Free College & NFL Picks + Fades

[jerry's kid]

Scott Ferralls locks

Week of 10/29/2005
Colorado vs Kansas St Ferrall Picks: Colorado

Ferrall Says: Wildcats will cover the 8 1/2--Buffs will win the game
Mizzouri vs Kansas Ferrall Picks: Mizzouri

Ferrall Says: Tigers easy here-it doesn't matter where they play..Games in Lawrence and it's a rivalry-so what? Jayhawks really stink
Navy vs Rutgers Ferrall Picks: Rutgers

Ferrall Says: Scarlet Knights can go to a Bowl after they win their 6th game here
Georgia vs Florida Ferrall Picks: Florida

Ferrall Says: Game was easy for Bulldogs until Shockley went down--now the Gators are the take -5 1/2
Maryland vs Florida St Ferrall Picks: Florida St

Ferrall Says: the game is in Tallahassee..Forget about it
N Carolina vs Miami Ferrall Picks: Miami

Ferrall Says: Canes have had a week off after the Wilma Geo Tech cancellation-so they'll take it out on Heels
Purdue vs Penn St Ferrall Picks: Penn St

Ferrall Says: Lions go off on horrible Boiler team that's given up on their season already
TCU vs San Diego St Ferrall Picks: TCU

Ferrall Says: Horned Frogs go to 8-1--and yes, their good
UCLA vs Stanford Ferrall Picks: UCLA

Ferrall Says: take the Cardinals in Palo Alto plus 7 1/2--but Bruins still slip by in a close one--take the points
Michigan vs Northwestern Ferrall Picks: Michigan

Ferrall Says: Cats can dance-but Wolverines have improved dramatically in their last 5 games-winning twice in OT-I like Michigam - 3
UTEP vs Rice Ferrall Picks: UTEP

Ferrall Says: This is supposed to be a rivalry-but UTEP has way too much here..blowout..what a job Price has done at UTEP
S Carolina vs Tennessee Ferrall Picks: Tennessee

Ferrall Says: Even without Riggs-Vols roll over weaker Gamecocks at home

[jerry's kid]

Blackchip sports comp

1-5*
3* Northwestern

[jerry's kid]

Blackchip sports comp analysis

Saturday NCAA Football:
NORTHWESTERN+3 over Michigan:
(3* selection)
Northwestern is on a serious roll at 3-0 SU and ATS in their last 3 outings all as the underdog, and last week the Wildcats simply thrashed Michigan St. in a big 49-14 road win at East Lansing. Now the Wildcats are ranked for the first time since ’01, and in those last 3 wins Northwestern has averaged 45 ppg. and 603 ypg. with their spread offense. Meanwhile preseason Top 5 team Michigan has finally won back-to-back games for the first time all season ending Iowa’s 22-game SU home win streak in OT last week (23-20 after trailing 7-0 and 14-7), and the 5-3 SU and 3-5 ATS Wolverines’ last 5 games have all been decided in the closing minute. Michigan is only 4-12 ATS in their last 16 games as the chalk, and they are also 1-9 ATS as favorites following a SU win as an underdog. At 5-2 SU and ATS overall Northwestern has only one loss in Big Ten play, and that was when they blew a late lead to Penn St. Obviously the Wildcats’ shaky defense is an issue, but they do have a +9 TO margin on the season with 20 takeaways. The Michigan defense has often had trouble with spread offenses in the past, and we will play Northwestern for 3-units in this 4pm PT night game in Evanston. One more note here is that we believe that senior Northwestern QB Basanez should be a legit Hesiman candidate with his performance so far this season, and among his stats are 68% completions and only one interception in his last 265 pass attempts.

[Blackbeard]

Sagarin Ratings NFL & NCAA

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbt05.htm

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/nfl05.htm

[Blackbeard]

Fades:

Record: 40-24-3
CFB: 23-11-1
NFL: 17-13-2
-----------------------------------
USC -30
Florida -3.5
OK ST +37.5
Michigan -2.5
Stanford +7.5


Opinions: Oklahoma ML +101, Purdue +15.5

[ChuckLazar]

Good luck this weekend BB!!

[mgdog96]

Damn BB. Congrats on a kick ass day in College. Wish you continued success tomorrow.

[Spearit]

atta boy BB keep up the solid work.

[Blackbeard]

thanks guys, lookin like another sweep! NFL to follow shortly.

[griffey_mojo]

Awesome job again BB. Keep up the good work.

[Blackbeard]

Thanks Griff!

