Prep work done, so to college we will go
With Coeur d’Alene and Timberlake bowing out of the state football playoffs last weekend, the high school portion of Year 2 of Gridiron Guesses is complete.
I went 1-1 on the high school picks. We both took Coeur d’Alene to beat Rocky Mountain, and Jason tabbed Timberlake to beat Homedale.
Oh well. At this rate, with the Kibbie Dome unavailable Friday night and all day Saturday due to a concert, the Vikings and/or Tigers might have found themselves trying to talk their opponents into playing the title game(s) at The Fields at Real Life Ministries, in Post Falls.
Not that that would have been a bad thing, considering the alternative.
Anyway, I wound up 48-19 on high school picks, and Jason was 46-21.
Meanwhile, Jason made up some ground on the college picks, going 4-0. I was 2-2, picking Idaho to beat Montana (wishful thinking) and Fresno State to beat Boise State (I swear that was a typo).
That left me 31-7 on college picks, 79-26 overall. Jason is 28-10 on college picks, 74-31 overall.
COLLEGE
Arizona (5-5, 4-3 Pac-12) at Washington State (9-1, 6-1)
Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
NELKE: One year ago, Khalil Tate passed for 275 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for 158 yards and a TD as Arizona demolished WSU 58-37 in Tucson. If the Cougs let that happen again on a cold Saturday night in Pullman, shame on them.
WSU, 41-20
ELLIOTT: Even if Washington State is looking forward to that Apple Cup game, it shouldn’t slip up in this game.
WSU, 38-24
Idaho (4-6) at Florida (7-3)
Saturday, 9 a.m.
NELKE: What a great momentum builder this would be for the Vandals in their season finale, a springboard into next season ... ah, who are we trying to kid?
Florida, 52-14
ELLIOTT: Maybe there’s a forecast of lightning on the way again this time.
Florida, 49-20
Boise State (8-2, 5-1 Mountain West) at New Mexico (3-7, 1-5)
Friday, 6 p.m.
NELKE: Fresno State gagged away a 17-3 lead in the fourth quarter last week and couldn’t do what San Diego State did one month earlier — beat Boise State in Boise. Friday’s game should amount to little more than a scrimmage for the Broncos, a tuneup for next week’s visit by Utah State for the Mountain Division title.
BSU, 59-7
ELLIOTT: Boise State re-entered the College Football Playoff rankings this week. Maybe they can still get to a pretty big bowl game after all?
BSU, 55-14
Eastern Washington (8-2, 6-1 Big Sky) vs. Portland State at Hillsboro, Ore.
Friday, 7 p.m.
NELKE: I’m pretty sure I accidentally left a sweatshirt in Hillsboro while passing through this summer. If anyone sees it, please bring it back to me. DM me for details. Meanwhile, Eastern is playing for FCS playoff seeding and a possible first-round bye.
EWU, 38-6
ELLIOTT: Eastern earns its bye, and brings Mark his sweatshirt back as a bonus.
EWU, 44-10