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Wayne or Bettorschat please sticky
Wayne or Bettorschat please sticky
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NY Newsday/Ed Mcnamara
NFL WEEK 2
Gridiron Guide
BY ED MCNAMARA
September 17, 2004
Best bet: Colts
Giants: Obey or pay
Redskins (1-0) at Giants (0-1)
Line: Redskins by 3. O-U: 41.
Besides being five minutes early for meetings, the Giants should line up according to height in the tunnel and sit up straight on the bench. If one player disobeys, punish everyone. That's how it was done in 1960 in my Catholic grammar school, where boys had to wear the school tie and a white shirt. Coach Coughlin, wouldn't that make a sharp dress code for the road? Big Blue's battle cry: If you can't compete, be neat. The Giants have lost nine straight (0-8-1 against the spread). Ride the streak, even though Washington is nothing special.
The pick against the spread: Redskins.
Jets: Green machine
Jets (1-0) at Chargers (1-0)
Line: Jets by 3. O-U: 45 1/2.
Bet you didn't know Fireman Ed's J-E-T-S cheerleading gyrations are not original, but were adapted from the C-O-L-T-S cheer in Baltimore in the 1950s. Suddenly, much-maligned offensive coordinator Paul Hackett is being hailed as a genius, and the Jets should burn another rotten defense. If they can keep LaDainian Tomlinson from running wild, Rich the Jets fan may upgrade his prediction to 12-4.
The pick: Jets.
Marquee matchups
Colts (0-1) at Titans (1-0)
Line: Titans by 1. O-U: 461/2.
The Colts have been beating themselves up for letting three red-zone turnovers keep them from defeating the Patriots. Indy, which moved the ball well enough to score 45 points, should be pumped up for its main AFC South rival. The Colts swept the Titans last year and will make it three straight ******.
The pick: Colts.
Panthers (0-1) at Chiefs (0-1)
Line: Chiefs by 6. O-U: 461/2.
Kansas City's defense was as bad as ever against Denver. Why did anyone think new coordinator Gunther Cunningham could transform the same guys who couldn't tackle or cover last season? Ron Jaworski has the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. If the NFL played two-hand touch, they might get there. KC's defense may get a break against Carolina, whose offensive line is a wreck and whose star WR/KR Steve Smith (broken leg) is down.
The pick: Chiefs.
Vikings (1-0) at Eagles (1-0)
Line: Eagles by 3. 0-U: 481/2.
With Terrell Owens and Randy Moss, Donovan McNabb and Daunte Culpepper, ABC smells big Monday night ratings. Expect many points in this week's "over" special. If Moss scores and leaps among the Philly fans, he'll be wearing cheesesteaks. Minnesota lost its last five road games (no ******) last season, which makes me lean toward Philly.
The pick: Eagles.
Around the league
Texans (0-1) at Lions (1-0)
Line: Lions by 3. O-U: 431/2.
Will the euphoria of ending a 24-game road losing streak undermine the Lions? They do love it at Ford Field, though, covering four of the last five there and 13 of 20 at home. Unreliable Houston is a poor road team (2-5 ATS last seven).
The pick: Lions.
Rams (1-0) at Falcons (1-0)
Line: Falcons by 21/2. O-U: 46.
You like trends? Ponder these. St. Louis has covered six of the last seven in the series and was 2-0 as a road underdog last season. Home is not where Atlanta's heart is (2-6 ATS in 2003, 8-15-1 ATS there since 2001). Even if I guess wrong, at least you know I do my homework.
The pick: Rams.
Bears (0-1) at Packers (1-0)
Line: Packers by 81/2. O-U: 41.
I didn't think it was possible, but this week's games seem more inscrutable than Week 1's. Could this be a rare easy choice? Green Bay has covered seven straight against the wretched Bears, the first team since 2000 to lose at home to the Lions.
The pick: Packers.
Broncos (1-0) at Jaguars (1-0)
Line: Broncos by 3. O-U: 39.
Meaningless stat: Denver covered the last three meetings. (They haven't played since 1999.) The Broncos did surprisingly well on the road last year, covering five of their first seven. The Jags are on the rise but were lucky to beat Buffalo at the gun.
