Tag Archives: Stanford Cardinal

New Year's Eve Bowl Games: Free College Football Picks

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The amount of college games on the docket right now is a little overbearing, so I’m going to go ahead and write a little less about each game, include them into one article, and cut down on the amount of computer hours I’m putting in these last few weeks. Don’t worry, I’ll still have some of the bigger games of the College Bowl season with bigger write ups, so keep checking in. And don’t feel like I’m ripping you off, the same amount of research goes into these picks as any write up I do for any other pick I do all year. Here goes Thursday’s Bowl Games…

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Air Force Falcons @ Houston Cougars (-4.5): The quick little bit of information I gave on this game in my weekly newsletter still has me liking the Cougars to pull it out over the Falcons. I said the Falcons have been blistered by elite passing attacks, and in their last 3 losses they were out-gained through the air by 550+ yards. I think the Cougars have a chance to do that again.

Stanford Cardinal (+10) @ Oklahoma Sooners: I know the Pac 10 has been brutal, and I know the Cardinal are without their freshman sensation at running back, but something in me just trusts Jim Harbaugh to get his team prepared for this big game. Since he got on campus as the head man at Stanford, he’s had his kids ready to play better than expected, especially against elite opponents. They have a stellar rushing attack, and not just at running back, their offensive line is one of the best in the country. That should be worth a 10 point cover.

Navy Midshipmen (+7) @ Missouri Tigers: Navy has out-rushed their opponent in 8 of their last 10 games, winning 7 of those match-ups. Missouri was out-gained on the ground in 4 of their last 8 games, and in all four they recorded the loss. It’s not as good as gold, but with a touchdown to play with, I  sure like the consistent and disciplined Navy Midshipmen.

Iowa State Cyclones (+3) @ Minnesota Golden Gophers: Neither of these teams really impress me, but I know what I think about the Big 10, and while the Big 12 is a little overrated, they are much better than the Big 10. Both teams were terribly inconsistent, playing with Top 25 talent one week while getting beaten up other weeks – the one thing keeping me with Iowa is that Minnesota gives up lots of rushing yards, and Iowa State has shown the ability to win when they can run.

Tennessee Volunteers @ Virginia Tech Hokies (-4.5): The SEC really embarrassed the ACC toward the end of the year in some inter-conference match-ups, but I don’t see that happening here. Tennessee has gone through to stuff with some trouble within the program towards the end of the season, and while they played well in some games down the stretch, I think all that attention hurts them a bit against the Hokies. Va Tech won 4 straight to end the season, never giving up more than 13 points and out-scoring their opponents 132-35 in those games. Your can run on Tennessee, and the Vols don’t throw the ball real well – both those statistical advantages look to really favor the Hokies in this one.

California Golden Bears vs Stanford Cardinal NCAA Pick

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California Golden Bears @ Stanford Cardinal (-7) NCAA Pick: This come right down to me thinking Stanford is 2 touchdowns better than Cal on any given day. They pass the ball much better, run it better, are more physical, control the clock like it’s their job, and play a better brand of football with less room for error. Basically, Yahtzee! I feel like the Cardinal as a touchdown favorite is a glorious thing that everyone should get in on – so does 67% of the public, but so what, this one shouldn’t be too close.

Stanford hasn’t been favored in this in-state rivalry since 2001. That’s a long time ago folks, as scary as that sounds. Cal is 5-2-1 ATS over the last 8 meetings with Stanford, they’ve won 6 of the last 7 outright. Just for the sake of letting you know, the under has won in 6 of the last 7 match-ups.

Before last week’s win over Arizona, the Bears had been kicked around by each “good” team they’ve played. That means USC (30-3), Oregon (42-3), and Oregon State (31-14) in a game that wasn’t even that close. Their win over Arizona says something, definitely, they have a little fight in their pads, and that’s good for Bear fans. But this Stanford team is too good for any of that business to matter.

Unlike Arizona, the Cardinal should just bruise and batter the Bear defense just like USC, Oregon State, and Oregon did. 38-20 is my prediction.

