Lockdown: Return of the Lockdown

By Nate Sandstrom

We're back for more cash, and I'm kicking myself for not kicking off the year on Thursday. I recall thinking to myself, "North Texas is getting 16 1/2 points! What's the money line? Got to be worth a bet." Then I got stuck at work all day, and made no move to call what would've been one of the picks of the year in taking a team coming off a 2-10 year over a team coming off an 11-2 year. Oh well, I have it down in my magazine.

Any ways, I'm not doing an upset special this weeks since I had one I didn't call. Here's the only two I'm rolling out for tomorrow:

Illinois (-6.5) vs. Missouri, in St. Louis

If you glanced at my college football preview, you see that I have Missouri falling all the way down after a pair of exciting seasons, while I have Illinois coming back nearly as strong as their Rose Bowl season two years ago.

Usually in rivalry games I like to take points anytime it's 4 or more, but I hear the Illini look great and graduations have hit Missouri very hard. Illinois easily could have won the past two games in this series as well, so I'm calling this the break through.

Prediction: Illinois 41 Missouri 20

Alabama (-6.5) vs. Virginia Tech, in Atlanta

Speaking of 6.5-point favorites on a neutral site, I'm also picking Alabama. Virginia Tech is young and talented, but after the loss of Darren Evans I think it will take a few weeks for them to catch up.

Prediction: Alabama 20 Virginia Tech 6