
Celebrating a great October!!
Well that sucked! You knew one of these weeks MSU's charmed run was going to come to a halt but that was difficult to watch. Still - if you told me at the beginning of the season that MSU would be 8-1 after 9 weeks with wins over ND, UM and Wisconsin - I would have taken it in a heartbeat. Looks like if the Spartans win out (Penn State in Happy Valley on Senior Night concerns me) and Iowa beats OSU
in Kinnock Stadium - then we will be Rose Bowl Bound.
The Big Book of Guesses 2.0 had a great run in October as it went 2-1 for the week and 11-3-1 for the month.
in Kinnock Stadium - then we will be Rose Bowl Bound.
The Big Book of Guesses 2.0 had a great run in October as it went 2-1 for the week and 11-3-1 for the month.
Meanwhile Pete continues his great run in the Spartan Mag pick 'em contest just 3 picks out of first place.
The Week 9 picks went as follows:
Oklahoma -23.5 vs Colorado - Coming off their first loss of the season and with revenge on their minds after a setback to the Buffs last year - the Sooners jumped to a 36-3 lead less than a minute into the third quarter and coasted to a 43-10 win easily covering the 23.5 spread. OK had 635 yds of offense to Colorado's 263 and OK FBS leading home win streak was extended to 35 games while CO has lost 15 straight road games WIN
Clemson -7 @ Boston College - Big whiff here. Even with BC down to 3rd string DB's - Clemson's QB Kyle Parker
was unable to pass. Parker has been a huge disappointment to Clemson fans who expected great things from him after he forwent a career in baseball to play his senior year. Clemson's offense scored only three points, turned it over 3 times and missed 2 FGs. Strangely, Clemson led 10-3 at the end of the 1st quarter only to let up 13 straight to BC to trail 16-10 at the half - and then that was it. There were no points scored in the 2nd half. Final 16-10 LOSS
Miami +2 @ Cincinnati - Miami over came another goofy play and K Dan Carpenter kicked 5 FGs for the second
straight weeks (tying an NFL record) as the Fins won 22-14. Late in the second quarter, Cinn QB Carson Palmer severely underthrew a long pass to Terrell Owens. The ball went right into the arms of safety Mia S Chris Clemons and kept going -- through his arms, off his chest, off his thigh, and off his hand as he fell. The ball ended up in Owens' arms, and he jogged the last few steps, smiling and and preening his bad self as Cinn went up 14-6. That would be the end of the Bengal scoring as Mia went on to score 16 unanswered. WIN
The Point Whore Parlay was close but no cigar as it went 2-1
La Tech +37 @ Boise State - La Tech covered losing 20-49. The game would have been closer but La Tech went for it on 4th down 3 times inside the BSU 10 coming up with zero points WIN
Washington St + 21 @ Arizona State - Ex Wolverine Steven Threet was on fire going 26 for 32, 300 yds and 3TDs. Meanwhile Wazzou rushed for only 8 yds and tuned it over 3 times in a 42-0 blowout LOSS
UL Monroe +16.5 vs Troy- Troy lost in Sun Belt play for the first time since 2008. The last team to beat the Trojans? - ULM. This game was tied 14-14 midway through the 2nd - but the WarHawks pulled away for a huge 28-14 upset.
WIN
A number of moralists…refuse to see anything noble in the passion of the ordinary gambler. They judge gambling as some atheists judge religion, by its excesses.”
- Charles Lamb, Essays of Elia (1832)
The Big Book of Guesses is really feeling it lately and at the risk of being excessive is going to have a couple of bonus MEGA BETS this week.
The Week 10 MEGA BETS are:
Central Florida -1.5 @ Houston - picking the visitors on a Thursday or Friday night contest runs the risk of going
against a jacked up crowd. Houston's 3rd string QB Pliant has played well since starting in week 3 due to injuries but the only time he faced a real defense in Miss St they lost 47-24. CFU has a great defense. Expect to see Houston
jump to an early lead but lose in the end.
Oklahoma -3 @ Texas A&M - I know OK struggles on the road but the only give 3 to an A&M squad whose 4 FBS wins are over La Tech, Fla Intl, Kansas and Texas Tech. Oklahoma still has an outside chance at the national championship with an offense that is humming again. Stoops is going to go for style points in this one
Illinois +3 @ Michigan - When this line came out I was stunned. Illinois is getting points? I expected to have
to give 5-7. Illinois can contain the UM offense. The opposite can not be said. Illinois will win and DickRods "victory" over the NCAA will quickly be yesterday’s news
Missouri -4 @ Texas Tech - I like good teams in bounce back situations. Missouri is coming off a tough loss last week to Nebraska. Their strong defense will hold down the Red Raiders while the putrid TT defense will be rolled by the Tigers.
New England - 4 @ Cleveland - Nothing really stood out this week in the NFL. This line seemed like the best on to go with. Cleveland is a mess right now while New England is quietly playing some good ball and returning to the top of the league.
