I actually love the Amazon TNF theme music.
I’m not gonna give a power ranking of all the network football theme musics but Jeff Bezos did a good job of hiring someone who hired someone who hired someone who hired someone to find the right composer (Pinar Toprak) for the theme. Toprak also wrote some music for Fortnite. She’s probably the DJ in Rave Cave. I was looking for my inspiration for this blog then I heard that music and I was ready to go.
Last week was another winning week, going 10-9 overall. The Toretto hit once again and, as I’m writing this, I’m thinking of keeping that train rolling. It was just great to have a full weekend of football back. After a Friday night of high school football, interviewing coaches all night (it’s not fun to come up with questions every week for some coaches whose(?) teams keep losing by 30+), waking up Saturday morning then going to do my job, it was amazing to turn on the ESPN multicast (underrated part of the ESPN app) and fire up the second screen (I can only afford two) and just take it all in. And to do it all again on Sunday was just splendid.
The Who Deys will pick it up and take care of business on Sunday (I will be taking the spread). NFL picks went 6-7 last week. I know I didn’t write them in the blog but just take my word for it. I don’t think I’m gonna make NFL picks in these write-ups. I’m just gonna (allegedly) make all my bets Sunday morning when my mind is solely focused on The Shield.
The (I’m running out of parentheses) SEC Insider went 2-2 last week, but the mouthwatering pick (Oregon -6.5) hit. I’m going to continue to tail the mouthweterers because why wouldn’t I? It’s an all SEC card this week.
And I guess we can officially welcome in the Prem League Advisor. After that stinker of a display last week, the Advisor is ready to go on Saturday. That will be below the Insider’s picks.
Let’s get to those picks.
CFB (18-16 in 2023 / 125-112-1 since 2022):
Dominic Toretto’s “Take it or leave it” Pick of the Week (2-0 in 2023, 8-5-1 overall): Colorado State at Colorado (-23.5) – It’s personal.
Army at UTSA (over 44) – Army scored 57 last week in a shutout win. Week one they lose on the road but ULM had the whole offseason to prep for the triple option. I think they’ll get theirs and UTSA will fill in the gaps.
Utah State at Air Force (over 46.5) – Kinda the same thing as above, but not really. Air Force has put up 42 already, Utah State scored 78 last week and 14 at Iowa in week one, which I think is pretty good.
LSU (-9.5 & over 54.5) at Mississippi State – I wanted to take Miss St. spread, and I started writing up why, then I looked at the Insider’s mouthwatering pick and had to change my mind. This is a big litmus test. I like the over, but if LSU covers, I may need to re-evaluate myself.
FSU at Boston College (over 48) – I guess it’s an overs week. FSU has 111 points in two games and BC is at home for the third straight time and have 55 points thus far. BC will be comfortable, but FSU will win.
Wake Forest at Old Dominion (+14) – Biggest home game of the year for ODU. I don’t trust Wake without Sam Hartman.
Louisville at Indiana (+10) – I love this. IU has their quarterback in Tayven Jackson and he can actually throw. This is the game that really determines how IU’s season will go.
Penn State at Illinois (+14.5) – Doesn’t Illinois always show up for these types of games? I know this may be the year for Penn State, but it’s still gonna come down to Michigan and OSU at the end of the year in the B1G East.
Bowling Green at Michigan (under 53.5) – Michigan just doesn’t allow a lot of points and the interim can’t screw up his last game as head coach. It’ll be conservative. But I’ll probably take the Michigan over next week.
Central Michigan at Notre Dame (over 51.5) – At least 42 in each game for ND. CMU gets 45 on the road last week. They only scored 7 at Michigan State week one but that’s week one on the road at a B1G team.
Alabama (-33.5) at South Florida – Bama just has to win this game by a gajillian
Western Michigan at Iowa (under 42) – Do we really think Brian Ferentz can get the offense to score 25 points?
South Carolina at Georgia (-27.5) – Different number than the Insider but I’m rolling with it.
South Alabama at Oklahoma State (-7) – Just a line I like.
Washington at Michigan State (+16.5 & over 56) – Barstool Pickem pick.
San Jose State at Toledo (over 57) – Another one I like from just looking at it. Great uniform matchup. And they’re 5-0 combined on the overs in their games.
Tennessee at Florida (+6.5) – Tailing the Insider.
Love and Honor at Cincinnati (-14) – I don’t think Miami is any good. Dumb statements about being the real Miami and then losing to an overrated UMASS.
Pitt at West Virginia (0ver 47) – Another Pickem pick but this game will be dirty. Dirty with points. Overs have hit in each of their games this season.
SEC Insider picks of the weekend (5-3 in 2023, 27-22-1 overall):
*The following is verbatim
Mouth Watering Pick of the Week (1-0 in 2023, 9-4 overall): LSU -9.5
People are writing off LSU after the FSU game. I am not ready to do so. I don’t think Miss State is built to play the style of football they’d like to play at this point. LSU is. LSU still has all of their goals in front of them and Kelly will have them prepared. Cowbells quiet down by mid 4th quarter.
Georgia -27
I think the damn breaks here. First SEC game, Kirby hates Beamer, fan base has been called on to be elite this weekend so atmosphere should be tough for the chickens. Think we see a more motivated football team this weekend. Dawgs offense opens up a bit this week imo. OL has looked horrible and think that flips this week too. South Carolina is not a good football team. Dawgs roll.
Florida +6.5
“A home team getting points…what’s better than that?” <- Musburger quote kinda contradicts the pick of the week eh? Tough place to play – I think Milton is a social media qb, very inconsistent. Fans will be rocking, big recruiting weekend, another big spot here for Sun Belt Billy.
Prem League Advisor pick of the weekend (0-0): Parlay Fulham ML (-155) and (sic) Totemham ML (-360) and get +110
“Fade the recent promotes, Luton is a great story but those boys are going down this year lock it in, Sheffield has shown slightly better quality on the pitch to start but (sic) Totemham at home will be too hot to handle”
Griffin Weinberg 