The Big Games

Welcome back! It has been a while, eh?  Since my last blog I have turned slightly Canadian.  Poor Joke.  The truth is that my "day job" kicked up the stress levels to the highest over the past several weeks and along with that I have my hands full coaching middle school basketball (First Assembly Christian School in Winston-Salem, NC), high school basketball (Winston-Salem Christian High School in Winston-Salem, NC) AND helping at another high school in the area when I have free time (Reagan High School in Pfafftown, NC).  Combine all of the above with all that brings with Christmas and the holidays and you get a very empty blog page.

Now that we have that out of the way, let's check the bookmark to see where we were.  My final pick set record on the regular season was 232-62 for a percentage of 78.9%.   It is now time to pick the really big games of the year and see if I can find a way to get back over 80% on the year.  It will be tough, but I may have an outside chance.  Let's get this rolling so that I can start getting in your ears about basketball.  By the way, I picked 7 of the 10 BCS Bowl Game teams correctly.  I never miss a moment to pat myself on the back when it comes to picking games.

J-Mac's Predictions (order by date, not by game relevance)

Chic-Fil-A Bowl: Virginia 16  #25 Auburn 13

TicketCity Bowl: #19 Houston 20  #22 Penn State 24

Capital One Bowl:  #20 Nebraska  17   #9 South Carolina 20

Outback Bowl:  #17 Michigan State  20  #16 Georgia  27

Taxslayer.com Bowl:  Ohio State  23  Florida  13

Rose Bowl:  #10 Wisconsin  27  #5 Oregon 38

Fiesta Bowl: #4 Stanford  34  #3 Oklahoma State 41

Sugar Bowl: #13 Michigan 24   #11 Virginia Tech 17

Orange Bowl:  #23 West Virginia 28  #15 Clemson 45

Cotton Bowl: #8 Kansas State 30  #6 Arkansas 42

BCS National Championship:  #1 LSU  20  #2 Alabama 17 

The Ducks may or may not defeat Wisconsin, but with another batch of new pro combat Nike uniforms they will most definitely be the sharpest dressed on January 2nd, 2012. 

The Return Game: Week 12 Review & Thoughts

This college football season has went by without any major hiccups.  The college football world got their excitement from conference realignment and scandals.  Enter week 12 and everything changed. Oklahoma State lost Friday night to Iowa State opening the door for several teams. Just when things looked calm...Saturday night got a little crazier.  The Oklahoma Sooners lost to Baylor, which really wasn't too much of a shocker. The real shocker was Oregon losing at home to USC.  They had the pieces falling the way they needed them to in order to get a shot at the BCS National Championship game. It wasn't meant to be.  More on all of this later.

I picked 26 games this week and for the first time all year I had another sub-par week.  I went 18-8 this week (69.2%) and brought my total on the year to 232-62 (78.9%).  I remain below my goal for the year of at least 80%, but 78.9% isn't too shabby.  I hope to close out the remainder of the year on a high note, but let's get to...

The things we cannot deny

• Nobody was interested in stepping up to the challenge and solidifying their arguments for a BCS Championship game invite.  I was not surprised that Oklahoma lost.  Bob Stoops is a choke artist, but I was extremely shocked that Oklahoma State lost to Iowa State and Oregon to USC at home.
• Chip Kelly has to be shaking his head.  His team has not been beaten by the other team this year.  His team has beat itself in both losses.  Saturday night the turnover bug plagued them, and It' they could not convert points on USC's turnovers.  Oregon had early momentum that was killed by turnovers and had late momentum that resulted in a missed FG that would have tied it.  I am still a little confused by Chip's time management.  I understand they want a hyper speed tempo, but they could have used a few extra seconds.
• A college football play off is needed now more than ever.
• Michigan coach, Brady Hoke, is a winner. I love how he gets his team to respond especially after a loss.  Wolverine fans will be very happy in the future and should be happy now.
• Boise State has to be kicking themselves as well right about now.  Had they made their last second FG it would be the Broncos that would have a very legit claim to the BCS National Championship game. 

Where do we go from here?

The AP and Coaches poll has been released and what I do not understand is how Oklahoma State is ranked higher than Boise State.  Oklahoma State's one loss is to an unranked Iowa State team, while Boise lost to a ranked TCU team.  Clemson lost to an unranked NC State team and dropped 11 spots.  Oklahoma State lost to an unranked team and dropped about 3 spots.  Are you telling me that Iowa State is better than NC State?  If you (voters) are then you don't have a clue about what you are talking about.

I am not sure how Stanford has crept their way back into the top 5 when Oregon dismantled them on their home field.  It would be nice if the AP voters cast their votes with some research or actually watch the games.  Their votes and standings half of the time look idiotic, and they many times only go on big name recognition.  I remain confused as to what the voters and coaches have against Georgia.  They are #13 and #14 in the polls and all the love in the world is going to LSU, Arkansas, and Alabama.