The pick: Broncos.
Steelers (1-0) at Ravens (0-1)
Line: Ravens by 4. O-U: 351/2.
Even if star T Jonathan Ogden (knee) returns, the Ravens' O-line is banged up, and they're down to three healthy wide receivers. Pittsburgh covered five of the last six meetings, and Baltimore's bad offense makes it tough to give points.
The pick: Steelers.
49ers (0-1) at Saints (0-1)
Line: Saints by 7. O-U: 42.
Deep, dark thought: Violence and gambling are the NFL's main lures, so to mask the brutal truth the league spews endless stats. Here's one for jet-lag handicappers: The 49ers will log the most air miles (35,576) this season. They lost 7 of 8 away last year, and backup QB Ken Dorsey makes his first NFL start.
The pick: Saints.
Seahawks (1-0) at Bucs (0-1)
Line: Seahawks by 3. O-U: 37.
Tampa Bay has no running game, no healthy receivers with talent, and QB Brad Johnson is a confused statue. Not getting an offensive TD against Washington was disturbing. Even if RB Shaun Alexander (knee) is out or below par, Seattle has enough firepower.
The pick: Seahawks.
Browns (1-0) at Cowboys (0-1)
Line: Cowboys by 41/2. O-U: 39.
Go with the old Letdown/Rebound theory. Cleveland could be flat after blasting the archrival Ravens, and Dallas should be psyched to rebound from a rout at Minnesota. The Cowboys were at their best last season at home (5-2-1 ATS) and as favorites (7-2-1 ATS).
The pick: Cowboys.
Bills (0-1) at Raiders (0-1)
Line: Raiders by 31/2. O-U: 371/2.
Are there any former NFL stars who aren't TV analysts? This is American culture: loudmouthed ex-jocks shouting each other down and laughing at jokes only they think are funny. Spike the Raiders fan thinks his old guys ("The Gray and Black") will be better than expected. If so, they'd better win here.
The pick: Raiders.
Patriots (1-0) at Cardinals (0-1)
Line: Patriots bt 8. O-U: 41.
The Patriots have won 16 in a row, two short of the record set by Miami in 1972 and 1973, but they should have lost to the Colts. Maybe the Pats will let down after a draining rivalry game and not cover, as they did last year at Houston. Arizona was 6-2 ATS at home last year, where the heat is a big edge.
The pick: Cardinals.
Dolphins (0-1) at Bengals (0-1)
Line: Bengals by 5. O-U: 39.
Esmeralda the Psychic reports Ricky Williams is at Acapulco's "Fields of Gold' harvest festival, where the celebrity guest will judge the bountiful crop. After seeing the Titans pummel Miami's offensive line, you can understand why he quit. Even Cincy's poor defense could pound new starting QB A.J. Feeley.
The pick: Bengals. -
Harmon Forecast NCAA
Game of the Week
Ohio State 21, *North Carolina State 20
The schools met for the first time a year ago and the Buckeyes' thrilling 44-38 win was one of the most dramatic games of the season: three overtimes, 11 touchdowns and 150 offensive plays. Our predicted one-point Buckeyes win may be wishful thinking. The margin may be larger, but we'll still look for a great battle.
