NFL 2023 Week 16 results and Week 17 picks

 The battle for the playoffs is tightening, and our Super Bowl preview was a dismal performance for one team.

Power Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  BALTIMORE RAVENS (12-3) [2]

2.  San Francisco 49ers (11-4) [1]

3.  Miami Dolphins (11-4) [3]

4.  Buffalo Bills (9-6) [5]

5.  Dallas Cowboys (10-5) [4]

6.  Detroit Lions (11-4) [7]

7.  Kansas City Chiefs (9-5) [6]

8.  Philadelphia Eagles (11-4) [8]

9.  Cleveland Browns (10-5) [9]

10. New Orleans Saints (7-8) [10]

11. Los Angeles Rams (8-7) [16]

12. Atlanta Falcons (7-8) [NR]

13. Minnesota Vikings (7-8) [13]

14. Indianapolis Colts (8-7) [11]

15. Houston Texans (8-7) [12]

16. Green bay Packers (7-8) [NR]

Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  AFC North [1]

2.  NFC North [2]

3.  AFC East [3]

4.  NFC West [5]

5.  NFC South [8] : Great week for both the Bucs and Falcons

6.  AFC West [6]

7.  NFC East [7]

8.  AFC South [3]

Thursday night

New York Jets at Cleveland Browns : Joe Flacco has breathed new life into the browns, and they lead the wildcard race.  The Jets defense is potent, but the offense is still struggling.  Watch the Browns defense take advantage of that.  BROWNS, 20-13

Saturday night

Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys : The Cowboys road woes continued last week, but they are a different team at home this season.  The Lions are playing well, but they cannot keep up with a fully functioning Cowboys offense.  COWBOYS, 34-24

Sunday early games

Arizona Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles : The Eagles clinch the NFC East with a win, and they will get that.  While the Eagles have played close games nost of the season, they will dominate the Cardinals here.  EAGLES, 24-13

Atlanta Falcons at Chicago Beats : The Bears are improving, but the Falcons are soaring right now.  Taylor Heineke had a good game, but he is not consistent.  What is promising is the Falcons defense, who drove Colts QB Gardner Minshew.  Justin Fields is getting better, but he can still be flustered, and that's what the Falcons defense will do.  FALCONS, 24-20

Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars : The Jags have fallen recently, but the Panthers are struggling.  The Jags defense will hold them off, allowing the Jags offense time to work out their kinks and find some magic again.  JAGS, 23-16

Las Vegas Raiders at Indianapolis Colts : The Raiders defense frustrated Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense, so Gardner Minshew won't be a problem.  RAIDERS, 24-20

Los Angeles Rams at New York Giants : Giants QB Tyrod Taylor looked good last week, but he is inconsistent.  That's why he fell from second string to third string in the first place.  The Rams will attack the thin Ginats O line and keep Taylor on the run. RAMS,. 20-13

Miami Dolphins at Baltimore Ravens : The Ravens just ripped apart the 49ers.  They are clear favorites.  RAVENS, 30-23

New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills : Knowing what the Dolphins have to face, the Bills will be motivated to win this divisional game.  BILLS, 27-17

New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Bucs : The Bus are on the rise!  Baker Mayfiled wants that $1 million incentive if the Bucs make the playoffs.  The Saints have been good, but the Bucs are drivent.  BUCS, 24-17

San Francisco 49ers at Washington Commanders : The 49ers want a big win to wipe out the embarrassment of Monday night.  They get their chance.  49ERS, 34-13

Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans : The Titans can be dangerous, but it looks like CJ Stroud will be back, and makes the Texans too unpredictable for the Titans defense.  TEXANS, 20-17

Sunday late games

Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs : The Bengals have recently had the Chiefs' number, but a backup QB and an injured WR corps makes it more unlikely that they can prevail in this one.  The defense will keep it close, as the Chiefs are still misfiring with their slate of unfamiliar offensive players.  CHIEFS, 27-23

Los Angeles Charger at Denver Broncos : Russell Wilson has had flashes of his former brilliance, and may be all the Broncos need against a battered and struggling Chargers defense.  BRONCOS, 20-16

Pittsburgh Steelers at Seattle Seahawks : Pittsburgh played inspired ball last week, but they are a different team against non-conference opponents.  Worse, they travel to Seattle, a tough place for visiting teams.  SEAHAWKS, 24-16

Sunday night

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings : The Vikings are the team suffering from injuries at this point in the season.  That gives the Pack the advantage.  This game determines the second-place team in the NFC North, and sets up a likely playoff spot.  Despite the Vikings performance this season, I like what the Pack is doing right now.  PACK, 20-17

NCAA 2023/2024 Bowl games, part II

 At this point, I'm 50% on my bowl picks.  Conference USA is looking good, Sun Belt is looking bad, and it's too early for everyone else.

Wednesday Dec 27

Military Bowl : Virginia Tech Hokies v Tulane Green Wave -- Tulane failed to win their conference championship game, but they are a tough competitor.  Virginia Tech just wasn't up to their usual standards this season.  TULANE by 27

Mayo/Queen City Bowl : North Carolina Tar Heels v West Virginia Mountaineers -- West Virginia held their own in the tough Big XII, but North Carolina was a powerhouse for most of the season.  They faded late, and their QB will not be playing, as he joined the transfer portal.  However, injuries allowed the backup chances to play, so I think the Tar Heels will prevail here, although it won't be easy.  NORTH CAROLINA by six

Holiday Bowl : #19 Louisville Cardinals v USC Trojans -- The ACC has been spotlighted this day, and the final day features the conference runner-up.  USC might be favored if Caleb Williams played, but he is sitting it out to prevent injury and improve his draft prospects.  That gives the Cardinals the edge.  LOUISVILLE by 13

Texas Bowl : Texas A&M Aggies v #Oklahoma State Cowboys -- Several Aggies are out for this game, making life pretty easy for the Cowboys.  OKLAHOMA STATE by lots

Thursday Dec 28

Fenway Bowl : #11 SMU Mustangs v Boston College Eagles -- SMU rolled in the American Athletic Championship Game.  This is an easy pick.  SMU by 23

Pinstripe Bowl : Rutgers Scarlet Knights v Miami Hurricanes -- Rutgers is a decent team, but Miami's defense loves to cause turnovers, and the Knights are vulnerable to that.  MIAMI by 16

Cheez-It/Camping World Bowl : NC State Wolf Pack v #21 Kansas State Wildcats -- NC State can be a tough competitor, but let's face it -- K State did some impressive things in a tough conference.  KANSAS STATE by 12

Alamo Bowl : #17 Arizona Wildcats v #10 Oklahoma Sooners -- The Wildcats ended the season strongly, but the Sooners are just a more complete team.  OKLAHOMA by 21

Friday Dec 29

Gator Bowl : Clemson Tigers v Kentucky Wildcats -- This young Clemson squad improved faster than anyone expected, and I think they will end this Cinderella season with a bowl win.  CLEMSON by ten

Sun Bowl : #20 Oregon State Beavers v #13 Notre Dame Fighting Irish -- Oregon State plays well against Pac-12 opponents, but not so well against others.  The Irish are just dangerous.  NOTRE DAME by 16

Liberty Bowl : #25 Memphis Tigers v Iowa State Cyclones -- It would be fun to have the Liberty Flames in the Liberty Bowl, but that is not to be.  These two make a great match-up, though.  The Cyclones have a tough defense that makes yardage a challenge for opponents.  Memphis has a good defense, too, but they like to establish a lead and let that defense hold it.  Both teams look for advantages in field position, so this will be an interesting chess match.  MEMPHIS by four

Cotton Bowl : #12 Missouri Tigers at #5 Ohio State Buckeyes -- When I originally picked this game, the Buckeyes were the obvious favorite.  Now with QB McCord in the transfer portal, their offense looks a little weaker.  Still, their defense will make ti too difficult for Missouri, but it'll be a closer game now.  OHIO STATE by 11

Sat Dec 30

Peach Bowl : #16 Ole Miss Rebels v #9 Penn State Nittany Lions -- The Rebs are good, but Penn State is just too crushing.  PENN STATE by 26

Music City Bowl : Auburn Tigers v Maryland Terrapins -- Auburn has a decent defense, but it is not as strong as in years past.  Maryland's offense will get past it.  MARYLAND by 16

Orange Bowl : #4 Georgia Bulldgos v #3 Florida State Seminoles -- Florida State is threatening to leave the ACC because they blame a perceived weak reputation of the conference (and don't let Clemson hear you claim that!) as to why they were left out of the College Football Playoffs.  News flash -- they were left out because they are missing too many starters.  Their defense allowed them to win the ACC Championship Game, but that defense can't slow Georgia.  GEORGIA by lots

Arizona Bowl : Toledo Rockets v Wyoming Cowboys -- Toledo may have lost the MAC Championship, but they are the best team in the conference, and this game will prove that.  TOLEDO by 13

Monday Jan 1

Outback/Hall of Fame Bowl : Wisconsin Badgers v #14 LSU Tigers -- No contest here.  LSU by 26

Fiesta Bowl : #18 Liberty Flames v #7 Oregon Ducks -- The Flames would like to conclude the season unbeaten, but the Ducks offense is just too strong.  OREGON by 24

Citrus Bowl : Iowa Hawkeyes v #22 Tennessee Volunteers -- Tennessee has the better offense, but the Iowa defense is incredibly tough.  I don't think the Vols have experienced anything like it.  IOWA by six

Rose Bowl : #8 Alabama Crimson Tide v #1 Michigan Wolverines : While I would love a Big Ten team to reach the National Championship, Michigan has a traditionally atrocious bowl record; it goes back to the days of Bo.  They will take an early lead, but the Tide will come back and Michigan starts making mistakes.  ALABAMA by three

Sugar Bowl : #6 Texas Longhorns v #2 Washington Huskies -- The Huskies will overpower the Longhorns.  WASHINGTON by 18

Championship picks:  If Alabama wins the Rose Bowl, the Sugar Bowl winner will triumph.  If Michigan wins the Rose Bowl, they can beat Texas, but will fall to Washington.  So, basically, I am favoring Washington (regardless of opponent), Michigan over Texas, and Texas over Alabama.

NFL 2023 Week 15 results and Week 16 picks

 The battle for playoff position has really played havoc with some teams.

Power Rankings [Last week's ranks]

1.  SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (11-3) [1]

2.  Baltimore Ravens (11-3) [3]

3.  Miami Dolphins (10-4) [4]

4.  Dallas Cowboys (10-4) [2]

5.  Buffalo Bills (8-6) [5]

6.  Kansas City Chiefs (9-5) [6]

7.  Detroit Lions (10-4) [8]

8.  Philadelphia Eagles (10-4) [7]

9.  Cleveland Browns (9-5) [9]

10. New Orleans Saints (7-7) [13]

11. Indianapolis Colts (8-6) [14]

12. Houston Texans (8-6) [12]

13. Minnesota Vikings (7-7) [11]

14. Tampa Bay Bucs (7-7) [18]

15. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-6) [10]

16. Los Angeles Rams (7-7) [16]

Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  AFC North [1]

2.  NFC North [2]

3 (tie). AFC South [3]

3 (tie). AFC East [4]

5.  NFC West [5]

6.  AFC West [5]

7.  NFC East [7]

8.  NFC South [8]

Thursday night

New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Rams : The Saints have been sailing since Derek Carr returned.  When they Chris Olave back they will be even more potent.  The Rams may have better talent on paper, but they haven't been consistent in producing that on the field.  I favor the Saints here, although the Rams certainly could win.  SAINTS, 17-14

Saturday games

 Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers : I thought the Bengals would be in trouble when Joe Burrow went down, but they have found life.  On the other hand, the Steelers can't seem to put any power under center, as none of their QBs have consistently performed.  BENGALS, 17-10

Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Chargers : Buffalo seems to have found their footing again.  When it is clicking, that offense is tough to stop.  The Chargers defense may not be up to the task based upon what we have seen the past couple of weeks from Buffalo.  BILLS, 27-14

Sunday early games

I'm picking lots of visiting teams, which always makes me nervous.

Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans : It doesn't look like CJ Stroud will be playing.  If he was, I'd say this game was a toss-up.  Without him, the Browns defense will crush Houston.  BROWNS, 20-10

Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings : Detroit is playing very well.  Winning this game will clinch the division for them, and keep them in contention for the top seed in the NFC.  LIONS, 27-17

Green Bay Packers at Carolina Panthers : Carolina may have won last week, but they are still the worst team in the league.  PACK, 24-13

Indianapolis Colts at Atlanta Falcons : The Colts aren't pretty or dominant, but they get the job done.  The Falcons have been making too many mistakes.  COLTS, 24-17

Seattle Seahawks at Tennessee Titans : Either of these team can win this game.  The Seahawks have a bit of momentum coming into this game, and that might make the difference for them.  SEAHAWKS, 23-20

Washington Commanders at New York Jets : The Jets defense will squash the Commanders.  JETS, 13-10

Sunday late games

Arizona Cardinals at Chicago Bears : They won't need a last-minute Hail Mary to win this game, as the Cardinals offense has evaporated in the desert.  BEARS, 23-13

Dallas Cowboys at Miami Dolphins : The Boys have struggled on the road this season, so I don't have to pick another visiting team this time.  This will be an offensive showdown, as these are two of the hottest offenses in the league.  DOLPHINS, 34-27

Jacksonville Jaguars at Tampa Bay Bucs : The Jags find themselves in a losing streak, while the Bucs seem to have found some ground.  Obviously I am looking to pick home teams, but I think the Jags will get themselves together for this game.  The turning point will be a turnover, as the Bucs play a bit too dangerously.  JAGUARS, 23-17

Sunday night

New England Patriots at Denver Broncos : Denver is gaining strength while the Patriots continue to flounder.  BRONCOS, 14-10

Christmas Day

Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs : The Chiefs offense is still finding balance with their new players, but that should be good enough against the bumbling Raiders.  CHIEFS, 27-16

New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles : If Miami beats Dallas, the Eagles will already know that they clinch the division with a win.  With the Giants struggling, that wasn't really much of a question anyway, despite the three-game losing streak they have coming into this game.  EAGLES, 24-13

Baltimore Ravens at San Francisco 49ers : This might be a preview of the Super Bowl.  Both teams have strong defenses and good offenses.  The Ravens defense stops teams, but the 49ers also cause chaos and turnovers.  The 49ers running game may also give them a slight edge.  49ERS, 34-30

 

NFL 2023 Week 14 results and Week 15 picks

 We had some interesting results as teams view for playoff spots.  

Power Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (10-3) [1]

2.  Dallas Cowboys (10-3) [3]

3.  Baltimore Ravens (10-3) [2]

4.  Miami Dolphins (9-4) [4]

5.  Buffalo Bills (7-6) [8]

6.  Kansas City Chiefs (8-5) [6]

7.  Philadelphia Eagles (10-3) [5]

8.  Detroit Lions (9-4) [7]

9.  Cleveland Browns (8-5) [12]

10. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5) [9]

11. Minnesota Vikings (7-6) [13]

12. Houston Texans (7-6) [10]

13. New Orleans Saints (6-7) [17]

14. Indianapolis Colts (7-6) [11]

15. Green Bay Packers (6-7) [14]

16. Los Angeles Rams (6-7) [15]

Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  AFC North [1]

2.  NFC North [3]

3.  AFC South [2]

4.  AFC East [6]

5 (tie). AFC West [4]

5 (tie). NFC West [5]

7.  NFC East [7]

8.  NFC South [8]

Thursday night

Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders : The Raiders should score some points this week, but given the stiff Chargers defense, it won't be many.  CHARGERS, 10-6

Saturday games

Minnesota Vikings at Cincinnati Bengals : Both teams are doing well despite the loss of their first string QB.  Defense has held each team together, but the Vikings offense can crew if given a chance to catch fire.  I don't know if the Bengals will give then that chance, but at least the chance of a spark is greater with Minnesota.  VIKINGS, 13-10

Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts : The Colsts are a bit inconsistent, but the Steelers offense is non-existent.  COLTS, 20-10

Denver Broncos at Detroit Lions : Denver can be dangerous, but the Lions are a hot team this year.  They stumbled a bit last week, and that will only further motivate them.  LIONS, 24-13

Sunday early games

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers : No question, the Panthers are the worst team in the league.  FALCONS, 24-10

Chicago Bears at Cleveland Browns : The Bears are improving, but I don't think Justin Fields and the Bears offense are ready to face the sturdy Browns defense.  BROWNS, 20-13

Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans : CJ Stroud and the Texans are strong enough to beat the Titans, but they sometimes falter, and few teams are better at exploiting other teams' mistakes than the Titans.  This game could go either way.  TEXANS, 20-17

Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots : The Patriots are a shadow of their former self.  The Chiefs offense still makes some costly mistakes, but against this opponent that won't hurt them much.  CHIEFS, 27-13

New York Giants at New Orleans Saints : Tommy Devito is starting to grow into the QB role (do I smell a QB controversy brewing?), but it won't quite be enough to overcome the Saints.  SAINTS, 21-16

New York Jets at Miami Dolphins : These games are often close, but I don't see that happening this year.  DOLPHINS, 27-16

Tampa Bay Bucs at Green Bay Packers : Jordan Love had a very poor day last week, and I don't think he'll let himself have two in a row.  If he doesn't throw an interception, the Pack should win.  If they give the Bucs a chance with a turnover or two, though, this game could go the other way.  PACK, 27-23

Sunday late games

Dallas Cowboys at Buffalo Bills : This will likely be an offensive showcase, and that gives the Cowboys the advantage.  COWBOYS, 34-24

San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals : No contest.  49ERS, 37-16

Washington Commanders at Los Angeles Rams : The Rams offense is a bit inconsistent, but their defense keeps them alive.  RAMS, 20-17

Sunday night

Baltimore Ravens at Jacksonville Jaguars : The Jags winning streak is over, and the overseas magic seems to have evaporated.  The loss of Trevor Lawrence has put them behind the ball, too.  RAVENS, 31-23

Monday Night Football

Philadelphia Eagles at Seattle Seahawks : The Eagles should get back on the winning track.  The Seahawks can be tough at home, but the Eagles just have too many weapons for them to keep up.  EAGLES, 24-20

NCAA 2023 Bowl games, part 1

 We have 41 games to discuss.  I'll pick 20 games in this column and finish up next week.  We have some interesting match-ups this season, but I object to Minnesota, with a record of 5-7, making a bowl game.  The requirement for reaching a bowl game is six wins.  When you start messing with that rule, you pen the door to lots of complaints and persistent whining from teams who feel they deserve the exception.  They should have picked another team.

As a special treat this year, I will be including the original name for some long-standing bowl games.  Enjoy the nostalgia!

Sat Dec 16

Myrtle Beach Bowl : Georgia Southern Ealges v Ohio Bobcats -- The Bobcats competed for a division title for much of the season.  They didn't make it, but that doesn't reduce the strength of their team.  While the Sun Belt often does well in bowls, they have too many teams playing this season.  OHIO by eight

New Orleans Bowl : Jacksonville State Gamecocks v Louisiana Ragin Cajuns -- This is practically a home game for the Cajuns, but I'm not sure that will help.  Louisiana has struggled much of the season,  The Gamecocks played well, but they did have a weaker slate of opponents.  Still, I'm going for beginner's luck to the bowl game newcomer, who often did well in FCS playoff games.  JACKSONVILLE STATE by ten

Cure Bowl : #24 Miami Ohio Redhawks v Appalachian State Mountaineers -- We have our first ranked team, as the MAC Champion is relegated to such an early bowl game.  That lack of respect will motivate them.  They'll need that motivation, as the Mountaineers have a great bowl record.  MIAMI OHIO by nine

New Mexico Bowl : New Mexico State Aggies v Fresno State Bulldogs -- The Aggies have practically a home game, but they face a team who is a fierce road opponent.  This game is really a toss-up.  Fresno State might underestimate the Aggies, who are normally a basement team yet had a great year this season.  If so, the Aggies win, but it will still be close.  NEW MEXICO STATE by three

Los Angeles Bowl : UCLA Bruins v Boise State Broncos -- This is a home game for the Bruins, but they were very disappointing this season, and I don't think they have ironed out their difficulties.  BOISE STATE by 12

Independence Bowl : Cal Golden Bears v Texas Tech Red Raiders -- The Pac-12 was touted as the best conference, but Cal wasn't in that classification.  They pulled off a couple of surprises against Pac-12 teams that they knew well, but the Raiders, well-prepped by the stiff Big XII competition, will overwhelm them.  TEXAS TECH by 15

Monday Dec 18

Bahamas Bowl : Western Kentucky Hilltoppers v Old Dominion Monarchs -- The Bahamas Bowl is in North Carolina, not the Bahamas, as the stadium in the Bahamas is under repairs.  I think the two teams would have enjoyed playing in the Bahamas.  As it is, playing stateside may give the Monarchs the advantage, as they won't be distracted by the island festivities.  OLD DOMINION by nine

Tues Dec 19

Frisco Bowl : UTSA Roadrunners v Marshall Thundering Herd -- Marshall has a good bowl record, but their play was a bit inconsistent this year.  They ended strongly, so they are hoping that momentum will help them, but the Roadrunners are a strong team.  UTSA by 13

Thurs Dec 21

Boca Raton Bowl : South Florida Bulls v Syracuse Orange -- Strangely, Florida teams have not done will in this bowl.  Furthermore, Syracuse battled teams strongly early in the season, before injuries hurt them against tough ACC opponents.  The players have time to heal, so a healthy Syracuse team will demolish South Florida.  SYRACUSE by lots

Friday Dec 22

Gasparilla/St Petersburg Bowl : Georgia TEch Yellow Jackets v UCF Golden Knights -- Georgia Tech does not play well in Florida, and they also struggle against tough defenses, like that played by UCF.  UCF by eleven 

Sat Dec 23

Birmingham Bowl : #23 Troy Trojans v Duke Blue Devils -- Duke could not live up to early season success, and once they started their slide they couldn't reverse it.  Troy kept their hype quiet, and let their play on the field speak for them.  This is a really good team.  TROY by 23

Camellia Bowl : Arkansas State Red Wolves v Northern Illinois Huskies -- Northern Illinois started the season slowly, but they finished well.  That should carry them into this bowl game.  NORTHERN ILLINOIS by eight

Armed Forces Bowl : #19 James Madison Dukes v Air Force Falcons -- No contest.  JAMES MADISON by lots

