Week 8 - I really need to start picking those Thursday night games

After watching last night's "stunner" in New Jersey, I realized two things: 1) The Big East teams love to screw with football fans because they all take turns beating each other. It was great watching a bar full of Rutgers fans celebrate the win last night until my buddy Cheeques casually reminded everyone that the win actually hurts the conference. 2) Regardless of how badly a team misses their expectations during the season, everyone gets excited when they win a game against a ranked team that they were actually supposed to beat. I dare you to find one person who at the beginning of the season who would have called Rutgers' win over USF an upset. Rutgers should have been much better than their 4-2 schedule suggested, and no one could have expected that USF would have been undefeated and #2 in the nation. My point is, records don't always accurately depict how good a team is. That puts my 14-21 record in perspective, doesn't it?

Maurice Clarett nominee:

I'm going to nominate the Ball State athletic program for their role in a textbook loan scandal that has rocked the MAC. The football team lost 3 scholarships and was placed on probation for two years because of unidentified athletes who obtained $26,944 in books for classes in which they weren't enrolled. According to ESPN.com reports, in some cases, the athletes obtained more than one copy of a book, which they gave to others. In even worse news for Ball State, the softball team was limited to only 18 hours of athletic-related activities per week, and tennis financial aid will be reduced by .04 of one scholarship during the 2008-09 year. What next, the clarinet players will have the number of reeds they can carry in their instrument cases reduced?

On to the picks - home team in BOLD

USC -20 Notre Dame

After enduring a scary charter flight to South Bend, the Trojans seem confident that both QB John David Booty and RB Stafon Johnson will start on Saturday. Brushing off the flight in which USC's plane had to abort their first landing attempt due to a thunderstorm and severe turbulence, Booty said, ""It wasn't the worst flight I've ever been on," thus cementing his status as "tough guy of the week." Unfortunately for the Trojans, they are catching the Irish at a peculiar time in the season. Notre Dame followed up their lone win of the season by holding BC to 13 points in the first half last week. Never one to make things simple, beleaguered coach Charlie Weis has decided that his 3rd string QB Evan Sharpley will get the start on Saturday. USC is still stinging from their 1 point loss to Stanford two weeks ago, and is looking to reclaim their spot atop the PAC-10 with UCLA and Arizona State both having must win games this week. However, this could be a potential trap game for the Trojans with Oregon looming on the horizon. I don't think that Sharpley can pull off the upset, but he will make this one close. I'll take Notre Dame with the points.

Purdue -7 Iowa

1-3 Iowa takes on 1-2 Purdue in the battle of who is the Big Ten's second worst team. Granted, either of them could still beat any Big East or ACC Team because they're both Big Ten teams. Suuuuuuuure. The Hawkeyes are holding opponents to an average of 15 points per game this season. Unfortunately, they're only managing to put up 16 points of offense per game. On the other side of the field, the Boilermakers have lost two straight after going 5-0 to start the season. I'm really not sure how this game will turn out, but since it involves two Big ten teams, it is destined to be a classic. I'll take Purdue to cover the spread.

Ohio pk Toledo

In a match up of two mediocre field generals, Toledo's QB Aaron Opelt has thrown 4 TDs and 6 INTs this season while being sacked 4 times. Ohio's QB Brad Bower has thrown 6 TDs and 6 INTs with 16 sacks. You'd think Toledo has the edge in this game except for the fact that they lost to Buffalo(?) by ten last week. Since its a pick-em game, I'll flip a coin and take Ohio to win.


-On a side note, I'm listening to the TV in the background while writing this blog, and I just heard a commercial for a Halloween store that allows you to put costumes on layaway. What happened to parents putting their kids in jeans and a plaid shirt, stuffing them full of straw, and sending them out to Trick-or-Treat as a scarecrow? I love Halloween just as much as the next person, but costumes on layaway? Seriously? Just cut a few holes in a sheet, throw it over your head, and be a ghost. On second thought, in some parts of the country, you could be confused as showing your opposition to the Jena 6.

Back to the picks . . .

LSU -10 Auburn

LSU comes into this game playing their 5th ranked opponent in seven weeks. They were well on their way to a #1 BCS ranking until they stumbled at Kentucky las week. After starting 1-2 this season, Auburn has turned it around and is making their case for an SEC championship as well. With both teams giving up an average of less than 16 points per game, I'm guessing this match up will be less like the 43-37 barn-burner LSU had last week, and more like the 9-7 stalemate Auburn eked out against Arkansas. One thing is still bugging me about this LSU team. As good as the Tigers' defense is, I can't put my finger on the reason that they put up so many points each week. Despite my hesitation to go with the Bayou Bengals, Auburn is only outscoring their opponents by 10 each game, and that type of offensive output won't be enough to stop the Tigers. I'll take LSU giving ten points in this one as they make their way back into the BCS Top 2.

Syracuse -4.5 Buffalo

Not to criticize the Orange too much, but why would you schedule your Homecoming for last week against Rutgers when you could have waited a week for you game against Buffalo? I know there is the whole "in-conference game" thing, but aren't you supposed to play a team you have a chance of beating during Homecoming? This week, Syracuse is somehow favored against the Bulls, who are not only coming off of two straight wins and are looking for their longest win streak in longer than I can remember, but with a win this week, they could be (dare I say it) bowl eligible. Buffalo looks to take advantage of a Syracuse run defense that allowed Rutgers' Ray Rice to reach a season high with 196 yards rushing and tie a career high 3 TDs. Though Bufallo doesn't have Ray Rice, they do have James Starks who is averaging 2+ scores and 130+ yards per game over his last four starts. Syracuse has . . . a big orange mascot. I'll go with Buffalo taking the points over Syracuse.

Until next week . . .