Conference USA Football Picks

Great Plains Sports is the service that provides picks for all sites on the Dash Fans Network of independent college sports fan sites. Also make sure to check out our weekly Conference USA football previews as well as the 2006 Conference USA football season previews throughout the C-USA football season.

Rice @ UCLA (+27.5)
The wind was taken out of the sails of Rice last week after the jumped up to a 13 point lead on 14-point favorite Houston at the half. Houston came back to win the game. Now Rice has a huge letdown after the rivalry loss and have to head to Pasadena to take on UCLA who handled Utah fairly easily last week. Ben Olson and the rest of the Bruins go Owl hunting this week and take it 45-14.

Tulsa @ BYU (-5)
BYU played very well against a much-improved Arizona team last week on the road. This week Tulsa comes into Provo with a pretty good team themselves. However, two things lead me to take the Cougars here: a) BYU had a much better tune-up game than Tulsa, and b) Tulsa lost their best player from a year ago, Garrett Mills, and it will be hard to replace him in BYU's home-opener. BYU takes this close one 27-21, with just a point to spare for the cover.

UCF (+23) @ Florida
UCF has a great coach in George O'Leary and a pretty decent team. The Swamp will be tough, but 23 points is a lot to cover for the Gators. Florida has historically had a close game in the pre-conference schedule and given that UCF is an in-state team, they will lay it all on the line for this one. UCF will keep it close before Florida pulls away, but not far enough for the cover as the Gators take it 45-20.

Tulane @ Houston (-14)
While we took Houston last week, and they didn't cover, this week they have momentum on their side with the rivarly game. Houston is 1-0 with an experienced team and will feed off their success in the second half last week to win this one pretty big 45-27.

East Carolina @ UAB (-7)
UAB played Oklahoma tough and it is apparent that their running attack and elusive QB Sam Hunt they can be pretty decent in C-USA play this year. The way they played against Oklahoma does not indicate a letdown week this week, and they return home to historic Legion Field in Birmingham. I like the Blazers here 27-17.

SMU (-4.5) @ North Texas
SMU @ North Texas game preview
The Mean Green aren't so mean anymore--after dominating the early part of this decade, the talent level has fallen off in Denton. They host the SMU Mustings this weekend, who aren't that great either, but should be able to pull off the victory. SMU 28, UNT 17.

Texas Tech (-7) @ UTEP
UTEP has negative momentum in this one. Sure they upset San Diego State last week (and if you caught our picks here last week you would have cashed in), but they dominated early before QB Jordan Palmer caved in and the Miners almost lost a commanding lead. Texas Tech is the better team here and Graham Harrell is just as good as advertised...with a high octane offense and more points on the board, the margins get bigger and Tech should cover this one, 37-24.