Weekend (and Weeknight) Picks
Clemson at Virginia Tech. Tonight's game will tell us a lot about both these teams. If Clemson takes care of business and doesn't get too geeked up about a tough road game, it will tell me they have their heads on straight and are thinking big -- ACC championship big. This game shouldn't be the game of the year for Clemson. They should have the attitude that they expect to win and go execute like they're capable of doing. For the Hokies, this game might well be the game of the season. They need to man up and, as Chris Fowler discussed, get back to their "blue-collar" ways. My guess is that, instead, the Hokies have a bunch of thugs and punks on the team, and they will react poorly when Clemson smacks them in the mouth with that awesome running back combination. Tech's emotion and a great home crowd at Lane Stadium will keep it close, but the Tigers will pull away late. So, Clemson, 31-17.
Tennessee at South Carolina. Remember early this season when everyone was crying that "Gameday" was going to Los Angeles because ABC had the USC-Nebraska game, instead of going to the Auburn-LSU or Florida-Tennesse games being broadcast by CBS? Well, we're not hearing too much about that after they visited Auburn-Florida two weeks ago and now Columbia this week, are we? The Gamecocks finally got their offense going after some early-season woes, but I think Tennessee's defense will hold things down this week. And whatever they do give up, the Vol offense will more than match. After seeing what Tennessee is capable of hanging on the likes of Cal and Georgia, I think this one could get ugly. And Phil Fulmer certainly has no incentive to be kind to Steve Spurrier. So I'll say, Vols, 41-21.
Georgia vs. Florida. I think Georgia's best shot is to run the ball and win the time-of-possession battle by a wide margin. The Dawgs need to keep that Florida offense off the field. Once the Gators do get to run some plays, I expect to see Tim Tebow open things up a little more. Letting Tebow air things out could prove beneficial, because Georgia has to respect the run. Now, I'm not saying we'll hear the old high school chant, "Florida oranges, Texas cactus, we play Georgia just for practice!" But Tebow needs to run more of the offense, and I think he'll get a chance Saturday. I think Dallas Baker, Touchdown Maker will live up to his name again, too. So, the Georgia ball control and getting Tebow acclimated will keep it tight for a while, but Florida will get some turnovers and big plays to make the score look worse, something like Gators 28-10.
Oklahoma at Missouri, Texas A&M at Baylor, Miami at Georgia Tech. These were the best remaining games I could find. None of them are particularly appealing. I think Mizzou's QB Chase Daniels is very talented, and I think OU will struggle without Adrian Peterson, so I'll pick the Tigers, 24-14. A&M's nailbiter season will continue, and I think they'll pull this one out against a desperate Baylor team -- Aggies, 24-21. Georgia Tech won't beat anybody unless Calvin Johnson catches some passes (he was shut out last week and they got walloped by Clemson), but I think he'll catch a few balls this week. And Miami really seems like it's teetering on the edge -- they can still win the ACC even after all their troubles, but I'm not convinced they have the fortitude to do it, and won't pull through for Coker. This one could go either way, but I'll take the Jackets at home, 28-21.
Vanderbilt at Duke. My game of the week! The Commodores are favored by nine or ten, but that's practically a toss-up compared to most spreads against Duke. The Devils were agonizingly close last week, six yards away from beating Miami before throwing an interception on the last play of the game. Duke has been incapable of avoiding shooting itself in the foot this year. They're 0-7, but I'd have to say they're the best 0-7 team ever! (Inside joke for Kyle.) A last-second blocked field goal spoiled a great effort against 6-1 Wake Forest, they led Alabama 14-10 at the half and were within 16-14 until the Tide scored two touchdowns in the last four minutes, and they gave a terrible Virginia team some ridiculously good field position and some easy touchdowns. Anyway, my point is that Duke can win some games if it stops making dumb mistakes. And this week is as good a week as any to start a new streak. So I'm predicting that the Devils put the pieces together and end their fifteen-game losing skid. The Wallace Wade Stadium goalposts will be torn down by the Wade Wackos and end up in the pond in the Sarah P. Duke Gardens after Duke wins, 24-21.
Tennessee at South Carolina. Remember early this season when everyone was crying that "Gameday" was going to Los Angeles because ABC had the USC-Nebraska game, instead of going to the Auburn-LSU or Florida-Tennesse games being broadcast by CBS? Well, we're not hearing too much about that after they visited Auburn-Florida two weeks ago and now Columbia this week, are we? The Gamecocks finally got their offense going after some early-season woes, but I think Tennessee's defense will hold things down this week. And whatever they do give up, the Vol offense will more than match. After seeing what Tennessee is capable of hanging on the likes of Cal and Georgia, I think this one could get ugly. And Phil Fulmer certainly has no incentive to be kind to Steve Spurrier. So I'll say, Vols, 41-21.
Georgia vs. Florida. I think Georgia's best shot is to run the ball and win the time-of-possession battle by a wide margin. The Dawgs need to keep that Florida offense off the field. Once the Gators do get to run some plays, I expect to see Tim Tebow open things up a little more. Letting Tebow air things out could prove beneficial, because Georgia has to respect the run. Now, I'm not saying we'll hear the old high school chant, "Florida oranges, Texas cactus, we play Georgia just for practice!" But Tebow needs to run more of the offense, and I think he'll get a chance Saturday. I think Dallas Baker, Touchdown Maker will live up to his name again, too. So, the Georgia ball control and getting Tebow acclimated will keep it tight for a while, but Florida will get some turnovers and big plays to make the score look worse, something like Gators 28-10.
Oklahoma at Missouri, Texas A&M at Baylor, Miami at Georgia Tech. These were the best remaining games I could find. None of them are particularly appealing. I think Mizzou's QB Chase Daniels is very talented, and I think OU will struggle without Adrian Peterson, so I'll pick the Tigers, 24-14. A&M's nailbiter season will continue, and I think they'll pull this one out against a desperate Baylor team -- Aggies, 24-21. Georgia Tech won't beat anybody unless Calvin Johnson catches some passes (he was shut out last week and they got walloped by Clemson), but I think he'll catch a few balls this week. And Miami really seems like it's teetering on the edge -- they can still win the ACC even after all their troubles, but I'm not convinced they have the fortitude to do it, and won't pull through for Coker. This one could go either way, but I'll take the Jackets at home, 28-21.
Vanderbilt at Duke. My game of the week! The Commodores are favored by nine or ten, but that's practically a toss-up compared to most spreads against Duke. The Devils were agonizingly close last week, six yards away from beating Miami before throwing an interception on the last play of the game. Duke has been incapable of avoiding shooting itself in the foot this year. They're 0-7, but I'd have to say they're the best 0-7 team ever! (Inside joke for Kyle.) A last-second blocked field goal spoiled a great effort against 6-1 Wake Forest, they led Alabama 14-10 at the half and were within 16-14 until the Tide scored two touchdowns in the last four minutes, and they gave a terrible Virginia team some ridiculously good field position and some easy touchdowns. Anyway, my point is that Duke can win some games if it stops making dumb mistakes. And this week is as good a week as any to start a new streak. So I'm predicting that the Devils put the pieces together and end their fifteen-game losing skid. The Wallace Wade Stadium goalposts will be torn down by the Wade Wackos and end up in the pond in the Sarah P. Duke Gardens after Duke wins, 24-21.
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