Idaho Potato/Humanitarian Bowl : Georgia State Panthers v Utah State Aggies -- The Aggies are used to playing in this environment.  The stadium is at a higher altitude, and that affects passing.  UTAH STATE by ten

Mobile Bowl : South Alabama Jaguars v Eastern Michigan Eagles -- This IS a home game for Jaguars.  SOUTH ALABAMA by nine

Las Vegas Bowl : Utah Utes v Northwestern Wildcats -- Northwestern finished the season strongly in order to make bowl eligibility, but Utah played much better against tough competition.  UTAH by 18

Hawaii Bowl : Coastal Carolina Chanticleers v San Jose State Spartans -- For most teams, the attraction of this game is Hawaii, and they spend more time at the beach than practicing.  San Jose is used to beaches, so they might actually take this game seriously.  SAN JOSE STATE by 12

Tues Dec 26

Quick Lane Bowl : Bowling Green Falcons v Minnesota Golden Gophers -- I didn't think Minnesota should be playing in a bowl game, but this matchup is actually very favorable for them.  While I don't like the idea of 5-7 team playing, I think they will win.  MINNESOTA by six

First Responder Bowl : Texas State Bobcats v Rice Owls -- Texas State had some great results, but Rice faced much tougher competition.  They are better prepared for this game.  RICE by eleven

Cactus/Copper Bowl : Kansas Jayhawks v UNLV Running Rebels -- Wow, this is really the first game that is a toos-up.  Both teams are strong teams.  Perhaps the biggest incentive was UNLV's massive loss in the Mountain West Championship.  They want to reverse that, sot hey will fight harder.  UNLV by four

NFL 2023 Week 13 results and Week 14 picks

 We have a new team atop the power ratings!  Well, not TOTALLY new -- they were on top earlier in the season, but then fell out.  Welcome back, San Francisco!

Power Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  SAN FRANCISCO 39ERS (9-3) [4]

2.  Baltimore Ravens (9-3) [1]

3.  Dallas Cowboys (9-3) [3]

4.  Miami Dolphins (9-3) [5]

5.  Philadelphia Eagles (10-2) [2]

6.  Kansas City Chiefs (8-4) [6] : Why did they stay at #5 after a loss?  Because there was a big gap between #6 and #7 last week.  It's not so big this week.

7.  Detroit Lions (9-3) [8]

8.  Buffalo Bills (6-6) [7]

9.  Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4) [9]

10. Houston Texans (7-5) [11]

11. Indianapolis Colts (7-5) [12

12. Cleveland Browns (7-5) [10]

13. Minnesota Vikings (6-6) [13]

14. Green Bay Packers (6-6) [14]

15. Los Angeles Rams (6-6) [NR]

16. Los Angeles Chargers (5-7) [16]

Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  AFC North [1]

2.  AFC South [2]

3.  NFC North [3]

4.  AFC West [5]

5.  NFC West [8]

6.  AFC East [6]

7.  NFC East [4]

8.  AFC South [6]

Thursday night

 New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers : Neither team has a consistently successful offense, so the team with better field position may have the advantage here.  That sounds like a turnover caused by the Steel Curtain.  STEELERS, 13-9

Sunday early games

Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints : The Saints offense has fallen backwards, but it should still be good enough to get past the struggling Panthers.  SAINTS, 17-10

Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears : Pretty easy win for the Lions.  LIONS, 27-16

Houston Texans at New York Jets : This will be a fierce defensive game, but watch for more CJ Stroud magic in the fourth quarter.  TEXANS, 17-10

Indianapolis Colts at Cincinnati Bengals : The Bengals aren't floundering quite so badly without Joe Burrow, but the Colts still have better tools for QB Gardner Minshew.  COLTS, 23-20

Jacksonville Jaguars at Cleveland Browns : The Browns have a stiff defense, but I think the Jaguars will be able to overcome that.  The question is whether Trevor Lawrence will be back.  If not, the Browns may win.  JAGUARS, 27-13

Los Angeles Rams at Baltimore Ravens : Do you suppose dropping from the top power position will motivate the Ravens?  RAVENS, 30-16

Tampa Bay Bucs at Atlanta Falcons : Both teams have been streaky this season, so it depends upon who gets hot for this game.  I think the Bucs are due.  BUCS, 17-13

Sunday late games

Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs : The Chiefs have the Bills number, and I think that will continue.  CHIEFS, 27-20

Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers : The Broncos offense has stumbled sometimes, and no team will take advantage of that more than the Chargers.  CHARGERS, 16-13

Minnesota Vikings at Las Vegas Raiders : Despite losing Kirk Cousins, the Vikings continue to shine.  VIKINGS, 24-16

Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers : This seems like deja vu -- didn't we just have this matchup?  I don't think the result will be much different.  49ERS, 31-17

Sunday night

Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys : This could be an interesting game.  The Cowboys offense is really rocking, but the Eagles have been finding ways to win all season long.  Don't count them out.  COWBOYS, 27-23

Monday Night Football

What's this?  Two games on Monday night simulaneously?  Yup.  Weird, so pick your favorite.

Tennessee Titans at Miami Dolphins : If you like offense, pick this game.  DOLPHINS, 34-23

Green Bay Packers at New York Giants : Like a ground game?  Try this one.  PACK, 17-13

NCAA 2023 Top 25 - end of regular season

 The Conference Championships wreaked some havoc on the rankings.

Top 25 [Last week's position]

1.  MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (13-0) [1]

2.  Washington Huskies (13-0) [3]

3.  Florida State Seminoles (13-0) [6] - Despite losing their starting QB, the Seminoles still deliver

4.  Georgia Bulldogs (12-1) [2]

5.  Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1) [5]

6.  Texas Longhorns (12-1) [7]

7.  Oregon Ducks (11-2) [4]

8.  Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1) [10]

9.  Penn State Nittany Lions (10-2) [8]

10. Oklahoma Sooners (10-2) [9]

11. SMU Mustangs (11-2) [12]

12. Missouri Tigers (10-2) [11]

13. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9-3) [13]

14. LSU Tigers (9-3) [14]

15. Liberty Flames (13-0) [18]

16. Ole Miss Rebels (10-2) [16]

17. Arizona Wildcats (9-3) [17]

18. James Madison Dukes (11-1) [19]

19. Louisville Cardinals (10-3) [15]

20. Oregon State Beavers (8-4) [20]

21. Kansas State Wildcats (8-4) [21]

22. Tennessee Volunteers (8-4) [24]

23. Troy Trojans (11-2) [NR]

24. Miami Ohio Redhawks (11-2) [NR]

25. Memphis Tigers (9-3) [26]

Dropped off: Toledo Rockets [#22]. Tulane Green Wave [#23], Iowa Hawkeyes [#25]

NFL 2023 Week 12 results and Week 13 picks

 What a great feast of Thanksgiving weekend games!

Power Rankings [Last week's rank\

1.  BALTIMORE RAVENS (9-3) [1]

2.  Philadelphia Eagles (10-1) [2]

3.  Dallas Cowboys (8-3) [3]

4.  San Francisco 49ers (8-3) [4]

5.  Miami Dolphins (8-3) [5]

6.  Kansas City Chiefs (8-3) [6]

7.  Buffalo Bills (6-6) [7]

8.  Detroit Lions (8-3) [8]

9.  Jacksonville Jaguars (8-3) [10]

10. Cleveland Browns (7-4) [9]

11. Houston Texans (6-5) [11]

12. Indianapolis Colts (6-5) [14]

13. Minnesota Vikings (6-6) [12]

14. Green Bay Packers (5-6) [18]

15. New Orleans Saints (5-6) [13]

16. Los Angeles Chargers (4-7) [15]

Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  AFC North [1]

2.  AFC South [3]

3.  NFC North [5]

4.  NFC East [2]

5.  AFC West [4]

6 (tie). AFC East [5]

6 (tie). NFC South [8]

8.  NFC West [7]

Picking the games this week was too easy.  Somehow I am concerned about my results.

Thursday night

Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys : Dallas has a truly dynamic offense.  Seattle's defense isn't good enough to slow them down.  COWBOYS, 34-20

Sunday early games

Arizona Cardinals at Pittsburgh Steelers : Let's see, a struggling offense against a tough defense.  Doesn't really sound like an easy game for the Cards.  STEELERS, 17-10

Atlanta Falcons at New York Jets : The Falcons have had an up and down season.  They are up right now, and that should get them past the Jets defense.  They don't have to worry about the Jets offenses.  FALCONS, 20-13

Denver Broncos at Houston Texans : The Texans should win this game, but the Broncos are on a real roll right now.  Watch for an upset.  TEXANS, 20-16

Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans : Neither team has been consistent on offense, so defense will be the deciding factor.  In most years, that would be the Titans, but not so this year.  COLTS, 20-13

Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots : The Patriots are struggling, and they have to face the Chargers defense.  That's a tall order.  CHARGERS, 17-6

Miami Dolphins at Washington Commanders : That Dolphins offense will march all over the Commanders.  DOLPHINS, 34-16

Sunday late games

Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Bucs : There's a reason why the Panthers have the worst record in the league.  BUCS, 17-13

Cleveland Browns at Los Angeles Rams : The Rams offense is a bit unsteady, which makes them vulnerable to the tough Browns defense.  BROWNS, 23-17

Ssan Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles : The Eagles have matched through this season by playing close games against tough opposition.  Now they face the toughest restructured and revitalized defense in the league.  That may be just too much for them to overcome.  49ERS, 23-20

Sunday night

Kansas City Chiefs at Green Bay Packers : The Packers are scrapping back, but they will find they can't keep pace with the Chiefs.  If KC can minimize the number of their own mistakes, they should take this game.  CHIEFS, 27-17

Monday Night Football

Cincinnati Bengals at Jacksonville Jaguars : The Bengals offense seems lost with Joe Burrow.  JAGUARS, 23-10

NCAA 2023 Week 13 results and Conference Championship picks

 Struggles against weaker rivals contributed to some interesting shifts within the rankings.

Top 25 [Last week's position]

1.  MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (12-0) [1]

2.  Georgia Bulldogs (12-0) [3]

3.  Washington Huskies (12-0) [4]

4.  Oregon Ducks (11-1) [6]

5.  Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1) [2]

6.  Florida State Seminoles (12-0) [5]

7.  Texas Longhorns (11-1) [7]

8.  Penn State Nittany Lions (10-2) [9]

9.  Oklahoma Sooners (10-2) [11]

10. Alabama Crimson Tide (11-1) [8]

11. Missouri Tigers (10-2) [12]

12. SMU Mustangs (10-2) [14]

13. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9-3) [13]

14. LSU Tigers (9-3) [15]

15. Louisville Cardinals (10-2) [10]

16. Ole Miss Rebels (10-2) [17]

17. Arizona Wildcats (9-3) [18]

18. Liberty Flames (12-0) [19]

19. James Madison Dukes (11-1) [23]

20. Oregon State Beavers (8-4) [16]

21. Kansas State Wildcats (8-4) [20]

22. Toledo Rockets (11-1) [24]

23. Tulane Green Wave (11-1) [25]

24. Tennessee Volunteers (8-4) [NR]

25. Iowa Hawkeyes (10-2) [28]

Dropped off: Texas A&M Aggies [#21], UNLV Running Rebels [#22]

On the Edge: Memphis Tigers (9-3)

Upset Alerts

Upsets are always likely when you face longtime rivals during Rivalry Week, but even so we had some surprising results.  Iowa State beat Kansas State in an offensive carousel  Kentucky salvaged their disappointing season by thumping then-Top Ten Louisville.  San Jose State threatened UNLV's ticket to the Mountain West Championship.

