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2013 NCAA Bowl Previews & Predictions

Before we dive in headfirst there are a few ground rules that need to be reviewed and some things that need to be said once so that I don’t find myself repeating them a dozen times. First of all, these picks are completely separate from our Pigskin Picks of Profundity. You will see no point spreads here. There are just too many games to track down all that data and the total random nature of bowl games makes assessing such things total folly anyway even though I am sure the folks in Vegas will do their best. Secondly, I have some strong opinions when it comes to the entire bowl system. I think the BCS is a load of crap and I am glad it is going away. The 4 team playoff we’re getting next year is a positive change and I would not mind a bit if it eventually expanded to 6 or even 8 teams. There are way way way too many bowl games (35 counting the national title game), and I don’t think it’d be a bad thing to have an 8 team playoff and something like 25-30 bowl games. I do not believe that 6-6 teams should have their mediocrity awarded with a post-season game. My threshold for bowl eligibility would be 7 games, but unfortunately I do not make the rules. The world would be a better place if I did. I am not a fan of corporate bowl names or bowl games named after a particular location. If it were up to me the New Mexico, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Beef O’Brady’s, Russell Athletic, GoDaddy, & Capital One Bowls (just to name a few) would go away and games like the Cherry, Freedom, Gotham, Pineapple, Tangerine, & Copper Bowls would be revived. I would also like to see the bowl season wrapped up by New Year’s Day, with the only games played after being the national semifinals and the championship game. Having said all that the reality is what it is and as a football fan I will enjoy the next several weeks. There are probably atleast a dozen…possibly as many as 15…games out of these 35 that have the potential to be really entertaining, and I suppose that we can always hope that the others produce a higher level of amusement that we have a right to expect. As always I will remind you that I am not very good at this so please…if you must wager…don’t bet the farm based on anything you read here. Happy Holidays!!

 

 

 

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NMNew Mexico Bowl

Albuquerque, NM

12/21 at 2pm on ESPN

Washington St. (6-6) vs. Colorado St. (7-6)

I know absolutely nothing about either team so this is a total shot in the dark for me.

Me:        Washington St.

Zach:     Colorado St.

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Las Vegas Bowlvegas

Las Vegas, NV

12/21 at 3:30pm on ABC

Fresno State (11-1) vs. USC (9-4)

Vegas baby…Vegas!! The Bulldogs have had a very nice season and fell just one game short of being a BCS buster. QB Derek Carr is being talked about as a potential 1st round pick in next spring’s NFL Draft, although one has to wonder whether or not he can have a more memorable career than his older brother David. I suppose it can’t possibly be less memorable. Meanwhile this isn’t exactly where the Trojans probably thought they’d end up when envisioning the season. Former head coach Lane Kiffin is long gone and interim head coach Ed Orgeron quit when he didn’t get the full time gig. I have no idea who is even coach them in this game. Largely due to that, and also because Fresno State is a legitimately good team I’m going to lean in that direction.

Me:        Fresno St.

Zach:     USC

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Potato Bowltater

Boise, ID

12/21 at 5:30pm on ESPN

Buffalo(8-4) vs. San Diego St. (7-5)

Atleast this will be somewhat entertaining to watch on the blue turf in Boise.

Me:        San Diego St.

Zach:     San Diego St.

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New Orleans Bowlnawleans

New Orleans, LA

12/21 at 9pm on ESPN

Tulane (7-5) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (8-3)

I’m thinking it’d be a good idea to take the over on this one. I had Tulane in my pre-season Top 25 but they weren’t quite as good as I thought. I still like them here though.

Me:        Tulane

Zach:     Louisiana-Lafayette

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Beef O’Brady’s Bowlbeef-o-bradys22

Tampa, FL

12/23 at 2pm on ESPN

East Carolina (9-3) vs. Ohio (7-5)

For anyone who is curious Beef O’Brady’s is a sports bar/restaurant franchise in the southeastern US. I have no idea if it’s any good because I’ve never seen one. As for this game it’s the MAC vs. C-USA and might actually end up being a rather fun game to watch. I’ve watched both teams play and the vibes are telling me that the Bobcats might be the slightly better team.

Me:        Ohio

Zach:     East Carolina

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Hawaii Bowlhawaii

Honolulu, HI

Christmas Eve at 8pm on ESPN

Boise St. (8-4) vs. Oregon St. (6-6)

Congratulations men…your mediocrity has been awarded with a trip to Hawaii for Christmas!! I have to believe these players are psyched for such an awesome trip. Boise State head coach Chris Petersen is now their former coach, as he finally…after years of rumors & flirtations…left the Broncos to be the new head man for the Washington Huskies. That means they’ll have an interim coach for this game. Meanwhile the Beavers are probably better than their record indicates but they do come into this game on a 5 game losing skid. I’m going to go out on a limb and pick Oregon State to break that slide and get back on track.

Me:        Oregon St.

Zach:     Oregon St.

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Little Caesars BowlLittleCeasers1

Detroit, MI

12/26 at 6pm on ESPN

Pitt (6-6) vs. Bowling Green (10-3)

As opposed to the teams heading to island paradise these two teams are headed to Detroit. Fortunately the bowl game is privately funded since the city is bankrupt. I wonder if a crack pipe and some bath salts is part of the swag each team will receive?? Anyway, Bowling Green is a much much better team and I’ll be disappointed if they don’t win this game by three TDs.

Me:        Bowling Green

Zach:     Pitt

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Poinsettia Bowlpoinsettia

San Diego, CA

12/26 at 9:30pm on ESPN

Utah St. (8-5) vs. Northern Illinois (12-1)

Utah State was defeated by Fresno State in the Mountain West title game, while Northern Illinois fell one win short of the BCS when they fell to Bowling Green in the MC title game. The Huskies are led by QB Jordan Lynch who placed 3rd in Heisman voting and that is good enough for me to pick Northern Illinois.

