College Football - Week One Picks

Stick with us and your Sunday mornings will never feel like this

I rarely ever gamble on anything.  I'll play poker here and there, or bet a buddy $5 on a game we are watching together, but I don't have a bookie or an online gambling account.  I do feel like putting myself out there by providing my picks against the spread is risk enough.  The upside, you think I know what I'm doing.  The downside, you think I'm an idiot.  I'll take being an idiot in your eyes over having to tell my wife I lost a paycheck because a 20 year old kid threw 3 interceptions.  

Record to date

Sef Sam Holy - 2-1

Ryan McMahon - 1-2

#24 Boise State (+7) at #13 Michigan State

Ryan:  I like Boise to cover in a close game.  Close game throughout but MSU just comes out ahead.  Boise has lost 7 starters and has a inexperienced QB starting for the 1st time on the road, you know they can score points but MSU's crazy good D ends (specifically Gholston) will put the untested Southwick on his back several times. 

Sef Sam Holy:  I'll take MSU to not only beat a depleted Boise team, but make a statement that they are force to be reckon with this season.  Losing Kirk Cousins will undoubtedly hurt their offense, but Andrew Maxwell will play well enough with a sick defense and home crowd behind him tonight to win by 10 points. 

Notre Dame (-16.5) vs Navy in Ireland

Ryan:   ND covers.  ND beat Navy 56-14 last year, I predict much of the same.  Total homer pick and couldn't care less. 

Sef Sam Holy:  For the first time all year, I'll agree with you.  I hate Notre Dame and nothing would start off my Saturday better than to see Brian Kelly crying on the sidelines in another country as the Irish drop a game they should win, but I think they are way too much for a Navy team I won't care about enough to watch again the rest of the year.  

#14 Clemson (-3.5) vs Auburn in Atlanta

Ryan:  The line on this game feels so spot-on its unbelievable.  I think Auburn wins in the first upset of the year.  If this game is played in late October Auburn wins by double digits, they are loaded with talent even if its young and I say they finish the year in the top 20. 

Sef Sam Holy:  I hate Clemson almost as much as I hate Notre Dame.  Without Sammy Watkins, Tajh Boyd may struggle to get going but I think they end up winning this game.  Tons of people are sleeping on a very talented Clemson team and for good reason, see last year's Orange Bowl, but they won the ACC last year, and return almost everybody.  Will they cover the 3.5?  Sure but I'm about as confident in that as I am in Lee Corso making sense on Game Day Saturday morning.   

Hawaii (-42) at #1 USC 

Reason enough to watch USC

Ryan:  Really!?!? 42 point spread week 1!?!? Thats ridiculous, obviously SC wins huge but not that huge.  Kiffin (insert bad word to describe a person) gets his starters out after 3 quarters and with Norm Chow taking over at Hawaii i think they can at least score some points.  USC does have the most talent 1-22 in my opinion, but who cares because they're USC and if you have ever walked on that campus its like a model shoot every step.  You would have to be some sort of super moron to not want to go there.  Hawaii covers

Sef Sam Holy:  This type of line is why I don't gamble.  I'd rather watch this game to enjoy Gus Johnson yelling than worry about what happens in the 4th quarter of what will be a blowout.  Give me USC just to disagree with a guy that lived in Vegas and really gambles on football.  

#8 Michigan (+14) vs #2 Alabama in Dallas

Ryan:  Michigan to cover.  Alabama pounds the ball and plays boring old Saban ball.  They win but it will probably be closer to a 10 point victory.  Early in the year like this Shoelace's talent alone keeps the game close against a defense that lost 6 players to in the draft alone.  Great first week game, really pumped for this one  and even though as a ND fan i despise Big Blue i wouldn't mind seeing an upset.  

Sef Sam Holy:  Michigan can win this game outright if they don't turn the ball over, Denard makes 3 big plays (40+ yards), and their defense scores them a turnover that gives their offense the ball inside the red zone.  If there is ever a time to play a defense that is starting 7 new players, it's the first game of the season.  We saw last night in the Vandy/SC game that missed tackles are a part of early season college football and those missed tackles can turn into 78 yard TD passes.  I do think Michigan comes into this season slightly overrated but they find a way to make this a game worth watching when the 4th quarter rolls around and cover the 14 points.  

Georgia Tech (+7.5) at #16 Virginia Tech

Ryan:  It sucks to play in Blacksburg and GT knows it.  GT gets Beamered all Monday night.  VT has been slow to start the last few years but that trend ends this year, 9 defensive starters return to one of the nations already best units.  They will be tested against that stupid GT triple option offense, the only way to stop that though is with speed on D and VT has that in spades.

