College Football 2012 Picks Week Eight: Michigan Exorcises Some In-State Demons
We are 23-18-1 ATS with these picks on the year. Looking for a strong showing after a couple mediocre weeks.
California (+2.5) vs. Stanford: Let’s get real with Stanford. Lunch pails and tight ends. Everyone loves it, but look at the numbers. They rank 80th in yards per play offense. They have beaten one team by more than a touchdown. Josh Nunes is 93rd nationally in passer rating. They have played two road games in which they have not scored an offensive touchdown and averaged 3.92 yards per play. This was a three-point game last year in Stanford with Andrew Luck playing. Cal has rebounded with strong wins vs. UCLA and at Washington State the past two weeks. We’ll roll with Tedford.
Florida (-3.5) vs. South Carolina: The Gamecocks are reaching the end of a brutal three-game stretch. They go on the road for a second-straight week. They are banged up and may be without Marcus Lattimore. The LSU score flattered South Carolina. They made some big plays, but weren’t really able to hang with the Tigers physically. A Les Miles offense hung nearly five yards per carry on them. The Gators are at home. They look primed to do what they’ve done all season: play tough defense, move the ball when they have needed to and not make mistakes.
Michigan (-10) vs. Michigan State: Michigan State has been one of the top public bets this season. They have covered once in seven attempts. Sparty has lost three of its last five. The two wins, Indiana and Eastern Michigan, were unbecoming performances. They rank 101st in total offense. The most disturbing thing? They have been playing that bad at home. This is their first tough road trip of the season, having only visited Indiana and Central Michigan. Michigan, quietly, ranks in the Top 15 in yards per play offense and yards per play defense. The Wolverines have switched to a run-heavy offense to limit Denard Robinson passing implosions. Their defense has allowed one touchdown in its last four games . It has allowed fewer yards per play than Notre Dame against a tougher offenses. The entire Michigan program has had this game circled for 364 days.
Temple (+5.5) vs. Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights are 6-0. They’ve faced one Top 75 SRS team, Arkansas. Temple is 2-0 in Big East play. They lost to a quite decent Penn State team on the road and nearly came back after a bad first half against Maryland. Neither team has impressed offensively. Against FBS opponents Temple (39th nationally) has been better than Rutgers (51st) defensively. The public is siding with the ranked team, but this looks like a matchup between relatively even teams that will be low scoring. We’ll take the home team and the points.
Kansas (+35) at Oklahoma: This is a classic sandwich game for Oklahoma. They’re coming off a huge Texas win. They have Notre Dame in Norman the following week, not to mention a formidable Big 12 schedule the rest of the way. Kansas is by no means good, but the JayHawks have been more competitive than people think. Three of their losses – Rice, Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State – were by one score. They were not blown out by TCU with Casey Pachall. Five turnovers exacerbated the Kansas State margin. Oklahoma will try to win this one without too much exertion. Hard seeing them slam down on the gas in the fourth quarter to cover this spread.
Middle Tennessee (+19.5) at Mississippi State: Mississippi State is 6-0, but they have played one team in the SRS Top 60 (Tennessee at home) and nearly lost at Troy. The Bulldogs have a middling offense and have beaten one team, South Alabama, by 19.5 points (30-10). Middle Tennessee is a Top 15 yards per play offense against FBS. Dan Mullen’s team wins, but it’s not a blowout.
[Photo via Presswire]


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60 Responses to “College Football 2012 Picks Week Eight: Michigan Exorcises Some In-State Demons”
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October 19th, 2012 at 3:29 PM
Fuck Michigan
October 19th, 2012 at 3:30 PM
I really like Duke with 10 at home. Don’t think I have ever bet them in football…
October 19th, 2012 at 3:32 PM
Their running back, Benny Cunningham, has gone over 200 twice this season on the road and has more than 700 total yards in five games
Pretty sure he’s hurt
October 19th, 2012 at 3:33 PM
The universe gets back in order
Michigan – 31
Sparty – 10
October 19th, 2012 at 3:34 PM
Sparty plays their best game of the year.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:34 PM
We’ll roll with Tedford.
That’s not a good idea ever. Also, what’s with you riding with Kansas again? That has the makings of a classic attempt at getting Bradford into the first round.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:34 PM
I wrote Bradford. ha. Same difference
October 19th, 2012 at 3:35 PM
Bwahahaha. SO Michigan got it’s ass basted by the two decent teams it played, but now you are throwing out top 15 stats and that shit. It’s UMASS, Air Force, Illinois and Purdue. Laughable man.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:36 PM
Return to Glory.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:37 PM
Nunes is too high at 93. I’m not saying you’re wrong, but there’s no way he’s better than approximately 30 other college QBs
October 19th, 2012 at 3:38 PM
When did ND “blast” Michigan’s ass?
October 19th, 2012 at 3:40 PM
Michigan – 31
Sparty –
1013October 19th, 2012 at 3:40 PM
It was a shitshow. But if only losing 13-6 to ND is grounds for feeling so certain about beating Sparty then so be it.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:40 PM
/farts
October 19th, 2012 at 3:40 PM
When did ND “blast” Michigan’s ass?
The after-party
October 19th, 2012 at 3:41 PM
No one’s arguing that.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:43 PM
JayHawks
I don’t think I have ever seen that before.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:43 PM
Duffy, please stop being the worst. Thank you.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:43 PM
When did ND “blast” Michigan’s ass?
