Record
|
||
Week 1
|
8-2
|
|
Week 2
|
5-0
|
|
Week 3
|
2-3
|
|
Week 4
|
4-1
|
|
Week 5
|
2-3
|
|
Week 6
|
2-8
|
|
Week 7
|
4-1
|
|
Week 8
|
3-2
|
|
Week 9
|
2-3
|
|
Week 10
|
2-3
|
|
Week 11
|
4-6
|
|
Total
|
38-32
|
0.543
|
I’m not going to lie...this has been a rough year for the predictions.
I’m averaging 2.83 correct picks and 2.17 incorrect picks per week (counting
weeks one and six as two-weeks each). If I were playing baseball, that would be
pretty good. A .567 winning percentage would’ve been a surefire playoff team in
both leagues. But in college football, where every game is a playoff…not so
much. Last week Georgia crashed and burned in spectacular fashion against hated
rival Florida. Louisville failed to upset FSU after a big first half lead and
Ole Miss let one slip away in the Grove.
What lies in store this week? Well, it’s another ten-game slate. In the SEC, Georgia travels to Kentucky and
the Aggies head to Auburn, while Alabama hits the road for the big game with
LSU. The team loosely associated with the ACC, Notre Dame, travels to the
desert, to face the Sun Devils. In the ACC, newly-ranked Georgia Tech takes on
NC State. The PAC-12 gives us Utah playing host to current playoff contender
Oregon. Three huge games, Baylor at Oklahoma, West Virginia at Texas, and
Kansas State at TCU, will focus much attention on the Big XII. And the biggest
Big Ten match-up of the season takes place as Ohio State visits Michigan State.
The Games:
20 Georgia at Kentucky (Saturday,
Noon, ESPN)
Georgia was upset (athletically) last week. Georgia remains upset
(emotionally) this week, as they travel to the Bluegrass State. The Dawgs have
only one more game to go without RB Todd Gurley, so the Wildcats don’t have to
game plan for that. I have to imagine Georgia comes out hot in this game,
looking to smack the Wildcats down before they get any momentum. Georgia QB
Hutson Mason has taken some flak this year, and while he’s not putting up the
gaudy yardage numbers of Aaron Murray, he’s the most accurate passer in the SEC
(in terms of completion percentage, Mason [67.9% complete] is the seventh most
accurate QB in the nation). Kentucky is a tricky team that is better than
people think. They took Florida to triple overtime and actually beat South
Carolina, but they’ve lost three straight coming into this game. Georgia might
be looking ahead to next week’s big showdown with Auburn, but if the Dawgs come
out angry it won’t be a bad thing…an angry Georgia can be a devastating
Georgia. Dawgs win.
Final Score: Georgia 42, Kentucky
20
CORRECT: Georgia won 63-31
CORRECT: Georgia won 63-31
12 Baylor at 15 Oklahoma (Saturday,
Noon, Fox Sports 1)
Baylor averages 50 points per game. Oklahoma averages 41.5 points per
game. Oklahoma gives up 21.8 per game. Baylor gives up 21.9. Baylor needs the
win to stay in the thick of the Big XII title race, should K-State or TCU, or
both, falter down the stretch. But Oklahoma will not make that easy for them.
The Sooners still have a lot to play for. It won’t be enough to knock off
Baylor, but a good showing by the Sooners will certainly help their bowl game
prospects. Bears win.
Final Score: Baylor 38, Oklahoma
33
CORRECT: Baylor won 48-14
CORRECT: Baylor won 48-14
24 Georgia Tech at NC State (Saturday,
12:30pm, ESPN3)
For the first time in 2014, Georgia Tech appears in the predictions.
They are ranked, but who knows how long that will last… NC State took Florida
State to the edge, forcing the Seminoles to snap out of their sleep walk and
actually play. The Wolfpack is not a team to ever take lightly. The Yellow
Jackets, meanwhile are 7-2, and are coming off their best defensive showing of
the year, holding a Virginia team that averages 26.7 points per game to only
10. From September 27 to October 18, NC State was 0-4, losing to Florida State,
Clemson, Boston College, and Louisville by a combined score of 157-73. Still, I
get that feeling that NC State will be ready for this game against the Jackets.
