2009 college football predictions week 11

coming off another week of better than average predictions against the spread it’s that time again kids.  college football hits the tv with a vengeance this week.  last week i went 6 for 10.  nothing stellar but i’ll take it.  thus making my overall for the season, 50 for 90.  having taken week 6 off.  5 games over .500.  semi sorta iffy but much better than .500 or worse. 

once again, remember this is for fun only and taking what i dish out here to make yourself a nice bankroll for christmas would be stupid at best.  leave your wallet alone and you’ll be fine.  also, i go by the odds i have here.  they are what they are.  a compilation of several places.

pop a cold one.  light up the barbie.  sit back and enjoy what’s left of the greatest sport, college football.  enjoy the games.

rock ‘n’ roll.

11/14  boston college at virginia.  boston college favored by 4 points.  almost a toss up and just might be a good game.  i’m looking for boston college to win this one and cover the points.  take them.

11/14  iowa at ohio st.  ohio st favored by 16 points.  iowa coming off a dumb loss and ohio st coming off a big win.  the point being can iowa recover?  and does ohio st have a let down?  we’ll both find that out come saturday.  in lieu of knowing for sure, take iowa to cover the points and maybe win.

11/14  florida st at wake forest.  wake forest favored by 6 points.  wake forest is playing some ball.  take them to win and cover.  on a side note, has anyone else noticed that bobby bowden looks more and more like a food network’s star, paula deen?

11/14  notre dame at pittsburg.  pittsburg favored by 7.  he of the 5 super bowl rings fights for his job, as well he should, with this game.  golden domer faithful aren’t happy.  then they rarely are.  the man who replaced ty willingham is going down the same road to the unemployment office next week.  let’s see, i predicted the irish would lose this game back in january or february of this year.  nothing has changed.  take pittsburg to win and cover.

11/14  stanford at usc.  usc favored by 11 points.  it’s november.  it’s a home game for the trojans.  they don’t lose at home or in november for that matter.  the trouble being it hasn’t been a good year for coach pete.  it has been a semi good year for coach mike.  once again, stanford has a good team and riley can coach.  stanford doesn’t have a defense.  if the trojan defense shows up and the offense does as well the trojans should cover the spread.  a damn good game here folks.  take the trojans to cover and win.  those who live by the sword die by the sword.  FIGHT ON!!!!

11/14  arizona at california.  the game is a toss up.  sadly i haven’t seen arizona play this year.  probably due to the lame tv schedule the pac 10 has with the networks.  be that as it may, i have seen cal play just about every week.  they didn’t do well against the beavers last week but nobody else in the pac 10 is either.  the game is in berserkeley.  take cal to win.

11/14  arizona st at oregon.  oregon favored by 16.5 points.  a bunch of points.  however, the game is in duckland, home of the true 12th man.  insanity reigns.  probably rain as well.  cold weather too.  take the ducks to win and cover.  QUACK QUACK!!!!       

11/14  washington at oregon st.  oregon st favored by 11.  the sleeper game of the week.  this one will be a good one folks.  if you can watch this one don’t miss it.  the brothers rodgers(i spelled it right this time) are amazing at best.  oregon st is proof that the pac 10 is THE CONFERENCE THIS YEAR.  count on it.  take oregon st to more than likely win and cover the spread.  though i don’t think that’s an option in places like nevada.  oregon st wins and covers.

11/14  alabama at mississippi st.  bama favored by 13.  tell you what, i don’t think they can score 13 points in 4 quarters two weeks in a row.  the question being, can they hold the lads of state to no points or say, 3?  i love bama but i ain’t feeling them here.  take mississippi st to cover the spread.

11/14  texas tech at oklahoma st.  oklahoma st favored by 3.5 points.  my semi alma mater wins or covers the spread.  take texas tech and be sure to visit: the vietnam center and archive at http://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/  happy veterans day!!

there you go, kids another week of picks coming to you on a wing and a prayer.  leave your money where it belongs, in your wife’s purse.  and nobody gets hurt.  enjoy the games.

jmh

2009 college football predictions week 10

an interesting week of college ball last weekend.  interesting to say the least.  i started out very well in the morning games but by the time the afternoon and evening rolled around i was semi tanking it.  bottom line i went 5 for 10 last week.  my overall is 44 for 80 having taken week 6 off.  still somewhat over 50% but nothing to send up any fireworks about.

just remember this is for fun and taking anything i deal out here to any of the boys who will take your money would be insane to say the least.  leave your wallet alone and nobody gets hurt.

i’m a day or two early this week due to stuff i have to take care of the next couple of days.  due to my being early, some of the odds haven’t been posted so i’m just dealing with what i have now.  i picked these games before i went looking for the odds.  be that as it may.

rock ‘n’ roll.

