Pick 'Ems: Florida State Upset

Picking all the games that jazz me each week.

The Game: South Carolina vs Arkansas
The Line: Razorbacks by 4.5
I’ll Take: Razorbacks by more
The Rationale: Arkansas has given Florida a bigger scare than almost anyone else this season. As for South Carolina…well, their record is deceiving. There schedule has been weak up until recently, and it’s that time of year for the Gamecocks to implode anyway. It should be Arkansas by a landslide, but it’s the SEC and wacky things happen. This’ll be closer than it should be, but the West will win in the end.

The Game: Brown vs Yale
The Line: Do they even put them out for the ivies?
I’ll Take: Bulldogs
The Rationale: I don’t know nothin’ about the current state of the original conference, but I have an inexplicable love of Yale. And I have an inexplicable dislike of Brown. So there we go.

The Game: Navy vs Notre Dame
The Line: Fighting Irish by 11
I’ll Take: Fighting Irish by more
The Rationale: But I won’t be at all sad if Navy upsets them again. Oh, the rationale proper would be: big rivalry game, so Navy keeps it close, but Notre Dame is improved this season, so there we go.

The Game: LSU vs Alabama
The Line: Alabama by 10
I’ll Take: Exactly what Vegas says
The Rationale: LSU has Chavis as their defensive coordinator, meaning they’ll give up 70% of their third and longs. Bama is really good at getting to third and long. Also, the Tide has more to play for.

The Game: Memphis vs Tennessee
The Line: Vols by 26
I’ll Take: The Vols by less
The Rationale: “Vicki, don’t ever trust Memphis,” Dad has often told me. “I’ll never forget the 1996 game with Peyton Manning. We were supposed to win the national championship that year, and they beat us at home!” Indeed, those Tigers are a wily bunch, even if they’re sitting at 2-6. And it’ll be a much bigger game for them than for us. Still, Memphis is no match for Kiffin-era Tennessee.

The Game: Florida State vs Clemson
The Line: Tigers by 9.5
I’ll Take: Seminoles in the upset
The Rationale: No good one; just a feeling in my bones.