Nate starts the season up one game with his astute upset pick (we both whiffed on WVU). I had to text Nate my pick for the BYU SMU matchup, since I’m writing this during the second quarter of said game. BYU just trotted out old number 7 for a fourth and short; he looks like a Christmas ham with arms. Or maybe a side of beef. Whatever. Large. Meaty. Well, nevermind, there was a timeout and they wound up using the regular back instead, and he got stuffed like a turkey. Ok, enough with the food analogies. On to the picks:
Arizona vs N. Arizona
Another FCS school. Yawn. Arizona 49-10.
Arizona State vs Mississippi St.
Mississippi St. seems lost since they lost the pirate. I think the Sun Devils handle this one just fine 35-20
BYU vs SMU
I was tempted to pick an upset here after the trouble BYU gave the Pokes late last year, but their record was otherwise abysmal. I’m now somewhat regretting this, but SMU 35-24.
Baylor at Utah (Non-Conference game!)
In a strange wrinkle of scheduling, this game that was set years ago is a non conference game against a conference foe. The Baylor Bad News Bears have been on a two year skid. Paying guys or not, Dave Aranda’s chair’s getting a bit warm these days. I’m not buying near as much of the Utah hype as the average ESPN prognosticator, but they’re a solid tran who should handle this one just fine. Utes 38-24
Cincinnati vs Pitt
This one is odd. ESPN’s FPI favors Pitt, while Vegas has Cincy as a slight favorite. Given that FPI is largely based of recruiting “rankings,” I’m going to take the Bearcats here at home 31-24
Colorado at Nebraska
Nebraska is lightly favored here, but this is a tough one. I know that Colorado is essentially three generational football talents surrounded by a bunch of thrown together mediocre hired guns, but Ole Nebby ain’t much these days, and I figure after last week’s scare against NDST, the Buffs will be out for some sort of redemption/revenge/whatever in the court of public opinion.
Colorado 35-21
Iowa St at Iowa
I’m no fan of the Hawkeyes, but their penchant for defense and punting, coupled with the home field advantage and the Cyclones’ recent mediocrity (not to mention their record in this early season rivalry) makes this easier. Iowa 17-13.
Kansas at Illinois
I hear that Bielema is slowly improving the Illini, but Kansas is a solid football team and should roll here. Jayhawks 38-21
Kansas State at Tulane
Tulane was solid last year, but just lost their coach. The Snydercats should be able to run that Viking Warrior of a QB at will. Could be tight, though. Cats 28-17
Oklahoma State vs Arkansas
Given that the hogs are riding the hype train all because they beat the Widowed Sisters of the Poor last week, and that the Pokes looked as good as they have in a long time in a season opener, I think the Pokes have the edge. Arkansas’s size up front is a concern as well as OkState’s penchant for giving up big plays in the secondary, but I think Ollie G and Co. hit their stride. Cowboys 31-24.
TCU vs Long Island
Snore. TCU 66-3.
Tech at Washington State
This is a tricky one. Tech is bad, but what sort of player signs up to play for a team without a conference? This is a tossup, so I’ll have to go home team here. (That said, boy Tech looked bad last week. Hrmm.) Wazzou 49-35.
UCF vs Sam Houston
Snooze. Astronauts 42, Sam Houston Institute of Technology, 10.
Houston at OU
I hate this, but OU 35-17.
West Virginia vs Albany
Well, since they disappointed me last week by doing every possible dipshit thing to lose last week, the mountaineers better deliver against the New Yawkers. WVU 45-10.