Season is slipping from some

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Season is slipping from some

Sports

Friday, 30 September 2011 14:54

Just a month inside the doorway of the 2011 football season and already FSU has gone from championship contender to Champ’s Sports Bowl candidate.
UCF, like FSU another preseason darling, has fumbled away a couple of clunkers at FIU and Brigham Young.
The ‘U’ at Miami these days stands for “ugly” after a 1-2 start.
USF was looking like a player at No. 16 in the country and then rolled over at Pitt Thursday.
At least the Gators have an opportunity to join the nation’s elite teams in a nationally-televised showdown at the Swamp against Alabama.
It’s way too early to write off anyone in the NFL. Well, except for the Dolphins, who are staring at 0-4 Sunday at San Diego, and Kansas City, which somehow managed to win a playoff berth last season and backed that up by getting plowed by Buffalo and Detroit.
And speaking of the Bills and the Lions, a combined 6-0? Last year they would have had a hard time winning the Big East championship.
All of this proves, once again, that when it comes to predictions, football experts are right down there with economists in the “We Really Don’t Have A Clue” derby.
Meanwhile, a moment of silence for the Red Sox and Braves baseball seasons, which collapsed Wednesday night to cap an historic run of September incompetence. Also, congratulations to the Cards and Rays fans for their amazing comebacks.
First, of course, you have to find a Rays fan. There certainly aren’t many at the Tropicana Field.
The Mighty News-Gazette Divine Nine:
No. 1: The Pack. No. 2: The Bills. No. 3: The Lions. No. 4: Roll Tide. No. 5: The Sooners. No. 6: The Bayou Bengals. No. 7: Romo’s ribs. No. 8: The Cards of St. Louis. No. 9: The Rays.
To the picks:
Alabama (-4.5) at Florida: It’s tempting to pick an upset here, but not tempting enough. Tide by 6.
Auburn at South Carolina (-10): Auburn hung it on USC big at the SEC championship game last season. Think the Ol’ Ball Coach has mentioned that a time or 200 this week? Gamebirds by at least 8.
Nebraska at Wisconsin (-9.5): This one’s easy: The team in red will win. Badgers by 6.
Clemson at Virginia Tech (-7): Tigers are coming off huge back-to-back wins over Auburn and FSU. Leave it to Beamer to spoil the fun. Hokies by 9.
Arkansas at Texas A&M (-3): Aggies host Hogs at Jerry Jones’ billion-dollar football palace for their unofficial debut in the SEC. Plastic pig hats optional. Aggies by 2.
The paid professionals:
Miami at San Diego (-7.5): The Dolphins might be the best winless team in the league. That should be good enough to get Coach Tony Sparano fired. Chargers by 10.
New Orleans (-7) at Jacksonville: Drew Brees against Blaine Gabbert. Does this seem like a mismatch to you, too? Saints by 13.
Indianapolis at Tampa Bay (-10): The Colts without Peyton Manning are the Dolphins. Bucs by 6.
New England (-4.5) at Oakland: I’m not sure. Do you think the Black Hole will be rocking Sunday? Da Raidas by 3 in Upset Special.
Detroit at Dallas (-1): Two dangers for dinged up Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo: The Lions defensive line, and avoiding leftover plastic pig hats. Lions by 3 in Upset Special II.
Pittsburgh at Houston (-4): Steelers hold the title of worst 2-1 team in the NFL. Texans by 10.
N.Y. Jets at Baltimore (-3.5): Rex Ryan goes back to Baltimore. Could be a preview of the AFC championship game. Ravens by 4.
Brian “Big Man” McBride’s Super Sniffer Upset Special: Jets over Ravens by 3.
Petey “The Gators Are Going To Win” Covino says: Gators by 10.
Young Jackson says: Patriots by 4 Brady TD passes (rather than INTs), Jets by 3 in “Love The Big Green Guy” Upset, and at least Red Sox fans are used to Irish wakes.
Last week: Young Phanatic (10-2, 26-12) took out Obtuse Elder (9-3, 22-16).