2021 FTRS Picks, Week 3: Chaos Reigns!

By Logan Sandor Sep 15, 2021, 2:00pm EDT

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 11 Stanford at USC

Possibly because of all the chaos, the average on picks last week sat around 4.5 points. Shout out to user Blue Pants for scoring the most points last week with 8 correct picks. PittJacket closely followed with 7 correct picks and then there was a wave of 6 pointers. Here is the current results for the picks following last week:

Pick Standings

Nobody Offered me a couch last week so I’m still homeless...

YATES IS THE QUARTERBACK OF THE FUTURE! FOR REAL! HE CAME BACK IN TIME USING MAGIC HE GOT FROM A WITCH TO BRING HOPE TO THE YELLOW JACKET LOCKER ROOM!!!

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 11 Kennesaw State at Georgia Tech

ARKANSAS IS BACK!!! TEXAS GETS WHAT THEY DESERVE FOR SELLING THEIR SOULS TO NICK SABAN!!! WE ALL KNOW SABAN RUNNING THE SEC PAAAAAWWWWLLLLL!!! IF YOU CAN’T GET SABAN TO COACH YOUR SCHOOL YOU MIGHT AS WELL LOSE TO HIM EVERY YEAR!!! ARKANSAS ON A ROLL, TEXAS A&M BETTER WATCH OUT OR THE HOGS GONNA TAKE OVER THE CAMPUS TEXAS WITH THEIR PULLED PORK SMOKED BBQ POWERS!!!

THE!!!!! LOOK ON OHIOSTATE FANS FACES WHEN THEY LOST WAS THE GREATEST DRUG OF ALL!!! BUT I SWEAR I WASN’T HIGH WHEN I SAW A DUCK RIDING A MOTORCYCLE!!! IT WAS REAL Y’ALL!!! SOMEONE IN THE PAC 12 KNOWS HOW TO PLAY FOOTBALL, QUACK QUACK Y’ALL!!!

To be fair on the homeless thing, Georgia Tech tried to make it up to me by actually winning a game. It might’ve been an aberration like the rest of that Saturday though. #3 Ohio State straight up loses at home. #5 Texas A&M loses their starting QB and struggles to get their offense going in time to win the game. #8 Notre Dame barely survives at home against Toledo. Texas Loses, USC Loses, Utah Loses... Its what we all love about college football, nothing is set in stone.

Now does that give us any comfort going up against Clempson? Not at all, but you never know when the chaos Gods will smile upon you. So there is at least hope

picks for this week.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets @ #6 Clemson Tigers (-28.5)

Logan: You ever wake up in the morning and just think to yourself “Why do we need to play Clemson every year?” I know it’s a rivalry, but I feel like we deserve a break at some point. Just to make things slightly worse, this game is being televised on ABC. So enjoy watching the Jackets get blown out in the premier 3:30 matchup. The spread is pretty sizeable, so there is the possibility that we will cover if we just play a great game. I’m gonna say we cover, but there is no way we win this game. If we do I’m gonna clean myself up and get off the street.

Logan’s pick: GT covers, Clemson wins

#1 Alabama Crimson Tide (-14.5) @ #11 Florida Gators

Logan: Alabama is really really good. The spread might actually be a little low in this game. It’s hard to play in The Swamp, but I don’t see this Bama team being challenged.

Logan’s pick: Roll Tide

#15 Virginia Tech Hokies @ West Virginia Mountaineers (-3)

Logan: A West Virginia Team that lost to Maryland is favored over a Virginia Tech team that beat UNC. I could see it. This is a rivalry game over the “Black Diamond Trophy” which apparently has to do with coal and not with skiing, or so I’ve been told. This game will really depend on if VT’s defense can continue to perform in a unrestrained Morgantown environment. West Virginia (Mountain Momma) has been averaging 45 points scored per game, VT has averaged 12 points given up per game. Both teams need to prove something, so this should be fun. I’m gonna roll with VT, hoping Fuente continues to prove people wrong about him being overrated.

