2016 Six Pick - Week One

Coming to your city
And if you want a little thing in your ying-yang
If you want a little zing in your zang-zang
If you want a little ching in your chang-chang
Come along (Come along)
Ya we're coming

That image, those corny ass lyrics and you're hyped? It means IT'S TIME.

For those of you who are new to this, I pick my top 6 games, give them all the hot take treatment, then pick (very averagely) against the spread and drop some good beer of the week on ya. Please join me and other TKP'rs with your amateur analysis and pics ATS. If you win, hopefully, maybe, sooner or later, I'll share some delicious beer with you.

Let's get to it. Without further ado ... the 2016 Six Pick is here.

Saturday, September 3rd
Houston vs Oklahoma -10.5 (Houston)
12:00 pm ABC

• When last seen on TV the Cougars banged on FSU so hard it made Stifler's mom blush. That performance boosted Tom Herman's group to a preseason top 15, hype engaged. Nooner be damned, this is an outstanding first game of the season. Loud, hostile and intense with playoff implications on the line, already. Can't wait.
• "Big Game Bob" back or nah? He doesn't want UH to us this as a Big XVII resume bullet.

Pick: OU exposes Houston, covers.
***

Georgia -2.5 vs North Carolina (Atlanta)
5:30 pm ESPN

• The Carolina way: dadgum basketball, shadow athlete curriculum, 5pm information drops, poor optics and losing games vs the SEC in the footballs. One year based on just random odds, they have to win one right? I'm generally tongue in cheek, AYE-SEE-SEE, AYE-SEE-SEE, but for the love of TV dollars, it would be nice if it just wasn't FSU and Clemson doing the heavy lifting in these primetime national televised games.
• Ten wins is the floor at UGA and do that too long without getting to twelve, you gone. On one hand, damn that's tough, but on the other, well the SEC Coastal has been ripe for the picking for a few years now. Smart not having a hoo cast off as the starting QB though.

Pick: Pick: UNC getting points and winning outright.
***

Alabama -11.5 vs USC (Arlington)
8:00 pm ABC

• Normally I'd expect Alabama methodically choke out USC by overpowering them with bigger, better athletes and making this game for all intents and purposes over by midway thru the third quarter. Who am I kidding I think that happens here too, even if Lane Kiffin gets cute with a true Freshman QB and his former team.
• Some of those Seniors and Juniors on USC, Kiffin recruited. They'll want to beat him pretty damn bad. Thinking ... thinking ... thinking, yeah, that's not enough is it? If only the mid 00s USC were taking the field vs this Bama team. They'll be amped and maybe even a bit chippy. God, I love week one.

Pick: Bama covering pretty easily.
***

Clemson -7.5 at Auburn
9:00 pm ESPN

Good F'ng luck everyone.

• This Clemson offense ... man, A veteran, very good OL, a very good RB, an elite WR group and the best college signal caller since Cam Newton, in Deshaun Watson. They gonna RUN IT UP on about everyone on their schedule. ERRYONE. It's hard to believe howdy doody Dabo is a top 5 coach, but how can one argue he is not?
• Remember two short years ago when Auburn coach Gus Malzahn was a top 10 coach? Good times. Damn this college football life is brutal. Look, I don't think Auburn has much of a chance at this game, this game is in the 6P because I really love the idea of an ACC team RUTS'ng a power SEC school. Let's say everything else was equal (it's not), but QB .... Watson alone covers that spread.

Pick: Clemson smashing the hell out of the barners. Dear God, I'd be willing to bet my beer cellar on this.
***

Sunday, September 4th
Notre Dame -3.5 at Texas
7:30 pm ABC

"That's what I love about these college girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age." "Yes, they do ... yes, they do."

• Charlie Strong is not a Texas guy, but is the Texas guy. A silent do as I say man in place where boosters love to told how great they and Texas football are. A throwback to control offense and defense in today's spread world. Is he a man without a country?
• Brian Kelly would run a helluva wrasslin' promotion with his screaming lunatic ways and face melting anger. His bravado circus of players running afoul of the wellness policy, strapped for bonus points or one his guys taking a cop to Suplex City. Not to mention Kelly has issues deciding on who to put the starting QB belt on. Yup, watch your back Vince Kennedy McMahon.

Pick: ND winning by a TD, take the known QB(s).
***

Monday, September 5th
Florida State -4.5 vs Ole Miss (Orlando)
8:00 pm ESPN

• It would be disrespectful to call FSU, Alabama Light, but if the (Free) Shoe fits ... a depth chart of NFL talent at almost every position, who look bigger and stronger than every opponent they face. Alabama Heavy has one SEC nemesis though, the Ole Miss Rebels. Because of multiple "mistakes" during recruiting process, Hugh Freeze has a roster full of next level players and borderline college students.
• Speaking of mistakes, I've been watching football long enough to know, if current rival college players and coaches are taking Ole Miss to the NCAA church ... Mr. Freeze, you're done. Though I could have improved your passive aggressive fake funeral with Bobby Bare's "Dropkick Me Jesus" playing in the background. The devil (if you will) is in the details, Mr. Freeze.

Pick: FSU and the points, easily.
***

Beer of the Week:

ERRYTHING on the Asheville Ale Trail. I'll be down in Western Carolina this weekend and taking some down time at a few breweries. Old faves like Wicked Weed, Burial and Sanctuary and hopefully a new spot or two as well.

Picks are against the spread.

Review:
Houston vs Oklahoma -10.5
Georgia -2.5 vs. North Carolina
Alabama -11.5 vs USC
Clemson -7.5 at Auburn
Notre Dame -3.5 at Texas
Florida State -4.5 vs Ole Miss