Picks
October 15, 2010
Editor’s note: This is week seven of the Daily’s season-long Gridiron challenge. Each week, the Iowa State Daily’s three football reporters and the sports desk columnist will choose the winner from seven college football games around the country and provide commentary on each game. Each week, we will feature one guest pick, with this week’s guest being ISU men’s golf coach Andrew Tank.
Jake Lovett, sports editor — 29-13
Chris Cuellar, sports writer — 27-15
Jeremiah Davis, sports columnist — 27-15
David Merrill, sports writer — 24-18
Iowa State @ No. 6 Oklahoma
Jake – Oklahoma – The Sooners are too good for this tired, beat-up ISU squad.
Chris – Oklahoma – Take your lumps. Get healthy. Come back full strength for an upset bid in Austin.
Jeremiah – Oklahoma – This would be one of the greatest upset wins in ISU football history. Too bad this isn’t a movie.
David – Oklahoma – The best Cyclone fans can hope for here is to possibly be close a little longer into the second quarter. Otherwise this has re-run written all over it.
Andrew – Iowa State – Because I’m “proud to be one.”
Texas @ No. 5 Nebraska
Jake – Nebraska – Texas will be better this week. Nebraska might only win by 20 to 25 points.
Chris – Nebraska – Does Bo Pelini prank call Dan Beebe for a few hours after this one? Also, isn’t Martinez more of a Texas name than Nebraska name?
Jeremiah – Nebraska – I’m (very) slowly starting to drink the “Nebraska is actually good” Kool-Aid. An average Texas will make them look better.
David – Nebraska– The T-Magic show returns to Lincoln. Nebraska looks too strong right now to drop a game at home to a Texas team that is having a down year.
Andrew – Nebraska – They need all the wins they can get before they come to Jack Trice in November.
No. 1 Ohio State @ No. 18 Wisconsin
Jake – Wisconsin – Ohio State is the nation’s best team like Bret Bielema is a nice guy.
Chris – Wisconsin – Terrell Pryor is the next Vince Young. If VY had a bad haircut, lived in the north and was a choke artist.
Jeremiah – Ohio State – Terrelle Pryor is taking his talents to Madison, and will likely give LeBron a reason to tweet about him again.
David – Ohio State– The shock of being number one this early in the season might cause these guys to get a little ahead of themselves. Wisconsin isn’t what I thought they were after the loss to Michigan State though.
Andrew – Ohio State – I hate to see either team win this one but the Buckeyes will roll.
No. 12 Arkansas @ No. 7 Auburn
Jake – Arkansas – Arkansas got close two weeks ago. Ryan Mallett better get over the hump this time. I say that, because No. 10 South Carolina and No. 9 LSU are still waiting on the schedule.
Chris – Arkansas – Members of the Chizik Collapse Committee can meet behind my house for a post-loss celebration.
Jeremiah – Arkansas – How is it Gene Chizik can win five games in two years at Iowa State, but have a national title contender at Auburn? Arkansas will fix that (hopefully).
David – Auburn– I’m stil not sold on this whole Ryan Mallet business with Arkansas. I still don’t think he’s that good.
Andrew – Auburn – “Death Valley” will be too much for the Razorbacks.
No. 21 Missouri @ Texas A&M
Jake – Missouri – Nothing says “down year” like having this Missouri team ranked at No. 21.
Chris – Texas A&M – Mizzou’s first road game is a win at Kyle Field? Yeah, and the Twins had a chance against the Yankees.
Jeremiah – Texas A&M – This Missouri team isn’t nearly what they’ve been in year’s past. No Jeremy Maclin or Chase Daniel will do that.
David – Texas A&M – I would like to think Jerrod Johnson will wake up and play a decent game soon. He’s got to snap out of it sometime, right?
Andrew – Missouri – Another team that needs a boost before it travels to Ames in November.
No. 15 Iowa @ Michigan
Jake – Michigan – Iowa hasn’t faced a playmaker like Denard since … Uhm … Well, ever.
Chris – Michigan – 1. I still refuse to pick against Denard in fear of retribution. 2. It’s the Hawkeyes.
Jeremiah – Iowa – Really, really wanted to pick Michigan. Then I remembered how Michigan State shut down Denard. Iowa will keep its Big Ten title hopes alive.
David – Michigan– In case any readers weren’t aware, I was the only one that picked Michigan to lose to Michigan State last week. So, why not predict them to bounce back against Iowa this weekend?
Andrew – Michigan – I hope they destroy the Hawks. Oh, and did I mention that my wife is a Michigan alum?
No. 19 Nevada @ Hawai’i
Jake – Nevada – The over under for this game’s scoring is 76. Seems low to me. Find me a better way to end a Saturday night. You can’t.
Chris – Hawai’i – It’ll be another shootout near Pearl Harbor. Which is about the last time Nevada won in Honolulu. Stay up late, thank me later.
Jeremiah – Nevada – Wanted to pick Hawai’i because they’re so tough at home. But then I remembered this isn’t 2007 and Colt Brennan isn’t their quarterback.
David – Nevada – The combination of Colin Kaepernick being a pretty solid quarterback and the confusion of Nevada’s running back Vai Taua not being on their team will just be too confusing for the warriors.
Andrew – Nevada – The beaches of Hawaii won’t be enough to distract Nevada from dominating this game.