Post by Walter on Oct 23, 2017 15:33:49 GMT -5
“Ma'am, I can understand your objection to rustlin' - a girl with your background and gentle upbringing - but it's the only way we can raise money.”
“No it's not.”
“Well, what do you think we ought to do that's fittin' and proper?”
“Rob a train.”
“We can't hold up the train.”
“Why not?”
“Lots of reasons.’
‘Name 'em.’
“We're rustlers, not train robbers.”
“Well, if people didn't try something new, there wouldn't be hardly any progress at all.”
WEEK 9
BIG LIST THIS WEEK, WITH A FEW “JUST FOR FUN” BONUS GAMES ADDED.
1. (7-0) #3 GEORGIA -14 VS FLORIDA (3-3)
THE WORLDS BIGGEST….UH…..GAME IN A JACKSONVILLE THIS WEEK. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS ONE PITS AN UGA SQUAD THAT HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT IT IS FULLY LEGIT AND IN THE HUNT FOR A NC. THE GATORS, NOT SO MUCH. UF HAS LOST TWO IN A ROW BUT, ON THE PLUS SIDE, BY A TOTAL FOR BOTH GAMES OF JUST 3 POINTS. BUT GEORGIA HASN’T WON BY FEWER THAN 25 POINTS SINCE THE GAME AT SOUTH BEND 5 WINS AGO.
GEORGIA
2. (7-0) #2 PENN STATE +6.5 AT #6 OHIO STATE (6-1)
GAME OF THE WEEK, BY FAR. PENN STATE SMOTHERED MICHIGAN LAST WEEK, OSU COMES OFF A BYE AFTER A MASSACRE OF NEBRASKA IN LINCOLN. THROW OUT THE STATS. TWO GREAT TEAMS IN A GAME WITH NC IMPLICATIONS. OHIO STATE WINS, BUT PENN STATE COVERS.
PENN STATE
3. (4-3) UCLA +17.5 AT #12 WASHINGTON (6-1)
THIS GAME IS OUR WEEKLY PICK AGAINST A GIANT SPREAD GAME. UCLA TRAVELS TO WASHINGTON TO PLAY A WASHINGTON TEAM THAT COMES OFF A BYE WEEK AFTER LOSING TO ASU UNEXPECTEDLY. UCLA HASN’T WON A GAME ON THE ROAD ALL SEASON AND HAS A DEFENSE THAT ONLY A MOTHER COULD LOVE AND EVEN SHE’S HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS. THEY DID HOLD OREGON TO JUST 14 POINTS LAST WEEK, BUT THAT JUST BEGS THE QUESTION…HOW DID OREGON RACK UP 566 TOTAL YARDS AND ONLY SCORE 14 POINTS? EASY HUSKIE PICK, RIGHT? WELL, GUESS WHICH TEAM AVERAGES MORE POINTS SCORED PER GAME THIS SEASON? UCLA.
UCLA
4. (6-1) #14 NORTH CAROLINA STATE +7.5 AT #9 NOTRE DAME (6-1)
FRESH OFF THE THUMPING OF SOUTHERN CAL, THE IRISH HOST A VERY DANGEROUS NCSTATE SQUAD THAT COMES OFF A BYE AND HAS WON 6 IN A ROW. AFTER THE HIGH OF THE USC GAME, IS THIS ONE A TRAP FOR THE IRISH? NCSTATE GETS A TD+, BUT IS IT ENOUGH? I SAY, YES. THE IRISH ARE HUNG OVER FROM CELEBRATING A WIN AGAINST THE TROJANS. THEY WIN A CLOSE ONE BUT DON’T COVER.
NC STATE
5. (4-2) GEORGIA TECH +14.5 AT #7 CLEMSON (6-1)
CLEMSON RETURNS TO THE GRIDIRON FROM A BYE WEEK AFTER BEING STUNG BY SYRACUSE. THIS WEEK, IT’S THE YELLOW JACKETS, WHO HAVE PLAYED PRETTY WELL, AND WHO HAVE LOST BOTH THEIR TWO GAMES THIS SEASON BY ONE POINT (TO TENN. AND THE MIAMI CANES). GTECH GETS A TON OF POINTS THIS TIME, BUT FOR CLEMSON, THIS IS A STATEMENT GAME, A GAME THEY NEED TO WIN, HOPEFULLY IMPRESSIVELY, TO MAKE FOLKS FORGET ABOUT THE LOSS. IMO, THEY WIN, BUT DON’T COVER.