The after-party
Brady Quinn sighed wistfully at the thought of what he missed most about college.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:44 PM
Sparty covers. Doubt they win though. 10 pts is way to fucking high.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:45 PM
If anyone else had said or written this, Hernia would laugh at them and call them a funny name. I miss when Hernia had balls. Was good times.
Please just beat MSU so ND can maintain their ranked body count, Michigan.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:45 PM
Duffy, no mention of Kent or Ball St this weekend? What about plucky New Mexico getting 11 at Air Force?
/Heads back to degenerate gambling hq at covers
October 19th, 2012 at 3:46 PM
/giggles
October 19th, 2012 at 3:47 PM
x5
October 19th, 2012 at 3:48 PM
Sorry about Benny Cunningham. On vacation. Wrote these a while ago.
Michigan Schedule – looked at offenses they’ve faced. Believe the Irish have faced one Top 75 yards per play offense this year, Michigan.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:48 PM
I miss when Hernia had balls.
I think he’s still on company probation from showing them to the intern via text message.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:48 PM
if I was to make one bet this week, it would be UGA over Kentucky. I saw it at UGA -27.5, and they will have that covered by halftime.
I do like that MTSU getting the points over Miss St. as well.
I wouldn’t touch that fucking Michigan game though. 10 points in a rivalry game is way too much, especially considering that any time they have played a team with a pulse this year they have scored 20 points in 2 games (both losses)
October 19th, 2012 at 3:48 PM
Seems like you’re not taking into consideration rejecting a safety or a potentially muffed kick-punt.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:51 PM
Coaching staff changed, brah.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:51 PM
Sorry about Benny Cunningham. On vacation
No sweat. Think news came out yesterday?
October 19th, 2012 at 3:51 PM
I started giggling, then I realized you were serious.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:52 PM
stay gold, ponyboy
October 19th, 2012 at 3:53 PM
Yeah, sorry. Wrote these Wed Night. Lines may have moved since too.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:53 PM
“He’s reduced himself to being a doofus who’s as funny as a herniated disc!” – The Washington Post
October 19th, 2012 at 3:54 PM
To be honest, the LSU running game does that to every team not named Alabama.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:56 PM
I stopped following that exchange, did the WaPo guy ever drop a Jerk Store on him then?
October 19th, 2012 at 3:57 PM
“What do you mean?”
“Well, KSU and KU hardly get on, do they?”
“No, what does ‘exacerbate’ mean?”
October 19th, 2012 at 3:59 PM
I miss when Hernia had balls. Was good times.
pretty sure this needs some kind of a “Coop” tag…
October 19th, 2012 at 3:59 PM
Five turnovers exacerbated the Kansas State margin.
All luck.
October 19th, 2012 at 3:59 PM
In past years, yes. Not in 2012 with their offensive line issues. Like 33rd in yards per carry. Only teams they really ran over were North Texas and Idaho.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:01 PM
What time is MSU/UM? 3:30?
October 19th, 2012 at 4:03 PM
Last I saw, Hernia posted an Instragram of him icing a surprised Mike Wise as he opened his apartment door.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:04 PM
They seem to have picked it up last week against Cocky. Of course, that may have been a one-game mirage due to desire to wipe the smirk off the Ol’ Bawcoach.
Oh, Great Jebus, send us a QB, please.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:05 PM
The death of Big Tex is apparently right up there with the Kennedy assassination today….
I’m not sure if anyone realizes that only about 5% of him was original materials.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:06 PM
Will Gholston will show up tomorrow and break Duhnards collarbone.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:07 PM
Back and to the left. Back and to the left.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:09 PM
Yes, 3:30 on Big Ten Network. Had MSU looked halfway decent lately, it would probably be on a real network.
Didn’t realize Glolston was still on the team.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:09 PM
Not to pick nits, Ty, but LSU is averaging 4.9 yards per carry on the season, and ranks 20th nationally.
/ Lies, damn lies and statistics
October 19th, 2012 at 4:12 PM
/ Lies, damn lies and statistics
Miz beacon activated.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:12 PM
MSU stops the run fantastically. UM runs well.
MSU can’t play offense. Their QB situation is a shit show. UM thinks it can play defense, but they haven’t really faced a good offense outside of Bama.
I think UM wins, but it will be tight. 16-13. Wouldn’t be surprised with a Sparty-On kind of game though. Dantonio circles this like Tress did. That is not to be understated.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:15 PM
Mmmm … fried beer, fried bubblegum, chicken-fried bacon, and now fried Big Tex. The State Fair is awesome.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:17 PM
Hopefully the OSU D shows up tomorrow. No more big plays please.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:20 PM
33rd nationally on ESPN and CFB Stats.
And again. You have to look at individual games with those. They put up 4.9 on South Carolina which is supposed to be one of best run defenses in country. Put up 1.7 against Florida.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:21 PM
You may well be right, though bettors have been expecting MSU to put up a fight and getting burned all season. 1-6 ATS. I think the cover was CMU if I’m not mistaken.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:23 PM
California is fucking atrocious.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:25 PM
That’s what I get for filtering on the wrong column.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:26 PM
That’s what I get for filtering on the wrong column.
/ This is what I meant
// I seriously need a drink at this point
October 19th, 2012 at 4:27 PM
Absolutely true, and its state university flagship campus is not doing much better in football, either.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:36 PM
MSU serves Michigan some Sparty Justice tomorrow. book it.
October 19th, 2012 at 4:39 PM
oh i hope.