Me:        Northern Illinois

Zach:     Northern Illinois

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Military Bowlmilitary-officer-1

Annapolis, MD

12/27 at 2:30pm on ESPN

Marshall (9-4) vs. Maryland (7-5)

Full disclosure. I am a 1994 graduate of Marshall. I was there when QB Chad Pennington played his first game. I saw Randy Moss be a man amongst boys. I witnessed the 1992 1-AA National Championship firsthand. So I will not be picking against my Herd.

Me:        Marshall

Zach:     Marshall

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Texas Bowltexas

Houston, TX

12/27 at 6pm on ESPN

Syracuse (6-6) vs. Minnesota (8-4)

I give a lot of grief to Syracuse, but as I recall they pasted my WV Mountaineers in a bowl game last year so all bets are off and records don’t really matter during bowl season. All I know about Minnesota is that their head coach keeps having seizures on the sideline and really should resign. I suppose I’ll go with the Gophers.

Me:        Minnesota

Zach:     Minnesota

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Fight Hunger Bowlfighthunger

San Francisco, CA

12/27 at 9:30pm on ESPN

BYU (8-4) vs. Washington (8-4)

I think this may be a sleeper game but I have to wonder how many people will actually be watching. Washington just lost their coach to USC so we have yet another interim situation for the bowl game. I’ve always liked BYU so I suppose I’ll go with the Cougars.

Me:        BYU

Zach:     BYU

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Pinstripe Bowljoel

Bronx, NY

12/28 at Noon on ESPN

Rutgers (6-6)  vs.  Notre Dame(8-4)

Notre Dame has really flown under the radar in 2013. I know that 8-4 isn’t considered a good season in South Bend, but a year after playing for the national championship and (I am assuming) losing a plethora of seniors I’d have to say they’ve had a solid year. The Scarlet Knights are preparing for their move to The Big Ten (which has 12 teams) next season and this game should be an indicator as to whether or not they are ready to compete on that level. I’m going to say that they are and will prove it here.

Me:        Rutgers

Zach:     Notre Dame

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Belk Bowlbelk

Charlotte, NC

12/28 at 3:20pm on ESPN

Cincinnati (9-3) vs. North Carolina (6-6)

Cincinnati beat Duke in this game last season. I expect that they’ll handle the other Carolina team just as effortlessly.

Me:        Cincinnati

Zach:     North Carolina

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Russell Athletic Bowlrussell

Orlando, FL

12/28 at 6:45pm on ESPN

Miami, FL (9-3) vs. Louisville (11-1)

Louisville had much higher hopes coming into the year. It’s amazing what one loss will do to implode an entire season. Meanwhile it looks like The U is on the verge of being back. I think Louisville has the better quarterback…but Miami has the better overall team.

Me:        Miami, FL

Zach:     Miami, FL

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Buffalo Wild Wings Bowlwings

Tempe, AZ

12/28 at 10:15pm on ESPN

Michigan (7-5)  vs. Kansas State (7-5)

The Wolverines really lost their way in 2013. I thought they’d be a Top 10 team and obviously I was way wrong. K-St. has had a quietly solid season residing in the middle of the Big 12 (which has ten teams) pack. I’m not going to abandon Michigan now.

Me:        Michigan

Zach:     Michigan

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Armed Forces Bowlarmedforces

Fort Worth, TX

12/30 at 11:45am on ESPN

Middle Tennessee (8-4)  vs.  Navy (7-4)

So we have an Armed Forces Bowl AND a Military Bowl?? Seems excessive doesn’t it. As much as I’d love to go with The Academy here I believe that Middle Tennessee is more battle tested (ironic) against better competition and will prevail.

Me:        Middle Tennessee

Zach:     Middle Tennessee

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Music City Bowl

Nashville, TN

12/30 at 3:15pm on ESPNmusic

Ole Miss (7-5)  vs. Georgia Tech (7-5)

I can pretty much assure y’all that I won’t be watching this game. It just doesn’t seem the least bit interesting to me. That being said I suppose I’ll go with the Rebels.

Me:        Ole Miss

Zach:     Georgia Tech

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Alamo Bowlalamo

San Antonio, TX

12/30 at 6:45pm on ESPN

Oregon (10-2)  vs. Texas (8-4)

This isn’t where the Ducks wanted to be playing. But after two late season losses at Stanford and Arizona they didn’t even make it to the Pac 12 title game. This will be the swan song for Texas coach Mack Brown who was gently persuaded to resign recently. Because of the emotion involved with that situation, the fact that Oregon might be suffering from a strong case of “Why should we give a damn about this stupid game??”-itis, and the fact that the game is being played less than two hours from the Texas campus I’m going to go with the underdogs.

Me:        Texas

Zach:     Oregon

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Holiday BowlDocHolliday

San Diego, CA

12/30 at 10:15pm on ESPN

Arizona St. (10-3) vs. Texas Tech (7-5)

The Sun Devils made a decent run at a Pac 12 title but couldn’t overcome Stanford in the championship contest. Tech was a middle-of-the-road Big 12 team that is in the midst of a 5 game losing swoon. Clearly Arizona State is the better team, but I am expecting a high scoring close game.

Me:        Arizona St.

Zach:     Arizona St.