Let this scenario play out in your head.  Alabama beats Auburn this coming week to finish 11-1.  LSU beats Arkansas to finish 12-0.  Georgia beats Georgia Tech next week then finishes with a win against LSU making their record 11-2.  Will the BCS move the Dawgs in the National Title game?  Personally, I hope for more chaos and I am now pulling against all of the SEC teams except Georgia.  I am getting sick of how much bias and hype are directed towards the SEC West, and the national media could care less about the SEC East if you are not named Florida. 

J-Mac's Crystal Ball of Glory

BCS National Title Game: Alabama vs. Georgia

Rationale:  Georgia wins the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta vs LSU. Alabama leap frogs LSU in the BCS standings.  The BCS has no other choice but to put the regular season champion in this game if they are going to put a team in that didn't even make it to the Georgia Dome.

Rose Bowl:  Wisconsin vs. Oregon

Orange Bowl:  Virginia Tech vs. Louisville

Fiesta Bowl:  Stanford vs. Oklahoma State

Sugar Bowl:  Houston vs. Michigan


The two point conversion

So, it has begun.  Chaos has set in on college football and I love it (other than the Ducks taking an L).  If Georgia does not overlook Georgia Tech and goes to Atlanta with only two losses things will really get interesting.  Thanks to everyone who continue to visit and read frequently.  I am in the full swing of coaching a high school and middle school basketball team, and it has been increasingly difficult getting the blog up and running each week.  I am doing my best and hope you all continue to check back. 

Everyone be sure to have a Happy and very safe Thanksgiving week.  Enjoy the time with your families, eat a lot of good food, and get some relaxation in! I'm out!

Week 12 Predictions & Preview

A new week is upon us, week 12 to be exact and teams are already starting to slip.  Oklahoma State lost last night to Iowa State in OT, and that is the game that will be looked back upon as the game that started the chaos.  Not only did that loss kill Oklahoma State's chances to win a National Title, it probably killed Oklahoma's as well. The Sooners needed OSU to keep winning so that they could bolster their strength of schedule should they have beat them in a few weeks.  The Iowa State win directly benefits Alabama and Oregon.  I believe that LSU will lose to either Arkansas or in the SEC Championship game, but the Ducks and Tide must win key games first. 

My record going into this week is 214-54 (79.8%).  I hope to get my percentage back up over 80% this week with my pick set.  On with the predictions!

J-Mac's Week 12 Predictions

#1 LSU 34 Ole Miss 14
#3 Alabama 52  Georgia Southern 0
#4 Oregon 38  USC 24
#5 Oklahoma 45  #25 Baylor 42
#6 Arkansas 35  Mississippi State 17
#7 Clemson 31  NC State 20
#8 Stanford 41  California 24
#10 Boise State 41  San Diego State 20
#11 Houston 49  SMU 31
#12 Michigan State 42  Indiana 14
#13 Georgia 41  Kentucky  10
#14 South Carolina 56 The Citadel 0
#15 Wisconsin 30  Illinois 23
#16 Kansas State 24  Texas 31
#17 Nebraska 20  #20 Michigan 17
#19 TCU 45  Colorado State 13
#21 Penn State 10 Ohio State 16
#23 Florida State 23  Virginia 17
#24 Notre Dame 41  Boston College 17

Georgia Bulldogs' signal caller Aaron Murray (pictured above) will keep Mark Richt's winning streak alive this week against Kentucky.  It appears that UGA is heading for Atlanta. Has the Bulldogs done enough to save Mark Richt's job?  Dawg fans... comment now!

Northwestern 38  Minnesota 20
Georgia Tech 41 Dook 17
Samford 3  Auburn 42
UNLV 17  Air Force 41
Maryland 21  Wake Forest 24
Vanderbilt  17  Tennessee 20
Fresno State 27 Hawaii 41

That's all for the predictions. Check back sometime tomorrow night for the review of week 12 along with many thoughts and insight into college football.  If you are not already, follow me on Twitter (jmac211) for many words of wisdom! Enjoy the weekend!

The Return Game: Week 11 Review & Thoughts

Week 11 is gone like an Oregon Duck on a Saturday Night against Stanford.  Oregon demolished #4 Stanford on the road in convincing fashion 53-30. I will have more thoughts on this game later, but this game helped me fully recover from a sluggish start to my pick set.  I went with 26 games this week and whiffed on a few games early.  I think I was the only person in the world picking Nebraska over Penn State, and for the first time this year I hit the bulls eye and predicted the identical score of a game... Alabama 24 Mississippi State 7.  I went 17-9 this week for 65.3%, my worst pick set of the season.  My season total is now 214-54, which is still good enough for %79.8.  The first time in a while I have dropped below the 80% plateau.

Let's hit the ground running with...

