Six Pick: Week Five

My favorite month of the year. By the time October is over, the leaves will have gone from green to yellow, red and orange. The temperatures will have cooled, the humidity evaporated and many of college football pretenders disappeared. As we are now a third of the way through the regular season and each team's flaws are apparent. Improve your flaws, expose theirs, that's the game, especially for the final three games on this week's 6 Pick.

It's time. The training wheels left on our new quarterback during September are coming off. It's big boy football and it's time to find out how good this edition of the Hokies are. Having seen and doubted Clemson the last two weeks, we know this isn't your typical Clemson team. They are resilient and explosive on offense. They will test Bud Foster's improved defense. The defense likely can't win it alone, even with 66k yelling behind them. The running game needs to turn it up a notch and Logan Thomas has to be decisive and accurate when his number is called. Let's not put the cart before the horse, before this game there is a celebration of football and competition. I intend to drink lots of good beer, eat lots of animal flesh and partake in communion at the Clubhouse. So party up fellow Hokies, Saturday is when the fun really starts.

Thursday, September 29th

16 South Florida -2.5 at Pittsburgh 8:00 pm ESPN

ACC vs the Big East part deux, hopefully these cats play a lot better than last week's dogs.

Ok, so Pitt isn't in the ACC yet or likely anytime soon, but at this point we'll claim a win vs a ranked team as one for the good ole Atlantic Coast Conference (if they lose, they're still in the Big East). Two late game collapses. first at Iowa, then last week to Notre Dame, has made Pitt coach Todd Graham's first season look a lot like most of Dave Wannstedt's. USF coach, Skip Holtz on the other hand has his program humming and looking like the most complete team in the Big East.

On My Radar: USF is hot, a balanced offense than can run and pass very effectively complemented with lots of speed and talent on defense. This game isn't as much about them as it is the Pitt Panthers. Two tough losses in a row, a third could easily ruin the season. The Panthers had best play with their asses on fire if they want to turn around their season. Since neither of those losses were in conference, they have a lot to play for still.

Pick: USF by a field goal ... covering

Saturday, October 1st

18 Arkansas vs 14 Texas A&M -3 (Arlington, Tx) noon ESPN

The Southwest Classic, an old rivalry from their days in the Southwest Conference, recently rekindled and now back for good. Pig Sooie told the Horns to kiss it in 1991 and now 21 years later the Aggies have followed suit to God's Conference, the SEC. Forget history, this game means a lot right now. Both are coming off bad losses last week. Arkansas took an ass whipping from Bama and aTm surrendered a 17 point half time advantage losing to Okie State. Both teams are more than capable of finishing in the top 10 this season, but a loss here not only makes it unlikely, but shows a trend. Two desperate football teams will be on display in Jerry World Saturday, so this is going to be a fantastic way to start the day. The tailgate I am attending best be showing it or I'll be finding a new place to mooch food.

On My Radar: Bobby Petrino is a great offensive mind, but it takes more than that to be a great coach. His team is beat up and missing 3 starters, if he wants his to be a great coach, he'll find a way to win. The Aggies need to right their ship, that means quarterback Ryan Tannehill needs to stop playing like Jerrod Johnson and protect the ball. A&M would be best served putting pressure on the Razorbacks' Tyler Wilson. We all saw last week what a capable quarterback can do when given time against the Aggie D.

Pick: A+M to cover and win their first SEC West game.

***

Auburn at 10 South Carolina -9.5 3:30 pm CBS

Everyone expected Auburn to take as step back after all their personnel losses. Truthfully, they've done better than expected, at least offensively. Sakerlina, however was expected to be the best in the SEC East. So far they've disappointed, though no fault of superb running back Marcus Lattimore. Much of this can be attributed to very poor quarterback play. On twitter, I am starting to notice a Free Stephen Garcia movement is afoot. Ever since his rededication to the team this offseason Garcia has done everything right off the field, but also everything wrong on it. There is only one remedy, let the quarterback be himself. Much like cutting Sampson's hair, removing hooch and loose wiminz has severely affected Garcia's game. The Ole Ball coach, having won as a quarterback and a coach in the SEC, knows the perks of being a star better than anyone. I don't have to tell the man, he knows how to fix this. That Bud Truck being recklessly driven by four Sakerlina coeds on Sunday, was headed for Stephen's pad for a week long bender? In the SEC, boys will be boys forever.

On My Radar: Does Auburn have the horses in their front 7 to bottle up Lattimore and make Garcia beat them through the air? Will the Malzahn spread and misdirection keep the very good defensive line of the Gamecocks thinking and not playing? If I had to guess, the answers would be No to the former and yes to the latter. Expect a lot of points.

Pick: Auburn getting the points.

