NFL Power Ratings Week 7

1-Colts
2-Bears
3-Broncos
4-Patriots
5-Saints
6-Giants
7-Bengals
8-Chargers
9-Rams
10-Falcons
11-Vikings
12-Panthers
13-Eagles
14-Ravens
15-Seahawks
16-Jets
17-Jaguars
18-Cowboys
19-Chiefs
20-Steelers
21-Bucs
22-Texans
23-Redskins
24-Bills
25-49'ers
26-Titans
27-Packers
28-Lions
29-Browns
30-Dolphins
31-Raiders
32-Cardinals

College Football Week 9

Well, USC finally lost a Pac 10 game! After 28 straight wins, they went down in Corvallis this afternoon 33-31. Booty led a frantic comeback attempt in the 4th quarter, including a TD with 10 seconds left, but the two pt conversion pass attempt fell incomplete and the Beavers scored one of their bigger victories of the century, if not their biggest. It seemed to just be a matter of time seeing these Trojans the last couple weeks, but I think today was unexpected since they were coming off a bye, and facing a below average Beavers squad. But when you turn the ball over, we always see what happens. And the Trojans did not hold on the the rock today. That loss not only hurts USC, but it also hurts Notre Dame and Cal. It appears all three of these teams are eliminated from National Title contention unless their is a bevy of late season losses by many teams. On to the #1 team in the country, Ohio St. Once again they just completely bury their opponent, this time Minnesota at the Horseshoe. They are just playing all around excellent ball. A few interesting point going into the Michigan showdown where Michigan could have a slight advantage are the quality of opponents before the big game, and tight games. Michigan has played Notre Dame, and Wisconsin. Though OSU matched up with Texas, they were a far cry from the team they are now back then. Also, Michigan has played some slightly closer games, maybe OSU would get tight when put in the spot. Nobody knows, and I am not suggesting they would choke, just fodder for conversation. #2 Michigan had a very workmanlike 17-3 victory in the rain of Ann Arbor this afternoon. Hart had a solid game, but again the story was the smothering Michigan defense holding Northwestern to negative rushing yards. With matchups with Ball St and Indiana left, it might almost be time to start putting together the game plan for the Buckeyes. Thursday night is the Big East showdown we have been looking forward to all week between West Virginia and Louisville. Its a shame the Ville isnt playing better right now, but Papa JOhns will be rocking and rolling on Thursday night. The winner of this match up will lock up a BCS birth, with a chance at the title game. I do like West Virginia in this battle. I think they are just playing better at this point in the season. Texas went into Lubbock tonight and came back from being down big early to beat the Red Raiders 35-31. COlt McCoy once again played well, and the Red Raiders could not get anything going in the second half just like the rest of the season. Texas will not be challenged until a possible rematch with Nebraska in the Big 12 Title game. Onto the SEC, where Florida, Auburn, Arkansas, and Tennessee all won today. Florida was in control all afternoon in the Cocktail Party, though UGA tried to make a game of it towards the end of the game. Leak improved to 4-0 vs Georgia in his career. Auburn struggled mightily at Ole Miss, but pulled it out in the end by the narrowest of margins. Arkansas stepped out of conference and buried UL-Monroe at home. And Tennessee with an impressive victory in Columbia vs the Gamecocks. UT keeps winning, with their only loss coming at home in the last seconds to Florida. Though I see some losses inthe future for the Vols, give them some credit to this point. Clemson will fall from my rankings as they lost in Blacksburg on Thursday night. Tough match up there for the Tigers. Notre Dame will move back into the Top 10 with their 24 pt victory vs. Navy. The Irish will have one loss when they take on USC, but the Trojans loss is going to hurt them in the end. Here is the way I see it now:

#1 Ohio St. 9-0
#2 Michigan 9-0
#3 West Virginia 7-0
#4 Texas 8-1
#5 Florida 7-1
#6 Tennessee 8-1
#7 Louisville 7-0
#8 Auburn 8-1
#9 USC 6-1
#10 Notre Dame 7-1

NFL Power Ratings Week 7

Here is where I see everyone going into tomorrow's games. We show Team, ranking this week, and rankings in week 6,5,4,3 in order to see some trending. Enjoy the games tomorrow!

