Matthew Stafford's experience of facing all conditions should also be a big help.

In saying that, Stafford will know it is much harder to throw in the rain and if it is a really wet day, he may not expose this Jaguars Secondary as much as would usually be the case. Even without Nacua, the Rams do have players capable of making plays against a team that has been giving up a huge amount of yardage through the air and so the expectation is that Los Angeles will find a way to keep things ticking over.

Jacksonville have made a strong start to the season, but the conditions could make this a tougher day for them Offensively compared with the Los Angeles Rams. Earlier in the season the Offensive Line had been opening up some big running lanes, but some of that momentum has been lost more recently and this Los Angeles Defensive Line has been built to clamp down on the run with a potential Playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles in mind.

They have largely been successful at doing that and the Rams do get a pass rush push up front that is likely to rattle Trevor Lawrence if he is stuck in third and long spots. With the expected rain, it would be a really tough spot from which to keep converting, even with the improving chemistry with Brian Thomas Jr, and the Rams Secondary may be looking for a turnover or two in order to swing this game firmly onto their side.

You have to respect the fact that the Jacksonville Jaguars are 4-2 against the spread in their last six games played in London, while there has to be some uncertainty about the approach taken by Los Angeles to fly in as late as they for this Week 7 game.

Being without one of the top Receivers in the NFL is an obvious blow, but the Rams do match up well with the Jaguars and the rainy conditions gives Los Angeles an edge. They are the stronger team at the Line of Scrimmage on both sides of the ball, while Matthew Stafford is going to be throwing against a Secondary that has been having more issues than the Rams Secondary in recent games.

The lean has to be with the Rams in this opening game on Sunday in Week 7 of the NFL season.

Miami Dolphins @ Cleveland Browns Pick: These two AFC teams may already be thinking about the end of the season and how high they can finish in the Draft Order after miserable starts to the 2025 year. They have a combined two wins between them through six weeks and the Cleveland Browns (1-5) and Miami Dolphins (1-5) are about as where so many believed they would be in the pre-season.

Out of the two teams, the Dolphins will be most disappointed having looked like a team on the up a couple of years ago, but the franchise Quarter Back has not really reached the level hoped. Some of that is down to the injuries suffered by Tua Tagovailoa, and the team had begun to lose key pieces on the Defensive side of the ball heading into the new year.

With Tyreek Hill out and perhaps leaving Miami at the end of the season, rumours suggest that the Dolphins will be willing to listen to offers for personnel on both sides of the ball. Jayden Waddle, Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips have all been involved in trade rumours, while Tagovailoa's comments about some of his team-mates after the latest loss will not have gone down very well at all.

There will be more patience in the Cleveland Browns locker room, especially with a rookie Quarter Back leading the team.

However, this is a team that have a very good Defensive unit and that may be the key difference in the game.

Tua Tagovailoa has apologised to his peers for his comments, but he is going to need some of those to step up and make plays for him. De'Von Achane has been an important figure in the Offensive game plan, but he figures to have a tough time running the ball against this Browns Defensive Line and that will shift the pressure onto a Quarter Back who may be playing the rest of the way to prove he is someone the Dolphins should be keeping faith with to lead them in the years ahead.

He should have some success in this game- the pocket has been kept relatively clean in recent games to afford Tagovailoa some time, although throwing out of third and long spots is always difficult. Using De'Von Achane leaking out of the backfield will be important and there have been some areas of this Browns Secondary that can be exploited, which will give Miami a chance.

The reality is the size of that chance depends on how this Defensive unit plays.

It has been bad for much of the season and even when needing a late Fourth Quarter stop against Carolina and the Los Angeles Chargers, breakdowns have allowed those opponents to score points to win games.

They are facing a rookie Quarter Back in Dillon Gabriel who hasn't exactly been lighting things up for Cleveland, although he does have 3 Touchdown passes without throwing an Interception.

This week Gabriel could be helped out by being given a strong running game to lean on- the Cleveland Offensive Line have not been opening up big lanes, but they are up against a Miami Defensive Line that have not been able to stop anyone on the ground. Quinshon Judkins should be able to get things going and putting the rookie Quarter Back in third and manageable is going to make life that much easier for Dillon Gabriel to show what he can do.