CBS/NFL:

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/NFL_SC-PRED

[Blackbeard]

HArmon Forecast:

Week 8 - Sunday, Oct. 30, 2005
*Carolina 17 Minnesota 14 -- The Vikings have had to deal with a struggling offense, an underachieving defense and off-the-field controversy. The Panthers, rested coming off a bye, should be able to handle anything Minnesota has to offer.

*Cincinnati 24 Green Bay 20 -- The Packers' lack of a rushing offense puts even more demand on Brett Favre. QB Carson Palmer has avoided the INTs for the Bengals.

Arizona 21 *Dallas 20 -- The Cowboys would love to take this one before enjoying a bye week and then a visit to division rival Philadelphia. The Cardinals have struggled trying to generate offense.

*Detroit 14 Chicago 13 -- The Bears have such a terrific defensive unit -- if only the same could be said about the offense. The inconsistent Lions should be able to pull out a home victory.

Cleveland 17 *Houston 14 -- Texans QB David Carr has been scrambling for his life -- his confidence has taken bigger hits than he has. The Browns have been pass-happy -- but Dilfer & Co. are striving to be pass-completion-happy.

*N.Y Giants 21 Washington 17 -- The Giants' potent offense goes against the Redskins' solid defense. This should be another competitive chapter in this NFC East rivalry.

Jacksonville 24 *St. Louis 21 -- Jacksonville had impressive back-to-back victories against Cincinnati and Pittsburgh in Weeks 5-6. But Marc Bulger's sprained right shoulder will have the biggest impact on the outcome of this game.

*Tennessee 24 Oakland 20 -- This begins a stretch of three road games in four weeks for the Raiders. The Titans' offense -- especially running the ball -- is better than people think.

*New Orleans 20 Miami 14 -- The Dolphins need to prove they can win on the road. The Saints need to prove they can take advantage of their home away from home.

*San Diego 34 Kansas City 31 -- This should be a high-scoring game, which features two of the league's top running backs -- LaDainian Tomlinson and Priest Holmes. Home-field advantage could determine the game.

Philadelphia 20 *Denver 17 -- The Broncos' running attack in back, which makes Denver all the more dangerous. But with Terrell Owens, Donovan McNabb and a terrific defense, you can never count out the Eagles.

Tampa Bay 21 *San Francisco 10 -- Coming off a bye, the Bucs will have a formidible ground attack to match an aggressive defense. The 49ers are giving QB Alex Smith an opportunity to run the offense in what is proving to be a painful process.

*New England 24 Buffalo 21 -- The Patriots aren't the same team that won the Super Bowl. They will, however, be ready to go after a bye and with home-field advantage against the Bills, who have made the transition at quarterback to Kelly Holcomb.

Week 8 - Monday, Oct. 31, 2005
*Pittsburgh 21 Baltimore 14 -- The Ravens' defense looked as good as ever in Week 6, but that was against the Browns' anemic offense. Baltimore will have a more difficult time stopping the Steelers' ball-control offense.

[Blackbeard]

Sporting news:

NFC GAME OF THE WEEK

Chicago at Detroit. Surprisingly, this game has first place in the NFC North at stake, despite the fact both participants are only at .500. The winner, with the Packers and Vikings having tough road matchups, should open up a nice little lead in the division.

Defensively, the focus for both teams will be keeping up with the Joneses in the running game. While the Bears' Thomas has been a prolific producer, the Lions' Kevin is in a sophomore slump. Neither will have too much room to operate however, as both teams will dare the opposing quarterback to beat them.

Bears rookie Kyle Orton isn't trying to do too much, except hand off to Jones and dump it off to tight end Desmond Clark. That lack of making plays downfield will hurt in this game, because veteran Jeff Garcia will find a way to make them when it counts. You can also expect the home of Super Bowl 40 to be rocking, and for Garcia to be pumped up and prove why the QB job is his to keep. Lions 16, Bears 10.

AFC GAME OF THE WEEK

Buffalo at New England. The bye week was perfect timing for the Patriots, as now there are hopes of two key defenders, end Richard Seymour and inside linebacker Tedy Bruschi, returning to the lineup. The way they have been Patsies against the run of late, that's a big boost.

So is playing at Foxborough in prime time on Sunday night. Many have already written off the Pats' injury-riddled season, but as long as they have Tom Brady throwing and Bill Belichick concocting schemes, they remain formidable.