Week of Sept. 18
Major Colleges - Div. I-A
*Alabama 50 Western Carolina 6
Arkansas 46 Louisiana-Monroe 6
Boise State 41 *Texas-El Paso 6
*Boston College 22 Connecticut 13
California 21 *Southern Mississippi 14
*Central Michigan 26 SE Missouri State 13
Clemson 27 *Texas A&M 12
*Colorado 21 North Texas 7
*Florida State 42 Alabama-Birmingham 7
*Fresno State 35 Portland State 10
*Georgia 33 Marshall 7
Georgia Tech 23 *North Carolina 17
Hawaii 17 *Rice 15
*Houston 28 Army 7
*Illinois 15 Western Michigan 13
Iowa 20 *Arizona State 10
*Kansas State 52 Louisiana-Lafayette 7
*Kentucky 28 Indiana 8
L.S.U. 26 *Auburn 17
Louisville 19 *Tulane 14
Memphis 34 *Arkansas State 10
*Miami 45 Louisiana Tech 9
*Miami (Ohio) 44 Ohio 9
*Michigan 38 San Diego State 7
*Michigan State 24 Notre Dame 12
*Middle Tennessee State 28 Florida Atlantic 14
Minnesota 20 *Colorado State 19
*Mississippi 34 Vanderbilt 9
*Mississippi State 20 Maine 14
*Missouri 41 Ball State 7
*Nevada 30 Buffalo U. 12
*Nevada-Las Vegas 21 Air Force 19
*New Mexico State 16 Troy State 14
Northern Illinois 21 *Iowa State 10
*Northwestern 22 Kansas 16
Ohio State 21 *North Carolina State 20
*Oklahoma 35 Oregon 7
*Oklahoma State 49 Southern Methodist 7
*Oregon State 26 New Mexico 20
*Penn State 34 Central Florida 7
*Pittsburgh 19 Nebraska 17
*Rutgers 24 Kent 10
*San Jose State 36 Morgan State 9
*South Carolina 18 South Florida 7
Southern California 40 *Brigham Young 7
*Syracuse 27 Cincinnati 7
*Temple 42 Florida A&M 9
*Tennessee 27 Florida 21
*Texas Tech 29 Texas Christian 13
Toledo 28 *Eastern Michigan 10
*Tulsa 14 Navy 12
Utah 27 *Utah State 8
*Virginia 31 Akron 6
*Virginia Tech 31 Duke 7
*Wake Forest 45 North Carolina A&T 7
*Washington 28 U.C.L.A. 22
Washington State 38 *Idaho 13
*West Virginia 24 Maryland 18
Wisconsin 27 *Arizona 10Comment
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Harmon Forecast NFL
Sunday, Sept. 19, 2004
Baltimore 19 Pittsburgh 14 - The Ravens will win this one with defense -- not hard to do against the Steelers. In 2003, Pittsburgh took its fifth straight in the series, 34-15, then Baltimore won 13-10 on a Matt Stover field goal in OT.
Buffalo 16 *Oakland 13 - Another story of defense: The Bills', second best in the NFL last season, looks just as strong this season, and last weekend the Raiders were all pass and no run. Oakland was a 49-31 winner two years ago.
*Dallas 23 Cleveland 16 - Defense, take three: Dallas's once-fearsome unit didn't make a dent in the Vikings, but the Browns may have a difficult time with the Cowboys' league-leading (for now) air attack. The clubs last met in '94.
Denver 24 *Jacksonville 21 - A great pairing, featuring the Broncos' still-top-notch ground game and a Jaguars run defense that needs to rediscover last year's swagger. In their most recent matchup, in '99, Jacksonville edged Denver 27-24.
*Detroit 19 Houston 12 - A not-so-great pairing, concerning which the most interesting fact may be that the (undefeated!) Lions and Texans have never met. And the NFL's two least productive offenses last fall have nowhere to go but up.
*Green Bay 32 Chicago 10 - This series hasn't been fun for the Bears in recent years: The Packers have not only taken seven in a row, but they've scored at least 30 points in four in a row -- 38-23 and 34-21 in '03. More of the same.
*Kansas City 26 Carolina 21 - Against the Chiefs' defense, the weakest unit of any playoff-caliber team in the NFL, we'd advise the Panthers to run and then run some more. K.C. is two for two against Carolina, with wins in '97 and '00.
Miami 17 *Cincinnati 9 - The Dolphins' offense is missing Ricky, but if their defensive line comes alive they can shut the Bengals down. Miami has beaten Cincy nine times in a row dating back to '78, most recently four years ago.
New England 27 *Arizona 14 - A great chance for new Cardinals coach Dennis Green, who has a way with teams in need of big-time retooling, to pull a huge surprise, though we doubt the Patriots will be caught napping. N.E. won last, in '99.
*New Orleans 25 San Francisco 13 - Both of these clubs had better offenses than defenses last year, but the players who made the 49ers' offense work are gone. Two years ago N.O. won for the fourth time in its last six confrontations with S.F.