Believe all you want, it's still Kentucky football

Sef Sam Holy:  I'm going to go the other way on this and say this game mimics what you see happen quite a bit when a vastly more talented team plays someone they are supposed to beat in an early season conference game.  Yes, Blacksburg will be going nuts and the Yellow Jackets will struggle, but expect a low scoring affair that's closer than the rosters will indicate when the NFL Draft rolls around.  Georgia Tech covers but only because I think Va Tech wins by 7.  

I hope you all enjoy a wonderful 3 day weekend that's filled with good friends, college football, and BBQ.  Soak it in baby, watch the pregame shows, put on your favorite jersey, and let hope spring eternal.  There is still a chance your team runs the table and plays in Miami this January.  Come Tuesday, work is back and your team could be looking at an 0-1 start.  

College Kickoff With Ryan McMahon

Rule one in college football, your team is always number one

I’ve had one of the worst weeks of my adult life this week.  I won’t share any details because no one reads a sports blog to hear about the personal life of the guy writing the entry, but let’s just say it’s making the college football kick off tonight extra nice. 

I got an email from a buddy of mine that moved to Colorado and now has to watch and talk college football with people that would rather spend their Saturdays in the fall hiking and being outside rather than sitting on their couch watching the best sport ever all day long.  Needless to say, I feel bad for him, but he does like Notre Dame so it’s give and take. 

Anyway, let’s hear from Ryan McMahon. 

Ryan:  I haven’t even thought about Saturday’s lines, I can barely contain my excitement for tonight, let alone Saturday.  And I have 2 Fantasy Football drafts tonight, one will take place at hooters and all my GF wants is some fried pickles to-go.  Basically these next 5 days are going to be fantastic.

Sef Sam Holy:  My next 60 hours - Fantasy football draft at work at 330, home for tape delayed Vandy SC, sleep, work, MSU Boise State, sleep, cook steaks for friends at 730, have 4 friends over for Notre Dame Navy, then on the couch for laying down and watching college football until San Diego State and Washington get done.  Yeah, I'm stoked.  College football has officially become my favorite sport and this first weekend is better, in my opinion, than the first weekend of March Madness.

South Carolina (-6.5) at Vandy

Ryan:  I’ll take the Gamecocks to cover tonight even though they always have trouble at Vandy.

Sef Sam Holy: I think SC will cover the 6.5 tonight but it's a great line.  I would be willing to bet Vandy has a halftime lead.  The thing that makes me nervous about taking SC with that cover is that Steve Spurrier now plays boring, SEC football.  They have a ridiculous defense and Lattimore is going to run the sheezy out of the ball.  I think Vandy is up at half like 10-7, SC ties it on their first drive in the 3rd, and then scores a TD early in the 4^th.  But ya know what, let's start off the year disagreeing, it's more fun, give me Vandy. 

Ryan: Lattimore gets the ball all day but the Old Ball Coach will chuck it a few more times this year with a less alcoholic QB.  If Vandy ever does have the lead it will be 3-0 and wont last long, but im glad you disagree because this is football dammit, and agreements are for badminton.

Minnesota (-8.5) at UNLV

Ryan:  UNLV to cover although that is a bet with my heart.  Minnesota will be terrible as always

Sef Sam Holy:  I'll go Big Ten over UNLV any day of the week.  After the 100 Day Burpee Challenge, I might be big enough to suit up and play for the Runnin Rebels.  If Duke and Indiana can't be good at football, neither can UNLV.  Disagree again, give me the Gophers. 

Ryan: You can make all the Rebs jokes you want but they will happily lose by a touchdown and cover just the same.  And UNLV can be good at football, two words: Randell Frickin Cunningham!!! You know how many burpees Randell did at UNLV? The answer: all of them.

Washington State (+12.5) at BYU

Ryan:  WSU to cover Mike Leach turns the program around starting tonight.

Sef Sam Holy:  Giving Mike Leach 12.5 points is nuts but it's game one, of year one, so it's a game I would definitely stay away from if I was betting my own money.  BYU won 10 games last year and although they were all against teams not in the top 25, 10 wins is still 10 wins.  They don't score a ton (30.1 ppg in 2011) so the almost two touchdown win could be difficult, but I'll take BYU just because I've seen them be decent and I want them to be the best independent team in college football (my passive aggressive jab at ND). 

Ryan:  Mike Leach.  Mike Leach.  Mike Leach. Dont care that its his first game and his talent isn't what you would call "talent".  WSU finds a way to score and keep it close enough to cover those beautiful 12 1/2pts.

