Nick’s Picks had several close calls this weekend going 5-2 and raising my YTD record to 48-13. Congratulations to Miami for shaking off their 21-game losing streak and coming back from a 41-14. Why UMass didn’t spike the ball with 3-seconds remaining to kick a chip-shot FG is beyond me.

NIU and Toledo were each outplayed by Kent State and Western Michigan respectively but each found a way to survive and win in this wacky weekend of college football.




Nick’s Pick: Ball State 27 – Army 23
Actual Score: Army 33 – Ball State 24
Comment: The Cardinals trailed 27-24 and had a chance to win or tie before turning the ball over and killing my pick.


Nick’s Pick: Akron 33 – Eastern 14
Actual Score: Akron 31 – Eastern 6
Comment: Pick was nearly spot-on


Nick’s Pick: UMass 37 – Miami 34
Actual Score: Miami 42 – UMass 41
Comment: I stated this game could go to OT but I never saw the RedHawks coming back from 27-points to win

Nick’s Pick: Central 27 – Ohio 17
Actual Score: Central 28 – Ohio 10
Comment: Spot-on in one of the most one-sided MAC series

Nick’s Pick: BGSU 45 – Buffalo 37
Actual Score: BGSU 36 – Buffalo 35
Comment: Nearly spot-on

Nick’s Pick: NIU 52 – Kent State 10
Actual Score: NIU 17 – Kent State 14
Comment: Way off here…and Kent should have won

Nick’s Pick: Toledo 44 – Western 31
Actual Score: Toledo 20 – Western 19 OT
Comment: I don’t know if I’m more surprised that Western should have won this game or that it was only 13-13 at the end of regulation…yes the weather had something to do with it but Toledo was not very good in this contest

From what I gather, UMass didn't spike it cause their kicker missed a chip shot that would've tied the game against Vandy, plus he obviously had missed an extra point earlier that day. With how they were moving the ball, it was probably about equal odds of a TD and a FG with them being on the far right side of the hashes. Fortunately, we made the tackle.

Congrats to Miami -WMU has life - Buffalo came so-o-o-o close.

(10-05-2014 06:28 PM)Nick in Cleveland Wrote:  Nick’s Picks had several close calls this weekend going 5-2 and raising my YTD record to 48-13. Congratulations to Miami for shaking off their 21-game losing streak and coming back from a 41-14. Why UMass didn’t spike the ball with 3-seconds remaining to kick a chip-shot FG is beyond me.

NIU and Toledo were each outplayed by Kent State and Western Michigan respectively but each found a way to survive and win in this wacky weekend of college football.




Nick’s Pick: Ball State 27 – Army 23
Actual Score: Army 33 – Ball State 24
Comment: The Cardinals trailed 27-24 and had a chance to win or tie before turning the ball over and killing my pick.


Nick’s Pick: Akron 33 – Eastern 14
Actual Score: Akron 31 – Eastern 6
Comment: Pick was nearly spot-on


Nick’s Pick: UMass 37 – Miami 34
Actual Score: Miami 42 – UMass 41
Comment: I stated this game could go to OT but I never saw the RedHawks coming back from 27-points to win

Nick’s Pick: Central 27 – Ohio 17
Actual Score: Central 28 – Ohio 10
Comment: Spot-on in one of the most one-sided MAC series

Nick’s Pick: BGSU 45 – Buffalo 37
Actual Score: BGSU 36 – Buffalo 35
Comment: Nearly spot-on

Nick’s Pick: NIU 52 – Kent State 10
Actual Score: NIU 17 – Kent State 14
Comment: Way off here…and Kent should have won

Nick’s Pick: Toledo 44 – Western 31
Actual Score: Toledo 20 – Western 19 OT
Comment: I don’t know if I’m more surprised that Western should have won this game or that it was only 13-13 at the end of regulation…yes the weather had something to do with it but Toledo was not very good in this contest

Yes, WMU missed two FG's, either blocked or set up by UT Defense sacks.
The Rockets lost out on 2 TD's because of a holding call and a fumble at the goal line. They also fumbled just outside of the Redzone at the WMU 28 after moving the FB 58 yds with a 41 punt return and a 17 yd run. The Rocket Defense did a nice job of shutting down Franklin and WMU's running game. I don't see how you say WMU outplayed UT. Both teams made huge errors, but the missed UT's TD's were as impactful if not more than the missed FG's and extra point. Btw UT avg over 7.0 yds/play and WMU 6.4yds/play

Kent St fans...any word on your 1st string QB with his ankle? ...or your 2nd string QB if it was just the wind knocked out of him or a head thing? Hope they recover quickly.

