Lane Kiffin finally built a defense for Oxford.
All transfers were hit.
Princeley Umanmielen, JJ Peggs, Walter Nolen and Jared Ivey form one of the best defensive lines in college football, and linebacker Chris Paul Jr. plays elite second-level football in coverage and against the run. I am doing it.
The Rebels' front seven ranks first in the nation in havoc, second in sack percentage and fourth in pass defense.
Six players have had at least 20 pressures this season, and five have had multiple pass breakups.
You can't run with the Rebels, who rank in the top 10 of FBS defenses in rushing success rate and EPA per rush allowed.
Meanwhile, Georgia's offense looked shaky, and the Bulldogs fell outside the top 50 nationally in EPA per play.
Part of the problem is a mediocre rushing attack, and part of the problem is a hurting receiving corps without Brock Bowers.
Nevertheless, the biggest problem may be quarterback Carson Beck, who regressed from last season. He has struggled to handle pressure — seven throws that resulted in turnovers, four interceptions, and completed just 36 percent of his passes with 66 broken pockets.
Ole Miss will bring a lot of pressure, and I expect Beck and the Bulldogs to struggle under that pressure.
I also hope we can get the “good” Jackson Dart, who is in a desperate situation. The Rebels need a win Saturday to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive. The Bulldogs, on the other hand, could probably lose one more game and still sneak into the 12-team field.
Pick: Ole Miss +2.5.
Boston College (-2.5) vs. Syracuse
I've had fun watching and betting on the Orange this season.
I like their pro-style offense led by quarterback Kyle McCord and tight end Orond Gadsen, and I also love running back LeQuinto Allen.
However, the time has come for the orange bubble to burst.
They have won six of eight games this year despite having -0.16 net yards per play.
The team is 4-1 in one-possession games and 2-0 in overtime, including last week's 38-31 OT win against Virginia Tech when the Orange ran for a 45-yard lead.
Some of the luck in close games always reverses.
Boston College enjoyed a bye week, but the Eagles haven't played in 15 days, so Saturday is a good spot considering the Orange should be gassed after last week's overtime game.
The Eagles had an up-and-down year, and part of that was down to the health of quarterback Tomas Castellanos.
When he's at 100 percent, he's one of the most explosive quarterbacks in football, especially on play-action passes.
Syracuse's defensive line is mediocre at best, but it will allow Boston College to establish runs and then burn up Syracuse's hapless, lifeless secondary with Castellanos' play-action darts.
Utah (+3) for views
BYU is 3-0 in one-possession games, +7 on net turnovers and 15-for-18 on fourth-down conversions.
Cougars are good. There's no way it'll be 8 wins and 0 losses. And in the end they should lose the match.
Why not play against Utah on Saturday?
Do you want to bet on college football?
Indeed, without quarterback Cam Rising, the Utes' offense will be severely limited.
But they can still run the ball to some extent and hopefully match up against a BYU defense that ranks 106th nationally in EPA per rush.
I mostly think Utah State (9th nationally in EPA per play allowed, 7th in EPA per pass allowed), relying on an elite defense, showing up and being happy with the overrated passing BYU We look forward to keeping it close at home against our team.
In fact, Kyle Whittingham's Utes have an underdog record since 2005, going 37-26 ATS.
last week: 2-0. SMU (W). Minnesota (West)
2024 season: 16-12.
Why trust New York Post Betting?
Tanner McGrath has been a professional sports handicapper since 2018. He specializes in college sports and baseball and is an avid fan of the Vermont Catamounts, Miami Marlins, and underdog home teams. He was put on the wrong foot in the Miami Miracle in 2018, but redeemed himself four years later by hitting Sandy Alcantara with a 40/1 long shot to win the National League Cy Young Award.
