After a couple of local-ish games in Virginia, we are taking the week off. It is a good time to refresh before we go across the pond to see the Steelers play the Saints in Paris. Even though I stayed in my home state, I still haven’t got lots of sleep in the last couple of weekends.
The Hokie night game last week was great, but I didn’t have it in me to drive four hours home after midnight. I snagged an airbnb about an hour away from Blacksburg so I could grab some zzzz’s at a reasonable price. The rumor was that the local Blacksburg Hyatt was charging $1,500 for a two night minimum. Instead, I drove an hour or so to Lynchburg: thank you very much.
UVA is certainly closer, but it was another night game that didn’t get me home until 2am with my head hitting the pillow closer to 3am. Not gonna lie, I didn’t rise until 11am. It gave me just enough time to watch ESPN’s College Football Final and then roll right into the Steeler game.
Wah-hoo-wah, wah-hoo-wah!
We were at Virginia’s Scott Stadium last week. I will update the review with more details in the next couple of weeks, but here are some quick observations.
I was last at UVA sixteen years ago where I got a family four pack – four tickets, four hot dogs and four cokes at a total cost of $80. Our seats last week were $60 each, but considerably better, sitting on the 50 yard line in the lower level.
This time we managed to tailgate at Fontaine Research Park, a free lot a little over a mile away from the stadium. The tailgating was sparse but considering the pending residual rain from Hurricane Isaias, it was respectable enough. The folks we met were great. We shared our TV and they shared their top shelf liquor.
The weather pretty much held off nearly until the end of the game. The action on the field was entertaining and for the second week in a row, I had a game that came down to the wire.
But most of all, it was the company that made last week special. The first time I was here, I toured the campus with our kids. How times change. Saturday, I was drinking IC Light and doing shots with old friends. I should say very old friendships – like 50 years old, from backyard football and board flipping time, to the birth of our children and then to near death experiences.
No matter how much rain we could have got, it would not have ruined our parade.
Who do I like?
Last Week
Yeah, it was again a rough week picking games, with another 1-3 week. I can take some solace in the fact that I can’t actually bet on Virginia schools in Virginia. So, I took Kentucy over LSU instead of betting the Syracuse – Virginia game. So where it counts, I was 2-2. It makes me feel better, but not much.
- Ohio State almost covered. Unfortunately this is neither horseshoes or hand grenades.
- I must say, I was all over this pick. Missouri is good and A&M is not.
- There was brief moment in the fourth quarter when Virginia actually went ahead by ten. Then it was third and twenty-two, and the Cavaliers give up a touchdown with 4:22 left. And just like that, I was cooked.
- Oklahoma beats Texas?!? I mean look, I thought the Horns might not cover, it being a rivalry game and all. But, good lord! Texas loses to an Oklahoma team that was absolutely on the ropes.
My other thoughts on FBS Week Six:
- There’s a lot to like about Cignetti and IU. They made a great fourth and two call late in the game. Wisconsin was fooled worse than a senior citizen with an AI generated video. Any one of the three IU receivers could have scored that touchdown.
- Georgia versus Alabama certainly met expectations. The SEC looks to be back.
- I was disappointed to see NDSU lose to UNLV. There were very likely to be the only FBS playoff team I would see this year. Tough for a Group of Six team to make the playoff with one loss.
- In the category of why college football is great: Illinois and Michigan State, two teams with losing records, put on great show with the Illini winning in OT. See also: ODU Coach sliding down the hill at App State after a big win.
This week’s bad picks will be posted Thursday or Friday.
Tree
P.S. My buddies also took a shot at the SI Wall Calendar – nicely done.
