And now the end is near...
The picker says thank goodness.
This is the final week of what has been a lousy season of picks. There have been one-half point misses and massive whiffs. The result is the same -- a lot of losses.
The overall record is 20 games under .500. Which means if you went the opposite way of my picks you did pretty well. No applause please. And a little juice would be appreciated.
Championship weekend has some interesting matchups and some matchups that feature massive point spreads. Maybe the chaos we have been looking for will happen this weekend.
Notre Dame is in the house undefeated and has a spot locked up in the College Football Playoff. Clemson is a heavy favorite to finish off an undefeated season and clinch a spot. Alabama has its biggest test to date against Georgia in a rematch of last season's national championship game. Many talking heads believe if Georgia wins both Alabama and Georgia will get into the playoff. If that happens, maybe the push for an eight-team playoff will pick up some momentum.
If Alabama wins, the fourth spot will be decided between Oklahoma and Ohio State. Both have high-powered offenses and inconsistent, if not non-existent, defenses.
If Oklahoma beats Texas for a second time this season, most talking heads believe the fourth spot will go to the Sooners. How many times can the committee leave the Big 10 out of the playoff field?
I have always believed in an eight-team playoff. Get rid of this weekend and figure out how to get the Power Five conferences a check to replace their championship games. Four Power Five conference champions and three at-larges make the playoffs. Then there would be two fist fights in the committee room -- picking the three at-large teams and then seeding the field.
Play the first round games at home sites. That set up would guarantee sellouts. Throw in TV money and there will be nice checks for everybody.
Money talks. College football is leaving a lot of money on the table. There will be empty seats at championship games this weekend. Fans are saving their money for the playoffs.
Let's get to the final set of picks. As always picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Friday
Pac 12
Utah vs. Washington -5.0 at Santa Clara, Calif. -- Winner goes to the Rose Bowl. The Huskies dominated Washington State last week to get to the championship game. Washington won the first meeting. I'm going to take the Huskies in the second meeting. Pick -- Washington
Saturday
Southeastern Conference
Georgia vs. Alabama -13.5 at Atlanta, Ga. -- At first glance, this spread looks big. Really big. Do the boys in the desert know something that we don't know. This is biggest test for both teams this season. To make the playoff, Georgia has to win. This is a tough one. I really wish both could lose, but a pick must be made. Pick -- Alabama
Atlantic Coast Conference
Pittsburgh vs. Clemson -27.5 at Charlotte, N.C. -- Clemson's defense has a major meltdown in its three-touchdown victory over South Carolina. But the Clemson offense was firing on all cylinders. After reviewing the film from the Duke and South Carolina games, I expect Pitt to try a similar plan -- move the ball from side to side, mix in some run, and then hit the Tigers over the middle. Pitt si run heavy and no one has run the ball on Clemson this season. Clemson better be prepared for the Utah pass. Rain is predicted which could turn this one into a phone booth brawl. After messing up big time last week, I expect the Clemson defense to have a laser-like focus in this one. Pick -- Clemson
Big 12
Texas vs. Oklahoma -8.0 at Arlington, Texas -- Texas won the first one in a shootout. I will take Oklahoma in the second one. Pick -- Oklahoma
Mountain West
Fresno State at Boise State -2.5 -- Never pick against the Broncos on the blue turf. Pick -- Boise State
Big Ten
Northwestern vs. Ohio State at Indianapolis, Ind. -14.0 -- Ohio State played one of its best games of the season against Michigan last week. The Wolverines rallied from an early deficit to get within two points then the Buckeyes blew their doors off. Ohio State makes a statement. Pick -- Ohio State
American Athletic Conference
Memphis at Central Florida -3.0 -- The awful injury suffered by Central Florida quarterback McKenzie Milton changed this game. I believe Central Florida's offensive talent, speed, and home field will be enough to keep the Knights undefeated. Pick -- Central Florida
Sun Belt
Louisiana-Lafayette at Applachian State -16.5 -- The trip up the mountain will be too much for the Ragin' Cajuns. Pick -- Applachian State
Last Week -- 3-7
For The Season -- 55-75-1
Friday, November 30, 2018
Thursday, November 22, 2018
It's Rivalry Saturday. Tigers Go For Five In A Row
Traditional rivalries dominate the schedule on the final Saturday of the regular season.
One of the biggest games is in Morgantown, West Virginia on Friday night when West Virginia plays host high-flying Oklahoma to determine a berth in the Big 12 Championship game.
Alabama, Clemson, and Notre Dame all are heavy favorites to finish perfect 12-0 seasons.
Last week's record was 5-4. The Stanford-Cal game was postponed because of the terrible wild fires in northern California.
As always, the picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Now that the turkey and dressing has settled, let's get to it.
Friday
Oklahoma at West Virginia +2.5 -- Oklahoma can score on anybody, but the Sooners can't tackle anybody. West Virginia's College Football Playoff hopes got shot down in Stillwater last week, but the Mountaineers can still make the Big 12 championship game. This will be a real shootout. I mean a real shootout. I predict several couch burnings Friday night in Morgantown. Pick -- West Virginia
Washington at Washington State -2.5 -- How can you not pull for Mike Leach? He has opinions on everything. And he has done an incredible job with the Washington State program. The Cougars put up 55 points in the first half last week against Arizona. I think the Cougars will be clutching the Apple Cup late Friday night. Pick -- Washington State
Saturday
Georgia Tech at Georgia -17.0 -- Clean Old-Fashioned Hate. Bottom line is Georgia has better athletes and has dominated the series the last 30 years. Tech, which has won four in a row, will hang for a while. Keep in mind, Paul Johnson has beaten Georgia twice between the Hedges. Will be the Dawgs be looking ahead to the SEC Championship game against Alabama? Maybe, but Georgia will stay interested long enough to take care of the Yellow Jackets. Pick -- Georgia
South Carolina at Clemson -26.5 -- Never Again? Hold my beer. Tigers go for the one for the thumb. With the back end of South Carolina's defense turned into a M.A.S.H. unit, the situation doesn't look good for the Gamecocks. Maybe some of their bottle throwers will make the trip to Death Valley. The spread is large, but the Tigers have been up the the task for the last month. Pick -- Clemson
Florida at Florida State +6.5 -- Florida State proved it does have a pulse last week by beating Boston College. Florida has been playing better on offense, but I still don't trust the Gators. The Seminoles need a victory to keep their bowl streak alive. FSU has not missed going to a bowl in 36 years. I am going to roll the dice and spin the wheel on this one. Pick -- Florida State
Michigan at Ohio State +4.5 -- The outcome of this game will be determined by the defensive units. Ohio State's woeful defense has given up big plays in bunches. Michigan has been riding its defense most of the season. The Wolverines believe it is their time, but I am going to take the points. Pick -- Ohio State
N.C. State at North Carolina +7.0 -- N.C. State recovered from a choke job against Wake Forest by pounding ACC punching back Louisville. North Carolina is awful, but the Tar Heels can score. And North Carolina handed Coastal Division champion Pittsburgh its only conference loss. The victory over the Panthers is the Tar Heels' lone conference win. I'm picking the Pack. Pick -- N.C. State
Auburn at Alabama -24.0 -- Auburn just doesn't have enough offense. Alabama will be focused and in seek-and-destroy mode. Pick -- Alabama
LSU at Texas A&M -3.0 -- I have gut feeling the Aggies are going to give the Bayou Bengals a serious case of post-Thanksgiving heartburn. Pick -- Texas A&M
Notre Dame at Southern Cal +11.0 -- Notre Dame finishes an unbeaten regular season and raps up a spot in the College Football Playoff by sticking a final sword in Southern Cal's dreadful season. Pick -- Notre Dame
For The Week -- 5-4
For The Season -- 52-68-1
One of the biggest games is in Morgantown, West Virginia on Friday night when West Virginia plays host high-flying Oklahoma to determine a berth in the Big 12 Championship game.
Alabama, Clemson, and Notre Dame all are heavy favorites to finish perfect 12-0 seasons.
Last week's record was 5-4. The Stanford-Cal game was postponed because of the terrible wild fires in northern California.
As always, the picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Now that the turkey and dressing has settled, let's get to it.
Friday
Oklahoma at West Virginia +2.5 -- Oklahoma can score on anybody, but the Sooners can't tackle anybody. West Virginia's College Football Playoff hopes got shot down in Stillwater last week, but the Mountaineers can still make the Big 12 championship game. This will be a real shootout. I mean a real shootout. I predict several couch burnings Friday night in Morgantown. Pick -- West Virginia
Washington at Washington State -2.5 -- How can you not pull for Mike Leach? He has opinions on everything. And he has done an incredible job with the Washington State program. The Cougars put up 55 points in the first half last week against Arizona. I think the Cougars will be clutching the Apple Cup late Friday night. Pick -- Washington State
Saturday
Georgia Tech at Georgia -17.0 -- Clean Old-Fashioned Hate. Bottom line is Georgia has better athletes and has dominated the series the last 30 years. Tech, which has won four in a row, will hang for a while. Keep in mind, Paul Johnson has beaten Georgia twice between the Hedges. Will be the Dawgs be looking ahead to the SEC Championship game against Alabama? Maybe, but Georgia will stay interested long enough to take care of the Yellow Jackets. Pick -- Georgia
South Carolina at Clemson -26.5 -- Never Again? Hold my beer. Tigers go for the one for the thumb. With the back end of South Carolina's defense turned into a M.A.S.H. unit, the situation doesn't look good for the Gamecocks. Maybe some of their bottle throwers will make the trip to Death Valley. The spread is large, but the Tigers have been up the the task for the last month. Pick -- Clemson
Florida at Florida State +6.5 -- Florida State proved it does have a pulse last week by beating Boston College. Florida has been playing better on offense, but I still don't trust the Gators. The Seminoles need a victory to keep their bowl streak alive. FSU has not missed going to a bowl in 36 years. I am going to roll the dice and spin the wheel on this one. Pick -- Florida State
Michigan at Ohio State +4.5 -- The outcome of this game will be determined by the defensive units. Ohio State's woeful defense has given up big plays in bunches. Michigan has been riding its defense most of the season. The Wolverines believe it is their time, but I am going to take the points. Pick -- Ohio State
N.C. State at North Carolina +7.0 -- N.C. State recovered from a choke job against Wake Forest by pounding ACC punching back Louisville. North Carolina is awful, but the Tar Heels can score. And North Carolina handed Coastal Division champion Pittsburgh its only conference loss. The victory over the Panthers is the Tar Heels' lone conference win. I'm picking the Pack. Pick -- N.C. State
Auburn at Alabama -24.0 -- Auburn just doesn't have enough offense. Alabama will be focused and in seek-and-destroy mode. Pick -- Alabama
LSU at Texas A&M -3.0 -- I have gut feeling the Aggies are going to give the Bayou Bengals a serious case of post-Thanksgiving heartburn. Pick -- Texas A&M
Notre Dame at Southern Cal +11.0 -- Notre Dame finishes an unbeaten regular season and raps up a spot in the College Football Playoff by sticking a final sword in Southern Cal's dreadful season. Pick -- Notre Dame
For The Week -- 5-4
For The Season -- 52-68-1
Friday, November 16, 2018
Cupcake Saturday Is Upon Us
It is called Cupcake Saturday in the Southeastern Conference, where it just means more.
