Last week - 8-8
YTD - 22-14
Thursday
North Carolina at Rutgers (-5) - ESPN - 6:30 pm
My favorite coach of all time outside of Dr. Tom, Butch Davis takes UNC on the road to Rutgers. Rutgers seems to be living off the legend of Ray Rice, and the 1 good year that they had back in 2006. I think they're severely overrated. North Carolina returned everyone on both sides of the ball from a team last year that was rounding into shape near the end of the year. They have a good, mobile QB, a great group of WR's, and a decent defense. In the weak ACC, they were my sleeper for the conference title. In a few years, they will be the class of the ACC, mark it down.
Pick - UNC +5
Friday
Kansas at South Florida (-3.5) - ESPN2 - 7:00 pm
Why this game isn't on ESPN, I'm not sure. This is going to be a great game. South Florida has athletes all over the field, especially on defense. Kansas is trying to prove last year wasn't a fluke, and fields a very good offense. This should be a primetime Saturday night game. Kansas will prove to be a fluke this year, the schedule set up for them perfectly last year, and this year they will take their lumps and will probably be a 8-9 win team. South Florida has too many athletes and is at home.
Pick - South Florida -3.5
Saturday
California (-14.5) at Maryland - ESPN - 11:00 am
Cal has looked dominant so far this year. Tons of points, stifling opponents on defense. Maryland could be the worst BCS conference team in the nation. They beat Deleware by 7 at home, and then lost to Middle Tennessee State on the road. California will defy my Time Zone Theory and will destroy Maryland.
Pick - California -14.5
Washington State at Baylor (PK) - FSNSW - 11:30 am
Baylor has found a QB, one who can run like the wind and whip the ball around. Too bad he's the only athlete they have. That said, Washington State has looked really bad in their 1st 2 games, and will continue to look bad. Baylor will actually beat a BCS conference team.
Pick - Baylor PK
Nevada at Missouri (-26.5) - PPV - 11:30 am
Missouri is my pick this year to win it all. The defense has not impressed me, a championship team cannot be ranked in the 90's in total defense. Missouri and Texas Tech seem to have comparable defenses, and Nevada put up 500 yards on Tech last weekend. Missouri will win this game, and win comfortably, but Nevada will score enough to cover.
Pick - Nevada +26.5
Michigan (-1.5) at Notre Dame - NBC - 2:30 pm
Two programs that haven't done squat in forever. For Michigan, they snuck their way into a title in the pre-BCS era. In today's environment, they get demolished by Nebraska in the championship game in 1997, but that argument is for another time. So other than 1997, they have been painfully mediocre in the painfully mediocre Big 10. Notre Dame has sucked for the past 25 years. This game will suck as well.
Pick - Michigan -1.5
Georgia (-7) at South Carolina - CBS - 2:30 pm
Georgia's first test outside of the Hedges. South Carolina is not very good, has a terrible offense, and got beat by Vandy of all teams. But Steve Spurrier has a history of playing Georgia tough, he has a really good defense that can keep it close, and is at home. Give me a Georgia win, but a South Carolina cover.
Pick - South Carolina +7
UCLA at BYU (-8) - VS - 2:30 pm
Rick Neuheisel and Norm Chow are showing that having superior coaching in college makes a ton of difference. The NFL is more of a player's league and the coach is more of just a caretaker, but if you have top-level coaching in college, that can be worth 2 TD's a game. See the Tennessee game. No way UCLA has as much talent as Tennessee. But they have coaches who can scheme, call plays, and put the talent they have in the best possible position to succeed. The UCLA QB's throws 4 interceptions in the 1st half, the coaches tweak the offensive game plan, come out in the 2nd half, and that same QB kicks ass and directs an upset win. The passing plays were tailored to what that QB does well.
BYU is a good team, but I believe in Chow and Neuheisel.
Pick - UCLA +8
Auburn (-10.5) at Mississippi State - ESPN2 - 6:00 pm
Auburn was another sleeper pick of mine this year. Talented everywhere and with a new, more imaginative scheme on offense. Mississippi State is nothing more than a media darling team. They get rolled at home.
Pick - Auburn -10.5
SMU at Texas Tech (-36.5) - FSNSW - 6:00 pm
After 2 less than impressive wins, Texas Tech is ready to explode. Expect Mike Leach to assault SMU until the final seconds tick away. They could go for 80 on Saturday. Leach will make sure they have at least 1 blow your mind victory in non-conference play. Poor SMU.
Pick - Texas Tech -36.5
New Mexico State at Nebraska (-25) - PPV - 6:00 pm
Nebraska has looked painfully average in the first 2 games of 2008. But they have been painfully average for the past 6 years, so I'm not surprised. Nebraska struggles big time against passing teams. And New Mexico State throws the ball around 60 times a game. They will score points. Chase Holbrook is an experienced, better than average QB. Expect Nebraska to win, but no way they cover 25 points.
Pick - New Mexico State +25
Oklahoma (-20.5) at Washington - ESPN - 6:45 pm
My objective mind tells me that Oklahoma blows Washington out of the water. My wishful thinking mind tells me that I hate Oklahoma with a passion, love watching Jake Locker play football, and thinks that Washington is due for some good luck. And I also remember what happened the last time Oklahoma was in the Pacific Northwest. Give me Washington giving Oklahoma a game at home.
Pick - Washington +20.5
Ohio State at USC (-10.5) - ABC - 7:00 pm
The game of the year according to the media, and more specifically ESPN. A good game awaits, as it should be when 2 top 5 teams meet up. I'm not sure what to expect. I hate the Big 10, I hate the East coast driven Ohio State/Michigan hype machine that shows up year after year, and I'm also aware of how USC has a penchant lately for not handling success and living up to expectations. So I'm just not sure what happens on Saturday. USC should win comfortably, but USC has let me down in the past. Still, I can't take a Big 10 team on the road, against a fast team.
Pick - USC -10.5
CROWN GAME
Wisconsin (-1.5) at Fresno State - ESPN2 - 9:30 pm
A great, great Crown Game. Fresno is a program I love watching year after year. That coach is pure greatness. Never any Mack Brown excuses about playing teams, always have good offenses, and always play BCS conference teams tough. Wisconsin is always a bettor's nightmare. They always disappoint. I have to take Fresno at home with points.
Pick - Fresno State +1.5