We saw against the New York Jets that the Miami Dolphins can get to the Quarter Back and the Cleveland pass protection has not really been as good as the Browns would have wanted. However, Dillon Gabriel may not have to hold onto the ball for too long if they have established the run as they should and there are Receivers capable of making plays against this Dolphins Secondary to keep the chains moving.

Neither team is particularly good, but you have to believe the Cleveland Defensive unit are the one most likely to stall some drives.

The Dolphins are just 4-10 against the spread since 2023 when set as the road underdog and they look to be a team that is preparing to blow it all up and start again.

A Quarter Back who failed to show much leadership skill and key players being linked with trades are distractions and even this Cleveland Browns team may have too much for Miami right now.

Carolina Panthers @ New York Jets Pick: Aaron Glenn will not have been moving to New York and expecting the Jets (0-6) to be ready to go, but the new Head Coach has to be extremely frustrated with how things have developed early in 2025. They have come close to a win or two, but the Jets have also had some really terrible performances and the loss in London to the Denver Broncos might have been the lowest.

It was an ugly game from both teams, but the Jets Offensive unit could not get anything going and they were fortunate to even pick up 9 points considering 6 of those were given away by the Denver Broncos.

Questions have been raised about a Quarter Back change- Justin Fields is clearly a great athlete, but he looks like he will be a career backup at best and Tyrod Taylor is an experienced leader at the position, even if not the long term answer. For now the decision has been to stick with Justin Fields as the Jets look to join the rest of the League in having a win on the board.

They are narrow underdogs against the Carolina Panthers (3-3) who have won three of their last four games, but have been something of a Jekyll and Hyde team depending where they are playing.

All three Carolina wins have been at home, but all three defeats on the road and something will have to change when these two teams face off in the Meadowlands.

Rico Dowdle will be looking to continue his huge surge of form having compiled over 200 all purpose yards in back to back games to lead the Panthers to wins over Miami and Dallas. The Offensive Line deserve credit for opening up some solid running lanes for Dowdle and he is facing a Jets Defensive Line that have had issues stopping the run all season.

However, the home and road rushing numbers are significantly different for the Panthers and that will raise some doubts about their abilities here.

It is very important for Carolina to establish the run and put Quarter Back Bryce Young in the best position to succeed- Young has been chalk and cheese depending on where he has been playing and the one positive for this Jets team is the play of the Secondary with some strong players to call upon.

You have to believe Bryce Young will continue to lean on Rico Dowdle and the Offensive Line though and they should have success moving the ball.

After that miserable performance last week, the New York Jets will be looking to get things going on the ground and see if that can open up the passing lanes. Justin Fields is capable of moving the ball with his legs and Breece Hall is playing well, although the latter is surrounded by trade rumours which can be a distraction.

The recent performances of the Carolina Defensive Line will pose a challenge for New York, assuming the Panthers can take that strength up front onto the road. Clamping down on the run would make things very difficult for the Jets who are without Garrett Wilson and have had erratic displays out of the Fields arm.

Indecision from Justin Fields has led to Sacks, but he should have a cleaner pocket in this one when he does step back to throw.

However, without Wilson, the targets are going to be a little more inconsistent in their own ability and it could be another tough day in the office for Quarter Back and team.

The Jets are two weeks away from the Bye Week, which is when they may be able to make bigger changes, but this is a team that looks lost right now. Players have to be wondering if the Head Coach has given up on things with the decision to stick with a struggling Justin Fields at Quarter Back and they are facing a Carolina Panthers team that have won two in a row.

Playing on the road has been a real chore for Carolina, but this is as good a chance as they will have to end that poor run and the Panthers may edge this one with what could develop into the superior rushing outcomes.

New York Giants @ Denver Broncos Pick: This has to be seen as an incredibly difficult scheduling spot for the Denver Broncos (4-2) who have travelled back from London in Week 6 after getting the better of the New York team that plays in the same Conference. It was an ugly win, but a win, although now the Broncos have to host the New York Giants (2-4) who have enjoyed something of a mini-Bye after upsetting Divisional rivals the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday Night Football to open Week 6.

One issue for the Giants is that they are playing a non-Conference opponent in between an Eagles sandwich, but New York have a couple of rookies on the Offensive unit who will offer intensity and enthusiasm.

Both Jaxson Dart at Quarter Back and Cam Skattebo had huge impacts in the win over the Eagles- Dart had 195 passing yards with a Touchdown and added 58 yards on the ground with another Touchdown, while Skattebo had 98 rushing yards and three Touchdowns.

