2021 College Football Discussion and Pick'em Thread

[NewYorkExpress]

Louisville and UCF tied at 28 early in the fourth quarter.

Meanwhile, Maryland/Illinois looks like it'll be a snoozer.

[NewYorkExpress]

What a game going on between UCF and Louisville.

Tied up at 35 with under a minute and a half remaining.

Meanwhile, Maryland/Illinois is boring, tied at 3 at halftime.

[NewYorkExpress]

Louisville just sealed the upset over UCF on an interception return for a touchdown by Jalen Alderman.

And with his coaching job against UCF tonight, Scott Satterfield might have earned himself an interview with USC.

[NewYorkExpress]

And with his coaching job against UCF tonight, Scott Satterfield might have earned himself an interview with USC.

That was the rumor (basically confirmed to have happened) last season. But since they just hired him this offseason, I don't see USC moving on from Beamer, even if they're going to be one of the worst teams in the SEC this season.

I meant the one in California, where the job just opened up, not South Carolina.

[NewYorkExpress]

West Virginia secures the "upset" 27-21 over #15 Virginia Tech.

[NewYorkExpress]

Good God, Florida State sucks.

[NewYorkExpress]

#24 Miami (FL) gets crushed by Michigan State 38-17.

Pretty impressive upset for the Spartans, who entered the game as seven point underdogs.

[NewYorkExpress]

#16 Coastal Carolina survives the upset bid against Buffalo 28-25.

[NewYorkExpress]

Virginia
Syracuse

Wisconsin (Notre Dame hasn't looked very good in the early going. This looks like an upset to me)
Mississippi State
Boston College
TCU
Texas
Boise State
Western Michigan
Toledo
Utah
Arkansas (Texas A&M has struggled the past couple of weeks. I feel comfortable picking the upset here)
Clemson
Iowa State
Michigan
Memphis
UCLA
Kansas State
Kentucky
Oklahoma
Tulane
New Mexico
Washington
USC
Arizona State

[NewYorkExpress]

Houston
Iowa

Georgia
Michigan (Techinically an upset, but at 1 point underdogs, this one's essentially a pick'em)
Tennessee (is this the year, Tennessee does better than six wins? They have already lost to Pittsburgh and Florida, and they will lose to Alabama and Georgia, but they have won or should win every other game on their schedule except for the Ole Miss and Kentucky games, and they could win both if things go right for them) (also, picking a modest upset in Tennessee)
Georgia Tech (The Yellow Jackets have beaten a ranked North Carolina team, and played Clemson, which at the time was a top-ten team well in Clemson. I wouldn't be shocked if they won the ACC Coastal) (also, picking the mild upset in Georgia Tech)
Purdue
Texas
Western Michigan
Cincinnati (The Bearcats get a massive win that they need if they want to have a chance at making the playoff)
Alabama (Once again, as much I would love to pick the upset, I just can't bring myself to pick against the Crimson Tide. Maybe for the Iron Bowl at the end of the season....)
Oregon (The Ducks are on fire right now. Will Mario Cristobal be USC bound?)
Oklahoma (Can't quite bring myself to pick against Oklahoma against any Big Twelve team other than Texas at this point.)
Syracuse (Can't bring myself to pick Florida State)
West Virginia
Tulane
Miami (OH)
Kentucky (My big upset pick of the day, Kentucky has been playing out of their minds right now. While they aren't going to win the SEC East over Georgia without getting very lucky, they could get into the New Year's Six Bowls ahead of Georgia if the Bulldogs are their only loss, and Georgia loses the SEC Championship Game, as they don't play Alabama this year, and their SEC West opponents are LSU and Mississippi State, which might well be winnable. But first they have to get past Florida)
Oklahoma State
Liberty
Clemson
Auburn
Washington
UCLA

[NewYorkExpress]

Out of curiosity, why is Boston College/Clemson on the board instead of either Thursday Night's Virginia @ Miami (FL) game, or Saturday Evening's Mississippi State @ Texas A&M game?

Either of those games would be more competitive than Boston College @ Clemson.

[NewYorkExpress]

NY Express, you only picked 24 games; the missing one is left as an exercise for the reader.

I don't feel comfortable making a pick between Eastern Michigan and Northern Illinois anyways. I'll take the loss there rather make a pick.

[NewYorkExpress]

Adding a pick that I want counted as my 25th pick in place of Northern Illinois/Eastern Michigan.

I'm taking Utah State to beat BYU tonight.

