Game of the Week: Welcome to the Jungle

The game of the week features two squads that are fresh off big wins against decent opponents. The Bengals and Jets square off at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. The Jest beat the Patriots last week off of a personal foul call that will most likely be changed at the end of the season. The Bengals have narrowly won their last 2 games on the road and are excited to be back home. AJ Green has been terrific this year hauling in 5 TD. Andy Dalton and him are really clicking. The Jets' run defense has been very stout this season, only allowing 77 yards a game. Their running game on offense has not had that big numbers. The Jets have been very inconsistent this season. They have not won two straight games the whole year. Their margin of victory has been 4.3 points per win. The Bengals are sitting atop the AFC North, while the Jets are one game behind the Patriots for 1st in the AFC East. I am not a believer in this Jets team, and I really don't think they can do what they have been doing for much longer.                                   

My Pick: Bengals 30 Jets 10

Season Record: 4-3

Saturday Slate: Too Many Games!

This weekend is filled with games of high caliber teams with big offenses. I am 13-11 with my picks this season. I will be giving you an analysis and prediction with all of the 3 most interesting games going on. The layout will be one PAC-12 game, one SEC game, and one Big 12 game. The most under the radar game of the week comes from the Big 12 between #10 Texas Tech and #15 Oklahoma. Tech is undefeated and tied for 1st in the Big 12 with Baylor. The Big 12 is rather weak this season, though. 

#10 Texas Tech vs #15 Oklahoma

3:30 PM

Texas Tech has a high powered offense averaging 41 PPG. The Sooners only blemish on their record comes from a loss to Texas in the Red River Rivalry. Their biggest win came against Notre Dame. Texas Tech has split time at QB with Baker Mayfield and Davis Webb. Mayfield did not play last week because of a knee injury. They have combined for 21 TD and 10 INT. Blake Bell has been starting at QB for the Sooners. I think that the Red Raiders will have a tough time scoring against the stout Oklahoma defense. 

My Pick: Oklahoma 24 Texas Tech 13

#21 South Carolina vs #5 Missouri

7:00 PM 

Missouri has been the most surprising team this season. Even without starting QB James Franklin, the Tigers have been terrific with backup Matty Mauk. They have had some big wins against Georgia and Florida. South Carolina is without QB Connor Shaw. They are in a very tough position. Jadeveon Clowney and Chaz Sutton haven't been as effective on the D-line as they were hyped. This game will be close, but I am going with Missouri to get the job done. 

My Pick: Missouri 38 South Carolina 35

#12 UCLA vs #3 Oregon

7:00 PM

College Gameday is in Eugene for the game and you know that the Duck fans will be very loud. It is an extremely hostile environment. Oregon has arguably the best offense in the country. They have scored 45+ points in all of their 7 games. Marcus Mariota has been electrifying this season and is a Heisman front-runner. UCLA has two very special players on their defensive front 7 in Eddie Vanderdoes and Anthony Barr. Barr is a projected top 5 pick in the NFL Draft. Bralon Addison and Josh Huff have been big targets for the Ducks. I suspect that Brett Hundley will haves tough go of it with the Oregon pass rush. 

My Pick: Oregon 52 UCLA 30

2013 World Series Preview

The World Series is finally upon us and the two teams that have taken a grueling road to get here are the Red Sox and Cardinals. Game 1 will be played in Boston at Fenway Park tonight. The Red Sox beat the Tigers in six games. The play that changed the series came at the hands of Big Papi, David Ortiz. Ortiz cracked a grand slam to tie the game up in Game 2 of the series. Detroit was about to go up 2-0 in the series until that play. The Cardinals took care of the Dodgers last series. Allen Craig is back in the starting lineup tonight. He suffered a sprained foot and hasn't played since September 4. He won't take the field, but will be the DH since the game is in Boston. Jon Lester is on the mound for the Sox, while Adam Wainwright is the starter for the Cards. Mike Napoli has been huge for the Red Sox as he hit 2 HR in the ALCS. Everyone has chipped in for St. Louis. Carlos Beltran has been on a tear in this Postseason. He has accounted for 10 hits for 12 RBI. Shane Robinson has also been solid for the Cards in just 4 games. This should be a very close series, bit I am going with the Cardinals in 7 games. 