That is obviously hugely positive news, but this week the Giants are facing a tough Defensive unit that has allowed an average of just 254 total Offensive yards per game and who have been even better at Mile High.

Establishing the run against this Denver Defensive Line is going to be a huge test for the New York Giants, even with a dual-threat like Jaxson Dart behind Center. Daniel Jones and Justin Fields both have that capability too, so Denver should be pretty well prepared to face this rookie Giants Quarter Back if he does decide he wants to tuck the ball and run.

Making that all the tougher is going to be the fact that the Broncos pass rush has really been dialled up to eleven of late and they have been rampaging into the backfield. It is going to be a huge challenge for the Giants Offensive Line to not only prevent them collapsing the pocket and limiting places for Dart to run, but to give the Quarter Back any significant time for routes to develop down the field, especially with no Malik Nabers in the lineup.

Jaxson Dart has been able to look after the ball, but keeping the chains moving with consistency against this Broncos Secondary will be incredibly tough and the home team have to feel pretty confident about their chances.

In regards to the spread, the question really becomes whether the Broncos can produce the consistency needed with a significant line in front of them.

They were really poor in the second half against the New York Jets in Week 6, but this is a chance for JK Dobbins and company to bounce back. Sean Payton wants his team to run the ball and this Broncos Offensive Line have been very capable of opening up lanes for Dobbins and Bo Nix, while the Giants are not really a team that have shown they can hold up when the rock is being pounded at them.

All things being equal, it should mean Bo Nix is in a position to have a bounce back game of his own against this Giants Secondary that has been torched at times.

The Quarter Back will be protected and there are some experienced Receivers who can make plays for him down the field, while the likes of Troy Franklin can take the top off the Secondary. Being back at home should help Denver and they should be the team having the most consistent success and it could lead to a solid home win.

The Broncos have been productive at home in wins over Tennessee and Cincinnati- the Giants will feel their own Defensive unit is better than those two, but that does not feel like a significantly tougher challenge for Bo Nix and the rest of the team on this side of the ball.

Penalties have actually been a bigger problem for the Broncos and they need to clean those up if they are going to challenge in the loaded AFC West. If they can produce a cleaner game, the Broncos should have too much for a New York team that may already be thinking about a rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles.

MY PICKS: Pittsburgh Steelers - 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Los Angeles Rams - 3 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Cleveland Browns - 2.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Carolina Panthers - 1.5 Points @ 1.92 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Denver Broncos - 7 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Week 6: 3-4, - 1.09 Units (7 Units Staked, - 15.57% Yield)

Week 5: 3-3, - 0.33 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.50% Yield)

Week 4: 2-3, - 1.14 Units (5 Units Staked, - 22.80% Yield)

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)

2025 Season: 16-17, - 2.33 Units (33 Units Staked, - 7.06% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2025- Dave Allen vs Arslanbek Makhmudov (Saturday 11th October)

The only place to start in any Boxing thread has to be about the really sad passing of legend Ricky Hatton.

That term- legend- is bandied about far too casually these days, but Ricky Hatton truly was a legend and he will go down as one of the top British Boxers of any Division. A bonafide World Champion and arguably a pound for pound top tenner at his very best, Ricky Hatton was the People's Champion and that drove huge crowds to want to see him fight.

He might have suffered losses to Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao that haunted him, as Hatton himself spoke about so honestly, but he was a huge part of some monster events and stories about the British drinking Las Vegas dry for the first of those fights will be spoken about for years to come.

The biggest appeal about Ricky Hatton wasn't just the great fighter he was, nor the fact that he was a hugely entertaining fighter, but he was someone that never lost touch with his roots and had time for everyone who wanted to spend some time in his company.

Not many people that reached his levels of fame and fortune keep their feet firmly on the ground, but that was a major reason as to why Ricky Hatton was so beloved.

All of the tributes and the huge amount of fans lining up for his funeral procession underlined Hatton's status and you can only hope that he is at peace and knows how much he meant to so many.

RIP Champ.

There are likely to be plenty of emotions on display in Sheffield on Saturday night when Dave Allen enters the ring- he was friends with Ricky Hatton having suffered through mental anguish of his own and Allen will want to prolong what has been an unexpected late surge in his career.

