Vindy's Picks Week 11-2010 (Part I)

FORECASTER’S NAMESAKE JOINS GOLDEN GATE FAST-FOOD

SAN FRANCISCO, California (MSNBC)....Fed up with the ongoing luring of America’s youth to indulge in unhealthy eating habits with the promise of toys, local officials have put the kibosh on the cultural icon known as the Happy Meal. When the new regulation takes effect in December 2011, replacing the forbidden fare on McDonald’s menu will be the Vindy Meal, a cheesy burger containing little meat or substance and sides of apple fries, beer and industrial-strength heartburn as consumers’ wallets get thinner. No toys will accompany the combo in the City By The Bay ...at least until a 53% correct prediction rate is achieved. The media is already dubbing the new menu item as the “McVee”, not to be confused with former Fleetwood Mac member Christine McVie!

A final tally of 8-9 for Week 10 (82-94-2, .466) made Vindy’s climb toward achieving at least a .500 season just a bit steeper, and the undesirable goal of breaking 100 losses before reaching the century mark in wins is a virtual certainty this coming week.

No need to panic, Sports Fans....that unexplained missile launch this week off the California coast was simply Vindicator misfiring with....

THE WEBER KID’S 2010 WEEK 11 FORECAST(Giving you the break you deserve today!)

FRI. NOV. 12
#4 Boise State over IDAHO giving 34 ½: Looks easy after Boise dismantled Hawaii. State kept the Warriors passing game off the board for three quarters. Vandals lost 63-25 last year and 45-10 in ‘08 and haven’t covered in four of last five games this season. Idaho’s mostly-new offensive unit simply hasn’t progressed enough to hang in here...Boise 54 Idaho 10

SAT. NOV. 13
#1 Oregon over CALIFORNIA giving 19 ½: Mallards were beaten three years in a row (holding a Top 25 spot each time) by Cal until pounding the Bears 42-3 last season (without a ranking at the time). We could see the Decoys putting on trademark first-half inertia before putting plenty of distance between themselves and the Cubbies, who may have to wait until last regular-season tilt vs. UDUB to get a shot at a minor bowl bid...Drakes 54 Bares 24

Georgia over #2 AUBURN taking 9: Tigers simply have to keep defeating its SEC rivals to keep TCU at bay and play for the national title. Dawgs have been on 4-1 SU tear, with only loss coming in OT vs. the Gators on a neutral field. Joja’ has knocked off Auburn four years running, but are 1-4 SU/ATS away from Athens on the season and didn’t covered either opportunity vs. ranked opponents (2-9 ATS skid). Gotta’ take the points...Auburn 23 Joja’ 19

#3 TCU over San Diego State giving 26 ½: Froggies gained little in the BCS race despite making it look very easy in Salt Lake City. Aztecs already have seven victories and will pick up an eighth when they host UNLV, but are just 1-3-1 ATS in their last five games. Toads have limited last 6 opponents to less than 4 points per game. One of the CBS announcers said QB Andy Dalton, facing the Utah pass rush, was “eating sandwiches back there (in the pocket)”. By the end of three quarters, he was also building a house of cards and crochetin’ a sweater!...TCU 38 SDSU 10

#5 LSU over Louisiana-Monroe giving 31: We don’t have a warm-and-fuzzy about this one. Bengals haven’t faced Weeziana-Monroe since belting them 49-7 in 2003, but have beaten the line in seven of last ten against teams from the Fun Belt. Having upset ‘Bama, the real question is whether or not Tigers feel like putting 31on the board. Warhawks lost last week in double-OT at Florida International, scored just 7 in spread win over Arkansas and rolled over in 52-3 loss at Auburn...LSU 41 UL-Monroe 6

Indiana over #6 WISCONSIN taking 21 ½: What do the Hoosiers have left in the tank following heartbreaking home losses to Northwestern and Iowa? Badgers actually trailed Purdue 10-6 at the half, but made the Boilers pay dearly for throwing three picks thereafter. However, Purdue’s QB was a true freshman in his first start. Indy held its own in 31-28 loss last year...Wisconsin 29 Indiana 17

