Six Pick: Week Ten

Welcome to week 10 of the Six Pick, or as it is correctly called, Super Bowl Saturday. The nation's top two teams are set to square off in Tuscaloosa on CBS during primetime; rare treat of hearing Uncle Vern and not Brent Musburger call the game. No. 1 vs No. 2 during the regular season has only happened 16 times since War World II. A few of the previous games were also called the 'Game of the Century', the most renowned were: '66 Notre Dame - Michigan State, '69 Texas - Arkansas and '71 Nebraska - Oklahoma. Only Beano Cook remembers those games, I however vividly recall '89 Notre Dame - Michigan, '91 Miami - FSU and '93 Notre Dame - FSU from my late teens. Those games made me a college football junkie, leaving me craving my next fix. It's a new century now and time to hook new fans. Let's hope this game does just that and justifies 'The Game of the Century' label. Laissez les bons temps rouler.

A special by request art work from a TKP friend @GovernorofDixie. His weekend cartoon preview of the SEC is can't miss and he is a must follow on Twitter.

A few of my reader's will quickly recognize this modified children's story. If you have kids, there is a 99% chance you've read Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? Well in the Deep South, I like to imagine the story is told more like this:

Mike Slive, Mike Slive What do you see? I see a Green Gator looking at me.

Green Gator, Green Gator What do you see? I see a Yellow Tiger looking at me.

Yellow Tiger, Yellow Tiger What do you see? I see a Green Gator looking at me.

Green Gator, Green Gator What do you see? I see a Gray Elephant looking at me.

Gray Elephant, Gray Elephant What do you see? I see a Orange Tiger looking at me.

Orange Tiger, Orange Tiger What do you see? I see Everyone looking at me.

Everyone, Everyone What do you see? I see 5 straight National Champions, the Game of the Century and pilesonpilesonpiles of cash looking at me.

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This week will be a bit different. The games won't be presented in chronological order, instead I am going to treat this week's Six Pick as a prize fight and start with the under card and working my way to the Main Event. After each pick, I will give my rationale for the selection.

Saturday, November 5th

The Undercard

Louisville at 24 West Virginia -13.5 noon MASN / ESPN-GP / ESPN3

The Late Warren Zevon has this game covered.

The Big East - Big 12 subplots outshine this game for sure, and one has to think Louisville is going to Morgantown fired up. The Cardinals are leaving behind their band, cheerleaders and possibly fans in this screw you game. While WVU has more talent and exponentially more scoring ability, the 'ville will be playing hard behind pride and their defense. This game, even for a nooner, could be chippy from the outset. Even if no one is watching, this is primetime to these guys, since it's not been played on Wednesday or Friday night. Don't laugh ACC fans, if the Big East goes Comcastic, who do you think the Worldwide leader is shifting to those undesirable television broadcast times and channels?

Pick & Rationale: Louisville getting the points. Stats, talent and home field all favor the neers, but I think the B12 spurned Cardinals will play UP and keep the game closer than 2 touchdowns.

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19 Arizona State -9.5 at UCLA 7:30 pm Versus

Look, I have no clue what the hell is going to happen in this game, no one does. If they do, they are lying. These are two very flawed and inconsistent teams, both are susceptible to being sucker punched and getting knocked out quick. The thing is, the winner has the inside track to be the Pac 12's South representative in their championship game. Think this burns Lane Kiffin? It is my opinion that the Pac 12 should settle this in the most dignified and competitive way possible ... go Coed for Coed until a winner is clearly determined. If it goes to overtime, recent alumni are eligible.

Pick & Rationale: Arizona State covering. The Sun Devils season has looked like this, W-W-L-W-W-W-L-W. UCLA on the other hand, L-W-L-W-L-W-L-W. Seems Arizona State is due for a win and UCLA is due for a loss. Since this games concerns the spread, one must note when the Bruins lose, they get BLODE OUT.

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9 South Carolina at 7 Arkansas -4.5 7:15 pm ESPN / ESPN3

Two glossy records, both sporting just one loss each. One, if not both, may not be quite so good as their record and could be exposed Saturday. Arkansas is a dynamic offensive team while Sakerlina in a shut em down defensive team. A battle of styles, that favors the more balanced Razorbacks, who play a little better defense than the Gamecocks play offense. The Ole Ball Coach's team is in a bad spot. The offense which was hardly explosive is down their starting party boy icon quarterback and all star running back. There is a lot of sad irony, Bobby Petrino's squad passing all over the place while Spurrier's pedestrian offensive outfit watches on the sideline. I want twenty somethings to know, that back in the 90's Spurrier's offense was a high flying, flinging it all over the damn place, machine that single handily lifted the SEC from the 1950's to the modern era. Spurrier was also a grade-A asshole back then, I like to hold onto those two memories when I think about him.