Conference Championships

These games will be listed in order of broadcast, starting with Friday night.

CONFERENCE USA: New Mexico State Aggies (10-2) at #18 Liberty Flames (12-0) : The Aggies would love to spoil the Flames perfect season, but I don't see that happening.  LIBERTY by 18

PAC-12: #4 Oregon Ducks (11-1) v #3 Washington Huskies (12-0) : The Ducks have been anxiously awaiting this rematch, and it might be the best conference title game of all.  I guess that's appropriate, since this will also be the LAST Pac-12 Championship.  Washington is playing for a firm berth in the College Football Playoffs.  Oregon wants revenge for the earlier loss, and the chance to hold the last Pac-12 title.  It's likely that the Pac-12 winner will be in the CFP, regardless of which team, so each team is playing for that.  I like the strength of Washington's team, but the Cougars exposed some vulnerabilities last week, and I'm sure Oregon will watch that film carefully.  This one could go either way.  WASHINGTON by three

BIC XII: Oklahoma State Cowboys (9-3) at #7 Texas Longhorns (11-1) : Oklahoma State has had a couple of impressive victories over ranked teams, but in general their play has been lackluster this season.  They might get it up emotionally for this game, but they don't have to skill to go the distance with Texas.  TEXAS by 13

MAC: Miami Ohio Rehsawks (10-2) v #22 Toledo Rockets (11-1) : This should be a close game.  Toledo has the full package, but the can make costly mistakes.  The Redhawks control the ball, and the pace of the game, very well.  I like Toledo, but watch out for the upset.  TOLEDO by six

MOUNTAIN WEST: Boise State Broncos (7-5) at UNLV Running Rebels (9-3) : We had to wait a bit before the conference announced this matchup.  UNLV finished their season strong (except for last week), while Boise State has been up and down.  The Broncos have been here before, and that experience will help, but I think UNLV is a stronger team.  They also don't want last week's result to start a trend.  UNLV by ten

SEC: #10 Alabama Crimson Tide (11-1) at #2 Georgia Bulldogs (12-0) : Alabama should have lost the Iron Bowl last week.  That would have made this game very interesting, for as much as the Committee loves the SEC, I doubt a two-loss SEC champ would have made the playoffs.  Now, Alabama has incentive to upset the Bulldogs.  Now, will they do it?  They'd need another couple of miracles like they had at the end of the Iron Bowl, and I'm not sure they have that many left.  GEORGIA by eight

AMERICAN ATHLETIC: #12 SMU Mustangs (10-2) at #23 Tulane Green Wave (11-1) : I can't remember the last time that this conference championship had two ranked teams playing.  It's definitely interesting.  SMU is ranked higher because of their better stats, but the key number is Tulane's record of 11-1.  They don't win pretty, but they find ways to win.  They are the NCAA's version of the Philadelphia Eagles, and I think that will continue.  TULANE by six

SUN BELT: Appalachian State Mountaineers (8-4) at Troy Trojans (10-2) : Troy has posted some big numbers, but against small opponents.  These two didn't face each other in the regular season, but Troy held the Dukes to only 16 points.  Although a loss, it was their best performance of the season.  I think their defense will come into play here, but it will be close, and watch for an upset.  TROY by four

BIG TEN: #1 Michigan Wolverines (12-0) v #25 Iowa Hawkeyes (10-2) : Coach Harbaugh will be back, but it won't make that much of a difference.  Iowa had a great offense, but the Michigan offense has a great way to practice for that -- lining up against their own tough defense.  Iowa's offense cannot prevail against that defense. This will likely be the most one-sided conference game.  MICHIGAN by lots

ACCL #15 Louisville Cardinals (10-2) v #6 Florida State Seminoles (12-0) : Neither team had a great week preceding this game.  Louisville lost to Kentucky, and Florida State nearly lost to a 5-6 Florida team.  The Seminoles are in trouble.  They are missing their starting QB and fastest defender, and a targeting penalty has taken away one of their best tacklers until the second half.  Louisville will likely lead at the half.  Can Florida State come from behind?  I'm not sure, and the performance I saw from Wannamaker last week (they won because Florida started making stupid mistakes, not because their backup QB grew up) makes me doubt it.  LOUISVILLE by four in the upset victory

NFL 2023 Week 11 results and Week 12 picks

 We had some interesting results this week, which shook up the Power Rankings.  Buffalo looks like they are going downhill, while the 49ers seem to have completely reversed that three-game losing streak.

Power Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  BALTIMORE RAVENS (8-3) [1]

2.  Philadelphia Eagles (9-1) [2]

3.  Dallas Cowboys (7-3) [5]

4.  San Francisco 49ers (7-3) [4]

5.  Miami Dolphins (7-3) [6]

6.  Kansas City Chiefs (7-3) [3]

7.  Buffalo Bills (6-5) [7]

8.  Detroit Lions (8-2) [8]

9.  Cleveland Browns (7-3) [9]

10. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-3) [12]

11. Houston Texans (6-4) [11]

12. Minnesota Vikings (6-5) [10]

13. New Orleans Saints (5-5) [14]

14. Indianapolis Colts (5-5) [15]

Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  AFC North [1]

2.  NFC East [3]

3.  AFC South [5]

4.  AFC West [2]

5 (tie). NFC North [4]

5 (tie). AFC Est [5]

7.  NFC West [7]

8.  NFC South [8]

Thanksgiving Day Games

Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions : Injuries continue to ravage the Pack, while the Lions are rolling.  They are not overly dominant, but they don't need to be -- they just need to win.  LIONS, 21-17

Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys : It is not common for both Thanksgiving afternoon games to be divisional matchups, but the division leaders get to show off.  COWBOYS, 31-16

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks : How about this?  ALL THREE Thanksgiving Day games are divisional matchups, and no upsets in the crystal ball.  49ERS, 34-17

Friday night

Miami Dolphins at New York Jets : For their first Black Friday game, the NFL has picked two teams who usually run up the score on each other.  This year, though, with the defenses they both have, it will be a more defensive arm wrestling match.  The difference may be the last drive, and few QBs handle that late fourth quarter pressure better than Tua.  DOLPHINS, 23-16

Sunday early games

Carolina Panthers at Tennessee Titans : The Panthers have the worst record in the league, and that will continue.  TITANS, 13-10

Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans : These two teams are very evenly matched.  The Jags have been on a surge since they played in London, but at some point the bottom will drop out.  CJ Stroud has pulled off some magic tricks to keep the Texans in games.  I'll pick the Jags, but don't be surprised if the Texans win.  JAGS, 27-26

New England Patriots at New York Giants : Neither team is having the type of success they are used to.  At least the Giants have stronger players.  GIANTS, 17-13

New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons : The Falcons can surprise, but they are not consistent enough for me to have confidence in them.  SAINTS, 17-13

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals : Joe Burrow is out for the season, which really reduces the output of the Bengals.  STEELERS, 13-6

Tampa Bay Bucs at Indianapolis Colts : Another game that can go either way.  The difference here may be ball control, especially late in the fourth quarter, so I have to favor the Colts.  COLTS, 21-20

Sunday late games

Buffalo Bills at Philadelphia Eagles : The Bills are stumbling, and no team takes advantage of that more than the Eagles.  EAGLES, 23-16

Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos : The Broncos can be dangerous at home, but I like the defense of the Browns to carry the day.  BROWNS, 17-13

Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders : What makes the Chiefs so dangerous is that they rarely lose two games in a row.  IF they lose, especially if they lose a close game like that of last week, they put extra effort into the next game.  CHIEFS, 24-13

Los Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals : Neither team is setting the world on fire, but the Rams at least have some working talent.  RAMS, 17-10

Sunday night

Baltimore Ravens at Los Angeles Chargers : The top team in the league will produce another easy win.  RAVENS, 27-13

Monday Night Football

Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings : These two teams are fairly evenly matched, but the Beats have a terrible history on Monday Night.  VIKINGS, 30-24

NCAA 2023 Week 13 picks

 It's Thanksgiving weekend, which is the finale for many teams, and a plethora (or, perhaps, a cornucopia) of games on Friday.

Tuesday Nov 21

Bowling Green Falcons at Western Michigan Broncos : The Falcons aren't playing in the conference title, but they still want to finish strong; they have a bowl game to prep for, after all.  BOWLING GREEN by 13

Eastern Michigan Eagles at Buffalo Bulls : Buffalo wants to redeem themselves and their fans for their slow start this season.  BUFFALO by 12

Thurs Nov 23

#17 Ole Miss Rebels at Mississippi State Bulldogs : This in-state rivalry can produce surprising results, but the Rebs have been consistently good throughout the season.  OLE MISS by ten

Fri Nov 24

TCU Horned Frogs at #11 Oklahoma Sooners : The Sooners still have a chance to play int he conference title game, but they need the Cowboys to lose or Texas to lose.  This game is still crucial, so they will fight to win.  OKLAHOMA by 26

Iowa Hawkeyes at Nebraska Cornhuskers : Nebraska needs this game in order to get bowl eligible.  Both teams have strong defenses, but Iowa makes fewer offensive mistakes.  IOWA by six

#24 Toledo Rockets at Central Michigan Chippewas : Toledo is getting ready for the MAC Championship, and they face the team that many people thought they might be chasing for the division title.  TOLEDO by 16

Ohoi Bobcats at Akron Zips : I don't think Ohio will let Akron win from sympathy, which might be the Zips only chance.  OHIO by lots

UTSA Roadrunners at #25 Tulane Green Wave : This is actually an important game, as THREE teams in the American conference have unbeaten conference records.  The winner of this game goes to the conference title game.  TULANE by eight

#12 Missouri Tigers at Arkansas Razorbacks : Arkansas can be tought, but I think the Tigers have this.  MISSOURI by 20

Texas Tech Red Raiders at #7 Texas Longhorns : Tech isn't that much of a threat this season.  TEXAS by lots

#9 Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan State Spartans : East win for the Lions.  PENN STATE by lots

#16 Oregon State Beavers at #6 Oregon Ducks : These in-state rivals always play each other tough, but the Ducks just have too many tools.  OREGON by 11

Sat Nov 25

.Top 25

#2 Ohio State Buckeyes at #1 Michigan Wolverines : If Coach Habaugh was patrolling the sidelines, I'd pick the Wolverines.  With his suspension, though, can he anticipate and fully prepare for the Buckeyes, especially with their halftime adjustments.  OHIO STATE by six

#3 Georgia Bulldogs at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets : Easy win for the Bulldgos.  GEORGIA by lots

Washington State Cougars at #4 Washington Huskies : The Apple Bowl is always a huge battle.  The Huskies had a scare last week, and that might be bad for the Cougars, as the Huskies will prepare extra hard for this game to prevent a similar situation.  WASHINGTON by eight

#5 Florida State Seminoles at Florida Gators : The Seminoles started off slow last week, but caught fire in the second quarter.  If they get another slow start, will the Gators let them back in?  I think the Seminoles will learn from that.  FLORIDA STATE by 16

