The Experts Week 3 – The Picks

Once again, don’t read if you don’t want to know what will happen in the most important football games this weekend.

TIE-BREAKER

IOWA STATE AT TOLEDO – SATURDAY 7 PM (ESPNNEWS)
CDB: IOWA STATE 13 TOLEDO 10 (The most important thing for this game is that Tucker will be back. However, I’m not without concerns. Is it time to say that Mangino is overrated? We are a year and 2 games into his tenure and the Iowa State offense isn’t any better than it was under Messingham. I will concede that the play calling has improved, however the disastrous second half wasn’t the first time under Mangino that Iowa State’s offense looked good in the first half and then didn’t even show up in the second half. Look at North Dakota State, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Kansas, West Virginia games from last year. He is flat out being outcoached. Thank God for Wally. Dale Pierson gets 3 more sacks and Toledo looks past Iowa State for its big matchup next week with Arkansas State, allowing the Cyclone defense to pull off the upset.)
JLB: IOWA STATE 24 TOLEDO 21
DRE: IOWA STATE 21 TOLEDO 17
RMK: IOWA STATE 24 TOLEDO 21
CAF: IOWA STATE 24 TOLEDO 21

THURSDAY GAMES

#11 CLEMSON (2-0) AT LOUISVILLE (0-2) – 6:30 PM (ESPN)
CDB: CLEMSON (I believe Klenakis is still at Louisville. That is enough for Clemson to get the win)
JLB: CLEMSON
DRE: CLEMSON
RMK: CLEMSON
CAF: CLEMSON

BRONCOS (1-0) AT CHIEFS (1-0) – 7:25 PM (CBS)
CDB: CHIEFS (If the Chiefs are a Super Bowl caliber team they beat washed-up has-beens at home. They will.)
JLB: CHIEFS
DRE: CHIEFS
RMK: BRONCOS (GOAT)
CAF: CHIEFS

FRIDAY GAMES

#9 FLORIDA STATE (2-0) AT BOSTON COLLEGE (2-0) – 7 PM (ESPN)
CDB: FLORIDA STATE (Florida State wins the game, but in a minor upset, none of their players are arrested this week and then given a mock trial by the Tallahassee “justice system”.)
JLB: FLORIDA STATE
DRE: FLORIDA STATE
RMK: FLORIDA STATE
CAF: FLORIDA STATE

FORT DODGE DODGERS (3-0) AT WATERLOO EAST TROJANS (1-2)
CDB: FORT DODGE (Okay, put me on the Fort Dodge Dirties hype train. Dirties by 49!)
JLB: FORT DOGE (RMK)
DRE: FORT DODGE
RMK: FORT DODGE (Streets.)
CAF: FORT DODGE

PERRY BLUE JAYS (0-3) AT BOONE TOREADORS (0-3)
CDB: BOONE (I would think there would be a point where Boone would have to win a game. They will be hampered by the retirement of one of their best players. But this is Perry. The Toreadors will be buoyed by a historic halftime show (I’m not making this up.) and actually play a little defense to get what might be the Toreadors only win of the season.)
JLB: BOONE (Bennett)
DRE: PERRY
RMK: PERRY (Perry by 30.)
CAF: BOONE

SOUTH HARDIN TIGERS (1-2) AT ROLAND-STORY NORSEMEN (0-2)
CDB: ROLAND-STORY (I root against Valley, Dowling, Gilbert, and Roland Story sports. But you know I can’t pick a team with the lame Tigers nickname. Go Norsemen!)
JLB: ROLAND-STORY
DRE: SOUTH HARDIN
RMK: ROLAND-STORY
CAF: ROLAND-STORY

LOGAN MAGNOLIA PANTHERS (2-1) AT AUDUBON WHEELERS (3-0)
CDB: AUDUBON (This is a tough one for me. Traditionally Logan-Magnolia just stomps Audubon into the ground, and keeps on going like they didn’t even notice it happened. However, after their win last week, I’m an Albert the Bull believer. Wheel Guys by 15!)
JLB: AUDUBON (FIGHTING BULLS)
DRE: AUDUBON
RMK: AUDUBON (ROCKETS)
CAF: AUDUBON