Pick & Rationale: Arkansas covering by a lot more than the spread. Sure Sakerlina will likely will batter the Razorbacks' QB Tylers Wilson, but unless their defense scores multiple touchdowns, the 'Cocks are in trouble.

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8 Oregon -14.5 at Washington 10:30 pm FSN

This is an intriguing matchup to me. Last seen, the Huskies were getting tuned up by Stanford' ground attack. You know who runs the ball better (albeit differently) than the Cardinal ... the Oregon Ducks. Doh! Looks like a mismatch, but Udub has a couple things working for them, a potential look ahead week for UO and all world running blur LaMichael James and quarterback Darron Thomas are banged up. Both will play, but how well is a concern, especially for Thomas as he was pulled last week. The biggest worry for Chip Kelly's Ducks is they may be looking toward next week's game versus Stanford for first place and the Pac 12 championship game host. It's not like the Huskies aren't without talent and the Oregon defense is lights out, so any lack of focus could keep this game interesting. This is a circle 'em game for the home team.

Pick & Rationale: Washington getting the points. I am going on my gut, which is saying Oregon is due for a slip up. The combination of missing offensive stars and looking ahead to Stanford is going to find the Huskies a little more difficult to put away than a lot of people think.

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14 Kansas State at 3 Oklahoma State -21.5 8:00 pm ABC or ESPN2 / ESPN3

Before I get into this game, you should notice by now, that this week's elite games are all night games. Could it have killed ABC to drop one, preferably this one to the 3:30 slot? I digress. Upset Saturdays are en vogue, will there be another one this week in Stillwater? The Cowboys have to be getting stars in their eyes and looking ahead to Bedlam, right? Gundy and Company have to know they are going to move up no. 2 after one of LSU or Bama loses, right? K-State's weakness is their secondary, an aerial carpet bombing is going to blast the Purple, right? The game is at home, at night with a frenzied crowd, how can Okie State lose, right? I am not saying the Cowboys, a three touchdown favorite, are going to lose, but I've been around enough to know teams can fall victim to read press clippings, puffed up egos and looking ahead. Another thing to consider is the Wildcats are going to be physical and run the ball at a pretty poor Okie State rush defense. Crazier things have happened, just ask the Sooners.

Pick & Rationale: Kansas State getting the points. Sometimes I like to lead the reader in one direction, then pick against that when the time comes. Not today, I think Okie State is due to have a not so crisp offensive game and some, if not all the factors above will keep the Wildcats in this one late.

The Main Event

1 LSU at 2 Alabama -4.5 8:00 pm CBS

"The contact that takes place when our defense is on the field is very sincere." — Les Miles on 10/31/2011. That quote is outstanding, and is just as true for the Crimson Tide defense.

There isn't anything I can say that won't be said more eloquently and better by everyone else this week. This is big time football, played at it's highest level and it will captivate the audience. You may hate the teams, the coaches, the conference, but you will sit, watch and respect. Nick Saban, is the best in the business, he's built 3 top 20 programs including LSU. While, a strong argument can be made Les Miles won the 2007 National Title with a lot Nick's players, that ship has sailed now. The Tigers are all the Mad Hatter's now; his guys, his style, his team. The Bayou Bengals unrelenting whirlwind of a defense is often times brilliant. The Crimson Tide are well schooled, sound and choke the life out of every offense they face. No quarter will be asked, none will be given. To hell with words, let's watch some grade-A violence in the name of college pride.

Pick & Rationale: LSU not only getting the points, but winning outright. I am all the way in on Les Miles and the Tigers for 2011. I love how road battle tested they are, how they handle multiple distractions centered around the team's best players and just keep on kickin' ass and pounding corndogs. Bama might have the better running back and statistically the best defense, but I like LSU due to their senior quarterback and the magic that is the Mad Hatter.

Beer of the Week:

This week's game calls for a strong beer, with lots of body, so naturally an American Imperial Stout. Founders Breakfast Stout fits what I am looking for this week. It is a big, chewy, with chocolate, hops, coffee, molasses, hints of oak and more hitting your taste buds on each sip.

Quick Recap:
Remember these pics are against the spread.

'ville at wvu -13.5
ASU -9.5 at UCLA
Sakerlina at Ar-Kan-saw -4.5
Oregon -14.5 at Udub
K-State at Okie St -21.5
LSU at Bama - 4.5