NCAA College Football Picks: Week 4 Against the Spread

New week. Better games. 

One of the biggest kicks off Thursday night when No. 20-ranked Kansas State plays host to No. 5-ranked ranked Auburn. The other game between a couple of highly regarded teams happens when No. 1 Florida State hosts No. 22 Clemson in an ACC showdown. 

Read on for a breakdown of these matchups as well as several others, with the lines again courtesy of CoopersPick.com:   

No. 5 Auburn vs. No. 20 Kansas State

Betting Odds: Auburn -9.5

Auburn has two straight blowout wins and one of the best rushing offenses in the nation with the duo of Cameron Artis-Payne and Corey Grant, who are each averaging over six yards per carry. 

It is 4-0 ATS in its last four road games, and Kansas State is 2-5 ATS in its last seven nonconference games.

Pick Against the Spread: Take Auburn in this one.

No. 22 Clemson vs. No. 1 Florida State

Betting Odds: Florida State -19

The Seminoles may be undefeated, the reigning champs and the top-ranked team in the nation, but they narrowly avoided an upset in their season opener facing Oklahoma State.

Furthermore, as Marc Tracy of The New York Times reports, reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston has been suspended for a whole, entire half, dealing yet another blow to the pairing of football and chivalry. Clemson already lost to Georgia last week, but it came back big, scoring 73 points last week. 

Clemson is 4-1 ATS in its last five games against FSU.

Pick Against the Spread: The Tigers are on the prowl, covering at least the points. 

Florida vs. No. 3 Alabama

Betting Odds: Alabama -14.5

Florida is the big underdog in this one, and it avoided a huge upset against SEC foe Kentucky, needing three overtimes to prevail. Alabama has the nation’s 10th-ranked defense and in the last two games has surrendered only 12 points while scoring 93.

Alabama is 0-6-1 ATS in its last seven games overall but 5-0 ATS in its last five at home against Florida.

Pick Against the Spread: The Crimson tide wins big and covers. 

Mississippi State vs. No. 8 LSU

Betting Odds: LSU -10

Both are undefeated, but while Mississippi has yet to play a conference game, LSU beat a ranked Wisconsin team in its season opener and has the nation’s second-ranked defense to boot. 

MSU is 4-1 in its last five road games. Meanwhile, the favorite has covered the spread in the last four games between these two SEC teams.

Pick Against the Spread: LSU's defense is too good not to carry the squad to at least a 10-point victory.  

No. 4 Oklahoma vs. West Virginia

Betting Odds: Oklahoma -10 

The Sooners have yet to play a close game, and after three games, they are only giving up an average of 11 points. West Virginia has won two straight after its opening-season loss facing Alabama—and only lost by 10. WVU quarterback Clint Trickett has over 1,200 passing yards with seven touchdowns and only one interception already this season.

Oklahoma is 4-0 ATS in the last four road games, and WVU is 2-5 ATS in its last seven home games.

Pick Against the Spread: OU continues its early dominance and will win and cover on the road.

Miami vs. No. 24 Nebraska

Betting Odds: Nebraska -7.5

Miami has won two straight, but its only road game facing a solid team was the opener when it lost badly to Louisville, 31-13. Nebraska is 3-0 and back in the top 25, mainly because of a rushing attack which ranks ninth in the nation, averaging an astounding 324.3 yards per game.

The 'Canes are 1-5 ATS in their last six road games, while the Huskers are an equally mediocre 1-4 ATS in their last five home games.

Pick Against the Spread: While it pains me to pick it, the Nebraska running game will be too much for Miami to handle, even with the spread.

Virginia vs. No. 21 BYU

Betting Odds: BYU -16

Interesting game here, as BYU is ranked but narrowly avoided an upset in the last game as a big betting favorite at home. On the other side of the coin, Virginia’s only loss was to a top 10 UCLA team, and it knocked off a ranked Louisville team last time out.

Virginia is 5-0 ATS in the past five overall, and BYU is 3-1-1 ATS in its last five home contests.

Pick Against the Spread: Go with the underdog Cavaliers, as they may not win, but they will cover.