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

College Football Week 8

Well, today was relatively uneventful on the college football landscape. Some close calls, but in the end, the elite teams held on. Lets start at the top, Ohio St rolls on 44-3 vs. Indiana (W on line). Another impressive day for Troy Smith, as he appears to be the biggest runaway Heisman winner in quite some time. Michigan took care of their biggest obstacle before the mathup with OSU with a 20-6 win vs Iowa (W on line). Once again, the story was the front seven of the Wolverines battering Drew Tate all afternoon. The Wolves were once again without Mario Manningham due to knee surgery the previous week. Look for him to return next weekend when Big Blue faces Northwestern. And as most of us have heard and predicted by now, I have the winner of the OSU/UM game in the BCS Title game. USC will stay at #3 in my poll with a bye this week. W. Virginia looked very impressive with their running game, just as we have come to expect when the thumped UConn on Thursday night. Messengers White and Slaton abused the huskie defense, and the Neers showed they can play a little of their own. With Louisville struggling lately, including today, their toughest matchups might be at Pitt and the season finale vs Rutgers. I also see, as do many analysts, a few one loss teams I believe would leapfrog WVU into that National Title game. But that is fodder for another conversation. Lets move on to the game of the day in snowy, cold, windy, and rainy Lincoln. The Longhorns were up 19-13 late in the fourth, with the snow picking up, when the Huskers called two great plays to score a TD to take a 20-19 lead. First, a double reverse which gave them about 15 yards, then the half back option pass for the TD. The Husker D then held, and forced a punt which led to a third and two for the Huskers. Play action pass was called, it was completed, then the received got drilled and fumbled. Horns took over with under 2 minutes to play on about the Husker 40. They drove down, and used their walk on right footed kicker (had used the left footed kicker all day; granted he missed an extra point and two field goals) to boot the game winner. McCoy is really growing up, and he is going to be special for the Horns. Mack Brown made a few very questionable coaching decisions in this one...I still do not think he is a good coach, and if it wasnt for Vince Young, he would not have a title. Things are also looking up for the Huskers, and it is good for college football when they are challenging for the title. My sixth ranked squad Tennessee was involved in another barn burner as they defeated Alabama 16-13 (L on line). Give Bama credit for playing with a lot of heart defensively, but their offense just has not developed as of yet behind their young QB. Ainge was not particularily sharp for the Vols, but he got it done in the end with a late TD drive to put them up for good. They still have some dicey road games left, along with a pretty tough home slate, so winning the SEC East doesnt look good. But a BCS bowl game is certainly in reach, and would have to be considered a very solid year after last years 5-6 record. Florida is #7 in my rankings and they had a bye this week. They return to action next weekend in the Cocktail party against a very depleted Georgia team. The Gators have a very favorable schedule, and will be favored to win every game relatively handidly except their visit to Tallahassee to close out the year. I look for the Gators to face the Auburn Tigers in the SEC title game, and the winner of that to match up with the OSU/UM winner for the title. #8 in my poll, and certainly slipping in my mind is Louisville. I am giving them a pass this week for not burying the Cuse, and their next game is the big matchup with WVU. I will pass my judgment on both these teams after that game, but rest assured that the loser will not be ranked in my Top 10. Clemson makes their first appearance in my rankings this year after their demolition of Georgia Tech Saturday night. I really have not paid much attention to Clemson, they usually play relatively well early, and have some bouts of losing their concentration. Is this year going to be different? Their only loss was at BC, a game they dominated. And we saw what BC did today. Clemson only has one road game left which is next week in Blacksburg. If they could somehow get thru that, they will win their last 3 in my opinion and be 11-1 heading to the ACC Title game. Problem for them is their SOS is not going to be good enough to get them into the BCS title game. Lets see how they fair next weekend. And #10 I have another newcomer. Wisconsin, thats right! The Badgers have only lost one game this year, 24-10 vs Michigan in the Big House. They played well in that game, and it was even tied late in the third before the Michigan defense took over. Following that, they have anialated every one in their path. They arent the most explosive, and Stocco isnt a household name, but they sure put up a lot of points. And we dont hear much about their defense, but they keep playing very well. They only have one road game left, and with the teams on their slate, they should at worse be looking at a 10-2 record. Possible BCS worthy? We'll see, but nevertheless, a solid year in their first without Alvarez. Here is how I see it right now, and where I see the teams finishing:

1-Ohio State 8-0 (11-1)
2-Michigan 8-0 (12-0)
3-USC 6-0 (10-2)
4-WVirginia 7-0 (12-0)
5-Texas 7-1 (11-1)
6-Tennessee 7-1 (9-3)
7-Florida 6-1 (11-1)
8-Louisville 7-0 (10-2)
9-Clemson 7-1 (10-2)
10-Wisconsin 7-1 (10-2)

Five to watch in alphabetical order: Arkansas 6-1, Auburn 7-1, Boston College 6-1, California 7-1, Notre Dame 6-1

NFL Rankings Week 6

#1 Bears 6-0: Not sure what happened in first half, but that is the defense we are all used to in the second.
#2 Colts 5-0: Should get by a banged up Redskins team this weekend (look for a BIG day out of Manning, Harrison and Wayne). Sets up showdown next weekend in Denver.
#3 Chargers 4-1: Offense was impressive at San Fran. Rivers looks like the real deal, and we know they have the RB and D.
#4 Broncos 4-1: Shanahan is using ultra conservative gameplans now; things will open up next week. As a Broncos fan, I am not worried about our offense.
#5 Patriots 4-1: Coming off bye in good position. They will win AFC East, and will most likely match up with Ravens/Bengals in first round of playoffs (I know its early, but they will probably be the 3 seed).
#6 Seahawks 5-1: Keep winning without Alexander, but need him back to reach their goals.
#7 Saints 5-1: Validating victory on Sunday. How long can it last?
#8 Panthers 4-2: Might even deserve to be higher now that Smith is healty (undefeated since his return). Nice win at Baltimore on Sunday, their AFC North tour continues this weekend in Cincinnati for a big time match up of offense vs defense (watch for Peppers to put a lot of pressure on Palmer).
#9 Rams 4-2: Tough home loss on Sunday. Going to be tough to win division now, but they can challenge for wildcard. Playing a lot tougher under Linehan.
#10 Eagles 4-2: Did the cupcake schedule catch up with them on Sunday? Their schedule really kicks in the last half of year, and if Westbrook isnt healthy, its going to be tough to win NFC East.
#11 Bengals 4-2: Disappointing loss at Tampa Bay on Sunday. Just dont seem mentally tough enough at this point to challenge elite in AFC.
#12 Ravens 4-2: Two losses in a row, could easily be 3 or 4 if not for McNair miracles. I am officially worried about the Ravens (even after I picked them to win AFC North before year).
#13 Cowboys 3-2: Took a while to get going, but buried Houston in second half as they got TO more involved in offense. Must defense home turf on Monday night vs the GMEN.
#14 Giants 3-2: Things have turned around the last two weeks. I, for one, was worried after loss to Seattle. They have the most talent in NFC East, but they also have toughest schedule. On a side note, sad to hear about Tiki Barber, a great RB, and more importantly, a great man.
#15 Jaguars 3-2: Coming off bye, and their team looks like a mash unit. Might be time to panic in Northern Florida.
#16 Steelers 2-3: Super Bowl champs got healthy quick vs the swiss chiefs. Going to be a little more of a test this weekend in the Georgia Dome, but with the top teams in NFC North struggling, its not too late for the Steelers.
#17 Vikings 3-2: Played Chicago close at home, not head to Seattle. If they can play it tight, I might be an official believer they can challenge for a wild card spot.
#18: Falcons 3-2: Things started off so well, now are slipping a little. Really got beat up in second half vs Giants, and things get tougher this weekend with the Steelers coming to town. Must start playing more physical.
#19 Jets 3-3: Mangini has these guys playing as hard and disciplined as anyone in league. Detroit comes to town this weekend in a game they must win to stay on pace for a .500 season.
#20 Chiefs 2-3: Really got pounded, bombed, whatever adjective you want to use at Pitt. Is Herm feeling the heat already? SD comes to town this weekend so things dont appear they will get any easier.
#21 Redskins 2-4: Falling apart since big win at home vs. Jacksonville. Brunnel looks old, defense is all banged up, Gibbs doesnt look like his self of the 80s and 90s, and its obvious Campbell isnt the answer of we would have already seen him.
#22 Bills 2-4: Lost to Lions last week, which was Lions first win. They arent terrible, but they arent good. One bright spot is certainly McGahee.
#23 49'ers 2-4: Playing better, and at least they are the best team in the Bay Area
#24 Titans 1-5: Got first win in Washington last week. That is two solid games in a row since Vince took over. Fisher is a good coach, things are getting better.
#25 Cardinals 1-5: Wow, what a thirty minute display. Unfortunately, games are sixty minutes and they got manhandled those last twenty or so. Denny Green's rant was one for the ages. Big battle this week of bottom dwellers as they travel to Oakland.
#26 Bucs 1-4: What a win against Cincinnati on Sunday. Gradkowski gets it done when he needed to. Renew rivalry from early 2000's vs Philly this weekend.
#27 Dolphins 1-5: Harrington is not the answer. Culpepper is still injured. Defense is getting old. Lots of problems for the fish.
#28 Packers 1-5: Sad to see Favre living throught another season like this. He is a hall of famer, but I have thought for a while, and now firmly believe, he is overrated. I would like to see Rodgers get some action towards the end of the year to see what he has.
#29 Lions 1-5: Picked up first W Sunday at home vs Buffalo. They seem to have a lot of talent at the skill positions, and secondary, but as we know, the games are won at the line of scrimmage. You would think Millen of all people would understand this.
#30 Browns 1-4: Have actually played a few solid games this year, but the only victory they could muster up was against the lowely Raiders. And with Denver coming to town this weekend, it looks like they will remain ranked in the 30s next week.
#31 Texans 1-5: Carr has certainly been a bright spot this year. And their offensive line has certainly improved. But defense still remains a BIG issue. I do think they are going to play a tough game this weekend vs Jacksonville.
#32 Raiders 0-6: Played decent Sunday night at Denver. Eight false start penalties? Shows a lack of discipline. Attitude really stinks in Oakland, and there are no answers right now. They will remain ranked in the 30s for the entire year in my opinion, and I will be shocked if they do not get the first overall pick in the 2007 Draft.