GEORGIA TECH
6. (7-1) #15 WASHINGTON STATE -2.5 AT ARIZONA (5-2)
WHO KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO BE A PIVOTAL GAME IN WHO CONTROLS THE PAC12? ARIZONA NEEDS THIS WIN WITH P12 SOUTH LEADING USC UP NEXT WEEK AND WAZZU NEEDS THE WIN WITH STANFORD COMING TO PLAY THEM NEXT WEEK. WSU REBOUNDED FROM THE CAL LOSS WITH A SHUTOUT OF COLORADO, WHILE ZONA BEAT THE SAME CAL TEAM BY 1 POINT IN DOUBLE OT LAST WEEK. WITH TWO GOOD OFFENSES, THIS GAME REVOLVES AROUND WHO HAS THE BEST D, AND THAT IS WAZZU…BY A LOT.
WASHINGTON STATE
7. (2-4) FLORIDA STATE -3 AT BOSTON COLLEGE (4-4)
FSU CONTINUES TO BE FAVORED IN GAMES EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVEN’T BEATEN THE SPREAD ONCE THIS SEASON. IN THE PAST 5 GAMES THEY HAVE LOST BY 6 AND 4 AND 3 POINTS, AND WON BY 7 POINTS TWICE. MEANWHILE BC COMES OFF A DOMINATING WIN AT VIRGINIA ON THE HEELS OF A WIN AGAINST LOUISVILLE THE WEEK PRIOR AND SCORED MORE THAN 40 POINTS IN BOTH GAMES. FSU HASN’T SCORED EVEN 30 ALL YEAR, AND HAVE A YOUNG QB ON THE ROAD PLAYING ABOVE THE MASON-DIXON. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE WISEGUYS ARE THINKING.
BOSTON COLLEGE
8. (5-2) MISSISSIPPI STATE -PK- AT TEXAS A&M (5-2)
aTm COMES OFF A BYE WEEK AFTER THEIR CLOSE WIN AT FLORIDA AND HOSTS A MISSY-STATE SQUAD THAT JUST EXPLAINED IN A MEANINGFUL WAY TO KENTUCKY WHY THEY SHOULD STICK TO BASKETBALL. MSU’S ONLY LOSSES ARE TO AUBURN AND GEORGIA AND THOSE WEREN’T CLOSE, BUT OKAY, SO WHILE THEY AREN’T ELITE, THEY ARE STILL PRETTY GOOD. TEXAS A&M, IT TURNS OUT, ALSO COMES OFF THEIR OWN CLOSE WIN AGAINST THE SAME GATOR SQUAD AFTER HAVING GIVEN BAMA THEIR TOUGHEST GAME OF THE SEASON THE WEEK PRIOR. TOUGH PICK, BUT WITH HOME COOKIN’ AND A BYE WEEK?
TEXAS A&M
9. (7-0) #4 TCU -6.5 AT #25 IOWA STATE (5-2)
THE B12 CINDERELLA TEAM, ISU KNOCKED OFF OKLAHOMA, THEN CRUSHED KANSAS AND TEXAS TECH IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS. TCU COMES TO TOWN FOR THE ISU HOMECOMING TO SEE WHAT SIZE SHOES THE CYCLONES ARE REALLY WEARING. THEY ONLY BEAT KANSAS 43-0 THE WEEK AFTER ISU SKUNKED THEM 45-0, SO THERE’S THAT. TCU IS ABOUT A LONG DRIVE BETTER IN TOTAL OFFENSE AND A DRIVE STOPPED IN TOTAL D BETTER STATISTICALLY THAN IOWA ST. AND THAT IS REFLECTED IN A 6 POINT DISPARITY IN SCORING O AND A 5 POINT DISPARITY IN SCORING D IN FAVOR OF TCU. PUT IT ALL TOGETHER AND ISU NEEDS MORE POINTS.
