Posted on Saturday 21 October 2006
OK, after a few busy weekends, let’s try to pick some college football games again and see how I do.
- Illinois at Penn St.: (Line is Penn St. by 18.5) The Illini seem to have done better on the road. But, the Illini are just in shambles. Do I give them the line or not? Naw. Penn St. 28, Illini 7
- Indiana at Ohio St.: (Line is Ohio St. by 31) This is a Hoosier team with the most momentum that the program’s had in over a decade after wins at Illinois and against a ranked Iowa team. Unfortunately for them, this is the best Buckeyes team since about 1998. You have to go back to 1988 for the last time the Hoosiers beat the Buckeyes and they’d have to pull the biggest upset in their programs history (by about 2 orders of magnitude) to break that streak this year. Ohio St. 38, Indiana 14
- Texas at Nebraska: (Line is Texas by 6) All of a sudden, the sports writers seem to be lauding what a great rookie QB Colt McCoy is…which is something I pointed out weeks ago. Even though Nebraska is better, I still don’t think they have the horses to compete with the Longhorns right now. Texas 31, Nebraska 10
- UCLA at Notre Dame: (Line is ND by 13.5) Notre Dame will use this as a statement game since the Bruins are an extremely weak 4-2 right now (as Pac-10 teams usually are). ND 34, UCLA 7
- Iowa at Michigan: (Line is Michigan by 13.5) The biggest loser in last week’s Indiana upset of Iowa was Michigan. Now, instead having the chance to beat a top 15 team to move up in the eyes of the pollsters, they’re playing the laughingstock of the Big Ten in a game that a blowout is expected. The Buckeyes were much luckier that they got to beat this weak Hawkeye team when everyone still thought they were pretty good. Michigan 38 Iowa 14
- Alabama at Tennessee: (Line is Tennessee by 11) I’ve got a feeling that this has the makings of an upset. The SEC teams seem to just continue cannibalizing each other and Tennessee hasn’t had a beatdown laid on them in several weeks since the Florida game. So, for no logical reason whatsoever, I’ll say: Alabama 21, Tennessee 20
- Boston College at Florida St.: (Line is Florida St. by 7) I was really surprised that the Seminoles were favored in this game even though it’s at home. Last I checked, Florida St. was still plagued by injuries and an incompetent offensive coordinator. BC 28, Florida St. 24
- Rutgers at Pittsburgh: (Line is Pittsburgh by 6.5) Who had this game circled at the beginning of the season, where we now have an undefeated Rutgers team playing a one-loss Pittsburgh team? Too bad we couldn’t see what these teams’ records would be if they were in the SEC instead of Big East. Pitt has the top rated QB in the nation, so you’ve gotta go with them at home. Pitt 21, Rutgers 17
- Georgia Tech at Clemson: (Line is Clemson at 7) If there’s one game Clemson has to prove that they’re not going to fall in their typical pattern of underachieving about this time of year, this is it. Can they shut down WR Calvin Johnson of the Jackets? Let’s hope or else this could be ugly. Don’t make me look stupid, Tigers. Clemson 38 Georgia Tech 28
Tags: Clemson, football, illini, Illinois, ncaa-football, Ohio State
Looks like you didn’t have too much to worry about with the tigers. 7 point spread? Why don’t we just multiply that by 4. Then tack on three more for good measure.
I don’t think anyone foresaw the Tigers holding Calvin Johnson to zero catches on the evening. If only they made that extra point against Boston College…
Let’s not talk about it. I still believe that everyone else in the top ten could lose the rest of their games this season. That’d put us up at the top, right? Or hey, I’ll even say Ohio can finish out the season with just 1 or 2 losses. We’ll still make it to the championship right? In the words of that kid from Angel’s in the Outfield, “Hey, It can happen!”
There’s some technical difficulties for Clemson. First, BC has to lose another conference game or else they won’t even make it to the ACC championship.
Ohio State and Michigan’s schedule before their matchup consists of Ball State, Indiana, Illinois, Northwestern, and Minnesota. They’ll probably be favored by at least 20 in each of those games (and that’s being conservative). In other words, there’s a very high probabilty that both OSU and Michigan will be undefeated in their match-up and that the winner is assured a BCS championship birth.
They have to hope USC loses, which looks more likely each week (e.g., Cal, Oregon, and Notre Dame are still on their schedule), but isn’t a foregone conclusion.
But, then, they have the problem that winner of West Virginia-Louisville will more than likely be undefeated and have the inside track on the second BCS championship birth. Pretty much their only shot for this winner getting beaten is Rutgers and lord knows you’re in trouble when your goals depend on the Scarlet Knights.
Finally, if either Florida or Auburn or Tennessee wins out, I have a feeling that they would be considered a stronger one loss team since the SEC is much better than the ACC this year.
Stranger things have happened, but putting the extra point through the uprights would have helped immensely.
So, I just realized an error in my first comment. Our SCORE was 31, not the final spread. So. —>”why don’t we just multiply it by almost 4?”
There, fixed.
I’d like to point out that this thread is now a moot point.