Friday Football Picks, Final Edition (except for the bowl games)
Well, my big push to get back to .500 didn't go so well, winning 8 and losing 9. This takes my season record to 51 wins, 59 losses and 3 ties. Frankly, I expected a bit more of myself, but I've been enjoying Auburn's 6th straight win over Alabama so much that it's hard to get the smile off my face.
But, today, I'll get my game face on for one last deal, with conference championships and other big rivalry games afoot...so, here we go:
Pittsburgh (+28.5) at West Virginia: Did anybody else see what the Mountaineers did to UConn--who isn't too shabby on defense--now that they sniff the BCS championship game. Morgantown will be a vicious atmosphere and I don't care about the cliche that you throw records out the window in a rivalry game. This one won't be close and Pat White, who is fantastic, will lead a rout. Diner Prediction: West Virginia 56, Pittsburgh 24
LSU vs. Tennessee (+7.5) in Atlanta: The SEC championship game, which LSU should win going away. But I think the Tigers have plenty of distraction with Les Miles' infatuation with Michigan, and they haven't played their best ball as of late. I'd like to put them on upset alert, but I do think they'll manage to squeak out a win based on talent alone and the reality that this is the one thing that could soothe their lost national championship hopes...being the best team in the best conference. Diner Prediction: L.S.U. 27, Tennessee 21.
Virginia Tech vs. Boston College (+4.5) in Jacksonville: The ACC championship game, and the Hokies dominated BC at home, only to lose a 10 point lead in a driving rain on a fluke. The Hokies will be ACC champions because they know they lost a game they shouldn't have and want to prove it on a big stage. Diner Prediction: Virginia Tech 24, Boston College 17.
UCLA (+20) vs. U.S.C. at Pasadena: Right now, the best championship game might be USC vs. Georgia. I don't think any two teams are playing better football than those two teams. And USC will have their way with the Bruins, despite the reality that UCLA, in theory, could win the PAC-10. Diner Prediction: U.S.C. 45, U.C.L.A. 21.
Arizona (+6.5) at Arizona State: I like the underdog nature of the Wildcats, but Arizona State is a good team and I think any talk of an upset is based on how well U.S.C. took them to the woodshed. I like the Sun Devils at home to cover. Diner Prediction: Arizona State 35, Arizona 28.
Army (+14) vs. Navy at Baltimore: I cannot believe how some ESPN talking heads call this the best rivalry game in college sports. Sure, there's some cool stuff before the game, but let's be honest: These teams haven't been serious football contenders since color film came into vogue. I don't like this game being played in Baltimore, either. Philly is the place it should be played. There isn't much to see beyond the cool cadet entrances and the commanders saluting and shaking hands before the coin toss. Diner Prediction: Navy 31, Army 14.
Washington (+14) vs. Hawaii: Ty Willingham on the hotseat? I think this guy's a great coach and I firmly believe that skews my views on the Huskies. I picked them to win last week in the Apple Cup and they gave up 35 points to a middling Wazzu team. Colt Brennan will destroy that secondary. Diner Prediction: Hawaii 38, Washington 21.
California at Stanford (+13): I actually think this is one rivalry game where you CAN throw out the records and they get after each other...in a PAC-10 kind of finesse way, not an SEC smash-mouth kind of way. Stanford has been up and down, and Cal has been pretty good for much of the season, but I think Jim Harbaugh will get them motivated and emotional, which will keep it close. The Cal Bears will win, though. Diner Prediction: California 27, Stanford 17.
Oklahoma vs. Missouri (+3) at San Antonio: The Big-12 championship. Lemme get this straight: The number 1 team in the country is an underdog to OU? Mizzou hasn't been on the big stage before and OU (wrongly) gets love from the press enough to get to the big stage if they remotely show promise (re: 2004). And, as much whining as Mizzou has done this week about how they "gave" OU the last game and how they aren't getting "respect" from the national media, it only shows they aren't ready for prime time. And, as much as I hate the thought of it, this will send Ohio State to the national championship game. Diner Prediction: Oklahoma 28, Missouri 21.
