Pick 'Em Corner - The Professor's Week 6 Smart Money Picks

On behalf of the City of Chanhassen, The Professor would like to thank Pick 'Em Corner for returning to Buffalo Wild Wings Chanhassen for the first show of the season. It was a great show and will soon by available via podcast once The Host uploads the audio from his stolen recorder.

Pick 'Em Corner returns to the online-only world this week, which means we won't be seeing The Professor do the Chief Illiniwek dance, a live look-in to Camp Basra thanks to a satellite link provided by the Armed Forces Network, the flummoxed autoMATTic trying to come up with something witty while making his picks or the strange looks the Pick 'Em Corner panel receives from fellow BWW customers. Going back online also assures that autoMATTic will refuse to make any picks.

Without further ado, sit up straight, sharpen your pencils and enjoy the lecture, for these are The Professor's Smart Money Picks, brought to you by the City of Chanhassen.

#2 OHIO ST -21.5 Indiana
There's no question that the Buckeyes will win this game, but a nicked-up Terrelle Pryor combined with a decent Hoosier offense equals an Indiana cover. Plus, it's just so much more fun to cheer for Indiana than OSU.

PENN ST -7.5 Illinois
The Professor is virtually doing the Chief Illiniwek dance. It worked last week, so I thought I'd go back to the culturally-insensitive well once again. Plus, it's just so much more fun to cheer for Illinois than PSU.


#19 WISCONSIN -21.5 Minnesota
The Tim Brewster Farewell Tour makes its first stop of the season as Gopher Nation invades Madison. The Badgers are better than the Gophers in just about...no, in every way, so why am I siding with the Gophers? The quick and easy answer is, of course, schadenfreude. Obviously, this game is the Schadenfreude Super Bowl for The Professor. A Minnesota win would be great for this tortured Gopher fan, but a loss by Bucky would make it fell all the better. I have absolutely zero faith that Brewster will be able to pull off the miracle here, but this is an incredibly desperate team that will keep this game close. As much as the numbers tell me to invoke the Tim Brewster Theorem, my heart just won't let me do it. In fact, I'm going to do something the theorem says I should never do: DO YOU HEAR THAT SOUND? EEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRR-PLUNK! EEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRR-PLUNK! EEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRR-PLUNK! It's The Professor's Statistically-Proven Lock of the Week, brought to you by National American University!

NOTRE DAME -6 Pittsburgh
The rout of Boston College got the Irish on track after a rough several weeks. There's just not enough 'stache power to overcome Notre Dame. And that's as much analysis I'm going to do for a game I really don't give a rat's ass about.

NORTH CAROLINA -2.5 Clemson
Speaking of games I don't give a rat's ass about, it's The Host's Does Anybody Outside the Locales of the Two Teams Involved Actually Care About This Game? Game.

#17 MICHIGAN -4.5 #16 Michigan State
Stay far, far away from this game, Professor's Pupils. There are just far too many contrasting areas to adequately get a good guage on this game. First, Michigan. The Wolverines have a terrific offense paced by who The Professor thinks should be the runaway favorite right now for the Heisman. On the other hand, Michigan owns the 10th-ranked scoring defense, 11th-ranked pass defense and seventh-ranked rush defense. Now, Michigan State. The Spartans also have a terrific offense paced by a stable of good running backs and a veteran QB. On the other hand, MSU ranks last in third-down conversions and penalties, 10th in sacks allowed, and ninth in pass defense and sacks. So, why is The Professor picking the Spartans? Ummm. Erm. Well, how about this: Mark Dantonio returns to the sidelines, providing Sparty with just enough lift to get by Michigan?

#1 Alabama -6.5 #20 SOUTH CAROLINA (RTT Game)
I'll be honest. I'm basically just picking the Tide here because it's what I do in the Roll Tide Turkey Game of the Week. It's led me to a 4-1 mark so far, so I'm not changing. I'm also contractually obligated through my agreement with The Host to say, "ROLL! TIDE! TURKEY!"

#13 Arkansas -6 TEXAS A&M
This smells like a trap, but The Professor doesn't believe in traps, so...WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! PIG! SOOIE!

Navy -5.5 WAKE FOREST (Service Game)
Navy has been a huge disappointment this season, but that doesn't matter in The Professor's Service Academy Game of the Week (SAGoW), brought to you by Armed Forces Network. Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh!

#10 Utah -6 IOWA STATE
The sentimental side of The Professor wants to pick the Cyclones as Iowa State is my dad's alma mater, but the professorly side of me says the Cyclones have no chance of keeping the Utes in check.

#12 FLORIDA -7 lsu
Why, oh why, does LSU keep getting respect from the oddsmakers? Sure, they're undefeated, but it's been anything but impressive, including last week's "thrilling" 16-14 win at home over Tennessee. Take the Gators.

#25 NORTHWESTERN -10 Purdue
It's time for The Professor is Just Picking This Way Because, On the Off Chance He Gets to Watch This Game, He'd Like to Cheer for Northwestern Instead of Purdue. For the record, if The Professor's Smart Money Picks continue producing medicore results, I just may pick every game this way for the rest of the season.

#18 STANFORD -10 usc
See Northwestern-Purdue pick.

#4 BOISE STATE -39 Toledo
[Insert analysis here]

#14 MIAMI -6.5 Florida State
This one's for you, Steve Stellar.

Thus concludes The Professor's Smart Money Picks, brought to you by The City of Chanhassen.

2010 Pick 'Em Corner Standings - Total Points
1. The Host 42-34-2 (50 pts.)
2. KCKCKCK 43-33-2 (49)
3. The Cornerman 38-38-2 (48)
4. Special G 41-35-2 (45)
5. Steve Stellar 42-34-2 (44)
5. The Veteran 38-38-2 (44)
7. The Professor 40-36-2 (42)
8. Strickly Cash 35-41-2 (37)
9. Foreman's Forecast 32-44-2 (34)
10. Money Traen 30-31-2 (32)
11. Miss Money 22-40-0 (26)
11. C-Noth 22-39-2 (26)
13. Vose 24-22-2 (24)
14. Lockrem's Locks 9-6-0 (9)
15. autoMATTic 7-8-0 (7)

2010 Pick 'Em Corner Standings - Points Per Week (Locks)
1. The Host 10.0 (4-1)
2. KCKCKCK 9.8 (3-2)
3. The Cornerman 9.6 (5-0)
4. Special G 9.0 (2-3)
4. Lockrem's Locks 9.0 (0-1)
5. Steve Stellar 8.8 (1-4)
5. The Veteran 8.8 (3-2)
7. The Professor 8.4 (1-4)
8. Vose 8.0 (0-3)
8. Money Traen 8.0 (1-3)
10. Strickly Cash 7.4 (1-4)
11. autoMATTic 7.0 (0-1)
12. Foreman's Forecast 6.8 (1-4)
13. Miss Money 6.5 (2-2)
13. C-Noth 6.5 (2-2)