Florida has won four of its last five games at Florida State, including handing the Seminoles their last loss in Tallahassee two seasons ago. In 2004, four weeks after he was fired by UF, Ron Zook led the Gators to a 20-13 win at FSU. Will Muschamp is hoping for similar success at Doak Campbell Stadium in his last game as the head coach for Florida.
The 'Noles are 1-8 ATS in nine games as favorites of 7 points or more this year. They are 7.5-point home chalk vs. UF on Saturday.
Quick Hitters
-- Auburn WR Duke Williams has missed back-to-back games since injuring his leg in a home loss to Texas A&M on Nov. 8. However, Williams has been upgraded to probable and is expected to start in Saturday's Iron Bowl game at Alabama. Williams has made a team-high 38 receptions for 609 yards and five TDs.
-- Stanford won't have its best playmaker for Friday's game at UCLA. Ty Montgomery is out with a shoulder injury sustained in last week's win at California. Montgomery has a team-high 61 catches for 604 yards and three touchdowns. He has 1,220 all-purpose yards, in addition to one rushing score and a pair of TDs on punt returns. David Shaw's team has won six in a row over the Bruins, who are 5-point home favorites against the Cardinal.
-- Minnesota RB David Cobb is questionable for Saturday's Big Ten Championship play-in game at Wisconsin. Cobb has rushed for a team-high 1,430 yards and 12 TDs. He injured his hamstring in last week's come-from-behind win at Nebraska.
-- Arkansas QB Brandon Allen injured his hip in last week's 30-0 home win over Ole Miss. He left the game and didn't return. Allen, who has a 16/5 TD-INT ratio this year, practiced Tuesday but remains questionable for Friday's game at Missouri. "Brandon ran around a little bit, threw the ball really well," said Razorbacks coach Bret Bielema. "If he continues to move in the direction he's already started in, there's not going to be any problem." Nevertheless, the game remains off the board as of Wednesday.
-- Arizona QB Anu Solomon suffered a sprained ankle in this past Saturday's 42-10 win at Utah. The freshman is questionable for Friday's home game vs. Arizona State. Solomon has a 25/7 TD-INT ratio. The game was still off the board as of early Wednesday afternoon.
-- West Virginia QB Clint Trickett is a question mark for Saturday's game at Iowa State. Trickett suffered a concussion in a 26-20 home loss to Kansas State last Wednesday. The transfer from FSU has 3,285 passing yards and an 18/10 TD-INT ratio this year. When he left the game against Kansas State, juco transfer Skyler Howard played well, completing 15-of-23 throws for 198 yards and two TDs without an interception.
-- Northwestern saw a string of five consecutive bowl appearances snapped last season when it went 5-7. Things weren't looking good for a bowl bid this year when Pat Fitzgerald's team took a 3-6 record into South Bend to face Notre Dame as a 17-point underdog two weeks ago. The Wildcats won in overtime over the Irish, however, and then thumped Purdue last weekend. Now they can get bowl eligible with a home win Saturday over Illinois. Northwestern will have to do so without starting quarterback Trevor Siemian, though. Siemian was lost for the season to a leg injury against the Boilermakers. Therefore, junior Zach Oliver will get his first career start. Oliver connected on 5-of-11 passes for 85 yards in relief of Siemian in West Lafayette. He also ran for 23 yards and one TD.
-- The South Carolina-Clemson game has been off the board all week due to the uncertain status of Clemson QB Deshaun Watson, who is questionable and could be a game-time decision Saturday. The Gamecocks have won five in a row over the Tigers with each victory coming by double-digit margins.
Picks
North Carolina St. +6 at North Carolina. UNC has won by more than five points just twice all season. NC State is 3-1 ATS in four games as an underdog. I like the Wolfpack as an underdog in a game it has a good shot at winning outright.
Alabama -9.5 vs. Auburn. Alabama is in a huge revenge situation here and is facing an Auburn defense that has been an unmitigated disaster lately. The Tigers have given up a minimum of 31 points in five consecutive SEC games. The Crimson Tide have won five of its six home games by 21 points or more this year. I'll lay the points with Nick Saban's team.
Brian Edwards is a college football handicapper who contributes a weekly column to The Linemakers on Sporting News. For more valuable information and insight, follow him on Twitter @vegasbedwards and visit his website, BrianEdwardsSports.com.
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