Championship Week! Time for some picks. Lets start with tonights PAC-12 Championship: 1. #7 Arizona (+15) at #2 Oregon It is very difficult to beat the same team twice in one season. In the past two years, Arizona has owned the Ducks, going 2-0 against them. The Wildcats are a two-touchdown underdog against Oregon. This should be a great game. Earlier this season, Arizona was a similar underdog and ended up winning outright. Can they pull this off twice? I think they can! At the very least, 15 points is a lot of ground to give up for the Ducks who are playing great football right now. But Rich Rod knows how to beat these guys. And hes had a seasons worth of video footage to study how to beat them again. Take Arizona and the points in a college football playoff-shattering upset! Arizona 41, Oregon, 38 2. Louisiana Tech at Marshall (-11) Marshall is coming off a devastating loss that ended Cinderellas hopes of a major bowl bid. Look for them to bounce back and big. While they dont have as much to play for as before, theyll be looking to take out their frustrations. La Tech is just gonna be in the way. Marshall wins this easily. Take Marshall and lay the points. Marshall 44, Louisiana Tech 14 3. Iowa State (+34) at #3 TCU God, 34 points is an awful lot of cover. I think this game will be decided early, I think the outcome will never be in doubt, but I dont know that TCU will beat the daylights out of Iowa State. I could be wrong - Gary Patterson might well try to earn some style points and justify TCUs lofty (and DESERVEDLY SO) ranking. But I think the Cyclones will make a late push in garbage time to get within the spread. Take Iowa State and the points but dont look for anything other than a three- or four-touchdown loss. ROLL TOAD! TCU 58, Iowa State 31 4. #1 Alabama at #15 Missouri (+14.5) Whats with all these championship games having such lopsided lines? Im not sure I can see Mizzou losing by more than two touchdowns to the Tide. Alabama is playing the best theyve played all year right now, and Missouri has shown moments of utter brain fartedness (I know thats not a word, but it applies). Still, its a championship game. The Tigers will be looking to make a good showing on a national stage, especially considering the way theyve been embarrassed by the likes of Indiana this season. Alabama will win this game, unfortunately, but Missouri will make it a close one throughout. Take Missouri and the points. Alabama 31, Missouri 27 5. #9 Kansas State (+8) at #6 Baylor Sorry, Bear fans, but Im picking an outright upset here. Baylor has hired a PR firm to lobby for their inclusion over TCU in the CFP. Maybe they should worry about beating the 9th best team in the nation first. Kansas State is no way a pushover. The Wildcats should walk into Waco loaded for Bear. Bryce Petty might still be feeling the effects of last weeks concussion, and K-States QB Jake Waters has been playing well lately. Look for KSU to take the ball straight to Baylors defense and run over the Bears. I think Kansas State will beat up Baylor in the trenches and should leave Waco happy. Take Kansas State and the keep the points in your pocket for later. Kansas State 27, Baylor 20 6. #4 Florida State (-4.5) at #11 Georgia Tech Sigh. I frigging HATE doing this. My hatred and contempt for Florida State is well-documented and runs very deep indeed. And as sure as Im doing this right now, Florida State will FINALLY get their just desserts. If I get this one wrong, Ill be incredibly happy. Therefore, I am picking ... ugh, I cant even say it ... the Seminoles to cover the spread. I know, I know, theyve let lesser teams than Ga Tech hang around, but theyve also won 28 in a row. In my heart of hearts, I think the rapist will find a way to pull this game out at the last moment and cover the spread. Take Florida State and lay the points. (I think I just threw up in my mouth) Florida State 31, Georgia Tech 21 7. #13 Wisconsin at #5 Ohio State (+4) I know full well why this line is what it is. J.T. Barrett is out, and Ohio State is down to its third-string quarterback, Cardale something or other. Still, as good as Barrett was this year (and he was off the charts good!), Ohio State is not a one-man team, and I think the Buckeyes will be entering the Big Ten title game with a chip on their shoulders. Wisconsin has probably the best running game in the nation, certainly the best running back in Melvin Gordon. But the Buckeye team that lost in Week 2 to Virginia Tech has been replaced with one that looks downright scary. I think the game is going to be close, I think Wisconsin will try to establish its dominance early, but I cant pick against the Buckeyes. Ohio State will win the Big Ten championship. Take Ohio State and the points. Ohio State 24, Wisconsin 21 Well, thats Championship Week, folks. Im not at all confident in at least two of my picks. One of the great things about college football is its unpredictability. I will be watching tonights game cheering on Rich Rod and the Wildcats, especially since I picked them to win the PAC-12 title. If you notice, I stayed clean away from Bedlam. While I think I know what will happen, the line is 20 points. I cant see myself picking that game. Garman vs. Thomas. Who thought THAT would be the QB duel this season? Anyway, Im not even gonna say who I think will win. Im just gonna say Boomer Sooner, not as a prediction, but as a fan.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 19:28:01 +0000