It must be noted that the plan to do bonus picks was determined by the impressive schedule (both college & pro), and isn’t a case of chasing wins after a disastrous week. Zach was 3-2 but still finds himself under .500 for the year, while I am barely staying above that mark after abysmal 1-4 results last weekend. College football in particular has been wild thus far, and the expanded playoff field might not be as predictable as I assumed it’d be.

My Season: 22-21

Zach’s Season: 19-24

Oklahoma State at BYU (-8.5)

The 3-3 Cowboys are winless in Big 12 action, and my lofty preseason opinion of them has been proven faulty. Conversely, the unbeaten Cougars have acclimated to the conference just fine and sit in the driver’s seat for an opportunity to play for the Big 12 title and receive a playoff berth. Lots of things can change in the second half of the season though. Does that shift begin now?? I don’t think so. It’s a Friday night game in Provo and the home favorites will be eager to show out on the national stage. Zach concurs.

My Pick: BYU

Zach’s Pick: BYU

Nebraska at Indiana (-6) 

My younger nephew Noah has been singing the praises of Indiana all season, with good reason. The Hoosiers have always been known for basketball, while their football program has been a Big Ten doormat. They come into this game undefeated with an opportunity to announce their arrival with authority against an old school traditional powerhouse. The 5-1 Cornhuskers will put up a damn good fight, but in the end I believe the favorites will defend their home turf. Zach still needs to see more from Indiana and believes they haven’t really been tested yet. He sees Nebraska as inconsistent though and likes the Hoosier defense to lead their team to victory.

My Pick: Indiana

Zach’s Pick: Indiana 

LSU (-3) at Arkansas

It could be the sleeper game of the entire weekend. The Bayou Bengals have rattled off five straight victories after a season opening loss to USC that seems worse now than it did a month & a half ago. Meanwhile, the Razorbacks are 4-2 but could easily be undefeated. Can they muster consecutive wins over Top 10 opponents?? I give them a chance with the home field, but ultimately I believe LSU finds a way to continue their momentum. Zach thinks Arkansas will fight until the end, but likes LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier to give his team a slight edge. 

My Pick: LSU

Zach’s Pick: LSU

Georgia at Texas (-3.5)

Hey look…it’s this week’s edition of The Biggest Greatest Most Important Game EVER. The problem with that narrative is the Bulldogs have already lost to Alabama, who then lost to Vanderbilt. Conversely, while Georgia is fighting to hold onto their SEC title & playoff hopes, the undefeated Longhorns sit atop the college football world and likely view this as their last remaining obstacle to a conference championship & first round playoff bye. I’d be stunned if they screwed that up at home. Zach views Texas as the most complete team in the country. He won’t be surprised if we see the battle spill into overtime, but likes Texas to eventually outlast their opponents.

My Pick: Texas

Zach’s Pick: Texas

New England vs. Jacksonville (-6)

Apparently the NFL plays in Europe every week now. Kickoff from Wembley Stadium in London is at 9:30am Sunday morning for us, and since both teams are 1-5 it’s hardly worth skipping church or getting out of bed to watch. Not only was I way wrong about the Jags, but QB Trevor Lawrence has turned into Just Another Quarterback instead of the perennial Pro Bowl, multiple Lombardi winning, future Hall of Famer many projected he’d become when he entered the league four years ago. He’s still only 25 years old, so he can turn things around, although it feels like he’ll need to go elsewhere for that to happen. As for the Patriots, we already know that their glory days left town with Brady & Belichick, and I have zero sympathy for the organization. I foresee a forgettable game that no one will really pay much attention to, with Jacksonville figuring out a way to get it done. Zach is impressed with rookie QB Drake Maye so he’s riding with New England in OG England.

My Pick: Jacksonville 

Zach’s Pick: New England 

Cincinnati (-4.5) at Cleveland

The Battle of Ohio is always mildly amusing. I told y’all that the preseason hype for the Browns was BS, and they’ve proven me right. At 1-5 they’re closer to the top pick in the next draft than a playoff berth. The 2-4 Bengals aren’t much better, which kind of surprises me. It’ll probably be closer than it should be, but I believe, despite their rough start, Cincy is clearly a better team. Zach thinks the Bengals are figuring things out and the turnaround has begun.

My Pick: Cincinnati

Zach’s Pick: Cincinnati 

Houston at Green Bay (-2.5)

I’m low key excited about the matchup. Injuries have played havoc with both the 4-2 Packers and the 5-1 Texans, but Houston currently leads their division while Green Bay is battling in perhaps the most competitive division in the NFL. If this game was being played a month from now I’d lean toward a huge home field advantage for The Pack, but I don’t think the tundra is frozen quite yet at Lambeau, which means we could see a mild upset. Zach thinks Green Bay’s defense might be a weak link.

My Pick: Houston 

Zach’s Pick: Houston 

Detroit at Minnesota (-1.5)

How will the loss of defensive end Aidan Hutchinson to a season ending broken leg affect the 4-1 Lions?? While I don’t think it completely torpedoes their season, it undoubtedly impacts their status as a Super Bowl contender. Conversely, the unbeaten Vikings have taken everybody by surprise. The resurgence of QB Sam Darnold has been remarkable. It might be the game of the day on Sunday, and despite the fact that Hutchinson’s loss is huge, my vibe is that Detroit finds a way to overcome. Sorry Minnesota…no one goes undefeated in the NFL. Zach thinks coaching makes the difference and he gives that advantage to Detroit.

My Pick: Detroit 

Zach’s Pick: Detroit

LA Chargers at Arizona (-1)

The NFC West is up for grabs thanks to Frisco’s shocking mediocrity, and the 2-4 Cards are in the conversation after upsets of the 49ers & Rams. Meanwhile, the Chargers are 3-2 and hoping to remain in wildcard contention since chasing down the KC Chiefs seems unlikely. This is the Monday night game, but I’m not as pumped about that as I should be. Arizona hasn’t convinced me yet and I don’t think they’ll start now. I told you that Jim Harbaugh would transform the Chargers into a playoff contender, and I believe we’ll see evidence of that this week. Zach agrees. 

My Pick: LA Chargers  

Zach’s Pick: LA Chargers