CU Independent Pick’em, Week 8

After seven weeks of fun-filled college football, we’ve hit the midway point of the 2009 season.

Kicking off the second half of the college football season, we have our first female guest picker in senior broadcast news major Leslie Fox. Maybe Fox can work her magic and leap past newly-minted CU Independent’s men’s basketball beat reporter David Starcer in the standings.

Here are the standings below:

1. CU:I’s men’s basketball beat reporter David Starcer: 38-18
2. CU:I’s co-sports editor Cheng Sio: 36-20
3. 2009 guest pickers: 35-21
4. CU:I’s football beat reporter Alex K.W. Schultz: 35-21
5. Staff writer Chris King: 33-23
6. CU:I’s co-sports editor Ron Knabenbauer: 32-24

Also, after the Colorado Buffaloes’ big win last week over the then-undefeated Kansas Jayhawks, most of the panel is back on the Buffs’ bandwagon. The only member of the panel who is undecided is Sio as he’s still contemplating who to root for. If you are interested in finding out if the panel had a unanimous decision in backing CU, check out the columns written by Sio and a member of the Kansas State Collegian sports staff on Friday.

Guest picker this season — Overall: 35-21, Last week: 4-4

 

Leslie Fox – senior broadcast news major

Colorado 27, Kansas State 23: The Colorado Buffaloes have double the momentum coming off a win against Kansas plus a new quarterback who isn’t afraid to run the ball.

North Carolina 34, Florida State 20: These two teams kick off on ESPN College Football Primetime Thursday, and we all know ESPN favors the home team.

No. 20 Pittsburgh 40, South Florida 37: An incredibly close game with a lot of lead changes. Both teams only have one loss, but Pittsburgh will come away with the “W” with an explosive offense.

No. 23 West Virginia 34, Connecticut 20: The West Virginia Mountaineers will take full advantage of explosive running back Noel Devine, which will make quarterback Jarrett Brown’s life a little easier.

No. 2 Alabama 21, Tennessee 17: Defense will be the story of the game. The Crimson Tide may not finish the year at No. 2, but it won’t be the Volunteers to knock them out of the top three this week. Look out for Mark Ingram to surpass 1,000 rushing yards on the season.

No. 13 Penn State 37, Michigan 34: Huge question marks going into this game. Michigan scored 63 points last week against Delaware State, but Penn State shut out the Minnesota Gophers. The Nittany Lions will return home with the victory with their advantage in Big Ten Conference play.

No. 8 TCU 44, No. 16 BYU 38: TCU will stay undefeated with major help from its defense, who will have their hands full stopping QB Max Hall’s passing game. But they will surely take advantage of his notorious interceptions.

No. 3 Texas 46, Missouri 30: The Tigers are coming off two losses against ranked teams. Look out for QB Colt McCoy, who will prove exactly why he’s still in the race for the Heisman Trophy.

Cheng Sio — sports editor — Overall: 36-20, Last week: 6-2

Colorado vs. Kansas State: The Kansas State Collegian and I swapped columns Friday. You can find my column and prediction of this game here and the Kansas State Collegian’s column here.

North Carolina 21, Florida State 12: I flipped a coin and it turned up tails, which showed North Carolina head coach Butch Davis’ face.

No. 20 Pittsburgh 37, South Florida 27: I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the Wannstache might have built a pretty good program at Pittsburgh. Then again, it’s pretty hard to screw up when you have freshman RB Dion Lewis 82 rushing yards away from cracking the 1,000-yard barrier and QB Bill Stull hooking up with wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin for nearly 20 yards per reception.

No. 23 West Virginia 35, Connecticut 17: It was going to be a tough mountain to climb, but after tragedy struck the team, I think the emotional Huskies are looking at Mount Everest now. My condolences go to 20-year-old junior cornerback Jasper Howard and his family after Howard died Sunday when he was fatally stabbed during a fight outside a university-sanctioned dance.

