2019-20 Bowl Picks

So for the season:

Lock 7-7-1 (-$70)

Overall: 133-129-4 (-$50)

These picks will be updated daily.

2019 Final Ratings

REC - this is a calculation that gives more weight to results later in the season.  This season it was based off of the EFF metric.

OOC - a team's non-conference strength of schedule.

This might not even be the best OSU team of the last five years.  2016 also featured a team that was ranked #1 regardless of calculation, but against the third-hardest schedule in that season.  They then proceeded to get shut out by Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl so...

Florida International and Liberty would be the lowest ranked teams to ever make a bowl using the classic PRI metric.

2019 Lock Of The Week, Week 15

This will be the final lock of the week post, not only of the season, but ever.  Next year my gambling picks will have a new format.

Since eight games are featuring ranked teams, I've gone ahead and decided to pick all ten conference championship games.  So let's have a little fun:

Florida Atlantic -8 v. UAB

UAB is a creditable 9-3 and defending conference champion, but this is a list of the FBS teams they have defeated this year:

at Akron

South Alabama

Rice

At UTSA

Old Dominion

UTEP

Louisiana Tech

At North Texas

The first six listed are six of the worst ten teams in FBS.  I think 8 points is good value for Lane Kiffin in what could be his curtain call at FAU.

Last week:  Clemson -27 @ South Carolina (correct)

Season 5-7-1 (-$170)

Overall: 128-123-4 (-$70)

2019 Week 14 Ratings

So far, the predictions I offered on the season a couple weeks ago have come true.  Alabama and Oregon fell by the wayside and now we have 7 teams for 4 spots.  I'm not particularly exercised about the composition of the playoff quartet.  If pressed, I guess I'd prefer to see LSU dispose of Georgia.  As of right now I don't think they are Top 4 standard, but I'd like to see how a Georgia win would be reflected in the ratings.  Utah has been a road grader out west and I wouldn't mind seeing how they'd match up.

And while it would be hilarious if the Committee called Dabo's bluff that isn't going to happen.

Final ratings will be out after Army-Navy and before the bowls.