I want this thread to be as informative as possible. . . add reasoning to your pick everyday if you wish. Please do not just post your pick. . . explain to us why you have made this selection. Share with the forum your reasoning! Please just use one message and add to it or delete as much as you wish. Hell, if you change your mind, simply erase your pick and add the new one!
Everyone on this forum has a spot within this thread and I hope they take it in order to help others. . . knowledge is power so lets clean up and start the new year with money in our pockets.
I would appreciate it if you would keep this clean and refrain from any other post except for your best pick.
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My best pick:
Minnesota -2? over Oregon
I feel the Golden Gophers are a couple games away from greatness while the Ducks are a couple games away from not even making a bowl game. Oregon has been a traditional power the past few years and are fresh in the minds of everyone who follows college football. The Gophers? Well, they have always been hanging on the edge of greatness but never able to get over the hump. It nearly started with Michigan as they had this game but the Wolves pulled that one out of their ass. Oregon needed basically a miracle to get over Cal. Besides Iowa, which might have been the most difficult field to play on in the Big 10, the Gophers have been in every single game. . . usually on the winning side. Oregon has been smoked on more than one occasion. One that stands out is Arizona State which in my mind is a horrible loss.
I feel this line is a product of past glory vs. a team that has yet to really hit the national radar. Yes, Vegas picked the Gophers as the favorite, but I feel they would be nearly a touchdown favorite (even on a neutral field) if past glory was forgotten. I feel the Sagarin predictor rating for each team exposes this:
Minnesota 85.15
Oregon 74.18
In the end, I honestly see nothing short of a blowout here. . . that will surprise several I assume. This kind of reminds me a little of Oregon State vs. Notre Dame a few years back where Notre Dame was a slight dog but it could not have been derived from the year they had but most likely past glory. Oregon State was the newcomer unexperienced in bowl games but clearly the better team. I feel we have the same situation with this matchup.
Will likely add more as I find it. . .
Everyone on this forum has a spot within this thread and I hope they take it in order to help others. . . knowledge is power so lets clean up and start the new year with money in our pockets.
I would appreciate it if you would keep this clean and refrain from any other post except for your best pick.
================================
My best pick:
Minnesota -2? over Oregon
I feel the Golden Gophers are a couple games away from greatness while the Ducks are a couple games away from not even making a bowl game. Oregon has been a traditional power the past few years and are fresh in the minds of everyone who follows college football. The Gophers? Well, they have always been hanging on the edge of greatness but never able to get over the hump. It nearly started with Michigan as they had this game but the Wolves pulled that one out of their ass. Oregon needed basically a miracle to get over Cal. Besides Iowa, which might have been the most difficult field to play on in the Big 10, the Gophers have been in every single game. . . usually on the winning side. Oregon has been smoked on more than one occasion. One that stands out is Arizona State which in my mind is a horrible loss.
I feel this line is a product of past glory vs. a team that has yet to really hit the national radar. Yes, Vegas picked the Gophers as the favorite, but I feel they would be nearly a touchdown favorite (even on a neutral field) if past glory was forgotten. I feel the Sagarin predictor rating for each team exposes this:
Minnesota 85.15
Oregon 74.18
In the end, I honestly see nothing short of a blowout here. . . that will surprise several I assume. This kind of reminds me a little of Oregon State vs. Notre Dame a few years back where Notre Dame was a slight dog but it could not have been derived from the year they had but most likely past glory. Oregon State was the newcomer unexperienced in bowl games but clearly the better team. I feel we have the same situation with this matchup.
Will likely add more as I find it. . .
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