Beerman’s Picks
by Ben Shapiro, 10/12/01Each week this season, I will be posting a column previewing the upcoming
weekend's Big East and Top-25 match-ups. All rankings are from the ESPN/USA
Today Coaches Poll. I don't pick winners (that's too easy), I pick against the spread. All
picks are for entertainment purposes only. For the most current TV information,
click on over to TV
Guide
Last Week: Beerman had a good week. Happy
day!
This Week: Some good Big Ten and Pac Ten
action. Some oh-by-the-way game going on in Northern Florida. "Virginia Tech's
first test," part three.
This week's column is an homage. Can you guess to
whom?
Not in Action: #14 Tennessee, #23 Toledo
|
| Thursday 10/11 |
| #15 GEORGIA TECH
(4-1) vs. #20 Maryland (5-0) |
| Line: GT (-9) |
7:30 PM EST
(ESPN) |
| Can anything stop the mighty Terrapin war
machine? Beerman likes The Turtle. Take note folks, should we fall to Miami
there's a distinct possibility we face Maryland in Jacksonville... |
| Pick: UMud |
|
|
| Saturday 10/13 |
| #1 Miami (FL) (4-0)
@ #14 FLORIDA STATE (3-1) |
| Line: Miami (-7) |
12:00 PM EST
(ABC, ESPN GamePlan) |
| Seven point underdogs at home. Beerman
thinks that chafes Bobby. Beerman doesn't want to be the coach making up a game plan
to defeat Bobby Bowden when he's got something to prove. Everyone's writing off the
Noles...just like they did in '99. Beerman doesn't buy it. Win or lose, the
Noles are still one of the top teams in the nation. This is Miami's first real test. Two quarters of Troy State
notwithstanding, it says something that Miami's schedule is ranked lower than ours
to this point.
Beerman's finding a truck with a dish on the roof, and
parking his butt right there during the tailgate. |
| Pick: FSU |
|
|
| #2 Florida (5-0) @
AUBURN (4-1) |
| Line: UF (-21) |
7:45 PM EST
(ESPN) |
| With Mississippi State taking a dive of
Nittanyesque proportions here in the early going, Auburn is now Beerman's pick for the SEC
West. So what we've got here could be a preview of the SEC title game. Beerman's a little surprised at the size of this line. Favored?
Sure. By a healthy margin? Most certainly. By three touchdowns on the
road against a quality team? Not so sure about that one...I mean someone in
the SEC has to give UF a run for it...right? |
| Pick: Auburn |
|
|
| #3 Oklahoma (5-0) @
KANSAS (2-2) |
| Line: Oklahoma (-21) |
7:00 PM EST
(Most of FoxSportsNet) |
| Nope, still not sold on Nate Hybl. Or
Justin Smith for that matter. Although it looks like Beerman could line up at
quarterback for the Sooners and still have a pretty good shot at winning. But that would cut into Beerman's tailgating time. |
| Pick: Oklahoma |
|
|
| #4 Nebraska (6-0) @
BAYLOR (2-2) |
| Line: Nebraska (-33) |
2:00 PM EST |
| Nebraska plays Baylor this week, and Texas Tech
the next. They could split the squad, play both games this week (and win),
and give themselves a nice off week before facing off against Oklahoma. This is a
good plan. Frankly, I don't understand why I'm not an AD somewhere. |
| Pick: UNL |
|
|
#5
VIRGINIA TECH (5-0) vs. Boston College (4-1) |
Line:
VT (-20) |
6:30 PM EST
(ESPN2) |
| Nobody runs on Virginia Tech.
Nobody! Willie Green is about to take the beating of his life. In a
good way of course. |
| Pick: BC |
|
|
| #6
Oregon (5-0) @ CALIFORNIA (0-4) |
| Line: Oregon (-13.5) |
3:30 PM EST |
| Beerman thinks teams take it
personally when they are picked as his upset special. There's no other rational
explanation. |
| Pick: Oregon |
|
|
| #7 UCLA
(4-0) vs. #8 Washington (4-0) |
| Line: UCLA
(-12) |
3:30 PM EST
(ABC, ESPN GamePlan) |
| Beerman doesn't understand this
line at all. When the last time Washington played in a game that wasn't close? Win or lose, it always seems to be by less than seven points. That being said, Beerman likes UCLA here...just not by two touchdowns.
These Pac-Ten heavies need to start knocking each other off.
I'm not sure which one to be pulling for here, and I don't have the energy to delve
into all the permutations right now. Besides, that's why we've got our handy Weekend
Rooting Guide! |
| Pick: Washington |
|
|
| #9
South Carolina (5-0) @ ARKANSAS (2-3) |
| Line: USC (-9) |
3:30 PM EST
(CBS) |
| Beerman likes South Carolina.
But that's probably because Beerman has the well developed sense of humor of a nine
year old. |
| Pick: Cocks |
|
|
| #10
Fresno State (5-0) @ COLORADO STATE (2-3) |
| Line:
FSU-West (-7.5) |
10:00 PM EST
(ESPN2) |
| Poor Fresno State.
That killer non-conference schedule they had is looking weaker by the game.
