We have reached championship week for college football.
The last week of the regular season produced a record of 4-6. The worst misses were Michigan and Oklahoma State. Both got taken to the woodshed.
The overall record stands at 78-62. With five games on this week's slate, 80 victories is a definite possibility.
Entering championship weekend, the top four in the College Football Playoff Poll are: 1. Ohio State, 2. LSU, 3. Clemson, 4. Georgia.
There was some surprising chatter Tuesday night that win or lose, the top three are in the College Football Playoff. I do not believe this is the case. I believe Clemson, a four-touchdown favorite over Virginia, has to win to get in the College Football Playoff.
I also believe win or lose, both Ohio State and LSU are in the College Football playoff.
There has been a lot of talk this week concerning how the semifinal games will line up. There is a line of thinking that Ohio State would prefer to play in the Phoenix because they have a large fan base in that area. If Ohio State, Clemson, and Georgia all win, I believe Ohio State-Georgia will play in the Fiesta and Clemson-LSU will play in the Peach.
It is going to be fun. We have not had much chaos this season. Maybe we will finally get some chaos this Saturday.
As always, picks are against the spread ad for entertainment purposes only.
Friday
Oregon vs. Utah -6.5 at Santa Clara, Calif. -- Utah's lone loss was in September at Southern Cal, a place it has never won. Since that loss, the Utes have an average margin of victory of 29 points. Wind and rain are expected for this game. Defense and power win in the mud. Utes make a playoff statement. Pick -- Utah
Saturday
Georgia vs. LSU -7.5 at Atlanta, Ga. -- Great offense against great defense. Georgia's banged-up offense will not be able to keep up. Let the good times roll. Pick -- LSU
Virginia vs. Clemson -28.0 at Charlotte, N.C. -- Quarterback Bryce Perkins and kick returner Joe Reed are legitimate weapons for Virginia, which became the final team in the Coastal Division to win the Coastal title. Clemson is Clemson and the Tigers are on a mission. Perkins will cause some headaches early, but the Wahoos can't win a scoring battle against the Tigers. Pick -- Clemson
Baylor vs. Oklahoma -8.5 at Arlington, Texas -- Oklahoma is another team looking to make a statement. The Sooners will not take the Bears lighting the second time around. Pick -- Oklahoma
Cincinnati at Memphis -9.5 -- This is a rare and interesting type of rematch. These two teams just played last Friday in Memphis -- a 34-24 victory for Memphis. The spread is wide, but I expect Cincinnati to take round two. Pick -- Cincinnati
Last Week -- 4-6
For The Season -- 78-62
Thursday, December 5, 2019
Thursday, November 28, 2019
We Have Finally Reached Rivalry Week
The picker has reached uncharted territory.
The record for the last two weeks against the spread -- 15-5. The overall slate now stands at a whomping 18 games over .500 at 74-56. That's a winning percentage of .569.
We have reached the final week of the regular season and there is a lot that remains to be decided.
The ACC Coastal Division will be decided Friday afternoon in Charlottesville as red-hot Virginia Tech goes for its 16th consecutive over arch-rival Virginia. Since Virginia Tech joined the ACC in 2004, Virginia has never beaten the Hokies.
Clemson travels to Columbia to try and pick up its sixth consecutive victory over arch-rival South Carolina. On paper, the games looks like a blowout, but the Gamecocks humiliated Clemson's defense in last year's meeting. Just remember, anything can happen.
Georgia, the only one-loss team in the top four of the College Football Playoff poll, is a heavy favorite to hammer rival Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
Ohio State faces its biggest test of the season at Michigan.
As always, all of the picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Friday
Virginia Tech at Virginia +3 -- Until Virginia proves it can beat Virginia Tech, you have to ride the Hokies. Pick -- Virginia Tech
Washington State at Washington -7.0 -- The Apple Cup will go to the Huskies. Pick -- Washington
Saturday
Georgia at Georgia Tech +28.0 -- It doesn't show in the victory column, but Georgia Tech has made some improvement this season. But the Yellow Jackets' offense isn't strong enough to dent Georgia's powerful defense. Pick -- Georgia
Clemson at South Carolina +26.5 -- All signs point to a Clemson rout. Emotion will carry banged-up South Carolina for a short time, but talent will take over. Pick -- Clemson
Florida State at Florida -17.0 -- Odell Haggins, serving as the interim head coach at Florida State for a second time, is 4-0. If he wins this one, FSU should remove the interim immediately. I think this one will be closer than the experts think. Pick -- Florida State
Oklahoma at Oklahoma State +13.0 -- It's called Bedlam, but Oklahoma has totally dominated this series. The Cowboys have a massive mental block when they face the Sooners. The Sooners have been living on thin ice in recent weeks. Can the Pokes cut a hole in the ice? Pick -- Oklahoma State
Louisville at Kentucky -3.0 -- I believe this is the Lock of the Week. Is this point spread for real? Scott Satterfield's miracle first season with the Cardinals earns a big gold star. Pick -- Louisville
Ohio State at Michigan +9.0 -- Ohio State had total control of Penn State last week until fumble-itis made a visit. The media has been pumping up Ohio State all season as the best all-around team in the country. Can Michigan pull off an upset that would rock the CFP poll? The bigger question -- Does Michigan believe it can make it happen? Pick -- Michigan
Alabama at Auburn +4.0 -- Auburn does the nation a favor and drives a stake in Bama's dream of making the playoffs again. Pick -- Auburn
Wisconsin at Minnesota +2.5 -- The Gophers row past the Badgers and stay in the CFP hunt. Pick -- Minnesota
Last Week -- 7-3
For The Season -- 74-56
The record for the last two weeks against the spread -- 15-5. The overall slate now stands at a whomping 18 games over .500 at 74-56. That's a winning percentage of .569.
We have reached the final week of the regular season and there is a lot that remains to be decided.
The ACC Coastal Division will be decided Friday afternoon in Charlottesville as red-hot Virginia Tech goes for its 16th consecutive over arch-rival Virginia. Since Virginia Tech joined the ACC in 2004, Virginia has never beaten the Hokies.
Clemson travels to Columbia to try and pick up its sixth consecutive victory over arch-rival South Carolina. On paper, the games looks like a blowout, but the Gamecocks humiliated Clemson's defense in last year's meeting. Just remember, anything can happen.
Georgia, the only one-loss team in the top four of the College Football Playoff poll, is a heavy favorite to hammer rival Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
Ohio State faces its biggest test of the season at Michigan.
As always, all of the picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Friday
Virginia Tech at Virginia +3 -- Until Virginia proves it can beat Virginia Tech, you have to ride the Hokies. Pick -- Virginia Tech
Washington State at Washington -7.0 -- The Apple Cup will go to the Huskies. Pick -- Washington
Saturday
Georgia at Georgia Tech +28.0 -- It doesn't show in the victory column, but Georgia Tech has made some improvement this season. But the Yellow Jackets' offense isn't strong enough to dent Georgia's powerful defense. Pick -- Georgia
Clemson at South Carolina +26.5 -- All signs point to a Clemson rout. Emotion will carry banged-up South Carolina for a short time, but talent will take over. Pick -- Clemson
Florida State at Florida -17.0 -- Odell Haggins, serving as the interim head coach at Florida State for a second time, is 4-0. If he wins this one, FSU should remove the interim immediately. I think this one will be closer than the experts think. Pick -- Florida State
Oklahoma at Oklahoma State +13.0 -- It's called Bedlam, but Oklahoma has totally dominated this series. The Cowboys have a massive mental block when they face the Sooners. The Sooners have been living on thin ice in recent weeks. Can the Pokes cut a hole in the ice? Pick -- Oklahoma State
Louisville at Kentucky -3.0 -- I believe this is the Lock of the Week. Is this point spread for real? Scott Satterfield's miracle first season with the Cardinals earns a big gold star. Pick -- Louisville
Ohio State at Michigan +9.0 -- Ohio State had total control of Penn State last week until fumble-itis made a visit. The media has been pumping up Ohio State all season as the best all-around team in the country. Can Michigan pull off an upset that would rock the CFP poll? The bigger question -- Does Michigan believe it can make it happen? Pick -- Michigan
Alabama at Auburn +4.0 -- Auburn does the nation a favor and drives a stake in Bama's dream of making the playoffs again. Pick -- Auburn
Wisconsin at Minnesota +2.5 -- The Gophers row past the Badgers and stay in the CFP hunt. Pick -- Minnesota
Last Week -- 7-3
For The Season -- 74-56
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Tough Week To Find Decent Games
With Clemson and South Carolina both off and the SEC celebrating Cupcake Saturday, it was a tough week to find enough interesting games.
All eyes will be on Columbus, Ohio, as the Luckeyes face their first test of the season when the Nittany Lions come to the Horseshoe. The other game that could have an impact on the CFP standings is Texas A&M traveling to Athens to tangle with Georgia.
Last week was a stellar slump buster. The record was 8-2. The misses were Georgia beating the spread at Auburn and Oklahoma failing to cover at Baylor.
The season record now stands at 14 games over .500. Not too bad for late November.
Here are this week's selections. As always, the picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Oklahoma State at West Virginia +7.0 -- Pokes' potent offense featuring running back Chuba Hubbard will be too much for the Mountaineers. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Texas A&M at Georgia -13.5 -- The Aggies have played a much tougher schedule. I believe they will hang inside the spread. Pick -- Texas A&M
Penn State at Ohio State -18.0 -- I just don't believe in Penn State. Pick -- Ohio State
Illinois at Iowa -15.0 -- Illinois is one of the biggest surprises of the Big 10. Pick -- Illinois
Boston College at Notre Dame -19.5 -- The Irish will dominate the Holy War. Pick -- Notre Dame
UCLA at USC -13.5 -- The Trojans were a surprise entry in the CFP Poll. Fight On! Pick -- Southern Cal
SMU at Navy -3.5 -- I think I'm going to ride with the Ponies. Pick -- SMU
Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech -4.0 -- After this one, the loser will officially be out of the Coastal Division race. I like the hot Hokies at home. Pick -- Virginia Tech
Texas at Baylor -5.5 -- Baylor gets back on the winning track. Pick -- Baylor
Duke at Wake Forest -7.0 -- Both of these teams have been suffering on offense. Wake Forest is looking for the Big Four title. Wake already has beaten North Carolina and N.C. State. Take the Demon Deacons at home. Pick -- Wake Forest
Last Week -- 8-2
For The Season -- 67-53
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Tigers Close Out Home Schedule, Dawgs Travel To Auburn
Because of a week-long road trip to the place in the desert where they have large hotels and cheap buffets, I am going to post this week's picks early. I don't return with my empty wallet until late Friday night, so I decided to go ahead and get the picks done Sunday night.