SATURDAY GAMES

ILLINOIS (2-0) AT NORTH CAROLINA (1-1) – 11 AM (ESPN2)
CDB: NORTH CAROLINA (Illinois is a nice story. Nice stories come to an end. Tar Heels.)
JLB: NORTH CAROLINA
DRE: ILLINOIS
RMK: NORTH CAROLINA
CAF: NORTH CAROLINA

TULSA (2-0) AT #16 OKLAHOMA (2-0) – 11 AM (FS1)
CDB: OKLAHOMA (Oklahoma was far from impressive last week, but they may have found something in the second half last week in Knoxville. Not good for the Golden Hurricane.)
JLB: OKLAHOMA
DRE: OKLAHOMA
RMK: OKLAHOMA
CAF: OKLAHOMA

LOUISIANA TECH (1-1) AT KANSAS STATE (2-0) – 2 PM (FSN)
CDB: KANSAS STATE (Kansas State. Always setting the bar so high with their nonconference schedule. The Fightin’ Bill Snyders roll.)
JLB: KANSAS STATE
DRE: KANSAS STATE
RMK: KANSAS STATE
CAF: KANSAS STATE

TEXAS SAN ANTONIO (0-2) AT #25 OKLAHOMA STATE (2-0) – 2:30 PM (FS1)
CDB: OKLAHOMA STATE (I kind of want to pick the Roadrunners, but if they beat Oklahoma State Boone Pickens would buy their school and shut it down. Cowboys by 21.)
JLB: OKLAHOMA STATE
DRE: OKLAHOMA STATE
RMK: OKLAHOMA STATE
CAF: OKLAHOMA STATE

#14 GEORGIA TECH (2-0) AT #8 NOTRE DAME (2-0) 2:30 PM (NBC)
CDB: NOTRE DAME (Notre Dame lost their starting QB. Last week I thought the same scenario would doom BYU. I was wrong about the Mormons. I won’t make the same mistake with the pretend Catholics.)
JLB: GEORGIA TECH
DRE: GEORGIA TECH
RMK: GEORGIA TECH
CAF: NOTRE DAME

#18 AUBURN (2-0) AT #13 LSU (1-0) – 2:30 PM (CBS)
CDB: AUBURN (Auburn barely got by an FCS team last week. LSU has the best running back in the country. Bayou Bengals it be.)
JLB: LSU
DRE: LSU
RMK: LSU (Grass eaters.)
CAF: LSU

TEXAS TECH (2-0) AT ARKANSAS (1-1) – 6 PM (ESPN2)
CDB: ARKANSAS (GQ versus the former Hawkeye. This will be a fascinating game to watch because of the clash of styles. An excellent example of why the college game is so much more interesting than the NFL, USFL, WFL, or the AFL. I’m assuming the Razorbacks learned a lesson in humility last week and will control the ball and grind out a win against Pretty Boy Floyd.)
JLB: ARKANSAS
DRE: ARKANSAS
RMK: ARKANSAS
CAF: TEXAS TECH

FLORIDA (2-0) AT KENTUCKY (2-0) – 6:30 PM (SECN)
CDB: FLORIDA (I’m wondering if Kentucky is for real. I think they are, but I’m still taking Florida.)
JLB: KENTUCKY
DRE: KENTUCKY
CAF: KENTUCKY
RMK: FLORIDA

CALIFORNIA (2-0) AT TEXAS (1-1) – 6:30 PM (FOX)
CDB: CALIFORNIA (Poor Texas. Their football team might be lousy, but at least they always have the Longhorn Network. Golden Bears take out Texas early enough that they still have time to catch AUSTIN CITY LIMITS.)
JLB: TEXAS
DRE: TEXAS
RMK: TEXAS
CAF: CALIFORNIA

PITTSBURGH (2-0) AT IOWA (2-0) – 7 PM (BTN)
CDB: IOWA (Pittsburgh always finds a way to lose this game. This year is no different. C.J. Heisman gets another W.)
JLB: IOWA
DRE: IOWA
RMK: PITTSBURGH
CAF: IOWA

