We went down in FLAMES last week!! 0-5…both of us. And that’s all I have to say about that. Anyway, Happy Halloween Manoverse!! I know there are a variety of opinions about the occasion, which is fine. Personally, I am not offended by young skulls full of mush dressing up like a firefighter, princess, or their favorite superhero and strolling the neighborhood in search of candy. I understand the origins of Halloween, and won’t disparage those who choose not to celebrate, but I believe in nuance, which means that modern festivities are mostly harmless fun. It’s a bit tricky this year (pun unavoidable) because the holiday occurs on a Saturday. I want to fit in my normal rotation of spooky entertainment like It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!, Hocus Pocus, Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, and of course the 1978 classic Halloween…but I also want to watch ball games. We’ll see how it all shakes out. In the meantime, y’all be careful out there. Enjoy yourselves, but never forget that Jesus is the light of the world, and whoever follows Him will not walk in darkness and will have the light of life.
My Season: 17-42
Zach’s Season: 24-35
Clemson (-1.5) at Florida State
They might be two of the most confusing teams in college football. We all remember when both programs were GREAT, but in the case of Florida St. that hasn’t been the case for awhile. Clemson’s decline is more recent and less pronounced, but it’s still a thing. Having said that, both teams have shown flashes of their former glory. The 3-4 Seminoles beat the snot out of Virginia, and they were competitive in losses to SMU & Alabama. The 4-3 Tigers have victories over North Carolina & Cal. I’m a bit surprised this is a prime time game, although it is on the ACC Network. At any rate, while I expect it to be a bit closer than Clemson’s two TD win a season ago, I think the same team comes out on top. Zach doesn’t think it’s a matter of talent in Tallahassee, but rather a coaching issue. He sees Florida St. as a team on the rise, and Clemson as a program on the decline.
My Pick: Clemson
Zach’s Pick: Florida St.
Wisconsin at Iowa (-3.5)
The Badgers are 5-2, snuck into the Top 25, and just defeated Southern Cal. The Hawkeyes are also 5-2 but lost last weekend to the underrated Minnesota Golden Gophers. I don’t think either team are legit contenders for the Big Ten title, but finishing in the top quarter of the conference might lead to a playoff berth. They call this the Battle for the Heartland, and it’s the 100th meeting. Wisconsin leads the series 49–48–2, which is pretty damn tight. Iowa has won the last four though, and I believe they’ll make it five. Zach would advise anyone who participates in certain activities to take the under (which is 36.5), and he likes Wisconsin just a tad bit better in a game that’ll be decided by defense & special teams.
My Pick: Iowa
Zach’s Pick: Wisconsin
Florida at Georgia (-11.5)
I still call it the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, even if the more woke among us refuses to do so these days. Florida is 5-2, which is certainly an improvement over last year’s 4-8 campaign, but losses to Missouri & South Carolina indicate there are still kinks to be worked out. Upsetting Texas a week ago was impressive, but it also raises questions about how “up” the Gators can get for the next game. Meanwhile, the 6-1 ‘Dawgs stumbled against Auburn last week, losing on a last second field goal. That probably says more about Auburn than it does Georgia, and I don’t think the favorites will lose a second consecutive game. The only question is the points. If this game were being played in The Swamp and Georgia HADN’T lost last week, I might foresee a real battle, but that’s not the case. I’ll be stunned if the home team doesn’t play pissed off with a point to prove. Zach hasn’t moved off his stance that Georgia is the best team in the country.
My Pick: Georgia
Zach’s Pick: Georgia
Baltimore at Buffalo (-3.5)
Word on the street is that QB Lamar Jackson will return after missing the last three games with a high ankle sprain. The Ravens lost two of those three and sit at the bottom of the AFC North, although they’re only one game back. Conversely, the 5-1 Bills have only a late 4th quarter collapse against New England besmirching their record. I didn’t think Buffalo would be as dominant under new leadership, but I believe I had Baltimore pegged rather accurately. They’ll make some noise and might even be in the playoff picture down the stretch, but they aren’t as good as they’ve been in the past. This will be a fun game, but the home favorites won’t suffer the same outcome as that one unfortunate loss. Zach concurs.
My Pick: Buffalo
Zach’s Pick: Buffalo
Kansas City (-1.5) at Denver
The freakin’ Chiefs KILLED my fantasy teams last weekend. Mahomes. K9III. Butker. Did they all need to have a terrible game at the same damn time?!?!?? Of course, the Broncos group of Bo Nix, Sutton, Waddle, and a RB committee have been inconsistent all season. Still, one of these teams will win the division because the Raiders & Chargers sure as hell aren’t. This is a rematch from the season opener, which KC won by three TDs. I’m going out on a limb to predict a much different result this time. It’s not time for Kansas City to push any panic buttons, but don’t be shocked when they lose two in a row. Zach agrees.
My Pick: Denver
Zach’s Pick: Denver