Oregon Ducks vs Stanford Cardinal NCAA Pick & Preview

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Oregon Ducks @ Stanford Cardinal (+5.5) NCAA Pick & Preview: Stanford is one of the best teams in the Nation that nobody knows about. What does that mean to you? It means they are a great bet. They’ve had a couple tough losses over the last three games, going just 1-2 during that stretch. But this spread is not right. First of all, it’s even better (for Stanford side) now than it was when I made the pick. The Cardinal are now getting a full touchdown at home. They are a physical team that matches up well with Oregon, and the Ducks are just coming off a huge emotional high after upsetting the Trojans (though it was hardly an upset, they’re better than USC).

Regardless, the value is in Stanford’s corner. Andrew Luck is a very good quarterback that nobody knows. The Cardinal have a very physical offense line that should give Oregon’s defense lots of trouble. Both these teams run the ball very well, Stanford doesn’t have as many big plays, but they get first downs, shorten games, and end up on top more often than not. Like I said, they’ve struggled a bit over their last few games, but this is a good team that has a lot to prove as big home dogs to the Ducks.

The Cardinal are undefeated at home this season, and seem to really flourish with their home crowd behind them. Oregon is good, no doubt, but expect a let down a week after the SC win. Oregon has won 7 straight games against Stanford, and a lot of those weren’t close. All these things will weigh in, and I think that favors Stanford here.

Free NCAA Football Picks – Week 1

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Here we are! It’s August 25th, 2008 and NCAA football games are just a few short days away. Summer is on the way out, and fall is just about to turn the leaves red. That means school for you young scholarly types and just colder weather for the rest of you – but it also means football! It all starts with a little NCAA action. For Week 1 I went ahead and picked out 10 winners… Enjoy the first edition of my NCAA Free Picks for 2008…

Thursday’s Games


Vanderbilt Commodores @ Miami-Ohio Redhawks (-4): (7:30pm EST, 8-28-2008)

Vanderbilt loses their best player in wide receiver Earl Bennett. He was by far their most effective and productive offensive player. Their leading returning receiver is out with a stress fracture (George Smith). If that weren’t enough, the Commodores also said goodbye to their leading rusher from last year, as well as their entire starting offensive line – that’s the kicker. Miami has a stout defense with very talented linebackers. They may be a smaller college, but they can play football. The Commodores don’t have much cohesion right now, as new starters are still being decided. The starting quarterback for this Thursday’s game wasn’t decided by the weekend, leaving much to be answered in the four days before kickoff. While Vanderbilt has all the questions, Miami of Ohio looks to be full of answers.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons (-12) @ Baylor Bears: (8:00pm EST, 8-28-2008)

Wake Forest is the real deal. Despite winning 8 of their last 10 games and then spanking Connecticut in the 2nd half of their bowl game, the Deacons just can’t seem to get the credit they deserve. THe Deacons return their freshman quarterback sensation, Riley Skinner, and while they lose their top receiver from ’07, Wake is full of young talent at receiver. Head coach Jim Grobe knows what he’s doing. The Deacons are off and on on the road, but they’ve been a darn good football team with Riley Skinner at quarterback. I expect them to start off the season hot, and ride their quarterback to the top of the ACC. Take them over the Bears by a couple touchdowns.

Oregon State Beavers (-3) @ Stanford Cardinal: (9:00pm EST, 8-28-2008)

The Oregon State Beavers seem like the forgotten Pac-10 team heading into the season. Everyone seems to forget that the Beavers won 7 of their last 8 games including an upset victory over Maryland in their bowl game. During the last 8 games of the season, the Beavers’ only loss came against USC in Southern California. Last year, when the Beavers played Stanford, a tough Oregon State defense held the Cardinal out of the end-zone, winning 23-6. The Beavers lost their talented tail-back, Yvenson Bernard, to graduation – but they have a nice offensive line and a couple new running backs that have impressed when given the chance. One player that should have a great bounce back season is Sammie Stroughter, the speed demon that was a 2006 3rd team All-American. With family problems and injury woes, Stroughter struggled in 2007, playing only 3 games. He was awarded a medical red-shirt, and now he has one more chance to prove himself in the Pac-10. Every time he touches the ball, touchdowns can happen. Look for the Beavers to out-talent the Cardinal all over the field, dominating this early-season conference match-up.

