Week 14 - Happy Turkey Day!!

One win away from being bowl eligible, I'm feeling pretty confident about my post-season chances. Pretty much the opposite of how all of South Bend is feeling.

BONEHEAD OF THE WEEK

I had to really think hard about this one, but I'm going to give the award to everyone at Notre Dame. Aside from losing to the Orange last week, reports came out that Charlie Weis' buyout would be $4 - $5 million dollars, and the Irish are 32 point underdogs (see below) against rival USC. To top things off, former WR Jeff Samardzija said about Weis, "He's a great coach. He's got a track record for it. If there's somebody out there with a better record, who's a better fit, I'd like to hear who it is." Well you're right, Jeff - Charlie is a great fit. Mainly because he's the only guy there who wears size 56 khakis and there must be a ton of them in the AD's office. On to the picks.


USC -32 Notre Dame

I don't care how badly the Irish played against Syracuse last week, a 32 point spread is too big for even me to take. I'll go with the Irish taking the points.


BUFFALO -9 Kent State

With MAC "Powerhouse" Ball State quietly finishing up their 12-0 schedule this week (after playing zero games on Fridays or Saturdays since before Halloween), they will face Buffalo in the MAC Championship for the right to go on to the Ted Nugent Motor City Bowl. Argue all you want that they deserve a shot at the NCAA Championship, but with three other undefeated teams (as of this writing), all of which have played far tougher schedules than Ball State, I think the Cardinals are well suited for the "Winner of the MAC Bowl."

Now, for the Bulls-Golden Flashes match up, I really like this Buffalo team. I wasn't so high on them after they started 2-4, but after rattling off 5 straight wins (including two-straight in OT), I think they have an outside shot to beat Ball State. Bulls QB (Randolph, NJ's own Drew Willy) has turned the team around, and I don't think that the defense of Kent State (ranked 101st in points allowed) will match up well with Buffalo, who have scored 25+ points in all but two of their games this season. HOWEVER, Buffalo has already sealed up their spot in the MAC championship, and a 9 point spread seems kind of steep for a team that will look to rest a lot of starters in a game played where it is currently snowing. I'll take Kent State with the points here.


MIZZOU -15.5 Kansas

Neither team has anything to play for (except Kansas having a winning season), but I don't think the Tigers will step off the gas with the Big XII Championship game coming up in a week. Then they have to spend the whole week prepping for Texas/Oklahoma/Texas Tech. They'd better start reading up on them all now. I like Mizzou to cover.


FAU -4.5 FIU

If Florida Atlantic University wins, they become bowl eligible. I'm not sure, but I think they get an automatic invite to the Boca Raton Bowl against the winner of the Del Vista Vikings and the Fighting Prunes of Century Village. I'll take the Owls of FAU to cover.


BC -6.5 Maryland

I had dessert with my cousin who went to Maryland last night. She told me that the football team sucks. It made me think though (as I had my second piece of pie and remembered I hadn't written this post yet). If I couldn't focus on writing an easy blog during Thanksgiving, how can Ralph Friedgen focus on his game against BC? That guy loves pie. I'm taking the Eagles to cover.

Until next week . . .