St. Louis 21 *Atlanta 20 - On a Monday night last October, the Rams dealt the Falcons their worst loss of the season, St. Louis's first shutout in 10 years, 36-0. With its re-Vicked offense, Atlanta will make a real game of it this time.
*San Diego 20 N.Y. Jets 16 - This didn't look much more interesting than Lions-Texans before last weekend, but the Chargers may actually emerge from this one 2-0 if they can corral the Jets' backfield. N.Y. pummeled S.D. 44-13 in '02.
Seattle 21 *Tampa Bay 13 - If the Seahawks are the team everyone says they are, they'll win on the road -- unlike last year -- over a solid defense like the Buccaneers'. Seattle is 4-1 against T.B., but the Bucs won last, five years ago.
*Tennessee 28 Indianapolis 24 - Our tentative game-of-the-week pick, in which the Titans have something to prove, after two of their four losses in '03 came against the Colts, 33-7 and 29-27. Tennessee's secondary must step up this time.
Washington 17 *N.Y. Giants 14 The tossup of the week, though the Redskins have new life and (for now) the league's best D. The Giants took their third in a row from Washington last year, 24-21, then the 'Skins struck back in N.Y., 20-7.
Monday, Sept. 20, 2004
*Philadelphia 30 Minnesota 23 - A potentially great prime-time shootout. The Eagles are 5-1 on Monday nights over the past two seasons, while the Vikings haven't appeared once. Philly took Minnesota apart when they met last, in '01, 48-17.Comment
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Mejia Ncaa
Mejia's Selections
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By Tony Mejia
SportsLine.com Staff Writer Weekly predictions of the nation's Division I college football action.
Last week: 46-14(SU) | Season record: 100-23 (81.3 %)
Projected Scores
Week 4
Troy 23 New Mexico State 14
Washington State 34 Idaho 7
Clemson 20 Texas A&M 16
Notre Dame 20 Michigan State 17
Wake Forest 38 North Carolina A&T 10
Florida State 31 UAB 6
Georgia Tech 27 North Carolina 12
Toledo 48 Eastern Michigan 17
San Jose State 30 Morgan State 24
Oregon State 27 New Mexico 23
Wisconsin 21 Arizona 13
Oklahoma 45 Oregon 20
Ohio State 24 North Carolina State 14
Auburn 20 LSU 13
Virginia 43 Akron 14
Middle Tennessee 27 Florida Atlantic 17
Temple 28 Florida A&M 20
Kansas 35 Northwestern 27
Missouri 48 Ball State 10
Kansas State 37 La.-Lafayette 12
Illinois 37 Western Michigan 24
Miami (OH) 44 Ohio 17
Miami (FL) 33 Louisiana Tech 10
Georgia 26 Marshall 7
Central Michigan 31 Southeast Missouri State 14
Texas Tech 33 Texas Christian 24
Mississippi 17 Vanderbilt 13
Maryland 34 West Virginia 27
Syracuse 31 Cincinnati 29
Pittsburgh 17 Nebraska 12
Penn State 34 Central Florida 23
Michigan 20 San Diego State 10
Virginia Tech 41 Duke 10
Boston College 27 Connecticut 17
Southern Mississippi -- California --
UNLV 27 Air Force 24
Colorado 23 North Texas 10
Iowa State 21 Northern Illinois 17
Boise State 52 Texas-El Paso 24
Utah 31 Utah State 3
Fresno State 44 Portland State 10
Southern California 42 Brigham Young 17
Nevada 52 Buffalo 9
Tennessee 24 Florida 20
Houston 38 Army 14
Hawaii 31 Rice 21
Memphis 37 Arkansas State 10
Tulsa 27 Navy 16
South Carolina 23 South Florida 10
Oklahoma State 43 Southern Methodist 6
UCLA 37 Washington 34
Arkansas 38 Louisiana-Monroe 3
Iowa 31 Arizona State 19
Alabama 35 Western Carolina 13
Minnesota 34 Colorado State 20
Louisville 45 Tulane 17
Kentucky 27 Indiana 24
Rutgers 21 Kent State 20
Mississippi State 45 Maine 7Last edited by Blackbeard; 09-16-2004, 09:44 PM.Comment
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Blackbeard
Thanx for the work
The sports network posts and records and picks of their writers under I-A college football tsn picks
the record for the consensus picks are 18-7-1
not quite sure how to attatch the site...newby you know
this weeks consensus picks are
BC / Mich / Md. / Marshall / NC State / Auburn / Oregon / N.D.
