2011 NCAA (unit picks differential): +1
- Link to NCAA Division 1 scores from yesterday's games -
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PREVIEW: After going 11-5 the week before I stumbled a bit last week... Forget about the 'picks' for a minute & I'll tell you a few things I'm seeing...
- Wisconsin, to me, is the cream of the Big 10... I believe the Wisconsin-Nebraska match-up this weekend will foreshadow the 1st ever Big 10 Championship game... I still have Wisconsin as a potential candidate to make it to the BCS Championship...
- LSU is probably the most impressive team I've seen (even first hand) overall... They've still got a tough SEC schedule to manage, but I'm on their train until they stumble...
- I really like Florida (who plays Alabama this week)... I may be underestimating Alabama (because they really play their cards close to the vest... They'd better be careful in this spot... I'm going to be taking Florida & the points at home in that contest & see where the chips fall)...
- Clemson is really surprising me thus far... We'll see how far that goes (maybe not beyond this week), because they have to travel to Blacksburg to play Virginia Tech... VT has not impressed me as much this year, yet they're not doing anything wrong either... The ACC is still up for grabs...
- Oklahoma is annoying to me... Ball State??? Are you kidding me??? Get a #1 ranking and keep it by playing teams like Ball State at home... Yeah big WHEELS out there in Norman...
- Boise State continues to do what they do... They have to face Nevada this week (who ruined their season last year)...
- Stanford is the cream of the West... I can't see Oregon competing with them for the PAC 12 title... & nobody is going to come out of the Pac 12 South to challenge them in the conference championship... It'll either be Az. State or Utah... BOTH teams Stanford could wax...
Early picks for conference championships...
ACC - Florida State can make it if it gets it's pieces back... VA Tech & Clemson are for real... GA Tech is a pretender...
SEC - Gotta go with LSU at this point (before the real fun begins)
BIG 10 - Wisconsin
PAC 12 - Stanford
Big 12 - Oklahoma STATE (I just think they're better than Oklahoma)
Big East - West Virginia (but who really cares)?... No wonder the BE is bleeding schools to the ACC...
Boise State will be 'in' the BCS mix... I think Florida joins the party & Alabama might risk shuffling back... Nebraska, Oregon, & South Carolina will all pack their bags before all is said & done...
I'll tell you right now what the BCS 'gods' prolly want to see is LSU - Stanford in the Championship game... They want to see Andrew Luck go against a ferocious defense... It could happen if both teams run the table...
- Wisconsin, to me, is the cream of the Big 10... I believe the Wisconsin-Nebraska match-up this weekend will foreshadow the 1st ever Big 10 Championship game... I still have Wisconsin as a potential candidate to make it to the BCS Championship...
- LSU is probably the most impressive team I've seen (even first hand) overall... They've still got a tough SEC schedule to manage, but I'm on their train until they stumble...
- I really like Florida (who plays Alabama this week)... I may be underestimating Alabama (because they really play their cards close to the vest... They'd better be careful in this spot... I'm going to be taking Florida & the points at home in that contest & see where the chips fall)...
- Clemson is really surprising me thus far... We'll see how far that goes (maybe not beyond this week), because they have to travel to Blacksburg to play Virginia Tech... VT has not impressed me as much this year, yet they're not doing anything wrong either... The ACC is still up for grabs...
- Oklahoma is annoying to me... Ball State??? Are you kidding me??? Get a #1 ranking and keep it by playing teams like Ball State at home... Yeah big WHEELS out there in Norman...
- Boise State continues to do what they do... They have to face Nevada this week (who ruined their season last year)...
- Stanford is the cream of the West... I can't see Oregon competing with them for the PAC 12 title... & nobody is going to come out of the Pac 12 South to challenge them in the conference championship... It'll either be Az. State or Utah... BOTH teams Stanford could wax...
Early picks for conference championships...
ACC - Florida State can make it if it gets it's pieces back... VA Tech & Clemson are for real... GA Tech is a pretender...
SEC - Gotta go with LSU at this point (before the real fun begins)
BIG 10 - Wisconsin
PAC 12 - Stanford
Big 12 - Oklahoma STATE (I just think they're better than Oklahoma)
Big East - West Virginia (but who really cares)?... No wonder the BE is bleeding schools to the ACC...
