WEEK 11 Picks - JUG WEEK

Sorry for the short recap last week (or maybe a "you're welcome" is more appropriate) but I'll get back to my usual long rambling dissertations again with this post. Also, I apologize for the email difficulties this week - MK and JG apparently both sent in picks early, but BBY email was jacked so I never got them. As I begin writing, I'm still waiting on a call from JG with picks...bear with me here.

NCAA PICKS
Once again we have some THUR action. JR likes the Hokies, regardless of who or what is playing QB for them tonight. MK jumped on the Turtle.

MK goes with MR on the other big game...both picking UTAH as a home dog. I had a huge TCU opinion earlier in the week, then I checked the "Official TREE Betting Rulebook" and rule 1A states you ALWAYS take a home dog on a weeknight national TV game...so I like the UTAH pick.

MK tried to bet every week night game this week because he probably won't remember anything after about 2:00pm on Saturday when we're drinking from the jug! So he likes FRESNO at home, as does Roe.

JR and MR agree on Becky housing the Hoosiers this weekend...get their hopes up for a rebound before we come in and win next weekend.

I also like Sparty at home - seriously, PUR is F'ing terrible. You might be saying to yourself..."didn't they beat MICH last week?" More on that later.

MR has to be a downer and pick MICH to cover over the GOPHS. 7.5 is a tough line, I'll give you my official pick below.

Roe likes RUTGERS. Beware of the mighty Orange, they are hot right now.

MK took UK to cover as a home dog on a down GEO team. I like it.

Roe likes TT, MK likes OKST...should be a tight one. I'll side with the home team.

I like ARK to cover 10 at SC...Spurrier hasn't beaten anyone by a large margin since he was playing in the Swamp.

Roe and I agree on TEN over a bunk WY team. Fulmer is going away, and did I mention WY is AWFUL. I may have picked more TN games this year than any other team (except BGSU) and I think I pick them to rebound every week...can it really happen!?! I'm betting on it again.

Of course I like BGSU this week. Only a 2.5 point FAV at a bad OHIO team...can you say free $?

BOISE on the smurf turf...I'll take it. 31.5, no big deal - they win by 40+.

MK makes an intersting call on taking OK to cover 25 at an always improving A&M sqaud. I like it because OK score 55/game, but I really think A&M is turning the corner a bit, especially at home, and keeps it close.

Roe - I didn't pick it, but go against Army this week. Rice will destroy them - I know you like to keep tabs on your little money maker from Vegas.

MK also like LSU in the Saban Bowl. I started the week thinking LSU, but have converted over to ALA. LSU's strength was supposed to be their lines, well, they've been terrible. ALA does have great lines and a ground game and a better coach - yep, sorry Les. I like the tide to win a close one, but cover the 3.

MR took PSU, and MK took the anti-christ. Come on Kobs - if you think the game is going to go that way you can't bet it! Do what JG does and just bet against IOWA, ISU, and BECKY every week...it's actually worked pretty well for him this year!
I'm 100% biased on this one because I can smell the hawkeye stench creeping their way toward the dome for the big battle in 2 weeks. PSU has it all, and they are rested and prepared for a Hawkeye team that really doesn't do much. The D is solid, but seriously, how creative can you be when you only have one guy on offense. Stanzi can't throw well enough to be a threat so Greene will face 7-8 in the box all day. No rushing yards and a guaranteed 2-3 mistakes out of Stanzi coupled with at least 2-3 offensive scores for PSU make this one a route...PSU 28-7.

I LOVE ECU at home this week over Marshall. Don't ask why, but I'm labeling it the LOCK OF THE WEEK (which has surprisingly gotten much more successful lately)

Somebody had to jump on this trend eventually, so please join me if you like. WASU is bad - they are GIGANTIC dogs every week, but still neevr cover. AZ scores a lot of points, so actually -39 doesn't look that intimidating. AZ money line would probably be something like -10,000...bet a fortune to win a nickel!

MR likes the Beavers at UCLA. Based on history, I like the Bruins to keep it close. The Beavers are starting a tough stretch of games and will be overlooking Neuheisel's crew...Bruins pull off the upset.

