Gridiron Picks — Week 12

 

Jeremiah Davis, Sports Editor (51-26)

Jake Calhoun, Asst. Sports Editor (47-30)

Dan Tracy, senior sports reporter (49-28)

Jake Lovett, editor-in-chief (53-24)

Guest Pick: Dean Berhow-Goll, Asst. Sports Editor (18-17)

 

No. 2 Oklahoma State vs. Iowa State

Jeremiah Davis: Oklahoma State — Cyclone fans could hit 50,000+ for all six games for the first time ever on Friday night. My guess is all of those will not be there at the end of the game.

Jake Calhoun: Oklahoma State — Let’s be real, the only thing Iowa State can do is hope it doesn’t get blown out.

Dan Tracy: Oklahoma State — Paul Rhoads characterized an upset as “unheard of.” The only thing we’ll be hearing at Jack Trice on Friday night will be “Touchdown, Oklahoma State.”

Jake Lovett: Oklahoma State — Iowa State can only stay in the game if it brings out some early fireworks against an awful OSU defense.

Dean Berhow-Goll: Oklahoma State — Even if Iowa State manages 50,000 fans for a Friday night ESPN game, that’s not going to stop Justin Blackmon.

No. 18 USC vs. No. 4 Oregon

Davis: Oregon — All together now… Quack… Quack… Quack… Goooooo Ducks! (Mighty Ducks anyone?)

Calhoun: Oregon — Matt Barkley is such a bro.

Tracy: Oregon — While animal ducks prefer waddling, these Ducks prefer cracking (or should I say… quacking) opposing defenses with their breakneck speed.

Lovett: Oregon — Realistic chance these two will match up for the Pac-12 title game. Realistic chance no one watches it then, either.

Berhow-Goll: Oregon — I don’t care how good looking Matt Barkley is. You can’t talk me into it. Unless you look at his smile… Look away!

No. 25 Baylor vs. No. 5 Oklahoma

Davis: Oklahoma — This and a win over Iowa State, and Oklahoma will get to Bedlam with a chance to get back in the national championship hunt.

Calhoun: Oklahoma — Whatever happened to Robert Griffin III? Oh. He became human. I forgot about that.

Tracy: Oklahoma — I don’t know about the Sooners, but I sure as hell am overlooking Baylor and getting ready for Bedlam.

Lovett: Oklahoma — I, like many OU players, also move that Landry Jones brings back The ‘Stache.

Berhow-Goll: Oklahoma — If the Cyclones were able to hang up 425 yards and 26 points on this team, Oklahoma might be able to have 1,000 yards.

SMU vs. No. 11 Houston

Davis: Houston — If this were 1985, I’d pick SMU in a heartbeat. But now, I’m picking Houston based solely on the chance that Keenum and Co. could score 80.

Calhoun: Houston — Conference USA, a non-AQ conference, has two teams in the AP Top 25 poll while the Big East, an AQ conference, has none. Interesting…

Tracy: Houston – Case Keenum is like that one kid in grade school who could always throw the dodgeball the hardest and Conference USA defenses are that one kid that always got pegged right in the face. I hate Case Keenum.

Lovett: Houston — Just when SMU thought it had escaped its “Death Penalty,” Case Keenum and Co. lay down the law and host a public execution of the Mustangs.

Guest: Houston — Look out for the Eric Dickerson/Craig James combo. Oh wait, they’re not there anymore? #FireCraigJames

Texas vs. No. 16 Kansas State

Davis: Texas — My upset pick of the week. Feels just like a Mack Brown win, right? Coming off a week where they did nothing, they would be the team to come out and win.

Calhoun: Kansas State — Even Mack Brown thinks Bill Snyder is old.

Tracy: Texas — The battle for third-best in the Big 12 will be won by the Longhorns, who boast the Big 12’s best run defense, which will stifle Collin Klein and Co.

Lovett: Texas — Remember when Texas seceded from the union? Bill Snyder does.

Berhow-Goll: Kansas State — Coming off of an emotionally charged win over Texas A&M, Klein may not account for six TD’s, but he’ll score enough to win.

No. 17 Nebraska vs. No. 20 Michigan

Davis: Michigan — Won’t be an upset. Nebraska hasn’t looked good defensively apart from shutting down an anemic (and distracted) Penn State offense.

Calhoun: Nebraska — For his first trip to the Big House, Bo Pelini is packing three things: his favorite gray hoodie, a chainsaw and a vial of children’s tears. #bopelinifunfacts

Tracy: Michigan — Oui. Oui. Michigan running back Fitzgerald Touissant will be the difference against Nebraska’s laissez-faire run defense.

Lovett: Michigan — Denard Robinson and Taylor Martinez would have been great quarterbacks at one time. That time is before the advent of the forward pass. Only then.

Berhow-Goll: Michigan — Denard Robinson and Co. should have a good day on the ground as Nebraska is eighth in the Big Ten and Michigan is 13th in the nation in rushing yards per game.

California vs. No. 8 Stanford

Davis: Stanford — I just wish I could grow a beard as brilliant as Andrew Luck’s. I also wish I was going to make the kind of money he will some day. Sigh.

Calhoun: Stanford — I guess lumberjacks can’t lead a private school on the West Coast to an undefeated season, but they can lead said school to a route over mediocre Pac-12 teams.

Tracy: Stanford — Unless Aaron Rodgers, the best quarterback on the planet, has some eligibility left, Luck and the Cardinal will route the Berkeley Bears.

Lovett: Stanford — Andrew Luck loses the beard, Stanford loses its luck. Coincidence? I think not.

Berhow-Goll: Stanford — Andrew Luck’s first week of Rumspringa didn’t go so well. Maybe it’s time to bring back the beard and also bring back a W in the win column.