Friday’s Game


Temple Owls (-7) @ Army Black Knights: (7:00pm EST, 8-29-2008)

Temple, amazingly, won 4 of their last 7 games, have three Pre-Seasons All Conference players returning, and were voted “Program on the Rise” by the MAC conference. They return their leading passer and an offensive line that found cohesion late last year. Defensively, Temple is better than expected, as Army will find out. Army switched their entire offense around this summer, moving from a no-huddle spread to an option based rushing attack. When that happens originally, teams seem to struggle because of the recruiting differences for offenses like that. I never thought I’d consider taking a Temple team on the road and favored by a touchdown, but that’s exactly what I’m doing and I’m confident about it.

Saturday’s Games


Bowling Green Falcons (+13) @ Pittsburgh Panthers: (12:00pm EST, 8-30-2008)

The Bowling Green Falcons bring 17 of 22 starters back to a team that is expected to compete for a WAC crown this season. The Falcons won 5 of their last 6 regular season games in 2007 before getting absolutely crushed in their bowl game against Tulsa. I like that last part. The Falcons have waited all summer, 17 returning starters and many other frustrated kids, to get back on the football field and prove that bowl game was a fluke. In comes the Panthers with one of the best running backs in the Nation and a former pro-football head coach. I like the Falcons’ chances – take them and all those points.

Akron Zips @ Wisconsin Badgers (-26): (12:00pm EST, 8-30-2008)

As if going into Wisconsin to play the 12th ranked team in the Nation wasn’t a tough enough opener, the Zips have really struggled with injuries during football camp. With a couple junior college transfers and position battles being effected by these injuries, the Zips preparation time for a tough Wisconsin team will be shortened. The Badgers return big names, it seems, when looking at their 2008 starters. P.J. Hill, the ultra talented tailback, and Travis Beckum, one of the most highly touted TEs in college football. Defensively, the Badgers are senior laden with an elite linebacking crew. It may be his first season as a starter, but senior quarterback Allen Evridge has been around for a while. Look for the Badgers to lean heavily on the run and really pound it to the Zips.

Utah Utes (+3.5) @ Michigan Wolverines: (3:30pm EST, 8-30-2008)

The Utes are very good and should win their conference this season. Michigan lost too many good players and are in the midst of a complete turn-around with their new head coach, Rich Rodriguez. I don’t know what else to say besides this, Utah is the better team with a better mentality and they also have nothing to lose in this one. Sign me up for that every single week.

Oklahoma State Cowboys (-6) @ Washington State Cougars: (3:30pm EST, 8-30-2008)

The Cougars weren’t very good a year ago, usually open the season soft, don’t have much of a home-field advantage during the first few weeks of the college football season, lost their star quarterback to graduation, and don’t have much confidence either. Hmm… I don’t like Pac-10 teams that open their seasons against tougher conferences, and that’s what I think this is. The Cowboys might not finish above .500 and they’ll probably look really bad in some games – but not this one. This is a team that, last year showed they can play tight with Kansas and Texas, beat Kansas State, Texas Tech, and Indiana – so I surely like them against the Cougars.

Michigan State Spartans (+5) @ California Golden Bears (8:00pm EST, 8-30-2008)

This isn’t me loving the Spartans as much as me down on the Bears. Cal has a super talented and amazingly fast sophomore running back in Jahvid Best, but besides that I’m not too impressed. They are supposed to have one of the top rated offenses in the Pac-10, but without a quarterback to deliver the bread, I’m not sure that will be the case. Michigan State’s defense isn’t dynamic, but I think they’ll stack the box and make Cal’s quarterbacks beat them. That’s what will be the undoing of the Bears in Week 1, I just don’t think they can beat the Spartans through the air.