I’m making it an upset special. Wolfpack sneak out the win.
Final Score: NC State 27,
Georgia Tech 24
INCORRECT: Georgia Tech won 56-23
INCORRECT: Georgia Tech won 56-23
10 Notre Dame at 9 Arizona State
(Saturday, 3:30pm, ABC)
Notre Dame simply refuses to go away, and yes that’s a stirring
sentiment of how I feel about Notre Dame. I don’t like the Fighting Irish. I
never have. I knew in 2012, as the Irish were being hyped through the roof
going up against Alabama, that once more an SEC team was going to humiliate the
non-SEC team. Notre Dame’s signature game this year is their loss to Florida
State. Beating Arizona State would be huge for Notre Dame. I think the Sun
Devils keep it close, and they may pull out the win…but I got a feeling that
Notre Dame is going to leave the desert with the W.
Final Score: Notre Dame 26,
Arizona State 23
INCORRECT: Arizona State won 55-31
INCORRECT: Arizona State won 55-31
23 West Virginia at Texas (Saturday,
3:30pm, Fox Sports 1)
Morgantown, West Virginia, has become the place where Big XII teams go
to lose. But this game is in Austin, not Morgantown. Texas, though, has been an
afterthought for about five years now. Mountaineers QB Clint Trickett can pick
a defense apart. If the Longhorns fail to account for that, the Mountaineers
are going to steamroll them. That may happen anyway. Texas is 4-5 on the year,
having lost to every ranked team they’ve played, by an average score of 29-11. WVU
wins.
Final Score: West Virginia 34,
Texas 21
INCORRECT: Texas won 33-16
INCORRECT: Texas won 33-16
Texas A&M at 3 Auburn (Saturday,
3:30pm, CBS)
The Aggies fell and fell hard after that season-opening thrashing of
South Carolina. Auburn, meanwhile, has held as steady as they could. The
Tigers, though, could be caught looking ahead to The Deep South’s Oldest
Rivalry next week when they visit Georgia. The Aggies are no longer as feared
as they were at season’s start. Auburn will win this game, but it depends on
how much they’re looking ahead to determine how much the win by. I think it’ll
be two touchdowns. Tigers win.
Final Score: Auburn 35, TAMU 21
INCORRECT: Texas A&M won 41-38
INCORRECT: Texas A&M won 41-38
7 Kansas State at 6 TCU (Saturday,
7:30pm, Fox)
TCU is averaging 10 points more per game than Kansas State, but K-State
has a better scoring defense than the Horned Frogs. This game may very well
decide the Big XII title and a potential playoff berth. TCU’s wild win at West
Virginia last week gives them some momentum. Kansas State’s only loss was to
SEC stalwart Auburn, so their resume looks good to the playoff committee. This
game may be low scoring, or it may be a case of which QB has the ball last. If
this was in Manhattan, I’d give the nod to K-State. Since it’s at TCU, I’m
going with the Horned Frogs to win and solidify their hold on the Big XII.
Final Score: TCU 27, Kansas
State 24
CORRECT: TCU won 41-20
CORRECT: TCU won 41-20
5 Alabama at 16 LSU (Saturday, 8:00pm,
CBS)
When was the last time Alabama and LSU played a game that wasn’t
insanely meaningful to the national title picture? It’s been a long while. The
Crimson Tide is pushing hard for a playoff berth, and it looks like they may
have to go all the way to the Iron Bowl to make it happen. LSU is just trying
to climb back to their usual spot in the sharper end of the rankings, but the
SEC West is so good this year that it’s difficult to gain any ground. I look
for a hard fought game, something Jim Ross would call a “slobberknocker,” but
when the clock hits 00:00, I fully expect Alabama to be on top. Roll Tide.