Last week the record was one game under .500 with several bad misses, including LSU finally beating Alabama. Yes, Virginia, I finally believe in LSU. The season record is now eight games over .500 with three weeks remaining in the regular season.
As always, all picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Wake Forest at Clemson -32.0 -- With the Atlantic Division title in hand, the Tigers will continue their dominating ways. I am finally beginning to believe Clemson can cover 30-point spreads on a weekly basis. Pick -- Clemson
Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech +5.5 -- Both of these teams have made improvements as the season has progressed, but Virginia Tech's improvement has showed up in the win column. Pick -- Virginia Tech
Georgia at Auburn +3.0 -- Both of these teams have mean nasty defenses and pedestrian offenses. Upset Special Of The Week. Pick -- Auburn
South Carolina at Texas A&M -10.0 -- The Gamecocks got a hold of some bad Appalachian moonshine last week. The drying out process in east Texas will not be pleasant. Pick -- Texas A&M
Navy at Notre Dame -11.0 -- The Irish are still trying to reach a New Year's Six bowl. The Navy ship is getting ready to take on water. Pick -- Notre Dame
Louisville at N.C. State +4.0 -- Louisville's positive momentum got mutilated in Miami last week. Injuries and youth have N.C. State's season circling the drain. Pick -- Louisville
Michigan State at Michigan -12.0 -- Michigan continues rolling on its way to the showdown with the Luckeyes at the end of the month. Pick -- Michigan
Texas at Iowa State -7.0 -- The Longhorns are definitely not back. Pick -- Iowa State
Minnesota at Iowa -2.0 -- Can the Golden Gophers validate their Penn State victory? Nope. Pick -- Iowa
Oklahoma at Baylor +9.5 -- Baylor's unbeaten season comes to a bitter end. Pick -- Oklahoma
Last Week -- 4-6
For The Season -- 59-51
Last week the record was one game under .500 with several bad misses, including LSU finally beating Alabama. Yes, Virginia, I finally believe in LSU. The season record is now eight games over .500 with three weeks remaining in the regular season.
As always, all picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Wake Forest at Clemson -32.0 -- With the Atlantic Division title in hand, the Tigers will continue their dominating ways. I am finally beginning to believe Clemson can cover 30-point spreads on a weekly basis. Pick -- Clemson
Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech +5.5 -- Both of these teams have made improvements as the season has progressed, but Virginia Tech's improvement has showed up in the win column. Pick -- Virginia Tech
Georgia at Auburn +3.0 -- Both of these teams have mean nasty defenses and pedestrian offenses. Upset Special Of The Week. Pick -- Auburn
South Carolina at Texas A&M -10.0 -- The Gamecocks got a hold of some bad Appalachian moonshine last week. The drying out process in east Texas will not be pleasant. Pick -- Texas A&M
Navy at Notre Dame -11.0 -- The Irish are still trying to reach a New Year's Six bowl. The Navy ship is getting ready to take on water. Pick -- Notre Dame
Louisville at N.C. State +4.0 -- Louisville's positive momentum got mutilated in Miami last week. Injuries and youth have N.C. State's season circling the drain. Pick -- Louisville
Michigan State at Michigan -12.0 -- Michigan continues rolling on its way to the showdown with the Luckeyes at the end of the month. Pick -- Michigan
Texas at Iowa State -7.0 -- The Longhorns are definitely not back. Pick -- Iowa State
Minnesota at Iowa -2.0 -- Can the Golden Gophers validate their Penn State victory? Nope. Pick -- Iowa
Oklahoma at Baylor +9.5 -- Baylor's unbeaten season comes to a bitter end. Pick -- Oklahoma
Last Week -- 4-6
For The Season -- 59-51
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Game Of The Century On Tap, Clemson Fans Need Chill Pills
Finally, we have something to talk about and two games of national interest.
The first CFP poll came out last Tuesday -- 1. Ohio State, 2. LSU, 3. Alabama, 4. Penn State -- with Clemson and Georgia coming in at No. 5 and No. 6.
Clemson fans have been howling all week, but they all just need to take a chill pill. This poll is just a starting point. As I have said for several weeks, undefeated Clemson will not be left out of the playoffs, but one loss will probably send the Tigers to a regular bowl game. The Tigers must keep their paws on the gas.
This week has the latest Game of the Century -- LSU at Alabama. The SEC is hoping for a close game to keep alive hopes of two teams in the playoff. I believe a blowout either way will serious damage to the playoff hopes of the loser.
The Big 10 also has a big game this week -- Penn State at unbeaten Minnesota. Most observers believe the Nittany Lions will survive, but the Golden Gophers will be juiced and ready to go.
Clemson begins its march to the CFP Top Four in Raleigh against an N.C. State team that has been defenseless. The Wolfpack has lost more than a dozen starters to injury and have yet to settle on a quarterback. But State will give Clemson its best shot. If the Tigers don't take the Pack seriously, there could be trouble.
As always, all picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Georgia Tech at Virginia -16.0 -- The visiting Yellow Jackets don't have enough offense to keep up with Virginia quarterback Bryce Perkins, who put on a real show in last week's key victory at North Carolina. The Cavaliers get one step closer to the Coastal title. Pick -- Virginia
Missouri at Georgia -17.0 -- Most amazing stat to date -- Georgia has yet to allow a rushing touchdown this season. That is unheard of in today's college football. Pick -- Georgia
Appalachian State at South Carolina -6.5 -- The trendy pick is to take App State, but I am going to go against the trend. Pick -- South Carolina
Clemson at N.C. State +32 -- I am guessing Clemson leads the country in point spreads of +25 or more this season. It's homecoming and a Red Out in Raleigh. Clemson has struggled at Carter-Finley in the past. All of the talk this week has been about an angry Clemson blowing the doors off State. Once again, I think Clemson will win, but the spread is just too high. Pick -- N.C. State
Florida State at Boston College -2.5 -- Lock of the Week. BC has run all over everybody but Clemson. The Seminoles minus fired head coach Willie Taggart will get boat raced out of Chestnut Hill. Pick -- Boston College
Penn State at Minnesota +7.0 -- Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck has called this the biggest game in the 10-year history of Minnesota's on-campus TCF Bank Stadium. Can Penn State handle the pressure? Can Penn State deal with the massive Gophers' offensive line? Pick -- Minnesota
Louisville at Miami (Fla.) -6.5 -- Louisville is the ACC's best feel good story this season. The Cardinals were pure garbage last season. But Scott Satterfield has made Louisville respectable in a short amount of time. Miami has been all over the board this season, but I like the Hurricanes at home. Pick -- Miami
Wake Forest at Virginia Tech +2.5 -- This will be a tough test for the fast-paced Demon Deacons, but I believe Wake has too much offense for Virginia Tech. Pick -- Wake Forest
LSU at Alabama -6.5 -- Finally, Alabama plays somebody. LSU has victories over Texas, Florida, and Auburn. The major question before this game surrounds Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. He injured an ankle in the Tennessee game and had surgery to stabilize the ankle. Alabama head coach Nick Saban says his star quarterback will play. Roll Tide Roll. Pick -- Alabama
Notre Dame at Duke -7.5 -- Duke is another tough team to figure out. One week, the Blue Devils are way up. The next week, they are MIA. This one boils down to talent. The Fighting Irish have simply more players. Pick -- Notre Dame
Last Week -- 5-5
For The Season -- 55-45
The first CFP poll came out last Tuesday -- 1. Ohio State, 2. LSU, 3. Alabama, 4. Penn State -- with Clemson and Georgia coming in at No. 5 and No. 6.
Clemson fans have been howling all week, but they all just need to take a chill pill. This poll is just a starting point. As I have said for several weeks, undefeated Clemson will not be left out of the playoffs, but one loss will probably send the Tigers to a regular bowl game. The Tigers must keep their paws on the gas.
This week has the latest Game of the Century -- LSU at Alabama. The SEC is hoping for a close game to keep alive hopes of two teams in the playoff. I believe a blowout either way will serious damage to the playoff hopes of the loser.
The Big 10 also has a big game this week -- Penn State at unbeaten Minnesota. Most observers believe the Nittany Lions will survive, but the Golden Gophers will be juiced and ready to go.
Clemson begins its march to the CFP Top Four in Raleigh against an N.C. State team that has been defenseless. The Wolfpack has lost more than a dozen starters to injury and have yet to settle on a quarterback. But State will give Clemson its best shot. If the Tigers don't take the Pack seriously, there could be trouble.