11/7  connecticut at cincinnati.  a toss up.  should be a good game and it’s an early one.  take cincinnati to win this one.

11/7  wake forest at georgia tech.  georgia tech favored by 15 points.  wake forest is playing well but not well enough to win or get inside the 15 points on tech’s turf.  take georgia tech to win or cover the spread.

11/7  navy at notre dame.  a toss up.  one of the better teams the golden domers play this year.  the irish are playing somewhat better but i still don’t like them.  take navy to win.

11/7 lsu at alabama.  alabama favored by 9 points.  hopefully, with bamas week off they went out and found some offense because they are probably going to need some to win this game.  the same could be said for lsu as well.  a low scoring defensive yawn fest?  i hope i’m wrong.  take bama to win and cover.  ROLL TIDE!!!

11/7  oklahoma at nebraska.  oklahoma favored by 6.  perhaps a good game.  take the sooners to win or cover the spread.

11/7  ohio st at penn st.  penn st favored by 3.5 points.  almost a toss up here but i suspect the buckeyes will roll over joe pa and his boys.  take ohio st to win.

11/7  oregon st at california.  california favored by 7 points.  i don’t see the bears defense doing any better than usc’s defense at stopping the beaver’s running game.  a very solid running game.  take oregon st to cover the spread and maybe win.

11/7  washington at ucla.  ucla favored by 4 points.  the bruins are lucky to be favored here.  though they did play fairly well against oregon st last week.  i’m feeling the huskies this week.  take them to cover or win.

11/7  oregon at stanford.  oregon favored by 5 points.  coming off the waxing of the trojans the ducks should be on a pretty nice high.  though stanford can win and might.  though i don’t see it.  on a side note, i was a duck fan before i was a trojan fan.  i’ve bled duck yellow and green since 1958.  they’ve made a fine comeback since the first game of the season and that disappointing loss to boise st.  they looked terrible.  not unlike the trojans last week.  they should stay on track and maybe run the rest of the table this year.  only to be messed with at the end of the year by the bcs and given some lame bowl game.  time will tell.  there is talk that blount will be allowed to play again this year.  oofa.  dumb idea and and stupid at best.  there is no excuse for what he did at the end of the boise game.  thug behavior does not belong in sports.  period.  allowing him to return this year is a mistake and sends a message to other lame brains that they can get away with stuff and be allowed back if they say the right things to the right people.  and that further reinforces the big money angle of college ball.  off the soapbox and my pick.  the ducks cover and win.  QUACK QUACK!!!!

11/7  usc at arizona st.  usc favord by 11.5 points.  a very poorly played game last week by the men of troy.  special teams set the tone for the defense on the opening kickoff.  in other words, what defense?  losing your defensive coordinator and half of the remaining guys to washington turns out not to have been a very good decision on usc’s part.  vanity?  insanity?  i don’t know.  i do know that coach pete didn’t have the deer in the headlights look he usually has when they lose.  it was like he was seeing the writing on the wall.  the writing that says he might come back next year and try to run the table once more with a bunch of seniors and a qb with a year under his belt.  or he may not.  my money is on one more year for pete.  then it’s back to the pros and another shot there.  bottom line is there are only so many good coaches in college football.  losing a bunch of them from one team means a ticking time bomb.  one that  finally went off last weekend.  i hope they recover from the blast but i don’t know.  a thumping of the sun devils is in order this week, coach pete.  let’s see if you can make it happen.  yeah, take usc to win and they bloody well better cover the spread.  FIGHT ON!!!

there you go.  some interesting games with one more month of college football left.  enjoy it while it lasts. 

jmh

2009 college football predictions week 9

another disappointing week last time around.  a semi dismal 4 for 10.  although i’m still over 50% overall with, 39 for 70, having missed week 6.  what does all this mean?  it means don’t listen to me and if you do you’re pretty stupid and deserve to lose your rent and or car payment money.  enough said.  it also means i can’t get the spell check to work anywhere so it is what it is.

rock ‘n’ roll.

10/30  w. virgina at s. florida.  w. virgina favored by 3.5 points.  i haven’t picked a wek day game in a few weeks so i figure i may as well go for this one as it is more or less toss up.  and it’s friday night.  what could be better?  take s. florida to win or get inside the spread.

10/31  cincinnati at syracuse.  cincinnati favored by 15 points.  a good way to start off the weenie day festivities.  take cincinnati to cover and win.

10/31  new mexico st at ohio st.  ohio st favored by 40 points.  just what new mexico st is doing at ohio st this time of year is perplexing at best.  but then it’s the brave new world order of college football.  oofa.  regardless, i think 40 points is too many.  take new mexico st to get inside that 40 point spread.   

