All Things in Moderation

I’m not sure that any of us cared much about the early games this week; on Thursday Western KY beat Troy 31 – 26,  Tulsa beat UTEP 33 – 11 (UTEP had a field goal and then a touchdown with a two-point conversion), and Arizona State clobbered Utah’s fellow inductee into the Pac12, Colorado, 51 – 17.  Last night  Navy beat Central Michigan 31 – 13 in Mt Pleasant (sorry, Aunt Nancy!).

On the menu for today:

Iowa is playing at MSU (line: MSU, spread 11.5).  Once more into the breach (to mix battles)–go, Spartans! [Update: MSU loses 19 – 16 in OT]

Northwestern, the surprise of the Big Ten this year, is at Minnesota (line: Northwestern, spread 3.5).  Should be an excellent game, and for bsimon’s sake, go Gophers! [Update: Northwestern wins 21 – 13]

Syracuse is at Rutgers (line: Rutgers, spread 7.5)  in Big East play.  Go, Orange!  (Why just “Orange”, Scott?) [Update:  Syracuse loses 23 – 15]

And, ahem, the intra-ATiM death match of the week: Texas is venturing into the lions’ den in the Cotton Bowl which is actually closer to Norman, Oklahoma at noon EDT (ABC)(line: Oklahoma, spread 3.0).  I’m backing away slowly from this one and letting Mark and okie have at it with the trash talk. . .

In a huge surprise, okie goes with the spread and picks the Sooners 31-28. But she’s going to be terribly annoyed if it turns out the Sooners lose by a Penn State field goal. Sooners have the edge at QB, but the game really depends on which defense is worse. Ay-yi-yi for both defenses. Damien Williams could make a huge difference for the Sooner running game if he isn’t overwhelmed by his first experience in the atmosphere of this game. This is a really great rivalry game! In person, the huge crowd demarked at the 50 yard line with a sea of red in one direction and a sea of orange in the other is amazing. Saving the trash talk for the comments. BOOMER SOONER! okie

For the ‘Horns, watch out for Johnathan Gray, last year’s HS running back of the year, as a potential difference maker. QB David Ash has come so far, so fast, as a sophomore, that I won’t concede Landry Jones is still his better. Okie is right about the suspect defenses, yet both squads are sprinkled with huge raw talent. I think it will be close and middling high scoring, as does Okie. 35-28 UT? Could be. HOOK ‘EM! MiA

[Update: OU crushes smushes UT 63 – 21]

Wisconsin is at Purdue (line: Purdue, spread 1.0).  Boil ’em, Badgers! [Update: UW wins 38 – 14]

Utah is playing UCLA (line: UCLA, spread 6.0).  It would be nice if the Utes could win again. . . [Update: UCLA beats Utah 21  – 14]

Stanford is in South Bend to see if Notre Dame can make it 6 – 0 (line: Notre Dame, spread 7.0) [Update: Notre Dame wins 20 – 13]

Illinois is in The Big House (line: UM, spread 21).  Go Blue! [Update:  UM smushes Illinois 45 – 0]

Boston College is playing FSU (line: FSU, spread 27).  Er, Go Eagles! [Update:  FSU wins 51 – 7]

tOSU (Okie and Mark call Okie Lite OSU and “the Ohio State” tOSU) I don’t care–as the “official” Saturday Football poster at ATiM that school in Columbus, OH, gets no love and no upper case from me:  osu is at Indiana (line: tOSU osu, spread 17.5).  C’mon, IU, you gave my alma mater a scare last week.  Really go for it this week!!  Damn Big 12 folks are too polite to “that school”. . . 🙂  [Update:  IU can’t catch up and osu pulls off another win 52 – 49]

Off this week:  Penn State, USF, Arizona, Georgia Tech, and Nebraska.

Happy Saturday to one and all–may the right teams win!

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