Editor’s Note: Here are Bill Everett’s college football picks for Sept. 10.
BAKER — The biggest fan base ever will see a college football game at the Stadium/Race Track at Bristol, Tennessee, and the Devils will suit up in Durham, North Carolina on both sides of the field.
Here’s more about that in this week’s picks:
●Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Tennessee Volunteers (Big Oranges or Heart Attack U.) The game, set for Sept. 10 at Bristol PH Motor Speedway, was planned 10 years ago, and the Hokies want to win this game badly, not only for the win but also for bragging rights of the two states and conference. (This goes back to Tennessee High vs. Virginia High in Bristol in 1938.) But one must take a good look at the mountains and the valley around Bristol and see the leaves on the trees are turning Oranges. Big Oranges win by 10 or more points.
●Arkansas Razorbacks vs. TCU Horned Frogs. Boy, what a tailgate party this is — ribs and/or frogs’ legs. Arkansas has problems with teams out of Texas, and it has a big one with TCU winning by 20.
●Kentucky Wildcats vs. Florida Gators. This could be an upset; Kentucky has the ability but runs out of gas in the end. Florida by seven, but it was close to the end.
●Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. South Carolina Gamecocks (SEC Game of the Week). This game is going to hurt; the “old ball coach” has been gone for a while and they wish he was back. Bulldogs win by 14 or more points.
●Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Duke Blue Devils. The devils made me do it, on both sides of the field, but Duke has a devil of a running game. Duke wins by 16.
●Louisville Cardinals vs. Syracuse Orange. The Cardinals know it is time to fly south for the winter. Louisville wins by 12.
●Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Pittsburgh Panthers (ACC Game of the Week). This game should have been at the end of the season — big crow, lots of blue and blood on both sides (black and blue, that is). But really, I don’t think Penn State is ready for a smash mouth, kick-in-the-teeth type game. Panthers win by 3, and it may be the only game they win after this.
●North Carolina State Wolfpacks vs. East Carolina Pirates. No upset here — Wolfpacks by 26 or more points.
●Virginia Cavaliers vs. Oregon Ducks. The problem here was that Virginia should have scheduled this as a home game. That way, family and friends could come to see them in the hospital. Ducks by a lot of “quack-quacks.”
●Arkansas State Red Wolves vs. Auburn Tigers. This is going to be closer than you think. Could be, but not really an upset. (Auburn is looking for a new coach and he is setting over at Alabama as an assistant coach.) Tigers will outlast them on the field by 13 points.
TIE BREAKER: You pick the score on this one plus the winner: Tulsa Golden Hurricanes vs. Ohio State Buckeyes. Hurricane indeed, Ohio State! Has anyone seen their Mickey Mouse schedule this year? Wonder if they can get their helmets on over the big heads. Buckeyes by a lot. In addition, they want the National Champions Title.
William Everett is a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and lives in the Baker area.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SEC, ACC college football picks