As always, all picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Georgia Tech at Virginia -16.0 -- The visiting Yellow Jackets don't have enough offense to keep up with Virginia quarterback Bryce Perkins, who put on a real show in last week's key victory at North Carolina. The Cavaliers get one step closer to the Coastal title. Pick -- Virginia
Missouri at Georgia -17.0 -- Most amazing stat to date -- Georgia has yet to allow a rushing touchdown this season. That is unheard of in today's college football. Pick -- Georgia
Appalachian State at South Carolina -6.5 -- The trendy pick is to take App State, but I am going to go against the trend. Pick -- South Carolina
Clemson at N.C. State +32 -- I am guessing Clemson leads the country in point spreads of +25 or more this season. It's homecoming and a Red Out in Raleigh. Clemson has struggled at Carter-Finley in the past. All of the talk this week has been about an angry Clemson blowing the doors off State. Once again, I think Clemson will win, but the spread is just too high. Pick -- N.C. State
Florida State at Boston College -2.5 -- Lock of the Week. BC has run all over everybody but Clemson. The Seminoles minus fired head coach Willie Taggart will get boat raced out of Chestnut Hill. Pick -- Boston College
Penn State at Minnesota +7.0 -- Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck has called this the biggest game in the 10-year history of Minnesota's on-campus TCF Bank Stadium. Can Penn State handle the pressure? Can Penn State deal with the massive Gophers' offensive line? Pick -- Minnesota
Louisville at Miami (Fla.) -6.5 -- Louisville is the ACC's best feel good story this season. The Cardinals were pure garbage last season. But Scott Satterfield has made Louisville respectable in a short amount of time. Miami has been all over the board this season, but I like the Hurricanes at home. Pick -- Miami
Wake Forest at Virginia Tech +2.5 -- This will be a tough test for the fast-paced Demon Deacons, but I believe Wake has too much offense for Virginia Tech. Pick -- Wake Forest
LSU at Alabama -6.5 -- Finally, Alabama plays somebody. LSU has victories over Texas, Florida, and Auburn. The major question before this game surrounds Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. He injured an ankle in the Tennessee game and had surgery to stabilize the ankle. Alabama head coach Nick Saban says his star quarterback will play. Roll Tide Roll. Pick -- Alabama
Notre Dame at Duke -7.5 -- Duke is another tough team to figure out. One week, the Blue Devils are way up. The next week, they are MIA. This one boils down to talent. The Fighting Irish have simply more players. Pick -- Notre Dame
Last Week -- 5-5
For The Season -- 55-45
Thursday, October 31, 2019
They Always Remember November
Two months down in college football, one month to go. And a lot to be decided.
There are not many big games this week. The first Saturday in November is a deep breath before we head to the finish line.
The biggest news last week was Oklahoma being knocked from the ranks of the unbeatens when its defense refused to show up against Kansas State.
The first real poll -- the College Football Playoff Poll -- comes out Tuesday night. My prediction for the first poll -- 1. LSU, 2. Ohio State, 3. Alabama, 4. Clemson. LSU's victory over Texas is starting to fade because the Longhorns are fading. Ohio State is the media darling, but the Luckeyes have some serious tests remaining. Alabama is missing Tua, which means the Tide is in trouble if Tua can't play. Clemson has better numbers than the media wants to admit. Clemson is as good or better than anybody in the country. Anybody. Clemson's problem is the national perception of the ACC. But as long as the Tigers continue to win, they will be fine.
With Oklahoma's loss, the SEC has cranked up the PR machine and started lobbying heavily for two spots in the CFP. This is the way I can see the SEC just getting one team. Florida beats Georgia. LSU beats Alabama. Auburn beats Alabama. LSU beats Florida in the SEC Championship Game.
The Big 10 still has three unbeatens -- Ohio State, Penn State, and Minnesota. I give Ohio State the best chance to finish the season undefeated. Minnesota is a fraud. Penn State will vomit in its shoes when the time comes.
If Clemson is 13-0, the Tigers will be in the playoff. There is one month to play, but I do believe this is the year Clemson cannot afford to lose a game. A loss to South Carolina or a loss to North Carolina (if the Heels get there) in the ACC Championship Game, I believe would keep the Tigers out of the playoff.
I am not going to waste time picking the Clemson-Wofford game. The best thing about Saturday at Clemson is Military Appreciation Day. Nobody does Military Appreciation Day like Clemson.
Last week's record was a winning 6-4 to move the season record to 10 games over .500.
Here are this week's selections. All picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Georgia vs. Florida +6.5 -- This game is and always will be the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Florida head coach Dan Mullen has stoked the rivalry with shots at the Dawgs. The loser is out of the CFP. On paper, this game boils down to the defenses. Both offenses have been ordinary. The Dawgs will go as far as Jake Fromm takes them. Pick -- Florida
TCU at Oklahoma State -3.0 -- The Pokes got a big victory at Iowa State last Saturday. I think they will lasso the Frogs. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Pittsburgh at Georgia Tech +8.0 -- Yet another match up in the zany ACC Coastal. Just when you think the Panthers are going to take control of the division, they mess it up. The eight points is tempting, but I just don't trust Tech's weak offense. Pick -- Pittsburgh
Vanderbilt at South Carolina -15.0 -- Vanderbilt is bad. South Carolina is starting to lose interest. Pick -- South Carolina
Boston College at Syracuse -3.0 -- These two teams are the two biggest disappointments in the ACC. Neither team is getting anything from its quarterback. But the Eagles have two sledge hammers are running back. I expect AJ Dillon to have a big game. Pick -- Boston College
N.C. State at Wake Forest -7.5 -- This spread is not high enough. Pick -- Wake Forest
Virginia Tech at Notre Dame -17.5 -- Notre Dame got destroyed at the Big House last week. Will the Irish get off the mat for the Hokies? I like the Irish at home. Pick -- Notre Dame
Miami (Fla.) at Florida State -3.5 -- Impossible game to predict. Both of these teams have plenty of talent. Both of these teams are wildly inconsistent. I am taking the Seminoles at home. Pick -- Florida State
Kansas State at Kansas +6.0 -- Kansas State must come back to Earth after upsetting Oklahoma last Saturday. Kansas head coach Les Miles has given the Jayhawks a pulse. Upset special. Pick -- Kansas
Virginia at North Carolina -2.5 -- Before the Virginia Tech game, I made North Carolina my pick to win the Coastal. Then the Tar Heels lost in six overtimes. But the Tar Heels are still alive in the hunt for the division title. I think the Heels take control of the Coastal Saturday night. Pick -- North Carolina
Last Week -- 6-4
For The Season -- 50-40
There are not many big games this week. The first Saturday in November is a deep breath before we head to the finish line.
The biggest news last week was Oklahoma being knocked from the ranks of the unbeatens when its defense refused to show up against Kansas State.
The first real poll -- the College Football Playoff Poll -- comes out Tuesday night. My prediction for the first poll -- 1. LSU, 2. Ohio State, 3. Alabama, 4. Clemson. LSU's victory over Texas is starting to fade because the Longhorns are fading. Ohio State is the media darling, but the Luckeyes have some serious tests remaining. Alabama is missing Tua, which means the Tide is in trouble if Tua can't play. Clemson has better numbers than the media wants to admit. Clemson is as good or better than anybody in the country. Anybody. Clemson's problem is the national perception of the ACC. But as long as the Tigers continue to win, they will be fine.
With Oklahoma's loss, the SEC has cranked up the PR machine and started lobbying heavily for two spots in the CFP. This is the way I can see the SEC just getting one team. Florida beats Georgia. LSU beats Alabama. Auburn beats Alabama. LSU beats Florida in the SEC Championship Game.
The Big 10 still has three unbeatens -- Ohio State, Penn State, and Minnesota. I give Ohio State the best chance to finish the season undefeated. Minnesota is a fraud. Penn State will vomit in its shoes when the time comes.
If Clemson is 13-0, the Tigers will be in the playoff. There is one month to play, but I do believe this is the year Clemson cannot afford to lose a game. A loss to South Carolina or a loss to North Carolina (if the Heels get there) in the ACC Championship Game, I believe would keep the Tigers out of the playoff.
I am not going to waste time picking the Clemson-Wofford game. The best thing about Saturday at Clemson is Military Appreciation Day. Nobody does Military Appreciation Day like Clemson.
Last week's record was a winning 6-4 to move the season record to 10 games over .500.
Here are this week's selections. All picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Georgia vs. Florida +6.5 -- This game is and always will be the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Florida head coach Dan Mullen has stoked the rivalry with shots at the Dawgs. The loser is out of the CFP. On paper, this game boils down to the defenses. Both offenses have been ordinary. The Dawgs will go as far as Jake Fromm takes them. Pick -- Florida
TCU at Oklahoma State -3.0 -- The Pokes got a big victory at Iowa State last Saturday. I think they will lasso the Frogs. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Pittsburgh at Georgia Tech +8.0 -- Yet another match up in the zany ACC Coastal. Just when you think the Panthers are going to take control of the division, they mess it up. The eight points is tempting, but I just don't trust Tech's weak offense. Pick -- Pittsburgh
Vanderbilt at South Carolina -15.0 -- Vanderbilt is bad. South Carolina is starting to lose interest. Pick -- South Carolina
Boston College at Syracuse -3.0 -- These two teams are the two biggest disappointments in the ACC. Neither team is getting anything from its quarterback. But the Eagles have two sledge hammers are running back. I expect AJ Dillon to have a big game. Pick -- Boston College
N.C. State at Wake Forest -7.5 -- This spread is not high enough. Pick -- Wake Forest
Virginia Tech at Notre Dame -17.5 -- Notre Dame got destroyed at the Big House last week. Will the Irish get off the mat for the Hokies? I like the Irish at home. Pick -- Notre Dame
Miami (Fla.) at Florida State -3.5 -- Impossible game to predict. Both of these teams have plenty of talent. Both of these teams are wildly inconsistent. I am taking the Seminoles at home. Pick -- Florida State
Kansas State at Kansas +6.0 -- Kansas State must come back to Earth after upsetting Oklahoma last Saturday. Kansas head coach Les Miles has given the Jayhawks a pulse. Upset special. Pick -- Kansas
Virginia at North Carolina -2.5 -- Before the Virginia Tech game, I made North Carolina my pick to win the Coastal. Then the Tar Heels lost in six overtimes. But the Tar Heels are still alive in the hunt for the division title. I think the Heels take control of the Coastal Saturday night. Pick -- North Carolina
Last Week -- 6-4
For The Season -- 50-40
Friday, October 25, 2019
It's Official. I'm In A Slump.
There is no sugar coating last week. It was the worst week of the season.
After getting off to a hot start, I have thrown a rod and blown two tires. The picking machine is in the ditch.
That's why I have tagged this blog -- Fearless Football Forecasting Without A Net. Some radio pickers go back and revise their lousy picks and make excuses. My lousy picks stay on the blog for all to see.
Let's see if we can't get this thing out of the ditch and going back to the plus side of .500.
Another week, another drop in the AP poll for Clemson. No surprise. The national media is rooting hard against Clemson-Alabama No. 5 and will do anything they can to try and pick apart the Tigers. There now is no doubt Clemson is being held to a higher standard. But it does not matter. The only poll that matters is the College Football Playoff poll, which comes out in less than two weeks. As long as Clemson's defense continues to play lights out, the Tigers will be in either Atlanta or Phoenix on Dec. 28.
