GAMES OF THURSDAY, OCTOBER
2:
7:30 pm EST
ESPN
West Virginia
1-3 (0-0 Big East)
-26.5
#2 Miami
4-0 (1-0 Big East)
(Editor's Note: Beerman wrote a disparaging blurb about
how bad WVU was going to get smoked in this game. I sat down at half time of Thursday's Miami/WVU game
to post this article, and I had an email from Beerman telling me to "erase the blurb."
So I did. -- Will)
Pick: Miami
GAMES OF FRIDAY, OCTOBER
3:
10 :00
pm EST
ESPN 2
-3
#22 Oregon
4-1 (1-1 Pac Ten)
Utah
3-1 (1-0 MWC)
Mostly I just wanted
you fine folks to be aware that we've got Friday night football
going on this week. No it's not high school, but it is the
Mountain West, and that's close enough in my book. Nah, we
joke because we love. Personally, I kind of like Utah.
Great snow! The Fighting Highlighters.
*lol* Thanks
Mr. Cockey , I think I'll keep that one :)
Pick: Utah
GAMES OF SATURDAY, OCTOBER
4:
12:00 pm EST
ESPN Regional, Gameplan
-27
#4 Virginia Tech
4-0 (0-0 Big East)
RUTSgers
3-1 (0-0 Big East)
That's no misprint.
Rutgers is 3-1 and playing pretty well. Their lone loss was
to Michigan State, and they managed at least to cover the spread
in defeat. In fact, the Scarlet Knights are 4-0 against the
spread this season. They are not a good team ... forget it,
they're not even mediocre ... but Rutgers is at least soundly beating
the other bad teams that they're playing. When you're one
of the worst programs in I-A, that's a significant step in the right
direction. Also, that promo
running during the UConn game for this game was killing me.
A few random VT shots, coupled with one play from the Rutgers defense.
They manage to sack the QB from some team I couldn't identify, and
force a fumble inside the 5 yard line. Faced with the prospect
of a gimme score, the first lineman to the ball drops it like a
hot potato. The next lineman falls on it. That's Rutgers
football in a nutshell. Even when things go right, they don't
ever go as right as they could.
Which brings me to my pick.
A Hokie squad beset by injuries and yet another suspension
to a key player (come on guys, get it together!) will wander into the Swamps of Jersey to face a Rutgers team largely thought of
as the laughingstock of major college football. So, some things
will go right for the Knights. Maybe they'll force a couple
of turnovers, or get a couple of long gainers. Maybe they'll
pull a UConn and hold us to an 0-fer on 3rd downs. Once again,
they'll perform better than expected and cover the spread.
Not win mind you (perish the thought!) but keep it closer than 4
TDs.
Pick: Rutgers
7:45 pm EST
ESPN
#7 Tennessee
4-0 (2-0 SEC)
-1
Auburn
2 -2
(1-0 SEC)
Redemption.
Auburn is all but mathematically eliminated
from the MNC hunt, but all is not lost. An SEC title is still
a very real possibility, and would provide much solace for a team
whose preseason hopes have been shattered. The Tigs finally
figured out how to get into the end zone in the past two games,
and have some confidence back.
Tennessee is beatable. Marshall
hung tough, and South Carolina took them to the wire. Even
Florida almost came back, which proves only that the Vols are marginally
better than Kentucky. UT is not the worst undefeated team
left out there, but they're on a short list.
Pick: Auburn
3:30 pm EST
ABC, Gameplan
-3
#11 Michigan
4-1 (1-0 Big 10)
#19 Iowa
4-1 (0-1 Big 10)
Michigan was not
terribly impressive in a victory over Indiana last week. I
guess they're bummed after losing to a Pac Ten also-ran. Iowa
must have been listening to their hype, because they didn't play
very inspired ball last week either. It's a shame, what could
have been a terrific midseason gut check is now just another ho-hum
Big Ten match up.
Pick: Iowa
0:00 pm EST
tv
-6.5
#13 Texas
3-1 (0-0 Big XII)
#14 Kansas State
4-1 (0-0 Big XII)
I dunno, is Ell Roberson
healthy again yet? That's pretty much what this game will
come down to. With him at 100% the Wildcats have a chance,
without him ... well ... yeah.
Pick: U of T
0:00 pm EST
tv
-27
#15 Washington State
4-1 (1-0 Pac 10)
Arizona
1-4 (0-1 Pac 10)
Evidently firing John Mackovic is worth about 3 points in Vegas. Terrific, maybe
Arizona should junk the entire staff and take a run at the MNC!
Pick: WSU
0:00 pm EST
tv
-27
#20 Northern Illinois
4-0 (0-0 MAC)
Ohio
1-3 (0-1 MAC)
Through with their soft
non-conference schedule, this week the Huskies of Northern Illinois
take their first step through the gauntlet that is the Mid-American
Conference.
Pick: OU
12 :30
pm EST
JP Sports
Mississippi
2-2 (1-0 SEC)
-x
#24 Florida
3-2 (1-1 SEC)
I'm undecided about
which is the bigger joke:
a) Florida's presence in the Top-25
Either way, if Chris Leak can't
improve on his typical 150yds/1TD/2INT line in this one, he's
not long for his job.
Pick: U of F
1:30
pm EST
-14.5
#25 Air Force
5-0 (0-0 MWC)
Navy
2-2
They ought to rename
the Commander In Chief's Trophy the "Fisher DeBerry."
Seriously. I mean how often are Army and Navy even
competitive with AFA lately?
Pick: AFA
7:00 pm EST
Temple
0-4 (0-0 Big East)
-3.5
Middle Tennessee State
0-4 (0-0 Sunbelt)
I post this only to
note how awful Temple is. I mean it. They're worse than
usual. 0-4 with a loss to a I-AA team is bad enough, but you've
got to figure that they were at least favorites over Villanova.
Now they're underdogs to another 0-4 teams barely out of I-AA themselves
in MTSU. Geez. I can't
wait for Duke to replace this bunch.
Pick: Temple
OTHER TOP 25 & BIG EAST
GAMES:
#1 Oklahoma (4-0)
-20.5
@ Iowa State (2-2) -27
v. Troy State (3-2) USC-West (3-1) -11.5
@ Arizona State (2-2) Georgia (3-1) -10
v. Alabama (2-3) Minnesota (5-0) -10.5
v. Northwestern (2-3) Washington (3-1) -1.5
v. UCLA (2-2)
-21.5
v. Ohio (1-3)TCU (4-0) -30
v. Army (0-4) Purdue (3-1) -13.5
v. Illinois (1-4)