The things we cannot deny

• LSU struggled in the first half against Western Kentucky, and it was a close game in the 3rd Quarter.  LSU may have not been taking the Hilltoppers seriously, but I seen cause for concern.  I was already questioning the efficiency of the LSU offense and the fact they have burned all bridges with Jarret Lee by benching him early last week in the Alabama game. I sense some vulnerability in Baton Rouge, and go ahead and write this down now...Jordan Jefferson WILL be the primary reason they lose at least 1 game this season.  Sorry Tiger fans... I do not see a National Title in your future.  The Crystal Ball of Glory never lies 99% of the time.
• Gary Patterson of TCU has Chris Petersen of Boise State's number. TCU ruins any hopes of Boise getting to a National Championship game (and possibly a BCS bid), ruins Kellen Moore's Heisman chances, and will be moving on to a more prominent conference next season (Big 12) while Boise sits on their hands waiting for the Mountain West to suddenly get better. 
• Oregon's freshmen have grown up since that first game of the season against LSU, their only loss. The Ducks have been on a mission ever since losing to the Tigers and completely ripped apart Stanford on Saturday.  The Ducks have more speed than Carl Lewis, Usain Bolt, and an X-15 rocket plane put together.  Stanford never looked to really threaten the Ducks, and the constant pressure of the Ducks finally took it's toll in the fourth quarter.  The Ducks remind me of the old school Miami teams.  They have the look, the speed, and the game. They do not trash talk like the old Miami teams, but they have that X factor.  I refrain from using the word "swagger" as it is overused and somewhat annoying to me.  It will be interesting to see where Oregon ends up now in the BCS standings.
• Tennessee got pounded again today by Arkansas 49-7.  It's one thing to lose, but the Vols are not even being competitive.  I understand they have had some bad luck with injuries, but not to the point to where they can hardly defend themselves against a gang of old women.  Tennessee will be doing good to win 1 of the final 2 games of the year.  They have Vandy and Kentucky left.  If they do not win out, Derek Dooley should be showed the front door. You don't have to go home, but you got to get the heck up out of Knoxville son! Will that happen? Probably not.  Should it? Heck yes.

The University of Tennessee job was probably too big for Derek Dooley.  He cannot survive many more monumental blow outs. 

• Texas A&M lost another close game today to Kansas State, a team with significant less talent than the Aggies.  A&M now falls to 5-5 with Kansas and Texas left on the schedule.  They should be a lock for 6 wins as Kansas is not a good football team, but this A&M team was in many people's pre-season Top 10's.  The fact of the matter is that Mike Sherman is no better of a coach than Dennis Franchione was, and that is not saying much. Texas A&M needs to have their house in order before going to play in the SEC, and that means firing Sherman and moving forward. Texas A&M has too big of a recruiting playground in the state of Texas, too good of facilities, and too much tradition to be mediocre. 
• Oklahoma lost to Texas Tech.  Texas Tech is 5-5 and has lost their last 3 games by 34, 32, and 60.  I think Oklahoma's choke was dreadful, but yet they remain the apple of the BCS' eye.  This has to be considered the worst loss of all the 1 loss teams in contention for the BCS title game.  Oklahoma is the new Choke City, but the computers love them some Boomer Sooner!
• Georgia did as I expected them to do and defeated Auburn, and they will do as I predicted and defeat Kentucky to make it to win the SEC East.  They should go into that game with 10 consecutive wins and sit at 10-2.  Who they play remains a mystery.  After seeing Georgia, LSU, Alabama, and Arkansas play Saturday... I believe the game they should hope for is against a vulnerable LSU team.  I still do not believe that a 2 loss Georgia team could play for a National Title, but you never know with the BCS.  I just don't see them jumping above Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Oregon, or Stanford.  Georgia's National Title hopes went down in Idaho when TCU took down the Broncos.  The Bulldogs needed Boise to keep winning. 
• Give Mark Richt all the credit in the world. There are not many coaches can survive the hell he has received from his administration and his fan base. He was basically told win every game from here on out, or you are fired.  The Dawgs will play for the SEC title, but will Richt's job still be on the line? Are the Bulldog faithful going to want him out? I think it would be ridiculous to call for Richt's job after the season he has had, win or lose in that game.  All Richt has done in his career at Georgia is go 104-36, go to 10 straight bowl games (7-3 record), 2 Sugar Bowl Victories, done it with class, and by the rules. If you stick with Richt he WILL win you a National Title.   Do you really want a man with this track record to move on? If so, please... oh pretty please tell me who is out there that could possibly do better.  Comments Dawg fans?

The Georgia Bulldogs are in a prime position.  I believe it was sometime in August that I predicted they would be exactly where they are.  Can they keep it up?