South Carolina has not been able to capitalize on its massive upset victory in Athens. SEC officials helped Florida escape Williams-Brice with a victory, and then the Gamecocks got a slap on the wrist from the NCAA. Don't laugh or wag your finger at the Gamecocks. It can happen to anybody. South Carolina admitted the mistake, the NCAA handed out the punishment, so we can all move on down the line. This week, South Carolina travels to Tennessee. This looks like a classic letdown game.
Georgia continues to disappoint. There seems to be something major missing in Athens. The talking heads trying to take apart Clemson's offense should spend more time on looking at Georgia's lack of offensive production. Georgia's offense is stuck in neutral and lacks any type of imagination. But even with a lack of imagination, the Bulldogs have the offensive line and running backs to pound the ball. The meeting with Florida next week will decide who wins the SEC East.
As always, picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Oklahoma State at Iowa State -10.5 -- Pokes might pull this one out, but the spread is too high. Pick -- Iowa State
South Carolina at Tennessee +4.0 -- In this battle for survival, I am going to take the Vols. Pick -- Tennessee
Boston College at Clemson +34.0 -- This game will be played in a phone booth. Boston College has two sledge hammers at running back. Last week, the Eagles rushed for more than 400 yards against N.C. State. State entered the BC game allowing just 66 yards per game on the ground. Add in the possibility of rain and I believe the spread is just too high. Pick -- Boston College
Wisconsin at Ohio State -14.5 -- Ohio State finally plays a team with a pulse, but the result will be the same. Pick -- Ohio State
Miami (Fla.) at Pittsburgh -5.5 -- Pittsburgh has now established itself as the favorite in the Coastal Division. Pick -- Pittsburgh
Virginia at Louisville +3.5 -- If the season ended today, Louisville head coach Scott Satterfield would be the ACC Coach of the Year. The Cardinals are playing with passion every Saturday. Virginia laid an egg in Miami. Can the Hoos win a road game? Pick -- Louisville
Auburn at LSU -10.5 -- I think LSU will dominate this game start to finish. Pick -- LSU
Duke at North Carolina -3.5 -- Can anybody figure out Duke? The Blue Devils are the most up and down team in the ACC. I think this will be a down week. Pick -- North Carolina
Notre Dame at Michigan Pick'em -- Since 2012, Michigan is 1-14 against Top 10 teams. I just have a feeling. I hope it is not something I ate. Pick -- Michigan
Penn State at Michigan State +6.5 -- Be careful Penn State. Be very careful. Pick -- Penn State
Last Week -- 2-8
For The Season -- 44-36
After getting off to a hot start, I have thrown a rod and blown two tires. The picking machine is in the ditch.
That's why I have tagged this blog -- Fearless Football Forecasting Without A Net. Some radio pickers go back and revise their lousy picks and make excuses. My lousy picks stay on the blog for all to see.
Let's see if we can't get this thing out of the ditch and going back to the plus side of .500.
Another week, another drop in the AP poll for Clemson. No surprise. The national media is rooting hard against Clemson-Alabama No. 5 and will do anything they can to try and pick apart the Tigers. There now is no doubt Clemson is being held to a higher standard. But it does not matter. The only poll that matters is the College Football Playoff poll, which comes out in less than two weeks. As long as Clemson's defense continues to play lights out, the Tigers will be in either Atlanta or Phoenix on Dec. 28.
South Carolina has not been able to capitalize on its massive upset victory in Athens. SEC officials helped Florida escape Williams-Brice with a victory, and then the Gamecocks got a slap on the wrist from the NCAA. Don't laugh or wag your finger at the Gamecocks. It can happen to anybody. South Carolina admitted the mistake, the NCAA handed out the punishment, so we can all move on down the line. This week, South Carolina travels to Tennessee. This looks like a classic letdown game.
Georgia continues to disappoint. There seems to be something major missing in Athens. The talking heads trying to take apart Clemson's offense should spend more time on looking at Georgia's lack of offensive production. Georgia's offense is stuck in neutral and lacks any type of imagination. But even with a lack of imagination, the Bulldogs have the offensive line and running backs to pound the ball. The meeting with Florida next week will decide who wins the SEC East.
As always, picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Oklahoma State at Iowa State -10.5 -- Pokes might pull this one out, but the spread is too high. Pick -- Iowa State
South Carolina at Tennessee +4.0 -- In this battle for survival, I am going to take the Vols. Pick -- Tennessee
Boston College at Clemson +34.0 -- This game will be played in a phone booth. Boston College has two sledge hammers at running back. Last week, the Eagles rushed for more than 400 yards against N.C. State. State entered the BC game allowing just 66 yards per game on the ground. Add in the possibility of rain and I believe the spread is just too high. Pick -- Boston College
Wisconsin at Ohio State -14.5 -- Ohio State finally plays a team with a pulse, but the result will be the same. Pick -- Ohio State
Miami (Fla.) at Pittsburgh -5.5 -- Pittsburgh has now established itself as the favorite in the Coastal Division. Pick -- Pittsburgh
Virginia at Louisville +3.5 -- If the season ended today, Louisville head coach Scott Satterfield would be the ACC Coach of the Year. The Cardinals are playing with passion every Saturday. Virginia laid an egg in Miami. Can the Hoos win a road game? Pick -- Louisville
Auburn at LSU -10.5 -- I think LSU will dominate this game start to finish. Pick -- LSU
Duke at North Carolina -3.5 -- Can anybody figure out Duke? The Blue Devils are the most up and down team in the ACC. I think this will be a down week. Pick -- North Carolina
Notre Dame at Michigan Pick'em -- Since 2012, Michigan is 1-14 against Top 10 teams. I just have a feeling. I hope it is not something I ate. Pick -- Michigan
Penn State at Michigan State +6.5 -- Be careful Penn State. Be very careful. Pick -- Penn State
Last Week -- 2-8
For The Season -- 44-36
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Slide From Greatness Continues With Sub .500 Effort
Two weeks ago, the record for the week was 9-1.
But that week is now long forgotten. Like Hillary Clinton's e-mails. The record for the past two weeks is 9-11. Last week's worksheet was a pathetic 4-6.
The big misses last week were Clemson, Notre Dame, and Wake Forest. I thought Florida State was getting better. I was wrong. I thought Notre Dame could easily handle mediocre Southern Cal at home. I was wrong. I thought Wake Forest would stay undefeated. I was wrong.
Clemson has a test on the road against drastically improved Louisville. The Cardinals were dead in the water when they came to Death Valley last season and gave up 77. New head coach Scott Satterfield is changing the culture rapidly.
South Carolina pulled the surprise of the season so far against Georgia in Athens last week. The Gamecocks did it with defense. Now here comes Florida fresh off losing a showdown to LSU. Will the Gators be suffering a Bayou hangover?
As always, picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Here are this week's selections.
Friday
Pittsburgh at Syracuse +3.5 -- The heat will be on in the Carrier Dome. Will the Panthers wilt? I don't think so. Pick -- Pittsburgh
Saturday
Clemson at Louisville +24.0 -- Clemson spreads have been in the three-touchdown range every week. Louisville can move the ball and score but it is still struggling to find some defense. This looks like a shootout early, but I think the Tigers will find a way to pull away. Pick -- Clemson
Georgia Tech at Miami (Fla.) +18.0 -- Georgia Tech sucks. That's all you need to know. Pick -- Miami
Florida at South Carolina +5.5 -- This is an interesting match up. Last week, previously unbeaten Florida lost by two touchdowns to LSU in Baton Rouge. On the other end of the spectrum, South Carolina pulled off the biggest victory of the Will Muschamp era by upsetting Georgia in Athens. Can Florida bounce back? Can South Carolina handle success? Tough call. Pick -- South Carolina
Baylor at Oklahoma State -3.5 -- Baylor can't win in Stillwater. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Kentucky at Georgia -24.5 -- Heavy rain is in the forecast for Athens Saturday night. Kentucky is using its third quarterback of the season -- converted wide receiver Lynn Bowden. Bowden had some success in the victory over Arkansas -- 196 rushing yards and two touchdowns and 79 passing yards and one touchdown. Bowden's run-first mentality on RPOs will be a good fit for the weather. But I think Georgia will come out and make a point. Pick -- Georgia
N.C. State at Boston College +3.5 -- Both teams have quarterback issues. Boston College's quarterback issues are worse. Pick -- N.C. State
Duke at Virginia -3.5 -- Virginia got ambushed in Miami and has lost its best defender Bryce Hall for the season to an ankle injury. Duke quarterback Quentin Harris thrown just one touchdown pass in the last two games. Tough to pick against Virginia at home, but the Wahoos are having trouble scoring. Pick -- Duke
North Carolina at Virginia Tech +3.5 -- I think North Carolina is the best overall team in the Coastal, and the Tar Heels are my pick to win the Coastal. Coaching matters. And the Tar Heels are getting better coaching than the Hokies. Pick -- North Carolina
Michigan at Penn State -8.5 -- The Nittany Lions will roll the Wolverines. Pick -- Penn State
Last Week -- 4-6
For The Season -- 42-28
But that week is now long forgotten. Like Hillary Clinton's e-mails. The record for the past two weeks is 9-11. Last week's worksheet was a pathetic 4-6.
The big misses last week were Clemson, Notre Dame, and Wake Forest. I thought Florida State was getting better. I was wrong. I thought Notre Dame could easily handle mediocre Southern Cal at home. I was wrong. I thought Wake Forest would stay undefeated. I was wrong.
Clemson has a test on the road against drastically improved Louisville. The Cardinals were dead in the water when they came to Death Valley last season and gave up 77. New head coach Scott Satterfield is changing the culture rapidly.
South Carolina pulled the surprise of the season so far against Georgia in Athens last week. The Gamecocks did it with defense. Now here comes Florida fresh off losing a showdown to LSU. Will the Gators be suffering a Bayou hangover?
As always, picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Here are this week's selections.
