WOOLARD'S WEEKEND WINNERS® FOR WEEK FOURTEEN.

Well, here we are at the tailend of another great season of college football. We've had a lot of highs and a lot of lows with plenty in the middle. Along the way we've made some serious money on our winning picks and, hopefully, you have too.

But today is a little different with conference championships, final BCS berths, and national championship matchups on the line. So with so much at stake, we've brought in our top gurus including George the Cat, his sister Elaine, Leonard the Neighborhood Cat, Father Ira O'Benowitz, and even Hammerin' Hank the rooster from his Coweta County retreat. We spared no expense in order to give you our best thinking for today's prognostications.

So, let's see what the gang has come up with.

Your Winning Picks are...

He would look damn sharp in Orange.

Georgia Tech vs Florida State...while several schools are searching for new head coaches, a few are looking for new defensive coordinators. And that's where 6-6 Georgia Tech finds itself. After today's beat down from the 10-2 Seminoles in the ACC Championship Game held in chilly Charlotte (a night game to boot), head Bee Paul Johnson best be burning up the phone lines to find his third DC in just five seasons on The Flats. Otherwise next season he'll be sharpening his resume because at some point, the dozen or so Jackets fans that actually show up at Historic Bobby Dodd are going to pull the plug. And to think that we published an Extra Point edition just a few weeks ago praising Al Groh for his stout Jacket defense. Shame on us for caving to reader feedback telling us we showed no love for the GT defensive unit. Anyway, tonite's game will have plenty of scoring from both teams. But once again the Jacket defense will give up tonnage as they have done all season long. After backing into the ACC title game thanks to Miami's self imposed penalty, GT will face an FSU offense that's averaged over 41 points a game (8th best in America). My only hope for the Swarm is that they don't quit early and make a game of it. But that ain't gonna happen. Jimbo's Noles will score early and often with plenty of time to spare to make their reservations for the Orange Bowl.

Bama stakes claim in the ATL.

Alabama vs Georgia...while most consider this a "pick 'em" game, we see Alabama rolling in the SEC Championship game. The only real question is how many different ways will Georgia fans trash poor Mark Richt. The red and black fan base has shown time and time again how fast they turn on their program when things go off the road. When the Dawgs win, everything is red and black. When they lose, players' homes get vandalized. If I were Coach Richt, I'd give the Athens crowd the middle paw and head somewhere else where I'd be appreciated...like Knoxville.  Having said this, we think this will be another "game for the ages." Both teams have explosive offenses and both teams play exceptional defense (with the edge to the Crimson Tide). But our key stat of the game is the low number of times the Bama qb McCarron has been sacked this season: only 13 times. The Elephant o-line has given McCarron exceptional protection which has allowed him to make plays. Yes, UGA has one of the best defenders in the league with Jarvis Jones but we see the Bama offense up to the tusk, er task. With one of the best passing efficiencies in the country, McCarron has his two strong running backs, Yeldon and Lacy, to make play-action passes so effective. On the defensive side, Alabama leads the country in scoring defense (only 9.3 points per game), and have allowed only 89 plays this season that have gained ten yards or more (the best in USA). But the big question still looms: can Aaron Murray win the big one. Not tonite, my friend, not tonite. Tide rolls.

Snyder and Company brand the Horns.

Texas vs Kansas State...call me a sap but you gotta love the storyline of a 73 year-old coach, Bill Snyder, returning to his former employer and making his team a national contender. If the Wildcats take care of business today, they wrap up the Big 12 Championship (why Big 12 when only ten teams??). After screwing the pooch in losing to Baylor two weeks ago, we see qb Collin Klein showing America once again why he is deserving of a trip to NYC for the Heisman proceedings. Both teams generate tons of offense (445 yds per game for Texas and 416 for KSU) but the Wildcat defense will be the difference as they have been pretty effective at shutting down potent offenses all season long on their way to a 10-1 campaign. We see the Wildcats winning in Manhattan. Our cat crew - George, Elaine, and Leonard - concur.

Nebraska vs Wisconsin....consider this a redemption game for the Badgers. The Big Ten Championship game is a rematch of a September 29 game in which Wisconsin led 27-10 in the third quarter only to see the Huskers rally for a 30-27 win. RB Burkhead is back for Nebraska while recording-breaking RB Montee Ball will lead the way for the Madison unit. While the Huskers have the edge on paper in all stat categories, we like Bucky Badger and the Jump Around Crew. So, take Wisconsin and the points (3.5).

Next Up...

We'll be back next week with a special wrap up of Winners or Whiners®.  Meanwhile, Fight, Drink, Win, Get Naked.

MAKE MO' MONEY WITH MARK!

WOOLARD'S WEEKEND WINNERS FOR WEEK THIRTEEN.

I'm not one to make excuses (okay...maybe once in awhile) but due to holiday travel and state playoff games, this edition of WWW has to be short and sweet. Plus I'm lacking my usual computer resources and instant connections to my Vegas experts.

Nevertheless we have several games today offering you the chance to pick up some much needed holiday cash. And I'm expecting something nice from all of you who benefitted from our spot on prognostications.

Here's your winning line up with some Upset Specials:

In the Iron Bowl take AUBURN and the points over Bama.

Take Tech and the points over georgie.

In the Who's my New Coach Bowl, roll with the Vols in their FIRST conference win over jokerless Kentucky.

Bet on the Badgers over Penn State.

In the Egg Bowl take Mullen's Mutts over Mister Freeze's rebs.

Gators get'er done over Jimbo's Noles.

Clemson clobbers the Cocks. Spurrier smirks.

Irish over Kiffin the Weenie's Trojans.

