Pigskin Picks 2011-2012 Season Bowl Games

PIGSKIN PICKS - BOWL EDITION FINAL LEADERBOARD

Team	Standing	Wins	Losses
Lumberjack and Bigfoot Ricky and Pete	1	29	6
The Jocks at Jocks and Jills JJ and Eric	2	26	9
The Pearlz Guyz Mike and Ben	T3	25	10
Baseball Champion Bobby and Danielle	T3	25	10
The City Slickers Vicki and David	T5	22	13
The Old Timers Bob and Glen	T5	22	13
The Odd Couple Marcel and Ronnie	T5	22	13
Who-Dey Logan and Jason	T8	21	14
The Meat Guys John and Chris	T8	21	14
The Masters Pickers Danny and Wes	T10	20	15
The Blogette and Director Sara and John	T10	20	15
The Happy Campers Steve and Patrick	T10	20	15
Mr and Mrs Brutus Rhonda and Jim	13	19	16
Pearlz Girlz Jessica and Katie	14	18	17
The Road Warrior and Short Britches Dick and JoAnn	T15	18	17
The Dream Team Chip and Robert	T15	18	17
The Happy Couple Dave and Roberta	T17	17	18
The Young Guns Jamie and Daniel	T17	17	18

Yes, the Bowl season is over, and West Virginia is back in Morgantown having a good ol time. Clemson, not sure where you can find all the Tigers, just maybe Dabo and crew are hanging out at Triple T'S. Congratulations to the Pigskin Picks Bowl Edition Champions, Ricky the Lumberjack Jackson and his partner Pete Bigfoot Klemmoff. This team had a record of 29 and 6, and won by 3 games over the second place team from Charlotte, the Jocks and Jills team of JJ and Eric,who ended up 26 and 9. Please check out the Leaderboard for records and order of finish for all the teams. The Blog would like to thank all of the teams who played and all of the many Pigskin Picking Fans who have followed this contest.  Many of you have asked, "What is next ?"  Yes, we will be having another contest coming soon!! We can't pass up THE MASTERS can we?  Details will be coming out in March, so with golf on the big tour getting ready to start, we suggest you start keeping your eye on some of your favorite players. We will be releasing exciting news regarding the 2012 Invitational soon. Please continue to follow the Blog for all tournament updates!!


INTRODUCING:  PIGSKIN PICKS - BOWL EDITION
The Invitational Blog is proud to present the Bowl Edition of Pigskin Picks, featuring players and friends of The Invitational, and The Blog.  We have a full field of 18 teams trying to pick the winners of 35 games.  This is a diverse field comprised of young and old(er), male and female, husband and wife, father and son, buddies and some cool cats.  Winners receive 2012 Invitational shirts, gift cards, golf balls, and some of The Blogette's fudge.  Teams selecting 30 winners receive a free entry fee in the 2012 Invitational. 

                                        BOWL GAMES
Dec.17 Temple 37, Wyoming 15        Dec.31 Texas A&M 33, Northwestern 22
Dec.17 Ohio 24, Utah State 23           Dec.31 Utah 30, Georgia Tech 27
Dec.17 La-Laf 32, S Diego St  30       Dec.31 Cincinnati 31, Vanderbilt 24
Dec.20 Marshall 20, FIU 10                Dec.31 Illinois 20, UCLA 14
Dec.21 TCU 31, La Tech 24                Dec.31 Auburn 43,  Virginia 24
Dec.22 Boise St 56, Ariz St  24           Jan.2 Houston 30, Penn State 14
Dec.24 So Miss 24, Nevada 17            Jan.2 South Carolina 30, Nebraska 13
Dec.26 Missouri 41, N Carolina 24     Jan.2 Michigan State 33, Georgia 30
Dec.27 Purdue 37, W Mich  32            Jan.2 Florida 24, Ohio State 17
Dec.27 NCState 31, Louisville 24        Jan.2 Oregon 45, Wisconsin 38
Dec.28 Toledo 42 Air Force 41            Jan.2 Okla State 41, Stanford 38
Dec.28 Texas 21, California 10            Jan.3 Michigan 23, Virginia Tech 20
Dec.29 Florida St 18, Notre Dame 14   Jan.4 West Virginia 70, Clemson 33
Dec.29 Baylor 67, Washington 56         Jan.6 Arkansas 29, Kansas St 16
Dec.30 BYU 24, Tulsa 21                      Jan.7 SMU 28, Pittsburg 6
Dec.30 Rutgers 27, Iowa St 13              Jan.8 No Illinois 38, Ark St 20
Dec.30 Miss St 23, Wake Forest 17       Jan.9 Alabama 21, LSU 0
Dec.30 Oklahoma 31, Iowa 14                               
TIE BREAKER GAME- South Carolina-Nebraska  Total Points Scored  43

The Blogette has joined forces with The Director for the Bowl Edition of Pigskin Picks.  Together for over  25 years, this pair has experience on their side.  The Director has made enough side bets to supplement his retirement income should he win them all.  He is looking forward to the possible purchase of a pontoon if he can collect from all takers.

Meet the Meat Guys:  These guys are friends of The Invitational.  John Gunter and Chris Johnson are the meat department managers at the Sparkleberry Kroger store.  John is originally from Germany and has lived in Columbia for most of his life.  He is a big Gamecock fan, just like the hometown boys.  Chris found his way to Columbia by way of Muncie, Indiana (home of Ball State University - the alma mater of The Blogette).  He is a huge Indianapolis Colts/Peyton Manning fan and has not been seen without his Colts hat all last year.  This year, he seems to be "having it cleaned" a lot -

Master Pickers from Augusta:  Former Pigskin Picker Wes Graves and his picking partner Danny Booher are from Augusta, and live and play at Goshen Plantation.  Danny is retired from the Army, and is a Department of Defense contractor.  This is a good thing, as Wes needs more than basic training in staying in line.  These two gentlemen have already committed to play in the 2012 Invitational.  Can they pick that magic number of 30 wins, and get that entry fee paid for?

The Road Warrior is Back: ...and this time he brought the brains of the operation.  JoAnn (aka "Short Britches") and Dick Sutton are a fun couple.  These two realtors from Sebring, FL dabble in the following hobbies:  golf, playing cards, drinking wine and hosting pool parties.  If you are thinking about a move to the Sunshine State, Ridge Real Estate is your key to the good life.  If you are thinking about a destination wedding, Dick is also a justice of the peace.  He has a 100% success rate with the 3 couples he has united.  Word is that "Reverend Dick marries 'em quick".  The Road Warrior is available for a local consultation appointment regarding either topic on June 18, 2012. 

The Young Guns:  Daniel Hardy and Jamie Mabe are two guys who have both been part of winning teams in The Invitaional.  Daniel is reigning co-champion from 2011, and Jamie captained the co-championship team in 2009.  Jamie is assistant tournament director for 2012.  He is working his tail off trying to get through his senior year at Clemson.  He is famous for being a three-time winner this past fall as a Pigskin Picker.  Daniel is famous for his ability to pound some wings.

The Pearlz Girlz:  These young ladies are veterans of Pigskin Picks.  They came close to winning one of the weeks they played,  losing in a heart-breake/tie-breaker.   Jessica is from Missouri, while Katie is from Greenville, and they seem to know their football.  They can be found hard at work as part of the Pearlz staff in the Vista, and will be part of the action in this year's upcoming Invitational.

