Week 5 Predictions

Last Week's Record: 8-2
Overall Record: 28-12 (70%)

Thursday, September 29
South Florida 31 @ Pitt 21
USF is looking like the class of the Big East (whatever that means).


Saturday, October 1
Texas A&M 31 vs Arkansas 28 (in Arlington, TX)
Both teams lost last week, but A&M has the defense and the consistency on offense to take on Arkansas.


Alabama 30 @ Florida 17
Florida isn't going to knock off the Tide. They're not even the best team in their division... which is....


Northwestern 30 @ Illinois 40
The Wildcats are Persa-strong... but the Illini have a pretty good guy at QB too... along with 21 other talented positions. Illinois' run game is too strong for Northwestern.


Auburn 31 @ South Carolina 35
I know Garcia has been... well... Garcia lately, but what better way to get an offense on track than to square up against the porous Auburn D?


Notre Dame 42 @ Purdue 20
The Irish are due for a big win, and though the Boilers have played the Domers close over the years, this one won't be.


Michigan State 20 @ Ohio State 17
The Spartans haven't won in Columbus since 1998, but this Ohio State team is probably the weakest in decades. It's now or never for Michigan State to make a statement they belong in the upper echelon of the Big Ten.


Clemson 21 @ Virginia Tech 24
The Tigers are 4-0... now they can throw in the yearly clunker. If there's a place to do it, it's Blacksburg, where Virginia Tech is nigh unbeatable.


Washington 31 @ Utah 45
The Utes' first PAC-12 game could turn into a shootout, but Utah's defense will come up with big stops late to pull out the "W".


GAME OF THE WEEK!
Nebraska at Wisconsin

The Analysis:
Nebraska's run defense will be sorely tested by Wisconsin's tandem of Montee Ball and James White. Maybe too tested. Wisconsin +2
On the other hand, Wisconsin hasn't seen an offense even close to Nebraska's. Wisconsin's run defenders will be its cornerbacks, as the Huskers like to spread out the field and run around, rather than through, defenses. Nebraska +1
Madison is a tough place to play at night. Wisconsin has only lost 3 times at night under Coach Bielema. Wisconsin +1


The Prediction: Wisconsin 34, Nebraska 24.

Week 4 Predictions

Last Week's Record: 7-3
Overall Record: 20-10

Busy Week! Some great games on tap this weekend. The Thursday night game may be underwhelming, but Saturday offers some great matchups!

North Carolina 21 @ Georgia Tech 34
Preparing for Georgia Tech's unique option attack isn't a blessing. Just ask Kansas. The Yellow Jackets put up over SIX HUNDRED yards rushing against the Jayhawks, and over 750 all together. UNC's defense is a tad better than Kansas', but come on.

Week 3 Predictions

Overall Record: 13-7

Thursday, September 15
LSU 24 @ Mississippi State 20
The Tigers have some trouble with the Bulldogs in the house of cowbell, but the Mad Hatter gets it done.

Hindsight is 20/20 - Week 2

This week's record: 6-4
Overall Record: 13-7

What a crazy weekend... Michigan's late rally held off the Irish (and saved me from a 5-5 pick) in dramatic fashion... This week offers no simpler test for the Irish, who have to host Michigan State... btw, those same Spartans held Florida Atlantic to just 48 total yards, and one... ONE first down... South Carolina may have hammered the last nail into Mark Richt's coaching career... Georgia doesn't tolerate losing, and if the Bulldogs finish worse than second in the division, Richt will be gone by December... Alabama looked good beating up Penn State, with its young quarterback McCarron making large strides from his disastrous first week performance versus Kent State. (2 INTs in half a game of work)... speaking of quaterbacks, Texas still doesn't have one. All three were poor against BYU.

Week 2 Predictions

Last Week's Record: 7-3
Overall Record: 7-3

Friday, September 9
Missouri 17 @ Arizona State 24
The Tigers' Offense looked mediocre at best against Miami OH last week, and Arizona State is hungry to show that they're a Pac-12 contender. The Sundevils win a tight one.

Hindsight is 20/20 -Week 1

Week 1 Record: 7-3

2011 Overall Record: 7-3

A week in review:

Russell Wilson looks like the real deal at Wisconsin - First Big Ten Championship Game appearance for the Badgers might be sown up... Robert Griffin is the real deal - the Baylor quarterback should probably be the real Heisman front-runner... BYU, Houston, and Northwestern all pulled off upsets... 3-0 in that field for the week! ... the Pac-12 doesn't look great this week, with new members Colorado (L, Hawaii) and Utah (W, Montana State) not looking great, and Oregon State losing to Sacramento State... Minnesota surprised many by almost pulling off the monumental upset of Southern California - Jerry Kill might turn around the Gophers sooner than many thought... Does anyone actually have a good reason as to why Boise State is unworthy of the BCS any more?... a Holtz won in South Bend again. It's been too long.

GOTW:

LSU beat up on Oregon, especially on defense, where the Tigers smothered the Ducks' O. But it was on special teams that LSU really shined. However, can I say that neither team really impressed me? Oregon struggled against a good defense again, and LSU won by a combination of luck and Les-Miles-ness. LSU might be the number 2 team in the country according to the polls, but I'm not convinced. Maybe they'll prove me wrong, but until then, count me a skeptic.