Follow me on Twitter @MM8sports for more updates.

Game of the Week: Indy Reunion

The game of the week features one of the greatest Quarterbacks of all time going back to his old team that dropped him for a young QB that has been stellar in his two seasons in the NFL. Peyton Manning is going back to Indy as him and the Broncos try to take down the Colts and stay perfect. The Broncos are 6-0, while the Colts are 4-2. The Broncos have won 17 straight regular season contests. Andrew Luck has had another terrific season like last year. Newly acquired RB Trent Richardson hasn't had the effect that the Colts were hoping for.
Richardson Richardson has only rush for 3.2 yards per game. The Colts are coming off of a tough performance against the Chargers. The 19-9 loss came at a surprise to most. The Broncos had an unimpressive win by their standards against the winless Jaguars.
My Pick: Broncos 34 Colts 24
Season Record: 4-2

ACC Top 5 Showdown

Tonight, is probably the biggest game of the year in the ACC. The matchup between #3 Clemson and #5 Florida State showcases two major Heisman candidates and two top five teams. They are two of the three undefeated teams in the ACC. Miami is the only other ACC team without a blemish on their record. the other two matchups I am picking come in the PAC-12 and SEC. After a 3-0 week, I am 12-9 with my season picks.

#24 Auburn vs #7 Texas A&M

3:30 PM Kyle Field

Auburn has been a surprise team in the SEC at 5-1. There only loss came against LSU this season. Texas A&M is also 5-1 and have been playing very good football. Their only loss came against Alabama. Johnny Manziel has been putting up beast numbers this season and is contention for the Heisman Trophy. Mike Evans has been Johnny Football's main target this season. Evans has hauled in 5 TD and 737 yards this season. Auburn is lead on offense by Junior RB Tre Mason. This game should be pretty interesting. I am looking forward to seeing if Auburn is for real. I think TAMU will just put up too many points for the Tigers to try and match. 

My Pick: Texas A&M 38 Auburn 27

#9 UCLA vs #13 Stanford

3:30 PM Stanford Stadium

Stanford is coming off an upset loss to Utah. It will be interesting to see how they bounce back. UCLA has quietly snuck up into the Top 10. Running their offense is Brett Hundley at QB. Hundley has put up very good numbers this season. He is an under the radar Heisman candidate. UCLA RB Jordon James is questionable for today's game with an ankle injury. Ty Montgomery and Devin Cajuste have been Stanford's best WR this year. This has big implications on the PAC-12 Championship Game. A loss for Stanford digs themselves into a very big hole. This is a rematch of last year's PAC-12 Championship where Stanford won handily. 

My Pick: Stanford 30 UCLA 24

#5 Florida State vs #3 Clemson

This is the game of the year in the ACC. It has been a relatively strong year for the conference thanks to these two schools. Clemson boasts QB Tajh Boyd and electric WR Sammy Watkins. FSU's QB isn't too shabby either. Jameis "Famous" Winston. Winston is just a Freshman and has even tearing it up. He has thrown for 17 TD this season and has rushed for 2 more. The Seminoles have not faced a team like Clemson though. There only big games came against Maryalnd. FSU destroyed them 63-0. Clemson's biggest win of the season came against Georgia in Week 1.

