Here’s what happens when one doesn’t believe.
One chooses against his latest man crush, that Cignetti dude. Whose team then skips a light fandango through Autzen, When the miller told his tale, the 15 vestal
virgins who didn’t leave for the coast had to take cover. (Great goodly moogly, from what cranial recess did that come from? Is that the out of nowhere acid flashback I’ve been longing for? Since the last one recently.)
In English, I picked Oregon. IU won.
Which pleases me. Other than for purposes here, it’s tallied on the right hand side of the equation.
I also didn’t believe in UCLA. Picked Sparty, without even checking to notice the team isn’t any good.
Ah, but Texas fired. Proud o’ that. Even if it made Matthew McConaughey more insufferable parading around the state fair midway.
And in my gimme o’ the week, UNLV survived when the Air Force kicker missed a FG. You take the W however it generates.
Kent State prevailed in the PFOYWOYYOTCMB (Look up last week’s picks, I’m not about to spell it out.)
3-2 for the week. 27-17 for the year.
Oh yeah, Atherton fashioned its 5th shoutout of the campaign (in 7 games), 30 nil over Butler.
And Glorious Editor advised, tentatively I must admit, that I’m off Double Secret Probation. At least for the moment.
This week’s winners:
Pennsylvania State @ Iowa. I’ve not double checked this, but the source is a legit national football scribe, at a responsible sports reporting site. Sayeth he, the buyout for James Franklin and assistants — reportedly $45 million — is more than iconic JoPa made in his entire four decade career coaching the Nittany Lions. Paterno’s ostrich mentality re: the shower situation in the locker room, and the perp of that Jerry Sandusky lives. Figuratively. Literally. The former assistant remains alive and incarcerated. Where the Nittany Lions and their deep pocketed supporters turn now, coaching wise, remains a mystery as of this writing. More immediate is a trip to Land o’ Hawkeye. Stranger things have this way come, but it’s hard to fathom a W for the fallen interimly-coached Quaker Staters.
Georgia School of Technology @ Duke. The winner of this one shall sit alone atop the ACC standings with a 4-0 league record. Let that sink in, Dabo. Tech would remain undefeated for the whole campaign, including a prime W in Boulder. The Blue Devils have a couple blemishes, but this tussle will hold forth on Bermuda grass in the friendly confines of Wallace Wade Stadium. In front of what’s sure to be a rabid crowd, with a High Noon kickoff on The World Wide Leader. Will it be enough? Hunch time (against my better judgement). Fun times in Krzyzewskiville after the final buzzer.
Maryland @ University of California Los Angeles. Having beaten the rummies, the Terps have played their two legit foes close. Fell by 4 to UDub, by 3 at home to the Huskers. They’re not bad, but are they good? Haven’t watched a down of their games. They will be revealing themselves a three time zone schlep to face the most dumbfounding story in the sport. The Bruins of Westwood. Admittedly their two 180 degree turnaround Ws haven’t been over real powers. But still. They’ve been whomp ’em up aside o’ the noggin’ smackarounds. My guess is there shall be some bandwagon jumpers on filling a few more seats in the Rose Bowl. UCLA continues to amaze.
Michigan State @ Indiana. The only questions here are whether Hoosier coach Curt Cignetti will have a new contract to stay on the banks of the Wabash, or will be packing his bags for a return to Sweet Home Pennsylvania? My hunch: He ain’t goin’ nowhere. As for the game. There shall be no letdown for Crimson & Cream.
Texas @ Kentucky. A Longhorn letdown? Perrrrrrrhaaaaaps. Cats winning one for the Stoopster? More bizarre outcomes have shaken down. Some, just in the last few weeks. Says here, it is not going to happen. Hook ‘Em.
Louisville @ Miami (Fla). Not so famously, I rarely ever pick against the Cardinals. A karma thing. A couple of times against Clemson, maybe that opener a number of campaigns back against Bama. Always with the caveat, I pray I’m wrong. Lord, how I wish I’d have seen something so far this season that tells me U of L can pull this off against the surging Hurricanes. Here’s what I have seen, the havoc and pillage wrought by Rueben Bain Jr., Akheem Mesidore and Mohamed Toure. My fervent hope is that, when the clock strikes 00:00, Miller Moss still has all limbs attached. Not a joke. Pray that I am wrong. Miami.
— c d kaplan