He has a tough fight as he looks to push onto the elite competition in the Heavyweight Division, while over in Philadelphia, Jaron Ennis begins his path in a new Division after moving up from Welterweight into the Light Middleweight ranks.

It has been almost a month since the big Canelo-Crawford fight out in Las Vegas, but the promoters are promising a fun end to the 2025 calendar year as we enter the final quarter.

There are some decent cards in place, although we have just lost the Sebastian Fundora vs Keith Thurman main event scheduled for the end of October- that has been postponed after Fundora suffered a hand injury, although the card will still run on Amazon Prime.

November has some big shows attached in the middle of the month, but in the coming days, the schedule should really be fattened up, which is only positive news for the fans.

Dave Allen vs Arslanbek Makhmudov

A controversial draw with up and coming Johnny Fisher was quickly put right by Dave Allen in a rematch in May and that has just given his career a late push in a positive direction.

The White Rhino has retired and returned once already and Dave Allen has admitted that he was not always the most focused fighter out there.

This led to some really disappointing performances and Allen looked completely done when failing to come out of the Seventh Round against Frazer Clarke in September 2023. He returned in April 2024 and won a couple of low profile bouts before being given the opportunity to take on Johnny Fisher and Allen's upsetting of the unbeaten fighter has given him a lift.

He looks focused and there is no denying that Dave Allen has gotten into very good shape ahead of this crossroads fight.

A win and Dave Allen may be in line to face someone like Deontay Wilder, but a defeat likely spells the end of any late resurgence and the fighter may be more likely to think about retirement or a potential third fight with Johnny Fisher next year.

Crossroads has to be the situation for Arslanbek Makhmudov who had a big reputation when joining a loaded Saudi card back in December 2023.

A big man with a big punching record saw his reputation collapse as he was Stopped in Four Rounds by Agit Kabayel and Makhmudov has suffered another Stoppage defeat to Guido Vianello since then. It means two losses in four fights and Arslanbek Makhmudov has fought a single Round since August 2024, which has to be a factor.

Dave Allen has been in with some of the top names of recent times in this Division so it is not a fight where he is going to be intimidated by the Boxer standing across the ring.

However, he is under no illusion as to how tough this contest is going to be, especially early when Arslanbek Makhmudov is fresh. Some of the criticism of Dave Allen is that he has little movement and standing in front of a big hitter like Makhmudov could be asking for a whole world of trouble.

In saying that, Dave Allen has to feel the edge is with him if this progresses past the first third of the scheduled Twelve Rounds.

We have seen Arslanbek Makhmudov run out of steam and the body shots clearly had a huge impact on him in his defeat to Agit Kabayel. This has to be something that Allen's team have noticed and it may pay to find a way through the early Rounds and sap some of the energy of the Russian before turning the screw.

The 'away' fighter will not be lacking for motivation with some reports suggesting that Makhmudov would be the leading name for Anthony Joshua's return bout if he is able to beat Dave Allen.

It should mean both are willing to put it all on the line, but the feeling since the fight was made is that Dave Allen is as focused as he has ever been and he will find the reserves to come through with a middle third Stoppage. He will have to weather an early storm, but doing so should see Allen show off a deeper stamina and that may see Arslanbek Makhmudov wilt once again.

There are a couple of decent fights on the undercard that may be worth an interest.

Junaid Boston looked to be rolling early in his career, but was very fortunate to earn a Draw when facing Bilal Fawaz back in January in London.

Even Promoter Eddie Hearn felt his fighter had been beaten, but this feels like a Ben Whittaker kind of situation where an impressive fighter with a huge amount of expectation just was not prepared as well as he should have been.

Ben Whittaker made sure he showed the levels he has when crushing Liam Cameron in the rematch of his own controversial Draw, and Junaid Boston may do the same here. He ran out of steam in the first fight, but a focused Boston can wear down a tough Bilal Fawaz and put a statement down with a late Stoppage.

After giving Shakur Stevenson some Rounds as a late replacement, there is little doubt that Josh Padley's stock has risen and he is now a full-time Boxer.

He had already upset Mark Chamberlain to move onto the Saudi radar and Padley has now aligned with Matchroom as his permanent Promoter.

He will have to prove himself when going in with Reece Bellotti who has found his ceiling, but who has regularly continued to upset the odds as a gatekeeper.

