I went 0-2 last Saturday. I seem to
be finding teams on the Saturday they commit unprecedented turnovers. Two weeks
in, and I’m in a hole.
My predictions and pre-game
comments can be found on my previous post, dated 9-27
(ATS Predictions - Week 5).
(ATS Predictions - Week 5).
My Current Overall Record: 0-4
THE PLAYS
Michigan St. 17
Iowa 10
Closing Line: Michigan St. -4
FTC Prediction: Iowa 23 Michigan St. 20
My ATS Pick: Iowa +4
Result: Lose
I saw this game as an even
match and it was. I gave Iowa the edge because I felt Nate Stanley would be the
better QB on the field. He wasn’t. I figured Stanley as a clutch player, and he
had a couple of chances to prove me right, but didn’t come through. Two Iowa
turnovers - one by Stanley inside the Michigan St. 10 yard line - killed me in
this one.
Penn St. 45
Indiana 14
Closing Line: Penn St. -18
FTC Prediction: Penn St. 34 Indiana 27
My ATS Pick: Indiana +18
Result: Lose
Penn St. had the spread
covered in the first eight minutes, leaving me thinking wtf, can’t believe this
is happening. The Nittany Lions returned the opening kickoff for a TD. OK, fair
enough, I knew going in Penn St. had the better team, although I’d think that
Saquon Barkley would be at the top of Indiana’s “don’t let this guy beat us”
list. Then Indiana loses a fumble on its second play from scrimmage - -TD Penn
St. Then, after the defense stops Penn St., Indiana fumbles the punt and Penn
St. scoops and scores—21-0 Penn St. From there, Indiana does Ok in terms of
keeping up with the Nittany Lions, especially on the defensive side of the
ball. Would it have been enough to get the cover had it not been for the first
quarter turnovers? I don’t know. I did expect better out of Indiana QB Richard
Lagow. He didn’t look near as good as he did in the opener against Ohio St. and
consequently got benched. I believe he’s been a bit banged up, so maybe that
had something to do with it. His replacement, Peyton Ramsey, is feisty and made
some plays with his feet, but doesn’t throw as well as Lagow, and turned the
ball over with an interception that was damaging to my hopes of getting the
back door cover.
THE NON-PLAYS
Nebraska 28
Illinois 6
Closing Line: Nebraska – 6.5
FTC Prediction: Nebraska 24 Illinois 20
My ATS Pick: Pass
As it turns out, there is a big discrepancy in talent between
Nebraska and Illinois. The Illini just don’t have the horses to keep up with
Nebraska, and, most likely, a good portion of the Big Ten teams. I also
expected a couple of interceptions from Nebraska QB Tanner Lee, but Lee threw
the ball well and didn’t turn the ball over.
Wisconsin 33
Northwestern 24
Closing Line: Wisconsin -16
FTC Prediction: Wisconsin 27 Northwestern 14
My ATS Pick: Pass
Aside from Northwestern going
into halftime with the lead, this game went pretty much as expected for most of
the second half. Wisconsin took control and a 31-10 lead in the fourth quarter,
but Northwestern scored a couple of late TD’s and actually had a possession
near the end of game trailing only by seven. But QB Clayton Thorson was sacked
for a safety and that was that.
Ohio St.
56 Rutgers 0
Closing Line: Ohio St -28.5
FTC Prediction: Ohio St. 47 Rutgers 13
My ATS Pick: Pass
I thought Rutgers might offer
at least some resistance, especially in the early going. But other than that,
an Ohio St. blow out win isn’t surprising.
Maryland 31
Minnesota 24
Closing Line: Minnesota -13
FTC Prediction: Minnesota 30 Maryland 17
My ATS Pick: Pass
I based my prediction on what
I saw the previous Saturday, a Maryland team that had given up after its second
string QB left the game with a season ending injury and was replaced by an
ineffective third string QB in Max Bortenschlager. I figured we would see more
of the same, with Bortenschlager struggling to distribute the football to the
talented playmakers on the Terrapins offense. But Bortenschlager played like a
first stringer, and the stars on Maryland’s offense shined. The Maryland team
that upset Texas in the opener was back in stride. Minnesota went toe-to-toe,
and might have won, had it not been for a couple of costly turnovers, but from
the couch it appeared that the Gophers don’t have many “five-star” type
players, while Maryland’s offense seems to have more than a few.
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