Week 11 Predictions – 2018
Last Week: OSU made strides in the right direction against Nebraska but there is still work to be done to get into the playoff picture. The Cornhuskers are not the powerhouse blueblood team they used to be but they are playing much better than they were in September. The Buckeye defense did do better in spite of having to deal with multiple offensive turnovers. And the running game resurfaced but needs to stick around for the rest of the season to even make it to Indy. It is November so it is time to play championship football. As for our staff picks, almost everyone was 4-0 or 3-1 on the highlighted games and for the second week in a row, we were 10-3 on our Upset Specials. So our percentage of correct picks is trending much higher than the normal averages, should we set up shop for handicapping?
This Week’s Games: This week is another opportunity for Ohio State to show improvement, secure a victory, and perhaps gain some ground in the quest to climb into the top 4. Standing in their way will be Michigan State. You could say that Sparty has caused more heartburn than any other team since Urban’s arrival. Can the Buckeyes get over this hurdle and keep pace with the Wolverines? ….. Thanks to fact that the Big 12 Commissioner is still looking for a clue, the conference continues to try each year to manipulate their schedule to give them the best chance to land a team in the playoffs. Oklahoma versus Oklahoma State should be reserved for the last week of the season. But is this really a rivalry anymore since the Sooners have dominated the contest this century? …. If Clemson is going to have any more tests before making their travel arrangements for the playoffs, it will be this week against Boston College. But the Tigers are finally starting to play like an elite team, getting it together at the right time. Can the Eagles put something together a big upset and force the committee to lump Clemson with other one loss conference champions? …. Washington State continues to be a surprise team this year and the best team in the Pac-12. They take on Colorado who had a surprise run in the conference a couple of years ago themselves. Can the Cougars keep alive their slim playoff hopes?
Buckeye Greats: As with the past, we will continue to include former Buckeye players in our prediction fun and we are thrilled to have Vaughn Broadnax back with us as a regular participant for the fourth straight year.
Here we go once again … our Week 11 Picks – Good Luck to All – Gregg
(10)Ohio State @ (18)Michigan State
Bbaver: Pick: Ohio State – As many problems as this Buckeye team has, Sparty has more. They have certainly made the best of this season with all the injuries they have had, but one has to wonder if they are running on fumes. Could we see another 17-16 gm? OSU has won the last three in East Lansing, two of them by that exact score. I think we see a low scoring dog fight with OSU doing enough to survive. I like the Buckeyes to win a low scoring, close game. I think the 3.5 pt spread feels about right to me.
Cory: This is going to be a tough game for Ohio State. The Buckeyes have really struggled in the middle of the season, most recently evidenced by the close win at home over a two-win Nebraska team. Two bad turnovers gave Nebraska a short field and led to touchdowns, but still this is a team the Buckeyes should beat by 30 points. The Cornhuskers are trending upwards, but right now they are not a good team. We still see inconsistent play from the offensive line and linebackers, and in order to beat Michigan State you cannot be weak in those areas. The Spartans have three losses but look at the Michigan game if you want to see how tough the Spartans are. Michigan looks like a top 4 team in the nation but the Wolverines struggled to get anything going on offense until the fourth quarter. For Ohio State to win the Buckeyes need to take advantage of Michigan State’s poor offense. Spartans quarterback Brian Lewerke has as many interceptions as he does touchdowns (8). Escaping East Lansing with a win by any point margin will be good for Ohio State. Ohio State 17, Michigan State 10
Dave: xx
Gregg: Make no mistake Ohio State is NOT in the playoff picture, they still need a lot of help. I guess part of that help centers around the committee understanding that a two loss LSU team should not be ranked over the Buckeyes. But a lot of the rest is in the hands of the Scarlet&Gray. With the bad loss to Purdue, the eye test is going to HAVE to be something this team improves on and fast. Sparty is the perfect time to do this. They are ranked, they have quality wins over Penn State and Utah State and Dantonio is the only coach in the conference that has managed two wins over Urban since his arrival in 2012. Dwayne Haskins should have no problem putting up yards on the MSU defense and hopefully that opens up the run game. Am I the only one that