The Birdman's picks for Saturday, September 8, 2006

The birdman is coming off a 3-1 week (including hitting the big USC game) and I am ready to roll again. Without further delay, here are this week's winners:

First up, take Wake Forest -19 1/2 against Duke. Duke is flat out B-A-D. They got shut out last week at home by Richmond. Yes, that Richmond. Not only that, but it wasn't a fluke as they were outgained and outrushed by 51 yards. Duke is bad beyond words. Wake Forest, on the other hand, is coming off a nice victory over Syracuse (which was not as close as the score let on as Wake outgained the Cuse by 227 yards). Wake's starting QB was hurt last week and will not play this week, but that should not be a problem as Wake rushed for 245 yards last week and held Syracuse to 3 yards per carry. And, it's not like Duke would have any hope of stopping Wake's fifth string QB. Duke will not be able to move the ball at all and Wake will score AT WILL. Oh, by the way, Wake beat Duke last year 44-6 at Duke.

Wake Forest -19 1/2 (**)

Next, take Clemson -1 1/2 at Boston College. If you believe the hype, Clemson has its best team in years. Their defense is stout...perhaps better than it has ever been. And Clemson might have a bit of Peyton Manning syndrome going right now...you remember how Manning was supposed to lead Tennessee to the promise land the four years he was a starter there, but he always came up short and then the year after he left Tee Martin led the Vols to the National Title. Well, that might be happening again with Clemson QB Will Proctor who replaces four year starter (and underachiever) Charlie Whitehurst. Clemson looked solid in their opener while Boston College struggled agaisnt Central Michigan. Boston College lost too much in the offseason while Clemson is loaded. Whether they are on the road or not, Clemson will dominate this game from start to finish.

Clemson -1 1/2 (**)

Next, take Tennessee -20 at home against Air Force. Tennessee always has the athletes to be a top 5 team; however, the past two years they have not had the attitude/motivation/whatever to play like it. Based upon their throttling of Cal last week, Tennessee is back. But, I am not basing this pick completely on Tennessee's performance last week; I am basing just as much on Air Force. The option attack doesn't work against teams with great team speed and Tennessee has one of the fastest defenses in the country. Tenn held Marshall Lynch to 64 yards...how is Air Force and their lack of "athletes" going to move the ball? On the other side of the ball, Tennessee will be able to run and/or pass on the much smaller and slower Air Force defenders. I know that some would qualify this as a "sandwich" game, seeing as Tenn had Cal last week and face Florida next, but Air Force does not have the players to do anything about it. Tenn will win this one in an absolute blowout.

Tennessee -20 (**)

Finally, as you know, Texas Tech -7 at UTEP is our first 4* game of the year! UTEP gave up 80% completion against San Diego State. Imagine what Texas Tech will do with this. Here is the deal, we all konw that Tech is going to score some serious points against UTEP's poor defense, but the key to this game is Tex Tech's defense. Texas Tech is not given enough credit for their defense which is enourmously better than the defenses UTEP is used to playing. Texas Tech held SMU to under 200 yards of offense and only 10 first downs. Palmer threw 4 picks agaisnt San Diego State last week and is absolutely horrific at times. Palmer will throw multiple picks in this one and Tech will take advantage of it. I know that Texas Tech is not a great road team, but they are usually going up against Big 12 competition, not teams like UTEP. Texas Tech will win this game by 20!!!

Texas Tech -7 (****)

Also, don't forget the Sixth Man's Game of the Week (1-0 so far this year after Nebraska's rout of La Tech). This week he is going with Missouri at home -9 1/2 against Ole Miss. Mississippi's QB, Schaeffer, the transfer from Tennessee, is a shifty, scrambling QB that can make plays with his feet but doesn't really make them with his arm. He reminds one a bit of former Missouri QB, Brad Smith. However, Schaeffer is no Brad Smith, instead he is more of a Brad Smith "lite" and the majority of these Missouri players practiced against the real Brad Smith for two years. Schaeffer only had 97 yards passing against Memphis last week and 86 of them went to one guy, McCluster. MU will shut down one guy. Also, Ole Miss gave up 374 yards at home to Memphis last week and MU's well balanced offense racked up yards by the truckload in their rout. MU has a much better offense than Memphis and should have no problem gaining more than 450 yards of total offense. One more factor is that Gary Pinkel, Missouri's head coach, no matter how questionable he is at times, will not let his team forget last years loss to New Mexico at home in an eerily similar situation. That game will be used as motivation and a reminder that if they let up, any team can beat them at home. Bottom line is that Missouri is a veteran ballclub and Ole Miss is too young to win in Columbia and too young to even make it close...Missouri 31, Ole Miss 13.

***The Sixth Man's Game of the Week***
MISSOURI -9 1/2 (**)

This week is going to be HUGE!!!