CFB 2023 – Week 10

Halloween is over as are the CFP chances for a few teams to include Utah, Oregon State, and Clemson….oops, they were out before dropping an egg to NC State this past weekend. Quote of the week may have been NC State HC Diamond Dave Doeren telling ex Utah/NFL star Steve Smith “this ain’t a basketball school and tell Steve Smith he can Kiss My A$%!”. ZT loves the moxie. Also, Colorado State fans were penalized for throwing snowballs at the Air Force sideline/bench….really? Do they not know what any service academy can do to a normal university? Rumor is Pentagon has drones circling the practice field at Ft. Collins.

ZT notes Fat Pat McAfee ruined another coach/team this week after having UTAH HC Kyle Whittingham on the show, riding in on a Harley, arm wrestling, etc. etc. Utah played more like the Powder Puff girls vs their former tough guy selves. If ZT was in the WWE, he would put the Lex Lugar Torture Rack on McAfee and end this madness with Fat Pat!!

ZT visited PC Florida for a little Fall Thunder Beach….needing a snack enroute, ZT’s only solid option was the deli in the Piggly Wiggly store in Fountain, FL, population 4,380. After being notified they did not serve “slices” of Hunts Brothers Pizza except at certain hours ( it was 12:58pm ), ZT honed in on a egg roll offering that was recommended by the very nice, toothless lady on duty. It did exceed expectations, which were very low…. evidence below:

ZT still on a travel run but taking time in the airline club ( not naming it till they send sponsorship $$ ) to eat humus and prognosticate!

#25 Kansas State Wildcats @ #7 Texas Longhorns 11am

Purple Power Cats get back in the Top 25 after an annihilation of Houston 41-0 and winner of 3 straight since losing a close one at Okie State. Texas only stumble was the OU loss and they are still in the CFP picture, at the moment. They preformed nicely without QB Quinn Evers as Maalik Murphy led the Longhorns to a 35-6 win over the bike peddlers of BYU. K State weakest area is the secondary so will be interesting to see if Sark loosens up and turns Maalik loose like a shark feeding at a shipwreck! ZT says he does, just enough…. Longhorns 28 Sark Shark Chum 24

Texas A & M Aggies @ #11 Ole Miss Rebels 11am

DUMBO Fisher and his 3 loss Aggies get a trip to Oxford to tangle with some Rebels who have only lost to Bama and are #10 in the CFP rankings. Aggies generally play solid defense ( allowing under 275 Yards Per Game ) and they will need to play at that level this week. TAM Offense reminds ZT of a short bus in a snow storm. Kiffin defense is playing better, although the last few games include ARK, Auburn, and Vandy so they should have better stats. Ole Miss Offense will count on QB Jackson Dart and RB Quinshon Judkins for a balanced attack in this one. Will take Rebels in a close one Rebels 31 Agonies 24

#12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Clemson Tigers 11am

DABO….Come on Man!!! 4-4??? And now you even got the Pope against you! Irish have played angrier than a mosquito in a mannequin factory since that loss at Louisville outscoring their last 2 opponents 116-27. Irish’s Hartman/Estime Offense is just better than the Klubnik/Shipley experiment. ZT believes the Clemson wheel is spinning but the hamster appears to be dead this year…..Dabo will decide to visit Petsmart ( aka Transfer Portal ) in the off season in an attempt to replace the dead rodents. Won’t help him this week Irish 24 Average Felines 17

#14 Missouri Tigers @ #1 Georgia Bulldogs 230pm

WATCH OUT GEORGIA!!! Mizzou’s only loss was to LSU and they were winning that game with under 6 minutes to play! HC Eli Drinkwitz has established the best offense the Bulldogs have faced this season. QB Brady “I love to” Cook has 15 TDs with only 3 INTs. Tigers must come in to Athens with a “we can do it” attitude and ZT believes they will. One problem, Georgia has the best talent in CFB and ZT will take that, along with home field advantage and a bit of a chip on their shoulder at being ranked #2 in the 1st CFP ranking….yep, Kirby will amplify that into some extra motivation. Bulldogs 38 Zoo Tigers 24

#10 Oklahoma Sooners @ Oklahoma State Cowboys 230pm

WATCH OUT OKLAHOMA!!! No time for a pity party after 1st loss of the year to the Kansas Jayhawks! Okie State is playing solid ball against solid opponents….expect more white trash at this game than at a napkin factory for the last Bedlam, in Stillwater, for a while with conference realignment. No excuses for OU, but hanging around Kansas can be miserable ( just ask Dorothy and Toto who didn’t want to come back until they got into the poppies near Emerald City…ZT, you really insinuating there was drug use in the Wizard of Oz?? ) and much worse in bad weather. Look, Kansas had the same weather but got the W. Expect the Sooner offense to look like they have premium fuel in their tank this week and let QB Dillon Gabriel do his thing!! Cowboys RB Ollie “the warden” Gordon has almost 1,000 yards in the last 5 games with 11 TDs this season….It won’t be enough. Sooners 35 Pokey Pistol Petes 24

#5 Washington Huskies @ #24 USC Trojans 630pm

A few weeks ago, in a conference far, far away ( ZT, weak Star Wars reference..are you in the poppies? ), this was projected to be a “winner in the driver’s seat” CFP game. Unfortunately, Trojans have more accidents than a Cruise robotaxi dropping 2 of the last 3 and almost lost to Cal this past week 50-49. That is the issue, USC defense is pathetic….When asked about it, USC HC Lincoln “log” Riley’s mouth gets drier than a popcorn fart. Huskies are also excellent on offense but also play “Punk-12” defense…..just a little better than USC. Both defenses are expected to be as tired as a bartender on nickel beer night when this one is done. Huskies 41 University of Spoiled Children 38

