Well now that we have that mystery solved we can move on to other ones. Like how did Dutchhiller nail the Ohio win over Marshall (one of only three guys to do so)! Dutch hasn't checked in with his 5 for the week and I needed to get this up today so I'll allow him to defer till next week.
This was a wild wild week. From the TCU-TT head scratcher to the longhorn home stand implosion to the desert debacle in Tempe. They'll be some raw feelings over this one for a while now. While Mack Brown was driving another nail into the coffin housing his career at Texas Curly and the gang were introducing Wisconsin newcomer Gary Anderson to quality officiating... Pac-12 style.
Maybe we can get through this week without more of this stuff but don't count on it. Every time I look at a picksheet and think of how docile it looks I end up looking back on it wondering how I managed to not see a couple upsets. This one has the obligatory Penguin Upset Special on it. Not telling which one. All I can say is buckle up, after week #3 I think we can safely say that the party has officially started.
Good luck, Will
Week #4 Games List:
1) Clemson at No Carolina St. - Thu 2) Boise St. at Fresno St. - Fri 3) West Virginia at Maryland 4) Kansas St. at Texas 5) Utah at BYU 6) Arizona St. at Stanford 7) Utah St. at USC 8) Tennessee at Florida 9) Auburn at LSU 10 Michigan St. at Notre Dame + total points tie breaker
Got to keep putting the Longhorns in there huh? There's a reason I quit doing this kind of stuff!! I can't pick against 'em, even knowing how bad they'll [bleep] the bed.
Got to keep putting the Longhorns in there huh? There's a reason I quit doing this kind of stuff!! I can't pick against 'em, even knowing how bad they'll [bleep] the bed.
And I can't pick against K-State. We've beat UT the last 5 times we've played them, I hope we can make it 6, but I am running scared this year.
1) Clemson at No Carolina St. 2) Boise St. at Fresno St. 3) West Virginia at Maryland 4) Kansas St. at Texas 5) Utah at BYU 6) Arizona St. at Stanford 7) Utah St. at USC 8) Tennessee at Florida 9) Auburn at LSU 10 Michigan St. atNotre Dame
I've picked Fresca before and been let down horribly. BS University didn't look too awful last Friday. Had to watch it. My aunt from Boise was in town....
But,..as usual, everything is subject to a last minute Panic change.!
You're the perfect man to explain that tie difference thing to me from our pool.
Hope all is well, man.
If you pick the tie breaker game correct, you get the "tie pick". The difference between your overall score and the actual overall score, is the tie difference. For the season standings the "tie difference" is cumulative.
So if the 1st 3 games had scores of 30-10, 40-10 and 10-7, and you picked 52, 55 and 20 you would have a cumulative tie difference of 20 points.... 12, 5 and 3 points added together.
You're the perfect man to explain that tie difference thing to me from our pool.
Hope all is well, man.
If you pick the tie breaker game correct, you get the "tie pick". The difference between your overall score and the actual overall score, is the tie difference. For the season standings the "tie difference" is cumulative.
So if the 1st 3 games had scores of 30-10, 40-10 and 10-7, and you picked 52, 55 and 20 you would have a cumulative tie difference of 20 points.... 12, 5 and 3 points added together.
Hey Fox,
Makes ya' wonder how he got through law school. lol.
It would appear that my level of competence in picking the winners in college football games has at last evolved to the same level as my competence in life in general.
There is no way in hell that NCS should have a chance against Clemson, other than the fact that I don't believe that I have ever correctly picked a game involving either them or the team over in Charlotte.
Let's see, Boise got schooled by Washington, then ass-hammered some dude from Tennessee named Martin, while Fresno beat Rutgers in basketball and didn't beat some parrot named Cal by all that much.
It would appear that Maryland has managed to avoid any competition whatsoever, while W.V. stuck OU in between some couple who seem to be going steady and the worst team in FBS.
Kansas State has bounced back from its loss to an FCS team by handling two teams it should have handled, while Texas has gotten its excrement handed to it on a platter by two teams that their fans look down upon.
Utah seems to have potential, while I'm still trying to figure out BYU's loss to Virginia. (Maybe Texas really does suck that bad.)
It would seem like Arizona State will need more than official incompetence to beat Stanford.
I really like Utah State and dislike USC, so the outcome of this one should not be at all in doubt.
Does Florida have any offense? Does Tennessee have anything?
