SnoTap College Football Picks Week 4: Bo Pelini Shakes off the Haters

Some of you might be wondering why I am doing this on Thursday. As you already saw, we had a Badger preview and now our college football picks. The reason is I will be away from my computer for most of the day on Friday meaning I cannot log the same sort of production as I usually do on Fall Fridays. It will be back to normal next Friday. 

Nebraska football is not off to the best start. The Cornhuskers are 2-1, but much of their fanbse is not optimistic about the future of the current team. They gave up 34 points to Wyoming in a win to begin the year and then last week they let UCLA score 38 unanswered points.  This led people to fire up the pitchforks about the status of head coach Bo Pelini whose fell out of flavor with Nebraska fans. Pelini did not help his case on Monday telling the media that Nebraska football did not need Tommie Frazier. That is the last guy to call out as he is an iconic Cornhusker; I doubt Frazier pays for a drink in town.

Things went from bad to worse as Deadspin released audio of Pelini cussing out the fans and his 2011 team. This is unfortunate for all parties involved. It makes Nebraska look bad because someone is holding three-year old audio and only released because the Cornhuskers are struggling a bit. Pelini falls more out of flavor with the fans, but in reality, they should all just take a chill pill . All coaches swear their asses off and Pelini was frustrated at fans leaving early which he should be frustrated about if he is a good coach. Wonder what happens if Nebraska gets to the Rose Bowl...   

Grab Beers & Bros
23. Arizona State at 5. Stanford 6:00 pm FOX - The best matchup of the weak schedule. Stanford played against two quality opponents against San Jose State and Army. Arizona State escaped with a victory against Wisconsin last week. Ball control will be a huge part of this game as it is a complete contrast of styles with the Sun Devil's up-tempo and the Cardinal's pro style. For as vaunted as Arizona State's front seven was talked about, they did not look great against a premier rushing attack. I like Stanford in a good one. STAN 24-20

Tennessee at 19. Florida 2:30 pm CBS - When this is one of our featured games, you know it is a bad week. No disrespect to the two teams, but the Vols got blown out in Eugene with no idea who their quarterback is going to be heading into The Swamp. Florida is still trying to find themselves on offense. This game is closer than expected, but not because it is a rivalry, it will be due to the lack of offense overall. SEC schools have been putting up the points, but not these two, Florida pulls away late. UF 24-13

Michigan State at 22. Notre Dame 2:30 pm NBC - Another matchup that does not do much for me. The Spartans can play defense for damn sure. Michigan State gets after it, and they definitely try to score as much as possible when Sparty forces a turnover.  The reason is not the usual 'scoop and score', it is because their offense is a goddamn disaster. Notre Dame did not play well against Purdue for three quarters, but it appears DaVaris Daniels looks like a stud at wide receiver for the Irish. It will be low scoring, it will be boring but in the end, the Irish keep their streak against the Spartans. ND 16-7

Channel Flip Worthy
Auburn at 6. LSU 6:45 pm ESPN - Anyone realize Auburn is 3-0 this year? They already have matched their win total for the 2012 season.  Their rushing attack of Corey Grant and Tre Mason have been carrying the team thus far. LSU is a real interesting team because they actually have an offense to go with their great defense. Zach Mettenberger looks like an NFL quarterback and Odell Beckman Jr. is making all sorts of play this year already.  This rivalry sparks some fun games and weird things happen yet the Tigers will pull it out with a big fourth quarter. LSU 35-23

SMU at 10. Texas A&M 6:00 pm ESPNU - The Aggies might be without their five-star wide receiver Ricky Seals-Jones as they might give him a medical redshirt, but it should not deter them from taking care of the Mustangs. This game has an O/U of 82, the highest of the year so far according to people who know these things. This will feature a lot of scoring and Johnny Manziel will put up a massive stat line for the third consecutive games. TAMU 52-28

Purdue at 24. Wisconsin 2:30 pm ABC - We have a full preview about the game. I will link when I am not doing the other gig. Feel free to check it out.

