Texas A&M vs. South Carolina Pick
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA (The Spread) – Week 1 of the college football season kicks off tonight when SEC rivals Texas A&M and South Carolina battle at 6:00PM ET.
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According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, South Carolina is currently a 10.5-point favorite over Texas A&M after originally opening as a 13-point favorite. The total, meanwhile, opened at 56 and has climbed to as high as 61.
Texas A&M led the SEC in scoring with 44.2 points per game and total offense at 538.4 yards for the second straight season but that was with dynamic quarterback Johnny Manziel under center. Sophomore Kenny Hill has the challenging task of trying to replace “Johnny Football” and he’ll have face a stiff test tonight against a South Carolina team picked by many to win the East Division this year.
Of course, the Gamecocks suffered a loss as well this offseason when defensive end Jadeveon Clowney bolted for the NFL and became the No. 1 overall pick in May’s draft. They’re also replacing a quarterback themselves, as Connor Shaw graduated and now Dylan Thompson will step in as the full-time starter after seeing time a year ago when Shaw was injured. While the emergence of Thompson is a storyline, the focal point of South Carolina’s offense remains running back Mike Davis, who was a preseason first-team SEC selection after rushing for 1,183 yards in 2013.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 1 FREE PICK: Take the under. While the total has risen as high as five points at some sports books, I think the number is way too high for a Week 1 matchup between two SEC rivals. It’s highly unlikely that Hill is going to move the ball successfully on the road in his first start, especially against a South Carolina defense that is going to be solid (even without Clowney). Plus, with the Gamecocks likely to keep the ball on the ground with Davis, the scoring should be kept to a mimum as SC controls the clock.
2014 COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 1 FREE PICK: TEXAS A&M/SOUTH CAROLINA UNDER 61
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