CURRENT STANDINGS
Bret Culbertson, 12-6
Chris Hassel, 11-7
Austen Arnaud, 10-8
Adam Carper, 10-8
Andrew Downs, 10-8
Dave Zawilinski, 10-8
Jack Whitver, 9-9
Brett McIntyre, 9-9
Trevor Enerson, 9-9
Brent Blum, 6-12
Chris Williams, 5-13
Adam Gray, 4-14
Kirk Haaland, 3-15
FORMER CYCLONE KICKER BRET CULBERTSON
Kansas State @ Texas (-4.5) – Despite problems with Texas slowing down the run game, their experience will find a way to win this one. Longhorns cover.
Michigan State @ Notre Dame (-7) – Michigan State’s QB carousel supposedly has come to a stop. Although Notre Dame’s defense isn’t living up to expectation so far this year, the Spartan’s QB gets a big "welcome to college football" in his first "official" start in a big-time game. Irish cover.
West Virginia @ Maryland (-5.5) – I can’t say I’ve kept up with the fighting turtles this year, but their schedule has been cake. They’ve been putting up some great numbers as a result. I call their bluff. This early in the season some numbers DO lie. West Virginia upsets with double digits.
Louisiana Tech @ Kansas (-10.5) – I would hope Kansas covers. "Hope" is a key word here.
Arizona State @ Stanford (-7.5) – ASU comes back down from cloud nine this week. There’s just too much tradition at Stanford to even talk about an upset. Stanford covers.
ESPN’S CHRIS HASSEL
Kansas State @ Texas (-4.5) – The Horns can’t screw me for a third straight week. They can. But I don’t think they will. Texas covers.
Michigan State @ Notre Dame (-7) – This game should be tight. MSU covers.
West Virginia @ Maryland (-5.5) – WVU gets stomped in the snake pitt. Maryland covers.
Louisiana Tech @ Kansas (-10.5) – Kansas.
Arizona State @ Stanford (-7.5) – The college football gods owe ASU. Stanford rolls and covers.
FORMER CYCLONE QB AUSTEN ARNAUD
Kansas State @ Texas (-4.5) — UT bounces back just for the simple fact that the Wildcats are down this year, but this game will be a snoozer. Texas by a touchdown.
Michigan State @ Notre Dame (-7) — Michigan State will struggle all year long to score the football, ND’s front four is as good as it gets in college football this year. ND dominates the LOS on both sides of the ball and wins by two scores.
West Virginia @ Maryland (-5.5) — Dana and the Mountaineers continue to struggle in this one. Maryland under Randy Edsall have improved and I believe are headed in the right direction. The Terps have an underrated defense, especially a solid secondary to combat the Mountaineers air attack. Maryland covers at home.
Louisiana Tech @ Kansas (-10.5) — Who cares? I’ll take La Tech and the hook.
Arizona State @ Stanford (-7.5) — A lot emotions coming off an outright let down by the officiating crew that went in favor of the Sun Devils last week. Stanford rolls.
FORMER CYCLONE LB ADAM CARPER
Kansas State @ Texas (-4.5) – Flashback 2 weeks ago…K-State coming off a disappointing loss to North Dakota State and the Longhorns looking like the team to beat in the Big 12. Goes to show you are only as good as your last game. I think Texas plays tough at home and covers.
Michigan State @ Notre Dame (-7) – Michigan State’s front 7 proves to be the difference in this one. MSU
West Virginia @ Maryland (-5.5) – As long as the Terrapins don’t wear those ugly uniforms where the Maryland state flag drapes across the player’s shoulder pads, they should win this game. Terps cover.
Louisiana Tech @ Kansas (-10.5) – Williams sure is scrapping for games this week if we are to choose a game where Kansas is a 10.5 favorite?? I guess I’ll go with the Jayhawks.
Arizona State @ Stanford (-7.5) – Stanford makes a statement in their first test of the year and covers.
1460 KXNO’S ANDREW DOWNS
Kansas State @ Texas (-4.5) – Texas. Longhorns rebound at home, Mack keeps his job for another week.
Michigan State @ Notre Dame (-7) – MSU. The Spartan’s first road trip, and first game against real competition, ends in a loss, but they keep it within the margin.
West Virginia @ Maryland (-5.5) – Maryland. Most won’t like Maryland’s alternate uniforms. They are wrong. Most won’t think the uniform is a good enough reason to pick one team over another. They are also wrong.
Louisiana Tech @ Kansas (-10.5) – La Tech. Coming off the loss to Rice, I don’t think the Jayhawks lose this game, but I don’t think they’ll beat anyone by 10 the rest of the season. Take the points.
Arizona State @ Stanford (-7.5) – Arizona State. The Sun Devils take the momentum from their controversial win over Wisconsin and shock the world, winning outright.
ABC 5 SPORTS DIRECTOR DAVE ZAWILINSKI
Kansas State @ Texas (-4.5) – I fell for the bait last week. Not gonna happen again. K- State
Michigan State @ Notre Dame (-7) – ND struggled with Purdue. MSU is better than Purdue. Give me the points.
West Virginia @ Maryland (-5.5) – How is Maryland favored. I’ll take the fighting Holgersons.
