With this short card the pickems are slim this week.. But I have found a few angles to games this week that look interesting. Here's one last shot for the season.
1.Pittsburg at South Florida. Take South Fla. +7...Pittsburg in the BCS? Please...The whole Big East Conf. shouldn't even be getting a sniff of the BCS. But that aside, this Pitt team has shown a lot of improvement since early in the season when they were having trouble even beating 1-AA teams. Their QB Palko is a nice little blue chip soph. who burned a terrible Notre Dame defense for 5 td passes a couple weeks ago. I'm betting he won't do it again when he goes down to the hot climate of South Florida this week. This has been a down year for a normally solid So.Fla. team. But they do have some offensive firepower and cost me some money earlier this year when I bet against them as 20 point dogs to UAB and they ended up winning it straight up by 25. This is a well coached team, led by Jim Leavitt who is 51-26 in his 8th yr. at SF. And I'm betting he'll have this team sky high for this game. Pitt is a very young team who don't play nearly as good on the road as at home. And I'm betting their going to find themselves in a hornets nest this week when they arrive in Florida. Like these teams have done many times this year, I'm looking for a shootout. And I'm betting So. Fla. is going to save their season and pull off the mild upset and Pitt's loss will further mess up the BS..ugh BCS. So. Fla wins 31-28
2.Michigan St. at Hawaii..Take the under (73) The only homefield advantage that competes with Hawaii's is the Smurf Turf of Boise St. That 8 hour plane ride and 85 degree heat can be a little hard on the eskimos from the cold Big 10. But a nice and rested Michigan St. team I'm sure has been spending their time watching films of that Northwestern game last week and figuring out how to stop this Hawaii offense at home. And I believe this Spartan team has just the answer. The best way to play Hawaii is with a ball control offense and a good running game. When you try to answer this team pass for pass your going to lose. But if you look at teams that Hawaii has played like La.Tech earlier this season, you would see that the score was kept down to a reasonable total. It's being able to run the ball and the clock that keeps that Hawaii offense off the field and out of the endzone. I believe the excellent running game of this athletic Mich. St team is just the answer. My score Mich St. wins a squeaker 35-31. One of my best bets of the week for the under.
3.California at So. Miss...Take Calif. -24...I normally wouldn't touch this game. But with a much needed blowout for BCS hopeful Cal. and the slim pickems this week i thought I would give this one a try. I usually love playing Conf. USA and MAC teams against big-time non-conference opponents because these are the kind of mid-major teams that have players that are walking around with a little chip on their shoulders. Many players from this conference are rejects from major college programs either because of academic reasons or they're about 10th of a second too slow in the 40. But the trouble here is So.Miss lost a lot of good defensive players from last years team and have really struggled on that side of the ball. I can see why this team wanted Calif early in the season when they thought they could give them an early season surprise. But now that they know what their capable of, and how great a team Calif. really is, I'm not sure they want any part of this powerhouse. It's Calif. easy 52-21.
4.Va.Tech at Miami Fla...Take Miami -7...Can you say revenge? After that 31-7 whipping the Hokies laid on Miami last year, that's just one of the reasons why I like Miami this week. Tech has played well this year. Better than expected for a rebuilding team. But they've also had the advantage of playing at home in all of their tough games with only 3 road games. Pretty crucial for a young team. But on the road this team hasn't looked like near the worldbeaters. The Hokies have won big their last 2 games against a Maryland team who is crippled on offense and a Virginia team who's ultra-conservative play has cost them games against Miami, Fla.St. and Va.Tech. But Miami is anything but conservative. And after a couple mid-season blotches on their win record, have really caught fire in the passing game. Offering up big play after big play with their fleet footed receivers. I'm betting Va.Tech is going to get burned more than once, and it's going to be a long day in the Florida heat. The Miami Hurricanes always win when they need to. Especially when their at home. A game I believe won't even be that close. Miami 35-14
5.Auburn and Tennessee..Take Auburn -15..Teams very seldom play each other the same way twice. And I don't expect this game to be like their earlier battle. I was a little ticked when I first saw that the spread for this game was only 13 and OU's was 22. But at least since then the spread been driven up to 15. It's still too low. But who cares what I think? I'll just bet Auburn here. Tenn. isn't really the same team Auburn faced earlier. They have a different QB after their 2 freshman QB's got hurt. I hate to say it. That's probably the best thing to happen to the Vols. I hate alternating QB's. I don't believe an offense ever finds it true rhythm with this system. And your also prone to making more mistakes. As what happened against Auburn in that first game. I believe the Vols have improved on offense. But have degressed somewhat with their defense. This new QB Clausen has looked very good at times but has also thrown 4 int. in the last 2 games. My feeling is that the Vols are going to play better here than they have the last 2 games. They are a very dangerous team who is young, and from what i hear might have more talent than any team in the SEC. I just think much of it is untapped. I hope it stays that way one more week. A more discipled Auburn team with a superior defense should win this. But not quite as easy as the first game. Auburn 35-17.