The latter was last out in July when being Stopped by Ryan Garner in the Twelfth Round as Bellotti dropped his British and Commonwealth Titles and the short turnaround is tough.

With a bit more time to prepare, Reece Bellotti may have looked a really appealing price, but the likelihood is that Josh Padley wins that one on the cards.

Over in Philadelphia, the hope of all Boxing fans is that Jaron Ennis can finally get on a run and PROVE that he is one of the best fighters out there.

His talent is undeniable, but three fights since July 2023 cannot be good enough for a 28 year old hitting his peak.

Back in April, Jaron Ennis had a crushing win over Eimantas Stanionis and that is an impressive victory... However, his resume is really not as good as it could be and the move into the Light Middleweight Division offers a chance to really become a household name in American Boxing.

This is a loaded Division with some really fun looking fights that could be made- most will think about finally seeing Ennis and Vergil Ortiz Jr go at it, but the likes of Sebastian Fundora, Bakhram Murtazaliev and Xander Zayas could all help Jaron Ennis turn into an elite pound for pound name.

Big names are all around the 154 pound Division, but Jaron Ennis will begin with Uisma Lima who has won four in a row since losing to Aaron McKenna.

None of those wins will concern Jaron Ennis and Uisma Lima will have to use the Southpaw stance to see if he can frustrate the home fighter.

Uisma Lima is Ranked in the top ten by three of the governing bodies, but Jaron Ennis needs to show where he is as a fighter and the expectation is that he will break down the 32 year old somewhere in the middle Rounds.

On the undercard, Guido Vianello is looking to get back on track having lost two of his last three fights, although the one victory was against Arslanbek Makhmudov who is headlining in Sheffield, England.

He is up against unbeaten Alexis Barriere, but this is a big step up for the Canadian Heavyweight.

The Italian has been in with fighters who are pushing towards the top of the Heavyweight Division and Vianello can use all of his experience to break down the Southpaw stepping multiple levels.

MY PICKS: Dave Allen to Win Between 5-8 @ 6.00 William Hill (1 Unit)

Junaid Boston to Win By KO/TKO @ 6.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Jaron Ennis to Win Between 5-8 @ 2.75 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Guido Vianello to Win by KO/TKO @ 4.33 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Boxing 2025: 21-59, - 33.67 Units (101 Units Staked, - 33.34% Yield)

College Football Week 7 Picks 2025 (Saturday 11th October)

It has been a season of backdoor covers going against the selections and there were a couple more last week to turn things in a negative direction again.

This has been a poor run, but we are only just reaching the halfway mark of the regular season and so the turnaround can hopefully begin in Week 7 and then build momentum over the coming weeks.

Ohio State Buckeyes @ Illinois Fighting Illini Pick: Things can change so quickly and so dramatically in the world of College Football and that is evidenced by the losses picked up by the Texas Longhorns and Penn State Nittany Lions. The top two pre-season Ranked teams are already unranked, just weeks into the 2025 season, and the plight of both will be a warning to the other top teams around the nation.

Defending Champions Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0) earned an opening week win over the Longhorns, although that victory does not look nearly as good now as it felt back in Week 1. Remaining undefeated has pushed the Buckeyes along and they are 2-0 in Big Ten Conference play after securing comfortable wins over the Washington Huskies and Minnesota Golden Gophers.

However, this game in Week 7 might be the toughest the Buckeyes have faced to this point of the campaign as they prepare to travel to the Illinois Fighting Illini (5-1) who are also 2-1 in the Big Ten.

A loss like the one suffered at the Indiana Hoosiers might have irreparably damaged the Illinois season- they were not just beaten in that opening Big Ten game, but they were embarrassed. However, credit has to be given to the players and the Coaching staff that Illinois have been able to bounce back with a home win over the USC Trojans and a road win over Purdue, the former being unbeaten when they faced the Fighting Illini, and another win in Week 7 will certainly have Illinois competing for a place in the College Football Playoff.

You would make the Fighting Illini favourites to win out if they are able to beat Ohio State this week, although the case for the team making the Playoff will be much harder to make if they were to lose to the Buckeyes having already been beaten by Illinois.

That means there is some pressure on Illinois as they look to become the first team to give this Buckeyes Defensive unit some questions to answer.

Through five games, the Ohio State Buckeyes are allowing an average of 5 points per game, while they have held teams to an average of just 215 total Offensive yards.

