After a very mediocre first week, the second week of Message Board gambling is separating the truly mediocre with the downright bad. Well fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, and find yourself on a message board.
We have a new guest picker this week, @sickoscommittee, and wouldn’t it be fitting for the Sickos Committee to break the winless streak of our guest pickers? Let’s pick!
Wyoming +15 vs Air Force
It’s a weird late night Friday game. We think the Cowboys can keep it close at their home in Laramie against Air Force and we will take the points.
Rutgers -17.5 at Temple.
Rutgers beat Temple last year 61-14. We think Temple may not be too good this year since they struggled with FCS Lafayette last week and Duke shut them out 30-0. However, we will note this game is on the road in Philadelphia.
Alabama -49 vs ULM.
Nick Saban is mad. Nick Saban mentioned in a press conference he still remembers ULM beat him in 2007. Nick Saban knows ULM is the last unranked non-conference team he lost against. ULM lost to Texas 52-10 which Bama just escaped. ULM did handle FCS Nichols 35-7 but Coach Terry Bowden is known to try to take the air out of these big buy games but I think Saban’s anger leads to many points against ULM and they win 63-10 covering the over and spread.
California +11 at Notre Dame
When was the last time we saw a Cal team that wasn’t highly reliant on its defense? While they certainly aren’t breaking any records on offense, they’ve been stable enough to put up points, albeit against weak competition. On the other side, their defense that has had hiccups but has generally done well enough. Notre Dame is abysmal in every aspect of the game. I can only imagine they feel dumb and embarrassed for hiring Marcus Freeman instead of Luke Fickell.
BYU +3.5 at Oregon
I’m forced to make this pick because the Oregon defense is terrible. They rank 127 in defensive EPA/play out of 130 teams. It’s only two games but the only bright spot has been Noah Sewell. If Oregon decides to pound the rock against a weak BYU front 7, they could pull this out, but I have zero faith in a bumbling baboon like Dillingham exploiting their only true advantage in this game.
Washington -3.5 vs Michigan State
The kings of the Pac 12 North are back. Washington looks proficient on offense under Penix and Michigan State looks the opposite on that side of the ball. In what may be their tryout for the B1G, Washington will come away victorious. Tuck may be Comin’, but he ain’t winnin’.
Nevada +23 at Iowa
I watched the four hours of Iowa “football” and thought about the worst commutes I’ve had in the city of Chicago. Sure, you eventually get to your location, but in those four hours of uncomfortable sitting, you really don’t move much.
To get 23 points, Iowa would need 13 quarters and since football games haven’t been extended to my knowledge, Iowa won’t do it. Take Nevada with the points.
Auburn +3.5 vs Penn State
I am not sold on Penn State being drastically better than they were last year. Sean Clifford is still Sean Clifford and the Penn State defense looks far worse than what we saw last year. I won’t predict an outright win for Auburn, but they should keep it within 3 points.
Minnesota -27.5 vs Colorado
I said that Minnesota would win the West in my Big Ten prediction prior to the start of the season. Now it is time to double down on that prediction. Minnesota is going to cap off one of the softest non-conference schedules that a Big Ten team not named Michigan has had with a huge blowout.
Nebraska +11 vs Oklahoma
A burden was lifted from the shoulders of the Huskers. They’ll play loose and keep it close against the Sooners.
Purdue +1 at Syracuse.
How is Syracuse favored? it’s Syracuse…..Syracuse.
Nevada +23 vs Iowa
Does anyone really believe that Iowa is going to score 24 points? I didn’t think so.
Oklahoma -11 at Nebraska
Lincoln, Neb. is college football’s Chernobyl right now: a toxic mess that’ll take years to possibly fix. But statistically the Cornhuskers average more offensive yards per game than the Sooners. Oklahoma averages three more points per contest so on paper it should be a close game but things are so bad there that it reminds me of Alabama’s coaching situation immediately following Mike Price’s “it’s rollin’ baby.” Bet against Nebraska for a while and Godspeed Cornhuskers.
Penn State -3.5 at Auburn
In this week’s episode of “As the Plains Burn,” the Nittany Lions will eventually (Justin Hokanson tweet) find their way to Auburn to play the Tigers. Auburn’s most likely wearing orange jerseys this weekend but it won’t matter. The team isn’t good and a large section of the fan base is ready to move on from Bryan Harsin. The Tigers don’t have it at all this season. Not even Auburn Jesus can save them this year. Penn State can put a nice feather in its cap with a road non-conference game against a Power 5 school. Take Penn State.
Oregon -3.5 vs BYU
Brigham Young’s Cougars faces the Ducks in Autzen Stadium this weekend and Oregon’s wearing all black uniforms like they’re going to a funeral (love you forever Coach Scott Cochran keep up the awesome work, all Bama fans are rooting for you). BYU is good but Oregon really needs a good showing and the environment is ripe for that. It’s hard to tell which Bo Nix will show up but he does seem to rise to the occasion. I’m taking Oregon.
Leave a Reply