#8 Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Tigers : The Iron Bowl is often a bitter battle.  Auburn is a bit behind this season, but they will be up for this game.  That won't be enough, though.  ALABAMA by 18

Kentucky Wildcats at #10 Louisville Cardinals : This is often a Wildcats win, but not this year.  LOUISVILLE by 20

#13 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Stanford Cardinal : The Cardinal are just a shadow of their former selves.  NOTRE DAME by lots

Navy Midshipmen at #14 SMU Mustangs : Easy win for the Mustangs.  SMU by lots

#21 Texas A&M Aggies at #15 LSU Tigers : A Top 25 match-up in the SEC sees two teams who took different paths to get here.  The Aggies have been consistently good, while LSU has improved as the season has progressed.  LSU by nine

#18 Arizona Wildcats at Arizona State Sun Devils : This desert battle will be won by the Wildcats.  ARIZONA by 23

#19 Liberty Flames at UTEP Miners : Easy win.  LIBERTY by lots

Iowa State Cyclones at #20 Kansas State Wildcats : The Wildcats beat their state rival last week.  They might be celebrating that victory too much, as the Cyclones can be a tough opponent.  They should right themselves in the second half, but they won't win by much.  KANSAS STATE by four

San Jose State Spartans at #22 UNLV Running Rebels : The Rebels should dominate.  UNLV by lots

#23 James Madison Dukes at Coastal Carolina Chanticleers : The Chanticleers can always be a tough opponent, but the loss last week will make the Dukes more determined to win this game.  JAMES MADISON by 14

Big Ten

Indiana Hoosiers at Purdue Boilermakers : Neither team will b e going bowling.  This Battle for Indiana is only for pride, which gives the incentive edge to Indiana.  INDIANA by six

Northwestern Wildcats at Illinois Fighting Illini : The Illini nearly beat Iowa last week.  The Wildcats have become bowl eligible, and I think the Illini will join those ranks after this game.  ILLINOIS by four

Wisconsin Badgers at Minnesota Golden Gophers : The Gophers are fighting for bowl eligibility.  The Badgers already have it, and they won't be playing in the conference championship.  Will they fold to let Minnesota win?  Not a chance.  WISCONSIN by nine

Maryland Terrapins at Rutgers Scarlet Knights : Both teams are bowl eligible, so this game is for season-ending momentum.  The Knights have been a real force at home, so I'm actually picking the home team to win an upset.  RUTGERS by six

MAC

Miami Ohio Redhawks at Ball State Cardinals : The Redhwaks are off to the title game, but they won't rest their starters.  They want to win going into that game.  They should.  MIAMI OHIO by 12

Northern Illinois Huskies at Kent State Golden Flashes : Northern Illinois finishes by flushing the Flashes.  NORTHERN ILLINOIS by 24

Other Games of Interest

North Carolina Tar Heels at NC State Wolf Pack : The Heels have fallen, and the Pack are hungry to end with a win.  NC STATE by 12

Cal Golden Bears at UCLA Bruins : The Bruins beat their crosstown rival last week.  They are flying high, but they won't overlook the Bears.  UCLA by lots

NCAA 2023 Week 12 results

 The Dukes fell from the ranks of the unbeaten, and it was tight for Washington.  With two unbeatens play each other this week, it appears (short of an upset) that the playoffs will contain four unbeaten teams, and the only four unbeatnens among the Power Five conferences.

Top 25 [Last week's position]

1.  MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (11-0) [1]

2.  Ohio State Buckeyes (11-0) [2]

3.  Georgia Bulldogs (11-0) [5]

4.  Washington Huskies (11-0) [4]

5. Florida State Seminoles (11-0) [3]

6.  Oregon Ducks (10-1) [6]

7.  Texas Longhorns (10-1) [7]

8.  Alabama Crimson Tide (10-1) [8]

9.  Penn State Nittany Lions (9-2) [9]

10. Louisville Cardinals (10-1) [10]

11. Oklahoma Sooners (9-2) [11]

12. Missouri Tigers (9-2) [12]

13. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-3) [13]

14. SMU Mustangs (9-2) [14]

15. LSU Tigers (8-3) [15]

16. Oregon State Beavers (8-3) [16]

17. Ole Miss Rebels (9-2) [18]

18. Arizona Wildcats (8-3) [26]

19. Liberty Flamers (11-0) [22]

20. Kansas State Wildcats (8-3) [20]

21. Texas A&M Aggies (7-4) [21]

22. UNLV Running Rebels (9-2) [30]

23. James Madison Dukes (10-1) [17]

24. Toledo Rockets (10-1) [27]

25. Tulane Green Wave (10-1) [29]

Dropped off: North Carolina [#19], Air Force Falcons [#23], Fresno State Bulldgos [#24], Utah Utes [#25]

On the Edge: UCLA Bruins (7-4), Iowa Hawkeyes (9-2)

Upset Alert

The week started smoothly, and for a while it seemed like all of the games would be normal.  Then Utah faced Arizona..  While I figured either team could win that game, it was completely unexpected for it to be so one-sided.  Duke fell to Virginia and James Madison lost, but the state of New Mexico was the biggest winner this week.  Both major teams upset their opponents, as the New Mexico State Aggies beat Auburn and the Lobos beat Fresno State.

Big Ten Report

The Big Ten faced some upsets or near upsets once again this week.  The East division had one, as Michigan State beat Indiana.  The crazy West found Illinois nearly beating Iowa, and then Northwestern beat Purdue.  Only three West teams are bowl eligible, but three more could reach that level this week.

MAC Attack

No surprises here.  Toledo will face Miami Ohio in the conference title game.

NFL 2023 Week 10 results and Week 11 picks

 We have a weird situation.  The top team lost, but they were so far ahead of the teams behind them, and lost by so little, that they did NOT fall from the top.

Power Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  BALTIMORE RAVENS (7-3) [1]

2.  Philadelphia Eagles (8-1) [2]

3.  Kansas City Chiefs (7-2) [3]

4.  San Francisco 49ers (6-3) [9]

5.  Dallas Cowboys (6-3) [7]

6.  Miami Dolphins (6-3) [4]

7.  Buffalo Bills (5-5) [6]

8.  Detroit Lions (7-2) [8]

9.  Cleveland Browns (6-3) [10]

10. Minnesota Vikings (6-4) [12]

11. Houston Texans (5-4) [14]

12. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-3) [5]

13. Los Angeles Chargers (4-5) [13]

14. New Orleans Saints (5-5) [11]

15. Indianapolis Colts (5-5) [17]

16. Seattle Seahawks (6-3) [16]

Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  AFC North [1]

2.  AFC West [3]

3.  AFC East [4]

4.  NFC North [6]

5 (tie). AFC South [2]

5 (tie). AFC East [5]

7.  NFC West [7]

8.  NFC South [8]

Thursday night

Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens : The Ravens will bounce back from the loss to the Browns.  RAVENS, 20-13

Sunday early games

Arizona Cardinals at Houston Texans : CJ Stroud continues to impress.  Their defense may not be as strong as it has been in previous years, but it will be enough to slow the Cardinals.  TEXANS, 20-10

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions : Justin Fields may not be ready to come back, but the Bears aren't doing too badly under Tyson Bagent.  The problem is that they face a great offense in the Lions, and Bears weak point this season is their defense.  LIONS, 27-13

Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers : Geezm this will be nearly as one-sided as last week's Dallas game.  COWBOYS, 34-13

Las Vegas Raiders at Miami Dolphins : Rookie QB Aidan O'Connell comes to Miami to square off against Tua.  The Dolphins are just too well-packed.  DOLPHINS, 30-16

Los Angeles Chargers at Green Bay Packers : The struggling Packers have to face the stiff Chargers defense.  That's a recipe for disaster.  CHARGERS, 20-16

New York Giants at Washington Commanders : The Giants want to impress after being thoroughly drubbed by the Cowboys.  However, the Commanders defense will make that tough.  COMMANDERS, 23-16

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns : The Browns are flying high after upsetting the Ravens.  If they don't get so heady that they disregard the Steelers, they should win again.  BROWNS, 20-16

Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars : The Jags are better than their performance against the 49ers, and they will prove that in this game.  JAGUARS, 27-17

Sunday late games

New York Jets at Buffalo Bills : The Bills are coming apart.  The Jets have a stiff defense, so they make it worse.  I expect at least two interceptions to be thrown.  The only saving grace for the Bills is that the Jets have such a weak offense.  I expect only three points from those two interceptions.  Still, this game has upset warnings all over it.  BILLS, 20-13

Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams : The Rams are just too inconsistent for me to believe in them.  SEAHAWKS, 23-20

Tampa Bay Bucs at San Francisco 49ers : The addition of Chase Young makes the 49ers defense a tough force.  Bucs QB Baker Mayfield will be on the run for most of the game.  49ERS, 24-16

Sunday night

Minnesota Vikings at Denver Broncos : Kurt Cousins is likely coming back, which just makes life harder for the Broncos.  VIKINGS, 24-13

Monday Night Football

Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs : Oh my God!  This will probably the highlight of the weekend!  Both teams are strong, and both offenses move well.  The Chiefs like to score quickly, while the Eagles love to churn it out.  I see a close game, and that has been the specialty of the Eagles this season.  EAGLES, 24-23

NCAA 2023 Week 12 picks

 Lots of games can determine bowl eligibility, and some games make a big difference in determining conference championship matchups.

Tuesday Nov 14

Toledo Rockets at Bowling Green Falcons : Toledo may have already clinched their division, but don't expect them to slack off.  The national media is ignoring them, despite having only one loss (the team that beat them, by the way, was Illinois).  TOLEDO by 20

Western Michigan Broncos at Northern Illinois Huskies : The worst thing that could possibly happen to the Broncos last week happened -- the Huskies lost, and they lost big.  How does that affect the Broncos?  Now the Huskies want a big win, and they are certainly capable of delivering that.  NORTHERN ILLINOIS by 17

Akron Zips at Eastern Michigan Eagles : Akron won a conference game!  Savor that, guys it may the last one you get this year.  EASTERN MICHIGAN by 16

Wed Nov 15

Central Michigan Chippewas at Ohio Bobcats : Ohio is still hoping to get to the MAC Championship, so every game counts.  Central Michigan needs a win to become bowl eligible.  Something has to give here.  OHIO by 13

Buffalo Bulls at Miami Ohio Redhawks : The Redhawks still have a couple of teams breathing down their necks.  This win sends them into the conference championship.  MIAMI OHIO by 16

Fri Nov 17

Colorado Buffaloes at Washington State Cougars : Coach Prime used time during his postgame press conference to apologize to the fans for the team's performance.  It sounded like an assessment of the season, even though there were two more games to play.  How will his team respond to that?  Will it fire them up, or will the concede?  The Cougars are vulnerable, but their opponents have to be looking for that.  WASHINGTON STATE by ten

Sat Nov 18

Top 25

#1 Michigan Wolverines at Maryland Terrapins : Maryland has lost their footing, and battling one of the roughest defenses in the conference is no way to get it back.  MICHIGAN by lots

Minnesota Golden Gophers at #2 Ohio State Buckeyes : This the last game before the Big Game.  The Buckeyes will use this as a warm-up, much to the chagrin of the Gophers.  OHIO STATE by lots