(10-05-2014 06:28 PM)Nick in Cleveland Wrote:  Nick’s Pick: Toledo 44 – Western 31
Actual Score: Toledo 20 – Western 19 OT
Comment: I don’t know if I’m more surprised that Western should have won this game or that it was only 13-13 at the end of regulation…yes the weather had something to do with it but Toledo was not very good in this contest

Hindsight 20/20 and all that. But being the home team, the underdog, and the kicking issues we had throughout the game, it feels like going for 2 points there would've been a decent call. Win or lose.

I agree Motown...I called for them to go for 2 as soon as the guy crossed the goal line.

BTW - Did anyone listen to the moron on the ESPN3 telecast? He said the game was going to a second overtime like twice before the kick...then he said the kick was good...then the kick hit the upright. What a fool.

(10-06-2014 11:49 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  I agree Motown...I called for them to go for 2 as soon as the guy crossed the goal line.

BTW - Did anyone listen to the moron on the ESPN3 telecast? He said the game was going to a second overtime like twice before the kick...then he said the kick was good...then the kick hit the upright. What a fool.

Didn't that ESPN3 telecaster last work as a ref or replay official in the Toledo-Syracuse game a few years ago?

(10-06-2014 11:49 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  I agree Motown...I called for them to go for 2 as soon as the guy crossed the goal line.

BTW - Did anyone listen to the moron on the ESPN3 telecast? He said the game was going to a second overtime like twice before the kick...then he said the kick was good...then the kick hit the upright. What a fool.

I noticed that too. "And he powers the kick through"....then Toledo started celebrating "No he missed it!"

(10-05-2014 06:28 PM)Nick in Cleveland Wrote:  Nick’s Pick: NIU 52 – Kent State 10
Actual Score: NIU 17 – Kent State 14
Comment: Way off here…and Kent should have won

I'm not sure i agree Kent should have won. We led the entire game. Our offense sputtered a lot but we are still playing musical QBs. But our offense definitely played poorly. Defense did a pretty good job considering Kent held the ball for nearly 10 minutes longer.

(10-06-2014 11:07 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  Kent St fans...any word on your 1st string QB with his ankle? ...or your 2nd string QB if it was just the wind knocked out of him or a head thing? Hope they recover quickly.

Both are doubtful for this upcoming weekend.

(10-05-2014 06:28 PM)Nick in Cleveland Wrote:  NIU and Toledo were each outplayed by Kent State and Western Michigan respectively but each found a way to survive and win in this wacky weekend of college football.

I can't speak for Toledo, but I don't know how you figure NIU got outplayed by Kent State. Sure, the performance was embarrassing, but NIU never trailed and outgained Kent 379-327. I'm not sure how that's being outplayed.

(10-07-2014 07:18 PM)niubrad00 Wrote:  

(10-05-2014 06:28 PM)Nick in Cleveland Wrote:  NIU and Toledo were each outplayed by Kent State and Western Michigan respectively but each found a way to survive and win in this wacky weekend of college football.

I can't speak for Toledo, but I don't know how you figure NIU got outplayed by Kent State. Sure, the performance was embarrassing, but NIU never trailed and outgained Kent 379-327. I'm not sure how that's being outplayed.

I say all championship teams have a game of digging deep, this was it.

Id say outplayed because most expected this to be a no contest against a winless team and clearly was much more a game.

"Outplayed" means only one thing: "scored more poinnts than".

(10-06-2014 02:38 PM)T4C8 Wrote:  

(10-06-2014 11:49 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  I agree Motown...I called for them to go for 2 as soon as the guy crossed the goal line.

BTW - Did anyone listen to the moron on the ESPN3 telecast? He said the game was going to a second overtime like twice before the kick...then he said the kick was good...then the kick hit the upright. What a fool.

I noticed that too. "And he powers the kick through"....then Toledo started celebrating "No he missed it!"

they did something similar in the 4th quarter on a kickoff return by WMU. They thought WMU fumbled it because toledo players were celebrating the tackle. They kept talking about it and then WMU's offense came out and they were like oh... ok.. nevermind