After going 0-4 in week one of this column, I needed a winning week to try and get back on track. While it’s not an incredible feat, I did manage to go 2-1-1 in week two, which brings my season tally to 2-5-1. Good? Hell no. Better than before? Slightly. Let’s hope for another winning week!
Fresno State +17 over Oregon: Yes, Oregon looked like world beaters against Michigan. But then again, so did a D-1AA team. Oregon has a good team, make no mistake about it. But Fresno State appears to be back. They started their season with a win and then went into Texas A&M, one of the most hostile environments around, and forced overtime, losing by two. This week, they travel to Autzen Stadium against a team coming off an emotional win. I’ll take this many points. The Bulldogs have covered 9 of their last 13 games against PAC-10 opponents.
Miami-Florida International Under 47: Remember this matchup? Last year’s meeting ended in a 35-0 win and more importantly, a bench-clearing brawl. Not only does this game feature two suddenly bitter rivals, it also showcases two awful offenses. Florida International has scored just ten points this entire year, while Miami’s offense has looked pathetic as well. Look for Miami’s defense to dominate and keep this score looooow. Last year’s meeting went five points under the total.
Washington +3.5 over Ohio State: Maybe it’s a hunch. Okay, it’s definitely a hunch. Ohio State has opened the season with two straight wins. However, they haven’t made much of a statement to me yet. Meanwhile, the Huskies went across the country and beat Syracuse by 30 a couple weeks back and last week, defeated Boise St. at home. Freshman Jake Locker appears to be the real deal so I’m going with the Huskies and the points here.
USC -9.5 over Nebraska: I’m not going to pretend I’m a Trojan fan because I’m probably the exact opposite. But if you give Pete Carroll two weeks to prepare for a game, he’s probably going to devise a pretty good gameplan. Across the sidelines, Nebraska did manage to go on the road and defeat the defending ACC Champs, Wake Forest. The fans in Lincoln are going to be fired up but if SC can get a quick score or two, that home field advantage will be nullified. SC has done this before. They’ve gone on the road and won at Arkansas, Hawaii, and Auburn in the last few years. Will Nebraska be any different?