Idaho Vandals @ Arizona Wildcats (-27): (10:00pm EST, 8-30-2008)

It seems like a lot of points, and it is, but I just have a feeling the Wildcats are going to go off for about 45 points in this one. They always run the ball hard and Idaho consistently can’t stop anybody else’s ground game. The Wildcats finished the season well, beating Washington, UCLA, and Oregon before losing to ASU by 3 points. The Wildcats really played well all season last year, losing to Stanford by 1, USC by 7, Oregon State by 2 scores. I like the Wildcats to get a little luck to sway their way this season – but that shouldn’t matter against the Vandals. Idaho was 1-11 in the WAC last season, and I expect much of the same this time around. This game wouldn’t surprise me if it was a 45-7 WIldcat blowout.

Week 6 College Football Picks Review: 2007

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Umm… Yeah, 0-5 in my free picks. If you happened to be the guys who purchased my Elite Picks, you went 4-1 on the week. But if you just took my free picks, and wagered on them, like I did, then you probably came out with some bruises and a hatred for this guys’ college picks. Ah, that guy is me. Here’s a review of the worst of weeks for my free picks.

LUCKY LESTER’S Free NCAA Football Picks

Georgia Bulldogs (+1) @ Tennessee Volunteers:
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

This was the worst week every, and it doesn’t help that I won 1 pick in my free section last week. In this game in particular, I looked like an absolute dumby. The Bulldogs were dominated in every phase of the game, and Eric Ainge looked like Peyton Manning picking apart the Bulldogs’ defense. I sucked this week.

Stanford Cardinal @ USC Trojans (-39.5):
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bet-Jam)

This was the worst week every, and it doesn’t help that I won 1 pick in my free section last week. Not only did USC fail to cover that huge spread, but the Trojans just flat out lost to the Cardinal. I didn’t think that USC had one of the best defenses in the country, like everyone else thought, and last weeks game at UW worried me a little bit. But I thought they’d come back strong and beat a terrible Stanford team whose coach, Jim Harabaugh, had been talking a little too much about USC all summer long. I was dead wrong – but at least #2 got upset, I always love that!

Virginia Cavaliers (-10.5) @ Middle Tennessee State:
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

This was the worst week every, and it doesn’t help that I won 1 pick in my free section last week. The Cavs thought this was a gimmie just like I did. I don’t really get it, as I’ve never gone into a game taking it easy on a team. However, it looked like Virginia came to play the Bad News Bears, or I guess football’s version, the Little Giants. Well, Mid-Tenn ran The Annexation of Puerto Rico on the Cavs, and almost came out with a win. The 23-21 score was too close for me to pull out of Tennessee with at least one victory. Dang!

Ohio State Buckeyes @ Purdue Boilermakers (+7):
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

This was the worst week every, and it doesn’t help that I won 1 pick in my free section last week. Purdue didn’t do anything against Ohio State, and the 23-7 score actually wasn’t that close. I expected a lot more out of a decent Purdue defense and a passing attack that had put up 16 touchdowns before the Ohio State game. I expected too much. Damn it all to hell.

Oklahoma State Cowboys @ Texas A&M Aggies (-6.5):
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

This was the worst week every, and it doesn’t help that I won 1 pick in my free section last week. My last hope was Texas A&M, and naturally, they let me down. A few weeks ago they led me off with a huge disappointment loss to the Miami “Lost to North Carolina this week and sucked in the process” Hurricanes. This week, they finished off my winless free picks, and now I hate them even more. Yeah, they won the game in the end, but they needed a late surge to do so. Down 17-0 at half (what I didn’t predict), A&M came back and put up a 24-6 2nd half (what I actually thought would happen in this one) for the one point win. Nice win! (Sarcasm)

Free College Football Picks Week 6 – 2007

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Just to let you guys in on my lines, I put the place I picked them up this week. After a tough one-win week in Week 5, I’m sure to rebound with a solid overall performance this time around. Check out my Elite Picks for a small fee! Hope you enjoy and win off my free picks for Week 6 in NCAA Football.

