ColumbusSports.com : Your place to stay informed and talk about the sports scene and sports teams in and around Columbus.

Each week I make picks against the spread for both college and pro football. Lines used below are as they were when picks were made, usually on Thursday or Friday.  For fun and information only of course!

------------------------------------

Week 22 - Super Bowl - This is it, the last game of the season. I ended the college season +1, which would have been better had I not picked (and then lost) a number of bowl games because you, the adoring public, demanded it, rather than sticking with my regular season strategy of only choosing games I felt were the strongest picks. I can finish no worse than +8 in the pros, with a +10 finish possible. All in all not a bad year, I'm already looking forward to next season!

1. New York Giants at New England (-11.5) - Although this is the Super Bowl and a good argument can be made why either team may cover, choosing a point spread  winner is always about simply trying to get the odds in your favor. Given that, I'm picking the Patriots to win by at least 12 because I believe not only are they the better team, more intangibles are in their favor as well. Besides the obvious experience difference at quarterback (and most other positions too), New England will be playing on a field that unlike the recent late season games they've played, will be very conducive to their high powered offense. In addition, giving Bill Belichick and Tom Brady 2 full weeks to prepare for a team they just faced and beat last month (on the road no less), and the Patriots should make this what most Super Bowl games turn into, everyone pays more attention to the commercials instead of the game because it's not likely to be close.

------------------------------------

Results for Week 21: 1-1. Only the Super Bowl remains, and a winning season is assured.
College season record: 28-27
Pro season record: 34-25
Overall record: 62-52

Week 21 - NFL playoffs - Down to only 3 games remaining this season, two of them this weekend. If you live where betting is legal, hopefully you know by now that you shouldn't bet a game just because it's on TV. Such is the case this weekend with the NFL conference championship games. I'll make picks for both games, and count the results on my season record, but these are definitely games where it could go either way, and unless you have some very strong information, they are best left alone (which is what I would do, with the possible exception of the Packers - Giants). With that being said, on to the picks...

1. (W) San Diego (+14) at New England - The Chargers are beat up going into Foxboro, and that's never a good thing, but the weather should be so bad that it becomes an underdog's best friend, at least when you're getting 14 points. If you're a San Diego fan, that's about all you have going for you, and at least as far as the pointspread is concerned, that may be enough. An aggressive Chargers defense that can pressure Tom Brady will help too.
2. (L) NY Giants at Green Bay (-7) - This game will be played in historically low temperatures at Lambeau Field, so the weather will definitely be a factor, but perhaps not in favor of the underdog this time. No team is more experienced or better prepared to play in extreme cold than the Packers, and you've got to believe that Favre's experience and the Packers running game will be enough to overcome an inconsistent Eli Manning.

------------------------------------

Results for Week 20: A 1-2 record last week, New England's surprising inability to put up one more touchdown keeping it from being a winning weekend. Only 3 games left in the season, and a winning record is assured.
College season record: 28-27
Pro season record: 33-24
Overall record: 61-51

Week 20 - NFL playoffs - The season is winding down and only the serious need apply now. Upsets do happen in the playoffs, but predicting them correctly can be harder than making Bill Belichick smile at a post game news conference. I'm sticking with the favorites this week, with the exception of the Giants - Cowboys game, where I feel the circumstances point towards a potential upset. I'm avoiding the Seattle - Green Bay game because of the unpredictability of both the weather and Brett Favre. Even with the horrible bowl record I had last week, I'm still 60-49 for the year and looking to wrap it up strong.

1. (L) San Diego at Indianapolis (-8.5) - A rested Colts team at home should easily handle the Chargers, especially if, as is likely, Antonio Gates can't play for San Diego, or is limited because of his toe injury. The Colts defense is fast and good, and Peyton Manning should have a field day on his home turf.

2. (L) Jacksonville at New England (-12) - Giving Belichick an extra week to prepare and a home night playoff game is worth 7 extra points by itself. This focused Patriots team is not about to have a letdown now, and the Jaguars have got to be close to running on empty.

3. (W) NY Giants (+7.5) at Dallas - Although they have two losses to the Cowboys, the Giants played them tough in both games this year. With T.O. not at full strength and the distractions the Cowboys faced this week with the Tony Romo/Jessica Simpson story, look for New York to continue with their momentum and cover the spread, if not upset Dallas outright. Eli Manning takes another step toward being seen as a big game quarterback.

------------------------------------

Results for Week 19:  A poor record last week (3-7, ouch), mostly because of the bowl games, about half of which I picked not so much because I thought they were strong picks, but because I had to pick something, you all were expecting it, right? (lesson learned!) Only the pros are left now, not that playoff picks are much easier than bowl games.
College season record: 28-27
Pro season record: 32-22
Overall record: 60-49

Week 19 (Bowl games, including BCS Championship game, and NFL playoffs) - Bowls games galore and the pickings are easy! (I wish). We'll see which teams that are supposed to show up actually show up. Often these young men get distracted at their bowl venue and forget they have a real football game to play. Prime example: anyone remember Ohio St. vs Florida last year?

College:
1. (L) Indiana (+4) at Oklahoma St. - I see this young but talented Indiana team continuing to surprise people and come up with enough big plays on offense to upset Oklahoma St. in what will likely be a very high scoring game. For Indiana it's their first bowl in 14 years, for the Cowboys it's their 4th minor bowl game in the past 6 years (ho-hum).