Boise / Minn./ BYU
consensus choice is BCRemember the three R's:
Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.Comment
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Thanks for the input rwall, I usually right click the web address and copy and paste, sports network is a little tricky due to the volume of links.
Thats it for 2nite, check back tomorrow and saturday for the bulk of the links and picksComment
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Foxsports NCAA fearless predictions
*Note: these picks are from collegefootballnews, fox publishes top25 teams
No. 11 Florida at No. 13 Tennessee
Saturday at 8 p.m. ET
Line:
Tenn -2
While we all know the hex Florida has on Georgia, the Dawgs appear to be, ahem, the big dogs in the SEC this year meaning this annual showdown of SEC superpowers will most likely be an elimination game for the title and will most certainly be a BCS knockout blow for the loser. Tennessee looked fantastic in its opening game, streamrolling over UNLV 42-17 while Florida blew away Eastern Michigan 49-10 last week. While there isn't quite the same venom and anger in the rivalry there was back in the Steve Spurrier days and the last two years have produced some yawners, this is still one of the reasons you're a college football fan and always a must watch.
Prediction: Tennessee 20 ... Florida 13
Complete Preview | GameTrax
San Diego State at No. 17 Michigan
Saturday at Noon ET
Line: Mich -21
This had the look of a dangerous letdown game for Michigan before last week, and now it could be an absolute nightmare after the stunning loss to Notre Dame. San Diego State has one of the nation's stingiest defenses and an offense good enough to take advantage of any Wolverine mistakes. With time off to rest and heal up some key players, the Aztecs have a great shot of pulling off the upset. So just how good is the Aztec defense? The line is the one area of concern and that'll be just enough to give the Michigan passing game time to develop. The Wolverines will struggle for three quarters before pulling away late.
Prediction: Michigan 30 ... San Diego State 16
Complete Preview | GameTrax
No. 21 Maryland at No. 7 West Virginia
Saturday at Noon ET
Line:
WV -7
West Virginia has lost nine games over the last two seasons with three of them coming against Maryland by a combined score of 123 to 31. This is the chance the Mountaineers have been waiting for with their best team yet under head coach Rich Rodriguez, packed with experience and explosion. While there's still a road game at Virginia Tech looming, some see the Terps as the final barrier for West Virginia and an 11-0 season. Maryland is once again searching for respect. Forget about the three straight ten-plus win seasons, many don't see Maryland as a superpower and this is yet another chance to prove how strong Ralph Friedgen's program is.
Prediction: Maryland 30 ... West Virginia 27
Complete Preview | GameTrax
Marshall at No. 3 Georgia
Saturday at 1 p.m. ET
Line: UGA -18
Marshall lost its first two games by a total of just five points. The Herd was shut down by the Troy defense and got tagged by a 55-yard Mike Nugent field goal in a 24-21 heartbreaker to Ohio State. This is a dangerous Marshall team catching Georgia in the middle of a mega-sandwich between a 20-16 gut-check win over South Carolina and with big, bad LSU coming up in two weeks. Marshall is more than capable of pulling off the upset while Georgia wants to finally play a complete game with LSU and Tennessee coming up.
Prediction: Georgia 31 ... Marshall 16
Complete Preview | GameTrax
Louisiana Tech at No. 4 Miami (FL)
Saturday at 1 p.m. ET
Line:
Miami -30.5
Fresh off the sometimes ugly, but once again exciting, win over Florida State, Miami looks to get all the parts in tune against a 2-0 Louisiana Tech team with some excitement and some pop. Pinball running back Ryan Moats leads the nation in rushing, averaging 257 yards per game and can get on everyone's All-America short list with a great performance. Miami's defense will shut down Moats while the offense will be able to do whatever it wants. If the 'Cane offense doesn't roll it'll be time to be really worried about any national title chances.
