UCLA (6-6, PAC 12 S Champs) @ No. 9 Orygun (10-2, PAC 12 N Champs) [-31 1/2].

This starts at 5 am Sat. Moscow time, so with luck I'll see the 2nd half over bkfst. Actually, with luck I'll sleep through it, as by the 3rd q this "game" will prolly look a lot like pro wrestling, or maybe Ultimate Fighting when one guy has a broken leg but has to keep playing b/c of a forfeit clause involving his first born child or sth. Anyway, yeah, the conf's first champeenship is an embarrassment before it starts, what w/ the Bruins getting nipped at the buzzer by $C last wk 50-0 – so long Neuheisel, at last – and OR, having themselves lost to the Rubbers, now in the mood for demonstrating they're no worse at the We Are thing than the goons from Heritage Hall.

A spread like this doesn’t make for rational betting, of course, but what the hey. Last week I got f#cked by the Ducks, who covered EXACTLY; so this wk I’ll take ‘em at their word, all 31.5 of it. I know, I know: it’s ridiculous to bet, in effect, that a conf-div champ can lose by 81.5 aggregate over successive weeks. But I just did it.

Regional Pick o' the Wk: New Mexico (1-10) @ No. 7 Boise (10-1) [-48 ½]

You thought that OR @ 31.5 was a little scary? Try this. And thx, I think I will. For one thing, this is prolly Petersen’s last H game, what with the UCLA job suddenly open—so why not let the dogs loose? Secondly, N Mex has shown some truly awe-inspiring incompetence over long stretches this year, at one pt. getting their pants pulled down to the tune of 195-14 over 4 games. This’ll be their third straight 1-11 yr, btw. So yeah, the dogs REALLY have a place to run.

The answer to your unspoken question – Have you ever bet a 48.5 before? – is Nope. And especially after taking a 31.5, too! I have LOST on a -41 (Snodfart 24 -$C 23 in ‘07), which to my knowledge remains the biggest upset in the hist of NCAA-based wagering; but this isn’t going to be an upset, and prolly SHOULD run over 50 – so I’m takin’ it, even though I loathe Boise. (Do a weather check tomorrow, just in case – y’know, snowstorms happen…). Anyway, get those rubles down and Enjoy!