Friday
Pittsburgh at Syracuse +3.5 -- The heat will be on in the Carrier Dome. Will the Panthers wilt? I don't think so. Pick -- Pittsburgh
Saturday
Clemson at Louisville +24.0 -- Clemson spreads have been in the three-touchdown range every week. Louisville can move the ball and score but it is still struggling to find some defense. This looks like a shootout early, but I think the Tigers will find a way to pull away. Pick -- Clemson
Georgia Tech at Miami (Fla.) +18.0 -- Georgia Tech sucks. That's all you need to know. Pick -- Miami
Florida at South Carolina +5.5 -- This is an interesting match up. Last week, previously unbeaten Florida lost by two touchdowns to LSU in Baton Rouge. On the other end of the spectrum, South Carolina pulled off the biggest victory of the Will Muschamp era by upsetting Georgia in Athens. Can Florida bounce back? Can South Carolina handle success? Tough call. Pick -- South Carolina
Baylor at Oklahoma State -3.5 -- Baylor can't win in Stillwater. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Kentucky at Georgia -24.5 -- Heavy rain is in the forecast for Athens Saturday night. Kentucky is using its third quarterback of the season -- converted wide receiver Lynn Bowden. Bowden had some success in the victory over Arkansas -- 196 rushing yards and two touchdowns and 79 passing yards and one touchdown. Bowden's run-first mentality on RPOs will be a good fit for the weather. But I think Georgia will come out and make a point. Pick -- Georgia
N.C. State at Boston College +3.5 -- Both teams have quarterback issues. Boston College's quarterback issues are worse. Pick -- N.C. State
Duke at Virginia -3.5 -- Virginia got ambushed in Miami and has lost its best defender Bryce Hall for the season to an ankle injury. Duke quarterback Quentin Harris thrown just one touchdown pass in the last two games. Tough to pick against Virginia at home, but the Wahoos are having trouble scoring. Pick -- Duke
North Carolina at Virginia Tech +3.5 -- I think North Carolina is the best overall team in the Coastal, and the Tar Heels are my pick to win the Coastal. Coaching matters. And the Tar Heels are getting better coaching than the Hokies. Pick -- North Carolina
Michigan at Penn State -8.5 -- The Nittany Lions will roll the Wolverines. Pick -- Penn State
Last Week -- 4-6
For The Season -- 42-28
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Tigers Back In Action Against Improving Seminoles
After a stellar week, there was a serious move down to mediocrity last week.
A late touchdown by Pittsburgh at Duke wiped out the opportunity for a winning week. The slate was an average 5-5.
There are some big time tilts this week. The Red River Shootout in Dallas and undefeated Florida at undefeated LSU are the two highlight games.
Clemson returns home to face improving Florida State. The Seminoles have the athletes to cause major problems. If the Tigers are going to rout the Seminoles for the second straight year, they will have to slow down FSU running back Cam Akers is one of the best in the country.
As always, the picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Friday
Virginia at Miami -2.0 -- Miami gagged against struggling Virginia Tech last week.Virginia comes to south Florida trying to recover from getting mashed in the second half at Notre Dame. Quarterback Bryce Perkins makes the Virginia offense go. Give me those points. Pick -- Virginia
Saturday
South Carolina at Georgia -24.5 -- The Gamecocks are not ready for what they will see Saturday in Athens. Let the big Dawg eat. Pick -- Georgia
Georgia Tech at Duke -17.5 -- Even when Georgia Tech was good, Duke was a pain for the Yellow Jackets. Blue Devils bounce back. Pick -- Duke
Florida State at Clemson -27.0 -- Last year, Clemson turned Doak Campbell Stadium into a library. I expect the Seminoles to put up a better fight this year. Too many points. Pick -- Florida State
Oklahoma vs. Texas +10 (Dallas) -- Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts against a thin Texas secondary. Not a good combination. Pick -- Oklahoma
Alabama at Texas A&M +17.0 -- The Aggies have not lived up to expectations. The Aggies faced No. 1 Clemson in early September. Here comes No. 1 Alabama in early October. I am afraid the Aggies will need a 13th or 14th man to have a chance. Pick -- Alabama
Nebraska at Minnesota -7.5 -- The Golden Gophers stay golden. Pick -- Minnesota
Southern Cal at Notre Dame -11.0 -- Notre Dame at home at night. Take the Irish. Pick -- Notre Dame
Louisville at Wake Forest -6.5 -- The two surprise teams of the ACC. Louisville is respectable again under head coach Scott Satterfield. Wake is still undefeated under head coach Dave Clawson. Could the Demon Deacons be undefeated when they come to Clemson on Nov. 16? It's possible. Pick -- Wake Forest
Florida at LSU -13.5 -- Florida's undefeated season comes to an end. Pick -- LSU
Last Week -- 5-5
For The Season -- 38-22
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Almost Perfect. One Of The Best Weeks In The History Of The Cobb Blog
I had all the reasons to pick a close game in Chapel Hill. I outlined all of the reasons in last week's blog. At the last second, I lost my nerve. That second cost me a perfect week.
The Tigers stopped a pathetic attempt at two points late in the game to survive an inspired effort from the Tar Heels. Mack Brown is coaching up the Tar Heels. The Heels are much better than their record indicates.
What has been lost in all of the whining about Clemson's performance last Saturday was the work of North Carolina defensive coordinator Jay Bateman. Last year as Army's defense coordinator, Bateman designed a plan that limited high-powered Oklahoma to 24 points in Norman. His plan against Clemson was brilliant.
Clemson's biggest problem is offensive consistency. The second biggest problem is a lack of creativity. The three plays are -- sideways pass, right tackle, or go long and I will throw it to you. If the opposition is daring you to run, run. The numbers show Clemson's running backs are not getting enough touches. Personally, I think the standing around at the line of scrimmage is eroding the effectiveness of the offense. Perhaps the offense has been operating at a slower pace to try and protect a developing defense. Clemson's defense has shown it is ahead of schedule. It is time to get past Page 5 of the playbook and try and approach "Chad Speed."
The good news is Clemson gets this week off to try and fix its problems before playing host to the circus that is Florida State football.
The most interesting game of the week takes place in The Swamp where undefeated Florida plays host to undefeated Auburn. By Saturday night, we will know which one is a fraud and which one stays in the race for the SEC Championship game.
As always, picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Oklahoma State at Texas Tech +10 -- Texas Tech got drilled by Oklahoma last Saturday. This week the Red Raiders have to deal with Cowboy running back Chuba Hubbard, who ran for 296 yards in Oklahoma State's victory over Kansas State. Good luck trying to lock up Hubbard. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Iowa at Michigan -3.5 -- It is the time of year when Michigan starts developing a pulse again before losing to Ohio State at the end of November. Pick -- Michigan
North Carolina at Georgia Tech +10 -- After a fabulous effort against No. 1 Clemson, North Carolina head coach Mack Brown has been complaining about his team's practices this week. In the business, that's known as sandbagging. Pick -- North Carolina
Air Force at Navy +3.5 -- Give me the Navy option and the home field. Pick -- Navy
Georgia at Tennessee +25 -- After a week of dealing with the Knoxville police and a player arrest, Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt now has to deal with Georgia. Another "plus" this week -- Pruitt received the dreaded vote of confidence from UT athletic director Phil Fulmer. That usually means the end is near. Pick -- Georgia
Boston College at Louisville -6.5 -- AJ Dillon has been running well for the Eagles. BC is due a breakthrough Pick -- Boston College
Auburn at Florida +3.0 -- Defense will be the difference in this battle of unbeatens and I think Auburn's D is just a little bit better. Pick -- Auburn
Virginia Tech at Miami (Fla.) -13.5 -- Canes put several more dents in what is quickly becoming a disastrous season for the Hokies. Pick -- Miami
Michigan State at Ohio State -20.5 -- Michigan State is the first team with a pulse Ohio State has faced. Sparty might have enough defense to hang for a while, but the Buckeyes have much more offense. A lot more offense. Pick -- Ohio State
Pittsburgh at Duke -4.5 -- This series is filled with high-scoring games. The Blue Devils were impressive in Blacksburg last Friday. I think Duke will do most of the scoring at Wallace Wade Outdoor Stadium. Pick -- Duke
Last Week -- 9-1
For The Season -- 33-17
The Tigers stopped a pathetic attempt at two points late in the game to survive an inspired effort from the Tar Heels. Mack Brown is coaching up the Tar Heels. The Heels are much better than their record indicates.
What has been lost in all of the whining about Clemson's performance last Saturday was the work of North Carolina defensive coordinator Jay Bateman. Last year as Army's defense coordinator, Bateman designed a plan that limited high-powered Oklahoma to 24 points in Norman. His plan against Clemson was brilliant.
Clemson's biggest problem is offensive consistency. The second biggest problem is a lack of creativity. The three plays are -- sideways pass, right tackle, or go long and I will throw it to you. If the opposition is daring you to run, run. The numbers show Clemson's running backs are not getting enough touches. Personally, I think the standing around at the line of scrimmage is eroding the effectiveness of the offense. Perhaps the offense has been operating at a slower pace to try and protect a developing defense. Clemson's defense has shown it is ahead of schedule. It is time to get past Page 5 of the playbook and try and approach "Chad Speed."
The good news is Clemson gets this week off to try and fix its problems before playing host to the circus that is Florida State football.
The most interesting game of the week takes place in The Swamp where undefeated Florida plays host to undefeated Auburn. By Saturday night, we will know which one is a fraud and which one stays in the race for the SEC Championship game.