Prediction: Miami 48 ... Louisiana Tech 13
Complete Preview | GameTrax
Akron at No. 12 Virginia
Saturday at 3 p.m. ET
Line:
UVA -31.5
There might not be a greater disparity between ways two teams can start a season. Akron was supposed to be a sleeper team in the MAC race, but a blowout loss to Penn State and a stunning home defeat to MTSU have taken all the wind out of the team's sails. Virginia, on the other hand, has crushed and killed bottom feeders Temple and North Carolina and should put on another fantastic show. Virginia can call its shot rushing for over 300 yards without much of a problem. Only a Heisman-caliber performance from Charlie Frye can keep Akron within three touchdowns.
Prediction: Virginia 49 ... Akron 17
Complete Preview | GameTrax
No. 5 LSU at No. 14 Auburn
Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET
Line:
Aub -1
With all due respect to 'Bama, this is the game for the SEC West title and a chance for each team to make a major statement in the race for the Orange Bowl. While everyone respects LSU, the near-miss against Oregon State raised some serious questions about just how good the team is with so many new faces on offense. A win over Auburn would erase those doubts and secure LSU among the elite of the elite status it was at last season. LSU had the dream season Auburn was supposed to have in 2003, and now Carnell Williams and the boys want their turn in the spotlight.
Prediction: Auburn 17 ... LSU 14
Complete Preview | GameTrax
No. 9 Ohio State at N.C. State
Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET
Line:
OSU -3
If this is half as good as last season's three overtime 44-38 classic, it'll be the must-see game of the weekend. Ohio State is already considered one of the nation's best teams while NC State is barely registering a blip on the national map. That's a huge mistake as everyone is back for the Wolfpack, with one very notable exception, along with some tremendous freshmen, but only a win would give Chuck Amato's team the respect it's looking for. Ohio State is coming off a shaky 24-21 win over Marshall and wants to prove that it belongs in the Orange Bowl mix with what would be a huge road win.
Prediction: N.C. State 27 ... Ohio State 20
Complete Preview | GameTrax
Oregon at No. 2 Oklahoma
Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET
Line:
OU -28.5
So just how good is OU? USC is almost everyone's No. 1, but the Sooners have been the more dominant, complete team so far looking tremendous in a blowout win over Houston last week and strong in the season opener against a very good Bowling Green team. It'll be easy to dismiss this game as a sure-thing after Oregon's stunning opening loss to Indiana, but the Ducks did rack up close to 500 yards of total offense; they just kept giving it away with seven turnovers. Oregon is better than it showed vs. the Hoosiers and will provide a great test for a Sooner D that had a few problems with Bowling Green.
Prediction: Oklahoma 48 ... Oregon 27
Complete Preview | GameTrax
No. 20 Wisconsin at Arizona
Saturday at 4 p.m. ET
Line:
Wis -11
Arizona has looked far better and with far more promise than it did last year, but the Mike Stoops era has yet to get off to a big bang, beating Northern Arizona and losing to Utah. A win over Wisconsin would change all that while the Badgers are looking to keep the momentum going after two easy wins over UCF and UNLV. The Badgers are good on the road in games like this. It won't be pretty, but the offensive line will get the job done and the defense will keep Arizona from doing much of anything.
Prediction: Wisconsin 24 ... Arizona 13
Complete Preview | GameTrax
UAB at No. 8 Florida State
Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET
Line:
FSU -24
Florida State fans think they have a breather after the tough Miami loss. Think again. UAB's 56-14 win over Baylor isn't going to open any eyes, but this is an experienced and talented Blazer team with enough firepower and playmakers on both sides of the ball to make this extremely interesting. The 'Noles desperately need an easy win to get its season on track, but they might not get it. Either Florida State and Chris Rix come out roaring, or the 'Noles don't have the fire and UAB shocks the world.
Prediction: Florida State 34 ... UAB 20
Complete Preview | GameTrax
No. 15 Utah at Utah State
Saturday at 7 p.m. ET
Line:
Utah -19
Two old rivals square off for the 104th time as Utah prepares for the Mountain West season and Utah State tries to build on a 14-7 win over Idaho. Rivalry games are always intense, but Utah should be able to put up some big points and make the offensive stats look even more impressive for the Top 25 voters. Rivalry or not, there's no accounting for talent as this could be Utah's greatest team ever. It'll have little trouble doing whatever it wants against the average Aggies.