2. (L) Missouri at Arkansas (-3) - Arkansas: Darren McFadden,  Darren McFadden,  Darren McFadden. Missouri: we were #1 and now we're playing in the Cotton Bowl?

3. (W) Michigan at Florida (over 59) - I rarely play the over/under, but I'm making an exception for this game. I think it has the makings of a possible rout (Florida averages 43 points a game), and even if the Wolverines keep it close, they'll only be able to do so by matching the Gators on the scoreboard, and not win a defensive struggle.

4. (L) Illinois (+14) at USC - The Illini are still a year away from being really good, but they get a chance in the Rose Bowl to show the rest of the country how good they can be now. USC likely still wins this game, but not without a struggle.

5. (W) Hawaii at Georgia (-7.5) - I probably should trust my gut and avoid this game, but the oddsmakers are rarely this wrong. This game opened at -11, and it's dropped a remarkable 3.5 points in Hawaii's favor. Obviously a lot of people believe Hawaii can keep it close, but now that it's dropped this far I think the advantage swings in Georgia's favor, as Hawaii may be stepping just a little too far outside their comfort and talent zone.

6. (L) West Virginia at Oklahoma (-7) - The Sooners are more talented overall and I believe have the motivation and experience factor in their favor. Only a few too many turnovers or other odd circumstances may keep West Virginia in this one.

7. (L) Kansas at Virginia Tech (-3) - Like the Sooners, the Hokies have more talent and other factors in their favor for this matchup. A strong Hokie defense will keep the Jayhawks from having too many scoring opportunities and Virginia Tech will wear down Kansas in the second half.

8. (L) Ohio State (+4) at LSU - Unlike last year, the Buckeye's have the psychology in their favor this time. Despite what amounts to a home game for LSU, enough Ohio State fans will also be in attendance to give the Buckeyes a boost when they need it, and their running game will open it up for Todd Boeckman to hit a few long pass plays to give them more scoring chances. Ohio State's tough defense will limit LSU enough to keep the Buckeyes in the lead throughout a tense fourth quarter.

Pro:
1. (W) Jacksonville (-2) at Pittsburgh - Winning for the second time in a row at Heinz Field will not be easy, but it's hard to ignore that a very good Jacksonville team is going against a very banged up Steelers squad, one that is missing its starting running back and two starting offensive tackles. Look for the Jaguars to hold off a 4th quarter Steeler comeback attempt.

2. (L) New York Giants at Tampa Bay (-2.5) - The Giants impressed the football world with a full out spirited effort last Saturday night against the Patriots, but they will probably pay for it in this playoff game. An experienced and mostly error free Jeff Garcia and playing at home will prove to be the difference in this one.

------------------------------------

Results for Week 18:  Only a one point loss versus the spread in the Boston College game kept it from being a perfect 5-0 weekend. Still, I'll take 4-1 anytime.
College season record: 26-21
Pro season record: 31-21
Overall record: 57-42

Week 18 - The last week of the NFL regular season is always difficult to pick because so many teams don't have anything to play for and many starters are rested, but a few teams that do need to win always find a way to mess up. The college bowl games are also tough to pick for the most part, but hey, no one said this would be easy! Still 12 games over .500 for the season (53-41).

College:
1. (L) Boston College (-4) at Michigan State - Champs Sports Bowl - I hate to pick on the Big Ten, but I don't think they're going to have a great bowl season (except for the BCS championship game of course). Matt Ryan leads BC to a fairly easy victory in this one.

2. (W) Maryland at Oregon State (-5) - Emerald Bowl - another east coast team traveling out west for what is almost a home game for the Beavers. Oregon State's good run defense and the Jeckle-Hyde nature of Maryland's overall play allow  Oregon State to put this one away in the second half.

Pro:
1. (W) San Francisco at Cleveland (-11) - The Browns have played well at home all season and should continue that against a 49'ers team starting a 4th string quarterback just signed 2 weeks ago. Expect Cleveland to put enough points on the board to keep San Francisco at bay and then rely on their running game to grind it out in the second half and cover the spread. (Note: this pick was originally posted as San Francisco +11, but upon learning on Saturday that Shaun Hill couldn't start at quarterback, the pick was reversed in the Browns favor)

2. (W) San Diego (-8) at Oakland - The Chargers need to win to guarantee the 3rd seed in the playoffs, and the Raiders are playing for nothing but some individual pride. With JaMarcus Russell set to make his first career start, look for San Diego to put away their division rival early.

3. (W) Dallas at Washington (-9) - This is simply one team (Redskins) needing to win to make the playoffs against another team (Cowboys) with no plans to play many starters and others out with injury. Dallas has home field in the NFC wrapped up, so other than the fact that these teams don't like each other, all the motivation and momentum is in Washington's favor.

------------------------------------

Results for Week 17:  A so-so 2-2 record for the week. A surprising 49er's offense and a mistake prone Brigham Young team kept it from being a very good week. The mix of bowl games and the final week of the NFL regular season make this an interesting weekend of football.
College season record: 25-20
Pro season record: 28-21
Overall record: 53-41

Week 17 (Dec. 22-23) Let the Bowl-ing season begin, and the pros are really down to the nitty gritty. Every year there's a few good NFL teams that are in a must win situation against a poor team and somehow find a way to lose. Who will it be this year? My record is still a very respectable 51-39 for the year.

