Well…I said I liked chaos in college football, and we got it…kind of. For the first time since The Breakfast Club had to spend a whole Saturday in detention 3 of the Top 4 teams in the country lost last weekend. One would assume that’d mean a major shakeup in the playoff picture, but…not so much. Two of the teams that lost…Michigan & Clemson…remain in the Top 4, while Washington didn’t fall all that far. I used to be VERY critical of the old BCS system. However, while I am glad that we have a four team playoff, the current system really isn’t that much better. It’s a bunch of suits with preconceived notions & undeniable biases sitting behind closed doors and protecting the traditionally elite programs, then spending the next few days absurdly rationalizing their prejudice. Let’s be honest…out of the 128 FBS football programs only about three dozen have a realistic opportunity in any given season to win the national title (and that’s probably being generous). Not even all of the teams in the “power” conferences receive serious consideration. Personally I’d like to see an expanded six team playoff, with the top two teams getting a first round bye. At any rate, y’all came here for some picks. To say last week was rough would be an understatement. It’s not the first time I’ve went 0-5, and it probably won’t be the last, but it’s never fun. Zach did a little better at 1-4. Hey, atleast we can’t get worse, right??

My Season:        31-35

Z’s Season:        24-42

 

 

 

 

Louisville (-14)  at      Houston

Not long ago this was a highly anticipated matchup with possible playoff implications. But then the Cougars unexpectedly lost two games in October and are now seemingly an afterthought. I wonder if head coach Tom Herman is still at the top of the list for all those bigtime jobs?? The Cardinals look like a surefire playoff team as one would assume that the loser of Ohio St./Michigan later on this month will get bounced with two losses. The suits have no reason to overlook or outright screw Louisville since quarterback and Heisman Trophy frontrunner Lamar Jackson would be a big ratings draw, but that is assuming they win this game. I’m not sure who will ultimately end up on top, however I do think it’ll be much closer than a two TD difference. Zach, on the other hand, is a big believer in Jackson and thinks he’ll have another big game.

My Pick:     Houston

Z’s Pick:     Louisville

 

 

Florida                at      LSU (-13.5)

This game was originally scheduled a few weeks ago but a hurricane forced postponement. Both teams paid off two lesser opponents to go away to fit this one in. The Bayou Bengals have rebounded from their early season struggles and won 4 out of the last 5, playing Alabama tough in a loss. The Gators are leading their division and would love to get a crack at The Tide in the SEC title game. I don’t mean to sound repetitive, but this is another contest where I don’t have a good feel for who might win, but I do believe that the spread is a bit high. Zach is looking at RB Leonard Fournette, who has unfortunately fallen out of the Heisman debate, to have a big game and lead LSU to an easy victory.

My Pick:     Florida

Z’s Pick:     LSU

 

 

USC (-13)            at      UCLA

After starting the season 1-3 the Trojans are on a roll and have an outside shot to make it to the Pac 12 title game. Conversely, the 4-6 Bruins are having an awful year. QB sensation Josh Rosen has missed half the season with a shoulder injury and won’t be back this year. Looking at these two teams one can see that UCLA has been competitive in every game they’ve lost, while USC has won games by an average of almost 20 points during the current winning streak. Something’s gotta give Saturday night. I don’t think home field will make much of a difference since the two schools are less than 15 miles apart, so this is all about The Vibes which are telling me the Trojans will win…but it’ll be close. Once again Zach is going in the other direction and thinks USC will continue their streak.

My Pick:     UCLA

Z’s Pick:     USC

 

 

New Orleans     at      Carolina (-3.5)

Not only will Houston & Louisville be teeing it up on Thursday night, but the NFL is offering this little gem. I’m looking forward to a fun evening of channel flipping. Neither team is doing well, but the difference is that expectations were low for the Saints, while the Panthers are the defending NFC Champions. Before the season I said that New Orleans would make the playoffs as a wildcard. Of course I also opined that Carolina wouldn’t regress like so many Super Bowl runners-up tend to do. I’d really like to see atleast one of my predictions come true. Zach is predicting a high scoring game with little defensive presence. He likes QB Drew Brees to lead his team to a big win.

My Pick:     New Orleans

Z’s Pick:     New Orleans

 

 

Green Bay                   at      Washington (-2.5)

The Packers are having quite the rocky season and have lost three straight games. I’ve even seen some articles saying that head coach Mike McCarthy might be looking for a new job this offseason. The good news is that they are only a game back in the NFC North. The Vikings have self-destructed after a hot start and the Bears are…well…the Bears, so maybe The Cheeseheads need to r-e-l-a-x (seems like I’ve heard that somewhere before). Meanwhile, in the nation’s capital, the Redskins are just trying to remain in the wildcard conversation since catching up to the red hot Dallas Cowboys looks rather improbable. This feels like a turning point. The winner of this game can move forward with renewed optimism, while the season is probably all but done for the loser. I still believe that Green Bay is the better team and Zach concurs.

My Pick:     Green Bay

Z’s Pick:     Green Bay