Picks Trying Not to Suck: Week 4
The Kenney brothers continued crashing back to earth in week three. Remember that it can always get worse.
On to this week’s picks…
BLATANT HOMERISM--Week 4
(Last week: 2-3; Overall: 6-9-1)
Minnesota at Maryland (-1.5)
The Golden Gophers on the over was one of my favorite win total bets in the preseason, so I like where they sit through three games. Looking back at the first three games, however, Minny hasn’t impressed. Even in last week’s 26-3 win over Miami (Ohio), the Golden Gophers recovered four of five total fumbles in the game to inflate the final margin.
Maryland needs a bounce-back game after getting hammered last week by Temple.
The pick: Terrapins, 24-17.
Florida at Tennessee (+4.5)
Granted, we don’t know much about Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt, but doesn’t spending an exorbitant amount of time prepping for this game since August seem like something he would do?
The pick: Volunteers 7, Gators 6.
Pittsburgh at North Carolina (+3.5)
The Tar Heels bite, but Pitt isn’t much better. I make this game a pick ‘em in Chapel Hill, so I will happily accept 3.5 points on the home team.
The pick: Not Pitt - blech.
Arizona State at Washington (-17.5)
Revenge game for the Huskies. The shine is wearing off of the Fighting Herm Edwardses, who don’t seem able to run the ball at all.
The pick: Huskies huge.
Troy at Louisiana-Monroe (+4.5)
The Trojans’ track record to this point feels too flimsy to justify this number. That throttling from Boise State looks worse a few weeks later, and last week’s win at Nebraska came with NU playing unheralded backup quarterback Andrew Bunch. Neal Brown’s team needed a special teams play to provide the final margin.
The pick: ULM. Consider this a bet against Troy.
THE SKINNY--Week 4
(Last week: 1-4; Overall: 6-10)
Notre Dame (-7.5) at Wake Forest
Kansas at Baylor (-7.5)
Boston College (-7) at Purdue
Mississippi State (-9.5) at Kentucky
TCU (-3) at Texas