As always, picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Oklahoma State at Texas Tech +10 -- Texas Tech got drilled by Oklahoma last Saturday. This week the Red Raiders have to deal with Cowboy running back Chuba Hubbard, who ran for 296 yards in Oklahoma State's victory over Kansas State. Good luck trying to lock up Hubbard. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Iowa at Michigan -3.5 -- It is the time of year when Michigan starts developing a pulse again before losing to Ohio State at the end of November. Pick -- Michigan
North Carolina at Georgia Tech +10 -- After a fabulous effort against No. 1 Clemson, North Carolina head coach Mack Brown has been complaining about his team's practices this week. In the business, that's known as sandbagging. Pick -- North Carolina
Air Force at Navy +3.5 -- Give me the Navy option and the home field. Pick -- Navy
Georgia at Tennessee +25 -- After a week of dealing with the Knoxville police and a player arrest, Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt now has to deal with Georgia. Another "plus" this week -- Pruitt received the dreaded vote of confidence from UT athletic director Phil Fulmer. That usually means the end is near. Pick -- Georgia
Boston College at Louisville -6.5 -- AJ Dillon has been running well for the Eagles. BC is due a breakthrough Pick -- Boston College
Auburn at Florida +3.0 -- Defense will be the difference in this battle of unbeatens and I think Auburn's D is just a little bit better. Pick -- Auburn
Virginia Tech at Miami (Fla.) -13.5 -- Canes put several more dents in what is quickly becoming a disastrous season for the Hokies. Pick -- Miami
Michigan State at Ohio State -20.5 -- Michigan State is the first team with a pulse Ohio State has faced. Sparty might have enough defense to hang for a while, but the Buckeyes have much more offense. A lot more offense. Pick -- Ohio State
Pittsburgh at Duke -4.5 -- This series is filled with high-scoring games. The Blue Devils were impressive in Blacksburg last Friday. I think Duke will do most of the scoring at Wallace Wade Outdoor Stadium. Pick -- Duke
Last Week -- 9-1
For The Season -- 33-17
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Clemson Makes Rare Visit To Chapel Hill
Last week finished on the plus side with a 6-4 mark. That makes three winning weeks in the first four of the 2019 season. The big misses last week were Georgia not dominating Notre Dame as all of the experts predicted and Pittsburgh surprising "national champion" Central Florida on a trick play.
The most excitement in Clemson last Saturday night was a seven-minute movie shoot. Meanwhile, South Carolina continues to self destruct.
As always, picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Friday
Duke at Virginia Tech -2.5 -- Duke has been more solid than Virginia Tech. The Hokies have had trouble hanging on to the football. And Virginia Tech's defense still has issues. Pick -- Duke
Saturday
Clemson at North Carolina +27.0 -- This is just Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney's second trip to Chapel Hill as head coach. All four of North Carolina's games have followed the same script -- the Tar Heels fall behind and then rally in the fourth quarter. It sounds silly and stupid, but I still have concerns about the Clemson offense. The Tigers are swinging for the fences and not showing a lot of consistency. Yard production has been amazing but there seems to be something missing. After last week's backyard game against Charlotte where everyone played and everyone had a good time, I hope the Tigers show up and show some improvement. I have a sense this one will be tougher than expected. Pick -- Clemson
Kentucky at South Carolina -3.0 -- Kentucky has dominated this series, but the Wildcats have serious issues at quarterback. Pick -- South Carolina
Wake Forest at Boston College +6.5 -- The Deacons, the second-best team in the ACC, hit the road to Chestnut Hill. BC getting almost seven points at home is too good to pass up. Pick -- Boston College
Virginia at Notre Dame -12.5 -- I want to believe in Virginia, but I just can't. The Irish gave it their all in Athens last week but came up short. I think home field will be the difference. Pick -- Notre Dame
N.C. State at Florida State -6.5 -- Florida State seems to be getting its act together. N.C. State has played nobody. The road gets rough for the Wolfpack as the Seminoles spring an ambush. Pick -- Florida State
Coastal Carolina at Appalachian State +16.0 -- The Mountaineers return to The Rock after beating the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill last week. Coastal Carolina also has a Power Five victory -- Kansas. App State at home is just to be a hill to climb for the Chants. Pick -- Appalachian State
Southern Cal at Washington -10.0 -- The Trojans are pretty good at home, not so much on the road. Pick -- Washington
Mississippi State at Auburn -11.0 -- I still think Auburn is a fraud, but the sham will continue for one more week. Pick -- Auburn
Washington State at Utah -5.5 -- While Utah was losing yet another game to Southern Cal at the Coliseum last week, Washington State choked in the second half against a bad UCLA team to lose 67-63. Give me home field and the Ute defense. Pick -- Utah
Last Week -- 6-4
For The Season -- 24-16
The most excitement in Clemson last Saturday night was a seven-minute movie shoot. Meanwhile, South Carolina continues to self destruct.
As always, picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Friday
Duke at Virginia Tech -2.5 -- Duke has been more solid than Virginia Tech. The Hokies have had trouble hanging on to the football. And Virginia Tech's defense still has issues. Pick -- Duke
Saturday
Clemson at North Carolina +27.0 -- This is just Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney's second trip to Chapel Hill as head coach. All four of North Carolina's games have followed the same script -- the Tar Heels fall behind and then rally in the fourth quarter. It sounds silly and stupid, but I still have concerns about the Clemson offense. The Tigers are swinging for the fences and not showing a lot of consistency. Yard production has been amazing but there seems to be something missing. After last week's backyard game against Charlotte where everyone played and everyone had a good time, I hope the Tigers show up and show some improvement. I have a sense this one will be tougher than expected. Pick -- Clemson
Kentucky at South Carolina -3.0 -- Kentucky has dominated this series, but the Wildcats have serious issues at quarterback. Pick -- South Carolina
Wake Forest at Boston College +6.5 -- The Deacons, the second-best team in the ACC, hit the road to Chestnut Hill. BC getting almost seven points at home is too good to pass up. Pick -- Boston College
Virginia at Notre Dame -12.5 -- I want to believe in Virginia, but I just can't. The Irish gave it their all in Athens last week but came up short. I think home field will be the difference. Pick -- Notre Dame
N.C. State at Florida State -6.5 -- Florida State seems to be getting its act together. N.C. State has played nobody. The road gets rough for the Wolfpack as the Seminoles spring an ambush. Pick -- Florida State
Coastal Carolina at Appalachian State +16.0 -- The Mountaineers return to The Rock after beating the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill last week. Coastal Carolina also has a Power Five victory -- Kansas. App State at home is just to be a hill to climb for the Chants. Pick -- Appalachian State
Southern Cal at Washington -10.0 -- The Trojans are pretty good at home, not so much on the road. Pick -- Washington
Mississippi State at Auburn -11.0 -- I still think Auburn is a fraud, but the sham will continue for one more week. Pick -- Auburn
Washington State at Utah -5.5 -- While Utah was losing yet another game to Southern Cal at the Coliseum last week, Washington State choked in the second half against a bad UCLA team to lose 67-63. Give me home field and the Ute defense. Pick -- Utah
Last Week -- 6-4
For The Season -- 24-16
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Winning Streak Ends At Two Weeks
Penn State failing to cover in its final scheduled meeting against Pitt and N.C. State and Boston College getting run over led to the first losing week of the season.
Boston College's loss to Kansas was really shocking. Prior to beating the Eagles, the Jayhawks had lost 48 straight non-conference road games.
After three weeks, we have learned the ACC has deteriorated beyond recognition and is worse than a five-alarm dumpster fire. Virginia and Wake Forest are now considered No. 2 and No. 3 in the league. Playing in a putrid league means Clemson better not lose a game if it hopes to return to the College Football Playoff.
As we head to the official start of fall on Saturday, we have some games of national significance this week. Notre Dame at Georgia, Michigan at Wisconsin, and Auburn at Texas A&M all will help to start shaping the CFP picture.
As always, picks are are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
South Carolina at Missouri -9.5 -- The Gamecocks moved the ball against Alabama but still got rolled by the Tide. Haven't they seen this Kelly Bryant guy before playing for a different set of Tigers? Bryant reintroduces himself to UofSC. Pick -- Missouri
Charlotte at Clemson -41.5 -- The Clemson spreads have been so massive that it makes it difficult not to take the points. There is great gnashing of teeth by Clemson fans because Trevor Lawrence has shown that he is not Superman. Relax. Take a deep breath. Remember the days when the Tigers were squeezing out one touchdown victories over The Citadel and Furman. It will be okay. Dabo says Charlotte could embarrass Clemson. What??? If you believe that, you also believe football parking at Clemson is cheap and readily available. Pick -- Clemson
Oklahoma State at Texas -5.5 -- The Pokes have won five straight against Texas in Austin, but Texas is the first real team they have played this season. This Saturday, reality wears horns. Real long horns. Pick -- Texas
Notre Dame at Georgia -14.0 -- I think this is this week's gift. The Irish have one of the worst rush defenses in the country. Georgia has a massive offensive line and a stable of running backs. Dawgs walk the Dawg on the Irish. Pick -- Georgia
Tennessee at Florida -14.0 -- Tennessee is bad. Florida has lost its hot dog starting quarterback for the season. I think the Florida defense and home field will be the difference. Pick -- Florida
Michigan at Wisconsin -3.5 -- Michigan gets exposed by the Wisconsin bulldozer and several clueless analysts around the country begin their annual exercise of wondering why they always think the always-disappointing Wolverines will be a factor outside of the Big 10. It happens every year. Until Michigan does something, they need to stop it. Pick -- Wisconsin
Louisville at Florida State -6.5 -- Florida State looks like hot garbage. Is this the week the Seminoles put together a complete game? Probably not. But Louisville is still to early in the rebuilding process to win this one. Even Willie Taggart can't screw this one up. Can he? Pick -- Florida State
Central Florida at Pittsburgh -12.0 -- Pittsburgh can't score. Central Florida can score. And score in bunches. Pick -- Central Florida
Auburn at Texas A&M -4.0 -- Auburn, another fraud, gets exposed by the 12th Man. A&M adds to Clemson's sinking strength of schedule number. Pick -- Texas A&M
Colorado at Arizona State -7.5 -- People laughed and laughed when Arizona State hired Herm Edwards. Edwards has the Sun Devils ranked 24th in the country. Some are still laughing, but they are laughing quietly. Here comes Colorado rumbling off the mountains into the the desert. I like the Devils in the desert heat. Pick -- Arizona State
Last Week -- 4-6
For The Season -- 18-12
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Call Me Butter, I'm On A Roll
The second week of the season brought another 7-3 worksheet. I was robbed of an 8-2 record because Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher managed the last six minutes of his team's 24-10 loss to Clemson as if the national championship was on the line. The Aggies' touchdown with just seconds remaining created a cover for A&M. Hmmm. Add your own conspiracy theories here.