We'll be back next week with our Winners or Whiners and an indepth look at the SEC championship game.

Ciao for now. As always, Fight, Win, Drink, Get Naked. I've already done three of those this morning.

Rivalry Week: Clean, Old Fashioned Hate Edition

CLEAN, OLD-FASHIONED HATE: GEORGIA vs GEORGIA TECH 

The original by Bill Cromartie.

Many years ago as a young lad in the advertising business, I had the privilege of working with Bill Cromartie at the ad firm, BBDO. To those that know, Bill wrote the classic "Clean-Old Fashioned Hate" which chronicles the heated rivalry between the two storied football programs, Georgia and Georgia Tech.

While Bill did a great job in describing this bitter feud, he was a Georgia guy, and a proud one at that. So to balance things out, I've asked Evan, a recent graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology, to share with us the more current thoughts on this rivalry and what has become known as "Hate Week"...and to offer his own pick for the game.

Perspective from a Yellow Jacket....

When first approached about sharing my thoughts on the Georgia-Georgia Tech rivalry, Coach Woolard told me to “keep it clean”. I laughed. There’s not much I like about the pups. Hey, there’s not much anything Techie likes about the mutts. [Cues video]

But I took a deep breath this morning, and could almost get a whiff of bourbon, Natural Lights, and tell-tale pools of urine. That's when I realized that this rank Atlanta odor comes only once a year. This week is a time to be thankful across the country. But in great state of Georgiuh, ya’ll, it’s Hate Week.

Georgia-Georgia Tech: A Story of Hatred, Football, & Inebriation (not always in that order)

Let’s back this up. The Institution was founded 100 years after that Athens community college. Soon after, the first Mutt Coach, Dr. Chuck “It Herts” Herty, said he would never allow GT's colors to be gold and white. Guess how that worked out (also, GT took that first meeting 27-13). 

Tech officially discontinued allowing the Mutts to use Grant Field as their home turf during WWI (yeah, some hicks will still say they have home-field advantage at BDS). Of course, GT may or may not have used some illegal players during the matchup, but who cares about following rules these days anyway? Dawg fans were so upset in that first loss that they threw rocks and beer at the Tech players as they marched back to their train, a noble tradition that continues to this day.

Tech despises the "Dwags" so much, legendary coach Bobby Dodd only ever referred to them as "georgie". Which is cool, I guess. 

They're not known for their academics.

It has been an odd history between these rivals. Tech holds the advantage in National Titles (4 to 2), conference championships (16 to 14) and general awesomeness. Despite all of this, georgie holds the lead 62-39-5.

Hate Week #107
Fast forward to 2012. Georgia opens up as a 14-point favorite this week, and for the first time both teams enter as their respective division champs (thanks, Miami). And it might sound weird, but I like our odds. After the s#*@ storm also known as “October”, there’s arguably no better offense in the country than Tech. And seeing as how there’s visual evidence of UGA’s coach Todd Grantham struggling with a pistachio, I’m fairly confident that neither team will have a proper defensive coordinator (I’m also banking on three or more UGA players getting arrested after some outrageous Thanksgiving parties). Result: shootout ‘tween the hedges.

And as usual, there’s been plenty of chatter in the Atlanta Journal Constitution this week. “They smarter than us, but that’s ok we do football good,” said UGA defensive tackle Jon Jenkins, maybe. Big JJ makes a couple valid points, and if he ends up eating any GT players, he might actually have an impact in the game as well (inside sources tell me he has wreaked havoc on Snelling dining hall). And as usual, the AJC doesn’t give the Wreck much of a chance, either.

All of it points to a win by the Jackets. Some might call it arrogance (my boss does). But even if u[sic]ga wins nine out of ten times, there’s still that one game with a BCS championship on the line that every darkhorse wants to take home. The mutts have a lot to lose this Hate Week, and georgie is ripe for the picking. Plus I mean, we’re due, right? RIGHT?

WOOLARD'S WEEKEND WINNERS® FOR WEEK TWELVE.

With conference championship berths and BCS rankings at stake, this is an important weekend in the world of college football. No pressure, huh? Well if you're looking to earn some extra cash for the holidays you've come to the right place because we have a line-up of great picks. Let's get right to it.

YOUR WINNING PICKS ARE.....

Cutcliffe making a point in Durham.

Duke @ Georgia Tech...David Cutcliffe is one of my all time favorite good guy coaches and I love the fact that his Blue Devils are the only bowl eligible team in the ACC Coastal Division. Meanwhile the Yellow Jackets are still trying to become bowl eligible not to mention still trying to find a defense. Should Miami declare itself ineligible, Duke could have the inside track to winning the division. While GT has no problems putting up points their defense is ranked 85th, surrendering over 30 points a game. But Duke's defense is even worse which is why we're going with the Bees in this one.

Tennessee @ Vanderbilt...in seasons past, a road game to Nashville was really a home game for Tennessee whose fans would fill Vandy's Dudley Field to see their Vols pummel the hapless Commodores. Well, this time could be different as the Vandy fans are all jacked up and licking their chops to get after Tennessee. Some key stats to ponder: Tennessee puts up 37.9 points per game while giving up 37 points per game (their defense is ranked a pitiful 113th). The Commodores, meanwhile, are holding their opponents to just 18 points per game (15th best scoring defense in America). Fortunately for the Vols, the Vandy offense has been on again/off again scoring just 25.6 points per game. While UT's defense smells like a landfill, I think they can contain the 'Dores while putting up some points. So...we're going with the Vols to finally win their first SEC game. And, no, I have not been drinking...yet.