A couple of key players could be returning for the Fighting Illini on this side of the ball, but it is going to be very tough for the home team to produce consistently with the ball in their hands. The problems begin up front with the Buckeyes Defensive Line clamping down on the run and Illinois have been having issues establishing the run anyway, which suggests all of the pressure will be on Luke Altmyer at Quarter Back.

Luke Altmyer will take confidence from the performances he has put on the board, but throwing against this Buckeyes Secondary has proven to be a real difficulty for anyone attempting to do so. He is likely going to be in third and long spots, which is going to be a problem for an Offensive Line that has struggled in pass protection, and Altmyer is going to be attempting to make plays with said protection breaking down around him against this fierce Ohio State pass rush.

And as mentioned, Altmyer will still be trying to find spaces to exploit against the Ohio State Secondary that have been producing at a high level. Interceptions have not really been racked up by the Buckeyes, but they have stopped drives and that has allowed the team to pull clear for comfortable wins through the five games played.

Minnesota Head Coach PJ Fleck stated you have to 'pick your poison' when facing this Buckeyes team with the ball in hand and it is very difficult to see how Illinois are going to find consistent stops of their own.

Since the Big Ten play started, the Fighting Illini Defensive Line has allowed some huge chunks of yardage to be picked up on the ground and they are going to have issues against the Buckeyes Offensive Line that have opened up huge holes up front. With the team likely to be doing the same on Saturday, Julian Sayin will be kept in a comfortable position to make plays at Quarter Back and he is also targeting elite Receivers.

Over the last three games, teams are averaging over 300 passing yards per game against the Fighting Illini Secondary and so this feels like another comfortable day for Ohio State.

Julian Sayin has thrown 3 Interceptions, but also has 13 Touchdown passes and the Buckeyes should be really well balanced Offensively, which ultimately should lead to a solid win on the day.

These two Big Ten teams have not met since 2017, but the last five Ohio State wins have been by margins of 38, 25, 41, 25 and 30 point margins and the 2025 Buckeyes look capable of taking care of the spread set.

Illinois have been a really good underdog to back under Head Coach Bret Bielema, but they are 1-1 against the spread in that spot this season and the 53 point defeat to the Indiana Hoosiers is the one result that stands out the most.

Being blown out to that level at home is unlikely, but the Fighting Illini may struggle to stop Ohio State whenever the Buckeyes have the ball and that could lead to a big enough win to cover this mark.

Arkansas Razorbacks @ Tennessee Volunteers Pick: They have bounced back in the manner that would have been expected after suffering an opening loss of the season, but the Tennessee Volunteers (4-1) cannot afford to look past any opponent right now. There is a huge game on deck against the Alabama Crimson Tide, but this is an incredibly tough Conference and another SEC defeat to the Arkansas Razorbacks (2-3) will be difficult to shake off as far as the Playoff Committee are concerned.

Once again the Georgia Bulldogs have gotten the better of the Volunteers, but they have won two games in a row as favourites and they are set as a solid home favourite ahead of Week 7.

They are facing an Arkansas team coming out of a Bye Week, but Head Coach Sam Pittman has been fired and it is Bobby Petrino who will be Interim Head Coach this week. It has meant a change in the way the Razorbacks prepare, while the team were absolutely embarrassed in a crushing loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Week 5, which is also a third straight defeat for Arkansas.

Encouragement has to be taken from the fact the Razorbacks had a competitive loss at the Mississippi Rebels in the sole SEC game played, while the Interim Head Coach is very experienced and has made a positive impact with the players.

Bobby Petrino had led Arkansas to back to back double digit seasons before being fired for inappropriate personal conduct back in 2012, and he may see this as an opportunity for redemption having made it clear that he was at fault for mistakes made over a decade ago. His players will also want to back up the Interim and bounce back from a really poor performance against Notre Dame and they could have some Offensive success in this game.

Running the ball effecitvely has been a feature of the Razorbacks all season, although pounding the rock against this Volunteers Defensive Line is a tough challenge. There will still be a feeling that the Razorbacks can have enough success on the ground to at least keep Quarter Back Taylen Green in a position to keep the chains moving and put Tennessee under some pressure.