TCU
10. #21 (6-2) USC -3 AT ARIZONA STATE (4-3)
USC LIMPS TO ARIZONA ST AFTER A TERRIBLE PERFORMANCE IN SOUTH BEND. ARIZONA STATE HAS BEATEN WASHINGTON AND UTAH IN SUCCESSIVE WEEKS AND GETS POINTS AT HOME AGAINST A USC TEAM THAT HASN’T BEATEN THE SPREAD SINCE THE STANFORD WIN. THE TROJANS ARE BEAT UP, ARE TOO INCONSISTENT ON OFFENSE AND ARE COMING OFF A HUMILIATION TO THEIR ARCH-RIVAL NOTRE DAME TO END THEIR LAST HOPE FOR RELEVANCE NATIONALLY. WHY ARE THEY LAYING POINTS TO AN ASU SQUAD THAT SEEMS TO BE IMPROVING EVERY WEEK? BEATS ME.
USC – BUT ONLY BECAUSE I HAVE TO.
11. #16 (6-1) MICHIGAN STATE -2 AT NORTHWESTERN (4-3)
MICHIGAN STATE HAS QUIETLY PUT TOGETHER QUITE A GOOD SEASON SO FAR, WITH A LOSS TO NOTRE DAME THEIR ONLY BLEMISH. THEY HAVE REELED OFF 4 STRAIGHT WINS INCLUDING THE RIVALRY WIN OVER MICHIGAN. NORTHWESTERN, WITH LOSSES TO DUKE, WISCONSIN AND PENN ST. DON’T SEEM TO BE AT THE SAME LEVEL, AND WHILE, YES, THIS IS A HOME GAME FOR THEM, THE SPREAD HAS ACTUALLY MOVED FROM 2 TO ONE POINT AND BACK TO 2, ALL FOR A GAME I THINK MSU WILL DOMINATE, PARTICULARLY ON DEFENSE.
MICHIGAN STATE
12. (5-2) VIRGINIA +3 AT PITT (3-5)
VIRGINIA LAID A BIG ONE VS BOSTON COLLEGE LAST WEEK, AS THE VAST MAJORITY OF PICKERS HERE CAN GRUESOMELY ATTEST. THEY TRAVEL TO PITT TO TRY TO MAKE AMENDS. PITT LIKEWISE IS SUFFERING THOUGH A SEASON TO FORGET, EVEN THOUGH ALL FIVE LOSSES CAME AGAINST, IT TURNS OUT, PRETTY RESPECTABLE TEAMS, THREE OF WHOM ARE IN THE TOP 15. VIRGINIA HAS THE FAR BETTER RECORD, BUT GETS THE POINTS, WHICH IS AS MUCH ABOUT STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE AS ANYTHING ELSE. SEEM LIKE TWO PRETTY EVENLY MATCHED TEAMS. TOUGH PICK.
VIRGINIA
13. (4-3) FLORIDA ATLANTIC -7.5 AT WESTERN KENTUCKY (5-2)
HIGH POWERED LANE KIFFIN INSPIRED FAU OFFENSE COMES OFF A MASSACRE OF CUSA WEST LEADING NORTH TEXAS, WINNING 69-31, AND AMAZINGLY, IT WASN’T THAT CLOSE. FAU SCORED THE FIRST 11 TIMES THEY HAD THE BALL, AND LED 62-7 AT THE END OF 3. FAU IS RANKED 17TH IN THE NATION IN TOTAL O. MEANWHILE, WESTERN KENTUCKY, WHILE WINNING, HASN’T BEEN TERRIBLY IMPRESSIVE ON OFFENSE DOING IT, AVERAGING JUST 27 POINTS A GAME, RELYING ON THEIR D TO KEEP THEM IN GAMES. SO IT’S A BATTLE OF GOOD O VS GOOD D.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC
14. (5-2) #22 WEST VIRGINIA +7.5 AT #11 OKLAHOMA STATE (6-1)
OKST’S ONLY LOSS IS TO NOW #4 TCU, SO THEY HAVE A GOOD RESUME. BUT WAIT, WEST VIRGINIA’S LOSSES WERE TO VA-TECH TO START THE SEASON AND THEN TO THAT SAME TCU TEAM LATER IN THE YEAR, A GAME THAT WAS TIED MIDWAY THROUGH THE 4TH QUARTER. WEST VIRGINIA ALSO HAS THE #4 TEAM IN SCORING OFFENSE IN THE NATION …AND THEY GET 8 POINTS. OH WAIT….AND OKSTATE? THEY ARE #3 IN THE NATION IN SCORING OFFENSE. SHOULD BE A BARNBURNER. LAST TEAM WITH THE BALL WINS, MEANING 8 POINTS IS TOO MANY.
