Beerman’s Picks
by Ben Shapiro, 11/14/01
Each 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
Bowl Championship Series Poll. I don't pick winners (that's too easy),
I pick against
the spread.
All picks are for entertainment purposes only. If you actually bet
based on what I think...well...don't say you weren't warned!. For
the most current TV information, click on over to
TV Guide
Last Week: Back to our winning ways.
The Hokies, and myself as well.
This Week: Rivalry week
is upon us! Except for Virginia -- they're just playing that cow
college from across the state.
Not in Action: #1 Nebraska,
#4 Oregon, #6 Texas, #14 Colorado
|
| Thursday
11/15 |
|
#20 Louiseville (8-1) @ EAST CAROLINA (5-3) |
| Line:
U of L (-2) |
7:30 pm EST
(ESPN)
|
|
I've seen Louiseville
on TV a couple of times this year. They've won each time, and
looked like absolute garbage while doing it. I have the distinct
feeling it's going to happen again. |
| Pick:
U of L |
|
|
| Saturday
11/17 |
|
#2 MIAMI (FL) (8-0) vs. #15 Syracuse (8-2) |
| Line:
Miami (-21) |
3:30 pm EST
(ABC,
Gameplan)
|
| 21 points?
Wow! Wait, lemme
look again. Yup, 21 points! OK, Miami is really really
good. And Miami is at home. And Miami just got their "scare"
out of the way last week.
But come on now.
Three TDs over a team riding a hot streak as big as the Orange's?
Nope. Can't do it. I think Miami wins, but I can't call
cover on a 21 point spread.
|
| Pick: Syracuse |
|
|
| #3 Oklahoma
(9-1) @ #22 TEXAS TECH (6-3) |
| Line:
Okie (-8) |
3:30 pm EST
(ABC,
Gameplan)
|
| A Texas
Tech squad that has slipped under the radar all season is now the last
best hope of the cross-state Texas Longhorns. The Red Raiders
are pretty much Maryland to Oklahoma's Florida State ... and this one
should play out much the same way... |
| Pick: Oklahoma |
|
|
| #5 FLORIDA
(8-1) vs. #19 Florida State (6-3) |
| Line:
UF (-15) |
8:00 pm EST
(CBS) |
| With Florida this week and
Georgia Tech the next, Florida State is thanking their lucky stars to
already be bowl eligible... |
| Pick: Florida |
|
|
|
#7 Tennessee (8-1) @ KENTUCKY (2-7) |
| Line:
Tennessee (-18) |
12:30
pm EST |
|
Kentucky this week, Vanderbilt
the next. That's a pretty convenient scrimmage schedule for the
Vols to get ready for the rescheduled Florida game. |
| Pick:
Vols |
|
|
|
#8 Washington State (9-1) @ #16 WASHINGTON (7-2) |
| Line:
WSU (-1) |
3:30 pm EST
(ABC,
Gameplan)
|
|
I'd say that Washington
has been exposed as a fraud, and that Wazzou will roll right over them
... except that ... umm ... geez ... OK, I guess that about covers it... |
| Pick:
WSU
|
|
|
|
#9 STANFORD (6-2) vs. California (0-9) |
| Line:
Stanford (-25) |
3:30 pm EST
|
|
Cal's worked hard all
season to keep their perfect record. While the pundits say
that playing in the Pac-Ten makes it too easy to
go winless, Bear backers claim that they can't help who they have to
play in conference. Regardless, Cal is counting on another
easy loss this week as they prepare for a season ending showdown
next Saturday with preseason national chumpion favorite Rutgers. |
| Pick:
Stanford |
|
|
|
#10 Illinois (8-1) @ OHIO STATE (6-3) |
| Line:
OSU (-3) |
3:30 pm EST
(ABC,
Gameplan)
|
|
I'm actually pretty shocked
to see the Buckeyes favored here. Ohio State has not been terribly
impressive this season, and Illinois has taken down everyone save Michigan.
Top-15 teams as underdogs
= upset pick.
|
| Pick:
Illinois |
|
|
|
#11 Michigan (7-2)
@ WISCONSIN (4-5) |
|
Line: Michigan
(-5.5) |
3:30 pm EST
(ABC,
Gameplan)
|
|
Big Blue should take
this one pretty easily, as injuries have rendered
the Wisconsin defense a shell of its former shell. |
|
Pick: Michigan |
|
|
|
#12 Maryland (9-1) @ N.C. STATE (6-3) |
| Line:
Maryland (-2.5) |
7:45 pm EST
(ESPN)
|
|
Maryland's riding
high, and NCSU's got to be spent after last week in Tallahassee.