My Pick: Clemson 31 FSU 21

Game of the Week: NFC East Showdown

The game I am picking this week probably isn't the most exciting game, but it already has major Playoff implications. The Redskins and Cowboys are near the top of the NFC East with records of 1-3 (Redskins) and 2-3 (Cowboys). The NFC East is the worst division in the NFL, so it is anyone's game. The Giants are last with an 0-6 record and the Eagles are 3-3 and 1st in the division. Robert Griffin III has not had the type of season he has wanted. The Cowboys are coming off tough loss to Denver in the final seconds. Tony Romo played very well, but threw a costly INT in the final minutes. My key to the game is Demarco Murray. If he can get going, Dallas will be in luck.
My Pick: Redskins 30 Cowboys 24

College Football Pick 'Em

There is some very intriguing matchups in college football today. I am now .500 with my predictions. my season record is 9-9. I am picking the three best games of the day. Two of the games are from the SEC while one is from the PAC-12. Two of the games I am choosing consist of undefeated teams.

#25 Missouri (5-0) vs #7 Georgia (4-1)

Missouri has been the surprising team in the SEC this year. They have had an easier schedule, but their next three games are against ranked teams. Georgia has had to scrape and claw just to get to where they are now. They have won four straight and is coming off a thriller against Tennessee. Aaron Murray has thrown for over 1,500 yards this season and 14 TD for the Bulldogs. Mizzou has a good QB in James Franklin. He has thrown for 13 TD and just over 1,400 yards. He has terrific targets in Dorial Green-Beckham and L'Damian Washington. The Tigers offense is very balanced and puts up plenty of points. They have also ran for 16  TD. Georgia does have the home-field advantage, though. 

My Pick: Missouri 38 Georgia 30 

#17 Florida (4-1) vs #10 LSU (5-1)

Both of these two teams are near the top of the standings in their SEC Divisions. Florida is tied with Georgia and Mizzou atop the East while LSU is 2nd in the West behind #1 Alabama. Zach Mettenberger has been exceptional for LSU this season. He is a dark horse in the Heisman race. With Jeff Driskel injured, backup QB Tyler Murphy has stepped up huge for the Gators. Florida has won their last 3 since a loss to Miami. LSU bounced back last week with a drubbing of Mississippi State after their loss to Georgia. Jeremy Hill has been a beast for LSU with 9 TD. Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry have been Mettenberger's favorite WR. It will be tough to score on this Florida defense that only gives up 12.2 points a game. 

My Pick: LSU 23 Florida 14

#2 Oregon (5-0) vs #16 Washington (4-1)

College Gameday is in Seattle to watch two of the top teams in the PAC-12. Washington is coming off a heartbreaking loss to Stanford off of a questionable call. Keith Price has been terrific this season. Oregon has just steamrolled every single one of their opponents. This matchup showcases at least two Heisman candidates in Marcus Mariota and Keith Price. Mariota has been an absolute beast this season.  Washington will have a very tough time slowing him down. The X-factor for the Huskies is RB Bishop Sankey. He takes such a load and puts up huge numbers. It is always tough to go on the road and beat Washington, but I think Oregon will get it done.
My Pick: Oregon 49 Washington 45

ALCS/NLCS Preview

After some great series in the Divisional round, we are down to the top four teams. The Dodgers and Cardinals both escaped in their NLDS matchup. The Dodgers beat the Braves in four games. The Cardinals got a stiffer challenge in the Pirates, but ended up prevailing in five games. In the AL, the Red Sox and Tigers will go at it starting tomorrow. The Tigers are coming off a stellar performance by Justin Verlander to beat the A's. The Red Sox took care of business against the Rays. 

Game 1 Dodgers vs Cardinals

8:00 PM Busch Stadium 

Zach Greinke and Joe Kelly will get the starts in Game 1. This will be a very interesting matchup between these two teams. Both teams have stacked lineups. Carlos Beltran continued to be one of the best Postseason hitters ever after bombing two homers while facing the Pirates. Carl Crawford was a huge difference maker for the Dodgers in that 1st series. He accounted for 3 HR, 5 RBI, and 1 SB in just four games. The Dodgers have gotten time to rest. Game 1 will be close, but I see it going to the Cardinals.

