Friday 10/23/09 Picks...

As the Falcons get ready to head to Dallas to face the Cowgirls, I sit in envy of Paul Mac. He likes the Falcons and I call myself a Redskins fan (though I much prefer the college game to the pro). I guess you could say that I am jealous of not having a team to root for in December and January (though one could argue that Georgia WILL be playing in December at the Music City Bowl). I am all about college until the season ends, then I have to sit back and watch the NFL without a team because the Skins are coached by Jim Zorn and have Jason Campbell as the QB. CRAP.j Gee, thanks Dan Snyder for getting these two. I will never yell at Snyder because he spends money in an attempt to win, but he just cannot seem to get it right. At least he keeps trying.
Back to Paul though. After enduring the Falcons and MV7 for all of those underachieving team, he now gets Matt Ryan and Co. And for everyone crying about the defense, ummm, have you seen Mike Peterson and Curtis Lofton? They are pretty strong at LB. Factor in an improving DLine and you've got the makings of a pretty good defense. The young secondary is getting better every week and I don't think they have been toasted yet. New England would tear up ANY secondary.
The Falcons are in a good spot and it just makes me jealous. Paul Mac said there was plenty of room on the bandwagon, but then what would I do with my Clinton Portis jersey? Paul suggested trading it for a Champ Bailey jersey and a second round pick....maybe I could....
On to the picks!

Minnesota @ #19 The Ohio State University. I saw where TPryor is talking to LeBron James, getting advice about being in the spotlight. What advice is LeBron giving him? Go back in time and go to a school that runs the spread instead of the sweatervest? Ahhh, probably just wait out your time with the crappy team before you can cash in big time in some place outside of Ohio? That must be it. LeBron is giving him advice. What, how to leave the field without shaking the hands of the winning team? How to hide a tape when someone dominates you? Ohio State wins the squeaker and Tressel calls tOSU fans miserable again.

SoFla @ #20 Pitt. Wait, Wanny hasn't messed this up yet? Oh, just give him time. Not in this game though. SoFla is donezo. Pitt wins at home and a cheerleader will get lost in Wanny's mustache. THAT is my bold prediction!

UConn @ #23 West Va. Even if Brown wasn't questionable in this game, I'd still give it to UConn. They lost one of their own. They'll win it for him. No jokes here, just a small prayer for the UConn players and the family of the player.

Indiana @ Northwestern. The Jokes are back (wait, aren't jokes supposed to be funny?). Sometimes I wish the football team would model the uniform pants after the basketball team's warmups, with the long red strips. Wouldn't that be cool? I am sure there is some rule against that, but I think the stripes would be cool. Or you could make it candycane-like with a bit of a swirl, but only after Thanksgiving. Which would require a bowl, something I'm not sure Indiana has played in in quite some time. Take Northwestern.

Illinois @ Purdue. This game is on ESPN2, which means just ONE THING: PAM WARD'S DANCE PARTY HITS WEST LAFAYETTE THIS SATURDAY AT 3:30! Will Purdue have a letdown after knocking off tOSU? Probably, but the Boilermakers are playing a Ron Zook-coached team. Take the home team.

Arkie @ Ole Miss. I read where school and conference officials want the Ole miss fans to stop chanting something about The South Rising. Really? People still think this is 1860? Which, haha, was the last time Ole Miss won an SEC title. HA! They beat Petrino though. Houston Nutt will beat his ole team every year he can. Arkie nearly won at Florida and they'll still have that in their minds. And can someone tell the students to stop with the chants. Every GOOD player on your team is black. I'm sure they don't appreciate that. (Sorry Jevan, but I DID SAY GOOD!)

#15 Okie State @ Baylor. And Dez Bryant STILL isn't playing. Great. Thanks NCAA for dragging your feet. You couldn't have done this, say, starting September 3? TWO TDs vs UGA and THAT'S THE FINAL MARGIN. (But the offense really sucked that day, too. As with LSU game AND ASU game AND Tennessee game. Wait, who's boy is BOBO?) But Baylor is sans its all-world QB. Take the Pokes.