Have a nice day!

Ole Miss @ #7 LSU...the Tiger's chances of winning the SEC are between Slim and None, and Slim already left town. But they're still in the running for a BCS bowl bid, competing with five other SEC teams for the league's two berths in the BCS bowls. While Ole Miss has given LSU fits in their last two trips to Baton Rouge, the Bengal Tigers will eventually wear down the Rebel defense. Ole Miss needs one more win to become bowl eligible but aint gonna happen Saturday. We have the Tigers winning this one.

Boy Wonder at USC.

#18 Southern Cal @ #17 UCLA...I don't care for either coach (Kiffin or Mora) but I do like USC's Matt Barkley and his fleet of great receivers. Especially going up against one of the worst pass defenses in the country. Meeting for the first time as ranked opponents in seven years, the Trojans look to beat the Bruins for the 13th time in 14 tries. A win for USC locks up a berth in the Pac-12 championship game. We see that happening. Trojans triumph.

#13 Stanford @ #2 Oregon...it will be a chilly and damp evening in Eugene so it's a good thing there's a coffee bar every 32 feet. But if the coffee doesn't warm you then Oregon's hot offense will certainly do the job. Scoring over 54 points a game, America's number one offense is loaded with tons of weapons. But check out this stat: the Ducks are 32-2 in conference games under Chip Kelly and have won 9 of their last 10 against Stanford. The Ducks will make it 10 of 11 on Saturday.

#23 Texas Tech @ #24 Oklahoma State...Ears Tubberville was spanked 66-6 last year in Lubbock and they look to return the favor this season in Stillwater. But the Cow Pokes have won four of their last five games, and three were by at least three touchdowns. The Red Raiders needed double OT last week to survive pesky Kansas. We pick Okie State to upset Texas Tech.

He'd look better in Tennessee orange.

NC State @ #11 Clemson...every time I watch Clemson I get mad. Really mad. Why? Because Tajh Boyd could have been Tennessee's dual threat quarterback except his scholly offer was pulled by boy blunder, Lane Kiffin. Way to go putz breath. Boyd has thrown for 13 TDs and 1033 yards over the past three games and all 13 of those TDs have come in the first half. We see this game being over by halftime too as the Wolfpack continues its losing streak in Death Valley. Tigers win. Big.

 ELAINE, GEORGE THE CAT'S SISTER, makes her BIG PICK OF THE WEEK® featuring Ohio State @ Wisconsin....

If you've followed the Badgers then you know running back Montee Ball needs only one touchdown to tie the NCAA touchdown record of 78. Undefeated Ohio State is not eligible for post season play so they're playing for a perfect season under first year coach, Urban Meyer.The Buckeyes have a 54-17-5 all time record in this series. I like Ohio State, especially their dual threat QB Braxton Miller. But this pick is being made by Elaine, George the Cat's sister, so let's see what she comes up with. Roll the tape, please...

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SPECIAL EDITION of WOOLARD'S WEEKEND WINNERS.

Leonard the Neighborhood Cat picks the winner of the Marietta-Lowndes first round State Playoff Game.

The Marietta Blue Devils travel Friday to Valdosta to take on the Lowndes Vikings, a perennial football powerhouse from south Georgia's Region One. This is the first time ever that the two schools have met.

In a special edition of Woolard's Weekend Winners (we normally cover college games only), we have invited Leonard the Neighborhood Cat to pick the winner of this game.

In the spirit of total transparency, Leonard's owner is a former Blue Devil Cheerleader. But Leonard has assured us that there will be no bias or favoritism. So, let's roll tape and see who Leonard the Cat picks...

WINNERS OR WHINERS®...WEEK ELEVEN WRAP UP.

Whoa! Whatta weekend. Lots of surprises, intrigue, and upsets. But enough about the sex scandals involving the CIA director and various generals. Let's talk football.

With a few dings, we went 4-4 but our overall success is still pretty stout. Besides, our Upset Special pays at least three fold so if you took our pick, you made out quite well. A thank you note would be nice, though.

If you took my pick, you're feeling great, too.

In our Upset Special, we put it through the uprights with our pick of Texas A&M upsetting #1 Alabama. Johnny Football and the Aggies jumped out to a 20 point lead and never looked back on their way to a 29-24 upset win. Yes, the Tide regrouped and made a run but Sumlin's squires held on to pull off the biggie and shake up the BCS establishment. But don't think for a moment that the loss cooks the Tide's goose for the National Championship game. Depending on what happens over the next two Saturdays, Alabama could very well be back in the picture by winning the SEC Championship at the Georgia Dome on December 1. And no one wants them to win more than the TV execs.  It's ratings, baby.

Let's pop the hood and take a look at last Saturday.

Weekend Rewind®

This catch broke my heart and my pick!

George the Cat came within a split whisker of winning his BIG PICK of the WEEK as Northwestern lost to Michigan as the Wolverines hit a 26 yard field goal to tie the game and force overtime. The field goal was set up by an incredible catch of a tipped ball. In the OT period, Michigan scored first, then made a defensive stand to win 38-31. A heartbreaker for the Wildcats; a goose egg pour moi!

Even her date is a loser.

Georgia pitched a perfect game, 38-0, over the Auburn tigers/war eagles/ plainsmen/dying oaks. Aaron Murray was spot on with his 18-24/208 yard, 3 TD performance. The pups scored early and often, and never looked back. The only thing that the Aubbies had to cheer about was the news that the Aggies had upset Alabama.

We went out on the limb again and picked Nebraska to beat Penn State and they did not disappoint, although it did get a little tense in their 32-23 win. Maybe that quiets Bo Pelini's critics, but not sure since the Husker faithful are a tough crowd to please.

