Week 4 - On the Comeback Trail

After a tough week - both on the field and off - I'm ready to bounce back. Granted, even if I get a single game right, its an improvement, but I'm pumped nonetheless.

Bonehead of the Week:

I was ready to go with the University of Akron, as QB Chris Jacquemain, assistant coach Reno Ferri, and lineman Cowles Stewart were suspended from the team (Stewart was charged with felonious assault for a "beatdown" last month when he repeatedly punched a man in the face until said man went unconscious), but I had a change of heart and went with Oregon fan Tony Seminary. Not because Seminary wrote a letter to Ducks' head coach (and former gym teacher/custodian/ice cream man from Manchester, NH - or whatever he was) Chip Kelly asking for $439 as a refund for travel expenses incurred when he went to see the Ducks lose at Boise State. No I'm nominating him because he received a check for the full amount from coach Kelly, and promptly decided not to cash it. If you ask me for $10 - even if your request is irrational - and I give you the $10, don't show me how much of an idiot you are by giving it back to me. If you don't want something, don't ask for it! On to the picks.


Houston -1 Texas Tech

Texas Tech hung with Texas on the road last week last week - a game I actually watched most of because the Red Sox were crushing Baltimore on Saturday and after living in the DC area for 6 years, I can only watch so much of the Orioles losing. Red Raiders' QB Taylor Potts has thrown for 400+ yards per game this season - including 420 in last week's loss to the Longhorns - making him the top per-game passer in the country. Not to be outdone, Houston's QB Case Keenum is #3 in the nation, averaging 362.5 yards per contest. He also leads the top scoring offense in the nation, is an early Heisman hopeful, and is majoring in kinesiology. Thanks, website of the University of Houston Department of Athletics! Maybe he'll be able to explain why Texas Tech moves into the Top 25 and the Cougars move out of it after Houston drops this game to Texas Tech. See - I made a cougar joke and a kinesiology joke in that sentence. Two for one for you guys! I'm taking the Red Raiders getting one. By the way, the over/under for this game is an astounding 73 points. If I were a betting man, I'd take the under, only because we're looking at 5 TDs from each side and a field goal to win. Not outside the realm of possibility, but then again, neither is a Boston sweep this weekend.


Rutgers EVEN Maryland

I think you all know where I'm going with this one. You're making it too tempting for me, Danny Sheridan. I don't care that the Scarlet Knights are on the road against a Maryland team out to avenge its first home loss since losing to FSU last year (only the second one since October 2007), or that Rutgers' two wins have come against Howard and Florida International, or that the "Pride of Piscataway" may not even be starting QB "Macho Man" Tom Savage this week. Mark my words - the Terps WILL find a way to lose this one. I'm daring you to make me eat my words, Coach Ralph. EDIT: Sorry, I had to add this - any Macho Man reference warrants it. DIG IT!!


Miami -3 VA Tech

There is something about this Miami team that inspires me - maybe its the fact that we're in Week 4, and there haven't been any reported assaults or arrests out of Coral Gables (even if their coach is throwing up gang signs). The college football media loves to tout the difficult first month that the Canes have - FSU, GA Tech, the Hokies, and Oklahoma. Don't worry, I'm not hopping on the Miami bandwagon. It is closed. The first real test will come this week in Blacksburg. The Hokies have a very solid RB in Ryan Williams (6 TDs, 6.8 yards per attempt), though he aggravated an ankle sprain against Nebraska last week. Miami has given up just over 100 yards per game rushing this season, and though they will be up against a better rusher in Williams than they've seen in their wins over the Yellowjackets and the 'Noles, they should be up for the challenge. Granted, I'm the guy that thought Maryland could handle MTSU last week, so take it with a grain (or more) of salt. I'm taking Miami giving 3 this week.


Nebraska -28 UL-Lafayette

Nebraska barely lost to a very good VA Tech team (see above) last week, and though the Huskers are still ranked in both the AP and Coaches polls, their two wins have come against some seriously inferior competition. Not to totally discount Arkansas State or Florida Atlantic, but the last quasi-notable football player to come out of either school was Cleo Lemon, who started 7 games at QB for the 2007 Dolphins. Not exactly NFL feeder schools. What's my point? I don't have one. But the Ragin' Cajuns are getting 28 of them. And I'll take those points and UL-Lafayette this week.


Cincinnati -16.5 Fresno State

Fresno State plays a "frenetic" style of offense that "stretches defenses until they break." Looking at the final score of the Boise State game (51-34 ) it looks like their own defense was stretched and broken. Yes Fresno State has the top running back in the nation, but the Bearcats' defense is "sneaky good"
- a technical term - averaging fewer than 2 TDs allowed per game, and holding a very good Oregon State team to 18 points in Oregon. I'm known to be a big stat head, and this game will come down to numbers. Cinci's RB Isaiah Pead has 4,973 friends on Facebook; Fresno State WR Devon Wylie only has 510. I'll take Cincinnati giving the points here.


For those of you marginally interested, here are Jeff's Picks of the Weak

BC(-1.5)
VA Tech (+3)
Indiana (+20)
Memphis (-3)
Michigan (-20)

Until next time . . .