Predictions -- Week 5

Badness again last week with a 3-4 score, though hardly on par with the 0-5 from the previous week. Obviously my own stupidity might be at fault, but in the spirit of this season's greatest losers, I've decided it's easier to blame Tyrone Willingham.

Season vs spread: 7-11 (.389)

Smart things said last week?

UConn @ Pitt -9.5 -- WTF???? This is a toss up. Pitt is banged up all over the place. The Spartans tried to give a game to them and they wouldn't take it (for the second year in a row). Pitt might win this game, but is still way over-favored. UConn getting 9.5

UConn won by 20.

Dumb things said last week?

I don't care if it's Eastern Michigan getting only 7 points (a not-unrealistic possibility this season), always, always, always take whomever is playing against Michigan following an uplifting victory in Ann Arbor.

Eh... Success is just around the corner. All picks against Thursday night's ESPN spreads:

Southern Cal @ Washington +20.5
Washington has a brutal sked and is playing it reasonably well. This is the kind of game where USC will play just good enough to win, such as that fog battle with Oregon State a few years back. Of course, USC should win, but I could entertain arguments for an upset. So nearly 3 TD's is a bit wild of a spread. And would there be any greater amusement than a Ty Willingham team beating USC?
Washington, getting 20.5 pts

West Virginia @ South Florida +7
Maybe the biggest home game ever played by South Florida. I think they'll be more ready than a seven point dog.
South Florida, getting 7

Michigan @ Northwestern +17
Yeah, I know NW lost to Duke. But at least Duke is a 1A team. Michigan has only one win where their offense scored more than 17 pts, but that was playing against a small D3 school from Indiana. Northwestern will go down by a ton of points, and then catch up and cover in garbage time as Michigan pulls its defensive starters.
Northwestern, getting 17.

North Carolina @ Virginia Tech -18.5
A typically brutal schedule for Vermont (VT). They snuck past E. Carolina (is that even a state?), then ate dirt, 48-7, when the letters "LSU" got pasted on their foreheads. Recovery was sweet, kicking around Ohio (Hokies beat Bobcats -- coming to a HS playoff near you!). And last week, they beat the crap out of both William AND Mary, but didn't have the guts to take on Joseph as well. Got the idea? NC has Butch Davis. He's good and he's overdue for putting something together. Not calling an upset, but a close game.
North Carolina, getting 18.5

Iowa State @ Nebraska -21
Two words, Ball State, are worth more than three touchdowns.
Iowa State, getting 21

Kent State @ Ohio -3
Last year, after a slow start, Ohio roared through the MAC schedule and into the title game. They start again here with Kent.
Ohio, giving up 3 pts.

Louisville @ North Carolina State +8.5
With their defense, Louisville will need to score nine touchdowns to cover this spread. With their offense, they could. But NC State should not be this big of a dog at home.
NC State, getting 8.5