I don't want to jinx the Spartans but they are in a situation that I like. Bouncing back at home after a tough loss and
in a revenge game from last years upset. 24.5 points is a lot but this is a nice situation. I'll just take a victory though.
For the Point Whore Parlay I'll take:
Washington +35 vs Oregon
Hawaii +21 @ Boise State
New Mexico State +17.5 @ Utah State
The Week 9 picks went as follows:
Oklahoma -23.5 vs Colorado - Coming off their first loss of the season and with revenge on their minds after a setback to the Buffs last year - the Sooners jumped to a 36-3 lead less than a minute into the third quarter and coasted to a 43-10 win easily covering the 23.5 spread. OK had 635 yds of offense to Colorado's 263 and OK FBS leading home win streak was extended to 35 games while CO has lost 15 straight road games WIN
Clemson -7 @ Boston College - Big whiff here. Even with BC down to 3rd string DB's - Clemson's QB Kyle Parker
was unable to pass. Parker has been a huge disappointment to Clemson fans who expected great things from him after he forwent a career in baseball to play his senior year. Clemson's offense scored only three points, turned it over 3 times and missed 2 FGs. Strangely, Clemson led 10-3 at the end of the 1st quarter only to let up 13 straight to BC to trail 16-10 at the half - and then that was it. There were no points scored in the 2nd half. Final 16-10 LOSS
Miami +2 @ Cincinnati - Miami over came another goofy play and K Dan Carpenter kicked 5 FGs for the second
straight weeks (tying an NFL record) as the Fins won 22-14. Late in the second quarter, Cinn QB Carson Palmer severely underthrew a long pass to Terrell Owens. The ball went right into the arms of safety Mia S Chris Clemons and kept going -- through his arms, off his chest, off his thigh, and off his hand as he fell. The ball ended up in Owens' arms, and he jogged the last few steps, smiling and and preening his bad self as Cinn went up 14-6. That would be the end of the Bengal scoring as Mia went on to score 16 unanswered. WIN
The Point Whore Parlay was close but no cigar as it went 2-1
La Tech +37 @ Boise State - La Tech covered losing 20-49. The game would have been closer but La Tech went for it on 4th down 3 times inside the BSU 10 coming up with zero points WIN
Washington St + 21 @ Arizona State - Ex Wolverine Steven Threet was on fire going 26 for 32, 300 yds and 3TDs. Meanwhile Wazzou rushed for only 8 yds and tuned it over 3 times in a 42-0 blowout LOSS
UL Monroe +16.5 vs Troy- Troy lost in Sun Belt play for the first time since 2008. The last team to beat the Trojans? - ULM. This game was tied 14-14 midway through the 2nd - but the WarHawks pulled away for a huge 28-14 upset.
WIN
A number of moralists…refuse to see anything noble in the passion of the ordinary gambler. They judge gambling as some atheists judge religion, by its excesses.”
- Charles Lamb, Essays of Elia (1832)
The Big Book of Guesses is really feeling it lately and at the risk of being excessive is going to have a couple of bonus MEGA BETS this week.
The Week 10 MEGA BETS are:
Central Florida -1.5 @ Houston - picking the visitors on a Thursday or Friday night contest runs the risk of going
against a jacked up crowd. Houston's 3rd string QB Pliant has played well since starting in week 3 due to injuries but the only time he faced a real defense in Miss St they lost 47-24. CFU has a great defense. Expect to see Houston
jump to an early lead but lose in the end.
Oklahoma -3 @ Texas A&M - I know OK struggles on the road but the only give 3 to an A&M squad whose 4 FBS wins are over La Tech, Fla Intl, Kansas and Texas Tech. Oklahoma still has an outside chance at the national championship with an offense that is humming again. Stoops is going to go for style points in this one
Illinois +3 @ Michigan - When this line came out I was stunned. Illinois is getting points? I expected to have
to give 5-7. Illinois can contain the UM offense. The opposite can not be said. Illinois will win and DickRods "victory" over the NCAA will quickly be yesterday’s news
Missouri -4 @ Texas Tech - I like good teams in bounce back situations. Missouri is coming off a tough loss last week to Nebraska. Their strong defense will hold down the Red Raiders while the putrid TT defense will be rolled by the Tigers.
New England - 4 @ Cleveland - Nothing really stood out this week in the NFL. This line seemed like the best on to go with. Cleveland is a mess right now while New England is quietly playing some good ball and returning to the top of the league.
I don't want to jinx the Spartans but they are in a situation that I like. Bouncing back at home after a tough loss and
in a revenge game from last years upset. 24.5 points is a lot but this is a nice situation. I'll just take a victory though.
For the Point Whore Parlay I'll take:
Washington +35 vs Oregon
Hawaii +21 @ Boise State
New Mexico State +17.5 @ Utah State