Fyodor's College Football Picks of the Week.

1) The guys who set the lines are professionals. Their job is to make each game look as attractive as possible to everyone. That way they even out the amount of money bet on each side.
Instant translation: The house wins no matter who wins. That's why people get into the gambling business.

2) I am just a fan. I won't even keep track of these picks week to week if it gets too embarrassing.

3) There is no such thing as "inside information". Especially in the pros.

4) If those idiot touts on tv and in the paper were that good, they wouldn't go public with their genius. They'd sit at Harrah's sports book from open to close and then go out and buy $2,000 an hour hookers who dress like high school girls.

5) Gambling is stupid. You cannot win.

That being said, here are my college picks for this week.


Saturday 10/8

Wake Forest (+21.5) at Florida State
I'll take the 'Noles to cover.
FINAL: FSU 41 Wake 24 - Fyodor loses! (You'll see a pattern here. I have overestimated the strength of many teams.)


West Virgina (-4) at Rutgers
WVU wins, but Rutgers covers.
FINAL: WVU 27 Rutgers 14 - Fyodor loses!


Marshall (+34.5) at Virginia Tech
Take the Hokies to win big.
FINAL: VT 41 Marshall 14 - Fyodor loses! (See?)


Mississippi State (+27.5) at Florida
Bulldogs are not good. Florida is not great. Take Gators to cover.
FINAL: Florida 35 MSU 9 - Fyodor loses! (Ugh!)


Oklahoma (+14) at Texas
Texas finally beats the Sooners, but do not cover.
FINAL: UT 45 OU 12 - Fyodor loses!


Virginia (+7) at Boston College
Take Virginia and the points.
FINAL: BC 28 Virginia 17 - Fyodor loses! (Congrats to the Eagles, but I have no clue.)


TCU (+6.5) at Wyoming
Until they let me down, I'll keep picking the Cowboys.
FINAL: TCU 28 Wyoming 14 - Fyodor loses! (The Cowboys let me down.)


Arizona (+37.5) at USC
That is one large number. I wouldn't play this one if I were you. But just for fun, I'll pick Arizona.
FINAL: USC 42 Arizona 21 - Fyodor wins! (Yea!)


Georgia (+3) at Tennessee
I'll take Georgia, but my heart's not in it.
FINAL: Georgia 27 Tennessee 14 - Fyodor wins! (Stupid heart.)


Texas Tech (-4) at Nebraska
THIS IS AN I-HATE-NEBRASKA PICK. Take Tech to cover.
FINAL: TTU 34 Nebraska 31 - Fyodor loses! (Memo To Kiddies: Hate is a bad thing.)


North Carolina (+13) at Louisville
I'll take Louisville.
FINAL: Louisville 69 UNC 14 - Fyodor wins!


Utah (+4.5) at Colorado State
I'll take Utah in a mild upset.
FINAL: CSU 21 Utah 17 - Fyodor wins! (Take that, evil hook monster.)


Texas A&M (+ 3) at Colorado
A&M should win it.
FINAL: Colorado 41 A&M 20 - Fyodor loses!



LSU (-16) at Vanderbilt
Take Vandy and the points at home.
FINAL: LSU 34 Vanderbilt 6 - Fyodor loses! (What was I thinking?)


Ball State (+12) at Western Michigan
The Train Wreck System faces a tough test here. Take WMU.
FINAL: Ball State 60 WMU 57 - Fyodor loses! (Play "The World Turned Upside Down".)


California (+1.5) at UCLA
UCLA has been coming back to earth. I'll pick Cal.
FINAL: UCLA 47 Cal 40 - Fyodor loses! (Wanna know why they call it gambling, kiddies? I had this one in the bag when a "true freshman" [everything wrong with college sports is summed up in that phrase] Cal linebacker made a great play on a 2 point conversion try to keep the UCLA lead at 1 with only a couple of minutes to play. A few seconds later, a Cal interception set up the Bruins' last second touchdown that lost the game for those of us who picked Cal. I don't blame the Cal QB. I don't blame the UCLA coaches for not running out the clock with a one point lead. I don't blame anybody. This is EXACTLY why I don't really bet on sports.)


Ohio State (-3.5) at Penn State
Buckeyes should win easily. I'll go that way because I gotta pick somebody, but if the Lions play like they did last week...
FINAL: Penn State 17 The Ohio State University 10 - Fyodor loses! (I don't mind, though. Congrats to Coach Paterno and a giant ppffffffffttt! to his critics. Any coach who builds his school a library gets a pass from me.)


Oregon (+10) at Arizona State
ASU wins but does not cover.
FINAL: Oregon 31 ASU 17 - Fyodor wins!