Baby steps at mid-season. I'll take it.
I snapped a losing streak (somewhat) last week with a 5-5 record. The big misses were the Miracle On Tenth Avenue in Atlanta and Utah falling flat against a wounded Southern Cal team.
My lack of confidence in Clemson also cost me, but I don't think even the most rabid Clemson fan saw a 58-0 beatdown of Miami on the radar. The Tigers were nearly flawless in dismantling the Hurricanes, a loss that ended Al Golden's stay at South Beach.
It's time to move on to Halloween weekend. Let's see if we can find more treats than tricks in the selections. As always, all picks are against the spread.
-- North Carolina -3 at Pittsburgh. A big game in the ACC Coastal. The winner will be well positioned for a trip to Charlotte. North Carolina is still kicking itself for that opening loss to South Carolina. The Tar Heels have not lost since the opening weekend. A big reason is defensive coordinator Gene Chizik, who has done a nice job putting some teeth in the Tar Heel defense. In his first season in charge of the Panthers, head coach Pat Narduzzi has Pitt on the fast track to respectability. I think the difference in this one is the North Carolina offense. I will give the points on the road. Take the Tar Heels.
-- West Virginia at TCU -14. Trevone Boykin and the TCU offense will shread the West Virginia defense. The Mountaineers will score some but not nearly enough. Pick TCU.
-- Louisville -11.5 at Wake Forest. The Cardinals climb to .500 overall with a victory over the Deacons. The spread of 11.5 is enough for a Deacon cover. Take Wake.
-- South Carolina at Texas A&M -16.0. The Aggies blasted the Gamecocks in Columbia last season, a loss that started a downward spiral in Columbia that has yet to hit bottom. A&M will have no trouble covering the spread at home. Pick A&M.
-- Georgia Tech -6 at Virginia. Georgia Tech pulled off the second-best finish this season when Lance Austin returned a blocked field goal 78 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the game to give the Yellow Jackets an upset of previously unbeaten Florida State. Can Tech use that miracle to build some momentum? Virginia head coach Mike London is waiting on the ax to fall. But first the ax will fall on Georgia Tech. Pick Virginia.
-- Clemson -10 at N.C. State. I feel the same way I did last week. This one makes me nervous. Ten is a lot of points. It is homecoming at N.C. State. The Wolfpack has shown respect to the unbeaten Tigers, but they also have talked about revenge for the beating they took in Death Valley last season. Emotion only lasts so long before talent takes over. This could be the Kiss of Death, but I think the Tigers will get it done. Pick Clemson.
-- Oklahoma State -3 at Texas Tech. Unbeaten Okie State travels to west Texas. The Cowboys have a big November at home with TCU, Baylor, and Oklahoma all coming to Stillwater. Looking past the trip to Lubbock could be dangerous, but I think the Cowboys will survive a shootout. Take Okie State.
-- Georgia vs. Florida -3. I don't care what they say this is still "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party". To this day, it is the only place have been overwhelmed by the smell of bourbon while standing on the sideline. Florida pulled a stunner last year by pounding Georgia. Could this be Mark Richt's last stand? A loss to the Gators could get "For Sale" signs put in his yard and finally get him into missionary work. I think Florida's defense will be the difference. Take Florida.
-- Ole Miss -7.5 at Auburn. If Ole Miss wins out, the SEC could miss the playoffs. Auburn is a three-alarm dumpster fire. The Rebels will add fuel to the fire. Take Ole Miss.
-- Notre Dame -10 at Temple. When Notre Dame scheduled this game, I am sure it expected a walk-over. Instead it gets undefeated Temple on the road with Game Day at Independence Hall. This is an interesting matchup. Will Notre Dame take Temple seriously? Can the Owls hang on Halloween? Here is a creepy stat -- Notre Dame is 15-0 all-time on Halloween. Make it 16-0.
Against The Spread
Last Week -- 5-5
For The Season -- 40-44
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