The Return of the Mustache

With the NFL season less than two weeks away and South Carolina and Vandy kicking off in 6 days, it’s a good time to bring back the Mustache.  For all of you that missed us since we’ve been gone, we’ve missed you too.  I really don’t have any excuses for not posting since last December other than the fact that I work a full time job, spend time with my wife outside of work, and tried to focus on working out and getting my figure back to resemble what it was back in high school.  Good news though, work is going well, my marriage is awesome, and I’ve lost 18lbs since January 1^st (thanks 100 Day Burpee Challenge and T-Rex for the help/motivation). 

    

This time around at Mustache Sports, I’m hoping to accomplish a couple of things. 

More Contributors

I’d really like to get more people involved in writing posts and participating in the comments.  Last year, Colin Nelson (C-Murder), Chris Wernick (Monster), Scott Yasko (Scott Yasko), and Kurt Olson (Bert Kolson) did a fantastic job of providing insights into the world of NFL prognostications, fantasy football,  college football, and the Chicago Bears.  This year, you can all expect to see them back in some sort of capacity.  But as goes life, things change.  Colin is knee deep in his job and commitment to his beloved Molly, Wernick got a new job that involves him being on the road a lot more, Kurt is killing things over at CDW, and Scott had a beautiful baby girl.  So although you can expect to still read the things that pertain to the wonderful world of Mustache Sports, don’t expect to see it on such a consistent basis.  So please, if you have any interest in writing about anything, just let me know, and we will get it up for others to enjoy. 

Picks 

I am still going to be posting NFL and college picks on a weekly basis against the spread, I think that was pretty fun last year.  And I don’t know if I’m going to do much to adjust how all of that information was presented since I felt we did a great job with that last year.  Scott’s college football write ups were something that would put ESPN to shame, Wernick made Matthew Berry look like he didn’t play fantasy football, and when Colin or Kurt wrote up a Bears game preview, it always left me thinking that they should be working for the Score.  I guess the next part goes back to the getting more people involved so if you would like to participate in this portion of the blog and commit to doing it every week, please feel free to let me know. 

Pictures

I want to post pictures this year, they make things more fun.

Email Conversations

This year, my goal is to post more email discussions that I have with different people.  Scott and I did one last year about the FSU Notre Dame Champs Sports Bowl and since things turned out the way I wanted, (I ended up winning the argument, being correct about the result of the game (FSU 18 Notre Dame No Chance), and just looked smarter at the end of everything)  I want to do more of it. 

Interviews

I would also like to interview other bloggers or maybe even someone famous.  That’s sort of on my Mustache Sports Bucket List.  I’ve already had one Chicago celebrity commit to doing such a thing, Scott Bolohan (follow him on Twitter @scottbolohan), so expect that interview sooner rather than later. 

Twitter 

I have also created a Twitter account for the blog so be sure to follow us @Mustache_Sports.  Currently we are following 0 people and have 0 followers.  Impressed?  I thought so, especially since I just created it 3 minutes ago. 

Podcast

I’m also working on being able to post some sort of Podcast.  Once the technology gets worked out, and it’s easy to listen to and record, expect to see these as much as possible. 

All in all, I think this year at Mustache Sports is going to be fun.  I’m excited to see what we evolve into and who else wants to get involved.  I started writing this blog last year as a way to have some fun with things my friends and I had to say about sports without giving the reader a bunch of clichés he/she already hears from anchors at ESPN or the idiot at work that checks the score and comes in to the office the next day and says, “what a game last night, those were some really cool touchdowns.”  So, I hope, at the end of the day, we can provide that. 

It’s good to be back and it’s good to see you.  You look great by the way.  Here’s to a White Sox World Series, a Chicago Bears Super Bowl, an FSU National Championship and a fun year at Mustache Sports!  Let’s go!

Scott Yasko's Verdict on Jay Cutler

When I first moved to Atlanta about a year ago there was this burning and consistent question that was asked of me over and over again. It just so happened that my move coincided with the Chicago Bears' 2010 playoff run in which Jay Cutler was unable to return to that now infamous NFC championship game against the Green Bay Packers. So my new Atlantan friends and colleagues all were interested in my thoughts and insights as they pertained to the Chicago quarterback:

"What do you think? Couldn't that pansy get back in the game?", "Hey man, do you like Jay Cutler?", "You think he's the quarterback for the Bears?", and my favorite, "Ahh, I tell you what, Jay has that pretty girlfriend distracting him from football, you think that's affecting his game?"

And as inherently candid as I typically am the answer that I consistently gave actually bothered me. My most common response was simply, "I don't know; I'm still on the fence." But Let's face it, the Bears in recent years have been nothing more than an organization owned by a family whom the game has passed by, run by a disorganized front office, and led by a patchwork quilt of a coaching staff that is determined to maintain their respective systems despite the personnel at their disposal. And because the Bears as an organization are the most consistently inconsistent team in the NFL it was hard for me to get a feel and read on what kind of quarterback Jay Cutler was.

