The timeless shot of a purple Brian Kelly kicks off Week 3 of the Football Challenge with the feature game of the week being Kelly's Irish visiting Sparty.
First, we have a lot of action tonight with the RUT-USF game (2 guys on each) and Bears at Packers (6 on Bears and 8 on Pack). As of right now, it looks like RUT and GB is the best combo to have.
The consensus card for the week looks like this:
1.BAL 2.MNGOPHERS, 3.SF, 4.DAL, 5.OHIOST, 6.HOU, 7.USC, 8.NO, 9.NE, 10.VT, 11.MSU, 12.MINVIKINGS, 13.SD, 14.DEN, 15.UMASS
A very interesting list. Gophers are the #2 most popular play of the week! Wow, they better come through! Out of a group of over 60 games, and the Purple and Gophs make the top 15 plays of the week?!? Not sure if that's scary or a good thing. Considering the way these picks have gone it seems like we'll be lucky with a split.
CAL AT OHIOST
This looked like an easy one to me. You have a CAL team that has played poorly twice, is traveling across the country for an early game, and has a battle with USC on deck...yeah...I LOVE the Buckeyes in this one. I don't think it will be close...OHIOST 38-10.
WMU AT MINNESOTA
WMU is going to spread it out and throw it 100 times in this one, so the improved Gopher D will be tested. However, I don't think the 3-3-5 scheme that the undersized WMU D runs will do much to slow down Marquies and company if they execute like they did last week. Controlling the ball and running it down their throat would go a long way to winning this game and keeping the ball away from WMU's passing game. They want a track meet, Goph's will be happy with a snoozer...I'm thinking somewhere in between...3-0 Gophers win 27-20.
NC AT LOU
NC lost a stunner at WF last weekend. This is a Tar Heel team that a lot thought would be near the top of the ACC this season, but with a 1st year coach you have to temper expectations. LOU has looked outstanding. I really like their QB Teddy Bridgewater, and their D has held up enough. I think they'll be jacked to take on this Tar Heel team who is on the road for the 2nd straight week after the emotional loss to WF. I wish it was 3 rather than 3.5, but hopefully it won't matter. I'll take LOU 27-13.
VIR AT GT
VIR probably should have lost to lowly PSU last week, but thanks to a bunch of missed FG's they squeaked out a victory at home. GT, after nearly upsetting VT in week 1, steamrolled a patsy last week. I really think they'll be ready to avenge the loss that VIR put on them last year and cover the 10.5...GT wins 30-17.
ALA AT ARK
ARK suffered a tough loss last week to ULM after losing their starting QB. It sounds like the odds are not good that Wilson will play this week either when Bama comes to town. Saban has his machine finely tuned already, but I had a hard time including this in my picks for the week. Something about giving 19 at ARK just didn't feel right. ARK still has plenty of talent, and I think they might make quite an effort this weekend against the Tide. However, I'll call for the Tide to cover it without Wilson playing...ALA 33-13.
This has to be the most Tennessee couple ever! You know they'll be in attendance for the big one against the Gators this weekend. The Vols have some renewed life after a nice start to the season. The offense looks adequate and explosive at times and the D isn't bad either. I thought they'd lose to NCST, but won with a combination of big plays and turnovers. The Gators looked awful against BG but kind of impressive last week in the 2nd half against the Aggies. From what I saw, it looks like Driskell is kind of becoming a QB for this QB starved club. You know their D is ferocious, and on a neutral field I probably pick them to win this game. However, playing at College Station and Knoxville in back to back weeks is a tough task for any team, so I'm expecting a bit of a letdown and a late loss and cover for the Gators...VOLS win, Gators cover...24-23.
ASU AT MIZZOU
Mizzou kind of pooped the bed in their SEC debut against GEO last week. They made it a game, but then a couple of dumb coaching decisions and bad plays made it look ugly by the end. ASU crushed the Zook-less Zookers at home and are off to a blazing 2-0 start. I'm really kind of confused by this one. On one hand, I think MIZZ should rebound with another home game and make up for the big loss of last weekend. I also think ASU is still a mystery, beating an over-hyped Illini team without their starting QB is really not a big deal. So in my mind, they've proven nothing yet. But, I think the slimy guy Graham has them playing well, and MIZZ will be a slow starter on a hangover from their biggest game ever last week. I'll call upset and ASU winning 34-31.
USC AT STAN
I nearly included this in my picks for the week, but in the end decided to leave it out. Frankly, I don't think STAN is anywhere near the team we've watched the last few years. Harbaugh and Luck had a lot to do with the school's success over that span, and without them they seem very average to me. USC, on the other hand, is loaded and looking for revenge against STAN. Barkley has never won there and I think he wants to. I think it could be ugly...USC 41-21.
ND AT SPARTY
It's a really tough line on this one. I didn't bet it, because I feel like it really could be a FG game in the end and the whole world loves Sparty in this one...another scary sign. I think ND, like usual, is overrated. And I really love Sparty this year with the best D in the B1G and a great running game. However, I'm going with my gut for a FG game and taking the doggy ND to cover...Sparty wins 24-21.
