Saturday, October 22, 2011

Presto's Picks-- Behave!

Thank goodness the NCAA has tightened up celebration policies. Did anyone see the melee at the end of the first half of Thursday's UCLA-Arizona game? I know there was a streaker disguised as a referee... and anytime that happens all bets are off... but that set the stage for a midfield scuffle between the Bruins and Wildcats? Ten players get suspensions from the fight. Meanwhile ESPN's College Gameday airs a feature on dirty play. I thought the excessive celebration penalties was supposed to end all of this, right?

Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse left its paper tiger ways in the cage with a Friday night beatdown of #11 West Virginia. I never saw that coming. Nassib passing effectively? Special teams throwing an uppercut after the Mountaineers reached the endzone for the first time? A halftime order of 44 wings? We asked for more bleu cheese dressing and they gave us a vat...allowing one to let the next wing sit and soak. All ingredients to an excellent evening at Sign of the Whale.

Maryland at Florida State-- the Terps try to snap a two game losing streak by attempting to win in Tallahassee for the first time ever. A defense with a lot of issues (last in the ACC, three freshmen starting at linebacker) meets another mobile quarterback in E.J. Manuel. An offense in transition (CJ Brown starting at QB) takes on the team that leads the ACC in defense. And then there's that whole Chief Osceola riding a horse onto the field and throwing a spear into the turf. Terps come up short, 35-20 while Chief Osceola records a 7.8 for his dismount.

Virginia plays North Carolina State one week after scoring a major upset over Georgia Tech-- and the Wolfpack are one of two ACC teams that are winless in conference play. Turnovers could tell the tale-- UVa leads the league with 14 giveaways... and the Pack pace the conference with 18 takeaways. But the larger issue will be if this is the weekend Kippy and Buffy go from white to red at their tailgate... Cavaliers come through, 17-12.

#16 Virginia Tech tangles with Boston College-- the Eagles are the other winless team in ACC play... and at 1-5 have that "Maryland 2009" look about them where nothing goes right. David Wilson by ground and Jarrett Boykin by air... early and often. Hokies ground the Eagles, 38-14.

Navy edges East Carolina, Georgetown beats Colgate, Howard slips to North Carolina A&T, William & Mary tame Towson, Richmond slips to Maine.

Last Week: 5-2.
Overall: 36-18.

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