Maryland @ Duke. Did I read correctly that Vegas has Duke as the favorite? WOW...I guess we can ONLY say Crabcakes when asked the question "What does Maryland do?" I have a hard time picking Duke though. Take the Terps.

Louisville @ #5 Cincy. I LMFAO every time I read that rumor that Jon Gruden to Louisville is a done deal. EVERY TIME. Seriously? You think Gruden would leave ESPN for the Big East? If he DOES leave, it is for Washington or Dallas or Buffalo (well not Buffalo...), you know NFL. Or if it IS college, it is for USC if Carrol leaves or Florida when Urban goes to ND, or even ND when Weis gets Fupa-booted out. Meanwhile, Brian Kelly continues his "HEY FSU, LOOK AT ME" tour with another win.

Clemson @ #10 Miami. If recent history is ANY indicator, this is a game that Miami fails to show up to and that Klimpsen sneaks off with. It is two coaches SO OVER THEIR HEADS that it is comical. I think Tommy Tuberville gets a call from the AD of the losing school, just to see. But Randy Shannon has intelligent coordinators while Dabo's OC refuses to get CJ Spiller, a future top 15 NFL pick, more than 15 touches. Take the Canes.

#11 Oregon @ U-Dub. It is SO HARD going on the road in the Pac-10....wait, that's not right. Wait, yes it is. Oregon could really use this one, but I think Sark gets one here. Couldn't have been my upset of the week, but it isn't an upset when the home team in the PAC-10 wins a game....I cannot even type that without smiling.

#13 Penn State @ Michigan. Boy did Hugh Jackman's boys look good last week. Wait, that was against Delaware St. Scratch that. Penn State comes to THE BIG HOUSE and Tate Forcier is there. I think the little kid has Moxie. I think he has enough to beat Penn State. Sorry Cake, but I'm going with Michigan, not because i'm a michigan man, but because you CANNOT GO ON THE ROAD IN THE BIG11....nevermind. Wow, two straight upsets.

Oklahoma @ #25 KU. OK, this isn't an upset picking Oklahoma to beat Kansas, despite the fact that the Rock Chalks are ranked and OU isn't. Boomer Sooner beats Todd Reesing and the Arby's spokesman like a drum. Bob Stoops will try and call himself Big Game after the win. PS, Sam Bradford needs to just go to the NFL. Yes he won't be No.1 overall, but he'll be drafted by some one like the Panthers in the middle teens and he'll end up being a great pro on a nice solid team because he'll be able to watch that first season while rehabbing.

BC @ ND. I just need ND to lose ONE MORE GAME before the Irish are out of the BCS at-large picture. Could this be the game? Nah, because ND will squeeze this one out thanks to the GHOSTS and Echoes...and the hometown clock-keepper.

UCLA @ #22 Arizona. Wow, Mike Stoops is ONCE AGAIN saving his job in Tucson and it looks as thought brother Bob won't get Mike as his DC in 2010. And Zona is doing it without the first-round TE and with a new QB. Hmmmm, Look for Zona to win here and peak at #20 before facing the "heavyweights" of the Pac-10 and finish in the Sun Bowl

#6 Iowa @ Michigan State. How disappointing has Sparty been? I know they'd turned the season around since the Michigan win, but Iowa comes in on fire. Their QB is steady and can come back when down, even on the road. Plus, with every win for Ferentz, it makes me feel better about CMR. CKF went thru the tough times and that's what CMR is doing now. CMR WILL get thru it (especially with Kirby Smart involved-wishful thinking can't hurt) and be No.6 in the nation before we know it. Say, 2011?

Vandy @ #24 SoCar. so south carolina loses by 2 TDs and they only fall two spots? COOL! Glad to see Spurrier still has THAT much pull with the voters. HIS ONLY TD was on a pick-6, if I'm not mistaken! (I probably am. I usually am. I watched the game, but not that closely.) SoCar beats Vandy and likely moves into the top 17!

