Let's try this again, shall we? After a miserable week of picking games (TNG went 3-9 as a unit last week) we're back to try our hand at guiding your bets this weekend. Some of us swore off betting on our teams, others turned to voodoo and some have adopted a minimalist's stance on defending these picks up front. Whatever the strategy, let's hope like hell it works, because (6 second mark):
Let's get to it.
Big Tex says...
Season record: 1-3
Last week: 1-3
Big Tex perhaps ate a Texas–sized piece of humble pie, or actually has, you know, a busy life. Either way, he wins the award for shortest picks ever by a TNG picker. Good job, or something.
Texas Tech @ Texas State
Over 59.5 points
The total has gone OVER in eight of Tech's last 11 games.
New Mexico +38.5 @ Texas
Texas is 7-16-1 ATS in its last 24 games at home.
Penn State @ Virginia -9.5
Virginia to cover only because Penn State is not good.
Illinois@ Arizona State -3.5
I like ASU to cover.
Penn State @ Virginia -9.5
Virginia to cover only because Penn State is not good.
Illinois@ Arizona State -3.5
I like ASU to cover.
Marcus says...
Season record: 1-3
Last week: 1-3
Michigan St. -20 @ Central Michigan
I witnessed Sparty's 2009 embarrassing home loss at the hands of CMU, but also was there for the beat down MSU put on the Chips in 2011. Last weeks game showed that Andrew Maxwell has some work to do, but also that Le'Veon Bell is a horse. Sparty doubled about Boise in time of possession on the back of Bell. Central Michigan opened with a win against SE Missouri State on the strength of two 100 yard rushers. I don't see that performance duplicated and while Kelly / Shorts Stadium will be at a fever pitch, this game will be over at halftime. Take MSU to cover.
Wisconsin -7 @ Oregon State
Wiscy ALMOST ruined their season in week 1, barely getting by Northern Iowa. Cinderella story if you lose to the Panthers in the NCAA basketball tournament. Flat out embarrassing in football. New transfer QB Danny O'Brien didn't turn the ball over and completed 83% of his passes, but the memory of last years transfer-rule exploitation, er sensation, Russell Wilson will continue to linger. Oregon State had their week 1 postponed as Hurricane Isaac kept Nicholls State in Louisiana. Corvallis will be rocking, but Wisconsin will have a chip on their shoulder from last week. Montee Ball explodes, take the Badgers to cover.
Air Force +21 @ Michigan
The Wolverines plummeted in the polls after the beat down they took at the hands of Bama last week. Michigan was clearly outmatched as the Crimson Tide showed they've reloaded and are ready to make another BCS title run. Michigan has to be concerned about their rush defense after giving up 200+. While Air Force isn't Alabama they are one of the most potent rushing attacks in college football. Cody Getz rushed for 218 yards on 17 carries last week against Idaho State. I expect Denard to get loose and the Wolverines to win this one, but not by 3 TDs. I'm taking Air Force and the points.
Purdue @ Notre Dame -14
This game will be our live tweet (cell service permitting) of the week as I will be inside Notre Dame Stadium taking in the home opener. Sophomore QB Everett Golson did enough in his first career start last week in Dublin to keep Tommy Rees on the sideline. Rees, a Junior who started most of last year, is back from a one game suspension. Golson moved the offense down the field and only turned the ball over once. The Boilers will go with Senior QB Caleb TerBush who also served a suspension last week. Former Miami Hurricane QB Robert Marve played well in last week's opener but will be back to backup duties in South Bend. The Irish ground attack led the way against Navy and expects to be on display again as Golson continues to get more comfortable. I'm taking ND to cover.
Kyle says...
