Today's Picks

I have a lot today, so let's get going.
Wisconsin -21 over Oregon State: Badgers rolling while Beavers always stink in Sept.
Toledo +18 versus Ohio State: Do you have the cojones?
Miss St -6 over Auburn: Bulldogs will score at will.
Cincinnati +4.5 against Tennessee: I liked this a lot better when it opened 2 pts higher.
Nevada +27 against Oregon: Hard to bet against Ducks but that is a ton of pts.
Alabama -10 against PSU: Will be close for 3 Qs until Penn State D wears down.
South Carolina -3 at Georgia: Double digit win.
Temple -15 versus Akron: Owls looked primed for continued success.
No. Illinois -4.5 at Kansas: Statement game for Huskies--until next week versus Wisconsin.
BYU +7 at Texas: Road warriors will need better QB play.
Ball State +20: Hangover Bowl will go to USF but Ball State covers.
Western Kentucky +10 over Navy: Spread makes sense at Navy.
Utah +9: at USC: Utes are just as good.
BC +7.5 at UCF: Eagles didn't look that bad against Northwestern.
Enjoy.

Farewell Lee Roy Selmon

Yet another superstar college football player from my youth has passed away with the recent death of legendary Oklahoma defensive lineman Lee Roy Selmon. I have never been a Sooner fan, yet I rooted for the Selmon brothers as they seemed to be talented members of a great family. The more I learned about the Selmons over the years bore that impression out as everyone had a kind word to say about each of them. But despite their natural friendliness and classroom success, the Selmons were terrific football players and their recruitment was the most important reason for the success enjoyed by OU during their time in Norman.

It has taken me a couple of days to write about Lee Roy's death because of my anger over the many obituaries I have read. I readily admit that the NFL is the most popular sport in this country, but college football is not far behind and Oklahoma football is arguably more significant than that of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Selmons's team. But the obits either ignored his tremendous career at Oklahoma or briefly mentioned it. Why? Because it is not pro football and today's sportswriters have grown up in the modern era where the pro game trumps all. Selmon was a college superstar, winning awards and national titles. That is as important as anything he did before or after. It is really stupid when ESPN makes this kind of mistake as they have been broadcasting college football for decades.

Tonight's Pick

What have we learned so far this young 2011 season? If you have dreams of BCS games dancing in your head, it is prudent to schedule Cupcake U. opening week. Oregon, Notre Dame, TCU and Georgia would all have been better off facing weaker competition this weekend. All four of those teams made the kind of mistakes that one could expect this early in the season. And while it is true that their opponents were in a similar boat, the reality is that most of the Top 25 played someone they could beat even if they played poorly. And compounding the issue for the four mentioned week one losers is that they do not even have a cupcake scheduled for week two, and so to avoid falling to 0-2 Oregon must beat Nevada, ND has to win a night game in Ann Arbor, TCU must win at Air Force and Georgia has to beat South Carolina.
Today I love SMU getting 15 points from an over-rated Texas A&M squad.

Today's Picks

My picks today are a work in progress. My best bet is Northwestern getting 3.5 at Boston College. Both teams look to improve on 7-win seasons and the Cats, with Dan Persa healthy, will be the surprise contender in the Big Ten Legends division. BC still has to prove that they can pass the ball, especially with star runner Montel Harris out with a knee injury. The extra half point was too good to pass up.
I also like East Carolina getting 21 from a South Carolina team that has had too much turmoil this off season and will be looking ahead to the Georgia game. I also think Colorado State (-6.5) will be a bowl team this year and will beat poor New Mexico by 2 TDs. And BYU will be a national contender this season and that path will begin today with a road win over an SEC opponent in Mississippi. Take the Cougars minus 3.
As far as the big games today, I like Notre Dame over USF by 14, Oregon to edge LSU by a FG and Boise State to beat Georgia by 7.
And didn't I write that today's picks are a work in progress? Well, Houston is going to beat UCLA by 10 to avenge last season's upset loss.

Opening Upset of 2011

TCU coach Gary Patterson could not have gotten much sleep last night. If he did, nightmares of Baylor wideouts racing past his DBs would have woken him up. Baylor beat TCU 50-48 thanks in large part to long passes completed against a rebuilt Horned Frogs secondary. But, most importantly, Baylor showed mettle enough to shake off 25 straight TCU points in marching down field late in 4th Q for the winning FG. That was impressive.
Can Baylor build off this win? They should be able to, as long as QB Robert Griffin stays healthy. Griffin completed 21-27 for 359y and 5 TDs. The defense still needs work. As for TCU, there is work to be done but that was to be expected after losing 13 starters. The 25-game regular season win streak is over and the key for coach Patterson is shaking off the loss and focusing on the MWC crown. Defense of that title, in their last season in conference, begins next week at Air Force. At least they will not give up 414y passing in that game.

Picks For Tonight

That was a nice comeback for Syracuse, even if it cost me a pick. The Big East needs all the wins it can get against other BCS conferences too.
There is Friday night football in Texas but it is a battle between Baylor and TCU. With the programs in the state Texas going every which way, this is a statement game for the Bears. I like them in an upset thanks to having the best QB on the field in Robert Griffin. He faces a tall task in the always-stout Horned Frogs defense. It should be a good game.

Tonight's Picks

I went for Wake, +6.5, the under in that game (49) and the over in the Wisconsin game (57). But I want good, clean fun.