Who-Dey?  Logan Beckman and Jason Rader are a pair of Hoosiers who are big-time Bengals fans.  As far as we know, this is grandson Logan's first attempt at gambling.  Son-in-law Jason is likely to be the more experienced of the two.  Logan was excited to have a part in being part of a football contest, and having his picture on the Internet.  They cheer for Notre Dame and Clemson....wonder where that came from?  If The Blogette and The Director cannot win, this is their sentimental choice for the winning team, because they are champs  in our hearts.

The Odd Couple:  Marcel Sterling and Ronnie Platner look nothing alike, but they are a fun pair.  They have played in The Invitational all three years, and were co-champions in 2009 along with Jamie Mabe.  They both participated in Pigskin Picks this season, and are looking to improve their record.  When making their picks following 27 holes of golf and a few brewskis, they had a number of disagreements on their selections.

The Tag Team:  This dynamic duo represents Pearlz in our contest.  MIke Evans is the general manager there.  He is a Spring Valley CC golfer and also serves as our Tournament Co-Chair for the 2012 Invitational.  Ben Fordree is retiring as a bartender at Pearlz, and heading to Dublin, Ohio to further his career and shovel a lot of yet-to-fall snow.  By the way, these guys are not as intimidating as this picture would have you believe.  They are really just a couple of teddy bears.

The Queen City Slickers:  Vicki and David Aussicker are a couple of city pickers who hail from Charlotte.  Vicki is originally from  Louisiana and her three favorite things to do are playing tennis, shopping, and rooting for her LSU Tigers.  She is trying to learn the frustratingly wonderful game of  golf to please David.  David's three favorite things to do are playing golf, sampling a cold beverage or six, and hiding the credit cards from Vicki.  David is a previous weekly winner of Pigskin Picks, and has signed his team up for the 2012 Invitational.

Mr. and Mrs. Brutus:  No two people are more enthusiastic Buckeye supporters than Jim and Rhonda Beckman.  Their golf cart and bags, car, and even their Christmas tree sport the Ohio State colors.  They have 4 Buckeye Cruise for Cancer adventures under their belts.  Each 4 day/3 night cruise features former players, cheerleaders, Brutus and best of all Buckeye cutie Kirk Herbstreit (OK...time for the Blogette to focus!).  Rhonda expressed concern at Thanksgiving over the hiring of new coach Urban Meyer due to potential harassment from her Florida neighbors.  They will get a chance to see how this rolls with the outcome of this year's Gator Bowl.  Will the Gators swallow the Buckeyes, or will Brutus feast on Gator meat.

The Dream Team:  You will remember Chip Deason and Robert Peeler as the pair who logged many miles through Q School with the hope of heading to the PGA Tour.  While they didn't reach their ideal destination, word has it that Chip will be playing the Nationwide Tour, and has a chance to participate in a lot of Monday qualifiers for the PGA Tour.  Robert realizes he needs to spend more time in the weight room in order to endure the grueling grind of lugging a tour bag containing every possible essential for the game.  Chip is a Bama alum, while Robert is a Clemson senior.

The Happy Campers:  The team of Patrick Korb and Steve Smith represent Camping World.  Patrick is a three-year veteran of The Invitational and two-time participant in Pigskin Picks.  He is one of the most loyal supporters of the Blog that we know of.  Steve is the 2012 Tournament Co-Chair and was instrumental in getting the tournament up and running in 2009.  Without his support the first two years, the tournament would not have the following that it currently enjoys.  If you are considering purchasing a camper, give Salesman Steve a call.  If your current camper needs attention, Service Advisor Patrick is your go-to guy.

The Lumberjack and Bigfoot:  Ricky Jackson is a pretty good picker in his own right, but needed a partner for this Bowl Edition.  He has pulled Pete Klemmoff out of the woods to join in the picking fun.  Apparently, Pete is a little like Bigfoot - mysterious and camera-shy, since we have no photos of him.  Ricky is hoping to go all the way as the top Pigskin Picker for the year.  He was a three-time winner this past season, and captured the Halloween Edition of our football follies.  These two guys played on the same team in the 2011 Invitational.   

The Ole Timers:  These guys are always looking for action!  Bob Abney and Glen Davis along with Kenny Mullins plan on playing in the 2012 Invitational.  They all hail from Richmond, IN area.  Bob still lives there.  Glen lives in Cocoa Beach, FL and Kenny resides in Lakeland, FL now.  Bobby Boy and Glen the Squirrel are joining in the fun playing Pigskin Picks, hoping for those free shirts, and possible free entry.  They all have 3 things in common:  having fun, playing golf, and checking out  pretty girls!!!!!

The Happy Couple:  You won't meet a nicer golfing couple than Dave and Roberta Martin.  Dave is the "gentleman golfer" who is the PGA pro at WildeWood Country Club in Columbia.  He got to this destination by way of Effingham, Illinois through Sumter, SC and on to his current stop.  "Berta" has been there all the way, and was a volunteer at the leaderboard for the 2010 Invitational.  Berta is downrigtht outgoing and loves a good time, while Dave is a little more subdued but just as fun with a sly sense of humor.

Already a Champion:  A chance meeting turned into a pair for Pigskin Picks!  Young professional baseball player Bobby Haney and Danielle Rogosta were at Pearlz when (surprise, surprise!) The Director engaged them in a conversation.  Gamecock baseball fans will remember Bobby as a slick fielding shortstop who played on the 2010 National Championship baseball team.  He is now playing for the San Francisco Giants organization, and has a book out, titled From Kings Park to Omaha.  (It can be ordered from this website http://kp2omaha.com/index2.php.  Check it out for full info on Bobby.)  Long-time girlfriend Danielle is interested in a fashion career when Bobby gets to the Big Time.
 

The Jocks of Jocks and Jills:  John (JJ) Jackson and Eric Kuykendall joined in Pigskin Picks as a last minute addition, and we are so glad they did.  JJ is the GM at the Charlotte sports bar, and Eric is an awesome bartender who makes dangerous margaritas.  What a great spot to watch all the bowl games!!  With all the screens they have been viewing this past season, this pair should have a huge advantage on the field.  Our only hope is that they were too busy serving cheering fans to notice much of the action.

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                                         REGULAR SEASON GAMES-2011


WEEK 11 - NOV. 26, 2011:

Here we are again - - week #11 - the final week of the regular season.  What a week for college football!!  We have the ole golf pro back to defend his coin-flipping title, as well as The Blogette hoping to capture anything but second place (except for 3rd, 4th, or 5th).  Yes, that's right folks - we have FIVE players this week!  Newcomers Daniel Hardy, Wes Graves, and David Aussicker join the field.  Read on for their picks and bios. 

This week's games:

Bowling Green at Buffalo

Houston at Tulsa

Ohio State at Michigan

Vanderbilt at Wake Forest

Clemson at South Carolina

Florida State at Florida

East Carolina at Marshall

Notre Dame at Stanford

Georgia at Georgia Tech

Penn State at Wisconsin

Tiebreaker - total points scored Clemson/South Carolina

Meet this week's players!!

