GAME PICKS: WEEK 2
MY 2024 RECORD: 32-8 overall
9-2 MAC
18-4 Top 25
6-2 in additional picks
LAST WEEK: Welp, that’s what I get for being so negative for two programs. Even thought FCS upsets are fun as hell from the spectator’s angle, sometimes it’s just the mean thing to do. Which, sure, that’s in line with the rest of my personality, but now I get to wear my negativity on my record for the year. Congrats to Bowling Green, Oklahoma State, and Oregon State for not falling through the trap doors.
I also had…
Miami over Northwestern, which featured zero touchdowns of the RedHawks. At least they got to catch a nice view of the water; and they didn’t have to fly to the Pacific Northwest to have that kind of backdrop!
Texas A&M over Notre Dame. The Irish look really fire on defense this year.
LSU over USC. Man, I didn’t realize that USC would play so passionately on defense to begin the year. I think USC’s receiver, #8 Ja’Kobi Lane, is truly a matchup nightmare too.
and Georgia State over Georgia Tech. That could’ve been fun.
Onto Week 2.
MAC GAMES
WASHINGTON OVER EMU. EMU comes in as 24.5-point underdogs, and I really don’t think Vegas will have this one right. I think EMU will prove a lot in the trenches. But Washington’s still got the goods to win in spite of its line play, and its defense is going to be a challenge for Cole Snyder and this offense to figure out.
Also, considering UW was in the national championship last year, it’s weird to not see a top-25 ranking next to its name right now. Not like the MAC is short on competition this week: there are four top-10 opponents the MAC’s going to face this weekend.
#2 OHIO STATE OVER WESTERN MICHIGAN
#5 NOTRE DAME OVER NORTHERN ILLINOIS.
#8 PENN STATE OVER BOWLING GREEN.
#9 MISSOURI OVER BUFFALO.
TOLEDO OVER UMASS.
OHIO OVER SOUTH ALABAMA.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN OVER FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL. Has Pitbull ever even heard of MACtion, do you think?
RUTGERS OVER AKRON. Akron, I’m begging you to prove me wrong.
BALL STATE OVER MISSOURI STATE.
KENT STATE OVER ST. FRANCIS.
TOP 25
APPALACHIAN STATE OVER #25 CLEMSON. Not a ton of Top 25-losing spices this week, but I think this is a game a lot of people have been looking forward to seeing. Plus, knowing Clemson is very seriously not an elite football program anymore makes this a little bit more fun to hit.
#23 GEORGIA TECH OVER SYRACUSE.
#22 LOUISVILLE OVER JACKSONVILLE STATE.
#21 IOWA OVER IOWA STATE.
#20 ARIZONA OVER NORTHERN ARIZONA.
#19 KANSAS OVER ILLINOIS.
#18 LSU OVER NICHOLLS STATE
#17 KANSAS STATE OVER TULANE.
#16 OKLAHOMA STATE OVER ARKANSAS.
#15 OKLAHOMA OVER HOUSTON.
#14 TENNESSEE OVER #24 NC STATE.
#13 USC OVER UTAH STATE.
#11 UTAH OVER BAYLOR. I don’t know who needs to hear this but this is actually a non-conference game.
#7 OREGON OVER BOISE STATE. Last week’s tight game with Idaho doesn’t really scare me for Oregon.
#6 OLE MISS OVER MIDDLE TENNESSEE.
#4 ALABAMA OVER SOUTH FLORIDA.
#3 TEXAS OVER #10 MICHIGAN.
#1 GEORGIA OVER TENNESSEE TECH.
EIGHT ADDITIONAL PICKS
My personal rule here: No boring picks. I’ll define that however I wish.
KENNESAW STATE OVER LOUISIANA. Last week I correctly picked Sam Houston to get its first win as an FBS program. Kennesaw State, now it’s your turn.
EASTERN KENTUCKY OVER WESTERN KENTUCKY. Oh you thought I’d give up so easily on the FCS upsets in these picks? Not so fast my friend! EKU was wise enough to disrupt WKU’s poorly-thought-out White Out game promotion, and for that they must be honored.
NEBRASKA OVER COLORADO. This feels like an easy pick. I don’t like how confident I am in Nebraska here, but considering the way things went last year and throughout the recruiting calendar, Colorado’s not the type of team that I expect to exactly *get better* as the season goes on.
MARSHALL OVER VIRGINIA TECH.
MICHIGAN STATE OVER MARYLAND.
OREGON STATE OVER SAN DIEGO STATE. This is to make it up to Oregon State for going against the Beavers last week.
KENTUCKY OVER SOUTH CAROLINA.
TEMPLE OVER NAVY.