No. 2 Alabama 23, Tennessee 13: Did you notice this is the same score Vols head coach Lane Kiffin and his boys lost by when they played No. 1 Florida last month at the Swamp? What, were you expecting another 105-0 prediction? I learned my lesson.

Michigan 28, No. 13 Penn State 14: The Big Ten is overrated. Penn State, who hasn’t won at the Big House, is overrated. Ohio State is overrated. Iowa, who is somehow undefeated, is overrated. About the only thing not overrated is Michigan. Head coach Rich Rodriguez does what he does best: suck in the first season at a new program before making the turnaround in year two.

No. 17 Brigham Young 26, No. 8 TCU 18: It’s BYU’s unstoppable force versus TCU’s immovable object. Since the Cougars are at home, I’ll take Hall and their high-octane offense a smidge over Horned Frogs defensive end Jerry Hughes and their stout defense.

No. 3 Texas 38, Missouri 18: Two weeks ago, Mizzou led Nebraska 12-0 before surrendering 27 unanswered points in a loss. Last week, they led Oklahoma State 17-14 before giving up 19 straight points in a loss. Sense a pattern? I say the Tigers will lead 18-14 at halftime before gift-wrapping 24 free points to Texas for their third consecutive defeat.

Ron Knabenbauer — sports editor — Overall: 32-24, Last week: 6-2

Colorado 33, Kansas State 24: After last week’s win, the momentum is on Colorado’s side. Can you say two-game winning streak?

Florida State 27, North Carolina 23: UNC may be the better team this season, but Florida State will be the better team in this game.

No. 20 Pittsburgh 35, South Florida 30: The South Florida Bulls will put up a fight, but just not enough to top the Panthers.

Connecticut 42, No. 23 West Virginia 27: After the week UConn had with the death of Jasper Howard, it would matter if the Huskies were playing Florida. They are going to win this game.

No. 2 Alabama 28, Tennessee 21: The Vols just won’t have enough in them to beat the Crimson Tide.

No. 13 Penn State 35, Michigan 27: Michigan will give Penn State a challenge, but the Nittany Lions should get the win in the end.

No. 17 BYU 36, No. 8 TCU 34: It’s going to be a Mountain West Conference upset when the Cougars beat the Horned Frogs on Saturday night.

No. 3 Texas 38, Missouri 23: I would love the Tigers to win this game, but let’s face it — they are not going to get past a really good Longhorns team.

Alex K.W. Schultz — CU:I’s football beat reporter — Overall: 35-21, Last week: 6-2

Colorado 31, Kansas State 27: The Buffs beat Kansas on Saturday. The only difference in CU’s next opponent is “State.” No biggie. Buffs win.

Florida State 32, North Carolina 23: The Seminoles are 0-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, but all of their losses were mighty close (38-34 to Miami, 28-21 to Boston College and 49-44 to Georgia Tech). I don’t see Florida State slipping to a much inferior conference foe in the Tar Heels.

No. 20 Pittsburgh 28, South Florida 17: The Bulls had a chance to prove their legitimacy with a win over No. 8 Cincinnati last week. It didn’t happen. The Bulls will have another chance to prove they are somewhat legitimate this week. It won’t happen.

No. 23 West Virginia 38, Connecticut 18: Look for Mountaineers junior RB Noel Devine, who has already amassed 734 rushing yards in six games, to run wild on the Huskies.

No. 2 Alabama 23, Tennessee 10: Both of these teams’ defenses are outstanding, so the deciding factor will be which one can pop a big play or two on offense. Look no further than Tide sophomore RB Mark Ingram, who will be ready to exert his authority on the ground.

Michigan 27, No. 13 Penn State 24: A convincing 57-point win over always-powerful Delaware State last week will give the Wolverines the push they need to knock off Joe Pa’s 13th-ranked Nittany Lions.

No. 8 TCU No. 16 BYU: As much as I hate the Cougars, senior QB Max Hall is kind of impressive. He’s third in the nation in passing yards with a whopping 2,069. BYU’s pass-happy offense will get the best of TCU.