This week's interesting games included a non-conference ACC matchup of undefeated teams in Winston-Salem, Clemson's trip to the Loud House, and the Tide rolling into Columbia.
I like North Carolina and Wake scheduling a non-conference game. Fans would rather see a game against an old rival instead of a game against an unnamed community college.
As always, all picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Friday
North Carolina at Wake Forest -3.0 -- The Tar Heels won just two games last season. They are already 2-0 this season in the first season of the Mack Brown Reunion Tour. Most people turn up their noses when you say "Wake Forest Football," but the Deacons can play. And score. Mack gets his first loss. Pick -- Wake Forest
Kansas at Boston College -21.0 -- The turf is artificial in Chestnut Hill, so there is nothing for Les Miles to eat. AJ Dillon will have a coming out party. Pick -- Boston College
Saturday
Arkansas State at Georgia -33.5 -- The Dawgs roll one more tomato can around Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium before the Fighting Irish come to town. Pick -- Georgia
Alabama at South Carolina +26.5 -- Alabama head coach Nick Saban complained about early kickoff times this week. He says the games are too hot. Roll Tired. After the game, South Carolina will have a complaint -- Why was this game was ever played? Pick -- Alabama
Oklahoma State at Tulsa +14.5 -- No matter how many coaches or players he loses on an annual basis, Mike Gundy knows how to generate offense. The Pokes will bring plenty of weapons to Tulsa and blow away the Hurricanes. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Clemson at Syracuse +27.5 -- Syracuse cannot be that bad. It is just not possible. The Orange got beat from pillar to post in College Park. I don't think looking ahead was a problem for Cuse. But I do think there are issues with the Orange. The Tigers suffocated Texas A&M. The Clemson offense has yet to leave the launch pad. Will this be the game? It has a been a long time since Clemson has been somebody's homecoming opponent. But with the recent history of this game, 27.5 is just too many points. Pick -- Syracuse
Pittsburgh at Penn State -17.0 -- The 100th and final meeting between these two bitter Pennsylvania rivals for the foreseeable future will be a Nittany Lion rout. Pick -- Penn State
N.C. State at West Virginia +6.5 -- This is N.C. State's first real test and it will be no where near a mid-term exam. The Mountaineers currently are a mess. Pick -- N.C. State
Stanford at Central Florida -7.5 -- Stanford got stunned by Southern Cal last Saturday night. The Cardinal now travels East to face Central Florida. Before this game is finished, the Cardinal will be running for the plane. Pick -- Central Florida
Florida at Kentucky +8.0 -- Kentucky finally snapped its lengthy losing streak against Florida last season. I just don't believe in the Gators and eight points is a tricky spread. Pick -- Kentucky
Last Week -- 7-3
For The Season -- 14-6
This week's interesting games included a non-conference ACC matchup of undefeated teams in Winston-Salem, Clemson's trip to the Loud House, and the Tide rolling into Columbia.
I like North Carolina and Wake scheduling a non-conference game. Fans would rather see a game against an old rival instead of a game against an unnamed community college.
As always, all picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Friday
North Carolina at Wake Forest -3.0 -- The Tar Heels won just two games last season. They are already 2-0 this season in the first season of the Mack Brown Reunion Tour. Most people turn up their noses when you say "Wake Forest Football," but the Deacons can play. And score. Mack gets his first loss. Pick -- Wake Forest
Kansas at Boston College -21.0 -- The turf is artificial in Chestnut Hill, so there is nothing for Les Miles to eat. AJ Dillon will have a coming out party. Pick -- Boston College
Saturday
Arkansas State at Georgia -33.5 -- The Dawgs roll one more tomato can around Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium before the Fighting Irish come to town. Pick -- Georgia
Alabama at South Carolina +26.5 -- Alabama head coach Nick Saban complained about early kickoff times this week. He says the games are too hot. Roll Tired. After the game, South Carolina will have a complaint -- Why was this game was ever played? Pick -- Alabama
Oklahoma State at Tulsa +14.5 -- No matter how many coaches or players he loses on an annual basis, Mike Gundy knows how to generate offense. The Pokes will bring plenty of weapons to Tulsa and blow away the Hurricanes. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Clemson at Syracuse +27.5 -- Syracuse cannot be that bad. It is just not possible. The Orange got beat from pillar to post in College Park. I don't think looking ahead was a problem for Cuse. But I do think there are issues with the Orange. The Tigers suffocated Texas A&M. The Clemson offense has yet to leave the launch pad. Will this be the game? It has a been a long time since Clemson has been somebody's homecoming opponent. But with the recent history of this game, 27.5 is just too many points. Pick -- Syracuse
Pittsburgh at Penn State -17.0 -- The 100th and final meeting between these two bitter Pennsylvania rivals for the foreseeable future will be a Nittany Lion rout. Pick -- Penn State
N.C. State at West Virginia +6.5 -- This is N.C. State's first real test and it will be no where near a mid-term exam. The Mountaineers currently are a mess. Pick -- N.C. State
Stanford at Central Florida -7.5 -- Stanford got stunned by Southern Cal last Saturday night. The Cardinal now travels East to face Central Florida. Before this game is finished, the Cardinal will be running for the plane. Pick -- Central Florida
Florida at Kentucky +8.0 -- Kentucky finally snapped its lengthy losing streak against Florida last season. I just don't believe in the Gators and eight points is a tricky spread. Pick -- Kentucky
Last Week -- 7-3
For The Season -- 14-6
Thursday, September 5, 2019
7-3 Is A Good Start
The first week brought a 7-3 worksheet. I'll take 70 percent the rest of the season.
The biggest miss came in the Carolina-Carolina match up. I had a feeling the Heels would play better with Mack Brown at the helm, but I still thought South Carolina would survive. Now, the Gamecocks are 0-1 and missing their No. 1 quarterback with Alabama coming to Columbia a week from Saturday. Good luck with that.
Clemson was sloppy but effective against a Georgia Tech team that is going to be lost for a while because the triple option is gone. I expect Clemson to get past Page 5 of the playbook this week against mouthy Texas A&M.
Next to Oklahoma, I thought Georgia had the best opening week. The Dawgs have an extremely powerful running game and a defense that looks real. Maybe this is the year Georgia finally gets past Alabama.
As always, the weekly selections are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Friday
Wake Forest at Rice +18.0 -- Wake Forest can score. With a just a pinch of defense, they will cover the spread against the mighty Owls. Pick -- Wake Forest
Saturday
Texas A&M at Clemson -18.5 -- The spread is massive. The talking heads have talked about how Clemson survived A&M at College Station last season. What they haven't talked about is the lack of holding calls against Clemson's defensive front and A&M's abundance of dumb luck. The Tigers were flying blind against the Aggies last season. Don't give Brent Venables a full season of tape to watch. Add to defensive preparation the fact A&M has not seen Trevor Lawrence and his tidal wave of wide receivers for an entire game. One Aggie has predicted an upset, which tells me the Aggies don't have a clue what they are about to face in Death Valley. Dabo opens up a can on Jimbo. Pick -- Clemson
South Florida at Georgia Tech -6.0 -- Two teams that got the hell beat out of them in their openers meet in Atlanta. This is the home opener for Georgia Tech head coach Jeff Collins. South Florida is on real slide. I think Tech's enthusiasm will make a difference. Pick -- Georgia Tech
West Virginia at Missouri -14.0 -- Transfer quarterback Kelly Bryant passed for 424 yards and two touchdowns in an opening loss at Wyoming. The Tigers open at home against a rebuilding West Virginia squad. Pick -- Missouri
Syracuse at Maryland -2.0 -- With Clemson on the horizon, this is a serious trap game for Syracuse. This spread has moved during the week. Apparently, Maryland's domination of Howard impressed the bettors. Pick -- Maryland
Nebraska at Colorado +4.5 -- A renewal of one of the great rivalries of the old Big 8. I think home field is the difference for the Buffs. Pick -- Colorado
BYU at Tennessee -3.5 -- All you need to know about last week in Knoxville is a boat on the Tennessee River outside the stadium caught fire and sank. The Vols are in serious trouble. BYU is a mess too. Pick -- BYU
Arkansas at Ole Miss -7.0 -- Two downtrodden members of the SEC meet in Oxford. Arkansas barely survived something called Portland State last week, while Ole Miss stumbled at Memphis. The Rebels/Black Bears/Sharks get it done. Pick -- Ole Miss
LSU at Texas +4.5 -- I said last week's line for the Virginia Tech at Boston College was a gift. I think this line is gift No. 2. Pick -- Texas
Miami (Fla.) at North Carolina +6.0 -- No program spews "We're Back!" more than Miami. My question is when are the Hurricanes coming back? We always hear about the talent, but the results are lacking. The Heels pulled off a surprise in Charlotte with a rebuilt defense and a freshman quarterback. It pains me, but I'm picking the Heels. Pick -- North Carolina
Last Week -- 7-3
Overall -- 7-3
The biggest miss came in the Carolina-Carolina match up. I had a feeling the Heels would play better with Mack Brown at the helm, but I still thought South Carolina would survive. Now, the Gamecocks are 0-1 and missing their No. 1 quarterback with Alabama coming to Columbia a week from Saturday. Good luck with that.
Clemson was sloppy but effective against a Georgia Tech team that is going to be lost for a while because the triple option is gone. I expect Clemson to get past Page 5 of the playbook this week against mouthy Texas A&M.
Next to Oklahoma, I thought Georgia had the best opening week. The Dawgs have an extremely powerful running game and a defense that looks real. Maybe this is the year Georgia finally gets past Alabama.
As always, the weekly selections are against the spread and for entertainment purposes only.