My Game 1 Pick: Cardinals 5 Dodgers 3

My Series Pick: Dodgers in 6

Game 1 Tigers vs Red Sox
8:00 PM Fenway Park
Anibal Sanchez and Jon Lester will both be on the mound for the two teams. The Red Sox have had a layoff after their series win over the Rays. The Tigers are starting to click again. Miguel Cabrera hit a bomb against the A's and Jhonny Peralta and Victor Martinez have been hitting the ball very well. The Boston fans will be very crazy. Shane Victorino and Jacoby Ellsbury were huge in the ALDS. They came up with plenty of big hits. I expect this game to be close.
My Game 1 Pick: Tigers 4 Red Sox 3

Game of the Week: Ground and Pound

I am 3-1 on the season with my picks and I am looking to go to 4-1after today. My game of the week features two great 2nd year QB, two hard-nosed runners, and two very stout defenses. The Seahawks (4-0) have traveled to Indianapolis and are set to take on the Colts (3-1). Seattle is coming off a comeback OT win over Houston. The Colts have won their last two games against the 49ers and Jaguars by a combined score of 64-10. Ahmad Bradshaw is out for the Colts with a neck injury. Trent Richardson should get most of the touches. This is the 1st time Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck have gone against each other. The two 2nd year QB have had anything but a Sophomore slump and have combined for 13 TD this season. Marshawn Lynch is not fully healthy for the Seahawks, but he will play. I expect the Seattle defense to make a few big plays. They did last week with Richard Sherman. He is the best CB in the NFL. I don't care what anyone says. He shows up and plays big every week. This game has the makings to be great. Lucas Oil Stadium will be loud, but I think that Seattle has too much big play capability. 

My Pick: Seattle 24 Indianapolis 16

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Saturday Pick 'Em

This college football season is really heating up with only 2 more weeks until the 1st BCS Standings come out. I am 7-8 this season with my predictions, so I am planning on going 3-0 this week. My selections of games are coming from the PAC-12, Big 10, and ACC.

Georgia Tech vs #14 Miami

3:30 PM 

Miami is coming off a bye week and hasn't had that big of a test other than their upset over Florida. They are coming in 4-0 while Georgia Tech is 3-1 and fresh off a 17-10 loss against Virginia Tech. Duke Johnson has been a monster for the Hurricanes this year. Him and Gus Edwards are one of the best RB tandems in the country. The Hurricanes do have a good QB in Stephen Morris. Georgia Tech has one of the most steady running games in the country. The Yellow Jackets are lead by QB Vad Lee and RB David Sims on Offense. I think that GT will have a tough time running against this Miami defense. Miami is sort of under the radar in the ACC with Florida State and Clemson, but I think they can beat any team in the ACC on any given day. 

My Pick: Miami 31 Georgia Tech 10

#4 Ohio State vs #16 Northwestern

8:00 PM 

This could be possibly one of the biggest games in Northwestern history. College Gameday is in Evanston for this match pod the top two teams in the Big 10. Both teams are undefeated and have been impressive in their wins. OSU is coming off a 31-24 victory against Wisconsin. Braxton Miller will get the start at QB for the Buckeyes over Kenny Guiton. Both QB have played great this year, but Miller is coming off a game where he threw for 4 TD and 200 yards on just 17 passes. The player to watch is on the other side, though. Kain Colter and Trevor Siemian have split time at QB this season too. Kain Colter can both run and pass and is very lethal. OSU will have to keep a major eye on him. Both offenses can put up big numbers. I see offenses ruling this game tonight.

My Pick: Northwestern 37 Ohio State 34

#15 Washington vs #5 Stanford

10:30 PM

I am really looking forward to this PAC-12 North matchup. Washington knocked off Stanford last season. This has big implications on the PAC-12 Championship. Keith price has been terrific for Washington this season. Bishop Sankey has gotten most of the carries for the Huskies. Stanford looked very good 2 weeks ago against Arizona State. I was not a believer in this Cardinals' team before the ASU game, but that game made me a believer. Kevin Hogan has had a connection with his WR Ty Montgomery and Devon Cajuste. This game will be played in Palo Alto. These team are very even, so that could be a big difference. If this game was being played up North at UW, I would pick the Huskies. However this game is being played at Stanford, and you know the Stanford fans will come out.