College Football Week 7

1: Ohio St 7-0 (Michigan is closing the gap)
2: Michigan 7-0 (Defense is just stifiling)
3: USC 6-0 (Struggling lately, but winning; will be tested in matchups with Cal and ND)
4: West Virginia 6-0 (Ground game impressive on Sat; how good is their defense?)
5: Texas 6-1 (Only loss to OSU)
6: Tennessee 6-1 (ahead of Fla because of timing of losses)
7: Florida 6-1 (behind Tenn due to timing of losses; ahead of Auburn due to better loss)
8: Louisville 6-0 (Need to get everything going once again with Brohm back and healthy)
9: California 6-1 (Focused, and looking good)
10: Notre Dame 5-1 (Bye this week)

Five to watch in alphabetical order: Auburn 6-1, Arkansas 5-1, Clemson 6-1, Nebraska 6-1, Wisconsin 6-1

Be back with more in depth analysis next week. Also, please check out my handicapping link on side as the Pounder went 6-1 this week, plus 16 units, including a Win in his game of the week on Nebraska.

NFL Rankings Week 5

1: Bears 5-0 I am starting to be a believer; Looks like 2002 all over again
2: Colts 5-0 Have to put them up this high; maybe they are going to peak in Jan this year?
3: Broncos 3-1 Best defense in league; will offense heat up?
4: Chargers 3-1 Another really solid defense; how will Rivers fair as season progresses?
5: Patriots 4-1 With Brady, always a chance; but have they lost too much to play in Feb?
6: Eagles 4-1 Great passing game; can they run to hold a lead? Westbrook injured?
7: Ravens 4-1 Great defense; is McNair over the hill?
8: Bengals 4-1 Solid offense; are they disciplined enough to win it?
9: Seahawks 4-1 Kinda flying low this year; need Alexander back healthy
10: Jaguars 3-2 Good overall team and well coached; can they score enough?
11: Saints 4-1 Great start; can it last?
12: Falcons 3-1 Flying low; can they win on Sun v Giants which could be tie breaker down line?
13: Rams 4-1 Only team to beat Broncos; only team the 49'ers beat (Raiders dont count)
14: Panthers 3-2 Three in a row with Smith in lineup; is he league MVP?
15: Vikings 3-2 Relegated to Wild Card chase; another late season swoon?
16: Cowboys 2-2 Big disappointment Sunday; can Bledsoe get it done?
17: Giants 2-2 Big rebound on Sun; division race is going to be brutal, must defend home turf
18: Chiefs 2-2 Two in a row; is Green coming back? Do they need him?
19: Steelers 1-3 Big hole, especially in AFC North and Big Ben looking tentative
20: Redskins 2-3 Can Brunnel hold up whole season?
21: Jets 2-3 What happened on Sunday? Did Colts game take that much out of them?
22: 49'ers 2-3 Things are starting to improve on this side of the Bay
23: Bills 2-3 Respectable to this point; in a race for second behind New England
24: Cardinals 1-4 One of the biggest disappointments this season this far; Leinart looked OK
25: Texans 1-4 Carr looking great; D still stinks; is Mario Williams playing?
26: Dolphins 1-4 Joey Harrington???
27: Browns 1-4 Only win against lowly Niners; still a long way away
28: Bucs 0-4 Glad to hear Simms is doing fine; Good fight on Sunday; Gruden will have them up
29: Titans 0-5 V Young looks like the real deal; helluva an effort Sunday at RCA Dome
30: Packers 1-4 Team is in diserray; Sad to see Favre like this
31: Lions 0-5 Again, when is Millen going to get canned???
32: Raiders 0-5 Just lose baby, Just lose.

College Football Week 6

What a Saturday! We had a lot of tight action involving Top 10 teams, including a pair of Tigers getting mauled in the SEC. Lets start on the Plains, where the Razorbacks of Arkansas came into Jordan Hare and controlled the entire game start to finish and beat the Tigers 27-10 (W on line). Yes, these were the same Hogs that got pasted at home vs the men of Troy earlier in the year. It seemed Temple dressed as the Auburn run defense cause they got toasted all day uncluding yielding 2 100 yard rushers. Once the Tigers got down, they really showed as I wondered about last week they lacked the firepower to get back into this puppy. It would have been difficult to run the table in the SEC anyway, but the Razors are now in firm control of the SEC West division. Then the Bayou bengals from LSU got taken behind the woodshed in Gainesville. LSU really could not get anything going offensively mainly driven by the fact they could not run the ball at all. Their offensive line really got