Picks for the Weak: Week 11

Just like in several other picks for the weak, we’re going to be marrying it with the results for the previous week.  It’s going to be so much fun that you won’t even realized you missed the results a couple days ago!

Last week was a great week to have a bye for the Buckeyes.  Lots of top ranked teams struggled with weaker foes such as:

• Wisconsin, who was losing to Purdue at the half before jumping out to a big lead later.
• Iowa, who literally escaped Indiana with a win after the Hoosiers dropped a sure touchdown pass in the endzone.
• Nebraska who evaded a 2 point conversion attempt in overtime to win over Iowa state.
• Texas…well…they got decimated by Kansas State, but that wasn’t even close to an upset this year.

It was an interesting week and should wreak havoc on our picks.

No, we’re not talking about Utah.  Stupid Horned Frogs and their good football team….

This week sees a couple interesting matchups in South Carolina at Florida, and a ranked Mississippi State at Alabama.  We also have Iowa traveling to Northwestern for an battle that’s going to be tough to pick after last week.

For the most part this week we’re interested in the more amusing games.  Oklahoma State travels to Texas, the place where Texas can’t seem to win a game.  Also, Utah travels to hapless Notre Dame where they will seek revenge for their loss to TCU.

You almost feel sorry for the poor domers.

Keep reading for more!

Saturday, November 6th

Northwestern at Penn State

Final: Penn State 35, Northwestern 21

Who knew Penn State was going to be able to pull this one out of a hat?  After going down 21-0 the Nits scored 35 unanswered over 2 and a half quarters to beat the Nerds.  Ouch.

Eric: Northwestern 38, Penn State 31

Computers: Northwestern 25, Penn State 24 (54.5%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
Kitties	PSU	Kitties	PSU	PSU	Kitties

Illinois at Michigan

Final: Michigan 67, Illinois 65

This was a game that was better played in the Big 12, or the Pac 10, or one of those conferences that don’t play defense.  There were times that Illinois receivers had 10 yard cushions against the defense.  Talk about making a redshirt freshman quarterback look good.  Sheesh.

And yet the Illini lost.  At least it wasn’t for lack of offense.

Eric: Illinois 42, Michigan 38

Computers: Michigan 32, Illinois 27 (64.4%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
Illini	Illini	Illini	Illini	Illini	Mich

Maryland at Miami (FL)

Final: Miami 26, Maryland 20

Wow, wrong on three straight picks.  Glad I took Michigan State in the next one.

Maryland had a legitimate shot in this one but coughed it away in the last minute to Miami.  The Canes were absolutely bound and determined to commit every error they possibly could, and the Terps still couldn’t secure the win.

Eric: Maryland 24, Miami 14

Computers: Miami 36, Maryland 20 (85.1%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
Canes	Terps	Terps	Canes	Canes	Canes

Minnesota at #14 Michigan State

Final: Michigan State 31, Minnesota 8

For as much as I missed the first 3, I pegged this one nearly on the money.  Michigan State had their way with Minnesota.  The Gophers did find some success moving the ball with their passing game, but MSU’s defense was just too good to give up that easily.

Eric: Michigan State 35, Minnesota 7

Computers: Michigan State 36, Minnesota 16 (95%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
Sparty	Sparty	Sparty	Sparty	Sparty	Sparty

Hawaii at #4 Boise State

Final: SISU 42, Hawaii 7

This game was the defintion of the score being “a lot to not much”.  Some of us thought Hawaii might actually be good enough to give the Broncos of SISU a challange.  So much for that.

Eric: Southern Idaho State 45, Hawaii 31

Computers: SISU 47, Hawaii 31 (88.1%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
SISU	SISU	SISU	SISU	SISU	SISU

#21 Baylor at #17 Oklahoma State

Final: TBPU 55, Baylor 28

We got the right team, but we didn’t get quite enough of the “butt-kicking” part.  Picken’s U came charging out of the school building to pound the stuffing out of the new bully on the block.  They didn’t even make it fair.

Seriously guys, it’s not manly to kick a crying kid on the ground.  Aren’t you supposed to be men?

Eric: T. Boone Picken’s U 27, Baylor 20

Computers: TBPU 42, Baylor 34 (71.3%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
TBPU	Bears	TBPU	TBPU	TBPU	Bears

#18 Arkansas at #19 South Carolina

Final: Arkansas 41, South Carolina 20

Arkansas must have been unhappy about something.  They knocked toUSC’s teeth in quickly and simply walked away.  There was almost nothing the Gamecocks could do in this one.

