Cole's Gameday Blog

Tracking college football picks and predictions for YOU

Tag: curtis sharp

Week 11 2012: Grades are posted!

Posted on by gamedaycole

Well folks, it was an exciting Saturday of college football in case you missed it and haven’t heard about it already.  It is always a great day in college football when the #1 team in the country goes down (unless you’re the #1 team).  Things are behind schedule this week here at the Gameday blog due to my falling sick.  I think its just a cold, and luckily the doctors have given me over a 60% chance of recovering.  Since I’m sure you didn’t come here to read about me, let’s get down to the business at hand.  We had a handful of great performances from our experts this week, a lot of mediocre performances, and a couple questionable performances.  Let me start off by backtracking to last week, when I initially forgot to issue a HUGE win to Lee Corso for going 14-0, which ties for the best undefeated performance of the year with Trevor Matich.  I hereby issue a golden unicorn star to Lee Corso for his great week last week, and he can expect to see that in the mail within 4 to 6 weeks.

This week’s guest picker was Lt. Curtis Sharp who is a navigator on the USS San Diego.  He went 6-6 in picks, so make of that what you will.  This week’s winner is Coach Mike Bellotti going 7-0, with other big wins going to Tom Luginbill at 5-0, Colin Cowherd at 6-1, Christian Fauria at 10-2, Pat Forde with a crazy 25-4, and Desmond Howard at 6-1.    Losers this week include Kirk Herbstreit going 6-7, Davey Pollack going 2-3, and Mark Schlabach at 1-2.  Todd McShay failed on another upset special this week with Penn State over Nebraska, after losing TWO of them last week.  Our panel of experts went 15 to 3 in favor of Bama over Texas A&M.  Those three were Lee Corso (who went 7-5, missing his headgear pick), Brian Griese (2-2, and always questionable), and Skip Bayless (1-0, he’s Skip Bayless) so its hard to give out huge props to them, but they get an extra check mark in my grade book just because.  Brock Huard and Matt Millen both made picks this week, and I just got a call from the Governor’s office.  He has given them a reprieve and will allow them back into the rankings while things are being reviewed going forward.  Brock and Matt, if you don’t make any more picks this season then you’re gone once again, so get with the program.  Also note that my girlfriend Jennifer’s upset special was Texas A&M over Bama (after coming OH SO CLOSE picking LSU over Bama last week).  Check out all of the results below, and find your favorite or most hated personality to see how they did this week.

Mike Bellotti: 7-0
RIGHT ND over BC
RIGHT Oregon over Cal
RIGHT Minnesota over Illinois
RIGHT S.Carolina over Arkansas
RIGHT Florida over Lafayette
RIGHT Nebraska over Penn St
RIGHT LSU over Miss St

Brock Huard: 3-0
RIGHT Nebraska over Penn St
RIGHT KState over TCU
RIGHT Oregon over Cal

Mark Schlabach: 1-2
RIGHT LSU over Miss St
WRONG Bama over TAMU
WRONG WVU over Okla St

Dan Hawkins: 1-0
RIGHT Wisconsin over Indiana

Matt Millen: 0-1
WRONG Oregon St over Stanford

Tom Luginbill: 5-0
RIGHT ND over BC
RIGHT UCLA over Wash St
RIGHT Rutgers over Army
RIGHT S.Carolina over Arkansas
RIGHT Florida over Lafayette

Jason Sehorn: 0-1
WRONG Bama over TAMU

Danny Kanell: 1-0
RIGHT KState over TCU

Colin Cowherd: 6-1
WRONG Bama over TAMU
RIGHT KState over Okla St
RIGHT Oregon over Cal
RIGHT ND over BC
RIGHT UGA over Auburn
RIGHT LSU over Miss St
RIGHT USC over Ariz St

Charles Arbuckle: 10-5
WRONG Bama over TAMU
RIGHT KState over TCU
RIGHT Oregon over Cal
RIGHT ND over BC
RIGHT Michigan over NW
RIGHT Wisconsin over Indiana
WRONG Miami over UVA
WRONG Iowa over Purdue
WRONG Tennessee over Mizzou
WRONG Oregon St over Stanford
RIGHT USC over Ariz St
RIGHT Nebraska over Penn St
RIGHT Vanderbilt over Ole Miss
RIGHT Okla St over WVU
RIGHT LSU over Miss St

Trevor Matich: 3-2
RIGHT Oregon over Cal
RIGHT LSU over Miss St
RIGHT KState over TCU
WRONG Oregon St over Stanford
WRONG Bama over TAMU

Robert Smith: 6-3
RIGHT LSU over Miss St
RIGHT KState over TCU
RIGHT Stanford over Oregon St
WRONG Bama over TAMU
RIGHT USC over Ariz St
WRONG Penn St over Nebraska
RIGHT Michigan over NW
RIGHT Okla St over WVU
WRONG Miami over UVA

