Back with another installment of college football predictions.
But before I start with the real teams, I’d like to give a shoutout to my alma mater. It’s not often that I get to brag to outsiders about a place mostly known for its disturbing conservatism and a murder-suicide scandal that was eventually made into a Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode. (I went there because I thought it was less conservative, more libertarian, yadda, yadda…)
Anyhow, the news is this: Hillsdale College beat No. 1 Grand Valley State University for the first time in 15 years. GVSU hadn’t lost a GLIAC game since 2004. Basically, they were unstoppable. But we beat them. Because we are awesome. Props to you, Charger football team, props to you!
Alright, now, onto the real football picks.
Last week: 17-4 (also had a few non-picks, including Illinois-MSU)
Big East
They’re playing games this week on Thursday AND Friday. They REALLY need viewers, don’t they?
No. 8 Cincinnati (5-0) at No. 21 South Florida (5-0) (Thursday, 7:30/ 6:30c
OK, this looks like it will actually be a good game. The Bearcats intrigue me. I will choose them if only because on the highlights I see, they look like they’re on a roll.
Pittsburgh (5-1) at Rutgers (4-1), Friday 8/ 7c
This is why I hate the Big East for football. They’re seriously going to play this game on a Friday? Who plays on Friday if you aren’t in high school? Why will anyone watch this, and do they think people in their own viewing area will even care? Pitt, I guess.
Louisville (2-3) at Connecticut (3-2), 12/ 11c
In the Big East, nearly every game would be better indoors in the winter. This one is no exception. I’ll keep that in mind when making my picks from now on, and go with Louisville, just ’cause.
Marshall (4-2)at West Virginia (4-1), 3:30/ 2:30c
Does anyone else find it weird, looking back, that Randy Moss went to Marshall? He seems more like a Miami or USC kinda guy. A bigtime guy. Just an observation. I’ll go with the Herd, just for the hell of it.
Big 12
No. 20 Oklahoma (3-2) vs. No. 3 Texas (5-0), noon/ 11c
My colleague says this: “Can we really live in a world in which an Oklahoma team with a Heisman-winning quarterback is unranked?” God, I hope so. I’ll go directly against him and say UT wins big.
Texas Tech (4-2) at No. 15 Nebraska (4-1), 3:30/ 2:30 c
If the Huskers can best Tech, I think we can call them back for good. Can we? Let’s hope. No more Texas dominance. Go Blackshirts.
No. 17 Kansas (5-0) at Colorado (1-4), 7/ 6 c
Remember when CU was a feared football school? Remember when KU was a laughingstock unless you were on the court? This is almost a joyless exercise. Rock Chalk, again.
Baylor (3-2) at Iowa State (3-3), 7/ 6c
Iowa State maybe isn’t as bad as I thought, they almost beat KU. Either that or the Jayhawks just happen to be the best team in a weak division. OK, yeah, nevermind. Baylor.
Texas A&M (3-2) at Kansas State (3-2), 7/ 6c
I will keep picking against K-State until they stop wearing purple. Sorry, Gogol Bordello, but that color just makes K-State look even worse than they are.
Missouri (4-1) at No. 16 Oklahoma State (4-1), 9:15/ 8:15c
Man, does Mizzou get screwed when it comes to scheduling. They’ve played on a Thursday, on a Friday, and now this. 9:15 p.m. eastern? Just who do they think is going to watch this at 9:15 p.m. eastern? Many Mizzou or OK State fans on the east coast? Whatever. We know Mizzou isn’t nearly as good as maybe they should be— that Nebraska loss was embarrassing. But I’m still not convinced about the Cowboys, either. I’d say it’s a wash and pick OK State, barely.
Big 10
Iowa is awesome. I can forgive them their near eff-up against Northern Iowa after seeing that defense against legit teams. My preemptive Big 10 champions. Screw OSU.
No. 7 Ohio State (5-1) at Purdue (1-5), noon/ 11c
I did not realize how bad Purdue was.
No. 11 Iowa (6-0) at Wisconsin (5-1), noon/ 11c
Part 2 of Iowa’s four-part road test. They already won in State College, they have to prove themselves in Madison, East Lansing AND Columbus. I say they do it, I love that defense.
Northwestern (4-2) at Michigan State (3-3), noon/ 11c
Maybe Sparty is back at respectability. They should have been better this year. Guess not. I’ll go with them though.
Delaware State (1-3) at Michigan (4-2), noon/ 11c
You have GOT to be kidding me. Rich Rod cannot be serious here. Can we please get them to lose to a D-IAA school again? Probabaly won’t happen, but God I want it to.
Minnesota (4-2) at No. 14 Penn State (5-1), 3:30/ 2:30c
Penn State. I don’t care.
Illinois (1-4) at Indiana (3-3), 7/ 6c
Juice Williams was supposed to be the “it” QB of the Big 10, wasn’t he? What a tool. Hoosiers.
Independents
Army (3-3) at Temple, 1/ noon c
Big win for the cadets last week against Vandy. They can beat Temple.
No. 6 USC (4-1) at No. 25 Notre Dame (4-1), 3:30/ 2:30c
There are two and only two possible scenarios for this game: 1) USC scores four touchdowns in the first quarter and it is a boring blowout; 2) Notre Dame stays tough the whole time and takes it to overtime for a controversial win. There is no third option. That said, I hope it is choice No. 2 because if not my dd is going to be miserable, and I don’t want to have to deal with that.
Navy (4-2) at Southern Methodist (3-2), 8/ 7c
Don’t these teams play every year? I don’t even know. I’ll pick Navy.
MAC
Eh, not today.
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Comments
Philosophical question: If Hillsdale & Grand Valley play a football game and no one cares, does it really count?
Things exist outside the bubble.
Halftime: OU 6, UT 3. OU is w/o Bradford and Gresham and both Murray and their All-Big XII left tackle have missed time this game. UT should be murdering them. But OU’s defense looks amazing. And like I said, UT IS OVERRATED!
I didn’t get to watch a single minute, unfortunately. But I kinda hate both teams equally so I would have been fine either way.