The yearly "Holy War" is always a classic. Last year UTAH rolled into Provo and pounded the fighting John Smiths last year. I don't think BYU will forget that. Plus you factor in that UTAH is coming in off an emotional loss to instate rival UTST and lost their starting QB for the year...I think this one is easy...
A couple off the radar games this week that we'll keep an eye on...
Well, the Hogeyes couldn't handle the in-state Cyclones, so they have to take a step down and give the Panthers a shot. Honestly, I don't know if this one is a slam dunk as bad as they have looked in the first 2 weeks. UNI nearly beat a similarly struggling Vadger team in Week 1, so this one might be doable. Let's hope so.
This was kind of how every WIS/GB fan was feeling this Monday. One OL coach later, Bert and his club need to get prepped to play a good UTST team on Saturday. I have to believe that the fightin' Beckys will get it done and beat a UTST team that just won their National Championship game by beating UTAH last week. I'm just curious to see if they can get it together and show signs of life on offense or not. Who knows, but I'll be watching just to keep them on the radar. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
NFL PICKS
This is maybe my favorite week for NFL betting in the entire season. The overreactions on the lines and the picks are everywhere. I'm afraid we might see some ugly NFL records this week...we'll see I guess.
CHI-GB: Against my better judgement I went with CHI in this one. It's 13-3 right now, but I still think there is a chance. I expected a better offensive performance out of the Bears, but it's not over yet.
TB-NYG: I like the Giants here. TB coming off a big W, but more importantly, the G-men can't start the year 0-2 at home...much like the Pack.
NO-CAR: I'm not sure that this NO team is worth anything. To me, this is looking like it could just be a punt in 2012 and they'll rebound for next year. CAR should come back strong from their poor performance last week and I think they win this one outright.
ARI-NE: ARI is not sure who will QB, NE is really good again. However, covering 13.5 could be tricky against an ARI team with a decent D and some scoring ability. Especially with the Pats having a big game on deck with BAL...I'll go Cards to cover.
MIN-IND: Oh boy, could it be true? 2-0 for the Purple? It's crazy, but I think it happens. IND won't stop anyone all year, especially with Freeney out. I think IND will score on the Purple, but Ponder scores more and Vikes move to 2-0 with a cover...30-27.
BAL-PHI: Alright, we have 18! guys on BAL and 1 on PHI this week. Guess who that guys is? Here's my logic (if any of you remember NFL week 2 last year the same thing happened). BAL looked great on MNF and housed a bad CIN team. That was an emotional division win for them. Now they go on the road for a game that in the big scheme of things, is meaningless. Plus they have a large one with NE on deck, and it's a short week for them. PHI is in must win mode against a team that likely won't care nearly as much. I'm telling you guys...PHI is the play. (TEN beat BAL in a similar spot in Wk 2 last year as a home dog).
KC-BUF: Everyone went abandon ship on BUF after the beatdown the Jets gave them. I disagree. First, Romeo Crennel at KC is a bad coach...so that favors BUF. BUF coming off a blowout where nobody gives them a second thought after last week's debacle is a classic week 2 bet on situation. With a line of -3, the book is basically calling these teams even...not close. Bills win easily.
CLE-CIN: CLE may be the worst team around and I'm not sure CIN is that bad. Weeden increases his rating to double figures maybe, but it's not enough as the Bungals win and cover the TD line.
HOU-JAC: A TD home dog in a division game is a dangerous thing. HOU looked good, but I think the Grand Meadow Superlarks could probably play with the Dolphins this year. JAC played well and probably should have beaten the Purple last week. I think they play well and surprise HOU with a close one here. Take JAGS.
OAK-MIA: OAK didn't look good, but I can't pick MIA within a TD of anyone this season. OAK is the play.
DAL-SEA: Another classic overreaction play here. SEA is a really good home team, even with Russ Wilson running the show. DAL couldn't have played better last week, so in typical Cowboys fashion...they'll lay an egg. SEA wins outright.
WAS-STL: Yet again, too much love toward WAS based on one game against a bad defense. STL shoulda/coulda beat DET last week and plays good defense. I think the Rams win this one outright.
NYJ-PIT: Jets on the road after a big win against an angry Steeler team coming off an ugly loss. This seems obvious as well...Steelers.
TEN-SD: Tough call here. I don't think much of either team, but I'll take SD's QB and defense...so SD is the play.
DET-SF: Nobody was more impressive than the 49ers last week so the whole world is jumping aboard for this week against DET. I'm not sure it will be as much of a cake-walk as some are expecting. However, at -6.5, SF is my pick.
DEN-ATL: Finally, for MNF this week, I think I like DEN. I could be sold either way, but I honestly think DEN is the better team here. They really impressed me last week...and Peyton on MNF...forget about it.
That's all we've got for this week. I'm not expecting it, but hopefully it will come close to being as enjoyable as last weekend! We'll see...Good Luck!!
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