Week 9 Picks

We're locked and loaded for week 9...here we go:

NCAAF
JR: FSU, CIN, OLE, BOISE, CAL, A&M, PSU, MN, USC, UCF
JG: NC, FSU, PUR, IND, AUB, CAL, GEO, MIA, A&M, MN
MR: CIN, AUB, BOISE, GEO, KAN, VAN, WASU, MN, UTAH, USC
MK: WV, UCONN, WIS, VIR, NW, MISST, WASU, OKST, MN, ORE
AW: WV, WIS, IOWA, MIZZ, CAL, GEO, BC, AF, PSU, MSU
GR: ECU(W), VT, CIN, WIS, OLE, MICH, PSU, GT, TEX, USC
MH: CIN, WIS, IOWA, BOISE, MICH, NAVY, PSU, TEX, MN, USC
MC: BALLST, ULL, NILL, KENT, MIAOH, NTEX, AF, MDTN, FRES, NM

NFL
JR: STL, IND, NYG, MIN, ARI
JG: BUF, STL, SF, MIN, ATL
MR: HOU, SEA, STL, IND, ARI
MK: HOU, IND, NYJ, MIN, ATL
AW: DEN, HOU, JAC, OAK, MIN
GR: CLE, IND, NYJ, MIN, ARI
MH: BAL, HOU, IND, MIN, NO
MC: HOU, CLE, SEA, STL, SF

Consensus Picks:
CIN, MN
HOU, STL, MIN

Looks like a big football weekend for the great state of MN. Lot's of positivity considering we have 2 tough games on the slate this weekend.

HARASSMENT

- GR locked up a 1-0 start with an easy one on TUESDAY...Memphis sucks!!

- JG is backing the Tar Heels...JG, I know hoops season is around the corner, but the NC offense in football might be worse than the Gophs and they are playing in Blacksburg at night...I don't like your chances. 34-7 VT.

- MK made the cardinal sin of betting on a UCONN game...no matter what you will lose because it's impossible to win when betting on UCONN FB. MK took UCONN, so RUT is an easy cover.

- JR and JG are the only ones on FSU? Come on, are people still holding out hope that the NCST defense will stop anyone? Not with Jimbo and that offense coming to town.

- CIN at SYR...house! next.

- Nobody bet it, but I think OHIOST -39.5 is a little steep.

- JG is on PUR, 4 on WIS...I am leaning toward JG. PUR, if they can continue to not turn the ball over, will really compete in this game. I hate their D against the WIS running game, but they'll have no problem scoring on the Badgers assuming they don't give the ball away. PUR pulls the upset...41-35

- JG doesn't disappoint and picks IND over iOWA. I guarantee iOWA will struggle in either the IND or NW game one of these next 2 weeks at home. Coming off the emotional one in Spartyville or looking ahead to Columbus will get them. Just think how devastated they'll be come 11/21 off a bad loss in Columbus!!

- OLE-AUB, I'm loving OLE in this one. AUB is being exposed. The offense has slowed down big time, and the D hasn't stopped anyone all year...nice work Teddy Roof. OLE is looking like the team they were projected to be and will run wild at AUB this weekend. OLE Big 34-13

- NEB at BAY...Huskers turn it over less than 8 times and they have a chance. IALTO.

- BOMB likes MIZZ at COL. I think this is a safe pick, COL is still terrible and MIZZ has to come around and play better this week.

- BOISE -33, I'll take it. You can name your number with BOISE and 90% of the time they'll cover.

- UTEP -6.5...my guys are hitting their stride and could possibly win the CUSA!

- World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party...GEO +16 vs. FLA...call me crazy, but I think Tebow and Gators come out and score 50+ this week. Nobody picked FLA this week, but I think GEO (who 3 picked) is completely overmatched and will get crushed.
Nobody is beating FLA the rest of the season.

- BOMB with an interesting BC pick ove CMU. This should be a really good game. BC at home is solid, but CMU has been playing as well as anyone right now.

- JG likes MIAMI! Wow, didn't see this one coming. I guess he's changing it up with the recent run of bad luck.

- JG and JR are all over A&M hosting ISU. Clones will be coming off the biggest win maybe ever for the progrum, A&M can score and should't have 8 turnover gifts for the Clones D...A&M 41-28.

- MK with a surprising VIR pick over DUKE. I think this might just be out of spite since Hoops season is around the corner...go Tar Heels, beat DOOK.

- GR and MH on MICH at ILL...these ILL lines have stayed reasonable, but my god are they bad. This is a good pick.

- MR with a curious KAN pick at TT as a dog. Not sure which way to lean in this one, should be plenty of O-fence though...I'll go with it, KAN 37-34

- MH likes NAVY over TEM...don't bet against the Owls, they are turning the corner

- BOMB and MC both like AF over COLST...good pick. It was #11 on my list.

- I was really tempted to take NEV -26.5 vs. HAW this week. NEV is probably going to score 60+...but they might allow 40 to a HAW team that is due to put together a game sometime soon.

