In total, 5-0 picking winners and 3-1 against the spread. That brings Cover Two to 19-4 picking winners and 12-9 against Vegas on the season. (If only we supported actual wagering - we don't) No wonder I walked around happy all week.
I've been lost in the grey and rain of the UK (my apologies below to Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton - stones!) for the past 24 hours to really know what to expect tomorrow in college football. So, let's dive into the meaty games with reckless abandon...
#22 Penn State @ #17 Iowa -7
How in the world is Penn State still ranked?! Look, I know their only loss was on the road to the High and Almighty team in the land, but loss isn't the word I would use in that game. Massacre, humbling, eye-opener are all appropriate terms. The Nittany Lions can't pass (QB needs to age much more betterer quicklierly - is that fast enough?), which means Royster is seeing 8-9 guys every time he touches the ball. Don't worry, you're only facing one of the best front 7's in all of football... ON THE ROAD. Iowa, meanwhile, can't escape the early mistakes in that road loss to Arizona. It will be 30 minutes of football they can't have back. If Temple can take an early lead on Penn State in Happy Valley, I think Iowa can pitch a first half shutout and cruise control to victory...
Iowa 24, Penn State 10
#11 Wisconsin @ #24 Michigan State +2
Now we're talking!!! There is nothing really sexy about this game except the top 25 matchup, yet I think it will be worth watching more than any big game all weekend. It'll be cold(er) and loud in East Lansing. And, I bet we get at least 6-8 one-on-one collisions between John Clay (grizzly bear) and Greg Jones during the game, which is well worth the price of admission. That's 500 pounds of granite going to work. [Side note: Both of these guys are 6'1" tall and weigh around 1/8 of a ton. You know what is considered obese at that height? 227 pounds. Sure, proper calculations take body mass into account, but c'mon!] Back to the game, Wisconsin has only looked human once this year, when they escaped at home against the speed and spread of Arizona State. Sparty can sling it, but this is Big Ten football, and nobody does Big Ten football like the Badgers. Statement game for them...
Badgers 27, Michigan State 23
#21 Texas vs. #9 Oklahoma -3.5
Did most of the country miss the UCLA-Texas debacle? Were we all too busy watching Ryan Mallett play catch with the Alabama secondary? Because something happened to pull the skirt up on the Longhorns and reveal something they didn't want discovered. I was hoping for a Mack Brown press conference where he channeled Rick Pitino and said, "Folks, Colt McCoy is not coming through that door. Earl Thomas is not coming through that door. Sergio Kindle is not coming through that door." But, you know who could come through that door? Anybody from the Bruins' backfield. Sweet Jeebus, that was a crazy thing to see. And now, the Red River Rivalry might as well take a year off and be named the Pink Puddle Pasting. Yes, Oklahoma has escaped in every game played this year except the dismantling of Florida State. Yes, they are young too. Yes, the 'Horns have owned them of late. But... Did you see Texas last weekend?!
Oklahoma 38, Texas 24
#7 Florida @ #1 Alabama -8
It is going to be really hard to convince my wife that date night is going to involve her, me, gators, elephants, Verne Lundquist, ducks, smart people and the Kirk Herbstreit-Brent Musberger super duo. I thought Bama were the champs before the season started, after the Penn State waxing, before the comeback in Hog country, especially after that game and still today. But, it is hard to fathom their current schedule (@ South Carolina next weekend). If they are 6-0 10 days from now, shine the trophy and get Saban to smile. I love how some experts say that Florida found their offense last week against Kentucky. Read the last two words of the previous sentence and do a little thinking. The Gators have everything they normally do, except execution and a star. Plenty of 5-stars, but nobody who has really decided to shine. I think this is a VERY interesting game if they played in the Swamp, but my kinfolk-in-law know what this game means.
Bama 30, Florida 20
#9 Stanford @ #4 Oregon -7
Did I say that Michigan State versus Wisconsin would end up being the best game of the weekend?! My apologies. I think I just wanted to diminish this game in my mind as much as possible since half of my day-job staff is out there on business and scored tickets. (Note: I could have been there with them, but elected to give up my spot in favor of my member-guest tomorrow morning, where temps will be hovering in the low 40's with rain - I am so obsessed with golf that I still feel like I am getting the better deal) When has either of these teams looked bad so far this year? Answer: they haven't. I don't think Oregon can stop Stanford from scoring when they want (despite the Nike home crowd). Stanford pushed Notre Dame around last week, but Oregon probably has the best speed of any team in the country at the offensive skill positions. Sort of like a tree in the woods... If a player is too fast for a big linebacker to catch him, can he crush his skull in? (Brain cramp?) The spread tells you everything the experts know... It will be high scoring, anybody could win, but the home team usually does. I love the Stanford-Harbaugh story, but they needed Oregon at home this year to live the dream... (I am actually predicting a push, but want to have some fake action)
Ducks 38, Tree 31.5 [That means I am hedging with Stanford to cover]
Now, I need to find a good way to make those games above appear romantic. Thinking.......
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