RADIO
There are some big prizes on the line in the revamped ESPN College Pick Em game this season. $13,200 across their three entry modes. So we here at Rotoballer will try and help you win some money, because that's what we do. I have created a group for you Rotoballer readers out there. Once based on the confidence game mode, where you pick the winner of each of the ten games they pick and then assign a point value from 1-10 based on how confident you are on each pick. You can play along with me and other Rotoballer readers here. The other group has ten games that you have to pick the winner of against the spread. You can play along with that group here. They are free to enter, so come on and match wits with the rest of the readers of Rotoballer!
I hold a narrow lead after week 1. 2pretty4orange got eight of ten right, but had a few too many points on LSU, so I hold the one point lead. lbockenek, miamidolphins567, Kev Shep, and BKNoleGirl are all tied for third with 41 points, just two points off the lead. keepingthelittlehumansalive holds seventh with 38 points. CTX Surge checks in with 35 points. Rounding out the top ten are The Whitetale Deer and Kdstacks85 with 32 points.
This article will follow be for the confidence game mode. You can also read my against the spread picks here every week for every game so you know how I'm leaning for that version of the game. Each week, I will recap who's dominating the group before I get into the picks. If you're going to beat everyone, all of the readers will know about it!
Let's get to the countdown! I will count them up from least confident (1) to most (10). You know, for dramatic effect. If I do change my pick or points at sometime during the week, I will try to update the article or post it on Twitter. Otherwise, you know all of my picks each week. Good luck out there, and I hope one or more of us take home some of that free money from ESPN!
(1) Tennessee over Pittsburgh:
Both teams one big in the opener, but neither one looked particularly good doing it. Tennessee has some electricity in that offense though and Pitt still has Kenny Pickett. I don't know how, but he's still there. He has to be about as old as Rodney Dangerfield in Back To School by now. The Pitt offense is slow and methodical. Tennessee has something that they have lacked since the Philip Fulmer era ended: explosiveness. I'll take the Vols.
(2) Iowa over Iowa State:
I've watched more than 50 games so far and Iowa's defensive performance against Indiana was right up there with the defenses in the Clemson-Georgia game. They forced a bunch of mistakes by Michael Penix. They wont be able to force Brock Purdy into those mistakes, but considering that the Cyclones struggled with Northern Iowa, it looks like the CyHawk is staying in Iowa City.
(3) Texas over Arkansas:
If this weren't an old SWC rivalry, I might put more on it. Arkansas didn't look all that good in the opener. Texas sure did. I don't know that Louisiana is as good as they were last year, but Texas made damn sure they didn't look like it. Arkansas doesn't have the one guy that can open up this Texas defense. Louisiana didn't either. The Horns are going to clamp down and use big plays to win this.
(4) North Carolina State over Mississippi State:
Mississippi State had all they could handle with Louisiana Tech. NC State is a little different than La Tech, but the defense is better. The two-headed running attack of Ricky Person Jr. and Zonovan Knight is going to be a big problem for the Leaches. I expect a high-scoring game, which would favor Mississippi State if they took care of the ball. If. They likely wont.
(5) Texas A&M over Colorado:
Heading up to Folsom Field isn't going to be easy on the Aggies, but they have a strong defense and control the clock well enough to grind with the best of them. I like Colorado, but this is a tall order. I think the Aggies head back to College Station with a win.
(6) Utah over BYU:
Ah, the Holy War. The only thing that could make this game better is if they played it on a neutral field in Sin City. The irony is captivating. That would be the only thing captivating about the game this year. BYU is lucky they didn't lose to an Arizona team that, while improving, is still far below where BYU believes themselves to be. Utah doesn't have it in them to blow out the Cougars, but they can win by 14 and it will feel like 40. That's how good the defense is.
(7) Ohio State over Oregon:
Ohio State looked strong against a good Minnesota team. Oregon is really lucky to have escaped Fresno and if Kayvon Thibodeaux is out for any period of time the Ducks are something that rhymes with ducked. Even if Thibodeaux were 100%, which seems unlikely, this would be a tall order for Duck U.
(8) Michigan over Washington:
You don't need any analysis here. Washington lost outright to Montana. MONTANA! I know it's only one game, but Michigan looks better than they have at any time under Harbaugh. I still believe Western Michigan to be a solid team and they sure didn't look like it in the Big House last weekend.
(9) USC over Stanford
The Cardinal had problems with a slow and methodical Kansas State team without their best deep threat. USC is all deep threats and has a NFL-caliber quarterback. It's going to get worse before it gets better for David Shaw and the Cardinal. Why don't I have this as my 10 pointer? Because I'm old enough to remember a 42-point Stanford dog knocking off USC in 2007. A Stanford win here would be just as unlikely.
(10) Florida over South Florida:
Free points! Get your free points here!