This one has "let down game" written all over it. |
| Pick:
Maryland |
|
|
|
#13 BYU (10-0) vs. Utah (7-2) |
| Line:
BYU (-8.5) |
7:00 pm EST
(ESPN2)
|
| BYU finally
catches a break, with a team that may actually help their schedule
strength. It's rivalry week, LDS
style, and I would not be at all surprised to see Utah pull it out.
BYU's offense is lights-out, but their defense leaves quite a bit to
be desired.
|
| Pick:
BYU |
|
|
|
#17 AUBURN (7-2) vs. Alabama (4-5) |
| Line:
Auburn (-3.5) |
3:30 pm EST
(CBS) |
|
Thanks in part to a Mark
Richt brain fart, Auburn is almost a stone lock for a repeat appearance
in the SEC title game.
Then again, this is Auburn-Alabama.
Bama may be down this year, but that often doesn't mean a whole heckuvalot
in this rivalry.
|
| Pick:
Auburn |
|
|
|
#18 UCLA (6-3)
@ USC (5-5) |
| Line:
UCLA (-3.5) |
6:30 pm EST
(FoxSportsNet)
|
|
Two mediocre, over-hyped
Pac-Ten teams squaring off in what passes for major sports entertainment
out in La-la Land. |
| Pick:
UCLA
|
|
|
|
#21 SOUTH CAROLINA (7-3) vs. Clemson (5-4) |
| Line:
USC (-4) |
3:30 pm EST
|
|
This year has to be considered
a bit of a disappointment for both teams. USC can at least say
that last year was no fluke, but Clemson is fighting for bowl eligibility
at this point. |
| Pick:
South Carolina |
|
|
|
#23 Georgia (5-3) @ MISSISSIPPI (6-2) |
| Line:
Ole Miss (-2) |
12:30 pm EST
|
|
All these middling SEC
match-ups tend to go to the home team. That is, unless that home
team is Georgia. |
| Pick:
Mississippi |
|
|
|
#24 Fresno State (8-2) @ NEVADA (2-7) |
| Line:
FSU (-19.5) |
3:00 pm EST
|
|
Hey, look who's back!
It's the Boogie Woogie Bulldog Boys from Valley V! |
| Pick:
FSU |
|
|
|
#25 MARSHALL (8-1) vs. Ohio (1-8) |
| Line:
Marshall (-25) |
3:00 pm EST
(Some FoxSportsNet) |
|
In another shocking development,
Marshall is poised to repeat as MAC champions for what seems like the
40th year in a row. If I were a Marshall fan, I'd just go ahead
and renew those hotel reservations in Detroit during checkout. |
| Pick:
Marshall |
|
|
|
(#26) Virginia Tech (7-2) @
VIRGINIA (4-6) |
| Line:
VT (-14.5) |
3:30
pm EST
(ESPN) |
| Sounds like
an awful lot of Hoos are happy that we're not in the running for the
Rose Bowl any longer. Happy that we don't stand much chance of
getting any BCS bid at all. Happy that we're no longer taking
a win over Wahoo State for granted.
Here's one Hokie who still takes UVA for
granted.
Oh they might make things a little interesting,
and maybe two touchdowns is a bit large for the spread. But when
all is said and done, someone's going bowling, and someone's trotting
out a nice fat 4-8 record with them on the recruiting trail.
|
| Pick:
UVA |
|
|
|
Boston College (6-3) @ RUTSGERS (2-7) |
| Line:
BC (-29) |
12:00 pm EST |
|
So close, but yet so far.
That pretty much describes the history of Boston College football. |
| Pick:
Rutgers |
|
|
|
WEST VIRGINIA (3-6) vs. Temple (2-7) |
| Line:
WVU (-15.5) |
1:00
pm EST
|
|
We get one of these games
every week in the Big East, and that's just got to stop! |
| Pick:
Temple |
|
|
| Miscellania... |
| Game of the Week to Watch:
They're everywhere. Rivalry week is simply money.
Last Week: 13-11
Season To Date: 111-110-1
Upset Special: Illinois
over Ohio State (5-6)
|
