FMQ Week # 11

Let’s think about this for a minute…..

Michigan Football:                9-0

Sparty:                                    2-7

Domers:                                 3-6

White House:            NOT HILLARY….

Could this be?  Can I call this the

 

Autumn of the MMQ!!!

 

I was a little off with the Tuesday afternoon-evening prediction of osu being in the Top 4.  The Committee is “fickle”, to say the least, and if you’re going to have a 1 loss Texas A&M in the FF, based on strength of schedule and losing to a top 10 team, the logic was absolutely there to put the suckeyes in the top 4, knowing that they still have to play Michigan, and there can be only 1.  And knowing that if Washington wins out, they’re in anyway….

The committee didn’t follow its own formula, making what they’re thinking impossible to predict any more…kind of like Tuesday’s election?

 

Or is Donald Trump really Kaiser Soze?

Anyway, here we go, getting down to the nitty–gritty, as they say.  4 un-defeateds that look to stay that way until the climatic “rivalry” games that they must all play. 

WAR

The Iron Bowl

The Apple Cup

Battle for South Carolina

All of those games IMHO could go either way (yes, even South Carolina could beat Clemson).  That’s the nature of rivalry games and those are 8 teams that are all decent to really good this season. 

Most everyone has two more games before said rivalries, and are heavy favorites in all those games.  So, assuming what we believed to be true when the CFP first came out, that last game for a lot of teams will be telling.

This just in:  Warde Manuel turning down requests from msu, purdue, domers, iowa and others for Harbaugh DNA in order to create head coaching clones.

I might have made that last one up…then again!

ESPN Power Rankings have Michigan vs. Alabama at 50%-50%

I’m not sure I’m completely buying that – yet.  Let’s play the games on the schedule and see where everything falls out.  Saturday at Kinnick will tell us a more.  Maybe.  Maybe not….I dunno.  Is Bama beatable?  Yes.

Isn’t this fun????

Sparty in for the Fight of Their Lives

Even though Vegas has them as an 14 point favorite, I think we all know that Sparty is in a fight for their “Real” dignity on Saturday. $5 tickets on StubHub tell us all we really need to know. In 1982 (a wonderful year!) Sparty went 2-8.  So, there’s a chance to tie or better that season record this season.  8 straight losses in a row would set the program back and target 1917 in terms of incompetence.  Sparty was 0-9 that season.  And, frankly, while I find the individual that coaches sparty distasteful and an ultra-dickish, I don’t think Antonotti is that bad of a coach.

Or is he?  Is there a pride and arrogance at work here when he figured he could “Sleepwalk” through an 8 or 9 win season?  Maybe losing to Michigan, the suckeyes and one other B1G while re-building?  See what happens when you’re that good and you get just a little bit down?  Everyone comes gunning for you.  Everyone wants to clobber you.  Better coaches see that, know that and coach against that sort of thing and prevent it from happening…  Is Antonnini that coach?  Was Narduzzi that important to the defense?  Is Bollman out of weapons offensively?

Antoninus has earned one SOS  - “Season of Suck” get-out-of-jail-free card.  Actually, he’s probably earned 2 seasons worth at msu.  I mean, who are they gonna’ get?  However, unrest will come in two seasons if things don’t improve dramatically and the sparty fan base will become impatient and start believing that if they just had someone better…someone like that guy in Ann Arbor, everything would be back to where it was in the ‘13-‘14-‘15 seasons.  And, sadly, for sparty, it’ll never happen again.  Too many good coaches in the B1G East to compete against.  Anyone that sparty targets with talent will be poachable by Michigan, osu and PSU.  Not to mention Durkins at Maryland and even Wilson in Indiana will be looking to poach.  But hey, it’s going to be fun to watch!

Rutgers will not be laying down Saturday as they are already “rebuilding” and every game it plays is important.  Nope, I have a feeling the Sparty is in for a fight and it simply doesn’t possess the tools it needs to be successful.  Not only that, but the injury bug continues to bite and sparty does not have all its personnel available.

I’ll be taking Rutgers and the points Saturday.

8 losses is reality with 3 games left.  As is 2-9 and even 2-10. 

As Lou Manheim said to Bud Fox in “Wallstreet”, “Man looks in the abyss, there's nothing staring back at him. At that moment, man finds his character. And that is what keeps him out of the abyss.” 

Welcome to the abyss, sparty….Go find your character – If you can. 

The FMQ

Man, oh man….Lucy didn’t help me at all and I’m starting to think I need to do an “opposite” week.  Meaning:  Whatever read I have on a game, or rather, I THINK I have on a game, I should ignore it and do the opposite. 

Based on last week’s results:

 

Yep.  Opposite Week.  No guest this week, just Opposite.

MSU @ Bama (-28.5)

MSU just beat a very good (CFP Top 4!) Texas A&M team.  Granted, Texas A&M played bad and came storming back and MSU played the game of their season to beat em.  Part of me says take MSU and the points, house money, etc.  But an even bigger part is screaming “HOME GAME STYLE POINTS FOR BAMA!!!”  Therefore, do the opposite:

Take MSU and the 28.5 for $20

PSU @ Indiana (+6.5)

I like Indiana getting 6.5 at home.  This team had the suckeyes on the ropes in Columbus.  They can play with anybody and they’re due for a big game and the Nittany Kitties are playing a little over their head, right?  Opposite….

Take PSU and lay the 6.5 for $40

Rutgers @ Sparty (-14.5)

Sparty simply has to  - HAS TO – show up for a B1G game this season, don’t they?  I mean, they won’t lose each and every B1G game they play this season, right?  Granted, it’ll be a thin Home crowd and some Scarlet Knights might make the trip over.  Sparty can cover, right?  Opposite:

Take Rutgers and the 14.5 for $20

Suckeyes @ Maryland (+28.5)

Michigan really put a beatdown on Durk’s Terps.  They’re home this week and will want to atone for that disaster, but it may all be moot.  Suckeyes clicking again after shellacking the cornsuckers and should cover easily.  Opposite:

Take Durk’s Terps and the 28.5 for $20

Pitt @ Clemson (-21)

Narduzzi’s Panthers getting 21 on the road to the #2 team in the country that’s suddenly playing like the #2 team (finally).  At home and Dabo will want to add style points as much as possible.  Clemson covers easily against a fading Pitt defense that started out well, but cannot finish games.  Opposite:

Take Pitt and the 21 for $20

Colorado @ Arizona (+14.5)

Colorado looking for style points but Arizona is fighting for Rich Rod’s dignity and playing with house money.  I know Arizona can score and probably keep this close at home.  Opposite:

Take Colorado and lay the 14.5 for $40

USC @ Washington (-8.5)

Washington will be flexing its number 4 CFP position this weekend and look to hang on to it with style points of their own.  USC has quietly been winning game since its atrocious start, but is it enough to overcome the best team in the Pac 12?  Gut says take the huskies and lay the points at home….Opposite

Take USC and the 8.5 for $20

Michigan @ Iowa (-21.5)

This game opened at 18 on Sunday.  I jumped on it and figured Michigan could cover that, easy.  Granted, night game at Kinnick.  It’ll be loud.  And cold.  And it’s Kinnick.  But, I’m not going opposite on this one!  I’ve been kinda’ pickin’ the Ole Wolverines right this year!

Take Michigan and lay the 18 for $60

Parlay!

Michigan – PSU – Colorado  $40