Week 9 Picks

The review of the Clemson game is coming. But I am taking my time with Tech having a bye week.

Every week I will pick all the ACC games against the spread, as well as the biggest national games of the weekend, and occasionally the UGA game, even though UGA games are unlikely to fit either of those two criteria.

There will be three categories. “Free Money” are the games I feel the most confident about. “Solid bets” are next, and then “Toss-ups” are the ones that could go either way. I’ll keep track of how I am doing with a chart that I’ll update each week, so you readers can make fun of me for (probably) being sub .500 and correctly picking more “Toss-ups” than “Free Money” bets.

Once again went exactly .500 on “free money”, which is not exactly how its supposed to work. Oh well. Auburn cost me by a point and a half. And Wisconsin did in fact win. But UGA and VT covered easily.

Another very bad week on “solid bets”. Mizzou, Clemson and Miami all covered, so that’s 0 for 3. And 1 for 8 counting last week. Ouch.

Finally, good news. 3 for 4 on “tossups”. Maryland, Navy and Nebraska all won bets like I predicted. But believe it or not, UVA actually covered a spread, so that is the one loss.

So far on the season:

Free Money	14 for 27
Solid Bets	12 for 32
Toss Ups	13 for 24
Total	39 for 83

Not exactly impressive numbers there…

So let’s try to fix it. Here are this week’s picks.

Free Money:

Miami is favored by only 14.5 at UVA. That’s too easy. Take the Canes.

Clemson favored by only 6.5 over the defense of Boston College and the offense of Boston’s Second Presbyterian Church. I wonder when BC is going to recruit actual division one athletes to play offense again? Take the Tigers to cover.

UGA is a lock to beat Florida by more than 2.5.

Solid Bets:

I think the Wolfpack have something for FSU. Nobody can go through the ACC without taking at least a couple losses, so the Seminoles need to start here. FSU is favored by 3.5 at N.C. St.. Take the Wolfpack to win that bet.

I bet Maryland will beat Wake by more than 5.5. Sure. Yeah. Go for it.

Iowa favored by 6.5 at home against #5 and unbeaten Michigan St. This looks like the place where Michigan St.’s fairy tale season ends. But I think Michigan State makes it happen, and they might even win out. But either way, they lose by less than 6.5.

Navy beats Duke by more than 13.5, because, really, its Duke.

Toss-Ups:

Letdown for Mizzou? Maybe. And if they show up with something less this week, Nebraska could embarrass them. But I think Missouri brings it for one more week. At the least, they won’t lose to Nebraska by more than 7.5.

Oregon favored by 6.5 at USC. The ducks have looked unstoppable, but the way the Pac-10 usually goes, I say this is a toss up. But still give me Oregon to cover that.

No Nesbitt jokes, since we are not playing this week. Don’t worry, they will return.