My Pick: Stanford 28 Washington 27

ALDS Preview

I gave you my NLDS preview, so this is my ALDS preview. There are some very interesting series. I think the Tigers are the favorite to make it out of the AL. The Red Sox have a tough game against a hot Rays squad. It should be very fun to watch.

Rays vs Red Sox

Friday 3:07 PM Fenway Park

The Rays are the hottest team in baseball, but I could see them getting little fatigued this series. Those last two Playoff games must have taken a lot out of them. However, the Sox haven't played in 5 days, so who knows if that could get them off track. Jon Lester and Matt Moore are taking the hill in Game 1.  It should be a very crazy atmosphere in Boston. John Lackey will be going against David Price on Saturday. The top of the Red Sox's order is lethal. I see this series going 4 games.

My Game 1 Pick: Red Sox 7 Rays 5

My Series Pick: Boston in 4 games

Tigers vs Athletics

Friday 9:37 PM Oakland Coliseum 

This is the most interesting series when it comes to me. The Tigers have probably the best lineup in the MLB and a terrific rotation, but the bullpen has been a problem. Oakland doesn't have nearly the amount of big hitters the Tigers do, but they are very consistent. Max Scherzer and Bartolo Colon are on the mound in Game 1. The A's lineup has fared well against Max Scherzer in the past. Game 1 is being played in Oakland, so that gives the A's an edge. However, the Tigers' starting rotation is very strong. This series will be extremely close. Sonny Gray and Justin Verlander are pitching in Game 2.

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Fall Ball

The MLB Postseason began last night when the Pirates knocked the Reds out in a 1-game Playoff 6-2 behind Russell Martin's 2 HR. Francisco Liriano had a good outing for Pittsburgh in their 1st Playoff game in over 20 years. The Rays and Indians are in a 1-game Playoff tonight. The winner gets the pleasure of taking on the Red Sox. David Price pitched a gem in the 1-game Playoff to get to the 1-game Playoff. Alex Cobb will be on the mound for the Rays while Danny Salazar will get the nod for the Indians. The Rays lineup is too explosive and has more experience then the Indians. The game will be played in Cleveland. I think the fans at Progressive Field will go home bummed as the Rays will take it. 

Pirates vs Cardinals

Thursday 5:07 PM Busch Stadium
Game 1

Pittsburgh is coming off the best win in the franchise's last 20 years. They have some great leaders and the Cardinals are in for a grind of a series. AJ Burnett and Adam Wainwright are both taking the hill. The Pirates have a very electric and balanced offense. St. Louis's lineup is deep from top to bottom. Allen Craig and Yadier Molina are both having terrific years. This game will be very intriguing, but I am going to go with the Cardinals. 

My Game 1 Pick: Cardinals 5 Pirates 3
My Series Pick: Pirates in 5

Dodgers vs Braves

Thursday 8:07 PM Turner Field
Game 1

This series is full of stars and some great pitchers. Game 1 should be a defensive battle considering Clayton Kershaw and Kris Medlen are on the mound. The Dodgers will be missing Matt Kemp throughout the whole Postseason. Skip Schumaker will take his place. Andre Ethier may be limited to pinch-hitting, but should hopefully be able to make a return soon. This is Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford, and Adrian Gonzalez's first Postseason game as a Dodger. Dan Uggla has been left off the Braves's NLDS roster and will not play this series. He has had a .179 batting average this season. The Dodgers pitching staff I think is too stout for the Braves. Greinke is set to pitch in Game 2 and Ryu is ready for Game 3. It is ashamed Tim Hudson isn't able to pitch for the Braves after his ankle injury. 

My Game 1 Pick: Dodgers 6 Braves 2
Series Pick: Dodgers in 3 games