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Welcome to Against All Odds: NCAA/NFL Picks Week 12! 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?
As the year progresses, both my dad and I continue rolling along on a hot streak. Last week I was able to post a 7-3 record, good enough to shave another game away from my dad who went 6-4.
I guess one can say I’m on a bit of a tear, going 23-7 the past three weeks to raise my record back over .500 to a respectable 44-41. Dad still leads me by two games with a very solid record of 46-39.
This week we differ on just two games, a week that was tough to find decent match-ups that weren’t supposed to be massacres (seriously, Alabama vs The Citadel?). Hard to believe we are just a few weeks away from Bowl Season!
Lines as of 11/15/2018
NCAA Football
Saturday, November 17th
Pitt Panthers (6-4) at Wake Forest Demon Deacons (5-5), 12:00 pm
Line: Pitt -6.5
Pick: PSN: Pitt | MJD: Pitt
Pitt’s rushing attack is downright scary right now. Wake Forest runs the type of offense that has given the Panthers fits in the past, but with the way Pitt has tightened up defensively, and the fact that a Pitt win gives the Panthers the ACC Coastal Title, it’s hard to envision the Panthers blowing this opportunity after they’ve battled back from so much adversity. This team is confident and motivated to prove all the doubters wrong.
#20 Penn State Nittany Lions (7-3) at Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-9), 12:00 pm
Line: Penn St -28.5
Pick: PSN: Rutgers | MJD: Rutgers
Rutgers is a horrible football team, but four touchdowns is a lot of points to be handing someone, especially when the Penn State offense hasn’t exactly blown away anyone since the Illinois game.
#13 Syracuse Orange (8-2) at #3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-0), 2:30 pm
Line: Notre Dame -10.5
Pick: PSN: Syracuse | MJD: Syracuse
Syracuse gets a chance to justify it’s absurd ranking when the travel to South Bend to face the Irish. The Orange will keep it close, but Notre Dame will move one step closer to securing a spot in the CFB Playoffs.
#9 West Virginia Mountaineers (8-1) at Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-5), 3:30 pm
Line: WVU -4.5
Pick: PSN: WVU | MJD: WVU
Though the Cowboys are only 5-5, they present WVU a daunting task to overcome on the road. OSU gave Oklahoma everything they could handle before falling by just one point to the Sooners. All that said, it’s hard to bet against how well the Mountaineers are playing offensively. A win here sets up what could potentially be back-to-back match-ups against Oklahoma for the Mountaineers, pending the outcome of our next game below…
#22 Iowa State Cyclones (6-3) at #19 Texas Longhorns (7-3), 8:00 pm
Line: Texas -3.5
Pick: PSN: Iowa State | MJD: Texas
Iowa State still has a shot at playing in the Big 12 Championship. First, they must win this game and next week vs Kansas State, and see WVU lose either against Oklahoma State or Oklahoma. Who doesn’t like a little chaos in the world? The way the Cyclones have been playing over the past five weeks, and the fact that I think the Longhorns are a fraud, says the Big 12 is in for one helluva final week come 11/24.
NFL
Sunday, November 18th
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6), 1:00 pm
Line: Pittsburgh -5.5
Pick: PSN: Pittsburgh | MJD: Pittsburgh
The Steelers are playing at their best right now, and have a magnificent chance to send Jacksonville to planning on what draft pick they’ll be targeting over what playoff destination awaits them. CB Jalen Ramsey ran his mouth about Ben Roethlisberger in the off-season, so I’m sure Big Ben the the Steeler offense is looking forward to making him eat his words, one letter at a time.
Carolina Panthers (6-3) at Detroit Lions (3-6), 1:00 pm
Line: Carolina -3.5
Pick: PSN: Carolina | MJD: Carolina
After the beating Carolina took at the hands of the Steelers last week, they’ll try and rebound vs a lackluster Lions team that can’t seem to get out of their way. Are the Panthers for real, or not. I have a feeling Cam Newton and Christian McCaffrey will roll up big numbers in this one.
Tennessee Titans (5-4) at Indianapolis Colts (4-5), 1:00 pm
Line: Indianapolis -1.5
Pick: PSN: Tennessee | MJD: Indianapolis
Tennessee and Marcus Mariotta have upped their game the past few weeks, and have a big chance to keep pace with the Houston Texans in the AFC South, while putting a damper on any playoff aspirations for Andrew Luck and the Colts.
Denver Broncos (3-6) at LA Chargers (7-2), 4:05 pm
Line: LA Chargers -7.5
Pick: PSN: LA Chargers | MJD: LA Chargers
This Chargers team has been building momentum since the last half of 2017. The Broncos are a team in turmoil. A win here by Phillip Rivers and his high scoring offense will keep the Bolts within striking distance of the division leading Chiefs.
Philadelphia Eagles (4-5) at New Orleans Saints (8-1), 4:25 pm
Line: New Orleans -9.5
Pick: PSN: New Orleans | MJD: New Orleans
My have the mighty fallen. The defending champions are on the ropes right now, and they are graced with a road trip to face one of the league’s hottest teams in the Saints. Say goodnight to the Eagles.
Pick Results
MJD: Last Week: 6-4 | Overall: 46-39 — .541
PSN: Last Week: 7-3 | Overall: 44-41 -2 .517
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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