Week 12 Preview

Here's a shot of the bowl game eligibility clinching TD run from Kirkwood last weekend at the Zook-less Zookers. It's great for the club to be 6-4, but 8-4 would be even more fun!! Well, I don't think it's going to happen...but it is a JG RV road trip game this weekend, and that usually means a win for the good guys...so never say never.

PREDICTIONS

Gophers roll into Lincoln and get eaten alive. I'm guessing we won't be able to move the ball at all against a good D playing at home. Hell, we can barely move it against bad defenses at TCF. NEB will likely have no problems running the ball on us, since most have torched us with the run all year long. The only glimmer of hope we have is JG's RV trip road record of 2-0 going for us, and the fact that NEB has yet to lay their annual egg playing an inferior opponent in Lincoln...this is their last chance with a trip up to Piggyland next Friday in what will be the grand finale for your 2012 Hogeyes. Anyway, not really expecting much this weekend, and predicting NEB 37-10.

Hogeye nation has to be pumped. I overheard 2 yahoo supporters talking about their excitement for rasslin' and hoops this year. Personally, I think Iowa hockey will be tough as well. I did see a few fun stats the last couple of week on America's team. Going into the PUR game the Iowa team had not thrown for 5 TD's all season...while their northern neighbors had 3 individual QB's with at least 5 TD passes at that point. Also, if the Cap'n gets canned after this embarassment of a season, his buyout alone will still put him in the Top 10 of all college coaching salaries next season!! Ha. His buyout makes Mason's look like the coins you find in your couch. Anyway, the bowl dream will officially die for Hogeye nation this week as they lose by 20 at MICH. I can't wait to watch this game, should be very non-competitive and one sided. Fun. MICH 34-14.

Buckeyes at 3rd place WIS. So as a 3rd place team with 2 probation schools in your division, I think WIS is ok. Not near the level of last year, but decent. They housed IU...wow. I'm not quite sure how they are favored at home against a 10-0 Buckeye nation that has nothing on their agenda but going 12-0 and rolling into next season. WIS is tougher at home, so they'll hang for a while in this one, but Urban off a bye with motivation to establish Leader division dominance for the next decade will be enough to house the Beckys. OHIOST wins 41-21.

I kind of like DUKE this week as a +13 at GT. Love GT as a dog, but hate them as a favorite.

KST-BAY has the potential to be a trap game and a shootout, but I don't think it will happen. Give me KST until they prove me wrong. I think they win by 30.

Clones need a win at KAN to be bowl eligible. I'm not sure they can handle WV next week, so I think Paul "I'm so damn proud of everything" Rhoads will have them motivated enough to clean up on ol' front-butt and his pathetic Jayhawks.

STAN will cover the number against ORE. I don't think there is any way they win the game, but they are fundamentally strong enough to keep it interesting for a while. I'll still take ORE to win by 2 scores, but I think it will be a bit of a trap with the Civil War on deck for the Ducks. ORE 48-36.

WF-ND, the other "big game" of the top 3 in the BCS should not be close...as the spread indicates. ND could overlook WF with the big USC game on deck, but even playing with 6 guys on defense and their 8th string QB I think they win this one. In typical ND fashion, it won't be impressive, but they will win...27-10.

NFL

After 3 great years in NFL picks I'm pretty awful this season. Sub 50% at this point...not sure why, but I'm just not with it this year. So my picks for the week are odd...I like nearly all favorites to win, but nearly all dogs to cover. That should turn out well. I'll give you some possible sneaky ones that most of you don't agree with:
CLE may beat DAL, love the cover, but they could win outright.
CAR could beat TB, too much TB love right now and CAR's numbers besides W-L look solid.
OAK could beat NO, everyone loves NO once again, but their D is still the worst in the league.
DET will give GB a very close game. The whole world likes GB off a bye, but I think a desperate DET team shows up to play on Sunday.
KC has a shot at a win. Not a good shot, but it wouldn't totally surprise me if they beat a CIN team off a huge win over NYG last week.

There you go. 5 doggies that nobody is giving a chance. I'm thinking maybe half will come through.

Good Luck! Enjoy these final couple of week of the NCAA regular season. Thankfully, it's not the end for most of us...sorry Herky.