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November 05, 2009
We’re back with another week of trying to predict the big upsets – or, at the least, pick teams that will cover the spread. The lone stipulation in choosing a game is that the spread has to be at least 7.5 points.

Check out our expert picks and cast your vote for the most likely upset.

SEASON TOTALS: Last week (four selections), there was one outright winner and another that covered the spread. For the season (44 selections), there have been nine outright winners plus 15 more that have covered the spread.

Olin Buchanan: Arizona State plus-11 vs. USC
Olin Buchanan: Arizona State plus-11 vs. USC
Rivals.com National Writer
Now that USC is out of the national championship picture – and probably the Pac-10 championship race – you wonder how the Trojans will respond. Will they play with as much intensity with a trip to the Fiesta Bowl or possibly the Holiday Bowl at stake? And how productive will the running game be if Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford cannot play or are slowed by injuries? Even at full strength, running against Arizona State’s defense is difficult enough. The Sun Devils’ offense has gotten a boost from the play of backup QB Samson Szakacsy, who is limited because of a sore arm but can play in certain situations. But the biggest edge the host Sun Devils may have is simply this game means more to them than it does to USC.
 vote
Tom Dienhart: Duke plus-8.5 at North Carolina
Tom Dienhart: Duke plus-8.5 at North Carolina
Rivals.com National Writer
Bet you didn’t know that Duke is one of the hottest teams in the ACC. The Blue Devils have won three in a row, scoring victories over North Carolina State, Maryland and Virginia. That has Duke, which is 5-3 overall and 3-1 in the ACC, thinking bowl bid. The Blue Devils would love to continue their hot streak by beating their chief rival. Behind quarterback Thaddeus Lewis, the Blue Devils have the offense to win in Chapel Hill. And Duke has an underrated defense that ranks No. 4 in the ACC, which could pose problems for a UNC offense that ranks 11th in the conference. If Duke can get a lead on the Tar Heels, it has a chance to pull the upset – or at least make it a close game.
 vote
David Fox: Indiana plus-11 vs. Wisconsin
David Fox: Indiana plus-11 vs. Wisconsin
Rivals.com National Writer
What do the Hoosiers have to do to get a win these days? Maybe it will be enough just to return home. Indiana lost big leads each of the past two weeks against Northwestern and Iowa, and the hard-luck Hoosiers face a solid Wisconsin team in Bloomington this week. If Indiana hasn’t given up on the season because of the close calls, the Hoosiers can upset the Badgers. Indiana keeps itself in every game by leading the Big Ten in turnover margin; Wisconsin may be a little too big-headed after a 37-0 win over Purdue last week.
 vote
Mike Huguenin: West. Michigan plus-18 at Michigan
Mike Huguenin: West. Michigan plus-18 at Michigan
Rivals.com College Sports Editor
Western Michigan might be the most disappointing team in the MAC this season, mainly because a rebuilt defense has been horrible. But the Broncos can throw the ball with QB Tim Hiller. Plus, in each of the past two seasons, Western Michigan has upset a Big Ten team – Iowa in 2007 and Illinois in ’08 – late in the season to spoil their bowl hopes. Michigan State’s secondary was torched last week by Minnesota, and the Spartans still need two more wins for bowl eligibility.
 vote
Steve Megargee: Florida State plus-8.5 at Clemson
Steve Megargee: Florida State plus-8.5 at Clemson
Rivals.com National Writer
Clemson looks like the team to beat in the ACC Atlantic Division right now, but this is the time when the Tigers traditionally are the most vulnerable. I can’t forget how Clemson fell flat on its face when it was picked to win the conference last season, or how the Tigers lost at home to Boston College when they had a chance to win the Atlantic two seasons ago. Florida State is nearly as hot as Clemson and has its own Atlantic Division title aspirations. Clemson has the best secondary in the ACC – and one of the best in the nation – but the Tigers haven’t faced a quarterback as good as FSU’s Christian Ponder. If Ponder throws for 300 yards and Florida State doesn’t kick the ball to C.J. Spiller, the Seminoles have a legitimate shot to pull the upset.
 vote

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