READY TO SHINE IN WEEK NINE

So…how do you follow a 7-1 winning weekend? You roll with a PERFECT 8-0 weekend!  We’re now sitting at a scorching win rate of 78%.

Last week we were red hot with our picks including TWO UPSET SPECIALS…Georgia Tech beating Miami and Baylor knocking off Oklahoma State. CHA CHING!

We don’t want to brag but we made a very very tidy pile of cash. We’ll put some of our winnings in the old coffee can that momma keeps hidden. But the rest will be re-invested in this week’s picks.

Hopefully you followed our picks and made some cash, too. It’s fun when you’re winning. So let’s have some more fun this weekend.

Opening in January, the Official Beer Garden of Woolard's Weekend Winners. Stay tuned for updates and get ready to spend some of your winnings on cold beer and delectable snacks. Special discount for fans of losing teams. Mention WWW.

SIDELINES...

• When Alabama plays Arkansas tomorrow, it will be the FIRST game under Nick Saban that his starting quarterback is out with an injury. Saban has been Bama’s coach for 13 seasons. Darn lucky.

• Don’t look now but SMU is undefeated and playing pretty good football. This program was red hot back in the ‘80s, led by Eric Dickerson, before getting whacked with the NCAA death penalty. Second year Sonny Dykes has done a fantastic job returning the Mustangs to winning football.

• Last weekend we saw some of the worse officiating in the SEC…several games, different teams. A lot of blown calls that had serious impact on game outcomes. The SEC needs to take a hard look at their crews’ performances and holding them accountable. We rarely blame refs for outcomes but this is starting to get ridiculous.

• It’s only natural for a head coach to lose his cool on the sideline when a player seriously messes up. But it’s another thing to grab a facemask and go off on the kid for 15 minutes on national TV. We saw that in the Tennessee-Alabama game. The kid deserved a butt chewing, no argument there. But most of that should have been reserved for the locker room. Coaches need to know that recruits AND parents are watching everything that goes on.

THE GREAT EIGHT™ FOR WEEK NINE

HARVARD @ PRINCETON…this will be the 112th meeting between these two longtime rivals, and it’s promising to be an excellent game, not to mention the most serious threat to Princeton’s 15 game unbeaten streak. The Crimson have rattled off four straight, thanks to stellar special teams and defense (the Crimson lead the nation with over 5 sacks per game), while the Tigers have kept their impressive streak alive with stifling defense, too, as they rank 5th nationally in total defensive yards allowed (288 per game).  This should end up being a low-scoring game, with the home team, barely, pulling this one out. Take the Tigers over the Crimson.

SOUTH CAROLINA @ TENNESSEE…if you’re a Tennessee fan best pour yourself a tall adult beverage before you settle in for this game. It looks like Jarrett Guarantano will be the most likely starter as Brian Maurer is having no luck with concussions, and freshman JT Shrout has performed badly in his limited play. For the Vols to have a chance to win their second SEC game they need to lean on their run game to move the chains, especially in a wet game. And the defense needs to stop giving up huge plays especially in the secondary. Fortunately for UT, South Carolina is not a strong passing team. This will be a really close game, and probably decided by a late game field goal. We like the chances of underdog Tennessee, so lay some cash on the Vols. In an UPSET SPECIAL, Vols handle the Cocks.

#13 WISCONSIN @ #3 OHIO STATE…the Badgers were tripped up by Illinois last week with key fumbles late in the game. That loss might serve as a wake-up call as Wisconsin heads to the Horseshoe in Columbus. This should be a really good game, especially if rb Jonathan Taylor cranks up the offense and keeps it close with the undefeated Buckeyes.  We’re liking the Badgers in this one. In an UPSET SPECIAL, Bucky the Badger bites the Buckeyes.

WASHINGTON STATE @ #11 OREGON…for entertainment value you can’t ask for a better matchup, especially if you like an aerial game. Mike Leach loves to throw the ball, and they will do that early and often, especially since they have no ground game. Unfortunately, the Cougar defense is suspect, especially in their secondary. No doubt that Oregon test the secondary but in the end, it will be their balanced offense that wins the day. Fly with the Ducks over the Cougars.

#9 AUBURN @ #2 LSU…this is another huge game in the SEC West and a big opportunity for LSU to show the country that it’s a legitimate playoff contender. It’s not going to be easy. Auburn has a strong defense with a potent pass rush but it’s possible to throw on the secondary which is right up qb Joe Burrow’s alley. He’s hitting almost 80% of his passes, with most being downfield bombs, averaging well over 11 yards per attempt. That’s beyond remarkable. Auburn likes to grind and grind. That’s why it’s important for the Tigers to start fast and not let up. This will be a dandy. Bengal Tigers over the War Eagles.

 #6 PENN STATE @ MICHIGAN STATE…be sure to catch this game at 3:30pm tomorrow (ABC) because it promises to be a really good matchup. Undefeated Penn State is coming off of a huge, emotional win over Michigan and may still be on an emotional high. But their schedule has been a grinder. Meanwhile the Spartans should be rested after a bye week and ready to rumble. Which is what they will do in Lansing. In an UPSET SPECIAL, Sparty skins the Nittany Lions in a close one.

#8 NOTRE DAME @ #19 MICHIGAN …the Irish run game has finally returned as they hammered Southern Cal last week with over 300 rushing yards. The key to the game is if rb Tony Jones can stay hot. He’s had 3 straight 100-yards games, and that will be important to keep the heat off of qb Ian Book. Michigan’s Shea Patterson came on strong against Penn State but they fell short. Will they fall short again? We think so. In another UPSET SPECIAL, take the Irish over the Wolverines.

#15 TEXAS @ TCU…if the Longhorns consistently go to the air this may be a long afternoon in Fort Worth for the Horned Frogs. They are 0-2 so far against teams that throw for 200 yards or more, and here comes Texas qb Sam Ehlinger who has a gun. Plus the Longhorn run game is starting to pick up steam, as they’ve hit 200+ yards in three of their last four games. Take Texas over TCU.

MAKE MO’ MONEY with MARK™