Beerman’s Picks
by Ben Shapiro, 11/1/01

Each week this season, I will be posting a column previewing the upcoming weekend's Big East and Top-25 match-ups. All rankings are from the Bowl Championship Series Poll. I don't pick winners (that's too easy), I pick against the spread.  All picks are for entertainment purposes only.  For the most current TV information, click on over to TV Guide

Last Week: The pain, the agony.  Aw hell, it's just a game...

This Week: National play-a-patsy week gets underway.  Nearly everyone not in the Pac Ten plays a conference bottom feeder this week, and the pickings are slim indeed.

Not in Action: #21 Georgia, #22 Syracuse

Thursday 11/01
#13 BYU (8-0) vs. Colorado State (4-4)
Line: BYU (-14.5)

9:45 pm EST
(ESPN2)

They're scoring roughly 2,346 points per game, how can I not pick BYU to cover?
Pick: BYU
#23 North Carolina (5-3) @ GEORGIA TECH (4-2)
Line: GT (-4) 7:30 pm EST
(ESPN)
UNC is unstoppable.

*cringe*

That just makes me feel unclean.  Nevertheless, at the rate they're going, the ACC is going to have a 3-loss champion.

Pick: Carolina
Saturday 11/03
#1 Nebraska (9-0) @ KANSAS (2-5)
Line: UNL(-29.5) 7:00 pm EST
(FoxSportNet)
The meat of their schedule over with, Nebraska can concentrate on glamour shots the rest of the way.  The Eric Crouch for Heisman campaign can really get rolling now.
Pick: Nebraska
#2 Oklahoma (7-1) vs. Tulsa (1-6)
Line: Okie (-41.5) 3:00 pm EST
(Some FoxSportsNet)
Oklahoma may not be able to top Nebraska, but Tulsa can't even win in the WAC...and the Sooners are angry.  This one was over last week.
Pick: Tulsa
#3 MIAMI (FL) (6-0) vs. Temple (2-5)
Line: Miami (-42.5) 12:00 pm EST
(Gameplan, ESPN+)
So Oklahoma loses, and is still ranked higher than Miami.  If that doesn't rile Coker enough to offer up Temple as a sacrifice to the Gods of RUTS, I don't know what will.
Pick: Miami
#4 Michigan (6-1) @ MICHIGAN STATE (4-2)
Line: Michigan (-6) 3:30 pm EST
(ABC, Gameplan)
Michigan got quite the scare last week.  If they keep that up, sooner or later they're going to run into someone who beats them.  Is the rivalry game mystique enough for Michigan State to do the deed?

Nope.

Pick: Michigan
#5 Texas (7-1) @ BAYLOR (2-5)
Line: Texas (-32) 12:30 pm EST
(Some FoxSportsNet)
The only difference between James Madison and Baylor, is that one administration knows their place, and one does not.
Pick: Baylor
#6 Stanford (5-1) @ #11 WASHINGTON (6-1)
Line: Stanford (-1)

3:30 pm EST

Anyone want to explain to me how this one isn't on TV anywhere?
Pick: UDub
#7 Tennessee (5-1) @ NOTRE DAME (3-4)
Line: Tennessee (-7.5) 2:30 pm EST
(NBC)
It seems pretty much every year Notre Dame channels the spirit of years past, and manages to upset someone who's really a far superior program.  I have a funny feeling we're about to see Bob Davie and Company start a run for the best Big East bowl they can manage...
Pick: Notre Dame
#8 FLORIDA (6-1) vs. Vanderbilt (2-5)
Line: Florida (-35) 12:30 pm EST
(Gameplan, JPSports)
I can only attribute Florida's lofty AP ranking to widespread voter fraud.
Pick: Vandy

#9 UCLA (6-1) @ #12 WASHINGTON STATE (7-1)

Line: UCLA (-3.5)

6:30 pm EST
(Some FoxSportsNet)

So much for UCLA's defense, eh?

Now WSU beat Stanford, which whupped UCLA last week.  Now I understand that transitivity doesn't necessarily apply to football, but why is Washington State a home underdog?

I like the Cougs, straight up.

Pick: Wazzou
#10 OREGON (7-1) vs. Arizona State (4-3)
Line: Oregon (-11) 10:15 pm EST
(FoxSportsNet)
Is there a better way to stump for an at-large Fiesta Bowl bid than by going to Tempe and beating up the Sun Devils?  I don't think so.
Pick: Ducks
#14 PURDUE (5-1) vs. #16 Illinois (6-1)
Line: Purdue (-3)

12:00 pm EST
(ESPN)

Purdue is not a better team than us.  Period.
Pick: Illinois
#15 Virginia Tech (6-1) @ PITTSBURGH (2-5)
Line: VT (-18.5) 12:00 pm EST
(Gameplan, ESPN+)
There are mistakes, and then there are weaknesses.  Had we played a harder schedule, we may have been able to avoid some of the former.  Then again, perhaps more of the latter would have been exploited, and we could have two or even three losses right now.  There's really no way to tell.

It's a loss.  Deal with it.  Learn from it and move on.

Squash Pitt.

Pick: Hokies
#17 MARYLAND (7-1) vs. Troy State (4-3)
Line: Maryland (-23)

1:00 pm EST

"POP" goes the bubble.

Maryland gets their eighth win, Troy State gets another six figures for their athletic department.  College fans across the nation utter a collective *yawn*.

Pick: TSU
#18 Florida State (5-2) @ CLEMSON (5-2)
Line: FSU (-8)

3:30 pm EST
(ABC, Gameplan)

Bowden Bowl III.

Both teams are enduring disappointing seasons.  Both teams have brutal schedules down the stretch.  Both teams need to win this game in the worst way.

I'm probably going to watch it, but only because I think it's going to be the only game on.  Having DirecTV without the full complement of Game Plan match-ups is just a tease...

Pick: Clemson
#19 SOUTH CAROLINA (6-2) vs. Wofford (3-4) (I-AA)
Line: No line (I-AA)

1:00 pm EST

No competition, no line, no comment...
Pick: USC
#20 Texas A&M (7-1) @ TEXAS TECH (4-3)
Line: Texas Tech (-3.5)

2:00 pm EST
(PPV)

Another top-25 underdog to an unranked opponent.  If I hadn't already called my upset ...
Pick: Texas A&M
#24 COLORADO (6-2) vs. Missouri (3-4)
Line: Colorado (-13)

3:00 pm EST

I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missoura!
Pick: Colorado
#25 MISSISSIPPI (6-1) vs. Arkansas (4-3)
Line: Ole Miss (-6)

7:00 pm EST
(ESPN2)

Moving into the top-25 doesn't seem to be a good career move for SEC-West teams.  Let's see how Ole Miss manages it...
Pick: Mississippi
WEST VIRGINIA (2-5) vs. Rutgers (2-5)
Line: WVU (-17.5)

1:00 pm EST

West Virginia is just having one of those seasons.  I fully expect them to win, but I think a cover might be a bit too tall of an order.
Pick: Rutgers
Miscellania...
Game of the Week to Watch: The good games are all in the P-10 this week, so I guess FSU-Clemson by default.

Last Week: 7-11

Season To Date: 90-86-1

Upset Special: WSU over UCLA (3-6)

          

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