Shoutout to random newspaper guys who also try to pick games against the spread. Barrett Sallee, I am not. But, during a little internet research, I ran across a trio from the Pacific Northwest that really made me feel better about our .500ish season.

This week, we’re looking to take advantage of some bad squads, a really good squad that figures to be resting some starters — and, when in doubt, side with Mason Fine.

ASU -7 over OREGON STATE

Saturday, Nov. 18 | Noon PT | Corvallis, OR (Reser Stadium)

Simply put, Oregon State is very bad at football. The Beavers are 1-9 in real life and 3-7 against the spread.

The Sun Devils, for their part, are painfully average. But when all you need for a dubya is to beat Oregon State by more than a touchdown, you have to like those odds.

Louisiana-Monroe (+37.5) over AUBURN

Saturday | Noon ET | Auburn, AL (Jordan-Hare Stadium)

There’s nothing tricky about this one. Auburn has a scrimmage with ULM ahead of a de facto SEC semifinal in the Iron Bowl vs. Alabama. The starters will stay in just long enough to put things out of reach, but the hook will come quick — and rightfully so.

The number makes sense under normal circumstances, but the Tigers will be the epitome of caution in this one.

Mississippi State -11.5 over ARKANSAS

Saturday | 11 AM CT | Fayetteville, AR (Razorback Stadium)

Arkansas fired Jeff Long as its athletic director on Wednesday. Is head football coach Bret Bielema next? It stands to reason — particularly considering Long’s relative success spanning department-wide, with his lone perceived failure (and/or blindspot) being the hiring of Bielema.

The Razorbacks are a dumpster fire on the football field with an offense that has absolutely no identity and a defense that couldn’t stop Tom Bean High School.

What GIF best describes your thoughts on the current state of the Arkansas football program? #WPS pic.twitter.com/iFTNhxDE4y

— Austin Kellerman (@AustinKellerman) November 12, 2017

My mother always taught me not to say anything at all if I had nothing nice to say — and my mother holds a pair of degrees from Arkansas. So, with that in mind, I will yield with respect to both her and her alma mater and keep the rest of my thoughts to myself. In the meantime, I’ll lay some cash on Mississippi State to hammer Arkansas in Fayetteville on Saturday.

NORTH TEXAS -3 over Army

Saturday | 5:30 PM CT | Denton, Texas (Apogee Stadium)

For the third time in 13 months, North Texas and Army will play a football game. The last time these two programs faced off, Army knocked off the Mean Green 38-31 (OT) in the Heart of Dallas Bowl last December.

This North Texas team has exceeded outside expectations while meeting its own all season long. One of the last boxes for Seth Littrell’s team to check is an undefeated record at Apogee Stadium, and Army is the lone opponent standing in the Mean Green's way.

Army quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw is a stud, but three games in little more than a year is a lot of looks for a defense versus an offense that doesn’t change much of what it does from week to week.