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Independence Bowlindependence

Shreveport, LA

New Year’s Eve at 12:30pm on ESPN

Arizona (7-5)  vs. Boston College (7-5)

I believe they are officially calling this game something else this year…something prosaic & corporate. But I am refusing to play along. Rich Fraudriguez has the Wildcats headed in the right direction, and they can take pride in the fact that they pulled off a huge November upset of Oregon. BC has one of the best running backs in college football even though no one had heard of him until about 2 weeks ago. I cannot bring myself to pull for the evil assclown that coaches Arizona so I am picking the Eagles to win yet another game that no one will watch because no one cares.

Me:        Boston College

Zach:     Arizona

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Sun Bowlsun

El Paso, TX

New Year’s Eve at 2pm on CBS

Virginia Tech (8-4)  vs.  UCLA (9-3)

I haven’t heard all that much about the Hokies this season although it seems like they had a solid season. The Bruins had hoped for a Pac 12 title but back-to-back midseason losses at Stanford and Oregon torpedoed those chances. I think UCLA plays against better competition in a better conference so that’s my pick.

Me:        UCLA

Zach:     UCLA

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Liberty Bowlliberty

Memphis, TN

New Year’s Eve at 4pm on ESPN

Rice (10-3)  vs. Mississippi St. (6-6)

Admittedly I have some residual bitterness after the Owls beat down my Marshall Thundering Herd in the C-USA title game. I just can’t bring myself to pick them. But I also believe that Mississippi St…as mediocre as they may be…has been battle tested in the SEC. Therefore I’m going with the Bulldogs.

Me:        Mississippi St.

Zach:     Rice

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Chick-Fil-A Bowlchickfila

Atlanta, GA

New Year’s Eve at 8pm on ESPN

Duke (10-3)  vs. Texas A&M (8-4)

This is the old Peach Bowl, but unlike most other corporate bowl games I actually like Chick-Fil-A so I’ll utilize the name. I think the Blue Devils’ record is probably a bit…bloated. The ACC is a rather pedestrian league with the exception of Florida State, who pummeled Duke by 5 TDs in the title game. We don’t know whether or not this will be the collegiate farewell for Aggies’ QB Johnny Manziel, but if it is one would have to think that he’d really like to go out in style.

Me:        Texas A&M

Zach:     Texas A&M

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Gator Bowlgator

Jacksonville, FL

New Year’s Day at Noon on ESPN2

Nebraska (8-4)  vs. Georgia (8-4)

If memory serves me correctly I believe these two met last year in a bowl game. I could look it up but does it really matter?? Both teams underachieved this season and will have to find motivation to end the season on a positive note. The Cornhuskers’ coach Bo Pelini is a brick or two or three shy of a load, and as entertaining as that is I can’t imagine that it is healthy for the team. The Bulldogs will be without quarterback Aaron Murray, whose senior campaign ended early with an ACL injury. I am expecting this game to be a low scoring defensive struggle with the Bulldogs coming out on top.

Me:        Georgia

Zach:     Georgia

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Heart of Dallas Bowlnap

Dallas, TX

New Year’s Day at Noon on ESPNU

UNLV (7-5)   vs.  North Texas (8-4)

Nothing proves the complete inconsequentiality of a bowl game then it being shown on ESPNU. I know nothing about these teams and doubt if I’ll watch this game at all. I guess I’ll go with UNLV.

Me:        UNLV

Zach:     UNLV

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Capital One BowlSamuel-L-Jackson-One-Million-Moms

Orlando, FL

New Year’s Day at 1pm on ABC

Wisconsin (9-3)  vs.  South Carolina (10-2)

Oh boy…a bowl game named after a credit card. I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit. However, despite the game’s unfortunate name it should actually be a fun battle to watch. Will South Carolina’s defensive wunderkind Jadeveon Clowney be able to stop the Badger running attack?? Can Steve Spurrier pull out enough big plays to overcome Wisconsin’s ground & pound attack?? The Vibes are telling me that Wisconsin’s three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust approach just might work.

Me:        Wisconsin

Zach:     South Carolina

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Outback Bowloutback

Tampa, FL

New Year’s Day at 1pm on ESPN

Iowa (8-4)  vs.  LSU (9-3)

Iowa is in a New Year’s Day bowl game?? I hadn’t noticed that they were that good. Meanwhile this is just about what most expected from LSU. They also will be without their starting quarterback as senior Zach Mettenberger due to a torn ACL. I think that tips the scales in Iowa’s favor.

Me:        Iowa

Zach:     Iowa

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Rose Bowlrose

Pasadena, CA

New Year’s Day at 5pm on ESPN

Stanford (11-2)  vs. Michigan State (12-1)

Okay now THIS is a game to look forward to. I am predicting that the winner of this game will secure for themselves a Top 5 ranking entering next season. The Spartans defense is tough and I think they’ll keep the scoring to a minimum, but at the end of the day I like Stanford to pull out a close one and take home their 2nd straight Rose Bowl trophy.

Me:        Stanford

Zach:     Michigan St.

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Fiesta Bowlmassacre

Glendale, AZ

New Year’s Day at 8:30pm on ESPN

Central Florida (11-1)    vs.  Baylor (11-1)

This is going to be ugly. I am having flashbacks to when Mike Tyson used to maul his opponents and get a knockout in the first round. Atleast we’ll all have the opportunity to go to bed early if we so choose. To my complete shock Zach is picking the upset.

Me:        Baylor

Zach:     UCF

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Sugar Bowlsugar

New Orleans, LA

1/2 at 8:30pm on ESPN

Oklahoma (10-2)   vs.  Alabama (11-1)

Everyone and their brother expected The Tide to be playing for another national title, but they were beaten by a miracle against Auburn. There’s been a lot of chatter lately about head coach Nick Saban bolting for Texas but he seems to have nipped that in the bud by agreeing to a contract extension. The Sooners have to be chomping at the bit knowing that they are probably better than their record shows and also salivating at the thought that Alabama is beatable…atleast in theory. I think this will be a fantastic game for 3+ quarters, but ‘Bama just has a little too much depth & talent for Oklahoma to overcome. Zach is not only predicting that the Tide will roll, but that they’ll win by 49 POINTS!!