By the way, toUSC.  I know you’re not legally allowed to use the “USC” moniker.  But “Cocks” (link barely SFW, probably shouldn’t risk it) all over your athletic apparal is not going to make you look like the cool kids on the block.

Eric: Arkansas 35, South Carolina 31

Computers: Arkansas 38, South Carolina 36 (53.5%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
Hawgs	Hawgs	toUSC	toUSC	Hawgs	toUSC

#15 Arizona at #13 Stanford

Final: Stanford 42, Arizona 17

This week was, apparently, the week of nothing but horrendous butt-whippings in the Picks for the Weak.  Poor Arizona never even showed up at Stanford.  Stanford put the local high school team in Arizona’s uniforms and shoved them out onto the field to take a beating.

At least, that’s what it looked like to me.

Eric: Stanford 31, Arizona 24

Computers: Stanford 34, Arizona 33 (54.5%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
Trees	Trees	Trees	Trees	Trees	Trees

#6 Alabama at #10 LSU

Final: LSU 24, Alabama 21

Well, Alabama’s hopes of defending their National Title are officially dead and buried.  A two loss team will not make it above an undefeated BCS buster this year.  Not a chance.

And as for LSU.  Can anyone figure these guys out?  They’re a mystery of mysterious proportions!

That and they’re absolutely killing my picking record.

Eric: Alabama 34, LSU 21

Computers: Alabama 27, LSU 18 (79.2%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
Bama	Bama	Bama	Bama	Bama	Bama

#3 Texas Christian at #5 Utah

Final: TCU 47, Utah 7

Well… So… Yeah… I don’t have a lot to say about this.

Thanks for nothing Utes.

Eric: Utah 35, TCU 34

Computers: TCU 33, Utah 26 (72.8%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
Frogs	Frogs	Utes	Frogs	Utes	Frogs

How’d we do?

Do we have to look?

• Eric: 5-5 (60-38 Season)
• Jeff: 7-3 (56-42)
• Mali: 6-4 (66-32)
• Jim: 4-6 (62-36)
• Joe: 7-3 (69-29)
• Jay: 7-3 (68-30)
• Rob: 6-4 (19-11)

Hopefully this weeks slate of games treat us (read “me”) a little better.  Let’s take a look at those, shall we?

Saturday, November 13th

Clemson at Florida State

This should be a fascinating game to watch.  Both teams have duked it out with pretty good teams this year.  Florida State creamed Miami, though you can argue the definition of “pretty good” on the subject of Miami.  Clemson, on the other hand, almost knocked off Auburn long before they were the undeserved #1 team in the nation.

I imagine we’re going to see Florida State secure this victory.  They are growing in leaps and bounds this year and Clemson is no-where near solid enough to beat them.

Eric: Florida State 24, Clemson 10

Computers: Florida State 35, Clemson 30 (66.3%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
–	FSU	FSU	FSU	FSU	FSU

Miami (FL) at Georgia Tech

Miami is quickly earning a distinction for being almost impossible to predict this year.  They’ve played several games much closer than they rightly should have, and completely blew it to a couple of teams they should have kept it close against.

Georgia Tech is having surprisingly little success against the quality of opponents they’re facing this year.  It makes you wonder if Paul Johnson (GT Head Coach) is going to last much longer.

Eric: Miami 27, Georgia Tech 17

Computers: Georgia Tech 29, Miami 28 (51%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
–	Jackets	Canes	Canes	Canes	Jackets

Indiana at #7 Wisconsin

If Wisconsin wants to secure a shot at the Big Ten Title this year, they need to not pull stunts like they did against Purdue last week.  I’m pretty certain they won’t have to worry about it this week.  Indiana likely expended all of their emotions on the last game at Iowa and, frankly, it’s tough to win in Camp Randall.

Eric: Wisconsin 31, Indiana 10

Computers: Wisconsin 42, Indiana 18 (95%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
–	Badgers	Badgers	Badgers	Badgers	Badgers

USC at #18 Arizona

USC has defied a lot of expectations this year.  They remain unranked, having lost a couple games they probably shouldn’t have, but they’ve also kept it close in a couple of games they rightly shouldn’t have either.  They’re at least going bowling with that 6-3 record…

Gotcha.

