Our Season Five. Your Season to Thrive.
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| We're back for Year 5 |
More disappointment with the Atlanta Braves. Political vitriol at an all time high (or should I say low). Global warming on the rise. Skeeters becoming more than just a nuisance.
Thankfully it's time for College Football and the opportunity to Make Mo' Money.
This is our fifth season of Woolard's Weekend Winners™.
If you've followed us before then you know what we're all about. If you're a newcomer, welcome.
Here's the drill. Each week we highlight eight different college games. We call this The Great Eight in which we provide you insight on which teams will come out on top. We usually sprinkle in a few Upset Specials in which you can win even bigger money.
Not to brag but we're very good at making cash. In the interest of transparency last season we did hit a speed bump with a 59% hit rate on winning picks. In the previous seasons, however, we were generally in the 69%+ range and that translates into some serious cash. And if you took advantage of our brilliance then you, too, made money. If not, that's your loss but this is a whole new season and a chance for redemption. Cha ching.
Here's our panel of contributing guests.
To make each week even more interesting we feature insight and commentary from guest experts that hail from different colleges across the country. It's fun. It's engaging. And, most importantly, they can help you make mo' money.
Meet Our Newest Contributing Guest: Bayou Bengal
Every season we welcome a new contributing guest to our esteemed panel of passionate scribes.This season is no different as Bayou Bengal joins Woolard's Weekend Winners.
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| Bayou Bengal, your LSU connection |
And now a moment with Bayou Bengal.
WWW: You grew up in Asheville, North Carolina. What took you to LSU and Cajun Country?
BB: I had a number of friends from various parts of my life attend LSU. While attending UNC-Asheville my freshman year, I visited Baton Rouge and decided to transfer. One of my better decisions.
WWW: What makes LSU football special?
BB: The personality. Each season comes with big-time recruits and championship aspirations, but also heart-stopping clock management and last second plays to win the game. Never a dull moment!
WWW: What's your first memory of college football?
BB: My first real memory is watching Georgia Tech on TV. Although I was more of a basketball fan at the time (think Tobacco Road in the ACC), I'd catch games on TV and spend way too much time trying to figure out what was going on. My first game in person was the LSU-Virginia Tech game in 2007, when the Hokies came in as the higher ranked team and we 'monster-stomped' them.
WWW: What's the biggest thing you're looking forward to this season?
BB: November 5. Every LSU fan has that date circled on their calendar 5 years in advance. Yeah, baby!
WWW: Some pundits are saying this could be LSU's year. What say ye?
BB: I like our chances! We've got a great shot at having the top defense in the country and our main question, just like every season, is our quarterback. If Brandon Harris has his head on right, and doesn't get rattled by the big boys at Bama, we'll march to the championship. Oh, and don't forget #7 in the backfield. He's gonna be okay.
WWW: LSU leadership toyed with Les Miles last season...he's fired, he's staying, he's lousy, he's great. What's the real scoop?
BB: The scoop is Les Miles is our coach, at least through this season, hopefully much longer. I consider him one of the 3 best coaches in the country, eccentricities and all, but that view doesn't necessarily extend to our AD office. We'll save that for another time though. Now if he could just recruit a real-deal QB!
WWW: We've heard that you're quite an accomplished tennis player. Tell us about it.
BB: I grew up in a tennis family, where almost every family member up through my grandparents played. So I spent almost every day from age 10-18 playing in some form or fashion. I was a pretty successful junior player and was ranked in the Top 100 in North Carolina. I won state championships in Singles and Doubles while in high school.
WWW: Impressive. But what about table tennis? Any good?
BB: I can swat the ball around a bit, yes.
WWW: You recently got married. Congrats. Does your wife share your passion for college football?
BB: Anna started at UNC-Chapel Hill the same year I started at LSU, and can be easily considered more passionate than I for college football. Look for her to scream herself horse as the Tar Heels paper train the Georgia mutts this weekend.
WWW: Your favorite game time libation?
BB: An old fashioned. Heavy on the bourbon; never with soda.
WWW: Cheers.
Our Preseason Top Twenty
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| Let the debate begin |
#1 Until someone can knock off Alabama, the Tide remains atop our ranking. With top recruiting classes year in and year out, it's just a matter of reloading regardless of who needs to be replaced. What Saban lacks in the warm and fuzzy department, he kills it with his leadership and football brain. And keeping all of those 4 and 5 star recruits happy is a real balancing act.