STANFORD (1-1) AT #6 USC – 7 PM (ABC)
CDB: STANFORD (I can’t in good faith endorse a Stanford team that got whooped by Northwestern. But I’m going out on the limb. Stanford with the upset!)
JLB: USC
DRE: USC
RMK: USC
CAF: USC

SMU (1-1) AT #3 TCU – 7 PM (FSN)
CDB: TCU (Maybe we should let SMU into the Big 12. Iowa State might be able to beat them. For a year or two. Pony Express gets taken out into the woods and gets shot. Chad Morris tells his kids that they just went to the farm to live.)
JLB: TCU
DRE: TCU
RMK: TCU
CAF: TCU

#15 OLE MISS (2-0) AT #2 ALABAMA (2-0) – 8:15 PM (ESPN)
CDB: ALABAMA (Vengeance, thy name is the Crimson Tide. That being said, can we discuss how stupid a nickname the Crimson Tide is? The only thing that is dumber is having an elephant as a mascot. But at least Alabama isn’t 150 years late to giving up the confederate battle flag. I guess Alabama is slightly less white trash than Mississippi? Anyway, Roll Tide!)
JLB: ALABAMA (Alabama remembers.)
DRE: OLE MISS
RMK: ALABAMA
CAF: ALABAMA

#19 BYU (2-0) AT #10 UCLA (2-0) – 9:30 PM (FS1)
CDB: UCLA (The question here is this: Is BYU’s backup quarterback legit? For that matter is UCLA’s true freshman quarterback legit? I’m betting on the true freshman.)
JLB: UCLA (The BYU magic runs out)
DRE: BYU
RMK: UCLA (More articles about Rosen.)
CAF: UCLA

UNI (1-1) AT CAL POLY (1-1) – 9:30 PM (NO TV)
CDB: CAL POLY (Purple Hawks surprised me with their spunk last week. It is always tough going to the left coast (that was for my Trump supporters out there) and play a game that is past the curfew of 95% of Cedar Falls. I’m giving this game to the time lag and Cal Poly.)
JLB: UNI
DRE: UNI
RMK: UNI
CAF: UNI

SUNDAY GAMES

CARDINALS (1-0) AT BEARS (0-1) – 12 PM
CDB: CARDINALS (Jay Cutler still the Bears QB? Yes. Cardinals.)
JLB: CARDINALS
DRE: BEARS
RMK: CARDINDALS
CAF: CARDINALS

LIONS (0-1) AT VIKINGS (0-0) – 12 PM
CDB: LIONS (The Vikings were so bad last week that I am disowning everybody I know in the state of Minnesota. Calvin Johnson!
JLB: VIKINGS
DRE: VIKINGS
RMK: LIONS
CAF: VIKINGS

CHARGERS (1-0) AT BENGALS (1-0) – 12 PM
CDB: BENGALS (Long road trip dooms the Chargers.)
JLB: BENGALS
DRE: BENGALS
RMK: BENGALS
CAF: CHARGERS

PATRIOTS (1-0) AT BILLS (1-0)
CDB: BILLS (Nobody! Nobody goes into Rex’s house and pushes him around. Bills Mafia!)
JLB: PATRIOTS
DRE: PATRIOTS
RMK: PATRIOTS
CAF: PATRIOTS

COWBOYS (1-0) AT EAGLES (0-0) – 3:25 PM
CDB: EAGLES (No Dez Bryant. No prayer for the Cowboys.)
JLB: EAGLES
DRE: EAGLES
RMK: EAGLES
CAF: EAGLES

SEAHAWKS (0-1) AT PACKERS (1-0) – 7:30 PM (NBC)
CDB: PACKERS (RMK isn’t the only Russell to lose this week.)
JLB: PACKERS
DRE: PACKERS
RMK: SEATTLE
CAF: PACKERS

MONDAY GAME

JETS (1-0) AT COLTS (0-1) – 7:30 PM (ESPN)
CDB: COLTS (Have we talked about how overrated human turnover factory Andrew Luck is yet? He is overrated. But he wins this week.)
JLB: COLTS
DRE: COLTS
RMK: COLTS
CAF: JETS