What a week for college football. The Orange of Syracuse look to reclaim last place in the Big East from once mighty USF, Miami plays their last game in the Orange Bowl, and OJ Simpson finds himself in front of a judge to somehow explain how his stuff ended up in some guy's hotel room. Had enough Vitamin C yet? Good - let's get on with the column. Like Coach Belichick says, I had a good week last week, but we can always do better this week.
I'd like to nominate both Charlie Weis and Bill Callahan for the Maurice Clarett award this week, but their both too busy trying to figure out how not to lose their next game. Special kudos to LaMarcus Coker was suspended for the season last week after failing his fourth drug test. The University of Tennessee revamped its drug-testing policy earlier this year and in doing so, added a fourth strike for a positive marijuana test before an athlete was dismissed. I'm shocked by this whole story. Not so much the part that he failed four different tests, but that his drug of choice was marijuana. Seriously, with a name like Coker . . . I'm a little disappointed. Well, I'm sure he can always transfer to Miami.
On to the picks . . .
Home team in BOLD
#20 Boise State -24.5 Utah State
This game could get ugly in a hurry. The Boys from the Smurf Turf are 8-1 and yes, I know they haven't played any big name opponents, but a regular season finale against Hawaii could turn into one of the better games in college football this year. This week, though, the 8-1 Broncos travel to Romney Stadium (no, not named after Mitt) to take on the 0-9 Aggies of Utah State. Boise State RB Ian Johnson (the same guy who proposed to his cheerleader girlfriend in last year's Fiesta Bowl - remember that Sooner fans?) returned last week after missing 2 games with a bruised kidney, rushing for 2 TDs against SDSU. This week, he takes on a Utah State defense that has given up 204+ rushing yards per game and a whopping 102 first downs on the ground. The only upside to those numbers is that the Aggie pass defense is even worse. While this season has been full of upsets and underdogs pulling out overtime victories, I think the Broncos will have no trouble covering the spread here even if Ian Johnson sits for the second half.
Iowa -13.5 Minnesota
"For a guy who has little to no love for the Big Ten, you sure pick a lot of their games, Lee."
Hey, unless you want me to write about this week's Kent State/Northern Illinois game, you'll keep your mouth shut. There some question about the outcome of this week's game. Iowa has won two straight to pull even on the season, but both of those games were come-from-behind wins. Minnesota on the other hand . . . well they just plain suck. But do they suck 13.5 points worth? Let's look at this game from a pure Vegas standpoint for a second. Iowa is 16-6 ATS (against the spread) in the month of November, they are 6-4 against the spread this season, and the Hawkeyes are 7-0 against the spread versus Minnesota since 1992. As for Minnesota? They'll probably go winless in the Big 10 and finish the season 1-11. At least they have Adrian Peterson to cheer about. I'm taking Iowa giving 2 TDs to the Golden Gophers.
Kentucky -4 Vanderbilt
Kentucky has been all over the place this season, and there's nothing I like picking more than teams with erratic records this year. The Wildcats started out 5-0 before losing to South Carolina, then followed that up with an upset of then #2 LSU, and followed that up with two straight losses. The one constant for Kentucky has been the play of QB Andre' Woodson, who has 28 TDs on the year - more than any of the "B" quarterbacks (Brennan, Brohm, Boeckman, and Bradford). However, Woodson is faced with the task of forgetting his last game, a 3 INT debacle against Mississippi State during Homecoming week. I'm sure he wasn't crowned King of the Prom after laying that goose egg. For Vanderbilt, their task this week gets even harder when the have to prepare to stop Woodson's air attack and the running game of Rafael Little, who returns after missing three weeks to a thigh injury. I haven't seen a the Commodores in such a tight spot since Lionel Richie decided to embark on a solo career. I'm taking Kentucky giving 4 points this week.
UNLV -2.5 San Diego State
UNLV has lost five straight. Yeah, I don't know how they're favored either. I'm looking for something positive to write about the Rebels, but all I can come up with is their QB is the second best guy named Dixon at his position west of the Mississippi. When that's the best I can do, you know the home team is in trouble. I'm taking the Aztecs and the points this week.
Miami -3.5 UVA
Sniff, sniff. Miami says goodbye to their home digs after years of great memories. Doug Flutie connecting on a Hail Mary pass to beat them in '84, Penn State's 79-yard TD pass to win in 1999, and a bench clearing brawl against FIU last year, man, the Canes sure are going to miss this place. Lucky for them, they get to close out their tenure at the Orange Bowl against the hottest team in the ACC, Virginia. The Cavaliers have won five games this season by 2 or fewer points, and have put together a 7-1 record in their last eight games. Luckily for Miami, Virginia has been winning these games despite their anemic offense, currently ranked 101st in I-A. I'm sure all of the big alumni will turn out for the Hurricanes this week - Brock Berlin, Lex Luger, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to name a few. Even if Virginia's offense doesn't put up huge numbers, I'm sure that the Cavalier defense will be able to hold Miami and either "nervous" Kirby Freeman or the injured Kyle Wright to a minimum of damage, well as long as the Canes defense manages to get off the field for a change. I'm taking Virginia getting 3.5 from QB University.
Until next week . . .
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