Sara, aka The Blogette picks:

Bowling Green

Houston

Michigan

Vanderbilt

Clemson

Florida State

East Carolina

Stanford
                           Georgia

                           Wisconsin
                           Total points - 42

Dave Martin - This week, The Ole' Golf Pro put a new spin on his picking strategy - - literally!  Instead of the traditional coin toss, he opted for the coin spin.  With a 5-5 record last week, we aren't sure a change-up was really necessary, but to each their own.  It must be noted that he refused his gift card prize for last week, saying "Give it to someone who really deserves it!"  Ever the gentleman!!  His picks:

Bowling Green
Tulsa
Michigan
Vanderbilt
Clemson
Florida
Marshall
Stanford
Georgia
Wisconsin
Tiebreaker - 56 points

Wes Graves - This Augusta, GA resident stated "I haven't picked anything right all year, but I will give it a try." when he submitted his picks.  Wes is a good golfer, but seems to lack confidence in his picking ability.  One thing that he is confident about is his ability to pop the tab on anything with "beer" on the label.  He's never been known to turn a cold one down.  He is a popular player on the GolfWeek Amateur Tour, and we are looking forward to his team playing in the 2012 Invitational.  Whoever is paired with him is guaranteed a fun day.  His picks:

Bowling Green
Houston
Michigan
Wake Forest
Clemson
Florida
Marshall
Stanford
Georgia
Wisconsin
Tiebreaker - 47 points

Daniel Hardy - As captain of the 2011 co-championship team, this big guy relied on his golf experience on the Spartanburg Methodist College golf team.   Daniel picked his selections quickly and decisively while he pounded down some wings.  No doubt that those went down quickly and decisively with a cold one or two.  Perhaps his Spartanburg experience included more than golf - ???  His picks:

Bowling Green
Houston
Ohio State
Vanderbilt
South Carolina
Florida State
East Carolina
Stanford
Georgia
Wisconsin
Tiebreaker - 62 points

David Aussicker - This Sara Lee exec from Charlotte enjoys travelling the region playing in golf events.  His Texas Longhorns are struggling to crack the Top 20, and haven't cracked Pigskin Picks this year.  (Sorry Dave, maybe next week!)  Ever the competitor, he takes every challenge seriously, but takes his fun seriously also.  His caddie, Vicki, helps him out as best she can when she comes along.  He plans to partner with Wes Graves for a team that will make a great showing both on and off the course in terms of having a good time.
His picks:

Bowling Green
Houston
Michigan
Wake Forest
South Carolina
Florida State
East Carolina
Stanford
Georgia
Wisconsin
Tiebreaker - 47 points

With bowl season fast approaching and 35 bowl games this year, The Director is working on a partners edition of Pigskin Picks. Two on a team and the "no handicap/no mulligans" rules will apply. He is working on getting some good prizes and some great pickers. If you are interested in participating, find a Pigskin Pickin' partner and get ready for some fun. We aren't too picky about who you pick, so contact us at johnsara@bellsouth.net to put your team in the field. Patrick, aka Uncle Fester, you're already in!

WEEK 11 - RESULTS:

In the final week of the regular season, three players tied for first with an 8-2 record. David Aussicker, the Sara Lee exec from Charlotte, claimed top honors by accurately picking the total number of points scored (47) in the Carolina/Clemson game. David nudged out The Blogette and Daniel Hardy, who share second place. The Blogette once again finished in the runner up spot for the 8th time in 11 weeks. Her season record is 56-45. Rounding out the field are Wes Graves and Dave Martin, who each predicted a very respectable 7-3 for the week. We hope you have enjoyed Pigskin Picks this football season as much as we have. The tournament director is putting the final touches on the grand finale for a Pigskin Picks bowl edition. Two-man teams will be picking 35 bowl games with prizes including 2012 Invitational golf shirts, gift cards and golf balls. Find your partner and check back for further details on the blog!!

WEEK 10 - NOV. 19,2011:

The season may be heading into its final weeks, but the strategies used by the Pigskin Pickers are becoming more creative.  This week's contestants are displaying a variety of formulas for possible success.  If you have been following our football follies, you may or may not realize that The Director picks games with little to no spread.  This makes the toss-up match-ups more interesting, but also more difficult for the Pickers to predict.

This week's games:

Iowa @ Purdue

Penn State @ Ohio State

Clemson @ North Carolina State

Nebraska @ Michigan

Western Michigan @ Miami, OH

Vanderbilt @ Tennessee

Cincinnati @ Rutgers

Miami, FL @ South Florida

Louisville @ UConn

Central Florida @ East Carolina

Tiebreaker - total points scored Citadel @ South Carolina

Meet this week's players!!

Sara, aka The Blogette picks:

Purdue

Penn State

Clemson

Nebraska

Miami, OH

Tennessee

Rutgers

Miami, FL

Louisville
Central Florida
                                  Tiebreaker - 40 pts. Citadel/South Carolina

Marcel Sterling - Last week's winner is back to defend again in Week #10.  This colorful Invitational co-champion celebrated last week's victory with a few Buds, picking the brains of his experienced betting buds.  We aren't sure, but these choices might be a team entry.  If Marcel wins again this week, we propose that he buys the next celebration round.     

Iowa

Ohio State

Clemson

Michigan

Miami, OH

Vanderbilt

Cincinnati

Miami, FL

Louisville

Central Florida

Tiebreaker - 52 pts. Citadel/South Carolina

Dave Martin - The veteran captain of The Invitational's Road Warrior team made his way from Effingham Country Club in Illinois to Columbia, SC where he is the golf pro at WildeWood Country Club.  As luck would have it, Dave met Jim Beckman (who also lived in Effingham) and was introduced to John Beckman on his many trips from Indiana to visit his brother in the 1990's.  Jim eventually moved to Florida, as did ECC member Dick Sutton.  The two travel annually to play in the tournament with Dave in Columbia.  Dave is a true model of the gentleman golfer and a great teacher of the game.  His impish sense of humor is evident in his method of selecting his teams - he flipped a coin!!  His picks:

Iowa

Ohio State

Clemson

Michigan

Miami, OH

Vanderbilt

Rutgers

Miami, FL

UConn

East Carolina

Tiebreaker - 48 pts. Citadel/South Carolina

Deborah Jacobs - Deborah is the Director of Administrative Services at Special Olympics, the charity associated with The Invitational.  She is the backbone of the operation, and seems to know a thing or two about football.  She took her selection process seriously, and quickly but thoughtfully made her way down the list.  Her picks:

Iowa

Ohio State

Clemson

Michigan

Miami, OH

Vanderbilt

Rutgers

South Florida

UConn

East Carolina

Tiebreaker - 42 pts. Citadel/South Carolina

WEEK 10 - RESULTS:Based on the results this week, our pickers seemed to have had a difficult time with their selections. The Blogette and WCC golf pro Dave Martin tied for first. Each posted a 5-5 record, but Dave claimed top honors by winning the tie-breaker. Defending champion Marcel Sterling and Special Olympics administrative director Deborah Jacobs finished tied for third with records of 4-6. Next week should be mighty interesting since Rivalry Week will be in full force in all sections of the country. You might see these big games on our list:

Arkansas v. LSU
Penn State v. Wisconsin
Ohio State v. Michigan
and of course Clemson v. South Carolina

Check for Dave's coin-flipping expertise again next week along with Sara and two new players!!

WEEK 9 - NOV. 12, 2011:

When Week #9 is over and done, we will have the answers to some intriguing questions on the minds of many.  Can Auburn beat Georgia and South Carolina beat Florida to help the Gamecocks clinch their second straight SEC Eastern Division championship?   Possibly the most interesting contest this week is Nebraska at Penn State.  Will Joe-pa be on the sidelines to guide the Nittany Lions?  Will the Cornhuskers breeze into town, get a win, and  get out before the dust settles? Will the Blogette get her first win playing Pigskin Picks? 

This week's games:

TCU @ Boise State

Nebraska @ Penn State

Auburn @ Georgia

Florida @ South Carolina

Wake Forest @ Clemson

Virginia Tech @ Georgia Tech

Kentucky @ Vanderbilt

Michigan State @ Iowa

Oregon @ Stanford

Michigan @ Illinois

Tiebreaker - total points scored Hawaii vs. Nevada

Meet this week's players!