I was excited in 08', the year before Cutler arrived in Chicago, to never have to hear Lovie Smith say again that "Rex Grossman is our quarterback," and after a formidable 9-7 season that left the Bears narrowly missing a playoff berth, an upgrade at the position was more than welcome. But after the pomp and circumstance surrounding the trade that sent Kyle Orton to Denver and the Indiana Native Cutler closer to home, the actual season was less than successful as Ron Turner's offense proved a terrible fit (duh) to a guy who saw most of his passing yards come outside the pocket in the Mile High City.

And the failures of the new Bears quarterback not being able to lead them to the playoffs in his debut season in 2009 as he threw almost as many interceptions as he did touchdowns, I was able to attribute to growing pains. At least after the season the powers that be finally decided to make a coaching change … however due to Lovie's shiny new extension that was handed to him after the Bears showed up to a Super Bowl, it was only the offensive coordinator that got the axe. Even worse to the situation was bringing in Mike Martz as Turner's replacement, because apparently bringing in a coordinator whose playbook looks more like a law school textbook and whose overall offensive scheme fit the Bears like a square peg in a round hole sounded like a good idea to General Manager Jerry Angelo at the time.

So on into 2010 the Bears went and in a season where Chicago was lauded for their offseason acquisitions highlighted by Julius Peppers, it would turn out that Angelo once again bungled his duties as Brandon Manumaleuna turned out to be fat and un-athletic and Chester Taylor's career was effectively over with his best years way behind him. And with Martz now calling the plays, what was most glaringly obvious in the beginning of the season was that Cutler was going to be killed if his O-Coordinator continued to spread the field and ignore the deficiencies on the offensive line. And so by the time the Bears reached the NFC Championship game against a Green Bay team just hitting their stride in the playoffs, Cutler had already been sacked 52 times for a total of 352 yards lost. Needless to say, when someone has been slung about, rearranged, had their clock cleaned, and generally been landed on by 230 lbs plus freak athletes all season, those experiences are bound to have a lasting effect on one’s body. And that was why I was willing to give Cutler the benefit of the doubt after not coming back into that game as well as the fact that his teammates stood by his decision; and to be completely honest, Caleb Hanie had a hell of showing in the second half of that game. The Packers were simply the better team.

So 2011 comes around and here I am perched on this fence. On one side, Jay Cutler sits shinning in the light of the holy land, surrounded by virgins and Vince Lombardi trophies as the beer flows like wine around him and Mike Ditka, Walter Payton and Sid Luckman welcome Jay with open arms into the fraternity of Bears greats. On the other side, Jay is joined by the likes of Jerry Angelo, Curtis Enis and Cade McNown who scoff and dance on the grave of George Halas as they embrace the newest member of Bears hell. And the season starts terribly.

After demolishing an Atlanta team that shot themselves in the foot the entire game, the Bears barely showed up against New Orleans and Green Bay, nearly gave it away at the end to Cam Newton and the Panthers in week 4, and were embarrassed on Monday night at Detroit. So here the Bears sit at 2-3 and the beating that Jay Cutler was taking had become monologue material for late night talk show hosts. He was sacked 18 times in the first 5 games with 11 of those coming in just the first 2. What happened to getting rid of blocking deficient offensive pieces such as Greg Olsen and replacing them with a fullback by the name of Klutts and a giant named Spaeth to help better protect your quarterback? It was like Martz forgot the plan in these first five games and insisted on 7 step drops and 4 to 5 wide receiver sets. The outcome was the continued check downs and over utilization of Matt Forte accompanied by a banged up signal caller and that “stellar” 2-3 start to the season.

Even still, what I began to recognize early in the 2011 Chicago Bears season was that Jay Cutler was a hell of quarterback. What a fan wants in his team's leader is a guy that is ice cold. A guy that will gamble for the greater good and come out on top more times than he winds up on the bottom. And a guy that continues to get up off the matt and shake off the beatings, the interceptions off his receivers' fingertips, the criticisms, and perhaps most importantly, the lack of talent around him. What I began to see in Jay Cutler in 2011 was the beacon of light that shines off the elite quarterbacks in this league. Beginning with the Minnesota game on Sunday night in mid October and ending in late November after a victory against San Diego, the Chicago Bears were quite possibly playing the best football of any team in the league. And the reason was Jay Cutler.

With all the focus in the beginning of the season on signing Matt Forte, what has become so evident, and has been proven time and time again over the past decade, is how great running backs are extremely rare and how difficult it is for a back to remain above average for a period longer than 5 years. Next year is Matt Forte's 5th year in the NFL, and without shifting gears too much, the Bears will be making the absolute right decision when they decide to give him the franchise tag and see how it goes. But also, with that being said, Jay Cutler is the most important piece to the Bears continued success in the coming years and that was proven after both he and Forte went down.