The Bills found an offensive spark in a switch to Kelly Holcomb, but their run defense remains a major liability. Expect the Pats to pound it with a healthy, rested Corey Dillon. They'll then turn around and take away Willis McGahee, leaving Holcomb in trouble against Belichickian blitzes and coverage. Patriots 27, Bills 13.

ALEX SMITHS OF THE WEEK

Tampa Bay at San Francisco. The 49ers' rookie quarterback has been bruised and battered in a short time as the starter, and to make matters worse for them, his former competition, Tim Rattay, will be on the other Monster Park sideline this week. It's looking like Ken Dorsey will need to start in place of Smith.

The Bucs' rookie tight end of the same name made a splash in Week 1 with two TDs, and expect him to play a bigger role with Brian Griese out, as replacement Chris Simms should be helped with a stronger emphasis on the short passing and running games. That running game, with the 1-2 punch of Cadillac Wiliams and Michael Pittman, will be rested and ready to stay golden against a wilting San Fran defense. Buccaneers 24, 49ers 20.

RETURN OF THE WEEK

Nick Saban at Baton Rouge. Saban knows a little something about coaching at LSU, and he'll get a chance to do it again as his Dolphins are the first pro team to visit New Orleans' second alternate home. Because of what Saban did for their program, expect some fans to be cheering "Geaux Miami".

The Dolphins got plenty of boos in their loss to Kansas City last Friday, but they've had plenty of time to think about it, and Saban will have his defense rebound against the league's most mistake-prone offense. Don't expect a Hail Mary to former Fighting Tigers go-to-guy Devery Henderson to save the Saints. Dolphins 21, Saints 20.

SHOOTOUT OF THE WEEK

Washington at New York Giants. The casual NFL observer still stuck in the 1980s will a) try to Wang Chung tonight and b) think this is a defensive matchup. The Giants have mainly struggled against the pass, and the Redskins have struggled to create turnovers and stop teams on the road.

Then you have the red-hot offenses. Eli Manning and Mark Brunell. Tiki Barber and Clinton Portis. Plaxico Burress and Santana Moss. Last but not least, Jeremy Shockey and Chris Cooley. While this isn't exactly "fantasy football" for old-school coaches such as Joe Gibbs and Tom Coughlin, it's a reality with the identity of their teams. The G-Men take one late at home again. Giants 31, Redskins 27.

UPSET OF THE WEEK

Philadelphia over Denver. The Broncos love to stuff the run, but the Eagles don't run. The Broncos have a physical secondary, but Terrell Owens can outphysical most secondaries. The Broncos have speedy linebackers, but Brian Westbrook can leave the fastest of them in his tracks.

The Eagles were struggling against the run, the Broncos' bread and butter that opens up plays for Jake Plummer, but they proved otherwise in shutting down LaDainian Tomlinson last week. They also have Donovan McNabb, who can take advantage of blitzes with big plays against single coverage. Eagles 24, Broncos 20.

LOCK OF THE WEEK

Pittsburgh over Baltimore. The Ravens' 46 defense has been deep-sixed more often than I thought it would be, and now it's likely to be without its two best playmakers -- middle linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Ed Reed -- against the reigning AFC North champs, on the road, on Monday night. The Steelers showed plenty of mettle with their running game last week; expect them to keep on pounding, especially with Lewis out.

I'm just getting to the Ravens' offensive problems. Jamal Lewis has put their running game in a funk, making Anthony Wright an even more ineffective passer. I tend to pick against Pittsburgh too often. To make up for it, I don't think they will allow any points this week. Steelers 24, Ravens 0.

REST OF THE WEEK

Arizona at Dallas. After splitting low-scoring games the past two weeks, it's time for Bill Parcells' team to overwhelm another poorly coached, less talented team. This isn't exactly Emmitt Bowl because both teams have struggled to find consistent running games for different reasons, but rookie Marion Barber is an advantage over rookie J.J. Arrington, who has run dry in the desert. As for Big D's D, it will fold any chance of a Cards comeback through the air. Cowboys 30, Cardinals 10.

Oakland at Tennessee. I've seen M*A*S*H of the Titans too many times, as Jeff Fisher's team just can't seem to shake the injury bug. Two things they will never shake, however, are hard work and determination. Look for their front seven to mask their secondary weaknesses with a strong pass rush, which will keep Kerry Collins in check just enough for them to steal this game late. Titans 19, Raiders 17.

Cleveland at Houston. It's a strange week when the Astros can't win a game but the Texans are likely to. While they couldn't keep with the Colts on the scoreboard last week, they found some offensive rhythm with Domanick Davis as the focus. Davis will run all over the Browns, and when Trent Dilfer tries to play catchup on the road, it will mean another step closer to Charlie Frye. Texans 20, Browns 17.