Sara, aka The Blogette, picks:

Boise State

Nebraska

Auburn

South Carolina

Clemson

Virginia Tech

Vanderbilt

Michigan State

Stanford

Michigan

Tiebreaker - 74 pts. Hawaii vs. Nevada

Ricky Jackson - This three-year player is going for the season's bragging rights and win #4 in Pigskin Picks.  His overall record of 25-14 is outstanding.  Being a big Gamecock fan, Ricky is picking Auburn to beat Georgia and hoping USC beats Florida.  Who are we to argue with that?  His picks:

Boise State

Nebraska

Auburn

South Carolina

Clemson

Georgia Tech

Vanderbilt

Iowa

Oregon

Michigan

Tiebreaker - 52 pts. Hawaii vs. Nevada

Marcel Sterling - Marcel has played three years in The Invitational, and is always willing to help The Director with those numerous last-minute things on the to-do list the night before the tournament.  This former hockey player from Michigan helped lead his team to a tie for the 2009 championship (Division One).  His picks:

Boise State

Nebraska

Georgia

South Carolina

Clemson

Georgia Tech

Vanderbilt

Michigan State

Oregon

Michigan

Tiebreaker - 72 pts. Hawaii vs. Nevada

Evan Philips -  This 2011 Invitational player's team finished in 8th place in Division One last year.  Evan is currently one of the top players on the Presbyterian College golf team.  This past summer, he was the first round leader in the South Carolina State Amateur, firing a tournament low round of 66.  His picks:

Boise State

Penn State

Georgia

Florida

Clemson

Virginia Tech

Vanderbilt

Iowa

Oregon

Michigan

Tiebreaker - 65 pts. Hawaii vs. Nevada

WEEK 9 - RESULTS:  Now that Week #9 is over, and we have the answers to a lot of questions:  First - Three-time champion Ricky Jackson was not able to hold on to a fourth week of victory. His overall record is 31-18, and he ties Jamie Mabe for the honor of most wins with three weeks of claiming top honors.  Second - It looks like Georgia will be battling for the SEC championship. Third - The Gamecocks will be battling for state bragging rights.  Fourth - Joe Pa will be spending more time helping Mrs. Pa clean the house and putting up Christmas decorations.  And lastly - The Blogette captures 2nd place AGAIN for the 6th time in nine weeks, with a record of 7-3. She sure seems locked into that second spot, and says she is now more concerned about improving her overall season record (currently 43-38).  Marcel put up a very impressive record (the best this season) with an 8-2 showing in Saturday's games. That could be tough to maintain, but Marcel might just be able to do it. Evan Phillips and Ricky Jackson finished 6-4. Thank heaven we didn't have to wait up for the results of that Hawaii game to settle any ties. Kick off was at 10:15, and if you caught the end of that one, you are either a hard core football fan who can't get enough, or you had some money on that one.

WEEK  8 - Nov. 5, 2011:

Coming off of the Halloween Edition of Pigskin Picks, we are now entering Week Eight!  We have two big games this week - Alabama vs. LSU and South Carolina vs. Arkansas.  There's a lot of SEC interest with four of these teams ranked in the top ten.  Drew McKinney and Dale Shelhorse are the two newcomers joining defending champion Ricky Jackson, and The Blogette. 

This week's games:

Tulsa @ Central Florida

Mississippi @ Kentucky

South Florida @ Rutgers

Virginia @ Maryland

South Carolina @ Arkansas

LSU @ Alabama

North Carolina @ North Carolina State

Missouri @ Baylor

Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh

Utah @ Arizona

Tiebreaker - total points scored Notre Dame/Wake Forest

Time to Meet This Week's Players!

Sara, aka The Blogette, picks:

Central Florida

Mississippi

Rutgers

Maryland

Arkansas

Alabama

North Carolina

Baylor

Cincinnati

Arizona

Tiebreaker - 52 points Notre Dame/Wake Forest

Ricky Jackson - Ricky is recovering from his trick-or-treating sugar high.  At last report, he had gained 3.5 pounds of chocolate cake and peanut butter cookies.  Not sure if he shared his stash, but like a true gentleman, at least he had good intentions of doing so.  He is a two-time Pigskin Picks champion.  His picks:

Tulsa
Kentucky
Rutgers
Virginia
South Carolina
Alabama
North Carolina
Baylor
Cincinnati
Utah
Tiebreaker - 56 points Notre Dame/Wake Forest

Drew McKinney - assistant golf pro at Golden Hills CC, two-year player in The Invitational,  his team's best finish was 4th place/Division Two with a score of 68 (2011).  His picks:

Central Florida
Kentucky
Rutgers
Virginia
South Carolina
LSU
North Carolina
Missouri
Cincinnati
Arizona
Tiebreaker - 45 points Notre Dame/Wake Forest

Dale Shelhorse - a three-year Invitational player with a best finish of 5th place/Division in 2010 with a team score of 70.  Dale is an active member of GHCC, and considers shorts appropriate golf attire for every month of the year.  His picks:

Tulsa
Mississippi
Rutgers
Virginia
South Carolina
LSU
North Carolina
Missouri
Cincinnati
Arizona
Tiebreaker - 42 points Notre Dame/Wake Forest

Well folks, with big games on tap for this weekend, many questions abound.  Can the Gamecocks hog-tie them Razorbacks?  Three pickers seem to think so.  The Blogette is taking her chances on the favored Arkansas.  Is that a smart move?  Can anyone send the Lumberjack back to the woods?  Will Dale be forced to break out the long-johns as the temp drops?  Will Drew make his big singing debut on America's Got Talent?  For the answers to these questions and more, tune in Sunday for our results post!

WEEK 8 - RESULTS:
Well, folks...Ricky Jackson is for real!!  That brawny guy who masqueraded as The Lumberjack during the Halloween edition of Pigskin Picks has cleared the field again this week for his third win.  Choosing the winners for these games is not easy, but Ricky makes it look like a piece of cake - like the chocolate slice that he won last week!  With a record of 7-3 on Saturday, Ricky moves to 25-14 in his four weeks of Pigskin Picks...not too shabby.   On the other hand, The Blogette suffered her worst week yet (4-6), finishing behind Ricky, and Drew McKinney and Dale Shelhorse (each with 5-5 records).  It should be noted that The Blogette has a respectable record of 36-35 overall.  Week 9 players joining Ricky and The Blogette will be two Invitational players...man-about-town Gavin Gillespie, and the ever-colorful Marcel Stearling.  Look for the games, players and their picks to be posted on Tuesday, Nov. 8.  If you are interested in checking out previous results from past weeks, click on the Pigskin Picks Weekly Results page at right.   

WEEK 7 - HALLOWEEN EDITION - OCT. 29, 2011

This week, we have a special treat for our followers of Pigskin Picks.  For this edition, we have invited back all of the former pigskin pickers, along with some very special friends of the blog and The Invitational.  They are vying for not only bragging rights, but a double dose of sweet treats.  The Blogette will be making a batch of the winner's favorite cookies, and one of her rich chocolate "Better Than Sex" cakes.  We hope this week will provide some interesting entertainment for you, or maybe some inspiration for your costume! 

