This week, I'd like to take the time to give a shout out to my new picking partner, Mr. Gabe Keister, who'll help the blog give a more subjective view toward each game we pick on what's become a weekly basis.
Flying solo last week, I went 10-4 pushing my overall straight picks to 33-9. Let's see what Keister and myself have forecasted for week four:
(5) Auburn vs. (20) Kansas State
Keister: Bill Snyder will provide proper evidence that you can outcoach an opponent and sometimes fall short. Thursday Night's showdown in Manhattan will provide viewers with plenty of offense, but Auburn's depth and talent prevails late in the game.
The Pick: Auburn 38 Kansas State 27
Griff: I'm a big Bill Snyder fan, but Auburn's going to attack a Wildcats' defense that's not going to be able to handle Auburn's offensive weapons.
The Pick: Auburn 47 Kansas State 30
Troy vs. (13) Georgia
Keister: Mark Richt's squad will be very hungry for a " W , " after a tough loss against South Carolina last weekend. However, Richt's not known for running up the score against smaller school opponents, so I'll be modest with this one.
The Pick: Georgia 49 Troy 16
Griff: I don't think that the Bulldogs will throw a play-action pass in the red zone this weekend.
The Pick: Georgia 46 Troy 10
Florida vs. (3) Alabama
Keister: Florida has looked much improved on offense in their first couple games of the 2014 campaign, but a win Saturday's not meant to be for Muschamp's Gators. Look for the Tide to roll in the second half.
The Pick: Alabama 34 Florida 13
Griff: Florida appeared to catch a break at home against a vastly improved Kentucky team at home last weekend, but I have to agree with Keister here, the Crimson Tide will figure out how exploit the Gators' defense. Not to mention that Amari Cooper has been insane this year.
The Pick: Alabama 42 Florida 23
(6) Texas A&M vs. SMU
Keister: The Aggies travel to SMU this week, and lack of home-field advantage will result in the biggest blow out of the weekend.
The Pick: Texas A&M 59 SMU 6
Griff: Kenny Hill became the first Aggie quarterback to pass for 1,000 yards in the first three games last weekend, and I'm a believer that this is the second-best team in the SEC West.
The Pick: Texas A&M 54 SMU 13
Indiana vs. (18) Missouri
Keister: I don't believe that much elaboration is needed on this matchup.
The Pick: Missouri 35 Indiana 10
Griff: Missouri made easy work of UCF last week in a game that I thought would be a little bit closer. The Tigers' first test will be in Williams-Brice next weekend, and the only chance I give Indiana Saturday will be if Missouri gets caught looking ahead on the schedule.
The Pick: Missouri 31 Indiana 6
Northern Illinois vs. Arkansas
Keister: The Hogs get a nice tune-up this Saturday.
The Pick: Arkansas 36 Northern Illinois 13
Griff: Arkansas' rushing attack is no joke this season, and the Razorbacks got a huge boost of confidence in beating Texas Tech last Saturday. This year, Arkansas has averaged 362 yards per game on the ground, which is the third-best total in the entire FBS.
The Pick: Arkansas 38 Northern Illinois 19
(14) South Carolina vs. Vanderbilt
Keister: Spurrier's Gamecocks might come out of the gates somewhat lethargic in the first quarter, but I expect a healthy dose of Mike Davis and Brandon Wilds to put the Commodores away.
The Pick: South Carolina 42 Vanderbilt 17
Griff: Spurrier made a comment last week after the Georgia game about providing sensational sophomore Pharoh Cooper with more touches. I think the Gamecocks will line up with Cooper in the wildcat a good bit this week, and maybe South Carolina fans will finally get to see the true premier of running back David Williams.
The Pick: South Carolina 48 Vanderbilt 13
Mississippi State vs. (8) LSU
Keister: Les Miles and crew are gonna be prepared for a tough conference game in Baton Rouge, however, Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott will surprise the Tigers' fans by keeping his composure in a tough atmosphere. The "Mad Hatter" will roll the dice with his offensive weapons, and a fourth down conversion late in the second half could seal the deal.
The Pick: LSU 28 Mississippi State 17
Griff: This will be the best game of the week in the SEC, as these two teams will punch each other in the mouth from start to finish in an extremely physical contest. LSU's running game will help the Tigers edge the Bulldogs in the end in a very close game.
The Pick: LSU 34 Mississippi State 32
(4) Oklahoma vs. West Virginia
Keister: This will be a sleeper pick for being one of the best games of the weekend. Clint Trickett will hold a seven-to-ten point lead for most of the game, but Sooners' tight end Blake Bell will prove to be a valuable weapon for Oklahoma in crunch time.
The Pick: Oklahoma 42 West Virginia 38
Griff: Oklahoma is by far the best team in the Big 12, and I don't think they'll run into any trouble in West Virginia.
The Pick: Oklahoma 45 West Virginia 17
Keister: Jameis Winston's first half suspension will inspire Dabo Swinney's team in the de facto ACC Championship Game, but the Seminoles' running game will take its toll on the Tigers' defense.
The Pick: Florida State 30 Clemson 21
Griff: There's no way that this game gets as out of hand as it did last year, and I think Clemson comes out and shocks Florida State in Tallahassee.
The Pick: Clemson 38 Florida State 36
Virginia vs. (21) BYU
Keister: This is a matchup between the least talked about playmaker in the country against the most underrated coach in the country. I love Coach London and what he's getting his team to buy into right now, but a healthy dose of designed quarterback runs with Taysom Hill will be too much for the Cavaliers' defense.
The Pick: BYU 31 Virginia 23
Griff: Virginia came through for me on a nice upset pick last weekend, and if this game was in Charlottesville, I'd be inclined to pick Virginia again this week. However, the harsh reality is that Virginia's offense isn't very good, and the hostile environment will prove to be too much in a great matchup in Provo.
The Pick: BYU 26 Virginia 24
Be sure to follow me on twitter @griffaldo, and let us know your predictions!!!
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