Prediction: Utah 42 ... Utah State 17
Complete Preview | GameTrax
No. 23 Boise State at UTEP
Saturday at 9 p.m. ET
Line:
Boise -28.5
This is game one after Boise State's destruction of Oregon State and the first game of its WAC season and the road to a possible BCS bid. UTEP shouldn't provide too much of a challenge, but a win, or at least a great performance, would do wonders for Mike Price's program and generate as much national interest as the Broncos' victory over the Beavers. Boise State is the WAC's best, so UTEP can see just how far it has to go this year before bolting for Conference USA.
Prediction: Boise State 42 ... UTEP 13
Complete Preview | GameTrax
Portland St. (1-0) at Fresno St. (2-0)
Saturday at 10 p.m. ET
Line:
No line
Fresno State gets a week off from giant killing in its triumphant return home to face Portland State from the Big Sky Conference. The Vikings are coming off a 38-0 win over Western State and is just good enough to pull off the monster upset if Fresno State's backs are hurting from all the pats. Portland State will come in and make the Bulldogs, still coming down off the Kansas State win, work but Pinegar will come through again and the defense will tighten up.
Prediction: Fresno St. 34 ... Portland St. 16
Complete Preview | GameTrax
No. 16 Iowa at Arizona State
Saturday at 10 p.m. ET
Line:
ASU -1
Call this the deep, deep sleeper Rose Bowl matchup. The Sun Devils were last year what Cal is this season, the Pac 10's hot team, but it all crashed with a resounding thud following a 21-2 loss to the Hawkeyes. This is Dirk Koetter's most important game yet as the Arizona State head coach and a chance for the program to get back on the national map after a disappointing 2003. ASU needs this win to show that it's a top 25-caliber team.
Prediction: Arizona State 20 .. Iowa 17
Complete Preview | GameTrax
No. 1 USC at BYU
Saturday at 10 p.m. ET
Line:
USC -26
Strange things tend to happen to good teams when they get to Provo. BYU fans hope a little bit of Ty Detmer-like Miami magic can rub off when the top ranked Trojans come to town. USC settled down after a shaky opening season win over Virginia Tech to blow out Colorado State 49-0, while BYU came up with a clunker in a 37-10 loss to Stanford a week after beating Notre Dame. USC won't get too many (if any) more chances to play on national TV until the bowls, while BYU needs to make a statement with a good performance or risk being a college football afterthought. USC is hitting on all cylinders with an underrated running game making life easy for Mr. Leinart. The defense will give up a few big plays, but not enough for the Cougars to keep this close.
Prediction: USC 45 ... BYU 14
Complete Preview | GameTrax
No. 22 Minnesota at Colorado State
Saturday at 10 p.m. ET
Line:
Minn -3.5
Colorado State is trying to avoid its first three-game losing streak under head coach Sonny Lubick since 1993, while the Gophers are looking for a big road win to serve notice that, once again, everyone isn't taking them seriously enough. Minnesota came out looking like world-beaters with a dominating 63-21 win over Toledo, but the luster was taken off with the Rockets' blowout loss to Kansas and the average Minnesota performance against Illinois State. Colorado State came within a confusing final play against Colorado of pulling off a comeback win and got blown out by USC. This would be an important win for the Mountain West while Minnesota, with home games against Northwestern and Penn State coming up, has an honest shot of going 5-0 with a win.
Prediction: Minnesota 31 ... Colorado State 20Comment
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SI.com/B. Duane Cross NFL
Pittsburgh at Baltimore
The Steelers' two-back attack worked well in Week 1, while the Ravens showed little on either side of the ball. As for Baltimore's passing game, no wonder Marcus Robinson left.
Steelers 21, Ravens 13
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Preview | Matchup St. Louis at Atlanta
Could T.J. Duckett be a Fish out of water? Warrick Dunn is the perfect back for the Falcons' system, which could make Duckett expendable. ... Miami, are you listening?
