Week 8: Tweeted Picks

Another week of survival looms, as top contenders face tricky road games and stern home tests. There are no real glamour games on the schedule, but it’s college football – you know it will be entertaining nonetheless. It’s also Penn State-Michigan week, which means that we Nittany Lions enter a week of coming up with new and fresh ways to trash our most hated rival. Be advised – t-shirt stores in State College are not the most family-friendly places during this week. The Freshman Fifteen doesn’t endorse crass, demeaning, bawdy remarks, but still will find ways to appropriately and respectfully trash M!($#!&@n (that word is akin to a curse word in my household). All in good fun, of course – I’m sure the folks in Ann Arbor and the surrounding areas are fine people. I just can’t stand their football team.

I’m away all week at a conference with little internet access, so for the sake of time I have to make this a short post. So let’s have a little fun and do the game descriptions Twitter-style (140 characters or less). Here are my 15 tweets for the week:

1. Penn State at Michigan

Dominant PSU defense rattles young Mich. QB’s, Lions roar to first win in Big House in over a decade

Penn State 27, Michigan 13

2. Tennessee at Alabama

Upset alert for Bama as they face tough Vol defense, but Bama’s D carries them to low-scoring victory

Alabama 16, Tennessee 10

3. Auburn at LSU

Used to be premier SEC West game. LSU uses home field and close game experience to win battle of the Tigers

LSU 34, Auburn 24

4. TCU at BYU

TCU D dominated Max Hall & Cougars last year, no reason to think this year will be any different

TCU 21, BYU 13

5. Oregon State at USC

Beavers have USC’s number recently, pull another huge upset against extra-vulnerable Trojans

Oregon State 23, USC 22

6. Oklahoma at Kansas

Sooners regroup and get impressive road win that ignites strong second half of schedule

Oklahoma 41, Kansas 20

7. Boston College at Notre Dame

Cardiac Irish steal another close one, bounce back from heartbreaker against ACC Atlantic’s best offering

Notre Dame 31, Boston College 28

8. South Florida at Pittsburgh

Pitt improving week by week, USF offense not good enough to keep up

Pittsburgh 34, South Florida 21

9. Texas at Missouri

UT still not living up to expectations, survive another week but upsets will come soon

Texas 28, Missouri 14

10. Iowa at Michigan State

Iowa stronger on road than at home, use grit and guts to pass another test in Lansing

Iowa 23, Michigan State 17

11. Georgia Tech at Virginia

Suddenly surging, ACC leading Cavs make Thomas Jefferson proud with win over GT squad primed for letdown after last week’s emotional win

Virginia 28, Georgia Tech 27

12. Clemson at Miami (FL)

Miami continues re-emergent season with another big win

Miami (FL) 33, Clemson 20

13. Arkansas at Mississippi

Hogs have little left after near-miss in Gainesville, Ole Miss offense restarts engines against vulnerable Arkansas D

Mississippi 38, Arkansas 24

14. Oregon at Washington

Ducks avoid same fate as USC by squeaking past inspired U-Dub

Oregon 26, Washington 21

15. Connecticut at West Virginia

UConn plays inspired football and get upset win for tragically fallen teammate

Connecticut 24, West Virginia 20

Next: Saturday wrap-up that promises to be less terse, more verbose