College:
1. (L) UCLA at Brigham Young (-6.5) - Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl - UCLA beat BYU 27-17 in the second week, but since then BYU has gone 9-0, and they'll be looking for a little revenge. They should get it against an underachieving Bruin's team that is also distracted by a head coaching change.
 
Pro:
1. (W) Oakland at Jacksonville (-13) - The Jags are 10-5 and headed to the playoffs (a win against the Raiders will clinch it), and they get zero first team pro bowlers? Sounds like a good reason to play like you have something to prove, and Jacksonville will on Sunday.
2. (L) Tampa Bay (-6) at San Francisco - Jeff Garcia returns to San Francisco and will be motivated to do well against his former team and city, and the Buccaneers are trying to get geared up for the playoffs. The 49er's have played better the past few weeks, but are still not good enough to keep this one within one touchdown.
3. (W) Denver at San Diego (-8.5) - The Chargers are looking more and more like the team everyone expected them to be earlier this year, and should role up quite a few points against a Broncos defense that has already given up 367 points this year. San Diego's motivation comes from needing to win their final two games to make sure they avoid New England in the playoffs until the AFC Championship game.

------------------------------------

Results for Week 16:  1-2 for the first losing week in quite a while. The Vikings cost me a win when they turned it over 4 times and basically played horrible all around against the Bears, and still somehow almost beat the spread.
College season record: 25-19
Pro season record: 26-20
Overall record: 51-39

Week 16 (Dec. 15-16) Hot streak continued last week in the pros (3-0), let's see if I can keep it up before the college bowl season starts and throws a wrench into everything. 50-37 for the year.
 
Pro:
1. (L) Cincinnati (-8) at San Francisco - While not overwhelming, the Bengals have been playing better lately, and get the good fortune for the second week in a row of facing a 3rd string quarterback. San Francisco is simply horrid. Cincinnati's momentum continues, even if it's not taking them anywhere this year.
2. (W) Atlanta at Tampa Bay (-12) - Atlanta is just plain bad and may well be worse this week because of all the distractions they've faced lately. The Buccaneers are looking to clinch their division at home and get their starting quarterback (Jeff Garcia) back for the playoff push.
3. (L) Chicago at Minnesota (-10) - The Vikings are another team making a strong push for the playoffs (and in fact control their own destiny), and playing at home on Monday night against their division rivals should provide plenty of incentive to get Adrian Peterson untracked and roll to a big win over the fading Bears.

------------------------------------

Results for Week 15:  3-0 for the first all-pro week, not bad. Anyone want to volunteer to figure out my winning percentage so I can post it?  :-)
College season record: 25-19
Pro season record: 25-18
Overall record: 50-37

Week 15. Waiting for the bowl games to begin in the college ranks, but the pros go marching on toward the playoffs. Picking end of the season pro games isn't as easy as it would seem. Too often a team with nothing to play for but pride will upset (or almost upset but cover the line) a team that has to win to stay in the playoff hunt or gain home field advantage. But hey, no one said this would be easy.  A very respectable 47-37 going into this week.

Pro:
1. (W) Minnesota (-8.5) at San Francisco - The Vikings have been coming on strong and are fighting for a wild card spot. The Niners are looking to wrap up a dismal season but there's always that "pride factor". Still, Adrian Peterson should find enough room to run for a few td's and the San Francisco offense is simply horrible. Also, the Niners are only 1-4 against the spread at home this year.
2. (W) N.Y. Giants (+2.5) at Philadelphia - The Giants beat the Eagles 16-3 earlier this season. Both teams have struggled as of late, but somehow the Giants still find a way to win most games, while the Eagles find ways to lose. Look for the trend to continue and take the points in this one as the Giants have a lot more at stake.
3. (W) Arizona at Seattle (-7) - Cleveland handed the Cardinals a victory last week, and now on the road at Seattle don't look for the Seahawks to be as welcoming. Arizona also has some key injuries, and Seattle has the extra motivation of trying to exact revenge for losing to the Cardinals way back in week 2. With the division championship on the line and home field implications for the playoffs, look for Seattle to take this game seriously and put the Cardinals away early.

------------------------------------

Results for Week 14:  2-1 in both college and pro for a nice 4-2 weekend. That's back to back to back winning weeks. If I keep this up the kids will get Christmas presents this year.
College season record: 25-19
Pro season record: 22-18
Overall record: 47-37

Week 14. College pickings are getting slim, and conference championship games and end of the season rivalries are notoriously difficult to pick. In the pros, it's time for the real playoff contenders to step up or shut up.

College:
1. (W) Oklahoma (-3) at Missouri - A Cinderella season finally comes to an end for Missouri, at least until they get a chance to prove themselves again in a BCS bowl game. But they won't be in the national championship game. The Sooners by at least one touchdown.
2. (W) Virginia Tech (-4.5) at Boston College - The Hokies smell oranges and revenge on the same field, and another Cinderella story crumbles down.
3. (L) UCLA at USC (-20) - A healthy Trojan team looking for something to prove against a banged up Bruin team ending a disappointing season.