Me:        Alabama

Zach:     Alabama

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Orange Bowlorange

Miami, FL

1/3 at 8:30pm on ESPN

Clemson (10-2)   vs.  Ohio St. (12-1)

Everyone kept saying that the Buckeyes were overrated and hadn’t played anybody. That was proven to be true in the Big Ten title game when they were handled by Michigan State. Clemson was beaten by #1 Florida State and in-state rival South Carolina…no shame in either of those losses. I just don’t have much faith in Ohio State’s defense. I think Clemson QB Tajh Boyd and WR Sammy Watkins will both come up huge in their final collegiate game and lead the Tigers to a double digit victory.

Me:        Clemson

Zach:     Clemson

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Cotton Bowlcotton

Arlington, TX

1/3 at 7:30pm on Fox

Oklahoma St. (10-2)  vs. Missouri (11-2)

This may as well be called the What Might Have Been Bowl. The Cowboys went into their final game against in-state rival Oklahoma with a chance to secure a conference title but fell short. The Tigers had an outside shot at a national championship spot before losing their conference title game. I look for this to be a high scoring affair with lots of big plays. It feels like it may even be an overtime kind of game. I’m picking Oklahoma State to pull off the victory by a field goal.

Me:        Oklahoma St.

Zach:     Oklahoma St.

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Compass Bowlcompass

Birmingham, AL

1/4 at 1pm on ESPN

Vanderbilt (8-4)  vs. Houston (8-4)

Shouldn’t two directional schools be playing in this game?? I doubt that many will be watching this one unless the first Saturday of the new year finds most of the country deep in snow & ice. Personally I think I’ll be at the local cineplex checking out a movie or two that I didn’t get to before Christmas. Anyway, I’m going with Houston because I have a sneaking suspicion that Vandy will be playing for an interim coach.

Me:        Houston

Zach:     Vanderbilt

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GoDaddy Bowlgodaddy

Mobile, AL

1/5 at 9pm on ESPN

Arkansas St. (7-5)  vs. Ball St. (10-2)

I hate this game. It’s horribly named, is played about two weeks later than it should be, and the matchup itself is about as unappealing as that time the fat detective showed his naked butt on NYPD Blue. Due to my affection for the MAC I’m going with Ball State.

Me:        Ball St.

Zach:     Ball St.

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National Championship Game

Pasadena, CA  –  1/6 at 8:30pm on ESPN

#1 Florida St. (13-0)   vs.  #2 Auburn (12-1)

champHere we go. This is the big one. As much as I detest the BCS and am looking forward to the 4 team playoff that begins next year I must say that more often than not the national title game ends up with an awesome matchup and this one is no exception. Auburn is proof positive that sometimes it is better to be lucky than good. But one must be cautious if there is an inkling to write off the Tigers because they won two games…against Georgia and Alabama…that they really shouldn’t have. We also should not overlook the fact that as much as Ohio State got knocked for their weak schedule Florida State’s schedule is arguably less impressive. I think this might be the best national title game since Vince Young & Texas outdueled Reggie Bush & USC in 2006. Once again my heart is going to rule over my brain. Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher is a fellow native of Clarksburg, WV and graduated from the same high school as myself 6 years earlier. I can’t go against the hometown boy. Zach really likes Auburn’s offense.

Me:        Florida St.

Zach:     Auburn

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2013 Pigskin Picks of Profundity…..Week 7

It’s been an odd & stressful week in The Manoverse. I’ll spare you the details, but the fact that I am just finally getting around to doing this week’s PPP a few short hours before kickoff tells the story to an extent. Thank goodness we didn’t pick any Thursday or Friday games this week and obviously there’ll be no extra games like last week. Speaking of last week, I went 4-4 (thank you for the last second assist Ohio St.), as did Zach. That brings the season’s total to this point to:

Your Humble Potentate of Profundity    =             17-16

Zach       =             16-17

Thank God we aren’t trying to make a living doing this, right?? Anyway, on to this week…brief & dirty!!

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Oklahoma (-14) at Texas

TEXAS LONGHORNS.1271817676In my Pre-Season Top 25 I ranked Texas #4 and opined that “the Longhorns are finally primed to re-ascend to theoklahoma top of The Big 12 and possibly contend for a national championship.” Oops…I may have been slightly wrong about that. Texas is instead 3-2 and head coach Mack Brown is fielding questions about his job status. Meanwhile the Sooners are undefeated and just about where I thought they’d be at this point. Long story short on this one…I think Texas is a dangerous animal that’s been cornered. I’m not at all confident that they’ll win this annual renewal of The Red River Shootout, but I think they’ll be competitive and certainly won’t lose by two TDs. Zach, on the other hand, believes that Brown’s days are numbered and that Oklahoma takes this one easily. Actually he is very specific, saying that the Sooners will win by 24 points. We’ll see.

My Pick          Texas

Z’s Pick           Oklahoma

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Florida at LSU (-7)

Two Top 20 SEC teams in another highly anticipated clash. What else can be said?? I like LSU to pull this one out at home. Zach agrees.lsu_logo

My Pick          LSU

Z’s Pick           LSU

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Oregon (-14) at Washington

The Huskies are a lot better than anyone thought they’d be this season, but do they really have a shot against the #2 Ducks?? Maybe the Oregon-Ducksmore interesting question is whether or not Oregon can cover the points. They have won their five games thus far by an average of 47 points. Now I will grant that they haven’t played anyone of note, but still…that’s a high powered offense. I think Washington gets exposed here and Oregon wins easily. Zach goes so far as to say it’ll be a blowout that’ll be over in the first quarter.

