Blowin' Smoke Presented by Weston Tobacco
What's more fun than us giving you a chance to mock us every single week? In our new feature, Blowin' Smoke presented by Weston Tobacco, we will do that each and every Thursday. Gabe DeArmond and Mitchell Forde will make five predictions almost sure to go wrong every week in this space. These will range from big games to big picture predictions with a bit of the comedic and absurd mixed in most weeks as well.
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1) Major conference football starts this week. We've already made SEC picks. Who wins the Big 12 and ACC?
Mitchell: The ACC is easy. Clemson will win that league and win it with relative ease. I could see Texas pushing Oklahoma in the Big 12, but until I see them actually break through and beat the Sooners, I'll still pick Oklahoma.
Gabe: I'd love to disagree, but I just don't see it. It's Clemson and Oklahoma. At least the Big Ten opting out gave us a chance at something different in the playoff because if that league was playing, Ohio State, Clemson and Bama just looked to be head and shoulders better than everyone else. Again.
2) Let's pick games! The list of games is in the answers.
Gabe: Duke (+20.5) at Notre Dame: David Cutcliffe is a good coach. Not good enough to win, but good enough to cover.
Syracuse (+19.5) at North Carolina: UNC is a popular pick for a breakout season this year. I can't name a single Syracuse player. Give me the Heels.
Georgia Tech (+11) at Florida State: Don't know a lot about either team, but Mike Norvell's been a roller coaster so far. Give me the Ramblin Wreck.
Coastal Carolina (+3.5) at Kansas: I'm not above pandering to the crowd. Chanticleers.
Clemson (-31) at Wake Forest: Assuming Trevor Lawrence doesn't opt out in the next two days (I have no clue why he's playing), I'll go with Clemson.
Mitchell: Duke (+20.5) at Notre Dame: That's a lot of points, but I don't really know a single thing about Duke's team, so I guess I'll pick Notre Dame.
Syracuse (+19.5) at North Carolina: That also seems like too big a number. I think a lot of the UNC hype is based on their 2021 recruiting class, but those guys aren't playing in this game. Give me the Orange.
Georgia Tech (+11) at Florida State: Florida State has seemed to be a little bit of a mess this offseason, so I say Georgia Tech keeps it within single digits and covers.
Coastal Carolina (+3.5) at Kansas: Kansas has lost every matchup it's ever played against Coastal Carolina in football. That is a fact. And when there's no reward/penalty for being right or wrong with these picks, I'm going to err on the side of having our readers like me. I'm taking the Chanticleers!
Clemson (-31) at Wake Forest: This really just comes down to how long Clemson stays interested and keeps their starters in the game. First game back, I say they let Trevor Lawrence and company run up the score a little bit. Clemson.
3) Give me a start date for Big Ten football.
Mitchell: I think some time in early January is most likely. I'll say Thursday Jan. 7 for the first game, then the rest of the league plays that weekend.
Gabe: I'm with you. Every few days a Big Ten coach calls someone in the media and plants a story or the parent of a player leads a demonstration or something and everyone gets all hot and bothered over a random tweet from someone nobody has ever heard of and thinks they're starting sooner. They aren't. January.
4) Rank these in order of most likely to least likely: 6-9 SEC games are played, 10 SEC games are played, 1-5 SEC games are played, 0 SEC games are played.
Mitchell: I absolutely think they're going to start, and they're going to try to play all 10 games. I think for me it's pretty much a toss-up between each team playing 10 games or eight to nine. I wouldn't be surprised if some teams play all 10 games and a few others don't quite get there, so I put that one on top. It feels a lot better to be worried about whether a few games will be moved around or canceled than whether any football will be played at all this season, that's for sure.
Gabe: I'm very, very close to picking ten games as most likely. I'm like 70% sure that's going to happen. So what the hell? I'll do it. Ten games is most likely. Then 6-9, then 1-5, then none. Sports are happening. They'll find a way.
5) NFL picks. Games are listed in the answers.
Gabe: Houston (+10) at Kansas City: Mahomes.
Miami (+5.5) at New England: The Patriots are always good out of the gate and I'm in the Cam Newton has something left in the tank camp. Give me New England.
Tampa Bay (+4.5) at New Orleans: I saw Tom Brady play last year a lot. He's not the same guy. And it's not all because he didn't have enough weapons. Saints.
Tennessee (+1.5) at Denver: I know you'll take Denver so I'll take the Titans on principle.
Arizona (+7.5) at San Francisco: San Francisco is due for a step back. Arizona is on the rise. Cardinals cover even if they don't win.
Mitchell: Houston (+10) at Kansas City: Chiefs.
Miami (+5.5) at New England: I have no idea who is going to play QB for the Dolphins. Is Tua ready? I guess I'll take Belichick.
Tampa Bay (+4.5) at New Orleans: There's going to be a little bit of an adjustment curve for Brady and company. Saints.
Tennessee (+1.5) at Denver: Picking completely with my heart and not my head here, of course I'm taking the Broncos.
Arizona (+7.5) at San Francisco: San Francisco wins but Arizona scores enough late points to cover.