This pic says it all: no wins, no fans.

We picked Ole Miss to beat Vanderbilt but Ole Miss, once again, remembered they were Ole Miss and the Rebel defense decided to play dead in the second half. Vandy scored with 52 seconds remaining to take the game 27-26. Vandy is now bowl eligible for the second consecutive season, the first time ever in Nashville.

And of course Tennessee failed once again to perform as they lost in four overtimes to Missouri. This pretty much seals the fate of Derek Dooley as the Vols remain winless in the SEC with Vandy and Kentucky coming up next. Don't worry Vol fans. It always gets darker before the dawn, or something like that.

What's with Georgia Tech?  I pick em to win, they lose. I pick em to lose, they win. Which is what happened last Saturday in Chapel Hill as they posted a basketball-like score 68-50 to beat the Tar Heels. More evidence that the Jackets have failed to fix their defense but GT will put points on the board.

South Carolina took care of business, 38-20, over the Arkansas piggies. This was a non-contest as the #12 Cocks remain in the hunt for a BCS bowl game. Spurrier's smirk gets bigger each week.

THIS COMING SATURDAY...

George the Cat's BIG PICK of the WEEK features undefeated Ohio State @ Wisconsin. We'll also have some choice games including Southern Cal @ UCLA, Stanford @ Oregon, FSU @ Maryland, and more.

MAKE MO' MONEY WITH MARK®

WOOLARD'S WEEKEND WINNERS® FOR WEEK ELEVEN. 

It's hard to believe that we're on the backside of the season already. But there are several key games yet to be played as conference titles and BCS rankings are still up in the air. This Saturday we have another full slate of great games offering you the chance to make some serious money. Given our 69% winning percentage, we've made a few bucks along the way and we're still hungry for more. So, let's take a look at your winners for this weekend. 

YOUR WINNING PICKS ARE.....

Dooley swings a mean cane.

Missouri @ Tennessee...there's an old saying in the Smoky Mountains that says even a blind revenuer agent finds a still once in awhile. So, is this the weekend that the struggling Tennessee Volunteers finally win a conference game? Could this be the long awaited turning point or is this just another sad chapter in Dooley's decline? Ever the optimists, we're feeling kinda good about this one for the Big Orange. The Vols defense tends to make opposing quarterbacks look like Heisman winners so Mizzou qb James Franklin has to be licking his chops. But if (and that is a big "if") the Vols can hold the Tigers to less than 30 points, Tennessee has enough firepower to out score Mizzou. The Vols are ranked 12th in the nation in passing yards (323 yds per game) and 23rd in scoring offense averaging 37 points per game. You'll be hearing a lot of Rocky Top in this one as the Vols win in Knoxville.

I can't believe I'm about to get fired!

#5 Georgia @ Auburn...this is the South's oldest rivalry but how quickly things change! Two years ago Gene Chizik and his Auburn Tigers/War Eagles/Plainsmen/Dying Oaks were riding high on their way to a National Championship. Now we're hearing that the Auburn University president has formed a committee to cut Gene loose and find a new head coach. That's some thanks for winning that shiny trophy. In any event, the Bulldogs are inches away from clinching the SEC East and nailing down a date with the Alabama Crimson Tide. The pups seem to be hitting on all cylinders, offensively and defensively, and we see Georgia running over Auburn with little resistance.

Georgia Tech @ North Carolina...the Tar Heels are ranked 19th in run defense and 16th in both total offense and scoring, due in large part to their hurry up offense which makes subbing on defense a bit squeaky. They also are ranked high in the number of possessions per game which leads to more scoring opportunities. All the more reason for the Jackets to get back to basics in running the ball and controlling the clock, regardless of who is under center for GT: Tevin Washington or Vad Lee. Despite winning on the road at Maryland, Johnsons Jackets fall to Fedora's Tar Heels.

Penn State @ #18 Nebraska...the Cornhuskers have made the fourth-quarter comeback an art form this season. Just ask my cardiologist. I'm hoping this game is settled way earlier especially if Husker qb Taylor Martinez can minimize mistakes and keep Penn State linebackers guessing. But this game, which features the top two passers in the Big Ten, could be a doozy with both offenses finding their groove (Huskers average 487 yds per game; Nittany Lions 412).  Going once again with Nebraska; and will have my doc on speed dial.

Chilly stare from Mister Freeze.

Vanderbilt @ Ole Miss....both of these teams would become bowl eligible with a win so there's a lot riding on it. The Commodores have had a lot of success against the Rebels but Ole Miss could feed off of its home crowd, most of whom will be pretty well liquored up from hours spent in the Grove sipping hotty toddys. Give this one to Mister Freeze and his black rebel bears.

Arkansas @ #12 South Carolina...the piggies own this series but this season is a whole other pork tenderloin. Arkansas is on life support with a pending coaching change while Spurrier's crew still has good things ahead. The Hogs qb Tyler Wilson leads the SEC in passing yards per game but the Cocks have a pretty stingy defense, yielding only 18 points per game. If South Carolina can shore up its pass defense that was shredded by Tennessee's Tyler Bray two week ago, we see the Cocks cruising over the Razorbacks.

#15 Texas A&M @ #1 Alabama...this is our Upset Special with the Aggies, led by Johnny Football, beating the Crimson Tide (plus the 14 points). Texas A&M is the most explosive offense the Tide has faced this season (Aggies average 559 yards per game). And the Aggies still need to prove they can score on a quality defense. This game will certainly be entertaining given the number of weapons both teams bring to the field. Take the Aggies and the points over the Tide. You'll thank me later.