6.USC at UCLA-Take UCLA +22..I've been all over USC all week with this game. But a much closer look and a couple key issues here have caused me to change my mind. First, just looking at UCLA's stats: They've struggled most of the year on defense, giving up a lot of points. But they have a talented offensive team with 9 starters returning. They haven't scored less than 20 points in any game all year. Quite a feat. They've also averaged about 30 points at home. Their offense has obviously kept them in all of their games this year. Their biggest defeat was at the hands of Cal by 17 points in the Bears backyard. The Bruins 28 points was the most that have been allowed by Cal all year. This same Cal team that many people think is the best in the Pac 10. But numbers aside, the big thing that stuck out here was the 3 weeks off that UCLA has had. And USC coming off a Sat.night game. I believe this is a huge advantage for UCLA. The only other time that I've seen this long of a break during the regular season was Cal earlier this year when they got 3 weeks off thanks to a hurrican,e and had to postpone their game with So.Miss. After that 3 weeks a well prepared and rested Cal team went to Oregon St. and laid their worst beating of the year on them 49-7. I believe preparation makes a big difference. This time off not only gives the players time to heal up, it will give a UCLA coaching staff who is much inferior to USC's to study every Trojan nuance. I believe UCLA will come in to this game well prepared and ready to play. And, even though I think this game will probably end up a shootout. I think the Bruins are going to do some scoring here. And if a slow starting USC team gives up a couple early scores to this Bruin team, I believe this game could get interesting. I'll give it to USC 38-24
7.Colorado and OU..Take OU -22..This is more like a battle of 2 teams from different conferences rather than divisions. In this corner you have the winner of the North Division by default with a 4-4 record. And in the South corner you have the winner of the much superior South Division with an 8-0 record.
This is a Buff team who in their last 5 games has averaged 25 points on offense and giving up 26 points on defense. In OU's last 5 games they have averaged 37 offense and 16 defense. Colorado's defense has given up a ton of yards on the ground this year. Including 250 to North Texas star halfback. That doesn't bode well when your getting ready to face an Adrian Peterson in primetime. OU's defense has gone through some key changes in the backfield in the last couple games with Stoops taking freshman sensation Marcus Walker out of redshirt. A great move by Stoops. This kid hasn't missed an assingment. And they just got their best cover man Antonio Perkins back from injury for the Nebraska game. The result is 1 shutout and a junk fieldgoal by Nebraska. Stoops said this week that this team is peaking at just the right time. Stoops says very little before games. And when he says something like this, I've learned over the years to always believe it. If your hoping that this is going to be another Kansas St. like nightmare of a game from last year's championship, think about this: K-St. were no patsies last year. They were picked to win the North Division and were projected as just 3 point dogs to OU in a projected playoff before the season. This team had a 6 game winning streak going into that game with OU and were scoring an average of 40 points and giving up less than 10 during that streak. This Colorado team is no such animal. And their playing a team that is much better on offense this year, and is peaking on defense. If you want the kind of team who can beat OU, first look for a mobile QB who can pass (Texas A&M, OSU, K-St. last year). Buff QB Klatt won't be running anywhere against the Sooners. And his passing is adequate but nothing special. This won't get it done against the Sooners. With 2 weeks off, OU will be rested and prepared. The weather is supposed to be nice in K.C. this weekend. And I look for OU to come out smokin'. I'm also looking for a walkover. Ou 42-10
Good luck to everybody this weekend. Let's get some winners!
