It’s Thanksgiving Week. And since we all don’t want to spend the weekend worrying that we picked the turkey in a college football game, I’ll make this one a little easier. Most of these are easy pickings. Besides, it’s week 13 and there may be some here who are superstitious. Don’t want that bad luck effecting them. This is also Rivalry week, by the way. So a lot of the good teams are playing rivals that aren’t very good, but sometimes mediocre teams surprise their better rivals.  Maybe this wont be so easy after all.

(Rankings this week are based on the AP poll, since the new play off poll hasn’t come out yet. I’m sending this earlier on Tuesday than normal since we’re having company later and I don’t want to be rude.)

Enjoy! Just get the choices in by Friday morning at 12 noon EST, since the tie breaker game starts then. 

1. Western Michigan (6-5) @ #24 Toledo (9-1)
2. Oregon St (2-9) @ #18 Oregon (8-3)
3. #20 Washington State (8-3) @ Washington (5-6)
4. #3 Iowa (11-0) @ Nebraska (5-6) 
5. #8 Ohio State m(10-1) @ #12 Michigan (9-2)
6. #22 UCLA (8-3) @ USC (7-4)
7. #11 North Carolina (10-1) @ NC State (7-4)
8. #2 Alabama (10-1) @ Auburn (6-5)
9. #19 Ole Miss @ #23 Mississippi State (both 8-3)
10. Tie breaker: Miami (FL) (7-4) @ Pitt (8-3) pick winner and score.

It’s Week 12 in the Pigskin Picks. Most teams are down to their last chance to get a big bowl bid. Otherwise, it’s playing for pride only in a “No One Has Ever Heard of or Cares About It” Bowl. Do you know there are 40 bowl games now? And only four teams get a playoff bid. Money. That’s the reason. But I digress.

This week features games with teams that on paper are evenly matched, or nearly so. Some of these are rivalry games, some will decide which teams go to conference championship games. It should be a challenge for the teams on the filed. And a real challenge to us amateurs trying to pick winners. Have fun, folks!

And get those picks in by Friday @ 8:00 p.m. EST, as the first game is at that time.

1. Cincinnati @ South Florida (both 6-4)

2. Memphis @ Temple (both 8-2)

3. #9 LSU (7-2) @ #25 Ole Miss (7-3)

4. #18 Northwestern @ #21 Wisconsin (both 8-2)

5. Tennessee (6-4) @ Mizzou (5-5)

6. Arizona (6-5) @ Arizona State (5-5)

7. #22 USC @ #23 Oregon (both 7-3)

8. #6 Baylor (8-1) @ Oklahoma State (10-0)

9. #15 TCU @ #12 Oklahoma (both 9-1)

10. Tie Breaker: Pick winner and final score – #13 Michigan State (9-1) @ #3 Ohio State (10-0)

Eleven. An odd number of double ones. Unbeaten. Not odd, but fewer teams have that record each week. Six left. Three or four games remain in the season. Here are ten of those games, but not many of these are unbeaten. Guess the winners and the score of the last one, which is unbeaten Baylor hosting once beaten Oklahoma. It’s the Big 12, which might make this game have an “unreasonable” score, according to Chas. He means that scores don’t go over 21 a lot. But this is the Big 12.

Rankings are the Playoff Rankings; team records are in parentheses. Choose by noon Saturday.

1. Georgia (6-3) @ Auburn (5-4)

2. North Carolina State (6-3) @ #16 Florida State (7-2)

3. #2 Alabama (8-1) @ #17 Mississippi State (7-2)

4. New Mexico (5-4) @ Boise State (7-2)

5. #21 Memphis (8-1) @ #24 Houston (9-0)

6. Nebraska (4-6) @ Rutgers (3-6)

7. Oregon (6-3) @ #7 Stanford (8-1)

8. Miami FL (6-3) @ #23 North Carolina (8-1)

9. Pillow Fight: Texas-San Antonio (1-8) @ Charlotte (2-7)

10. Tie breaker: Guess Winner and Final Score: #12 Oklahoma (8-1) @ #6 Baylor (8-0)

The Hallowe’en scare is over. Most of us would rather forget that disastrous weekend when only Chas got more than half the games correct. Our scores resembled the Sun Belt Conference records – 8 of 11 teams are below .500 this year. No, we’ll forge on to bigger games. Chas chose an all-North Carolina tie breaker. A game to decide the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy with Army visiting Air Force, while Navy takes on undefeated Memphis. Several other Top 25 teams go against each other this week.  Oh, and there is a pillow fight. It’s a battle-for-the-bottom involving different colleges from Michigan and Ohio. So have fun! Just post before noon Saturday.