No. 3 Texas 28, Missouri 16: Tigers sophomore QB Blaine Gabbert hurt his ankle two weeks ago in a 27-12 loss to Nebraska. Last week against Oklahoma State, he threw three interceptions. With a bad wheel, Gabbert will crumble against the Longhorns’ swarming defense.

Chris King — staff writer — Overall: 33-23, Last week 5-3

Colorado 20, Kansas State 17: It appears Tyler Hansen is CU’s QB of the future and after his inspired performance against KU last Saturday, that sounds just fine. As surprising as the Buffs’ upset of the then-undefeated Jayhawks was, K-State putting up 62 on Texas A&M was just as shocking. K-State was a team predicted to struggle this season, yet they sit at 4-3 while the Buffs record is a measly 2-4. But two of the Wildcats’ victories have come against Division I Football Championship Subdivision opponents and last season, the Buffs managed to beat them. Who led that victory? That’s right, Mr. Hansen, who will come through again and keep the Buffs in contention for the Big 12 North division title.

Florida State 24, North Carolina 17: Talk about overrated. Both schools started in the Top 25 but have been embarrassed as the season progressed. FSU is 2-4, their worst record in more than 30 years, while UNC has suffered embarrassing defeats courtesy of No. 12 Georgia Tech and Virginia — yes, the same Virginia team that lost to FCS William & Mary by double digits! The Tar Heels have built their team on stout defense while FSU’s (limited) success has come courtesy of Christian Ponder and the aerial attack. Expect this to be FSU head coach Bobby Bowden’s final attempt at righting the ship while Davis watches his once promising season tank.

No. 20 Pittsburgh 21, South Florida 20: The Big East Conference is the Rodney Dangerfield of the power conferences. They get no respect. Pitt’s one loss was a heartbreaker to North Carolina State, one they could have had. Meanwhile, USF is 5-1 with only Cincinnati having defeated them. Freshman RB Dion Lewis has been a revelation for the Panthers, racking up almost 1000 rushing yards through seven games, making LeSean “Shady” McCoy just a memory. For the Bulls, their powerhouse “D,” led by DE George Selvie and Jason Pierre-Paul, has been dynamic. Unfortunately, they won’t be able to stop Pittsburgh as head coach Dave Wannstedt leads his Panthers towards a Big East title.

No. 23 West Virginia 35, Connecticut 20: This game takes on a somber atmosphere in light of the recent death of UConn CB Jasper Howard. My thoughts go out to his friends and family. Unfortunately, the Huskies won’t be able to beat the Mountaineers as West Virginia is a perfect 5-0 against Connecticut since they joined the Big East in 2004. UConn will play hard, but they just don’t have the talent to match up to this Mountaineers squad.

No. 2 Alabama 20, Tennessee 3: How are the Crimson Tide not No. 1? Their closest game was a 34-24 win over then-No. 7 Virginia Tech. Sophomore RB Mark Ingram should be the Heisman frontrunner, leading his team over No. 24 South Carolina with an astonishing 246 rushing yards. The Vols are coming off their bye week hoping to ride the high from upsetting Georgia when much-maligned QB Jonathan Crompton had a career day. He won’t be so lucky against this stingy ‘Bama defense with junior linebacker Rolando McClain leading the attack. The Tide will roll, hopefully to their deserved No. 1 ranking.

No. 13 Penn State 34, Michigan 24: How exactly does a team play the schedule Penn State has played end up ranked in the Top 25? So far, this minefield of a schedule has been littered with opponents such as Akron, Temple and Eastern Illinois. Hey Joe Pa, you must be full after all those cupcakes, huh? Michigan’s schedule hasn’t been as easy, but Delaware State isn’t exactly a top-tier opponent either. The Wolverines are on the way up, but this Nittany Lions defense will be too much for freshmen QBs Denard Robinson and Tate Forcier now that LBs Stan Lee and Navorro Bowman are back on the field together.