Taylen Green has been well protected by the Offensive Line, although they will be dealing with a strong Tennessee pass rush, and he will be encouraged by the successes teams have had throwing the ball against this Secondary. Avoiding Interceptions may be challenging, but Green should have strong passing numbers and that at least gives Arkansas a chance to put a competitive performance on the board.

However, the problem has been the other side of the ball with the Razorbacks struggling to stop opponents thanks to an inability to avoid teams finding plenty of Offensive balance.

Simply put, the Razorbacks neither stop the run nor the pass and that has allowed the better opponents faced to rack up the numbers and ultimately score plenty of points against this team. Arkansas can blame the defeat to the Memphis Tigers in Week 4 because of that inability to stop a team doing what they want and they are unlikely to have much success against this strong Tennessee Offensive unit.

You have to expect the Volunteers Offensive Line to establish the run and they could rip off some big gains on the ground, which only makes life very comfortable for Joey Aguilar when he is asked to drop back to throw. With very little push up front, Aguilar is likely to have a clean pocket and he should be able to make this Arkansas Secondary pay whenever he wants.

That balance is going to make it very tough to stop Tennessee from piling up the yards and ultimately the points and the home team may be able to create a turnover or two in order to cover this spread. They do have Alabama on deck, which could allow a backdoor cover, but Tennessee were upset by Arkansas in 2024 and that will not be far from the mind of the players or the Coaching staff.

Respect has to be given to Arkansas for pushing Ole Miss in a road loss and they have the capabilities of scoring plenty of points too, but those potential extra possessions is where Tennessee can eventually pull away for a win by a couple of Touchdowns.

Florida Gators @ Texas A&M Aggies Pick: Two weeks ago, the Texas A&M Aggies (5-0) may have allowed the Auburn Tigers to hang around, but ultimately the Aggies picked up another SEC win. They are now 2-0 in the Conference and it was a game that was dominated by Texas A&M with the scoreline nowhere near a reflection of the performance.

They will need to do a bit more in College Station in Week 7 as the Aggies look to remain unbeaten against a Florida Gators (2-3) team that just upset the Texas Longhorns. That has pulled the Gators back up to 1-1 in the SEC and cooled the increasingly hot seat upon which Head Coach Billy Napier has been sitting, although fans may still be demanding something changes at the end of this season.

There are big expectations to be met by the Aggies who have an experienced team, but this is a tough Gators Defensive unit as Arch Manning found out in Week 6.

However, there is a bit more confidence around the Aggies Offensive unit and having a week to prepare for this game will help. Running the ball against the Gators is goign to be challenging, but Quarter Back Marcel Reed will feel that his Offensive Line can offer him the time to throw successfully against this Florida Secondary.

Perhaps more important is the improved performances of this Aggies Defensive unit and they will certainly feel they have the edge over the Gators, even if the road team played better than expected against the Texas Longhorns.

Texas A&M have a Defensive Line that will clamp down on the run and they will feel they can win up front and force DJ Lagway to beat them with his arm.

The Quarter Back showed he can do that in the Week 6 upset, but that was at home and DJ Lagway has been far from consistent when dropping back to throw the ball down the field. He will also likely have to deal with what has been a productive Aggies pass rush and that will make it tough for Lagway to see routes develop to try and exploit what has been a very good Aggies Secondary.

Once that pressure has ramped up, DJ Lagway has been guilty of making some back-breaking turnovers and that could be the case to not only allow Texas A&M to win, but to also cover this mark.

The Aggies were embarrassed when last hosting Florida, but they won by double digits in Gainesville in 2024 and they can earn a redemption for the home loss of 2022 by winning this one by double digits too.

Clemson Tigers @ Boston College Eagles Pick: It is going to take a special set of results over the next few weeks to give the Clemson Tigers (2-3) any chance of returning to the College Football Playoff. The team have to put that aside and instead focus on making sure they are 1-0 every week and see where they land after a miserable start to the season.

They are 1-2 in the ACC, but Clemson won very well at the North Carolina Tar Heels last week, which should give them some momentum.

Next up is another road game when travelling to the Boston College Eagles (1-4) who have a lost all three Conference games. In the main the Eagles have been competitive, but they were blown out by the Pittsburgh Panthers in Week 6 and picking themselves up will not be easy.

Boston College have struggled to run the ball all season and in recent games it has been a big problem.

