WEEK 12 Prognostications

So I got Ellie down for a nap and decided this might be the only chance I get to write for 20 minutes...so I'm doing this without Roe's picks. I'm trying to come up with an idea for him if I don't receive anything...0-15 doesn't sound fair, maybe worst record -2, or maybe I'll just pick 15 for him and see what happens. Let's hope it doesn't come to that!

Anywho, here we go for another round of football this weekend:

JG got one up on MK last night with VT covering over the Canes. MK also lost by betting on the Pats. I avoided last night...I liked MIA and the NYJ, so I would have split.

Tonight MK is taking CIN. I like the pick - I don't think anyone could possibly pick LOU after their recent performances.

MK also likes USF over RUT - I've said it before but I'm not betting any more RUT or UCONN games this year because I always get them wrong. This might be true of Big East football in general - totally unpredictable (and maybe not very good at all).

JG goes anti-jug-bearers and picks NW over MICH in the Big House that may be 1/2 empty. After the complete emotional let down the last 2 weeks by my sqaud against these 2 I feel like I have a pretty good read on each club. MICH looked improved and NW looked pathetic. I like MICH easily in this one.

JG also is taking th points with a bad IND club at Happy Valley. Good luck. Nothing like cheering for a team to lose by less than 5 TD'd!

MK likes the Buckeyes at ILL. I like this pick as well. I think the ILLINI ship has sailed and they are through with 2008. The Buckeyes look strong and may slip into a BCS game...weirder things have happened.

WHO HATES IOWA!?!? JG continues on his rampage by taking the Boilers over the Hawks at +15. I love it...go Justin Siller - if anything, at least beat the piss out of them so they can come in beaten and broken to the dome next week for the Final Showdown in the Mecca.

MK chose ND over NAVY. Scary game for me - I took Navy, but I don't have a good read either way.

JG likes TEX, MK likes KAN. Should be interesting. I don't think KAN is good (I used to, but they proved me wrong too many times). TEX might be looking for some more style points and could destroy this one. Reesing won't make it through the game. I like TEX big.

MK likes NM at CSU. I didn't pick it, but I like the Rams in a pick 'em. They play very well at home, and NM might be ready to cash in for the year as this is their finale and they only have 4 wins. I'm calling the Still hopeful for a .500 season Rams to win over a finished NM team that was disappointing all year.

I like LT over UTST. LT is not a bad club, but UTST is one of the worst. They haven't been even close on the road this year...so that should continue. LT is undefeated at home. Makes sense, right?

All 3 of us like SC to cover at FLA...so obviously this mean FLA wins 49-3.

MK took the Heels as a road FAV at the Turtle. Mike - never bet against the Turtle at home! 5-0 vs. 1-3 on the road...they rock at home. I think NC is the better team, but I bet the trends.

I like OREST hosting CAL at -3. Believe it or not, the Beavers are still the #1 team in the Pac-10 until they lose, which is very possible with 3 tough ones left. But I think they get it done against Cal.

JG - I love you for this one, GOPHERS +13.5 at Badgers. Preview below.

JG also took Swift and the Huskers to cover at a bunk KST team. I like this pick a lot, should have gone for it myself. KST is done. NEB starting to play a little better and can smell the matchup with the Maroon and Gold during Bowl Season.

JG - WHO HATES IOWA (STATE)!?! He is back on board betting against the awful Clones. MIZZ -26.5 in Ames...no problem.

I also like ORE to cover -3.5 vs. AZ this week. Tough place to play, and AZ doesn't do well on the road.

I like MISS ST. to cover at ALA. I just dont' see Bama blwoing anyone away, especially a team that can play a little D and has actually beat them the last 2 years.

I like FSU hosting BC -7. JG, can't believe you didn't jump on this one. BC is really not playing that great (17-0 over ND is meaningless). And the Noles just keep on trucking. Could set up for an interesting showdown with Urban and the Gators in 2 weeks.

I like UK hosting Vandy. Vandy doesn't score...ever. 14 or less in their last 5 games, yuck. UK can get a little something going, especially at home. Give me the Cats.

I also like Tulsa at -5.5 at HOU. They are the better team and score a lot of points against bad defense like HOU.

JG picks LSU on the Bayou over Troy. 19 seems low on this one, but LSU hasn't exactly been lighting up the scoreboard...good pick.

I LOVE UTEP -9 over SMU. The 'stangs suck...UTEP is kind of hot right now. Beat down....hopefully.

And MK makes a great UCLA -7 pick to close things out. WASH will not win, so why not pick UCLA and only give 7...not bad.

GOPHERS AT BECKY - AXE COMING HOME?
After a week full of debate, it is finally time to pick this big matchup, that could have been a lot bigger. So let's review, I was VERY convinced that we would beat NW 2 weeks ago...nope. I was about 75%-80% convinced that we would beat a bad MICH team that had started to play a little better last week...nope. Now this week I am nearly 99% convinced we have zero chance against a Badger team that is much weaker than we all thought coming into the year, but has looked okay recently. Let's hope my gut feeling is way wrong once again.

