After our first four weeks trying to pick NCAA Football games, we feel like Ferris Bueller might have been speaking directly to us only about 30 years too early.
We’ve got to get our acts together one of these weeks, right?
Weekly Reminder 1: As always, our strategy for most games (we go with our gut occasionally) is pretty simple: Vegas doesn’t like losing money so we go against the overwhelming trends (e.g. when one team has 80% of the public behind it), which leads to many underdog picks because the public is always in love with favorites. Unfortunately, our strategy also incorporates picking UCLA every week because Mr. Rudin went there. We still won somehow.
Weekly Reminder 2: Some of the games on Yahoo show the spread as “off”, which means a spread has not been assigned. Yahoo makes those games an even line. We won’t be making picks for those in this column. Our picks will appear here in a weekly column on Thursday mornings until season’s end or the time where we realize that our picks have become so putrid that they become embarrassing to post, whichever comes first.
MIAMI -6.5 at DUKE
This is football, right?
WASHINGTON STATE +4 vs. USC
There’s not much to do in Pullman, WA on a Friday night. That place is going to be poppin’ when the Trojans come to town. #16 Wazzu will be looking to make a national statement.
GEORGIA TECH -9.5 vs. NORTH CAROLINA
We’re starting to think that North Carolina isn’t any good this year.
TEMPLE +14 vs. HOUSTON
The Houston team that played Texas Tech last week isn’t covering two TD’s on the road that’s for sure.
MARYLAND +13 at MINNESOTA
Maryland isn’t as bad as people thought. And by people, we of course mean us.
SYRACUSE +13 at N.C. STATE
79% of the public is with N.C. State. C’mon Vegas, we’re counting on you.
WAKE FOREST +7.5 vs. FLORIDA STATE
78% of the public is with Florida State. Plus, that line is begging for everyone to take FSU.
KANSAS STATE -17 vs. BAYLOR
We were just reminded that Baylor let sexual assaults get covered up. Karma’s still after them.
TENNESSEE +7.5 vs. GEORGIA
We like both of these teams but everybody is rolling with Georgia. Take the points.
TULSA +6 vs. NAVY
We had Navy, then saw that everybody has Navy. Go the other way.
IOWA +3.5 at MICHIGAN STATE
We went with Iowa because 3-0 could be the final score in this game.
STANFORD -15 vs. ARIZONA STATE
That loss at San Diego State isn’t looking so bad now. Stanford is a good and underrated team right now.
EASTERN MICHIGAN +14.5 at KENTUCKY
85% of the public is on Kentucky. We’re pretending that we can distinguish between Eastern, Western, and Central Michigan.
SMU -18 vs. CONNECTICUT
We keep watching Pony Excess. We can’t help but take SMU.
MISSISSIPPI STATE +9 at AUBURN
Now people are overreacting to the overreaction. Mississippi State is either overrated or underrated week in and week out. Can they ever just be rated? We think they can in Europe! (Sneaky 10 Things I Hate About You reference!)
NEW MEXICO even vs. AIR FORCE
70% on one side in an even money game? No thanks.
MARSHALL +4.5 at CINCINNATI
86% on Cincy. We’ll go with Randy Moss’ alma mater. Good luck convincing us that anyone was better than Randy Moss.
MEMPHIS +3.5 at CENTRAL FLORIDA
If you close your eyes can you picture Memphis scoring another touchdown against UCLA or is it just an RW issue?
SOUTH CAROLINA +8.5 at TEXAS A&M
Texas A&M should not be favored by more than a touchdown over any SEC teams not named Missouri.
VIRGINIA TECH +7.5 vs. CLEMSON
Are we the only ones who think that extra half a point might come into play or that Clemson is a little overrated? Just us? Ok.
OKLAHOMA STATE -9.5 at TEXAS TECH
Oklahoma State isn’t having two bad games in a row this season.
OREGON -13.5 vs. CALIFORNIA
We’re not giving up on our “Cal stinks at football” theory.
UCLA -7 vs. COLORADO
This is getting painful. We need a new editor. Why must we pick UCLA every week?!
NORTHERN ILLINOIS +11 at SAN DIEGO STATE
81% of the public has this year’s great story in the Aztecs. You know the drill.
LAST WEEK: 11-14
SEASON: 34-58