Chapter Nine

2025 NCAA 4-6 
2025 NFL 6-8
2018-2025 NCAA 121-126-6
2018-2025 NFL 164-140-11

Vandy -3 – HIT!
Houston +7.5 – HIT! 
Eagles -7.5 – HIT!
SWEEP!!

Rutgers kept Choppin! So I missed the game … am i bad luck?! But I caught highlights and the group chat kept me up to date. Ugh! Defense looked mighty sus again but they really rallied and played a complete second half. Illinois might be a program on the ropes. They had all the expectations and now they are unranked. Altmeyer and co should honestly shred our defense, but are they checked out?! Is Illinois on upset watch with the Scarlet Knights believing again?!?! The BEST news of all of this is I will not be able to watch again lmaoooo I have a ryder Cup style golf tourney Saturday. Red Team!! Love being Red Team because I will have my block R on still. No expectations, hope it isn’t Oregon 2.0, and let’s have fun out there.

Virginia Tech +11 v Louisville

I look at this Virginia Tech team and it screams underrated. If you take away their Old Dominion debacle, and that’s a big ask, they lost to two SEC teams, lost at undefeated Georgia Tech and to a Wake team that kick started a 3 game win streak, and beat competent foes in NC St and Cal. I’m not saying they should be ranked but that has to be one of the stronger 3-5 resumes in the Nation. Louisville has been class but they haven’t been dominant. Virginia Tech brings a high powered offense off a 42 point performance at Cal. Louisville is holding ACC opponents to 25 points a game so I can see Virginia Tech settling in that low 30s range especially back at home with a bowl game still in reach. Virginia Tech wants to keep the ball on the ground and will try and out physical teams and I see this as a benefit to avoid the strong Louisville secondary. I think the Hokies offense can and will keep this a single point game.

Kansas State +7.5 v Texas Tech

Don’t look now but Kansas State is 4-4 and their offense has put up an average of 38 points the last four. Texas Tech is a different animal of defense but Kansas State is rolling. Dublin is hopefully behind them and this is the firepower we expected out of an Avery Johnson led offense. But what’s been impressive is only allowing 5 touchdown passes and catching 5 interceptions these last four games where their offense has woke up. Texas Tech QB Behren Morton has missed the last two and a half games due to injury, and I’m wondering if he is rushed back as the back up tore his ACL. Kansas State is a respectable opponent, but Texas Tech has undefeated BYU next week as well …

Texans -1.5 v Broncos

I may have bet against the Broncos a little too much this season, but I’m going back to it this weekend. Texans are a strong 3-4 team and Stroud is coming off of his first 300 yard performance of the season. Nico Collins is back this week and it feels all systems go. The Texans have 3 rookie offensive weapons coming in to their own, RB Woody Marks, and receivers Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins. The Broncos have an excellent defense, but I believe we are seeing the best Texans offense so far this year. Speaking of defenses, Texans give up the least amount of points in 14.7 a game. If Bo Nix can put up points on this defense THEN I’ll respect him and the sytem. 

Commanders +3 v Seahawks

It’s getting close to do-or-die mode for the preseason Super Bowl hype Commanders. It’s been a rough year led by Jayden Daniels missing too much time, but he is going to play Sunday night. Seattle is coming off of a bye, which is normally a benefit, but I’m wondering if that’ll stall momentum. They’ve been playing clean ball as of late putting up 27 at home vs the strong Texans defense I just mentioned. Daniels, when he plays, has been very effective this year, throwing 1 interception to 9 total touchdowns. He’ll need a clean game and he’ll need his Head Coach, who is a defensive specialist, to gameplan to slow down JSN who’s leading the NFL in yards. The Commanders haven’t been able to slow anyone down but it’s getting late early in the Nations capital and they will have to throw everything out there to keep their season alive. I’m backing desperation at home, vs a team traveling 2500 miles away.

Cowboys -2.5 v Cardinals

The Cardinals beat the Saints and Titans and then lost the last five in a row. On one end it’s been competitive, losing by 13 combined points, but loses stack up! When you cap games you never want to “listen to the streets” but the streets are saying Kyler Murray might be benched. Even if he plays, he’s no Dak Prescott, but looks like we’ll see Jacoby Brissett another week. Going against the Cowboys defnese ius a gift, but the Cowboys offense, especially at home, is a nightmare to face. The are averaging FORTY ONE points a game at home. I don’t think the Cardinals can keep up in this shootout.

Power Rankings

The number to the right of the team is where they were ranked last week. 

1. Chiefs (1)    
2. Colts (2) 
3. Eagles (6)
4. Packers (10)
5. Rams (3)
6. Broncos (5)
7. Patriots (4) 
8. Seahawks (8) 
9. Lions (7)
10.  Bucs (9)
11.  Bills (13)
12.  Chargers (20)
13. Ravens (26) 
14. Texans (17)
15. Niners (12)  
16. Bears (11) 
17. Steelers (15) 
18. Cowboys (14)
19.  Vikings (18)
20. Falcons (16) 
21. Commanders (21) 
22.  Panthers (19)
23. Dolphins (30) 
24. Giants (22)
25. Browns (24)
26. Jaguars (25) 
27. Raiders (27) 
28. Bengals (23) 
29. Jets (32)  
30. Cardinals (28)
31. Saints (29)
32. Titans (31)

Thank you,
Goose