2015 Rambling Sports Week 8 CFB Picks

Alright, sorry about last week, time just got away from me and I didn’t get it finished but I’m back this week and ready to go. Starting this week I’ll have predictions for all the undefeated teams. Heading into week 8 the list is Ohio State, Baylor, TCU, Utah, Clemson, LSU, Michigan State, Florida State, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Toledo, Houston, Temple, and Memphis. The bolded teams all have games this week and are subsequently bolded below. Because I didn’t pick last week I don’t get to brag about my Memphis pick and that’s just a god damn shame so I’ll try not to embarrass myself this week.

Thursday, October 22^nd, 2015

#22 Temple at East Carolina (-2.5), 6:00 pm ESPN2

Georgia Southern at Appalachian State (-6.5), 6:30 pm ESPNU

#20 California at UCLA (-3), 8:00 pm ESPN

This is a pretty damn good Thursday night set, and a great way to kick off the weekend. No offense to the Tuesday night game. Kicking off the evening we have our first undefeated team of the week; Temple. Temple heads down the coast to take on an East Carolina team that has losses to Florida, Navy, and BYU. The Pirates also beat Virginia Tech and Tulsa. Temple has started slowly the last couple of week and against bottom feeders isn’t an issue but against an offense like ECU’s and you can find yourself in a bitch of a whole quickly. I think Temple takes care of business, but never gets comfortable 31-28. Second is the game I’m most interested in this week. Yes, there are bigger names involved in games, and one top 25 matchup, but this is going to be as high a level of games as any this week. Both teams come in 5-1 with their only losses coming by greater than four TDs to Power 5 teams. Georgia State followed that up by thrashing WMU by 26 and the rest of their schedule by an average of 27.25 points. Appalachian State lost to Clemson in game two but took the hammer to the rest of their schedule by 37.67. Both have knocked the pants off their non-power 5 schedule. I picked Georgia Southern to win the Sun Belt pre-season and I don’t see a reason to go away from them 38-35 Eagles. Lastly, is the game that will catch the eyes of the casual fan as they go to sleep and prepare for their Fridays. Cal is a week removed from a close loss on the road at Utah and take on a team that’s had trouble protecting their freshman QB and overcoming a bevy of injuries on defense. Both teams are going to score, almost at will, and last team with the ball will win. UCLA 45-42.

Friday, October 23^rd, 2015

#18 Memphis (-10.5) at Tulsa, 7:00 pm ESPN

Friday brings us to our second undefeated team of the week in Memphis who comes off a great win over Ole Miss. Memphis wanders in post-upset into Tulsa where the opposing team can score points in bunches. If Memphis comes in sleepwalking, much like Temple, they’re playing a team that can put them in a big whole that won’t be easy to climb out of. Memphis 38-35.

Saturday, October 24^th, 2015

#6 Clemson (-6.5) at Miami (FL), 11:00 am ABC

Iowa State at #2 Baylor (-37), 11:00 ESPN

#21 Houston (-21.5) at UCF, 11:00 am

The early slate features three undefeated teams, against inferior opponents. Baylor and Clemson are a week ahead of their look ahead contests heading into a ridiculous three game stretch for Baylor and Florida State for Clemson. Houston for their part has Vanderbilt next week, but also has the easiest test of the three. I’m not seeing the makings of upsets here, but Clemson has the toughest test on the road. Give me Clemson 38-24, Baylor 52-13, and Houston 45-10.

#19 Toledo (-14.5) at UMASS, 2:00 pm ESPN3

Texas Tech at #17 Oklahoma (-14.5), 2:30 pm ABC/ESPN2

Indiana at #7 Michigan State (-16.5), 2:30 pm ABC/ESPN2

Tennessee at #8 Alabama (-15.5), 2:30 pm CBS

Kansas at #14 Oklahoma State (-33.5), 3:30 pm

The afternoon slate has intrigue, #ChaosTeam (h/t @Adam_Jacobi), and two undefeated teams. Oklahoma State is going to romp Kansas, 41-7. Toledo-UMASS and Michigan State-Indiana strike me as similar scripts for different reasons. For Toledo, that reason is the trap game. UMASS is fine, they’re not great but they aren’t bad and with Northern Illinois coming up and a chance to keep them out of the MAC West race, Toledo might get caught looking. Not to mention the increased pressure of continuing to be undefeated. Toledo 38-34 in some good ol’ fashioned #MACtion. Michigan State is coming off the Blunder in the Big House, The Big House Blunder, Fail to the Victors, or whatever else you want to call it. There is bound to be a letdown, and that letdown just so happens to be against a team that has no idea what it is, but is going to send their game each week into fucking chaos. Michigan State beats Indiana, beats 24-23, but it ain’t gonna be fun Sparty fans. Texas Tech-Oklahoma and Tennessee-Alabama are similar matchups. TTU and Tennessee have given very good teams good games at home and have looked close to being dangerous, but don’t have the results to show for. Both are dangerous and provide tricky obsticles but both are probably a year away from beating the bigger branded team in their respective conferences. Oklahoma 45-38 and Alabama 31-27.

#9 Florida State (-6.5) at Georgia Tech, 6:00 pm ESPN2

#15 Texas A&M at #24 Ole Miss (-6), 6:00 pm ESPN

WKU at #5 LSU (-16.5), 6:00 pm ESPNU

#3 Utah at USC (-3.5), 6:30 pm FOX

#1 Ohio State (-21) at Rutgers, 7:00 pm ABC

The evening slate has, a game that was gonna be a great, a game that should have been great, a game where we get to watch an all-timer, and a game with USC and a game with Rutgers. Ohio State 38-13 and LSU 41-31. LSU will be tested, but Ohio State won’t. Florida State-Georgia Tech is disappointing because Georgia Tech looks atrocious, but, outside of Clemson, I think Tech is the toughest test in conference for Florida State. Tech runs a funky offense (triple option), has talent on defense, but has fallen apart, but just when you think you have Georgia Tech buried they come back and beat that ass. I think Florida State wins but it stays too close for comfort, 24-20 Florida State. A&M-Ole Miss is a pair of teams who have disappointed their fan bases after early season high water marks. Both are coming off disappointing performances, Ole Miss a loss at Memphis and A&M a loss at home against Alabama. I think we see points in droves, but with Nkemdiche recovering from a concussion I’ll support the Myles Garett led defense, 45-41. Lastly we have the Utah Utes taking on the Trojans in a must win for USC, and a knockout a challenger game for Utah. I think Utah follows the Notre Dame game plan and runs it straight ahead with deep shots by Tyler Wilson. USC fought back last week and will play with heart, but there is too much dysfunction in L.A. for USC to contend with. Utah takes an early stranglehold on the Pac-12 South 31-27.

Washington at #10 Stanford (No line as of posting), 9:30 pm ESPN

Lastly Stanford-Washington, where Stanford shuts down the Huskies and win ugly. Nothing else to say here, enjoy the week. Stanford 20-6.