• Add Tom O'Brien to the fire coaches list.  In case you do not know, he is the head coach at North Carolina State. The guy has ran his course there and should be ran out of Raleigh.
• I happen to think Jim Grobe is way over rated.  All this talk of him being ACC Coach of the Year is insane and I would like to offer to find you a drug rehabilitation clinic in your area.  
• What happened to Miami and Florida State returning to glory this year? I'm not sure either program will ever recover fully, but I do believe FSU is closer than Miami by a few years.
• Houston does not deserve a BCS bid.  The difference between Houston, Boise State, and TCU is that the latter of the teams (Boise & TCU) have been on the verge of greatness for years.  They have paid their dues and we know they can compete with anyone.  Houston is only good every 10 years or so, and they play in the Conference USA.  I think I could lace up for the Cougs and throw for a few touchdowns and couple hundred yards against Marshall. Houston fan boys please take your meds.
• Ever notice how a few certain teams can win a few games in a row and then the media, pollsters, and ESPN smooch their behinds.  Here is a "Preferential Treatment" top 10 list:

1. Oklahoma
2. Texas
3. Alabama
4. Ohio State
5. Notre Dame
6. Southern California
7. Florida State
8. Virginia Tech
9. Nebraska
10.  State Penn

• I don't care that some of the most successful programs of all time are listed here. What have you done for me lately?  It's a lost cause, but it is unfair to other teams that are pretty dang good. Here is the "Balls and Shaft" Top 10 list for the teams that constantly & historically get screwed (regardless of conference affiliation):

1. Boise State
2. Georgia
3. Iowa
4. Oregon
5. TCU
6. Utah
7. Kansas State
8. North Carolina
9. Washington
10. Colorado

State Penn reaction...

I find it very disrespectful that ESPN has made this scandal more about Joe Paterno's "end of an era" rather than the fact that Jerry Sandusky has been indicted on 40 counts of sex crimes against boys.  At least 20 of those sex crimes were committed during his tenure at the school.  I'm not quite ready to go off with Paterno's head, but I would like some answers.  Paterno didn't seek out a top high profile defense attorney, J. Sedgwick Sollers, just for giggles.  Who knows how long Paterno was covering up for Sandusky, but we know now that he at least feels guilty.

A college or pro coaching staff is very close.  They spend numerous hours on campus together and in other places reviewing film and spending endless amount of time together.  You cannot tell me that Paterno did not know more. You also cannot tell me that we need to let this guy off the hook with a pass just because he "did what he was supposed to do".  I believe that Paterno not only knew of this incident, but knew of more and chose to keep his mouth shut because of the Penn State name.  Rather than honorably going to proper authorities about the sex crimes Sandusky committed, he put the Penn State name in front of those children.  He put his name in front of those boys that were molested. I don't care if you are the most successful coach of all time. Paterno did not demonstrate any type of integrity or moral responsibility in the matter. So, for me... he is scum as well.  This makes me question the character of the Penn State students to be honest.  Why do they continue to support scum?

This is why I am not quite sure why ESPN is painting the "Woe is me" picture for the man they like to call "Joe Pa".  I cannot fathom why there was such public outcry for Paterno given all of the information we have been given.  Years of a once bright legacy is not enough for me to overlook the fact that these sex crimes could have been halted many years ago, but Paterno (probably the rest of the coaches) and the University looked away not wanting to tarnish the "tradition" at Penn State.  How is that turning out for you now?

The above image is just a glimpse of the mayhem several Penn State students caused after learning that Paterno had been fired.  Given all of the evidence... makes them look a bit ridiculous to me. 

The Penn State students really looked like complete dumb asses. One young lady was on camera stating, "Joe Pa IS Penn State football!"  Let me ask you this Penn State students or fans. Do you really want Joe Paterno being the face and the legacy of Penn State?  A man that looked the other way after being told a young boy was assaulted in HIS shower room.  Another student cried that Penn State should not have fired him over the phone, and he deserved more respect.  Hey idiot, the kids that were assaulted deserved more respect than a cover up of epic proportions.  A person that covers up a sex crime and knows there is a possible pedophile in your house deserves absolutely no respect. 

Maybe Jerry Sandusky is mentally insane. I would be more willing to forgive an untreated person with a mental illness than Joe Paterno.  Joe supposedly is of good health and has no excuses. Maybe Sollers will claim Paterno is senile and has a loss of cognitive abilities when this all goes to a higher court.  There was already a need for change at Penn State.  The Nittany Lions had maxed out under Paterno and everyone already knew he should have moved on years ago. He was never going to get Penn State back to a National Title game, and would have been lucky to get them into a BCS bowl of any kind.  Penn State has not been relevant on the football field for years, and now...they are not relevant period. 

 It will take a long time for the image to undergo a major face lift at Penn State, and while Sandusky is the main perpetrator in this, Paterno has played a very large role. The Penn State image has already taken a huge hit. "State Penn" and other cracks at the school will run rampant.  No high school kid in his right mind will want to attend the university to play football for a while.  Penn State students who do you have to blame for this?  Sandusky...Yes. McQueary...Yes.  Paterno? Heck yes.  He should be remembered as the man that built Penn State football and the man that had main ingredients in the poison that killed it.

So I ask you Penn State fans and students.  Is "Joe Pa" really what Penn State football is about?  Feel free to comment.  I implore you to do so, especially Penn State apologists. Also, somebody tell me why Mike McQueary is still employed by the University. 

J-Mac's Top 5 Comments Via Twitter about Joe Paterno

#1.  jwags2015 said, "joe pa knows football he also knew little boys were being molested and didn't do anything about it what a great man #joepa #pennstatefans

Pretty much sums up what I think about this. 