Logan’s pick: Hokies

#8 Cincinnati Bearcats (-4) @ Indiana Hoosiers

Logan: Desmond Ritter is on his way to being the top QB pick in the 2022 NFL draft. Cincy has been making their opponents look like children. The sad part for the Bearcats is their schedule needs strong opponents, they were hoping the Hoosiers would be ranked going into this match and need Notre Dame to stay ranked highly before the matchup next week. Cincy wants to prove they belong in a playoff. On the other side, Indiana wants to prove they weren’t completely overrated going into 2021 in front of their home crowd. I gotta go with Bearcats from what I’ve seen, and I hope chaos might lift them into a playoff run.

Logan’s pick: Cincy

Michigan State Spartans @ #24 Miami Hurricanes (-6.5)

Logan: Miami has had a tough start to the season. The blow out against Alabama wasn’t that surprising, but a close game against Appalachian State is not what the fans want to see given the Hype Deriq King had going into the season. The Spartans will prove to be a challenge as their QB Payton Thorne has been on fire. He’s currently averaging a QBR or 85.3 which is the 6th best in the NCAA right now. Given how things are going for Miami, I’m gonna take the Spartans to cover. If Miami proves me wrong this week maybe I can start taking them seriously again.

Logan’s pick: Spartans cover

Presbyterian Blue Hose @ Campbell Camels (No Spread Given)

Logan: Ok, so this one is a deep dive for a pick, but a friend of mine on the FTRS staff wanted it so here we go. So for those unfamiliar with the Blue Hose, they are a non-scholarship program out of Clinton, South Carolina. They are currently coached by Kevin Kelley, who was a coach at Pulaski Academy for 18 years winning 9 championships and accumulating 200 total wins over his tenure there. So why should you care about all this? Kevin Kelley is an interesting coach in the sense that he does not punt, he always goes for 2 point conversions, and always kicks onside kicks (barring highly unusual circumstances). This accompanied by his success with programs make him a favorite for couch coaches. As I mentioned Presbyterian is a non-scholarship program, and this week they go up against Campbell which is a scholarship program. Campbell is better than their 0-2 record indicates, barely losing to a good Elon team last week, but Presbyterian has won their past 2 games by an average of 53 points. This should be an interesting matchup, try and pay attention to it if you have the chance. I’m gonna take the Blue Hose, lets get weird and see if this coaching style will prove itself.

Logan’s pick: Blue Hose

Minnesota Golden Gophers @ Colorado Buffalos (-2.5)

Logan: After last week I gotta go with Colorado. despite it being against a backup QB, the Buffs defense looked good. Their offense struggled against a top tier TAMU defense, but that is to be expected. Meanwhile the Gophers didn’t look great against Miami of Ohio, although maybe they just struggle with Ohio teams. Since Colorado gets the Gophers at home, I think the Buffs take this one... even if they need an extra down to do it.

Logan’s pick: Colorado

#19 Arizona State Sun Devils (-3.5) @ #23 BYU Cougars

Logan: BYU is riding high off their first win against Utah in 9 years last week. Arizona State has won all their games in convincing fashion, and have a QB in Jayden Daniels which people expect to have a breakout year. This should be a fun game. I’m not gonna pick based on field talent, I like Herm Edwards as a coach. Edwards has consistently surprised people since coming to Arizona State and found ways to win tough matchups. I’m taking Arizona State in this one.

Logan’s pick: The Fighting Herm Edwards

Northwestern Wildcats (-3) @ Duke Blue Devils

Logan: NERD BOWL BABY!!!

Actually one of two this week since Stanford also plays Vandy, but I’m gonna ignore that one because the result seems more obvious based on the season so far.

Despite losing to Charlotte in week 1, Duke bounced back last week and has done some impressive things on offense. I don’t expect the Wildcats to struggle much in the Duke home game environment but I think the Duke players have enough gumption on their own to at least cover.

Logan’s pick: Duke covers

#22 Auburn Tigers vs. #10 Penn State Nittany Lions (-6)

Logan: I just can’t trust Auburn. Every year I can never tell if they’re going to be 3-9 or 9-3 and when I try to guess I usually get it wrong. I cannot for the life of me figure out the Tigers. Penn State looked good in their battle against Wisconsin and will be getting Auburn at home so I fully expect the Nittany Lions to win this one. I’m gonna take Auburn to cover though, again because Auburn will find a way to prove me wrong whenever I expect them to win or lose.

Logan’s pick: Auburn covers, Penn State wins