CN Staff Loses Your Money: Troy Edition

Mike: Well, at least all five games were played last week. That’s progress!

Patrick G.: Hey, I was right about Colorado beating Nebraska. Oh man, I was right about Colorado beating Nebraska....I went 2-3 as a whole for the predictions last week. Let’s see if I can do better.

Nate M: Looks like last week I changed my Colorado pick from Colorado by 3 to Colorado by 6 mid paragraph. Impressive. Or not. For what it’s worth I told my friends Colorado by 6. Not that I am proud of it.

Over the first two weeks I am 3-6. Starting out 0-4 makes things difficult.

Greg: For crying out loud! I don’t even know where to start! Someone remind me of the games we picked last week and if I got any of them right. PaPa needs a nap.

Uglydog56: Does anyone re-read last week's article to check? I'm claiming a perfect record then. OK, actually 6-3. Stupid B1G.

Jill: My record is 5-4. That is about what you’d expect from a cat walking across a keyboard. Takes a look at the games below. Here kitty kitty...

Hoss: If you’re taking my advice for making some...um... “investments,” you should probably look elsewhere or call 1-800-BETSOFF

Boise State (+3.5) at Oklahoma State

Patrick G.: This should be a pretty good game and should be close, I think. Let’s go with the Pokes in this tight game. Oklahoma State University 37 Boise State University 32

Nate M: I’m going with Boise State with the upset. Both teams haven’t really played anybody unless we want to think that Troy is a good team. Then in that case Boise State blew the doors off of Troy.

Greg: Okie State finds ways to win at home. And though this will be close, expect the Pokes to cover the spread. Take the Cowboys. Take the points. Pick the over. OSU 45 BSU 34

Uglydog56: Murder Smurfs have a combined score of 118-27, are fifth in S&P+, and have the nickname Murder Smurfs. Pokes have a coach that's a man, the power of the mullet, and a combined score of 113-30. I'm going with the Smurfs. All that pent up tension from having only one surviving female of your species has to find an outlet somewhere.

Jill: I’m going with Pistol Pete, but mostly because they are at home. Am I the only one that is soooooo happy we don’t have to watch a game on that blue turf? When I see it on the screen, I automatically change channels. Okit St 38 BSU 28

Hoss: If you’re a fan of offensive football, consider this must viewing. While I’d like to give a tip of the hat to The Mullet, I just can’t when considering how inexperienced they are. Boise State 42 Oklahoma State 32.

Mike: This is Boise’s big game of the year, at least until their bowl game. And if they win this, it might be a New Year’s Six game. This game simply means more to Boise, and they are a pretty good team. Boise 36, Okie Light 31

Southern Cal (+3.5) at Texas

Patrick G.: Ugh, Not sure on this one. Can they both lose and we all win in the end? Probably not but a man can dream. University of Southern California 23 University of Texas 17

Nate M: Is there a program that has under-performed more than Texas over the past decade? With all of those advantages and they cannot get it done. I’ll take Southern Cal in an upset, though mild one it is.

Greg: To answer Nate’s question...Nebraska has plenty of advantages and has not performed to its potential. BUT THAT IS ALL IN THE PAST! This is a rematch of Vince Young’s greatest game of football ever. This one won’t go thr way of the ‘Horns. When was the last time Texas started 1-2? USC 27 UT 21

Uglydog56: Southern Cal isn't picked to win this? Does the entire team have mono? Are so many players suspended they can only play 9 guys? Are they forced to use a five-apple rush? Aphrodite gifted Helen to Paris for a reason. Bevo is a cow, not a horse. Trojans win.

Jill: If home field is worth a field goal, then this is a pick-em on a neutral field. I wanted to write more, but after reading Uglydog’s entry I feel like I need to do more reading before doing that. Mascot who stabs turf 24 Mascot who poops on turf 21

Hoss: Ah, the “Whoddya Hate More Bowl” circa 2005. Texas is playing in Austin and USC is breaking in a true freshman QB. Texas also took USC to overtime in Los Angeles in 2017 and I think revenge is on Herman’s mind. As much as I hesitate to do this since I don’t think Texas is very good and because I absolutely despise the ‘Horns, Texas 28 USC 24.

Mike: Not sure I see what Vegas is seeing here. That should mean bet the house on Texas based on my record this season. Southern Cal had success running the ball last week against a stout Stanford defense, while Texas is 90th against the run so far in 2018. SoCal 24, Horns 16

Ohio State (-13.5) at TCU (Jerry World)

Patrick G.: This might be closer than we realize. Ohio State has been burning through teams without Urban but TCU could finally push them. Ohio State University 23 Little Sisters of the Poor 10

Nate M: 13.5 points is a lot. I know Ohio State has looked like world beaters so far this season. But since it is at TCU I am going to say that TCU covers at least.

Greg: I have a feeling that the team is “playing for Urbz,” but they have a target on their back and TCU is, I feel, always underrated. Frogs may not win, but I think they make it interesting. Buckeyes 31 Horned Frogs 27

Uglydog56: Patterson does more wardrobe changes than Carrie Underwood at the CMA's. It's not enough to win, but it's enough to scare Urbz into eating his pizza in a closet while deleting another month of text messages from his phone.