#2. JoePa_Loyal said, "#ESPN was by far the WORST in the #JoePa witch hunt. I have lost faith in all of their journalism."

Really?  I mean... really?  What ESPN network are you watching?  I am losing faith in ESPN, but only because they kiss Joe Paterno's rear end and have tried their hardest to sweep the facts under the rug about Joe Paterno.  They are trying to do you, the brainwashed Joe Paterno lover, a favor. I guess you were one of the idiots rioting after he was fired.

#3. c_schaef4 said, "So Sad for the whole Paterno family and Penn State, what a legacy crushed bny someone else's actions. #joepa #respect

We all know that Sandusky was the perpetrator, but Paterno knew about this and probably many other instances. His legacy now is covering up for a child molestor. How about being so sad for the children that were assaulted?

#4. hellocalla said, "that B at the bar has more cover-up than #JoePa." 

I said before the State Penn game yesterday that if there was a crime in the parking lot, everyone would turn their heads and look away.  Cover up city. 

#5. Granny_Smith18 said, "I'm not even a penn state fan, but it's sad not seeing #JoePa on the sidelines. #damn." 

You know what else is sad? Boys getting pinned up against a shower room wall by a grown ass man.  It's also sad that nobody reported it either.  Now that is sad Granny. 


Changes comin' at Ole Miss

Houston Nutt is on his way out at Ole Miss.  The "resignation" was somewhat shocking to some, but this is the beginning of the University getting ready to start with a clean slate. The boosters at Ole Miss have not been very patient with Nutt citing the fact that Nutt's first two years, 9-4 both years and two Cotton Bowl victories, were done with his Ed Orgeron's recruits. Ed Orgeron was the head coach at Ole Miss the 3 years prior to Nutt's arrival and was dismissed after posting a 10-25 record. 

As previously stated, Nutt started out strong going 9-4 in his first two seasons and both ended with Cotton Bowl victories.  Last year Nutt went 4-8 and this year he is 2-7 with a horrendous loss last season to Jacksonville State.  He has lost to Vanderbilt two straight years and the heat was on.  Nutt's career coaching record is 135-93, but the fact there was a strong push from alumni and boosters to start over clean resulted in Nutt's departure. 

I was somewhat shocked that the University allowed current athletic director, Pete Boone, to go ahead and pull the trigger, but I guess they just wanted to clean house.  Boone will be relieved of his duties at the end of this season as well, and has had a history of poor relationships with his coaches.  Now all the talk will center around who will be the replacement.  The University expects to win 8 or 9 games per year and go bowling each season. I am not sure that is realistic.  In my opinion a coach that goes to Ole Miss and goes 7-5 or 8-4 with the occasional 9-3 would be a great fit, but wait... Boone fired him.  His name was David Cutcliffe. 

The Crystal Ball of Glory

BCS National Title Game:  LSU vs Oklahoma State

Rose Bowl:  Oregon vs Wisconsin

Orange Bowl:  Cincinnati vs Clemson

Fiesta Bowl:  Stanford vs Oklahoma

Sugar Bowl:  Alabama vs Virginia Tech

As I gaze into my crystal ball, it is as cloudy as ever.  There are a ton of scenarios that could play out from this point.  The only given that I can see is that the winner of the Oklahoma and Oklahoma State game look to play for the National Title. Oklahoma would get catapulted into this position even with their terrible loss to Texas Tech.  Oklahoma does not deserve to be there, but it is what it is. 

I would like to see total chaos and that means Georgia playing Arkansas in the SEC title game and winning.  Georgia would have to goto a BCS bowl, but would it be the National Championship?  I don't think that the Dawgs can move up enough in the BCS, but they might have had a shot if Boise State could have beaten TCU.  I have no idea where the chips will fall if this scenario plays out.  If an SEC team does not play for the National Title, who does?  Might we see an Oklahoma State vs Oregon match up? If Arkansas wins out they could find themselves playing for a National Title.  After this season the desire for a play off might not ever be stronger. 


The Two Point Conversion

That's a wrap on week 11.  I became a mere mortal this week in my picks, but that was to be expected at some point. I took gambled on some picks this week and a few of them paid off while others did not.  It will be very exciting to see how the rest of this season plays out.  Week 12 should be fun with the following games: Michigan vs Nebraska, Mississippi State vs Arkansas, Ohio State vs State Penn, Oklahoma vs Baylor, Kansas State vs Texas, and Oregon plays host to USC in the 8:00 premiere match up of the week. 

Thanks again for all of those that frequently visit and have spread the word about this blog.  Be sure to follow me on Twitter, @JMAC211, for that is the main way I broadcast my updates to this specific blog.  Any comments and feedback is welcome, even if we do not see eye to eye! Hopefully I can get the Week 12 blog up before Friday. Be sure to check back later in the week for my predictions and thoughts.  Have a great week everyone!

Week 11: Predictions & Preview Time!

