Fab 4 picks
We started quickly last week and stumbled to the finish line. Notre Dame and Central Michigan won early. Oklahoma got cancelled, the Egg Bowl left us on the bad sides of the spread and the total.
The there was quite possibly the worst pick I’ve made – maybe ever – with the under 56.5 in the Oklahoma State-Texas Tech game. The final – OSU winning 50-44 – was the complete opposite of a bad beat.
So it goes.
Now maybe the craziest thing in the craziest of seasons comes some more craziness.
Oddness part 1: LSU is the worst reigning national champ ever and is catching right at 30, making the Tigers the largest underdog for a defending national champion ever. And does anyone see any way to back the Tigers, who got routed by an Auburn team that could not stay on the field with this Alabama bunch?
Oddness part 2: Texas Tech just surrendered 50 points and is now a 23-point favorite. Ah, Kansas. Of teams that have played more than four games, the two surest things in college football has been Indiana, which is 6-0 against the spread and Les Miles’ Fightin’ Hawks, who are bagel-and-eight against the number.
Ultimate oddness: The Akron Arths, coached by buddy and former UTC coach Tom Arth are back in action this week. Akron is 0-16 since Coach Arth went back to Ohio, and the Zips are 2-14 against the number in those games. Yes, that’s crazy. Now know this: Akron is a 2.5 favorite this week over Bowling Green.
To the picks, because pickers gotta pick, right? (To that end, here’s my favorite Alabama song – My Home’s in Alabama – which reminds me of a fun story, and who doesn’t have time for a fun story right? The Mrs. and I got hitched in Eclectic, Ala., on Lake Martin. So we needed to get a marriage license in The Yellowhammer State. So we went to Fort Payne, the home of the Alabama crew. We filled out the paperwork and got to one of the final questions: “Are you related?” Of course that gave us pause, and a giggle, but apparently that did not void a marriage license, because the next question after “Are you related?” with Yes and No boxes was, “If so, how?” So there’s that.)
Let’s pick
I will ride with Alabama minus-29 and Texas Tech over Kansas and lay the 23. And to make it interesting – because who other than family members could watch Akron-Bowling Green without a little action on it – I’m backing Akron and laying the field goal. War Arths, and yes, it’s a heart pick, but this year, the head picks are not exactly rolling, you know?
Purdue-Nebraska over 61. Two offensive coaches and two disinterested defenses hmmmmmm. Points, friends. Lots and lots of points.
Indiana plus-14.5 against Wisconsin and under 46.5. This is a Tom Allen pick, because yes, even without star QB Michael Pennix, the Hoosiers are inspired and capable.
Kansas State plus-8 over Texas. The Longhorns had their season goals crushed last week with some terrible coaching decisions from Tom Herman and are out of the Big 12 title chase. There have been whispers about Herman’s hot seat and whether Urban Meyer is headed to Austin.
Oklahoma State minus-2.5 over TCU. Yes, the Gundys burned me last week, in some parts because I was unaware of some of the State players returning from injuries.
Last week: 2-3 against the spread (40 percent)
This season: 29-31 against the spread (48.3 percent)
Speaking of wagering
OK, we offered the conversation earlier this week about résumé and roster in terms of college football positioning.
We can all look at the stats. Records matter, and they should. The number of games will matter for THE Ohio State, and it should.
That said, the news that Barry Alvarez is now saying THE Big Ten should look at ways to help THE Ohio State get enough games to get into THE playoff makes a lot of sense.