WEST VIRGINIA
15. (4-3) HOUSTON +10.5 AT #17 (7-0) SOUTH FLORIDA
SOUTH FLORIDA TURNS OUT TO BE THE ONLY UNBEATEN FLORIDA TEAM. WHO’DA THUNK IT? ONLY PROBLEM IS THEY MAY HAVE THE SOFTEST SCHEDULE OF ANY RANKED TEAM AND CERTAINLY THE SOFTEST SOS OF ANY FLORIDA TEAM. ENTER HOUSTON, AN INCONSISTENT TEAM THAT HAS BEEN THE POSTER CHILD FOR THE CONCEPT OF “AVERAGE”. THEY GET POINTS, AND I THINK USF MAY BE OVER-RATED BASED ON THE SCHEDULE.
HOUSTON
BONUS GAMES
JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT, THIS WEEK WE CELEBRATE THE LESS FORTUNATE AMONG FBS TEAMS.
BELOW ARE GAMES OF THE LAST THREE TEAMS THAT REMAIN WINLESS AMONG ALL THE FBS TEAMS.
16A. (0-7) BAYLOR +10.5 AT TEXAS (3-4)
BAYLOR, AFTER STARTING OUT LIKE A DUMPSTER FIRE HAS SETTLED DOWN SOME, THOUGH IT HAS NOT TRANSLATED INTO ANY WINS YET. THEY HAVE COME CLOSE A FEW TIMES, LOSING LAST WEEK TO A PRETTY GOOD (#22) WEST VIRGINIA TEAM BY 2 AT HOME. TEXAS, MEANWHILE COMES OFF TWO TOUGH LOSSES TO OU AND OKST IN SUCCESSIVE WEEKS…I AM GUESSING THEY ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT AND I’M THINKING THAT THEY MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO EXPLAIN TO US THAT THEY ARE BETTER THAN THE 3-4 TEAM THEIR RECORD INDICATES.
TEXAS
16B. (4-2) UTSA -15.5 AT (0-7) UTEP
THE BATTLE OF THE LITTLE UTs AND MAYBE A BIT OF A RIVALRY IS BREWING. UTSA HAS LOST TWO GAMES, TO SO. MISS AND NORTH TEX, BY A COMBINED 5 POINTS. THEY TRAVEL TO EL PASO TO PLAY A MINER’S TEAM THAT HAS STRUGGLED, A LOT…GETTING SHUT OUT IN THEIR LAST GAME PLAYED AT THE SAME SO. MISS. BUT, ON THE PLUS SIDE, UTEP PLAYED A DECENT WESTERN KENTUCKY TEAM TOUGH, LOSING BY ONE PT THE WEEK PRIOR. UTEP ALSO COMES OFF A BYE WEEK AND THEY GET A LOT OF POINTS. THE GAME LAST YEAR WENT TO AN AMAZING 5 OVERTIMES, WITH UTEP PULLING IT OUT WITH A WALK-OFF TD TO WIN IT. THAT’S ENOUGH TO BUY ME OVER EVEN IF THEY DO REMAIN WINLESS.
UTEP
16C. (0-6) GEORGIA SOUTHERN +25.5 AT TROY (5-2)
LAST WEEK, GEORGIA SOUTHERN DID UMASS A FAVOR AND REMOVED THEM FROM THE LIST OF WINLESS TEAMS, WITH WINLESS GEOSO LOSING TO A THEN WINLESS MINUTEMEN TEAM 55-20. THAT’S IMPRESSIVELY BAD. TROY OTOH, THE LSU KILLER, HAS LOSSES TO A SURGING BOISE STATE TEAM AT BOISE BY A RESPECTABLE SCORE, AND A PERHAPS UNDERSTANDABLE HANGOVER LOSS FOLLOWING THE LSU WIN TO SO. ALABAMA LAST WEEK. IS GEORGIA SOUTHERN THE WORST TEAM IN FBS? PROBABLY. THEY GET A GAZILLION POINTS TO MAKE IT INTERESTING, BUT I DON’T THINK IT WILL BE.
