It's alright, it's okay -- you can work for us someday.
That's right fans. Your ill-fated show of confidence caught our attention. So did the results of last week's predictions competition. You talked the talk...
"The I'm Going to Beat Filler (and Franz) at Predictions Game"
- PaternosGranddaughter"You only won because I didn't enter last week"
- Bama Hawkeye
...But you didn't walk the walk. In fact, you didn't even come close.
Week 4 Obligatory Results |
|
|
FRANZ |
14 |
| FILLER |
13 |
| BAMA |
9 |
| PATERNOSGRANDDAUGHTER |
9 |
| LAKEERIEMONSTAR |
10 |
Week 4 Franz v. Filler winner FRANZ
In what was easily the most harrowing week in the picks race, Franz cemented his comeback with another solid spread showing, knotting things up 2-2 on the season.
Crystal Ball Call (pick of the week): Georgia by 17 (BAMA HAWKEYE). Bama predicted the No. 3 Bulldogs would take Tempe by a however erratic margin of seventeen. The result? Just that. UGA 27, ASU 10.
We're so inspired that we've decided to make a minor change to the official rules. Starting now, anyone who calls a perfect spread (that is picks the exact margin of vistory) gets a bonus two on the total. So, no more holding back.
What were you thinking?: Notre Dame by 7 (PATERNOSGRANDDAUGHTER). We'll give lady Lion love the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she thought she was predicting the number of points the Irish would score overall. Otherwise, we've got to turn things over to Mr. Javon Ringer, who has 23 reasons why this one was ill advised. MSU 23, ND 7.
Alas, Week 5:
1. MINNESOTA at No. 14 OHIO STATE 12:00 p.m. EST, Big Ten Network
FILLER predicts OSU by 14
The "Are You For Real" Game. Undefeated Golden Gophers football team…Let that sink into your brain. Minnesota’s offense, with accurate and surprisingly mobile QB Adam Weber leading the charge, has banished memories of last year by defeating four low-level teams in 2008. How will the Gophers react against a numbles, but still ranked but humbled OSU team with All World frosh QB Terrelle Pryor finally starting? The Buck’s star studded defense is notoriously tough at home (except v the Illini in 2007), so watch out for Laurinitis and Co to finally buckle down.
FRANZ predicts OSU by 21
Pryor's on, Beanie's back, and the 2008 Buckeyes will open the conference slate by playing like, well, what everyone thought they would.
2. MICHIGAN STATE at INDIANA 12:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
FILLER predicts MICHIGAN STATE by 17
The “Put In Ben Chappell” game. MSU and its hard hitting defense will probably force Indiana QB Kellen Lewis into bad decisions…or Lewis will make the bad decisions himself, without any defensive prompting.
FRANZ predicts MICHIGAN STATE by 10
The last time the Spartans faced a spread, no-huddle offense, they struggled. Still, Indiana's not California.
3. NORTHWESTERN at IOWA 12:00 p.m. EST, ESPN Classic
FILLER predicts NORTHWESTERN by 8
The "Keep in Stanzi" game. QB play, or lack thereof, will define this game. CJ Bacher turned into a INT machine against Ohio, so the question remains: If Iowa moves its linebackers up in the box to stop the suddenly effective NW power running game, can Bacher make them pay? Questions remain for Iowa’s QB situation, as Coach Ferentz has been switching between Stanzi and Christensen indiscriminately.
FRANZ predicts IOWA by 7
4. No. 9 WISCONSIN at MICHIGAN 3:30 p.m. EST, ABC
FILLER predicts WISCONSIN by 12
The "Who’s the Favorite Now" game. Wisconsin won on the road at Fresno and boasts a hard hitting defense that hasn’t given up 20 points in a game yet. The Badgers should be huge favorites against this last place Michigan team, but let us not forget the specifics of the ND game. Michigan fumbled 7 times in the rain to flush all chances of winning away, while the offense showed explosiveness and the ability to throw vertically. Weather permitting, Michigan at home will put up more of a fight.
FRANZ predicts WISCONSIN by 7
5. PURDUE at NOTRE DAME 3:43 p.m. EST, NBC
FILLER predicts PURDUE by 10
The "Golden Everything" game. ND was exposed last week for its inability to run the ball or keep defensive linemen out of the backfield. Purdue’s Curtis Painter has rolled up some efficient statistics, but continues to be unable to finish drives with or generate deep pass plays. Purdue’s secondary is the key to this game. After an failed attempt by ND to run the ball v MSU (First 6 plays: 6 runs, no first downs), ND will go to the air early and test the Boilermaker DB’s.
FRANZ predicts PURDUE by 3
6. No. 8 ALABAMA at No. 3 GEORGIA 7:35 p.m. EST, ESPN
FILLER predicts GEORGIA by 13
The "Are These Jersey’s Slimming on My Figure" game. Georgia will bust out its intimidating black jersey’s to match the color of Nick Saban’s soul. Georgia’s supportive fans are also sure to remember ‘Bama QB John Parker Wilson’s turn in MTV’s "Two a Days" and regale him with chants of you were the starting quarterback at a football factory school where you dated the most popular girl and starred in your own TV show, God I’m jealous of you "you suck." On a football note, Georgia runs a play which is similar to the "Student Body Right" sweeps of yesteryear. QB Matthew Stafford quick pitches to Knowshon Moreno, who follows three gargantuan blockers to the outside. This has been an effective run play and has provided ESPN with a large dose of Moreno highlights.
FRANZ predicts ALABAMA by 6
You heard it here first.
7. No. 22 ILLINOIS at No. 12 PENN STATE 8:00 p.m. EST, ABC
FILLER predicts PENN STATE by 20
The “Big 10 Meets the Spread HD” game. The Nittany Lions have the Big 10’s most explosive offense and its time to give credit where credit is due. JoePa’s coaching staff successfully implemented the Spread HD. Furthermore, the O-line is doing everything asked of it, pass blocking for Daryl Clark and opening up holes for RB Evan Royster. But don’t worry too much Champaign-Urbana, Illinois is a hard working, closely bonded team (you would know that if you watched “The Journey” on the Big 10 Network) and they won’t fold up when they see the “White Out” crowd enjoying its Big 10 opener. Definite Key: Illinois has injury issues at the safety position and safety is a hugely important defensive position against the Penn State D. Why? Clark has been concentrating on the middle of the field hard with well thrown passes.
FRANZ predicts PENN STATE by 10