thinks #1, can we open up the run game by having Haskins run a little more. He is certainly not a duel threat which puts an under-achieving offensive line at a disadvantage. These 4 and 5 star recruits need to start playing like it. Am I the only one that thinks #2, Mike Weber is just pacing himself and not running like he did last year. Other than is fumbles and dropped passes, he is almost playing like he has one foot in the NFL. Michigan held this team to under 100 yards, this version of the Silver Bullets (should we rename them to the Tarnished Bullets?) will not do that but they can’t give up 500 yards again. And can we get a three-and-out every once in a while? Josh and I will be driving up for the game so we will do our part. Just need this team to put it all together for 4 quarters and win both on the field and in the playoff committee room. Ohio State 33 Michigan State 17
Jason: A pair of ranked teams meet up in East Lansing to renew what of late has become a fierce rivalry. Michigan State has been playing good football of late but they really struggle to throw the football, so it the Buckeyes figure out a way to put a bunch of points on the board, the Spartans are in trouble. QB Brian Lewerke returned from injury a week ago against Maryland and in the win, threw for just 87 yards and 2 picks. The Spartans have hung their hats on defense this year, especially against the run, but Ohio State doesn’t run it particularly well anyway. With Dwayne Haskins flinging it all around the field, the Spartan secondary can be had, as witnessed by surrendering 300 plus through the air against Northwestern, Arizona State and Utah State. If Haskins finds his groove early, it could be a long day for the home faithful. A year ago, a banged up and beaten Buckeye team was told for a week plus that it wasn’t good and in came Michigan State. 60 minutes later it was 48-3 and the Buckeyes had their swagger back. They are hoping Michigan State is once again the elixir that they need to get things rolling again. The Buckeyes have their issues and they won’t all get solved this week but this is a beaten and broken Spartan team that is playing with a less than 100% Lewerke and RB LJ Scott is dealing with his own set of issues. For the Spartans to win the game, they need to have the same formula Nebraska employed last week and that’s take the ball away and capitalize on every mistake. If not, it could get ugly if Haskins is on. Michigan State has enough on defense to keep it close into the fourth quarter, but not enough to win the game. The Buckeyes survive a road test and set their sights on Maryland next week before the big one in two weeks. Ohio State 27 Michigan State 17
Joe-S-U: Michigan State over Ohio State – Hate to do it, but with the weather likely to suck and the nation’s #1 rushing defense across from you, I don’t see the offense doing a whole lot. Probably will be eerily similar to the last visit to East Lansing where we had to sweat through a 17-16 snoozefest. Davis is gone, Scott’s banged up, which ordinarily would give you hope but does anyone honest to God trust this defense right now? Like any Buckeye fan, I always want “THE Game” to have everything on the line for OSU or both teams, but just afraid this year it will be UM with all the cards and the Bucks playing for pride
John: I think this is actually a tough game to call. My original pick was going to be Sparty with the upset, but it appears that some banged up guys in the Bucks secondary will be healthy this week. B1G football in November comes down to the running game. The teams that rushes for the most yards generally will win these kinds of games. I think OSU is able to do just enough to eek out a win, but won’t be at all surprised if MSU pulls off the upset. Ohio State 28, Michigan State 24
Josh: With this game being played in East Lansing, and Michigan State being all but eliminated from Big Ten Championship game potential, they are wanting to play spoiler. I am sure a lot of the players and Dantonio remember the destruction Ohio State laid on them last year in Columbus and might be looking for revenge. A lot of this season has drawn 2014 comparisons, and I think a lot will until Ohio State has another championship season. This game will be big for the Buckeyes and will need to continue the running game success from last week, as well as clean up the passing game. Haskins had a few bad throws, and KJ Hill had a bad game, to what would have been an otherwise balanced attack. The defense cleaned up some things, but still made some mental errors. Nebraska was a good team, but didn’t belong on the same field still with Ohio State’s talent level. Michigan State will pose a bigger threat, but I think that Ohio State will have a game plan in place to slow down the running game for the Spartans and get back in rhythm against a manageable defense. Ohio State wins on the road in a close one, but more importantly wins to keep its Big Ten and Playoff chances alive. Ohio State 35 – Michigan State 28