Jacksonville at St. Louis. The Rams' offense just isn't the same daunting unit without Mike Martz, Marc Bulger, Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt, and unfortunately for them, the Jaguars' defense isn't the same struggling unit as the Saints'. Look for the rested Jags to turn this from the Greatest Show to Smackdown, as they should play very physically and deliver hits on both sides of the ball. They'll also get some key turnovers against Jamie Martin to seal it. Jaguars 22, Rams 16.

Green Bay at Cincinnati. The Bengals will be itching to get their offense on track after being stoned by the Steelers, and Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson should have no problem making big plays against the Pack. Brett Favre's arm will keep his team in the game for four quarters, but the difference will be the running games, where Cincy has Rudi Johnson and Chris Perry to play clinchers. Bengals 27, Packers 24.

Minnesota at Carolina. Right when you think the Vikings have righted their boat (er, ship), they get a matchup that's just not right. Look for the Panthers' balance with Stephen Davis and Steve Smith to keep Minny's defense off-balance and their front seven to constantly put pressure on Daunte Culpepper. John Fox's team will be very tough to beat after a bye. Panthers 34, Vikings 20.

Kansas City at San Diego. This is the shootout sequel of the week. Both teams have Big Ten quarterbacks, big-time running backs and big-hands tight ends, and the favorable weather of SoCal should have both offenses clicking up and down the field. In this heavyweight matchup of Priest Holmes vs. Tomlinson, I'll go with the latter because he will get more touches. Chargers 27, Chiefs 23.

[Blackbeard]

Chicago sun times staff picks:

http://www.suntimes.com/output/footb...nflcaps28.html

[Blackbeard]

Foxsports:

Minnesota at Carolina: Have you ever tried to explain to your mother why you said you wanted to be friends with Fred Smoot? Trust us, it's not much fun. Panthers 24, Vikings 17.

Green Bay at Cincinnati: What happens when Brett Favre drops back to pass and no receivers are healthy enough to run a route? What happens then, huh? Got any answers? Bengals 27, Packers 13.

Arizona at Dallas: You know who Drew Bledsoe looked like after that awful interception last week that led to the Cowboys' loss? Drew Bledsoe. Cowboys 33, Cardinals 22.

Chicago at Detroit: Jermaine Dye cheated in Game 2 of the World Series when he took first base after replays clearly showed he wasn't hit by the pitch. Cheaters never win, right? Wrong. They win and get named MVP of the 101st Fall Classic! Bears 13, Lions 6.

Cleveland at Houston: Because we as a society take pride in protecting kids from damaging television, kickoff for this one has been moved up to 5 a.m. ET, and it will only be aired on C-SPAN 2. Browns 6, Texans 3.

Washington at New York Giants: The last time one of these games meant something, The Cosby Show was still the staple of NBC's Must-See TV lineup. Giants 23, Redskins 21.

Do you agree or disagree with the picks? Tell Andy Nesbitt what you think. Right here. Yes, right here.


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Jacksonville at St. Louis: When asked the other day if they would miss coach Mike Martz, who announced this week that he won't return this year, Rams officials said, "Who?" Jaguars 20, Rams 14.

Oakland at Tennessee: What are the chances someone outside of Oakland or Tennessee will ask the following question on Monday, "Do you know who won the Oakland-Tennessee game yesterday?" Raiders 20, Titans 10.

Miami at New Orleans: Ricky Williams was asked the other day if he wants to get revenge on the team that drafted him out of college and then blamed him for their mediocre play before trading him away. After a minute of awkward silence, he looked at the reporter and said, "Did you say something?" Saints 23, Dolphins 13.

Kansas City at San Diego: The Chargers should change their name to Brad Lidge, because neither of them can close a game when it counts. Chiefs 32, Chargers 28.

Philadelphia at Denver: T.O. put his New Jersey home up for sale this week because, and we quote: "That house disrespected me. I have nothing else to say to that house. Ever." Broncos 24, Eagles 20.

Tampa Bay at San Francisco: My little cousin couldn't stop laughing the other day when I tried again and again to explain to him that the 49ers were once a dynasty. Bucs 16, 49ers 9.

Buffalo at New England: Unlike you and I, Tom Brady is good-looking, rich and productive. Patriots 17, Bills 3.

Baltimore at Pittsburgh: Like us, you just realized there is no reason to stay up late Monday night. Steelers 27, Ravens 6.