How soon can Auburn rebound from its bout with Chizikorrhea? Can Miles tell time?
Michigan State has been impressive against weak competition. ND has been unimpressive against better competition.
I picked Maryland strictly for the seizure inducing uniforms...
The phrase "shucks sit" comes immediately to mind. I don't get this whole notion of sending football players out in costumes, especially not ones that look like rejects from the closet of a court jester.
#3 Clemson over NO CAROLINA ST. FRESNO ST. over Boise St. West Virginia over MARYLAND TEXAS over Kansas St. BYU over Utah #5 STANFORD over #23 Arizona St. Utah St. over USC #19 FLORIDA over Tennessee #6 LSU over Auburn #22 NOTRE DAME over Michigan St.
WVU "might" overlook Maryland for next weeks opponent,..Oklahoma State University.
At which, Dana Holgorsen was the Offensive Coord. for a year and would probably really like to beat his former boss, because I bet Gundy was sore when Holgorsen left after just 1 year...
or
WVU might beat the snot out of Maryland....
Conventional wisdom says one thing,..Spidey sense says another..
Oh my! Just one win (point) back after a terrible 4-6 pick week. What does that say for pickers like JM? You should be at least 5 up on me. Laffin!
About to put the heat back on so get ready. Also gonna' win that sling just to really rub it in.
I went 5-5 on week 2. LOL. Historically, I start working my way to the top around week 5-6, when it ceases being a guessing game and my amazing skills of analysis can be better utilized.
This is going to be a tricky one. We've had some tough matchups the last 2 weeks and this one will be no different.
Will is doing an excellent job of picking games.
p.s You and Bob scared to try to win a new sling? I see you homo's have not made a prediction on tonight's game.
WVU "might" overlook Maryland for next weeks opponent,..Oklahoma State University... or
WVU might beat the snot out of Maryland....
They might. WVU doesn't seem to have the emotional maturity under Holgersen that I like to see. Maryland despises WVU, believe me when I tell you there is nobody on the schedule they would rather beat.
But there is reason for optimism as well: WVU ~might~ have found its new QB. I figured Childress to begin the season as starter but it took a few games. He might be the difference in this game but he is still a freshman on the road early in the year. Might take the road dog on this one.
Right now I'm leaning Boise on the road and BYU at home. K-State and Texas is like walking up to a stick of dynamite with a fizzled fuse... you keep wondering if the thing is going to go off on you. Can Texas actually be this bad? I guess we'll see. Might take K-State just to see what it looks like.
Can Texas actually be this bad? I guess we'll see. Will
Yes, they can. I'm in Austin all this week and have been amusing myself reading the "fire Mack" or even "burn Mack at the stake" stuff in local media. They've got the scaffold already built and the rope ready for the next loss.
I'm convinced he's holding goat pictures of the UT president and AD to have held on this long.
He is still much hated in NO for the way he handled his departure to NC from Tulane back in the late 80s.
I can imagine that well Steve. No one likes losing and certainly not a blue chip laden state like Texas with a history like they have.
Maybe some of the problem is that their recruits aren't as good as they imagine? Or that they aren't implementing a system that uses that talent well? Or that the coaching staff is complacent and ineffective?
Could be. But I have to believe that a good part of it started years ago and it was when they turned away from dominating at the point of attack. Otherwordly quarterbacking by Vince Young only encouraged it. Pass, pass, pass... bah.
If I were in charge of Texas football my first order of business would be to hire Bob Bostad and put him in charge of all things offensive lineman regardless of cost. And then I would bring in the biggest meanest most physical o-linemen I could lay hands on and I would put them to work. And then I'd start doing the same with other positions and their coaches. I'd make Texas the most physical team in CFB.
Mack may have gotten soft but their biggest problem is that his teams are soft.
... they aren't implementing a system that uses that talent well? ... it started years ago and it was when they turned away from dominating at the point of attack... Pass, pass, pass... bah... I would bring in the biggest meanest most physical o-linemen I could lay hands on and I would put them to work...
As always, insightful thoughts that can be applied to many other programs as well! The concept of zone blocking has led to offensive lines that resemble turnstiles instead of bulldozers. The pass-happy crap has taken two of the most vital positions on offense out of the picture - fullbacks and tight ends. Good post!
That's why Alabama keeps kicking the schit out of these passing schools.
Historically, they run the ball. They have big offensive linemen and are deep at those positions.
