College football predictions: JD PicKell gives picks for top Week 6 games

Get ready for more college football predictions for the biggest games of Week 6 of the 2024 season as On3’s JD PicKell gave us the must-watch games.

There are some big headliners but some absurd lines. Still here at On3, no one will shy away from making picks even with lines that might make you look twice.

PicKell broke down the biggest games of the weekend on The Hard Count and made his predictions. Let’s dive in.

Tennessee (-13.5) at Arkansas

PicKell: “Fayetteville will be on fire for this one. Now, don’t let that record fool you. For Arkansas, two losses. I mean, each of those is only by one score. Quite frankly, they should have beaten Oklahoma State. They had them on the ropes, let them off the hook, and then the Texas A&M game, have the football with a chance to go win it. strips that game … But if you’re Arkansas, man, this is the chance to hit the reset on the entire season. You have a couple games that haven’t gone your way, a couple of games that you feel like you really probably would have, could have, should have won. 

“But with that being said, Now, who do you have coming to town? Top five Tennessee team … This is a burn the boats kind of situation for the Pit Boss and company. This is the one where you empty the chamber, you go all in. I mean, I’m sure, again, the atmosphere will be electric, and then some like this is a chance now where you rewrite the narrative around your season, go get a big win at the crib.”

PicKell likes Tennessee to win in this game and cover the two touchdown spread in this one. Now certainly Arkansas is going to go for broke, but the Vols will control things.

As long as Tennessee doesn’t fall into the turnover battle, the Volunteers should ultimately cruise. Josh Heupel’s crew is for real.

Rutgers at Nebraska (-6.5)

PicKell: “This will present a very similar test (for Nebraska), I believe, that Illinois presented, because I think at its core this Greg Schiano football team of Rutgers, they want to be a lot of the same things that Nebraska wants to be. They’re down to get in the fight with you. They’ll throw some haymakers. They want to run the football. And we’re going to see how much Nebraska is able to meet that physical test, especially defensively, with what Rutgers wants to do running the football. This Rutgers team, like I alluded to, first team all- grit now … I think this might be, this is, like, flown way under the radar, but Rutgers is undefeated. Rutgers hasn’t lost the game yet. Okay, so I understand all the talk is around, you know, Ohio State and Oregon and, like, deservedly so, and Rutgers is undefeated. 

“So they’ll play some more difficult competition here going forward, it starts with this game, but Kyle Monagai, running back for Rutgers. One of the best kept secrets, I think. The college football sickos know about him, I think Big Ten country knows about him. I don’t think the national scene knows about him.”

PicKell loves Rutgers, maybe more so than other national pundits. After beating Washington Friday night, the Scarlet Knights improved to 4-0 and play gritty football. That’s the identity of a Greg Schiano team.

However, PicKell opted for the Huskers in Lincoln with the points. At a certain point, Nebraska’s explosiveness is going to take over. Freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola could have a field day if RU doesn’t improve the run defense. You’re just begging to get gashed on the ground and let the QB have a comfortable time in play action.

Miami (-10.5) at California

PicKell: “Cal man, this is a chance to make a statement. I mean, as of right now, like Cal is rolling … This has Marshall Mathers kind of game written all over it. If you’re Cal, this is the one now you got your one chance, your one opportunity. You take advantage of it or let it slip away. This is the lose yourself kind of game … Now, the spread in this game, it opened at 12.5. Right now, Miami is favored by 10.5 points … If you’re Miami, I think there’s a lot of folks that are concerned about them after the Virginia Tech game, and you know, we’re going to see how fair that concern is, because we hated last week’s spot …  Like, there was a lot of things that made that a tough spot for Miami.

“There’s a lot of things that make this a tough spot for Miami too. Emotional game after the Friday night game against VA Tech, where you have a Hail Mary, you think you lost the game called a touchdown on the field. You overturn it after review. Like, there’s a lot that goes into this now. Also, you got to go from one coast all the way to the other, literally, from South Florida to Northern California. Welcome to college football in 2024.”

PicKell is leaning towards Miami and likes the Hurricanes to cover in this one. It’s a large ask for the ‘Canes to go all the way out west.

However, Miami will stay undefeated overall and in ACC play by taking down a pretty solid Golden Bears squad. This is the best defense to face Miami, per PicKell. But in the end, it won’t matter. Just don’t get down to this team like the Virginia Tech game last week. Or it could end very differently.

Missouri at Texas A&M (-1.5)

PicKell: “This might be the game of the weekend. To me, you got Missouri going to Texas A&M. Texas A&M (is) currently a 1.5 point favorite. Don’t look now, but Texas A&M is starting to stack them up … The last time they got to play a high level Top 10 team was Notre Dame in week one, also at the crib, that game went how it went. But ever since then, they’ve been rolling. If they’re able to beat a top 10 team in Missouri, we’re all revisiting A&M and saying, whoa, whoa. That’s a team now that, I don’t know if they’re going to win the SEC, but could they find a way to potentially make the college football playoff? 

“Now, if you’re Missouri, this is the one you got to turn it on, baby, gotta turn it on because during SEC media days, everyone and their mama, the dark horse pick in the SEC … they said Missouri (and Ole Miss) … Missouri, this is the game where you gotta show some sense of urgency.”

Texas A&M’s chances come down to who plays quarterback. PicKell is opting for the better defensive line though as the biggest X-factor. 23-20, Aggies win. With that, Texas A&M wins and covers.

Gotta love the home field advantage in this one. By the way, PicKell was under the assumption that Marcel Reed will be at QB.

Auburn (+24.5) at Georgia

PicKell: “If you’re Georgia man, you got to reset. You have to reset because I know it’s the Auburn logo and Auburn limping into this game, but the SEC is a lot like the Amazon, just when you think you’re safe and you can take a chance to rest and kind of lick your wounds a little bit, that’s when you get bit by something and die. Right now for Georgia, maybe it’s not quite that morbid, but I do think that’s kind of a situation here, because Auburn, they’re desperate. They’re desperate. I’m not saying they’re spiraling, but I am saying they’re desperate. When you’re desperate, you’re dangerous … 

“Payton Thorn played more than well enough to win that football game (against Oklahoma) outside of that one play. He threw for over 300 yards on that game. If he goes for over 300 against Georgia. That would be a feat. Don’t get it twisted, but that would obviously be, I think more than enough to allow Auburn to cover that spread and make this thing very interesting in the fourth quarter, like it was last year.”

Auburn is in desperation mode, according to PicKell. 34-20. Coming off another loss and Hugh Freeze seemingly on the hot seat and the QB situation kind of a mess, the Tigers need something. The On3 host is banking on Payton Thorne having a good game, but it won’t be enough to beat the Bulldogs, who need a win after a loss to Alabama. Georgia to win, but Auburn to cover.