The plague is wreaking havoc on my already dismal record this weird season. Last week I went only 2-3, dragging my season total down to 8-10-5. Link to last week: https://bearinsider.com/forums/2/topics/99123 This week's wild guesses are as usual posted with odds for the home team, my pick in italics.

Rubber Duckies @ Cal +10: Counting on Cal's special teams to improve to only slightly scary instead of soul freezing terrifying. Cal beats the spread with upset not completely out of the question.

River Rats @ Mormon Marauders -8: This is a tough one to call. Have the Ute's righted the ship or is it still capsizing? Have the rodents really turned into those giant mutant rats escaping a mad scientist's lab? Taking the Beavs to beat the spread.

Colorado @ Mildcats +4: Kittens are bad, really bad. Ralphie rampages and covers the spread.

Wazzoo @ U$C -13: Two rusty teams duke it out. Spread is too high, Puddytats beat the spread.

bRuins @ Spawn of Satan -5: Time for Devil's Rejects to slap Chip Kelly into oblivion. Devils cover.

Furd @ Mutts -11: Line is too high. Furd unfortunately beats the spread.

The Plague vs. ???: Stay tuned for the inevitable update.

UrsusTexicanus said:

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The plague is wreaking havoc on my already dismal record this weird season. Last week I went only 2-3, dragging my season total down to 8-10-5. Link to last week: https://bearinsider.com/forums/2/topics/99123 This week's wild guesses are as usual posted with odds for the home team, my pick in italics.

Rubber Duckies @ Cal +10: Counting on Cal's special teams to improve to only slightly scary instead of soul freezing terrifying. Cal beats the spread with upset not completely out of the question.

River Rats @ Mormon Marauders -8: This is a tough one to call. Have the Ute's righted the ship or is it still capsizing? Have the rodents really turned into those giant mutant rats escaping a mad scientist's lab? Taking the Beavs to beat the spread.

Colorado @ Mildcats +4: Kittens are bad, really bad. Ralphie rampages and covers the spread.

Wazzoo @ U$C -13: Two rusty teams duke it out. Spread is too high, Puddytats beat the spread.

bRuins @ Spawn of Satan -5: Time for Devil's Rejects to slap Chip Kelly into oblivion. Devils cover.

Furd @ Mutts -11: Line is too high. Furd unfortunately beats the spread.

The Plague vs. ???: Stay tuned for the inevitable update.

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thanks again Tex for doing this.

I went 3-2, and 6-11 overall.

Ducks and given points following the everything in 2020 sucks
Utes. Finally practicing and getting post-COVID shape. Agree this is a tough call as OSU is improved.
Buffs
UCLA. This is one of those COVID impacted games where ASU has not been fully practicing and UCLA is battle tested.
Furd. Underwhelmed by Udub and think they will not be able to out-physical Furdies to win big.

It's a weird season. Cal could get the upset, and that could very well be Cal's sole win for the season. That actually wouldn't surprise me. Oregon is up-and-down and Cal is improving (as in its losses are smaller and better quality). Cal could end up being Oregon's trap game.

Probability-wise I wouldn't take Oregon and the points. They could blow Cal out, but I doubt they'd be able to do it anywhere close to half the time. Most likely scenario Cal lets Oregon sneak out with a close win they don't deserve.

The rest of the games are even more unpredictable. Gambling on college football this season is for the truly compulsive gamblers, all reason is out the window.

It's becoming clear who the better teams are:
Oregon
Utah
Colorado
USC
UCLA
Washington

The Utah pick is the exception, largely due to my suspicion that the starting OSU QB won't be playing.

Last week I went 3-2, bringing me up to 8-10 for the season (I do NOT count the cancelled games as pushes or ties, since there is a distinction between a game that is not played vs a game that is played that has the scoring differential exactly on the betting line).

Oregon @ Cal: In my heart I think Oregon covers, but I'm sick of (on one hand) rooting for my team, and (on the other hand) rooting for me to win the bet. So I'm betting Cal.

OSU @ Utah: Yes the Beavers are undoubtedly better, but Utah is surprisingly good considered the personnel they lost and their lack of game experience in 2020. I suspect OSU was really up for the Civil War last week, and this week that emotion will have been spent ... plus its a home game for the Utes, who I think will cover.

Colorado @ UA: Yes, the Wildcats are awful, and the Buffaloes are looking good: Colorado.

WSU @ USC: Cougars aren't looking too good this season, sad to say. Trojans may not be firing on all cylinders, but they've got the talent (and home field advantage) to win and cover.

UCLA @ ASU: This should be an exciting game. But I think the Bruins have hit their stride, while ASU has played only ONCE so far, so their experience level is in the crapper. UCLA.

Stanford @ UW: What others have said - UW to win but fail to cover has me betting on the Cardinal.