Dr. Mark: OSU 42-31 I think this team still has talent but the D has to start believing it can play better in the middle- that starts with the D game plan- But Bucks can still end up 12-1 if they play better. That is my emotional speech of the week
PJSBuck: I hate the fact that this is a rivalry – MSU is not worthy of that. BUT,,,,,,, the way we have been playing lately we may not be worthy competition for them either. Anywho, I fully expect this to be yet ANOTHER ugly game that will be MUCH closer than it should be. To think we have our running attack back is akin to thinking we are ready to put people on Mars. Dantonio will pull out every trick he has heard of and then some. This could very easily be another “upset” but I think there is enough hope to stay with the home team. Ohio State in a squeaker, 31 – 27
Pia Pete: OSU over MSU
Coach Rick: Wow, what is happening this season? At this beginning of the season I would have thought we had a problem with offense and then there was an offensive explosion. I thought that the defense was going to be one of the best, and then they allow big plays. I thought as the season was to go on, there should be improvements and now it seems like the team is going the wrong way and I am not sure why. As for this game, I think Michigan State is under achieving for them with the talent they have so it will be the battle to see what team hits closest to their potential. I feel that is will be Ohio State and we will be a great game with OSU winning by 10.
Steven: OSU has been through a lot this year, and unfortunately much of the gravitas of this season has been outside of the player’s control. The Zach Smith situation has taken an emotional and physical toll on the coaching staff and it seems to have permeated the team. The kids seem to bear the weight of their coach’s burden every time they take the field. They’ve played tight all season, like they’re looking down the chasm of failure and are just inches from the edge, afraid of falling. This has become a season less about having fun and more about vindication, where the team has become to tool of Urban’s “redemption”. Looking back, it may have been better for Urban to just take the year off. This may have let the kids be free from all the distractions and just go out and play. I’m not very hopeful they can regroup enough to make a serious run at a championship, but they’re still in the hunt. They will be tested Saturday in East Lansing. I like what we saw from the run game against Nebraska. If that level of commitment is shown and Dwayne Haskins doesn’t have to win the game on his own OSU can bring home a victory. I have no doubt the defense can be locked in, but if they continue to chase plays and make tackles 3 yards or more downfield, it will be along day. Calling this one close, but OSU should be able to do it…. by the skin of their teeth OSU 38-36.
Trout: I wish I was more optimistic about this game. As bad as the defense was in the early season, the offense’s ability to put up a ton of points made me think this team could play with anyone. But ever since, the escaped Penn State, this team has not looked good on either side. Besides Dwayne Haskins at quarterback, no part of these team has played up to their potential. They let a 2-6 Nebraska team stay in the game the whole time. After being embarrassed by Purdue 2 weeks ago, you’d think this team would have some fight. Having said that, I will still give them the win. I don’t think Sparty is a good team. The definitely can cause disruptions, and they will challenge the Bucks on every play. But, I have faith in Haskins. besides a few bad throws, he has consistently been a bright spot for this team. Also, it seems that OSU got their running game back with Dobbins. Granted Michigan State has a vastly better defense than Nebraska. In the end, I see this game being close. OSU will play down to Sparty’s level and it will be a frustrating game to watch. With Haskins and Dobbins leading the offense, I see the Buckeyes squeaking by and keeping their small playoff hopes alive. (Ohio State, 17-16)
Vaughn Broadnax (1980-83): The good thing about a noon game in East Lansing during the month of November is that when the 4th quarter rolls around that it might be the warmest time of the day. I figure that Mark Dantonio will blitz us relentlessly and hopefully, just hopefully, our offensive coordinators call some screens to the runningbacks to squelch that noise. If that happens and our defense doesn’t allow Brian Lewerke to use our defense for his highlight tape we should be okay. Unfortunately, we might have to deal with LJ Scott who is looking at our LBs and drooling at the chance to run against. Possibly another highlight film opportunity. I can’t go against the Buckeyes and see the them beating Sparty 35-17.