[NewYorkExpress]

Early picks for the playoff (as of week five, with not all week five games having been completed):

Peach: #12 BYU vs #8 Notre Dame
Fiesta: #9 Wake Forest vs #5 Iowa
Rose: #7 Ohio State vs  #6 Oregon
Sugar: #8 Oklahoma State vs #10 Florida

Orange: #1 Alabama vs #4 Georgia

Peach: #2 Penn State vs. #3 Cincinnati

[NewYorkExpress]

Arizona State

Texas
Ohio State
Michigan State
Arkansas
Tennessee
Virginia
Georgia (Auburn's schedule is insane, having to play Georgia, Alabama and a resurgent Arkansas. I'm sorely tempted to pick them against Arkansas next week, but this week's game comes first.)
Baylor
Northern Illinois
BYU
Wake Forest
SMU
UAB
North Carolina (If Florida State had the money, Mike Norvell would be out of a job. That win over Syracuse impressed no one)
UMass
Iowa (Taking the Hawkeyes because of the home field advantage. If the game was being played in Happy Valley, I'd take the Nittany Lions)
UCF
TCU
Buffalo
Air Force
Wisconsin
Michigan (Why is this game even here? I'm pretty sure Notre Dame/Virginia Tech will be a more competitive game)
Kentucky
Utah

[NewYorkExpress]

We might have an early upset this week.

Tulane leads Houston 22-20 midway through the third quarter.

Houston entered the game as 6.5 point favorite.

[NewYorkExpress]

Cincinnati obliterating Temple.

They needed the style points to impress the CFP committee, especially since Indiana hasn't really impressed, and they got them tonight.

[NewYorkExpress]

Boise State just knocked off #10 BYU 26-17.

[NewYorkExpress]

With the day games done, NY Express leads at 14-4, a game ahead of Donerail, Terry, and me.

In my history of playing (and hosting) the pick'em, I don't think I've ever won a week. If this lead holds, it would be unprecedented.

[NewYorkExpress]

At the half, Texas A&M leads Alabama 24-10.

Calling it now. If Alabama loses this game, they miss the Playoff.

[NewYorkExpress]

Faux Irish losing to Virginia Tech in the 4th quarter.

Cincinnati really can't afford another Notre Dame loss. They need the Fighting Irish to be in position to, if not actually make a New Year's Six bowl if they want to make the playoff.

[NewYorkExpress]

New playoff and New Year's Six predictions (not all games done yet)

Peach: Michigan State vs Notre Dame

Fiesta: SMU vs Penn State

Rose: Oregon vs Michigan

Sugar: Alabama vs Oklahoma State

Cotton: #4 Cincinnati vs #1 Georgia

Orange: #2 Iowa vs #3 Oklahoma

[NewYorkExpress]

New playoff and New Year's Six predictions (not all games done yet)

Peach: Michigan State vs Notre Dame

Fiesta: SMU vs Penn State

Rose: Oregon vs Michigan

Sugar: Alabama vs Oklahoma State

Cotton: #4 Cincinnati vs #1 Georgia

Orange: #2 Iowa vs #3 Oklahoma

A few things with this: It seems very optimistic to believe that Iowa will win out and Ohio State will lose at least 2 more to not end up in a NY6 while the Michigans do. It also seems sadly optimistic to think that the committee would put an undefeated Cincinnati in over a 2 loss Alabama. Also, one bowl would be required to take the ACC champ; every power 5 champion gets an automatic NY6 invite even if the normal tie-in (Orange for the ACC) is a playoff bowl this year. And no, Notre Dame does not count as an ACC team for NY6 purposes. The only year that they were a full ACC team was last year.

I guess you could move the winner of the Penn State/Michigan game to the Rose Bowl and put the ACC Champion in the Fiesta against SMU.

[NewYorkExpress]

Wow. In all my years of doing this pick'em, I have never won a week.

It's an amazing feeling.

Here's hoping this continues on to the rest of the season.

[NewYorkExpress]

Clemson

Oklahoma State
Arkansas
Nebraska
Ball State
Kentucky (Alabama's loss last week tells me that any team can lose at any time. I'm taking the Wildcats for the upset)
BYU
Old Dominion
North Carolina
Virginia Tech
Central Michigan
Colorado
Fresno State
Vanderbilt (Vanderbilt won't be bowl eligible this season, but next season seems like a real possibility)
Oklahoma
Alabama
Mississippi
NC State
Iowa State
Stanford
Wisconsin
UCLA
Boise State
UTEP
Arizona State