Boise State will be 'in' the BCS mix... I think Florida joins the party & Alabama might risk shuffling back... Nebraska, Oregon, & South Carolina will all pack their bags before all is said & done...
I'll tell you right now what the BCS 'gods' prolly want to see is LSU - Stanford in the Championship game... They want to see Andrew Luck go against a ferocious defense... It could happen if both teams run the table...
WEEK 5 NCAA PICKS - 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
#18 South Florida (-3) at Pittsburgh (8:00 ET - ESPN)
Thus far this year, the 'old reliable' LIVE HOME DOG bias has not presented itself... I'm not surprised as I wrote that I believed that it had more to do with the specific match-ups...
Here we are in a battle of Big East schools (you know - the 'disrespected' crumbling Big East that just lost Pitt & Syracuse to the ACC)... Anyway, this is a classic 'live home dog' scenario... You need a team that's overrated visiting a team that everyone has given up on... The 2-2 Panthers have lost two games... On the road to a tough Iowa team (where they had the lead until the very end), & vs. Notre Dame where they put up a good effort...
Meanwhile... South Florida has been beating up on a bunch of schools that they were giving 20 & 40 points to... The public still remembers their glossy win (lucky win) over Notre Dame in week 1 (which is what they're probably comparing to Pitt here... Remember though that Notre Dame turned over the ball numerous times in that game & had a QB change at halftime)...
This is a perfect spot for Pitt getting points at home...
PITT for (5 units) - NCAA SEPTEMBER PICK OF THE MONTH - REDEEMER
The 'spy' says:
Pittsburgh 44 - South Florida 17 - correct
Houston (-16) at UTEP (8:00 ET - ESPN)
Same 'live home dog' scenario in play... I'm not as 'in love' with these games where there's a large pointspread... Houston features a Heisman candidate QB, which, in my opinion, can negate the crazed home field college fans on a weeknight on national TV scenario...
If the star player can get his mojo going, he can quiet the fans...
HOUSTON for (0 units)
The 'spy' says:
Houston 49 - UTEP 42 - incorrect
Friday, September 30, 2011
I just think that Utah State is the more entertaining team to watch here... I'm starting to get worried about seeing all these BYU games on Friday Nights... (Especially facing an "in state" foe)... I'm going to have to start recording the telecasts and watching them 'backwards' or peering in between the frames to make sure there's not any hidden messages going on here...
Wait... I just heard a knock at the door so I gotta go... Looks like two guys in white shirts & black ties holding some book or something... Now if they were only selling "Girl Scout Cookies"...
UTAH STATE for (0 units)
The 'spy' says:
BYU 27 - Utah State 24 - correct
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Box Score | Recap
You kind of have to read my overall descriptions (& rankings) of teams thus far to get a sense of this pick... The bottom line here is that these two teams seem fairly evenly matched...
I think what gets my attention most is the fact that Florida seems to be more "up & coming" at the moment... Alabama graduated a lot of seniors to the NFL last year & while the heart & soul of the squad still exists... I think they're marginally less effective on offense... OTOH, Florida has some wild playmakers that are NFL prospects which might make a difference here if their inexperience doesn't force them into mistakes...
Probably the BIGGEST angle of this game is the former relationship between Florida coach Will Muschamp & his 'mentor' (Nick Saban) of Alabama...
 |
| Muschamp... On being a "padowan"... (click to see video)... |
Any guy who can deliver a press conference like that before, arguably, the most important game of his career, deserves to have a few units tossed in his direction...
FLORIDA for (3 units)
The 'spy' says:
(result)
Box Score | Recap
I've also said that you need to take Boise State "wherever/whenever"... Sure you're going to lose a few games (but only ATS)... Here though. may be their cryptonite (vs. Nevada who ruined their season last year)... I'll still back Boise, but no units...
BOISE STATE for (0 units)...
The 'spy' says:
(result)
The 'spy' says:
(result)
Box Score | Recap
I still think Georgia Tech will prove to be 'pretenders' for the ACC title... But probably not here... NC State got embarassed by Cincinnati last week on national TV... They're a work in progress after losing their star QB to Wisconsin...