#2 Oklahoma returns 13 starters including QB Baker Mayfield. If they can get thru Ohio State and Houston, the future is bright. Boomer Sooner.
#3 If Clemson can get by Florida State, the Tigers will have very little resistance from the rest of the ACC. They have plenty of weapons returning including Heisman finalist Deshaun Watson.
#4 Florida State knocks heads with Clemson in Tallahassee for a "winner takes all" kinda game. The "Nole offense returns 11 starters including RB Dalvin Cook, another likely Heisman finalist.
#5 We're pretty bullish on LSU. They return 9 starters on offense and 9 on defense. If qb Brandon Harris continues to grow and Leonard Fournette stays on course for the Heisman, the folks in the Red Stick are going to be very very happy.
#6 Ohio State lost a lot of talent to the NFL and they have some real testers including road games at Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Michigan State. But don't count Urban Meyer out. QB JT Barrett is still in Columbus and Buckeye recruiting has been top notch.
#7 No question that Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is a bit thorny but the guy can coach, having won 10 games in his first season in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines return 13 starters and have 8 home games. That should help.
#8 This ranking may be a bit of a stretch given that Art Briles is no longer in Waco but Baylor has a pretty easy schedule (again) with the exception of Oklahoma in Norman.
#9 If Notre Dame can keep its players out of jail then things will be good in South Bend. Brian Kelly has qb Malik Zaire returning and the Irish defense should be fairly stout.
#10 UCLA should break into the top ten with returning qb Josh Rosen. If he can avoid the dreaded "sophomore slump" the Bruins will be in contention for the PAC-12 crown and more.
#11 Ole Miss has arguably the best qb in the SEC and the Rebs are betting that Chad Kelly can deliver once again. Mister Freeze lost a lot of starters but the recruiting pipeline keeps flowing to Oxford. If the Rebs can knock off Bama (again) and LSU, they should go even higher than #11.
#12 This is a pretty lofting ranking once you consider that Michigan State returns less than half of their offense and will be breaking in a new QB to replace Connor Cook. The defense should be fine but the Spartans have one of the toughest schedules in America including Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, BYU, and a road trip to Notre Dame. Mark Dantonio has his work cut out for him.
#13 The last time we watched Oregon they were in the process of blowing a 31-0 lead in the Alamo Bowl against TCU. Nevertheless, they have a new DC, Brady Hoke, who brings aggressive schemes. RB Royce Freeman is a real Heisman candidate and he'll be joined by some of the best receivers in the PAC-12.
#14 Until Tennessee knocks off a couple of "big boy" schools like Alabama and Florida, we can't rank the Vols any higher. Sorry Vol fans. The table is set in Knoxville with most starters returning and having one of the best backfields in the country with Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara. While Dobbs may lack a cannon arm, there's no guttier qb in the SEC. Our real concern is if head coach Butch Jones can stay out of the way (see last minute losses to Oklahoma, Florida and Arkansas).
#15 While the Houston defense lost several key defenders, the offense, which averaged 40+ points, will be potent once again. If the Cougars can slip by Oklahoma, the Big 12 title could find a home in Houston.
#16 Washington took their lumps last season by playing a bunch of freshmen and sophomores including qb Jake Browning and rb Myles Gaskin. That strategy may pay off plus the Huskies defense, which led the PAC-12 in scoring defense, remains pretty intact.
#17 Time will tell how good Georgia will be under new head coach, Kirby Smart. All eyes will be on new qb Jason Eason but the real producers may be the Dawg backfield with Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. Look for a more aggressive defense under new coordinator, Jim Chaney.
#18 Stanford head coach David Shaw has his work cut out for him after losing 12 starters. But the Cardinal offensive line is intact and rb Christian McCaffrey, last year's Heisman runner up, will lead the way.
#19 TCU has some big shoes to fill like qb Trevone Boykin but no worries for head coach Gary Patterson. QB Kenny Hill, Aggie transfer, brings hope to the offense and the Horned Frog defense returns 7 starters.
#20 Louisville could be the most under valued team on the board. The Cardinals return 10 starters on offense and 8 on defense. QB Lamar Jackson is a dual threat qb and has the right coach, Bobby Petrino, to help sharpen his passing game. Expect Louisville to make the ACC interesting with FSU and Clemson.
We'll be issuing our Great Eight later this week so be sure to look for your email alert.
MAKE MO' MONEY WITH MARK™
