Six Pick Week 9

Week 9 and there is a top 3 and there's everyone else. That's not to say these three are bulletproof, all three have challenges on their schedule, though some, #rolltide have fewer challenges than others. I like seasons like this: parity, upsets, uncertainty, but enough muscle at the top that its not a completely watered down product (like the NFL.) Every game (still) matters.

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There ain't no football party like a west coast football party
Cause a west coast football party don't stop.

ESPN Gameday starts at 6am pst (9am est) in Eugene to start the day. The day ends with the Stanford - Oregon State matchup at about 11 pm pst (2am est.) So much party. By the way there is no damn chance I am staying sober enough to watch the late game. Those of you that can go hard for 17 hours straight, God bless.

The Games:

Saturday, October 26th
Vanderbilt at Texas A&M -17.5 ~~ 12:21 pm SEC TV / espn3

• James Franklin, I'm glad to have you and Vandy back causing trouble for the conference jocks. I was about to kick dirt on you for missing your window 2 years ago ... it's still open
• Mierda de una lista de grandes atletas, los aggies que chupan en la defensa. no es bueno. Sumlin hizo en houston tambin, as que lo bueno de un entrenador es l realmente?

Pick: Vandy and the points. Until proven otherwise, I am team whoever and the points vs the aTm defense.
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Texas Tech at Oklahoma -6.5 ~~ 3:30 pm FOX

• Remember when Bob Stoops was the up and coming young head coach? He has a national title, with multiple other title appearances, runs a top 10 program, makes a shit ton of money, but you have to think he misses the early years
• Kliff Kingsbury is 34, an unmarried bro in a college town. How much tail is he pulling? A LOT. I bet he gives out gift baskets of signed footballs when the hit the door

Pick: OU covering by a half point, only because they are at home. I dont feel good about this, but TT is overrated and due to take a L.
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UCLA at Oregon -22.5 ~~ 7:00 pm (ESPN or ESPN2)

• The Oregon motto "Alis volat propriis" is latin (or is it high valyrian?) for "She Flies With Her Own Wings" ... how has Nike not put this on the uniform yet?
• If I were Pac12 Commish Larry Scott each morning I would wake up and expect to see a dead fish outside my front door and I wouldn't know if it were sent by Udub or UCLA. Playing Stanford and Oregon back2back is wrong

Pick: UCLA getting the points. This is against better judgment, but I think UCLA stylistically matches up better with the Ducks.
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South Carolina at Missouri -2.5 ~~ 7:00 pm ESPN2

• I'll not bullshit your here, I want Sakerlina to win for two reasons; 1) college football is more fun when Spurrier's team is good & he's verbally poking other teams and 2) I don't want the SEC East race to be over before November
• A tip O' the cap to Mizzou HC Gary Pinkel, the other, other Tigers werent ready for the jarring introduction to Old Man football made the debut season in the SEC rough. If they win the SEC East, it will shake the core of the conference

Pick: Mizzou laying the points. In the battle of backup QBs I like Mizzous Mike Mauk better than Sakerlinas Dylan Thompson. Mizzou will do a good job stopping the run.
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Penn State at Ohio State -14.5 ~~ 8:00 pm ABC

• Urban Meyer might go undefeated in back2back season at Ohio State, but because it's the B1G Ten the Buckeyes are beating up (and not always convincingly), they aren't getting much BCSCG run. Amazing
• Raise your hand if you thought Bill O'brien not Josh McDaniels, Eric Mangini, Romeo Crennel or Charlie Weis would be Bill Belichick's best coach not named Saban to come from his branch of the coaching tree?

Pick: PSU getting the points. tOSU will win, but by more than 2 touchdowns? Ida know.
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Stanford -3.5 at Oregon State ~~ 10:30 pm ESPN

• The Beavers lost to Eastern Washington, but have since won 6 straight, but it's been a pretty non impressive wins outside of Utah. This screams their record is phony, they'll finish with 5 losses this year
• How is this schedule run from game 3 to 10: Arizona State, Wazzou, Udub, Utah, UCLA, Oregon State, Oregon and USC ... can't lose focus at all or Utah happens. This isn't your daddy's Pac12

Pick: The Tree and the points. Manball isnt perfect, but theyve been far more tested. My only pause is playing Corvallis at night can be tricky.
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Bonus:
Duke is going to play VT close, getting the points, but hopefully our butt ass ugly uni combination will blind them.

Beer of the Week:
Full Sail Imperial Stout - Bourbon Barrel Aged

In honor of the state of Oregon and on the recommendation of my beer store guy, I'm going with this bourbon aged stout, though there is a 50/50 chance I end up buying this beer to age for a couple of years and drink something else.

Review:
Vandy at aTm -17.5
Tejas Tech at OU -6.5
UCLA at Oregon -22.5
Sakerlina at Mizzou -2.5
PSU at tOSU -14.5
Stanford -3.5 at Oregon State

Enjoy the games, the beers and beat Duke.