1. Penn State @ Northwestern

2. #17 Florida State @ #3 Clemson

3. Army @ Air Force

4. Navy @ #15 Memphis

5. # 5 Texas Christian @ #12 Oklahoma State

6. Auburn @ #25 Texas A&M

7. #4 LSU @ #7 Alabama

8. Arizona @USC

9. Pillow Fight: Eastern Michigan @ Miami-Ohio (both 1-8)

10. Tie Breaker: Duke @ #21 North Carolina (Guess the winner and the final score.)

It’s time for a little fun in the Pigskin Picks: (Mostly) Losers Week!

We are 9 weeks into the College Football Season, and there are 12 undefeated teams. And here you have the chance to pick the winner of 10 college football games. Most of the no-loss teams get to rest this weekend, or are playing opponents with a much worse record, except for Temple, which hosts Notre Dame. So, rather than take it easy this week, Pigskin Picks gives us all a challenge: pick the winner of games involving losers. In other words, most of the games are more or less pillow fights. The tie breaker is kbells’ choice of Ole Miss at Auburn. Then, there is a game of local significance, featuring my alma mater and the team from just down the river. Yes, a Division II game from the Great Lakes Valley Conference is here for your challenge.

So enjoy Hallowe’en if that is your preference, or spend Saturday scared that you chose the wrong loser to win.

1. Truman State (4-4) @ Quincy, IL (2-5) – The game is only 17 miles from my house, but I’ll be a few miles from TSU’s field celebrating a birthday.

2. Central Florida (0-8) @ Cincinnati (4-3) – UCF is the #1 team in the ESPN Bottom 10 list, meaning they are currently considered the worst team in the FBS (Div 1-A).

3. Idaho (3-4) @ New Mexico State (0-7) – The “Other Aggies” are #2 on the above list. Idaho with 3 wins seems like a winning season for them (no offense to our own Idahoan).

4. Texas San Antonio (1-6) @  North Texas St. (0-7) – This game is a true Pillow Fight of the Week. Of course, UTSA has played some challenging opponents.

5. Louisiana-Monroe (1-6) @  Louisiana-Lafayette (2-4) – Bad vs. Worse in the Pelican State. Yes, there are other teams other than LSU there.

6. U-Mass (1-6) @ Ball State (2-6) – “UMess” hasn’t been in the FBS for a very long. And they haven’t won many games, either.

7. Florida-International (4-4) @ Florida-Atlantic (1-6) – Florida is well represented in the Bottom 10. Even Miami made it because of their 58-0 loss last week.

8. Nebraska (3-5) @  Purdue (1-6) – Enough of the lesser conferences. How about some B1G action? Although looking at these two teams this year, there hasn’t been enough action!

9. #9 Notre Dame (6-1) @  #21 Temple (7-0) – The only undefeated team playing a real challenging opponent.

10. Tie Breaker-Pick Winner and Final Score: #19 Ole Miss (6-2) @ Auburn (4-3) – The only other “big” game is an important one down South. Of course, an Auburn team with 3 losses sounds like a losing season to me.

Week 8. The season is more than half over. Four Texas teams this week. Only one ranked. A couple of he others are “rank” this year. An Alternate Universe is what college football this year. We have a military trifecta with all three of the major academies on the list. This week the Mountain West gets a non-Idaho game as a representative, since Boise State hosts the 1 win team from Wyoming. We need a challenge this week, no? (Ironic that this game has Broncos hosting Cowboys.)

Go at it folks. Pick your favorites or go according to team colors. I hope the logos make it, since I used a different method of putting them in this time. And get those picks in before 12:00 noon EDT Saturday.

1. Kansas  State @ Texas – Can Texas make something of this season? Can Kansas State?

2. Texas Tech @ #17 Oklahoma – Red Raiders cross the Red River. This game may be over “Sooner” than the Raiders wish.

3. Fresno State @ Air Force –  Bulldogs go to the Rocky Mountains to meet the Flyboys. The Mountain West middle-of-the-pack teams.

4. Tulane @ Navy – The Green Wave vs. the Midshipmen. Interesting scenario for a novel. A Naval Novel?

5. Tennessee @ #8 Alabama – Crimson Tide hosts Volunteers. Is this a suicide mission for the Vols?

6. #15 Texas A&M @ #24 Ole Miss – The Rebels need a win against the Aggies. A&M has a slim chance of going to the SEC Championship (if Alabama loses another game and A&M beats LSU.) Slim chance for sure.

7. Washington State @ Arizona – Cougars vs. Wildcats. Cat fight in the desert. Should be a “Wild” one.

8. #3 Utah @ USC – Well, talk about alternate universes! Utah #3? USC unranked?

9. Power-Pillow Fight: Georgia Southern @ Appalachian State – Okay, so these two teams are not losers. They are the best teams in the worst conference. Thus the added adjective.

10. Tie Breaker – Pick Winner and Final Score: Army @ Rice – The Knights have a new logo. Will it help them win? I doubt the Owls give a hoot about it.

