It looks like slim pickems this week with alot of state rivalry and border war games still going on. To me these games are just not wise plays as seen last week with favorites Michigan, Florida St., Missouri, and the biggest one Auburn giving 10 points against Bama. This was Score's big $500 play of the year. Ouch!..These rivalry games are never good picks no matter how good they look, in my opinion.
Here's 7 picks that Ihope will keep me ahead of the game this weekend.
1.Colorado at Nebraska...Take Colorado +3...I like the idea of the Buffs going into Nebraska as dogs. I thought this would be a pickem game based on the Cornhuskers recent performances. It looks to me like Colorado has overcome the early season offensive injuries and have their offense clicking, starting back with the Texas A&M overtime loss a few weeks ago. Nebraska on the other hand hasn't been good at all this year on defense..And have been very erratic on offense. With the possibility of the Big 12 North Division title on the line I look for the Buffs to get their pass offense in high gear for this game and pull off the mild upset. Colorado 31-28
2.Missouri at Iowa St...Take Missouri +4.5...I know, everybody and their sister is taking Iowa State this weekend. A lot of handicappers have it as their 4 star pick. But Iowa St. still hasn't convinced me that their the world beaters of the Big 12 North. Let's look at their last 5 games. After losing to Colorado they win by 1 at Baylor. They then play a Kansas team at home who had just lost their QB and halfback the week before at OU and win by 6. They then play a very subpar Nebraska team with no defense and win 34-27. And then go to Kansas St. who is decimated by injuries on the defensive side. Even with that,Iowa St was on their last legs trailing K-St. 23-9 going into the 4th quarter. But Kansas St. had 2 key turnovers in that quarter (int, fumble) that completly turned the game around. Iowa St. scored 3 TD's in the last 3 minutes of that game and came out of there with a deceiving victory. I'm aware of how bad Missouri has played this year. And they played about as bad as you can play last week in their annual brder war with Kansas. But even though this team has nothing to play for, they also have nothing to lose. And I think they will pull out all the stops for this game. Running QB's have given Iowa St. trouble this year (Texas A&M, OSU, K-St.). And I expect Brad Smith to do the same. Missouri still has the best athletes of any team in the North Division. And I still think they can be dangerous. Especially if they can put 2 halfs together for once. I'm looking for the bookies to clean up on this game and for it to be close or an outright upset. I'll give Iowa St. the benefit of the doubt. Iowa State 21-20
3.OSU at Texas Tech..Take OSU +5.5...On paper these look like two very evenly matched teams. These teams went right down to the wire last year in Stillwater. And I expect more of the same this year. In years past OSU has not played good away from home. But this year has been a different story with the Pokes covering the spread at UCLA. And for the first time in their history covering the spread at Colorado and Missouri. OSU has their runnung game in high gear, and Tech has not been very good against the run, as witnessed against Texas earlier this year. All of these is ingredients for another high scoring game. But I believe OSU can keep it close by keeping possession and holding on to the ball. Tech wins in a squeaker 41-38
4.Northwestern at Hawaii..Take Northwestern -6..Hawaii has been terrible on the road but good at home this year going 5-1. But they haven't played anybody with a defense all year. Home or away. That's going to change this week. Northwestern is a hard nosed team with a hard nosed coach who took his team to Hawaii a few years ago and cleaned their clocks. Northwestern is a 6-5 team who finished the Big 10 conference with a winning 5-3 record. Not an easy feat considering they've played Michigan on the road and Ohio St. (a win). Northwestern needs this game for a trip to the bowl. After a hard fought season I believe when they step off that plane in Hawaii and recieve their lei's their going to be all business. I'm taking Northwestern in a rout 42-17
5.Wake Forest at Maryland..Take Wake Forest +6.5...That was a very ugly day last week for Wake against Miami. They got stung bigtime by the big pass play from Miami's fleet footed receivers. They won't have anywhere near that big of a threat on offense this week by a Maryland team who got equally blasted by Virginia Tech last week 55-6. Maryland has scored 7 points or less in 5 of their last 6 games. And they're favored by a touchdown over a team that before last week hasn't lost by more than a touchdown all year. What's wrong with this picture? Wake Forest wins this game outright 17-13
6.UTEP at Tulsa..Take UTEP -8.5...Tulsa has been a big disappointment this year. They have almost virtually the same team that went 8-5 last year. But ever since that beating they took from Georgia Tech in the Humanitarian Bowl last year this team hasn't been the same. I know they played Boise St. down to the wire at home. But I don't expect that this week with UTEP coming to town with a sold defense, an 8 game winning streak and a bowl bid on the line. That was a good win over San Jose last week for Tulsa. But UTEP is no San Jose. And I expect them to show why they belong in a bowl. UTEP rolls 38-21
7.Cincinnati at Louisville..Take Cincinnati +17.5..At the beginning of the season these were the two teams that were expected to compete for the Conference USA title. Cincinnati was a big disappointment in the first half of the season under new coach Mark Dantonio, who was the defensive corr. at Ohio St. during national title run. But it appears the Bearcats have made their adjustments to his new system and have really caught fire the last 4 weeks averaging over 40 points a game on offense. On the other side Lousiville is still up to their usual high scoring offense. But teams are starting to figure out their defense. Because they've gotten burned with 49, 28, and 27 points the last 3 weeks. They won big at Houston last week 65-27 But actually had only a 34-27 lead going into the 4th Q before unleashing an offensive explosion. I don't expect that to happen as much this week against a very good Bearcat defense. Louisville is up against a hot confident team in a late season game. This one could be close. Louisville 31-27
Good luck to everybody this week and have a good Turkey Day.