North Alabama at #3 Florida State Seminoles : Late in the season for a FCS opponent.  FLORIDA STATE by lots

#4 Washington Huskies at #16 Oregon State Beavers : At last we have a Top Five team with a worthwhile opponent!  Won't change the end result, though.  WASHINGTON by 12

#5 Georgia Bulldogs at Tennessee Volunteers : Well, there goes any chance the Vols had of making back into the Top 25.  GEORGIA by 15

#6 Oregon Ducks at Arizona State Sun Devils : Oregon gets a break after their battle with Utah last week.  OREGON by lots

#7 Texas Longhorns at Iowa State Cyclones : Well, it HAD been a good year for the Cyclones... TEXAS by lots

Chattanooga at #8 Alabama Crimson Tide : Another SEC wipeout of the FCS.  ALABAMA by lots

Rutgers Scarlet Knights at #9 Penn State Nittany Lions : The Nittany Lions want a strong win to erase last week's disappointment.  Achieved.  PENN STATE by lots

#10 Louisville Cardinals at Miami Hurricanes : Miami fell a bit short against their rival Florida State.  That might indicate they are strong enough to pull off this upset (and they might), but I think the disappointment of ":almost" will affect their concentration.  LOUISVILLE by six

#11 Oklahoma Sooners at BYU Cougars : With two losses, the playoffs are a distant dream for the Sooners.  So is the Big XII title game, being on the losing end of tiebreakers against both of the teams ahead of them.  Now they just want a shot at a New Year's Day bowl.  This win will be important.  OKLAHOMA by lots

Florida Gators at #12 Missouri Tigers : Aside from a big loss to Georgia, the Tigers have had a good season.  They can carry that through to the bowls.  MISSOURI by 18

Wake Forrest Demon Deacons at #13 Notre Dame Fighting Irish : Three losses are enough for the Irish.  They want to close out strong.  NOTRE DAME by 23

#14 SMU Mustangs at Memphis Tigers : The Tigers had early success, and even spent some time in the Top 25.  The season has flipped, and now the Mustangs are the team to contend with Tulane in the conference.  SMU by ten

Gerogia State Panthers at #15 LSU Tigers : Easy win for the Tigers.  LSU by lots

Appalachian State Mountaineers at #17 James Madison Dukes : The Dukes are riding a strong unbeaten wave.  App State isn't quite as strong as they have been in previous years, so don't expect an upset here.  JAMES MADISON by 23

UL Monroe Warhawks at #18 Ole Miss Rebels : This looks like an easy week for most of the SEC.  OLE MISS by lots

#19 North Carolina Tar Heels at Clemson Teigers : The Heels barely escaped with a win last week.  They don't want this one to be as close, although Clemson may have something to say about that.  NORTH CAROLINA by six

#20 Kansas State Wildcats at Kansas Jayhawks : Upset alert!  The Jayhawks are a good team this year, and the chance to beat their in-state rival is enough to spur the team.  KANSAS by four

Abilene-Christian at #21 Texas A&M Aggies : Okay, this is just getting ridiculous now.  TEXAS A&M by lots

UMass Minutemen at #22 Liberty Flames : The unbeaten team nobody is talking about wants some attention.  A big win here might be a good start.  LIBERTY by lots

UNLV Running Rebels at #23 Air Force Falcons : Air Force wants to bounce back from their loss in Hawaii.  The Rebs are a good team this season, so they certainly won't make that bounce back easy.  AIR FORCE by eight

New Mexico Lobos at #24 Fresno State Bulldogs : The Bulldogs suffered a massive upset last week, but they get a nice chance to bounce back.  FRESNO STATE by 24

#25 Utah Utes at Arizona Wildcats : The Cats have already upset two ranked Pac-12 teams.  Could this be their third?  UTAH by 11

Big Ten

Illinois Fighting Illini at Iowa Hawkeyes : The Illini need one more win to be bowl eligible,.  Not this week.  IOWA by three

Michigan State Spartans at Indiana Hoosiers : Neither team will play in a bowl game.  This one is just for pride.  Nobody is more proud (may we say arrogant?) than the Hoosiers.  INDIANA by eight

Purdue Boilermakers at Northwester Wildcats: Three weeks ago we were about ready to discount the Wildcats for the season.  Now they are one game away from bowl eligibility.  Purdue has lost theirs, but they would love to play spoiler.  NORTHWESTERN by eight

Nebraska Cornhuskers at Wisconsin Badgers : The Badgers have hit the skids lately.  Now both teams are playing for bowl eligibility.  I think Wisconsin will find their footing, but Nebraska could pull off the upset and push Wisconsin's postseason hopes to next week.  WISCONSIN by four

MAC

Kent State Golden Flashes at Ball State Cardinals : At this point in the season, the MAC usually play all of their games by Friday.  If Kent State hopes that a later start will reverse their fortunes, I think they'll be disappointed.  BALL STATE by 17

NCAA 2023 Week 11 results

 We had several upsets this week, although most waited until late Saturday afternoon or Saturday evening to happen.  We did have some interesting shake-ups in the bottom half of the rankings, and some teams leaped high into the rankings.

Top 25 [Last week's position]

1.  MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (10-0) [1]

2.  Ohio State Buckeyes (10-0) [2]

3.  Florida State Seminoles (10-0) [3]

4.  Washington Huskies (10-0) [4]

5.  Georgia Bulldogs (10-0) [5]

6.  Oregon Ducks (9-1) [6]

7.  Texas Longhorns (9-1) [8]

8.  Alabama Crimson Tide (9-1) [9]

9.  Penn State Nittany Lions (8-2) [7]

10. Louisville Cardinals (9-1) [11]

11. Oklahoma Sooners (8-2) [13]

12. Missouri Tigers (8-2) [16]

13. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-3) [15]

14. SMU Mustangs (8-2) [26]

15. LSU Tigers (7-3) [29]

16. Oregon State Beavers (8-2) [25]

17. James Madison Dukes (10-0) [21]

18. Ole Miss Rebels (8-2) [10]

19. North Carolina Tar Heels (8-2) [19]

20. Kansas State Wildcats (7-3) [23]

21. Texas A&M Aggies (6-4) [24]

22. Liberty Flames (10-0) [27]

23. Air Force Falcons (8-2) [17]

24. Fresno State Bulldogs (8-2) [12]

25. Utah Utes (7-3) [18]

Dropped off: Tennessee [#14], Kansas [#20], USC [#22]

On the Edge: Arizona Wildcats (7-3), Toledo Rockets (9-1), Iowa Hawkeyes (8-2), Tulane Green Wave (9-1), UNLV Running Rebels (8-2)

Upset Alert

There were some upsets in the MAC and Big Ten, and I'll cover them in their sections of this column.  The first upset affecting the Top 25 was the fall of Kansas, a close defensive battle against Texas Tech.  Then UCF completely blew away Oklahoma State, Fresno State was destroyed by San Jose State, and Hawaii knocked off Air Force.

Big Ten Report

The East division went pretty much as expected.  With Penn State's loss, the division title will be taken by the winner of The Game between Michigan and Ohio State.  In the West, it's more interesting.  Iowa has nearly clinched, and will clinch with one more win.  Behind them, though, are FIVE teams with 3-4 conference records, 5-5 records overall.  This quirk occurred thanks to two upsets, as both Minnesota and Wisconsin lost for the second week in a row.  Every one of these teams could become bowl eligible, giving the West division more bowl teams than the East (two teams are out in the East, which only one out in the West).

MAC Attack

Ball State upset Northern Illinois, knocking them out of title contention.  Toledo has won the West division title.  Miami Ohio has clinched a share of the title, and win it outright with one more win.

NFL 2023 Week 9 results and Week 10 picks

 Some teams that started the season are starting to falter, and backups are getting a chance to shine or sink.  We have hit Injury Central.

Power Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  BALTIMORE RAVENS (7-2) [1]

2.  Philadelphia Eagles (8-1) [2]

3.  Kansas City Chiefs (7-2) [6]

4.  Miami Dolphins (6-3) [3]

5.  Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2) [7]

6.   Buffalo Bills (5-4) [4]

7.  Dallas Cowboys (5-3) [5]

8.  Detroit Lions (6-2) [8]

9.  San Francisco 49ers (5-3) [10]

10. Cleveland Browns (5-3) [12]

11. New Orleans Saints (5-4) [11]

12. Minnesota Vikings (5-4) [13]

13. Los Angeles Chargers (4-4) [15]

14. Houston Texans (4-4) [14]

15. Cincinnati Bengals (5-3) [NR]

16. Seattle Seahawks (5-3) [9]

Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]

 1.  AFC North [1]

2.  AFC South [5]

3.  AFC West [6]

4.  NFC East [3]

5.  AFC East [2]

6.  NFC North [6]

7.  NFC West [4]

8.  NFC South [8]

Thursday night

 Carolina Panthers at Chicago Bears : Even with a backup QB, the Bears should beat the hapless Panthers.  BEARS, 24-16

Sunday morning

 Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots : The Patriots are struggling, and Bill Belichick;s job is on the line.  COLTS, 24-13

Sunday early games

 Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens : The Ravens are the most dominant team in the league, because they have the toughest defense.  RAVENS, 27-13

Green Bay Packers at Pittsburgh Steelers : Injuries have decimated the Pack, and reliable playmakers are scarse.   STEELERS, 17-16

Houston Texans at Cincinnati Bengals : The Bengals have power, and CJ Stroud is still a bit inconsistent.  Joe Burrow and company are the better pick, but watch for an upset.  BENGALS, 24-20

New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings : The Vikings will likely be using a bakup QB, while the pair of Derek Carr and Taysom Hill are moving the Saints merrily along.  SAINTS, 20-17

San Francisco 49ers at Jacksonville Jaguars : Prior to their bye, the 49ers had some offensive problems to work out.  If they did, they should win.  However, I'm not sure, and the Jags have been a powerhouse since playing in London.  JAGUARS, 24-21

 Tennessee Titans at Tampa Bay Bucs : Neither team has consistency in their play and performance, but the Bucs seem more capable of righting themselves late in a game.  BUCS, 17-16

Sunday late games

 Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals : The Cards can't seem to get it together.  The Falcons have problems, but they can generate some offense.  FALCONS, 20-13

Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Chargers : The Chargers offense is inconsistent, but their defense keeps them afloat.  Still, that defense will be tested by the intense Lions offense.  LIONS, 27-16

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys : The Giants have the worst offense in the league.  On the other hand, the Cowboys move the ball easily.  COWBOYS, 27-10

Washington Commanders at Seattle Seahawks : Seattle suffered a tough loss last week.  This team is very good at bouncing back.  SEAHAWKS, 20-17

Sunday night

 New York Jets at Las Vegas Ragiers : The Raiders are finding some offense, just in time to host a stiff defense.  The Jets offense is flat, so can their defense hold?  I'm not sure.  RAIDERS, 17-10

Monday Night Football

 Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills : The Bills have a great offense, but they also suffer many turnovers.  The Broncos don't tend to do much with turnovers, though, so it may not hurt them much in this game.  BILLS, 31-13

 

NCAA 2023 Week 11 picks

 Tuesday Nov 7

Ball State Cardinals at Northern Illinois Huskies : Should be an easy win for the Huskies.  NORTHERN ILLINOIS by 24

