WEEK 11

Last week, I promised you the game of the week. Maybe the season. Possibly the decade. And while I had the game wrong, the college football gods still delivered. Holy. Freaking. Omar Cooper. 

If you’d have told me at the start of the season we’d all be talking about the IU v. Penn State game, I might have believed you. If you’d have told me at the start of the week, we’d all be talking about the IU v. Penn State game today, I’d have laughed you out of town. If you’d have told me we’d be talking about IU v. Penn State game today, halfway through yesterday’s 3rd quarter, Hoosiers up 20-7, I’d have told you to lay off the crack. And yet, here we are, talking about IU v. Penn State. With late second heroics, the Midwestern candy canes move to 10-0 and retain their #2 national ranking with 3-6 Wisconsin and 2-8 Purdue remaining. Absolutely bonkers. Cignetti’s guys have grit. If all stays on track, a LOT of eyes are going to be on Indianapolis on December 6.

 

Ok, now for games that were actually on the Pick ‘Em slate. 

 

Speaking of grit, after Herbstreit all but bet his career on Iowa knocking off the visiting Ducks this week, Oregon fought back from an Iowa-induced deficit with less than 2 minutes to play, driving through a walk off FG at Kinnick Stadium. Some teams just know how to get it done.

 

Let’s just rip the band-aid off. BYU crushed me again. The Cougars are dead to me once again after getting absolutely annihilated in Lubbock. College football is a real bitch, giving you storylines of hope, only to dash them week after week in the most unceremonious of fashions. 

 

Speaking of throttling, Texas A&M was all business at Missouri, jumping out to a 21-0 lead and never looking back against a Tigers team that might not be great, but is certainly not a walkover at home.

 

I missed yet another opportunity to retire early. You might recall me noting that UVA was fake; complete frauds that had lucked their way to 8-1. I KNEW Wake was going to knock them off. I felt it in my bones. And because I didn’t put a damn dollar on it, that’s exactly what happened, the Cavaliers putting up a meager 9 points against the visiting Deacs. KingBrutus claims the sole OTC points from that game. Of note, Nebraska as dogs also felt like a lock that I didn’t bet on, and should have, the Cornhuskers moving to 7-3 with a win in La La Land.

 

Iowa State upset TCU in Fort Worth (where I just so happened to be this weekend for a wedding - lots of sad folks in purple at the airport this morning). This Cyclones team is strange. They started 5-0, lost 4 straight, and then knocked off a dangerous Horned Frogs team on the road. Congrats to Clarkster for being the only one to solve that puzzle this week.

 

Dabo clings to life in Clemson, while Mike Norvell might want to put some ice on his ass because that seat it smoking hot. Southern Miss forces 6 – yes, SIX (I’ll spell it out here for emphasis) – turnovers enroute to holding off Arkansas State. Jacksonville State went back and forth with UTEP, taking their final lead with 53 seconds to play, earing the 30-27 win. And Arizona rallied against Kansas, scoring the go-ahead TD with a mere 39 seconds left.

 

Top score of the week goes to the Cyclones prophet: Clarkster with an impressive 44.

 

Dallas2697 retains the lead, but the margin has narrowed. With 407, he sits just 5 points ahead of PSU1996, who vaulted into sole 2nd with a solid 42 on the week. Sprint82 has evened things up with RecordSetter98, sharing the 3 spot at 390.

 

Next week’s big rumbles will be Texas @ Georgia and Oklahoma @ Bama. Have an idea what’s going to happen? Think you’re slick? Make those picks!

 

 

 

 

                    Vegas

#7 BYU @  #8 Texas Tech (-13.5)

Southern Miss (-6.5) @ Arkansas State

Jacksonville State (-1.5) @ UTEP

#3 Texas A&M (-6.5) @ #22 Missouri

Iowa State @ TCU (-7.5)

Kansas @ Arizona (-5.5)

#9 Oregon (-4.5) @ #20 Iowa

Wake Forest @ #14 Virginia (-6.5)

Florida State @ Clemson (-1.5)

Nebraska @ UCLA (-2.5)

 

 

 

 

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