College Football Week 11 Picks

I’m writing this from a hotel room 32 miles north of the University of Notre Dame. In less than 12 hours I will be walking around the campus taking in all the sights and sounds that make the Notre Dame Football Experience like nothing else in America. The #3 Fighting Irish will be taking on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Senior Day. This is the second to last game of the season and final home game.

Predicted score: Notre Dame-28. Wake Forest-7

National Predictions

Last Week: 5-5

Season: 73-38

Games are in order of scheduled kickoff times. Predicted winners in bold:

Indiana Hoosiers (4-6) at Penn State Nittany Lions (6-4)

#22 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-1) at Cincinnati Bearcats (7-2)

Northwestern Wildcats (7-3) at Michigan State Spartans (5-5)

#18 USC Trojans (7-3) at #17 UCLA Bruins (8-2)

Wake Forest Demon Deacons (5-5) at #3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-0)

#23 Texas Tech Red Raiders (7-2) at #24 Oklahoma State Cowboys (6-3)

Ohio State Buckeyes (10-0) at Wisconsin Badgers (7-3)

#12 Oklahoma Sooners (7-2) at West Virginia Mountaineers (5-4)

#1 Kansas State Wildcats (10-0) at Baylor Bears (4-5)

#13 Stanford Cardinal (8-2) at #2 Oregon Ducks (10-0)

ND-Boston College Preview

            Last week, prior to the overtime battle with Pittsburgh, I finally used the word “undefeated” for the Fighting Irish. Maybe I should go back to avoiding that word since the Irish could have easily suffered their first defeat of the season to the hands of the Pitt Panthers. However, with little bit of luck and fight, Notre Dame prevailed to win and move to 9-0 on the season. This week, the team travels to Massachusetts to battle Catholic-school rival, Boston College. The B.C. Eagles are lousy this year and have only won two games.

Interesting facts time! I work an odd schedule for my job and that has resulted in me watching just five Notre Dame games live on television. The four others I have had to keep up with at work and watch later on DVR. During those games I have watched live at my house, the Irish have won by an average of 19.5 points. During games I have worked, the Irish have won by just 4 points. (These numbers exclude the Navy game).

Three factors that prove this game will be a blowout. Notre Dame is on the road. Notre Dame is a much better team. I will be able to watch the game live.

Predicted score: Notre Dame-45. Boston College-6

National Picks

Last week’s record: 8-2 (finally had a great week)

Yearly record: 68-33

This week’s picks. Games in order of scheduled kick off times. Predicted winners in bold.

Wisconsin Badgers (6-3) at Indiana Hoosiers (4-5)

#24 Northwestern Wildcats (7-2) at Michigan Wolverines (6-3)

Missouri Tigers (4-5) at Tennessee Volunteers (4-5)

#11 Oregon State Beavers (7-1) at #14 Stanford Cardinal (7-2)

#15 Texas A&M Aggies (7-2) at #1 Alabama Crimson Tide (9-0)

West Virginia Mountaineers (5-3) at Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-3)

Penn State Nittany Lions (6-3) at #16 Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-2)

#2 Kansas State Wildcats (9-0) at TCU Horned Frogs (6-3)

#21 Mississippi State (7-2) at #7 LSU Tigers (7-2)

#4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Boston College Eagles

Brief Notre Dame-Pittsburgh Preview

A week removed from playing the most watched game of the season so far, you may not even know that the #3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish have a game tomorrow afternoon. In fact, I almost forgot. Many are viewing the rest of the Irish schedule as winnable and the spotlight has finally moved onto other teams. The matchup this weekend against Pittsburgh is the first game this season that has not drawn a ton of media attention. The Pitt Panthers are 4-4 and the game should be a cake walk for Notre Dame. There are some that believe the Irish could have a “let down” after such a big win against the Sooners but this team is too strong mentally to let that happen.

I’d also like to say that I have not even begun to think about the possibility of Notre Dame finishing 12-0. However, after the win against Oklahoma, it is a seriously likely.

Skipping the Keys to Victory because I’m lazy!

Predicted score: Notre Dame-34. Pittsburgh-10

Picks

Week 9 record: 4-6

Season Record: 59-31

Week 10 picks. Games in order of kickoff time. Predicted winners in bold:

#16 Texas A&M Aggies (6-2) at #15 Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-1)

Michigan Wolverines (5-3) at Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-3)

#23 Texas Longhorns (6-2) at #18 Texas Tech Red Raiders (6-2)

#20 Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-2) at Michigan State Spartans (5-4)

Iowa Hawkeyes (4-4) at Indiana Hoosiers (3-5)

Pittsburgh Panthers (4-4) at #3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-0)

#4 Oregon Ducks (8-0) at #17 USC Trojans (6-2)

#1 Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0) at #5 LSU Tigers (6-2)

#24 Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-2) at #2 Kansas State Wildcats (8-0)

#22 Arizona Wildcats (5-3) at UCLA Bruins (6-2)

Side note: Can you guess which Big 10 controls its destiny of playing for the Big 10 Championship? Is it Iowa? Is it Michigan State? Is it Wisconsin? Nope, it’s the Indiana Hoosiers! If the Hoosiers win their next five conference games they will likely play in the championship game December 1^st in Indianapolis.