Week 13 NCAA Prediction Recap (6 - 2)

After the mayhem that was rivalry week, I've gotta say I feel pretty lucky to escape with a 6 - 2 record.

I was worried about Noel Devine and West Virginia going into the Backyard Brawl, and his 134 yards and 1 touchdown performance only confirmed those fears.  Pittsburgh finally showed their real selves when down 16-6 with about 10 minutes left to play in the game as they scored 10 unanswered points to tie it up 16-16, but it was too little too late.  Tyler Bitancurt won the game, hitting a 43 yard field goal as time expired.

Alabama somehow managed to sneak past Auburn despite going down 14-0 in the first 5 minutes of the game.  It's even more incredible when you consider that Alabama's run-heavy offense is not built to score a lot of points, especially when they have to come from behind.

Florida handled the Seminoles in a game whose score I was actually fairly close on.

Bedlam:  A scene or state of wild uproar and confusion.  Yep, that just about sums it up.  All I can say is Oklahoma St. left me at a complete loss for words.  They proved me very wrong and Skyler very right.  Shut out?  Playoffs?!?  Be serious Cowboys.

No surprises in the Commonwealth Cup.  Virginia is a BAD football team (then again, so is Georgia...crap!)  Oh, and speaking of which, later Al Groh.

Memo to LSU:  Get your act together.  I know Arkansas has one of the best offenses in the SEC and Lou "I'm nuttier than a fruit cake" Holtz claims you have one of the worst offenses in the entire nation (forget just the SEC), but squeaking by the Razorbacks at HOME???  Sh'mon now.  You're better than that.  Or maybe you're not...

BYU, thanks for making me look smart.  I predicted you would beat Utah by 3, and that's exactly what you did.  Loud sustained applause.

USC, you are almost as cool as BYU.  I guess I overestimated UCLA with the Victory Bell on the line...  At least I didn't pick UCLA like Skyler did here.  "Glitz and glam" my ass.


My Week 13 Picks:
The Backyard Brawl
Prediction:  (9) Pittsburgh 27 - West Virginia 21
Actual:  (9) Pittsburgh 16 - West Virginia 19

The Iron Bowl
Prediction:  (2) Alabama 24 - Auburn 10
Actual:  (2) Alabama 26 - Auburn 21

The Sunshine Showdown
Prediction:  Florida St. 14 - (1) Florida 28
Actual:  Florida St. 10 - (1) Florida 37

Bedlam Series for the Bedlam Bell
Prediction:  (12) Oklahoma St. 37 - Oklahoma 21
Actual:  (12) Oklahoma St. 0 - Oklahoma 27

Commonwealth Cup
Prediction:  (14) Virginia Tech 24 - Virginia 10
Actual:  (14) Virginia Tech 42 - Virginia 13

The Battle for the Golden Boot
Prediction:  Arkansas 20 - (15) LSU 27
Actual:  Arkansas 30 - (15) LSU 33

The Holy War
Prediction:  (21) Utah 28 - (19) BYU 31
Actual:  (21) Utah 23 - (19) BYU 26

The Victory Bell
Prediction:  UCLA 23 - (20) USC 30
Actual:  UCLA 7 - (20) USC 28

The Longest Inch, Episode #11

Episode 11 is a special Thanksgiving edition of The Longest Inch for your listening pleasure. We discuss the MLB MVP awards, continue our look into the top 50 MLB Free Agents, chalk talk the Rivalry Weekend in College Football, tell people to Be Serious, and Stump the Skyler. They call us 'Carwash,' cause we're automatic.

My Week 13 Picks:

The Backyard Brawl:
(9) Pittsburgh  27
at
West Virginia  21

The Iron Bowl:
(2) Alabama  24
at
Auburn  10

The Sunshine Showdown:
Florida St.  14
at
(1) Florida  28

Bedlam Series for the Bedlam Bell:
(12) Oklahoma St.  37
at
Oklahoma  21

Commonwealth Cup:
(14) Virginia Tech  24
at
Virginia  10

The Battle for the Golden Boot:
Arkansas  20
at
(15) LSU  27

The Holy War:
(21) Utah  28
at
(19) BYU  31

The Victory Bell:
UCLA 23
at
(20) USC 30

Week 12 NCAA Prediction Recap (4 - 2)

All in all, my Week 12 picks fared pretty well.  I ended up 4-2, but I also predicted the exact team score for Stanford and Nebraska.  I was only off by 1 for LSU, 4 for Wisconsin, 5 for Northwestern, and 2 for Oregon.

If former Bear Jim Harbaugh didn't make multiple bonehead coaching decisions in the 4th quarter, perhaps that pick would've worked out (down by 3 and decide to go for it on 4th and 8 from your own 30 yard line with 3:30 and all 3 of your timeouts left?!?!? BE SERIOUS. PUNT THE BALL).

And if Les Miles and LSU had any clue how to manage a football game with 1 minute left, maybe I would've gotten that one right.  "I can only tell you that the management at the back end of the game was the issue," LSU Coach Les Miles said, later adding: "It's my fault that we didn't finish first in that game."

My Week 12 Picks:

Prediction:  LSU 24 - Ole Miss 17
Actual:  LSU 23 - Ole Miss 25

Prediction:  Wisconsin 35 - Northwestern 38
Actual:  Wisconsin 31 - Northwestern 33

Prediction:  Oregon 42 - Arizona 31
Actual:  Oregon 44 - Arizona 41 (2 OT)

Prediction:  Cal 21 - Stanford 28
Actual:  Cal 34 - Stanford 28

Prediction:  Kansas St. 14 - Nebraska 17
Actual:  Kansas St. 3 - Nebraska 17

Prediction:  Florida St. beats Maryland
Actual:  Florida St. beat Maryland

The Longest Inch, Episode #10

Episode 10 marks yet another milestone for The Longest Inch... Double digits baby!!!  We preview the biggest week 12 college football games, discuss the NL Cy Young, MVP awards, and free agent, talk some "Cubbie Nuggets" (whatever those might be...), tell the Arizona Diamondbacks and ESPN to "Be Serious," Stump the Skyla, and we contemplate moving to Canada.  It's all there, so stop looking anywhere else!

My Week 12 Picks:

LSU Tigers  24
at
Ole Miss Rebels  17

Wisconsin Badgers  35
at
Northwestern Wildcats  38

Oregon Ducks  42
at
Arizona Wildcats  31

Cal Golden Bears  21
at
Stanford Cardinal  28

Kansas St. Wildcats  14
at
Nebraska Cornhuskers  17

Maryland Terrapins
at
Florida St.  (Florida St. wins because they are Skyler's team.  And because Maryland blows.  Maybe by as much as 3 td's.)