#1 Florida @ Miss State. I would HOPE that Dan Mullen will try his darnedest to beat Florida, but I have a feeling that he doesn't want to hurt Tim Tebow, and that is the only chance Miss State has...blitz and knock Tebow around then try and play ball control with Dixon. Mullen knows the Florida team, but I don't think he has the horses to pull off the upset. GOOD. Just maybe do what UK did two years ago, and that is knock Tebow around and make him play the full, tough 60 minutes while Georgia rests. PLUS I'd like Georgia to be the one to take out the No.1 Gators.

Auburn @ #9 LSU. Sorry Bagodonuts, but Auburn loses yet another one here. LSU is too much at home, at night for the Tigers. I don't care if GusGus dials up some crazy plays, LSU will win by likely 13+ points. The LSU defense WILL shut down Gus's plays and The Tigers only score maybe 13 to lost 30-13. Gus, this isn't Tulsa BABY.

#3 Texas @ Mizzou. How many times did Mizzou crap the bed against good teams while on National TV? And that was WITH Chase Daniel. Without him, Mizzou has diarrhea all over their Victoria's Secret Satin sheets that they ordered because they thought they would be comfortable and they were RIGHT. It was like sleeping on a smooth cloud everynight, but then you got married and the wife said, "NO, those will NOT be going on the bed!" so you had to give them to Goodwill, so someone got VS Satin sheets from Goodwell for probably 8 bucks when Mizzou spent $120 for them and the comforter. But Mizzou isn't bitter.....Take Texas.

Oregon State @ #7 USC. Matt Barkley goes to 6-0 as a starter and Pete Carrol will start lobbying that USC should be the one-loss team in the BCSCG because its QB was out for the team's only loss.

Pros
Atlanta @ Dallas. I like Mike Smith more than Wade Phillips. I like Atlanta's OC more than Dallas's OC. I like Mike Peterson more than Keith Brooking, I like Matt Ryan more than Tony Romo. I do like Dallas's airport though more than Atlanta's airport. That has nothing to do with the game however. Falcons beat the Cowboys and Troy Aikman stops talking (seriously) by the middle of the fourth quarter.

Grab-bag of fun stuff.
Lock of the week...
Tennessee @ #2 Bama. Wait, Lane Kiffin wanted to wear his home unis on the road NOT at a neutral site? What is this guy's deal. He would flip out if Bama had wanted to do that. Of course NOW he'll say that "oh, I'd have let Bama do it," but you were trying to harken back to days when the game was played at a neutral site. IT ISN'T THIS YEAR. It is IN BAMA'S STADIUM. Lane just cannot seem to figure it out. Mess with Georgia, South Carolina and Auburn. STOP MESSING WITH Florida and Alabama...and sasquatch. Haven't you seen the jerky commercials? That will be Saban to you this weekend.
Upset of the week...Because OU, Washington and Michigan weren't enought.
#8 TCU @ #16 BYU. I like Max Hall (despite his 10 INTs) and the BYU Cougars at home, even though the last time they played a big game at home FSU scored EVERY TIME DOWN THE FIELD! Really, I know BYU cannot go to a BCS bowl and I want them to make certain TCU cannot either. GO COUGARS!

Local teams that people root for in Atlanta-area...
UGA on bye week. Will CMR turn the Defensive gameplay to John Joncek? Will CWM keep the duty? Will Logan Gray get a special package or two for Florida? Will the off-week offer the same advantage that it did two years ago? I hope yes on three of the four questions with No.2 getting a no.

#12 Georgia Tech @ UVa. The Yellow Jackets haven't won in beautiful Charlottesville since breaking the hearts of the No.1 Hoos in 1990. You would think that GT could end the skid here this season, but then you remember that Al Groh is once again in save-my-job mode. Won't be enough. GT wins this one. But perhaps that is the best thing for UVA is for GT to beat them. Could be the straw that breaks Littlepage's back in the situation. Bring on Mike London, since Brian Kelly wouldn't want ANYTHING to do with the UVA job.Sorry Daddio.

Have a great weekend and log on to gpb.org/football tonight for Lassiter @ Walton. The Road to the DOME, baby!