***

13 Clemson at 11 Virginia Tech -7 6:00 pm ESPN2

I am going to let you in on a little secret, I hate writing about VT when they are playing in big games against teams I don't hate. If I play it straight, it's boring, if I go full smartass I run the risk of mocking the weauxf gods and if I go with self deprecating humor it rings false. What would Frank Beamer do? I've got it...

...That Tajh Boyd, he sure is a good looking quarterback, we tried to get him up here at Tech, (he) reminds me a lot of Tyrod and that Sammy Watkins. Boy is he something else, he's like Percy Harvin but bigger and stronger. Ole no. 23, he's good running back, he's a special running back in our league. I'll tell ya, that front four of their's will really get after ya, big, strong, fast... This is the best team we'll face all year, I've got a lot of respect for Dabo Swinney and his staff. They've got that thing turned around. Virginia Tech has their work cut out for them Saturday night.

On My Radar: On offense can Virginia Tech run the ball effectively enough to keep Logan Thomas from having to win the game through the air. While Thomas is showing signs of improvement, I'd feel a lot more comfortable with David Wilson getting 150 yards and 2 touchdowns. Rumor is the Hokie staff has been putting in 18 hour days to combat the explosive Clemson offense. Stopping a team with 4 playmakers and the best signal caller in the league is a tall task. Containing this group with the help of a ball control offense will likely mean the Hokies come out victorious. If the Tigers get to run 75 or more plays, it's going to be a long night for the Orange and Maroon.

Pick: Clemson getting the points and winning. I picked this game as a loss before the season and the Tigers have looked better than I expected.

***

3 Alabama -3.5 at 12 Florida 8:00 pm CBS

Bill Parcells has done a lot to help the game of football, giving us algroh was not one of them. His NFL coaching tree is huge, but there's a branch on the collegiate side of the gridiron as well. From Bill Parcells came Bill Belicheck who as the coach of the Cleveland Browns from 1991-1994 had a young, up and coming star named Nick Saban. Eventually Saban went back to the college game and has won big and influenced other coaches. Four current coaches and 3 coordinators in college have sprouted from Nick Saban. Florida coach Will Muschamp is one of them and he more than the others, Mike Dantonio, Derek Dooley and Jimbo Fisher, has the intensity to rival his mentor. The game plans will be identical on defense; Be more physical, stop the run, come at the quarterback like he stole your moms, don't stop 'til the clock hits 0.0. It's apparent Nick Saban owns Bobby Petrino and takes great joy in beating him, even if he doesn't smile. This game is different and might be a odd for both. Pops might be a hard man, but he still loves his son.

On My Radar: Pain. Lots and lots of pain. This game is going to be ugly as hell. I think the running games will be kept in relative check, but there is a slight talent advantage at many positions for Bama. Can Muschamp keep it close enough to let either of his speedster running backs Jeff Demps or Chris Rainey to get loose just one time?

Pick: Bama covering and to win outright. I was fooled last week, I will not be fooled this week.

***

8 Nebraska at 7 Wisconsin -9 8:00 pm ABC

"Who are the coaches I'd like to have beers with?" I've given this some thought, more so than I should admit. My top 5* easily include Wisky's Bret Bielema and Nebraska's Bo Pelini, but for different reasons. Bret is definitely let's pound a couple beers before church and a shit ton more after kind of guy. A 24/7, case a day, beer drinking wingman, I'd think. He's not looking forward to the weekend, you guys, the weekend looks forward to him. Bo on the other hand is that guy your not sure why you hang out with, but just have your whole life. An ok guy, who's a bit uptight sober, but get a few in him and he's straight asshole. We all have that friend. We all tweak the hell out of that friend for our entertainment, well at least 'til things get ugly and then ditch him when he hits the head.

On My Radar: Balance, Wisky has it, Nebraska doesn't. In the old days the Blackshirts of Nebraska's defense could lock opponents up. Their defense is very good, but it isn't great, and that's a problem when they are facing a team that can run or pass it with great success. Pick your poison Huskers, you aren't taking both facets away. Nebraska on the other hand as a bit of passing problem with their fast as lightening quarterback Taylor Martinez. Inconsistent is being kind, and while the Wisky D isn't great and appears to be a step slow on the edges, they are good enough to make Nebraska earn this through the air.

Pick: Wisconsin, jumping around to win by 10.

* Les Miles, Dana Holgorsen and Steve Spurrier round out my top 5.

Oktoberfest Tailgate Beer of the Weekend:

This weekend brings Oktoberfest to a close, so what better way to celebrate the end of this festival but with the classic Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen and a hot ass blond on you arm to go with it. Prost!

Quick Recap:

South Florida -2.5 at Pittsburgh
Arkansas vs Texas A&M -3
Auburn at South Carolina -9.5
Clemson at Virginia Tech -7
Alabama -3.5 at Florida
Nebraska at Wisconsin -9