Six Pick: Week 13

I told you the madness would come, but even I didn't realize it would be this damn crazy. It's not done with, either. Two weeks of big games among good, but flawed teams, means more late nights and ever changing BCS game scenarios. I had a dozen legit games to choose from before narrowing down to these 6. My apologies to Notre Dame at Stanford, FSU at Florida, Clemson at South Carolina and others, it was impossible to get them all in.

Sadly #beercontrolfather has a busy week, as I am sure the rest of you do too. The time crunch kept this week's Six Pick brief, but I love this week. It's not because of the short work week, or the turkey, it's because of college football. It's not just any ole week, either it's rivalry or hate week. These games are the most intense between the teams, fans and coaches. Get the meat sweats, drink hard from the bottle and most importantly soak in the passion, the energy and all the HATE. Here's to hoping college football has saved it's the best for last.

Friday, November 25th

3 Arkansas at 1 LSU -12 --Battle for the Golden Boot-- 2:30 pm CBS

If the CFB gods want to wrap this regular season up in a nice tidy bow, LSU wins this game and heads to the ATL next week to beat UGA in the SECCG. However, if chaos is the path, like in 2007, Arkansas wins and they throw the shit into the BCS fan. Unlike 2007, Arkansas has a bigger role than just playing potential spoiler to LSU. Win and the Razorbacks potentially form a 3-way SEC West tie with Bama and LSU. The highest ranked team in the BCS would win the division ... only those who want to see the world burn are for this. Naturally, I am for this.

Pick and Rationale: Arkansas getting the points, but losing. I just have a feeling this game will be close. I am well aware the Razorback defense is soft and their quarterback Tyler Wilson takes a beating. However I think Petrino will expose the Honey Badger in pass coverage and the Bayou Bengal offense will grind it out and be pedestrian.

Saturday, November 26th

13 Georgia -6 at 23 Georgia Tech --Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate-- noon ESPN

Nerds versus Thwgs. Unlike in Virginia, the engineering school is considered the academic superior to the liberal arts university. Also unlike here in the Commonwealth, the liberal arts school dominates the football series. Paul Johnson made it a point, that winning this rivalry game was very important. I believed him, up until the day he hired algroh. These fan bases don't care for each, I recommend following as many of them on Twitter as possible.

Pick and Rationale: GT getting points, losing very close. The dawgs have a good defense, but let's see how disciplined they are stopping the triple option. I do not like GT's secondary and I think that will be their downfall versus a very good passer in Aaron Murray.

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Ohio State at 15 Michigan -8 --The Game-- noon ABC

This is the top interstate rivalry in college football. For seven years Michigan has lost to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Former coach Jim Tressel first owned Lloyd Carr and then DickRod, but suddenly the tables have turned in quite an amazing fashion. Michigan is now the strong favorite. Brady Hoke commands the Wolverines and you get the sense he'd cut his mom with a rusty shank if it meant a victory over the Buckeyes. Michigan just fleeced Nebraska and now they look to take seven years of frustration out on a team that might have quit on their interim head coach. The celebration that will happen in Ann Arbor if this happens could be epic and worthy of the law to step in. We can all hope.

Pick and Rationale: Michigan, beating the doors off the Ohio State University. This pick is 100% gut, I have that feeling where the Wolverines are going to play out of their damn minds.

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2 Alabama -21 at 24 Auburn --Iron Bowl-- 3:30 pm CBS

Seriously, a tramp stamp?

In a perfect Nick Saban world (blemish on the record and over signing scrutiny withstanding) Alabama houses Auburn, LSU wins and plays in the SECCG. That would leave the Tide with the backdoor route to the BCSCG. The problem is Auburn. So many times the favorite in this rivalry has either had to squeak by or lost. Everyone knows how much each side despises the other, so I won't even try to do it justice with words. I recommend watching ESPN's 30 for 30, Roll Tide / War Eagle for a refresher. Until then Roll DAMN Eagle.

Pick and Rationale: Auburn getting points, Bammer winning by a couple of scores. Too much talent, too well coached and Alabama won't need to win by a field goal.

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19 Penn State at 16 Wisconsin -14.5 3:30 pm ESPN

The winner of this game is the Leaders Division champ and will play Michigan State for the B1G Championship. Kudos to the players on Penn State for regrouping, focusing and taking care of bidness last week against Ohio State. Obviously they overcame the initial pressure of the scandal and the loss of JoePaPa. The Nittany Lions played some of their best football all season. Now they face #ALLRUSSELLALMOSTEVERYTHING and more importantly running back Montee Ball in Madison. Wisconsin has lost to two bad beats this season, but they have the chance to redeem one of them by winning and heading to Indianapolis. The question, is are they looking ahead or focused on the team before them?

Pick and Rationale: Wisconsin laying the points. I think the Badgers get it rolling on Penn State early and don't let up. Two quick scores and the Nittany Lions will fold.

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5 Virginia Tech - 5 at Virginia --Battle for the Commonwealth-- 3:30 pm (ABC / ESPN2)

I am not going to beat a dead horse. This game is important. School pride, recruiting, publicity and of course the winner gets the ACC Coastal Crown. There is a nervous energy around this game on the Hokie side and a sense of hope and destiny up the the road in C-ville. Sure it was nice when the hoos were the punching bag, but come on admit it, this rivalry is better now that there is more riding on who wins. Some group is going to be crushed. One side is going to be proven overrated, the hoos being ranked at all or our Hokies riding high in the BCS poll. This game isn't for the feint of heart type, expect a physical battle on Saturday.

Pick and Rationale: Virginia getting the points. I think this is a field goal game. I think the Hokies win, but would not be surprised if they lost. The VT talent edge has narrowed on defense and whatever uva lacks with playmakers on O, they make up for with execution and toughness. These are not your algroh's hoos, they will come out hungry and want to end their 7 game skid. VT will have to match intensity, protect the ball and hit on enough big plays to loosen the defense. Logan Thomas is going to have to win this game and add to his growing legend.

Hate Week / Love Beer

This is my second New Belgium Beer of the year, but I couldn't turn down buying a couple of deuce deuces of this limited time only Fresh Hop IPA. If you've never had a fresh hop beer, you are missing out as it shows off a different side to my favorite flower.

Quick Recap:

Remember these pics are against the spread.

Are-kan-saw at LSU -12
uga -6 at GiT
theOhio State at MissAagain -8
Roll Damn Tide -21 at War Damn Eagle
State Penn at Wisky -14.5
Fightin' Gobblers -5 at wahoowa