My Pick          Oregon

Z’s Pick           Oregon

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Green Bay (-3) at Baltimore

The Packers haven’t exactly been world beaters this season. They are 2-2 and in 3rd place in their division. The Ravens aren’t that much better at 3-2. I find it interesting that Green_Bay_Packers_HelmetBaltimore isn’t getting the standard 3 point home field bump, especially since they have a better record. That tells me that the oddsmakers know…just like most of us…that Green Bay is a lot better than average and will start to prove it soon…probably this week. Zach concurs.

My Pick          Green Bay

Z’s Pick           Green Bay

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New Orleans at New England (-2.5)

I find this point spread baffling. Yes the Patriots have the home field. But the Saints are clearly the better team and unlike the Packers I’m not sure that New England will be 10_new_orleans_saintsbreaking out of their funk anytime soon. Now, I know what you’re saying…”But humble Potentate of Profundity…the New England Patriots are 4-1!!”. Yes…yes they are. But have you watched any of their games?? Each of those four victories has been a real uphill climb. New England is definitely not the same stellar team that we’ve watched run roughshod over the NFL for the past decade. They have issues. Conversely the New Orleans Saints look like the real deal and have plowed thru their schedule like a fat kid at an all-you-can  eat buffet. This’ll be tough & close, but in the end I think Drew Brees throws for 300 yards and 3 touchdowns en route to a double digit victory. Zach seconds that emotion.

My Pick          New Orleans

Z’s Pick           New Orleans

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2012 Pigskin Picks of Profundity…..Week 15

And down the stretch we come!! This is the next-to-last week of the NFL season and thus the inaugural season of the PPP’s. I had another 4-3 record last weekend (I am almost positive that I’ve not exceeded that success rate at all this year), bringing my overall record to 42-61-1. Surprisingly there aren’t a lot of compelling matchups this week. There are a lot of games where one team is already securely in the playoffs while their opponent’s season long ago went in the crapper. And there are a few games where both teams are bad. The one game with a somewhat moderate level of drama is a game I won’t pick because it involves my Steelers and I cannot be impartial. Nevertheless I believe that I have found 7 games worthy of our attention. We’ll see.

 

 

San Diego       at         NY Jets (-2.5)

Has there been any bigger train wreck in the NFL this year than the Jets?? If they have any Jets-Pin-Procompetition it just might be the equally abysmal Chargers, but of course for a variety of reasons the Jets get a lot more scrutiny. I think it’s safe to say that a good many of the personnel for both teams…players, coaches, suits…involved with this game will not be a part of their respective organizations the next time these two meet (whenever that may be). At any rate I think the Jets pull this one out, because how great would it be if, after all the love & hate for both Mark Sanchez & Tim Tebow, it is QB Greg McElroy who emerges as the best field general on the team??

 

Minnesota      at         Houston (-7)

Apparently Vikings QB Christian Ponder married ESPN hottie Samantha Steele this week after houston texans logo2just meeting her like 4 months ago. Not only does that make me question his sanity & decision making skills, but it logically makes one wonder just how prepared he will be to face the Texans’ stout defense. Houston already has their division won but is still battling for home field throughout the playoffs. Minnesota is in a dogfight for a wildcard spot. If Houston had nothing to play for I might roll the dice, but that home field thing is a huge asset so I think they’ll still be sharp and win easily.

 

New Orleans at         Dallas (-2.5)

Contrary to the opinion that I have espoused for months the Saints have not overcome their New-Orleans-Saints-Logo-244x300early season woes and will not be making the playoffs. The Cowboys, on the other hand, are still very much in the thick of the playoff hunt and could even win their division. This is a total vibe game. Logically speaking Dallas has everything to play for plus the home field advantage. However, they are also a hot mess. New Orleans has never recovered from all the offseason bounty hoopla, but they still have QB Drew Brees, and I am betting that he does not want to let his team finish worse than .500. The Voices are telling me to pick the Saints, so I shall comply.

 

Tennessee       at         Green Bay (-11.5)

Will Green Bay lose this game?? No, probably not. Will they cover the spread?? That’s a more Tennessee_Titans_Helmetinteresting question. The Titans have been a real disappointment to me this season. I have always thought that QB Jake Locker was the real deal, and I figured that RB Chris Johnson would rebound from a subpar 2011 and have a monster year. But for some reason things just haven’t gelled in Music City. Meanwhile the Packers just keep on truckin’ and have already clinched the division. It is unlikely that they are going to overcome the Atlanta Falcons for the home field, so what do they really have to play for?? Don’t be surprised if several Green Bay starters get a lot of rest these next couple of weeks. That being said I think the Packers win the game but not by double digits…so the Titans are the pick.

 

New England (-14.5)  at         Jacksonville

So this is what it has come to?? I am reduced to picking a game that wouldn’t be in doubt even if New_England_Patriots_Helmetthe entire Patriots starting lineup just stayed home?? New England is still very much in contention for home field throughout the playoffs, which should be sufficient motivation. Conversely the talking heads on ESPN and elsewhere are already talking about the Jags signing Tebow in the offseason. As much as it pains me to do so I have to go with the Pats to win big & cover.