Season record: 1-3
Last week: 1-3
Michigan State -20 @ Central Michigan
The Spartans struggled last week on offense, true enough, but praise for the work the defense did was lost in the shuffle. MSU pitched a shutout of Boise State in the second half, holding the Broncos to four drives averaging less than 2:30 and ending in three punts and a turnover on downs. They brutalized Boise in the back half of the game, and that's important to remember against a team like the Chips, who may have a strong set of starters but are woefully thin and young on the bench. If the Spartan defense can shorten the offense's stay in a similar way, Central's defense gets tested and will have to sub in new bodies. That's when State RB Le'Veon Bell goes to work—he totaled close to 180 yards in the second half last week. Central did work on the ground last week, too, but QB Ryan Radcliff struggled through the air, and if MSU can load up on the line, it'll be a long night in Flat Misery. Spartans to cover.
Purdue @ Notre Dame -14.5
The Fighting Irish looked really good in Dublin last week, hanging a 50 spot on Navy in a predawn drubbing. Purdue looked very solid in its opener vs. Eastern Kentucky, and QB Robert Marve was extremely accurate passing the ball. He'll need to stay that way if he'd like to remain undefeated against the Irish, who, behind senior LB Manti Te'o, stuffed the run very effectively. The Irish were vulnerable against the pass and gave up close to 10 yards per attempt, but I believe that's more a function of Navy passing to play catchup than the Irish bending too far. Look for the Irish to swamp one of the B1G's weakest links. ND to cover.
Washington @ LSU -24
I vacillated heavily (is that a medical condition!?) over this one, finally deciding the Bayou Bengals will be just too much for the Dawgs. The LSU offense, under Zach Mettenberger, averaged just less than 7 yards per rush and just more than 10 yards per completion last week. Now, facing a better pass defense in Washington with Shaq Thompson and Desmond Trufant, Mettenberger won't have it quite as easy, but he'll still have the rush game to back him up, which is more than his counterpart Keith Price can say for U-Dub. San Diego State stuffed Washington's rush game last week, allowing just a little more than 100 yards, and LSU's defense is at least twice as good. Forcing Price to the air that much more often ups his chances for a f---up, and nobody capitalizes on turnovers like this LSU D. I'm taking the Tigers to cover.
Florida @ Texas A&M -1
Pressure is the name of this game—A&M enters their first SEC matchup a home favorite, and after Florida's shaky outing last week, the Gators need to make a statement. In Florida's shockingly close win over Bowling Green last week, the defense did tighten up as the game went on—especially on BG's rush game. RB Mike GIllislee ensured Florida won the crucial time of possession battle to keep them ahead. We still don't know anything about this A&M team yet, outside of the fact that they're breaking in a new quarterback. If last week's games were any indication, that's no easy task, especially if the Gator D can hamper the Aggies ability to pass. I look for Florida to cover.
I witnessed Sparty's 2009 embarrassing home loss at the hands of CMU, but also was there for the beat down MSU put on the Chips in 2011. Last weeks game showed that Andrew Maxwell has some work to do, but also that Le'Veon Bell is a horse. Sparty doubled about Boise in time of possession on the back of Bell. Central Michigan opened with a win against SE Missouri State on the strength of two 100 yard rushers. I don't see that performance duplicated and while Kelly / Shorts Stadium will be at a fever pitch, this game will be over at halftime. Take MSU to cover.
Wisconsin -7 @ Oregon State
Wiscy ALMOST ruined their season in week 1, barely getting by Northern Iowa. Cinderella story if you lose to the Panthers in the NCAA basketball tournament. Flat out embarrassing in football. New transfer QB Danny O'Brien didn't turn the ball over and completed 83% of his passes, but the memory of last years transfer-rule exploitation, er sensation, Russell Wilson will continue to linger. Oregon State had their week 1 postponed as Hurricane Isaac kept Nicholls State in Louisiana. Corvallis will be rocking, but Wisconsin will have a chip on their shoulder from last week. Montee Ball explodes, take the Badgers to cover.