Week 11 is here and events happening off the field continue to dominate the headlines. This time it is not conference realignment even though Missouri has decided to leave the Big 12 for the SEC (as I predicted).  The controversy this week surrounds the events unfolding at Penn State where Jerry Sandusky has been indicted on over 40 counts of sex crimes against young boys. At least 20 of these crimes occurred while Sandusky was employed at Penn State serving under Joe Paterno.  I will have many thoughts on this situation in my blog tomorrow.

Entering week 11 my record on the season is 197-45 (81.4%).  Due to a chaotic schedule again this week, today's preview blog will be short and sweet. I will not be able to say the same about tomorrows. I have a lot on the mind about Penn State, their idiotic students, conference realignment, a new top 10, and my crystal ball of glory.  I will also be taking in the best comments from Twitter. I was able to get my pick in before the Thursday night game and I took Virginia Tech over Georgia Tech. I did not pick the Houston game. So, let's get on with the rest of the predictions!

J-Mac's Week 11 Predictions

#1 LSU 45 Western Kentucky 3
#2 Oklahoma State 38 Texas Tech 35
#3 Stanford 27  #6 Oregon 43
#4 Alabama 24 Mississippi State 7
#5 Boise State 31  TCU 17
#8 Arkansas 38  Tennessee 10
#9 Clemson 45 Wake Forest 24
#12 Penn State 17 Nebraska 20
#13 Michigan State 16 Iowa 17
#14 Georgia 27 Auburn 13
#15 South Carolina 17  Florida 21
#16 Wisconsin 42 Minnesota 10
#17 Kansas State 28 Texas A&M 38
#18 USC  34  Washington 27
#21 Texas 31 Missouri 24
#22 Michigan 28 Illinois 27
#23 Cincinnati 45  West Virginia 37
#25 Southern Miss 31  UCF 17

I like Taylor Martinez (pictured above, #3) to help Nebraska go into "Happy Valley" and knock out Penn State.  Karma is catching up with Penn State, and after the idiotic displays of support for Joe Paterno this week...karma catches up on the field.  I hope nobody gets assaulted in the parking lot, because at Penn State... they fail to report.

Rice 24 Northwestern 45
Ohio State 27 Purdue 17
Kentucky 17 Vanderbilt 24
Miami  30  Florida State 27
Notre Dame 38  Maryland 24
Dook 17  Virginia 28
Arizona State 35  Washington State 17


There they are. My picks and I'm sticking to em', as I always do.  Check back tomorrow for a Storm Sports "Blogtacular" where I will be touching on a lot, including the Penn State fiasco. That's it. Now, go watch some football (or basketball).  Have a great weekend!

The Return Game: Week 10 Thoughts & Review

Now that week 10 is out of the way, I am not sure what the media is going to salivate over. The LSU versus Alabama game was exciting, and one of the most hard hitting games I have seen.  Both defenses and teams for that matter are extremely well coached with outstanding defenses, but their offenses are not the best I've ever seen by a long shot.  I will have some more thoughts on LSU and Alabama later, but first thing is first. 

In a very difficult week, I went 20-5 in my picks raising my season total to 197-45 for a percentage of 81.4%.  Hopefully by the end of the season I can raise my percentage to around 85, but I am not sure how realistic that is to be honest.  The games will get more and more difficult to pick moving forward.  I know some of my supporters, such as Brian Attridge of The Less Desirables will have my back. 

 At the beginning of the season, I predicted that his Georgia Bulldogs could lose the first two games of the year and then proceed to win 10 straight. Seven down and three to go as the Bulldogs have won 7 straight making Mr. Attridge a very happy camper at this point.  For those that do not know, Brian is a co-host of The Less Desirables podcast I have linked above, and offers a wide variety of information, news, and opinions. Brian and the other co-host, Tim, along with a new cast mate Eugene B. Sims record the show every Wednesday and the show is usually available on iTunes by Thursday morning. Big Shout out to Brian for being a supporter of this blog and passing the info along on the show and via Twitter. I have a link for Brian's blog and The Less Desirables at the sidebar of this main page.

So, let us begin with...