Pro:
1. (W) Jacksonville (+7) at Indianapolis - The Jaguars play the Colts tougher than any other team does, and Indy is missing some key components on both sides of the ball this week. Even if they don't pull out the victory, look for Jacksonville to keep it close in a statement game for them.
2. (L) Cincinnati (+7) at Pittsburgh - The field conditions are going to be horrible again in Pittsburgh, and the Bengals have played better of late while the Steelers seem to be stumbling a little. Until the trends reverses, look for the Bengals to keep it exciting and possibly even pull off the upset on Sunday night national TV.
3. (W) N.Y. Giants (-1.5) at Chicago - the Bears' luck is going to run out this week and the Giants, needing a win to stay in a good position in the wild card chase, take advantage of a shaky Rex Grossman. Eli Manning recovers from a bad game last week against a hobbled Bears defense.

------------------------------------

Results for Week 13: No turkeys last week (3-0 college, 2-1 pro), unless you include the Denver Broncos, who literally handed a game to the Bears at the end of the 4th quarter on Sunday, preventing me from going 6-0 for the weekend. I shouldn't complain though, I'll take 5-1 any week.
College season record: 23-18
Pro season record: 20-17
Overall record: 43-35

Week 13. I'll try to avoid picking the turkeys this week. Went 4-2 last week and need to follow it up with another good week to pull further ahead for the season (38-34 for the year).

College:
1. (W) Connecticut at West Virginia (-17) - The Mountaineers can smell a BCS championship game just around the corner. Playing in front of a raucous home crowd against a Connecticut team that's had most of the breaks go their way this year, West Virginia should pour it on early and often against a Huskies team still learning to play on the road and in big games.
2. (W) Missouri (+2) at Kansas - While their undefeated record is impressive, the Jayhawks truly haven't played any good teams, while Missouri's schedule has been tougher and makes them better prepared for this game. There'll be lots of big plays for both teams, but the overall better talent level for the Tigers will allow them to prevail in the fourth quarter and send them on to the Big 12 championship game next week.
3. (W) Florida St. at Florida (-13.5) - Remember when this used to be one of the most anticipated games of the year? The Gators have owned this series recently, and with coach Urban Meyer and Heisman hopeful Tim Tebow leading the way, the offensively challenged Seminoles will find it difficult to keep from being another notch in Florida's quest to play in a BCS bowl.

Pro:
1. (W) Green Bay (-3) at Detroit - The Packers are looking more like the real deal each week, and the Lions may be ready to start coming back to the middle of the pack after losing the past 2 weeks with a nonexistent running game. Favre and teammates make this Thanksgiving game one to forget for the Lion faithful.
2. (W) NY Jets at Dallas (-14) - Was the Jets victory over the Steelers last week a fluke? Can the Cowboys crush the Jets? Should the Cowboys crush the Jets? Will the Cowboys crush the Jets? Yes, yes, yes and yes.
3. (L) Denver (+2) at Chicago - The Broncos are playing with renewed purpose and get to face Rex Grossman, who's back at QB for the Bears. Chicago is only 1-3 at home this year, and if Grossman starts off poorly, and there's a good chance he will, the fans will quickly turn against him and make it that much harder for the rest of the team to stay in the game.

------------------------------------

Results for Week 12: Finally another solid winning weekend. 2-1 in both college and pro means the dog and kids can eat this week. 38-34 for the year gives me a little breathing room heading into the final few weeks of the college season.
College season record: 20-18
Pro season record: 18-16
Overall record: 38-34

Week 12. Nearing the end of the college season and the picks don't get any easier. With a little luck maybe I can get a little more cushion above that .500 mark for the year. Sticking with the favorites in the pros as teams start making their push for the playoffs and home field advantage.

College:
1. (W) Ohio State (-4) at Michigan - Normally I avoid rivalry and grudge games that are basically tossups, but given where I live and the name of this Web site, I can't avoid this one. The Buckeyes should be playing with a chip on their collective shoulder to prove they still belong in the national championship picture, and given the likely injury status of Mike Hart and Chad Henne, Ohio State should be able to score enough to force Michigan to pass and play into the hands of the Buckeye's defense.
2. (W) San Diego St. at Air Force (-11) - Air Force's running attack should control the ball and put a lot of points on the board at home against a poor Aztec defense that's giving up an average of almost 30 per game. Air Force has won convincingly the past two weeks (Army and Notre Dame) and that will continue on Saturday.
3. (L) Wisconsin (-13.5) at Minnesota - I got burned on Minnesota last week when somehow they held Iowa to 21 points in another loss, but if Wisconsin truly cares about the Paul Bunyan Axe, and this is one prognosticator that believes they do, then the Badgers have more than enough talent to crush Minnesota.

Pro:
1. (W) San Diego at Jacksonville (-3) - The Chargers were incredibly lucky to beat Indy last week and remain inconsistent at best. Jacksonville has been fairly impressive in going 6-3 so far and needs to win to stay in front of the wildcard hunt. After 3 straight road games the Jaguars finally get to play at home and should be able to take advantage of that.
2. (L) Pittsburgh (-9.5) at N.Y. Jets - Jets can't stop the run and that should be all the Steelers need to roll over a bad team, and Pittsburgh rarely has a down day against inferior opponents.
3. (W) Tampa Bay (-3) at Atlanta - The Buccaneers are better than Atlanta on both sides of the ball, and a win is needed for them to remain at least one game ahead of Carolina and New Orleans in the NFC South. Tampa Bay won't let this one get away and should cover easily.