TROY
“No it's not.”
“Well, what do you think we ought to do that's fittin' and proper?”
“Rob a train.”
“We can't hold up the train.”
“Why not?”
“Lots of reasons.’
‘Name 'em.’
“We're rustlers, not train robbers.”
“Well, if people didn't try something new, there wouldn't be hardly any progress at all.”
WEEK 9
BIG LIST THIS WEEK, WITH A FEW “JUST FOR FUN” BONUS GAMES ADDED.
1. (7-0) #3 GEORGIA -14 VS FLORIDA (3-3)
THE WORLDS BIGGEST….UH…..GAME IN A JACKSONVILLE THIS WEEK. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS ONE PITS AN UGA SQUAD THAT HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT IT IS FULLY LEGIT AND IN THE HUNT FOR A NC. THE GATORS, NOT SO MUCH. UF HAS LOST TWO IN A ROW BUT, ON THE PLUS SIDE, BY A TOTAL FOR BOTH GAMES OF JUST 3 POINTS. BUT GEORGIA HASN’T WON BY FEWER THAN 25 POINTS SINCE THE GAME AT SOUTH BEND 5 WINS AGO.
GEORGIA
2. (7-0) #2 PENN STATE +6.5 AT #6 OHIO STATE (6-1)
GAME OF THE WEEK, BY FAR. PENN STATE SMOTHERED MICHIGAN LAST WEEK, OSU COMES OFF A BYE AFTER A MASSACRE OF NEBRASKA IN LINCOLN. THROW OUT THE STATS. TWO GREAT TEAMS IN A GAME WITH NC IMPLICATIONS. OHIO STATE WINS, BUT PENN STATE COVERS.
PENN STATE
3. (4-3) UCLA +17.5 AT #12 WASHINGTON (6-1)
THIS GAME IS OUR WEEKLY PICK AGAINST A GIANT SPREAD GAME. UCLA TRAVELS TO WASHINGTON TO PLAY A WASHINGTON TEAM THAT COMES OFF A BYE WEEK AFTER LOSING TO ASU UNEXPECTEDLY. UCLA HASN’T WON A GAME ON THE ROAD ALL SEASON AND HAS A DEFENSE THAT ONLY A MOTHER COULD LOVE AND EVEN SHE’S HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS. THEY DID HOLD OREGON TO JUST 14 POINTS LAST WEEK, BUT THAT JUST BEGS THE QUESTION…HOW DID OREGON RACK UP 566 TOTAL YARDS AND ONLY SCORE 14 POINTS? EASY HUSKIE PICK, RIGHT? WELL, GUESS WHICH TEAM AVERAGES MORE POINTS SCORED PER GAME THIS SEASON? UCLA.
UCLA
4. (6-1) #14 NORTH CAROLINA STATE +7.5 AT #9 NOTRE DAME (6-1)
FRESH OFF THE THUMPING OF SOUTHERN CAL, THE IRISH HOST A VERY DANGEROUS NCSTATE SQUAD THAT COMES OFF A BYE AND HAS WON 6 IN A ROW. AFTER THE HIGH OF THE USC GAME, IS THIS ONE A TRAP FOR THE IRISH? NCSTATE GETS A TD+, BUT IS IT ENOUGH? I SAY, YES. THE IRISH ARE HUNG OVER FROM CELEBRATING A WIN AGAINST THE TROJANS. THEY WIN A CLOSE ONE BUT DON’T COVER.
NC STATE
5. (4-2) GEORGIA TECH +14.5 AT #7 CLEMSON (6-1)
CLEMSON RETURNS TO THE GRIDIRON FROM A BYE WEEK AFTER BEING STUNG BY SYRACUSE. THIS WEEK, IT’S THE YELLOW JACKETS, WHO HAVE PLAYED PRETTY WELL, AND WHO HAVE LOST BOTH THEIR TWO GAMES THIS SEASON BY ONE POINT (TO TENN. AND THE MIAMI CANES). GTECH GETS A TON OF POINTS THIS TIME, BUT FOR CLEMSON, THIS IS A STATEMENT GAME, A GAME THEY NEED TO WIN, HOPEFULLY IMPRESSIVELY, TO MAKE FOLKS FORGET ABOUT THE LOSS. IMO, THEY WIN, BUT DON’T COVER.