1.Pittsburg at South Florida. Take South Fla. +7...Pittsburg in the BCS? Please...The whole Big East Conf. shouldn't even be getting a sniff of the BCS. But that aside, this Pitt team has shown a lot of improvement since early in the season when they were having trouble even beating 1-AA teams. Their QB Palko is a nice little blue chip soph. who burned a terrible Notre Dame defense for 5 td passes a couple weeks ago. I'm betting he won't do it again when he goes down to the hot climate of South Florida this week. This has been a down year for a normally solid So.Fla. team. But they do have some offensive firepower and cost me some money earlier this year when I bet against them as 20 point dogs to UAB and they ended up winning it straight up by 25. This is a well coached team, led by Jim Leavitt who is 51-26 in his 8th yr. at SF. And I'm betting he'll have this team sky high for this game. Pitt is a very young team who don't play nearly as good on the road as at home. And I'm betting their going to find themselves in a hornets nest this week when they arrive in Florida. Like these teams have done many times this year, I'm looking for a shootout. And I'm betting So. Fla. is going to save their season and pull off the mild upset and Pitt's loss will further mess up the BS..ugh BCS. So. Fla wins 31-28
2.Michigan St. at Hawaii..Take the under (73) The only homefield advantage that competes with Hawaii's is the Smurf Turf of Boise St. That 8 hour plane ride and 85 degree heat can be a little hard on the eskimos from the cold Big 10. But a nice and rested Michigan St. team I'm sure has been spending their time watching films of that Northwestern game last week and figuring out how to stop this Hawaii offense at home. And I believe this Spartan team has just the answer. The best way to play Hawaii is with a ball control offense and a good running game. When you try to answer this team pass for pass your going to lose. But if you look at teams that Hawaii has played like La.Tech earlier this season, you would see that the score was kept down to a reasonable total. It's being able to run the ball and the clock that keeps that Hawaii offense off the field and out of the endzone. I believe the excellent running game of this athletic Mich. St team is just the answer. My score Mich St. wins a squeaker 35-31. One of my best bets of the week for the under.
3.California at So. Miss...Take Calif. -24...I normally wouldn't touch this game. But with a much needed blowout for BCS hopeful Cal. and the slim pickems this week i thought I would give this one a try. I usually love playing Conf. USA and MAC teams against big-time non-conference opponents because these are the kind of mid-major teams that have players that are walking around with a little chip on their shoulders. Many players from this conference are rejects from major college programs either because of academic reasons or they're about 10th of a second too slow in the 40. But the trouble here is So.Miss lost a lot of good defensive players from last years team and have really struggled on that side of the ball. I can see why this team wanted Calif early in the season when they thought they could give them an early season surprise. But now that they know what their capable of, and how great a team Calif. really is, I'm not sure they want any part of this powerhouse. It's Calif. easy 52-21.
4.Va.Tech at Miami Fla...Take Miami -7...Can you say revenge? After that 31-7 whipping the Hokies laid on Miami last year, that's just one of the reasons why I like Miami this week. Tech has played well this year. Better than expected for a rebuilding team. But they've also had the advantage of playing at home in all of their tough games with only 3 road games. Pretty crucial for a young team. But on the road this team hasn't looked like near the worldbeaters. The Hokies have won big their last 2 games against a Maryland team who is crippled on offense and a Virginia team who's ultra-conservative play has cost them games against Miami, Fla.St. and Va.Tech. But Miami is anything but conservative. And after a couple mid-season blotches on their win record, have really caught fire in the passing game. Offering up big play after big play with their fleet footed receivers. I'm betting Va.Tech is going to get burned more than once, and it's going to be a long day in the Florida heat. The Miami Hurricanes always win when they need to. Especially when their at home. A game I believe won't even be that close. Miami 35-14
5.Auburn and Tennessee..Take Auburn -15..Teams very seldom play each other the same way twice. And I don't expect this game to be like their earlier battle. I was a little ticked when I first saw that the spread for this game was only 13 and OU's was 22. But at least since then the spread been driven up to 15. It's still too low. But who cares what I think? I'll just bet Auburn here. Tenn. isn't really the same team Auburn faced earlier. They have a different QB after their 2 freshman QB's got hurt. I hate to say it. That's probably the best thing to happen to the Vols. I hate alternating QB's. I don't believe an offense ever finds it true rhythm with this system. And your also prone to making more mistakes. As what happened against Auburn in that first game. I believe the Vols have improved on offense. But have degressed somewhat with their defense. This new QB Clausen has looked very good at times but has also thrown 4 int. in the last 2 games. My feeling is that the Vols are going to play better here than they have the last 2 games. They are a very dangerous team who is young, and from what i hear might have more talent than any team in the SEC. I just think much of it is untapped. I hope it stays that way one more week. A more discipled Auburn team with a superior defense should win this. But not quite as easy as the first game. Auburn 35-17.