Your picks?
Well, my big push to get back to .500 didn't go so well, winning 8 and losing 9. This takes my season record to 51 wins, 59 losses and 3 ties. Frankly, I expected a bit more of myself, but I've been enjoying Auburn's 6th straight win over Alabama so much that it's hard to get the smile off my face.
But, today, I'll get my game face on for one last deal, with conference championships and other big rivalry games afoot...so, here we go:
Pittsburgh (+28.5) at West Virginia: Did anybody else see what the Mountaineers did to UConn--who isn't too shabby on defense--now that they sniff the BCS championship game. Morgantown will be a vicious atmosphere and I don't care about the cliche that you throw records out the window in a rivalry game. This one won't be close and Pat White, who is fantastic, will lead a rout. Diner Prediction: West Virginia 56, Pittsburgh 24
LSU vs. Tennessee (+7.5) in Atlanta: The SEC championship game, which LSU should win going away. But I think the Tigers have plenty of distraction with Les Miles' infatuation with Michigan, and they haven't played their best ball as of late. I'd like to put them on upset alert, but I do think they'll manage to squeak out a win based on talent alone and the reality that this is the one thing that could soothe their lost national championship hopes...being the best team in the best conference. Diner Prediction: L.S.U. 27, Tennessee 21.
Virginia Tech vs. Boston College (+4.5) in Jacksonville: The ACC championship game, and the Hokies dominated BC at home, only to lose a 10 point lead in a driving rain on a fluke. The Hokies will be ACC champions because they know they lost a game they shouldn't have and want to prove it on a big stage. Diner Prediction: Virginia Tech 24, Boston College 17.
UCLA (+20) vs. U.S.C. at Pasadena: Right now, the best championship game might be USC vs. Georgia. I don't think any two teams are playing better football than those two teams. And USC will have their way with the Bruins, despite the reality that UCLA, in theory, could win the PAC-10. Diner Prediction: U.S.C. 45, U.C.L.A. 21.
Arizona (+6.5) at Arizona State: I like the underdog nature of the Wildcats, but Arizona State is a good team and I think any talk of an upset is based on how well U.S.C. took them to the woodshed. I like the Sun Devils at home to cover. Diner Prediction: Arizona State 35, Arizona 28.
Army (+14) vs. Navy at Baltimore: I cannot believe how some ESPN talking heads call this the best rivalry game in college sports. Sure, there's some cool stuff before the game, but let's be honest: These teams haven't been serious football contenders since color film came into vogue. I don't like this game being played in Baltimore, either. Philly is the place it should be played. There isn't much to see beyond the cool cadet entrances and the commanders saluting and shaking hands before the coin toss. Diner Prediction: Navy 31, Army 14.
Washington (+14) vs. Hawaii: Ty Willingham on the hotseat? I think this guy's a great coach and I firmly believe that skews my views on the Huskies. I picked them to win last week in the Apple Cup and they gave up 35 points to a middling Wazzu team. Colt Brennan will destroy that secondary. Diner Prediction: Hawaii 38, Washington 21.
California at Stanford (+13): I actually think this is one rivalry game where you CAN throw out the records and they get after each other...in a PAC-10 kind of finesse way, not an SEC smash-mouth kind of way. Stanford has been up and down, and Cal has been pretty good for much of the season, but I think Jim Harbaugh will get them motivated and emotional, which will keep it close. The Cal Bears will win, though. Diner Prediction: California 27, Stanford 17.
Oklahoma vs. Missouri (+3) at San Antonio: The Big-12 championship. Lemme get this straight: The number 1 team in the country is an underdog to OU? Mizzou hasn't been on the big stage before and OU (wrongly) gets love from the press enough to get to the big stage if they remotely show promise (re: 2004). And, as much whining as Mizzou has done this week about how they "gave" OU the last game and how they aren't getting "respect" from the national media, it only shows they aren't ready for prime time. And, as much as I hate the thought of it, this will send Ohio State to the national championship game. Diner Prediction: Oklahoma 28, Missouri 21.
Your picks?
.jpg){kind=avatar}
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home