A lot has happened in the past week. Another replay official, this time from Conference USA, was suspended after blowing a fumble call, Rutgers was ranked in the Top 25 for the first time since 1976, and WR Keegan Toci of Harvard was dropped from the team for a skit he performed in which he cited 20 reasons why the school's Division I-AA football program would never rise to Division I-A. Seriously? At some schools in the southeastern US (which may rhyme with “Riami”) you could steal laptops, sell them for drug money, buy an eight-ball, knock up a stripper, record a song about it, and still start at defensive back the next week. I don’t know who is more surprised this week, Toci, or the State of Oklahoma after hearing that president David Boren is ready to “move on.” Yeah, and I’m sure that thumping of Middle Tennessee helped in the grieving process.
This week’s Mo Clarett award nominee: The security staff at Southern University. Burglars stole sneakers, money, football rings and electronics from North Carolina Central University's locker room during the football team's game last week. Southern University officials are embarrassed by the theft, and have pledged University Police will follow up on the case. Well that’s reassuring. When I was in school, UPD was useful for riding around campus on their bikes and watching TV in the rec center. Good luck finding the perps, guys. On to the picks.
Last week: 2-3
This season: 9-10-1
Rutgers -4 SOUTH FLORIDA
My Friday night special. Rutgers lost another wide receiver this week when Shawn Tucker broke his ankle last week against Howard. This will have an affect on the air attack, but shouldn’t matter too much. Rutgers 4-0 record rests firmly on the shoulders of RB Ray Rice and his 9TDs. Rice has more success running in New Jersey than Rick Tocchet’s gambling ring ever did. I really think Rutgers has a good chance to win the Big East this year (which is similar to the old joke about medaling at the Special Olympics). My only caveat is that the only thing easier than Rutgers’ schedule is their coeds (Yay Jersey Girls!). However, I don’t see USF, who struggled against Kansas and FIU this season as a big problem for Rutgers. I’ll take Rutgers to cover Friday night. Hooray Jersey!
Wisconsin -10½ INDIANA
For Terry Hoeppner's sake, I'm picking this one with my heart and not with my brain. I'll take Indiana with the points.
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL -7½ Arkansas State
Florida International is favored? That ranks right up there with Daniel LaRusso's gonna fight! My mind is boggled by this one. FIU's leading rusher is some guy named Ned. Ned is not a strong running back name. ASU's running backs are Arnold and James. These are solid RB names. Not Ned. I'll take the Indians with the points over FIU.
VANDERBILT -34 Temple
I'm torn on this one. Vandy is bad, but Temple SUCKS. I mean like we've-only-scored-ten-points-all-season sucks. I wish there was a positive for Temple, but I can't really find it. Even my Rabbi made mention of how ineffective the Temple offense is. "Lee," said Rabbi Shlomo, "Jewish boys were just not meant to play football." Personally, I've always gone by the "Don't pick against Temple during the Jewish Holidays" rule. Or is it don't pick Temple during the Jewish Holidays? I forget. What I haven't forgotten is that Temple SUCKS. Even after scoring their first TD of the season last week, I'm still picking them to lose big. Vanderbilt covers the spread in this one. Temple looks forward to MAC games more and more each week.Ohio State -6½ IOWA
Okay, this one has all the makings of an upset. Ohio State is a consensus number 1, featuring the modern-day Cerberus of Troy Smith, Antonio Pittman, and Ted Ginn Jr. (who sounds like a serial killer, especially the way he slashes through opposing defenses ). #13 Iowa is also 4-0, and has held teams to an average of under 85 yards rushing per game. Additionally, Iowa is 26-2 at home dating back to the 2002 season, including a 33-7 drubbing of the then #23 Buckeyes in 2004. This time, Ohio State comes into Iowa City as a consensus #1, at a venue where the top team in the country has embarrassed the Hawkeyes in each their last three games against a #1 team. Though Iowa has a strong defense, and QB Drew Tate seems to have recovered from his week two injury, and Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz seems to think that Iowa hasn't yet played their best football, I'm not convinced. If the Texas game is any indication, Ohio State should have no trouble containing Tate and the Hawkeye offense. This game will come down to whether or not Iowa can slow down Smith and the air attack and force Ohio State to win this one on the ground. I say 'Not.' Ohio State rolls to 5-0 and covers the spread.
Sorry they were so late this week, more next Thursday.
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