Benster and D Pick Your Games -- Back At Knox Edition

Old Dude, it is time to pick some games, and this week is going answer a fair amount of questions early on for the pro teams our family cares about most on the road.

The road is always calling my name.

The road is calling for Geritol?

Well, maybe not that.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. But the road to success requires brilliance and HYYYYYYPPPPE!

Choose the right road, Seabiscuit.

I always do. Now where was I? In the college ranks, both the Badgers and the Gophers have their last tuneups before the start of Big Ten league play. Should be a fun football weekend in the Midwest.

I love me some football.

And non-standard usage, I guess. Well, enough of your attempts to stay hip and with it. It is time to get down to bidness, so watch me work!

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (+10.5) vs. Minnesota Golden Elite Boat Rowers. The Gophers should have no problems winning this game, especially in light of going to Oregon State and beating down Gary Anderson and his Beavers. The Fleck Elite Boat Rowing Experience seems to be going well, and they like their quarterback situation with Conor Rhoda playing well last weekend. I expect the Gophers to gear up well for Big Ten play, where we will find out if Fleck is an elite rower of the boat, or if he will have to paddle back out of town being chased by a flotilla. Gophers 38, Blue Raiders 10.

Sail on, sailor. Middle Tennessee beat the Gophers on the basketball court in the NCAA tournament earlier this year. We're not on the basketball court this time. Gophers 31, MTSU 14.


Beloved Wisconsin Badgers (-17) vs. BYU Cougars. Normally, the Badgers would probably be given the right amount of being favored by the experts in Vegas, but this line seems a little high. BYU is not going to roll over and die, and the Badgers have not put together a complete performance yet. Jonathan Taylor looks like he is the next great running back, but Alex Hornibrook needs to step up a bit, because he probably shouldn't have to look over his shoulder for now. Provo is going to be a tough place to get a win, but one I expect the Badgers can win. Badgers 33, Cougars 18.

This one is not going to be easy, but BYU is down a bit this year, at least based on the early results. I'm still concerned with how the Badgers have been slow out of the gate, but this one shouldn't be a problem. Badgers 31, BYU 16.

Texas Longhorns (+15.5) vs. USC Trojans. The last time these traditional powers played, it was an instant classic and one of the best college football games I have ever seen. That was over a decade ago, and these two teams are not as good as the teams that played in the Rose Bowl that night. Sam Darnold is the favorite for the Heisman Trophy, but might not be as good as his crosstown rival Josh Rosen. Texas is trying to rebuild yet again under Tom Herman, but suffered what seemed like an embarrassing home loss to a Maryland team, but that loss might not look as bad down the line. USC looks like they have things figured out based on how well they played against Stanford last week, and should win this game. Trojans 41, Longhorns 34.

I think Herman can win in Austin, but it's going to take time. Not this week. USC 45, Texas 23.


Minnesota Vikings (+6) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers. The Vikings did not get a gift from the schedule makers, as they have a short week to go to Pittsburgh to play a Steelers team that believes it can break to break through and win a Super Bowl, or at least win a conference title. The Steelers have an elite running back in LeVeon Bell, and they also have wide receiver Antonio Brown, who is a stud for me in my fantasy football league. The Vikings put up points on the Saints in a climate controlled stadium, but this game should be much more difficult. Steelers 28, Vikings 9.

Sam Bradford is already injured. He played well against the Saints, but if he has trouble with his mobility on Sunday, the Steelers will get him. They are a nasty bunch. Steelers 31, Vikings 20.


Glorious Green Bay Packers (-3) vs. Atlanta Falcons (Who Blew a 28-3 Lead) For the second consecutive year, the Packers get to play on national television against a team opening up their shiny new stadium. My theory on how the Packers have to go in order to win this game is something that other pundits would not touch for fear of their jobs, but I will go for it. What the Packers have to do is to let Matt Ryan do his thing and not worry about him. The reason why is because the secret to the success of the Falcons is Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman on the ground. Once the Falcons get their ground game started, they became really scary good. This game has to be a situation where Packers linemen Kenny Clark and Mike Daniels are making plays to stop Freeman and Coleman. On the other side of the ball, the Packers need to run the football, and not rely on Aaron Rodgers winning a shootout. This theory sounds a bit strange, but I haveto be honest with you and call it like I see it. Packers 31, Falcons 17.

You're always about being counter-intuitive. That's your thing. It's going to be a tough place to win. I think the Packers can win, but this is the home opener and the Falcons will be ready. Shootout. Falcons 38, Packers 35.


Enjoy watching football this weekend, and a special thank you to the kind ad that FAU took out thanking Wisconsin for housing them. The Owls are welcome to play in Madison again, and I hope they do well this weekend. And maybe soon, I'll stop ignoring the Bears. Ben out!