10/31  indiana at iowa.  iowa favored by 17 points.  iowa continues it’s roll.  take the hawkeyes to win and cover.

10/31  mississippi at auburn.  ole miss favored by 4 points.  interesting, what?  i’m taking auburn to win or at least cover the spread.

10/31  calfornia at arizona st.  california favored by 7 points.  the pac 10 down the home stretch.  the bears seasonal ‘el foldo’ looms large.  take the sun devils to win or cover. 

10/31  georgia at florida.  florida favored by 16 points.  take georgia to win or get inside the points.

10/31  utah st at fresno st.  fresno st favored by 17 points.  my wac game of the week.  fresno st wins and or covers.

10/31  kansas st at oklahoma.  oklahoma favored by 26 points.  take the sooners and take them to win and cover.

10/31  usc at oregon.  usc favored by 4 points.  my two all time favorite teams in the match up of the weekend and maybe the year.  the rose bowl looms large in this one kids.  the usual duck home crowd craziness will be for sure ramped up to insane levels.  over the top and in your face.  and there lies the rub in my opinion.  i noticed some of the crappy play and penalties of the boise st game game from the ducks last week.  yes, the won but it looked sloppy and unorganized.  and if they can’t control the jazz at home against the trojans then they are in trouble.  sure, the trojans didn’t play all that well against the beavers last week.  the beavers got game.  this one is for the ages and a nailbiter.  the trojans are on a mission.  take them to win and cover.

there ya go.  halloween weekend picks.  leave your wallet in your pocket and nobody gets hurt.  enjoy the games and the parties.  be safe and don’t get stupid.

jmh     

the strange case of the bcs

i’ve been messing with this one for a few days now.  i’m angry.  not at what i’ve written, even though it might be hard to follow.  but then what else is new as far as my stuff goes?  no, i’m angry at college football, tv networks, congress and just about everyone else as well.    

the years first bcs computerized nonsense poll came out last weekend after the games.  we get another one after the games this week and after every other one until the season is over.  those of you that follow and love college football have many reasons to dislike the bcs poll on numerous levels.  me too.  especially after seeing boise st and cincinnati crouching just under the radar for a shot at the national championship game.  a shot i’m not real happy about.  but then i’m old and old school.

however, with my frazzled synapses and mis-firing neurons i’d forgotten all about what went down after last season or maybe even earlier.  i haven’t a clue as to an exact date.  a very sad state of affairs in both cases.  several schools, most notably utah and boise st, got the hairballs in washington dc to hold hearings on the seemingly unfair deal that is the bcs and their big money games at the end of the year.  sen orrin hatch, was the most visible and he yammered about fairness and other such dumbness.

dumbness, like giving a third tier school, such as boise st, a shot at the national title game if they went 12 and oh.  our wonderful government has nothing better to do than stick it’s collective nose into places it has no business.  college football being one of those premiere areas.  though our esteemed leader has said he’d like to see a playoff in college football.  hopefully, he will keep his and congresses nose out of the deal.  the bcs is bad enough right now without further meddling by those lame bozos.

their meddling, so far, has turned the best sport in the nation into a coed t-ball league for cry baby 5 year olds.  a league where even if you play the likes of say, u c davis or southeastern st university of chicken pluckers, and beat them.  why, by golly, you can play in the national championship game.  you went 12 and oh with your patsy schedule of third and fourth tier cupcake schools.  well done.  oofa.  

i’m sorry.  i don’t want to see it.  at all.  you can have your t-ball for whinny third tier school athletic directors and their ilk.  i don’t want to see watered down college football games.  games where everybody must play.  games where nobody really wins.  games where there are no winners. just losers like us.  

you say, ‘but, john, that isn’t happening and won’t happen.’  yeah, right.  just give them a little more time.  a little more whining.  then just wait and see.  because you can soon count on some women’s college field hockey team playing boise st, in the beloved rose bowl, for the national championship of college football.

ridiculous you say?  why he’s been at the absolut trough again.  no kids, not yet, any the ways.  i just don’t appreciate diluted college football games.  diluted to the point of political correct parity.  diluted so even, the university of middle state teachers and boys choir affiliates, gets a shot at a bowl game at the end of the college football money rainbow.  god, the horror.

sadly, i’m beginning to lose interest in college football.  oh, i’ll stick around for awhile.  but in the not so distant future i see myself voting with my feet and walking away from the game.  politicians making changes they have no business making.  there’s just too much excess money out there.  and that money along with dumb ass politicians and stupid college officials is ruining the game i used to love so very much.  it’s a part of brave new world?  no thanks.  you can have it.

