College Football Picks Week 10: Predictions and Odds for Top 25 Schedule

The college football season has reached the month of November with the action in Week 10, and that means every game is critical for teams that are looking for spots in the College Football Playoffs or the elite bowl games.

Alabama has been the best team in the nation by a wide margin this year, and they have not been given any severe tests. That changes Saturday when they travel to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and take on No. 4 LSU at Tiger Stadium.

At a venue that's always a tough place to play, LSU fans will be excited to see their Tigers have a chance to upset the Crimson Tide. However, it's one thing to look forward to a date that has been circled on the schedule, it's quite another to execute well enough to come through with the upset of a powerhouse opponent.

There are other key games on the schedule involving third-ranked Notre Dame playing on the road at Northwestern and No. 5 Michigan hosting 14th-ranked Penn State, but the Alabama-LSU game is college football's game of the year to this point.

Thursday, Nov. 1

Temple at No. 9 UCF (NL), 7:30 pm, ESPN

Friday, Nov. 2

Pittsburgh at No. 23 Virginia (-7.5), 7:30 pm, ESPN2

Saturday, Nov. 3

No. 22 Syracuse (-4.5) at Wake Forest, Noon
No. 25 Texas A&M at Auburn (-4.5), Noon, ESPN
Louisville at No. 2 Clemson (-37.5), Noon, ABC
Nebraska at No. 8 Ohio State (-22.5), Noon, Fox
No. 12 West Virginia at No. 15 Texas (-1.5), 3:30 p.m., Fox
No. 19 Iowa at Purdue (-2.5), 3:30 p.m., ESPN2
No. 6 Georgia (-12.5) at No. 11 Kentucky, 3:30 p.m.
No. 24 Boston College (-2.5) at Virginia Tech, 3:45 p.m.
No. 14 Penn State at No. 5 Michigan (-11.5), 3:45 p.m., ESPN
Missouri at No. 13 Florida (-6.5), 4 p.m. SECN
No. 16 Utah (-7) at Arizona State, 4 p.m., PACN
No. 17 Houston (-14) at SMU, 7 p.m., ESPN-U
No. 3 Notre Dame (-7.5) at Northwestern, 7:15 p.m., ESPN
Louisiana Tech at No. 21 Miss. State (-21.5), 7:30 p.m., SECN
No. 7 Oklahoma (-11.5) at Texas Tech, 8 p.m., ABC
No. 1 Alabama (-14.5) at No. 4 LSU, 8 p.m., CBS
No. 20 Fresno State (-26.5) at UNLV, 10:30 p.m., CBSN
California at No. 10 Washington St. (-11.5), 10:45 p.m., ESPN
No. 18 Utah State at Hawaii (NL), Midnight

Predictions

Alabama 31, LSU 17

The Crimson Tide (8-0) has been the pre-eminent team in college football throughout the Nick Saban era, but this year's team may be the best of all. 

Alabama has dominated its eight opponents by an average of 38.2 points per game, and while margin of victory can be an overrated stat, it is not in this case. Their closest triumph was a 39-10 victory over the Missouri Tigers.

In previous years, Alabama would use its overpowering defense and solid running game to put away most opponents. The Crimson Tide has a far more explosive offense in 2018. That's because Tua Tagovailoa is one of the best and most dangerous quarterbacks in the nation.

Tagovailoa, who came off the bench in last season's national championship game to help the Crimson Tide earn the title, has been sensational this year. He has completed 107 of 152 passes for 2,066 yards with 25 touchdowns and no interceptions.

Tagovailoa gets plenty of help from the running game where Najee Harris and Damien Harris have combined for 924 yards and nine rushing touchdowns.

Sophomore wideout Jerry Jeudy is Tagovailoa's most explosive receiver, and he has caught 41 passes for 777 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The Tigers (7-1) have had a remarkable season and been one of the biggest surprises in the current season. The college football world had to take notice of Ed Orgeron's team when LSU registered a 36-16 victory over Georgia in their October 13 meeting at Tiger Stadium.

The win came a week after LSU's loss to Florida, and it was clear that Orgeron's team picked it up two notches against the Bulldogs.

The Tigers have a balanced offense featuring quarterback Joe Burrow, running back Nick Brossette and wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Burrow has thrown for 1,544 yards with six touchdowns, and Brossette has rushed for 697 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Alabama knows it is facing its biggest challenge of the season, and they are going into a remarkably tough environment. The Crimson Tide will not take the Tigers lightly.

Expect LSU to get off to a great start and possibly slow down Tagovailoa in the first half. However, this is not just any No. 1 team, and Alabama will seize control in the second half and win the game.

Notre Dame 28, Northwestern 27

The Fighting Irish (8-0) passed a key early-season test when they took down Michigan 24-17 in the opening game of the season, and they also showed their ability with a 38-17 triumph over Stanford.

While big-name opponents Florida State, Syracuse and USC follow, this could be the toughest regular-season test for Notre Dame.

This is an unusual game for the Fighting Irish, as they have not played in Evanston, Illinois, since 1976. Notre Dame and Northwestern have played five times since then, and three games have been in South Bend, Indiana, and two have been in Chicago.

Quarterback Ian Book has been remarkable for Notre Dame, completing 130 of 170 passes (76.5 percent) for 1,481 yards with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Dexter Williams, Tony Jones Jr. and Jafar Armstrong have combined to run for 1,135 yards and 16 touchdowns, and Miles Boykin has caught 36 passes for 570 yards and six touchdowns.

Northwestern (5-3) has picked it up after a brutal 1-3 start. Victories over Michigan State and Wisconsin have highlighted their four-game winning streak, and Pat Fitzgerald will lead a confident and upset-minded team Saturday night.

Quarterback Clayton Thorson has not been 100 percent healthy this season after last season's ACL injury, but he has thrown for 2,072 yards with 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Isaiah Bowser has taken over the primary running back chores after Jeremy Larkin had to stop playing due to cervical stenosis. 

Flynn Nagel and Bennett Skowronek are the two most dependable receivers.

Northwestern should have excellent support from its home crowd, and the game may start with the Wildcats coming out of the gate and setting the tone.

However, Notre Dame is too strong and the Fighting Irish will find a way to earn a close win.