Friday
Wake Forest at Rice +18.0 -- Wake Forest can score. With a just a pinch of defense, they will cover the spread against the mighty Owls. Pick -- Wake Forest
Saturday
Texas A&M at Clemson -18.5 -- The spread is massive. The talking heads have talked about how Clemson survived A&M at College Station last season. What they haven't talked about is the lack of holding calls against Clemson's defensive front and A&M's abundance of dumb luck. The Tigers were flying blind against the Aggies last season. Don't give Brent Venables a full season of tape to watch. Add to defensive preparation the fact A&M has not seen Trevor Lawrence and his tidal wave of wide receivers for an entire game. One Aggie has predicted an upset, which tells me the Aggies don't have a clue what they are about to face in Death Valley. Dabo opens up a can on Jimbo. Pick -- Clemson
South Florida at Georgia Tech -6.0 -- Two teams that got the hell beat out of them in their openers meet in Atlanta. This is the home opener for Georgia Tech head coach Jeff Collins. South Florida is on real slide. I think Tech's enthusiasm will make a difference. Pick -- Georgia Tech
West Virginia at Missouri -14.0 -- Transfer quarterback Kelly Bryant passed for 424 yards and two touchdowns in an opening loss at Wyoming. The Tigers open at home against a rebuilding West Virginia squad. Pick -- Missouri
Syracuse at Maryland -2.0 -- With Clemson on the horizon, this is a serious trap game for Syracuse. This spread has moved during the week. Apparently, Maryland's domination of Howard impressed the bettors. Pick -- Maryland
Nebraska at Colorado +4.5 -- A renewal of one of the great rivalries of the old Big 8. I think home field is the difference for the Buffs. Pick -- Colorado
BYU at Tennessee -3.5 -- All you need to know about last week in Knoxville is a boat on the Tennessee River outside the stadium caught fire and sank. The Vols are in serious trouble. BYU is a mess too. Pick -- BYU
Arkansas at Ole Miss -7.0 -- Two downtrodden members of the SEC meet in Oxford. Arkansas barely survived something called Portland State last week, while Ole Miss stumbled at Memphis. The Rebels/Black Bears/Sharks get it done. Pick -- Ole Miss
LSU at Texas +4.5 -- I said last week's line for the Virginia Tech at Boston College was a gift. I think this line is gift No. 2. Pick -- Texas
Miami (Fla.) at North Carolina +6.0 -- No program spews "We're Back!" more than Miami. My question is when are the Hurricanes coming back? We always hear about the talent, but the results are lacking. The Heels pulled off a surprise in Charlotte with a rebuilt defense and a freshman quarterback. It pains me, but I'm picking the Heels. Pick -- North Carolina
Last Week -- 7-3
Overall -- 7-3
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Let's Get It On! Week One Is Finally Here
Okay, the talking is finished.
Thank goodness.
The whining from Tuscaloosa and national media's attempts to disrupt Clemson got tiresome. The "Kelly Bryant not getting a ring story" was just stupid. Then there was the annual complaint from sports business reporter Darren Rovell about Clemson players taking themselves off of social media during the season. Stupid story No. 2. Let's move on.
Even though it feels as if the off-season took forever, here is an interesting note -- This was Clemson shortest off-season ever. Won the national championship on Jan. 7. Open the 2019 season on Aug. 29.
Let's get it on.
I am not going to waste a lot of time getting to the picks because it's Wednesday morning and Clemson opens Thursday night.
Here are this week's selections.
All picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes
Thursday
Georgia Tech at Clemson -37 -- Forget finding tickets. Clemson fans have been losing their minds trying to figure out how to get the new ACC Network. This is the first live game on ACCN, which went on the air last week. The Tigers will celebrate a historic 2018 and then kickoff 2019. This should be the most dynamic offense in Clemson history. Questions remain about the defense, but defensive coordinator Brent Venables has been relatively calm in the preseason. He has proven before he can build a defense with whatever parts are provided. Georgia Tech has ditched the triple option. New Tech head coach Jeff Collins does not have a depth chart. He just lists the players who might play. Tech calls it ATL -- Above The Line. The Tigers will have to adjust to the new-look Jackets on the fly. I think the Tigers will roll, but 37 points is too much for an opener. Pick -- Georgia Tech
Utah at Brigham Young +5.5 -- This is a huge rivalry for an opener. ESPN's Lee Corso has picked Utah as a playoff team. That's enough for me to pick the Cougars. Pick -- Brigham Young
Friday
Oklahoma State at Oregon State +14.5 -- The Pokes travel West to take on one of the worst teams in the Pac 12. Pistols firing. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Utah State at Wake Forest -3.5 -- Utah State is touting quarterback Jordan Love as a Heisman Trophy candidate. One of their promo items is a package of candy hearts. Get it? Wake has two quarterbacks who can play -- Sam Hartman and Jamie Newman. The Deacons go fast. Real fast. This game could provide a lot of fireworks. Pick -- Wake Forest
Colorado State at Colorado -13.5 -- Colorado owns this rivalry. Pick -- Colorado
Saturday
South Carolina vs. North Carolina +10.0 -- On paper, this looks like Will Muschamp's best team in Columbia. But the Gamecock schedule is brutal. Mack Brown surprised most of the free world by coming out of the ESPN broadcast booth to dive on a massive hand grenade in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels blew several games in the fourth quarter last season. Brown will make them better, but the Heels just don't have enough talent to hang with the Gamecocks. Pick -- South Carolina
Georgia at Vanderbilt -21.5 -- The Dawgs are a playoff caliber team and a national championship contender. Their quest to get another shot at SEC kingpin Alabama begins in Music City. Openers are tricky and Vandy has a history of giving Georgia problems in Nashville. But I believe the Dawgs will roll. Pick -- Georgia
Virginia Tech at Boston College +2 -- I double checked and triple checked this spread. I think this is a gift. Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster is starting his final season. The Hokies were not good on defense in 2018. The Eagles have one of the best running backs in the country in AJ Dillon. BC head coach Steve Addazio also likes his passing game. Dare I say stone cold lock? Pick -- Boston College
Northwestern at Stanford -6.5 -- Clemson transfer Hunter Johnson joins Kelly Bryant (Missouri) as former Clemson quarterbacks who are now starting somewhere else. The Wildcats won the Big 10 West last season. You can count on Stanford being big and physical. Home field is the difference. Pick -- Stanford
Virginia at Pittsburgh +2.5 -- This is a massive game in the ACC Coastal Division. Pitt is the defending Coastal champ. The Cavaliers, led by dual threat quarterback Bryce Perkins, is on the rise. Pitt rallied in the second half to Virginia in Charlottesville last season. The winner of this game takes the inside track to the Coastal Division title. Pick -- Virginia
Thank goodness.
The whining from Tuscaloosa and national media's attempts to disrupt Clemson got tiresome. The "Kelly Bryant not getting a ring story" was just stupid. Then there was the annual complaint from sports business reporter Darren Rovell about Clemson players taking themselves off of social media during the season. Stupid story No. 2. Let's move on.
Even though it feels as if the off-season took forever, here is an interesting note -- This was Clemson shortest off-season ever. Won the national championship on Jan. 7. Open the 2019 season on Aug. 29.
Let's get it on.
I am not going to waste a lot of time getting to the picks because it's Wednesday morning and Clemson opens Thursday night.
Here are this week's selections.
All picks are against the spread and for entertainment purposes
Thursday
Georgia Tech at Clemson -37 -- Forget finding tickets. Clemson fans have been losing their minds trying to figure out how to get the new ACC Network. This is the first live game on ACCN, which went on the air last week. The Tigers will celebrate a historic 2018 and then kickoff 2019. This should be the most dynamic offense in Clemson history. Questions remain about the defense, but defensive coordinator Brent Venables has been relatively calm in the preseason. He has proven before he can build a defense with whatever parts are provided. Georgia Tech has ditched the triple option. New Tech head coach Jeff Collins does not have a depth chart. He just lists the players who might play. Tech calls it ATL -- Above The Line. The Tigers will have to adjust to the new-look Jackets on the fly. I think the Tigers will roll, but 37 points is too much for an opener. Pick -- Georgia Tech
Utah at Brigham Young +5.5 -- This is a huge rivalry for an opener. ESPN's Lee Corso has picked Utah as a playoff team. That's enough for me to pick the Cougars. Pick -- Brigham Young
Friday
Oklahoma State at Oregon State +14.5 -- The Pokes travel West to take on one of the worst teams in the Pac 12. Pistols firing. Pick -- Oklahoma State
Utah State at Wake Forest -3.5 -- Utah State is touting quarterback Jordan Love as a Heisman Trophy candidate. One of their promo items is a package of candy hearts. Get it? Wake has two quarterbacks who can play -- Sam Hartman and Jamie Newman. The Deacons go fast. Real fast. This game could provide a lot of fireworks. Pick -- Wake Forest
Colorado State at Colorado -13.5 -- Colorado owns this rivalry. Pick -- Colorado
Saturday
South Carolina vs. North Carolina +10.0 -- On paper, this looks like Will Muschamp's best team in Columbia. But the Gamecock schedule is brutal. Mack Brown surprised most of the free world by coming out of the ESPN broadcast booth to dive on a massive hand grenade in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels blew several games in the fourth quarter last season. Brown will make them better, but the Heels just don't have enough talent to hang with the Gamecocks. Pick -- South Carolina
Georgia at Vanderbilt -21.5 -- The Dawgs are a playoff caliber team and a national championship contender. Their quest to get another shot at SEC kingpin Alabama begins in Music City. Openers are tricky and Vandy has a history of giving Georgia problems in Nashville. But I believe the Dawgs will roll. Pick -- Georgia
Virginia Tech at Boston College +2 -- I double checked and triple checked this spread. I think this is a gift. Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster is starting his final season. The Hokies were not good on defense in 2018. The Eagles have one of the best running backs in the country in AJ Dillon. BC head coach Steve Addazio also likes his passing game. Dare I say stone cold lock? Pick -- Boston College
Northwestern at Stanford -6.5 -- Clemson transfer Hunter Johnson joins Kelly Bryant (Missouri) as former Clemson quarterbacks who are now starting somewhere else. The Wildcats won the Big 10 West last season. You can count on Stanford being big and physical. Home field is the difference. Pick -- Stanford
Virginia at Pittsburgh +2.5 -- This is a massive game in the ACC Coastal Division. Pitt is the defending Coastal champ. The Cavaliers, led by dual threat quarterback Bryce Perkins, is on the rise. Pitt rallied in the second half to Virginia in Charlottesville last season. The winner of this game takes the inside track to the Coastal Division title. Pick -- Virginia
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