This week’s edition of the Cover 4 is so good we should charge you for it. But, we’re not. We’re more Robin Hood, less Two for the Money.

The Cover 4 is part of Confidence Picks presented by Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans

Ok, so, three very good dogs and a mountain lion walk into a sportsbook, right?

One of the dogs says to the lion, “Did you hear about the guys in Utah’s training room?”

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Oregon (+3.5) at Utah

Saturday, Nov. 10 at 4:30 PM CT | Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah

Utah was cruising towards a Pac-12 South title and its first appearance in the Pac-12 Championship right up until the point where quarterback Tyler Huntley broke his collarbone last week.

The injury turned the game against Arizona State—and, very likely, turned the Utes season.

Making matters worse, stud running back Zach Moss suffered a knee injury in practice on Thursday and will, reportedly, miss the remainder of the season.

Utah’s defense is very good, but that’s a lot of pressure to put on that unit along with inexperienced starters at both quarterback and running back—particularly with an Oregon team once considered the runaway cream of the Pac-12 crop headed for Salt Lake City.

The Ducks bounced back a week ago with a resounding win (and cover) after an inexplicable loss to Arizona. It’ll be more of the same from Justin Herbert & Co. against a Utes defense that will eventually tire on Saturday.

The Pick: Ducks (+3.5)

Texas Tech (+2) vs. Texas

Saturday, Nov. 10 at 6:30 PM CT | Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock, Texas

Jett Duffey may not be Alan Bowman, but he doesn’t need to be.

If Texas Tech has proven nothing else under Kliff Kingsbury—and under Kingsbury’s coach—it has proven that the system works with anyone in the quarterback room behind center. Bowman is the better passer, but Duffey isn’t far behind, and his ability to make plays with his feet adds an element to the Tech offense.

Texas is more talented top to bottom. There’s no question about that. There is some question about just how much that’s going to matter, given the ‘Horns current two-game losing skid coupled with the always dangerous road trip to Jones AT&T Stadium—for a primetime matchup under the lights, no less.

Strange things happen to visiting teams in Lubbock.

The Pick: Red Raiders (+2)

UMass (+14) vs. BYU

Saturday, Nov. 10 at 11 AM CT | Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Mass.

Courtesy of the one and only Michael Gunter, we’d like to present our third Very Good Dog for the first time this season: good ol’ UMass.

We’ve had the Minutemen in action live on FloFootball each time they’ve been at home this season, and we’ll have them one more time, when BYU meets them at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro for a battle of independents.

Watch BYU-UMass LIVE on FloFootball

UMass is coming off of an insane, triple overtime, come-from-behind victory over Liberty on Saturday, while BYU has hit the skids a bit of late, dropping four of five after a 3-1 start.

The Minutemen score—and allows its opponent to score—in bunches. But BYU enters averaging just 22.1 points per game and appears to be in no position to take advantage of a suspect UMass defense. 

Meanwhile, Andy Isabella, Marquis Young and the boys are fresh off of a 777-yard outing against Liberty and appear primed to close out their home slate in style this week—even against what has been a respectable BYU defense.

The Pick: Minutemen (+14)

Washington State (-6) at Colorado

Saturday, Nov. 10 at 2:30 CT | Folsom Field, Boulder, Colo.

Surprise Pac-12 Contender Colorado has quickly transformed into Pac-12 Doormat Colorado, thanks, in large part, to Laviska Shenault’s injury and a pass defense that has been getting shredded of late.

There’s no reason to expect Shenault, still listed as day-to-day, to return to the CU offense this week, and there’s even less reason to expect a secondary that just gave up 350 passing yards and five touchdowns to Khalil Tate to have anything for Gardner Minshew and Washington State.

Sometimes it’s just that simple.

Wazzu dominates up front, Minshew wreaks havoc, and Mike Leach’s squad marches on in style.

The Pick: Wazzu (-6)