Several SEC teams schedule punching bags on the Saturday before Thanksgiving so they can get loosened up for the showdown rivalries on the final Saturday of the regular season. On paper, it looks as if drama will be severely lacking this Saturday.
Last week was the second winning week in a row at 6-4. Hey, you have to celebrate the little successes.
As always, picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Let's get to it.
Virginia at Georgia Tech -6 -- The Yellow Jackets are surging at the right time. Tech started 1-3 but has battled back to become bowl eligible. Virginia is still in the conversation for the Coastal Division title. But the Jackets will end the Cavalier title dreams on The Flats. Pick -- Georgia Tech
West Virginia at Oklahoma State +4.5 -- Dangerous game for the Mountaineers. Expect a shootout in Stillwater. I will take the Pokes and the points. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Massachusetts at Georgia -41.0 -- Seriously? That's a massive spread. Too big not to take. Pick -- Massachusetts
Duke at Clemson -28.5 -- Duke quarterback Daniel Jones had almost 600 yards of total offense in last week's victory over North Carolina, Duke's third straight against the Tar Heels. I think he will give the Tigers some problems because he is an accurate thrower and a good runner. But I have confidence the Tigers will figure it out. Clemson has been covering huge spreads for the past month. Let's see if they can do it again. Pick -- Clemson
Pittsburgh at Wake Forest +6.5 -- If Pitt wins, it clinches the Coastal Division title to earn a date against Clemson in Charlotte for the ACC title on Dec. 1. Wake pulled off a major surprise in its last outing by rallying late to beat N.C. State in Raleigh. This is a battle of contrasting styles -- Wake prefers to go fast, while Pitt will grind and grind. Nothing seems to come easy for Pitt. Pick -- Wake Forest.
Northwestern at Minnesota -1 -- This is definitely a funny-looking spread. Northwestern is the champion of the Big 10 West. The Gophers need one victory to become bowl eligible. I am going to ride the Wildcats. Pick -- Northwestern
N.C. State at Louisville +16.5 -- Reports are the firing of Bobby Petrino has lightened the mood in Louisville. The micro-managing is gone. The Cardinals still have players but can one week and an interim coach make a difference? I don't think so. Pick -- N.C. State
Syracuse vs. Notre Dame -10.5 at Yankee Stadium -- This is the game the nation will be watching this Saturday. If the Irish go 12-0, they will go to the College Football Playoff. Fast-paced Syracuse is good enough to give the Irish a fight. And try not to laugh when you look at the Yankee-inspired uniforms the Irish will be wearing in this game. Pick -- Syracuse
Stanford at California +2.0 -- The Game goes to The Cardinal. Pick -- Stanford
USC at UCLA +3.5 -- Southern Cal preps for its annual showdown against Notre Dame by beating the arch-rival Bruins. Pick -- Southern Cal
Last Week -- 6-4
For The Season -- 47-64-1
Several SEC teams schedule punching bags on the Saturday before Thanksgiving so they can get loosened up for the showdown rivalries on the final Saturday of the regular season. On paper, it looks as if drama will be severely lacking this Saturday.
Last week was the second winning week in a row at 6-4. Hey, you have to celebrate the little successes.
As always, picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Let's get to it.
Virginia at Georgia Tech -6 -- The Yellow Jackets are surging at the right time. Tech started 1-3 but has battled back to become bowl eligible. Virginia is still in the conversation for the Coastal Division title. But the Jackets will end the Cavalier title dreams on The Flats. Pick -- Georgia Tech
West Virginia at Oklahoma State +4.5 -- Dangerous game for the Mountaineers. Expect a shootout in Stillwater. I will take the Pokes and the points. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Massachusetts at Georgia -41.0 -- Seriously? That's a massive spread. Too big not to take. Pick -- Massachusetts
Duke at Clemson -28.5 -- Duke quarterback Daniel Jones had almost 600 yards of total offense in last week's victory over North Carolina, Duke's third straight against the Tar Heels. I think he will give the Tigers some problems because he is an accurate thrower and a good runner. But I have confidence the Tigers will figure it out. Clemson has been covering huge spreads for the past month. Let's see if they can do it again. Pick -- Clemson
Pittsburgh at Wake Forest +6.5 -- If Pitt wins, it clinches the Coastal Division title to earn a date against Clemson in Charlotte for the ACC title on Dec. 1. Wake pulled off a major surprise in its last outing by rallying late to beat N.C. State in Raleigh. This is a battle of contrasting styles -- Wake prefers to go fast, while Pitt will grind and grind. Nothing seems to come easy for Pitt. Pick -- Wake Forest.
Northwestern at Minnesota -1 -- This is definitely a funny-looking spread. Northwestern is the champion of the Big 10 West. The Gophers need one victory to become bowl eligible. I am going to ride the Wildcats. Pick -- Northwestern
N.C. State at Louisville +16.5 -- Reports are the firing of Bobby Petrino has lightened the mood in Louisville. The micro-managing is gone. The Cardinals still have players but can one week and an interim coach make a difference? I don't think so. Pick -- N.C. State
Syracuse vs. Notre Dame -10.5 at Yankee Stadium -- This is the game the nation will be watching this Saturday. If the Irish go 12-0, they will go to the College Football Playoff. Fast-paced Syracuse is good enough to give the Irish a fight. And try not to laugh when you look at the Yankee-inspired uniforms the Irish will be wearing in this game. Pick -- Syracuse
Stanford at California +2.0 -- The Game goes to The Cardinal. Pick -- Stanford
USC at UCLA +3.5 -- Southern Cal preps for its annual showdown against Notre Dame by beating the arch-rival Bruins. Pick -- Southern Cal
Last Week -- 6-4
For The Season -- 47-64-1
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Winning Week For A Change
Last week's 6-4 record included taking Clemson and giving almost 40 points. I guess I am finally becoming a believer in the rampaging Tigers.
This week's selection are being published early because of a road trip to Boston. Good food, some cannolis from Mike's Pastries, and hopefully a Tiger win Saturday night will make the trip special.
Let's get to this week's selections. As always, the picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
South Carolina at Florida -7.0 -- South Carolina surprised me by winning a shootout at Ole Miss. I think Florida is in the tank. One Florida columnist wrote the Gators are now as bad as Florida State. That's bad. Really bad. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Pick -- South Carolina
Oklahoma State at Oklahoma -17.5 -- The Pokes gave away the Baylor game. Penalties and discipline continue to be issues for OSU. The Sooners have dominated this series. I don't see anything changing this Saturday. Pick -- Oklahoma
Auburn at Georgia -14.5 -- With the SEC East locked up, the Dawgs will deliver a serious beating to Auburn between the hedges. Pick -- Georgia
Miami at Georgia Tech -4.5 -- Paul Johnson is pulling off his usual late-season run. The Yellow Jackets will add to Miami's misery. Pick -- Georgia Tech
Clemson at Boston College +17.0 -- The Tigers are on an amazing run. They continue to cover these massive weekly point spreads. This game is a little bit dicey. Night game in Boston. Chilly conditions. The Tigers better be careful. Pick -- Clemson
North Carolina at Duke -10.5 -- Duke quarterback Daniel Jones will be the difference. The Blue Devils will claim the Victory Bell. Pick -- Duke
Mississippi State at Alabama -26.0 -- Bring your cowbells to Tusculoosa and come get your beating Bulldogs. Pick -- Alabama
Virginia Tech at Pittsburgh -3.0 -- The Panthers can get one step closer to the ACC Coastal Division title with a victory over the struggling Hokies. Pick -- Pittsburgh
Texas at Texas Tech +1 -- After dropping two games by a total of four points, the Longhorns travel to the plains of west Texas. Expect a shootout in Lubbock. Pick -- Texas Tech
Florida State at Notre Dame -18.0 -- This my friends is known as a freaking layup. I had to give myself one easy one. Pick -- Notre Dame
Last Week -- 6-4
For The Season -- 41-60-1
This week's selection are being published early because of a road trip to Boston. Good food, some cannolis from Mike's Pastries, and hopefully a Tiger win Saturday night will make the trip special.
Let's get to this week's selections. As always, the picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
South Carolina at Florida -7.0 -- South Carolina surprised me by winning a shootout at Ole Miss. I think Florida is in the tank. One Florida columnist wrote the Gators are now as bad as Florida State. That's bad. Really bad. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Pick -- South Carolina
Oklahoma State at Oklahoma -17.5 -- The Pokes gave away the Baylor game. Penalties and discipline continue to be issues for OSU. The Sooners have dominated this series. I don't see anything changing this Saturday. Pick -- Oklahoma
Auburn at Georgia -14.5 -- With the SEC East locked up, the Dawgs will deliver a serious beating to Auburn between the hedges. Pick -- Georgia
Miami at Georgia Tech -4.5 -- Paul Johnson is pulling off his usual late-season run. The Yellow Jackets will add to Miami's misery. Pick -- Georgia Tech
Clemson at Boston College +17.0 -- The Tigers are on an amazing run. They continue to cover these massive weekly point spreads. This game is a little bit dicey. Night game in Boston. Chilly conditions. The Tigers better be careful. Pick -- Clemson
North Carolina at Duke -10.5 -- Duke quarterback Daniel Jones will be the difference. The Blue Devils will claim the Victory Bell. Pick -- Duke
Mississippi State at Alabama -26.0 -- Bring your cowbells to Tusculoosa and come get your beating Bulldogs. Pick -- Alabama
Virginia Tech at Pittsburgh -3.0 -- The Panthers can get one step closer to the ACC Coastal Division title with a victory over the struggling Hokies. Pick -- Pittsburgh
Texas at Texas Tech +1 -- After dropping two games by a total of four points, the Longhorns travel to the plains of west Texas. Expect a shootout in Lubbock. Pick -- Texas Tech
Florida State at Notre Dame -18.0 -- This my friends is known as a freaking layup. I had to give myself one easy one. Pick -- Notre Dame
Last Week -- 6-4
For The Season -- 41-60-1
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Always Remember November
At this point, it is time to use the immortal words of a South Carolina fan -- Wait 'Til Next Year!
The season-long ugliness continues for this blog. A record of 3-7 last week dropped the overall record to 21 games under .500.
Clemson has moved past sitting on two touchdown leads and suddenly has become the ACC version of Alabama. The Tigers have totally abused three straight conference opponents. Louisville is next on the chopping block. At 2-6, the Cardinals look like good cannon fodder.