Upset Special
Utah State at USC 2:30 pm ABC - OH YEAH.  Here will be the ultimate freakout of the college football season. Chuckie Keaton knows how to play in big stadiums. He took Wisconsin to the final second at Camp Randall. Did the same at Jordan-Hare Stadium. I realize USC has a good defense, but Keaton can get things done against the Trojans.  This is an upset pick where it is more of a fantasy versus than reality, but as J.P. in Angels in the Outfield once said, 'It could happen.' USU 24-23

A palate cleanser for your Netlix binge watch 
3. Clemson at NC State 6:30 pm ESPN (Thursday) - See what I said in the Tap's Thursday night picks.

Louisiana-Monroe at 20. Baylor 3:00 pm FOX Sports 1 - I am only writing this to show off the picture Baylor football's social media team posted in honor of Duck Dynasty as it takes place in West Monroe, Louisiana. Baylor will not get to 70 this time though.  BAY 52-17

Colorado State at 1. Alabama 6:00 pm ESPN2 - This is one of those weird games that should be in the final category, but the Rams might give them a game for at least a half.  Alabama will likely be sleeping through the first quarter and then hit them hard late. BAMA 31-10

15. Michigan at UConn 7:00 pm ABC - This should be a highly anticipated game for the Huskies as one of the biggest schools is coming to town and it is on primetime. But the team lost to Towson in Week 1 and followed it up by a defeat by Maryland... Welp.  Michigan should shake off the near scare by Akron. MICH 42-14

Sleep off your hangover
Florida A&M at 4. Ohio State 11:00 am Big Ten Network - OSU 59-10
FIU at 7. Louisville 11:00 am ESPN3 - UL 49-14
Bethune-Cookman at 8. Florida State 5:00 pm ESPN3 - FSU 55-3
North Texas at 9. Georgia 11:21 am ESPN3 - UGA 45-10
New Mexico State at 13. UCLA 9:30 pm Pac-12 Network - UCLA 62-0
Savannah State at 16. Miami 6:00 pm ESPN3 - MIA 41-6
Idaho State at 17. Washington 2:00 pm Pac-12 Network - WASH 45-17
Maine at 18. Northwestern 2:30 pm Big Ten Network - NW 49-21
Texas State at 25. Texas Tech 6:00 pm No TV - TTU 38-13

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SnoTap's College Football Try Week 2

I feel like Eminem's blank stare reflects the second week of college football. There is still so much sorting out to do. Some teams have really played no one to start the year off while others are playing tough opponents for the first two weeks leading to wild overreactions about them.  Things that are said today could be entirely different in November. That's the beauty of non-conference college football.  The exciting unknown of what is to come with a great year.

The Michigan difference - Honestly, I probably did not give this rivalry the credit it deserved on Friday morning. When the game was starting, I started to get genuinely excited about the game itself. I would say that makes a rivalry great when a person like me without a horse in the race starts actually caring about the game.  Michigan played great on Saturday night and basically showed why they should be taken seriously when it comes to be a National Championship contender (Yes their November schedule appears difficult as of September 9th).  Michigan looked strong on both sides of the football. They had an inexperience interior offensive line hold their own against the likes of Louis Nix and Stephon Tuitt. Michigan already has great offensive tackles and if their guards and centers play like they did on Saturday, number 98 is not getting very dirty.  If Devon Gardner does not have a boneheaded interception, Notre Dame gets blown out.

USC hits rock bottom - Oh man. Two friends and I went out right when Washington State-USC went to halftime. Cody Kessler threw an pick-six interception to Damante Horton right at the end of the first half for the Cougars to tie the game. I did not expect when I looked up at the ESPN Bottom Line at 1 am to see Washington State beat the Trojans. I could not believe it. This is a new low for Lane Kiffin and the Trojans. They are in complete flux. Losing to Washington State in Pullman is one thing. Maybe it is brutal weather conditions which has cost USC a game in the Pacific Northwest before, but losing at home to an inferior opponent is an embarrassment.  In case anyone was wondering, I picked them to win the Pac-12 South, joyous!  

