NWC Pick 'em Contest: Week 4

WC11 is looking for the big 'Cats to eat this weekend.

Some weeks you're the truck and some weeks you're the roadkill.  In week 2, WC11 went a perfect 9 for 9 and I was feeling GOOD.  Then in week 3 I must have sniffed some glue because that is the only explanation I have for putting my faith in UPS and Pacific to pull out victories.  That misguided faith and the fact that Saint John's football will do anything to spite me (they beat Concordia Moorhead in OT on a 4th and Goal stop) lead me to having a disaster of a week in only picking 4 out of 8 correct.  That lackluster effort crippled me in the NWC pick 'em standings (now in 7th place) and dropped my accuracy percentage from 87% all the way to 74% (17 out of 23 games).  The good news is there is a lot of season to climb back into contention or the bad news is there is a lot of season left for me to continue tanking.  Let's see if WC11 can bounce back.

Northwest Conference

Whittier (0-1) over Puget Sound (0-2) (at Whittier):  People down in the SCIAC have a derogatory nickname for Whittier and year-in and year-out that nickname seems to hold up.  The Poets are a team going through transition (new coach, new staff, new players, etc) and they were slapped around by Azusa Pacific last week 51-3 (APU is a darn good program).  However,  I'm taking the Poets just on the fact alone that UPS tried to find a patsy for their Homecoming game last weekend and it backfield.  The Loggers brought in Sewanee from Tenneesse, who is a combined 5-42 over the past 5 seasons, in what looked like a lock homecoming win but the Tigers built up a 34-10 lead over the Loggers before UPS made it "respectable" in losing 34-23.  That had to hurt the pride a little.

Lewis and Clark (2-0) over Macalister (1-2) (at Macalister): I have to say that L&C winning last week was no surprise but I was surprised by the fact that Pomona-Pitzer was within 2 until the final minutes of the 4th quarter.  That's not a good sign, IMO.  L&C has to make the monster flight back to the flyover states but Macalister isn't a very good football team.  L&C should take this game and move to 3-0.

Whitworth (1-2) over Menlo (3-0) (at Whitworth):  This was a tough game to call and I'm still conflicted about taking the Rats but I think Menlo is a little bit of fool's gold at this point.  Yeah, Menlo is improved and healthy but I just think the Rats will have the answers this weekend in the Pine Bowl.  Maybe I'm giving Whitworth too much credit for playing Redlands close but it's enough for me to give them the edge this weekend.

West Region game of the week

Louisiana College (2-0) over #23 Mississippi College (2-1) (at L.C.):  You got us.  These teams are in the South region but nothing in the West Region looked worthy so we're going with this fun looking match up out of the ASC.  Mississippi College had a major head turning victory last week as the Choctaws turned top 10 Hardin Simmons on their head in a 45-28 beat down.  That immediatly gave MC some street cred and pushed them in the top 25 but I like Louisiana College here.  L.C. has a of offensive firepower and I don't think M.C. is going to have a hangover from last week's win over HSU

National Game of the week

#4 Mary Hardin-Baylor (2-0) over (#21) Hardin-Simmons (at HSU):  This is almost always the game of the year in the ASC between the conferences top two programs but MHB owns this series.  The Cru has won the last 7 games and even though MHB hasn't looked dominate their first 2 games out I just can't pick against them when it comes to the Cowboys.  This game is going to be tight but the Cru will ride out of Abilene with the victory.