- PSU at NW...I was uber impressed with the PSU win at MICH last week. Clark is the man, and that D is great. NW is still a horrible team. They are 5-3 and should be 3-5. The Gophers moved the ball all over the field on them...uh-oh. PSU huge 38-10

- MK likes MISST at UK at +3. This is a tough one for me. I really think both teams are playing pretty well and have improved this year. UK at home might be the difference, I'll take them.

- GT at VAN...strange game. We've gpot 1 guy on each MR-VAN, GR-GT. VAN can't score on anyone, but their D is really good. GT can score on everyone, but will the one-dimensional offense be stopped at a surprisingly difficult place to play like VANDY? No. GT is the pick.

- MR and MK jumped on 2 things...30 points and the chance to bet against ND. Sadly the team you have is WASHST. They are terrible, and will probably not cover. They are losing the avg game by 22 pts this year.

- SC-TN...nobody picked it. Should be a big defensive struggle. I'll take SC and the points...when it's an even SEC game with good D's always take 6 pts.

- TEX at OKST - MK on Gundy, GR and MH on TEX. Major lack of weapons for OKST, TEX is looking to prove something and get a quality road win. I think they will but it will be tough...TEX 31-21

- USC at ORE - you guys know which way I lean here. Carroll in a big game, don't bet against him. MK took ORE because he's a hater. 4 of us on USC. ORE has won 6 in a row, but CAL is really the only game that I thought they actually could have lost in that stretch. USC is starting to get it all together...Barkley coming through, running game hitting it's stride...USC wins 35-24

MSU at GOPHER NATION
I made this prediction last Saturday...we will not lose this game. AWEB and GRAY are both going to see time, which is a very good thing for this offense. How about we don't have a -3 in TO?!? That would be nice, huh. If we can handle the ball and do enough on offense (#5 running and #5 throwing) we can make this work. The defense needs to continue its solid play. Last week turned intoa landslide with all the turnovers, but this unit isn't that bad. We need to control the ball, which I think #5 can help with. He might be our only effective running threat on Saturday night. Sparty is not a bad team. They don't run it well, but they like to air it out. Their D has been really strong the last few weeks (ILL, NW, iOWA), which isn't saying a lot I guess...3 pretty bad offense right there. How about we hold them to less than 51% on 3rd down?!? That's what we're averaging this year. MSU has been turnover prone on the road this year, so I'm betting we get a couple of short fields to work with and hit Eric De...or I mean Brandon Green for a TD ad #5 runs in another for our longest play from scrimmage this year. In the end, the battle of 4-4 wannabes goes to the home team...

GOPHERS 23 SPARTY 21

5-4 on our way to 8-4!

NFL
-DEN-BAL is a tough one. I still believe in BAL so that's my pick. The DEN miracle run has to end sometime soon right?

- Lots of HOU love this week...if they are legit they win and cover this one no problem...but I'm not sure that they are legit.

- CLE at CHI - 2 guys on CLE, I love it! CHI lost a lot of hope last week with the beatdown they took...CLE is soooo bad though that this one is tough to call. I'll side with CLE if I had to pick someone.

- SEA at DAL - I think 11 is crazy high for this one. I'll take points.

- STL at DET - seriously. DET shouldn't be a 9.5 pt fav over ANYONE! Take points and please don't watch this debacle of a game.

- SF at IND - so Alex Smith is back to lead them to the promised land...hmmm...nope. IND keeps rolling.

- MIA at NYJ - one of the best of the week. I'm still not sure what to think on either of these two teams. I took MIA with points, but it could go either way.

- NYG at PHI - G-men are due for a nice game, PHI is not a good team right now. WAS coulda/shoulda beat them on Monday. OAK did beat them! NYG big in this one.

- JAC at TEN - can't take TEN as a FAV here. Until they prove that they actually want to try and win one this year I will continue to bet against them.

- OAK at SD - 17.5 is insane. I know it's OAK, but in a division game? Have to take points on this one.

- CAR at ARI - why is Jake DelHomme still your QB!?!?!?! how many games does this guy have to lose for you to get him benched! Take ARI in a blowout.

- ATL at NO - 10 is a lot, but the offense in NO score 40/gm...I can't bet against them at this point.

- MIN at GB
Does anyone in GB realize the Vikes are bringing more than one player with them this weekend? I know it's a big deal, but good god focus more on #4 GB. Purple come in and give them a steady dose of Adrian just when the Pack is expecting a lot from #4. AD goes off for 150, defense continues to get to AROG while giving up a few. Cheech catches a home run for the clincher

PURPLE PRIDE 27 PACK 21

Sounds like the perfect weekend...well, if the Gopher Hockey team can actually score and win a pair against the Drunken Sconnies...then it's a perfect weekend.

PJ - Marker in the Sand

There is a sickness,... a sickness coming over me
Like watching freedom,. Being sucked straight out to sea
An the solution?...... Well, from me far would it be
But the delusion,..... Is feeling dangerous to me

What goes wrong?

Walking tightrope high,... over moral ground
Seeing visions of,........ falling up somehow
Do come down

With the living, let,... what is living love
So unforgiving, yet,...... needing forgiveness first

What do you say,.......... God, what do you say?

Calling out,....... Calling out.
Calling out,....... I'm calling you out.