Georgia, fresh off its victory over Florida in their annual blood letting in Jacksonville, heads north to Bluegrass Country to face a surprising Kentucky team for the SEC East title. The media is trying to build drama for the game, but I don't think the Dawgs will have a problem with the upstart Cats.
All eyes will be on the Bayou Saturday night as LSU tries to throw a serious monkey wrench in the national picture by upsetting No. 1 Alabama. How will the Tide react if the game is still on the line in the fourth quarter?
As always, picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only. At this point, I hope you have laughed hard enough to be thoroughly entertained. My role has been reduced to stimulating conversation on a weekly basis.
I don't know who "They" is, but they say they always remember November. Let's see if we can get the final month off to a good start.
Louisville at Clemson -38.5 -- The Tigers have hit another gear. The performance against Florida State was stunning. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence looks comfortable, but we still have to remember he is a true freshman. In the last month, Clemson has started covering massive spreads. But this spread is huge. Here is something to think about. The last time Louisville came to Clemson the Cardinals were a two-point favorite. Talk about a wild swing. I have missed on Clemson all year. So, I am going to join the party and pick the Tigers to roll. Pick -- Clemson
Oklahoma State at Baylor +7.5 -- The Cowboys rose up and knocked off Texas at home last week. Will that victory over the Longhorns salvage the Pokes' season? Pick -- Oklahoma State
South Carolina at Ole Miss Pick -- Most experts expect a shootout. I don't think the Gamecocks can win a shootout against the Rebels. Pick -- Ole Miss
Georgia Tech at North Carolina +6.0 -- In their last outing, the Jackets ran all over Virginia Tech to keep their bowl hopes alive. North Carolina continues to find interesting ways to lose close games. The clock is ticking on Larry Fedora. This is the type of game the Jackets usually mess up. But I don't think Tech will trip up against the Heels. Pick -- Georgia Tech
Georgia at Kentucky +9.0 -- The media is trying to sell us on a showdown in Lexington. I don't see it. I think the Dawgs roll. Pick -- Georgia
West Virginia at Texas -2.0 -- Texas is coming off an emotional loss to Okie State. West Virginia is getting two points. Give me the Mountaineers. Pick -- West Virginia
Florida State at N.C. State -9.0 -- Florida State is a massive train wreck and a 10-car pileup. Pick -- N.C. State
Penn State at Michigan -10.5 -- The Nittany Lions journey to the Big House and I don't think they will survive. Pick -- Michigan
Boston College at Virginia Tech +2.0 -- This is a big game for the Eagles to stay alive in the Atlantic Division race. Clemson comes to BC next week, and for that game to mean something, the Eagles need a win in Blacksburg. This has been one of Bud Foster's worst seasons as defensive coordinator at Virginia Tech. The Hokie defensive unit has been an empty shell most of the season. Boston College running back AJ Dillon is a 250-pound truck. All signs point to the Eagles, but I'm going to take the Hokies. Pick -- Virginia Tech
Alabama at LSU -14.5 -- Wow. An Alabama point spread under 30. LSU is capable, but until somebody makes the Tide sweat in the second half, you have to keep picking Bama. Pick -- Alabama
Last Week -- 3-7
For The Season -- 35-56-1
The season-long ugliness continues for this blog. A record of 3-7 last week dropped the overall record to 21 games under .500.
Clemson has moved past sitting on two touchdown leads and suddenly has become the ACC version of Alabama. The Tigers have totally abused three straight conference opponents. Louisville is next on the chopping block. At 2-6, the Cardinals look like good cannon fodder.
Georgia, fresh off its victory over Florida in their annual blood letting in Jacksonville, heads north to Bluegrass Country to face a surprising Kentucky team for the SEC East title. The media is trying to build drama for the game, but I don't think the Dawgs will have a problem with the upstart Cats.
All eyes will be on the Bayou Saturday night as LSU tries to throw a serious monkey wrench in the national picture by upsetting No. 1 Alabama. How will the Tide react if the game is still on the line in the fourth quarter?
As always, picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only. At this point, I hope you have laughed hard enough to be thoroughly entertained. My role has been reduced to stimulating conversation on a weekly basis.
I don't know who "They" is, but they say they always remember November. Let's see if we can get the final month off to a good start.
Louisville at Clemson -38.5 -- The Tigers have hit another gear. The performance against Florida State was stunning. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence looks comfortable, but we still have to remember he is a true freshman. In the last month, Clemson has started covering massive spreads. But this spread is huge. Here is something to think about. The last time Louisville came to Clemson the Cardinals were a two-point favorite. Talk about a wild swing. I have missed on Clemson all year. So, I am going to join the party and pick the Tigers to roll. Pick -- Clemson
Oklahoma State at Baylor +7.5 -- The Cowboys rose up and knocked off Texas at home last week. Will that victory over the Longhorns salvage the Pokes' season? Pick -- Oklahoma State
South Carolina at Ole Miss Pick -- Most experts expect a shootout. I don't think the Gamecocks can win a shootout against the Rebels. Pick -- Ole Miss
Georgia Tech at North Carolina +6.0 -- In their last outing, the Jackets ran all over Virginia Tech to keep their bowl hopes alive. North Carolina continues to find interesting ways to lose close games. The clock is ticking on Larry Fedora. This is the type of game the Jackets usually mess up. But I don't think Tech will trip up against the Heels. Pick -- Georgia Tech
Georgia at Kentucky +9.0 -- The media is trying to sell us on a showdown in Lexington. I don't see it. I think the Dawgs roll. Pick -- Georgia
West Virginia at Texas -2.0 -- Texas is coming off an emotional loss to Okie State. West Virginia is getting two points. Give me the Mountaineers. Pick -- West Virginia
Florida State at N.C. State -9.0 -- Florida State is a massive train wreck and a 10-car pileup. Pick -- N.C. State
Penn State at Michigan -10.5 -- The Nittany Lions journey to the Big House and I don't think they will survive. Pick -- Michigan
Boston College at Virginia Tech +2.0 -- This is a big game for the Eagles to stay alive in the Atlantic Division race. Clemson comes to BC next week, and for that game to mean something, the Eagles need a win in Blacksburg. This has been one of Bud Foster's worst seasons as defensive coordinator at Virginia Tech. The Hokie defensive unit has been an empty shell most of the season. Boston College running back AJ Dillon is a 250-pound truck. All signs point to the Eagles, but I'm going to take the Hokies. Pick -- Virginia Tech
Alabama at LSU -14.5 -- Wow. An Alabama point spread under 30. LSU is capable, but until somebody makes the Tide sweat in the second half, you have to keep picking Bama. Pick -- Alabama
Last Week -- 3-7
For The Season -- 35-56-1
Thursday, October 25, 2018
Two Big Games In The State Of Florida This Week
There is no sugar coating this mess. It has been a difficult season to forecast. My picker continues to sputter.
Last week's record was 4-6 to drop the overall record to 17 games under .500.
All picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only. At this point, I am sure some of you have been thoroughly entertained laughing at my futility.
Clemson at Florida State +16.5 -- This used to be the Game of the Year in the ACC. The Tigers better be careful. Just like N.C. State, Florida State has been talking a good game this week. The Seminoles have won three of their last four. Clemson has beaten its last two ACC opponents by a combined score of 104-10. This is a classic trap game for Clemson. Win this one and I believe just Boston College stands between the Tigers and an unbeaten regular season. When Florida State first joined the ACC, the Seminoles recorded several blowouts against the Tigers. Clemson has never been able to return the favor. I don't think this one will be as easy as the experts think, but I do believe the Tigers will survive. Pick -- Florida State
Florida vs. Georgia -6.5 at Jacksonville, Fla. -- This will always be the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. The overwhelming smell in the stadium and in the stands is bourbon. Since losing to Kentucky on Sept. 8, the Gators have won six in a row. One of those victories was over LSU in The Swamp. In its last outing, Georgia got swamped by LSU in Baton Rouge, 36-16. Georgia snapped a three-game losing streak in the series last year. The winner has the inside track to the SEC East title. Pick -- Florida
Tennessee at South Carolina -7.5 -- The Vols will still be suffering from Bama After Shock when they arrive at Williams-Brice. Pick -- South Carolina
Texas at Oklahoma State +3.5 -- The Mullet and his Pokes have struggled this season, mostly because of offensive line issues. Texas has the look of a team that has turned the corner and is on the way up. Pick -- Texas
Texas Tech at Iowa State -3.5 -- The Cyclones had last week off after punching a hole in West Virginia's season. The Red Raiders ride into Ames with a 5-2 record. Can Iowa State run its winning streak to three? I think so. Pick -- Iowa State
North Carolina at Virginia -9.0 -- A scribe in the ACC wrote this week it might, just might, be time to talk to your children about Virginia winning the Coastal Division. The Tar Heels have lost three straight, the last two by three points. This is a matchup of two teams going in different directions. Take the Hoos. Pick -- Virginia
Iowa at Penn State -6.5 -- Penn State avoided its third straight loss by rallying to beat Indiana last Saturday. Happy Valley will make the difference in this one. Pick -- Penn State
Texas A&M at Mississippi State -2.5 -- The Aggies will find a way to get a "W" in Stark-Vegas. Pick -- Texas A&M
N.C. State at Syracuse +2.5 -- Will N.C. State let the Clemson loss linger and lead to a second loss? Yes. Pick -- Syracuse
Kentucky at Missouri -7.0 -- The Wildcats have been winning with defense. Missouri put 65 on the board in its last outing. Pick -- Missouri
Last Week -- 4-6
For The Season -- 32-49-1
Last week's record was 4-6 to drop the overall record to 17 games under .500.
All picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only. At this point, I am sure some of you have been thoroughly entertained laughing at my futility.
