So, this is the end. My Volunteers are sans bowl this year, and (thankfully) sans-Randy Sanders next year. We’ve got a tight race for first between Scrivener, Mae and Two Youtz, but it’s not impossible for the folks who are down five or six points to come back. Gambling on bowl games is tricky business.
Round 14 Results
7 points could have been scored this round.
| Player | Points | Win Percentage | Compared to Favorites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alyssa | 5 | 71.43% | +1 |
| Amber | 5 | 71.43% | +1 |
| Garrett | 5 | 71.43% | +1 |
| Rob | 5 | 71.43% | +1 |
| Scrivener | 5 | 71.43% | +1 |
| shoobiedoobie | 5 | 71.43% | +1 |
| The Muse | 5 | 71.43% | +1 |
| Tony | 5 | 71.43% | +1 |
| ARBY | 4 | 57.14% | - |
| Baby Evil | 4 | 57.14% | - |
| brian mercat | 4 | 57.14% | - |
| Chuck | 4 | 57.14% | - |
| CM | 4 | 57.14% | - |
| Lush | 4 | 57.14% | - |
| Mae | 4 | 57.14% | - |
| Patrick | 4 | 57.14% | - |
| Rusty | 4 | 57.14% | - |
| Scott | 4 | 57.14% | - |
| Two Youtzs | 4 | 57.14% | - |
| bitchmeister | 3 | 42.86% | -1 |
| Cari | 3 | 42.86% | -1 |
| Jeffrey Sherman | 3 | 42.86% | -1 |
| Jen | 3 | 42.86% | -1 |
| Ken | 3 | 42.86% | -1 |
| lefty | 3 | 42.86% | -1 |
| Mel | 3 | 42.86% | -1 |
| Reginald | 3 | 42.86% | -1 |
| Thomas | 3 | 42.86% | -1 |
Bitchmeister, Cari, Jeffrey Sherman, Mel, Reginald, and Thomas did not submit picks and were spotted last place finishes. A PDF with more detailed results can be viewed here.
Overall Standings
237 points could have been scored overall.
| Player | Points | Win Percentage | Compared to Favorites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scrivener | 189 | 79.75% | +1 |
| Mae | 188 | 79.32% | - |
| Two Youtzs | 187 | 78.90% | -1 |
| Garrett | 184 | 77.64% | -4 |
| Jen | 184 | 77.64% | -4 |
| lefty | 184 | 77.64% | -4 |
| The Muse | 184 | 77.64% | -4 |
| Amber | 183 | 77.22% | -5 |
| Lush | 183 | 77.22% | -5 |
| Baby Evil | 181 | 76.37% | -7 |
| Tony | 181 | 76.37% | -7 |
| Alyssa | 180 | 75.95% | -8 |
| ARBY | 180 | 75.95% | -8 |
| CM | 180 | 75.95% | -8 |
| Reginald | 180 | 75.95% | -8 |
| Rob | 180 | 75.95% | -8 |
| Scott | 178 | 75.11% | -10 |
| Patrick | 177 | 74.68% | -11 |
| Rusty | 177 | 74.68% | -11 |
| shoobiedoobie | 177 | 74.68% | -11 |
| brian mercat | 176 | 74.26% | -12 |
| Chuck | 176 | 74.26% | -12 |
| Jeffrey Sherman | 175 | 73.84% | -13 |
| Thomas | 174 | 73.42% | -14 |
| Ken | 170 | 71.73% | -18 |
| Cari | 167 | 70.46% | -21 |
| bitchmeister | 165 | 69.62% | -23 |
| Mel | 162 | 68.35% | -26 |
Round 15 Odds
Picks should be submitted at least 24 hours before a given bowl’s kickoff time.
Remember, you can enter your picks simply by writing, “I’ll take the favorites except for X Team, Z Team, and Y Team†rather than writing out every game.
Dec. 20, 2005 bowls
New Orleans Bowl
Southern Miss @ Arkansas St.
Odds: Southern Miss by 17
Dec. 21, 2005 bowls
GMAC Bowl
Toledo @ UTEP
Odds: Toledo by 2.5
Dec. 22, 2005 bowls
Las Vegas Bowl
BYU @ Cal
Odds: Cal by 7
Poinsettia Bowl
Colorado St. @ Navy
Odds: Navy by 2.5
Dec. 23, 2005 bowls
Fort Worth Bowl
Kansas @ Houston
Odds: Kansas by 3
Dec. 24, 2005 bowls
Hawaii Bowl
Nevada @ UCF
Odds: Nevada by 2
Dec. 26, 2005 bowls
Motor City Bowl
Memphis @ Akron
Odds: Memphis by 5
Dec. 27, 2005 bowls
Champs Sports Bowl
#23 Clemson @ Colorado
Favorite: Clemson
Insight Bowl
Arizona St. @ Rutgers
Odds: Arizona St. by 11.5
Dec. 28, 2005 bowls
MPC Computers Bowl
Boise St. @ #19 Boston College
Odds: Boise State by 1.5
Alamo Bowl
#20 Michigan @ Nebraska
Odds: Michigan by 12
Dec. 29, 2005 bowls
Emerald Bowl
#24 Georgia Tech @ Utah
Odds: Georgia Tech by 9
Holiday Bowl
#6 Oregon @ Oklahoma
Odds: Oregon by 3
Dec. 30, 2005 bowls
Music City Bowl
Virginia @ Minnesota
Odds: Minnesota by 3.5
Sun Bowl
Northwestern @ #17 UCLA
Odds: UCLA by 3.5
Independence Bowl
South Carolina @ Missouri
Odds: South Carolina by 4.5
Peach Bowl
#9 Miami FL @ #10 LSU
Favorite: Miami
Dec. 31, 2005 bowls
Meineke Bowl
South Florida @ N.C. State
Odds: N.C. State by 6
Liberty Bowl
Fresno St. @ Tulsa
Odds: Fresno State by 7
Houston Bowl
#14 TCU @ Iowa St.
