Picks Trying Not to Suck: Week 9
BH got back on track with a 3-2 record last week, while The Skinny kept up his winning ways. Let's see what this week has in store.
BLATANT HOMERISM--Week 9
(Last Week: 3-2; Overall: 22-18)
Penn State at Ohio State (-7)
Assuming the Buckeyes handily defeat PSU on Saturday night, as I expect, we'll start hearing even more of the "Ohio St. is playing the best football in the country right now" chorus. The people parroting this line will point to efficiency metrics such as S&P+, which currently rates OSU as the best team in the country, to back up their argument.
Pardon my French, but my ass. OSU might be a better team today than it was at the start the season. However, the idea that the Buckeyes are surging in the last month is built on a streak of grinding up opponents from the Big Ten, the most unimaginative collective of teams in the country.
Programs like Nebraska and Rutgers are essentially trying to beat the Buckeyes at their own game – with worse players. It's certainly a credit to Urban Meyer and his staff that they have their squad looking all kinds of ruthless, but the Buckeyes are beating up on teams that really aren't built to challenge them. I'm not convinced that this run tell us much more than that.
The pick: Ohio St. by 13.
Rutgers at Michigan (-24)
Another B1G bash. Jim Harbaugh's teams generally excel at putting a whooping on the Rutgers of the world. In light of last week's result and the scrutiny that has come upon the Wolverines' coach in the interim, I get the feeling that the Michigan men are going to hit the throttle on Saturday in the Big House.
The pick: Wolverines 31, Scarlet Knights 3. Yes, even with that offense.
Texas at Baylor (+9)
Matt Rhule still has the Bears playing hard for him, and they have been so close to getting their first win. Would be sweet for BU if it came against the Longhorns.
The pick: Baylor outright.
UCLA at Washington (-17.5)
No need to make this too difficult. The Bruins can't stop the run to save their lives. The Huskies have been stewing for two weeks over how their last outing went down, so look for them to pound the ball down UCLA's throat.
The pick: Jim Mora's Westwood death march proceeds apace.
Tulane at Memphis (+10.5)
I'll keep riding the Green Wave. Didn't go so well the last time Memphis played an option team – Navy ran for about five yards per carry.
The pick: Tulane keeps to single digits.
THE SKINNY--Week 9
(Last Week: 3-2; Overall: 20-20)
North Carolina State (+7.5) at Notre Dame
Texas at Baylor (+9)
Oklahoma State at West Virginia (+7.5)
TCU (-6.5) at Iowa State
Mississippi State (-1.5) at Texas A&M