GEORGE THE CAT makes his BIG PICK OF THE WEEK® featuring Northwestern @ Michigan....

This winner of this game can still stay in the hunt for the Legends Division of the Big Ten, chasing Nebraska. Northwestern's Kain Colter is a multi-purpose threat and the Wildcats will need for him to have a big day on the ground given the Wolverines' stout pass defense which allows only 146 yards per game. Winning in the Big House is a tall order for Northwestern but stranger things have happened. I like the Wolverines but this game is being called by George the Cat. So let's roll tape and see who George the Cat likes...

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WINNERS or WHINERS®....WEEK TEN WRAP UP.

Apologies for the tardiness of this update but me day job took priority. So stop your whining!

We hit on six of eight picks last Saturday while coming pretty close on Elaine's, George the Cat's sister, BIG PICK of the WEEK until LSU decided not to play defense on the very last possession as they let Alabama pull out a win, 21-17, provoking Bengal Tiger faithful to criticize Les Miles (it's tough being an SEC head coach). But in Bama's comeback victory, they showed once again why they are the best in America.

In addition to the Bama-LSU contest, we saw some great games and our forecasts proved to be a lot more dependable than the predictions made by the GOP pollsters, especially those retained by Faux News. But that's for an entirely different column since we're a non-partisan college football site.

Let's pop the hood on last weekend.

THE WEEKEND REWIND®...

Joker isn't laughing after losing 40-0.

Vandy finished off Joker Phillip's head coaching gig at Kentucky by whipping the Cats 40-0, its largest margin against Kentucky in 96 years. So now Kentucky jump starts the coaching carousel by dumping Joker and starting the search for a new coach to come to basketball country. Not an easy task.

Nebraska forced me to pull out my last remaining strands of hair by coming back to win 28-24 over Michigan State in East Lansing. They continue to give me heart burn with their on again-off again performance. But that's the beauty of college football, and you gotta love how the Cornhuskers came back to win it with six seconds left as Taylor Martinez hit Jamal Turner on a little 5 yard TD pass.

The Nittany Lions beat the Purdue Boilmakers, 34-9. Penn State QB Matt McGloin was 22-36 for 321 yards and two touchdowns. This game was over at the half as Penn State was up 20-3 over a very mediocre Purdue team which is 3-6 (0-5).

Does anyone play defense on the West Coast? The combined offensive yardage for the Oregon-Southern Cal was 1345 yards as the #2 Oregon Ducks outlasted #18 Trojans, 62-51. Oregon tailback, Kenjon Barner, ran for a school record 321 yards and five touchdowns. The only guy busier in Los Angeles was the stat man.

As predicted, Ole Miss remembered they were Ole Miss and fell 37-10 to Georgia, and the Bulldawgs inched closer to the SEC Championship game. Stat of the game is Aaron Murray's 21-28 passing for 384 yards, four touchdowns, and NO INTs. His fake hand off, 66 yard TD pass to Marlon Brown was a thing of beauty. Shoulda saved that one for December 1st.

Johnny Football looking for a Heisman?

The Aggies manhandled Mississippi State, 38-13, and improved their SEC record to 4-2. Johnny Football was 30 of 36 for 311 passing yards and ran for 129 yards and two touchdowns. I love this kid! Since starting the season 7-0, Missy State has been outscored 76-20. So for all those Vol fans screaming for Dan Mullen to be their next head coach, you might want to take a closer look at his actual win-lost record. It's not as pretty as you think.

We missed on Texas Tech as the Red Raiders lost to Texas 31-22, and the Longhorns won the coveted Chancellor's Spurs and their fourth road win this season. Combined yardage for this game was 868 yards so maybe defense is missing in the Big 12, too.

THIS COMING SATURDAY...

George the Cat's BIG PICK of the WEEK features Northwestern @ Michigan, so be looking for his video pick on Friday. We'll also have a nice cross-section of SEC games like Georgia @ Auburn, Texas A&M @ Alabama along with Penn State @ Nebraska and Georgia Tech @ North Carolina

MAKE MO' MONEY WITH MARK®

WOOLARD'S WEEKEND WINNERS® FOR WEEK TEN.

 As the season begins to wind down several teams are still in the hunt for conference titles and BCS rankings.

This past Saturday Notre Dame went on the road and earned a huge win over the Sooners. Kansas State kept rolling with a victory over Texas Tech. Alabama rolled over Mississippi State. Georgia beat Florida. And the Oregon Ducks jumped in BCS rankings again.

This weekend also features some top games including a slobber knocker down in Baton Rouge as #1 Alabama goes on the road to face the #5 LSU Bengal Tigers.

We also have the mighty Ducks traveling to Tinsel Town to take on Kiffin the weenie and his Trojans, and some intriguing regional rivalries including the Longhorns and the Red Raiders, and Vandy at Kentucky.

We went 4 and 4 last Saturday so we're hoping to make up some lost ground this week. We're still batting close to 70% so let's see what happens.

YOUR WINNING PICKS ARE....

One man wrecking crew, Jarvis Jones.

Ole Miss @ #7 Georgia...despite an ugly win in Jacksonville, the UGA defense stepped up to hold Florida without a touchdown. Jarvis Jones became a one-man wrecking crew with a career-high 13 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries. Meanwhile the Rebs are putting up over 32 points a game and seem to be hitting their stride. If Aaron Murray can minimize his brain farts, we see Jarvis Jones and company spanking the Rebels.

Johnny Football does it all.

