2017 Lock Of The Week, Week 5

Notre Dame -21 v. Miami (OH)

I feel dirty, but I think Notre Dame is more than three touchdowns better than a MAC team.

Last week:  San Diego State -3 at Air Force (correct)

Season:  2-2

2017 Lock Of The Week, Week 4

15-4 last week.  That's good!

One of the "4" was my lock.  That's bad.

The frogurt is also cursed.

 

San Diego State -3 at Air Force

A road favorite is concerning, but unlike last week, Air Force will be facing a team that is familiar with it's offense.  Like last week, San Diego State will be facing a team that has trouble in the passing game.

Last week:  Kansas State -4 @ Vanderbilt (incorrect)

Season:  1-2

2017 Lock Of The Week, Week 3

Kansas State -4 @ Vanderbilt.

While realizing K-State is on the road, this just seems too low to me.  Vanderbilt has a good defense, but I don't think the offense can keep up.  Oddshark and Massy have this a 12- and 7-point margin, respectively.

Last week:  USC -6 v. Stanford (incorrect)

Season:  1-1

2017 Lock Of The Week, Week 2

Picking a lot of favorites.

USC -6 v. Stanford

This is always a tough week because there is a tendency to overreact to Week 1.  If USC had a hard time defending the run against Western, what are their chances against Stanford who had two weeks to prepare and were more impressive than expected against Rice.  Granted, Rice may be total trash.

Last week:  Michigan -5 v. Florida (correct)

Season:  1-0

2017 Lock Of The Week, Week 1

Michigan -5 v. Florida

More suspensions!  A starting freshman QB!  Being less talented than Michigan!  I see Michigan winning by a TD in a game as ugly as their uniforms.

Last season:  9-4-1

2017 Predictions

I had planned to do a lot more in the offseason, but when your computer gets wrecked that sort of puts the kibosh on things.

Thanksgiving weekend will be notable as undefeateds Alabama and Ohio State are upset, and in the latter's case, knocked out of a chance at the playoff.  My Playoff 4:

Alabama

USC

Michigan

Florida State

I chose Florida State as a 2-loss conference champion, as losses to Alabama and at Clemson (depending on manner of course) will probably only count as one loss in the committee's eyes and I think there will be reticence on the committee's part to include Ohio State without a conference title after last year, although they should view each year as a clean slate.  Oklahoma was also considered, but Florida State's marginally stronger schedule gave them an edge.  Wisconsin, losing twice to Michigan and no one else, was not considered.  Undefeated South Florida, with their Charmin-soft schedule, also not considered.

Alabama over USC in the final.  I'm not even sold on USC, but they always start with a talent advantage and this year is looking to be a mediocre season, particularly early on as many teams are either breaking in new quarterbacks, rebuilding their secondary or both.

I have no idea how 7-5 Michigan State rates so high.

2016 Predictions Revisited

Yikes.  Missing a little over 2 games per team is one of my two worst efforts since I started doing this.  2012 was worse, and that was also a pretty poor season checking wiki.  It certainly was for Lennay Kekua.

MSU, Oregon, Notre Dame, the two Mississippis, Wyoming, K-State, TCU and UCLA were the big misses, and I hated the latter three predictions after I had made them.  Wyoming was just a year ahead of schedule I think.