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I've been wanting to do this for a while and have either totally forgotten about it and/or haven't gotten the chance with other things going on. Here are my picks for this week's Big XII games. Going forward, I'll keep track of the games I pick correctly. I'm putting myself at a disadvantage here in the Pick 'Em since you'll know my picks before I know yours, but I'll stick to the Big XII to keep it workable. Anybody else (Brandon, pras, therm, Kate, Colby, etc.) that wants to put in picks, just edit this post and I'll keep track of yours every week, too.
I'm using the current lines for Big XII games from Oddshark. Tonight's game is, coincidentally, their "Featured Matchup." If you want to know more about the games this weekend, the Big XII posted video previews for each and every matchup. Also, the good folks at Athlon picked every game, as did Mr. Ubben over on the ESPN Big XII blog. Ivan Maisel also looked at the landscape of the Big XII in his podcast for ESPN.
BAYLOR VS. ULM - Favorite: Baylor -7.5, Total: 69.5, Moneyline: Baylor -285, ULM +252
You've read my prediction already, you know exactly how this is going to go. Don't be shocked when I pick...
ML: Baylor
Spread: Baylor
Total: OVER
VIRGINIA AT TCU - Favorite: TCU - 14.5, Total: 51, Moneyline: TCU -800, UVA +638
I really don't think TCU is as good a team as they looked in Week 1 or as bad as they did in Week 2, but they do have significant injury problems. I also have serious questions about how prolific their offense truly is. Luckily, UVA is all sorts of awful.
ML: TCU
Spread: TCU
Total: UNDER
MARYLAND AT WEST VIRGINIA - Favorite: WVU -26, Total: 60, Moneyline: Insane, not worth looking at.
WVU names their score and rolls over Maryland. Randy Edsall probably says something strange after the game is over. Does WVU call off the dogs again with a comfortable lead, I wonder?
ML: Doesn't matter.
Spread: WVU
Total: OVER
KANSAS AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS - Favorite: Northern Illinois -9, Total: 52.5, Moneyline: Northern Illinois ~-330, Kansas ~+270
Solid movement in KU's direction on both the ML and the spread, but they're going to lose the game. And that should be the worst indictment against the Charlie Weis era of all: they're dogs to Northern Illinois.
ML: Northern Illinois
Spread: Kansas
Total: UNDER
KANSAS STATE AT OKLAHOMA - Favorite: Oklahoma -17, Total: 57.5, Moneyline: OU -600, KSU +450
The marquee matchup on a week full of byes for the conference, I actually think this might be a pretty good game. I liked KSU quite a bit after their Miami game, but I'm not sure what to think of their offense. I'm tempted to take the under given KSU's style on offense and defense, 57.5 is just insanely low for these two teams. With that spread, you're basically betting that OU stops KSU completely on offense and also wins comfortably without blowing them out. I'm not buying it.
ML: OU
Spread: KSU
Total: OVER
I wanted to do this with cool graphics like they do over at GoodbullHunting, but I am not skilled in the graphical arena. If you have any ideas how to spruce it up, let me know.