Some would say “black Saturday” but it wasn’t that bad. Sure, I was 2-5 with my 7 Free PIcks, and just 3-3 with my DirecTV ESPN GamePlan Picks, but after a pretty tough Saturday on Week 2, I sit just one game under .500 for my college selections. Not winning money yet, but some tough luck will turn around, and I’m guessing next week. Here is my Week 2 college review, all games explained.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (+7) @ Boston College Eagles: (19-16 WINNER)
The Jackets pulled the upset, making me look good. I just love G-Tech’s rushing attack. When an underdog they can always find a way to smash mouth opposing defenses. Matt Ryan’s absence does seem to get more and more evident when watching the Eagles. Tech barely took this won, scoring 9 unanswered 4th quarter points. The ACC still looks gross.
Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (+18) @ Auburn Tigers: (13-27 WINNER)
It didn’t look good early as Auburn shutout Southern Miss in the 1st half, 14-0. But my boys came through late, playing the Tigers to a 2nd half tie and covering. YAY! If it weren’t for all of Southern Miss’s 1st half mistakes, this game would have been a heck of a lot closer. Auburn is the better team, but don’t sleep on the Golden Eagles.
Cincinnati Bearcats (+21.5) @ Oklahoma Sooners: (26-52 LOSS)
I really thought I had this one in the bag. The Bearcats started slow but came back in the 2nd quarter with a couple touchdowns to make things interesting – and I thought I could easily stay within 3 scores. But Oklahoma came out in the 2nd half showing everyone why they are one of the favorites to find a place in the BCS title game. They absolutely treated the Bearcats like their little brothers and beasted them throughout the duration of the game. I lost by 5 points.
Mississippi @ Wake Forest Demon Deacons (-8): (28-30 LOSS)
Up 20-14 headed into the 4th I thought I had a nice opportunity to take this one. One more Wake field goal and holding Miss would have given me the win. As it went, 24 points were scored in the final frame and I ended up taking a loss. Wake needed that “field goal” to win the game, as they did, taking out Miss by 2. Both teams look solid.
Buffalo Bulls @ Pittsburgh Panthers (-13): (16-27 LOSS)
Up one going into the 4th quarter, the Panthers couldn’t quite cover for me. They scored 10 4th quarter points to get me just a field goal away, but couldn’t pull the trigger. Those chumps. Buffalo is better than I thought. Pitt is exactly what I thought.
Tulane Green Wave (+30.5) @ Alabama Crimson Tide: (6-20 WINNER)
” A 30 point favorite is too much for me to buy. The Tide come in hot on bettor’s minds, and that’s never a good thing for the favorite. Tulane plays teams pretty tough. They lost a lot in Matt Forte, but in their season opener I expect enough excitement to keep this game closer than 4 touchdowns. Alabama is a tough match-up for Tulane, as their run defense is stellar, but that won’t stop the Green Wave from handing the ball off, and their schemes are good enough to get some first downs. John Parker Wilson will come back to earth in this one.” This one was tight, just as I figured. Don’t be spending too much money hoping for Bama to win by 30.
Connecticut Huskies (-6) @ Temple Owls: (12-9 LOSS)
When this game went into overtime I was stoked about a possible win despite the tight contest throughout. But the Owls won the toss and kicked a field goal, and now I was hoping for the Huskies to get stopped on the 5 and have to tie the game with a field goal just so they could try to score first and hold the Owls out to get me the ATS win. It’s a funny thing watching a game with money on the line. Ha. I was had when UCONN scored to end it.
BYU Cougars (-9) @ Washington Huskies: (28-27 LOSS)
The Huskies really played very well, then got hosed by a ridiculous celebration penalty as Jake Locker tossed the ball in the air after scoring the game tying touchdown with 2 seconds left. That call should never be made. I wonder if that striped donkey feels good about himself today. Idiot. Anyway, I knew I was in trouble as soon as the Huskies came out and scored in the second half. They usually don’t do that until the game is out of reach. I took it on the chin here, I thought this game would be a laugher.
Akron Zips (+5) @ Syracuse Orange: (42-28 WINNER!)
Yhatzee! If you took my Zips to win you must be a happy human. Akron pulls the minor upset showing themselves to be a much better team than Syracuse. The days of Donovan McNabb to Marvin Harrison are a long ways away Orange fans!
Central Michigan Chippewas @ Georgia Bulldogs (-23.5): (17-56 WINNER!)
How about this Knowshon Moreno kid? Talk about efficient – he was handed the ball 18 times and ran 168 yards with it – oh, and three touchdowns to boot. Plus he caught 3 balls for 30 yards. Not a bad day for one of the most talented runners in college football. Matt Stafford played well, but he didn’t need to be dynamic today, the Georgia rushing attack, as I predicted, was way too much for the Chipps.
Oregon State Beavers (+17) @ Penn State Nittany Lions (14-45 LOSS)
And it wasn’t that close. Okay. I was wrong about Oregon State. For the foreseeable future I will not pick them. Ha.
West Virginia Moutaineers (-7.5) @ East Carolina Pirates: (3-24 LOSS)
WVU 3? Points? Maybe I expected too much from this offense? I don’t know. Back to the drawing board on this one I guess. I liked the Pirates, and this game only intensifies that admiration, but the Mounties just didn’t come to play. They got some unlucky bounces and rolls and whatnot, but surely not 24-3 worth of that stuff. Yikes.
Maryland Terrapins (-12.5) @ Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders: (14-24 LOSS)
The Terps lost by 10. Yep. If there was ever an example of a team that just hasn’t come to play for two straight weeks, it’s the Terps. Usually it’s not two straight weeks, but in this case, that is what happened. Until they prove they’re heads are clearly out of their rears, I would stay away from them.