Texas joins USC at rock bottom - Ah Texas. How the mighty have fallen. The Longhorns were in the National Championship in 2005 and then again in 2009, but since then, it has been nothing but bad news bears for the Horns. They thought Johnny Manziel would be a safety, same for Robert Griffin III and Jameis Winston never received an offer from them making them sort of a laughingstock among the college football bloggers when it comes to highly touted quarterback recruits. They also have not played well in the last four years and the cherry of the shit sundae was Saturday night losing to BYU, 40-21, with Texas giving up 550 yards on the ground. They fired Manny Diaz, their defensive coordinator, and brought back Greg Robinson, the same Greg Robinson that is known for running Michigan's defense into the ground. They play Ole Miss at home this weekend. Not an easy task whatsoever for the Longhorns.

Aaron Murray makes a statement - It appears the Georgia quarterback is my new 'Can't quit em' guy in college football. I started selling my stock on Murray last weekend when they lost to Clemson and Murray looked less than stellar. I am repurchasing the stock today because Murray was extremely impressive against a good South Carolina team. He had six out of seven completions on third down, Murray did not have his top receiver in Malcolm Mitchell and his team put up 41 points on a good South Carolina defense. The next test comes against LSU in two weeks once again being played at home.  Murray has another attempt to silence the doubters. When it's all said and done this year, I would not be surprised if Murray gets picked in the first round in the 2014 NFL Draft.  

The rebirth of The U - Liked this team in August, and I feel even better about them after their win against Florida. Miami's defense is their weak point of their team and they forced five turnovers with Florida only scoring 16 points with one of Florida's scoring drive beginning in the red zone after a blocked punt. Miami might be the real deal here, and the ACC might be better than people are giving it credit for at least to start the season. I like what they have in Duke Johnson and Stephen Morris, and if that defense comes around, oh boy, we could have something here. They have Savannah State and South Florida before a big one at home against Georgia Tech on October 5th.

What's the true ceiling of Notre Dame? - I would love an answer to this one because I truly have no idea. They beat a weak Temple team and last week gave up 40 points to a B1G power. There are a few out there, but I feel like Notre Dame is the most unknown team in terms of what they will end up being at the end of the year. Right now, I feel like the Fighting Irish could still be a BCS Bowl team but could also be at the Sun Bowl.  They have a road game against a weak Purdue team this week (It is under the lights and a rivalry game so you never know) and then have a big home affair with Oklahoma the following weekend. I do not think we will have a good read on the Irish until after Arizona State or USC in October.  

Just how legit is Baylor? - Might want to start buying stock in Baylor. The Big 12 has looked awful across the board with Texas losing, Oklahoma not really impressing anyone, Iowa State and Kansas State losing to FCS schools and TCU losing Casey Pachall for eight weeks with a fractured arm. The only team who looks like they could be some gang busters this year are Baylor.  They put up 70 points and 781 yards against Buffalo, a team who stayed with Ohio State for the three quarters last week. Bryce Petty looks like another one in the Art Briles quarterback machine and Lache Seastrunk is living up to expectations. First true test for Baylor might not come until October 12th against Kansas State.



RAPPERS ON EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT - Eminem joined Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit in the booth this week. It was awesome. From Em's blank stare to Musburger asking him about the line for the Lions game on Sunday.  They are in Indiana next week so I see no reason why we could not have Freddie Gibbs in the booth. I also love Brent called him Marshall and Mathers throughout the whole thing, that's such a boss power move that only Musburger could do, he's my favorite.

Charlie.  

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CFB Picks Week 2: What's in a Rivalry?

This is how bad the Week 2 schedule is besides three games, the whole discussion this week has been the pissing match between Notre Dame and Michigan talking about if this game is really a rivalry. Brian Kelly says something then Brady Hoke takes the high road. In the end, this rivalry always seems to involve the suits, shout-out to Billy Walsh, versus the actual players on the field.