No. 8 TCU 21, No. 18 BYU 14: TCU suffered a bit of a scare last week as the first quarter ended with Colorado State leading 6-0. They quickly rebounded, shutting out CSU the rest of the way and scoring 44 unanswered points. Led by a stingy defense and potential All-American DE Jerry Hughes, the Horned Frogs have worked their way into the top 10. BYU’s season looked like it could be Bowl Championship Series worthy after upsetting then-No. 3 Oklahoma. But two weeks later, Florida State handed them a 54-28 beat down on their home field and the BCS dreams were shattered. Hall and RB Harvey Unga lead the Cougars explosive offense, but TCU’s strength on “D” will be too much and head coach Gary Patterson will keep pushing for that BCS bid.

No. 3 Texas 45, Missouri 10: Despite Texas QB Colt McCoy being seriously overrated (his stats are pedestrian, he just happens to wear Burnt Orange), the Longhorns look like a national title contender due to the strength of their defense. This is top-to-bottom one of the strongest units in the country, not to mention the Big 12 Conference. Mizzou freshman QB Blaine Gabbert looked like a star in the opening weeks but has struggled in back-to-back losses. The Longhorns have abused the Tigers for years now and the trend should continue in this match-up.

David Starcer — CU:I’s men’s basketball beat reporter — Overall: 38-18, Last week 6-2

Colorado 34, Kansas State 27: I’m back on the CU bandwagon! After a stellar performance on both sides of the ball in their win over No. 17 Kansas last weekend, there is still light at the end of the tunnel for the Buffaloes’ season. Kansas State is a very Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde team. They beat Texas A&M 62-14 after losing to Texas Tech 66-14. Hopefully, CU plays the former and not the latter, but I like them to get a win in Manhattan, Kan. and improve to 2-1 in Big 12 play.

North Carolina 20, Florida State 17: The Seminoles deserve no more respect in 2009. After winning at BYU, they’ve lost three straight and the Bobby Bowden era in Tallahassee, Fla. may be over. I like the Tar Heels at home to hand Florida State their fifth loss of the season.

South Florida 24, No. 20 Pittsburgh 17: My upset pick of the week. South Florida came up a little short against Cincinnati but should still be ranked. Pittsburgh has a great young running back in Lewis, but I think the Bulls’ tough run defense will shut him down and South Florida will escape with a big conference win on the road.

No. 23 West Virginia 38, Connecticut 14: The Mountaineers bounced back from a tough loss to Auburn with three straight victories over our beloved Buffs, Syracuse and Marshall. Devine should be licking his chops this week and I see him running all over the Huskies. West Virginia wins this one easily.

No. 2 Alabama 31, Tennessee 13: Alabama has been sharp in every game this season and has made a legitimate case to be ranked No. 1. Kiffin’s first year in Knoxville, Tenn. has been a roller-coaster ride and his team stands at 3-3 at the halfway point. Look for ‘Bama’s defense to dominate in this one as Tennessee will drop its third Southeastern Conference game of the season.

No. 13 Penn State 24, Michigan 21: Michigan has yet to really impress me this season. After squeaking out wins over Notre Dame and Indiana at home (games they should have lost), they lost back-to-back games at Michigan State and Iowa before trouncing Delaware State last week. Penn State has been a solid team thus far, and I like them to go into Ann Arbor, Mich. and win for the first time since 1996.

No. 8 TCU 21, No. 16 BYU 17: This should be the game of the week, the only game between two ranked teams. It’s a matchup between TCU’s defense (4th in the nation in fewest yards allowed per game) and BYU’s offense (6th in the nation in scoring). In games like these, I always go with the defense. I’ll take the Horned Frogs to win a close one over the Cougars.

No. 3 Texas 35, Missouri 21: Texas looks poised to win the Big 12 after a hard-fought win over Oklahoma. But, road games against Missouri and Oklahoma State still pose a challenge to Colt McCoy and Co. Mizzou has dropped two straight since starting 4-0 and the Longhorns will make it three in a row in what should be an offensive shootout.

Compiled by Sports Editor Cheng Sio. Contact Cheng Sio at Cheng.Sio@colorado.edu.