GEORGIA TECH
6. (7-1) #15 WASHINGTON STATE -2.5 AT ARIZONA (5-2)
WHO KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO BE A PIVOTAL GAME IN WHO CONTROLS THE PAC12? ARIZONA NEEDS THIS WIN WITH P12 SOUTH LEADING USC UP NEXT WEEK AND WAZZU NEEDS THE WIN WITH STANFORD COMING TO PLAY THEM NEXT WEEK. WSU REBOUNDED FROM THE CAL LOSS WITH A SHUTOUT OF COLORADO, WHILE ZONA BEAT THE SAME CAL TEAM BY 1 POINT IN DOUBLE OT LAST WEEK. WITH TWO GOOD OFFENSES, THIS GAME REVOLVES AROUND WHO HAS THE BEST D, AND THAT IS WAZZU…BY A LOT.
WASHINGTON STATE
7. (2-4) FLORIDA STATE -3 AT BOSTON COLLEGE (4-4)
FSU CONTINUES TO BE FAVORED IN GAMES EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVEN’T BEATEN THE SPREAD ONCE THIS SEASON. IN THE PAST 5 GAMES THEY HAVE LOST BY 6 AND 4 AND 3 POINTS, AND WON BY 7 POINTS TWICE. MEANWHILE BC COMES OFF A DOMINATING WIN AT VIRGINIA ON THE HEELS OF A WIN AGAINST LOUISVILLE THE WEEK PRIOR AND SCORED MORE THAN 40 POINTS IN BOTH GAMES. FSU HASN’T SCORED EVEN 30 ALL YEAR, AND HAVE A YOUNG QB ON THE ROAD PLAYING ABOVE THE MASON-DIXON. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE WISEGUYS ARE THINKING.
BOSTON COLLEGE
8. (5-2) MISSISSIPPI STATE -PK- AT TEXAS A&M (5-2)
aTm COMES OFF A BYE WEEK AFTER THEIR CLOSE WIN AT FLORIDA AND HOSTS A MISSY-STATE SQUAD THAT JUST EXPLAINED IN A MEANINGFUL WAY TO KENTUCKY WHY THEY SHOULD STICK TO BASKETBALL. MSU’S ONLY LOSSES ARE TO AUBURN AND GEORGIA AND THOSE WEREN’T CLOSE, BUT OKAY, SO WHILE THEY AREN’T ELITE, THEY ARE STILL PRETTY GOOD. TEXAS A&M, IT TURNS OUT, ALSO COMES OFF THEIR OWN CLOSE WIN AGAINST THE SAME GATOR SQUAD AFTER HAVING GIVEN BAMA THEIR TOUGHEST GAME OF THE SEASON THE WEEK PRIOR. TOUGH PICK, BUT WITH HOME COOKIN’ AND A BYE WEEK?
TEXAS A&M
9. (7-0) #4 TCU -6.5 AT #25 IOWA STATE (5-2)
THE B12 CINDERELLA TEAM, ISU KNOCKED OFF OKLAHOMA, THEN CRUSHED KANSAS AND TEXAS TECH IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS. TCU COMES TO TOWN FOR THE ISU HOMECOMING TO SEE WHAT SIZE SHOES THE CYCLONES ARE REALLY WEARING. THEY ONLY BEAT KANSAS 43-0 THE WEEK AFTER ISU SKUNKED THEM 45-0, SO THERE’S THAT. TCU IS ABOUT A LONG DRIVE BETTER IN TOTAL OFFENSE AND A DRIVE STOPPED IN TOTAL D BETTER STATISTICALLY THAN IOWA ST. AND THAT IS REFLECTED IN A 6 POINT DISPARITY IN SCORING O AND A 5 POINT DISPARITY IN SCORING D IN FAVOR OF TCU. PUT IT ALL TOGETHER AND ISU NEEDS MORE POINTS.
