Pick/ Counter Pick: Week 12 - Saturday Games

Miami went up early, did some lines, forgot to cover theirs... On to Sabado Gigante!

Wet Trud (7-3, 3-3) @ Michigan (3-7, 2-4) -3.5.

MGoBastard: When was the last time that a 3-7 team held 3.5 pts on a conference foe with the inverse record? Well, that shows some serious disrespect for the mild cats on the part of Vegas. Is this lack of respect deserved? After the 35 pt drubbing at the hands of satan's little helpers and the loss of so many players, that the coach had to keep an eye on the IM tournament for a starting QB, the answer is yes. Michigan played lights out last week, drubbing some rodents, giving the Maize and Blue faithful a glimmer of hope in this otherwise lost season and most importantly, giving the team a boost of confidence. While Michigan thoroughly outmans NW, this has still been and up and down season for us. The seniors come out a play spirited on their day, just enough to get over the freshmen's drops and fumbles. M 27, NW 16. Confidence 7.

Hemlock Philosopher: Heavy rain and 43 degrees in the forcast. I remember the ND fiasco and I am not quite sold that Meechigan is coming back. Sheridan is starting, combined with the weather makes me nervous about the hook. Michigan wins, closely, NW covers. 10-7. Confidence 13.

Numb and Dumb (5-4) -3.5 @ Yvan Eht Nioj (6-3).

MGoBastard: Another game where the no-name opponent gets very little respect from Vegas. This time it's a bit unfounded though. Navy has done a great job after losing their coach to GT with loses only to undefeated Ball State, stinky pinky Duke and mercurial Pitt. Notre Dame has suffered of late on Offense and are regressing to last year with fat chuckles making the calls this week. They might score, just not enough to cover… or win. Navy 21, ND 17. Confidence 8.

Hemlock Philosopher: It's amazing that after snapping a streak of 43 years of defeat, a Navy win against ND is no longer a really big deal. Can they hit for two straight years? Another hook in the rain. I'm taking the dog. ND to win, but not cover. 16-13. Confidence 10.

#11 Satan's Little Helpers (8-2, 5-1) -9.5 @ I-L-L-what's that smell? (5-5, 3-3).

MGoBastard: This one is mental. Illinois shocked and exposed the suckeyes last year in the toilet bowl. Those little turds are now angry – think about going to the crapper after a night of hot wings and Shiner bock. Illinois just got thoroughly beaten last week by Western Michigan. Look for tOSU to continue their pillage of the state of Illinois tOSU 38, Ill 7. Confidence 2 (or 1)

Hemlock Philosopher: I locked OSU last week because they were vastly over matched with NW. They also look to have a huge advantage over the reeling Illini. Despite the past two seasons of close games, I think that OSU bombs the Illini. OSU 38-14. Confidence 2.

#3 Tejas (9-1, 5-1) -13.0 @ Mountain of MANgina (6-4, 3-3).

MGoBastard: After rolling up line covers for the first 7 games of the season, the horns have hit a bit of a bump in the road with tough games against Oklahoma State and Texas Tech and a back door cover by the christians from Waco. Why are christains always coming in the back door? Anyways, I digress. There is no cure for a cover slump like facing the porous defense of Kansas. While KU has proven to hang a few points on folks, they've gone cold when the opposition has a solid D. UT has just that. Texas hangs half a hundo and stays in the MNC race. UT 52 - KU 20. Confidence 1.

Hemlock Philosopher: Kansas == Shitty Defense. Texas == Really good Offense. Ugly. Fast. Texas 69-24. Confidence 3.

Cocky (7-3, 4-3) @ #4 kcUF (8-1, 5-1) -21.0.

MGoBastard: -20 fucking-1!!! holy crap that's a huge line. There really aren't two hotter programs not centered in Lubbock at the current moment. USCe has rolled to 5 straight after a slow start and Tebag has the gators rolling. Really it comes down to this fact - this is the SEC and nobody outside the state of Mississippi (or Tennessee) actually loses by 21 to another conference foe. Look for kcUF to win, but not come close to covering. kcUF 34-SoCoCo Beware 27. Confidence 3.

Hemlock Philosopher: Me thinks the bastard forgot about LSU beating USCe. Oh well, 21 is not enough. Urban Meyer has proven he can be a jerk when it's necessary to embarrass a foe to get BCS style points. With Texas Tech, Texas, Oklahoma and USC all having one or no losses, kcUF keeps cruising and crushing. 'Duh 49-14. Confidence 1. Lock it.