Christian Fauria: 10-2
RIGHT ND over BC
RIGHT Oregon over Cal
RIGHT Georgia over Auburn
WRONG Bama over TAMU
RIGHT LSU over Miss St
RIGHT Stanford over Oregon St
RIGHT KState over TCU
RIGHT USC over Ariz St
RIGHT Nebraska over Penn St
RIGHT Michigan over NW
WRONG WVU over Okla St
RIGHT Vanderbilt over Ole Miss

Iowa Nice Guy: 1-3
WRONG Iowa St over Texas
RIGHT Georgia over Auburn
WRONG Iowa over Purdue
WRONG Penn St over Nebraska

Skip Bayless: 1-0
RIGHT TAMU over Bama

Brian Griese: 2-2
RIGHT KState over TCU
WRONG Oregon St over Stanford
RIGHT TAMU over Bama
WRONG Penn St over Nebraska

Mark May: 4-2
WRONG Oregon St over Stanford
WRONG Bama over TAMU
RIGHT KState over TCU
RIGHT Nebraska over Penn St
RIGHT Oregon over Cal
RIGHT Notre Dame over BC

Lou Holtz: 3-1
WRONG Bama over TAMU
RIGHT KState over TCU
RIGHT Oregon over Cal
RIGHT Notre Dame over BC

Dari Nowkhah: 13-4
RIGHT Minnesota over Illinois
RIGHT LSU over Miss St
RIGHT Nebraska over Penn St
RIGHT S.Carolina over Arkansas
WRONG Bama over TAMU
RIGHT KState over TCU
RIGHT Oregon over Cal
RIGHT ND over BC
RIGHT Michigan over NW
RIGHT Wisconsin over Indiana
WRONG Miami over UVA
RIGHT Purdue over Iowa
RIGHT Mizzou over Tennessee
WRONG Oregon St over Stanford
RIGHT USC over Ariz St
RIGHT Vanderbilt over Ole Miss
WRONG WVU over Okla St

Mel Kiper Jr.: 2-0
RIGHT LSU over Miss St
RIGHT Stanford over Oregon St

Pat Forde: 25-4
RIGHT Clemson over Maryland
RIGHT NC St over Wake Forest
WRONG Miami over UVA
RIGHT ND over BC
RIGHT Rutgers over Army
RIGHT Syracuse over Louisville
RIGHT Cinci over Temple
RIGHT Nebraska over Penn St
RIGHT OU over Baylor
RIGHT Okla St over WVU
RIGHT Wisconsin over Indiana
RIGHT Michigan over NW
WRONG Nevada over Fresno St
RIGHT Oregon over Cal
RIGHT USC over Ariz St
RIGHT Stanford over Oregon St
RIGHT Washington over Utah
RIGHT UCLA over Wash St
RIGHT Florida over Lafayette
RIGHT S.Carolina over Arkansas
RIGHT Mizzou over Tennessee
WRONG Bama over TAMU
RIGHT Georgia over Auburn
RIGHT LSU over Miss St
WRONG Ole Miss over Vanderbilt
RIGHT Texas over Iowa St
RIGHT KState over TCU
RIGHT TTU over Kansas
RIGHT LaTech over Tx St

Todd McShay: 3-2
RIGHT KState over TCU
RIGHT Stanford over Oregon St
RIGHT LSU over Miss St
WRONG Bama over TAMU
WRONG Penn St over Nebraska*

David Pollack: 2-3
RIGHT LSU over Miss St
WRONG WVU over Okla St
WRONG Oregon St over Stanford
RIGHT KState over TCU
WRONG Bama over TAMU

Desmond Howard: 6-1
RIGHT KState over TCU
RIGHT Georgia over Auburn
RIGHT LSU over Miss St
RIGHT Okla St over WVU
RIGHT Stanford over Oregon St
WRONG Bama over TAMU
RIGHT Nebraska over Penn St

Kirk Herbstreit: 6-7
RIGHT Nebraska over Penn St
RIGHT Okla St over WVU
RIGHT Oregon over Cal
RIGHT Stanford over Oregon St
WRONG Bama over TAMU
RIGHT Georgia over Auburn
WRONG NW over Michigan
WRONG Indiana over Wisconsin
WRONG Miami over UVA
RIGHT KState over TCU
WRONG Tennessee over Mizzou
WRONG Louisville over Syracuse
WRONG Navy over Troy

Lee Corso: 7-5
RIGHT KState over TCU
RIGHT Okla St over WVU
WRONG Oregon St over Stanford
RIGHT Nebraska over Penn St
RIGHT TAMU over Bama
RIGHT Georgia over Auburn
RIGHT Michigan over NW
RIGHT Wisconsin over Indiana
WRONG Miami over UVA
WRONG Tennessee over Mizzou
WRONG Louisville over Syracuse
WRONG Navy over Troy (headgear pick)

