NCAA Picks in Big Games

[Raji]

Some things I learned after watching Week 2:



1. The Big East is making a case for being the deepest college football conference.



2. Michigan isn’t a very good football team.



3. Neither is Notre Dame.



4. I am still mediocre at picking games.



I went 2-2 with my picks for the second straight week, bringing my record to 4-4 overall. I’ve had poorer starts before, so I’ll take what I can for now.



Perhaps I should be making plays on more Big East teams, who are now 15-2 straight up and 9-3 against the spread. Not bad, especially considering that Syracuse accounts for both straight up losses and two of the spread setbacks.



The worst conference on which to wager so far is the ACC, evidenced by a 7-14 spread record. If the Big East is the conference to have made the biggest strides the past couple of years, this is definitely the one that has fallen the furthest.



Maryland, Miami, and Virginia Tech all got spanked by non-conference foes in their most recent games, and not one of the schools managed to cover.



Speaking of big spreads, I am looking forward to a point in time when we won’t have so many numbers that are bigger than Texas A&M running back Jorvorskie Lane, who incidentally plowed his way to four touchdowns last week.



There are 14 lines on the board this week with spreads of at least three touchdowns. Two lines are greater than 40 points (Utah State-Oklahoma and Middle Tennessee-LSU) and five others have reached at least 30 points.



It gets a little silly when you hear yourself saying things like “Oh man, I should’ve taken Oklahoma at -38 ½. I knew they were going to beat North Texas by 69!”



Not to worry. Full blown conference play is almost upon us and many schools are already in the thick of it. BC plays its third straight ACC game this week. The Tennessee-Florida clash is a crucial SEC battle, as is Arkansas and Alabama.



I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in that Hogs-Tide game. Watching Leigh Tiffin blow two short field goals and then miss the extra point in overtime last year was one of the most excruciating displays I’ve seen in a college game of any kind.



In fact, the last time I saw anything similar was when Darius Washington Jr. missed two of three free throws with no time left on the clock against Louisville in the 2005 C-USA tourney.



Alabama and Memphis both lost those games by a point and a couple of freshmen were looking for holes to climb into and bury themselves. I doubt either player found solace in the fact both their teams managed to cover the spread.



Well, enough recounting pathetic memories. Let’s make some good ones this Saturday with our first winning week of the season.



Notre Dame vs. Michigan (-7 1/2, 44)



This game was supposed to be a fabulous matinee on a spectacular day of football. It’s now turned into an ugly stain on the underpants of college football.



The Wolverines’ secondary is a snail. Their defensive line is slightly weaker than a powerful sneeze. Despite their starting quarterback being injured, they’re favored by 7 ½ points and the spread is moving up.



So just how bad does that make Notre Dame?



Let’s see. The Irish haven’t scored an offensive touchdown and they’re the worst rushing team in college football with minus-nine yards. And they are currently the only Independent team without a win. Even Division I newcomer Western Kentucky has a victory.



This game is so sickening that I feel dirty for just having written about it.



Pick: Michigan



Boston College at Georgia Tech (-6 1/2, 48)



Let me get this straight. Boston College has nine interceptions through two games and everybody is talking about Georgia Tech’s defense? Something doesn’t add up here.



What you probably know is that Matt Ryan is by far the best QB in the ACC this season. He spreads the ball around like butter on toast for over 400 yards per game. What you might not know is the Eagles defense ranks fourth in the nation against the rush and first in interceptions.



Bumble Bee backers will quickly point out their team ranks fourth in the nation in rushing and their blitzing defense ranks seventh in total yards against. The only problem with all that is their first two games were against Notre Dame (see above) and Division I-AA shark bait Samford.



Pick: Boston College



SMU vs. Arkansas State (-3, 51 ½)



Wanna hear something gross? Southern Methodist has allowed over 1,000 yards passing and seven touchdowns through the air after two games.



They yielded 601 yards to North Texas last week, including 18 receptions and 327 yards to wideout Casey Fitzgerald. No team has ever dreaded playing Sun Belt opponents in back-to-back weeks this much.



Pick: Arkansas State



Southern California at Nebraska (+9 ½, 50 ½)



The Huskers admit they were intimidated last year when they traveled to California to face the Trojans. This year, they say it’s going to be a different story.



I disagree. I believe they’re still scared. They are so scared in fact, they spent last week thinking about this game and barely managed to scrape past an 8 ½-point underdog Wake squad that was without its starting quarterback.



Pick: USC

Raji