Falcons 24, Rams 20
Sunday, 1 p.m.
Preview | Matchup Houston at Detroit
Getting that road monkey off their backs was huge for the Lions, but don't expect the same Texans team that lost to San Diego to show up. Houston is too talented to start 0-2.
Texans 31, Lions 21
Sunday, 1 p.m.
Preview | Matchup Chicago at Green Bay
Rex Grossman will continue to have growing pains, but he is the future. In the meantime, he'll learn from the master Sunday -- but it won't be long until the tables are turned.
Packers 28, Bears 17
Sunday, 1 p.m.
Preview | Preview Denver at Jacksonville
The Jag were extremely fortunate to escape Buffalo at 1-0, but the Broncos will not let this game come down to a fourth-and-all-or-nothing play at the gun. This one could be over early.
Broncos 31, Jaguars 14
Sunday, 1 p.m.
Preview | Matchup Carolina at Kansas City
Dick Vermeil is already lamenting the Chiefs' defensive woes, but after watching the Panthers' O-line last week, this game could cure what ails K.C. -- if only for a week.
Chiefs 24, Panthers 17
Sunday, 1 p.m.
Preview | Matchup Washington at N.Y. Giants
Joe Gibbs demands discipline and gets it. But Tom Coughlin is a bad guy for being a hardass? Is there any wonder why these teams are going in opposite directions?
Redskins 27, Giants 13
Sunday, 1 p.m.
Preview | Matchup San Francisco at New Orleans
The levy withstood Mother Nature, so Cafe DuMond is still in business. ... Coffee and a biegnet with powdered sugar will be the high point for Niners fans during their weekend in N'Awlins.
Saints 21, 49ers 13
Sunday, 1 p.m.
Preview | Matchup Indianapolis at Tennessee
The last time the Colts lost back-to-back games: Oct. 21-Nov. 3, 2002 -- at Pittsburgh, at Washington and vs. Tennessee. Indy has too much offense to fall into an 0-2 hole. Right?
Colts 28, Titans 24
Sunday, 4:05 p.m.
Preview | Matchup Seattle at Tampa Bay
All the Yuks need are the creamsicle unis and Bucco Bruce; the pewter has lost its power, if Week 1 is any indication. Don't bury the Bucs yet, but lose next week at Oakland ...
Seahawks 24, Buccaneers 14
Sunday, 4:15 p.m.
Preview | Matchup Cleveland at Dallas
Jeff Garcia flashed his grit in Week 1, almost making us forget his girlfriend, Playboy playmate Carmella DeCesare, is one tough cookie. This week, though, the Cowboys will pin back his bunny ears.
Cowboys 24, Browns 13
Sunday, 4:15 p.m.
Preview | Matchup Buffalo at Oakland
The Bills cannot afford to fall two games behind the Patriots, so there must be a sense of urgency. The Raiders have won four of the past five in this series, but this game is a toss-up.
Bills 31, Raiders 23
Sunday, 4:15 p.m.
Preview | Matchup N.Y. Jets at San Diego
Was last week Chad Pennington's coming-out party? He certainly looks like the real deal, and Curtis Martin has turned back the hands of time. Jets go 2-0 for first time since 2000.
Jets 35, Chargers 17
Sunday, 4:15 p.m.
Preview | Matchup New England at Arizona
And speaking of juking Father Time, Emmitt Smith had a respectable opener with 87 yards and a touchdown. Of course the Rams' front four will never be confused with the Patriots'.
Patriots 27, Cardinals 10
Sunday, 8:30 p.m.
Preview | Matchup Miami at Cincinnati
Look up "Dead Man Walking" and Webster's has a picture of Dave Wannstedt. It will not surprise me if Dolphins fans make the 1,150-mile trip to Cincinnati just to boo Wanny.
Bengals 17, Dolphins 14
Monday, 9 p.m.
Preview | Matchup Minnesota at Philadelphia
Bring it, Eagles fans: An impressive Week 1 win with T.O. getting in on the action early (and often) -- and this idiot is picking the Vikings to come into The Linc and win? Yep, I am.
Vikings 24, Eagles 20Comment
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