The way Cutler got hurt in that San Diego game, attempting to make a tackle after throwing an interception was so uncharacteristic by action but yet extremely characteristic by trait. Bears fans have seen Jay walk off the field after every interception and really, that is what you want your franchise quarterback to do. But I believe that the competitive fire in Jay's gut stemming from his days with the Broncos when he and Phillip Rivers bickered and battled to no end, was the reason he went for that tackle, and ultimately the reason the Bear's season turned belly up. When number 6 went down, the Bears became exposed.

If Matt Forte was the most important piece to the Bears offense, they would have won the Oakland game, and they would not have been able to pull off rushing yardage of 93, 159, 132, and 199 in the next four games without Forte. And there are those who will say that the Bears had to run due to their quarterback being out and if that was the case, and fans new they had to run, do you really think the other team didn't know that? From the Chiefs to the Packers, the Broncos to the Seahawks, they all tried to force the Bears to use their passing game, but still none of them could stop the Bears running attack. Matt Forte is a great cog in the wheel, but Jay Cutler is the glue.

Never have I seen a team collapse like the Colts did this year when their star quarterback back went down, but the pundits have been saying for years that if not for Peyton Manning, the Colts are a terrible football franchise. And by no means am I trying to compare Jay Cutler to Peyton Manning, who in mine own eyes is the greatest quarterback of all time (yes, ALL TIME), but the Bears receivers ran the same routes, the linemen blocked the same people, and the Chicago running backs made the same cuts. What was the missing piece in the last 5 games the Bears have lost? Jay Cutler.

The value of a quarterback in this league that makes the right decisions (or at least more right ones than wrongs ones) with the ball in his hand, that can extend a play when pressured, that can get up after being sacked 52 times in a season, and that makes a group of mediocre (AT BEST) receivers look like a bunch of all pros, is immeasurable. Johnny Knox, Devin Hester, and Earl Bennett are never going to make a pro bowl unless Jay Cutler puts them there. Same goes for the group of "where did they come from's" in Indianapolis.

Jay Cutler forced my hand this year and pushed me off of that fence. If number 6 was getting snaps in New Orleans, New England, or Green…. yeah I'm not even going to say that, but he would be mentioned with the Drew Brees', the Tom Brady's, and the Aaron Rodgers' of this league, and there is no doubt in my mind about that. The only hindrance on Jay right now (and this is the reason he will never be as good as Peyton Manning, who has been in a similar situation in Indianapolis for his entire career) is the coaching and organization he plays for. He will never have as effective and efficient combination of coaching and management behind him as they do in the aforementioned cities, and for that reason, Jay will have to make the best of his time in Chicago despite the fact his GM is Jerry Angelo and his coaching staff consists of (for now) Mike Martz and Lovie Smith. But the one thing that Jay Cutler has proven to me, and should have proven to the city of Chicago is that he is the Bears quarterback of the future, and that he is good enough to bear the weight of the entire team on his shoulders.

The Champs Sports Bowl Email Exchange

The email started as a joke about Florida State being filled with Jenn Stergers and Notre Dame being filled with Adam Lamberts.  We had a good laugh and then Scott and I gave our score predictions for the Champs Sports Bowl.

Sef Sam Holy – FSU 30 Notre Dame 10

Scott Yasko – Notre Dame 38 FSU 24

And then the fun started…………..

Sef Sam Holy

If you think ND is scoring 38 points of Florida State, I’m not sure you’ve watched much college football this year.  Did Joe Montana get in a time machine and figure out a way to play in this game as a 25 year old?  C’Mon Man!

Scott Yasko

Relativity is a hell of a measuring stick in college football and you would be surprised as to how often it is right. I saw how Florida State played a mediocre Wake Forest team and I watched ND outplay (if not for 2 interceptions, they demolish) that same garbage. I think 38 points is not only doable, I wouldn't be surprised if they racked up 40+.

FSU = Biggest dissapointment in the nation this year.

I hear the makings of a wager….

Sef Sam Holy

Yeah, that game against Wake was 82 days ago, a lot different defense since then.  They haven’t given up more than 19 points in the 7 games since (3 of those games were 7 points or less).  I’m not saying they will shut ND out, but 38 point is pretty crazy to assume.  Especially to the Notre Dame offense led by…….well, who cares who plays QB, I’m sure it’s someone good. 

FSU has a better defense than Stanford and ND could only muster 7 points and a garbage time TD against them.  Good luck today.

No wager, I’m about as confident in FSU as you are in ND (we both don’t really want to put money on this).

