TTP Picks: Week Ten

Danimal Picks:
Good news! Danimal went 3-0 (4-0 if you count the bonus pick!) for the first time this season. Bad news…so did Mark.
Rat bastard.
So I remain 5 games behind. Mark owns a very impressive 18 & 9 record with Danimal just getting back to .500 at 13-13-1.
I’m just gonna keep grindin.

So it’s Florida/Georgia week here in JaxVegas. For the first time in a few years I won’t be making it down to the shit show. My gut says Georgia is going to take them down but I can’t get myself to make them one of my picks this week. These two are too unpredictable and more so when they play with each other. I expect another debacle like last year, that’s what I predict.

Onto the picks!

VaTECH -4.5 at Boston College
VaTech all day long. How ‘bout some props by the way with my Duke pick last week? No love there from the GTB nation. Go back and read that. Yeah, I’m barely .500 and getting my arse kicked by the great Hughes, but that was something special. VaTech is a consistently inconsistent ball club. I expect great things from them tomorrow. Go Gobblers. (making loud turkey call right now)

Michigan +4.5 at Michigan State
Well something is going to have to give here. Michigan State has the nation’s 3rd best defense and Michigan is a top 10 scoring squad. Squad is a funny word. Say it a few times. Michigan heads into Lansing with a 6-1 record and #21 in the America. MSU is 7-1 and #22 in the America. HUUUGE rivalry game. Gonna be tight. Tighter than 4 & a hook people. I gotta take the points and the Wolverines.

Wake +3.5 at Syracuuuuse
Ya’ll probably didn’t know I grew up a HUGE ‘cuse fan. That’s right. If you recall from a recent comment, I was born in the shithole that is currently Oneida, NY, home of the silverware maker and not much else. Oneida is oh about 30 minutes from Syracuse. Big daddy and I went to plenty of games in the dome, in fact I was at not the very first game at the dome but the 2nd or third, football that is. I used to watch Orange hoops in the days of Leo Rautin and Roosevelt Bouie. I loved all things Syracuse. I simply offer this for the readership’s benefit. I like to let you in a little closer, to get to know the real “me.” As I write this, the line is SU -4.5. I made this bet on Tuesday with SU giving 3.5. (am happy to provide a screen shot to the rules committee) This is a matchup between two teams that play dog doo doo football. They just stink. Both of them. Syracuse had last week off after getting shellacked 56-0 by the Techsters from Georgia. Wakes comes off a disheartening loss to Miami, a game they had in their grasp. Based on those two pieces of data, you’d think Wake right? Well that is not to be. Syracuse wins & covers.
‘Cuse is in the house omygodomygod!



(from Mark: Added the video...because I love this song)

Mark Picks:

Nice bounce back from Danimal and myself last week. By my calculations, if you had bet all six of our picks last week you'd be able to buy your own small caribbean island today. I'm not 100% sure on that though. Math was never my strong suit.

Virginia Tech -4.5 @ Boston College
Nice pick on the Duke upset of the Hokies last week by Danimal. I have to admit I didn't see that coming. Duke covering? Sure. But an outright win? That's some impressive clairvoyance.  I hate betting on Logan Thomas since he's, ya know, not good and all but this strikes me as a get well game for Frank Beamer and his weird plastic neck. Virginia Tech's D is stout and their special teams are good as usual (I'm required to tell you here that Beamer coaches the Special Teams. No, really.). Boston College on the other hand is down this year as they rebuild under the watchful mustache of Steve Addazzio. I'll lay the 4.5 and take the Hokies.

Tennessee @ Missouri -11
Tennessee is pretty solid at home. As evidenced by my 0-2 record picking against them in Neyland Stadium. They are a far different team on the road however. To make things worse, they'll be starting true freshman Josh Dobbs at QB this weekend in Columbia. Missouri isn't exactly an intimidating environment for opposing teams. Their stadium is decidedly un-SEC like but their D-Line is definitely SEC worthy. Their is certainly some fear of a hangover for the Tigers after their heartbreaking loss to South Carolina last weekend but I think Gary Pinkel can get his guys back up for this game. After all, Missouri still controls the SEC East and a trio to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game. The Tigers start slow but pull away late and win by two TDs. Mizzou.

Kansas @ Texas -28
I have to be honest, I really struggled to pick a third game this week. I was leaning toward to taking Oregon State at home over USC before I got cold feet after seeing Marquise Lee was active for the Trojans. So here we are at Kansas-Texas. Texas has quietly put their season back together since trouncing Oklahoma in Dallas a few weeks back. Meanwhile, Kansas is as bad a football team as you'll find in a BCS conference. This is the opposite of riding a juggernaut like Oregon or Alabama. I'm essentially betting on how shitty Kansas is. Chin up Jayhawk fans, basketball season is nearly upon us. Hook 'Em Horns.

Bonus: Georgia -3 vs. Florida (Jacksonville)
The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party has lost a bit of luster since August. At the time it looked like a possible matchup of two top 10 teams with designs on SEC and BCS Championships. Since then, these two teams have suffered a rash of injuries unlike anything I've ever witnessed as a CFB fan. Neither of these teams are going to accomplish their goals for the season and, at this point, probably just hope to finish strong enough to gain a bid to a semi-decent bowl game (read: Not one in Shreveport). As far as injuries go, Florida lost starting LT DJ Humphries this week with a sprained left MCL. Obviously this is bad news. Florida's OLine was already the worst unit on the team before the injury to Humphries. Now? Shit, I wonder if the can even give Tyler Murphy enough time to complete a three step drop. Conversely, Georgia is getting back it's best player, Todd Gurley, for today's game. Gurley's been out since the South Carolina game in September but when he's healthy he's among the best players in the country. I don't think Florida can come close to scoring enough points to hang with Aaron Murray, Gurley and the rest of the Bulldog offense. I'd advise you to take Georgia.