“Deeds will not be less valiant because they are unpraised.”-J.R.R. Tolkien
5-7 last week and 36-26 on the season when picking the sheet. I hope you are having fun and playing along, and further hope you did better than me.
Not a typical week for me this week regarding football. It has been in the rear of my mind as I have an important project pending. I’ve known for about 5 weeks that I would be missing 90% of this week’s action, so I haven’t given the weekend much thought. Truth be told, I’m already looking forward to watching Week 9.
Chapter 8 of the 2024 College Football Story will have to be the shortest as I am only writing what I’m seeing personally.
So, with Time for entertainment being limited the next few days, I have to take what I can get. The one game that I think I will have on at least by halftime is Georgia @ Texas. It’s a mid-season playoff matchup similar to the Oregon/ Ohio St game last week, and these games that are played between two elite squads in the regular season are must watch. Almost all of the Saturday action will not be seen by me, nor will I have the freedom to watch them on replay Sunday as I usually do, so I will be subject to the influence of the talking heads presenting the highlights of the day for the first time this season.
The good thing is that Saturday Night will feature a couple of games worth keeping in the quad box during the UGA/ BEVO game. Kansas St continues their playoff run on the road at West Virginia. Another night game in Morgantown for the Mountaineers to disappoint their fans. Undefeated Iowa St plays host to UCF who can be dangerous, although only disappointment has followed them since their road win over TCU Week 3. And one loss LSU travels to Fayetteville to see if they can pull another rabbit from a hat this week. The Bayou Bengals are 5-1 but have impressed me exactly zero times this season. That said, winning matters, no matter how the team looks. One could argue that the loss to 3-loss unranked Southern Cal in Week 1 was a fluke, and that would be fair, but I would also argue that they could’ve or should’ve lost to South Carolina Week 3 and the Ole Miss game last week. That said, they are 5-1 nonetheless, and if they continue to win, somehow, someway, they will find themselves in the playoff.
After all, that’s all that matters. Being one of the Chosen 12 at the end is what every team wants. It doesn’t matter if all of your wins are by 1 point, a one loss or even a two loss SEC team is playoff bound.
The Salt Lake Swoops kick off at 10:30 eastern, so I will watch that game as long as it remains competitive.
As you can imagine, there is very little invested in this week, but picking this sheet every week is fun and challenging, nonetheless. If I had to take a side in these games, this would be how I would play the weekend.
Week 8 Games
- +4.5 UCLA @ Rutgers Noon FS1
UCLA +4.5
- -4.5 Miami @ Louisville Noon ABC
UL +4.5
- +6.5 Nebraska @ Indiana Noon FOX
NEB +6.5
- -2.5 Alabama @ Tennessee 3:30 ABC
UT +2.5
- -3.5 Michigan @ Illinois 3:30 CBS
MICH -3.5
- -9.5 James Madison @ Georgia Southern 4:00 ESPN+
GA SOU +9.5
- -2.5 LSU @ Arkansas 7:00 ESPN
ARK +2.5
- +3.5 Georgia @ Texas 7:30 ABC
TEX -3.5
- +4.5 Texas Christian @ Utah 10:30 ESPN
UTAH -4.5
-Michigan getting the short number on the road is probably my favorite play, but that could just be my personal belief in Kalel Mullings dominating. I think Michigan and Illinois are built similarly and play the same style and tempo, but I believe the Wolverines play that style better and with better players. Michigan 22- Illinois 13. Zvada 5/5 on field goals and Mullings with a TD. At least that I what I’ll be rooting for from afar.
-I’m picking Tennessee because of the defensive physicality they have shown the past few weeks. Nothing more. I don’t like or trust either team right now. I do love Bama QB Jalen Milroe and his receivers, but the Jekyll and Hyde act possession to possession has grown tiresome.
I’ll be posting a recap of what I do get to see either late Saturday Night or first thing Sunday Morning, and hopefully it features a Mullings Report. I’m serious, Kalel is that dude.
Until then, have a wonderful weekend enjoying the action or wherever else you are required to be. The Present is always in front of us, so make each moment matter and enjoy each step, challenge, or victory along the way. Entertainment will always be there when it is needed. I just remembered one more thing. Bruce…
Bruce is pleased that Cam Rising is finally “out of the way” and “no longer holding the team back.” Cam did not prove Bruce wrong as I hoped he would. I truly wanted Cam to be awesome and to shut this ol’ dude up for once. Had Cam thrown for 3 TD’s instead of 3 picks and the Utes won, it would have been a different tune from my ancient neighbor. You have to understand, this guy has a lot of strong opinions and loves to speak all of them, whether you ask or not. Most of his opinions and speculations are political which sound more like an air horn blasting at short range than a conversation to my annoyance. Also, he complains about the mailman, the city’s Waste Management, his backyard neighbor’s dog barking at 2AM, his grandkids never visiting from Texas, the price of his cigarettes increasing, how Bourbon doesn’t taste the same anymore, and how road construction is part of a government conspiracy. I hope you get the point that he simply complains and has an opinion about everything. I also hope you understand that this is comedic and not true annoyance. I love the 1-2 weekly interactions with the old fart, and I think I fill a needed listening ear role in his life. Sure, his loud, brash opinions are annoying to listen to sometimes, but the man has principles and that I respect. Also, he was right back in August about Cam. Perhaps Coach Whitt should call him for his take on the team. I don’t suggest that coach. He has a memo pad with 10,000 notes on it with ways he would improve the team. I was simply hoping that one time his negative outlook would be proved wrong, and that Utah was actually good at football and a playoff contender, but the Utes have nearly a 3.5% chance to be one of the 12 at this point. Bruce of course knew the Ute preseason playoff projections were folly before Week 1, I just didn’t listen to him. To give Bruce the proper praise he deserves, his yard is probably the most pristine of any on his street and he buys the disabled widow across the street a pack of cigarettes every week since her daughter won’t do it for her. Kind.
Find the Humor and keep on Movin’
Whit W.