Here's 7 picks that Ihope will keep me ahead of the game this weekend.
1.Colorado at Nebraska...Take Colorado +3...I like the idea of the Buffs going into Nebraska as dogs. I thought this would be a pickem game based on the Cornhuskers recent performances. It looks to me like Colorado has overcome the early season offensive injuries and have their offense clicking, starting back with the Texas A&M overtime loss a few weeks ago. Nebraska on the other hand hasn't been good at all this year on defense..And have been very erratic on offense. With the possibility of the Big 12 North Division title on the line I look for the Buffs to get their pass offense in high gear for this game and pull off the mild upset. Colorado 31-28
2.Missouri at Iowa St...Take Missouri +4.5...I know, everybody and their sister is taking Iowa State this weekend. A lot of handicappers have it as their 4 star pick. But Iowa St. still hasn't convinced me that their the world beaters of the Big 12 North. Let's look at their last 5 games. After losing to Colorado they win by 1 at Baylor. They then play a Kansas team at home who had just lost their QB and halfback the week before at OU and win by 6. They then play a very subpar Nebraska team with no defense and win 34-27. And then go to Kansas St. who is decimated by injuries on the defensive side. Even with that,Iowa St was on their last legs trailing K-St. 23-9 going into the 4th quarter. But Kansas St. had 2 key turnovers in that quarter (int, fumble) that completly turned the game around. Iowa St. scored 3 TD's in the last 3 minutes of that game and came out of there with a deceiving victory. I'm aware of how bad Missouri has played this year. And they played about as bad as you can play last week in their annual brder war with Kansas. But even though this team has nothing to play for, they also have nothing to lose. And I think they will pull out all the stops for this game. Running QB's have given Iowa St. trouble this year (Texas A&M, OSU, K-St.). And I expect Brad Smith to do the same. Missouri still has the best athletes of any team in the North Division. And I still think they can be dangerous. Especially if they can put 2 halfs together for once. I'm looking for the bookies to clean up on this game and for it to be close or an outright upset. I'll give Iowa St. the benefit of the doubt. Iowa State 21-20
3.OSU at Texas Tech..Take OSU +5.5...On paper these look like two very evenly matched teams. These teams went right down to the wire last year in Stillwater. And I expect more of the same this year. In years past OSU has not played good away from home. But this year has been a different story with the Pokes covering the spread at UCLA. And for the first time in their history covering the spread at Colorado and Missouri. OSU has their runnung game in high gear, and Tech has not been very good against the run, as witnessed against Texas earlier this year. All of these is ingredients for another high scoring game. But I believe OSU can keep it close by keeping possession and holding on to the ball. Tech wins in a squeaker 41-38
4.Northwestern at Hawaii..Take Northwestern -6..Hawaii has been terrible on the road but good at home this year going 5-1. But they haven't played anybody with a defense all year. Home or away. That's going to change this week. Northwestern is a hard nosed team with a hard nosed coach who took his team to Hawaii a few years ago and cleaned their clocks. Northwestern is a 6-5 team who finished the Big 10 conference with a winning 5-3 record. Not an easy feat considering they've played Michigan on the road and Ohio St. (a win). Northwestern needs this game for a trip to the bowl. After a hard fought season I believe when they step off that plane in Hawaii and recieve their lei's their going to be all business. I'm taking Northwestern in a rout 42-17
5.Wake Forest at Maryland..Take Wake Forest +6.5...That was a very ugly day last week for Wake against Miami. They got stung bigtime by the big pass play from Miami's fleet footed receivers. They won't have anywhere near that big of a threat on offense this week by a Maryland team who got equally blasted by Virginia Tech last week 55-6. Maryland has scored 7 points or less in 5 of their last 6 games. And they're favored by a touchdown over a team that before last week hasn't lost by more than a touchdown all year. What's wrong with this picture? Wake Forest wins this game outright 17-13
6.UTEP at Tulsa..Take UTEP -8.5...Tulsa has been a big disappointment this year. They have almost virtually the same team that went 8-5 last year. But ever since that beating they took from Georgia Tech in the Humanitarian Bowl last year this team hasn't been the same. I know they played Boise St. down to the wire at home. But I don't expect that this week with UTEP coming to town with a sold defense, an 8 game winning streak and a bowl bid on the line. That was a good win over San Jose last week for Tulsa. But UTEP is no San Jose. And I expect them to show why they belong in a bowl. UTEP rolls 38-21
7.Cincinnati at Louisville..Take Cincinnati +17.5..At the beginning of the season these were the two teams that were expected to compete for the Conference USA title. Cincinnati was a big disappointment in the first half of the season under new coach Mark Dantonio, who was the defensive corr. at Ohio St. during national title run. But it appears the Bearcats have made their adjustments to his new system and have really caught fire the last 4 weeks averaging over 40 points a game on offense. On the other side Lousiville is still up to their usual high scoring offense. But teams are starting to figure out their defense. Because they've gotten burned with 49, 28, and 27 points the last 3 weeks. They won big at Houston last week 65-27 But actually had only a 34-27 lead going into the 4th Q before unleashing an offensive explosion. I don't expect that to happen as much this week against a very good Bearcat defense. Louisville is up against a hot confident team in a late season game. This one could be close. Louisville 31-27
Good luck to everybody this week and have a good Turkey Day.
