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In this week's SEC picks, we started talking about how much there is to learn watching college football every week. Following that theme, last week we learned never, ever to pick Michigan. We picked them to stay within 4.5 of Notre Dame, and, well, let's just say that the results were so poor for Big Blue that Brian Cook titled his recap post "I Learned How to Put Myself in a Box a Long Time Ago."
On the bright side, we correctly predicted that USC would cover against Stanford, so our season-long record in national picks is currently a respectable 2-1. We're tempted to take the credit for saying that Michigan State wouldn't be able to hang with Oregon in the comments, but then we'd probably also have to take the hit for saying that Virginia Tech wouldn't be able to hang with tOSU. Picking football games against the spread is hard, ya'll y'all [Ed. - Those responsible for this reprehensible typographical error have been sacked.]. Let's hope that we continue our winning ways with this week's National Game of Interest: No. 12 UCLA (-8) v. Texas (at the Jerry Dome).
The Pick: Texas +8
Why you should care: Man, I don't know. It's such a slow week that Game Day is heading to Fargo to watch North Dakota State take on Incarnate Wood Word [Ed. - This would have been great if it were intentional.]. (No, really. That's happening.) I guess it's good because it comes on after our game in Columbia and it's better than USC at BC or Penn State at Rutgers? Sure.
Rationale: UCLA is the most overrated team in the country right now. They needed 21 points from their defense to squeak by Virginia and let Memphis hang around for 4 quarters before finally winning 42-35. The guys over at the Solid Verbal have already started playing the Mister Softee theme for them. Compounding matters, they have to travel all the way to Texas, their second long-distance road trip in three weeks. And let's not forget that the 'Horns beat the Bruins in their own house last yearin 2011 [Ed. - Bad blogging day.].
Bonus Pick: Louisville -7 at Virginia. The Cavaliers are not a good football team, and the Cardinals will blow them out.
Go Dawgs!