Jill: I really should have gotten in here before Uglydog. He’s prepping for a hurricane and still in here writing pithy predictions. Maybe I don’t believe in TCU as much as everyone else, but I think tOSU wins comfortably.

Hoss: Gary Patterson routinely has his teams prepared against highly ranked teams not named Oklahoma. The Horned Frogs’ defense is athletic, fundamentally sound, and match up well against tOSU schematically with Patterson’s brand of spread killer defense. TCU 41 tOSU 33.

Mike: The Big Ten has had it’s issues in non-conference games this season. That gives me pause to take TCU; all of the intangibles point their way. But Ohio State is just too damn loaded this year. Bucknuts 48, Froggos 30

Missouri (-7) at Purdue

Patrick G.: I honestly don’t care. University of Missouri 17 Purdue University Online 12

Nate M: Missouri. I expect them to win. I don’t like it. But that is what I expect. Come on Purdue...

Greg: Remember last year when Pursue beat Missouri in Columbia? Local (St Louis) media was losing their minds. I do. And I think Purdue wins again. But like they say on Whose Line Is It Anyway, it’s where everything’s made up and the game doesn’t matter.

Uglydog56: Sigh. No trains are ran on the field in West Lafayette this weekend. We're rooting for you, Coach Brohm!

Jill: Purdue hasn’t looked good this season outside of their first half vs NW. I haven’t watched Missouri. Also, who forgot to tell Mizzou that ESSSSS-EEEEEE-SEEEEE teams don’t travel north? Was Jerry World taken this weekend? (looks up - yes - oh). I’d like to see the choo-choos beat up the Tigers, but Purdue hasn’t inspired much confidence thus far. Tigers more Boilers less

Hoss: Jeff Brohm isn’t Red Legs Terrell and Barry Odom isn’t Josey Wales and this game is sure to lack the offensive firepower I thought it would have three weeks ago. Mizzou 23 Purdue 17.

Mike: Purdue has spent the last two weeks seeking out banana peels. There’s no reason to think that’ll change this week, especially considering the Big Ten’s struggles this season. Except that this is college football, where the weird usually happens. Boilers 33, Tiggers 31.

Troy (+11.5) at Nebraska

Patrick G.: I hope the Huskers clean up the mistakes and Martinez takes the weekend off to heal up for Michigan. University of Nebraska 35 University of Troy 23

Nate M: So Patrick and I took a little heat for picking Colorado last week. See what happens? We lose! So if you guys wouldn’t have given us so much heat we probably would have won! It is your fault!

I think Troy has lost a lot of talent from their teams that have won 10 and 11 games the past two seasons. I have a lot of confidence in this coaching staff to fix the mistakes. Nebraska by 21.

And just so you guys know...my 7 month old daughter reads the comment section.

Greg: Did Nebraska lose last week because Nate and Patrick took heat for picking Colorado... OR... did they lose because Nate and Patrick picked Colorado? WE EXPECT BETTER!!!

I’m excited as can be for this game. I think ball security has been worked on greatly and the defense will be strong. Nebraska 45 Troy 27

Uglydog56: This game isn't going to go as smoothly as everyone thinks. Nebraska is starting a backup quarterback not named Taylor Martinez. Although, he's not named Ryker Fyfe or Ron Kellogg, either. The point is, there will be offensive miscues once again. Troy's weakness is against the long ball, and with Bunch starting there will be a bunch of runs called early on. If the defense lets Troy get rolling, this could turn into Penn State - App State in a hurry. Just don't let it turn into App State - Michigan! Huskers win by 4, spectators leave the stadium a little unsettled. My brother goes to Hu-Hut afterwards and get indigestion later.

Jill: There were a lot of kinks the Huskers need to iron out. They might be doing it with a QB making his first start. I expect Frost and Co to try to establish the running game early and often regardless of which QB takes the field. I think Bunch will be good enough but Husker fans might not feel good about this until the last few minutes. Huskers 28 Troy 24

Hoss: Despite the injury to Adrian Martinez, the Husker offense and offensive line will rev up the rushing attack to help Andrew Bunch in his first start. In lieu of the explosive QB run game, I think the Husker offense leans on the tailback triumvirate of Bell, Ozigbo, and Washington, along with the quick passing game. The offense stalls a bit in the redzone without the threat of a difference-making dual threat QB and has to settle for field goals, while the defense gets a pick-six, or lord willing a #FATGUYTD scoop and score. Huskers 37 Trojans 17.

Mike: This is a moral must-win for Nebraska. The Huskers can’t start 0-2...especially after finishing last season on a four game losing streak. I mean, Nebraska hasn’t lost six straight games since Bill Jennings was stealing his salary back in the ‘50s. And that’s simply not going to happen. If a Pac-12 team couldn’t deal with Nebraska up front, a rebuilding Troy team won’t either. I’m thinking Adrian Martinez would only play in an emergency, and I don’t see this one getting to that stage. Huskers 45, Trojans 14.