exposed today. The Tiger defense played relatively well, but their special teams really let them down fumbling a punt in the first half, then fumbling the opening kickoff to the second half which directly resulted in a safety. LSU now has two losses, and is completely out of the National Title picture, and most likely, the SEC title as well. Keeping the SEC theme going we move to the night game between the hedges between the Dawgs and Vols. UGA went up early in this game and appeared to be in control. Until the third quarter rolled around and UT turned it up on both sides of the ball, and Ainge really started getting time in the pocket to pick apart the Dawg secondary. Turning point of this game was the blocked punt in the 4th that pused the lead from 31-27 to 38-27. The Dawg defense really had no answers once the Vol snowball started rolling. X a 1pt loss to the Gators, and Tennessee would be getting a lot of recongition around the country. Lets move to the Big Ten where OSU stepped out of conference and buried Bowling Green 35-7 (L on line). Did not catch any of this game, but it looks as though it went as expected. T. Smith had good stats, and the Buckeyes appear to be on cruise control right now. Michigan faced Michigan St. in a rivalry game and had no problems dispatching the Spartans 31-13. Mike Hart was just too much for the Spartans, along with Michigans defensive pressure. Wolverines have a HUGE one next week in Happy Valley on Saturday night. Remember what happened last night game there? Thats right, they beat the Buckeyes last year 17-10. Michigan does have a 9 game win streak against the Lions, and Penn St. is not nearly the team they were last year as evidenced by their lucky victory today at Minnesota. USC put a ton of winning streaks on the line against the Washington Huskies in SoCal and it came right down to the last seconds. Washington stayed in this game all day, and this game ended on a very controversial timing issue. This game was not on in Philadelphia, so I didnt see it live. But it seemed there was 6 seconds left when they earned a first down, yet the clock operator in the LA Coliseum had a quick finger and the Huskies did not even get off another play in the Trojan red zone. Trojans have struggled the last 3 weeks, and they clearly are not the team they have been in the past. But, they are still solid and getting better every week. Lets move on to the Mountaineers who stepped out of conference in a semi big way and at least faced a team on the road from a BCS conference. It could be argued, but stepping out to play Mississippi St, who could be the weakest of all BCS teams is not really that impressive. This game was tight until late third quarter just as I predicted last week. However, in the end, the running game of the Neers was too much for the Bulldogs. The Big East has really improved this year, might even be better than the ACC in my opinion. However, I do not see anyone challenging them outside the Cardinals from Louisville. Speaking of Louisville, they pounded Middle Tenn. St on Friday night. Not much to say regarding that one. Red River Shootout was this weekend in a game I caught a lot of. Texas handled Oklahoma 28-10 outscoring the Sooners 21-0 in the second half. Colt McCoy continues to impress and grow up as the weeks pass by. Peterson, really the Sooners only offensive weapon, had a great game as he continually showed his strength, speed, and smarts on the field. Stoops even put him out there running back kickoffs and punts. He is a special player, but fact is Thompson is just not getting the job done under center. And their defense has underachieved this year. With this victory, the Horns are firmly in control of the Big 12 South, and hence, the Big 12. And lastly, the Ducks and Bears battled it out Sat night in Berkeley, and it turned out to be not much of a battle. The Bears offense just tore apart the Oregon defense, and the volatility of the Ducks offense really cost them. Cal has to be considered the main challenger to the Trojans. They would be undefeated if it wasnt for the loss in Knoxville opening weekend. That loss is looking better by the day for Tedford and Co. Here is the way I see things after Week 6. New this week I am going to include 5 teams that are on the verge of the rankings:

1- Ohio St. 6-0 (Keep winning, and still have most impressive road win of anyone)
2- Florida 6-0 (If they run table in SEC, they better get an invite to Glendale; huge battle next Saturday night in Auburn)
3- Michigan 6-0 (Really looking impressive; they own Penn St)
4- USC 5-0 (Undefeated, and in major conference; enough said)
5- W. Virginia 5-0 (First of the next tier of teams)
6- Louisville 5-0 (Hopefully they get everyone healthy before showdown with Neers)
7- Texas 5-1 (Keep improving, could still sneak in title game in watered down Big 12)
8- Tennessee 5-1 (Ainge looking very solid; schedule could be worse)
9- Notre Dame 5-1 (Officially on cruise control until USC matchup)
10- California 5-1 (Might be best all around Pac 10 squad)

Next 5 in alphabetical order: Auburn 5-1, Clemson 5-1, LSU 4-2, Missouri 6-0, Nebraska 5-1

NFL Rankings Week 4

1- Indianapolis 4-0
2- Chicago 4-0
3- Baltimore 4-0
4- Denver 2-1
5- Philadelphia 3-1
6- San Diego 2-1
7- New England 3-1
8- Cincinnati 3-1
9- Dallas 2-1
10- Seattle 3-1
11- Atlanta 3-1
12- New Orleans 3-1
13- Jacksonville 2-2
14- St. Louis 3-1
15- Washington 2-2
16- Pittsburgh 1-2
17- Carolina 2-2
18- New York Jets 2-2
19- Buffalo 2-2
20- Minnesota 2-2
21- Kansas City 1-2
22- New York Giants 1-2
23- Cleveland 1-3
24- Green Bay 1-3
25- Arizona 1-3
26- Miami 1-3
27- San Francisco 1-3
28- Tampa Bay 0-3
29- Houston 1-3
30- Detroit 0-4
31- Tennessee 0-4
32- Oakland 0-4

Major League Baseball Playoffs

Alright, October is here. Playoff baseball is in the air! Awesome!

Lets take a look at my predictions from a couple months ago and see how things played out. In the AL, I had 3 of the 4 teams correctly predicted just missing the Twins (who I did say would barely lose out to the CWS). In the NL, also had 3 of the 4 only missing the Dodgers. Here is how I see the matchups breaking down:

Yankees v Tigers: Wow did the Tigers really blow it over the weekend. Getting swept at home vs the Royals has forced the Tigers to open up in the Stadium. Not good if you are a Tigers fan. They have not been playing good ball lately, and with the Yankees getting healthy at the right time, look for the Yanks to have too much offense, and experience for the Tigers. Gimme the Yanks in 4.