Louisiana Tech @ Kansas (-10.5) – See above. La. Tech
Arizona State @ Stanford (-7.5) – The girls are a lot prettier in Tempe. A wise man once told me to always take the school with uglier girls. Wouldn’t you be more pissed off? Stanford covers.
FORMER CYCLONE WR JACK WHITVER
Kansas State @ Texas (-4.5) – Isn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results? I guess I would fall into that category…Texas.
Michigan State @ Notre Dame (-7) – Notre Dame at home beats an average Big 10 team with ease. Notre Dame.
West Virginia @ Maryland (-5.5) – I’ll take Big 12 over (future) Big 10…WV covers.
Louisiana Tech @ Kansas (-10.5) – Louisiana Tech covers…10.5 is a lot of points for KU.
Arizona State @ Stanford (-7.5) – ASU luck runs out after last weeks fiasco…Stanford runs all over the Devils an covers.
WHO-TV 13 METEOROLOGIST BRETT MCINTYRE
Kansas State @ Texas (-4.5) – Picking against Texas was so much fun last week, I think I’ll do it again and take the Wildcats here.
Michigan State @ Notre Dame (-7) – Notre Dame. Too simple. Sparty has no offense. Period.
West Virginia @ Maryland (-5.5) – I guess I’ll take Maryland here. Other than WVU’s game against Oklahoma (and the level of competency of the Snoozers in that game is debatable), neither of these teams have played a team with a pulse. Not much to go on other than it’s at College Park.
Louisiana Tech @ Kansas (-10.5) – What an absolute dog of a game. With apologies to Karl Malone, Jayhawks.
Arizona State @ Stanford (-7.5) – By contrast, this should be a very interesting game. I think ASU keeps it within a touchdown to cover.
VOICE OF THE FAN, TREVOR ENERSON
Kansas State @ Texas (-4.5) – I can see it now. Mack Brown, after losing his first to games and in fear of being replaced, fixes this team and goes on a tear to run the schedule and win a Big 12 Championship. Or not. KSU wins.
Michigan State @ Notre Dame (-7) – MSU can’t score and they will face perhaps the best pair of defensive linemen in the country. Notre Dame covers by a lot.
West Virginia @ Maryland (-5.5) – I‘ll take Maryland to cover I guess? Diggs is the difference.
Louisiana Tech @ Kansas (-10.5) – Kansas is favored by 10.5 over a school that’s not a JUCO? Yeah right. Louisiana Tech covers this and may win.
Arizona State @ Stanford (-7.5)- Give me Stanford to cover. They will just beat ASU into submission.
CYCLONE FANATIC COLUMNIST BRENT BLUM
Kansas State @ Texas (-4.5) – Texas 31 K-State 21.
Michigan State @ Notre Dame (-7). Notre Dame 24 Michigan State 13.
West Virginia @ Maryland (-5.5). West Virginia 24 Maryland 20.
Louisiana Tech @ Kansas (-10.5). Kansas 30 Louisiana Tech 24.
Arizona State @ Stanford (-7.5). Stanford 30 Arizona State 22.
CYCLONE FANATIC PUBLISHER CHRIS WILLIAMS
Kansas State @ Texas (-4.5) – Make that six in a row for Bill Snyder over Mack Brown.
Michigan State @ Notre Dame (-7) – Domers.
West Virginia @ Maryland (-5.5) – Yeah, like I’m going to actually pick Dana Holgerson on the road. Maryland.
Louisiana Tech @ Kansas (-10.5) – For Vegas to put the line this high, La. Tech must be really, really bad. Give me the Jayhawks.
Arizona STate @ Stanford (-7.5) – Stanford wins, ASU covers.
CYCLONE FANATIC SALES DIRECTOR ADAM GRAY
Kansas State @ Texas (-4.5) – I have officially jumped off the Texas bandwagon. Their defense is beyond awful. Give me K State 41-35.
Michigan State @ Notre Dame (-7) – Notre Dame had a letdown last week against Purdue, but I expect them to bounce back big against Michigan State. Give me the Irish 27-10.
West Virginia @ Maryland (-5.5) – At some point West Virginia is going to quit on Dana Holgerson. But not this week. The defense is playing better than I thought they would and I expect West Virginia to win outright 31-27.
Louisiana Tech @ Kansas (-10.5) – This seems like a trap, why is Kansas favored by 10.5? I’ll take the bait, Kansas wins but does not cover, 21-17.
Arizona State @ Stanford (-7.5) – Arizona State will have a big letdown after their emotional win against Wisconsin. Give me Stanford 31-21.
ENCYLONEPEDIA’S KIRK HAALAND
Tailgating this past week a couple of brothers I know whose names we will say rhyme with “Ted” and “Tom” ridiculed me for my success at picking games. I am obviously terrible at this so I went with a different method this week. I provided my five year old, Hannah, and my three year old, Hayley, with the nick names and colors of each team and they picked the games for me. The text in quotes roughly covers their responses and explanation for my picks.
Kansas State @ Texas (-4.5) – Kansas State. “The Purple Cats!”
Michigan State @ Notre Dame (-7) – Notre Dame. “The gold team!”
West Virginia @ Maryland (-5.5) – Maryland. “The one that is like the Turtles.”
Louisiana Tech @ Kansas (-10.5) – Louisiana Tech. “The Blue Dogs!”
Arizona State @ Stanford (-7.5) – Stanford. “Stanford.”
