2014 Rambling Sports Week 8 CFB Preview

Haven't updated win loss in a while and that won't be this week but it is coming without the recap column I kind of forgot to update but it is coming. Enjoy week 8 it probably won't live up to the last couple but there are some good games out there.

Thursday, October 16th, 2014:
#20 Utah (37.10) at Oregon State (44.20) (3.54), 9:00 pm Pac-12 Network, Utah heads to Oregon State on a Thursday night for some weirdness and a football game. Utah has shown a propensity through the years to have a letdown after a big win. Guess what? You take a letdown spot, post UCLA win, add in some look ahead with USC and four more ranked teams in a row on the schedule and you get a whole lot of shame eatin' in Corvallis. Power Pick: Oregon State by 10.63 My Pick: Oreogn State 24-21 Line: Utah -2.5

Saturday, October 17th, 2014:
#4 Baylor (52.85) at West Virginia (23.33) (3.78), 11:00 am FOX Sports 1, Baylor heads to Morgantown for a nooner that is sure to have all the daytime fireworks any redneck would want. Baylor is coming off a come from behind win over a very good TCU team and, despite giving up 58 points, a pretty good defensive performance on the road. West Virginia for their part hung with Alabama in the opener and a closer than the final score loss to Oklahoma means that some funky things might happen for a second straight baylor game before the Bears pull out a win. Power Pick: Baylor by 25.74  My Pick: Baylor 59-52 Line: Baylor -8
#14 Kansas State (30.37) at #11 Oklahoma (61.97) (4.99), 11:00 am ESPN, This game has all the looks a good game, starting with the rankings but Kansas State is getting too much love for a close loss to Auburn and not enough question for a close win against Iowa State. Oklahoma for their part lost on the road to a very good TCU team on some poor turnover luck in just a weird ass game and is still one of the three or four best teams in the conference. Power Pick: Oklahoma by 36.59 My Pick: Oklahoma 35-24 Line: Oklahoma -7
#21 Texas A&M (58.25) at #7 Alabama (47.94) (5.45), 2:30 pm CBS, A&M heads to Alabama after a drubbing at the hands of the Ole Miss Rebels and need to regroup. Alabama for it's part is coming off a road win against Arkansas that probably should have been a loss but they pulled out the victory. If Saban allows Kiffin and the offense to open it up a bit more and can keep tabs on Myles Garrett they should be able to rattle Kenny Hill a bit and pull out a shootout victory over the Aggies. Power Pick: Texas A&M by 4.86 My Pick: Alabama 38-35 Line: Alabama -14
#8 Michigan State (49.38) at Indiana (44.52) (3.29), 2:30 pm ESPN, The Spartans head to Bloomington to take on one of the more schizophrenic teams in the country with a win over Mizzou on the road and a loss to Bowling Green. The Hoosiers head home after a loss in Iowa City that saw them lose Nate Sudfeld for a while. Michigan State needs to account for Tevin Coleman but the rest of the offense isn't too scary. This would have been much more fun with everyone healthy but now it's looking like a romp. Power Pick: Michigan State by 1.57 My Pick: Michigan State 31-13 Line: Michigan State -15.5
Rutgers (33.98) at #13 Ohio State (46.70) (5.55), 2:30 pm ABC/ESPN2, Rutgers heads to Ohio State to take on new division big brothers Ohio State who seems to be coming together nicely after losing Braxton Miller shortly before the season. Rutgers has been better than many of us thought they would be but Gary Nova is going to have to play a perfect game and their needs to be more defense than the Knights have shown so far if they are gonna pull the upset in trip #1 to the 'Shoe. Power Pick: Ohio State by 18.28 My Pick: Ohio State 35-24 Line: Ohio State -21
#24 Clemson (44.35) at Boston College (14.89) (2.85), 2:30 pm ESPNU, Clemson heads to Upset City (best I could do, sorry) to take on the Golden Eagles in a place where upsets seem to be in teh water the last couple of years. BC already has there upset (USC) but I don't think this precludes this from being a fun game of opposing styles that wouldn't have been nearly as close with Deshaun Watson out with a broken hand. Power Pick: Clemson by 26.62 My Pick: Clemson 24-21 Line: Clemson -5