Beware:  This post is not for the faint-hearted!!!  Happy Halloween

This week's games:

Wisconsin @ Ohio State--Wake Forest @ North Carolina--South Carolina @ Tennessee--Stanford @ Southern Cal--Navy @ Notre Dame--Michigan State @ Nebraska--Georgia@  Florida--Clemson @ Georgia Tech--Ball State @ Western Michigan--Buffalo @ Miami Ohio--BYU @ TCU--Texas A&M @ Missouri--Virginia @ Miami Fla.---Tiebreaker -Total Points Minnesota Vikings-Carolina Panthers
Meet this week's players!

Sara (aka "My Bride", The Blogette) - 4-time second place picker with an overall record of 25-23.  Tired of being a bridesmaid in second place.  Her picks:

Wisconsin

Wake Forest

South Carolina

Stanford

Notre Dame

Nebraska

Georgia

Clemson

Western Michigan

Miami, OH

BYU

Texas A&M

                                 Miami, FL

Tiebreaker - 40 pts Vikings/Panthers

Cookie - Chocolate Chip

Patrick "Uncle Fester" Korb - first time player in Pigskin Picks, but no stranger to The Invitational or the blog.  He has been known to respond to the blog as quickly as 30 seconds after posting. Hope he took a little more time with his selections if he wants those cookies.  His picks:

Ohio State

Wake Forest

South Carolina

Southern Cal

Notre Dame

Nebraska

Georgia

Georgia Tech

Ball State

Buffalo

TCU

Texas A&M

                     Miami FL

Tiebreaker - 35 pts. Vikings/Panthers

Cookie - Peanut Butter

Mike "Carve Me a Pumpkin" Evans - Mike comes in to this event with a 5-3 record and is looking for his second big championship within a week's time.  He recently won 1st place in the First Annual Pearlz Pumpkin Carving Contest.  Might have been fixed, but no one's coming forward on that one.  His big orange squash is on display in the Vista.  His picks:

Wisconsin

Wake Forest

South Carolina

Southern Cal

Notre Dame

Michigan State

Florida

Georgia Tech

Ball State

Miami OH

TCU

Missouri

                       Miami FL

Tiebreaker - 45 pts. Vikings/Panthers

Cookie - Sugar

Chad "Caddyshack" Martin - This Spring Valley CC golf pro has a 4-4 record in Pigskin Picks.  This week, he is looking to pick up some cake and cookies for his close friend Mr. Gopher.  Hope he doesn't blow it.  His picks:

Wisconsin

North Carolina

South Carolina

Stanford

Notre Dame

Michigan State

Georgia

Clemson

Western Michigan

Buffalo

TCU
    Texas A&M
                           Miami, FL

Tiebreaker - 64 pts Vikings/Panthers

Cookie - Chocolate Chip

Brett "The Mad Scientist" Parker - Hoping to cook up a Pigskin win, he comes in to this week's Halloween Edition still trying to figure out how he only won 3 games (3-5) in his last experiment.  This week, he is calculating a formula for going 13-0!  His picks:

Wisconsin

North Carolina

South Carolina

Stanford

Notre Dame

Nebraska

Florida

Georgia Tech

Ball State

Miami OH

TCU

Texas A&M

                      Miami FL

Tiebreaker - 47 pts. Vikings/Panthers

Cookie - Oatmeal Raisin

Randy "Old Smoky" Fisher - Randy thinks he is going to smoke the rest of the field and light up a celebration stogey.  Not sure he will eat the cookies and cake, but we are certain all of his friends will help him out with that.  His Pigskin Picks record is a red hot 3-5.  His picks:

Wisconsin

North Carolina

South Carolina

Southern Cal

Navy

Michigan State

Georgia

Clemson

Western Michigan

Buffalo

TCU

Texas A&M

                        Virginia

Tiebreaker - 57 pts. Vikings/Panthers
Cookie - Chocolate Chip

Kenny "Going Ape" Wilhelm - Kenny is a first-time player in Pigskin Picks and has already told The Blogette that he goes bananas over Oreo Cookies. I suppose he wants the Halloween ones with the orange middles. Do you think he dunks them in milk? One slip-up could have him sliding down the vine right to the bottom of the pile of this week's pickers. His picks:

Wisconsin

Wake Forest 

South Carolina

Stanford

Notre Dame

Michigan State

Georgia

Clemson

Western Michigan

Miami, OH

TCU

Texas A&M

                     Miami, FL

Tiebreaker - 55 pts. Vikings/Panthers

Favorite Cookie - Oreo

Steve "The Shooter" Price - In his last appearance in Pigskin Picks, The Shooter had a 4-4 record.  This week, he has both guns loaded and is aiming for top honors.  We just hope he hasn't been setting up cans along Sunset Blvd. for target practice!  His picks:

Wisconsin

North Carolina

South Carolina

Stanford

Notre Dame

Michigan State

Florida

Clemson

Western Michigan

Miami, OH

TCU

Texas A&M

                       Miami, FL

Tiebreaker - 48 pts. Vikings/Panthers

Cookie - Oatmeal Raisin

Brooks "Hellraiser" Massey - Our defending champion won last week with a record of 4-4.  He is headed down the highway and looking for adventure on the road from Newberry to USC.  That should slow down his usual tricks and treats in Five Points.  His picks:

Wisconsin

Wake Forest

South Carolina

Southern Cal

Notre Dame

Nebraska

Georgia

Clemson

Western Michigan

Miami, OH

TCU

Texas A&M

                    Miami, FL

Tiebreaker - 51 pts. Vikings/Panthers

Cookie - Chocolate Chip

Dick "The Mountaineer" Sutton - In recently talking to this road warrior, Dick was on the road again.  This time his car was parked, apparently by a mountain.  When I asked what he was up to, his out-of-breath reply was "I'm climbing a mountain...on foot!  I need those cookies NOW!!"  Here goes:

Wisconsin

Wake Forest

Tennessee

Stanford

Notre Dame

Michigan State

Florida

Clemson

Western Michigan

Miami, OH

TCU

Texas A&M

                           Miami, FL

Tiebreaker - 36 pts. Vikings/Panthers

Cookie - Merlot

The Pearlz Girlz - Jessica and Katie are happy with their tie for 1st place last week, even though they did not win the tiebreaker.  Now they are ready to "bug out" and sting the field by flying all the way to the top!  Their picks:

Wisconsin

North Carolina

South Carolina

Stanford

Navy

Michigan State

Georgia

Georgia Tech

Ball State

Miami, OH

TCU

Texas A&M

                                  Miami, FL

Tiebreaker - 46 pts. Vikings/Panthers
Cookie - Oatmeal Raisin

Jim "Brutus" Beckman - this veteran Invitational player hails from Sebring FL and is a faithful Buckeye fan.  He's been on several cruises with the players, cheerleaders, coaches, Brutus and his lovely wife Rhonda.  Can he sail away with a win this week?  His picks:

Ohio State

North Carolina

South Carolina

Southern Cal

Notre Dame

Nebraska

Georgia

Clemson

Ball State

Miami, OH

TCU

Missouri

                            Miami, FL

Tiebreaker - 49 pts. Vikings/Panthers

Cookie - Chocolate Chip

Robert "Big Money" Peeler - Robert is chasing his dream, and we will feature a story on the blog about that later.  This week, Mr. Money is chasing that batch of chocolate chip cookies and some cake.  Last time he participated, he was 3-5 in Pigskin Picks.  This week's money-makers:

Wisconsin

North Carolina

South Carolina

Stanford

Notre Dame

Nebraska

Georgia

Clemson

Western Michigan

Miami, OH

TCU

Texas A&M

                  Miami, FL

Tiebreaker - 60 pts. Vikings/Panthers

Cookie - Chocolate Chip

Ricky "Lumberjack" Jackson - Ricky was the winner of week 4 and has an overall record of 8-8.  He wants his title back and he is ready to chop down the competition and chomp down on some goodies!  His picks:

Wisconsin

North Carolina

South Carolina

Stanford

Notre Dame

Nebraska

Georgia

Georgia Tech

Western Michigan

Miami, OH

BYU

Missouri

                  Miami, FL

Tiebreaker - 38 pts. Vikings/Panthers

Cookie - Peanut Butter

"Captain" Jamie Mabe - three-time winner of Pigskin Picks, he was felled by Ricky the Lumberjack, and he is ready to make everyone walk the plank.  Captain Mabe is very experienced in the ways of the sea.  He has charted many a course on the good ship Platner, and supposedly has won some fishing contests.  So far, The Captain has acquired at least $30 in Dick's Sporting Goods gift cards for his treasure chest. Now all he needs is a parrot!  His picks:

Wisconsin

North Carolina

South Carolina

Stanford

Notre Dame

Michigan State

Georgia

Clemson

Western Michigan

Miami, OH

TCU

Texas A&M

                    Miami, FL

Tiebreaker - 48 pts. Vikings/Panthers

Cookie - Chocolate Chip

Steve "Popeye" Smith - as a first timer in this competition, we're sure hoping Steve has loaded up on the spinach.  He's going to need some strength to beat up on this competition.  Maybe if he shines up his noggin with a little olive oil, that would help!  His picks:

Wisconsin

North Carolina

Tennessee

Stanford

Notre Dame

Nebraska

Georgia

Clemson

Ball State

Miami, OH

TCU

Texas A&M

                          Virginia

Tiebreaker - 32 pts. Vikings/Panthers

Cookie - Oatmeal Raisin

WEEK 7  - RESULTS:

Just when you thought the most popular costume might be Casey Anthony or Mitt Romney....guess again!  It might just be a lumberjack.  Ricky "The Lumberjack" Jackson was declared our winner late last night (10-3)at the spooky stroke of midnight after Stanford beat Southern Cal in two frightening overtimes.  He nosed out Jim "Brutus" Beckman after Jim's Ohio State team beat Wisconsin in a wild, wild finish.  Robert "The Money Man" Peeler slipped into a tie for second place with Brutus with a record of 9-4, but by the time he reached 9 wins it was too late.  Here is our version of a Sweet Sixteen:

Ricky "The Lumberjack" Jackson 10-3

Jim "Brutus" Beckman 9-4

Robert "The Money Man" Peeler 9-4

Captain Jamie Mabe 8-5

Brett "The Mad Scientist" Parker 8-5

Steve "Popeye" Smith 8-5

Sara "My Bride" Blogette 7-6

Kenny "Going Ape" Wilhelm 7-6

Chad "Caddyshack" Martin 7-6

Brooks "Hellraiser" Massey 7-6

Patrick "Uncle Fester" Korb 7-6

Steve "Shooter" Price 7-6

The Pearlz Girlz 7-6

Randy "Old Smoky" Fisher 6-7

Mike "Carve Me a Pumpkin" Evans 6-7

Dick "Mountaineer" Sutton - 5-8 (We truly think he IS on his way down by now and will calll to make sure.)

It's time for The Blogette to get busy in the kitchen.  No doubt, she will find something to keep The Director busy while she is whipping up the cake and peanut-butter cookies for The Lumberjack.  (By the way our cookie poll shows chocolate chip as the top choice, followed by oatmeal raisin, peanut butter, sugar and oreo).   Come June 18th, we will find out whether Ricky swings a golf club better than an ax!  Hope you have enjoyed the Halloween Edition of Pigskin Picks.

WEEK 6 :  OCT. 22, 2011:  Pigskin pickers for this week's games are The Blogette, Brooks Massey, Ronnie Platner and the Pearlz Girlz team of Jessica and Katie.
This week's games:
UCLA @ Arizona
Rutgers @ Louisville
North Carolina State @ Virginia
Oklahoma State @ Missouri
Wisconsin @ Michigan State
University of Southern California @ Notre Dame
Cincinnati @ South Florida
Wake Forest @ Duke
Tiebreaker - total points North Carolina/Clemson

Meet this week's pickers!!

Sara (aka The Blogette) is definitely ready to give up her second place status and move up to the "big time".  Her picks:

Arizona

Rutgers

Virginia

Oklahoma State

Wisconsin

Notre Dame

South Florida

Wake Forest

Tiebreaker - 58 points North Carolina/Clemson

Brooks Massey - Brooks is a former player for Newberry College's golf team.  He now attends USC.  As an Invitational player, his best finish is 9th place/Division One (2011) with a score of 65.  This long hitter is now trying his hand in our football contest.  His picks:

Arizona
Louisville
Virginia
Oklahoma State
Wisconsin
Notre Dame
South Florida
Wake Forest
Tiebreaker - 55 points North Carolina/Clemson

Ronnie Platner - a two-year Invitational player, his team tied for 1st in 2009 and finished in 8th place in 2010 (Division One both years).  Ronnie is best known for having the task of being "team manager" each year.  He is always willing to lend a helping hand with a shovel, or whatever else might be needed.  Let's see if you "dig" his choices.  Here they are:

Arizona
Rutgers
Virginia
Oklahoma State
Wisconsin
Notre Dame
South Florida
Wake Forest
Tiebreaker - 33 points North Carolina/Clemson 

Jessica and Katie (aka The Pearlz Girlz) - these two are friends of the tournament, and are on the staff of Pearlz Oyster Bar.  You might see them helping out at the 2012 Invitational.  Jessica is a graduate of University of Missouri and Kate is a senior at USC.  These two have joined in the fun and are eager to test their football expertise.  Their picks:

UCLA
Rutgers
Virginia
Oklahoma State- obviously Jessica didn't win this discussion
Michigan State
Notre Dame
Cincinnati
Wake Forest
Tiebreaker - 50 points North Carolina/Clemson



WEEK 6 - RESULTS:We had a tie for first place, and Brooks Massey won the tiebreaker. Both Brooks and The Pearlz Girlz finished with a 4-4 record, but Brooks submitted 55 points for his tiebreaker in the North Carolina/Clemson game. That defensive brawl resulted in a 97 point game. Battling for third were The Blogette and Ronnie, both with a 3-5 record. The Blogette nudged Ronnie out with her tiebreaker score of 58 against his score of 33. Ronnie was "only" 64 points off (but knowing Ronnie, he will come back strong next week). Don't feel bad...Just as we have had some complaints that John sets the Invitational pins in places that are too tough, we've heard comments that the games he chooses are too hard to pick. Brooks snags a $10 Dick's Sporting Goods gift card for his efforts.

WEEK 5 - OCT. 15, 2011:

Ricky Jackson is back this week to defend his newly earned title as the champion picker.  The Blogette is also joined by Bret Parker and. Dr. Brian Willard.  ESPN has Dr. Lou, and The Invitational has Dr. Brian...at least for this week. 

This week's games:

USC - Southern California @ California

USC - South Carolina @ Mississippi State

BYU @ Oregon State

Michigan @ Michigan State

Ohio State @ Illinois

Florida @ Auburn

Kansas State @ Texas Tech

Miami (FL) @ North Carolina

*Tiebreaker - total points Clemson @ Maryland

Time to meet this week's players!

