Your Pigskins and Ponies Picks for Nov. 19-22

Welcome to ABR’s Pigskins and Ponies column, where winners play!
Horse racing is my means to an end, and I love the sport like no other, but I admit it, like most of you, on a Sunday afternoon in the fall, it’s hard to pull me away from my couch … and NFL RedZone.
I have a wanted sign in Las Vegas and am feared by fantasy football mavens nationwide, but when it comes to the college game, I choose to punt.
That’s where Derek Cooley comes in. The dude is a loaded gun of university knowledge.
Let’s kick off the football, spring the horses from the gate and pad our bankrolls!
**Lines as of Wednesday Night from scoresandodds.com**
College Pigskins – by Derek Cooley
Another week, another win for us overall during Week 11 of the college football season.
To begin, I absolutely did not see what Arkansas did coming, especially in Death Valley! I'm still shocked by that one. I'm not as surprised to see Iowa State compete until the end at home against an undefeated Oklahoma State squad.
We got B1G favorites Ohio State and Michigan State to cover, and underdogs Oklahoma and Syracuse to do the same.
We are 21-9 ATS in the last five weeks.
Another moving weekend in college football coming up!
Six games on deck for week 12, let's get to it.
Last Week: 4-2
Season Total: 36-31-1 (.537) 
Week 12
Penn State +3.5 vs. (12) Michigan (Saturday, noon ET, ABC)
Michigan may be looking ahead a little bit to their big matchup and rivalry game against Ohio St. next weekend. Playing in Happy Valley in November is usually a tall task itself. I like the Nittany Lions to cover.
(22) Ole Miss -4 vs. (15) LSU (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS)
LSU has really had two awful weeks in a row, and going to Oxford, Miss. is no cure these days for teams to get healthy. The rested Rebels and Chad Kelly should have no issues with the tamed Tigers. Ole Miss wins and covers.
(20) Northwestern +10.5 @ (25) Wisconsin (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, BTN)
I don't think Wisconsin is good enough to beat Northwestern … let's say, on a neutral field. Camp Randall is the difference maker here, but I don't think the home-field advantage for the surging Badgers is worth 10.5 points.  Northwestern will make this one interesting, as they usually do, in a low scoring affair.
(9) Michigan State +13.5 @ (3) Ohio State (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
This date has been circled on both teams' calendars since August, and rightfully so. For the past few years, MSU and OSU have been the class of the B1G. This essentially is an elimination game with regard to the College Football Playoffs, with OSU still undefeated and fading while MSU is still hanging on for dear life in the wake of its Nebraska debacle. The Spartans play to competition, and they will keep this one close. MSU covers.
OHIO STADIUM WILL BE ROCKING ON SATURDAY

Script Ohio by Original uploader was Int3gr4te at en.wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia; transfer was stated to be made by User:TFCforever.. Licensed under GFDL via Wikimedia Commons.
(23) Oregon -4 vs. (24) USC (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Oregon might be playing its best football of the season right now, as they have won and covered ATS four in a row. Oregon is a better football team right now than USC, and it will show on Saturday afternoon in Autzen, Ore.
Georgia -13.5 vs. Georgia Southern (Saturday, 7:00pm ET, ESPNU)
Nothing against Georgia Southern, they are a good football team and having a great season for that program, but Georgia should win by two touchdowns at the very least. That's why I'm picking this game, because I don't care who Georgia throws out there, they SHOULD win this game by two touchdowns. Unfortunately, we aren't in the business of what should happen, we bank on what will happen. And Georgia WILL win by two touchdowns ... at the very least. 
Pro Pigskins – by Joe Kristufek
With more “tough to predict” chaos than usual last week, our biggest win was limiting the plays.
Washington destroyed New Orleans, but Dallas and Seattle once again disappointed by losing very winnable games.
This week’s theme is “addition by subtraction.”
Last week: 1-2
Season Total: 27-30-3 (.474)
Week 11
Sunday, Nov. 22
Washington Redskins +7 at Carolina Panthers
Against the lowly Saints last week, the Redskins rediscovered their running game. Although you can’t completely trust QB Kirk Cousins, he does seem to be finding a level of comfort. Carolina is clicking on both sides of the ball, but Washington is gaining confidence by the week and their defense should limit what the Panthers can do offensively. Take the touchdown.
WHICH KIRK COUSINS WILL SHOW UP SUNDAY?

Kirk Cousins 2014 by Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA - Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Detroit Lions +2 vs. Oakland Raiders
The Detroit Lions are a much better team than their record indicates and they played great in an unlikely win over Green Bay. In that victory, good fortune actually shined on them, and perhaps that momentum will carry over to this week at home against a youthful Raiders team. 
St. Louis Rams +2.5 at Baltimore Ravens
Quarterback Nick Foles is one of the big reasons the Rams don’t have a better record, and he finds himself on the bench this week in favor of the much more mobile Case Keenum. Word on the street is Jeff Fisher and his coaching staff actually liked the back-up better than the starter as far back as training camp. 
Denver Broncos +1 at Chicago Bears
The Bears are at home following a huge win against St. Louis. John Fox gets to coach against his former team and Peyton Manning is on the bench. All signs point to Da Bears, right? Not so fast. The Broncos defense is still ferocious and the offense probably will operate better with Brock Osweiler at the helm. 
Ponies – by Joe Kristufek
It was another week of disappointment at the races.
At Churchill Downs, Onus (7th) was a disappointment among disappointments in the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere Stakes, and at Laurel Park, Savoy Stamp faded to last in the City of Laurel Stakes and Stallwalkin’ Dude (4th) couldn’t overcome a brutal trip in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes.
The lack of success is not typical and it’s time to right the ship.
Last week: 3-0-0-0 ($2 WPS * $18 wagered * $0 returned)
Season Total: 34-3-5-8 ($2 WPS * $204 wagered * $105.30 returned = $3.10) 
Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015
Churchill Downs – Louisville, Ky.
Race 9 – Bet on Sunshine Stakes
#3 Bagg O’Day (morning-line odds, 6-1)
On May 22 at Churchill Downs, this razor-sharp Five Star Day gelding defeated a stakes-caliber allowance field and he did it for fun. He proved that effort was no fluke by winning a minor stakes at Ellis Park in equally impressive fashion. The Remington Park Sprint Cup Stakes was slightly disappointing, but he returns to his favorite track rested and ready to fire a BIG shot.
Race 10 – Cardinal Handicap (G3)
#3 Wiener Valkyrie (morning-line odds, 5-1)
It’s really quite simple, go back and watch the replay of his gal’s U.S. debut, a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Athenia Stakes at Belmont Park. Despite being forced to close into a slow pace, she absolutely flew home through traffic and just missed. With a similar effort, she runs over the rest of this field like they were tied to a pole.
Delta Downs – Vinton, La.
Race 6 – Delta Downs Princess (G3)
#6 La Appassionata (morning-line odds, 3-5)
A dominant winner of her career debut at Churchill in September, this well-bred daughter of Bernardini proved her affinity for the main track at Delta Downs by winning the local prep race for the Princess for fun. She posted a pair of useful workouts between starts, and there’s no reason to think she won’t run another big race.
Race 7 – Delta Downs Jackpot (G3)
#9 Exaggerator (morning-line odds, 2-1)
Battle-hardened for a 2-year-old, this Curlin colt looks like a bit of a standout here. He’s classy, proven around two turns and his fourth-place run in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile is even better than it looks on paper. 
EXAGGERATOR WINNING SARATOGA SPECIAL STAKES

Photo by NYRA