And if FSU is the biggest disappointment in the nation, then ND would be a very close second.  ND had a BCS game handed to them and they couldn’t beat South Florida or an overrated Michigan team. 

I’ll bet on next year if you would like?  More wins?  Higher BCS rank at the end of the year?  You name it bud. 

Scott Yasko

I hate making excuses, but I am going to anyway. Notre Dame had 26 turnovers this year, a -13 ratio, and know how many were in the red zone? I don't either but I know that it was more than half. You mentioned the Stanford game, 2 to's in the red zone, one late in the third quarter when they were driving to tie the game. AND Notre Dame wasn't a top 5 team to start the season as FSU was. AND Notre Dame (and I don't know if this is a good or a bad thing) had the opportunity to win every game they played this year. FSU…. not so much.

And the 7 games since Wake Forest?? Let's see who we can take seriously ON OFFENSE out of Duke, Maryland, NC State, BC, Miami, Virgina, Florida…..

Duke: 93rd in scoring

Maryland: 89th

NC State: 56th

BC: 112th

Miami: 72nd

Virginia: 88th

Florida: 71st

Tough schedule. (And see, I can get statistics to say what I want too)

And Kelly isnt going anywhere. They have the guys in place that are going to be one year better next year. ND has a top ten finish…. if not better.

Sef Sam Holy

“AND Notre Dame (and I don't know if this is a good or a bad thing) had the opportunity to win every game they played this year. FSU…. not so much.”

I paused there because FSU was leading in the 4^th quarter in 3 of their losses (and down 3 against Oklahoma, the number one ranked team in the country at the time).  It just sucked that their second best option at QB was a 5’11 165lb freshman.  Shame on Jimbo Fisher for that but all of their losses

And I’m not saying the teams they have played were amazing, but your point was that Notre Dame was going to score 38 points tonight, maybe 40, when ND has only scored more than 38 points 3 times this year and that was against Air Force, Navy, and Maryland. 

The team that closely resembles FSU that ND has played is MSU and ND won, so there you go.

FSU doesn’t really have a good win this year, they’ve been disappointing, there is no disputing that.  But in games Fisher/Stoops have lot of time to prepare for a team (Oklahoma this year, WV in 09 bowl game, and SC last year bowl game), the defense has looked really impressive and this bunch of players is the most talented they have had in the last 6-7 years. 

Honestly, because ND turns the ball over so much, I would expect the FSU defense to turn one of those into 7 points.  FSU has great special teams and I think that leads to some advantage.  If EJ Manuel and the FSU offense doesn’t turn the ball over more than 2 times, I think they win 24-13 or something like that.  If FSU doesn’t score on defense or special teams, and Manuel throws 2 picks and Freeman fumbles….ND wins 27-17. 

FSU and ND have had very similar seasons and for only one of them, it will end on a high note. 

$20 on FSU finishing ahead of Notre Dame next year? 

Scott Yasko

In every single game Notre Dame played this year, and I can 100% ASSURE YOU THAT THIS IS NOT MY BIAS, they looked like the more talented team. But they also looked young, inexperienced, and doe eyed. But if you look at what ND's offense does, spread style offense that looks to pass first but keeps you honest with quick draws and between the tackle dives, that style most simulates….. pause for effect…. a Clemson team that went up and down the field on the seminoles.

And yes I hear you that that was in the beginning of the year and their defense didn’t allow blah blah 7 games blah blah. THE POINT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE is that FSU has not played as good a offense as notre dame's in any of those final 7, none. And putting points aside, Brian Kelly is one of the best offensive minds in college football. Account for the amount of time HE has had to prepare. 38 to 40 is not far fetched.

38-24.

Michael Floyd has 3 touchdowns.

EJ Manuel throws 2 picks.

Jimbo Fischer crying on the sideline and coach stoops curlled up in a ball slapping himself in the head repeatedly wondering where the hell bobby bowden is.

Sef Sam Holy

100% ASSURE YOU THAT IS NOT MY BIAS, but the Clemson was the trap game after the Oklahoma game and the Tigers were coming off a HUGE win against Auburn, a game in which Clemson usually loses. 

We will see how the offensive genius that put up 15 against Pitt, 17 against USC, 16 against Boston College (YES, Boston College, at home), and 14 against Stanford does against a defense with 5 future NFL draft picks. 

34-13

EJ Manuel throws for 2 TD’s and runs for one more. 

Greg Reid takes a punt to the house and gets himself a pick. 

The FSU defense sacks whoever ND plays at QB 6 times. 

Brian Kelly is caught on camera saying the F word 4 times and gets fired after next year’s 6-6 season.

Scott Yasko

Yeah, I did say that off the cuff. And im in for a $20.

And…….Scene!