The things we cannot deny

• I find it quite odd that a punter can be the player of a game when #1 faces off against #2, but I feel that Brad Wing was the guy that kept bailing out LSU after their offense continued to stall.  He was able to consistently pin Alabama deep in their own territory and came up with a huge 72 yard punt in the 4th Quarter. 
• Les Miles and LSU will eventually pay the price for the way he handled their quarterbacks last night. I have always been a huge supporter and defender of Les Miles, but last night I feel he made a huge mistake.  He showed no confidence in starter Jarret Lee.  A coach's job is to build players and not break them down, and this could be the beginning of a musical chairs of sorts for the rest of the year between Lee & "bar fight champion" Jordan Jefferson.  I do not see how Miles can return to Lee now and I have not seen much improvement in Jefferson during his time on the field.  Remember last season Jordan "The Wrestler" Jefferson threw only 7 TD's to 10 interceptions and only completed around 56% of his passes.  LSU has a tremendous defense, but they will have to score more than 9 points to win big games moving forward.
• Alabama does not deserve to leap frog any of the unbeaten in my eyes, but they will. Eventually.  The national media and ESPN love them some Bama and want to Roll Tide as much as possible.  The so-called analysts on the total sports network will start shoving down reasons why we should see a rematch between the two from this point forward. Unless Alabama loses again or should LSU lose at some point. Then I am sure they will debate why a 2 loss SEC team should play for a National Title.  Wait and see.
• Pollsters and everyone around keep forgetting that Oregon was controlling their game vs LSU in the very first game of the season.  Oregon lost that game 40-27, but 4 turnovers cost them and two of the turnovers were by true freshmen in their very first game. If anyone deserves a shot at a rematch it would be Oregon, not Alabama.  Yeah, Alabama missed four FG's but this is week 10.  Oregon made their mistakes in week 1 with true freshmen on the field.  I still maintain that if the two teams played right now, Oregon wins by 17, but Oregon will keep getting the shaft because of SEC and East Coast bias as well as the evil doer known as the BCS. 
• LSU now finishes the season with Western Kentucky, Ole Miss, and Arkansas in that order.  If LSU played Arkansas next week, they'd lose, but LSU plays a couple of cupcakes and get regain their focus. If their offense does not get better before that game, and Arkansas' defense continues to improve we could have an upset on our hands.
• West Virginia lost to Louisville and could lose the remaining of their games. I most definitely like them to drop one next week against Cincinnati on the road.  Then the Mountaineers face off against Pitt and South Florida.  That would make the Mountaineers 6-6 with the advantages of the Big East schedule.  What happens if WVU is able to exit the Big East and enter the Big 12 next season?  Things could get very ugly in Morgantown for a while. Let me say this Mountaineer fans, Holgorsen is not your answer. Suck it up, don't be prideful, get over your hurt feelings and hire Rich Rodriguez for a 2nd tenure.  I must admit though, it is nice not to hear the delusional WVU fans talking about how their team is good enough for the SEC, but I also feel bad for their fans that are actually rational, cheer on their team through thick and thin, and do not dump their tickets after every loss.
• South Carolina lost to Arkansas as I predicted. Welcome the Georgia Bulldogs to the driver seat for the SEC East.  I will say this right now, the Bulldogs will be more than just a team occupying space if they make it to the SEC Championship game. They will face off against LSU or Arkansas, and at this point I am leaning towards Arkansas winning that game.  Talk about chaos, controversy, and all out hell breaking loose.  If Arkansas beats LSU, plays Georgia in the SEC Championship, and Georgia wins... remember who beat Georgia in game #1, Boise State.  Don't expect to hear cries for a rematch of that game in the BCS National Championship Game. Do you? 
• Remember the ACC? Clemson, Georgia Tech, and VT are still good, but Mike London has Virginia up and coming.  They are getting good and will be competing again soon for the ACC throne. Virginia is already taking advantage of North Carolina's woes on and off the field, securing some major recruits that were considering both schools and probably would chose UNC if not for all the controversy in Chapel Hill. 
• UNC has now lost 5 years in a row versus State. That thing you hear is the nail in Everett Withers' coffin.  Buh Bye Withers. It was NOT fun while it lasted. Carolina has too many athletes to be THIS bad.  They also have a dual threat QB just rotting away in AJ Blue that has been converted to a 3rd string RB.  Moves like this make you look, well, just stupid.
• Nobody really wants to win the Big 10.  Just when you think someone has an advantage, they go and lose to Purdue, Iowa, or Northwestern.  This conference has been the hardest to figure out.  I feel sorry for whoever eventually wins the Big 10 Championship because they will have to face either Stanford or Oregon in the Rose Bowl and that will not be pretty.  Write that down now... Pac 12 will dominate.

Mike London is doing a great job with Virginia this season. He hopes to build on recent success and hope that it carries over into UVA's recruiting. 

J-Mac's Top 3: #BCS comments via Twitter

1. KSGaughan says, "#wvu 2 bcs bowls #mizzou 0. #tcu 2 bcs bowls #ta&m 1. Yeah the #big12 upgraded. Sorry nay sayers.

Not sure the rationale here KSGuaghhan.  WVU has just lost to Louisville and has already lost to Syracuse. They are not an upgrade over Missouri or A&M.  Missouri has a better television market and better all around athletics. Same goes for A&M.  I will say this, WVU and TCU were probably the best replacements the conference could have gotten. The only way the Big 12 could have done better would have been to land Boise State, BYU, and/or Notre Dame.

2. bpeachy says, "If Bama wins out and Stanford & Ok State lose, it seems like there might be a Bama/LSU rematch for NC game. Wow. Need to see BCS poll. 

Well peachy I'm afraid you are right. The national media is going to start polluting our brains. I am hoping for a Georgia vs Arkansas SEC Title game to cause total chaos.  The BCS can only allow 2 teams from one conference. How would they pass on the two SEC Championship game finalists?  How can the winner of this conference NOT play for the BCS National Title game? Things would get very interesting.