so just what have the hairballs in dc done?  they got just who the hell ever of the bcs hairballs to adjust their computers to look favorably upon third tier schools ala boise st.  in all fairness, cincinnati is probably a second tier school as they have a very good medical school on the campus.  they just ain’t harvard or yale and just as well as those guys can’t compete either.

the point being, boise st, a third tier school has diddly for academics and can recruit kids that can play but then said kids are morons who could never get into an sec, big 10 or pac 10 school.  which doesn’t matter much in the academic sense.  not that the kids from michigan or usc go to class all that much.  it’s a fine line to be sure.  a line that for the sake of decent college football games that shouldn’t be crossed.  at least not while i’m still alive.  thank you.  point?  computers tweaked to nullify strength of schedule.

so just why are boise st and the bear cats sitting above usc in the bcs poll?  the sad reply from the masses is: usc lost a game and the other two haven’t.  they are undefeated.  fine.  ok, pilgrim, riddle me this: if usc were to play boise st this saturday, at boise, who would be the vegas favorite?  vegas cares only about the money.  their money.  the simple answer would be, usc.  probably by at least 14 points.  trust me, i’m sure that would be the case.  so why then is boise st and cincinnati ranked higher than usc?

yeah, i’m a usc homer and a pac 10 honk.  doesn’t matter in this regard.  he political correct crowd bought off by somebody or another to water down the game into a 5 year old coed t-ball league.  jesus.

this has been like all over the place and i suppose, maybe and hopefully, you can see my passion here.  and my point.  we are destroying a game, the only game left, that used to have some sort of meaning and purpose.  a meaning and purpose that is being watered down into nothingness.

count on this as well, a playoff mandated or brokered by the hairballs in washington, dc would be just as bad.  you would have to be certifiably insane to think otherwise.

jmh

2009 college football predictions week 8

back at it again for another round of college football insanity.  last week i went 7 for 10 and just missed doing considerably better by a point or two in a few games.  we are at way past the half way point in the season and i’m 35 for 60.  not too shabby.  remember i missed week six as i was on a road trip. 

these picks are for fun only and using any info here to actually bet on any of these games would be very very stupid on your part.  leave your wallet in your pocket and things will be just fine.

rock ‘n’ roll.

10/24  arkansas at mississippi.  mississippi favored by 5.5 points.  i’m thinking the only reason the razorbacks aren’t favored is it’s a home game for ole miss and the boys can’t believe their eyes as far as arkansas goes the past few games.  the game is not a gift like last week’s game but arkansas will win or cover the spread. 

10/24  oregon at washington.  oregon favored by 8 points.  the road back continues for the ducks.  putting on my pac 10 homer hat and predicting the ducks win and cover.  GO DUCKS!!  QUACK QUACK!! 

10/24  penn st at michigan.  penn st favored by 4.5 points.  i just can’t buy in to joe pa and the boys this year.  they lose again.  take michigan to win or cover.

10/24  iowa at michigan st.  a toss up at this point in the week.  iowa is another school that just can’t get any respect this year from the mainstream folks.  however, they have been here.  take iowa to win.    

10/24  tcu at byu.  byu favored by 2 points.  as good as tcu looked last week against boise st i’m still taking byu to win and cover.

10/24  florida at mississippi st.  florida favored by 22 points.  florida didn’t cover last week and i don’t think they will again this week.  take mississippi st to cover the spread.

10/24  texas at missouri.  texas favored by 14 points.  take missouri because they will get inside those 14 points.

10/24  oregon st at usc.  usc favored by 20.5 points.  usc didn’t cover last week against the hapless golden domers.  usc lost to oregon st last year.  oregon st still has the brothers rogers running wild.  a very hard pair to deal with.  hopefully, coach pete has figured them out.  a tough call, take usc to win and cover.  FIGHT ON!!!

10/24  boston college at notre dame.  notre dame favored by 8 points.  the two biggest catholic schools in the country duke it out.  the golden domers gave it their all last week and came up short against usc.  though they did amazingly enough cover the spread.  that not with standing take boston college to cover the spread and probably win.

10/24  boise st at hawaii.  boise st favored by 25 points.  boise st did not cover the spread last week against tcu.  they won’t cover again this week as well.  take hawaii to get inside the 25.

there you have my picks for week number 8.  the season will be over before you know it.  and the jones for college football will be back by february at the latest.  enjoy the games and don’t get stupid. 

if you like reading my take on college football stay tuned to this spot as i will have another college football blog up at the end of the week.  one you won’t want to miss. 

jmh

2009 college football predictions week 7

the road trip thru the southwest is over and i’m back.  for those of you that care some fairly spectacular photos of said trip will be posted up here probably by tomorrow morning.  but that’s not why i’m here.  this is all about college football the best sport in the country.

ok.  so my last picks were for week 5.  i went 6 for 10 on those games. giving me 28 for 50 overall.  nothing to get excited about but none the less not shabby either.  just remember this is for fun and betting on my so called wisdom would be insanity at best.  leave your wallet in your pocket and nobody gets hurt.  also, i go by the odds you see here.  they may change over the week but unless it’s a huge change i really don’t care, as the odds here are what i go by to determine my wins and loses. 

rock ‘n’ roll.