Odds: TCU by 3.5
Jan. 2, 2006 bowls
Outback Bowl
#25 Iowa @ #16 Florida
Odds: Florida by 2.5
Cotton Bowl
#18 Texas Tech @ #13 Alabama
Odds: Texas Tech by 2.5
Gator Bowl
#15 Louisville @ #12 Virginia Tech
Odds: Virginia Tech by 7.5
Capital One Bowl
#21 Wisconsin @ #7 Auburn
Odds: Auburn by 11
Fiesta Bowl
#5 Notre Dame @ #4 Ohio St.
Odds: Ohio State by 4
Sugar Bowl
#11 West Virginia @ #8 Georgia
Odds: Georgia by 8.5
Jan. 3, 2006 bowls
Orange Bowl
#3 Penn St. @ #22 Florida St.
Odds: Penn. State by 8
Jan. 4, 2006 bowls
Rose Bowl
#1 USC @ #2 Texas
Odds: USC by 7
I’ve got so much going on in the next few weeks that I’d like to just have the favorites for now. If I come to any new striking conclusions about the games, I’ll submit those predictions before the deadlines. OK?
Can I similarly say that for now I’ll take the favorites except for Boston College and Florida State. I might add a couple of underdog picks in a couple of days, but I want to make sure I get picks in.
The really sad thing is that I’m out in front, but if I’d just said “I’ll take the favorites” every single week, I’d only have one point less than I got.
Was I the only one who picked FSU to beat VT last week? What a great game, huh?
Scrivener,
Looking at these scores, the formula will probably change to betting on the spread next year. If I get time, I hope to write software to do it so as to avoid the errors and occasional delays encountered this year. As an added bonus, it’d be less confusing and there’d be no ambiguity about deadlines.
The first half of VT-FSU was a good game, right before VT imploded. My jaw dropped at that.
odds on everything but, Texas, Notre Dame to win
Favorites on everything
Favorites except for:
- Northwestern
- Iowa State
- Louisville
- Wisco
- Notre Dame
I’m losing so, I’ll go with underdogs on everything except USC.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot about this. Well, I don’t want to think… so I’ll just take the favorites.
For now, I’m going to go favorites except for Colorado St. & Boston College.
If I change my mind on anything else, I’ll be sure to make not of it.
ahh, what do i have to lose? i’ll go down in flames by picking the underdog in all games. woe be to those who don’t submit picks and get spotted last place scores.
Favorites except UTEP, Colorado State, Utah, Virginia, LSU, Alabama, Notre Dame, and Texas.
I’ll take Favorites except for:
BYU-Cal
Boise State-Boston College
Virginia-Minnesota
As for next year - I hope you don’t move towards betting on the spread. I think what was missing this year was using the odds. I think if you got points not just for right or wrong, but multiplied by the actual Vegas odds (not the spread you were calling odds), it would be a much more interesting results. Calling the Miami-Duke game correctly is nice, and all, but calling the Florida State-Virginia Tech game correctly is much more impressive and should count for more.
Betting on the spread is just a way to make sure bookies don’t lose too much money. It’s more fun to bet with real odds, when betting for the underdog can really pay off.
With the rules we played with this year, it payed to take the favorites because it just wasn’t worth risking a single point on a longshot game.
I’ll take the favorites except for Rutgers, Boston College, Virginia, and Alabama.
And thank you so much, Rusty, for running this. I know it was difficult and a thankless job, but I had a blast doing it, so thanks!
Rusty,
First of all, other than being a Tennessee fan, you rock! I know this must have been a…what would people in Tennessee say?…”shit load” of work for you to do. Thanks.
That being said, I’ll take the favorites EXCEPT for the following:
Virginia
South Carolina
Iowa
Alabama - ROLL TIDE!
and because I’m down and it would take something dramatic for me to make a come-back….
Texas will beat USC…please God!
- Shannon aka lefty
All favorites except:
UTEP
Colorado St.
UCF
Virginia
Northwestern(although I would rather just pick whichever team scores 100 first)
Missouri
LSU
Bama
I say go with the spread next year.
Odds except:
UTEP
Colorado State
Boston College
Today, the gin in flowing, (I’m not working today), so I will only pick the New Orleans bowl (joke). I’ll take the favorite, Southern Miss. Tomorrow, I’ll make the other predictions. Rusty…this effort has been the icing on the college football cake. If I win, the prize is yours!
Favorites Except:
UTEP
Colorado St.
Houston
UCF
Akron
Rutgers
Boston College
Nebraska
Oklahoma
Virginia
LSU
South Florida
Alabama
FSU
Notre Dame
Favorites except:
UTEP, BYU, UCF, Boston College
Northwestern, Louisville, Texas
odds on everything except:
Houston
Akron
Rutgers
Boise State
Virginia
South Florida
Iowa State
Alabama
Louisville
Notre Dame
Not sure about USC vs Texas get that in later
After carefully considering every aspect of the games, I have decided to take the favs on all bowl games. Merry Christmas everyone!
favorites
except
lsu
south florida
notre dame
Ha! Late to my own contest. I’ll take favorites except Colorado State, UCF, Boston College, Oklahoma, Virginia, Missouri, Iowa and Texas.