I love WV this weekend. CIN looked nice at home, but not in Hick-ville. Easy win for Pat White and Co.

MK took BC over ND...now you're starting to get it, bet against the teams we hate...good work. This should be really close, I've gone both ways on this one during the week but settled on...sigh...ND.

MR likes points - this has been established over many seasons. So he took VAN over FLA at +25. I like it - they haven't gievn up more than 24 in a game all year, so it's a lock right? Well, they probably won't score a point, and FLA has yet to score less than 26 in a game. My head hurts.

Finally, MK's hatred of USC continues with his prediction of Cal to cover 17 this week. This line has climbed to 21, so the "wise guys" think USC houses the Bears this week. I tend to agree with them. This defense gives up no points ever - they would probably be a Top 10 NFL defense right now!

GOPHERS - RICH ROD (JUG 2008)
Wow. 7.5 point favorites against the mighty Wolverines. I was all over the "MICH will be down this year" state of mind, but I didn't see this one coming. How far have they fallen - they are out of Bowl contention already...joining some prestigious company: IOWA ST, UAB, SMU, WKY, MIAOH, OHIO, KENT, TOLEDO, EMU, SDST, WASHST, WASH, N.TEX, UTST, and IDAHO. Wow, MICH really doesn't come to mind when I think of that pathetic groups of teams, but that is who they are this year. History obviously tells us a very different story - we have beat this team ZERO times in the history of the metrodome, that's tough to overcome. We have only beat them 2 times in the last like 30 years! I think that is why I am having such a hard time betting this one how I want to and how it SHOULD turn out. I could go with the Gophers and they house and then I can tell myself, "they are who we thought they were!" Or they struggle and MICH keeps it close or even wins and the line will be, "never bet against tradition and trends." But after carefully considering all of this, here's what my super-computer said will happen:

GOPHERS score early to fire up the 58K! Woo-hoo, bring home the jug! Then we hit a stalemate and things get tough on both sides of the ball. MICH runs well, and we go into half at 7-3. 2nd half opens with a GOPHERS score and confidence is high, repeat confidence is high. Then suddenly, we go into flashback mode...John Navarre, Chris Perry, nooooo!!! ahhh!!! MICH comes back and takes the lead 17-14 on a couple of fluky plays and GOPHER mistakes. But this is not your father's GOPHER team anymore, A WEB comes back and leads the team on a nice drive and a JACK SIMMONS TD - then the defense holds and Monroe actually makes a FG. THE JUG IS COMING HOME AND STAYING FOR AT LEAST 3 YEARS!! GOPHERS WIN A NAIL BITER 24-17...not a cover, but a win over MICH at the dome is worth more than anything else this weekend! Then we'll go outside and make snow angels and fall on the ice!

HUGE RECRUITING WEEKEND
We have a ton of recruits in town for the game...highlights:
Michael Carter - stud DB from FLA (Tyrone's cousin)
Rashede Hagemann - Bigtime TE from MN
Bryce McNeal - 4 star WR from MN
Seantrel Henderson - #1 OL recruit in the country for next year - maybe top recruit in the nation...and from MN
Plus a few other DE's and DB's as well as a RB commit to take the place of our recent decommit from Stephens.

Overall - GIGANTIC weekend for recruiting, let's hope to land a couple more big wins and give them a taste of the jug!!


NFL PICKS
JR: CLE, TEN, BAL, ATL, CAR
JG: TBD
MR: BAL, STL, MIN, CAR, ARI
MK: JAC, TEN, BAL, MIN, ARI

VIKES-PACK
Sad to say it, but I can't pick the Purple this week. The Pack is healthy and let's face it, they are better than us this year. We lose a close one...23-20.

I WILL TALK TO MK AND JG SOON TO MAKE PLANS FOR THE WEEKEND - CAN'T WAIT GUYS, LET'S HOPE WE GO 2-0 AGAINST OUR HUGE RIVALS THIS WEEKEND!

LATER.