 

NY Giants (-1.5)          at         Baltimore

The Ravens have already clinched a playoff berth but have also lost three games in a row. The Giants LogoGiants are always dangerous this time of the year because it’s usually when they shake off all that mediocrity and get hot. Winning their last two games would almost certainly net a division title, and since the last game of the season is against the pathetic Philadelphia Eagles one would assume that this would be a game the Giants would be sufficiently jacked for. New York has everything to win & lose…Baltimore knows it’ll either be the lowest seeded division champion or a wildcard, which is kind of like the difference between Burger King & Wendy’s, i.e. not much difference. Therefore, even though they disappointed me last week I’m going to choose the Giants.

 

San Francisco (-1)      at         Seattle

Who would have ever figured three months ago that this would be such a highly anticipated4 game?? Kudos to head coach Pete Carroll, who’s Seahawks have won 5 out of their last 6 games and look likely to make the playoffs if they can just win one of these last two games. Meanwhile the 49ers have won 4 out of their last 6, with only inexplicable stumbles against the Rams that led to a loss & a tie. I know Seattle has the home field here, and that crowd will be amped out of their freakin’ minds. But I also think that most “experts” would agree that ‘Frisco is still clearly the better team. I am an underdog kind of guy so Seattle’s success has been fun to watch, but I think they’re going to have to win next week against the Rams to secure their playoff spot because I don’t believe the 49ers will lose this one.

 

 

 

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2012 Pigskin Picks of Profundity…..Week 14

You may have noticed that I took another bye last weekend. It was completely unintentional. Time simply got away from me. I was busy with other things, and for some reason became enamored with getting the bowl preview finished even though it could have waited a few more days. Ah well…c’est la vie.

College football is over except for the bowl games so for the next few weeks we’ll concentrate exclusively on the NFL, which is in the home stretch of their season. Thus far I have a dismal 38-58-1 record, meaning I’d pretty much have to be perfect these last three weeks to break even, which of course is extremely unlikely. However, I’ll do my best and try to finish on a high note.

 

 

Green Bay (-2.5)    at        Chicago

These two teams seem to be going in opposite directions. The Packers have overcome a shaky start and won 7 out of their past 8 games. The Bears have lost 4 out of their last 5 and are Green_Bay_Packers_Helmetlooking every bit as mediocre as I predicted they’d be. The loss of All-Pro LB Brian Urlacher has obviously not helped. Even with the home field I’d be surprised if Chicago pulled this one out, so I’ll take the favorites to cover.

 

 

Atlanta (-2)             vs.       NY Giants

Can the Giants do it again?? For some reason they have been able to peak at the right time and get hot in the playoffs on more than one occasion the past severalGiants Logo years. I have never bought the Falcons as a legitimate Super Bowl contender even though they have done better than I thought they might and already have a playoff spot all sewn up. I’m going to roll the dice and bet that New York will continue their late season heroics.

 

 

 

New Orleans (-3.5)           vs.       Tampa Bay

I’ve said all along that the Saints would get off to a rough start but still end up in the playoffs. That prediction is beginning to look a bit shaky. This is absolutely a must win for both clubs if tb-buccaneers-authenticthey hope to sneak into a wildcard spot. Both teams are in the midst of three game losing skids, so something’s got to give here. I am usually one to stand behind my predictions, usually to my own detriment. However, at this point I have more confidence in the Bucs than New Orleans, so that’s the pick.

 

 

St. Louis (-3)                        vs.       Minnesota

Neither of these teams is going to the playoffs, but both have shown glimmers of hope at times thus far. Vikings’ RB Adrian Peterson is a beast and has made avikingshelmet1 remarkable comeback from tearing his ACL last Christmas Eve. The Rams are riding a three game winning streak, including a surprising overtime victory over division leading San Francisco a couple of weeks ago. St. Louis may be the hotter team and have the home field, but the vibes are telling me to pick Minnesota, so I shall.

 

 

Denver (-3)              at        Baltimore

I predicted a division crown for the Peyton Manning led Broncos and because the rest of the competition is even worse than I broncos-4759thought Denver has already clinched. They’ve also won an incredible eight games in a row. That’s not easy to do in the NFL no matter who your QB is. Conversely the Ravens have lost their last two games and the injuries are piling up. This is a real toss up, but I have to go with Denver.

 

 

Houston (-10)         vs.       Indianapolis

Both teams look to be heading to the post-season, although the division title is still up for grabs. What intrigues me here is the massive point spread. Colts’Indianapolis_Colts_Helmet QB Andrew Luck has had a tremendous rookie campaign and the team is on a three game winning streak, so I am hard pressed to figure out just why the folks in Vegas are being so disrespectful. I’m not buying it. Houston may win , but they aren’t going to do it by double digit points.

 

 

 

New England (4.5)                        vs.       San Francisco

The hated Patriots are at it again. Just when everyone thinks that maybe they have plateaued and may be headed toward the San-Francisco-49ersdownside they rise up and look as good as ever. They have won seven games in a row and are as good as any team in the league. Meanwhile the 49ers haven’t been quite as invincible as most thought they’d be and are actually in a real battle for their division with the surprising Seattle Seahawks. This is another vibe game where The Voices are telling me something different than what logic would seem to dictate. I have nothing to lose at this point so to heck with playing it safe. I’ll go out on a limb and pick the underdogs.

 

 

 

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2012 Pigskin Picks of Profundity…..Week 7

I’m feeling a little frisky this week, and you know what that means…bonus picks!! Last week I was a respectable 4-3, with Florida, South Carolina, New England, & New Orleans all pulling through for me. Stanford won but didn’t cover the spread, while Air Force and the Buffalo Bills just plain stunk up the joint and made me look like a fool. Ah well…c’est la vie. My overall record for the season stands at 17-27, and I don’t expect to make up that deficit in one fell swoop, although one can hope.