UCLA (67.80) at California (17.98) (3.36), 2:30 pm ABC/ESPN2, I put this one on here because my numbers and my mind think that Cal is really overrated right now,but I was down on UCLA versus my ranks and others preseason and they seem to have played down to that, which combined with the line, gives me pause on my steadfast prediction for what is sure to be a shootout. Power Pick: UCLA by 46.46 My Pick: UCLA 45-35 Line: UCLA -6.5
#10 Georgia (52.82) at Arkansas (32.13) (4.05), 3:00 pm SEC Network, Georgia heads to Arkansas off a pretty nice win over a Missouri team that matches Indiana in being all over the place. Georgia didn't drop off too much with the loss Todd Gurley on offense. For Arkansas, they took Alabama to the brink but lost in the end because of a lack of scoring prowess. This should be a slugfest but a very good chance to see Bert's first SEC win. Power Pick: Georgia by 16.64 My Pick: Arkansas 24-20 Line: Georgia -3.5
#15 Oklahoma State (37.72) at #12 TCU (28.07) (3.69), 3:00 pm FOX Sports 1, TCU heads back home from Waco after a bad beat late at the hands of Baylor but they still showed well and proved that that Oklahoma result wasn't purely a fluke. Oklahoma State has stayed off radar since the oppening weekend loss to Florida State but they look to have gelled on defense well but the offense still has soe work to do. As Ty and Dan say on the Solid Verbal, "Take the points in a shootout." and enjory the show. Power Pick: Oklahoma State by 5.96 My Pick: TCU 49-42 Line: TCU -10
Colorado (21.06) at #22 USC (63.59) (4.32), 5:00 pm Pac-12 Network, Colorado heads to USC who squeaked past Arizona but Colorado should be a much easier test at home. On a related note Colorado is progressing under Mike McIntyre and that is a wonderful process to watch after years of drudgery recently. Power Pick: USC by 46.84 My Pick: USC 35-17 Line: USC -20.5
#25 Marshall (34.07) at FIU (-8.47) (1.98), 5:00 pm, The Marshall undefeated watch starts in earnerst as they finally cracked the top 25. They should absolutely roll over FIU and most of the remaining schedule but undefeated runs are always fun. Power Pick: Marshall by 40.57 My Pick: Marshall 48-20 Line: Marshall -22
Tennessee (20.63) at #3 Ole Miss (61.36) (4.04), 6:00 pm ESPN, Nkemdiche gon' fuck 'em up as Dr. Bo cuts 'em up. Power Pick: Ole Miss by 44.77 My Pick: Ole Miss 38-14 Line: Ole Miss -16.5
#19 Nebraska (34.14) at Northwestern (29.79) (2.98), 6:30 pm BTN, Nebraska heads to Northwestern who started the year off poorly, then rebounded for upsets of Penn State and Wisconsin and now welcomes Nebraska to Evanston in a game that is sure to just be a major disappoinment for the Wildcat faithful because why wouldn't it be. Ameer Abdullah will reprise Melvin Gordon's performance and despite his many flaws Tommy Armstrong Jr. is better than Stave or McEvoy and should be able to pick up the divisional road win. Power Pick: Nebraska by 1.36 My Pick: Nebraska 28-21 Line: Nebraska -6.5
#5 Notre Dame (51.73) at #2 Florida State (70.95) (4.46), 7:00 pm ABC, Florida State welcomes Notre Dame to Tallahassee in the midst of yet another Winston scandal (contrived or otherwise). Assuming Winston plays I think Florida State wins with a little breathing room. Wihtout him I think they win a pretty ugly slogfest. So go ahead #BlameJameis for the Seminoles win. Power Pick: Florida State by 23.69 My Pick: Florida State 34-23 Line: Florida State -9.5
Washington (50.83) at #9 Oregon (75.47) (4.31), 7:00 pm FOX Sports 1, Washington heads to Oregon to take on a Ducks team that got their mojo back against UCLA and is back at home in stride. Washington has got a bad rap this year as they have had starting problems but they are playing better early as of late and should give Oregon a challenge based around Shaq Thompson. Power Pick: Oregon by 28.94 My Pick: Oregon 38-30 Line: Oregon -20.5
#23 Stanford (53.83) at #17 Arizona State (54.63) (3.80), 9:30 pm ESPN, Stanford heads to Arizona State to take on an Arizona State squad minus QB Kelly but plus a suprise by freshman Mike Bercovici who has performed really well under the tutelage of Todd Graham and staff. If Stanford contiues to have problems in the redzone this game poses a lot of troubles for the Cardinal in a game where Arizona State will get points even in a good defensive performance. Stanford in a squeaker against an ahead of schedule Sun Devil squad. Power Pick: Arizona State (Note: Was posted wrong and corrected originally said Stanford) by 4.61 My Pick: Stanford 24-21 Line: Stanford -3