Final Score: Ohio State 0 Michigan State 0
Oklahoma State @ (6)Oklahoma
Bbaver: Pick – Oklahoma: Things sometimes get interesting in the Bedlam game, but I think the Sooners take care of business.
Cory: It has been a struggle this season for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Following a 3-0 start Oklahoma State has lost four of their last six, and three of their last four. The disappointing play was capped off by a 35-31 loss to Baylor last week. Oklahoma, on the other, looks like the only hope for a Big 12 team to make the playoff. The Sooners managed to edge past Texas Tech last week. Everybody knows how good quarterback Kyler Murray is, but if you watch this game pay attention to Sooners running back Trey Sermon. At 225 pounds, Sermon is a bigger back and it showed last week as Texas Tech had trouble tackling him. Sermon ran for 206 yards and three touchdowns in that game. With this being a rivalry game expect Oklahoma State to put up a fight, but the Sooners have too much firepower for Texas Tech to overcome. Oklahoma 45, Oklahoma State 31
Dave: xx
Gregg: Oklahoma was lucky last week. I believe if Tech QB Alan Bowman had been able to play in the second half the Sooners would be a two loss team. I believe that was their wake up call. From this point on, they will be ready. Do they have enough to beat WVU twice remains to be seen. But for this weekend, I expect Kyler Murray to light up the scoreboard with his arm and his feet. The Cowboys will not have an answer even they they will put up a few points themselves. In the 112 games previously in this series, Oklahoma holds a huge edge with a record of 87-18-7, make it 88! Oklahoma 52 Oklahoma State 35
Jason: A rivalry renewed in Norman as the Bedlam rivalry once again takes place as the Cowboys invade Sooner territory. Oklahoma has won 13 of the last 15 meetings between the two schools and the Sooners are big favorites to continue that dominance again this time around. The Pokes are aiming to bounce back after losing last week at Baylor after giving up a pair of late TD’s to lose a tough one. The Cowboys, in true Big 12 fashion, can pile up yardage, gaining over 500 of them a week ago. Coming off a big win over Texas, they failed to complete the job and a couple of missed opportunities cost them. The Pokes need to win one of their last 3 games to become bowl eligible and with Oklahoma, West Virginia and TCU left to play, it won’t be easy. The Sooners survived a road test in Lubbock a week ago, beating Texas Tech 51-46, amassing nearly 700 yards of offense in a game where the defenses failed to show up. Oklahoma is in position to make a return trip to the College Football playoff but they will be challenged with their remaining schedule. QB Kyler Murray is aiming to get an invite to NYC for the Heisman ceremony and his numbers certainly merit a trip. Murray has thrown for nearly 2700 yards and 31 TD’s with just 5 picks and is the main focus of the Sooner offense. If he is on, it’s bad news for the Cowboys. Look for Oklahoma to put it in the endzone early and often. Oklahoma State will score but it won’t be nearly enough as Oklahoma rolls and continues their Big 12 dominance. Oklahoma 47 Oklahoma State 31
Joe-S-U: Oklahoma over OK State – Had to laugh at the preview Phil Steele gave this game in his rag- Oklahoma hasn’t won 4 in a row in this series since they won 8 from 2003-2010. Wow, Phil, that’s really a deep historical stat. How about suffice to say that the Sooners overwhelmingly have had the upper hand in Bedlam and it won’t change this year?
John: Vegas has the over/under in this one pegged at a whopping 77 points. Defense takes a holiday. Oklahoma 49 Oklahoma State 31
Josh: Oklahoma was on the ropes last week, and Texas Tech did everything it could, but couldn’t close out the win. This rivalry has been interesting the past few years, but I think this will be a close one. From here on out though, and knowing I am not going to get back in the top for the Buckeye50 predictions, I am going with the Cowboys on the road. I think Mike Gundy isn’t under any fire, but at the same time, he needs to win this one. I think they can force Murray to make mistakes and have a good enough offense to exploit the porous Sooner defense. Oklahoma State 42 – Oklahoma 38
Dr. Mark: Sooners 45-38, defense is optional in this game
PJSBuck: I am a believer in the Sooners – just too strong and too balanced. I think they beat the Cowboys by 28 or more. Should be a fun game to watch.