Final Score: Alabama 27, LSU 21
CORRECT: Alabama won 20-13 in OT
CORRECT: Alabama won 20-13 in OT
14 Ohio State at 8 Michigan
State (Saturday, 8:00pm, ABC)
ESPN’s College Gameday rolls into East Lansing for this game. What’s
best for the Big Ten? Michigan State winning out. That’s basically their only
hope of reaching the playoff. The Big Ten is so down this year, because their
schedules are weak both in and out of conference. The Buckeyes are being
continually held down by their loss to Virginia Tech. Michigan State dropped a
game to Oregon that was much closer than the final score indicated. When all is
said and done in East Lansing, the Spartans will be a step closer to getting
their conference a spot in the playoff. Sparty wins.
Final Score: Michigan State 24,
Ohio State 14
INCORRECT: Ohio State won 49-37
INCORRECT: Ohio State won 49-37
4 Oregon at 17 Utah (Saturday, 10:00pm,
ESPN)
Utah is 2-1 against ranked teams this year (defeated UCLA and USC, lost
to Arizona State). Now the Utes play host to a hot Oregon team coming off a
huge win over rival Stanford. Oregon QB Marcus Mariota is pushing to reclaim the
top spot in the Heisman race. The Ducks were pushed to the brink by Washington
State and lost to Arizona, but then turned around and walloped Stanford. I
really won’t be surprised if Utah finds a way to defeat Oregon. In fact, I’ll
make it one of the upset specials this week. Utes over Ducks.
Final Score: Utah 31, Oregon 27
INCORRECT: Oregon won 51-27
INCORRECT: Oregon won 51-27
The Right Wing Top Ten
The Associated Press Poll and the Amway Coaches Poll both feature a
Preseason version. I even posted a “Preseason Top Ten,” or something to that
effect, a while back. I never intended to use that poll as a basis for the
Right Wing Top Ten, though.
15. Oklahoma Sooners (last
week: NR)
14. LSU Tigers (last week: NR)
13. Nebraska Cornhuskers (last
week: NR)
12. Ohio State Buckeyes (last
week: NR)
11. Arizona State Sun Devils (last
week: 14)
10. Baylor Bears (last week:
13)
Why: Baylor claws their way
back into the top ten.
9. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
(last week: 10)
Why: Yep, Notre Dame is
ranked right here.
8. Kansas State Wildcats (last
week: 11)
Why: Kansas State is a good
football team. This week’s battle with TCU probably determines the Big XII winner.
7. TCU Horned Frogs (last
week: 8)
Why: TCU went to Morgantown,
a place Big XII teams go to lose, and beat the Mountaineers in a fantastic
game. For the record, if WVU had been ranked here, I’d have had a hard time
dropping them.
6. Auburn Tigers (last week:
6)
Why: Auburn went to Oxford
and knocked off Ole Miss. That counts for something.
5. Michigan State Spartans (last
week: 5)
Why: Sparty looks to be the
top dog in the Big Ten. This week’s date with Ohio State will tell the tale,
though.
4. Oregon Ducks (last week: 4)
Why: Oregon stomped Stanford
and once more looks like a playoff team.
3. Alabama Crimson Tide (last
week: 3)
Why: Alabama is playing like
one of the best teams in the nation, but a primetime trip to LSU will test them.
2. Florida State Seminoles (last
week: 2)
Why: The Noles got by the
last real threat they’ll face before the playoff.
1. Mississippi State Bulldogs (last
week: 1)
Why: Mississippi State olds
the top spot, even though an Arkansas team on the rise took them to the brink.
Bowl Projections
It’s the time of year again. Time to unveil some bowl projections. Don’t
worry, these are sure to be wrong.
Sugar Bowl (playoff semifinal):
Florida State vs Mississippi State
Rose Bowl (playoff semifinal):
Alabama vs Oregon
Cotton Bowl (group of five):
Ole Miss vs Baylor
Orange Bowl (group of five):
Clemson vs Notre Dame
Peach Bowl (group of five):
TCU vs Marshall
Fiesta Bowl (group of five):
Michigan State vs Arizona State
Citrus Bowl (ACC/B1G vs SEC):
Nebraska vs LSU
Outback Bowl (B1G vs SEC):
Ohio State vs Georgia
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