Lt. Curtis Sharp: 6-6
WRONG BC over ND
RIGHT Michigan over NW
RIGHT Wisconsin over Indiana
RIGHT Nebraska over Penn St
RIGHT UVA over Miami
RIGHT Stanford Cardinals(?) over Oregon St
WRONG WVU over Okla St
RIGHT KState over TCU
WRONG Bama over TAMU
WRONG Tennessee over Mizzou
WRONG Louisville over Syracuse
WRONG Navy over Troy

Jennifer’s Picks: 10-5
RIGHT KState over TCU
RIGHT Okla St over WVU
RIGHT Oregon over Cal
WRONG Oregon St over Stanford
RIGHT Nebraska over Penn St
RIGHT TAMU over Bama (upset special)
RIGHT Georgia over Auburn
RIGHT Michigan over NW
RIGHT Wisconsin over Indiana
WRONG Miami over UVA
WRONG Tennessee over Mizzou
WRONG Louisville over Syracuse
WRONG Navy over Troy
RIGHT Boise St over Hawaii
RIGHT Clemson over Maryland

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Week 11: Gameday review!

Posted on by gamedaycole

The generic Big Ten action is in full force this morning, which can only mean one thing.  We have once again put another edition of College Gameday in the books.  Be forewarned: I woke up this morning feeling sick, so I will probably not be as funny as I think I am.  Anyways.  This week we were broadcasting live from the USS San Diego to honor our nation’s troops, and celebrate the big matchup between two teams that were not ever really specified upfront.  Today’s big game is probably Alabama taking on Texas A&M, with a handful of other interesting games on the schedule (just not as big of a week as last week).  Our experts are currently sitting at 16 to 3 in favor of the Crimson Tide over the Fighting Farmers.  Make of that what you will.

Apparently this ship, the USS San Diego, has been under construction since 2007 at a cost of right around $1.6 billion.  The crowd wasn’t as big as most other editions of College Gameday, but that is to be expected when they are not at a campus or the site of a big game.  Noticeably present was the Washington State flag; a streak that will never end.  I’m fairly certain that when the first college football game is being played on the moon between Oregon and Maryland (both with new ridiculous looking spacesuit uniforms), College Gameday will be there and so will one astronaut waving a Washington State flag.  Chris Fowler opened up the first hour on ESPNU just like always with Kirk, Desmond and David before handing the ball off to Samantha Steele for hosting duties.

Samantha Steele: Week 11

Samantha Steele kept traveling through time back and forth, as she would do a segment in the daylight, then immediately follow it with a segment in the dark, and so on.  The first hour was pretty slow this morning.  We got a replay of the Bill Snyder piece from two weeks ago featuring Baby Bill Snyder.  We got Todd McShay breaking down some USC footage.  The highlight of the first hour was a Tom Rinaldi beatnik poetry piece entitled “Service”.  He pondered the deeper meanings of serving others, and used lots of one word sentences like “Strong… Sound… Pure…Commitment…” while football highlights of the service academies were being shown.  Thank you for another beatnik poetry segment Tom Rinaldi.  Please picture Jennifer and I sitting Indian-style snapping our fingers in applause.

Beatnik Tom Rinaldi performing live

As we closed the first hour, David and Desmond made some picks.  The consensus was Bama over TAMU, KState over TCU, and LSU over Miss St.  David Pollack is still conducting the Beaver Train and picked Oregon St, while Desmond Howard quickly jumped ship and took Stanford.  After these picks, the main show on ESPN started, so Fowler and the gang dispatched David Pollack to go use the internet and tweet at the rubes.  This week David was in a bunk on the ship somewhere tweeting before being disturbed by a Navy officer yelling at him which sent him scampering away in fear.

New recruit David Pollack tweeting
Pollack on the run

We got several segments today touring the ship.  Tom Rinaldi, Sam Steele and Gene W. were all over the place showing off cool parts of the ship, but these segments felt like they were shoe-horned in pretty hard.  Gene W. gave us a piece on Johnny Manziel AKA Johnny Football from Texas A&M.  What we learned about Johnny Football is that Aggies can take old Chuck Norris jokes and substitute Johnny Football’s name into them.  Oh also he’s pretty good at football.  We didn’t get any great signs today because of the smaller/sober crowd onboard the USS San Diego, so this week’s sign of the week will go to the American Flag because I support freedom and liberty.