#16 Texas A+M @ #17 Mississippi State...by now you're probably getting tired hearing me sing the praises of Johnny Football. But he's that good. Manziel and the Aggie offense piled up 671yards in clobbering the Auburn sad sacks. The Aggies are tied fifth nationally in total offense (543 yds) and third in scoring offense (45.5 points per game). Manziel leads the SEC in rushing with 793 yards; 537 gained on scrambles. Meanwhile Dan Mullen has to rally his pack of mutts after getting their butts beat by Bama. This is the first matchup of two ranked teams in Starkville since 2001. This should be an entertaining game especially if MSU's QB Tyler Russell has a hot arm. We're gonna go with the Aggies to win on the road and a bunch more rushing yards for Johnny Football.

Texas @ #20 Texas Tech...the winner of this game gets to bring home the Chancellor's Spurs. Not sure if that includes leather chaps or not. In any event, the Red Raiders have struggled in this series, having dropped 11 of 13 matchups, the last three by a 110-58 margin. Last week in a losing effort to Kansas State, Seth Doege was 35-50 for 331 yards and 2 TDs.  If TTU's defense can step up, we like Doege leading the Red Raiders to a big conference win.

Coach Weenie faces the Ducks.

#4 Oregon @ #18  Southern Cal...the Ducks need a win to bolster their national standing while USC needs a win to simply salvage an already disappointing season. Undefeated in 11 games since last season's loss to USC, Oregon goes for its 13th straight road win. In their streak of 11 wins, the Ducks have scored more than 40 points per game so it's no surprise that they lead FBS schools with a nation-best of 53.4 points per game. Chip Kelly knows that BCS rankings are at stake and will put the pedal to the metal on Kiffin. Put your money on the Ducks.

Penn State @ Purdue...the Nittany Lions have rebounded nicely since they dropped their first two games by winning five straight before losing to Ohio State last week. Meanwhile Purdue struggles having dropped its first four Big Ten games and coach Danny Hope is on the proverbial hot seat in West Lafayette. The Nittany Lions have won the last five meetings with the Boilermakers to take an 11-3-1 series record. Add another win to that column. Penn State wins.

Martinez can motor.

#21 Nebraska @ Michigan State...I'll be the first to admit that the Cornhuskers have baffled me this season. I pickem to win, they lose. I pickem to lose, they win. Geesh. But this weekend something's got to give in East Lansing as the Big Ten's top offense (Nebraska) faces off against one of the nation's best defensive units (Michigan State) which allows only 15 points per game. Despite our frustrations we're going with the Cornhuskers. They simply have too many weapons with Taylor Martinez and Ameer Abdullah, and the Spartans have struggled putting up points (115th in the nation with an average of 19.2 points). Big Red gets it done.

Vanderbilt @ Kentucky...ordinarily we wouldn't give a flip about this game but Vandy can win its second SEC road game, which would be the first time since 2008 that the Commodores have won twice on the road in the same season. A win over the Wildcats would even Vandy's SEC record at 3-3 with Ole Miss and Tennessee left. So, there's a lot to play for and that's why we're picking Vandy to win. But really, we don't give a flip. Except for the money.

ELAINE, GEORGE THE CAT'S LITTLE SISTER, makes the BIG PICK of the WEEK® featuring #1 Alabama @ #5 LSU...

There are so many story lines to this game so I'm not sure where to start. Both teams have uber stout defenses so don't expect the scoreboard to over-heat. The Tigers have been more tested. This is their fourth straight game with a ranked team. Alabama is coming off its only win over a team currently in the Top 25 (Mississippi State). This is the fifth time since 2005 that both teams have been in the Top Ten. Side note: Les Mile is 6-3 after open dates and is 36-1 in night games in Baton Rouge. I'm leaning toward the Tide but my vote doesn't count since its Elaine's pick. So let's roll the tape.

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WINNERS OR WHINERS®....WEEK NINE WRAP UP.

Yes, I'd like a little cheese with my whine, thank you.

We took some hits this past Saturday, going 4-4. While George the Cat was dead on with his upset special BIG PICK of the WEEK, we were especially bummed to come up short on two other upset specials: Mississippi State over Alabama, and Michigan over Nebraska. Didn't happen. But as George the Cat says, no sense crying over spilled milk when we can get some more out of the fridge. So we move on.

THE WEEKEND REWIND®...

The Irish run game shined in Norman.

George the Cat was right again with his pick of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish as they controlled Oklahoma 30-13. Seems the Irish have the Sooner's number, which is now exactly 9 wins out of 10. This pick is especially sweet since it was an Upset Special which pays big bucks on the Vegas board. Stat of the game was OU being held to just 15 yards on 24 carries....0.6 average yards per carry!! Whoa, that's not good!!

Took a hit but still strong.  

In our other winning picks, Kansas State whipped Texas Tech 55-24. Wildcat Collin Klein rushed for two touchdowns and passed for two more, finishing with 316 total yards. K-State is 8-0 for the first time since 1999 and will definitely make BCS voting interesting for the next few weeks, especially since #2 Florida loss.

Johnny Manziel (aka Johnny Football) and his Texas A&M Aggies didn't disappoint as they stampeded 63-21 over an anemic Auburn team which is having its worst season in over 60 years. Manziel ran for three TDs and passed for two more. On eight possessions led by Manziel, the Aggies scored seven touchdowns. That's efficiency.

You're doing a helluva job, Sal Sunseri.

Tennessee made it interesting but fell 38-35 to South Carolina.  If Tennessee could muster a defense it would be experiencing a totally different season. But as it stands, this UT defense is on course to being the worst defense in Tennessee history, and is ranked 99th nationally - 103rd against the pass and 85th against the rush. Tell me again why UT switched to a 3-4 defense? Gamecock QB Connor Shaw passed for a career high 356 yards and three touchdowns while running for another. The Vol defense continues to make opposing quarterbacks look like Heisman winners.