Pia Pete: OU over OSU
Coach Rick: This game should be all Sooners, but they always say if something is to good to be true, is it? I do not think that it is going to be a good game at all and I see the Sooners winning by at least 20 points.
Steven: Bedlam should be more fun than a burlap sack full of bobcats. Between them, these two teams could just about score enough points for the entire Big Ten West this week. It is crazy to think that Okie State is scoring over 38 points per game and is 4th in the conference. OU, atop the Big 12 in scoring is favored by TWENTY. I love me some Kyler Murray, but dang that’s a lot of points. Calling this one to be closer than that, but not much. OU 48-31.
Trout: I see Oklahoma winning this game. The Cowboys can score some points, but they also don’t have a real defense. In their 4 loses, the have given up a total of 155 points. Kyler Murray should a have a great week through the air, and the other Sooners should be able to score with ease. But Oklahoma’s weak defense should allow the Cowboys to stay in the game for a while. This game should be a normal Big 12 shootout. However, I see Oklahoma pulling away late in the game. Their superior skill on both sides of the ball will allow them to get ahead of the Cowboys and hold them off to win the game. Sooners win and remain the top team in their conference. (Oklahoma, 49-42)
Vaughn Broadnax (1980-83): Oklahoma State and Oklahoma might score 70 points each as this game may come down to who has the ball last. Both of their defenses have been featured on milk cartons and the hopes of each team finding one soon is hopeless. However, I will go with the home team. The Sooners beat the Cowboys 48-45.
Final Score: Oklahoma 0 Oklahoma State 0
(2)Clemson @ (17)Boston College
Bbaver: Pick: Clemson – This seems like one of the games that Clemson loses each year….but I don’t have the guts to make that call. Gotta go with the Tigers on the road
Cory: One thing many fans have overlooked this season has been the emergence of ACC teams into the rankings. North Carolina State, Syracuse, and Boston College all themselves there. Boston College has been overlooked because their two losses, but those came to a quietly good Purdue team, and a ranked North Carolina State team. Boston College has balanced offense and plays solid defense. The concern for Boston College this game is if the Eagles can keep up with Clemson. Clemson has been a bit inconsistent this season, but we all know what the Tigers are capable of, and if you aren’t then look at their last four games: 63-3 over Wake Forest, 41-7 over North Carolina State, 59-10 over Florida State, and 77-16 over Louisville. Gameday is headed to Boston for this game so the hype is there, but ultimately Boston College won’t be able to keep up with Clemson. Clemson 38, Boston College 10
Dave: xx
Gregg: I would love to see Boston College win this one (does Flutie have any eligibility left) but I don’t think they quite have enough weapons. Clemson came into this season promoting they had the best defensive line in the country. Now that group is finally living up to it and it is going to be tough for anyone to get yardage on them. The combination of Trevor Lawrence calling plays and Travis Etienne running them, the offense is peaking at the right time. Syracuse is really the only team to challenge the Tigers this season and had them beat if they could have just stopped them when they had them stopped late on a 3rd a 12 play, this would be another one loss team. The only thing BC can hang their hat on is ‘IF’ they can win this game, it will take wins the next two weeks as well but they can actually take the Atlantic division. Sad to say I don’t think they will be able to do it. Clemson 48 Boston College 24