NBA Season Preview - The Western Conference

If you were looking for a NBA Western Conference preview, you’ve come to the wrong place.  Mustache Sports only provides playoff prediction sort of things.  Remember, I’ve got lots to do at work so I can’t write up detailed previews for every single team.  But what I can provide is an opinion on the West will shape up this season. 

Here’s how I think the top 8 seeds will look come playoff time. 

1.  Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder have the best 1-2 punch with Durrant and Westbrook in the West and baring an injury to those two, the Sonics should win what looks to be a weaker Western Conference.  Anytime you get a chance to watch this team play, it’s worth your 2.5 hours.  James Harden and Serge Ibaka are two of my favorite players in the entire league.  The Oklahoma City Thunder are the Chicago Bulls of the West. 

2.  San Antonio Spurs

Despite everyone hollering about the Spurs being too old, they won the most regular season games in the West last year and held the number one seed.  I don’t sleep on Greg Popovich and what he does as a coach.  If he’s saying DeJuan Blair and James Anderson are good at basketball, then I’m going to believe him. 

3.  Los Angeles Clippers

Lob City baby!  What gets lost in all the CP3 talk is the fact that the Clippers have a really nice team.  Caron Butler and Chauncey “Mr Big Shot” Billups were excellent pieces that will fit in nicely with Griffin and CP3.  This team will get into some trouble if DeAndre Jordan gets into foul trouble but I could see them making a move by dealing Mo Williams for a backup big that can chew gum and walk at the same time come February. 

4.  Memphis Grizzles

Resigning Marc Gasol, a top 5 center, was big in keeping the momentum generated in last year’s playoff run.  A healthy Rudy Gay will make all the difference in this year’s campaign.  If OJ Mayo steps up and turns into the superstar he has the ability to become, you could possibly see this team upset OKC and represent the West in the Finals this year. 

5.  Denver Nuggets

This is my favorite Western Conference team to watch.  They score tons of points and have a lot of likeable players (Ty Lawson, Nene, Danilo Gallinari, and Aaron Afflalo).  It wouldn’t surprise me if this team ended up finishing with the second best regular season record in the West.  It goes to show that you can trade a superstar and get pieces back that make you competitive.  I do think that the lack of a genuine superstar will be their demise come May. 

6.  Los Angeles Lakers

People are really down on the Lakers this year because of the Lamar Odom deal and Kobe turning 33 (in basketball years, he’s almost 50).  But it’s still the Lakers and they still have, in any matchup, 3 of the best possible 5 players on the floor with Gasol, Bryant, and Bynum.  I think they will go as far as Bynum takes them in the playoffs but this team isn’t deep enough to legitimately contend for a title. 

7.  Dallas Mavericks

It’s hard to envision an NBA Champ taking this kind of fall but after watching them get blown out on Christmas and the day after Christmas, I don’t know how you put them ahead of the teams already mentioned.  I know they still have Dirk, Jason Terry, and Jason Kidd, but this team just looks like it’s missing something.  That something, Tyson Chandler, JJ Barea, and Caron Butler.  It’s only two games so this may be an overreaction but this is a shortened season and with the scheduling being the way it is, older teams are going to have a harder time. 

8.  Golden State Warriors

Mark Jackson wants his team to play defense and I honestly believe him.  I just don’t know if he has the personnel to establish that identity.  But the Warriors can put up some points and outrun the best of them.  I think they sneak into the playoffs this year ahead of Portland and…..wait for it…….the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

Worst Teams to Watch

I wouldn’t pay money to go watch the Utah Jazz.  But other than that, the rest of the non-playoff teams, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, New Orleans Hornets, Portland Trailblazers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Phoenix Suns, all give me a reason to tune in.  I guess maybe the Suns, I could see them being pretty boring when Nash sits on the bench. 

Playoff Predictions

Thunder over Warriors in 6

Spurs over Mavericks in 5

Lakers over Clippers in 7

Grizzles over Nuggets in 7

Thunder over Grizzles in 6

Spurs over Lakers in 6

Thunder over Spurs in 6

See you tomorrow when I hand out some NBA awards and predict who wins the NBA Finals.  To quote Bart Scott, “Can’t Wait!”

NBA Season Preview - The Eastern Conference

With the NBA back, and Mustache Sports taking notice, I think it’s time we provide you with a preview of how we feel this season will play out.  I’m not talking about giving you a team by team breakdown, but maybe just a playoff prediction sort of thing?  Will that work?  Good, thanks for understanding, I’m at work and although it is pretty slow this week, I still have stuff I need to get done. 

Here’s how I think the top 8 seeds will look come playoff time. 

