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Welcome to Against All Odds: NCAA/NFL Picks Week 11! From the opening weekend of the NCAA football season through Super Bowl LII, Mike Drakulich (PSN), the man behind Pittsburgh SportsNation, takes on his father, Michael J. Drakulich (MJD), in picking NCAA and NFL games against the Vegas spread.
Mike Drakulich covers both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pitt Panthers during the season for NGSCSports.com!
To appease the taste buds of Pittsburgh’s local coverage area, Pitt, Penn State, and West Virginia, when they are playing, will always be on the docket among the NCAA games chosen, as will the Pittsburgh Steelers for NFL games.
Once Bowl Season arrives, we’ll bring you EVERY Bowl Game and then continue throughout the conclusion of the NFL Playoffs.
Itchy vs Scratchy. Black Spy vs White Spy. Cheers vs Gary’s Old Towne Tavern. History is full of rivalries, but none are better than father vs son! Who will rise above the other this season and become the 2018-19 Against All Odds Champion?
Perfection! After going 6-4 the week before and gaining some positive momentum for the first time in a month, yours truly went coast to coast last week, posting a 10-0 record for the first time in Odds history. Dad kept his winning ways going, coming in at 6-4, but losing four games in the standings to me. For the year, I still trail my dad by three games, who has a 40-35 record in 2018.
16-4 is pretty good, so why not keep the good times a rolling? Ten games on display here, with me and my dad only disagreeing on one. Here’s to another big week and vaulting past .500 and above!
Lines as of 11/7/2018
NCAA Football
Saturday, November 10th
TCU Horned Frogs (4-5) at #9 West Virginia Mountaineers (7-1), 12:00 pm
Line: WVU -13.5
Pick: PSN: WVU | MJD: WVU
TCU, despite their record, won’t be an easy game, but once the Mountaineers get rolling, they should be able to cover. The key will be limiting turnovers and not looking ahead.
Wisconsin Badgers (6-3) at #20 Penn State Nittany Lions (6-3), 12:00 pm
Line: Penn St -9.5
Pick: PSN: Wisconsin | MJD: Wisconsin
Puzzled as to how Wisconsin is getting this many points vs a struggling Penn State team. I’ll take it.
#10 Ohio State Buckeyes (6-1) at Michigan State Spartans (6-3), 12:00 pm
Line: Ohio St -3.5
Pick: PSN: Ohio St | MJD: Ohio St
This is the hardest game of the week to pick, in my honest opinion. Ohio State isn’t exactly rolling on all cylinders right now and who knows what Spartan team intends to show up?I’m going one first thoughts, which is the Buckeyes winning a close one.
Virginia Tech Hokies (4-4) at Pitt Panthers (5-4), 3:30 pm
Line: Pitt -2.5
Pick: PSN: Pitt | MJD: Pitt
Pitt and their fans have been waiting a long time for an opportunity like this. If Pitt wins their next two game vs VaTech and Wake Forest, they will become ACC Coastal Division Champions. Pitt’s defense played well vs Virginia, and their rushing attack manhandled what was the 20th ranked Run Defense in the Nation in Virginia. The Panthers need to physical from the opening kick-off and impose their will on a struggling Hokies squad. It will be cold and blustery, but Panther fans and players will feel the warmth of victory should they control the clock and limit any back breaking turnovers.
#16 Mississippi State Bulldogs (6-3) at #1 Alabama Crimson Tide (9-0), 3:30 pm
Line: Alabama -23.5
Pick: PSN: Alabama | MJD: Mississippi State
Like last week vs LSU, Bama is giving up an astounding amount of points to a ranked team, but until we find a team that can actually cover, I’m going with the Tide every week.
NFL
Thursday, November 8th
Carolina Panthers (6-2) at Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2-1), 8:20 pm
Line: Pittsburgh -3.5
Pick: PSN: Pittsburgh | MJD: Pittsburgh
No rest for the weary! Thursday Night Football comes to Pittsburgh this week as Cam Newton and the Panthers face the Steelers. This will be a fun game to watch, unlike most TNF games, but with the way Pittsburgh’s offense is playing, as well as Ben Roethlisberger’s history playing in prime-time, expect the Steelers to raise their winning streak to five games.
Sunday, November 11th
New Orleans Saints (7-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (5-3), 1:00 pm
Line: New Orleans -3.5
Pick: PSN: New Orleans | MJD: New Orleans
The Bengals won’t have A.J. Green, and facing the Saints with the way they are playing, spells doom for poor Bungles fans at Paul Brown Stadium.
Atlanta Falcons (4-4) at Cleveland Browns (2-6-1), 1:00 pm
Line: Atlanta -4.5
Pick: PSN: Atlanta | MJD: Atlanta
I said the Falcons would break out last week, and they did. That trend will continue this week vs the reeling Browns.
New England Patriots (7-2) at Tennessee Titans (3-4), 1:00 pm
Line: New England -6.5
Pick: PSN: New England | MJD: New England
Tennessee looked halfway decent vs the Cowboys, but they face a different animals in Tom Brady and the Patriots.
LA Chargers (6-2) at Oakland Raiders (1-7), 4:05 pm
Line: LA Chargers -10.5
Pick: PSN: LA Chargers | MJD: LA Chargers
The Raiders suck. Can’t say it anymore bluntly. Phillip Rivers and the Chargers should pound Oakland into submission here.
Pick Results
MJD: Last Week: 6-4 | Overall: 40-35 — .533
PSN: Last Week: 10-0 | Overall: 37-38 -3 .493
2017 Champion: PSN
2016 Champion: MJD
2015 Champion: MJD
2014 Champion: PSN
2013 Champion: PSN
Author Profile
- Your source for Pittsburgh sports!
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From Midland, "The Basketball Capital of Pennsylvania", located 35 miles NW of Pittsburgh along the Ohio River. This former steel town was home to storied athletes such as Dave Alston, Norm Van Lier, Simmie Hill, and the legendary 1965 Midland High School Basketball Team.
There's nowhere on earth that is more dedicated to its sports teams like Western Pennsylvania and the city of Pittsburgh. The passion and pride of Pittsburgh's fan base is second to no one. From the NFL, NHL, MLB, NCAA football and basketball, to W.P.I.A.L. high school sports, "The City of Champions" has it all!
As Editor of Pittsburgh SportsNation, Mike Drakulich provides top notch opinions and coverage of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pitt Panthers football & basketball, Robert Morris Colonials basketball, and Duquesne Dukes basketball, as well as all sports teams that represent Western Pennsylvania, including WPIAL High School Football.
For a refreshing view of sports, mixed with humor and uncensored opinions, check out Pittsburgh SportsNation today on Facebook, Twitter @PghSportsNation and videos with over 1,000,000 views on YouTube!
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