Twins v Athletics: Good matchup. With the Liriano injury, the Twins lethal tandem of Santana (my AL Cy Young winner) and Liriano has been cut in half. With both guys, I liked their chances to win the whole thing. They have still been hot lately, playing the best ball of anyone in the second half. The As are back in the playoffs with a different set of characters from prior trips. We are probably watching Zito's last games in the Bay Area, at least with the As. Tough series to handicap, but I am giving the edge to the As with the Liriano injury. As in 4.

Mets v Dodgers: Is any team east of the Motor City limping into the playoffs worse than the Mets? Granted, in the last 10 years, the team that had the worst record in the final month won the Series. So, anything is possible. But without Pedro, and possibly El Duque, I just dont like the Mets' chances here. Dodgers are playing some great ball, and I see it rolling on. LA in 5.

Padres v Cardinals: Cards also limping into the playoffs. Only difference between them and the Mets and Tigers is they have no injuries, and have a ton of playoff experience. Padres also playing great ball similar to the Dodgers as we move into October. This is a rematch from last years mismatch where the Cards rolled. I see this series as the most competitive of the four, and like the Padres in 5 with Hoffman being the difference with his ability to shut the door in the 9th.

Should be an exciting month and a wide open race. I will be back to preview the CS's when they are all set.

Handicapping Results

Hello everyone, and thanks for stopping by again. I wanted to review my handicapping results for the first month of football action. Please follow link on side of page to purchase my picks at TRACKPICKS.COM

NFL has started off solidly with a 15-7 overall mark, up 29 units or 29K for dime players. Also, 2-1 on BIG PLAYS. Recently, I have posted a 5-0 mark in the last 2 weeks, and 9-3 in the last 3 weeks including 2-0 in BIG PLAYS. Further analysis supports a 6-3 record betting dogs, 5-3 taking the chalk, 2-0 on PKs, 1-1 on O/U and 1-0 on money line. Hop on board this weekend and take your book down!

CFL has started off relatively solid also posting a 20-16 mark, or netting 7.5K for dime players. This includes an amazing 5-1 on BIG PLAYS, including WINS in my last 5! Dogs have been 7-7, 12-8-1 on the chalk, 1-0 on O/U and 0-1 using the money line. Always have HUGE cards going Saturday, so purchase a package, grab a beverage, and chill out on the couch and take your book behind the woodshed with the Pounder!

College Football Week 5

#1 Ohio State (Impressive win in Iowa City; cruise control till Maize and Blue)
#2 Michigan (Didnt get caught sleeping in Metrodome)
#3 Auburn (Escaped with W on Thur. night; Are they explosve enough?)
#4 Florida (Moved to 2-8 all time in the Swamp vs. Bama; showdown with LSU Sat.)
#5 USC (Got W in Pullman; Didnt Auburn crush the Cougars?)
#6 W. Virginia
#7 Louisville
#8 Texas
#9 LSU
#10 Tennessee

LSU @ Florida showdown next Saturday. LSU needs it to remain in the hunt in the SEC West.

Tennessee faces Georgia between the hedges. Loss eliminates Vols from the SEC race.

Michigan hosts Michigan St. in a rivalry game. Not going to be a cake walk eventhough the Spartans somehow lost at home to the Illini last week.

WVU travels out of conference to Starkville to face Mississippi St....Dont be surprised to see the Bulldogs put up a fight defensively.

Texas battles Oklahoma in the Red River shootout. Look for the team that pressures the QB and wins the turnover battle to come away with the win and the inside track on the Big 12 South.

Undefeated Wake Forest matches up with Clemson. Are the Deacs for real?

Oregon and Cal get together in Berkeley for the inside track to second place in the Pac 10. Give a slight edge to Cal cause it is in Berkeley.

Undefeated Mizzou travels to Texas Tech. Look for the Tigers to pick up their first loss.


Thanks for reading again. Look for the NFL Week 4 Power Ratings by Wednesday, along with a baseball playoff preview tomorrow night.