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THE PROPHET SPEAKETH
College Football's's Place for Foolishness on the Internet
© 2004 P. Chamlis/The Prophet Speaketh, All Rights Reserved
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Another pothole on the information superhighway,
conveniently located at
http://workmanpoll.cnchost.com/prophet
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theprophetspeaks

THE PROPHET'S RECORD FOR THE 2004 SEASON

GAMES FORECAST 191
GAMES CORRECT 143
PCT CORRECT 74.9%

OK, I had some good and bad picks last weekend. The Pac Ten was a
disaster for me, as always. But bottom line is this...anytime that
my percentage goes up this late in the season, it was a good week.
And although my picks will continue to be up and down, I'll continue
choosing in the security of knowing how much you all love me. Those
of you who do, thanks. And the rest of you? Please just humor
me. :^/

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Thursday, October 28
Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech
Looks like this Thursday night is going to be Tech time in the ACC,
as the league newbies at VaTech skitter on down to Hotlanta to hook
up with the older technology of the Yellowjackets. And although I'm
a nuts and bolts kind of guy, I don't see any way that the Georgia
engineers are going to put the screws to the lads from the Virginia
mountains in this contest. Wiring themselves a road conference win,
let's say Hokies by 7. As a side note...with all of those brainy
engineers coming out of Georgia Tech, how come BellSouth is still
such a technological train wreck?

Friday, October 29
Hawaii at Boise State
A lot of people wonder why Hawaii doesn't have one of THE best NCAA
football teams year in and out. You'd think that a program nestled
in paradise could get just about anyone they desire to play football
for the Warriors. It could be that players are smart enough to know
how much they'd hate leaving Oahu to go all the way to Idaho to play
football on a solid blue football field.....only a couple of days
before the beginning of November. That's the kind of scenario that
might make someone actually miss those tsunami things that they have
down there in "paradise". :) As for this game, let's just say that
it's not only the poi from Hawaii that gets pounded. BSU by 14.

Saturday, October 30
Oklahoma at Oklahoma State
This annual rivalry between the Sooners and Cowboys has long been
described as "Bedlam", and I'm not really sure why. I can tell you
this much, however... BCS bedlam would undoubtably ensue should Okie
State pull the big upset on Saturday. Not to worry, Orange Bowl
committee... Bob Stoopes and company will be doing the ropin' in
this rodeo. Boomer Sooners by 10.

Florida State at Maryland
The Seminoles are a team long noted for their speed. That fact,
coupled with Maryland's Terrapin nickname always conjures up images,
at least in my limited mind, of the old "Tortoise and Hare" fable.
Everyone knows that story, the classic tale of "slow and steady"
winning the race. Well, there are two reasons that the happily ever
after closing to the story won't apply Saturday in College Park.
First, this is no race..it's a football game. And second, although
Maryland's offense HAS been steady this year, the problem is that
it's been steadily bad. Call this one for the rabbits from
Tallahassee. Florida State by 10. My apologies to Chris and company.

Texas at Colorado
When the Longhorns and Buffaloes get together, it's the annual bovine
battle between hairy (Colorado) and horny (Texas) factions. Horny.
I like the sound of that. :) Texas by 7.

Utah at San Diego State
Utes coach Urban Meyer has suddenly found himself in the center of
the Florida head coaching search. It seems that the Gator nation has
taken notice of the balanced and ballistic attack that Coach M has
installed in Salt Lake City. Urban warfare, I believe they call it.
Who's going to win this game? Let's put it this way.... nobody on
the San Diego State sideline is going to be getting any calls from
Gainesville anytime soon. Utah by 21.

Michigan State at Michigan
The MSU Spartans are one of those teams that keeps ruining the
Prophet's winning percentage. In much the same way as their
conference brethren over at Wisconsin, John L. Smith's schizo squad
continually puts the screws to your humble prognosticator, baffling
me week in and out. I suppose the only way to get even is to pick
them as upset winners in their annual blood contest over in Ann
Arbor. Then, one of two things will happen. First, I could get
really lucky and log a huge upset pick. Or at the very worst, MSU
will get rogered, which means both Prophet and the Spartans are
disappointed. Sounds like a no-lose situation for me. Michigan
State in an upset, Spartans by 3.

Tennessee at South Carolina
The Vols remain in control of their SEC East destiny, but the big
Orange fans have to be concerned with the lack of offensive
consistency. Just this week in the paper, Coach Phil Fulmer was
quoted as saying he "didn't know what was wrong with the Tennessee
offense". Well WHATEVER the problem is, he shouldn't expect to find
any answers in Columbia on Saturday. Lou Holtz's chickens have been
scratching around the yard for a pitifully few points and yards in
2004. And regardless of how anemic the invading Orange attack
proves, I don't believe USC will have enough firepower to avoid
laying at egg at home. Tennessee by 14.

Texas Tech at Kansas State
My choice in this contest has little to do with the relative merit of
either Texas Tech or Kansas State. I know that the Red Raiders have
a wild and CRAZY offense. And, I know that Bill Snyder's Wildcats
know a thing or two about defense. My selection is based upon a team
playing some 600 miles to the west of Manhattan, Kansas, namely the
Texas Longhorns (who are playing in Boulder, Colorado). If Texas
can, as they did last weekend, maul TT in Lubbock, certainly K-State
can do the same in Kansas. My choice is a direct reflection of my
high regard for the fine job of coaching done at Texas by Mack Zook,
ooops, I mean Mack Brown. :) K-State by 8.