Sara, aka The Blogette picks:

California

Mississippi State

BYU

Michigan State

Illinois

Auburn

Kansas State

North Carolina

Tiebreaker - 56 points Clemson/Maryland

Ricky Jackson - veteran Invitational player with a best finish in 2011 of 6th place in Division One with a team score of 63.  He is trying to get a streak going and make it two weeks in a row in Pigskin Picks.  While he is facing some strong competion this week, he backed off of making any bold threats and didn't exercise any bragging rights.  His picks:

California
South Carolina
BYU
Michigan
Illinois
Auburn
Kansas State
North Carolina
Tiebreaker - 52 points Clemson/Maryland









Bret Parker - This three-year Invitational captain has quite a tournament record.  Each year, his teams have been in the top division and have finished 7th, 4th, and 2nd (62).  If he keeps this up, he is sure to be a contender for the top spot in 2012.  His picks:

Southern California
South Carolina
Oregon State
Michigan
Illinois
Auburn
Texas Tech
North Carolina
Tiebreaker - 54 points Clemson/Maryland



Dr. Brian Willard - Dr. Willard has played in The Invitational each of  the past 3 years.  His best finish is 10th in Division One with a score of 65 (2010).  Brian participates in two fantasy football leagues, which might give him an advantage over this week's field.  If that doesn't help, perhaps the fact that he is a great NC State fan will.  We do know that he didn't get caught up in any sentimental picks, since this is an open week for his beloved Wolfpack.  Look for an upcoming story about Dr. Willard on the blog soon.  His picks are:

Southern California
South Carolina
BYU
Michigan
Ohio State
Auburn
Texas Tech
North Carolina
Tiebreaker - 45 points Clemson/Maryland



Pick Analysis
The Blogette - frustrated because she has come so close, but not able to capture the top prize.
Ricky - going into this week in the top spot, pressure's on to keep walking the walk since talking the talk last week .
Bret - this local football expert has the resources to pick 'em.  Will his selections match up to his golfing abilities? 
The Good Doctor - Columbia's best answer to Dr. Lou since the original Dr. Lou left town.  Let's see how his choices work out.  As usual, it will be an intersting week for Pigskin Picks!

WEEK 5 - RESULTS

Dr. Brian is this week's top picker with a record of 5-3.  He wins a $10 gift card from Dick's Sporting Goods.  Now we are even more certain that he has been to ESPN's Lou school!  Defending champion Ricky Jackson and The Blogette tied for second with a record of 4-4.  At 3-5 Bret Parker finishes in 4th place.  Don't forget, Ricky and Bret  join the list of qualifiers for the Oct. 29 Halloween edition of Pigskin Picks. 

WEEK 4: OCT. 8, 2011

Hope you are ready for Week  # 4 of football fun, because we have a competitive group ready for action.  Jamie Mabe returns as undefeated picker, and he has collected a $10 gift card from Dick's Sporting Goods for 3 straight weeks.  We've heard his girlfriend needs a new pair of Nikes!!  Ricky Jackson and Steve Price are eager to replace Jamie as the Top Dog in Sunday's results post.

This week's games:
Washington State @ UCLA
Missouri @ Kansas State
Arizona @ Oregon State
Georgia @ Tennessee
Southern Mississippi @ Navy
Florida State @ Wake Forest
Auburn @ Arkansas
Iowa @ Penn State 
Tiebreaker - total points Oklahoma/Texas 

Meet this week's players!

Sara, aka The Blogette, picks:

UCLA

Kansas State

Arizona

Tennessee

Navy

Florida State

Arkansas

Penn St (Go Joe-pa!)

Tiebreaker - 58 pts. Oklahoma/Texas

Jamie Mabe - returning champion for the past three weeks, and we don't know if he is happier about that or his Clemson Tigers' undefeated record.  Jamie is a 3 year Invitational player, his best finish is T-1st/Division 1 (2009), 2012 Asst. Tournament Director.  His picks:

Washington State

Kansas State

Arizona

Georgia

Navy

Florida State

Arkansas

Iowa

Tiebreaker - 63 points Oklahoma /Texas

Ricky Jackson - a veteran player in The Invitational tournament, best finish 2011 - 6th /Division One (63).  His team also finished 6th in 2010, but used one more stroke to get the job done.  Ricky may look fairly harmless in the photo below, but he has issued the following statement with his picks:  "Sorry Sara... You and Mabe are going down this week."  Well - only one thing to say about that - I would hate to miss a 2 footer on his team!!  His picks:

UCLA

Missouri

Oregon State 

Georgia

Navy

Florida State

Arkansas

Iowa

Tiebreaker - 62 points Oklahoma/Texas 

Steve Price, aka The Shooter - don't know why/afraid to ask.  Steve is a 3-year player in The Invitational.  He is always one of the first team captains to sign on.  Best finish 2011 - 2nd/Division Two (66).  If you are looking for a fine ride to get you to the course on time, see his ad on the advertising page at the right of this post.  Who says pre-loved car salesmen don't have honest faces?  His picks:

UCLA

Missouri

Oregon State

Georgia

Navy

Florida State

Arkansas

Iowa

Tiebreaker - 42 Oklahoma/Texas


WEEK 4 - RESULTS:
What a tight race it was this week!  Ricky Jackson emerges as the winner with a 4-4 record.  Also coming in with the same results were Steve Price and The Blogette.  Ricky won the tiebreaker by predicting a 62 in the Oklahoma(55)/Texas(17) match-up.  Apparently, he can talk the talk because he made good on his remark about sending Jamie Mabe packing.  Jamie was our winner for 3 straight weeks.  Now he can concentrate on cheering his Tigers on to an undefeated season.  Ricky wins a $10 Chik-Fil-A gift card.  He and The Blogette take on two new challengers this week.  Look for our upcoming Pigskin Picks along about Tuesday evening.

WEEK 3:  OCT. 1, 2011:  This week, two-time winner Jamie Mabe and The Blogette are up against two new contenders for bragging rights to The Invitationals's fall football frenzy.  Dick "the Road Warrior" Sutton, and State Street Pub's Kevin Steagall are ready to jump into the action this week.

This week's games:

South Florida @ Pittsburgh

Texas A&M @ Arkansas

Clemson @ Virginia Tech

New Mexico State @ New Mexico

Baylor @ Kansas State

Auburn @ South Carolina

North Carolina @ East Carolina

Michigan State @ Ohio State

*Tiebreaker - total points Alabama/Florida

Meet this week's players!!

Sara, aka The Blogette, picks:

South Florida
Texas A&M
Virginia Tech
New Mexico State
Kansas State
Auburn
North Carolina
Ohio State

Tiebreaker - 38 points Alabama/Florida

Jamie Mabe - returning champion picker for two weeks running, occasional fishing champion, and 3 year Invitational player, best finish T-1st/Division 1 (2009), 2012 Asst. Tournament Director.  His picks:

Pittsburgh

Arkansas

Clemson 

New Mexico State

Baylor

South Carolina

North Carolina

Ohio State

Tiebreaker - 48 points Alabama/Florida

Dick Sutton - Well-known in his community as a long driver....in a car!  Dick travels here from Florida to participate and we are so pleased to see him pull in the driveway.  He is often chosen as the designated driver for golf road trips in Florida, Illinois and all over the eastern seaboard.  We don't know who drives home.  Dick is a two-year veteran player in the Invitational, best finish - 9th place/Division Two (2011).  His picks:

South Florida

Texas A&M

Virginia Tech

New Mexico

Kansas State

Auburn

North Carolina

Ohio State

Tiebreaker - 46 points Alabama/Florida

Kevin "Pink Panther" Steagall - one year player in The Invitational, best finish 5th place/Division One (2010).  Kevin is going to try his best to "sneak in" and take the title away from Jamie.  We are still trying to figure out why he didn't choose Pitt, and truly regret that we didn't include Georgia State, Eastern Illinois or Northern Iowa as featured games this week.  Kevin's picks:

South Florida

Texax A&M

Clemson

New Mexico State

Baylor

Auburn

North Carolina (of course! huge fan!)