On the losing pick front, Michigan failed to get the job done as they lost 23-9 to Nebraska. The Wolverines generated a season-low 188 yards during its first visit to Memorial Stadium since 1911 and the second straight game Michigan failed to score a touchdown.

This is what 6 turnovers will do to you.

In what turned out to be the World's Largest Outdoor Turnover Party, the Gators flopped in its loss 17-9 to the bullpuppies who forced six turnovers. The victory, just the fifth in the last 23 meetings for Georgia, gives them a chance to clinch the SEC East with wins over Ole Miss and Auburn.

The biggest disappointment was undefeated Mississippi State losing 38-7 to Alabama despite laying 24 points. Bama jumped out to a super quick lead scoring in its first three possessions. No looking head for the Tide which travels to Baton Rouge in a national game rematch this Saturday.

Georgia Tech continued to flounder as it lost 41-17 to BrighamYoung, showing zero improvement with the Yellow Jacket defense. But more concerning was the inability to score. Is Paul Johnson's tenure coming to an end? With AD Dan Radakovich's move to Clemson, the days may be numbered for Johnson.

THE WEEK AHEAD
Elaine, George the Cat's sister, will be manning the BIG PICK of the WEEK featuring #1 Alabama Crimson Tide visiting the Tigers of LSU. This game is pretty much for all the marbles in the SEC West as well as having BCS ranking ramifications, so it's sure to have a ton of interest.

Other big games we'll be prognosticating include Oregon @ Southern Cal, Penn State @ Purdue, and Ole Miss @ Georgia. Stay tuned.

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WOOLARD'S WEEKEND WINNERS® FOR WEEK NINE.

We have a pretty entertaining slate of games this weekend including the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party in Jacksonville along with a rematch of two of the most historic football programs in America, Notre Dame and Oklahoma in Norman.

We've got another line-up of money winners including two upset specials so let's get crackin'...

Here are your winning picks:

No under-age drinking allowed.

#2 Florida vs #10 Georgia...it's the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party version 2012 featuring two teams seeking control of the SEC East. If the favored Gators win, book em for Atlanta in December. UGA beat the Gators last season 24-20, only the Bulldogs' third win in the last 14 meetings. The talk around Atlanta has been that Coach Richt really needs this win to validate this year's team. A loss just reinforces the thought that this team is a lot of talk at the beginning of each season only to fizzle when they face tough competition (see the South Carolina meltdown). We see Mushchamp's Gators grinding out a pretty exciting win with their strong running game and QB Driskell's steady hand in Jacksonville. It could be a wet one thanks to Hurricane Sandy.

Dead man walking?

Tennessee vs #13 South Carolina...I'm afraid that this could be Coach Orange Pant's swan song as the struggling Volunteers head to Columbia for a high noon showdown. A loss pretty much seals the deal for Dooley who is still looking for his team to play a solid 60 minutes...and still looking for a conference win. They've lost 11 of their last 12 SEC games going back to last season. Meanwhile the Gamecocks are ready to rinse the bad taste of the past two weeks out of their beaks after being plucked by LSU and Florida. On paper, Tennessee has superior numbers in terms of total offense, rushing yards, passing yards, and scoring. Too bad this game is not being played on paper. Cocks spur-kill the Vols.

#11 Mississippi State vs #1 Alabama...this game features two of the top quarterbacks in the SEC, Tyler Wilson and AJ McCarron who has the nation's highest  passer rating with 16 touchdowns and no INTs in his last 239 attempts. Wilson has 15 TDs against only one INT. MSU is off to its best start since 1999, and has the third longest winning streak (9) in the nation.  UPSET Special: we like Mullen's Mutts and the points (24) over Bama.

#20 Texas A&M vs Auburn...I kinda feel sorry for the tiger/war eagles/plainsmen/dying oaks but not really since I'm really looking forward to seeing what Aggie Johnny Football can do against a rather soft Auburn defense. Auburn fans are clamoring for Chizik's scalp but he's going no where at least for the foreseeable future. That's what winning a national championship gets you (see Phillip Fulmer). Auburn is off to its worst start in 60 years and things aint gonna get better for them. We like the Aggies in this one.

#14 Texas Tech vs #3 Kansas State...this is another game that features two of America's top quarterbacks and probable Heisman finalists, KSU's Collin Klein and Red Raider Seth Doege. Last week on the road at West Virginia, Klein put up a career high 323 passing yards in a 19 of 21 effort, and adding 4 rushing TDs to boot. On a side note, KSU is tied for the FBS lead in fewest penalties per game. That's discipline; that's Coach Bill Snyder. We see Klein having another big game as the Wildcats go 8-0 in 13 seasons.

Brigham Young vs Georgia Tech...the question is not which team will win but if anyone shows up.  I can't imagine too many BYU fans being there unless they decide to sit with the greeks after a big kegger party. Anyway, there is hope for Johnson's Jackets as they rebounded nicely against Boston College last week. BYU is ranked 100th in turn-overs so look for the Bees to swarm the ball, especially as they try to contain QB Riley Nelson who is just as dangerous running the ball. If GT executes their triple option like they know how, we see the Engineers winning on the Flats.

#22 Michigan @ Nebraska...the Wolverines invade Lincoln looking to extend their Big Ten record to 4-0. In their three conference wins they have given up only 23 combined points. This much improved defense will have its hands full trying to contain dual-threat Husker QB Taylor Martinez and running backs, Burkhead and Abdullah. UPSET Special: Maize and Blue over Big Red.

