The Big E College Football Picks: Season Wrap-Up
by Eric Murtaugh on Jan 16, 2012 8:00 AM EST
Email
PrintWell the season is over and there are no more games to pick, unless you want to enter the brutal world of the NFL and get a few games in before the long silence sets in.
This year's betting guessing came down to the wire---literally.
In fact, the BCS national championship game was the determining factor in declaring a champion out of our three-man race we had going this year.
Ultimately, I picked Alabama and took home this imaginary title, but only by the slimmest of margins.
Recap of the last bowl games and final records after the jump.
Wins
*South Carolina blew past Nebraska, with Ashlon Jeffery catching a Hail Mary and later being ejected from the game. He won MVP. I said it before, but isn't this one of the quietest 11-win seasons in history for the Gamecocks?
*Michigan State came back and defeated Georgia---although it was a pretty bad choke job for the Bulldogs. This means Notre Dame beat a 11-win team, high five!
*Stanford wasn't favored against Oklahoma State, but they managed to cover by a half point anyway.
*SMU straight up gave Pittsburgh a wedgie, winning by 22 points. It will be very interesting to see how Chryst does next year in the Steel City.
*And of course, Alabama whooped LSU in the title game.
Losses
*Penn State didn't show up and couldn't handle Houston's powerful offense.
*Ohio State finished with 7 losses for the first time in over 100 years by dropping their bowl game to Florida. Urban Meyer will correct that problem real quick.
*Oregon just barely covered over Wisconsin, but I stupidly took the points in the Rose Bowl.
*Michigan covered by a damn half point and I took Virginia Tech---this one hurt.
*The Orange Bowl Massacre left me with a loss on my record too Dabo.
*Arkansas covered over Kansas State---really looking forward to the Wildcats being ranked in the preseason next year.
*A lot of people jumped on the Arkansas State bandwagon, and we paid the price. They lost to Northern Illinois and their undeniable MAC power.
Eric Murtaugh:
Bowl Season: 16-19
Overall: 112-87
Jim Miesle:
Bowl Record: 18-17
Overall: 111-88
Bowl Record: 17-18
Overall: 96-103
It was a valiant effort by Miesle as he came away with the best record during bowl season, but it just wasn't enough to pass the Big E.
Collins turned it around a little bit during bowl season, but he needed to dominate to stay in the overall race with me and Jim.
After 199 total games picked, only one little game was the difference. It's crazy, but that's how it goes.
If anyone wants in on this action next year, be prepared for the grueling 12 picks a week, and stiff competition because I'll have a target on my back and Jimmy and Mike will be out for revenge 
.Till next year!
9 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Congrats, Eric!!
Jim was amazing, too. Both of you were over 60% at time against the spread. Final regular season percentages – Eric, 58.18%, Jim, 56.63%, and me, 47.88%. (I won in 2010 and have the imaginary trophy to prove it.)
I remember one game which was a Push, which we were considering giving to Jim because he called it a Push in his comments. But we didn’t and that was one of the 200+ that made the difference. (We had other Pushes.)
Two bowl games were decided by .5 pt spreads. For me, Kansas State (underestimating) and Auburn (overestimating) were a couple of the surprise teams.
This is not for the faint of heart.
by Michael Collins on Jan 16, 2012 10:40 AM EST reply actions
Sorry you couldn't repeat as champion
How many pushes did we have? More than 5?
I don’t remember too many.
Sky rockets in flight.
by Eric Murtaugh on Jan 16, 2012 11:11 AM EST up reply actions
Thanks for nothing LSU...
but I am not bitter.
It was neck-and-neck all year, and an enjoyable sidebar (especially since there wasn’t any money on the line) to following the Irish.
Next year, I will have to remember to pick the SEC, Big XII and MAC in the bowl games, while picking against the Big 10 and ACC every chance I get.
I don't tweet often--but when I do, you can be sure it isn't important.
@jemiesle
A hearty handshake on a close race all year.
Sky rockets in flight.
by Eric Murtaugh on Jan 16, 2012 11:12 AM EST up reply actions
No laurel with that hearty handshake?
Well hello there hangover. Fancy meeting you here this bright Thursday morning.
by Cranked_Irish on Jan 16, 2012 5:15 PM EST up reply actions
Gunner Kiel decommits from LSU?
Whooo boy. This is getting silly.
#teamGolson
進者往生極楽 退者無間地獄
Notre Dame Fightin' Irish + Hawaii Warriors
The Japanese History Podcast
So, E and MC...
after our miserable bowl picks, should we install a weekly confidence number to our picks in the fall?
Oh wait, I think I finished in the bottom third of the OFD pick ’em…
I don't tweet often--but when I do, you can be sure it isn't important.
@jemiesle
Confidence picks 12 times a week?
Sky rockets in flight.
by Eric Murtaugh on Jan 17, 2012 8:39 AM EST up reply actions
Since I did so well
in the confidence bowl picks, I’m for that – as long as PackerT and Gint don’t play.
I’d pick the teams with a FG kicker.
by Michael Collins on Jan 17, 2012 11:56 PM EST up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
SHOP THE ONE FOOT DOWN STORE