------------------------------------

Results for Week 11: 1-2 in college and 2-1 in pro. It's getting hard to get out of that "win one, lose one" rut, but I remain above .500 for the year.
College season record: 18-17
Pro season record: 16-15
Overall record: 34-32

Week 11. Still treading water the past few weeks (31-29 for the year), but that sure beats sinking! I'm feeling pretty confident about this week's picks, so let's get right to them...

College:
1. (L) Minnesota at Iowa (-14) - The Gophers have given me more than a few W's this year, so why stop now? The Hawkeyes are playing at home and a victory puts them at .500 in the Big Ten and makes them bowl eligible.
2. (L) Texas A&M at Missouri (-18.5) - A&M got hammered by Oklahoma last week, and face their huge rival Texas next week, so this in-between game is a strong possibility to get out of hand against the high flying and #6 ranked Missouri Tigers, who need this win to keep pace with Kansas in the Big 12 North. On top of that, A&M has to deal with the distractions brought on by the problems facing head coach Dennis Franchione.
3. (W) Air Force (-3.5) at Notre Dame - Navy proved a military team can come into Notre Dame and leave with a victory, and Air Force will definitely want to be part of this new tradition. The hard rushing Air Force offense will control the ball and put enough points on the board to cover this line easily, especially against the worst offense in the country.

Pro:
1. (W) Buffalo (-2.5) at Miami - The winless Dolphins face a surprising 4-4 Bills team that now realizes they're fighting for a wildcard spot. The Bills offense isn't great, but their defense has given up only 9 more points on the season than New England's and should have more than enough to keep Miami winless.
2. (L) Denver at Kansas City (-3) - The Chiefs are always one of the toughest teams to beat at home, and with their defense coming on strong (unlike the Broncos), they take this game and possibly move into first place in the AFC West if San Diego loses to Indianapolis. Also, the Broncos are only 1-7 against the spread this year, while the Chiefs are 4-3.
3. (W) Dallas (-1.5) at N.Y. Giants - Although the Giants have won 6 in a row and are coming off a bye week (not necessarily a good thing for a team that had so much momentum), it's the Cowboys offense that will rule the day and give them a commanding two game lead in the NFC East. Also, since this is one of the marquee games on Sunday, look for Terrell Owens to show up big in the national spotlight.

------------------------------------

Results for Week 10: 3-0 for college (great!)  and 0-3 in the pros (ouch!), so 3-3 for the weekend. Missed a chance on Sunday for a great weekend  vs. the pointspread (lost Redskins game by half a point and Patriots game by 1 point). Still up for the year, but need another winning weekend next week before the ever tough end of the season college games come around (rivalries and conference championship games).
College season record: 17-15
Pro season record: 14-14
Overall record: 31-29

Week 10. The college teams head toward a regular season finish and the games get correspondingly tougher to pick. Same for the pros, as the midway point means the beginning of desperation season for a lot of them. I'm still on the plus side for the year (28-26), which is a lot better than many "name" prognosticators can claim. No one ever said this would be easy though, so on to the picks...

College:
1. (W) Illinois (-12) at Minnesota - The Gophers are so bad it's almost impossible not to pick against them every week. As long as their opponent decides to show up, and I think the Illini will, Minnesota doesn't stand much of a chance. Instead of overlooking the Gophers before next week's game at Ohio St., Ron Zook will use this game to prepare his team and give it confidence coming into the Horseshoe on Nov. 9.
2. (W) Nebraska at Kansas (-19) - Coming off two impressive road wins, the Jayhawks return home riding a lot of momentum and a surprising #8 ranking, and are beating opponents by an average of 32 points a game. The Cornhuskers are headed in the opposite direction, having lost 4 in a row and are a team in turmoil. Anything less than a 20 point win for the Jayhawks has to be considered an upset.
3. (W) LSU at Alabama (+7.5) - No self respecting prognosticator would avoid this game unless they wanted to lose their pick 'em license. There are story lines galore, but it all comes down to what happens on the field, and since this field is in Tuscaloosa, the surprising Crimson Tide offense finds enough ways to score to keep it close.

Pro:
1. (L) San Diego (-7) at Minnesota - The Chargers have it rolling again, and unless the Vikings wise up and just give the ball to Adrian Peterson every play, covering the 7 points shouldn't be a problem for San Diego.
2. (L) Washington (-3.5) at NY Jets - The Redskins were embarrassed last week and will be looking to take it out on somebody. Lucky for them the only team the Jets can embarrass is themselves.
3. (L) New England (-5) at Indianapolis - No self respecting prognosticator would avoid this game unless they wanted to lose their pick 'em license. There are story lines galore, but it all comes down to what happens on the field....oh wait, I already used that line (see LSU/Alabama above). Nevertheless, until someone proves they can stop Brady, Moss and Co. from putting up 40+ points, I'm sticking with them. Belichick has this team on a mission for the ages.

------------------------------------

Results for Week 9: 1-2 for college and 2-2 in the pros, so 3-4 for the weekend. About half of the L's continue to be mind boggling. Some teams just can't show up every week for some reason, despite even when logic (ok, my logic) says they should. As usual, just one or two plays in one or two games each weekend can make the difference between a night out at a movie and then a fine restaurant, or a bag of chips and a 6 pack of Old Milwaukee and  Hogans Heroes reruns.
College season record: 14-15
Pro season record: 14-11
Overall record: 28-26

Week 9. I've rubbed my lucky rabbit's foot and helped an old lady across the road every day this week, so karma should definitely be on my side. Still ahead for the year at 25-22, but need a winning week to improve the cushion.

