I just read an article about The Bear at theathletic.com.
No, not the revered in Alabama Mr. Houndstooth. I’m talking Chris Fallica, the prognostication savant from The World Wide Leader’s “Game Day.”
What I would note is that despite his lofty reputation, he is only 8-6-1 for the season in his predictions, while yours truly, despite a second 2-3 weekend in a row and third of the campaign, stands taller at 16-11 overall.
So, I would just point out to my aggressively antagonistic commentariat that 59% — c’est moi — is better than 57%.
Don’t want to hear about point spreads. Shut your mouths. Talk to the hand. Team with most points wins. Other team loses.
What I/we learned last weekend: PJ Fleck is the B10’s real coach on the rise, not former future U of L mentor Jeff Brohm. Which Boilermaker decision maker called a stupid pass play before the half against the Golden Gophers, allowing Minnesota to go an additional 7 ahead at the break. Trojan Clay Helton remains on the Dead Man Walking list. Kentucky obviously was confused about whom and where they were playing, because the Wildcats never posted in Columbia to meet the Gamecocks.
And that this year’s fortunes of the Louisville Cardinals shall be revealed these two coming weekends, as we got to watch them play those two foes BC and Wake who meet last time out.
And, yes, it turns out Nittany Lions over Terps was a gimme. So, I’ll own it. But still take the W with impunity.
This week’s winners:
Liberty @ New Mexico State. Why on earth you might justifiably ask, is SeedyWackJob picking the winner of this “battle,” between the #99 team in the land Flames and the #129 (out of 130) team in the land Aggies? Because of this anomalous situation, which for some absurd reason is occurring for the second year in a row. These two bottom feeders are playing a home and home. Why that’s the case is the real issue. The only plausible explanation I have been able to conjure is that Liberty U. president Jerry Falwell Jr. has a concubine in Los Cruces, and needs an excuse to visit the Land of Enchantment. Or have a contingent from there visit the Old Dominion. I mean, the school situated in Lynchburg, Va. played New Mexico last week. Reasonable reasoning? Absolutely. Hugh Freeze’s squad has won three in a row. State under the tutelage of former Kentucky QB Doug Martin (career coaching record 49-111) is ofer the season after five chances for a W. The Aggies won last year at home. This season they shan’t be so fortunate. Giving prexy Falwell Jr. a second reason to celebrate.
UCF @ Cincy. Something untoward befell the Knights on their sure thing triumphant march to getting the nod as the Group of Five on New Year’s Day (or at least in one of those big bowls that used to be played on New Year’s Day). They lost in Steel City, their first regular season L since before Disney took over the middle of the Sunshine State. (I guess state nicknames has evolved organically as this week’s theme.) Cincy is also sporting a blemish on its record, having fallen to the Buckeyes 42 zed in the battle for supremacy of the, you know, Buckeye State. We’re talking a real blackout — as opposed to TV blackout — for this prime time Friday night affair on ESPN. The field is being painted black. Or so I’m advised. Take that Boise State, which happens to be the main foe of this duo and fellow AAC member undefeated SMU in that battle for the top G5 school. So, yeah, this is a big one. The Bearcats haven’t prevailed in this AAC East encounter since they bashed the pre-Scott Frost Knights 52-7 in ’15. They will again. Paint it black, you devil.
Northwestern @ Nebraska. Speaking, as we were, of said Scott Frost, The Next Big Thing hasn’t been able to fashion a heralded turnaround in the Cornhusker State quite as quickly as he did in Orlando. And that comes after proclaiming big immediate success to those ever so loyal acolytes in Lincoln. Frost was dubbed the biggest sure thing can’t miss former alum come home to coach his alma mammy since, uh, Jim Harbaugh. And it may very well happen for him, even if not so much for Coach Khaki. But, so far not so good. As for this week’s visitors from the Land o’ Lincoln, well, I’ve always had an affinity for Pat Fitzgerald and the Wildcats. Yes, Coach Fitz made two deplorable decisions last game to go for two, but he’s 24 games over .500 in Evanston, and his charges have been bowling the last four years, and won the last three. Tougher start this year for NW than Nebraska, who will get fat on Saturday. Runzas for all.
Auburn @ Florida. Reality is that pollsters view season results from the viewpoint of their preseason perspective. Thus Alabama is atop the polls still. And Clemson dropped only after escaping Carolina by the hair on its chinny chin chin. Just looking at results, it would seem to me that former Dead Man Walking Gus Malzan’s Auburn War Damn Eagles have been the most impressive. A W over #11 Quack. A W at #17 A&M. A 33 point beatdown over 3-2 league foe Cowbell State. Plus a couple more victories. Now that’s a resume heading into October. A top of the polls resume. Give Gus a 10 year contract extension for heaven’s sake. Meanwhile Florida, who suffered the good fortune of having its mediocre starting QB sustain injury, is also undefeated, if not quite as tested. So, what we have here is that kind of SEC battle royale that has folks all over Dixie wettin’ their britches in anticipation. All we need is Verne Lundquist back behind the mic one more once. I think the visitors are better. But I think the home team wins.
Boston College @ Louisville. Getting doubled up at home to grass eatin’ Les Miles’s Rock Chalk Jayhawk is no way to endear oneself to a an anxious fan base. Especially when you are 41-40 career-wise at Doug Flutie U, Steve Addazio. The Eagles have won the last two over the Cards, who are looking for some real traction in this rebuilding year. A memory I can’t shake is that play in this series two years ago, when AJ Dillon was surrounded for a potential TFL, but broke free from some lame Cardinal arm tackling to bust a chunk. For U of L, the question, beyond who is healthy enough to play QB, is whether they have enough fortitude and can forge a P5 conference W? The correct answer is Yes. A corner is turned.
— Seedy K