10/14  boise st at tulsa.  boise st favored by 10 points.  the blue turf smurf team finally gets an opponent that just might give then a good game.  too bad the ducks game was their first for both schools this year.  if it were played today we’d have a different outcome to be sure.  count on it.  but that’s water under the bridge.  what i want to know is just how boise st can be considered for a national championship when they play teams like: bowling green and u c davis.  at any rate, i’m taking tulsa to beat the spread and maybe even win.  and hopefully when the dreaded computer kicks in for the bcs rankings we see some justice here.

10/17  oklahoma at texas.  texas favored by 3.5 points.  one of the best games of the weekend.  take the sooners to cover and or win.

10/17  iowa at wisconsin.  wisconsin favored by 3 points.  i just don’t see this one at all.  sure, it’s a badger home game.  sure, they are doing well.  sure.  take the hawkeyes to cover or win.

10/17  usc at notre dame.  usc favored by 10 points.  the golden domers broke into the top 25 after last weeks win.  yawn.  they will drop out after this game.  take usc to win and cover.  one of the best going this weekend.  FIGHT ON!!!!

10/17  texas tech at nebraska.  nebraska favored by 10.5 points.  as usual i have to go with my sorta alma mater texas tech.  take the red raiders to get inside the spread at the very least and hopefully win.  also, be sure and visit: http//www.vietnam.ttu.edu/

10/17  california at ucla.  california favored by 3.5 points.  despite the bruins lose to the ducks last week i think they are doing pretty well for a team that just can’t find a quarterback.  though coach rick says he is sticking with somebody or another.  probably.  maybe.  at any rate, the bears hit the loss column early this year and if history is any example they won’t do much better the rest of the season.  if the bruins can stop best they have more than a chance to win this one.  take ucla.

10/17  arkansas at florida.  florida favored by 24.5 points.  boy howdy.  it’s a gift.  take arkansas to get inside that spread.  and it would not surprise me if they even win the game.

10/17  virginia tech at georgia tech.  virgina tech favored by 3 points.  another of those semi sorta toss ups.  take georgia tech to win or cover.

10/17  s. carolina at alabama.  bama favored by 17.  this one could be a sleeper.  no, not in that sense.  the gamecocks might maybe just have a plan.  or something.  one of the best games this week.  a bunch of points but no matter if the tide comes to play.  take bama to win and cover.  ROLL TIDE!!!

10/ 17  washington at arizona st.  arizona st favored by 7 points.  so far the southwest has been very cool by usual standards this fall.  we are even supposed to get a good dose of rain tonight and tomorrow.  but by friday back to the 90’s here in socal.  so, maybe just maybe, the huskies get a break in the weather and get another win.  take the huskies and the outside shot at cool temps on game day.  yes, i know.  i just right em.  i don’t explain em.

another fine weekend of college football coming up.  enjoy it while it lasts.  the interminable seasons of hockey and basketball are coming back.  baseball probably won’t have a world series champ by thanksgiving.  my point?  thank god for college football.

jmh

2009 college football predictions week 5

i know it’s a bit early but the road is calling and I’m going on it this coming week.  not a bad week for me last week.  i went 6 for 10.  a couple of surprises for me but i did get the ducks, usc and joe pa right.  need i say more?  my over all for the year is now 22 for 40.  ok but nothing stellar. 

since I’m heading out this weeks picks will not include the point spreads.  it’s way too early for that, even for me.  so, I’m just picking winners for this weeks games.  no points involved.  winners only.  even with that, taking what i’m dealing out to a bookie or vegas would be stupid at best.  don’t do it.  leave your money in your wallet.  ok?

there will be no picks here for week six.  you are on your own.  i’ll be on vacation.

rock ‘n’ roll.

10/2  utah st at byu.  might be a good game.  utah bragging rights of a sort.  if byu lets down a notch or two they could end up like new mexico did last saturday.  it is never easy.  however, take byu to win.

10/3  florida st at boston college.  one of those old rivalry games out of the past.  for old times sake i’m going with boston college who seems to finally be playing some ball.  take boston college to win.

10/3  alabama at kentucky.  this should be another sorta easy win for the tide.  but like i said nothing is ever easy.  take bama to win.  roll tide!!!

