Week 4 Trevonics

By Trev Alberts
formerly of ESPN.com

Ok, as this Friday is spent mopping up the carnage from this week's...unpleasantness, the college schedule brings us a welcome downshift from the high-octane action we were blessed to receive last weekend. Saturday brings its fair share of interesting matchups, but they are merely leftover turkey sandwiches compared to the prior week's gluttonous feast. Sure, a turkey sandwich is a pretty good meal, but you were probably going to have a sandwich anyway. Scoreboard Ho!

Season-to-date-
Straight-Up:20-4
Against The Spread:13-11

Michigan (-13.5) vs Wisconsin 1200et (ESPN)
This was the conversation I had with the kid:

"Hey kid, who's Michigan playing this week, Ball State?"
"No. I think they're playing Wisconsin in the Big House."
"Oh, ok. Ball State."

Everyone wants to say this is going to be a big time trap game for the skunkbears. Coming off an embarrassment of riches in South Bend, calm down irish, and facing a traditionally scrappy Badger team. If this game were at Camp Randall or if Michigan had their usual dogfight with ND, I would be inclined to believe that this could be a letdown. However, the kid saw first hand a Michigan team that is likely to be two scores better than Wisconsin, especially at home.
Trev's pick: Michigan

Ohio State (-16.5) vs. Penn State 330et (ABC)
Staying with the FireMarkMay's unconscionable regional contract with the Big Ten, (I'd buy the dish package, but someone had to pay his bookie.-IO) we will be delighting in the next sacrificial lamb to the altar of Tressel. All bow to this majesty of this ancient pagan ritual. Bloody revenge for the 17-10 streetfight in Happy Valley last year. Let's do the math:
(Troy Smith+Ted Ginn)*1 year experience-100,000 PSU fans+the state of Ohio-Anthony Morelli's bowels=24 point swing...at least.
Trev's pick: Ohio State

Cal (-8) vs. Arizona State (WTF)
Seriously, we can't get this? Anywhere? This could be the most competitive game of the weekend, one with possible national implications, and we can't even get my ragtag bunch of CSTV lackeys to cover it? COME ON! I'm compelled to take the Sun Devils here due to their recent stretch of above-averageness. I always seem to find myself saying "Arizona State won? Are they good now?" often, but I can never really put any stock in a team I only use on Xbox on a dare.
Trev's pick: Cal

Iowa State (+25) at Texas 330et (ABC)
Instead of true top 25 matchups, we get the next two laughers getting screen time from the national outlets. This game is already over by the time I'm done writing this sentence, but I'll roll the dice and say Iowa State plays enough possession to let Rule 3-2-5e help them cover this monster spread, and I'll make my first ever split pick because...well...I'm not compromising that glorious 20-4 record...
Trev's pick: Texas to win, ISU to cover

Kentucky (+26) at Florida 745et (ESPN)
Again. Big time team, small time game, over before it starts, and yet again, I'm splitting this one up because Chris Leak is going to have at least one Heisman play in this game...per drive. Kentucky isn't as bad as we all like to say, but taking this team down in The Swamp is just not going to happen.
Trev's pick: Florida to win, Kentucky to cover.

Boston College (-7) at NC State 800et (ESPN2)
Ugh...now we're really getting into the dregs here. I'm sure some suit looked at the schedule 6 months ago and said "Man, we're really going to need to get a crew to this game! It's dripping with ACC drama...or something..." According to the latest Amato Pec-O-Meter, Fredo should be giving much, much more than 7 points here. This game is going to make BC officially overrated.
Trev's pick: Boston College

Notre Dame (-3.5) at Michigan State 800et (ABC)
Last but not least, the game that ESPN has been touting as "REVENGE LIVES HERE!!1!!1!!" since MSU planted that ridiculous flag at ND. This game is the media's wet dream as far as the intangibles are concerned. If you can get away with talking about everything surrounding this game WITHOUT ONCE ANALYZING FOOTBALL, it's free money. Pile on the standard "can the struggling favorite bounce back from a demoralizing loss" storyline, used in the SEC at least twice a season, and you could probably program an hour of lame puff pieces interviewing players and the like while playing the theme music from "Friday Night Lights" or something...Sorry, that got away from me there. I've become what I hate...no, wait, that happened years ago. Anyway, MSU allowed the lowly Pitt 23 points, and while visions of Drew Stanton give the kid night terrors lately, I'm sure this game is going to rate high on the vengeance scale. Notre Dame in a close one.
Trev's pick: Notre Dame

Trev Alberts is slowly rebuilding his internet fiefdom. His loyal serfs are currently on assignment sandblasting his office.