Fab 4 picks
This week we are embracing history. There are a couple of games out there in which teams are playing their first game against teams that have already played. We normally prefer that scenario and give credence to having a game under your belt.
Let’s roll, and remember, these are for your entertainment only.
Indiana minus-3 over Virginia. We think the Hoosiers are legit on offense. They threw it for more than 400 yards against THE Ohio State last Thursday. Virginia does not have anywhere close to the defensive athletes that THE Ohio State does. Buy the half as insurance, but we believe there are a couple of teams that could be frequent visitors around these picks, and the Hoosiers could be among them.
Fresno State plus-43.5 over Alabama. Alabama has played Power Five foes in openers six times under Nick Saban. They have won all six and covered all six times. In those six seasons, Alabama has played a non-Power Five opponent the following week, won all six and failed to cover the spread in all six. Do we think Fresno State wins? Of course not. But one trash touchdown would be huge and in truth, even if the Tide pitches a shutout, we can see Saban taking the air out of it and winning 38-0.
Auburn-Clemson under 54. This is the first start of this magnitude for each quarterback. That matters. This is a match-up of two terrific front sevens. That matters. It will be loud, with monster stakes and will have a huge impact on the national perception of the ACC and the national championship chase. SEC teams notched wins over FSU, N.C. State and Georgia Tech in the opening weekend. We’re not sure the SEC Tigers have enough – especially with running back Kerryon Johnson’s status unknown – to pull the road upset, but barring overtime, this will be a game played in the 20s. Or lower. And that screams under.
Oklahoma State minus-28 over South Alabama. Mike Gundy has loved hammering non-conference foes. The beatings will go on this weekend.
Boston College-Wake Forest under 46. Not unlike trusting the Alabama trend in week two, there’s a lot of history to like in this pick. These teams have played every year as conference foes, and the average points scored in this game combined since 2009 is 33 and change. The last time it went over this total was 2009, and they needed overtime to do it.
Last week: 4-1 against the spread. Season: 4-1 against the spread
Georgia true freshman quarterback Jake Fromm completed 10 of 15 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown last Saturday in a 31-10 win over Appalachian State.SEC items of interest
All things considered, the SEC fared quite well in the opening weekend. The league went 12-2 on the opening weekend, but the two losses – a narrow escape from UT – got a ton of attention.
As for what’s ahead, well, here we go:
First down. Tigers tussle. Auburn goes to Clemson in what is the second-biggest game of the weekend. Yes, Ohio State-Oklahoma is bigger, since each is ranked in the top five. But the Tigers-Tigers tango in Clemson is, according to the computer gurus, is the toughest test the hosts will face for the rest of the season since FSU lost its quarterback. So there you go. A springboard for either, and what could be the final shot to deny the defending champs a perfect regular season.
Second down. Welcome to the party, young gun. Georgia freshman Jake Fromm will make his first start under the watchful eyes of Touchdown Jesus at Notre Dame. Filling in for Jacob Eason, who hurt his knee last week against App State and will be out indefinitely, Fromm threw for 143 yards last week. He made some plays and was not overwhelmed by the moment. But that moment was at home. This is at Notre Dame in prime time and national TV. How he handles the moment will determine the outcome and could very well determine whether he’s a fill-in or full-timer.
Third down. Arkansas welcomes TCU to Fayetteville this weekend. Yes, the teams who opened against some lesser foes are playing the bigger games of week two. Arkansas fits into that category. The Razorbacks beat TCU in two overtimes last year, and let’s be honest the state of Texas had a brutal opening weekend. The Big 12 has two big games this week in terms of national perception. The Sooners and the Buckeyes and this one. Look out for the Frogs. This has one of those Gary Patterson-does-something-impressive feel.
Fourth down. Bounce back time. The opening week was bonkers, people. Bonkers. Now comes some cupcakes to gobble and concerns to gauge. The jeers in College Station are loud. The Turnover Trash Can in Knoxville is real. The linebacker depth in Tuscaloosa is a concern. The defense in Nashville is tough. The receiving talent in Oxford is impressive. The questions in Lexington are still there. Addressing and maximizing the details are why these college coaches are paid outrageous sums of money.
FILE – In this Aug. 10, 2017, file photo, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) leads his team onto the field during an NFL preseason football game, in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots moved into elite company with their fifth Super Bowl title last season, joining the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers at five Lombardi trophies each. New England lost a few pieces from their 2016 championship run, but return with a mostly intact lineup, led by what seems like an ageless quarterback in Tom Brady, even at 40 years old. . It makes them to odds on favorite to tie the Pittsburgh Steelers and their record six Super Bowl crowns. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm, File) NFL opens tonight
The Patriots welcome the Chiefs tonight to open the NFL season.
It’s a welcome welcoming, considering that the league needs games to keep the headlines off of protests and Ezekiel Elliott and all the other noise. With that, here are out picks:
AFC East – Patriots
AFC North – Steelers
AFC South – Texans
AFC West – Raiders
Wildcards: Titans, Chargers
NFC East – Cowboys
NFC North – Packers
NFC South – Panthers
NFC West – Seahawks
Wildcards: Falcons, Giants
Seahawks over Patriots to win the title.
MVP – Aaron Rodgers
Coach of the year – Pete Carroll
Rookie of the year – DeShaun Watson
Thoughts?
This and that
– The story with Michael Bennett and the Las Vegas police is not good. At all.
– Man, the American females at the U.S. Open are rolling. That said, losing Federer from the draw will lose a lot of viewers.
– Myles Garrett has a high ankle sprain. The No. 1 overall pick will miss several weeks, and the Browns continue to be the Browns.
– Will Cain, the former-lawyer-turned-ESPN-personality, is putting out on social media that he expects Elliott’s temporary restraining order to be granted. The Cowboys running back will get to play as long the order is in place.
Today’s question
Mailbag questions, folks. ASAP.
Easy E would have been 53 today.
Kevin Love is 29 today.
Corbin Bernsen – aka Roger Dorn – is 63 today.
The Lil 5-at-10 is 10 today.
Let’s go there. Rushmore of 10.
Go, and enjoy the day.