TCU
10. #21 (6-2) USC -3 AT ARIZONA STATE (4-3)
USC LIMPS TO ARIZONA ST AFTER A TERRIBLE PERFORMANCE IN SOUTH BEND. ARIZONA STATE HAS BEATEN WASHINGTON AND UTAH IN SUCCESSIVE WEEKS AND GETS POINTS AT HOME AGAINST A USC TEAM THAT HASN’T BEATEN THE SPREAD SINCE THE STANFORD WIN. THE TROJANS ARE BEAT UP, ARE TOO INCONSISTENT ON OFFENSE AND ARE COMING OFF A HUMILIATION TO THEIR ARCH-RIVAL NOTRE DAME TO END THEIR LAST HOPE FOR RELEVANCE NATIONALLY. WHY ARE THEY LAYING POINTS TO AN ASU SQUAD THAT SEEMS TO BE IMPROVING EVERY WEEK? BEATS ME.
USC – BUT ONLY BECAUSE I HAVE TO.
11. #16 (6-1) MICHIGAN STATE -2 AT NORTHWESTERN (4-3)
MICHIGAN STATE HAS QUIETLY PUT TOGETHER QUITE A GOOD SEASON SO FAR, WITH A LOSS TO NOTRE DAME THEIR ONLY BLEMISH. THEY HAVE REELED OFF 4 STRAIGHT WINS INCLUDING THE RIVALRY WIN OVER MICHIGAN. NORTHWESTERN, WITH LOSSES TO DUKE, WISCONSIN AND PENN ST. DON’T SEEM TO BE AT THE SAME LEVEL, AND WHILE, YES, THIS IS A HOME GAME FOR THEM, THE SPREAD HAS ACTUALLY MOVED FROM 2 TO ONE POINT AND BACK TO 2, ALL FOR A GAME I THINK MSU WILL DOMINATE, PARTICULARLY ON DEFENSE.
MICHIGAN STATE
12. (5-2) VIRGINIA +3 AT PITT (3-5)
VIRGINIA LAID A BIG ONE VS BOSTON COLLEGE LAST WEEK, AS THE VAST MAJORITY OF PICKERS HERE CAN GRUESOMELY ATTEST. THEY TRAVEL TO PITT TO TRY TO MAKE AMENDS. PITT LIKEWISE IS SUFFERING THOUGH A SEASON TO FORGET, EVEN THOUGH ALL FIVE LOSSES CAME AGAINST, IT TURNS OUT, PRETTY RESPECTABLE TEAMS, THREE OF WHOM ARE IN THE TOP 15. VIRGINIA HAS THE FAR BETTER RECORD, BUT GETS THE POINTS, WHICH IS AS MUCH ABOUT STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE AS ANYTHING ELSE. SEEM LIKE TWO PRETTY EVENLY MATCHED TEAMS. TOUGH PICK.
VIRGINIA
13. (4-3) FLORIDA ATLANTIC -7.5 AT WESTERN KENTUCKY (5-2)
HIGH POWERED LANE KIFFIN INSPIRED FAU OFFENSE COMES OFF A MASSACRE OF CUSA WEST LEADING NORTH TEXAS, WINNING 69-31, AND AMAZINGLY, IT WASN’T THAT CLOSE. FAU SCORED THE FIRST 11 TIMES THEY HAD THE BALL, AND LED 62-7 AT THE END OF 3. FAU IS RANKED 17TH IN THE NATION IN TOTAL O. MEANWHILE, WESTERN KENTUCKY, WHILE WINNING, HASN’T BEEN TERRIBLY IMPRESSIVE ON OFFENSE DOING IT, AVERAGING JUST 27 POINTS A GAME, RELYING ON THEIR D TO KEEP THEM IN GAMES. SO IT’S A BATTLE OF GOOD O VS GOOD D.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC
14. (5-2) #22 WEST VIRGINIA +7.5 AT #11 OKLAHOMA STATE (6-1)
OKST’S ONLY LOSS IS TO NOW #4 TCU, SO THEY HAVE A GOOD RESUME. BUT WAIT, WEST VIRGINIA’S LOSSES WERE TO VA-TECH TO START THE SEASON AND THEN TO THAT SAME TCU TEAM LATER IN THE YEAR, A GAME THAT WAS TIED MIDWAY THROUGH THE 4TH QUARTER. WEST VIRGINIA ALSO HAS THE #4 TEAM IN SCORING OFFENSE IN THE NATION …AND THEY GET 8 POINTS. OH WAIT….AND OKSTATE? THEY ARE #3 IN THE NATION IN SCORING OFFENSE. SHOULD BE A BARNBURNER. LAST TEAM WITH THE BALL WINS, MEANING 8 POINTS IS TOO MANY.