Clemson at Florida State +16.5 -- This used to be the Game of the Year in the ACC. The Tigers better be careful. Just like N.C. State, Florida State has been talking a good game this week. The Seminoles have won three of their last four. Clemson has beaten its last two ACC opponents by a combined score of 104-10. This is a classic trap game for Clemson. Win this one and I believe just Boston College stands between the Tigers and an unbeaten regular season. When Florida State first joined the ACC, the Seminoles recorded several blowouts against the Tigers. Clemson has never been able to return the favor. I don't think this one will be as easy as the experts think, but I do believe the Tigers will survive. Pick -- Florida State
Florida vs. Georgia -6.5 at Jacksonville, Fla. -- This will always be the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. The overwhelming smell in the stadium and in the stands is bourbon. Since losing to Kentucky on Sept. 8, the Gators have won six in a row. One of those victories was over LSU in The Swamp. In its last outing, Georgia got swamped by LSU in Baton Rouge, 36-16. Georgia snapped a three-game losing streak in the series last year. The winner has the inside track to the SEC East title. Pick -- Florida
Tennessee at South Carolina -7.5 -- The Vols will still be suffering from Bama After Shock when they arrive at Williams-Brice. Pick -- South Carolina
Texas at Oklahoma State +3.5 -- The Mullet and his Pokes have struggled this season, mostly because of offensive line issues. Texas has the look of a team that has turned the corner and is on the way up. Pick -- Texas
Texas Tech at Iowa State -3.5 -- The Cyclones had last week off after punching a hole in West Virginia's season. The Red Raiders ride into Ames with a 5-2 record. Can Iowa State run its winning streak to three? I think so. Pick -- Iowa State
North Carolina at Virginia -9.0 -- A scribe in the ACC wrote this week it might, just might, be time to talk to your children about Virginia winning the Coastal Division. The Tar Heels have lost three straight, the last two by three points. This is a matchup of two teams going in different directions. Take the Hoos. Pick -- Virginia
Iowa at Penn State -6.5 -- Penn State avoided its third straight loss by rallying to beat Indiana last Saturday. Happy Valley will make the difference in this one. Pick -- Penn State
Texas A&M at Mississippi State -2.5 -- The Aggies will find a way to get a "W" in Stark-Vegas. Pick -- Texas A&M
N.C. State at Syracuse +2.5 -- Will N.C. State let the Clemson loss linger and lead to a second loss? Yes. Pick -- Syracuse
Kentucky at Missouri -7.0 -- The Wildcats have been winning with defense. Missouri put 65 on the board in its last outing. Pick -- Missouri
Last Week -- 4-6
For The Season -- 32-49-1
Friday, October 19, 2018
Tigers Host Pack In Massive ACC Showdown
At this point, there is nothing else to say.
My ability to make selections is in the crapper. This college football season has dominated me to this point. Plain and simple, I stink.
There is an old saying about gambling and point spreads -- That's why they have all of those big hotels in the desert.
The overall record now stands at 15 games under .500. As we move into late October, getting back to even is going to be a difficult task. But I am going to try. Maybe the drop in temperatures will heat up my selections.
All selections are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Here is this week's slate of stabs in the dark.
N.C. State at Clemson -17.5 -- Two undefeated teams meet in Death Valley. The first thing you notice about this game is the spread. It actually has gone up a point from the opening line. N.C. State's Ryan Finley is the best quarterback in the ACC, a future NFL player. Clemson's pass defense is questionable. N.C. State has been talking trash for almost two weeks. The Wolfpack knows it could have and should have beaten Clemson the last two years. But the Tigers made plays in the late stages of both games to save themselves. Clemson has covered just two times in its first six games. Both covers were against ACC opponents. I think the spread is too high, but I do believe Clemson will win the game. Pick -- N.C. State
Michigan at Michigan State +7.0 -- Since dropping the opener to Notre Dame, the Wolverines have built some momentum. Michigan dismantled Wisconsin last week. Michigan State knocked off the "great" Penn State to set the stage for the showdown with the Wolverines. The difference in this one will be Michigan's offense. Pick -- Michigan
Auburn at Ole Miss -3.5 -- The Gus Bus may be about to go over the cliff. There are reports a group is going to raise the $40 million to get Malzahn out of town. Ole Miss can score. Auburn can't score. Pick -- Ole Miss
North Carolina at Syracuse -10.0 -- After losing a close one at Clemson, the Orange gagged one away in Pittsburgh. A dose of woeful Tar Heels is exactly what the doctor ordered. Pick -- Syracuse
Virginia at Duke -7.0 -- Duke continues to be the surprise team of the ACC. The Devils have some defense. And they will use that defense to smother Virginia at Wallace Wade Outdoor Stadium. Pick -- Duke
Mississippi State at LSU -6.5 -- This is somewhat of a trap game for LSU. The Bayou Bengals are coming off an impressive victory against previously unbeaten Georgia. On Nov. 3, Alabama will roll into Tiger Stadium. Can LSU muster enough emotion to repel the hounds from Starkville? Pick -- LSU
Vanderbilt at Kentucky -11.5 -- If the Wildcats are going to move from consistent pretender to somewhat contender, this is the type of game they need to win. Pick -- Kentucky
Oregon at Washington State -3.0 -- Oregon, the Pac 12's last hope to make the College Football Playoff, makes a dangerous trip to Pullman. State head coach Mike Leach will pull out all the stops to shoot down the Ducks. Pick -- Oregon
Southern Cal at Utah -7.0 -- The Trojans have won three in a row since losing to Texas. After losing its first two Pac 12 games, Utah has posted two straight blowouts. The Trojans are a different team away from the Coliseum. Pick -- Utah
Wake Forest at Florida State -10.5 -- I don't know why, but I think Florida State will cover because Wake Forest's defense has been hit by a rash of injuries. Pick -- Florida State
Last Week -- 3-7
For The Season -- 28-43-1
My ability to make selections is in the crapper. This college football season has dominated me to this point. Plain and simple, I stink.
There is an old saying about gambling and point spreads -- That's why they have all of those big hotels in the desert.
The overall record now stands at 15 games under .500. As we move into late October, getting back to even is going to be a difficult task. But I am going to try. Maybe the drop in temperatures will heat up my selections.
All selections are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Here is this week's slate of stabs in the dark.
N.C. State at Clemson -17.5 -- Two undefeated teams meet in Death Valley. The first thing you notice about this game is the spread. It actually has gone up a point from the opening line. N.C. State's Ryan Finley is the best quarterback in the ACC, a future NFL player. Clemson's pass defense is questionable. N.C. State has been talking trash for almost two weeks. The Wolfpack knows it could have and should have beaten Clemson the last two years. But the Tigers made plays in the late stages of both games to save themselves. Clemson has covered just two times in its first six games. Both covers were against ACC opponents. I think the spread is too high, but I do believe Clemson will win the game. Pick -- N.C. State
Michigan at Michigan State +7.0 -- Since dropping the opener to Notre Dame, the Wolverines have built some momentum. Michigan dismantled Wisconsin last week. Michigan State knocked off the "great" Penn State to set the stage for the showdown with the Wolverines. The difference in this one will be Michigan's offense. Pick -- Michigan
Auburn at Ole Miss -3.5 -- The Gus Bus may be about to go over the cliff. There are reports a group is going to raise the $40 million to get Malzahn out of town. Ole Miss can score. Auburn can't score. Pick -- Ole Miss
North Carolina at Syracuse -10.0 -- After losing a close one at Clemson, the Orange gagged one away in Pittsburgh. A dose of woeful Tar Heels is exactly what the doctor ordered. Pick -- Syracuse
Virginia at Duke -7.0 -- Duke continues to be the surprise team of the ACC. The Devils have some defense. And they will use that defense to smother Virginia at Wallace Wade Outdoor Stadium. Pick -- Duke
Mississippi State at LSU -6.5 -- This is somewhat of a trap game for LSU. The Bayou Bengals are coming off an impressive victory against previously unbeaten Georgia. On Nov. 3, Alabama will roll into Tiger Stadium. Can LSU muster enough emotion to repel the hounds from Starkville? Pick -- LSU
Vanderbilt at Kentucky -11.5 -- If the Wildcats are going to move from consistent pretender to somewhat contender, this is the type of game they need to win. Pick -- Kentucky
Oregon at Washington State -3.0 -- Oregon, the Pac 12's last hope to make the College Football Playoff, makes a dangerous trip to Pullman. State head coach Mike Leach will pull out all the stops to shoot down the Ducks. Pick -- Oregon
Southern Cal at Utah -7.0 -- The Trojans have won three in a row since losing to Texas. After losing its first two Pac 12 games, Utah has posted two straight blowouts. The Trojans are a different team away from the Coliseum. Pick -- Utah
Wake Forest at Florida State -10.5 -- I don't know why, but I think Florida State will cover because Wake Forest's defense has been hit by a rash of injuries. Pick -- Florida State
Last Week -- 3-7
For The Season -- 28-43-1
Thursday, October 11, 2018
Winning Week But Just Barely
The losing streak is over.
After two ugly weeks, we came in last week at 6-5 to move the season record to nine games under .500. You have to crawl before you walk.
Clemson is off this week after two emotional weeks. The Tigers managed to maintain their focus and remain unbeaten to set up the biggest game in the ACC to date against N.C. State at Death Valley on Oct. 20. To prepare for that game, I am hearing the Tigers are stocking up on laptops and towels.
South Carolina, with backup Michael Scarnecchia at the controls, pulled out a monsoon-soaked victory over Missouri last Saturday. Word is Jake Bentley returns to starting quarterback this week against Texas A&M. It will be interesting to see if a quarterback controversy develops in Columbia.
This week presents Georgia its biggest challenge to date -- a trip to the Bayou to face LSU. The Dawgs got a break when CBS decided to make the game a 3:30 kickoff instead of a night game.
Let's get to this week's selections. All picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Oklahoma State at Kansas State +6.5 -- This is tougher than it looks. Oklahoma State has hit a wall. The offensive line is struggling, which has put a damper on the Pokes' high-powered offense. Kansas State is 0-3 in the Big 12. The Little Apple can be a tough place. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Duke at Georgia Tech -2.0 -- Paul Johnson has got the triple option cranked up. I see the Jackets staying on their current roll. Pick -- Georgia Tech
Texas A&M at South Carolina +2.0 -- If Bentley, who missed last week with a knee injury, struggles in his return to quarterback, will there be a quick hook? The Aggies knocked off previously-unbeaten Kentucky in overtime last Saturday. Jimbo is building some momentum. Pick -- Texas A&M
Georgia at LSU +7 -- This was going to be a marquee game before the Tigers got knocked out of the ranks of the unbeatens by Florida. It is still a big game. It is still Georgia's biggest test to date. I think it is going to be close. Pick -- LSU
Tennessee at Auburn -16.5 -- Phew. Don't look Ethel. I am going to take Auburn because I have to pick one or the other. Pick -- Auburn
Baylor at Texas -14.5 -- Can Texas handle success? Baylor has shown a pulse, but I don't believe the Bears have enough to beat the Horns. Pick -- Texas
Washington at Oregon +3.5 -- Danger game for the Huskies. Give me those points. Pick -- Oregon
Virginia Tech at North Carolina +5.5 -- The Hokies folded like a cheap suit in the second half against Notre Dame. The Heels had last Saturday off after absorbing a Thursday night beating in Miami. It's mid-October so no one in Chapel Hill is thinking football. Pick -- Virginia Tech
Miami at Virginia +5.5 -- I will ask the same question about Miami I asked about Texas. Can the Hurricanes handle success? Virginia has been up and down, but the Cavaliers also have been more competitive. Based on talent alone, the pick has to be the Canes. Pick -- Miami
West Virginia at Iowa State +6.5 -- West Virginia slopped through a victory over Kansas last Saturday. Mountaineer quarterback Will Grier tossed three interceptions against the Jayhawks. The Mountaineers will have to be sharper in Ames. Pick -- West Virginia
For The Week -- 6-5
For The Season -- 25-36-1
After two ugly weeks, we came in last week at 6-5 to move the season record to nine games under .500. You have to crawl before you walk.