LUCKY LESTER’S Free NCAA Football Picks

Georgia Bulldogs (+1) @ Tennessee Volunteers:
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

Tennessee has already volunteered to lose this one. The home team in this match-up has lost each of the lat 4 and 5 of the last 6 games. Georgia has made easy work with their opponent 3 times this year, beat Alabama in a close one, and lost 12-16 to South Carolina. Overall, they are much improved offensively, and the Bulldog defense is their confident and powerful self. This game seems to be split across the board, but recent history and the fact that Tennessee has been sieved like on defense has me taking the road team.

Stanford Cardinal @ USC Trojans (-39.5):
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bet-Jam)

Here’s the deal: Stanford is riddled by injuries, they aren’t nearly as good as USC, and their head coach was giving a very unforgiving Pete Carrol a lot of shit throughout the summer, talking about him leaving his post at USC soon, and just causing lots of media driven problems. Pete isn’t the type to take it easy on opponents, especially those who make life more frustrating for him. USC played terribly last week against Washington. All these things combined make me Captain Planet – err – I guess they make me take the Trojans in a landslide just powerful enough to cover that monstrous spread.

Virginia Cavaliers (-10.5) @ Middle Tennessee State:
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

This seems like a gimmie to me, which makes me wonder. Middle Tennessee has put up some nice point totals over the first 4 games of the season, but their 1-4 record isn’t bad luck. After a Week 1 loss, the Cavs have stormed to a 4-1 record by running through some mediocre ACC teams and dominating Pitt last week at home. Middle Tenn is coming off a blowout win over Florida International, 47-6, but prior to that they lost to Florida Atlantic and Western Kentucky, while also losing to Louisville and LSU. I understand that this game is a road game for Virginia, something they have won just once in the last 10 games, but I imagine they’ll be up and ready for this contest.

Ohio State Buckeyes @ Purdue Boilermakers (+7):
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

I don’t think its ever a good thing when a solid defense plays 5 games before playing a true passing attack. I think Purdue is a solid To 25 team, not great by any means, but they can throw the ball, and against a defense that has gotten use to defending the run and worrying very little about getting beat deep or 1st and 2nd down routes – I just think they have a nice chance to pull a big upset here.

Oklahoma State Cowboys @ Texas A&M Aggies (-6.5):
(Line: Tuesday, 2:00am EST: Bookmaker)

I like Texas A&M to continue on their rebound from their huge loss to Miami a couple weeks ago. Last week the obliterated Baylor, and this week they go up against OK State, a team that will demand a good game if the Aggies plan to get the W. I like A&M and thing their one down game against Miami helps the line to drop a little. Take advantage of that.

Week 1 College Football Picks Review: 2007

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What can I say? Right off the bat I busted out the big stick and broke down the College Football Week 1 like a pro. Its nice to start off big, and I did exactly that, losing only 1 game in Week 1. If you’re interested in how the Free Picks went down – follow my wrecking ball through my Top 5 Free Picks.

The Picks

Washington Huskies (-4) @ Syracuse Orangemen: (WIN) 42-12
“I don’t know what else to say besides the Huskies are the better team here. Freshman quarterback, Jake Locker, is an amazing athlete who will breathe life into the program. I expect a win of a couple touchdowns in this one.” Something about the 30-3 score in this one that just proves me right. Washington was dominant after Jake got his beginner’s jitters out. This kid is a beast, and this won’t be the last time he gives opposing defenses hell.

UCLA Bruins (-17) @ Stanford Cardinal: (WIN) 45-17
“Stanford isn’t a tough match-up, and UCLA has a history of starting the season playing well. Even though Jim Harbaugh is doing his best to turn Stanford around, he’ll have to do it with a new quarterback – as Trent Edwards is in the NFL. Look for Stanford to take some bumps early, one of them will be this weekend against UCLA.” Would you consider a 45-17 ass-kicking a bump? I sure would. Stanford played tough early, but when UCLA got going, they weren’t about to be stopped. 31 2nd half points had the Bruins running away with this one.

