We here at the PiRate Ratings believe like Ted Williams that you don’t sit out the final day of the season to protect a .400 average. We could sit out this final weekend of the regular season, not including Army-Navy next week, and be guaranteed our 18th winning season in the last 23 years, albeit imaginary revenue. We are showing a small 3.5% profit for the season, and we could have sat this week out to guarantee the winning year. We could have merely played one or two games, for going 0-2 would still mean we would have a winning season.
Just like The Splendid Splinter, we are in the lineup and taking our cuts this week with five selections. If we can’t go at least 2-3, we don’t deserve to consider it 18 out of 23. We’re attacking this Championship Week like it’s an opportunity to go from .400 to .406.
Our selections this week include three games straight up against the spread and two Money Line Parlays. We are almost always looking for underdogs that we find undervalued to win and like to go with short underdogs. We tend to never play underdogs of more than two touchdowns. Yet, this week, we are going against our grain. We’re taking two short favorites and one heavy underdog to cover. As for the Money Line Parlays, there were limited choices, and it took a little extra work to come up with two parlays that paid out more than +120. Enjoy, but remember the most important advice you will ever read here–do not wager real money on these selections. We wager $0 in real money, and we know best the value of these selections.
Selection #1: USC -2 1/2 vs. Utah
A two-point conversion in Salt Lake City in October is all that separates USC and a 12-0 regular season. Utah’s home field advantage is worth a good 3 points or more, and this game is being played in Las Vegas. With a College Football Playoff berth on the line, we believe the Trojans could win this game by more than a touchdown.
Selection #2: TCU -2 1/2 vs. Kansas St.
Kansas State’s defense couldn’t stop TCU’s offense in October once the Horned Frogs trailed 28-10. TCU stormed back in the final two plus quarters, outscoring KSU 28-0. With a College Football Playoff on the line, we believe the Horned Frogs are peaking at the right time and sitting on a double-digit win. If so, Kansas State might be the weakest Sugar Bowl team in decades.
Selection #3: LSU +18 1/2 vs. Georgia
We don’t see LSU pulling off an incredible upset to clinch a Sugar Bowl bid, and the defending national champions still look like the prohibitive favorite to win back-to-back titles. However, we have this suspicion that LSU is going to make this game a lot closer than people expect. When a 38-21 game wins this wager (or 45-28 or 28-10), we’ll take a Brian Kelly team to cover.
Selection #4: Money Line Parlay 3 games @ +153.47
Buffalo over Akron
UTSA over North Texas
Boise St. over Fresno St.
Selection #5: Money Line Parlay 3 games @ +121.02
Troy over Coastal Carolina
Tulane over Central Florida
Michigan over Purdue