Jason: The 2nd ranked and unbeaten Clemson Tigers will go on the road to face what will most likely be their last test of the season against the Boston College Eagles. The Tigers are coming off a dominating 77-16 home win over Louisville, and the Eagles won a tough road battle, 31-21 over Virginia Tech. Since taking over as the #1 QB for the Tigers, true freshman QB Trevor Lawrence has thrown for over 300 passing yards in two out of his last three games, and he has thrown for over 1500 yards with 18 TD’s for the year. RB Travis Etienne is just another weapon at his disposal, running for 2 yards short of 1000 on the year as the Tigers have dominated the ACC thus far. On the other side of the ball, the vaunted Clemson D ranks 5th nationally in total defense, allowing just 278 yards per ballgame. With a win, the Tigers clinch a spot in the ACC title game but it won’t be necessarily easy. Boston College comes in on a three game winning streak. Led by an outstanding RB, AJ Dillon who has run for 900 yards on the season and QB Anthony Brown who has thrown for nearly 1600 yards. Dillon, however, is nursing an ankle injury and is questionable in this one. If he is unable to go, it could be a big factor in the effectiveness of the Eagle offense. The Eagles have an outstanding defense, allowing opponents to just over 370 yards of offense per game and they will need to be great on Saturday to have a chance. While Boston College is solid, they are not near the level of the Tigers on either side of the football and Clemson will be too much for the home team. Clemson rolls and continues their march to the College Football Playoff. Clemson 50 Boston College 24
Joe-S-U: Clemson over Boston College – ABC and NBC are throwing the ACC some prime-time love Saturday night. Sad thing is if things hold sway, the pseudo-ACC Irish and Clemson would have to meet in the semifinal, ’cause God forbid any other conference but the SEC get two teams in the title game (and thus all the payout)x
John: Hard to believe that Clemson is only a 17-20 point favorite in this one. Tigers win big. Clemson 56 Boston College 17
Josh: I think this is Clemson’s last potential loss this season, but I don’t see it happening. They are on a different level since the bye week, and have been dispatching their opponents easily. The only chance Boston College has is if they play keep away from Clemson, and would have to score on over 80% of their possessions. Clemson wins this one big, and lock up any linger doubt about the ACC Championship game. Clemson 42 – Boston College 17
Dr. Mark: Clemson 45-14 Pat will be the starting running back in this Game!! Clemson starters will be playing video games in the locker room!!
PJSBuck: I am sure there are people who are interested in this game but I am not one of them. Clemson by about 86 or more….
Pia Pete: Clemson over BC
Coach Rick: Not sure that Clemson will cover the spread, but they will win the game. Not a good season when two top 25 teams go against each other and one of favored by 20.
Steven: BC and OSU both have a loss in West Lafayette. Not sure that means anything, but that is OSU’s only loss and one of 2 for the Eagles. The way that Clemson is playing, I’m not even sure if this one is going to be competitive. This one seems to be a mere bump in the road for a Clemson team that not only is playing way above their competition, but really seem to be having fun. Watching the way that Dabo Swinney coaches, you can see why. He throws 700 lb. fullback-tailback combinations on the field and the team just eats it up as opponents are left wondering what the heck just happened. OSU could learn a lot from this approach. Clemson 49-20
Trout: Although the Boston College Eagles has been a nice surprise in ACC, I don’t think they will challenge Clemson. Since the switch to Trevor Lawrence, the Clemson offense has been rolling. Clemson is clearly one of the best teams in the country right now. I don;t see this game being close. The Tigers’ offense should be able to score a lot of point and their defense should keep the Eagles in check. They will score early and the will score often. Boston College may get a few scores in through out the game, but it will not be close. Clemson wins in a blow out and remains undefeated. (Clemson, 63-17)
Vaughn Broadnax (1980-83): Clemson is steamrolling teams right now. However, that steam starts to evaporate in the chill of a northeast fall. There will not be an upset unfortunately. Clemson beats Boston College 35-14.
Final Score: Clemson 0 Boston College 0
(8)Washington State @ Colorado
Bbaver: Pick: Wash State – I don’t have a good feeling about this game and Colorado may indeed pull the upset here….but I will go with the Cougs on the road.
