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Beerman's Picks O' the Week
(for Thursday, 11/12, and Saturday, 11/14)
by Beerman - posted 11/12/98It's the stretch run folks. Only 3-4 games
left to determine the bowl pecking order.
Last week: 14 - 7 ... Like the Hokies, I see the finish line and am heading
straight for it! And what's with that wacky Big Ten? Two top-10 teams lose, leaving the
great pretender (Wisconsin) on top? Don't be surprised if Michigan comes out on top at the
end of the year. Their two losses are both out of conference, and they get to play
Wisconsin this week.
Will someone please explain to me how Syracuse is still ranked?
This week: Lotsa lotsa great games. The best thing about playing Syracuse at
night is that I get to sack out in front of the tube all day and watch the likes of
KSU-Nebraska, Tennessee-Arkansas, Wisconsin-Michigan, Missouri-aTm, and what could be a
real shootout in Air Force - Wyoming (good luck finding that one on TV!)
Not in action this week: No one.
Top 25 Games
Thursday Night Game:
#23 Georgia Tech (-7.5) @ CLEMSON
Death Valley upgraded from "critical" to "fair" after bearing
witness to Tigers less-than-stellar 2-3 home record this year.
Pick: Georgia Tech
Saturday Games:
#1 KANSAS STATE (-10) vs. #11 Nebraska
It's been 30 years since Kansas State has beaten the Huskers. That's not a monkey on
their back ... that's King Kong. This [should] be the year though. The Wildcats have
looked almost unstoppable to this point, and Nebraska has fallen twice already. Also, this
game is in Manhattan, Kansas ... where there will be thousands of screaming purple maniacs
doing everything they can to make life miserable for the Huskers. If Dr. Tom was still
there I'd say that Nebraska would rise to the occasion ... with Solich, however, I'll have
to see it before I'll believe it. KSU struggles, but pulls it out.
Pick: Nebraska
#1 TENNESSEE (-10) vs. #9 Arkansas
Arkansas finally gets to play a real team. Tennessee rested everyone against UAB last
week, and should be nice and ready for this one.
#3 UCLA (-7.5) @ WASHINGTON
Whoever it is that is still voting UCLA #1 needs to put down the crack pipe and watch
tapes of the Stanford and Oregon State games. If UCLA doesn't get it together, UDub will
smack them silly.
Pick: Washington
#4 FLORIDA (-31.5) vs. South Carolina
Gators actually in good shape, should one of the top-3 falter. Losing to the Vols early
might have been a blessing in disguise. You see, they don't have to play in the SEC title
game, and if Tennessee drops then UF will pass them. Could Coach Superior win a MNC
without even winning the SEC?
Pick: Gators
#5 Florida State (-26) @ WAKE FOREST
FSU has pretty well cemented their identity as first alternate to the undefeateds.
They'll walk over Florida to end the season, and just hope that UT, KSU, or UCLA drops one
somewhere.
Pick: Noles
#6 Wisconsin (+3) @ #16 MICHIGAN
The last of the great pretenders still standing, the Badgers are about to get dropped
like a bad habit.
Pick: Michigan
#7 Ohio State (-25) vs. IOWA
Hayden Fry needs to retire. John Cooper should start playing Lotto. With all the bad
luck he has coaching great Buckeye teams, the Karma's got to come back around somewhere!
Pick: Ohio State
#8 TEXAS A&M (-5.5) vs. #15 Missouri
If the cards fall right, Missouri could actually win the Big-12 North. HA! With every
passing week, Aggies regretting the Kickoff Classic more and more.
Pick: aTm
#10 Arizona (-11) @ CALIFORNIA
Poor Arizona. Playing so well, and twice now they've had the prospect of UCLA losing
dangled in front of their faces ... only to have it yanked rudely away.
Pick: Arizona
#12 Virginia tech (+4.5) @ #25 SYRACUSE
We're due. It's as simple as that. The Jiffy-Pop dome is not a fun place to play, but
odds say that we'll win sooner or later. I prefer to think sooner.
Pick: Virginia Tech
#13 Notre Dame (-20.5) @ NAVY
This is game is ALSO part of that "national schedule" that Notre Dame doesn't
want to abandon to join the Big Ten. Give me a break!
Pick: UNBC
#14 Tulane (-15.5) @ ARMY
Tulane isn't a pretender, they just have not played _anyone_ yet. It would be a heckuva
story if they ended up in the Sugar Bowl, but they'd be much happier playing in (and
winning) the Liberty.
Pick: Tulane
#17 PENN STATE (-24) vs. Northwestern
Debuting on the New York Times best seller list this week "From the Penthouse to
the Outhouse - In twelve easy steps", by Gary Barnett.
Pick: Penn State
#18 Georgia (-6) @ AUBURN
Georgia is 6-2, with contests remaining against Auburn, Mississippi, and a quietly very
resurgent Alabama squad. What was once a promising season could end up very badly for the
Bulldogs.
Pick: Georgia
#19 OREGON (off) vs. Arizona State
ASU got over the hump last week, and now sit at 5-4 with a bowl bid finally in sight.
Oregon performed like they are able to, and played Whack-a-mole with Washington State.
This should be one of those high scoring WAC-type (read: defense optional) games.. Fun to
watch if you get it. No line due to some injuries, so I'm just picking a winner here.
Pick: Oregon
#20 Air Force (-4) @ #25 WYOMING
Cowboys to install special three-digit scoreboard for this weeks game. Predicted final:
AFA - 130, Wyoming - 115
Pick: Air Force
#21 Texas (-2.5) @ TEXAS TECH
A tale of two teams. Texas Tech started off _very_ strong, going 6-0 out of the gate.
They now sit at 6-3 and drop down one bowl each week. Texas is the exact opposite. Ricky
Williams struggled against a stingy Oklahoma State defense last week, and will look to run
it up against the Red Raiders in his quest to become Division I-A's all time leading
rusher.
Pick: Texas
#22 WAHOO STATE (-10) vs. North Carolina
With loss here, Cavaliers likely headed for a 7-4 season.
#24 Miami(FL) (-23) @ TEMPLE
Miami once again to prove their "obvious" superiority over Virginia Tech by
doing what the Hokies couldn't ... beating the Temple Owls
Pick: Canes
Other Big East Games:
West Virginia (-21) @ RUTGERS
If Rutgers can pull this one out, they become bowl eligible. Chew on that one for a
while.
Pick: Rutgers
Boston College (-1) @ PITTSBURGH
Battling it out for the title of most disappointing Big East team of the year ... next
on Springer.
Pick: Panthers
Other Things To Look For:
Game of the Week to Watch: Very tough call. I'm hoping to see KSU-Nebraska, but
wouldn't be unhappy with Tennessee-Arkansas.
Upset Special: The HOKIES bay-bee!
Last week: 14 - 7
Season to Date: 108 - 93 - 3
Upset Special: 2 - 8 |