Runway Challenge Week 8, the Manny edition: Where we don't care if the Red Sox lose either

The short week is cutting into my blog time today. But I wanted to get the picks up in time to include Friday night's UConn-Louisville game. No lead in topic or observations today. Just the picks, including a bonus over/under game.

Game 1: Louisville (-3.5) over CONNECTICUT: Louisville is 13-4 when Brian Brohm tops 300. Of course, they are 9-2 over the last two-plus seasons when he's held under 300. I say, let Brohm have his yards!

Game 1a: Louisville at CONNECTICUT over/under 62: Bet the over!

Game 2: Cincinnati (-10) over PITTSBURGH: Dave Wannestedt tore his Achilles tendon and missed practices this week to recover from surgery. Some guys will do anything to avoid answering for botching a game beyond belief.

Game 3: FLORIDA STATE (-6) over Miami-Fl.: Remember when this was the can't miss game of the fall? Now, both are middling teams in a middling conference.

Game 4: Mississippi State (+24) over WEST VIRGINIA: Bulldogs have been a pain in the neck (opener vs. LSU aside) to ranked teams and should find a way to cover.

Game 5: Southern California (-18) over NOTRE DAME: Petey Carroll was an NFL failure, hailed as a genius in college. Charlie Weis hailed as a genius in the NFL, a big fat failure in college.
Game 6: Texas Tech (+4) over MISSOURI: Graham Harrell on pace for 5,850 passing yards and 58 touchdowns, mainly by running up the score in an attempt to gain notice in a state dominated by Texas Longhorns news. This continues a Lone Star state tradition made famous by David Klingler and Andre Ware.

Game 7: Florida (-7) over KENTUCKY: Wildcats just knocked off No. 1 LSU, and are getting a touchdown at home? This is too obvious, which is why I'm defying logic, taking a page from George Costanza's book and doing the exact opposite. I also just ordered lunch. Chicken salad, on rye, untoasted...with a cup of tea.

Game 8: SYRACUSE (-3.5) over Buffalo: Almost decided to go Costanza and pick the opposite again, especially since Buffalo has been much improved this season. But my theory is this...Syracuse will relish its final chance to beat up on a lesser opponent this season and kick the holy crap out of the Bulls.

Game 9: COLORADO (+3.5) over Kansas: Jayhawks take over reigns from UConn and are now the undefeated team no one respects. Colorado, a team no one can figure out, should hand them their first.

Game 10: Oregon (-11.5) over WASHINGTON: Ducks have ugliest uniforms in the history of college athletics.

Game 11: OKLAHOMA STATE (-3) over Kansas State: I just can't get excited about anything in the Big 12, not even Mike Gundy press conferences.

Game 12: MARYLAND (-4) over Virginia: No home crowd to save the Hoos bacon this week. By the way, found out Hoos is short for Wahoos. Still makes no sense. But there you go.

Game 13: LSU (-10.5) over Auburn: Andre Woodson and Kentucky shut James Carville up pretty quick. If only CNN would do the same.

Game 14: PENN (+15) over Yale: Bulldogs are for real, but haven't played well at Franklin Field since the first George Bush (also a Yale alum) was in office.

Last week's results
1. Ian 9-2
2. Caleb Mandrake 7-4
Dan 7-4
kooch 7-4
5. Chip 6-5
Will L 6-5
7. Sammy 5-6
Mitch Kumpstein 5-6
SeanO's ghost 5-6
Vinny from East Haven 5-6
11. Kevin 4-7
Detroit Tigers Hater 3-8

Overall standings

1. Kooch 47
Ian 47
3. SeanO's Ghost 46
4. Chip 43
5. Sammy 41
6. Vinny from East Haven 40
7. DetroitTigersHater 35
8. Will L 34
Caleb Mandrake 34
10. Dan 33
11. Pete 28
Kevin 28
13. sturge-rock 22
14. Alex 16
15. Steve P 8
Mitch Kumpstein 8

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