Clemson is off this week after two emotional weeks. The Tigers managed to maintain their focus and remain unbeaten to set up the biggest game in the ACC to date against N.C. State at Death Valley on Oct. 20. To prepare for that game, I am hearing the Tigers are stocking up on laptops and towels.
South Carolina, with backup Michael Scarnecchia at the controls, pulled out a monsoon-soaked victory over Missouri last Saturday. Word is Jake Bentley returns to starting quarterback this week against Texas A&M. It will be interesting to see if a quarterback controversy develops in Columbia.
This week presents Georgia its biggest challenge to date -- a trip to the Bayou to face LSU. The Dawgs got a break when CBS decided to make the game a 3:30 kickoff instead of a night game.
Let's get to this week's selections. All picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Oklahoma State at Kansas State +6.5 -- This is tougher than it looks. Oklahoma State has hit a wall. The offensive line is struggling, which has put a damper on the Pokes' high-powered offense. Kansas State is 0-3 in the Big 12. The Little Apple can be a tough place. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Duke at Georgia Tech -2.0 -- Paul Johnson has got the triple option cranked up. I see the Jackets staying on their current roll. Pick -- Georgia Tech
Texas A&M at South Carolina +2.0 -- If Bentley, who missed last week with a knee injury, struggles in his return to quarterback, will there be a quick hook? The Aggies knocked off previously-unbeaten Kentucky in overtime last Saturday. Jimbo is building some momentum. Pick -- Texas A&M
Georgia at LSU +7 -- This was going to be a marquee game before the Tigers got knocked out of the ranks of the unbeatens by Florida. It is still a big game. It is still Georgia's biggest test to date. I think it is going to be close. Pick -- LSU
Tennessee at Auburn -16.5 -- Phew. Don't look Ethel. I am going to take Auburn because I have to pick one or the other. Pick -- Auburn
Baylor at Texas -14.5 -- Can Texas handle success? Baylor has shown a pulse, but I don't believe the Bears have enough to beat the Horns. Pick -- Texas
Washington at Oregon +3.5 -- Danger game for the Huskies. Give me those points. Pick -- Oregon
Virginia Tech at North Carolina +5.5 -- The Hokies folded like a cheap suit in the second half against Notre Dame. The Heels had last Saturday off after absorbing a Thursday night beating in Miami. It's mid-October so no one in Chapel Hill is thinking football. Pick -- Virginia Tech
Miami at Virginia +5.5 -- I will ask the same question about Miami I asked about Texas. Can the Hurricanes handle success? Virginia has been up and down, but the Cavaliers also have been more competitive. Based on talent alone, the pick has to be the Canes. Pick -- Miami
West Virginia at Iowa State +6.5 -- West Virginia slopped through a victory over Kansas last Saturday. Mountaineer quarterback Will Grier tossed three interceptions against the Jayhawks. The Mountaineers will have to be sharper in Ames. Pick -- West Virginia
For The Week -- 6-5
For The Season -- 25-36-1
Thursday, October 4, 2018
The Ugly Slide Continues
I'm going to go old school on you.
Many years ago in a galaxy far far away, there was a radio show on fall Saturday mornings called Leonard's Losers. Leonard was a Georgia guy and his method of operation was to use colorful language to pick losers, not winners. Clemson was the Pickens County Felines. Georgia was the Red Clay Hounds. South Carolina was the Columbia Poultry House. Georgia Tech was the 10th Avenue Bees. And Leonard was pretty good at picking losers.
My point is this. I am following in Leonard's foot steps by successfully picking losers. I have picked just four winners in the past two weeks. The season record now stands at 10 games under .500. There is serious work to do.
As always, the picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only. Because the Clemson line was late being posted, there are 11 games on the slate this week.
And away we go.
Friday
Georgia Tech at Louisville +4.5 -- Two teams whose seasons are on the brink hook up on a Friday night in the former Pizza Stadium. (I think Friday night should be for preps, but ESPN thinks differently). Louisville flat blew a game against Florida State by throwing a late interception. Georgia Tech hasn't won a road game since its trip to Georgia in 2016. Something has to give. I like Tech's rushing attack against Louisville's questionable defense. Pick -- Georgia Tech
Saturday
Missouri at South Carolina -1.0 -- South Carolina has issues at quarterback. Heck, after last week's fifth straight loss to Kentucky, the Gamecocks just have issues. Missouri quarterback Drew Lock is being touted as a future NFL quarterback. I know Missouri can score. Can South Carolina score? Pick -- Missouri
Vanderbilt at Georgia -26.5 -- Georgia has been in cruise control the last two weeks, but there is some pressure on the Bulldogs. The media and the fans want more. Much more. They want to see the Dawgs step up and play like a playoff team. Vandy will serve as a good warm up for what lies ahead -- a trip to the Bayou next week. Pick -- Georgia
Clemson at Wake Forest -19.0 -- Last Saturday at Death Valley will live in Clemson lore forever. The Tigers stared a massive amount of adversity in the face and survived against a solid Syracuse team. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence returns after getting knocked out of last week's game with what turned out to be a strained neck. Wake's extremely fast offense will give Clemson trouble for a quarter or two, but I think the Tigers will get a handle on it. I am picking the Tigers to cover, but I am not real confident. Pick -- Clemson
Texas vs. Oklahoma -8.0 at Dallas -- A college football classic. The Red River Showdown. The Texas State Fair, where they fry everything. The Cotton Bowl. Texas fell flat in week one against Maryland, but the Longhorns have been making steady improvement. To this point, I don't think we know a whole lot about Oklahoma. Pick -- Texas
Boston College at N.C. State -4.5 -- N.C. State quarterback Ryan Finley is the best quarterback in the ACC. Boston College running back AJ Dillon, who is No. 3 in FBS in rushing, is struggling with an ankle injury and will be a game-time decision. I think home field will be the difference in this one. Pick -- N.C. State
Florida State at Miami -13.0 -- The Seminoles got extremely lucky last week at Louisville. They won't be so lucky this week. Pick -- Miami
LSU at Florida +2.5 -- Florida can't score. LSU has an excellent defense. Take the Bayou Bengals. Pick -- LSU
Kentucky at Texas A&M -5.5 -- Kentucky's feel-good story will hit a big pot hole in College Station. Pick -- Texas A&M
Notre Dame at Virginia Tech +6.0 -- The Irish are starting to talk about the College Football Playoffs, which means it is about time for them to lay an egg. Say hello to Blacksburg, Va., on a Saturday night. Enter Sandman. Pick -- Virginia Tech
Syracuse at Pittsburgh +3.5 -- The main question here is will Syracuse have any hang over from last week's tough loss at Clemson. It may take the Orange a quarter or two, but I think they can handle the woeful Panthers. Pick -- Syracuse
Last Week -- 3-7
For The Season -- 19-29-1
Thursday, September 27, 2018
Picks Machine Has Massive Meltdown
Pride cometh before the fall. Sometimes you have to relearn a little life lesson. Get a little bit cocky and you get punched in the face.
Last week's record was the worst in the history of this blog -- 1-9. The only thing between me and a doughnut was Virginia's pounding of a hapless Louisville squad.
From this point, the only thing to do is get up off the turf and try again. So that's what we're going to do. The season record is now 16-22-1. The immediate goal is to get back to .500.
As always, picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only. Here are this week's selections.
Syracuse at Clemson -25.5 -- Interesting tidbit on this game. When Kelly Bryant decided to pick up his ball and go home, the line went up three points. Trevor Lawrence has demonstrated he can run the offense and distribute the ball. Syracuse dominated a listless Clemson team last year on a Friday night. The memory of that game still stings. Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungy runs an incredibly fast offense and is excellent on RPO plays. The Orange know they can beat Clemson because they did it last year. After an emotional week in Clemson, I think the Tigers will win, but I also think the line is too high. Pick -- Clemson
South Carolina at Kentucky -1.5 -- The Wildcats have won four in a row against the Gamecocks. Make it five. Pick -- Kentucky
Tennessee at Georgia -31.5 -- The Bulldogs will add several barrels of fuel to the Vol dumpster fire. Pick -- Georgia
West Virginia at Texas Tech +3.5 -- After dominating Oklahoma State in Stillwater last week, the Red Raiders return home face Heisman Trophy candidate Will Grier and the high-flying Mountaineers. Any game involving Texas Tech means a lot of points. I smell an upset. Pick -- Texas Tech
Virginia at N.C. State -5.5 -- Improving Virginia gets a dose of reality in Raleigh. Pick -- N.C. State
Florida State at Louisville +6.5 -- Remember when this matchup was highly anticipated? It wasn't that long ago. Both of these programs are searching for something, anything, to give them a spark. Both offenses are a mess. It is difficult to pick the Seminoles and give the points, but the Cardinals are that bad. Pick -- Florida State
Michigan at Northwestern +14 -- Jeremy Larkin, Northwestern's leading rusher, had to retire this week because of a neck condition. Northwestern's offense was struggling with Larkin. It will really struggle now. The Wolverines should roll. Pick -- Michigan
Florida at Mississippi State -8.0 -- Interesting line considering Florida rolled Tennessee in Knoxville, while Mississippi State took a beating in Bluegrass Country. Florida head coach Dan Mullen returns to Stark-Vegas. They will be waiting on him. Pick -- Mississippi State
Virginia Tech at Duke -5.0 -- Coming off a shocking loss to Old Dominion, the Hokies travel to undefeated Duke. Both teams have had to adjust to losing their starting quarterbacks to injury. Duke has had more time to adjust. Pick -- Duke
Ohio State at Penn State +3.5 -- Winner of this game becomes the Big Ten favorite to make the College Football Playoff. White out conditions in Happy Valley, so the environment will be tough on the Buckeyes. Take the points. Pick -- Penn State
Last Week -- 1-9
Season To Date -- 16-22-1
Last week's record was the worst in the history of this blog -- 1-9. The only thing between me and a doughnut was Virginia's pounding of a hapless Louisville squad.
From this point, the only thing to do is get up off the turf and try again. So that's what we're going to do. The season record is now 16-22-1. The immediate goal is to get back to .500.
As always, picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only. Here are this week's selections.
