Results for the Weak: Week 2

That was quite a weekend of football.  Let’s just say James Madison over Virginia Tech and leave it at that.  I’m sure the Hokies fans are none too happy about it, but when you’re an emasculated turkey there’s not much you’re allowed to say.  I should also give a shout out to my cousin who is a Freshman member of the JMU Marching Royal Dukes.  Hope you all enjoyed the game!

In fact, the entire ACC essentially proved that it was an utter failure of a conference.  Four ACC teams played major non-conference opponents (Mac snacks don’t count) – all 4 lost.  GT to Kansas, Miami to OSU, Virginia to USC, and Florida State to Oklahoma.  Ouch.

Well, as funny as that is, those weren’t the only games worth discussing this week.  Lets go ahead and look at the ones we picked.

Thursday, September 9th

#22 Auburn at Mississippi State

Eric: Mississippi State 21, Auburn 17

Computers: Auburn 36, MSU 19 (91.2%)

Final: Auburn 17, Miss St. 14

Once again, just as last week, I picked the winners score correctly but failed with the losers score.  Mississippi State was 1 drive (and a missed catch from #9) away from making this prediction come perfectly true for me.  Auburn is clearly not the threat to play for the SEC championship that ESPN would like you to believe.

Friday, September 10th

#23 West Virginia at Marshall

Eric: West Virginia 31, Marshall 14

Computers: West Virginia 33, Marshall 22 (86%)

Final: West Virginia 24, Marshall 21

Marshall gave West Virginia everything they could handle in this one and the Mountaineers should be thankful that they escaped this one with a win.  It’s very hard to tell if this is a sign that Marshall is a legit football team, or if they just had a great gameplan dialed up for WVU with their insider information.  Either way, West Virginia is not a good team right now, with two games that were much closer than they rightly should have been (recall that they were up 10-0 in the 3rd quarter against Coastal Carolina and almost fumbled the ball away).

Saturday, September 11th

#19 Penn State at #1 Alabama

Eric: Alabama 23, Penn State 17

Computers: Alabama 30, Penn State 14 (82.5%)

Final: Alabama 24, Penn State 3

Well, that was as close to a shellacking as it can come.  I’m not yet sold on the idea that Alabama is unstoppable yet since they haven’t really been challenged to date this year.

No Penn State, you were not a challenge in this one.  When your linebackers can’t find their head enough to even touch Alabama’s runningback Richardson each time he plowed ahead for 10 yards, that’s a sad and pathetic statement on your claim to being “Linebacker U”.

I must admit though, if Penn State had scored a touchdown after the long fumble play that brought them from the ‘Bama 10 all the way back to their own 2 or 3, that may have been the longest drive in college football history.

#13 Miami at #2 Ohio State

Eric: Ohio State 27, Miami 20

Computers: Ohio State 34, Miami 26 (70.2%)

Final: Ohio State 36, Miami 24.

Wow, the Computers almost had this one spot on.  Although, without the special teams gaffes, the Buckeyes seriously blow Miami out of the water in this one.  Ohio State’s defense has given up exactly 10 points in 2 games so far this season, and only 1 touchdown.  Unfortunately the special teams have given up 21 points – amusingly in 3 completely different ways.

If the Buckeyes can figure out the special teams issues, they are going to be extremely tough to beat this season.

#20 Florida State at #7 Oklahoma

Eric: Florida State 38, Oklahoma 28

Computers: Florida State 39, Oklahoma 38 (61.4%)

Final: Oklahoma 47, FSU 17

Yea, so, I don’t know what I was thinking on this one.  I definitely thought Florida State had a chance in this one, but I didn’t take into account the fact that the ACC was basically going to commit suicide on the field this weekend.  Oklahoma walks away from this one looking far better than they actually are.

#11 Oregon at Tennessee

Eric: Oregon 35, Tennessee 17

Computers: Oregon 33, Tennessee 19 (86%)

Final: Oregon 48, Tennessee 13

Oh my.  Well, it was a game for the first half.  Then Oregon remembered that they were playing football rather than patty-cake and ran away with it.  Derek Dooley’s got a lot of work to do down in Knoxville.

#23 Georgia at South Carolina

Eric: toUSC 42, Georgia 31

Computers: Georgia 30, toUSC 28 (63.2%)

Final: toUSC 17, UGA 6

South Carolina runningback Lattimore is an absolute monster and personally owned Georgia in this game.  South Carolina may actually have a team capable of winning the SEC championship this year, assuming their defense continues to play at this level as well.

Stanford at UCLA

Eric: Stanford 24, UCLA 14

Computers: Stanford 34, UCLA 33 (56.1%)

Final: Stanford 35, UCLA 0

Either Stanford is a whole heck of a lot better than we gave them credit for, or Rick Neuheisal is in serious trouble.  For now, I’m going to tentatively go with the first and keep my eye on the second.  If this season continues like this for Neuheisal, UCLA may be looking for a new coach come December.

Michigan at Notre Dame

Eric: Notre Dame 27, Michigan 21

Computers: Notre Dame 36, Michigan 28 (66.7%)

Final: Michigan 28, Notre Dame 24

Jay beats us all on this one.  Once again we got caught drinking the non-maize-and-blue cool-aide.  Denard Robinson is currently running rampant all over the field whenever he wants to.  Notre Dame got themselves into a big hole, going down 21-7 early in the game, but worked hard to grab the lead again.  Unfortunately their defense essentially gave up and gave Michigan the ball game.

South Florida at Florida

Eric: South Florida 24, Florida 17

Computers: Florida 39, South Florida 21

Final: Florida 38, South Florida 14

Don’t ask.  Just don’t ask.  South Florida put up a fight for the first half, and then Florida went into the half, got into their jerseys after letting the fans play the first half, and promptly put on a clinic against USF.  I swear Florida will get exposed one of these weeks, but perhaps this was a little early to be calling for it.

So how’d we do?

• Eric: 6-4 (10-9 season)
• Jeff: 8-2 (11-8)
• Mali: 7-3 (12-7)
• Jim: 8-2 (14-5)
• Joe: 7-3 (12-7)
• Jay: 7-3 (14-5)

Jim and Jeff are your weekly winners this week with their 8-2 records.  Congrats guys!

As for the yahoo pick ’em, I will update the standings later today, as soon as Yahoo Sports gets around to it themselves.

See you later this week for another round of prognosticating action!