Central Michigan Chippewas at Western Michigan Broncos : The Chippewas have the better record, but the Broncos have performed better in conference play, especially at home.  WESTERN MICHIGAN by eight

Ohio Bobcats at Buffalo Bulls : Buffalo can be dangerous, but the Bobcats had an extra week to prepare for this one.  OHIO by 11

Wed Nov 8

Akron Zips at Miami Ohio Redhawks : The Redhawks know their job -- win out and they get a trip to the MAC title game.  MIAMI OHIO by 23

Bowling Green Falcons at Kent State Golden Flashes : It has not been a good year for the Flashes, and it won't get any better.  BOWLING GREEN by 21

Eastern Michigan Eagles at Toledo Rockets : If the Rockets win, they clinch the division.  That's enough motivation.  TOLEDO by 18

Thurs Nov 9

Virginia Cavaliers at #11 Louisville Cardinals : Can a big win ascend them to the Top Ten?  Who knows?  LOUISVILLE by lots

Friday Nov 10

North Texas Mean Green at SMU Mustangs : SMU wants to break into the Top 25.  A big win here will help.  SMU by 20

Sat Nov 11

Top 25

#1 Michigan Wolverines at #7 Penn State Nittany Lions : The Lions know that, in order to win the division, they need to win here, and hope Michigan beats Ohio State.  But can they win?  They haven't been able to beat Michigan or Ohio State when either is in the Top 5, and they don't seem to have advanced their offense much.  MICHIGAN by 16

Michigan State Spartans at #2 Ohio State Buckeyes : The Spartans produced a shocking victory last week, but they won't do it again.  OHIO STATE by lots

Miami Hurricanes at #3 Florida State Seminoles : Miami lost last week, but they won't bounce back.  The Seminoles are a tough team, and they have taken over the turnover trick from the Hurricanes.  FLORIDA STATE by 23

#18 Utah Utes at #4 Washington Huskies : The Utes had a big win last week, but now they face the powerful Washington offense.  I don't think the Utes can keep up.  WASHINGTON by 13

#10 Ole Miss Rebels at #5 Georgia Bulldogs : Georgia had trouble with Missouri last week, and the Rebels are even tougher.  Watch for an upset!  GEORGIA by three

#8 Texas Longhorns at TCU Horned Frogs : Time was, this was a hard-fought battle.  Unfortunately, TCU has slipped, and Texas has risen.  TEXAS by 18

#9 Alabama Crimson Tide at Kentucky Wildcats : Kentucky started off well, but they have stumbled against the "big guns" of the conference.  Alabama is one of those.  ALABAMA by 16

#12 Fresno State Bulldogs at San Jose State Spartans :Niether FBS Spartans team is having a good season.  FRESNO STATE by lots

West Virginia Mountaineers at #13 Oklahoma Sooners : Great chance for a bounce back game!  OKLAHOMA by 26

#14 Tennessee Volunteers at #16 Missouri Tigers : After watching them play Georgia tough, I have to favor the lower-ranked team here.  MISSOURI by eight

#17 Air Force Falcons at Hawaii Rainbow Warriors : Air Force faced a tough defense last week.  Hawaii doesn't have much of a defense at all.  AIR FORCE by 20

Duke Blue Devils at #19 North Carolina Tar Heels : The Tar Heels had it easy last week; maybe too easy.  Duke may stretch them.  NORTH CAROLINA by nine

Texas Tech Red Raiders at #20 Kansas Jayhawks : Kansas continues their fabulous season.  Amazingly, if they continue to win and either the Longhorns or Cowboys lose, they could find themselves in the Big XII Championship Game.  KANSAS by 18

UConn Huskies at #21 James Madison Dukes : Easy win for the Dukes.  JAMES MADISON by lots

Baylor Bears at #23 Kansas State Wildcats : Baylor is struggling, and this loss will remove them from bowl eligibility.  KANSAS STATE by lots

Mississippi State Bulldogs at #24 Texas A&M Aggies : The Bulldogs can be tricky, but the Aggies are pretty good at figuring out opposing plays.  TEXAS A&M by 16

Stanford Cardinal at #25 Oregon State Beavers : The Cardinal aren't really much of a threat this year.  OREGON STATE by 24

Big Ten

Indiana Hoosiers at Illinois Fighting Illini : The Illini defense is gaining ground, and they have to feel good about their offense, as they can even lose their starting quarterback and win.  Indiana may have won their first conference game last week, but I don't see them winning two in a row.  ILLINOIS by eight

Maryland Terrapins at Nebraska Cornhuskers : The Terrapins have suffered a massive reversal after their tremendous start.  Both teams need to right themselves.  Maryland certainly has the talent, but have they lost their confidence?  MARYLAND by six

Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Iowa Hawkeyes : We saw how the Scarlet Knights react to a stiff defense.  Iowa should feel confident.  IOWA by ten

Minnesota Golden Gophers at Purdue Boilermakers : In the competitive West division, Purdue is now the worst team.  So long as that does not make Minnesota over-confident, they should win.  Perhaps losing to Illinois last week will help them, as they shouldn't feel over-confident after that.  MINNESOTA by 16

Northwestern Wildcats at Wisconsin Badgers : Wisconsin should bounce back, although the Northwestern defense will make that difficult.  WISCONSIN by 13

Other Games of Interest

Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Tulane Green Wave : Tulane is the master of the close game, and they know how to win.  TULANE by ten

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Clemson Tigers : Clemson totally destroyed Notre Dame last week.  If they can avoid a post-upset letdown, they should roll there.  CLEMSON by 24

Old Dominion Monarchs at Liberty Flames : Liberty should remain unbeaten.  LIBERTY by 16

Arizona Wildcats at Colorado Buffaloes : Arizona has won three games against ranked opponents.  Colorado isn't ranked, so I think Colorado stands a good chance to win.  COLORADO by 11

Oklahoma State Cowboys at UCF Golden Knights : This has not been a good year for the first Big XII season for UCF.  The Cowboys have quietly ascended to second place in the conference.  They should stay there,  OKLAHOMA STATE by lots

Florida Gators at LSU Tigers : Florida's offense has trouble against tough defenses, and that is precisely what LSU has.  LSU by ten

NCAA 2023 Week 10 results

It's November, and that's when the frequency of upsets increase.  We had several this week, including many in one conference.  We also lost one team from the ranks of the unbeatnes.

Top 25 [Last week's position]

1.  MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (9-0) [1]

2.  Ohio State Buckeyes (9-0) [2]

3.  Florida State Seminoles (9-0) [3]

4.  Washington Huskies (9-0) [4]

5.  Georgia Bulldogs (9-0) [5]

6.  Oregon Ducks (8-1) [6]

7.  Penn State Nittany Lions (8-1) [10]

8.  Texas Longhorns (8-1) [9]

9.  Alabama Crimson Tide (8-1) [12]

10. Ole Miss Rebels (8-1) [14]

11. Louisville Cardinals (8-1) [16]

12. Fresno State Bulldogs (8-1) [13]

13. Oklahoma Sooners (7-2) [8]

14. Tennessee Volunteers (7-2) [18]

15. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-3) [7]

16. Missouri Tigers (7-2) [15] : They gave Georgia all they could handle

17. Air Force Falcons (8-1) [11] : Crushing loss to Army cost them their unbeaten status

18. Utah Utes (7-2) [23]

19. North Carolina Tar Heels (7-2) [19]

20. Kansas Jayhawks (7-2) [22]

21. James Madison Dukes (9-0) [28]

22. USC Trojans (7-3) [17]

23. Kansas State Wildcats (6-3) [20]

24. Texas A&M Aggies (5-4) [24]

25. Oregon State Beavers (7-2) [25]

Dropped off: Miami Hurricanes [#23]

On the Edge: SMU Mustangs (7-2), Liberty Flames (9-0), Toledo Rockets (8-1), LSU Tigers (6-3), Tulane Green Wave (8-1), Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-2), Iowa Hawkeyes (7-2)

Upset Alerts

Top teams took a beating this week.  Top Ten teams Notre Dame and Oklahoma both lost, and for the Irish, it was a big loss.  Air Force lost their Top Ten hopes, and their unbeaten record, in a drubbing by the Army Black Knights.  At night, UCLA lost again, basically removing any chance at the Pac-12 trtle game.

Big Ten Report

What a weird weekend for the West!  There were four teams tied at the top of the division, and Iowa is the sole survivor.  Both Wisconsin and Nebraska were upset by teams who won their first conference game in the process (Indiana over Wisconsin and Michigan State over Nebraska) and the Illini kept their bowl eligibility hopes alive by beating Minnesota.  The East is now definitely a race among Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State, and the Buckeyes hold a tiebreaker over the Lions.

MAC Attack

The current division leaders have advantages.  Toledo leads by two games, and they've already beaten Northern Illinois, so the Huskies would need tow in out and have Toledo lose all of their remaining games.  That is not likely.  Miami Ohio only leads by one game, but they have beaten both of their runners-up, so they have full tiebreaking advantages.

NFL 2023 Week 8 results and Week 9 picks

 Top teams were upset again, and the 39ers, the top team two weeks ago, have fallen badly after 3 straight losses.

Power Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  BALTIMORE RAVENS (6-2) [4]

2.  Philadelphia Eagles (7-1) [2]

3.  Miami Dolphins (6-2) [5]

4.  Buffalo Bills (5-3) [7]

5.  Dallas Cowboys (5-2) [8]

6.  Kansas City Chiefs (6-2) [1]

7.  Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2) [6]

8.  Detroit Lions (6-2) [9]

9.  Seattle Seahawks (5-2) [10]

10. San Francisco 49ers (5-3) [3]

11. New Orleans Saints (4-4) [13]

12. Cleveland Browns (4-3) [11]

13. Minnesota Vikings (4-4) [NR]

14. Houston Texans (3-4) [12]

Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  AFC North [2]

2.  AFC East [3]

3.  NFC East [5]

4.  NFC West [1]

5.  AFC South [4]

6 (tie). NFC North [6]

6 (tie). AFC West [7]

8.  NFC South [7]

Thursday night

Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers : This should be an exciting game.  Both teams lean on defense, and both of them have been inconsistent on the offensive side.  I give a tiny edge to the home team.  STEELERS, 17-16

Sunday morning

Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs : The Chiefs are still struggling to find consistency with their new offensive players.  Miami's offense rolls.  DOLPHINS, 34-27

Sunday early games

Arizona Cardinals at Cleveland Browns : This game will be a defensive battle.  Both teams lean heavily on defense, and both have some problems with offense.  The difference will lie in whomever can generate a bit more offense, and that would be the Browns.  BROWNS, 17-13

Chicago Bears at New Orleans Saints : Just when the Bears offense was staring to click, they have lost QB Justin Fields.  That puts them in great jeopardy.  SAINTS, 28-16

Los Angeles Rams at Green Bay Packers : The Pack has lost punch.  There are questions whether Matthew Stafford will play, but the Rams defense will still give Green Bay fits.  RAMS, 20-16

Minnesota Vikings at Atlanta Falcons : The Vikings offense has finally clicked, and the defense can stay off the field long enough to stay fresh.  That makes for a potent combination.  VIKINGS, 27-20

Seattle Seahawks at Baltimore Ravens : The Ravens offense is still inconsistent, but their defense might be the toughest in the league.  Their speed and pressure will make life difficult for Seattle.  RAVENS, 24-20

