Tag Archives: Notre Dame

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 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?

Week 4 – Let the Games Begin

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With the coming of mid-September, we finally begin to see the real slate of games shape up.

Conference play is more the norm than paycheck games, but of course there are still a few of those left. The top of the polls remained static in contrast to the fluidity of the bottom of the 25. It seems that teams like USC and Maryland don’t prefer to be ranked. Utah seems destined to rise to the top and UCF has one its annual big game against a marginal Power 5 school. And the Iowa v Iowa St game had almost as much delay as play as the state was pummeled by storms.

This week we find three rank v rank games. We will know the real Michigan Saturday night, Auburn must travel to Texas A&M, and Notre Dame goes to Georgia for the first time. That will guarantee more movement within the polls. I think the Wolverines, Aggies, and Bulldogs all prevail. BYU has looked pretty good so far with OT wins against big name programs. The season is shaping up to entertain. And what will the nation think if Auburn wins and we find 4 of the top 5 from the SEC on Sunday afternoon?

Last week was another decent wee in the Top 25 and SEC action for me. I went 19-9 bringing my season to 54-28.

In the Vegas 5, I went 4-1 to bring the season to 11-4.

This week I take Washington St (-18.5) over UCLA. I like Oregon (-10.5) at Stanford. Give me The Over (61.5) for Southern Miss @ Alabama and Utah (-4) at USC. Lastly, I take Miami-Ohio (+39.5) at Ohio State, cause that’s a lot of points.

Who’d you have?

Confusion Sets In

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This is quickly becoming a tough year to figure out. While I wasn’t sold on Va Tech being a contender, they should’ve been able to handle Old Dominion. After watching the Big 10 West lay an egg, the ACC said, “hold my beer.”

Army proved that holding the ball for ¾ the game can put even a top 10 team like Oklahoma in jeopardy. Jimbo called 2 TOs in the last 15 seconds in the Bama blow out of aTm. Thanks for delaying my trip home through the never-ending construction zone that is Tuscaloosa. Who had Kentucky and Duke both being ranked at the same time in football? Liar. And what has gotten into North Texas? 4-0 for the first time since 1966.

This week will find me in my usual seat at Bryant-Denny while I watch the only team from the state of Louisiana that I’ve yet to see play in person. Two SEC games that are typically classics have mismatch written all over them this year. Arkansas v aTm and UT v UGA. I’m intrigued by the Syracuse visit to Clemson. The Tigers are a bad hit away from having no scholarship QB playing now that Kelly Bryant has decided to transfer. Ole Miss plays LSU a lot earlier than they should this season I promise this though, PAC12 after dark is the place to be this weekend. I expect to fall asleep on the couch watching entertaining, competitive games. Oh yeah, there’s apparently a good game in the B1G as Ohio St visits Penn St in White Out conditions.

Not only did I have a bad week in the Vegas 5 (2-3) and moved to 7-12-1 on the year, I also stunk up the joint in my Top 25/SEC picks going 11-14. That drops my season total to 62-42. It’s time to turn this around before I start having to bag groceries for casino money.

This week’s Vegas 5 starts with Indiana (-16.5) against what may be the worst team in FBS in Rutgers. Purdue (-3.5) continues its turnaround against struggling Nebraska. There will be some points scored and the Over (46.5) obtained in the Boise St @ Wyoming game. I also like the Over (60.5) in the FAU/MTSU game. And I’ll take Stanford (+3) against Notre Dame.

Who’d you pick?

Week 9 – The Bye

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I know it’s not a bye week for everyone, but it is for my team. I was there for the 100th edition of the Third Saturday in October and thoroughly enjoyed watching Alabama dismantle Tennessee.

Lots of pundits and sites are quick to remove teams from playoff contention after a single loss. A one loss Power 5 team that wins its championship game has a solid chance to go to the last four. I doubt two loss teams have much of a chance unless chaos ensues. I’m not ready to eliminate a conference or contender just yet, but USC, Auburn, LSU, Michigan, and all the Group of 5 are likely out. But, that doesn’t mean their seasons are over. Conference titles are still to be had and a ring is a ring.

Favorites held serve for the most part last week. The lack of upsets points to this weekend being a little trickier for those expected to win. A lot of ranked teams travel this weekend. Oklahoma St and Washington St go to West Virginia and Arizona respectively. I’m willing to put both on upset alert. In fact, their in-state counterparts, Oklahoma and Washington, have home games they had best bring their A game for (Texas Tech, UCLA). The Greatest Outdoor Cocktail Party is this week. I’ve been to the Gator Bowl and can attest to the party atmosphere for that particular geographical location. NC St @ Notre Dame and Penn St @ Ohio St will be classics. I like both home teams to win close games. The game I have the most interest in this week is Mississippi St at Texas A&M. This has the potential to be the game of the week and is completely under the radar.

I went 4-1 again last week in the Vegas 5. I now sit at 23-16-1. As for Top 25/SEC Against The Spread, I’m a healthy 111-68.

I’m going with Georgia Tech (+14) to make it a game against Clemson. Clemson should win with either QB, but even with the extra week the triple option is tough to defend. Troy (-25.5) is back on track while Georgia Southern has jumped theirs. I like the Over (64.5) in the Washington St at Arizona game. The Pirate will score and Big Man Tate will, too. Virginia (+3) at Pitt. The Cavaliers are unfazed by road games after winning on the smurf turf earlier this season. Lastly, Rutgers (+24) at Michigan. Michigan wins, but the Scarlet Knights are much improved.