College Football Bowl Picks - October 23, 2008

We won on Tuesday with the easy UNDER in the Temple-Ohio game to build upon our winning week eight. We have one pick for Thursday night. Friday and Saturday plays will be sent out Friday morning...

Today's NCAA Football Picks:

Game: Auburn at W. Virginia (Thursday 10/23 7:45 PM Eastern)
Pick: 3 units on Auburn +3 (-105) (risk 3 to win 2.9)

The Mountaineers were supposed to contend for a National Title contender this season, with Pat White and Noel Devine spearheading a big offense. After back-to-back losses to East Carolina and Colorado, those hopes went down the drain. They have since won three straight, but this team remains 1-4 ATS on the season. While last year's Mountaineers offense produced 28+ points in 11 of 13 games, this year's version has yet to put up 28+ against any Division I teams. The concern intensifies when you realize that they have played against average defenses (their opponents own an average defensive rank of 75th out of 120 teams). The problem is White does not have the receivers to throw down field. Not a single reciever is averaging over 10 yards per catch. Teams know they can stack the line, stop the run, and get a win. The Tigers have struggled offensively themselves, but unlike West Virginia, Auburn has played some excellent teams (Mississippi State, LSU, Tennessee and Vandy). Despite the schedule and having to face those caliber teams, the Tigers have been in every game. They lost by 5 to LSU, representing their largest margin of defeat of the season! If West Virginia can't move the ball on poor defensive teams, they will certainly struggle against the Tigers' 14th ranked stop unit. Live dog here!

NCAA Football Picks Resources:

• View our updated How we pick college football winners.
• Updated today: 2008 college football preview.
• Hop over to our Football Game-of-Week Analysis here.
• View our updated NCAA football prior picks.
• Don't forget to visit our football sports book.
• Hop over to our 2008 college football season picks here.
• Here we show our college football against-the-spread records.
• Check out our updated college football odds.
• View college football sports picks here.
• Take a look at our blog college football here.

Check out the last five NCAA Football Picks Newsletters:

NCAA-Football-Picks-October-21-2008
The Bobcats will be playing in their third straight on the road in this one and an offense that has managed under 20 points per game (less the VMI game) has managed only 14 per game when they are in t...

NCAA-Football-Picks-October-17-2008
I don't think many would have expected these teams to come into this game with identical 5-1 records, but here they are. Georgia was supposed to run the table and make a Championship appearance. I...

NCAA-Football-Picks-October-10-2008
The Gophers are perhaps one of the most improved teams in the country. Last year their lone win came early against Miami Ohio, but this year they are 5-1 and Bowl worthy with a win here. Adam Weber ha...

NCAA-Football-Picks-October-07-2008
Troy and Florida Atlantic hookup in Sun Belt action in a matchup of what were supposed to be the top two teams in the conference. Florida Atlantic saw that dream vanish on the last play of the game at...

NCAA-Football-Picks-October-02-2008
The Blue Devils at 3-1? It looks like a misprint. But they actually should be 4-0. This is no doubt an inspired and improved team. They are off their largest margin of victory since 1998, having ended...