CF Staff Picks: Week 14

It’s championship week and the race between the pickers is still going strong. Last week was pretty rough for all involved and Blummer still has a decent lead with the most of the rest of the contenders grouped up not far behind him.

Except Adam Gray, he’s going to need a questionable facemask to be called by the officials and an Aaron Rodgers Hail Mary to get back in this thing. Here’s the standings:

Remember, we don’t know what we’re talking about.

CF Columnist, Brent Blum

Texas @ Baylor (-20.5) – I have a feeling Texas puts up a semi-fight against a Baylor team with not much to play for. Baylor 38 Texas 20.

West Virginia (-6.5) @ Kansas State – The Vampire is fighting to make a bowl game at home and as we know too well, weird stuff happens in Transylvania, KS. K-State 27 West Virginia 26.

Pac-12 Championship Game: USC vs. Stanford (-4.5) – Stanford is the better team and already beat USC once. They can do it again. Stanford 30 USC 24.

SEC Championship Game: Alabama (-17.5) vs. Florida – Half point alert. Beware. Alabama 31 Florida 14.

ACC Championship Game: North Carolina vs. Clemson (-5) – The rise of a Gene Chizik defense at North Carolina is one of the low-key amazing stories this season. It makes me wonder where Wayne Bolt is. He’s due for a comeback as well. Clemson 31 North Carolina 21.

Big Ten Championship Game: Michigan State (-3.5) vs. Iowa – The B1G made Iowa’s letter font in the end-zone small and now that is a legit, local story. What a time to be alive!  Michigan State 34 Iowa 14. 

enCYCLONEpedia Guy, Kirk Haaland

Texas @ Baylor (-20.5) – Baylor…?

West Virginia (-6.5) @ Kansas State – Mountaineers are playing some good football when they aren’t playing the best of the Big 12. WVU.

Pac-12 Championship Game: USC vs. Stanford (-4.5) – Stanford.

SEC Championship Game: Alabama (-17.5) vs. Florida – Florida covers but the Bama win is never in doubt.

ACC Championship Game: North Carolina vs. Clemson (-5) – Clemson stays undefeated.

Big Ten Championship Game: Michigan State (-3.5) vs. Iowa – I think Iowa could win because I don’t think we really know how good they are since they haven’t gotten many games against top competition. That said, I think Sparty barely wins and very barely covers.

CF Senior Columnist, Rob Gray

Texas @ Baylor (-20.5) – Strong’s Longhorns have one more chance to show moxie this season. I say they do. Bears don’t cover.

West Virginia (-6.5) @ Kansas State – The remade Mountaineers are averaging 241.5 yards rushing. Cats’ claws not sharp enough. WBU with the cover.

Pac-12 Championship Game: USC vs. Stanford (-4.5) – David Shaw can flat out coach in big games. N’western a distant memory. I like Trees by a TD.

SEC Championship Game: Alabama (-17.5) vs. Florida – Derrick Henry will work over the Gators’ defense. ‘Bama cruises and covers.

ACC Championship Game: North Carolina vs. Clemson (-5) – Only one more chance for long awaited "Clemsoning” before playoff time. Don’t see UNC making that happen. Tigers cover.

Big Ten Championship Game: Michigan State (-3.5) vs. Iowa – Iowa very well could win, but it’s hard for me to pick against the Spartans. Still: Nebraska? Hawks cover, MSU hangs on.

CF Publisher, Chris Williams

Texas @ Baylor (-20.5) – Never pick agaist Baylor at home. Bears by three touchdowns. 

West Virginia (-6.5) @ Kansas State – Kansas State isn’t very good. West Virginia is. How’s that for analysis? WVU by 17.

Pac-12 Championship Game: USC vs. Stanford (-4.5) – Stanford by a field goal. Trojans cover. 

SEC Championship Game: Alabama (-17.5) vs. Florida – Will Florida even score in this game? Bama 24, Gators 3. 

ACC Championship Game: North Carolina vs. Clemson (-5) – UPSET. UPSET. UPSET. UNC outright. ACC football is so lame. 

Big Ten Championship Game: Michigan State (-3.5) vs. Iowa – Hawks cover. 

CF Multimedia Machine, Jared Stansbury

Texas @ Baylor (-20.5) – I like the Bears to win here but I’m not touching -20.5. Bears win easily but Longhorns cover. 

West Virginia (-6.5) @ Kansas State – I like K-State here at home. 

Pac-12 Championship Game: USC vs. Stanford (-4.5) – Oregon beat both of these teams and Stanford played them closer than USC did. For that reason I say the Trees win and cover. 

SEC Championship Game: Alabama (-17.5) vs. Florida – Gators throw the first wrench into the playoff and come away with a win in Atlanta. 

ACC Championship Game: North Carolina vs. Clemson (-5) – The second wrench comes into play when North Carolina upsets Clemson. I’ll take the Tar Heels. 

Big Ten Championship Game: Michigan State (-3.5) vs. Iowa – Michigan State takes an early lead but the Hawkeyes win in the end. The SEC misses the playoff and the Big Ten gets two teams. Peace and happiness sweeps across the Midwest. 

CF Contributor, Jeff Woody

Texas @ Baylor (-20.5) – BU. Baylor at home against a Texas team playing for nothing? You could’ve set this line at 45 and I’d still take the Bears. 

West Virginia (-6.5) @ Kansas State – Cats. NEVER. DOUBT. THE. VAMPIRE. 

Pac-12 Championship Game: USC vs. Stanford (-4.5) – Despite USC doing a lot of good with the promotion of an interim guy to head coach, I think Stanford is too good offensively. I wouldn’t be surprised if USC takes it, but I’ll go Cardinal by a TD. 

SEC Championship Game: Alabama (-17.5) vs. Florida – Tide. In order to cover, Alabama has to score 18 points, because Florida sure as hell isn’t scoring. 

ACC Championship Game: North Carolina vs. Clemson (-5) – Tigers.  I don’t know. I want North Carolina to win, but Dabo gets the chance to play the "no one thinks you will win" card to a favored #1 team in the country. Too powerful of a motivator to look past. 

Big Ten Championship Game: Michigan State (-3.5) vs. Iowa – Sparty. That damn half point. I think it’s a 3-4 point game. I flipped a coin. Sparty wins. 

CF Director of Sales, Adam Gray

Texas @ Baylor (-20.5) – I checked the weather in Waco this Saturday.  It says clear sky with no chance for a monsoon…..so I think Baylor will be fine. Baylor wins 55-20.

West Virginia (-6.5) @ Kansas State – Bill Snyder has his team playing for a bowl game and frankly, he’s a better coach than Dana. I’ll take KState at home and the points.  

Pac-12 Championship Game: USC vs. Stanford (-4.5) – I will go with emotion on this pick.  Stanford just had an emotionally draining win over Notre Dame in the final seconds, and USC just named their interim coach their new coach.  I think that favors USC.  Give me USC and the points.  

SEC Championship Game: Alabama (-17.5) vs. Florida – Florida’s offense is terrible, but their defense is good enough to make this a field position game for the first half and keep them in it.  Bama wins 27-10, Florida covers.

ACC Championship Game: North Carolina vs. Clemson (-5) – I’ll take UNC and the points

Big Ten Championship Game: Michigan State (-3.5) vs. Iowa – Favorable matchup for Iowa as this MSU defense isn’t the defense it’s been the last couple years.  But, MSU will be the most talented offense Iowa has faced and good enough on defense to sneak out a 7 point win.