By doing this, they control the clock, keep the opponents offense off the field and their defense on it.
Simply put, by the middle of the 3rd quarter they have worn the defense out and begin to walk away with the game.
Throw in a good defense and you've got the recipe for winning games and championships.
Unfortunately, many other schools don't realize this.
Had they not gotten their asses in a hole in the 1st qtr against A&M, you would have seen them just grind it out on the ground and A&M's defense would have been gassed by the 4th qtr.
LSU does basically the same thing, just not as well.
Thanks John. You and I think a lot alike in the matter of offensive philosophy... we may be biased.
Texas and Oklahoma are two programs that absolutely baffle me. There are a handful of true college football bluebloods. These guys can go in and land more than their share of the absolute best HS players in the country. They can choose to run any system they wish and fill the roster with talent that fits. Texas and Oklahoma qualify for blueblood status under even the most strict interpretation.
So why, exactly, do you choose to run a system that has been shown to be inferior to the old power/play action system?
People act like there is some grand mystery as to why Alabama, LSU, Georgia, and these other SEC juggernauts are successful. And noone seems to notice that they run almost exactly the same systems. And that USC, probably the nation's best under Pete Carroll, did exactly the same thing.
It's simple as hell and why any member of college football's true elite choose to run anything else is a mystery to me.
I agree 100%. It ain't like the SEC is grabbing all the talent, it's out there in the other conferences.
A lot of the problem in other conferences is that the offense is built on the capabilities of a couple of players, whereas SEC teams do a good job of spreading the load. SEC teams also have much better defenses, maybe because they benefit from the ball control offenses. I don't know if that's it or not, but it appears to be the case.
Being able to control the clock is a game winning strategy, yet many opt for just trying to outscore their opponents with no regard for time.
The problem occurs when you run into a team with a strong defense and an offense that executes the run/play action strategy well.
Your high octane offense rides the pine while your defense is getting used up on the field.
Urban Meyer will bring some of that SEC mindset to Ohio State and it will pay dividends.
1) Clemson at No Carolina St.- don't think NC St can hang offensively
2) Boise St. at Fresno St.- Boise has not impressed me so far this year, struggled defensively with Air Force and got blown out by Washington. I have not seen Fresno play but they are being hyped preseason as a possible "BCS buster." If Rutgers can hang 51pts on them though, then Boise should be able to as well. It's hard to go against Coach Petersen and the Broncs.
3) West Virginia at Maryland- Edsall did good, good things with UConn and maryland isn't so beat up this year. WVU needs to show me something before I pick 'em, although this may be the week.
4) Kansas St. at Texas- Ugh, took Tehas last 2 weeks and got burned. I still think they are due, but they need to show me something after getting their asses handed to them by 2 middlin teams. On the Cats.
5) Utah at BYU- Historically a close game with Utah dominating of late, good rivalry. BYU off a big win and then a bye, this is a tough pick. Going with the Utes though.
6) Arizona St. at Stanford- scumdevils off a big win, hopefully drained emotionally. Hope the Tree pounds them. The buzz is on the scumdevils in the gambling world, however.
7) Utah St. at USC- Let's gamble. Chuckie Keaton is supposedly the man though I've not seen him play much. USC may have found some offense and their defense seems pretty decent. I have to believe this is a very big game for Utah State, I know they'd LOVE to pull this off. Also hard to side with Lame Kiffin.
8) Tennessee at Florida- C'mon Gator Defense! If Driskell can just manage a game this week, gators should win.Big rivalry though.
9) Auburn at LSU- probably be closer than expected, Auburn seems improved this year but LSU is the safe play.
10 Michigan St. at Notre Dame- ND not looking too good, a lot of D came back but they seem to lack the leadership of last year. Sparty offense is garbage though, I think coach Kelly has the Irish ready to go.
Equally as mysterious is why schools at the lower end of the "gifted and talented" spectrum insist on attempting to complete by implementing systems that they have neither the personnel nor skill to run. As you state in your opening, why try to force players into a system that they cannot run effectively? Find the system that best fits the level of talent that you can import and keep it simple, again as you mentioned, develop a point of attack and go after it.
Yep, and Brady Hoke is bringing it back to Michigan.
I think a lot of people freaked out about systems and whatnot in the Big Ten without thinking it through. The problem wasn't the system it was the quality/type of players.