10/3  washington at notre dame.  this might be a good game.  washington i’m sure will fall out of the top 25.  notre dame might be in it this week but probably not.  as no one is impressed.  there’s a national radio sport talk show host who predicted, before the season, the irish would win the national championship this year.  yeah, he was on a acid and china white high at the time.  that was never going to happen.  washington is pretty good.  as good as the golden domers and they have a better qb.  take washington to win.

10/3  lsu at georgia.  take lsu to win.

10/3  oklahoma at miami florida.  miami went down last saturday.  they will go down again this week.  take oklahoma to win.

10/3  michigan at michigan st.  probably a good game.  to bad it’s not in the big house.  take michigan to win.

10/3  washington st at oregon.  the ducks blew out the bears last week.  an amazing show of offense and defense.  just amazing, lads.  they might be on the comeback trail.  stay focused.  take the ducks to win.  go ducks!!! QUACK  QUACK!!

10/3  ucla at stanford.  no brainer here.  norm chow, not with standing.  take stanford to win.               

10/3  usc at california.  maybe the best game of the week.  cal was embarrassed by the ducks.  best is now more than likely out of the heisman hunt.  the trojans not that impressive at home over washington st.  both schools need to step up.  take usc to win.  FIGHT ON!!!

pretty simple stuff here as i need to start packing.  plus, tiger tees it up in a bit as well.  remember, nothing here for week 6.  have some fun watching the games and i’ll see you again in a couple of weeks with my week 7 predictions. 

jmh

2009 college football predictions week 4

after the previous weeks fiasco this past weekends picks were pretty good, as i went 7 for 10 and 16 for 30 overall.  things are looking up.  of course, the trojans sadly lost.  more on that in this weeks picks.  just a reminder kids, this is for fun only.  taking what i deal out here to your local bookie or las vegas would be fool hardy at best.  actually, it would be stupid.  yes, well, these days stupidity seems to reign.  be that as it may.

rock ‘n’ roll.

9/24  mississippi at s. carolina.  ole miss favored by 3 points.  a tight game and pretty much may as well be a toss up.  mississippi used to be one of my faves when i was feeling it back in the day when i was stupid enough to actually throw money down on this stuff.  two good coaches and it should be a good game.  take mississippi to win and cover.

9/26  san diego st at air force.  air force favored by 16.5 points.  yes, indeed more also rans in the wac and mountain west.  but i don’t care.  air force is another one of my teams.  what can i say?  take the falcons to cover and win.

9/26  arkansas at alabama.  bama favored by 15.5 points.  an interstate rivalry game of epic proportions.  forget whatever slick willie says about the game and take bama to cover and win.  ROLL TIDE!!!    

9/26  california at oregon.  cal favored by 6 points.  i was about ready to count the ducks down and out for the season.  however, after last weeks game i’m not so sure anymore.  california is for real but it’s early and their late october into november swan dive isn’t due for a few more weeks.  of course, that remains to be seen.  but history…  the game.  we have the craziness of a duck home crowd cranked up on a variation of west nile virus and rabies.  if cal can manage to overcome that they might pull it off.  i love the ducks so take them to at least cover the points and maybe even win.  one of the best games of the week.  GO DUCKS!!!!!!  QUACK!!

9/26  washington at stanford.  stanford favored by 7 points.  will there be a let down after the huskies big game win over the trojans?  i don’t think so.  the huskies seem to be for real and stanford is catching them a week to late.  ah, perhaps.  no bandwagon jumping as yet.  the sleeper game of the week.  take stanford to win and cover.   

9/26  louisville at utah.  utah favored by 13 points.  utah needs to, hopefully, bounce back after last week at oregon.  can they?  how badly do they want a big time end of the year big dance game?  go get em, utes.  take utah to win and cover.

9/26  notre dame at purdue.  notre dame favored by 7.5 points.  not much faith in the golden domers this week against a hapless purdue team.  no one is sold on the domers and charlie this year.  me either.  i’ll probably rue this decision come saturday afternoon but take notre dame to cover and win.  crap.

9/26  iowa at penn st.  penn st favored by 10 points.  one of the few decent teams joe pa and the boys play this season.  joe pa is going the way of boise st this year.  a chump schedule for the most part.  if there is a donald duck or donald trump the hawk-eyes kick some joe pa butt for his cupcake schedule.  take iowa to win or at least make it close.

9/26  washington st at usc.  usc favored by 44 points.  say what?  oofa.  even if the freshman comes back they aren’t gonna win by 44.  if he doesn’t and that other kid goes again forget about it.  it’s no wonder he lost the job to the freshman.  he’s not very good.  sark and the rest of the old trojan coaching crew took coach pete to the cleaners last weekend.  i knew it was over when pete had that look in his eye.  a look not unlike my 95 year old mom’s look when she isn’t quite sure just where she is or just what’s going on.  pete gets that same look on occasion.  he had it last year at oregon st and he gets it now and again in some games but he usually comes out of it.  not last week.  he was the deer in sark’s headlights.  road kill.  it also goes to show that you can’t lose a good part of your staff to one school.  they know you and will own you.  the cougars might not be that good this year.  though they have a very good coach.  another rueful decision?  take washington st to get inside that 44 point spread.

