Week 3 Video & Picks
Last Week: 3-4 (Can’t believe how we lost that Tech game)
Season: 5-7
Let’s make some money this week, no excuses!
Mississippi State +10 (home v. LSU)
LSU was not good against the run last week against Grambling State allowing 6 yards per rush and they were not good against the pass versus Florida State in week 1. The bulldogs in the post Mike Leach (R.I.P.) era have been determined to run the ball and are averaging 6 yards a carry so far this season. This team was built to throw the ball and even though they haven’t done much of that yet this season, this could be the perfect time to air it out and let quarterback Will Rogers do what he does best. The game is in Starkville and that is a tough place to win for the visitors. GIVE ME MORE COWBELL!!!
Ohio +3 (home v. Iowa State)
Both teams stink on offense. Ohio quarterback Kurtis Rourke is slowly working is way back from injury and looked better last week in an upset win over Florida Atlantic. It’s a rare chance that a MAC team gets to host a Power 5 opponent and it’s even rare that the spread is this low, which smells stinky. The bobcat defense has been good so far and I think they are good enough to frustrate a bad Cyclone offense who might not be over their terrible performance last week against rival Iowa. Give me the Bobcats. *[Coffee with Creta special note: I’m 3-0 so far this year when I pick a team with a mascot from the feline cat family]
Florida +7 (home v. Tennessee)
Florida stinks and head coach Billy Napier is already on the hot seat only 15 games into his career in Gainesville with a 7-8 record. But sometimes when your back is against the wall and your desperate for a win, that’s when you throw the hardest punches. Tennessee hasn’t won at the Swamp since 2003, that’s 9 games in a row! Tennessee won last year in Knoxville 38-33 but haven’t won back-to-back games in the series since ‘03-’04. I think the Gators are the more desperate team, the Vols haven’t impressed so far and might be running off last year's success. The Swamp will be extra Swampy tonight, give me the Gators at home +7.
Pittsburgh +3 (at West Virginia)
The 106th meeting of the “Backyard Brawl” sees two teams trying to avoid having a losing record as both teams enter 1-1. This is my “trust your gut” play of the week as I was high on Pittsburgh before the season and thought they had a chance to sneak into the ACC title game at the end of the year but I definitely didn’t see them losing to Cincinnati last week. The panthers gave up 216 rushing yards to the Bearcats last week and lost at home (ouch). The West Virginia Mountaineers ran for 304 yards against FCS Duquesne a week ago. I’ve never really put much stock into what Power 5 schools do against JV teams so I expect Pitt to stop the run way better than the little giants did last week. I think Boston College grad transfer quarterback Phil Jurkovec has a bounce back game after completing only 10 of 32 passes last week. The Mountaineers pass defense has been atrocious so far. I think the wrong team is favored, Go Panthers! *[Another feline bet]
Wyoming +30 (at Texas)
You had to know when Texas upset Alabama last week, I was going to have this game as it appears to be the perfect let down game for the Longhorns. Wyoming is not the type of team you want to play after a huge emotional win like the longhorns had last week defeating Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The Cowboys are tougher than boot leather, play hard, are well coached, and never quit. Just ask Texas Tech who led Wyoming 17-0 before they beat the Red Raiders in overtime. Wyoming on offense have no real weapons but have a dynamite kicker who has 3 field goals over 50 yards in his career. I expect the Texas defense to dominate for the most part but the Cowboys defense will probably frustrate the longhorns offense. Texas will win comfortably but I think it stays inside the number of +30 for the Cowboys.