1.  Miami Heat

Through two games, the Miami Heat look really, really good.  If they were playing the full 82 game season, I wouldn’t be surprised if they took a run at the 1996 Bulls 72 win record.  Norris Cole can ball (thank the Bulls for dealing him last draft day) and might be the answer at PG.  Shane Battier will help them in the locker room and in crunch time situations with his defense and ability to not be an offensive liability.  I’ll go on record right now and say that the Heat will win the NBA title this year.  I’m not at all trying to jinx them into a season ending Lebron/D Wade knee injury, I’m serious.  There, if you don’t like basketball, you can stop reading.

2.  Chicago Bulls

I’m super stoked to watch the Bulls when they get everything going.  Derrick Rose is great and the addition of Rip Hamilton is going to be HUGE the last 6 minutes of close games.  The Bulls have the best 10 man rotation in all of the NBA.  The only problem being, they will have to beat the Miami Heat in the playoffs and I don’t think D Rose has enough help to get that done.  I will say that IF Carlos Boozer plays like an All-Star and stays healthy, and IF Joakim Noah gets better and stays healthy, and IF Luol Deng turns into Tony Allen on defense, they have a chance of taking the Heat to 7 games and anything can happen in a game 7.  So yes, I guess I’m telling you there is a chance. 

3.  New York Knicks

After watching them get outscored by 27 points in a 17 minute stretch against the Celtics and still end up winning that game, I think they are the 3^rd best team in the East.  Anytime you have a scorer like Carmelo “Slap and Run” Anthony, a versatile big like Amare Stoudemire, and defense in the middle with Tyson Chandler, you are going to win close games.  The Knicks look good right now, but I still think they are missing a point guard and although I do like Toney Douglas, I think the Eastern Conference Semi’s is as far as they go. 

4.  Indiana Pacers

As a Bulls fan, I got to watch them a lot late last year and then some early this season.  The Pacer roster is very nice and I think they become, along with the Knicks, the team that surprises people this season and take that leap into the “teams we follow closely in the East” category.  Danny Grainger needed some help last year and I think with the development of Paul George, Roy Hibbert looking like a top 5 Center, Tyler Hansbrough getting better, and the addition of David West, he got it.  Look for these guys to make a move at the deadline and possibly win a playoff series this year. 

5.  Boston Celtics

It’s crazy to look at a ranking of the East and see the Celtics getting ranked at 5.  Especially since they haven’t had Paul Pierce these first two games and almost won both of them (against teams ranked higher nonetheless).  But I think you will see KG and Pierce not play in 100 combined games this year and I just don’t see enough scoring on the team to make up for them being out.  The lockout schedule with its 7 games in 10 nights is going to hurt older teams and the C’s are no exception.  Brandon Bass looks like a great pickup, but Keyon Dooling, Marquis Daniels, Jermaine O’Neal, and Sasha Pavlovic will all play significant minutes this year and they are not very good at playing basketball. 

6.  Orlando Magic

This prediction is all predicated on Dwight Howard staying in Orlando for the entire season.  If he gets dealt, then I get a pass.  Deal?  Thanks. 

7.  Atlanta Hawks

Losing Jamal Crawford may not have been a horrible thing for the Hawks but they didn’t do anything to replace the scoring he provided.  I like Josh Smif (he looks like The Game if you’ve never heard that before, go ahead, google it), Joe Johnson is nice, I like Al Horford, and Jeff Teague is a fun player to watch, but they start Marvin Williams at the 3 and Tracy McGrady is in their 8 man rotation.  I think they will finish around .500 and lose to the Bulls in 5 games in the first round of the playoffs. 

8.  Philedelphia 76ers

Out of the bottom 10 teams in the East, Philly serves to have the most depth and most well rounded roster.  They have a lot of assets with Jrue Holiday, Andre Iguodala, Specer Hawes, Lou Williams, Evan Turner, and Jodie Meeks, but they need to turn those assets into a superstar and I just don’t see a realistic scenario out there right now where that happens.  They remind me a lot of those Kirk Heinrich, Ben Gordon Bulls teams.  Fun to watch and root for, shows signs of promise, but are stuck in NBA Purgatory…….no legitimate superstar, will always pick between 10-16 and have a lot of really nice role players. 

Worst Teams to Watch

In no particular order, the Bobcats, Bucks, Raptors, and Pistons are all really bad and really boring.  Conversely, the Cavs, Wizards, and Nets are really bad but for reasons I won’t go into, could be worth watching on a random Tuesday night. 

Playoff Predictions

Heat over 76ers in 4

Bulls over Hawks in 5

Knicks over Magic in 6

Celtics over Pacers in 7

Heat over Celtics in 6

Bulls over Knicks in 7

Heat over Bulls in 6

See you tomorrow when I do this EXACT same thing for the West!  I know, I’m excited too.