3. VTHokk1354 says, "VT should be in National Title talk after we beat up on Clemson in the rematch in Charlotte."

This probably should be number 1, because it is the most moronic comment of the bunch. Clemson already punched VT in the mouth once. They probably will do it again. I am not quite sure what makes VT fans think they are or should even be considered for National Title hopes. Was it that awesome 14-10 win versus Dook? Somebody should punch this VT fan in the throat so he cannot spat off at the mouth again.


The Crystal Ball of Glory

BCS National Title Game: LSU vs Oklahoma State

Orange Bowl: Cincinnati vs Clemson

Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs Boise State

Fiesta Bowl: Oregon vs Oklahoma

Rose Bowl: Stanford vs Michigan State

The bowl games this year continue to be a guessing game. Your guess right now is as good as mine. The SEC has a lot left to be played out, Oregon and Stanford must face off, and the Big 10 needs someone to step up and take control.  One thing is looking more clear, the BCS is going to screw some very good teams. I am not going to strike through my previous predictions because they are sure to change again soon.  I'd love to see Georgia or even Arkansas win the SEC title to bring total chaos to the BCS.  Keep your fingers crossed.

Darron Thomas (pictured above, left #1) was starting and the primary play caller again for the Ducks Saturday Night in Seattle versus the Washington Huskies. He threw for a TD and ran for one.  Oregon will need all they can get from Thomas this coming Saturday when they play Stanford.  They will need more from their defense.

The 2 Point Conversion

That's it. I hope you all have enjoyed this week's Storm Sports Blog.  Week 11 should prove to be very exciting with some awesome match ups. Virginia Tech faces off against Georgia Tech on Thursday in a game I'll have to pick since it is a ranked match up. I have been staying away from the Thursday match ups.  You will also be treated to Nebraska vs Penn State, Georgia vs Auburn, and Michigan State vs Iowa.  The premiere match ups this coming weekend will be TCU vs Boise State and Stanford vs Oregon. Thanks to everyone for reading this blog and spreading the news. It's starting to get a ton of hits!  As always, when I get 20 picks correct I get a visit from my friend pictured below. Have a great week and hope you will check back later in the week for the week 11 preview and picks!

Week 10: "The Show Down" CFB Picks & Preview

Week 10 is finally here. That means after this week the national media will have to drool over some game other than #1 LSU versus #2 Alabama.  No doubt it will be a good game, but calling it the "Game of the Century"... I'm not sure about that one.  Regardless, there are many great games on tap this week that will most definitely be overshadowed.  I've got Oklahoma on upset alert against Texas A&M this week, the K-State and Olahoma State game will be good, and the Oregon vs Washington game tonight at 10:30EST should be a treat.  Let me apologize now for any spelling errors, it seems as if Blogger's spell check has malfunctioned on me this morning.

Due to an extremely busy schedule, I'm keeping this blog short and sweet. I coach a middle school basketball team and a high school team, but our middle school team is in a pre-season tournament and we was able to win our first round game.  For those that don't know, we won the conference championship last season and went 18-2 overall. 

Oh, before I forget, going into this week my season record is 177-40.  That would just so happen to be a percentage of 81.5%.  Please be sure to check back on the blog on Sunday for a terrific read. I have a lot in store for this weekends blog and you will definitely need to check it out.  I will have a lot of thoughts and a few shout outs along the way.  Without further adue... the picks.

J-Mac's Week 10 Predictions

#1 LSU 22 #2 Alabama 16
#3 Oklahoma State 45 #17 Kansas State 21
#4 Stanford 48 Oregon State 24
#5 Boise State 66 UNLV 3
#6 Oregon 49 Washington 31
#7 Oklahoma 45 Texas A&M 38
#8 Arkansas 38  #10 South Carolina 24
#9 Nebraska 41 Northwestern 27
#12 Michigan 24 Iowa 21
#14 Houston 58 UAB 28
#15 Michigan State 34 Minnesota 6
#18 Georgia 41 New Mexico State 13
#19 Wisconsin 34 Purdue 20
#20 Arizona State 30 UCLA 17
#21 USC 45 Colorado 17
#23 Cincinnati 23 Pittsburgh 21
#24 West Virginia 38 Louisville 24

Bryan Bennett (pictured above) had taken over for the injured Darron Thomas a few games ago.  Thomas returned last week only to be benched in favor of the true freshman Bennett.  Chip Kelly has said he would play a 10th string player if that gave them the best chance to win.  What do you feel about teams that have "two" quarterbacks. Comment!

Texas Tech 24 Texas 38
North Carolina 27 North Carolina State 20
Notre Dame 41 Wake Forest 27
New Mexico 7 San Diego State 42
Middle Tenn 14 Tennessee 35
TCU 38 Wyoming 21
Indiana 14 Ohio State 31
Vanderbilt 17 Florida 28

So there you have it. Short and sweet, but I have to go coach some basketball now!  I hope everyone has a great weekend, enjoy the extra hour of sleep, and check back for a blog full of awesomeness tomorrow!