Seedy K’s Peerless Pigskin Progostications: Week VIII

Yes the deck was stacked with my picks last week. Fixed better than some up and coming card magician going for the big trickeration in front of Penn & Teller.

Or, so I thought. Georgia Southern was slated to easily vanquish a seriously awful Texas State contingent in my Thursday night opener. Three TD spread or so. But two things happened. Southern doesn’t use the triple option anymore like I thought. And the Eagles escaped San Marcos with an embarrassingly difficult W by a couple of points in one of the most inept gridiron battles in decades.

But a win is a win yada yada yada. And along with the expected no problem victories of Alabama, Army, Iowa and Boston College, I garnered my first perfecto weekend of the campaign.

Even though the fix was on, with impunity I advise that I am without guilt. My confidence needed a boost. The home office had a hellhound on my trail.

5-0 for the weekend broke a month long losing streak. I’m now on the plus side for the season at 19-16.

Feeling somewhat more assured, this week’s slate is significantly more competitive. My cybergalactically renown at picking winners shall surely be confirmed.

Here we go:

Minnesota @ Nebraska. Things are not exactly frosting over for the Cornhusker fan base, one of the most loyal in the land. Frost, Fahrenheit, is nowhere in the forecast. It’s supposed to be in the 60s all week in Lincoln. Frost, Scott, the anointed favorite son returned to coach his alma mammy has started out ofer the season. Few of the faithful are clamoring for a return of that Bo Pelini fella. Though some have been known to make wistful comments about the absurdly deposed Frank Solich. Meanwhile at Frost’s last stop UCF . . . well . . . oh you know. The Golden Gophers PJ Fleck is learning that winning at a directional school against directional school competition is easier than when competing with the Bigs. In his second campaign at Minnesooooooooooota, he’s 8-10 overall, 0-3 this year in the B10. Frost finally wins. Honeymoon ensues.

Oregon @ Washington State. Game Day will be in the house. Which gives me the opportunity to talk about Lee Corso. He’s a great guy. Loved him at U of L. Loved him ever after. And, getting on in years myself, I’m the last guy to say a dottering old fart should be put out to pasture. That said, he’s really painful to watch on Saturday mornings. Just had to say it. Maybe they should save him to the end of the show, to just putting on the mascot head shtick. Love Mike Leach’s wackiness. Did you read the tale of when he fashioned a fake play sheet and made sure his opponent found it? Great stuff. He was just .500 at Wash State coming into the season, but is Top 25 at 5-1 this year. The Ducks under Mario Cristobal seem to be getting their swag back. Also 5-1, Oregon’s W over UDub last week was HUGE. And those electric yellow unis were the bomb. Quack.

Houston @ Navy. The question here is rather simple. Can a D led by an assuredly legit Heisman hopeful, Ed Oliver, deal with the triple option of a team they see every year in its own league division? Unlike some other school you might think of -- not going to name any names -- that couldn’t handle that unique O in a crossover game. Last year at home, the Cougs had no problem. But season before last in Annapolis where this tussle will play out Saturday, the Middies prevailed in a shootout, 46-40. That was Houston’s first visit to the Naval Academy. Methinks the Texans, having learned their way around, will do better this time.

Michigan @ Michigan State. There are certain schools that rocket up the polls at even the faintest sign of life. Notre Dame is the extreme example. But its midwest rival Michigan is another. Lots of tradition surrounding the Wolverines and the Big House and all that. So all that skepticism about Coach Khaki and his previous underperformance back at his alma mater has dissipated following six consecutive Ws after an opening defeat in South Bend. None of those Ws however is as impressive as the Spartans win last week over the Nittany Lions in State College. Dantonio’s charges always seem to beat somebody they’re not supposed to, but then lose a battle or three they should win. Like this season’s setback at Arizona State. Go Blue is a surprisingly robust favorite in the intrastate rivalry, to be contested in East Lansing. I simply don’t believe fully that Harbaugh is ready to bust a move. Sparty.

Vanderbilt @ Kentucky. Brother Mark is the last Stoops standing. Whodathunkit? And having far and away his best campaign ever as head of the Cats. UK came back to earth a bit, falling to an improving Aggie squad in College Station. But they’ve had a week off for R & R. Besides this Kentucky gang feels like a real team, one that won’t fade away ignominiously as previous Wildcat editions have. In years past, the ever lesser than ‘Dores were a nemesis to the Big Blue, but have lost three of last four against UK. Vandy had one noteworthy uptick so far, falling by only five in South Bend. But they’ve been throttled in the SEC, and are holding up the league from the bottom as they are wont to do. Their hole gets deeper in the Bluegrass.

-- Seedy K