Wisconsin is middle-of-the-road at best, and CSU will be lucky to go bowling if
(when) they lose this game. Colorado is looking tough, but that's not enough by
itself. Thanks for stopping by
the booth Fresno, and be sure to pick up your commemorative gift box on your way out! |
| Pick: Fresno |
|
|
| #11
Texas (4-1) @ OKLAHOMA STATE (2-3) |
| Line: Texas
(-17.5) |
12:30 PM EST
(FSN, FSW) |
| "This is exactly the sort
of big game that Mack Brown has made a career out of losing." Sometimes folks, it's just too easy. |
| Pick: Texas |
|
|
| #12
MICHIGAN (4-1) vs. #16 Purdue (4-0) |
| Line: Michigan
(-10.5) |
12:00 PM EST
(ESPN) |
| See, now this could actually be an
interesting Big Ten game. Those are few and far between...this one should be
cherished! (In a related note, Penn State has a bye this week ... and is only a 3
point dog!) I like Michigan here. They're
rolling, and there's no shame in an early loss to Washington. I'm thinking they're
going to finish at 10-1...give or take Ohio State. Purdue's won all their games,
but frankly the Beerman is not all that impressed. I guess this is their
opportunity. |
| Pick: Wolverines |
|
|
| #17
Brigham Young (5-0) @ NEW MEXICO (2-3) |
| Line: BYU (-14) |
3:00 PM EST
(ESPN GamePlan, ESPN+) |
| Another day, another 50 points for
the Mighty Mormons. |
| Pick: BYU |
|
|
| #18
Clemson (3-1) @ N.C. STATE (3-1) |
| Line: Clemson
(-3.5) |
12:00 PM EST
(JP Sports, ESPN GamePlan, NESN, FSS) |
| ACC mediocrity is one of Beerman's
goals. To that end ... Go State! |
| Pick: Tigs |
|
|
| #19
Texas A&M (5-0) @ COLORADO (4-1) |
| Line: Colorado
(-8) |
3:30 PM EST
(Some FoxSportsNet, ESPN GamePlan) |
| Trouble at home against Baylor.
Trouble on the road against Wyoming. Tied late against McNeese State!
Beerman thinks aTm is walking a very thin line indeed. Beerman was going to
call this his upset pick for the week, but evidently that's a pretty popular opinion
already. |
| Pick: aTm |
|
|
| #21
Kansas State (2-2) @ TEXAS TECH (2-2) |
| Line: off |
2:00 PM EST |
| And just like that, Kansas State is
pretty much done for the season. Thanks for stopping by! The line is off as of publication. That means someone of some
consequence is hurt. So this pick is just the winner... |
| Pick: KSU |
|
|
| #22
STANFORD (3-0) vs. Washington State (5-0) |
| Line: Stanford (-3.5) |
5:00 PM EST |
| Washington State doesn't win at
Stanford, hasn't in their last five trips. Could this year break the streak?
It's possible. All Randy Fassini does is win ballgames, but the Cougars have
defense ... (wait for it!) ... up the Wazzou!!! Thanks
a lot ladies and gentlemen, you've been a great crowd. Don't forget to tip your
waitresses, and remember...the 10:00 show is totally different from the 7:00 show! |
| Pick: WSU |
|
|
| #24
NORTHWESTERN (3-1) vs. Minnesota (1-3) |
| Line:
Northwestern (-12.5) |
12:00 PM EST
(ESPN GamePlan, ESPN+, FSN) |
| Yeah OK, Beerman supposes that
perhaps Northwestern's offense can be stopped...but not two weeks in a
row, and not by Minnesota. |
| Pick: NW |
|
|
| #25
OHIO STATE (3-1) vs. Wisconsin (3-3) |
| Line: tOSU
(-10.5) |
3:30 PM EST
(ABC, ESPN GamePlan) |
| Lordy be, what's going on in
Madison? Beerman saw the Wisconsin-Indiana score pop up on the screen and thought,
"What? Basketball season already?" Ohio State may not have much in the quarterback department, but they have a
decent running game, and play tough on defense. The Big Game is shaping up to decide
the Big Ten Title. |
| Pick: Wisconsin |
|
|
| Syracuse
(4-2) @ PITTSBURGH (1-3) |
| Line: Orange
(-4) |
12:00 PM EST
(ESPN GamePlan, ESPN+) |
| Beerman's done with Pittsburgh.
They have outlived their usefulness. Syracuse,
on the other hand, is still worth getting behind. It's important that the Big East
put some decent teams in bowl games. Beerman's not talking about just qualifying,
he's talking about being able to compete and being able to win. |
| Pick: SU |
|
|
| West
Virginia (2-3) @ NOTRE DAME (1-3) |
| Line: Notre
Dame (-12) |
2:30 PM EST
(NBC) |
| OK, so West Virginia is just plain
*bad* this year. It happens, right? But if they manage one positive thing this
year, let it be a win over Notre Dame. |
| Pick: WVU |
|
|
| Rutgers
(1-4) @ TEMPLE (1-3) |
| Line: Temple
(-11.5) |
4:00 PM EST
(ESPN GamePlan, ESPN+) |
| Beerman's developing heartburn just
thinking about this game. |
| Pick: Rutgers |
|
|
| Miscellania... |
| Game of the Week to Watch: Miami-FSU, and
then UDub-UCLA Last Week: 14-7
Season To Date: 59-56-1
Upset Special: Washington State over
Stanford (1-5) |