Syracuse at Clemson -25.5 -- Interesting tidbit on this game. When Kelly Bryant decided to pick up his ball and go home, the line went up three points. Trevor Lawrence has demonstrated he can run the offense and distribute the ball. Syracuse dominated a listless Clemson team last year on a Friday night. The memory of that game still stings. Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungy runs an incredibly fast offense and is excellent on RPO plays. The Orange know they can beat Clemson because they did it last year. After an emotional week in Clemson, I think the Tigers will win, but I also think the line is too high. Pick -- Clemson
South Carolina at Kentucky -1.5 -- The Wildcats have won four in a row against the Gamecocks. Make it five. Pick -- Kentucky
Tennessee at Georgia -31.5 -- The Bulldogs will add several barrels of fuel to the Vol dumpster fire. Pick -- Georgia
West Virginia at Texas Tech +3.5 -- After dominating Oklahoma State in Stillwater last week, the Red Raiders return home face Heisman Trophy candidate Will Grier and the high-flying Mountaineers. Any game involving Texas Tech means a lot of points. I smell an upset. Pick -- Texas Tech
Virginia at N.C. State -5.5 -- Improving Virginia gets a dose of reality in Raleigh. Pick -- N.C. State
Florida State at Louisville +6.5 -- Remember when this matchup was highly anticipated? It wasn't that long ago. Both of these programs are searching for something, anything, to give them a spark. Both offenses are a mess. It is difficult to pick the Seminoles and give the points, but the Cardinals are that bad. Pick -- Florida State
Michigan at Northwestern +14 -- Jeremy Larkin, Northwestern's leading rusher, had to retire this week because of a neck condition. Northwestern's offense was struggling with Larkin. It will really struggle now. The Wolverines should roll. Pick -- Michigan
Florida at Mississippi State -8.0 -- Interesting line considering Florida rolled Tennessee in Knoxville, while Mississippi State took a beating in Bluegrass Country. Florida head coach Dan Mullen returns to Stark-Vegas. They will be waiting on him. Pick -- Mississippi State
Virginia Tech at Duke -5.0 -- Coming off a shocking loss to Old Dominion, the Hokies travel to undefeated Duke. Both teams have had to adjust to losing their starting quarterbacks to injury. Duke has had more time to adjust. Pick -- Duke
Ohio State at Penn State +3.5 -- Winner of this game becomes the Big Ten favorite to make the College Football Playoff. White out conditions in Happy Valley, so the environment will be tough on the Buckeyes. Take the points. Pick -- Penn State
Last Week -- 1-9
Season To Date -- 16-22-1
Thursday, September 20, 2018
Sterling Week Pushes Record Above .500
It's time to brag. After two mediocre weeks, the Picks Machine heated up last week to produce a sterling 6-2-1 record. Georgia Tech and Houston provided the only blemishes on last week's picks. And one game -- Marshall at South Carolina -- was lost to Hurricane Florence.
I am calling this Road Warrior Saturday. Clemson, Georgia, and South Carolina all have interesting/scary road contests with point spreads that force you to take a second look. And a third look.
Any time Clemson is favored by more than two touchdowns it is difficult to take the Tigers because they rarely pull away and have a bad habit of letting the opposition hang around. Georgia has looked impressive early and is a two-touchdown favorite at Missouri. Mizzou, whose offensive coordinator is Derek Dooley, son of Georgia's legendary Vince Dooley, has a high-scoring offense. Question is can Mizzou score on the Junkyard Dawgs? South Carolina has won nine straight against Vandy. The Commodores gave Notre Dame all it wanted last Saturday in South Bend. Be extremely careful Gamecocks.
All picks are against the spread and are for entertainment purposes only.
Here are this week's selections.
Georgia at Missouri +14 -- This is an interesting trip for the Dawgs. Georgia has stomped the opposition so far this season. Missouri has scored 40 or more points in its three games. To date, the Dawgs have looked the part of a playoff team. I believe the Georgia defense will lock down the Missouri offense. Pick -- Georgia
Clemson at Georgia Tech +16.5 -- Clemson has yet to find its rhythm this season. Paul Johnson is crankier than usual because his football team is a three-alarm dumpster fire. Tech will be excited to be at home but that excitement will last for just a short period of time. Talent should take over. Strange things can happen at Grant Field. I think this spread is too high, but the Tigers will survive. Pick -- Georgia Tech.
South Carolina at Vanderbilt +2.0 -- South Carolina has owned Vandy. The Commodores can play defense. I expect a titanic struggle in Nashville. Pick -- Vanderbilt
Texas Tech at Oklahoma State +13.0 -- Buckle your seat belts for this one. Both of these teams can score. And score a lot. Texas Tech wiped out Houston last week. The Red Raiders have scored 140 points in the last two games. The Pokes have played well with senior quarterback Taylor "Corn Dog" Cornelius at the controls. Oklahoma State is 3-0 but has yet to play a Power Five team. With an over/under of 77.5, Vegas is expecting a shootout. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Notre Dame at Wake Forest +7.5 -- The Irish hit the road for the first time. The Domers have beaten three opponents by an average of 6.6 points per game. The Deacons dropped a narrow decision to Boston College last week. I expect an inspired effort from the Deacons. Pick -- Wake Forest
Boston College at Purdue +6.5 -- BC running back A.J. Dillon is the real deal. Purdue is 0-3 and has lost three games by an average of 2.6 points per game. Is this week the Boilermakers break through? Nope. Pick -- Boston College
Louisville at Virginia -5.0 -- Interesting matchup between two 2-1 teams. Louisville by beaten two cupcakes since getting blasted by Alabama in the opener. Virginia put in some extra effort -- at trip to Nashville -- to get last week's victory against Ohio. I think the point spread is for the home field. Pick -- Virginia
Texas A&M at Alabama -27.0 -- Alabama is showing no signs of letting up. It will take a perfect game by the opposition to have any chance against the Tide. The Aggies will get plowed. Pick -- Alabama
TCU at Texas +3.5 -- The No. 1 question surrounding this game -- After the physical battle with Ohio State, will the Frogs be able to pump up their emotional balloon for the Longhorns? I think the Frogs defense will be the difference. Pick -- TCU
Florida at Tennessee +4.5 -- The Rebuilding Bowl takes place this Saturday in Knoxville. A loss for the Gators would end any hope of the SEC East title before the end of September. That's tough to take. Tennessee has had a lot of bad luck against Florida. I think that changes Saturday. Pick -- Tennessee
Last Week -- 6-2-1
For The Season -- 15-13-1
I am calling this Road Warrior Saturday. Clemson, Georgia, and South Carolina all have interesting/scary road contests with point spreads that force you to take a second look. And a third look.
Any time Clemson is favored by more than two touchdowns it is difficult to take the Tigers because they rarely pull away and have a bad habit of letting the opposition hang around. Georgia has looked impressive early and is a two-touchdown favorite at Missouri. Mizzou, whose offensive coordinator is Derek Dooley, son of Georgia's legendary Vince Dooley, has a high-scoring offense. Question is can Mizzou score on the Junkyard Dawgs? South Carolina has won nine straight against Vandy. The Commodores gave Notre Dame all it wanted last Saturday in South Bend. Be extremely careful Gamecocks.
All picks are against the spread and are for entertainment purposes only.
Here are this week's selections.
Georgia at Missouri +14 -- This is an interesting trip for the Dawgs. Georgia has stomped the opposition so far this season. Missouri has scored 40 or more points in its three games. To date, the Dawgs have looked the part of a playoff team. I believe the Georgia defense will lock down the Missouri offense. Pick -- Georgia
Clemson at Georgia Tech +16.5 -- Clemson has yet to find its rhythm this season. Paul Johnson is crankier than usual because his football team is a three-alarm dumpster fire. Tech will be excited to be at home but that excitement will last for just a short period of time. Talent should take over. Strange things can happen at Grant Field. I think this spread is too high, but the Tigers will survive. Pick -- Georgia Tech.
South Carolina at Vanderbilt +2.0 -- South Carolina has owned Vandy. The Commodores can play defense. I expect a titanic struggle in Nashville. Pick -- Vanderbilt
Texas Tech at Oklahoma State +13.0 -- Buckle your seat belts for this one. Both of these teams can score. And score a lot. Texas Tech wiped out Houston last week. The Red Raiders have scored 140 points in the last two games. The Pokes have played well with senior quarterback Taylor "Corn Dog" Cornelius at the controls. Oklahoma State is 3-0 but has yet to play a Power Five team. With an over/under of 77.5, Vegas is expecting a shootout. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Notre Dame at Wake Forest +7.5 -- The Irish hit the road for the first time. The Domers have beaten three opponents by an average of 6.6 points per game. The Deacons dropped a narrow decision to Boston College last week. I expect an inspired effort from the Deacons. Pick -- Wake Forest
Boston College at Purdue +6.5 -- BC running back A.J. Dillon is the real deal. Purdue is 0-3 and has lost three games by an average of 2.6 points per game. Is this week the Boilermakers break through? Nope. Pick -- Boston College
Louisville at Virginia -5.0 -- Interesting matchup between two 2-1 teams. Louisville by beaten two cupcakes since getting blasted by Alabama in the opener. Virginia put in some extra effort -- at trip to Nashville -- to get last week's victory against Ohio. I think the point spread is for the home field. Pick -- Virginia
Texas A&M at Alabama -27.0 -- Alabama is showing no signs of letting up. It will take a perfect game by the opposition to have any chance against the Tide. The Aggies will get plowed. Pick -- Alabama
TCU at Texas +3.5 -- The No. 1 question surrounding this game -- After the physical battle with Ohio State, will the Frogs be able to pump up their emotional balloon for the Longhorns? I think the Frogs defense will be the difference. Pick -- TCU
Florida at Tennessee +4.5 -- The Rebuilding Bowl takes place this Saturday in Knoxville. A loss for the Gators would end any hope of the SEC East title before the end of September. That's tough to take. Tennessee has had a lot of bad luck against Florida. I think that changes Saturday. Pick -- Tennessee
Last Week -- 6-2-1
For The Season -- 15-13-1
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Mediocre Start Continues
Last week's picks featured the biggest bust to date when I picked Pittsburgh as an upset special. Nice pick. The Panthers got destroyed at home by Penn State and should be happy they only have one more game on the current contact with the Nittany Lions.
I also wiffed badly on Clemson and South Carolina. The Tigers went to College Station and used their same old tired script -- get a two-touchdown lead, sit on it, then cause great anxiety across the Upstate as the opposition takes a final stab at pulling out a victory. South Carolina held on in the first half then got steamrolled in the second half by a more talented Georgia team.
Three bad misses led to a 5-5 record and I remain two games under .500 after two weeks.
As always, all picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Let's get to this week's selections.