College:
1. (W) Ohio State (-3.5) at Penn State - Experienced gamblers will tell you that the extra half point is to get you to bet on the underdog at home. If Las Vegas wants you to bet the underdog, who do you think Las Vegas thinks will really win? Ok, so it's not always that straight forward, but the Buckeyes are playing determined to make up for last year's title game embarrassment, and also want to pay back the Nittany Lions for losing there two years ago. As long as they don't turn the ball over, the Buckeyes have the players and the D to do it.
2. (L) USC (-3) at Oregon - I normally avoid games that appear to be toss ups, but in this case I see a USC team that is getting back some of the many players they've lost to injury, and also feel slighted by what's been said about them after a number of unimpressive games, and are ready to show the nation that they're still in the hunt for the national championship game.
3. (L) Colorado at Texas Tech (-13) - The explosive Red Raiders are looking to bounce back from a poor showing against Missouri. Playing at home against a Colorado team that has lost to teams from Kansas the past two weeks will be just what they need. Texas Tech averages 21 points a game more than Colorado, and will be looking to poor it on to make up for last week.

Pro:
1. (W) Pittsburgh (-3) at Cincinnati - The Steelers never let down against division opponents, and should cover this spot easily unless the Bengals pull a huge surprise and find a way to stop Pittsburgh's running game.
2. (W) Cleveland (-3) at St. Louis - The Browns a favorite? On the road? Actually, any other 3-3 team playing the 0-7 Rams would probably be at least a 7 point favorite, but the Browns will take respect wherever they can get it. They should also take a win and cover the spread.
3. (L) New York Giants (-9.5) at Miami - (in London) The Giants are hot, the Dolphins are bad and getting worse. Yes, sometimes that combination doesn't turn out like expected, but I'd say the odds are definitely in favor of the Giants winning big.
4. (L) Jacksonville at Tampa Bay (-3.5) - Jon Gruden is doing a great job with the Buccaneers and they're undefeated at home this year, and Jacksonville comes in banged up and off a tough Monday night loss. Expect the Bucs to win this one by a touchdown.

------------------------------------

Results for Week 8: 1-2 for both college and pro, so 2-4 for the weekend. That's what I get for thinking Arizona might play like Arizona St., and for thinking that Baltimore, a much better team than Buffalo, would actually show up and play on Sunday. One game the other way on both days can be the difference from being independently wealthy or realizing why anyone who actually bets these games is crazy. Fortunately I only do this for fun.
College season record: 13-13
Pro season record: 12-9
Overall record: 25-22

Week 8. Looking to turn it around after a couple of tough weeks, but still on the plus side for the season. I knew the great start couldn't last, but let's hope the roller coaster is heading uphill again.

College:
1. (L) Stanford at Arizona (-12.5) - Stanford may be able to beat USC, but they won't come close to Arizona.
2. (L) Vanderbilt at South Carolina (-13.5) - Spurrier will run it up to impress poll voters if he gets half a chance, and he's got the much better team and is at home.
3. (W) Oregon (-12.5) at Washington - Oregon can run it up on anybody, and Washington's defense isn't good enough to stop them very often. Even at home, Washington may have a hard time staying in this one.

Pro:
1. (L) Baltimore (-3) at Buffalo - Ravens defense controls this one. Neither team is great offensively, but Baltimore finds a way to score when they have to.
2. (L) Pittsburgh (-3.5) at Denver - Steelers' D and just enough big plays on offense continues to be a winning formula.
3. (W) NY Jets at Cincinnati (-6) - Bengals are at home, desperate, and can still put points on the board. Jets are a bad team all around. Cincinnati should cover this one easily.

------------------------------------

Results for Week 7: 1-3 for college and 1-2 for the pros. Ouch. Can't stay hot forever I guess, but don't want to fall off a cliff either. Even though I've still got a winning season going, if the past few weeks are any indication, it's time to turn it up a notch.
College season record: 12-11
Pro season record: 11-7
Overall record: 23-18

Week 7. Last week was a push, so I'm now at 21-13 for the year. Let's see if we can get that positive momentum going again. On to the picks...

College:
1. (L) Illinois (-4.5) at Iowa - Unless they get caught looking ahead to their big home game against Michigan next week, the Illini should win this game by at least a touchdown.
2. (L) Wisconsin (+7) at Penn St. - Sorry JoePa, the Badgers continue to spoil a disappointing season for the Nits. I'm predicting a Wisconsin win outright.
3. (W) Washington St. at Oregon (-19) - Washington St. is a very bad travel team. Oregon is very good at home. Ergo...
4. (L) Louisville at Cincinnati (-10) - Speaking of disappointing seasons, Louisville's ranks right up there. The Bearcats of southern Ohio however are at the opposite end of the spectrum, and they feel they have a point to prove.