The SEC incorporated speed on the edges to prevent the passing teams from being able to burn them. Disruptive, lightning quick DEs and NFL caliber corners. Offensively they had NFL caliber receivers that ~made~ you defend the whole field... so they could go back to beating you to death between the tackles.
A man could go back and watch each and every Nebraska bowl game from, say, the early 80s to the late 90s and see what the Big Ten needs to do in order to be successful. The change over the years spells it out.
Equally as mysterious is why schools at the lower end of the "gifted and talented" spectrum insist on attempting to complete by implementing systems that they have neither the personnel nor skill to run. As you state in your opening, why try to force players into a system that they cannot run effectively? Find the system that best fits the level of talent that you can import and keep it simple, again as you mentioned, develop a point of attack and go after it.
That's a great point John. I once heard Rich Rodriguez explaining his rationale behind developing the Spread Option and he said he could get all kinds of leftover playmakers but he couldn't staff a traditional offense with the kind of talent the elite schools could. So he invented an offense to get those leftover playmakers in the game and out in space.
Wisconsin is another team that recruits to availability. They grow huge, powerful linemen in Wisconsin. They can get playmakers from out of state. Solution? Go neanderthal on offense and keep it simple.
That game last night could have been much different had the NC State touchdown not been erroneously called back in the 3rd. A fumble followed and a huge momentum shift put Clemson over the top. Even the easy games are iffy picks it seems. Looking for some upsets this week.
Yep. Clemson seemed like an easy pick, but I was worried for a minute. The call on the touchdown was a bad call. I am worried about the WVU/MD game. Had to take my Mounties, but I am not feeling too confident. MD is due to win one against us but we always seem to have their number.
We do but this season they look to be a more settled team. Honestly I wasn't sure Edsall would last long enough to turn the corner but he may have done it. This week will tell us a whole lot about a whole bunch of teams.
Question is can you survive long enough to be in the running after the first month or so when you have your bearings. Then you have the inevitable bloodbath of upsets week that happens most seasons.
Bob, as for where this program is heading, I think we will be OK if Childress pans out. This week is his first real test, so we will see. The D is young and improving and should be fairly solid by next year. There is hope for the future.
#!*&!*!!*#%&!!#!&*%# directv heathens are making me follow eers-terps on gamecsst. Locals are showing TN Middle something or the other vs FL Art Inst bs instead. WTF???
#!*&!*!!*#%&!!#!&*%# directv heathens are making me follow eers-terps on gamecsst. Locals are showing TN Middle something or the other vs FL Art Inst bs instead. WTF???
Iowa is a whole lot different this year than the last couple. They still aren't exciting but they are much better in the trenches. We'll see how much better they can get with some experience.
Good Lord ! Who on Earth is designing VT and MD unis? If they were playing one another it would look like a bunch of Crayola crayons running around the field.
Originally Posted by Deerwhacker444
Have you by chance, compared Kansas St.'s win percentage when they play Evening games vs Day games..?
Interesting....
Please tell me this falls in the favor of the Spartans!!
Dawgs came back and are up 35-21, but if this is the best they have, they're going to have a really bad day when the Tigers come to town.
Yup! Dawgs are lucky those heavy rains started because it was looking like mean green had the dawgs numer on passing and TO's. Wonder if BoBo will "save Girlieeee for the 2nd half" of the LSU game? I doubt it.
Gators/Vols is a cluster....two really bad teams mutually trying to give the game away. Vols up 7-0, but the coughed it up on their ten....Tennessee can't get it in on three tries and will try a FG
Jeez....another turnover by the Vols....that's three by them and one by Fla. in first 17 minutes. But Gator's offense is so inept they're still trailing 7-3
seems like a long, long time ago when Tennessee-Florida was the premier matchup in the SEC East
Yes that have. Seeing a trend of good players sticking closer to home now and even considering smaller schools. Not sure recruiting's what it used to be.
Some of those North Texas players against GA were every bit as good as what you will see in the SEC.
Some of those North Texas players against GA were every bit as good as what you will see in the SEC.
"Some" of those players. RIF! I can enroll you if you'd like.
We'll see who comes out on top of the SEC good buddy. You just best hope it's not SC football that travels to ATL cos we've already seen what SC schools do to Bama and LSU.
South Carolina & Clemson haven't come close enough to even sniff a National Championship...ditto for an SEC one as well for SC.
Do me and people who appreciate football a big favor.
Never mention those two schools in the same sentence as LSU and Alabama again.