ARIZONA STATE over #7 Stanford taking 5: In working off some serious aggression, Trees bent but didn’t break, yielding 428 yards of offense but just 17 points to Arizona. Cardinal lost three straight seasons to the Sun Devils before last year’s 33-14 victory, have covered all three road chalk opportunities (vs. UCLA, Notre Dame and UDUB) and still have a puncher’s chance to walk away with the conference crown. State is 6-1 ATS, including 3 spread wins with lines smaller than this one. Devils lost by 11 to Oregon and are 20-0 ATS facing the Top 25 this year...Stanford 27 ASU 24

Penn State over #8 OHIO STATE taking 17 ½: A big, tip of the helmet to JoePa for snaring his 400th victory... even if it came via a rally from three touchdowns down to Northwestern. Nice to see the Lions on a three-game win streak (and 3-0 ATS) behind Matt McGloin and some better execution by the O-line. The Nits are still giving up 24 ppg over that span though, to lesser offenses than the Buckeyes have. PSU has been victorious just three times in last 10 years vs. Ohio State, but only once has it lost by more than 17...OSU 27 Penn State 17

Kansas over #9 NEBRASKA taking 35: Even before losing starting QB Martinez, Huskers were gettin’ all they could handle from Iowa State club that took them to extra frames. Either Kansas busted out some major smoke-and-mirrors action or the Bison conspired to giveaway a 28-point, 4th quarter lead to send now-former coach Dan Hawkins to the unemployment line. Big Dread travels to A&M next week and shows a blase 11-11 ATS record in the Big 12 the past few seasons...Children of the Corn 38 Kansas 10

#10 Michigan State: IDLE (next vs. Purdue)

#17 Mississippi State over #11 ALABAMA taking 13 ½: Despite touchdowns from all three of its stars, Tide lost at LSU. ‘Bama followed up its previous defeat (at South Carolina) with ho-hum 23-10 home win over Ole Mist. Mississippi State has covered 5 of last 6 games this year and has limited 6 of 9 opponents to 17 or less. Bulldoggies need to take a pair of final three to go bowling...Alabama 22 MSU 17

#12 Oklahoma State over TEXAS giving 5 ½: Cowpokes were up 34-0 in the third quarter before Baylor hit the board. Maybe Mack Brown hasn’t given up on the season, but we think the Longhorns, 1-5 straight-up in last 6...including losses to UCLA and Iowa State, neither of whom have the scoring weapons that OKSU does, have... Cowboys 34 Texas 21

NORTHWESTERN over #13 Iowa taking 10: Hawkeyes went to the wire with Indiana. How well will the Wildcats, who own a single spread victory in 2010, respond in the wake of a defeat after being up on Vindicator’s alma mater by 21 (their first ATS loss as road dogs in last 10 chances). Iowa’s gone just 1-2 against the number outside Iowa City. N-Dub lost to Michigan State by 8. Will the Birds be motivated...or weary? ...Iowa 17 NW 9

#14 ARKANSAS over Texas-El Paso giving 28 ½: First BCS conference foe, much less first ranked opponent for the Miners, who upset Southern Methadone University two weeks after giving Tulane its only I-A victory on the season. Hogs whacked South Carolina, but are now 2-8 ATS giving double-digits off consecutive SU/spread victories. Arkie beat UL-Monroe 31-7 in September at Little Rock and boasts a 13-3 ATS record vs. non-SEC teams...Arkansas 48 UTEP 14

#15 Utah over NOTRE DAME giving 5 ½: We thought about this for lock, but are gun-shy following mishap at Air Force. Utes didn’t show up in the biggest game of their season....dropping passes, missing tackles and turning it over vs. TCU. Back in the news is a six-story statue of Jesus (in Monroe, Ohio) that was struck by lightning . Said Chad Ochocinco of the incident that damaged the Touchdown Jesus-wannabe, “Why didn’t I think of that???!!!”. (Ya think that bolt was a vote from on high against expansion of the Big Ten or Big Least to include the Catholics ???!!)...Utah 27 Irish 13

We'll back tomorrow night with the remainder of this week's 22-game minefield, our choice for lock of da' week, best bets and the ever-popular..."hashmarks"! Stay tuned!