USC is playing spoiler in every game they play this year, and this week they get a chance to kick Arizona around.  I believe that the Wildcats are going to pull out the victory, coming in to this one angry and at home, but they’re going to have to fight hard for it.

Eric: Wildcats 38, Trojans 28

Computers: Wildcats 30, Trojans 22 (66.3%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
–	Trojans	Trojans	Zona	Zona	Zona

#10 Oklahoma State at Texas

Not a whole lot to say about this one.  TBPU is going to roll in and spank Texas like a two-year old at church.

Eric: T. Boone Picken’s University 42, Texas 14

Computers: TBPU 35, Texas 26 (76.2%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
–	TBPU	TBPU	Horns	TBPU	TBPU

#13 Iowa at Northwestern

After last week, I think neither one of these teams is going to be particularly excited to see a football field again.  Northwestern got manhandled after thinking they were going to take care of the Nits in State Penn.  Iowa, as we discussed much earlier, escaped by the skin of the football.

Dear Indiana, can we practice our catching?  Thanks.

This one is tough to call.  Northwestern is a good enough team to beat the Hawkeyes.  Iowa, also, may very well be looking ahead to their home tilt against the Buckeyes.  However, Ferentz may have run his guys up the flagpole for last week’s close call, and the Hawks will come out fast and furious in this one.

Ultimately it should be a close one early, but Iowa will establish a lead and hold on to it for dear life.

Eric: Iowa 34, Northwestern 20

Computers: Iowa 33, Northwestern 19 (86.1%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
–	Iowa	Iowa	Iowa	Iowa	Iowa

#14 Utah at Notre Dame

This is another game that there really isn’t much to say about.  Utah is going to come into this one hot and angry and ready to eat the Domers alive.  Notre Dame is likely quaking in their boots, being totally unable to play football for the most part this year.  Utah will have their way.

And if they don’t, I’m relegating Utah to the “never picking them again” pile.

Eric: Utah 45, Notre Dame 28

Computers: Utah 35, Notre Dame 20 (36.1%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
–	Utes	Utes	Domers	Utes	Utes

#19 Mississippi State at #12 Alabama

This game almost looks like a reasonable matchup.  Then you realize that the only team with a pulse that Mississippi State has been able to beat is Florida (10-7) and this game takes a whole new light.

Especially after the loss Bama took last week.  They’re going to be out for blood.

Eric: Alabama 28, Mississippi State 13

Computers: Alabama 34, Mississippi State 18, (85.6%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
–	Bama	Bama	Bama	Bama	Bama

#24 Kansas State at #17 Missouri

The only reason anyone cares about this one is because both teams are ranked.  Missouri has suffered two straight losses since their big win over Oklahoma.  Kansas State kicked the stuffing out of Texas and looks like the more competent team at the moment.

The Wildcats will play like it, too.

Eric: Kansas State 30, Missouri 18

Computers: Missouri 32, Kansas State 16 (87.1%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
–	Tigers	Tigers	Tigers	Tigers	Tigers

#23 South Carolina at #22 Florida

Is there a worse ranked team than Florida right now?  They have a 6-3 record and at least two of those wins are almost entirely undeserved.  They’re also up against one of the two teams that beat Alabama – the same Bama team that kicked the stuffing out of the Gators.

This will be a short lived stay in the ranks for the Gators.  They’ll be unranked next week.

Eric: toUSC 35, Florida 20

Computers: toUSC 29, Florida 24 (67.3%)

Jeff	Mali	Jim	Joe	Jay	Rob
–	Cocks	Gators	Gators	Cocks	Cocks

Yahoo Pick ’em Results

We haven’t looked at the results in a while, so here’s the current leaderboard.

1. ckuehn: 125 points (125-102)
2. Not Quite First, brownslovecolt: 123 (123-104)
3. denny, jcaseyii: 117 (117-110)
4. Miller, DC Buckeye, patspacersfan: 115 (115-112)
5. NebraskanBuckeye, Joe’s Winners: 114 (114-113)

Continuing his streak in the lead, ckuehn holds a two point advantage on the next two closest opponents: brownslovecolt and the aptly named Not Quite First.  Should be fun to watch how this unfolds over the last couple weeks!