It's sacrilege and you can be deported to South Carolina for such behavior.
David, I hope they both have great seasons as they are top notch football teams this year.
Clemson and LSU have the same number of undefeated season National Championships, during my life time. If I was a Bama fan, I'd be insulted being put in the same group as LSU.
Just pointing out that but for the grace of god and a mountain of luck, LSU's 2007 season would be no different than the seven 2 loss seasons that Clemson has had the past 25 years.
There's really not much difference between Clemson and LSU over the past couple decades. In fact Clemson never had the wretched run that LSU had in the 90's and that's not that long ago. I still got some t-shirts that fit from that time period.
Heard they shut down 3 tailgate lots due to rain and being underwater. Shutting down tailgate lots anywhere is pretty serious business. But especially, in this part of the country.
my daughter called from a friend's tailgate...which is thankfully on a blacktop lot by Lockett Hall....she said it is a sloppy mess, and it's still raining pretty good.
friends just texted from game...it is straight down pouring....they are adjourning to the tailgate tent to watch it on the big screen and drink lots of whiskey
You're the perfect man to explain that tie difference thing to me from our pool.
Hope all is well, man.
If you pick the tie breaker game correct, you get the "tie pick". The difference between your overall score and the actual overall score, is the tie difference. For the season standings the "tie difference" is cumulative.
So if the 1st 3 games had scores of 30-10, 40-10 and 10-7, and you picked 52, 55 and 20 you would have a cumulative tie difference of 20 points.... 12, 5 and 3 points added together.
OK so I just did the math and my tie difference should be 43, it says 42.5.
My 9 year old nephew came over with his mom. When he saw my picks on the table he said good for picking Clemson but asked me why on Earth I would take the Spartans over the Irish. He likes the ACC and guessing he thinks they're ACC fotball. He started to say something about BYU and the Redskins so I stuck a juice box in his face ASAP.
friends just texted from game...it is straight down pouring....they are adjourning to the tailgate tent to watch it on the big screen and drink lots of whiskey
That is still the best thing about NASCAR, they don't mind if you bring your own bourbon or not.
in fact, as you know. One can carry in an entire cooler as long as it fits under your seat. We take dry wall mud buckets. They're the perfect size and you just throw it away after the race. I don't think I've ever bought a concession at a race.
Only other place I know like that is Wolftrap outdoor ampitheater in Northen Virginia. Man, I've had some good times there.
I stick a plastic bottle filled with Ancient Ancient Age in my back pocket and bring a cooler full of ice. I discovered bourbon and lemonade at Charlotte because the line at the coke stand was too long. I love bourbon and lemonade. I also discovered bourbon and water at Charlotte, sitting in the rain for two hours. At Bristol I saw a guy with a clear trash bag, the yard waste size, full of boxes of Bojangles chicken and biscuits. He didn't share.
Love bourbon and lemonade at the Skins games. Have to do mini-bottles there because they'll take the big stuff away from ya!
Only problem is freaking lemonade is $8 at FedEx because they make it the fancy way. So I started taking those pouches of crystal lite and adding it to $3 bottled water.
And yes, Texas is doing it to me again. I expect to get loved long time next by the state of Utah.
I've never seen it before. They said Louisville earlier today allowed the clock to run continuously in the 4th qtr against FIU, without game stoppages, so I guess it's up to the coaches and officials.
it's just embarrassing....these scores pushing 80 to zip bring no honor to either school, are no fun to watch, and are a waste of TV ad money since nobody's watching after the first quarter.
good players with potential get injured as well. I saw it with a couple of small low country schools where they play a powerhouse and half their team is wrecked by injuries. Can go the other way as well.
it's just embarrassing....these scores pushing 80 to zip bring no honor to either school, are no fun to watch, and are a waste of TV ad money since nobody's watching after the first quarter.
All they heard last year was how they (OSU) didn't beat these teams impressively enough. I hope they kill them all by double digits.
If the NCAA didn't suck so bad, it would ban inter-division play. There is no reason for Div 1 FCS to play Div 1 FBS, ever.
So that most universities that are not Division 1 could roll up their sports programs all together. I know last year LSU played a team and their AD said that the payout for the LSU game funded 80% of their athletic program for 2 years from that one game and was all athletics, not just football.
Man shortmag laid the lumber to us this week! 10-0. That's getting it done in style. PM me your 5 games buddy and I'll get this thing teed up on tuesday.
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