Cory: What is going on with Colorado? The Buffaloes started the season 5-0 and were ranked, and then the wheels fell off. Since that start Colorado has lost four straight, including to mediocre teams in Oregon State and Arizona the last two weeks. Washington State, meanwhile, continues to roll. The Cougars struggled offensively against Cal last week, but were still able to pull out the win. If Colorado has any hope of winning this game they will need a big day from quarterback Steven Montez. Montez is completing 67.5 percent of his passes with 17 touchdowns and five interceptions, and is very underrated. That said, it’s hard to imagine Colorado will be able to turn things around this week. Washington State 31, Colorado 14
Dave: xx
Gregg: For me, this one does not take much thought. Colorado has lost four starters on defense and three of their receivers. This will be the Minshew show from start to finish, he should go for over 400 yards and keep the Cougar fans dreaming of a playoff spot. Is it time for the Apple Cup yet? Washington State 55 Colorado 17
Jason: Washington State upped their season record to 8-1 with a hard fought 19-13 victory at home over Cal last week. Cougars QB Gardner Minshew threw a 10-yard touchdown with 30 seconds left for the game-winning score. Wazzu dominated in total offense, outgaining the Bears 413-291 which makes them 9 for 9 in that category in their games this season. The Cougars now lead the North division of the Pac 12 conference, a half game ahead of rival Washington who they will get in a couple weeks in the annual Apple Cup. The Buffaloes started the season fast, racing out to a 5-0 record, but since then, they have dropped 4 in a row, losing to Arizona last week. A week prior, the Buffs led Oregon State 31-3 in the third quarter, before letting the Beavers rally for a 41-34 win so Colorado is really reeling. While Colorado is just trying to get bowl eligible, the Cougs have set their sights on a potential berth in the College Football Playoff and currently sit 8th in the rankings. This one seems like a total mismatch as the Cougars Heisman candidate, Minshew can fling the ball all over the yard and if Colorado falls down early, they will start questioning themselves. Look for Wazzu to go into Boulder and dominate from start to finish, burying Colorado early and cruising to a relatively easy win. Wazzu 42 Colorado 21
Joe-S-U: Washington State over Colorado – Rick Nelson played the character “Colorado” in the John Wayne pic “Rio Bravo”. Nelson’s birthday happened as they were shooting, and the Duke and Dean Martin got him a present- a huge sack of manure. Legend has it the sack was emptied and Nelson was tossed into the pile. What all this has to do with this pick is beyond me
John: I don’t follow the Pac12 too closely, but what I’ve seen of Washington State this year I’ve liked. Wash.St 34 Colorado 28
Josh: Colorado had a nice 5-0 start, but have lost ever since. They were the Cinderella story of the season, but have now become just the plain pumpkin instead of the golden carriage. Washington State had issues last week that ended up hurting their perception, but keeping their playoff hopes alive. It is also hard to trust Mike Leech though when it comes to being a dominant team. I think they will lose a game this season before the PAC-12 Championship, just not this game. Washington State 31 – Colorado 21
Dr. Mark: WSU 27-24, will be close but Colorado not quite as fast
PJSBuck: Another really fun game to watch. I am going with Colorado by 10
Pia Pete: WSU over Colorado
Coach Rick: Boy, what has happened to Colorado? I felt they were one the top teams and then they started playing average. They need this game or a win against Cal to get their 6th win of the season to make the post season and at this time I do not think that they will make it. I have Washington State winning by 10 points.
Steven: On paper, Washington State is about a touchdown better that the Buffs. Top to bottom the Cougars are better. The only things that could be going for Colorado is since the team has lost four in a row they can hope Wazzu takes them lightly, or bank on that they’re bound to win sometime. You have to find hope wherever you can. This one will be tighter then a touchdown, but should still go the way of the Cougars. 34-21.
Trout: Who would of though that Washington State would be a top 10 team? I sure didn’t. Mike Leach has completely turned this program around. The Cougars should win this game. They are clearly a good team with a lot of talent. While the Buffaloes showed a lot of promise early this season have seem to fall off a cliff. They have lost 4 games in row and 2 of those were to Bad Oregon State and Arizona teams. I think Colorado will keep it close in the early parts of the game, but I see the Cougars pulling ahead in the second half. From there, they should be able to get a few scores ahead and win the game comfortably. Washington State wins and remains the to team in the PAC 12 North. (Washington State, 35-17)
Vaughn Broadnax (1980-83): Washington State and Colorado will be an interesting game. Washington is on a roll, but like Mike Leach teams have performed in the past they are set for a letdown. I see that happening this weekend. Colorado upsets the Pirate 34-24.
Final Score: Washington State 0 Colorado 0
UPSET SPECIAL PICKS!