Stanford at UCLA
OK, I've learned my lesson. I got totally trashed by the damned Pac
Ten last week. I knew there was a reason that I picked so few of
their games. I'm sorry, Rick, but I've got to return to my roots. I
guess I just don't "get" the left coast. Then again, what can you
say for a state or region that still considers Senator Barbara Boxer
to be worthy of US citizenship? And speaking of California politics,
they could save money on intercollegiate athletic travel budgets if
they played the games by referendum. Just let the fans vote on who
they want to win, right? OK, since SoCal is more populous that the
Bay Area, that puts this proposition firmly in the UCLA corner.
Bruins by 6.

Duke at Wake Forest
Something's gotta give on Saturday. Duke and Wake Forest are the
only two ACC teams with winless conference records. This is the kind
of game that makes you wish they'd never started this tie-breaker
crap. This contest just begs to end up as a draw, wouldn't you say?
Well, as tempted as I am to call for an overtime game, I just don't
see it happening. You see, Wake Forest is a team that has just
experienced some very bad luck. Duke, OTOH, is just a bad team.
Look for the right team to leave Winston-Salem winless on Saturday.
Wake Forest by 14.

Penn State at Ohio State
Have you been hearing all the negative rips pinned onto Buckeye Coach
Jim Tressel? Recordings from Columbus sports radio are just brutal.
These guys are out for blood...and we're talking about a coach who
won the school's first national title in over thirty years only a
couple of seasons ago. Then again, the OSU brass appears more
tolerant that their vocal fans. It's a good thing that Tressel isn't
coaching down at Florida...they'd have probably crucified him
(literally) by now. Speaking of crucifixion, isn't it about time
that ancient Joe Paterno (metaphorically) dies for Penn State's
sins? It could be the only possible path for a Nittany Lion
rebirth. Ohio State by 6.

N.C. State at Clemson
I should be nicer to Clemson and coach Tommy Bowden. They provided
me with my shining moment in last week's Prophet. I picked the Tiger
upset of Maryland, and it was accomplished by the exactly forecast
three points. Bravo, Clemson. But, it's time to take a nice sip of
morning coffee and return to the real world. Clemson is not a very
good football team. And as Miami would agree, NC State IS. Assuming
that the Wolfpack can keep their turnovers in the single digits, look
for Chuck Amato's boys to come away from South Carolina with a win.
Then again, considering Clemson's inability to hold the football,
this game could crank out more turnovers than a discount bakery.
Wolfpack by 4.

Kentucky at Mississippi State
Starkville fans will tell you that last weekend's totally unexpected
victory over the Florida Gators, officially begins the Sylvester
Crooms era of SEC football at Mississippi State.
The upset win over hated UF was lots of fun for the Bulldogs, but I
don't see State having quite as successful an ending for this
contest. Am I predicting another Bulldog loss? Heck no...I'm into
this Crooms fellow. I'm just saying that it's hard to get the
opposing coach fired two weeks in a row. MSU by 2.

USC at Washington State
About the only thing that Pete Carroll's Trojans have to fear from
the rest of their Pac Ten schedule will be inclement weather. So,
how do things look up in Pullman this weekend? Not totally sure, but
something tells me that the men of Troy will pack enough rainy
weather gear to slog through whatever falls from the Wazzoo sky.
Saving a few points for another rainy day, call it Trojans by 14.

Miami at North Carolina
Two weeks in a row finds the Miami Hurricanes traveling up the state
of North Carolina for a conference tilt. Last Saturday night, the
South Florida bad boys got a bit of a push from NC State before
washing away the Wolfpack. If you just compare scores, you'd get
excited to remember that North Carolina DEFEATED NC State a few weeks
ago. After Miami beats the living bejesus out of the Tar Heels in
this game, you'll join me in wondering how and why? Memo to the UNC
AD....better get going with that John Bunting firing statement if you
want to get into the Steve Spurrier derby. Miami by 24.

Texas A&M at Baylor
In their opening game, Dennis Frangione's A&M Aggies stumbled around
like bears awakened from an early hibernation. But ever since, it's
been nothing but winning. Speaking of bears and hibernation, look
for the Aggies to put the Baylor boo boos to bed early in this
contest. Texas A&M by 16.

Auburn at Mississippi
Mississippi is a school steeped in tradition. The Rebels like to
live in and glorify their past. And in many cases, past
transgressions continue to dominate thought in the Magnolia State.
There's a reason that you see so many Rebel flags in the south with
the slogan "Ferget Hell". How many of you have forgotten the hard
feelings that developed when Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville came to
the Plains AFTER leaving Mississippi? The folks in Oxford certainly
remember, and would like nothing more than revenge. Maybe some other
year. Maybe some other decade. This is looking more like the year
of the War Eagle in the SEC. Auburn by 20.

Florida vs Georgia (in Jacksonville)
It's always been called the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail party
when the Bulldogs and Gators hook up in Jax. And lately, it's been
the Georgia squad that keeps going home with the hangover.
Considering that Bulldog coach Mark Richt doesn't even drink, that's
no mean feat. On the other sideline, Ron Zook and his Gator staff
have suddenly become lame ducks, fired halfway through the season
after a shocking loss last weekend to the Mississippi State
Bulldogs. Considering the mood of the UF players and coaches, I have
a feeling that the LAST thing they're ready to tolerate is another
loss to a group of Bulldogs. Look for Richt and UGA to get drunk
under the table again at the old cocktail party. Margaritas,
anyone? Florida in an upset, call it by 4.