They played their first game in 1887 which if they were to play every year since then, it would be the longest rivalry in college football. But they have only played 40 games in total and they take another break from the rivalry after this season until at least 2018.  This is why the rivalry does not have the juice as others do although I will say I look forward to this game every year. Last time, we saw these two teams in Ann Arbor we did get one of the bigger classics


Grab Beers & Bros (For those unfamiliar, these are what I deem marquee games that everyone should watch start to finish) 

14. Notre Dame at 17. Michigan 7 pm ESPN - This feels like a 'Retirement Match' in WWE where the loser retires from the WWE but the loser will probably stay playing football. Notre Dame looked great last Saturday against Temple with Tommy Rees playing great. This will be Rees' biggest test dealing with a night crowd in Ann Arbor. Michigan looked good last weekend, but I am a little nervous about the Wolverines offense getting going against this vaunted Notre Dame defense. Also I am drinking the Rees kool-aid, give me the Irish. ND 20-10

12. Florida at Miami 11 am ESPN - This is a rivalry that might be ending after this season as Florida does not seem like they can fit the Hurricanes into their schedule. If I am The U, I have to take that as a slight. Just no respect for them. The Florida offense did not get off to the best of starts and if they cannot get together against an average Miami defense, then hope might be lost. The Hurricanes do not get enough credit for being a good team as Duke Johnson and Stephen Morris are two of the best players in college football. The Gators have not won in Miami since 1985. This is extremely trivial given how little these two teams play but I like stupid facts. I trust Miami more than Florida at this point of the season and I am taking them at home. MIA 27-23

6. South Carolina at 11. Georgia 3:30 pm ESPN - I am trying to think what's comparable for Georgia having to face Clemson and South Carolina for the first two weeks. That's entirely brutal. Georgia lost Malcolm Mitchell for the season and the Dawgs will look to replace him. Their offensive line needs to get better after their poor performance against Clemson. They now face Jadeveon Clowney, the meanest defensive lineman in the game. Clowney got criticized last week and I have a feeling he will use it as fuel for this week. I still have a lot of questions about Georgia's defense and I feel like South Carolina has the only tolerable two quarterback system.  SCAR 30-21

Channel Flip Worthy (Basically, the second-tier of games worth paying attention to on Saturday)
West Virginia at 16. Oklahoma 6 pm FOX - There are always teams who make me look like complete ass clowns and maybe it is the Sooners.  Trevor Newton looked good last week against Louisiana-Monroe at quarterback and now faces the typically weak Mountaineer defense. West Virginia nearly lost to William & Mary, I do not see them giving the Sooners much of a challenge. OU 45-23

2. Oregon at Virginia 2:30 pm ABC or ESPN2 - Oregon does not head on the road very much, and while I feel like Virginia is not a good team, I feel like they could give this team a challenge for at least the first half. Virginia beat a good BYU team at home last season and this is probably their biggest non-conference road game in a long while. The secondary is the strongest part for the Cavaliers and they will need against the Ducks. A case is being built for Virginia, but Oregon is too damn good and fast. I feel like there will be a speed difference on the field and Oregon will wear this team down by the third quarter. ORE 41-24

San Jose State at 5. Stanford 11 pm Pac-12 Network - Why is this game important to the casual fan? Well David Fales, San Jose State's quarterback, will definitely be a first round draft pick and possibly a top ten pick if he plays well. This game could be one scouts look back for Fales draft prospect. Stanford has been preparing for the Spartans since early August, and even though San Jose State gave them a game last year, I do not see it happening this year. STAN 28-13

Washington State at 25. USC 9:30 FOX Sports 1 -  The Trojans need somewhat of a bounce back game after the Hawaii debacle. I realize they won by 23 points, but they did not play well for a long time in this one. Washington State hung in there against Auburn on the road and I think they do the same for 3.5 quarters. USC pulls away with a couple late touchdowns and wins the game going away in the fourth. USC 34-20

Upset Special (Self Explanatory) 
15. Texas at BYU 6 pm ESPN2 - It is really tough to pick an upset this week. But if there is one that could be an upset besides Miami, it would be this game. Texas heading to BYU is definitely not an easy task. Playing in the altiude for younger players is not something many young players can get adjusted to and this could be a look-ahead game as they play Ole Miss next week.  Now the Cougars lost to Virginia by a field goal last week, but they have a talented linebacker group led by Kyle Von Noy. What the hell, let's take the Cougars, see what happens. BYU 16-13  