UAB Blazers (+21.5) @ Michigan State Spartans: (LOSS) 18-55
My man, SonnerBS from www.therxforum.com, had this game all but called to a T. He was right and I was dead wrong, as I didn’t take into account the extreme amount of young players, and coaches, that had to play well to give UAB a chance. Not only that, but the Spartans looked good – and I was all kinds of wrong on this one. But hey, 4-1 ain’t bad.

Iowa Hawkeyes (-12.5) @ Northern Illinois: (WIN)
The Hawkeyes didn’t route NIU by any means, this game was a tough-nosed early season defensive ball game. However, the Hawkeyes scored 16 while holding NIU to just 3 measly points. So, yeah, the Hawkeyes didn’t shellac the Huskies like I thought they would, but they did enough to cover their first game of the year.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (+2) @ ND Fighting Irish: (WIN)
“I just love GT’s toughness too much for a soft Fighting Irish club. None of the 3 Irish quarterbacks have played well enough to take the starting job, but that’s all Charlie Weis has, so it’ll have to do. Georgia Tech’s defense might be the toughest and fastest unit Notre Dame sees all year. That’s not who I’d like to start the season with. Look for Tech to out-muscle Notre Dame at every step.” Did I say every step? I meant every single movement. The Irish were outmanned and out coached, and like I said, the quarterback situation in South Bend looked rocky at best. The frosh looked good late, but Tech was on shutdown mode while Tashard Choice ran buck-wild on Notre Dame’s soft defense. The kid was unstoppable.

4-1: now that’s how good season’s start. I’ll be back next week for my free picks – so keep up and make a little dough!

Free College Football Picks Week 1 – 2007

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Washington Huskies (-4) @ Syracuse Orangemen:
8/31/07 8:00pm EST

I don’t know what else to say besides the Huskies are the better team here. Washington had some tough bounces last season, but they were a much better team under the guidance of Tyrone Willingham. He hasn’t gotten much credit for his job well done, probably because he finished out of bowl eligibility, and he’s on the hot seat this season because the UW job is highly sought after these days. To make matters worse, the Huskies have the Nation’s toughest schedule. Fortunately, this game isn’t one of those tough ones. Freshman quarterback, Jake Locker, is an amazing athlete who will breathe life into the program. I expect a win of a couple touchdowns in this one. Hopefully Tyrone can find some wins this season, he’s a very good coach.

UCLA Bruins (-17) @ Stanford Cardinal:
9/1/07 3:30pm EST

The Bruins have been inconsistent at best, as they ousted cross town rival, USC, to knock them out of the National Championship last season before losing their bowl game against FSU. The Bruins have the talent to give USC a run in the Pac 10, but Karl Dorrell needs to coach these kids to consistency. Stanford isn’t a tough match-up, and UCLA has a history of starting the season playing well. Even though Jim Harbaugh is doing his best to turn Stanford around, he’ll have to do it with a new quarterback – as Trent Edwards is in the NFL. Look for Stanford to take some bumps early, one of them will be this weekend against UCLA.

UAB Blazers (+21.5) @ Michigan State Spartans:
9/1/07 12:00pm EST

I just don’t think the Spartans have it in them. They aren’t a good football team, as was seen by losing game after game as the season went on last year. UAB played a lot of close games in 2006, and they’re returning a lot of starters. New MSU coach, Mike Dantonio, will have to work with the little talent he has, and that will be apparent early as they have to fight tooth and nail to beat UAB. Michigan State will not be in a bowl in 2007.

