Boise State at Fresno State (Thursday)
Rutgers at Louisville (Friday)
Texas A&M at Oklahoma
Connecticut at Pittsburgh
Maryland at North Carolina
Florida at South Carolina
Central Michigan at Western Michigan
Baylor at Missouri
Georgia Tech at Virginia
USC at California
LSU at Alabama
Stanford at Oregon State
Arizona State at UCLA
Colorado at Iowa State
North Carolina State at Boston College
Auburn at Georgia
Oregon at Washington State
plus the Big 10...OF COURSE!
6 comments:
Fresno St
Louisville
Oklahoma
Pittsburgh
North Carolina
Florida
Central Michigan
Missouri
Georgia Tech
USC
LSU
Stanford
UCLA
Colorado
Boston College
Auburn
Oregon
Purdue
Michigan
Wisconsin
Michigan St
Ohio State
Louisville
Oak
UConn
NC
Fla
Cent Mich
Mizzou
GT
USC
Bama
Oregon St
Colorado
BC
Auburn
Oregon
Purude
Mich
Wisc
MN
OSU
You missed:
Arizona St at UCLA
Boise St at Fresno St
UCLA
Fresno St
Fresno State
Louisville
Oklahoma
Pitt
UNC
South Carolina
Western Michigan
Missouri
Virginia
USC
Alabama
Oregon State
UCLA
Colorado
BC
Auburn
Oregon
Purdue
Michigan
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Ohio State
If you remember back a few weeks ago I was high on Arizona to get a breakthrough win in the Pac 10 but after a few dissapointing losses I fell of their bandwagon. Sure enough, the next week they win and then last week they topple UCLA. I thought AZ was going to play the spoiler this year but I did not think it was going to take this long to develop. I look for them to be a much improved team next year. Yet even with the Arizona debacle I ended with a decent winning percentage. At this point in the season there should be fewer surprises but this weeks games feature some fairly evenly matched teams. It's time for the weeks of watching too much college football to start to pay off...
Louisville
I have never been high on Louis vil- as I thought they earned their improved reputation going into the season based on the fact they almost beat an overrated Miami team last year. As a result I have secretly been rooting against them to confirm by theory. Unfortunately for me, Loiusville seems to play teams like Rutgers every week. I think Rutgers is not awful but they are not good enough to beat an average Louisville club. I think it will be painful to watch.
Oklahoma
It would be nice to see Ok fall to a bad a and m squad but Ok will rally enough to get to the alamo bowl and this game should not be within a TD.
Conn
How do you distinguish between any team in the crappy (big) east? Pitt is dreadful this year and while they seem to be playing better as of late I think Conn has slightly better talent. Is it too soon for Pitt to be looking for a new coach?
North Carolina
I have not seen either of these teams play this year so they remain a bit of a mystery to me. My guess is that they are about the same- louisville average teams that can on occasion play very well. I think Carolina will squeak it out in OT.
South Carolina
The smart money is on FL. They are the better team, they are playing better recently and they need to win to get to a 1st class bowl game. The problem is that I am not convinced this team is better than average. They probably should have lost to Vandy last week- how sad and unfair is that by the way- a team that is supposed to be elite should not struggle with Vandy. If SC can jump out to a lead look out. This is not a pick b/c Spurrier will want to beat Fl but a pick against the FL D which I think will keep SC in the game and then a big D play will put SC over the top.
Western Michigan
I have no idea but they are at home.
Mizzou
This is no gimmie for MU. Baylor is clearly improved but I think they do not have two road upsets in them this year. On the other side, when will MU turn the corner? They need to fire the coach.
Virginia
This is another team that is overrated but I think GT is the kind of team VA can beat, an inconsistent Q and a less than solid D. At Home VA should get it done.
USC
I am tempted here. USC is likley to lose against an unexpected opponent rather than a highly regarded one. Everyone seems to be writing off Cal and this is the perfect time for an upset. Cal has not played well lately and I expect them to be pissed and ready for USC. I think Cal can score with USC but it is that damn D that prevents me from picking Cal. I just do not think they can stop USC in the 4th when they absolutely must stop them.
LSU
Look, I watched this bama team less than a year ago and yes they have a lot of speed on D but it is not that great. Plus, their offense is horrible. I firmly believe that the tide are overrated. If they are number 3 than the gophers should be number 2 in the nation. The problem this week is that LSU is not that great either. I would not be surprised to see bama win but I just think their poor O is going to catch-up with them before the year is over. By the way if the gophs played bama again this year we would still gain 250 yards on the ground.
Oregon State
Stanford will save their energy for Cal next week and OSU needs to win. Basically I just think Stanford is a pretender and cannot sustain good play for more than 2 quarters.
UCLA
What has happened to ASU? the arizona teams are head cases and I cannot figure them out. UCLA should play better this week and I just have to stay away from Arizona teams this week.
Colorado
I want to pick ISU but I think Col has a genuinely better team. It proves that sexist behavior and recruiting pays dividends. Sorry but I am tired of Col and gary barnett- the only positive purpose they serve is to beat OU and NEB.
BC
bc is not going to lose two weeks in a row to a weaker team. Shouldn't Chuckie A be on the hot seat by now in NCST?
Auburn
I think every year someone says Georgia will be great and every year they turn out to be only pretty good. This year is not different and after this game you can officially put the fork in them.
Oregon
This is probably the best low profile program in the country over the last 10 years. Instead of talking about SEC all the time the south loving media should send some love to Oregon. They should skate to a win here.
Big Ten
Bet the mortgage and first born
Michigan 49
Indiana 14
After watching Ind up close they look sickly. Michigan's LBs and D line could cripple Powers before the day is over. Chad Henne should look good too!
lock of the week
Ohio State 41
Northwestern 20
I think NW will move the ball at times against OSU but they will not stop the Smith express. Even if the lock of the week as been a sign of certain upset it will not happen this week, OSU is just too good and NW's D is still that bad.
Wisconsin 27
Iowa 23
A close match-up on paper, but for some reason Iowa just doesn't look like a typical Iowa team. I think their D is a notch weaker this year and their O has struggled all year. Wisc D is ave. at best so Iowa should score some but Wisc. is better in the skilled positions on O and that will give Iowa trouble.
Michigan State 45
Minnesota 34
I cannot figure MSU this year. A month ago I would have said Mn has no chance against them but now they look like a team falling apart. My pick is based on Mn history and glen mason. The gophs have not put back-to-back wins together yet in Big ten play and history shows that Mn finishes the season poorly. Plus, Mason will undoubtly have the team ill-prepared and flat for the game. Mn cannot stop the spread- especially wide outs running free over the middle and this will kill Mn. In addition, MSU has been one of the few teams to stop our run over the last two years and I expect mn will struggle running the ball. In short, MSU needs this win to go to a bowl and Mn cannot play well consistently enough to capitalize against a struggling team.
p.s. Since the goblins are now out of contention for the blue ox I can safely say that I have enjoyed this years FFL more than any other year I can ever remember. I don't mind losing at all and I had a lot of fun. I think the website has a lot to do with it so thanks to andy for all the hard work and it seems we have had a lot of good and interesting posts all season. I wish I could have engaged more but my time was so short this fall I could only watch most of the time. I look forward to more good action next year when Smith and Sutton dominate the league! :)
Thanks everyone! College Football is great!
good luck!
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