So, in my first foray this season into the wild wacky world of telling folks who they might think about wagering on during bowl mania, I did better than OK.
On its face.
4-1.
Sometimes statistics lie, don’t tell the whole tale. Like Jack Plummer’s glossy at first blush completion percentage last night.
Kansas won. ✓
West Virginia won. ✓
Oklahoma State won. ✓
Virginia Tech won. ✓
All good, but . . .
. . . but that lone L, that was, sigh, my team. I never pick against the Cardinals, except in the most obvious of situations. Opening the year with Alabama. Against the natty winning Clemson teams. Otherwise, it’s bad karma.
I was skeptical about U of L’s chances going in against the Trojans. But prognosticated a Cards W anyway. I’m a fan. No transfer portal here.
Instant karma struck with terrible swift sword. If ever there was an apt mascot for a team, Trojans was it last night. SoCal snuck in with a bunch of 2d and 3d teamers, who were way more than up to the task.
But, now that that’s over with, I can sit back, eat too many snacks, drink too many diet drinks, and spend too much time in my Stressless™ recliner watching the rest of the games. Where any rooting interest I have, or will develop during a game, will be without enduring emotion, and dissipate with the mayo drop.
More winners:
Clemson vs. Kentucky (Gator). Orange.
Ole Miss vs. Penn State (Peach). I am always torn when choosing a game to pick in which I don’t like either coach. Not that Kiffin or Franklin have ever done anything to me, just something about their demeanor, their looks on the sideline. Totally irrational on my part. Based on nothing more than a hunch, I’m going Johnny Rebs. OK, maybe it’s because Ole Miss can score, and the Nittany Lions have trouble doing so.
Georgia vs. Florida State (Orange). What we have here is nothing less than the paradigm of College Pigskin Today. Florida State Undefeated. Uninvited. Uninterested. This set up as far and away the most interesting bowls outside the Final Four. Then Seminoles jumped ship in titanic proportions. Oh what Leonard Fournette wrought, when the LSU RB broke on through to the other side, by opting out of the Citrus Bowl after the ’16 campaign to prep for the draft. Given a chance to prove the committee wrong and their mettle against Georgia, State said “Uh, no thanks.” So much for loyalty and team über alles. Bulldogs.
Alabama vs. Michigan (Rose). So, yeah, Florida State got screwed. Branding over balling. Buuuuuuut . . . we are left with nothing less than this. Wolverines. Crimson Tide. In the Grandaddy of Them All. I mean, come on, the ACC champs were screwed, but this does meet the level of top shelf cliché. What college football is all about. Storied programs at the top of the totem pole. Saban GOAT. Harbaugh GOCAT. (C = Cheater.) Must see pigskin. Michigan’s the better team. Alabama will win.
Texas vs. Washington (Sugar). Is UDub the Rodney Dangerfield of the ’23 season? You betcha. All they’ve done is win every one of their games, including five over top 20 teams. Yet the Huskies find themselves still disrespected and underdog against the Longhorns. I. Don’t. Get. It. Huskies.
— c d kaplan