College football picks, week five

Bill Everett is a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and lives in the Baker area. [Special to the News Bulletin]

Coach Lane Kiffin (1-3), of the Florida Atlantic Owls, needn’t worry, Coach Butch Jones of Tennessee is on his way to help you out.

What a team you two will make, but is there room for Coach Mike Rilec of Nebraska, who is hanging on by his fingernails looking to come and join y’all?

Both Alabama and Clemson did what was expected of them, and both are looking over their shoulders at the Georgia Dawgs and Duke Blue Devils — yes, I said Duke.

Here are your 10 picks for the week, plus a tiebreaker for Sept. 30:

1. Clemson Tigers vs. Virginia Tech Hokies, ACC game of the week, at Lane Stadium on Grass. Spot Va. Tech with a 7-point field advantage, but it’s not enough to win — Clemson by 3. (Va. Tech is looking to upset them big time)

2. Miami Hurricanes vs. Duke Blue Devils: Blue Devils are still in the hunt for ACC Champs; Miami cannot keep up — Duke by 3.

3. Florida State Seminoles vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons: Can another North Carolina team beat Florida State? Yes, they can, but not Wake Forest — Seminoles by 2.

4. Syracuse Orangeman vs. North Carolina State Wolfpack: This could be a very good game and very close — NC State by 3.

5. North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: Fans will be happy as the Yellow Jackets put their sting to the Tar Heels — Ga. Tech by 10.

6. Ole Mississippi Rebels vs. Alabama Crimson Train: After last week’s game, Alabama over Vandy was the first time you got to see Coach Nick Saban smile during his interview; expect a big smile coming up again as the Crimson Train runs over Ole Miss. By 21.

7. Miss. State Bulldogs vs. Auburn War Eagles: Here we are, the battle of the SEC wannabe teams who are still in the shadows of teams’ past — Auburn War Eagles by 10.

8. Georgia Dawgs vs. Tennessee Vols.: Past years, this would have been the game of the week in the SEC. At Tennessee, who last week played as the High School on the Tennessee River, sloppy was the word for the day at Neyland Stadium, along with 85,000 birdcalls for Coach Jones’ head. It will be the same at this game — Dawgs big time by 21+.

9. South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Texas A&M Aggies: The 12th man will be plucking all the feathers off the Gamecocks — Aggies by 21.

10. Vanderbilt Commodores vs. Florida Gators: Can the Gators do it again, with a win over a team who should have won in the first place? Where would Florida be without the Luck in the game — Gators by 3. 

TIE BREAKER: Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders — this is going to be a good game to watch: plenty of good food, drink, both cowboys and cowgirls and a good football game. Texas Red Raiders by 1 in a high-scoring game.

It’s always been said that to win the SEC Eastern Division you had to go through Florida to get there; things have changed. Now, you must go through Georgia.

As for the SEC West, it never changes; it’s Alabama, and for the ACC, wow! What a change — it’s still Va. Tech and Clemson but now it’s also Wake Forest and Duke.

This week will have a big geographic change in all but one — SEC West. Just don’t be standing on the train tack, you’ll get run over by the  Alabama Crimson Train.     

Bill 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: College football picks, week five