What Do We Have to Do to Win Big?
By: SG "Sir Pix-a-Lot" Quinn
Updated: October 3, 2008
Last Week: 3-1
Year to Date: 14-3
BYU -29 @ Utah St. (Friday)
I don’t like picking such a huge favorite or such a lame game, but this is too good to pass up.
BYU had last week off to rest up after winning their last 2 games by a combined 103-0.
Utah State, on the other hand, is not afraid to lose big this season having lost at home 58-10 to Utah and at Oregon 66-24.
BYU, along with fellow Mountain West rival Utah, has a serious chance at making the BCS championship game and they know it, so they will not hesitate to run it up against the Aggies.
BYU comes into the game with the 2nd highest Fan Formula style points rating in the country {33.5 SPs} while Utah St. is ranked 107th in style points {-20 SPs}.
Editor’s note: If you believe in the difference in style points – BYU’s margin of victory could be as high as 50 points Friday night.
BAYLOR +27 v. Oklahoma
This one has all the marks of a game OU will sleepwalk through: they are newly #1, they have their rivalry game and top 5 matchup with Texas next week, the Baylor game will be played at 11:30AM local time, it’s not a major TV game, and Baylor is traditionally the worst team in the Big 12.
If Baylor were just a little better this would be an upset alert.
Baylor lost at the very end to #24 Connecticut in their last game and has had 16 days to prepare for the Sooners.
Freshman QB Griffin and WR Wright are future stars who could start for a Top 25 team and have the talent to keep it close, so take the points.
MARYLAND -13.5 @ Virginia
Virginia is simply terrible.
The Cavaliers lost 31-7 to Duke and have averaged less than 7 per game against Div. I-A teams.
This game is at Virginia, but in addition to having one of the most punchable mascots in the country, the Cavaliers also have some of the least rowdy fans who will not be a factor.
If the Terps come to play they win 40-0, even if they have a letdown they win 20-6.
NOTRE DAME -7 v. Stanford
Stanford is not the kind of fast team that gives ND fits.
Stanford has played 2 road games so far and lost big both times; 41-17 @ Arizona St. and 31-14 @ TCU.
In Notre Dame’s last 2 home games the Fighting Irish beat "better than Stanford" Michigan by 18 and "better than Stanford" Purdue by 17.
I’m no fan of “Ice Man Jr.” Jimmy Clausen, but he is clearly starting to get a passing game going and Stanford has a bad pass defense.
Last year’s awful ND team won at Stanford by 7; I think they can improve on that at home this year.
SG "Sir Pix-a-Lot" Quinn
"Tried and true analysis with an irreverent Southern bent."
Sir-Pix-a-Lot joined FanFormula.com mid-year 2008 after starting the season 11-2 against the spread.
He finished the year at 29-20 ATS including a 4-1 bowl performance.
2009
- Experiencing Technical Difficulties
- Undefeated but Only Half as Dominant?
- Where's the Love for the Longhorns?
- Alabama Confirms It
- Thirteen Teams in Fourteen Days
- Texas Separates From the Speed States
- Sunshine State Domination
- How Long Can BYU Remain on Top?
- Dispute at the Top
- Movers and Losers
2008
2009
- Bowl Week
- Championshp Week
- Week 13 picks - Texas Showdown
- Week 12 picks - Tiger by the Tail
- Week 11 picks - Wildcats & Thundercats
- Week 10 picks - Low Tide
- Week 9 picks - Straight Up Saturday
- Week 8 picks - Straight Outta Crompton
- Week 7 picks - Texas Showdown
- Week 6 picks - Road Trip, Road Trip, Road Trip
- Week 5 picks - SEC Rolls - Mountaineers Struggle
- Week 4 picks - Forget the Preseason Rankings
- Week 3 picks - The Bearcat is Back
- Week 2 picks - Return of the Buckasaurus
- Week 1 picks - Baby's Got 'Pack
- Rated for 2009
2008
- Bowl Week
- Week 14 - Time to Step Up
- Week 13 - Lame Ducks, and Beavers
- Week 12 - No Longer Playing Like Freshmen
- Week 11 - Enemy of My Enemy
- Week 10 - SEC Dominance
- Week 9 - Winning on the Road
- Week 8 - Big Names - Little O's
- Week 7 - Buy the Bye
- Week 6 - What Do We Have to Do to Win Big?
- Week 5 - It’s Another Underdog Saturday