WEST VIRGINIA
15. (4-3) HOUSTON +10.5 AT #17 (7-0) SOUTH FLORIDA
SOUTH FLORIDA TURNS OUT TO BE THE ONLY UNBEATEN FLORIDA TEAM. WHO’DA THUNK IT? ONLY PROBLEM IS THEY MAY HAVE THE SOFTEST SCHEDULE OF ANY RANKED TEAM AND CERTAINLY THE SOFTEST SOS OF ANY FLORIDA TEAM. ENTER HOUSTON, AN INCONSISTENT TEAM THAT HAS BEEN THE POSTER CHILD FOR THE CONCEPT OF “AVERAGE”. THEY GET POINTS, AND I THINK USF MAY BE OVER-RATED BASED ON THE SCHEDULE.
HOUSTON
BONUS GAMES
JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT, THIS WEEK WE CELEBRATE THE LESS FORTUNATE AMONG FBS TEAMS.
BELOW ARE GAMES OF THE LAST THREE TEAMS THAT REMAIN WINLESS AMONG ALL THE FBS TEAMS.
16A. (0-7) BAYLOR +10.5 AT TEXAS (3-4)
BAYLOR, AFTER STARTING OUT LIKE A DUMPSTER FIRE HAS SETTLED DOWN SOME, THOUGH IT HAS NOT TRANSLATED INTO ANY WINS YET. THEY HAVE COME CLOSE A FEW TIMES, LOSING LAST WEEK TO A PRETTY GOOD (#22) WEST VIRGINIA TEAM BY 2 AT HOME. TEXAS, MEANWHILE COMES OFF TWO TOUGH LOSSES TO OU AND OKST IN SUCCESSIVE WEEKS…I AM GUESSING THEY ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT AND I’M THINKING THAT THEY MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO EXPLAIN TO US THAT THEY ARE BETTER THAN THE 3-4 TEAM THEIR RECORD INDICATES.
TEXAS
16B. (4-2) UTSA -15.5 AT (0-7) UTEP
THE BATTLE OF THE LITTLE UTs AND MAYBE A BIT OF A RIVALRY IS BREWING. UTSA HAS LOST TWO GAMES, TO SO. MISS AND NORTH TEX, BY A COMBINED 5 POINTS. THEY TRAVEL TO EL PASO TO PLAY A MINER’S TEAM THAT HAS STRUGGLED, A LOT…GETTING SHUT OUT IN THEIR LAST GAME PLAYED AT THE SAME SO. MISS. BUT, ON THE PLUS SIDE, UTEP PLAYED A DECENT WESTERN KENTUCKY TEAM TOUGH, LOSING BY ONE PT THE WEEK PRIOR. UTEP ALSO COMES OFF A BYE WEEK AND THEY GET A LOT OF POINTS. THE GAME LAST YEAR WENT TO AN AMAZING 5 OVERTIMES, WITH UTEP PULLING IT OUT WITH A WALK-OFF TD TO WIN IT. THAT’S ENOUGH TO BUY ME OVER EVEN IF THEY DO REMAIN WINLESS.
UTEP
16C. (0-6) GEORGIA SOUTHERN +25.5 AT TROY (5-2)
LAST WEEK, GEORGIA SOUTHERN DID UMASS A FAVOR AND REMOVED THEM FROM THE LIST OF WINLESS TEAMS, WITH WINLESS GEOSO LOSING TO A THEN WINLESS MINUTEMEN TEAM 55-20. THAT’S IMPRESSIVELY BAD. TROY OTOH, THE LSU KILLER, HAS LOSSES TO A SURGING BOISE STATE TEAM AT BOISE BY A RESPECTABLE SCORE, AND A PERHAPS UNDERSTANDABLE HANGOVER LOSS FOLLOWING THE LSU WIN TO SO. ALABAMA LAST WEEK. IS GEORGIA SOUTHERN THE WORST TEAM IN FBS? PROBABLY. THEY GET A GAZILLION POINTS TO MAKE IT INTERESTING, BUT I DON’T THINK IT WILL BE.
TROY
And I wanted to the first time I saw Barberella... 