 

 

 

 

Louisville (-3)         at            Pitt

What has happened to the Pitt Panthers?? While my WV Mountaineers have moved on to The Big 12 and are enjoying a fine season & a Top 5 ranking, Pitt is languishing in mediocrity with a record of 2-3. Meanwhile Louisville, who I ranked 20th in my pre-season Top 25, cruises into this game 5-0. It is telling that the oddsmakers are giving the edge to the Cardinals despite the fact that they are playing in Pittsburgh. Heinz Field may be a big advantage on Sundays for the Steelers, but on Saturdays the good citizens of The Burgh couldn’t seem to possibly care less about the Panthers and find other things to do rather than attend a football game. I’d be very surprised to see an upset, although I suppose anything is possible. Louisville has done nothing to dissuade my belief in them and I think they win easily.

 

 

Texas                    vs.          Oklahoma (-3)

Ahhh…The Red River Shootout…one of the best rivalries in college football. The Longhorns are 4-1 but coming off of a disappointing loss to WVU. Oklahoma is 3-1, with the only blemish being a disappointing loss to Kansas St. This game takes place at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, TX, meaning it’s not really a home game for either team. It really is a neutral site, with both campuses being about 200 miles away. Both teams probably expected and certainly atleast hoped to be undefeated coming into this contest, but since that isn’t the case I guess the question is who has the momentum. And to me the other question is whether or not Texas will lose two weeks in a row. I watched the Texas/WV game, and it was a dogfight. Just because the Longhorns lost doesn’t mean they aren’t a very good team. I haven’t had the opportunity to watch the Sooners play this season, and I am sure they are extremely talented as well, but my vibes are saying that Texas will win an exciting & competitive game.

 

 

Kansas St. (-7)        at            Iowa St.

Kansas St. is one of the biggest surprises of the season thus far, as they are 5-0 and ranked in the Top 10. Meanwhile the Cyclones aren’t too shabby themselves, coming into this game 4-1. I don’t know enough about these teams to intelligently comment on the ins & outs or strengths & weaknesses of either. Like most of my fellow Mountaineer fans I am a novice when it comes to the intricacies of The Big 12 and just learning as I go along. I do recall that the Cyclones had a huge upset over Oklahoma State last year when the Cowboys were the #2 team in the nation. And I know that Wildcats’ head coach Bill Snyder has been around a long long…long time. I suppose it is possible that Kansas St. could be “looking ahead” to a Top 5 matchup next week in Morgantown against the Mountaineers, but that is precisely why I would love to see the Wildcats win this one. Iowa State’s 2011 defeat of Oklahoma St. actually works against them here because no one will take them lightly or overlook them. Therefore I must go with Kansas St. to win & cover here.

 

 

Stanford              at            Notre Dame (-8)

Stanford is 4-1 and coming off of a rather close call against Arizona. The Irish are sailing along at 5-0 and enjoying their best season in recent memory. Brian Kelly is an excellent coach and it seems like he finally has things figured out in South Bend, although the musical chairs being played between QBs Everett Golson & Tommy Rees is a cause for concern and I believe will eventually become an issue. The point spread gives me pause because I have a feeling this might be a pretty close game. However, I am going to bite the bullet and go with Notre Dame. I’ll probably regret it.

 

 

South Carolina           at            LSU (-2.5)

The Gamecocks opened up a can of whoopass on the Georgia Bulldogs last week en route to a 6-0 record and a Top 5 ranking. Conversely, the other shoe finally dropped for LSU when they lost to Florida, a loss quite a few people saw coming a mile away. These are simply two teams headed in opposite directions. However, circumstances might be conducive for an “upset” (even though LSU is favored). South Carolina could conceivably suffer the classic letdown after winning such a big game, and LSU might have finally gotten the wake-up call they needed. That’d be the conventional wisdom anyway. But you know what?? To heck with conventional wisdom. I picked South Carolina to win the SEC and I am sticking with that choice. I’ll go with Spurrier’s Gamecocks here. I hope I don’t regret this one too.

 

 

Indianapolis       at            NY Jets (-3)

All the talking heads can yap about this week is whether or not it is finally Tebow Time in New York. No one seems to care that rookie QB Andrew Luck led his team to a huge upset of the Green Bay Packers last week. Regardless of whether or not Rex Ryan pulls the plug on QB March Sanchez and gives Tebow a whirl, the fact is that the Jets are a mess. A big freakin’ 2-3 mess. Sure the Colts are only 2-2 themselves, but I suspect the mood in Indy is far more jovial than in The Big Apple. The Colts are of course dealing with the health issues of head coach Chuck Pagano that has necessitated offensive coordinator Bruce Arians becoming the interim coach, but such adversity tends to motivate & galvanize a team. A win here for Indianapolis would add to the early success of Luck, while a Jets loss might seal the fate of Sanchez. As much as I would love to see the former occur, I shudder at the consequences of the latter. I think Sanchez lives to fight another day, while the legend of Luck will take just a little longer to build. I hesitantly choose the Jets.

 

 

Detroit                                 at            Philadelphia (-5)

I honestly thought Detroit would atleast be in the playoff conversation this year. Instead they find themselves 1-3 and at the bottom of what has suddenly become quite a competitive division. The Eagles certainly haven’t been boring thus far, winning three games by a total of 4 points, and losing last week to my Steelers on a last second field goal. I haven’t watched a Lions game yet, but I know that their running game is a mess and someone else besides Calvin Johnson needs to become a pass receiving threat. I am not feeling an upset here and will pick Philly to win, this time by a comfortable enough margin to cover the spread.