Iowa Hawkeyes (-12.5) @ Northern Illinois:
9/1/07 3:30pm EST

Iowa had a tough season in 2006, and NIU played way above their talent level to finish 7-6. Garret Wolfe is gone, and so is NIU’s starting quarterback from last season. Iowa will be dominant defensively in this game, and will make a run at the Big 10 title, despite what people think. Kirk Ferentz is one of the best college coaches around. His first losing season was last year, and he’ll be back with at least 9 wins in 2007. I just don’t think this team can continue to lose, they have enough talent all over the field to turn ’07 into a success, and I’ll believe they’re going to do just that. They should route NIU.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (+2) @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish:
9/1/07 3:30pm EST

I initially wanted to take the Fighting Irish at home, but I just love GT’s toughness too much for a soft Fighting Irish club. Last year the Irish needed their own luck to skip past the Yellow Jackets, but I don’t see it happening this year. Notre Dame had too much resting on their freshman quarterback’s shoulders, and since he injured one of those shoulders, they could fumble early in the season. None of the 3 Irish quarterbacks have played well enough to take the starting job, but that’s all Charlie Weis has, so it’ll have to do. Georgia Tech’s defense might be the toughest and fastest unit Notre Dame sees all year. That’s not who I’d like to start the season with. Look for Tech to out-muscle Notre Dame at every step.

Week 14 College Football Picks Review: 2006

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It started off rocky, but in the end, an even record found it’s way into the record books, heading into an exciting December in college football…

Army @ Navy (-19.5): LOSS!
The Rivalry game got me here, what can you do? I thought Navy had the beans to annihilate Army, but as it turned out, the game was close throughout.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons (+3) @ Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: WIN!
How about the Deacons? On their way to a BCS Bowl game, and all that money for their program. It’s wonderful to see, you know, relatively unknown programs taking it to the ACC. Fantastic, especially when it benefits me.

Connecticut Huskies (+27.5) @ Louisville Cardinals: LOSS!
The Huskies couldn’t hang with a very powerful Cardinal team. Louisville should win their next game as well, bringing a little more appreciation to the Big East.

Air Force Falcons (+17.5) @ TCU Horned Frogs: LOSS!
My Falcons played poorly in a big loss to the Horned Frogs. I thought this was going to be a big win for me, but in the end, the Horned Frogs slammed the door shut on a winning week in college for good ol’ Lucky.

Stanford Cardinal @ California Bears (-28.5): LOSS!
Stanford almost pulled a quick one on the Bears. In the “other” California game that was going down on Saturday, the Bears almost got caught watching USC get downed by UCLA, but they pulled out a close one late, making me a loser again.

Fresno State Bulldogs @ San Jose State Spartans (-3.5): WIN!
San Jose showed why they were a winning team this year, and making it to a nice little bowl game. Fresno lost again. I won a big one.

USC Trojans (-12.5) @ UCLA Bruins: LOSS!
My last loss of the day came when the Bruins ousted the Trojans, in turn making me smile from ear to ear. I thought the Trojans would win easily, but hoped above all else that they’d fail. A win win, I guess. Yeehaw! Dang it! Something in that order.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (+10) @ West Virginia Mountaineers: WIN!
Rutgers couldn’t’ quite pull out the big upset, as they fell to the Mountaineers by two points in the 3rd overtime of a game that made me late to dinner with the woman. She understood… Right. Anyway, the Knights kept hopes of a .500 Saturday alive by covering.

Nebraska Cornhuskers @ Oklahoma Sooners (-3.5): WIN!
The Sooners won, and just made me think what would have been had they not gotten hosed by Pac 10 officials in a lost that should have been a win against the Ducks. Would the computers have picked OK over Florida if each team had one loss? Who cares, both teams would lose to the Buckeyes.

Arkansas Razorbacks @ Florida Gators (-3): WIN!
Florida won to give me my .500 record I was searching for after losing 5 out of my first 7 Week 14 games. The Gators took advantage of the Razorbacks’ shotty quarterback play, and won their way all the way to the National Title game in Arizona.

Regardless of a “rematch” or a “non conference champ playing for a National Title” I’m interested to see which team the public, or the sports-writers, or the coaches, would vote as the 2nd best team in the country. A 3 point loss to Ohio State in Ohio. I don’t think Florida will make that good of a game out of it. I think Boise State should have gotten a chance. Ideally, Florida wins, barely, and Boise State dominates the Sooners. Then maybe, just maybe, Boise would be the champs. And what a champ they would be!