Without a doubt, the highlight of the episode was the piece from Tom Rinaldi about Clemson wide receiver Daniel Rodriguez.  He was serving time in the US Army and stationed in a pretty bad part of Afghanistan before enrolling at Clemson.  Him and his fellow soldier Kevin Thompson made a pact that after they finished their time in the service they would go back to the States and do something meaningful.  Daniel’s vow was to go to college, get a degree, and play football.  Two weeks later in a massive Taliban ambush, Thompson was killed and Rodriguez was seriously wounded before the Taliban surge was stopped.  He was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, but after returning to the States he struggled as many soldiers do.  He suffered anxiety, couldn’t sleep, and took to drinking; only finding peace when he visited Arlington cemetery.  One day he woke up and decided to fulfill his vow to Thompson and started training to play football.  He made a recruiting video not even asking for a scholarship  but just the chance to walk on and play football somewhere and give his life purpose again.  Dabo Swinney gave him a shot, and now he is one of the emotional leaders of the Clemson Tigers.  I’m sure I completely butchered this story, as I can’t really do it justice.  This was maybe the best human interest story of the year, so if it pops up on Youtube I suggest checking it out.

But alas, it is time for the picks.  The full slate of picks from all the guys can be found HERE and HERE.  This week didn’t have a celebrity picking games, but it was still a special guest.  This week we had Lt. Curtis Sharp, who is one of the USS San Diego navigators and a former college football player on hand to pick games.  He seemed incredibly nervous, and made it clear he was picking the Stanford Cardinals to beat Oregon State today.  The big game for the headgear pick turned out to be the matchup between Navy and Troy.  I guess I should have seen this coming, but I am not a smart man and this was not heavily teased like most weeks.  Lt. Sharp took Navy, as did Herbie; making it clear that he valued his life too much to pick Troy while surrounded by sailors.  Coach Corso had another FANTASTIC pick, bringing a live goat to the set and picking Navy over Troy for the headgear selection.  I think the possibility of bringing in a live mascot highly influences Corso’s picks, and also makes Herbie highly uncomfortable as he disappeared quickly once the goat showed up.  Enjoy your day, and support our troops.

Week 11: Navy over Troy!
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Week 11 2012: Saturday morning picks! #saturdayselections

Posted on by gamedaycole

Welcome to Saturday morning.  We are live broadcasting from the USS San Diego for the big matchup between somebody that I don’t know right now.  The picks are coming in, and here they are.  Check back all morning as they continue to come in, including Lee Corso’s headgear pick for the big matchup between whoever and someone.

Mel Kiper Jr.:
LSU over Miss St
Stanford over Oregon St

Pat Forde:
Clemson over Maryland
NC St over Wake Forest
Miami over UVA
ND over BC
Rutgers over Army
Syracuse over Louisville
Cinci over Temple
Nebraska over Penn St
OU over Baylor
Okla St over WVU
Wisconsin over Indiana
Michigan over NW
Nevada over Fresno St
Oregon over Cal
USC over Ariz St
Stanford over Oregon St
Washington over Utah
UCLA over Wash St
Florida over Lafayette
S.Carolina over Arkansas
Mizzou over Tennessee
Bama over TAMU
Georgia over Auburn
LSU over Miss St
Ole Miss over Vanderbilt
Texas over Iowa St
KState over TCU
TTU over Kansas
LaTech over Tx St

Todd McShay:
KState over TCU
Stanford over Oregon St
LSU over Miss St
Bama over TAMU
Penn St over Nebraska

David Pollack:
LSU over Miss St
WVU over Okla St
Oregon St over Stanford
KState over TCU
Bama over TAMU

Desmond Howard:
KState over TCU
Georgia over Auburn
LSU over Miss St
Okla St over WVU
Stanford over Oregon St
Bama over TAMU
Nebraska over Penn St

Kirk Herbstreit:
Nebraska over Penn St
Okla St over WVU
Oregon over Cal
Stanford over Oregon St
Bama over TAMU
Georgia over Auburn
NW over Michigan
Indiana over Wisconsin
Miami over UVA
KState over TCU
Tennessee over Mizzou
Louisville over Syracuse
Navy over Troy

Lee Corso:
KState over TCU
Okla St over WVU
Oregon St over Stanford
Nebraska over Penn St
TAMU over Bama
Georgia over Auburn
Michigan over NW
Wisconsin over Indiana
Miami over UVA
Tennessee over Mizzou
Louisville over Syracuse
Navy over Troy (headgear pick)

Lt. Curtis Sharp:
BC over ND
Michigan over NW
Wisconsin over Indiana
Nebraska over Penn St
UVA over Miami
Stanford Cardinals(?) over Oregon St
WVU over Okla St
KState over TCU
Bama over TAMU
Tennessee over Mizzou
Louisville over Syracuse
Navy over Troy

Jennifer’s Picks:
KState over TCU
Okla St over WVU
Oregon over Cal
Oregon St over Stanford
Nebraska over Penn St
TAMU over Bama (upset special)
Georgia over Auburn
Michigan over NW
Wisconsin over Indiana
Miami over UVA
Tennessee over Mizzou
Louisville over Syracuse
Navy over Troy

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