Lowell's Locks: College football week eight

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Back to back 2-4 weeks isn’t exactly what the doctor ordered, but hey, I didn’t go backwards. Silver linings, right? That easily could have been a 3-3 split, but LSU managed to get the touchdown in the fourth quarter to win by 14 against a 13.5 point spread. Such has been my picking life so far this year. It’s time to buckle down, shoot my shot, and always, in the immortal words of Deshaun Watson, let’s go be great in week eight.

Friday, October 18th

#4 Ohio State (-27) at Northwestern:

How is this one only 27? Ohio State has been absolutely steamrolling everyone it faces, including its most stringent test thus far against Michigan State last week. Northwestern has been pitiful on offense and is off to a 1-4 start, its worst in years. This spread is covered by halftime.

Lowell’s Lock: Ohio State covers -27

Saturday, October 19th

#11 Auburn (-19.5) at Arkansas:

Arkansas is very bad. Auburn is very mad. Auburn comes off the bye refreshed, shuts down the Arkansas offense, and gets Bo Nix back on track in a blowout.

Lowell’s Lock: Auburn covers -19.5

#9 Florida (-5.5) at South Carolina:

South Carolina was incredibly impressive last week in pulling the upset of Georgia, and now they have a chance to knock off another top ten team at home. Florida is coming off an emotional game against LSU, and you have to be concerned about their health a little. However, Florida has shown it has something that Georgia did not; a downfield passing game. That, combined with a ferocious defense that will keep the South Carolina offense struggling, gets Florida the cover in a game that goes four quarters.

Lowell’s Lock: Florida covers -5.5

#12 Oregon (-2.5) at #25 Washington:

Oregon is a maddening team to watch. The inconsistency from this bunch has me feeling like maybe the wrong team is the underdog coming into this one. Washington has been fairly steady all year long, and there’s a strong possibility the Pac-12’s playoff hopes come to yet another bitter end.

Lowell’s Lock: Washington covers +2.5

#16 Michigan at #6 Penn State (-9):

I’m on the record as not being a believer in Michigan or Jim Harbaugh, but Michigan has been pretty successful against James Franklin over the years. These two teams have a similar opponent in Iowa, and both struggled their way to wins. I sense this one being a struggle as well, with both defenses being pretty strong. Give me the Wolverines to cover the 9.

Lowell’s Lock: Michigan covers +9

#3 Clemson (-24.5) at Louisville:

Oh, hello there, Clemson. The defending national champs came out and looked like it last week, obliterating Florida State and covering the 27 point spread with ease. What was their reward? A drop from #2 to #3 in the polls. Next in their path is a slowly but surely improving Louisville squad, who is coming off a big win against Wake Forest. The weakness of the Louisville defense is in their secondary, where they rank 105^th in the country in passing defense and gave up huge play after huge play to the Demon Deacons. That’s bad news against a Clemson offense who found its groove throwing the ball last week, and who has some of the top playmakers in the country. They also rank 79^th in sacks allowed, and you can expect the Tigers to get after them all day long.

Lowell’s Lock: Clemson covers -24.5