Tag Archives: AAC

Week 10 – Cocktails Along the River

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One month remains in the march to championship weekend. Teams are beginning to feel the pressure and drop games they really shouldn’t.

Oklahoma has lost its safety net and Notre Dame is now playing for bowl positioning. Nebraska and Texas once again proved that the experts occasionally look at the name on the front instead of the facts when making their preseason picks.

The big boys are all off this weekend (except Clemson plays Wofford). The nation should turn its gaze to the Sunshine State. The game that used to mean something will be interesting as Miami visits Florida St. The Cocktail Party will decide the SEC East. I still like Florida, but I’ve been wrong this season before. And kudos to ABC/ESPN for properly making SMU at Memphis the prime-time game. Oregon lines up for its big test at USC. Should be a great day to watch college football.

Last week my Vegas 5 went 2-3 dropping me to 24-21. I need to get better if I want to stay above water. In Top 25/SEC, I went 9-9 putting me at 110-91 for the year.

This week I take Florida (+6.5) against Georgia. I like Utah (-3) at Washington and the Under (58.5) when Miss St goes to Arkansas. I want the Over (47) for Virginia at North Carolina and Hawaii (-2.5) against Fresno St.

Where’s your action?

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Week 9 – Homecoming

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Officiating throughout the nation continues to be poor. And for that matter, so does commentary during games.

The big story involves Tua’s ankle, but the boys in the dessert don’t seem concerned for this weekend. LSU has the big matchup in the South. Can Auburn’s D hold up the dynamic and balanced Bengal Tigers O? Auburn is relegated to a Florida bowl game with a loss and with a win hope remains for bigger prizes. Wisconsin got the shocker last weekend. How much was looking ahead? I’ll let you know next week. Ohio State has looked solid, but here comes the beginning of their tests.

BYU seems to win the games they aren’t supposed to and drop the gimme games. Boise St received the latest upset in the Cougars rollercoaster of love. The Group of 5 rep for the New Year’s 6 may go down to the wire. Conference strength should be a factor and that gives the edge to the AAC and MWC. How much cannibalization occurs and does that open the door for App St? We shall see. I’m hoping for an Air Force v Washington St Vegas Bowl. That would be wild.

I rebounded slightly last week going 3-2 in the Vegas 5. Arizona let me down while the Tua injury may have cost me the Over. I now sit at 22-18. In Top 25/SEC action I went 15-7 which brings me to 101-82.

This week I start with TCU (+1.5) over Texas, Wisconsin (+14.5) against Ohio St, and the Under (59) with Syracuse v Florida St. I close with Temple (+10.5) against UCF and Oregon (-14) over Washington St.

Who do you have?

Week 6 – Take a Breathe

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Another scorching hot afternoon in Tuscaloosa, but don’t worry, Bama should finally get a night game once the temperature drops. Ah, commercial television.

Things we learned over the last weekend included Maryland not being the same offense as the first two games, Miss St seems to always get smashed in Lee County, and Nebraska is more than a year away.

Finally, we get a full slate of big games this weekend. Auburn at Florida will be the most telling game in my opinion. The Tiger D Line is the best in college football. Can Michigan come through in a big game against Iowa? If their O doesn’t show, then no. The PAC 12 is loaded with great match ups that we brave few plan to fall asleep on the couch watching. TCU v Iowa St is the sneaky good game this go around. Air Force plays Navy as the Commander in Chief Trophy cranks up. Va Tech at Miami used to be a game. But the atmosphere I’d like to be at is Friday night when UCF travels to Cincinnati.

Another 4-1 effort in my Vegas 5 makes me feel better than my miserable 7-12 whiff in Top 25 and SEC games. For the season I sit at 16-9 and 70-53 respectively.

The Vegas 5 for this week starts with the Over (73) when Utah St travels to LSU. Kansas St (-1.5) covers against Baylor, but the Bears are playing well. Maryland (-12.5) gets healthy against Rutgers. Oklahoma at Kansas goes Over (67.5). Lastly, Oregon (-17.5) covers against Cal.

Who do you pick?

Week 5 – Rebounding

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What a brutal week for many.

Michigan faced a cold reality, Washington St blew an epic lead against a bad team, and UCF found out that playing Power 5 teams back to back is not as easy as they thought. Oh, and the poor Rutgers QB that was slapped upside the head by his own lineman got attention he didn’t want. Officiating continues to be dreadful throughout the nation. Auburn @ Texas A&M has both teams wondering what pass interference really is. The PAC 12 continues to amaze with their ineptitude and inability to get replay right. And the Oklahoma St @ Texas game witnessed Big12 officiating at is most mediocre.

Friday may have the sneaky good game of the week. Is the Maryland O the team from the first two weeks or the third? Penn St will find out soon. Arizona St @ Cal provides a nice dessert before the Saturday slate kicks off. There will be interesting match ups, but the marquee rank v rank finds two games. Virginia travels to Notre Dame and Washington hosts USC. Both games are important nationally and I see both as pick ems. For the nightcap, stay up to watch the Underachiever Bowl when UCLA goes to Arizona.

I lost me shirt last week with a 1-4 finish. That drops me to 12-8 on the year for the Vegas 5. Top 25 and SEC action was bad as well with a 9-13 week. That drops me for the season to 63-41.

This week Buffalo @ Miami (OH) goes Over (47). In a closer than it should be game, Miss St (+10.5) covers at Auburn. I’m going with Wyoming (-9.5) when they host UNLV. Ohio St (-17) should handle Nebraska. Lastly, Jalen Hurts carries Texas Tech @ Oklahoma game to the Over (70.5).

What’re your picks?

Money Time

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Now is the time to reflect upon preseason predictions. I didn’t have the year I did last year. But I did successfully call two of the championship games.

I picked the matchups for the MWC and Big 12. Let’s see if I get those all the way. I have Fresno St and Texas taking those preseason. I called Northern Illinois, Memphis, Washington, Clemson, and Alabama as well. My preseason Heisman pick of Bryce Love will not be correct. I’m still alive with two more of my conference picks; Alabama and Washington. At best I will be 40%. That still gets me paid considering the odds I got.

After the gruesome injury to Milton, UCF stands at a precipice. Memphis has played them better than anyone the last two years including a one-point game this season. Now with the trophy on the line, can the Tigers prevail with the Knights missing their leader? If Memphis wins and Ohio St and Oklahoma fall, the four seed will be very interesting. Could Michigan sneak back in? I think it will end up being Alabama v Ohio St and Clemson v Notre Dame. A quick word about Army/Navy, GO ARMY!

I’m dead even after another losing weekend (9-12) of Top 25/SEC. I sit at 144-144. The Vegas 5 however went 3-1-1 last weekend. That brings me up to 32-29-4. I like the Over (63.5) in Bama v UGA, Marshall (+3.5) against Va Tech, Akron (+30) against South Carolina, the Over (44.5 ) in UAB v Middle Tenn St, and Washington (-5.5) against Utah.

Enjoy the weekend!