#17 BYUTT (9-1, 5-1) -5.5 @ Air Farce (8-2, 5-1).

MGoBastard: BYU was the media darling to upset the BCS until TCU threw a wrench in that set-up. Outside that game, they've rolled everyone that they've faced. AF is flying under the radar (good thing, don't want to get shot down) to a solid 8-2 record. Their only conference loss is to undefeated Utah. Look for BYU to win this game, but AF will keep it close. BYU 33-AF 30. Confidence 6.

Hemlock Philosopher: For some reason, unbeknown to be, I like BYUtt in this game. This means I'll probably lose the pick, but what the hell I'm down 7. BYU 35-24. Confidence 11.

#16 UNC (7-2, 3-2) -2.5 @ MD 20/20 (6-3, 3-2).

MGoBastard: The Jeckyl and Hyde ACC strikes again. UNC is hot and MD just got humbled by VT. Granted the later was against VT, in Blacksburg, on Thursday night, so who really knows what that means. UNC is building something quality there in Chapel Hill and will continue to roll. UNC 31-13. Confidence 8.

Hemlock Philosopher: Maryland is 5-0 at home and 3-0 versus top 25 teams. This is another bad weather game, which may neutralize UNCs speed advantage. I like MDs mojo at home to git 'r dun. MD2020 17-16. Confidence 12.

Californication (6-3, 4-2) @ Oregon State (6-3, 5-1) -3.0.

MGoBastard: Who knows anything about OSU outside of getting drubbed by PSU then shocking USC? Well, they're 5-1 in conference and also have a close early season loss to undefeated Utah. Cal has hit a bit of a bump in the road going down to USC. I have to think that these trends will continue and the OSU will have a huge game on the ground. OSU 27 - Cal 20. Confidence 7.

Hemlock Philosopher: Cal actually performed admirably on D against a USC team in the same boat as Florida. But this game is up in Corvallis, where surprisingly, Cal is quite comfortable (having won the last two). I think Cal gets it done in the NW. Cal 24-22. Confidence 9.

Minnesota (7-3, 3-3) @ Wisconsin (5-5, 2-5) -14.0.

MGoBastard: I know that Minnesota's early season success was based upon sheer luck, but Wisconsin has suffered a second epic comeback from a Michigan school. The first one set them back to the tune of 3 more losses, the second will likely do the same. Minnesota gets healthy and not only covers, but wins. Large Rats 31, Larger rats 28. Confidence 5.

Hemlock Philosopher: Minnesota played above its abilities and Wisconsin below. This appears to have shifted. Wisconsin will dismantle Minnesota in Madison. UW 42-14. Confidence 6.

Arizona (6-3, 4-0) @ Oregon (7-3, 5-2) -4.

MGoBastard: There must be something in the water there in Oregon. The teams are rollin'. Arizona has their own destiny in the PAC-10 and come in on a roll, showing life on offense to go with their usual desert swarm D. Autzen is a tough place to win and is even tougher at night. Still, I like UA to cover. UO 23-UA 20. Confdence 10.

Hemlock Philosopher: Arizona has not exactly been bueno on the road. They LOST to NEW MEXICO and STANFORD. Oregon. Arriba los Patos! 27-17. Confidence 4.

Backup College (6-3, 2-3) @ #17 Noles Condendere (7-2, 4-2) -6.5.

MGoBastard: FSU has returned to relevance... in the ACC, whatever that means. BC is fresh off a stymerization of ND with solid D, however there offense did not produce anything noteworthy. Look for FSU to cover in another snooze fest of an ACC game. FSU 17-10. Confidence 13.

Hemlock Philosopher: Yes, totally agreed: Snoozy, boozy and boring. Hopefully we get on the OSU-Colorado side of the ABC-Regional coverage. FSU 24-14. Confidence 5.

#13 Tall Dark and Handsome (8-2, 4-2) -17.0 @ Colonraiders (5-5, 2-4).

MGoBastard: Wow, a 17 pt home dog at night. If this was Thursday I close my eyes and ears and pick CU, but its Saturday. OSU has had the misfortune of playing in the B12 south, getting rolled by both UT and TT. CU has the misfortune of playing OSU this week. OSU Big 54-10. Confidence 4.

Hemlock Philosopher: Colon-raid fell off a cliff with an anvil tied to their waist when they entered B12 play. They've been out scored by 100 versus the three ranked B12 teams they've played. Look for TDH to get back on track defensively and win big. TDH 42-10. Confidence 7.