#13 LSU Tigahs @ #8 Bama 645pm

ZT convinced Tigahs are one of the most dangerous teams in CFB as they average over 550 yards per game. QB Jayden “I like roller bladen” Daniels is great but problem is they have been allowing over 400 yards per game on D. Improved over the last 2 games…ok, sure it was Auburn and Army but…. Bama must play 60 minutes of football as a slow start, like the one against Tennessee, would likely find the Tide down by 24 at half vs. 13. Good news for Bama?… you don’t need a “D” to spell LSU or Tigahs. Bama Offense must be consistent and minimize the 3 & outs ( Maybe OC Tommy Rees didn’t make it back from Fall Break!!??!! ). Bama D must avoid the shock plays. Like a midget at a urinal, they must stay on their toes every play! Last concern?? Saban been spending too much time with Fat Pat McAfee….ask Utah if that is good!!! Closer than Vegas projects Bama 34 LSU 30

#20 UCLA Bruins @ Arizona Wildcats 930pm

OK….Bruins have 2 losses but both were close vs Oregon State and Utah….Arizona could have folded up their tent ( and donated it to the city of Portland ) after a triple OT loss to USC but all they did was come out and beat Washington State and upset the Beavers of Oregon State. UCLA, if dig in like ZT does ( very similar to your mutt dog from the pound digging up the family cat you buried by the fence out back ), is noted to have lost 2 of last 5 ( Utah & Oregon State ) with the wins over lessor foes. AZ recent losses were close ones to USC and Washington. ZT just feeling it, much like the 4th hour after eating at a Mexican buffet. UPSET SPECIAL Wildcats 28 Bruised Bruins 24

Padre is over last week’s game at Georgia ( ok, not really but part of the process by saying it! ) and headed back to The Swamp to host a group of feral hogs from Arkansas. But before that happens, he is ready to bestow some pigskin wisdom to the congregation…

Texas 29 Kansas State 20

Lots of hype for Kansas State to pull off the upset (especially with the Texas QB situation ), but I say that when the game gets tight late in the 4th quarter, the Wildcat hype fizzles out like Crystal Pepsi.

Ole Miss 27 Texas A & M 26

The Smack Talk Bowl!! It’s Jimbo “But I won a Natty at FSU” Fisher on one side vs. Lane “The OG Saban Reformation Project” Kiffin. Evidently, these two like each other about as much as Baptist likes a sprinkle infant baptism. The Aggies keep it close, but I say the Lane Train finds a way.

Notre Dame 24 Clemson 13

Dabo is yelling at callers on his radio show. I am yelling at 4th down play calls by Billy Napier. I would throw stones at Dabo, but honestly… who really needs the help? The guy yelling at spoiled fans? Or the spoiled fan yelling at the TV as if someone can hear him?!? … Yeah, I agree: DABO It’s Dabo that needs the help. Not me.

Oklahoma 31 Okie State 27

For the foreseeable future, this is the final Bedlam. Why? Because Oklahoma wants to join the SouthEASTERN Conference. As a SEC guy, I am so excited about SouthEASTERN Conference games in Norman, Austin, College Station, and Columbia….Missouri!!! I cannot wait for Hawaii to join in 2028. Maybe we can have a Pacific Division of the SEC. Wait, that now belongs to the ATLANTIC Coast Conference. Anyway, I am pulling for The Mullet, but I believe Boomer Sooner has the edge.

Georgia 44 Mizzou 17

Many people believed my Gators had a chance against Georgia. As a Gator fan, I ask one simple question with one simple word: WHY? I sadly knew what was coming the Orange and Blue’s way last weekend. But sadly it was even worse than I expected. I would LOVE to see Mizzou pull of the upset, but I see the same rabid Dawgs showing up on Saturday in Athens and having feline for dinner.

Bama 31 LSU 20

Lots of people thinking LSU can do it again!! I think the rumor of Saban’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. I say the Tide rolls with a late TD to clinch. And just like that, the narrative is that LSU’s natty hopes were greatly exaggerated.

Miami 26 N C State 23

Both of these teams took down “mighty” Clemson – leading Dabo to his latest rant ( is it possible to agree with Dabo AND roll your eyes at him at the same time? – because I am in that paradox ). I feel like the Pack should win, BUT I need Miami to be confident going into FSU. So, in a rare move, I pick the team I want to win over who I think will win. If this works out, that is how I will approach dieting going forward too: Sugar is good for you because I want it!! Oh, who am I kidding? ? That’s how I approach it already..

Minor Upset of the Week USC 44 Washington 40

Just when you think the Trojans are dead, they find a way in a big game. As always, Lincoln Riley’s team will score a lot of points but the defense will stop the Huskies about as much as Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” campaign stopped drug use in the 1980’s.

Upset of the Week Arkansas 30 Florida 27

For Gator Nation, last week was about as fun as a colonoscopy. I sure hope I am wrong about this week, but I sense the team will be super flat with Arkansas having nothing to lose. The Hogs hit a late FG to drain the swamp.

ZT and Padre calling it a wrap this week….more travel, more bad food and more prognostications after we gain back an hour of our lives when the clock rolls back….ok, not really as we have to get up early on Sunday to see if Tay Tay is in Germany at the Chiefs- Dolphins game before we head to church….