What do we need to do to have a chance? Well, let's start by actually playing offense this week. Maybe it was a good call by Brew to give the offense the week off last week, they should be good and fresh...what, they did play against MICH? I must have missed that. Bottom line, if we don't move the ball and put some points up everything else is meaningless because we won't win. Now, not having Decker on the field will not help our cause, but I like sitting him for next week if he's that banged up. The Badger D is not real good. IND was nearly tied at the half last week before forgetting to tackle in the 2nd half, and IOWA, MSU, PSU, and MICH have all put up 25+ on them. It sucks that this is in Madison, because at the dome we might have a really good shot - but on the road it might be tricky. Big plays will be a key for the offense and running the ball. Let's get this established and hope for some of the young kids to really step things up as WR's. How about Green catches 12 balls for 209 and 3 TD's? too much?

Defensively, I don't think we need to worry about the forward pass. WIS continues to play in the stone age of football and run their 600 lb TB's 60 times a game. Our front 7 is not huge, and we have sturggled with the run the last couple of week, but not this kind of running game. TB's don't do a lot of damage against this team, especially when it's the only offense they have. IND, ILL, PUR couldn't run the ball with their TB, even Beanie didn't kill us - but Pryor and Fuckstick from NW beat us. MICH ran well LW, but that was fluky spread style running - not straight ahead let's try and run them over type of running. Brew needs to keep the DL and LB's fresh and play the big fellas a lot to matchup with that large OL at WIS. Tackling is key - tackle the big backs and prevent the big plays. With the way we ball hawk on D, I think making them go 80 yards in 15+ plays gives the edge to us.

"Stop killing us with the suspense - what's going to happen?!?!"
Keep in mind, I am 7-3 in my Gopher picks this year...so look out. Here we go:
GOPHERS look shaky early. Badgers will get a quick one, the crowd will make it feel like a "here we go again" type game from the Mason era. Gophers down 10-0 in the first...but things might change in the 2nd Qtr. After a 3rd Kucek punt, Gilreath gets lit up by Brock and the Gophs take over on the WIS 22, not 21 or 20...22. AWEB throws a nice score to the electric Jack Simmons and all of sudden it's on. The whole sideline lights up with new life because the offense actually put the biscuit in the basket. We force another 3 and out from a very medicore one-dimensional WIS offense, and Weber hits Green for a big play. Then we have a Troy Stoudermire TD run on some crazy kind of spread play. GOPHS lead 14-10. We'll take a little lead into the half at 14-13. At this point, Bulemia will pull down his pants in the locker room to try and inspire...it won't work. 2nd half starts with a Gopher FG to get the lead back. Then, I think that will be it for a long time...running play, 2 yards. pass...incomplete. running play...2 yards. punt. repeat. Finally with it 16-14 Gophers, the Badgers take back a punt or a pick or fumble and take the lead for good. I tried, I really tried to pick this one to go our way...but i think things definitely improve...but Gophers lose 21-16.

early call on next week's game...GOPHERS 539 IOWA 2...discuss.

I told you guys - this is just turning into GOPHER preview with 5% devoted to our picks...but I can't help myself. I just rub my temples and it comes out that way.

NFL

MK lost NE last night.

I like ATL...DEN still isn't very good and Matt Ryan might be a 1st ballot HOF'er...this year!

MK likes the Phins over OAK. No Javon Walker, that will...er might...er won't make any difference I guess. I think OAK covers because MIA doesn't blow anybody away.
(I did go 12-2 LW in my NFL picks)

MK and I like the NYG over BAL. They are friggin' good. JG likes the Ravens.

I like TEN over JAX...how can you not keep picking this team until they prove us wrong?

JG took PHIL over CIN. Nice pick...CIN is terrible.

JG likes the Saints and I like the KC Cheifs. I'm not sure why, but I have this huge Cheifs opinion this week. We'll see.

MK and JG like ARZ. I think SEA beats them. I'm still not on board the AZ train with Kurt and Gozer. Hasselback coming back = Hawks win at home.

PIT - I like them over SD. SD is terrible right now, and I love PIT at home.

JG likes the Bills at -4.5. Love the Bills to win, but think it might be a close one.

MK stays true to his roots and picks the Purple over the BUCS.

VIKES-BUCS
This is the only game left on the schedule in which I do not like our chances right now. We NEVER, EVER play well in TB. They are kind of a mirror of our squad with maybe a little less talent but a far superior coaching staff. I expect Gus to look like...Gus over the last few weeks...MIN 3 picks. AD will find it hard to run for 200 again as well. TB shouldn't be able to do much either against our strength. I LOVE the under in this one, and I'll call for a BUCS win 16-9. It will be a battle, but we might not lose again this year after this one.

Alright - that's all I got for now. I'll send out a note with what MR's status is tomorrow morning when I need to figure out what to do. I'm leaning toward just picking games for him - games that no body else picked. We'll see what happens.

Enjoy you weekend fellas - talk to you soon! Work on building up you IOWA hatred for next week - and try and remember some of your favorite Gopher football DOME moments as it will be the final finale in the Mecca...ever. Tears of joy will be shed by all.

Later.