Week 13 Picks

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.

This week:

2 for 3 on free money. So much for Miami beating VT. They outplayed them thoroughly for a half. How was I supposed to know Miami was going to look real good but then underachieve? Ok, you’re right. Don’t answer that. Clemson and Arkansas covered.

2 for 4 on solid bets. Ohio State and FSU both covered comfortably. GT and BC both barely lost. I think I got hosed.

Tossups were 2 for 2 this week. A&M and N.C. State both covered. I’ll take that. Although both might have been a little lucky. I did call them tossups after all.

So far on the season:

Free Money	19 for 38
Solid Bets	23 for 49
Toss Ups	18 for 33
Total	60 for 120

Hey! Back to .500. I’m no longer getting beaten by what you would expect from a small child picking based on which color he likes better… I’m tied with him. Fabulous.

Here are this week’s picks.

Free Money:

I am boldly taking UVA to lose by less than 23.5 to VT. They aren’t very good, and VT pretty much owns this series, but I think London is changing the attitude in Charlottesville. Maybe. We’ll see. Go Hoos.

Going with N.C. State again. They are 2.5 point favorites at Maryland. I think they get it done and win, and thus win the Atlantic. They are the better team. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Maryland may have lost a little bit of their edge now that they are out of the race.

Solid Bets:

Alabama, at home, is favored by 4.5 against unbeaten #2 Auburn. Kind of a slap in the face to the War Eagles. I mean, they should be favored right? Still not sold on these Tigers. I think the Tide covers. Poor Auburn.

Arizona is pretty good, but Oregon is really good at home. I think they win in a blowout. Which is handy, because that’s what they need to cover 19.5. I am taking the Ducks.

I will fall for the Miami trap once again. I wanted to take South Florida to lose by less than 11.5, but I just can’t do it. Miami can find ways to throw away games with the best of them, but lately they have played pretty well against the lesser Florida schools.

North Carolina is favored by 9.5 at Duke. Duke is better than they have been, but I still think UNC covers this. We played a pretty bad game and would have covered this last week against Duke.

Thought about trying to jinx the three SEC/ACC rivalry games this week, and pick the SEC team as a lock. But that hasn’t really been working, and these games just aren’t locks. Especially GT as a big underdog. I mean UGA could easily blow us out, but if we come to play I think we’ll cover that. Anyway, this paragraph is really for FSU, and they will beat UF by more than 2.5. Boom. Go ACC.

Clemson is a 2.5 point dog to USC at home. I think Clemson, after having to hear all about last year for 365 days, has something for em in Death Valley. Take the Tigers.

GT is a 12.5 point underdog to UGA in Athens. I think we come out like we did against VT, very ready to play. We may lose the game, but I think it goes down to the wire and we cover the spread, at the least.

Oklahoma St. is a 2.5 point favorite at home against their big brother, Oklahoma. I like the Cowboys this year. I think the Pokes get it done.

Toss-Ups:

Boise St. is favored by 14.5 at Nevada. Nevada is pretty good. Maybe even really good. But for some reason I think Boise takes this one. Fresno is not a bad team and they just got done beating them 51-0. And that was with two uncharacteristic early turnovers. Take the Broncos.

Arkansas is actually favored by 3.5 against LSU, because they are at home I can only assume. But I am going with another upset of sorts, and taking Arkansas to cover.

If Vandy and Wake Forest play a game in Nashville and nobody checks the final score to see who won, did it really take place? Vandy is favored by 5.5. I really couldn’t care less about this game. I’ll take Wake, because I think Vandy wins the battle of who can be worse.