#24 Auburn @ #5 Georgia
Vaughn Broadnax (1980-83): My upset pick is Auburn over Georgia 24-17. (I can dream can’t I?)
Dr. Mark: I will steal Vaughn’s upset pick and take Auburn by 7 — Gus has a contract next year?
Jason: #19 Texas @ Texas Tech
The Texas Longhorns are coming off two straight losses and head to Lubbock, Texas to try to stop that streak but it won’t be easy. Texas Tech is coming off a pair of losses in a row as well so something has to give. Since the big win for the Horns over Oklahoma, they have struggled, barely eking by Baylor and falling in back to back games to Oklahoma and West Virginia respectively. The Red Raiders QB Alan Bowman went 21 of 26 for 227 and 2 TD’s in the first half of the loss to Oklahoma last week, but was hit in the head with a football while warming up for the second half and did not return. There have been some reports that say he had issues with a previously collapsed lung. If he can’t go this week, his backup Jett Duffey threw for 139 yards and 2 TD’s and also rushed for 47 yards and a TD against the Sooners. So no matter who the QB, the Red Raiders can score. Texas seems to be lacking confidence and following the West Virginia loss last week, it wasn’t about how they can get better, it was whining from coaches and players over the perception of disrespect. Any way you cut it, this is a fractured football team and one that’s heading into a hornet’s nest. Texas Tech is number 1 in the Big 12 in passing offense and second in both total offense and scoring offense. For a Longhorn team that’s reeling, that’s bad news. Texas Tech 47 Texas 38
Josh: Boise State over Fresno State – We are still waiting on the playoff ranking, but looking at the matchups this week, this one I feel like could be the best option. Boise State is looking to have a marquee win and have chance to win the Mountain West, and this conference game at home could be the boost they need. Boise State 31 – Fresno State 28
Bbaver: I guess I have to go with the Smurfs on the blue turf to upset Fresno State. Should be a good one, and I will go with Boise State.
Gregg: I think the loss of their starting quarterback will be enough for the Gators to fall to South Carolina. They lost the last two games with him, it wil only get worse without him. South Carolina 31 Florida 10
Steven: With the injury to Florida’s QB, I’ll pick the Gamecocks to upset the Gators. And how the heck is Florida still ranked?! Yuck.
Trout: Wisconsin @ Penn State – Since the loss to Ohio State, the Nittany Lions have been trending down. The had a bad loss to Sparty, narrowly escaped Indiana and Iowa, and then were embarrassed by Michigan. They are clearly not the team that was advertised at the beginning of the season. To be fair, the Big ten as a whole is not great. Wisconsin is the embodiment of that statement. They are a team that should be better, but are not. Through dumb mistakes and a lack of a real passing threat, the Badgers now sit at 6-3. Both teams are just average. But I give the edge to the Badgers because of Jonathan Taylor. He has be a bright spot for the badgers. I think he will have a big game, running for 150+ yards against the PSU defense. It will be close however. As bad as Penn State has been, McSorley is still a talented quarterback, and will keep Penn State in the game. In the end, Wisconsin’s strong running game, will get them past the Nittany Lions, and serve them their 4th lose of the season. (Wisconsin, 24-21)
Cory: Fresno State @ Boise State Fresno State enters this game No. 23 in the country with an impressive 9-1 record. That one loss? It came to Minnesota in the second week of the season. The Bulldogs feature a terrific quarterback in Marcus McMaryion, who has passed for 2,416 yards with 20 touchdowns and three interceptions. He is also completing 70.9 percent of his passes. That said, Boise State features a pretty decent quarterback of their own in Brett Rypien. Rypien, the the nephew of former Washington Redskins quarterback Mark Rypien, has thrown for 2,779 yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions. The difference in this game is that Boise State absolutely owns this rivalry. The Broncos have won 10 of the last 12, and Fresno State hasn’t won in Boise since 1984. Boise State 31, Fresno State 28
Joe-S-U: Upset Special- Northwestern over Iowa
John: Northwestern over #21 Iowa NU 24 Iowa 21
Pia Pete: Oregon over Utah
Coach Rick: Upset Pick – I see Boise State beating Fresno State in a close game.