Monthly Archives: October 2021

Bye Week

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Usually saying bye about a week in football means a team is off. In this case they were really off and we bid them farewell. Penn St has left the CFP discussion and Clemson may finally be recognized for the underachieving team they are this year. Coastal Carolina took a big L against App St and now the division runs through Boone again. The Cincinnati struggle win is more than acceptable since it came against a triple option squad. Oklahoma’s struggle win is not. Kansas is a long way from good at the moment and there was no reason it was decided in part by a questionable (blown) call on 4th down. On those rare crazy Saturdays with upsets and close calls, you just hope to survive and advance.

I was in Bryant Denny enjoying the cigar smoke filled remnants of the 15th straight victory over the Volunteers. While Alabama is off this weekend, the Big 10 East is on full display. Penn St travels to Ohio St while Michigan visits Michigan St. That division will be beating each other up over the next few weeks, so good luck if you have futures action on any of them. A Texas Tech team whose coach was just fired despite having a winning record this year goes to the unpredictable Oklahoma Sooners. I’m not touching that game. Ole Miss goes to Lee County to take on Auburn. I wanted to bet this game three different ways, but Ole Miss struggles on the road and, well, Lee County, so I avoided this one as well.

Another Monday Night Football win. I went 3-2 in college games bringing me to 27-16. I barely missed the Teaser. This week I am taking Florida St (+10) at Clemson. I like the Over (+47) for Kentucky at Miss St despite UK’s solid defense. The Over (+47.5) for Iowa St at West Virginia is my pick as is the Over (+51) for the Cocktail Party called Georgia v Florida. Lastly, I am gambling on Oregon St (-1.5) at Cal. And of course I have the Parlay and Teaser in play.

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Homecoming

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Apparently, Lane Kiffin brings out the worst in those in work release orange. Despite being in elementary school at the time he left Knoxville, the students decided to throw everything they could on the field when a call and review did not go their way. Looked short to me and I didn’t see enough to overturn.

In actual football news, Purdue ruined Iowa’s CFP hopes. Sure, a one loss Big 10 champ could easily make the playoffs, but that kind of loss virtually ends it for Iowa. The illusion of chaos continues as teams ranked before they actually played a game keep losing to those not as liked by sports writers. I’m not sure which is more inexplicable, Syracuse losing late when they had the games in hand or Clemson winning when they have no business to. Perhaps it’s Texas blowing double digit leads.

This week is my favorite. Vol Week. I look forward to my day in Tuscaloosa and the hope of a nice cigar after the game. No ranked matchups this week, but still plenty of good action for those who seek it. Traditional games abound. USC/Notre Dame and Ole Miss/LSU should be classic games. Clemson has another bullet to dodge in their goal to remain nationally relevant when they travel to Pitt. Sneaky good games of the week are Ok St at Iowa St and San Diego St at Air Force.

Another solid weekend. Another Monday Night Football victory. I went 4-1 in college games which moves me to 24-14. In other words, I am up. I wasn’t overly excited about the action this week, but here’s where I placed my bets. NC St (-3.5) at Miami and I’ll take Northern Illinois (+5.5) at Central Michigan and the Fighting McElwain’s. You know I took Pitt (-3) hosting Clemson. The Tigers are 0-6 ATS. I grabbed a couple of Overs in Ohio St @ Indiana (+60) and Northwestern @ Michigan (+51). And as usual I took a Parlay and a Teaser.

All Good Things

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One might think this season has brought chaos so far. I would argue that it has brought normality. Losses by Alabama and Ohio St have hardly removed them form CFP dreams. Clemson falling was predicted on the Preseason show, so I am not surprised there. Since I had Cincinnati in the playoffs, that too seems to be in form. The impact of a rowdy, packed house cannot be understated. Nor can the time it takes for a team to gel. We are still only halfway home with lots left to play out.

This weekend has some rather large SEC matchups. UK visiting UGA is going to be more important than the Cocktail Party this year. Winner takes a commanding lead in the East. I think the Dawgs are just too strong there. Bama travels to Clanga, excuse me, Miss St, to deal with Cowbell Nation. It’s a tough place to bounce back at and those Dogs could be undefeated if for better officiating. Arkansas hosts Auburn and LSU hosts Florida in important pecking order games. Texas welcomes Oklahoma St in a ranked matchup in the BIG12. Watchout for the Longhorns as the figure out Sark’s offense.

After a disaster of a week picking, I found redemption. Once again, I hit Monday Night Football in the NFL, this time also hitting a player prop parlay. I went 5-0 last week, which means I also hit the Parlay and the Teaser. That makes for a happy check of the balance and brings me to 20-13 on the season. I start again with a Friday night game. I take Syracuse (+14) against Clemson. The Tigers have showed very little so far this season and the Orange seem to play everyone close. I’m going with three on the Over again, UCF @ Cincinnati (+57.5), Alabama @ Miss St (+57.5), and Arizona St @ Utah (+51). And I lay the points with Arkansas (-3.5) against Auburn. That line has moved since I got in and the Hogs are even larger faves.

Statements Made

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The good favorites covered and covered hard this weekend. Six top 15 teams fell and Cincinnati handled the business in front of them. Officiating cost some teams again this weekend and until a national system replaces the conference system, we will continue to see subpar refs and head scratching replay decisions. Clemson is not a top 25 team and the ACC looks like a Group of 5 conference. Kentucky beat Florida in Lexington for the first time since the pre-Spurrier era. Mullin teams lose four games a year. My biggest takeaway is that Miss St should probably be undefeated right now. Let that sink in. And, while you were sleeping, Hawaii knocked off a ranked Fresno St team which makes my Nevada pick in the MWC look more realistic. And show some love to Oregon St for being first in the PAC 12 North.

It’s now time to start looking at who has separated themselves from the pack. The top two teams are easy and you can put them in whichever order you like. But the chaos starts at number three. My top five is Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Cincinnati, Oklahoma.

This week we get some incredible match ups. Red River at the Texas State Fair happens, and I think this is an absolute tossup. UGA and Auburn in an earlier than usual matchup. I see the Bulldogs big here. Arkansas and Ole Miss meet to see who is the number two team in the SEC West. But the marquee game is Penn St at Iowa. The under may be the play here, but Penn St needs the win more as the East is loaded and the West is not as deep. Iowa can lose and still make the title game with ease. LSU at UK should provide entertainment and let us know if the Wildcats can avoid the emotional rollercoaster. I think they can. Coach O may want to update his CV.

I took it on the chin last week. 1-5 counting the bonus pick takes me to 15-13. This is the worst I’ve been this late ever. But, it only takes one week to go one way or the other. Even the crew of Daily Wager took it on the chin last weekend. Although, I did hit Monday Night Football for the 2nd straight week. This week I have three Overs – South Carolina @ Tennessee (+53), Arkansas @ Ole Miss (+66), and Maryland @ Ohio St (+68.5). I took Kentucky (-3) when they host LSU and I’ll start off the weekend with the Friday game and go with Charlotte (-3.5) @ Florida International.