9/26  new mexico st at new mexico.  new mexico favored by 9.5 points.  bragging rights for the land of enchantment.  take the university of new mexico lobos to win and cover.      

there ya go, kids.  this weeks picks and some potential great games.  enjoy them.  leave your wallet in your pocket and things will go just fine.  pop a brew or two and heat up the barbie.  watch games till your better half gets fed up say like around 8pm(pst) saturday night.  or maybe like 6:30pm.  yeah, well.  roll while you can.  me too.

the weekend of october the 3rd i’ll be on a road trip into new mexico with the brown eyed girl.  i’m not sure what i’ll have for that week but i should have something, probably on monday the 28th.  as for the week of the 10th, this spot will be vacant.  deal with it on your own.  i’ll be in flagstaff.

jmh

2009 college football predictions week 3

last week was one of those dark and dismal affairs and a prime example of why i tell my readers not to listen to me and my predictions.  i went 3 for 10.  not a bad stat for a baseball player but terrible for a football handicapper.  my combined stats for the season so far are, 9 for 20.  oofa.  however, i remain undaunted and it’s time to plod along again with this weeks games.  but before that happens i have to say in my own delusional defense, i would have done better but the point spread in a few games was my downfall.  my teams won but didn’t cover the spread.  ce est la vie.     

remember to leave your wallet alone.  don’t rush off to vegas or your local guy and dump a bundle on my picks.  or anybodies picks for that matter.  the road to the poor house is paved with stupid bettors.  understand?  this is for fun only.

rock ‘n’ roll.

9/18  boise st at fresno st.  boise st favored by 7 points.  boise st is not getting much love here from the point spread mavens.  then again it doesn’t seem like fresno st is what they were last year.  i’m no big fan of boise st for a couple of reasons, which i’ve run down before.  the primary reason is they are a 3rd tier school who play a crappy schedule.  though this year it seems any number of schools are following their example.  a sad state of affairs if there ever was one.  forget about it.  take fresno st to cover the spread and if their is a mickey mouse they might even pull out a win.

9/19  arizona at iowa.  iowa favored by 5 points.  ok.  so the deal here is my being a pac 10 honk and homer.  take arizona to cover the 5 and maybe or probably win.  roll pac 10!!!

9/19  utah at oregon.  oregon favored by 4.  if the boys of utah can overcome the noise and insanity of a duck game at home they just might pull off an upset.  the magic word being ‘IF’.  then again, i’m not that happy about the ducks play so far this year.  crap.  take the ducks to cover and win.  GO DUCKS!!! please!!

9/19  usc at washington.  usc favored by 21 points.  sure the frosh starting qb has issues this week.  no one knows if he will even start.  plus the trojans stunk the joint up last week with their win over the buckeyes.  a stinky win but i’ll take it.  none the less, it’s a bunch of points and the huskies will probably want to put it up for their new coach and ex-trojan.  plus, they played well against lsu and it’s another road game for the men of troy.  the spread may change over the week but i’m here and doing it now.  take the trojans to win and cover.  FIGHT ON USC!!!

9/19  kansas st at ucla.  ucla favored by 12.  fine but who’s going to play qb?  a good question i’m sure.  coach rick probably is wishing he still had some eligibility left so he could start for the bruins again.  i’m not so sure the bruins can pull this one off this week.  then again kansas st is not kansas.  out on a limb here.  take the bruins to win and cover.

9/19  michigan st at notre dame.  notre dame favored by 10 points.  cutting to the chase, i like michigan st’s chances here.  they may not win but i think they will cover.  i hope they win.  just do it, spartens.

9/19  california at minnesota.  cal favored by 14 points.  the only thing certain about this game is only one of them will remain unbeaten.  cal looks good so far and they should cover the spread and win.  ROLL PAC 10!!

9/19  air force at new mexico.  air force favored by 17 points.  we will be in new mexico in a couple of weeks hitting the hot spots so that’s why i’m sticking this game in here.  i think the falcons will win but i don’t think they will cover the spread.  take new mexico and a side of  hatch green chiles.

9/19  florida st at byu.  byu favored by 7 points.  perhaps the game of the week.  and byu’s chance to keep that monkey wrench rolling in the bcs gears.  take byu to win and cover.

