Before we get started, and I have not really heard this discussed much, there's a narrative that has been undersold in the aftermath of the Miami-Duke debacle.
You know the Miami-Duke debacle, in which the Hurricanes used eight laterals, four blown calls, three missed reviews, two missed personal fouls and a partridge in a pear tree to win 30-27 on a walk-off kick return.
Yes, that one.
Well, the discussion this week turned to whether the game should have been overturned and if Duke should have been given the win.
At its core, reversing field ex post facto is against almost everything in sports. Yes, even more than mistakes - by coaches, players or even referees - costing a team a win. But in modern sports, a time when legal and illegal gambling is such a part of the fabric of the games, overturning an on-the-field result more than 12 hours later is a complete and total impossibility.
As for our picks, last week only that Atlantic Coast Conference officiating crew had a better showing, and we ignored what-we-know bets. We talked all week about Tennessee starting its sprint to the finish, and to be fair, if any of us had known that Faton Bauta was going to be Georgia's QB1 against Florida, well, that would have made a difference.
Still, we made our picks and won two of seven - losing an over/under of 60 when the teams scored 59 and having two backdoor covers.
So it goes, and the way to have some fun again is to hunt that entertainment.
Florida-Vanderbilt under the 38.5. Two good defenses. Vandy's offense is involved. That's more than enough. Sometimes we overthink this, you know? In fact, as long as the total of any Vandy game involving two FBS teams is 38 or higher, we'll take the under on principle.
BYU minus-13 over San Jose State. The Cougars are a personal favorite of the picks, going 6-2 against the spread this year. That's like Will Ferrell movies. Are they going to win the big awards? Nope, but you have a quality feeling that in the end you will be entertained. And that's more than enough.
Tulsa minus-14 against Central Florida. Get on this game as soon as possible and buy the half at 14. The line started at 10 on Monday, it was at 14 Thursday morning and likely will get closer to 20 by kickoff. First, Tulsa is not terrible, and while that's not a ringing endorsement, it's downright glowing compared to this: Central Florida is the second-worst team in the country behind North Texas. Now know that UCF is 0-9 overall, 1-8 against the spread, lost its coach two weeks ago, is playing for the 10th consecutive week and is on the road.
Navy plus-8 at Memphis. We normally tend to shy away from underdogs, but this one feels sneaky close. Navy is mature, and with Keenan Reynolds and that unique offense, the Midshipmen are a matchup nightmare for a Memphis team that a) had only a week to prepare, b) has listened to how great it is and how cool it is for the Tigers to be No. 13 in the first playoff rankings of the season and c) have a monster date with Houston next week.
Marshall plus-3 over Middle Tennessee State. Yes, this one strains all too-good-to-be-true scenarios, but we're going to risk it. (The line of Utah getting points at Washington, however, screams run and hide.) We're OK buying the half here, too, but 7-1 Marshall is simply better than 3-5 MTSU. Period.
Michigan State minus-5 over Nebraska. Yes, another line that seems puzzling, but remember that Nebraska is still a little bit of a national name among casual entertainment seekers who still associate the Cornhuskers with power running and a great home-field environment. This Nebraska team is neither of those, and here's betting Spartans coach Mark D'Antonio has spent more than a little time this week reminding his players they have work to do to get into the top of the playoff rankings.
Last week against the spread: 2-5 (28.6 percent, which is only entertaining to your local entertainment broker).
This season against the spread: 32-24 (57.1 percent, which is still entertaining, but not as entertaining as 60 percent).
SEC Items of Interest
1. LSU-Alabama big-boy football. There is so much talent on the field when these two teams meet, it feels like an NFL matchup. Among those that are the most interesting, let's draw two tight circles when the LSU offense faces the Alabama defense. First, we'll go with Leonard Fournette, easily the best player in the country through the first two months, against an Alabama defensive line filled with guys who will chase Fournette on Saturday and for many Sundays to come at the next level. Secondly, the LSU wide receivers - Trey Quinn, Malachi Dupree and a slew of high-profile athletes - will need to make plays against the Bama secondary in several years. Good times.
2. Tennessee rolls. The Vols were going to be one of our picks, but the line is soaring. It reached 17 Thursday morning - and if you also believe UT is going to drum South Carolina, well, make the call now, because it will only go higher - and that makes for tense moments in an already decided game. More than the final score, though, we're excited to see how Tennessee handles its business as a three-score favorite.
3. Georgia's response for Richt. Mark Richt has come under more fire this week than at any previous time in his record-setting 15 seasons in Athens. When the chair under a coach's fanny moves beyond warm - because let's face it, other than teams ranked in the top 20, every coach's seat is at least a little bit warm - how a team responds speaks volumes about how its coach is valued in the locker room. And if the Bulldogs lay down against Kentucky, well, the noise from the Georgia fan base will be staggering.
4. Would anything surprise you in the Auburn-Texas A&M matchup? This series has been as wild as any in the Southeastern Conference in recent memory. There was Nick Marshall running wild in College Station two years ago. Last year the Aggies won when Auburn couldn't snap the football. Anything is possible here. (Side note: Despite all the disappointments for an Auburn team projected to be among the best in the country, the Tigers are some missed red-zone chances in three of their four losses from having a completely different narrative.)
5. Ole Miss controlling its destiny. The Rebels get a date with Arkansas knowing two motivating things. First, the Razorbacks trounced them last year. Second, Ole Miss controls the fate of the SEC West. Period. Let all the noise and distraction around the LSU-Alabama game ring from the rooftops. The road to Atlanta rolls through Oxford, Miss.
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6343. Follow him at Twitter.com/jgreesontfp.