A palate cleanser for your Netlix binge watch (The games that might not be great, but if you need a break from other stuff, here you go) 
San Diego State at 3. Ohio State 2:30 pm ABC or ESPN2 - Can we just keep this one on the Deuce?  San Diego State lost last weekend to an FCS team by 21 points. I doubt they will give the Buckeyes much of a game. OSU 52-17

Syracuse at 19. Northwestern 5 pm Big Ten Network - Does Syracuse like to play the Big Ten or what? Second straight game against a B1G opponent and they did not fair well against Penn State. Northwestern is a little banged up, but they are still a better team than the Orange. NW 34-14

Sam Houston St. at 7. Texas A&M 6 pm ESPN3 - Some people think Texas A&M is going have a hard time with the Bearkats. While Sam Houston State is a great team in FCS, they probably cannot compete with the Aggies.  TAMU 59-10

Buffalo at 23. Baylor 2:30 pm No TV - The Bison gave Ohio State a game and it looks like linebacker Khalil Mack will be a first round pick next year. Baylor looked explosive last week against an inferior opponent and I expect more fireworks this week. BAY 42-27


Sleep off your hangover (Self explanatory, stay safe Tappers) 
South Carolina State at 4. Clemson 11:30 am ESPN3 - CLEM 59-7
Eastern Kentucky at 8. Louisville 11 am ESPN3 - LOU 52-10
UAB at 9. LSU 6 pm ESPNU - LSU 48-6
13. Oklahoma State at UTSA 11 am FOX Sports 1 - OK STATE 31-3
Southern Miss at 22. Nebraska 5 pm Big Ten Network - NEB 55-10
Tennessee Tech at 23. Wisconsin 11 am Big Ten Network - UW 49-3
SE Louisiana at 24. TCU 11 am No TV - TCU 52-10

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SnoTap College Football Preview: Tapping The Keg Episode 52

We talk all things college football for the latest Tapping The Keg podcast to get you ready for the seasonstarting on Thursday. The team we spent the most time with is the Wisconsin Badgers talking about their chances this season as well as their roster.  We then expand to the entire B1G looking at Ohio State, Michigan and others. The transition heads to the SEC discussing our fondness for Georgia and why we only save a couple words for Alabama.  Pac-12 sparks an interesting discussion talking about Stanford, Oregon and why Washington is truly the Milwaukee Bucks for college football; we also talk about the Pac-12 South. Big 12, ACC, American Athletic Conference and Notre Dame are also discussed in the final moments. Oh and we start with five minutes about the VMA's.

Charlie.

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Closing Time: Grading Notre Dame's Shamrock Series Uniform

H/T @DarrenRovell 

adidas caught a great deal of flack last season for their Notre Dame 'Shamrock Series' uniforms last year. They deserved the criticism because the uniforms were too gaudy and way too many colors going on in one uniform. This year, adidas decided to take it down a notch and it looks great. They have the gold helmet with the gold numbers with the green trim going around it. They add the actual shamrock versus having the fighting Irishman. Overall, this is a solid alternate uniform and I am giving it an A.  Have a good night Tappers.

Charlie.

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SnoTap Buzz: Wednesday July 31st

Action Bronson performs 'Stricly 4 My Jeeps' at an old folks home. Action Bronson is the absolute best. (Noisey, @runthedive) 

Oregon Football has a brand spanking new facility and I would live to live there for the rest of my life. Just fantastic. (The Big Lead) 

The NCAA is letting Eddie Vanderdoes, a five-star defensive lineman freshman, play at UCLA after transferring from Notre Dame in April. Brian Kelly is not pleased. I would not be either, bad precedent. (Chicago Tribune) 

NBCSN is adding a couple new shows featuring prominent sports writers. I have no idea if it is going to work because writers are always different with the camera in front of them. Pat Forde is usually a good interview though. (Awful Announcing) 

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton greets a fan in the stands rocking a six-pack in his beard. This is a must-see, what a visionary (Deadspin) 

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