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Our Mike Marteny lays out the confidence points in ESPN College Pick Em for week 13 of the 2021 NCAA college football season.
This is our last week of ESPN College Pick em this year. We've had a fun group this year! It's still anyone's to win with only 19 points between first and eighth place in the group. The final tallies will be in the Capital One Bowl Mania article coming out the week before the bowls start.
We had someone else hit 50 this week! Squid got right at 50 points. BKNoleGirl had 49. Kev Shep finished with 47. Four of us tied with 46, so it was a good week overall in the group. Judith6074 still holds first place with 455 points by two points over 2pretty4orange! and BKNoleGirl. lbockenek is only one point behind the top three. I finish out the top five with 447 points.
There is a little separation after the top five. Kep Shep and left handed freshman are tied for sixth with 442 points. keepingthelittlehumansalive is holding down eighth, six points behind. Bamarick and Squid finish out the top ten, but The Whitetale Deer is just two points out of the top ten. It's going to be a fun last week!
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College Football Pick Em Overview
This article will follow be for the confidence game mode. You can also read my against the spread picks here every week for every game so you know how I'm leaning for that version of the game. Each week, I will recap who's dominating the group before I get into the picks. If you're going to beat everyone, all of the readers will know about it!
Let's get to the countdown! I will count them up from least confident (1) to most (10). You know, for dramatic effect. If I do change my pick or points at sometime during the week, I will try to update the article or post it on Twitter. Otherwise, you know all of my picks each week. Good luck out there. It looks like there are a few gimmes this week!
(1) Oregon State over Oregon
This has been a one-sided series of late, but the Beavers have a good team this year. Still, they only have ten wins in the series since 1975 and only two of those came in Eugene. It just feels like Oregon State is finally good enough to win the Civil War. I feel like this is the most evenly matched game of the weekend. Even if I do flip the pick, it's remaining as my one point wager.
(2) Miami(OH) over Kent State
Miami still has the best defense in the MAC and Kent is still notorious for blowing second half leads. I expect a lower scoring game, but I see Miami padding their bowl resumé here.
(3) Western Kentucky over Marshall
The Hilltoppers are a road dog in Huntington, but I'm a believer in Bailey Zappe and this offense. The defense is much better than last year's squad as well. This is a pick to try and steal some points since most people are on Marshall, but I have the Hilltoppers against the spread as well. This isn't just a point grab. That one's coming later.
(4) Wake Forest over Boston College
The Boston College defense is going to be a problem, but I don't think Pat Garwo and Phil Jurkovec can keep up with Sam Hartman and the Wake receivers. Obviously I'm not super confident in it, but I still feel like Wake is enough of a better team. BC can't stop them like Clemson did.
(5) Wisconsin over Minnesota
I may end up moving this one up. The Minnesota defense is plenty good enough, but this offense is a disaster. Wisconsin has the best run defense in the country and I know Tanner Morgan can't throw. This feels like one of the easier picks.
(6) Oklahoma over Oklahoma State
This is another one where most of America is leaning the other way. I don't blame them. Jaylen Warren is a really good back and that defense is easily the best the conference has to offer. Our quarterback play makes me nervous, but I'm hoping that we come up with the big play at the right time. I still believe even if 71% of the country doesn't.
(7) Kentucky over Louisville
Kentucky's defense is good enough to handle Malik Cunningham, but he wont make it easy. This is mostly because I believe that a balanced Kentucky offense is going to give Louisville plenty of fits defensively. I may move Oklahoma up if I feel like I'm going to need more points. This would be the one I move down.
(8) Ohio State over Michigan
Ohio State played a lot better schedule and looked better against similar opponents than Michigan has. Cade McNamara giving the Buckeyes bulletin board material spells disaster for the Harbaughs. How many more chances will he get against Ohio State?
(9) Alabama over Auburn
This is going to be ugly, especially with Bo Nix out. The Alabama defense is at their best when they can key in on the run and not worry about the pass. They'll be able to do that here. Auburn is in trouble here. I expect them to play hard, but this Alabama team is tough.
(10) BYU over USC
The Trojans are a complete and total disaster. Enjoy this season while it lasts, Trojans haters. I don't think this will be a recurring theme for the Trojans.