Pro:
1. (L) Minnesota and Chicago (-5) - The second half of last week's game against the Packers just may have awakened the Bears from their hibernation. And when Bears awaken, they're hungry. Sorry Vikings.
2. (L) Carolina at Arizona (-4.5) - What in the name of Vinny Testaverde is going on in the NFL? How can an almost 44 year old quarterback that hasn't played in a while get a starting job in the NFL? What's next, 60 year old field goal kickers? The Cardinals take advantage of old age.
3. (W) New England (-5) at Dallas - Especially coming off a Monday night game they were very lucky to win, the Cowboys are ready for a return to reality. Unfortunately for them, reality is the law firm of Moss, Brady and Belichick.

------------------------------------

Week 6. Finally had the odds catch up with me last week. Lost all 4 college picks, mostly because for some reason each favorite couldn't score one more touchdown against a weak defense. Oh well. Still ahead for the year in both college and pro.

Results for Week 6: 2-1 for college and 1-2 for the pros. Lost a tough one when somehow the Cardinals gave up 31 points to St. Louis and missed covering the spot by half a point, so the weekend for a whole was a push.
College season record: 11-8
Pro season record: 10-5
Overall record: 21-13

College:
1. (W) Minnesota at Indiana (-14) - Hoosiers seem to be a team on the rise, and the Gophers are headed down the proverbial gopher hole. Indiana rolls at home.

2. (L) Notre Dame at UCLA (-20.5) - Notre Dame showed some improvement last week - they only got beat by 14 points (thanks to a weak second half by Purdue). Another week on the road, this time out west against a pretty good Bruins team, and the Irish get trampled.

3. (W) Ohio State (-7) at Purdue - another overrated Big Ten opponent for the Buckeyes. Ohio State is way better than 7 points over Purdue, but the home night game atmosphere may keep this one close until the second half.

Pro:
1. (L) Arizona (-3.5) at St. Louis - A tough and upcoming Cardinals team against a not so good and injury depleted Rams team. Even as the home team, the Rams may find it tough staying in this one.

2. (L) Chicago at Green Bay (-3) - Two trends, one going up and one going down, meet again. This time it's the Packers looking up.

3. (W) Seattle at Pittsburgh (-6) - This line should be closer to 10, even with the Steelers losing last week in Arizona. Pittsburgh should control the line of scrimmage and make enough big plays on defense to win this one handily, especially at home.

------------------------------------

Week 5.  Here we go again. Another slate heavy on big favorites in college, but I'm going to stick with what's been working. The Pro's are really a crap shoot, but I've got a hot hand so I'll keep throwing those dice. 15-5 after 4 weeks, let's hope the winning trend continues.

Results: 0-4 for college and 3-1 for Pro. First losing week, thanks to each game winner in college not quite scoring enough to cover the spot.
College season record: 9-7
Pro season record: 9-3
Overall record: 18-10

College:
1.  (L) Michigan (-17) at Northwestern - The Wolverines we expected earlier in the year may finally be making their appearance. Only way this one's less than 20 is if the Appalachian St. team replaces Northwestern on the field before the opening kickoff.

2. (L) Duke at Miami, Fl. (-24) - The 'Canes crack some books over the heads of the boys from Durham.

3. (L) Ohio St. (-24) at Minnesota - This is another one of those games where the difference will only be less than 30 if the Buckeyes decide to not show up for half of it.

4. (L) North Carolina at Virginia Tech (-18.5) - Butch Davis finds the going a little tougher against the Hokies when he's coaching the Tar Heels instead of the 'Canes. Virginia Tech to take care of business at home.

Pro:
1. (W) Green Bay (-2) at Minnesota - Can Brett Favre really have one more great season in him? The Vikes have been disappointing so far, here's to the trend continuing for at least one more week.

2. (L) Houston (-3) at Atlanta - Matt Schaub comes back to haunt the Vick-less Falcons. PETA celebrates.

3. (W) St. Louis at Dallas (-12) - This one seems like one of the easy heavy favorite picks from the college ranks.  Only way the Cowboys don't roll by at least 2 touchdowns is if they overlook the beat up and demoralized Rams.

4. (W) New England (-7) at Cincinnati - Until someone shows they can stay within 15 points of the Patriots, I'm going to keep picking them.

------------------------------------

Week 4.  I don't know if I can keep this hot streak going all season (experienced football followers already know the answer to that one) but I'm sure going to try. 11-4 to start the season ain't bad!

Results: 2-1 (plus one push) for college and 2-0 (plus one push) in the NFL. The hot streak continues.
College season record: 9-3
Pro season record: 6-2
Overall record: 15-5

College:
1. (W) Northwestern at Ohio State (-23.5) - Let's stick with what I know best. This is another one of those games where if the Buckeyes don't win by at least 24, it's an upset. This game shouldn't be any closer than 30.

2. (L) South Carolina at LSU (-18.5) - This line is only less than 20 because Spurrier's team has surprised so far this year, but not against the quality type of opponent that LSU is, and the game is at LSU. South Carolina may keep it close in the first half, but Tiger's roll in the second half.

3. (W) Michigan St. (-11.5) at Notre Dame - Can Notre Dame get a couple first downs this week? Should they lose by at least two touchdowns to the Spartans? Maybe and yes.

3. (Push) Purdue (-14) at Minnesota - Bonus pick this week. I know I'm going with all heavy favorites, but early in the season the really bad teams are still getting too much credit from the line makers. Boilermakers should win by at least 20.