 

 

Dallas                    at            Baltimore (-3.5)

The Ravens are 4-1 and as good as advertised, although I’m not sure what in the world happened last week in Kansas City when they won a 9-6 snoozefest against the Chiefs. Dallas is a 2-2 hot mess, what with QB Tony Romo’s penchant for choking in big games & throwing passes to the other team’s players. Having said that, I must confess that if this game were being held at the palatial Jerry Jones shrine in Irving, TX I might have to ponder the possibilities. However, the game just so happens to be taking place in Baltimore, so that makes things considerably easier. I think Baltimore wins & covers without breaking a sweat.

 

 

Green Bay           at            Houston (-3.5)

This is the Sunday night game on NBC. I told you that they get all the cool games now…Monday Night Football is so yesterday (somewhere Hank Williams Jr. has a big ol’ grin on his face). This would be a lot more intriguing if the Packers had held up their end of the bargain and come into the game undefeated like their opponents. Unfortunately for cheeseheads everywhere their team has looked pretty ordinary so far in compiling a shockingly subpar 2-3 record. It’d even be more interesting if the game was being played on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. However, the Texans are hosting this party and have looked pretty unstoppable thru 5 games. I think Green Bay will eventually get things figured out and still believe that they’ll win their division and go to the playoffs. However, I don’t think that breakthrough will come this week, and I am confident that Houston will win & cover.

 

 

 

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2012 Pigskin Picks of Profundity…..Week 3

 

I’m a day or two late this week with picks, probably because I am still trying to block out the memory of last week’s debacle.  I had been hopeful that I’d get better at this whole thing as we moved forward, but the second go ‘round was definitely a step back, as I went 2-5. The 49ers & Maryland Terrapins, both underdogs that I picked to win, bailed me out a little by rewarding my confidence. However, I was way wrong on my other picks. I picked Texas A&M, Nevada, Missouri, Oklahoma St., and the Buffalo Bills all to win. All lost. Not much to say about the situation other than I’ll just have to do better this week.

Last week                            2-5

Season                                 6-8

 

 

 

Alabama (-20)                   at            Arkansas

The Tide is rolling into Fayetteville 2-0, while the Razorbacks are 1-1 and reeling from the last weekend’s upset loss in overtime to Louisiana-Monroe. I have no doubt that ‘Bama will win. I have a sneaking suspicion that they could actually compete with a good many NFL teams. However, the question becomes the spread. Does Arkansas have enough pride to not only bounce back from last week’s defeat but also defend their home turf against total annihilation?? I think they do. Alabama will win, but not by 20 points. God help me, I’m taking Arkansas.

 

 

 

Florida                                  at            Tennessee (-3)

Both teams come into this highly anticipated rivalry game at 2-0, but this is where the proverbial rubber meets the road. The Gators have dominated the series lately, winning 7 straight. I put the Vols in my pre-season Top 25 because I think it’s time for their backward slide into irrelevance to stop. This would be a great game for them to have my back. It looks like the boys in Vegas agree with my thought process, and the fact that the game is being played in Knoxville tips the cap as well. I’m going with the favorites and my pre-season vibes, which Tennessee has so far reinforced.

 

 

USC (-9)                               at            Stanford

Another matchup of two 2-0 teams, and yet another situation where the real season starts here. Southern Cal is among the favorites to compete for the national title, while Stanford is regrouping after losing QB Andrew Luck to graduation & the NFL. I see no reason why the Trojan train will be derailed at this point, even though they aren’t the home team. I think USC wins comfortably.

 

 

Notre Dame                       at            Michigan State (-6)

The Spartans enter this annual rivalry at 2-0 and with the home field advantage. The Fighting Irish have thus far been as advertised. I’m still a little bit uncomfortable with the QB situation in South Bend, but it has actually worked out quite well to this point. However, if we are really being honest the first two weeks of the season haven’t really told us all that much about either team, and this will be when we find out who’s a contender and who’s a pretender. The vibes are telling me that the Spartans will be the victors, and even though the vibes haven’t proven to be all that accurate this year I’ll still go with them.

 

 

Baltimore                            at            Philadelphia (-2)

The Ravens are among the favorites in the AFC, and a big victory over the Bengals to open the season did nothing to dissuade anyone from that notion. The Eagles had a much less impressive 2012 debut, barely getting by the lowly Cleveland Browns. The home field advantage has surprisingly made Philly slim favorites. I’m not sure I buy that, so I’ll go against the grain and, as much as it makes this Steelers fan physically ill, pick the Ravens. Ugh.

 

 

New Orleans (-3)             at            Carolina

The Saints got victimized last weekend by rookie QB Robert Griffin III’s remarkable first NFL game, which was probably the biggest surprise of the inaugural week of the 2012 season. Meanwhile, it was the same old story for the Panthers, with QB Cam Newton putting up good numbers in a loss. I’m really quite stunned that New Orleans is only a 3 point favorite. I suppose last week’s loss, combined with the huge crush the masses have on Newton and Carolina having the home field are contributing factors. I think that’s all poppycock, and even though I picked New Orleans to have a mediocre season and Carolina to make the playoffs I have to go with the Saints here.

 

 

Washington (-3.5)           at            St. Louis

The Redskins look like they have the real deal with signal caller RGIII, who, as noted above, got his NFL career off to a rousing start with a shocking victory over the New Orleans Saints. The Rams made a game of it but ultimately fell to the Detroit Lions last weekend. There is a temptation to believe that Griffin will be knocked off his pedestal and be made to look more like the rookie that he is, and that will almost certainly happen eventually. But I don’t think it’ll occur this week. Washington should get a fairly easy victory here.

 

 

 

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