And GEORGE THE CAT'S BIG PICK of the WEEK® featuring Notre Dame @ Oklahoma...

The Irish have won 8 of 9 all-time meetings with Oklahoma and have not lost to the Sooners since 1953. Their last visit to Norman was a 38-0 rout on its way to a national title in 1966. The Sooners are 79-4 at home under Bob Stoops, who has led Oklahoma to 13 straight bowl games, including 8 BCS contests and one national title. This game has national championship ramifications written all over it.  Let's see who George the Cat likes in this game.  Roll tape please...

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WHAT EXACTLY IS A BOOMER SOONER?

The terms "boomer" and "sooner" have a lot to do with the early days of Oklahoma when it was first being settled back in the late 1800's. I won't go into a history lesson but will say that Boomer and Sooner today are the cute little ponies that drag the old conestoga wagon across the field at each Oklahoma game.

Boomer on the left; Sooner on the right. Or maybe it's the reverse.

Not long after Oklahoma was admitted to statehood, a great football conference called the Southwest Conference was formed and became home to some of America's greatest teams including Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Southern Methodist, and Texas A+M.

Growing up on the East Coast and then living in the Southeast for the past 30+ years, I've never experienced first hand the excitement of the SWC or Oklahoma football but would occasionally catch a game or two, especially during bowl season. I clearly remember the 1968 Orange Bowl in which Oklahoma knocked off #2 ranked Tennessee, 26-24.

Through the years Oklahoma has produced legions of top players including five Heisman winners and six runner-ups along with 152 All Americas. Great names like Billy Sims, Spencer Tillman, Joe Washington, Marcus Dupree, and Adrian Peterson all wore the Crimson and Creme.

With this weekend's Notre Dame - Oklahoma game I thought it appropriate to bring in the perspective of someone that has witnessed Oklahoma football firsthand.

Boomhauer Chapman, a true Sooner.

So allow me to introduce Gene 'Boomhauer' Chapman.

Boomhauer grew up on the hard scrabble plains of Oklahoma and was destined to be either an oil rig roughneck or interior designer until he decided to head east to attend law school at the University of Georgia.

He grew up during the Chuck Fairbanks-Barry Switzer era, saw the Red River Rivalry, worshipped the wishbone offense, and often told people he was the fourth Selmon brother to Lee Roy, Lucious, and Dewey.

In Boomhauer's own words....

"Sooner born, Sooner bred, when I die, I’ll be Sooner dead"

I remember the first beating I received as a child.   

OU was the first to experience the SI cover jinx.

November 16, 1957.  I was four months old.  Notre Dame's Dick Lynch raced into the north end zone of Owen Field in the final minutes without a Sooner laying a hand on him.  You can’t spell ouch without OU.  The Fighting Irish's 7-0 win ended Oklahoma's incredible 47 game winning streak that day.

Even though Notre Dame and The University of Oklahoma have two of the richest traditions in all of sports, the two football teams have met on the field only nine times.  Notre Dame has a slight edge in the series, having won eight of the nine games.

 

Growing up in Oklahoma in the 60s and 70s, we had two constants: wind and college football.   

 

George Cross, OU's president from 1943 to 1968, once told the Oklahoma State Senate, "I want a university the football team can be proud of.”  College football was the center of a young boy’s existence in Oklahoma.  People took the measure of another not by the content of one’s character but by whether you wore red or orange (Oklahoma State).

 

My parents took me to the First Baptist Church on Sunday morning, Sunday afternoon and evening, and Wednesday night for prayer meeting or business meeting.  They tried to instill the fear of God in me, but in my young mind, the kingdom of heaven was Memorial Stadium filled with Crimson and Cream, God’s chariot was the Sooner Schooner whipping around the field after every score, the Holy Spirit took the form of Chuck Fairbanks, and the angels had numbers on their backs: Steve Owens, Granville Liggins, Jack Mildren, Greg Pruitt, the Selmon brothers, and on and on and on.  

 

Notre Dame not only defeated OU to snap its win streak, the Irish was the last team to defeat the Sooners before the incredible 47 game run started in 1953.  The Sooners’ one victory over Notre Dame happened in 1956.  The Sooners destroyed Heisman winner Paul Hornung and the Irish 45-0.  I wasn’t born just yet.  The first OU-Notre Dame game I saw was on the old black and white Motorola as the Irish squeaked by 13-7 in 1962.  I couldn’t eat the rest of the day without throwing up.

 

Oklahoma State and the University of Texas are the primary targets of OUr jokes.  For instance, what do you get when you cross an OSU cheerleader with a pig?  Nothing. There's some things a pig's just not gonna do.  What are the seven words guaranteed to break an OSU cheerleader's heart?  "Sorry miss, this is not a buffet."  How can you tell if a Texas football player has a girlfriend?  Tobacco juice on both sides of the pickup truck.

Boomhauer's mentor, the Son of a Bootlegger.

I don’t joke about Notre Dame.  I don’t think you get to joke about somebody until you’ve won a few games.  Notre Dame is #5 in the BCS. The team is talented. It has one of the best uniforms in college football. It has the one of the best fight songs ever.  The Pope cheers for Notre Dame.

The Sooners have not won a game against Notre Dame in my lifetime. The spread on this game notwithstanding, I think it will be an upset if OU beats Notre Dame. I’ll go with the upset. Oklahoma wins.

George the Cat makes his BIG PICK of the WEEK featuring Notre Dame-Oklahoma. Be sure to check back Friday morning to see who George the Cat likes in this historic match-up.