GEORGIA TECH for (1 unit)
The 'spy' says:
Box Score | Recap
Like Boise... I've ridden Virginia Tech (last year), to many unit wins... I usually don't trust Clemson, but they seem like they have it together this year... It's tough playing in Blacksburg, but I think a TOUCHDOWN here is pretty generous...
CLEMSON for (0 units)
The 'spy' says:
(result)
CLEMSON for (0 units)
The 'spy' says:
(result)
Box Score | Recap
I still think Texas is a bunch of choking fools... Iowa State came by and beat them on their own turf last year, so I doubt they're shaking in their boots here as a live home dog...
IOWA STATE (for 2 units)
The 'spy' says: The public is taking
IOWA STATE (for 2 units)
The 'spy' says: The public is taking
#8 Nebraska at #7 Wisconsin (-10) (8:00 PM)
Box Score | Recap
I've already said that I think Wisconsin might contend for one of the spots in the BCS title game... It's nearly impossible for a visitor to come in and hang an "L" on the Badgers in Camp Randall... Especially the Cornhuskers (who are playing their first EVER Big 10 'in-conference' game)...
It's probably too much of a task for them... I'm still 'smarting' though from laying a lot of points with Wisconsin in week 1 to UNLV and watching their defense not be able to get off the field at times (allowing a back door cover)...
I think I'll keep my powder dry here... Because if Nebraska lays it all on the field, they ought to have a hangover next week... If they get blown out, then the line on Wisconsin will be ridiculous next week... It's time to store some nuts...
NEBRASKA for (0 units)
The 'spy' says:
(result)
It's probably too much of a task for them... I'm still 'smarting' though from laying a lot of points with Wisconsin in week 1 to UNLV and watching their defense not be able to get off the field at times (allowing a back door cover)...
I think I'll keep my powder dry here... Because if Nebraska lays it all on the field, they ought to have a hangover next week... If they get blown out, then the line on Wisconsin will be ridiculous next week... It's time to store some nuts...
NEBRASKA for (0 units)
The 'spy' says:
(result)
- OTHER GAMES UNDER CONSIDERATION -
New Mexico State (-1) at New Mexico
Classic 'live home dog' scenario... This is the 'Lobos' SuperBowl (maybe the only game they win all year)... I'll take them for (1 unit)...
Ball State at Oklahoma (-38)
It's really kind of ridiculous laying 38 points in a college game, but Oklahoma finds itself in a peculiar spot... Next week is the annual 'RED RIVER' rivalry vs. Texas... Here, the Sooners are 10 days rest from taking down Florida State in Tallahassee... Ball St. in the rocking chair??? Give the OU athletic director a pay raise for 'milking' a national championship campaign... Then again, maybe not!... LSU basically just said fu** it & has taken down 3 ranked teams on the road & stolen the #1 ranking from OU... So the Sooners better put up some gaudy numbers here to get in favor with the BCS computers before the rankings come out in a few weeks (not to mention that their Heisman candidate QB is falling backwards everytime the Sooners schedule one of these Pop Warner squads)... I'll take OKLAHOMA for (1 unit)...
* Bold means that I'd tend to favor that team ATS (but won't suggest a play)
ATS = 'Against the Spread'
--- other TOP #25 action ---
(10/1/11)
#14 Texas A&M at #18 Arkansas
Auburn at #10 South Carolina
Minnesota at #19 Michigan
Northwestern at #24 Illinois
Kentucky at #1 LSU
Bowling Green at #22 West Virginia
#15 Baylor at Kansas State
SMU at #20 TCU
Ball State at #2 Oklahoma
Oregon State at #25 Arizona State
ATS = 'Against the Spread'
--- other TOP #25 action ---
(10/1/11)
#14 Texas A&M at #18 Arkansas
Auburn at #10 South Carolina
Minnesota at #19 Michigan
Northwestern at #24 Illinois
Kentucky at #1 LSU
Bowling Green at #22 West Virginia
#15 Baylor at Kansas State
SMU at #20 TCU
Ball State at #2 Oklahoma
Oregon State at #25 Arizona State