Pro:
1. (Push) Cincinnati at Seattle (-3) - Especially if the Seahawks can get a few scores early, a demoralized Bengals defense may have as much trouble stopping the flood as last week against the Browns. Seattle covers in another high scoring game.

2. (W) Dallas (+3) at Chicago - Finally picking an underdog. Even though this game's at Chicago, the Bears offensive troubles will do them in this time against a Cowboys team that can put some points on the board against even the Bears stout defense.

3. (W) St. Louis at Tampa Bay (-4) - A beat up Rams team that lost the first two games of the season at home now has to go on the road for the first time and play a tough Tampa Bay team that rolled over the Saints last week. The trends meet and Tampa Bay covers the spread.

------------------------------------

Week 3.  The good start to the season continued last week, going 2-1 in both college and pro, making the season record against the spread 6-3. Let's see if I can keep it going this week.

Results: 3-0 for college and 2-1 for the pro's this week. Only loss was Cleveland covering against Cincinnati, and I'll take that loss every time!
College season record: 7-2
Pro season record: 4-2

College:
1. (W) Illinois (-12.5) at Syracuse - Line opened at 10.5, so it's pretty obvious where the money's going on this one. I don't care about the extra 2 points, even playing at Syracuse. Illinois is an up and coming team, and Syracuse is just plain bad.

2. (W) Toledo at Kansas (-22.5) - Toledo has given up 104 points in only two games, both big losses. Kansas has scored 112 points in two games, while only giving up 7 points total. Toledo has to travel to Kansas. What is this, a sucker bet? If so, I'm a sucker. Kansas rolls.

3. (W) USC (-10) at Nebraska - With two weeks to prepare, USC should definitely be ready for this matchup. And the type of players that USC's roster is full of live for this type of game, on the road, at night and on national TV. USC keeps Nebraska from returning to the big time.

Pro:
1. (L) Cincinnati (-6.5) at Cleveland - Just like last week, my heart wants to stick with my Browns, but my head tells me Cincinnati should cover this one comfortably. Short of a huge surprise, the Bengals are easily 7 points better in this game.

2. (W) San Diego at New England (-3) - I don't believe the Patriots are going to be affected by "cheating-gate", they're used to distractions and simply winning anyway. The Chargers are certainly capable of winning this game, but with the Patriots at home on national TV with only a 3 point spread, I'll take the Pats and a recharged offense to hold off the Chargers.

3. (W) Kansas City (+12) at Chicago - I don't believe the Chiefs are as bad as they played last week at Houston, and with the Bears losing two starters on defense, the Chiefs running game with Larry Johnson should be much stronger this week and score enough points to keep a still probable loss under 12. And the Bears offense is shaky enough that winning by two touchdowns or more is a large proposition.

------------------------------------

Week 2. Started off 2-1 last week. Let's see how the ball bounces this week. The pros get to play now.

Results: 2-1 again for both college and pro this week. Not a bad start to the season.
College season record: 4-2
Pro season record: 2-1

College:
1. (W) Notre Dame at Penn State (-17.5) - This line started at 13.5, so it's pretty obvious where the money's going in Vegas. The extra 4 points don't scare me, though. Penn State ought to bury their heads in shame if they don't win this one by at least 21.

2. (W) Miami Oh. (+8.5) at Minnesota - Similarly, this line went from Miami getting 11 to now only 8.5. If you jumped on it earlier in the week lucky you, but I still think Miami will cover, and maybe even win outright. They won on the road against a tough Ball St. team last week, and Minnesota lost to another MAC school (Bowling Green). Take the points.

3. (L) Oregon at Michigan (-8) - After last week's historical embarrassment, Michigan will be looking to make a big statement. Oregon can put points on the board too, but their run defense will be shredded by Mike Hart and crew. Look for Michigan to do all they can to reverse the bad feelings still lingering from last week and run it up as much as possible.

Pro:

1. (L) Philadelphia (-3) at Green Bay - The Eagles are simply a much better team, and Favre's magical days are mostly over, and Lambeau Field is no longer the formidable place it once was to opponents. Philadelphia to cover this one.

2. (W) New England (-6.5) at New York Jets  - The Patriots are easily a touchdown better than the Jets, no matter where this game is played. A re-energized  Patriot's offense will be too much for the Jets to overcome.

3. (W) Pittsburgh (-4.5) at Cleveland - This one breaks my heart, but until the Browns can prove otherwise, plan on the Steelers dominance to continue. Cleveland may keep it close until the 4th quarter, but Pittsburgh always seems to find a way to win against the Browns, and a late game score or stop on defense likely covers the spot for the Steelers.

------------------------------------

Week 1. College picks only this week, so let's get right to it.

Results: 2-1. Troy keeping the spread to 20 at Arkansas was the only loss. Not a bad start to the season.

 1. (W) California (-6.5) over Tennessee - This year's game is in California, and the Bears are loaded, especially on offense. With revenge from last year's bad game at Tennessee also on their mind, they should easily win by a touchdown against a suspect Volunteer defense.

2. (W) Bowling Green (+14) at Minnesota - By all accounts Minnesota is horrid this year, and it seems that every year at least one MAC team beats a Big Ten team outright. This may not be a win for Bowling Green, but they should cover the spread.

3. (L) Arkansas (-23.5) over Troy - Darren McFadden runs roughshod over the boys from Troy. Take the points.

---------------------------------------

Tags: football predictions