Boston College at Wake Forest +7 (Thursday) -- I believe Thursday nights (now late afternoon because of Florence) should be for college football only. A college game on Thursday night gets the weekend off to a good start. BC generated a lot of buzz in the preseason. The Eagles have the pieces to be competitive. BC running back A.J. Dillon is considered the best in the ACC. The Deacons can be tough in their own pulpit. A nice early season test for the Eagles. Pick -- Boston College
Georgia Tech at Pittsburgh +5.0 -- Pitt is a major dumpster fire. Tech allowed South Florida to return two kickoff for touchdowns and the Bulls' offensive unit scored pretty much at will against Tech's revamped defense. I am guessing Pitt's offense is worse than Tech's defense. Pick -- Georgia Tech
Boise State at Oklahoma State -3.0 -- This is the most interesting game of the week. Boise State is looking like the Boise State of old. The Cowboys are 2-0 and are still scoring lots of points. Boise State head coach Bryan Harsin doesn't want to hear any talk about Power Five vs. Group of Five. Tough call, but I am going to take the home field. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Georgia Southern at Clemson -34.0 -- Rain and wind from Florence will be a major factor, which will make the +34 difficult to cover for the Tigers. Pick -- Georgia Southern
Marshall at South Carolina -13.5 -- Will the Gamecocks suffered a Dawg hangover? It has happened in the past. But I don't think it will happen this week. Pick -- South Carolina
Florida State at Syracuse +3.5 -- This might be the biggest gift of the weekend. Florida State is a mess. Did Jimbo leave the cupboard bare or is Willie Taggart totally lost? Syracuse is led by fiery quarterback Eric Dungey, who does an excellent job with run-pass options. I think the Noles are in serious trouble. Pick -- Syracuse
LSU at Auburn -9.5 -- This spread looks out of whack. An early SEC showdown on The Plains. I think the difference in the game will be the experience of Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham. But I still think the spread is too high -- LSU
Houston at Texas Tech -1.5 -- After blasting Arizona, Houston travels to Lubbock to face high-scoring Texas Tech in another Power Five vs. Group of Five matchup. The Red Raiders have five starters who are questionable because of injuries. And pressure is mounting on Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury. The Tech administration is expecting Kingsbury to show some improvement this season. Starting 1-2 means you better start working on your resume. Pick -- Houston
Alabama at Ole Miss +21.0 -- With Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback and Nick Saban's angry defense, why would you pick against Bama? Why? Pick -- Alabama
Ohio State vs. TCU +12.5 at Arlington, Texas -- This is the third and final game of Urban Meyer's suspension. The Buckeyes, who have plowed through two cupcakes, hit the road and make a step up in competition. TCU head coach Gary Patterson is known for his defensive units, but the Horned Frogs have slipped recently. I think the Frogs will find a way to inside the spread. Pick -- TCU
Last Week -- 5-5
For The Season -- 9-11
Thursday, September 6, 2018
Off To A Rocky Start, Tigers And Gamecock Face Challenges
After tripping coming out of the gate, let's see if Week Two brings any improvement.
A disappointing 4-6 record in the first week dug us a hole but not a deep hole.
Week Two promises to be more challenging. There are some double-digit spreads but no real layups.
By late Saturday night, we will know much more than we know right now about Clemson and South Carolina. The Tigers travel to Aggieland, while the Gamecocks welcome the SEC East favorite to Williams-Brice.
Here are this week's selections.
Georgia at South Carolina +10 -- South Carolina always seems to play Georgia to the wall. Most everyone expected a blowout in Athens last season, but the Gamecocks hung around all day. The Gamecocks have got some early confidence. Gamecock wide receiver Deebo Samuel made a highlight catch in the first game and there are many more to come. Georgia better bring it. I am expecting a real fistfight. The Gamecocks can't match Georgia's talent, but I do think they will cover. Pick -- South Carolina
Clemson at Texas A&M -12.5 -- The Tigers go on the road for a major challenge. Jimbo Fisher, who knows the Tigers well, is in his first season at A&M and Aggie fans have high expectations. The quotes coming out of College Station this week have been full of confidence. Reading between the lines, there is SEC arrogance in the air. This will be the largest crowd ever to see the Tigers play a game -- more than 102,000. But the Tigers have been in many big-time environments the last five years. The Tigers know when they take the field they are going to get everybody's best shot. I have been nervous about this one the entire off-season. But I am going to trust Clemson's defense lives up to its pre-season billing. Pick -- Clemson
Arizona at Houston -4.5 -- The Kevin Sumlin era in the desert started with a dud as the Wildcats lost to BYU. Sumlin returns to Houston where he used to coach to face a solid Cougar squad. Houston beat crosstown rival Rice in the opener. Houston defensive end Ed Oliver is considered one of the best in the country. Arizona will have to keep Oliver from creating total havoc to have a chance. Pick -- Houston
Colorado at Nebraska -5.0 -- College football needs to give us more games like this. Back in the days of the Big 8, these two schools played on Thanksgiving weekend. Colorado comes to Lincoln after routing Colorado State. Nebraska, thoroughly juiced about new head coach Scott Frost, is still waiting on the Huskers' season to start. Lightning forced the Huskers to cancel their opener against Akron. Colorado is somewhat known. Nebraska is still an unknown. But I expect the emotion of the home crowd to carry the Huskers. Pick -- Nebraska
Iowa State at Iowa -3.5 -- This will be Iowa State's first game. Lightning forced the Cyclones to postpone last week's game against South Dakota State. Iowa recorded a solid victory against Northern Illinois in its opener. Seems strange to play a rivalry this early. Again, I think home field will make the difference. Pick -- Iowa
Wyoming at Missouri -17.5 -- Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl has an impressive record of success against Missouri. As a player, grad assistant and assistant coach at Nebraska, Bohl was 13-1 against the Tigers. But the high-scoring Tigers will hand him an "L" Saturday. Pick -- Missouri
Arkansas at Colorado State +13.0 -- Colorado State is off to an 0-2 start after getting hammered by Colorado last Saturday. The Rams are allowing an average of 44.0 points per game. The last thing a struggling defense needs is to face a fast-paced Chad Morris offense. Pick -- Arkansas
Georgia Tech at South Florida +3.0 -- Is Paul Johnson ever happy? Nope. He is always complaining about something. There is positive talk about Tech's new 3-4 defense and new defensive coordinator Nate Woody. But Tech's offense continues to battle inconsistency. Offensive shootouts are not good for the Jackets. Pick -- South Florida
Penn State at Pittsburgh -8.5 -- There is some good old fashioned hate in this one. Penn State head coach James Franklin has let it be known he thinks the Panthers are not worthy of future games with the high and mighty Nittany Lions. In the history of Penn State football, the Nittany Lions have played more games against Pitt than any other opponent -- 98. Pitt has played just one opponent -- West Virginia -- more than it has Penn State. Penn State almost got "App-ed" last week at home. And angry Pitt team waits for them at Heinz Field. Upset special. -- Pittsburgh
Southern Cal at Stanford -4.5 -- One of the biggest games of the season in the Pac 12 in Week Two. I am a big fan of Stanford head coach David Shaw. I like the way his teams play -- tough and physical. Take the Cardinal at home. Pick -- Stanford
Last Week -- 4-6-0
For The Season -- 4-6-0
A disappointing 4-6 record in the first week dug us a hole but not a deep hole.
Week Two promises to be more challenging. There are some double-digit spreads but no real layups.
By late Saturday night, we will know much more than we know right now about Clemson and South Carolina. The Tigers travel to Aggieland, while the Gamecocks welcome the SEC East favorite to Williams-Brice.
Here are this week's selections.
Georgia at South Carolina +10 -- South Carolina always seems to play Georgia to the wall. Most everyone expected a blowout in Athens last season, but the Gamecocks hung around all day. The Gamecocks have got some early confidence. Gamecock wide receiver Deebo Samuel made a highlight catch in the first game and there are many more to come. Georgia better bring it. I am expecting a real fistfight. The Gamecocks can't match Georgia's talent, but I do think they will cover. Pick -- South Carolina
Clemson at Texas A&M -12.5 -- The Tigers go on the road for a major challenge. Jimbo Fisher, who knows the Tigers well, is in his first season at A&M and Aggie fans have high expectations. The quotes coming out of College Station this week have been full of confidence. Reading between the lines, there is SEC arrogance in the air. This will be the largest crowd ever to see the Tigers play a game -- more than 102,000. But the Tigers have been in many big-time environments the last five years. The Tigers know when they take the field they are going to get everybody's best shot. I have been nervous about this one the entire off-season. But I am going to trust Clemson's defense lives up to its pre-season billing. Pick -- Clemson
Arizona at Houston -4.5 -- The Kevin Sumlin era in the desert started with a dud as the Wildcats lost to BYU. Sumlin returns to Houston where he used to coach to face a solid Cougar squad. Houston beat crosstown rival Rice in the opener. Houston defensive end Ed Oliver is considered one of the best in the country. Arizona will have to keep Oliver from creating total havoc to have a chance. Pick -- Houston
Colorado at Nebraska -5.0 -- College football needs to give us more games like this. Back in the days of the Big 8, these two schools played on Thanksgiving weekend. Colorado comes to Lincoln after routing Colorado State. Nebraska, thoroughly juiced about new head coach Scott Frost, is still waiting on the Huskers' season to start. Lightning forced the Huskers to cancel their opener against Akron. Colorado is somewhat known. Nebraska is still an unknown. But I expect the emotion of the home crowd to carry the Huskers. Pick -- Nebraska
Iowa State at Iowa -3.5 -- This will be Iowa State's first game. Lightning forced the Cyclones to postpone last week's game against South Dakota State. Iowa recorded a solid victory against Northern Illinois in its opener. Seems strange to play a rivalry this early. Again, I think home field will make the difference. Pick -- Iowa
Wyoming at Missouri -17.5 -- Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl has an impressive record of success against Missouri. As a player, grad assistant and assistant coach at Nebraska, Bohl was 13-1 against the Tigers. But the high-scoring Tigers will hand him an "L" Saturday. Pick -- Missouri
Arkansas at Colorado State +13.0 -- Colorado State is off to an 0-2 start after getting hammered by Colorado last Saturday. The Rams are allowing an average of 44.0 points per game. The last thing a struggling defense needs is to face a fast-paced Chad Morris offense. Pick -- Arkansas
Georgia Tech at South Florida +3.0 -- Is Paul Johnson ever happy? Nope. He is always complaining about something. There is positive talk about Tech's new 3-4 defense and new defensive coordinator Nate Woody. But Tech's offense continues to battle inconsistency. Offensive shootouts are not good for the Jackets. Pick -- South Florida
Penn State at Pittsburgh -8.5 -- There is some good old fashioned hate in this one. Penn State head coach James Franklin has let it be known he thinks the Panthers are not worthy of future games with the high and mighty Nittany Lions. In the history of Penn State football, the Nittany Lions have played more games against Pitt than any other opponent -- 98. Pitt has played just one opponent -- West Virginia -- more than it has Penn State. Penn State almost got "App-ed" last week at home. And angry Pitt team waits for them at Heinz Field. Upset special. -- Pittsburgh
Southern Cal at Stanford -4.5 -- One of the biggest games of the season in the Pac 12 in Week Two. I am a big fan of Stanford head coach David Shaw. I like the way his teams play -- tough and physical. Take the Cardinal at home. Pick -- Stanford
Last Week -- 4-6-0
For The Season -- 4-6-0
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
It's Time To Kick It Off
After an August filled with scandal and controversy in college football, it is finally time to get to games. Thank goodness.