Free NCAA Football Picks Week 14 – 2006

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The Regular season is nearly over, and I’ve got to get some big wins to pad the stats for next year. How abouts will I do that? Check it out in my NCAA Week 14 Free Picks….

TOP 5 Bets

  1. USC
  2. Wake Forest
  3. Navy
  4. Nebraska
  5. Florida

Army @ Navy (-19.5):
Navy has won the last 4 contests, never by less than 19 points. Army has lost games by 19 or more points 3 times this season, and haven’t covered the spread in any of their last 7 games. Navy has been solid all year, something I’m sure they won’t let get to their heads in this huge rivalry game. Rivalries are tough to play, but Navy has the team to dominate.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons (+3) @ Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets:
GT’s inability to score points will kill them against the Demon Deacons. Everyone was betting on Wake to fold all year long, but now they have a chance to take the ACC Title and swim into a BCS Bowl Game. Watch it unfold before your eyes.

Connecticut Huskies (+27.5) @ Louisville Cardinals:
UCONN has actually played pretty well of late, never losing by more than 6 in their last 3 games, and they haven’t lost a game by 28 points or more all season long. Sure, they have 3 wins, but their record doesn’t show how well they’ve played against some tough teams.

Air Force Falcons (+17.5) @ TCU Horned Frogs:
Despite their 4-7 record, Air Force has played decent football all year long. Their schedule was tough. I like TCU to continue on their winning path, but Air Force should be able to hang around long enough to cover this big spread.

Stanford Cardinal @ California Bears (-28.5):
Against similar competition this year, the Cardinal haven’t faired too well. But with a 1-10 record, and a 2-9 ATS, how can you? Oregon State beat Stanford by 23, USC shut them out 42-0, Arizona State won by 35, UCLA shut them out 31-0, and Navy even smoked Stanford by 28 points. So, as much as the Bears struggled against USC, I’ve got to take them here, in what should be a 42-0 drumming.

Fresno State Bulldogs @ San Jose State Spartans (-3.5):
The 7-4 Spartans host the Bulldogs in a season where these two programs have switched positions. Fresno State has found three straight wins, after starting the season 0-7, but still fails to cover. 1-10 ATS for the Bulldogs. This is the Spartans first real chance to beat the Bulldogs in some time, I’ll take them on Saturday.

USC Trojans (-12.5) @ UCLA Bruins:
This game disappoints too often for me to take the Bruins. Even when UCLA is good, USC always manages to embarrass the Bruins. USC has too much riding on this game, and UCLA has too many pretty boys to touch up the Trojans in the final game of the season.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (+10) @ West Virginia Mountaineers:
I just have to take the underdog in the crazy Big East. West Virginia has more offensive talent than anyone in the conference, and probably anyone in the country with Pat White and Steve Slaton, but Rutgers has it. And underdogs seem to rally and upset in this conference. The Knights have just won. All season long. Sure one loss, but look at their solid wins. Louisville, UCONN, Pitt, Navy, South Florida, even Illinois is decent. Sure, they play in a lousy conference, but they are a good team, and they have a chance at a BCS Bowl Bid.

Nebraska Cornhuskers @ Oklahoma Sooners (-3.5):
Nebraska has been good since losing to USC, oh and that little mix up couple of weeks against Texas and OK State. Wait, who have they beaten this year? Yes, tell me a god team they’ve handled. Missouri? Colorado? Texas A&M? They’re in for something, because if it weren’t for the referee “hey-ooo, whoops, Oregon Ball!” fiasco, the Sooners would be bidding for a spot against the Buckeyes. Oklahoma’s good. A double digit win at home against Nebraska. That’s my prediction.

Arkansas Razorbacks @ Florida Gators (-3):
After last weeks quarterbacking play from Mr. Dick and the Razorbacks (their best QB-ing was when their start RB, McFadden, stepped up and took shot gun snaps) I can’t take them to upset the Gators in The Swamp. Florida has two signal callers that could push their team to victory in this one, and both will probably make big plays to do so. Chris Leak hasn’t been as good as I thought he’d be, but he’s still a leader, and the Gators will oust the Razorbacks.