NCAA Week 11 Picks

The first game happened last night:

Virginia Tech beat Georgia Tech. 

Only one person called that - and of course that was Dad (Gary) the overall leader! Now the rest of us have to play catch-up on the remainder of the week's games:

Oh - also; Joe McFarren has given over completely to a coin flip to determine winners. This week, Joe Lacanlale has done the same...hopefully neither of them win the week!

Here are picks:

Oklahoma St. @ Texas Tech

OK St: JM, JL, RE, EVW, GM

DL - Tech is so inconsistent that I don't think they can pull off another upset over a team from Oklahoma

RM - Cowboys will make it through to their showdown with OU.

TT:

DM - I will take the Red Raiders to upset the Cowboys and end the hopes of a National Championship for them.

Florida @ S. Carolina

Fla: JM

SC: JL, RE, EVW, GM, DL

DM - I like the Gamecocks to win at home over the Gators and the "old ball coach" to win over his former team.

RM - Am I supposed to be impressed with this game as being somehow tougher than one out of another league? Count me among those who think the SEC is overrated (top to bottom).

Nebraska @ Penn St.

Neb: JM, GM, 

DL - Although it is hard to win in Happy Valley, there has been too much "beef" in the media for Penn St. to win against a great Nebraska team.

DM - What a mess at Penn St....I hope the school and program are able to recover sooner than later, but I don't see how they can win this week with all of the distractions.

RM - I really have a hard time picking this way with all the emotion that is going to be in this game...but if things get tough, I think they fold down the stretch to the Cornhuskers. 

PSU: JL, RE, EVW

W. Virginia @ Cincinnati

WVU: JL, RE, GM

Cincy: EVW, JM

DL - Bearcats at home this week. This should be an interesting game.

DM - It's a sad, sad day when Cincinnati is a yearly contender to make it to a BCS bowl game...embarrassing.

RM - I can remember going to the Army @ Cincinnati game my Firstie Year at West Point. Cincy has been a quality program for awhile, and with WVU suing the league (after suing a coach who did they same thing to them that they are doing to the league - remember Rich Rodriguez?) they need to be humbled. I guess loyalty only goes so far as it is in one's own self-interest, whether a coach, school, or conference.

Kent St. @ Akron (The Half Marathon bowl - the distance between these 2 campuses is 13.3 miles)

Kent St.: JM, GM, EVW

DM - The Zips are simply terrible this year.

RM - I agree with Dusty. Akron is the bottom of the league, while Kent St. is mediocre.

Akron: JL, RE, 

DL - No clue on this one. I will take the home team.

Louisiana-Lafayette @ Arkansas St. (Sun Belt Conf. leaders)

ULL: JM, RE, GM

DL - Not really sure on this one either but I think I remember picking against Louisiana-Lafayette earlier and getting a loss on the board because of it!!!

Ark St.: EVW, JL

DM - I know nothing about these 2 teams, so I will just take the home team here.

RM - When two teams are equal, take the home team (which is why I lost in the LSU @ Bama game last week too).

Texas Christian @ Boise St.

TCU: JL

Boise St.: JM, RE, EVW

GM - Boise makes a statement!

DL - Smurf Turf is hard to play on if you are the visiting team, although I think Boise St. would have won if they were playing at TCU also.

DM - Wow, how can I pick against the Horned Frogs?...2 words, Smurf Turf!

RM - I did mention I ride the Boise St. for National Championship game Bus right? This better give them a bump! (Same with Georgia winning out)

Texas A&M @ Kansas St.

A&M: RE

KState: JL, JM, GM, EVW

DL - Kansas St. will bounce back after last week's loss.

DM - I will take the Wildcats at home, although I think this one will be close.

RM - Last week's OK St-KState game was the most entertaining of the week, way better than LSU-Alabama. I'm not joking.

Auburn @ Georgia

Auburn: JL, RE

GA: JM, GM, EVW

DL - They played pretty well last week even with no running backs that were able to play because of suspension.

DM - This should be a good game; I will take the home team.

RM - Most years, I would easily pull for Auburn (my favorite SEC team!). Yet, this year, it's Georgia because that helps Boise St.!!!

Miami (FL) @ Florida St.

Miami: JM

FSU: JL, GM, RE, EVW

DL - Florida St. because they are at home and I do not like the U.

DM - I am pretty sure the Seminoles just do the opposite of my pick each week, so I will just take them at home and hope they don't choke.

RM - Is this really the battle for the best team in Florida?? Yes, I love the day that all Florida teams are mediocre. (That goes for Texas too!)

Rutgers v. Army (in Yankee Stadium)

Rutgers: JM, GM, EVW

DM - Sorry Rob, I'm going to take the Scarlet Knights over the Black Knights here.

RM - Alas, after that collapse at Air Force...the only game I have to pick Army in is against Navy. This one should have a lot of respect being the first meeting since the catastrophic injury to Rutger's Eric LeGrand.

Army: JL, RE

DL - I can't believe Army has fallen to a new low by playing in Yankee Stadium! 

**Note: Army did play (and lose BIG) to Notre Dame last year in Yankee Stadium, which was a return to some old traditions that they used to do many many moons (or decades) ago.

Alabama @ Mississippi St.

Bama: JM, RE, EVW, DL

DM - I think they will rebound from a tough loss to LSU last week.

GM - Alabama in a BIG way; I wouldn't want to be Miss St.

Miss St.: JL

RM - I didn't like how their players were still talking about being the best team in the nation after last week's loss. I say the football gods bring them some humility this week. 

Oregon @ Stanford

OR: JM, RE

RM - I actually like both these teams, but Oregon has been overlooked since their Week 1 loss. They make the statement that the Pac-12 is still theirs.

Stanford: JL, EVW

DL - Just because they are at home. This should be a great game!!

GM - Stanford makes a HUGE statement.

DM - This one should be fun to watch. I will take the Cardinal and Andrew Luck to win at home.

Central Florida @ S. Mississippi

UCF: JL, JM

Southern Miss: RE, EVW, GM 

DL - Southern Miss will come one step closer to wrapping up the Conference USA East. It is great to see a Conference USA team in the Top 25. Houston and Southern Miss are both quality teams. 

DM - I will take the Golden Eagles at home.

RM - Southern Miss regularly seems to produce quality, over-looked, teams. They deserve their time in the Top 25.