Air Force +21 @ Michigan
The Wolverines plummeted in the polls after the beat down they took at the hands of Bama last week. Michigan was clearly outmatched as the Crimson Tide showed they've reloaded and are ready to make another BCS title run. Michigan has to be concerned about their rush defense after giving up 200+. While Air Force isn't Alabama they are one of the most potent rushing attacks in college football. Cody Getz rushed for 218 yards on 17 carries last week against Idaho State. I expect Denard to get loose and the Wolverines to win this one, but not by 3 TDs. I'm taking Air Force and the points.
Purdue @ Notre Dame -14
This game will be our live tweet (cell service permitting) of the week as I will be inside Notre Dame Stadium taking in the home opener. Sophomore QB Everett Golson did enough in his first career start last week in Dublin to keep Tommy Rees on the sideline. Rees, a Junior who started most of last year, is back from a one game suspension. Golson moved the offense down the field and only turned the ball over once. The Boilers will go with Senior QB Caleb TerBush who also served a suspension last week. Former Miami Hurricane QB Robert Marve played well in last week's opener but will be back to backup duties in South Bend. The Irish ground attack led the way against Navy and expects to be on display again as Golson continues to get more comfortable. I'm taking ND to cover.
Kyle says...
Season record: 1-3
Last week: 1-3
Michigan State -20 @ Central Michigan
The Spartans struggled last week on offense, true enough, but praise for the work the defense did was lost in the shuffle. MSU pitched a shutout of Boise State in the second half, holding the Broncos to four drives averaging less than 2:30 and ending in three punts and a turnover on downs. They brutalized Boise in the back half of the game, and that's important to remember against a team like the Chips, who may have a strong set of starters but are woefully thin and young on the bench. If the Spartan defense can shorten the offense's stay in a similar way, Central's defense gets tested and will have to sub in new bodies. That's when State RB Le'Veon Bell goes to work—he totaled close to 180 yards in the second half last week. Central did work on the ground last week, too, but QB Ryan Radcliff struggled through the air, and if MSU can load up on the line, it'll be a long night in Flat Misery. Spartans to cover.
Purdue @ Notre Dame -14.5
The Fighting Irish looked really good in Dublin last week, hanging a 50 spot on Navy in a predawn drubbing. Purdue looked very solid in its opener vs. Eastern Kentucky, and QB Robert Marve was extremely accurate passing the ball. He'll need to stay that way if he'd like to remain undefeated against the Irish, who, behind senior LB Manti Te'o, stuffed the run very effectively. The Irish were vulnerable against the pass and gave up close to 10 yards per attempt, but I believe that's more a function of Navy passing to play catchup than the Irish bending too far. Look for the Irish to swamp one of the B1G's weakest links. ND to cover.
Washington @ LSU -24
I vacillated heavily (is that a medical condition!?) over this one, finally deciding the Bayou Bengals will be just too much for the Dawgs. The LSU offense, under Zach Mettenberger, averaged just less than 7 yards per rush and just more than 10 yards per completion last week. Now, facing a better pass defense in Washington with Shaq Thompson and Desmond Trufant, Mettenberger won't have it quite as easy, but he'll still have the rush game to back him up, which is more than his counterpart Keith Price can say for U-Dub. San Diego State stuffed Washington's rush game last week, allowing just a little more than 100 yards, and LSU's defense is at least twice as good. Forcing Price to the air that much more often ups his chances for a f---up, and nobody capitalizes on turnovers like this LSU D. I'm taking the Tigers to cover.
Florida @ Texas A&M -1
Pressure is the name of this game—A&M enters their first SEC matchup a home favorite, and after Florida's shaky outing last week, the Gators need to make a statement. In Florida's shockingly close win over Bowling Green last week, the defense did tighten up as the game went on—especially on BG's rush game. RB Mike GIllislee ensured Florida won the crucial time of possession battle to keep them ahead. We still don't know anything about this A&M team yet, outside of the fact that they're breaking in a new quarterback. If last week's games were any indication, that's no easy task, especially if the Gator D can hamper the Aggies ability to pass. I look for Florida to cover.
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