The Recorder Sports Staff's Picks: Week 8
Think you’re better than us?
Challenge the sports staff by picking each of these 12 games and if your record beats ours, then you get a free lunch at the Brickhouse during the taping of “Porterville Sports Weekly” from 1-2 p.m. Friday. You also get a chance to do it again by picking against us in next week’s Sports Book. Send your picks to srobinson@portervillerecorder.com or simply leave them in the form of a comment on this article at
Recorderonline.com. If you can’t make the NCAA deadline, feel free to just challenge our NFL picks and see how you stack up.
Sam’s Picks
Record: 15-13
NCAA Lock
Northwestern over INDIANA
Woke up earlier today, in time for PTI, and saw Wilbon and Herbstreet pick the Wildcats here. N’Western already made a fool out of me for picking the Spartans over them, so I’ll take them to beat the Hoosiers. This action will of course start at 9 a.m., before any sane person can watch a football game.
NCAA Upset
MICHIGAN over Michigan State
I won last week’s less-ballyhooed matchup between Michigan intra-state squads. This week I’m going conventional and picking the Wolverines to win an inconsequential state war in the Big House.
NFL Lock
JAGUARS over Browns
I’m a bit nervous about this one because of Cleveland’s inspired effort in Washington, but if the Jags’ run-game is on, the Browns won’t be able to stop it. And they need this one to stay in the wild-card race or have any prayer of catching the Titans. Derek Anderson is still on a short leash, though coach Romeo Crennel doesn’t seem to realize he also is. Myoplex boy Brady Quinn is going to have to play sooner or later, but I guess Anderson is Crennel’s guy since the Browns mortgaged part of their future (traded top four draft picks this year) for this season.
NFL Upset
DOLPHINS over Bills
I make my feelings and concerns about the Bills in this thing on a weekly basis. 6-1 Buffalo and 7-0 Tennessee...I don’t buy it. But even though I’m winning in this pool, you might not want to take me that seriously as my NFL picks were outscored 72-14 last week.
Alex’s Picks
Record: 12-12
NCAA Lock
Boise State over SAN JOSE STATE
Ian Johnson and the blue Broncos will hit Silicon Valley and hit it hard. It really would be remarkable if Boise State made a BCS bowl in two of three years.
NCAA UPSET
Boston College over NORTH CAROLINA
Two road teams in college, yeah it’s risky, but this one is going to happen.
NFL LOCK
RAVENS over Raiders
Sorry Raider fans, your team will be lucky to get into the red zone this weekend. Baltimore knows this game is big for them, while the Raiders have no big games.
NFL UPSET
Giants over STEELERS
Matchup of the weekend right here. I think Eli will outduel fellow ’04 first-rounder Big Ben, much to Jason’s shagrin.
Jason’s Picks
Record: 12-16
NCAA Lock
Colorado State over SAN DIEGO STATE
I’m basically taking the lesser of the two crappy teams here. No doubt, Colorado State is awful, its biggest win coming over fellow crappy conference member UNLV. But San Diego State has been utterly atrocious. They tried padding their schedule with a cupcake-weak non-conference lineup and lost to Cal Poly and (ha) Notre Dame. They’ve started MWC play 0-3.
NCAA Upset
OHIO STATE over Penn State
Both Big Ten powerhouses have romped through their respective schedules and Saturday’s showdown between these two top 10 teams should be a goodie. The No. 3 Nittany Lions are undefeated and No. 9 Ohio State’s only loss came in a 35-3 clunker to then-No. 1 USC. I’m going with the Buckeyes simply because of the difficulty to go undefeated in college football and the Lions are ripe for a letdown.
NFL Lock
EAGLES over Falcons
The Eagles get Brian Westbrook and Kevin Curtis back. Oh, do we need more? While the Falcons are one of the best rushing teams in the league, Philadelphia says “uh-uh” to the run. Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan, a rookie, will have to find a way to get it down through the air.
NFL Upset
Seahawks over 49ERS
The 49ers handed the Seahawks a gut-wrenching overtime loss at Seattle in Week 2. Now, the 49ers get to host Seattle, but you know the ‘Hawks are thinking nothing would be sweeter than a little payback. Not having Hasselbeck hurts worse than a Lil’ Wayne song, though.