Michigan State

Tiebreaker - 45 points Alabama/Florida

WEEK 3 - RESULTS

Well folks, Jamie does it again...but things were a little tighter this week.  Jamie Mabe won the week with a record of 5-3, but Kevin Steagall also finished with the same record.  However, Jamie hit the tiebreaker right on the money by predicting the Alabama(38)/Florida(10) score of 48 points.  The Blogette claimed third place with 4-4 and Dick Sutton finished 3-5.  To Jamie's credit, he did text an apology to the Blogette after beating her on the first two games.  Is that sincerity or confidence?  We are beginning to wonder if he studies the sports lines more than he studies calculus.  Hmmm....we hear that class is a killer.

WEEK 2:  SEPT. 24, 2011
Last week, we introduced a new feature for college football season called Pigskin Picks.  Every week, The Blogette goes up against the previous week's winner and two players/friends of The Invitational.  All four are ready with their picks for this week.  If you missed out on the rules and details, scroll down to view last week's Pigskin Picks. 

This week's games:

North Carolina State @ Cincinnati
North Carolina @ Georgia Tech

LSU @ West Virginia

Army @ Ball State

Florida State @ Clemson

UCLA @ Oregon State

Oklahoma State @ Texas A&M

Notre Dame @ Pittsburgh

*Tiebreaker - total points Vanderbilt/South Carolina

Meet this week's players!!

Sara (aka The Blogette) picks:

Cincinnati
Georgia Tech

West Virginia

Army

Florida State

UCLA

Oklahoma State

Notre Dame

Tiebreaker - 60 points Vanderbilt/South Carolina

Jamie Mabe - Last week's winner, and 3 year Invitational player, best finish T-1st/Division One (2009), 2012 Asst. Tournament Director.  His picks:

NC State
Georgia Tech
LSU
Army
Clemson
UCLA
Oklahoma State
Notre Dame
Tiebreaker - 52 points Vanderbilt/South Carolina









Chad Martin - PGA Golf Professional, Spring Valley Country Club - site of the 2012 Invitational.  His picks
Cincinnati
Georgia Tech
LSU
Army
Florida State
Oregon State
Oklahoma State
Pittsburgh
Tiebreaker - 75 points Vanderbilt/South Carolina









Robert Peeler - one year veteran of The Invitational, finishing 9th in Division One with a team score of 65.  His picks:

NC State

Georgia Tech

LSU

Army

Clemson

Oregon State

Texas A&M

Pittsburgh

Tiebreaker - 51 points Vanderbilt/South Carolina

Pick Analysis:  This week's pickers pose a frightening threat to the bookies in Vegas.  In talking with them, some have elaborate research and statistics to back up their choices, while others randomly pick during their library study group meeting.  We have a progessional golfer getting involved in collegiate football, and two collegians trying to make professional selections.  The Blogette???  Well, she certainly doesn't ask for any help from John!

WEEK 2:  RESULTS

For the second week in a row, the honors go to Jamie Mabe (6-2).  His Clemson Tigers pulled off a great win and choosing them over Florida State was a deciding factor.  He and The Blogette (5-3) will move on to the next round.  Sara is kicking herself for going against her Ball State Cardinals with their huge win against Army.  Chad Martin comes away with an even 4-4 result, and Robert Peeler (3-5) will have to live with whatevery Jamie dishes out up at Tiget Town.  Two big games are already on the list for next week: 

Auburn @ South Carolina

Clemson @ Virginia Tech

Can the Gamecocks and Tigers and Jamie remain undefeated?

WEEK 1: SEPT. 17, 2011

The Invitational Blog is introducing a new seasonal feature.  Since it is football season, we respectfully admit that other sports can be interesting.  This week we will begin a new contest called "Pigskin Picks".  Each week, three former players or friends of The Invitational will select their choices from among upcoming college football match-ups.  They will be up against a well-studied opponent - Sara Beckman, blog reporter and wife of tournament director John.  We didn't say she studied football, by the way, but she has taken a LOT of classes in her time.  Since our tournament allows no mulligans, handicaps or gimmes, this contest allows no points or spreads.  It is straight up....win or lose.  Here are the contest specifics.  Three players and Sara state their picks.  Of the three players, the winner with the most picks stays.  If Sara beats all - all are goners and are eliminated from further play.  The following week, Sara and the winner go against 2 more former Invitational players.  Each weekly winner gets a surprise prize.  This week, it's a $10 gift card from Dick's Sporting Goods.

This week's games:

West Virginia @ Maryland

Auburn @ Clemson

Mississippi @ Vanderbilt

Michigan State @ Notre Dame

Buffalo @ Ball State

Ohio State @ Miami (FL)

Oklahoma @ Florida State

Navy @ South Carolina

 **Tiebreaker - Total points Oklahoma/Florida State 

Now it's time to meet the players!

Sara (aka The Blogette) picks:

Maryland

Auburn

Vanderbilt

Notre Dame

Ball State 

Ohio State

Oklahoma

South Carolina

Tiebreaker - 42 points Okla/Fl St.

Randy Fisher- 3 year Invitational player, best finish 5th place/Division 2 (2010).  His picks:

Maryland

Auburn

Mississippi

Michigan State

Ball State

Ohio State

Oklahoma

South Carolina

Tiebreaker - 63 points Okla/Fl. St.

He could be going down because his favorite team is the Cleveland Browns.  He has that in common with John.  Can he pick a winner???

Mike Evans - 2 year Invitationl player, best finishes 5th place/Division 1 (2010 and 2011), 2012 Tournament Co-Chair.  His picks:

Maryland

Auburn

Vanderbilt

Notre Dame

Buffalo

Miami (FL)

Oklahoma

South Carolina

Tiebreaker - 48 ponts Okla/Fl. St

He could be going down because he chose his sentimental favorite (Buffalo) over The Blogette's alma mater (Ball State).  Whose heart will be broken??? 

Jamie Mabe - 3 year Invitational player, best finish T-1st/Division 1 (2009) , 2012 Asst. Tournament Director.  His picks:

Maryland
Clemson
Mississippi
Notre Dame
Ball State
Miami (FL)
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tiebreaker - 67 points Okla/Fl. St.

He could be going down because of questionable judgement.  First of all, he reported his picks while sitting at Triple T's in Clemson.  Secondly, is anyone else in this group pictured holding a beer can???
*Note - He is the youngest in this group, so he can surely handle it!!

WEEK 1:  RESULTS

Jamie Mabe (6-2) and The Blogette (5-3) are moving on to next week's picks.  We will be giving a couple of former players/friends of The Invitational a call to join in the pickin' for Sept. 24 games.  So sorry to see Mike Evans (5-3) and Randy Fisher (3-5) head back in to the clubhouse.  Mike gave it a good run, and in a recent conversation admitted to choosing Buffalo over Ball State as a sentimental choice.  Turns out that was a deciding game between Jamie and Mike.  The Blogette won the tiebreaker with her choice of 42 points for the total score of the Oklahoma/Florida State game.  The actual score was 23-13 (36 points).  She has a "secret system" for figuring tiebreakers.  Randy, we are not sure what your system was, but maybe you need to tune in to Dr. Lou a little more often - ???