6.USC at UCLA-Take UCLA +22..I've been all over USC all week with this game. But a much closer look and a couple key issues here have caused me to change my mind. First, just looking at UCLA's stats: They've struggled most of the year on defense, giving up a lot of points. But they have a talented offensive team with 9 starters returning. They haven't scored less than 20 points in any game all year. Quite a feat. They've also averaged about 30 points at home. Their offense has obviously kept them in all of their games this year. Their biggest defeat was at the hands of Cal by 17 points in the Bears backyard. The Bruins 28 points was the most that have been allowed by Cal all year. This same Cal team that many people think is the best in the Pac 10. But numbers aside, the big thing that stuck out here was the 3 weeks off that UCLA has had. And USC coming off a Sat.night game. I believe this is a huge advantage for UCLA. The only other time that I've seen this long of a break during the regular season was Cal earlier this year when they got 3 weeks off thanks to a hurrican,e and had to postpone their game with So.Miss. After that 3 weeks a well prepared and rested Cal team went to Oregon St. and laid their worst beating of the year on them 49-7. I believe preparation makes a big difference. This time off not only gives the players time to heal up, it will give a UCLA coaching staff who is much inferior to USC's to study every Trojan nuance. I believe UCLA will come in to this game well prepared and ready to play. And, even though I think this game will probably end up a shootout. I think the Bruins are going to do some scoring here. And if a slow starting USC team gives up a couple early scores to this Bruin team, I believe this game could get interesting. I'll give it to USC 38-24
7.Colorado and OU..Take OU -22..This is more like a battle of 2 teams from different conferences rather than divisions. In this corner you have the winner of the North Division by default with a 4-4 record. And in the South corner you have the winner of the much superior South Division with an 8-0 record.
This is a Buff team who in their last 5 games has averaged 25 points on offense and giving up 26 points on defense. In OU's last 5 games they have averaged 37 offense and 16 defense. Colorado's defense has given up a ton of yards on the ground this year. Including 250 to North Texas star halfback. That doesn't bode well when your getting ready to face an Adrian Peterson in primetime. OU's defense has gone through some key changes in the backfield in the last couple games with Stoops taking freshman sensation Marcus Walker out of redshirt. A great move by Stoops. This kid hasn't missed an assingment. And they just got their best cover man Antonio Perkins back from injury for the Nebraska game. The result is 1 shutout and a junk fieldgoal by Nebraska. Stoops said this week that this team is peaking at just the right time. Stoops says very little before games. And when he says something like this, I've learned over the years to always believe it. If your hoping that this is going to be another Kansas St. like nightmare of a game from last year's championship, think about this: K-St. were no patsies last year. They were picked to win the North Division and were projected as just 3 point dogs to OU in a projected playoff before the season. This team had a 6 game winning streak going into that game with OU and were scoring an average of 40 points and giving up less than 10 during that streak. This Colorado team is no such animal. And their playing a team that is much better on offense this year, and is peaking on defense. If you want the kind of team who can beat OU, first look for a mobile QB who can pass (Texas A&M, OSU, K-St. last year). Buff QB Klatt won't be running anywhere against the Sooners. And his passing is adequate but nothing special. This won't get it done against the Sooners. With 2 weeks off, OU will be rested and prepared. The weather is supposed to be nice in K.C. this weekend. And I look for OU to come out smokin'. I'm also looking for a walkover. Ou 42-10
Good luck to everybody this weekend. Let's get some winners!
arty: 