They are not expected to have a lot of success on the ground and inconsistency in the Quarter Back position has really held the Eagles back. They used three different players in the position in the thumping to the Panthers, but this Clemson Secondary has given up some yards through the air and so Boston College may at least put up a few more points than they managed in Week 6.

Clemson are expected to have a balanced approach to their Offensive play and that is why they have been set as a significant favourite. They should be able to establish the run and Cade Klubnik can impress out of the Quarter Back position with some of the limelight moving away from the Tigers and onto other teams.

This may allow Klubnik to shine a bit more and he should be comfortable in third and manageable spots on the field.

The Tigers are also going up against a Boston College Secondary that have allowed the opposition passing game to thrive and it should give the road team an opportunity to clear this big spread for a second week in a row on the road.

These teams last met here three years ago and Clemson produced a big win.

It is clear that the Tigers are not as good as previous teams that have represented the school, but they should be good enough to beat this struggling Boston College team.

Georgia Bulldogs @ Auburn Tigers Pick: The season opened with three straight wins, but the Auburn Tigers (3-2) return from a Bye Week having suffered consecutive losses and both to SEC rivals. Those losses on the road to Oklahoma Sooners and Texas A&M Aggies have already made the pathway towards the College Football Playoff look unlikely, but Auburn's lingering hopes will be erased completely if they are to drop this game at home.

They are well rested, although Auburn are 1-3 against the spread coming out of a Bye, and the Tigers do have home advantage.

However, they are facing a Georgia Bulldogs (4-1) team who are looking to continue their recovery after the defeat to the Alabama Crimson Tide by securing a second consecutive SEC victory. Last week the Bulldogs beat the Kentucky Wildcats at home and Georgia could be very much back on track to make their way into the College Football Playoff if they can win this game and then beat the currently unbeaten Mississippi Rebels in Week 8.

Playing on the road is never easy, but the Bulldogs outlasted Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville earlier this season and Auburn have not looked very good in the previous two SEC defeats.

As the competition has ramped up, Auburn's Offensive Line have struggled to make an impact in the run game and that has put the team in a difficult position. The Tigers will not be expected to have a lot more success trying to pound the rock against this Georgia Defensive Line and so it will be up to Jackson Arnold to perhaps step up for the home team.

The Quarter Back has looked after the ball, which is all well and good, but Head Coach Hugh Freeze may be looking for Jackson Arnold to perhaps take a few more risks. No one wants to turn the ball over, but Arnold has been pretty safe with his decisions, although that may also be partly down to the pass blocking problems that the Auburn Offensive Line have had.

He should have a bit more time in this one, and the Georgia Secondary have given up some big yards so there is an opportunity for Jackson Arnold. However, the Quarter Back will have to do something he has yet to prove this season and the Bulldogs may still be relatively comfortable with having Arnold try and make plays from third and long spots on the field.

Georgia are not going to be marching up and down the field themselves so playing the field position battle is important.

Much like Auburn, it is going to be a real challenge for the Bulldogs Offensive Line to establish the run and try and take the pressure away from Quarter Back Gunner Stockton. He has shown he can be a dual-threat with five rushing Touchdowns scored, but Stockton has been inconsistent as a passer and that will give Auburn a real feeling of finding a way to earn the upset.

Gunner Stockton has made a few more mistakes in the passing game and turnovers could be crucial in this game- he should have time to make his throws in the pocket though and that will give Stockton a chance to help the Bulldogs move the chains, although doing so with consistency is much harder to believe in.

Despite that, the Bulldogs should still have too much for the hosts who have been dominated by this SEC rival in recent years.

Eight straight wins have been produced by Georgia over Auburn and most have been relatively one-sided.

This one should be more competitive, but the Bulldogs have the talent edge and Auburn have already found Oklahoma and Texas A&M too good for them. The Bulldogs look about as strong as those two SEC teams and Jackson Arnold may not have the confidence to make the plays that Auburn expects from him at crucial moments, which may in turn mean another Touchdown margin of victory for the Georgia Bulldogs in this big Conference game.

MY PICKS: Ohio State Buckeyes - 14.5 Points @ 1.95 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Tennessee Volunteers - 10.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Texas A&M Aggies - 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Clemson Tigers - 14 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Georgia Bulldogs - 3.5 Points @ 1.85 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Week 6: 2-4, - 2.22 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37% Yield)

Week 5: 1-5, - 4.20 Units (6 Units Staked, - 70% Yield)

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)