Note from AJ: The logos keep disappearing. They’re there when I copy, but not when I paste. Sorry. 😦

Lucky 7, or some say. Maybe week 7 of Pickled Pigskin Picks will be lucky for someone not named Tychicus, IBNO or kbells. I don’t believe in luck. If you do, pick the games based on something other than the logical choice. Just pick 10 winners and the score of the Tie Breaker, which this week is a Big 12 matchup, chosen by last week’s winner Tychicus. And get those entries in by Friday 9:00 PM EDT when Boise State takes on Utah State. Oh, and the other Idaho school is in the Pillow fight against Troy of Alabama, both 1 and 4 on the season.

1. Boise State @ Utah State

2. #17 Iowa @ #20 Northwestern

3. Purdue @ Wisconsin

4. #10 Alabama @ #9 Texas A&M

5. Vanderbilt @ South Carolina

6. USC @ #14 Notre Dame

7. Arizona @ Colorado

8. Boston College @ #5 Clemson

9. Pillow Fight: Idaho @ Troy

10. Tie Breaker: Guess winner and final score – West Virginia @ #2 Baylor

It’s time once again for that foray into futility for some, or that venture into victory for others. Peter’s Pickled Pigskin Picks is back. Some big games are on tap, and some that seem like they’ll be easy to pick. It’s the Red River Rivalry game weekend. Remember when it mattered? It still does along the Texas-Oklahoma border. There is also the traditional Navy vs. Notre Dame rivalry. This year should prove interesting since Navy is undefeated, but has to go to South Bend to play a team that got embarrassed last week down South. The Pillow Fight is here, along with a contest from the SEC East (even though the game is on the Mid West) for the tie breaker. Have at it!

1. #10 Oklahoma @ Texas – Remember when this was a game between two great teams?

2. Arkansas @ #8 Alabama – Alabama needs it’s ‘A’ game if it wants to be considered a champion again.

3. #25 Boise State @ Colorado State – Broncos and Rams. I remember when CSU was an also ran in the old Western Athletic Conference. Now it is an also ran in another conference.

4. Duke @  Army – Can Army make something of this season?

    5.   Navy @ #15 Notre Dame – See above.

6. #13 Northwestern @ #18 Michigan – Remember when Northwestern was the floor mat of the Big 10? Times have changed.

7. Oregon State @ Arizona – Arizona needs this one after two humiliating losses to California teams.

8. #23 Cal @  #5 Utah – I remember when Utah was a door mat in the old WAC with CSU. Times have changed.

9. Pillow Fight: UConn (2-3) @ Central Florida (0-5) – Huskies in Florida. Not what I think of when I think of warm climates.

     10. Tie Breaker (pick winner and score): #11 Florida @  Mizzou – Tigers at home against a team that used to be great. I wonder if Mizzou has Gatorade on their sidelines?

Remember: Get those picks in before noon on Saturday, as that is when the action begins!

Put on your prognosticating shoes, folks. Ten more contests on the gridiron to guess the winner. I have included a Pillow Fight, between two teams that can’t seem to win very much. That game also gives Tychicus an extra Big 12 game. And don’t forget to predict the score of the Tie Breaker Game, which is a tough one this week. IBNO chose the Middle Tennessee at Illinois game, since he was last week’s winner. What’s so hard about it? Well, even though MidTen is in a minor conference (C-USA) and Illinois is one of the bottom feeders in the B1G 10, who can say who will win?

So there you are, fellow Wanderers. Have at it.

  1. Boise State @ Virginia (Friday ​7:00 EDT) – Mumsee’s Broncos visit the East Coast.

  2. #24 Oklahoma State @ Texas – The other Oklahoma school crosses the Red River.

  3. #3 TCU @ Texas Tech – Two tough Texas teams tangle together.

  4. Central Florida @ South Carolina – Gamecocks get a breather. Maybe.

  5. Navy @ Connecticut – Midshipmen go to the state where a lot of their ships are made.

  6. #9 UCLA @ # 16 Arizona – This one could decide the PAC-12 South.

  7. #25 Mizzou @ Kentucky – Can the Tigers continue to surprise the SEC?

  8. Mississippi State @ (unranked???) Auburn – Hmm. I wonder if Miss. St. can win at Auburn.

  9. (Pillow Fight) Kansas (0-2) @ Rutgers (1-2) – Jayhawks and Knights. Yawn.

10. Tie Breaker: Middle Tennessee @ Illinois (Guess the winner and the score.) – Some major schools need minor opponents in order to feel like they are having a good season.

Remember: pick winners of all games; guess the final score of the tie breaker, trying not to duplicate someone else’s guess; enter by 7:00pm EDT Friday.

Disclaimer: One entry per person. Prizes include boasting rights and the right to pick the next tie breaker game. Nothing else. Nada. Aught. Diddly. Zippo. Zilch. Zero. No new cars or cash prizes, regardless of the desire or need of the winner.