When your wife suggests a trip to Ireland to see your favorite NFL team play in Dublin, you say yes. That’s how I am ending up across the pond watching the Steelers host the Vikings. Believe me, I am not complaining but it certainly limits my college football watching. We did get some good intel from Kansas State fans who were in Dublin earlier this season. It looks like standard Irish weather, cloudy and wet. Our seats aren’t great but we weren’t willing to drop a grand on tickets. That, and the K-State folks weren’t overly impressed with the stadium in general. Honestly the game is the icing on the cake. We are looking forward to some fresh Guinness, fish and chips, and touring the Emerald Isle.
Last Week: MTSU was, as the kids say, “mid”
125 is in the books after a long trip to Tennessee. With a stop over in Asheville, the trip out was great. The drive back on the route I-81 was the highway from hell. It brought back plenty of bad memories of driving to and from Virginia Tech to get my kid.
The full review will be completed later this year, but here’s some quick observations on MTSU. It was an in-and-out trip, minus the hamburgers. Literally, we didn’t have time for lunch so I settled for a massive pile of nachos from a food truck inside the stadium concourse. It was the highlight of the day, until the 2 hour lightning delay. That’s when it occurred to me that eating a pound of brisket and beans covered in nacho cheese may not have been the best choice considering my restroom options.
Thankfully, my stomach rose to the challenge and I managed to avoid a number two visit to the stadium restroom. It probably would not have mattered, given the number of folks who left the game. I would likely have had the facilities all to myself.
The positives of MTSU are free parking and cheap tickets. The negatives are the general decline of the program and the accompanying lack of traditions and declining fan base enthusiasm.
General observations from last week.
- UNC can’t be loving the Belichick circus. Based on the press conferences, neither is old Bill.
- East Carolina took a beating from BYU. Stadium alcohol concessions did so too.
- I didn’t see the Auburn game, only the posts about how they got robbed. Life is hard, get used to it.
- Not going to give Arch Manning any props for tearing up Sam Houston State. You are supposed to rack up big numbers against the local cupcake.
The Picks
Last Week’s Picks
Consistency is a good thing and I am consistently bad. Another 1-3 week.
- Middle Tennessee was in it until a disastrous unsportsmanlike penalty on a punt. It re-opened the door for Marshall and they thundered through, never looking back.
- Ok, I will admit it. The Tulane pick was with the heart and not the head.
- The Hoosiers are the real deal.
- WVU did not come close to showing up. They made Kansas look like world beaters which they are not.
This Week’s Picks
Again, if you want to know who to bet on, just go opposite of me. You’d be 12-4 right now.
- It isn’t that I love Houston, but Oregon State has just been awful so far this year
- I must be missing something, but Syracuse doesn’t deserve to be a home dog.
- Cignetti seems to have something to prove. I like the Hoosiers to take care of business against the Hawkeyes
- Kansas burned me last week, so what better reason then to pick them to beat up a middling Cincinnati.
- NFL bonus: Full disclosure – The Steelers are purely a homer pick.
Other observations for Week 5
- Game of the week is definitely Oregon at PSU. Franklin got the Nittany Lions to finally win a couple of big games last year, but PSU has not been exactly impressive this year. I’d take the Ducks.
- I don’t think Va Tech cured all their woes beating up Wofford last week. I like the NC Wolfpack in this one.
- Bama vs Georgia is another great one this weekend. Take Georgia, if you must.
- The best thing about UCLA at Northwestern will be the scenery. Two not so great teams playing under a beautiful backdrop.
I will leave you with the MTSU souvenir cup – another positive for a program trying to find their way.
Enjoy the games,
Tree