Tampa Bay Bucs at Houston Texans : CJ Stroud has really come along.  He still needs to read defenses better, but the Bucs play a fairly constant Cover Two.  That helps anticipate, and that will help move the Texans.  TEXANS, 23-20

Washington Commanders at New England Patriots : The Patriots have only beaten divisional opponents.  Otherwise, they haven't been able to muster much.  COMMANDERS, 23-13

Sunday late games

Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles : When the Cowboys win, they win big.  However, they still make some mistakes.  The Eagles have engineered wins, and they take advantage of their opponent's mistakes.  EAGLES, 27-24

Indianapolis Colts at Carolina Panthers : The Colts haven't been great, but the Panthers have been outright abyssmal.  COLTS, 20-13

New York Giants at Las Vegas Raiders : Even the return of Saquon Barkeley hasn't rejuventated the Giants' lethargic offense.  Tyrod Taylor just doesn't quite seem up to the task.  RAIDERS, 17-16

Sunday night

Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals : In recent years, the Bill shave found it hard to get past the Bengals in the postseason.  Here we have a primetime regular season version of the contest.  The Bills have a strong offense, but they've made many costly mistakes this season.  The Bengals defense can force turnovers, so the Bengals could again overwhelm them.  However, in postseason contests, the Bengals defensive pressure has been a surprise to the Bills.  This year, they've already had to face a series of costly mistakes, and are watching out for them more.  That may help the Bills here.  BILLS, 30-20

Monday Night Football

Los Angeles Chargers at New York Jets : Both teams have strong defenses, but the Justin Herbert-led Chargers can put up some results, too.  CHARGERS, 20-10

NCAA 2023 Week 10 picks

Teams are really starting to be concerned about placement for conference title games, and the week starts with two important ones for the MAC

Tuesday Oct 31

I'm sure these teams are hoping for more treats than tricks, but maybe some trick plays may appear.

Northern Illinois Huskies at Central Michigan Chippewas : Losing this game will likely extinguish any title hopes for the Chippewas.  They will fight hard, but the Huskies tend to fight harder in championship-eligible games.  NORTHERN ILLINOIS by eight

Buffalo Bulls at Toledo Rockets : They may play in two different divisions, but a loos by Buffalo puts them in jeopardy in the East.  Toledo is strong, though, and I don't see them faltering on this, especially since they had an extra week to prepare.  TOLEDO by 12

Wednesday Nov 1

Ball State Cardinals at Bowling Green Falcons : Neither team is having the type of year they hoped, but al least the Falcons are less pathetic.  BOWLING GREEN by eight

Kent State Golden Flashes at Akron Zips : Well, one of these two teams will have their first conference win.  Since the Flashes have the worst offense in the conference, I'll pick Akron to gain that first win.  AKRON by seven

Thurs Nov 2

Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Duke Blue Devils : This game might have been better scheduled on Halloween night (demons versus devils?  How more appropriate could you get?), but here it is.  Duke suffered an embarrassing loss last week, so they want to right the ship.  Wake won't make it easy, but they should regain their winning ways.  DUKE by eight

Sat Nov 4

Purdue Boilermakers at #1 Michigan Wolverines : Michigan will pulverize the Boilermakers.  MICHIGAN by lots

#2 Ohio State Buckeyes at Rutgers Scarlet Knights : Rutgers might start this game strongly, but the second half will belong to the Buckeyes.  OHIO STATE by 23

#3 Florida State Seminoles at Pitt Panthers:  One week after getting routed by Notre Dame, the Panthers face another blowout.  FLORIDA STATE by lots

#4 Washington Huskies at #17 USC Trojans : This might be last week in the Top 25 for the Trojans after starting the season at #1, as they have slid badly.  Washington will carve them up.  WASHINGTON by 20

#15 Missouri Tigers at #5 Georgia Bulldogs : This might be the best chance for the Bulldogs first loss.  Missouri has a tenacious defense.  If they force at least two turnovers, they might win the game.  Georgia rarely coughs up the ball, though.  GEORGIA by eight

Cal Golden Bears at #6 Oregon Ducks : Cal nearly beat USC last week.  Oregon won't have any problems.  OREGON by 24

#7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Clemson Tigers : Can the Irish paste a second consecutive ACC opponent?  Maybe.  NOTRE DAME by 26

#8 Oklahoma Sooners at Oklahoma State Cowboys : I'll bet the Cowboys wanted to be the team to hand the Sooners their first loss.  Unfortunately, now that that first loss has happened, the Sooners will work extra hard to ensure it doesn't happen again so soon.  OKLAHOMA by 16

#20 Kansas State Wildcats at #9 Texas Longhorns : The Wildcats have now entered the toughest stretch of their schedule, and the Longhorns will start their decline.  TEXAS by 20

#10 Penn State Nittany Lions at Maryland Terrapins : After last week, I think Maryland and their fans have to be concerned that the Terrapins are facing at least two more big losses.  Here's one.  PENN STATE by 18

Army Black Knights at #11 Air Force Falcons : Why don't we just award the Commander-in-Chief's trophy to Air Force right now and spare the embarrassment?  AIR FORCE by lots

LSU Tigers at #12 Alabama Crimson Tide : LSU is knocking on the door to the Top 25, but the Tide have answered the door.  That's worse than seeing a shotgun or a big dog.  ALABAMA by 15

Boise State Broncos at #13 Fresno State Bulldogs : The Bulldogs will knock off another Mountain West contender, setting up a match-up with Air Force.  FRESNO STATE by 16

#24 Texas A&M Aggies at #14 Ole Miss Rebels : The Rebels are a tough team this year, and with losses by A^M and LSU this week will set them up to challenge Alabama for the West title.  OLE MISS by 20

Virginia Tech Hokies at #16 Louisville Cardinals : The Cardinals are proving to be a serious power in the ACC, and perhaps poised to challenge Florida State for the conference title.  The Hokies won't be too large an obstacle.  LOUISVILLE by 18

UConn Huskies at #18 Tennessee Volunteers : Easy pick.  TENNESSEE by lots

Campbell at #19 North Carolina Tar Heels : Even easier pick. NORTH CAROLINA by tons

#21 Miami Hurricanes at NC State Wolf Pack : This might be an interesting challenge for the Hurricanes, but their tenacious defense will see them through.  MIAMI by 13

#22 Kansas Jayhawks at Iowa State Cyclones : The Jayhawks have to keep their cool and get overly crazed over their upset of Oklahoma, as they will need to pay attention to the Cyclones.  A possible upset here.  KANSAS by six

Arizona State Sun Devils at #23 Utah Utes : Utah gets to bounce back from a bad loss, but they can't feel too comfortable.  UTAH by 16

#25 Oregon State Beavers at Colorado Buffaloes : Upset alert!  Away from home, the Beavers aren't quite so strong, and Colorado has been getting a bit better the past couple of weeks.  OREGON STATE by four

Big Ten

Wisconsin Badgers at Indiana Hoosiers : The Badgers prevent the Hoosiers from gaining their first conference win of the season while simultaneously holding their place in the West title race.  WISCONSIN by eight

Nebraska Cornhuskers at Michigan State Spartans : The other team looking for their first conference win will also fall, although not without some difficulty.  NEBRASKA by nine

Illinois Fighting Illini at Minnesota Golden Gophers : If the Illini learned what they screwed up on during the second half of the Wisconsin game, and can hold onto a lead, they might surprise Minnesota, as the defense is coming together.  I'm not sure they've fixed it, though.  MINNESOTA by nine

Iowa Hawkeyes at Northwestern Wildcats : Northwestern is coming on, but Iowa had an extra week to heal and work up new defensive strategies (as if they really needed any new ones!).  IOWA by ten

Other Games of Interest

Tulane Green Wave at East Carolina Pirates : The Pirates won't be able to steal a win from the surging Green Wave.  TULANE by 16

James Madison Dukes at Georgia State Panthers : This might be the last chance for someone to beat James Madison.  If they haven't fully recovered from the tight bout they fought with Old Dominion, they might fall.  I don't think so, but watch for a possible upset.  JAMES MADISON by six

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Liberty Flames : The Flames, on the other hand, don't really have nay stiff competition in the Conference USA this year.  LIBERTY by 24

Kentucky Wildcats at Mississippi State Bulldogs : This is an important game for Kentucky.  In recent years, the Wildcats start the season strong, and then slip when they start losing against tough SEC opponents.  They need a good SEC win to reverse that trend.  I think they'll pull out a win, but it'll be too close for comfort.  KENTUCKY by four

SMU Mustangs at Rice Owls : The Mustangs are running wild, and the Owls can only watch.  SMU by lots

UCLA Bruins at Arizona Wildcats : Arizona won't engineer two upsets in a row.  UCLA by 16

NCAA 2023 Week 9 results

 We lost Oklahoma from the ranks of the unbeatens, and upsets really through the middle of the rankings in chaos.

Top 25 [Last week's position]

1.  MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (8-0) [1]

2. Ohio State Buckeyes (8-0) [2]

3.  Florida State Seminoles (8-0) [5]

4.  Washington Huskies (8-0) [4]

5.  Georgia Bulldogs (8-0) [6]

6.  Oregon Ducks (7-1) [8]

7.  Notre Dam Fighting Irish (6-2) [7]

8.  Oklahoma Sooners (7-1) [3]

9.  Texas Longhorns (7-1) [9]

10. Penn State Nittany Lions (7-1) [10]

11. Air Force Falcons (8-0) [11]

12. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-1) [12]

13. Fresno State Bulldogs (7-1) [15]

14. Ole Miss Rebels (7-1) [18]

15. Missouri Tigers (7-1) [17]

16. Louisville Cardinals (7-1) [22]

17. USC Trojans (7-2) [16]

18. Tennessee Volunteers (6-2) [20]

19. North Carolina Tar Heels (6-2) [14]

20. Kansas State Wildcats (6-2) [24]

21. Miami Hurricanes (6-2) [23]

22. Kansas Jayhawks (6-2) [NR]

23. Utah Utes (6-2) [13]

24. Texas A&M Aggies (5-3) [25]

25. Oregon State Beavers (6-2) [19]

 Dropped off: Duke Blue Devils [#21]

On the Cusp:  SMU Mustangs (6-2), LSU Tigers (6-2), James Madison Dukes (8-0), Liberty Flames (8-0), Toledo Rockets (7-1), Tulane Green Wave (7-1), Iowa Hawkeyes (6-2), UCLA Bruins (6-2)

Upset Alert

Kansas' victory over Oklahoma was the big one this week, but it wasn't the only one.  It started Friday night, as Virginia Tech completely blanked Syracuse.  Northwestern handed Maryland their third loss, Georgia Tech knocked off North Carolina, and the Pac-12 had a rough night:  both Arizona teams won, beating Washington State and Oregon State.

Big Ten Report

The East division continues to progress pretty much as expected, although Maryland is basically out of contention, unless they can surprise two of the division leaders.  Michigan State and Indiana are still seeking their first conference win, as both face bowl ineligibility with one more loss.

The West division got more interesting this week.  With Wisconsin's loss, it is really anybody's battle.  While Purdue and Illinois are two games behind, everyone else is easily within reach of the title.  

MAC Attack

Miami Ohio and Toldeo are pulling away from the rest of the packs,