Alabama and Clemson both are favorites to reach the College Football Playoff again. Others near the top of the list include Georgia, Ohio State, Washington, and Oklahoma. In other words, the usual suspects. Will there be a surprise this season to shake up the CFP?
In the new world of college football, we don't have to wait until late September until the schedule give us some interesting games. Week One has several awesome match ups.
So, let's get to it.
San Diego State at Stanford +14 -- Interesting California battle to get things started. Under head coach David Shaw, Stanford annually has one of the most physical teams in the Pac 12. The Cardinal are led by Heisman Trophy favorite Bryce Love, a native of North Carolina. How did he get all the way out to Palo Alto? I think Love will make the difference. But doesn't it always? Pick -- Stanford
Texas at Maryland +13.5 -- Maryland was one of the schools rocked by scandal in the off-season. In June, Maryland player Jordan McNair died from a heat stroke. Allegations of player mistreatment started to surface. Maryland head coach D.J. Durkin is on administrative leave while an investigation continues into his program. How will the Terps respond? The Terps surprised the Longhorns last season. Won't happen this time. Pick -- Texas
Oregon State at Ohio State -38.5 -- Speaking of scandal, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has been in the center of a storm for the past month. Weak apologies have not helped his cause. Meyer is serving a three-game suspension. But with three layups on the schedule, the Buckeyes will be 3-0 when he returns to the sideline. Pick -- Ohio State
Furman at Clemson No Line (+29.5) -- There is no line on this one. There are two interesting story lines. How much will the chosen one Trevor Lawrence play? Will Furman quarterback Harris Roberts, an engineering student at Clemson, be able to walk to class under his own power on Monday? I put up a line of +29.5. The Tigers will cover that spread before Dabo reels them in. Pick -- Clemson
Washington vs. Auburn -1.5 at Atlanta, Ga. -- This is a game both teams need for their playoff resumes. Even though this is a "neutral" site, it will be a home game for Auburn. This game features two experienced quarterbacks -- Jake Browning of Washington and Jarrett Stidham of Auburn -- and both teams have stout defenses. The line is based on the location of the game and doesn't mean a whole lot. I'm going to give the points and take the Tigers. Pick -- Auburn
Coastal Carolina at South Carolina -29.5 -- The sidebar to this game is the turf at Williams-Brice. A concert damaged the turf and the entire field was replaced this week. Carolina fans are excited about the return of Deebo Samuel, one of the most dynamic receivers in the country. The Gamecocks will not have a problem with their little brothers from Conway. Pick -- South Carolina
Michigan at Notre Dame -1.0 -- Another Week One slobber knocker. Jim Harbaugh is still trying to live up the hype and noise in Ann Arbor. The independent Irish really need this game for their resume. Two great defenses. Two questionable offenses. Give me the Irish at home. Pick -- Notre Dame
Louisville vs. Alabama -24.5 at Orlando, Fla. -- Looking at that line, somebody in the desert must know something. I know Lamar Jackson is gone, but the Cardinals didn't discontinue the program. Bama is Bama, but I'm going to give Louisville some credit. I think the Cardinals will stay within the spread. Pick -- Louisville
Miami (Fla.) vs. LSU +3.5 at Arlington, Texas -- There are rumblings LSU head coach Ed "Cookie Monster" Orgeron is sitting on a hot seat. Does anyone understand a word Orgeron says? Mark Richt has proven is great college football coach. He got the Hurricanes to 10-0 and a divisional title last season before they hit the wall. His rebuilding project in Coral Gables remains well ahead of schedule. Miami's defense lives off of turnovers. LSU's offense is questionable. Take the Canes. Pick -- Miami.
Virginia Tech at Florida State -7.5 -- The Willie Taggart era begins in Tallahassee with an interesting ACC game on Labor Day night. It was a rough off season in Blacksburg -- departures, suspensions, and dismissals thinned out and already thin roster. Tech head coach Justin Fuente challenged his team to be tougher and more committed. So he dialed it up in the off-season. After tearing up a knee is last season's opener against Alabama, Deondre Francois returns as FSU's starting quarterback. Taggart has brought tempo to the Seminoles' offense. I believe the pace will be too much for the Hokies. Pick -- Florida State
Last Week -- 0-0
For The Season -- 0-0
You want to play along and have some friendly competition? Send your picks before the first game of the week is played to cobbox@aol.com.
Alabama and Clemson both are favorites to reach the College Football Playoff again. Others near the top of the list include Georgia, Ohio State, Washington, and Oklahoma. In other words, the usual suspects. Will there be a surprise this season to shake up the CFP?
In the new world of college football, we don't have to wait until late September until the schedule give us some interesting games. Week One has several awesome match ups.
So, let's get to it.
San Diego State at Stanford +14 -- Interesting California battle to get things started. Under head coach David Shaw, Stanford annually has one of the most physical teams in the Pac 12. The Cardinal are led by Heisman Trophy favorite Bryce Love, a native of North Carolina. How did he get all the way out to Palo Alto? I think Love will make the difference. But doesn't it always? Pick -- Stanford
Texas at Maryland +13.5 -- Maryland was one of the schools rocked by scandal in the off-season. In June, Maryland player Jordan McNair died from a heat stroke. Allegations of player mistreatment started to surface. Maryland head coach D.J. Durkin is on administrative leave while an investigation continues into his program. How will the Terps respond? The Terps surprised the Longhorns last season. Won't happen this time. Pick -- Texas
Oregon State at Ohio State -38.5 -- Speaking of scandal, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has been in the center of a storm for the past month. Weak apologies have not helped his cause. Meyer is serving a three-game suspension. But with three layups on the schedule, the Buckeyes will be 3-0 when he returns to the sideline. Pick -- Ohio State
Furman at Clemson No Line (+29.5) -- There is no line on this one. There are two interesting story lines. How much will the chosen one Trevor Lawrence play? Will Furman quarterback Harris Roberts, an engineering student at Clemson, be able to walk to class under his own power on Monday? I put up a line of +29.5. The Tigers will cover that spread before Dabo reels them in. Pick -- Clemson
Washington vs. Auburn -1.5 at Atlanta, Ga. -- This is a game both teams need for their playoff resumes. Even though this is a "neutral" site, it will be a home game for Auburn. This game features two experienced quarterbacks -- Jake Browning of Washington and Jarrett Stidham of Auburn -- and both teams have stout defenses. The line is based on the location of the game and doesn't mean a whole lot. I'm going to give the points and take the Tigers. Pick -- Auburn
Coastal Carolina at South Carolina -29.5 -- The sidebar to this game is the turf at Williams-Brice. A concert damaged the turf and the entire field was replaced this week. Carolina fans are excited about the return of Deebo Samuel, one of the most dynamic receivers in the country. The Gamecocks will not have a problem with their little brothers from Conway. Pick -- South Carolina
Michigan at Notre Dame -1.0 -- Another Week One slobber knocker. Jim Harbaugh is still trying to live up the hype and noise in Ann Arbor. The independent Irish really need this game for their resume. Two great defenses. Two questionable offenses. Give me the Irish at home. Pick -- Notre Dame
Louisville vs. Alabama -24.5 at Orlando, Fla. -- Looking at that line, somebody in the desert must know something. I know Lamar Jackson is gone, but the Cardinals didn't discontinue the program. Bama is Bama, but I'm going to give Louisville some credit. I think the Cardinals will stay within the spread. Pick -- Louisville
Miami (Fla.) vs. LSU +3.5 at Arlington, Texas -- There are rumblings LSU head coach Ed "Cookie Monster" Orgeron is sitting on a hot seat. Does anyone understand a word Orgeron says? Mark Richt has proven is great college football coach. He got the Hurricanes to 10-0 and a divisional title last season before they hit the wall. His rebuilding project in Coral Gables remains well ahead of schedule. Miami's defense lives off of turnovers. LSU's offense is questionable. Take the Canes. Pick -- Miami.
Virginia Tech at Florida State -7.5 -- The Willie Taggart era begins in Tallahassee with an interesting ACC game on Labor Day night. It was a rough off season in Blacksburg -- departures, suspensions, and dismissals thinned out and already thin roster. Tech head coach Justin Fuente challenged his team to be tougher and more committed. So he dialed it up in the off-season. After tearing up a knee is last season's opener against Alabama, Deondre Francois returns as FSU's starting quarterback. Taggart has brought tempo to the Seminoles' offense. I believe the pace will be too much for the Hokies. Pick -- Florida State
Last Week -- 0-0
For The Season -- 0-0
You want to play along and have some friendly competition? Send your picks before the first game of the week is played to cobbox@aol.com.
Monday, January 8, 2018
Update And A Final Prediction
Bowl season did serious damage to the Cobb Blog.
I picked the last 18 bowl games and had a "sterling" record of 5-12-1. That leaves the Blog at 74-80-2 for the season and no way of getting to the .500 mark for the season with just one game remaining.
Tonight's game features something most people in the country don't want -- two teams from the same conference playing for the College Football Playoff title. The SEC will claim its ninth national title in the last 12 years.
I still believe the College Football Playoff committee should put more value in winning conference championships or at least winning a conference division championship. The Tide didn't win anything prior to getting invited to the tournament. Alabama got to sit at home the first Saturday of December while everybody else was butting heads and battling for survival for another week. If the Tide wins, I hope debate to get to eight teams becomes a raging fire. In my humble opinion, the tournament needs to be the five conference champions, one from the Group of Five, and two at-large teams. The debate would be about the two at-large teams and seeding for the tournament. But at least a conference title would mean something.
Georgia pulled off a remarkable comeback in the Rose Bowl against Oklahoma to reach the title game in Atlanta. The Bulldogs, led by running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, ran all over Oklahoma. That will not be the case tonight at the Mercedes-Benz Dome against the Tide.
I saw Alabama's defense up close and personal last Monday night in New Orleans. It was an angry, physical unit on a mission. It is a defense built to stop the run. The Tide suffocated Clemson's offense. Nick Saban, seeking his fifth national title in nine years, is a perfect 11-0 against his ex-assistants. That streak has to end some time. It will not end tonight.
I admire Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts. Nobody gives the guy any credit. Even the Tide fans continue to lobby for the backup. But Hurts is tough and he is a winner.
The only place Alabama is lacking is at placekicker. For some reason, Saban has never been able to get a decent kicker to come to Tuscaloosa. But I don't think it is going to be close enough Monday night for a missed field goal to matter.
I expect the Tide to roll to a resounding victory.
Take the Crimson Tide and give the 3.5 points.
Pick -- Alabama
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