9/19  texas tech at texas.  texas favored by 17.5 points.  my semi sorta alma mater, texas tech, travels to the university of texas.  i’m taking texas tech to cover the spread and hopefully win.  you, on the other hand, should visit the texas tech vietnam center and archive at: http://vietnam.ttu..edu/

that’s it for this weeks picks.  enjoy the games.  leave your wallet where it belongs and nobody gets hurt.

jmh

2009 college football predictions week 2

week 1 of the college season got off to an odd or strange start.  the oregon/boise st game being a sad harbinger of a possible bleak future for college ball.  at any rate, i was 6 for 10.  not too bad with two stellar picks: navy and byu.

before i get going on this week’s selections i want to weigh in on the sad ending to the oregon/boise st game last thursday night.  there can be no excuse for legarrette blount’s actions after the game.  for those of you who don’t know what i’m talking about blount cold cocked a boise st player then went more or less more berserk going after fans in the stands and had to be restrained.  one of my cousin’s said he was lucky the cops didn’t have to taze him.  yeah, it was ugly.  a sad statement on that iceberg up ahead in college football.

blount was suspended from the team for the remainder of the year.  though he got to keep his scholarship and continues to practice with the team.  now, there’s a rumor that he may end up being able to play again this year.  oofa.  i love the ducks and have for years.  i’m sickened and saddened by the schools actions behind blount’s felonious stupidity.  blount had already been suspended earlier in the year.  he should have been tossed out of school for this deal.  period.  and his scholarship given to some academic student instead.  the only way the sad slope of douche bag college athletes is going to perhaps end is if they are all dealt with a very heavy hand.  screw up and you are gone, dumb ass.  no exceptions.

take that to heart ncaa.  if you want to continue to be the second rated spectator sport in the country.  because if something is not done about the dumb ass gangster element of college football, i for one will vote with my feet and stop watching.  count on it. 

ok.  there now i feel better.  as for this weeks games it was sorta hard to come up with anything that rang any bells.  yeah, there are of course my usual faves and one or two are in a good match-up but the rest of the schedule is shaky.  just remember to leave your wallet where it belongs and no one gets hurt.  the point spreads will probably change a bit before game day.  too bad.  what is here is what i use.  these picks are just for fun and my amusement.  taking what i deal out and betting on the game is and would be very very stupid.

rock ‘n’ roll.

9/10  clemson at georgia tech.  georgia tech favored by 5 points.  i’m not real thrilled about this one.  but it’s on tv thursday night.  the brown eyed girl will be at her sculpture class.  i’ll be home alone with the cat, drinking beer, and watching the game.  pretty cool.  i hope clemson wins but i’m not that crazy.  so, take georgia tech to win and cover.

9/12  iowa at iowa st.  iowa favored by 6 points.  after last weeks squeaker against northern iowa.  iowa needs a good game here.  though this one could go either way.  take iowa to win and cover.

9/12  ucla at tennessee.  tennessee favored by 8 points.  ucla played well last week.  time to play well again against a much better team.  i hope they do.  however, take tennessee to win and cover.

9/12  purdue at oregon.  oregon favored by 12.  oregon did not play well at all last week.  if they don’t turn it around here they might end up like the huskies did last year.  and i’m not just saying that.  i have no clue just what the problem was.  but i do know things need to change.  dumping blount might help.  chip kelly needs to step up and just do it.  purdue isn’t very good.  i expect the ducks to win, cover, and score big time.  ok?   GO DUCKS!!!

9/12  notre dame at michigan.  the golden domers favored by 3.5 points.  notre dame did well last week.  so did big blue.  i’m counting on michigan to take it to the irish.  take michigan to win and cover.

9/12  air force at minnesota.  minnesota favored by 4 points.  the golden gophers played well in their opener.  this is the falcon’s first game of the year.  old time readers know i like air force because they are one of the last schools that is liable and capable of running any number of offenses and plays.  and one of the stand outs in the old wac.  favorites die hard in these parts.  take air force to at least cover and maybe even win.

9/12  usc at ohio st.  usc favored by 6.5 points.  the night game on abc.  one of the stellar match-ups since the 60’s.  simple and easy.  take usc to cover and win.  FIGHT ON USC!!!

9/12  hawaii at washington st.  hawaii favored by 2 points.  i’m surprised it isn’t more due to the fact washington st, the school, already has over 2,000 cases of swine flu.  good lord.  wash you hands with soap and water after reading this one, kids.  if the cougars can even field 11 players they might get lucky.  at any rate, take hawaii to win and cover.

9/12  stanford at wake forest.  wake forest favored by 2.5 points.  stanford is for real.  take stanford to win. 

9/12  tcu at virginia.  tcu favored by 11 points.  tcu’s defense should be back.  take tcu to win and cover.

that’s it for this week.  don’t be stupid.  simple easy.

jmh