LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Quitting is not an option. This idea of picking college football games against the spread belonged to me, not my WDRB Sports teammates.
After two or three (who's keeping score?) consecutive losing weeks, I considered turning my selections over to the sharpest mind in the room: Ruby.
She's a 5-year-old Labrador retriever. But Wednesday night, minutes before we planned to go over her selections, I let Ruby outside and she immediately went into Protection Mode, barking like a Cubs' fan was on the property.
What's the problem, young lady?
Oh. She had a possum trapped against a wall on the back porch. Even a treat of the highest currency could not lure Ruby away. The possum was not ready to become a snack.
It was quite the standoff, neither creature giving an inch while baring their teeth.
Not wanting to risk injury to my best friend or make a late-night trip to the emergency vet clinic, I lifted Ruby and carried her into the house — against her will.
To make a long story longer, neither of us was in the mood for her to make her debut picking games this season. Which is also a long way of saying you're stuck with me and my peanut-sized bankroll as we roar into Week 8.
Griffin Gonzalez
- Week 7 Bankroll: $1,000
- Week 7 Results: Hit a four-team money-line parlay
- Week 8 Bankroll: $1,306.06
Week 8 Selections: $150 on a three-leg parley to win $323.43
- Clemson (-550 ML) vs. Syracuse, Saturday noon.
- "The magic must stop somewhere for Syracuse."
- Baylor (-385 ML) vs. Kansas, Saturday, noon.
- "It's going to be a rough end to the year for the Jayhawks."
- Pittsburgh (ML) at Louisville (+112), Saturday, 8 p.m.
- "Even with Malik Cunningham back, there are still too many defensive issues with this Louisville team."
John Lewis
- Week 7 Bankroll: $900
- Week 7 Results: Hit on Western Kentucky and Tennessee
- Week 8 Bankroll: $1,150
Week 8 Selections:
- $100 on Rutgers (-3) vs. Indiana, Saturday, noon.
- "It's falling apart for Indiana and hard to see them winning on the road against a Rutgers team trying to break out of its own slump."
- $50 on Georgia Southern (+2 1/2) at Old Dominion, Saturday 3:30 p.m.
- "It's homecoming for ODU, but Georgia Southern comes in riding high after a win over then-No. 25 James Madison. I'll take the Eagles."
- $100 on Charlotte (-14 1/2) vs. Florida International, Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
- "Florida International hasn't won back-to-back road games since 2018. That could come to an end against a one-win Charlotte team. But even in those losses, the 49ers put points on the board. FIU can give up points, as WKU can attest after winning 73-0 last month."
Tom Lane
- Week 7 Bankroll: $950
- Week 7 Results: Hit on Michigan and Clemson
- Week 8 Bankroll: Back to even at $1,000
Week 8 Selections: "Slow and steady wins the betting race. Feeling some dogs this week."
- $50 on Syracuse (+13 1/2) at Clemson, Saturday, noon.
- $50 on Oklahoma State (+6 1/2) vs. Texas, Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
- $50 on UCLA (+6) at Oregon, Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
Eric Crawford
- Week 7 Bankroll: $90
- Week 7 Results: Hit on Iowa State and Tennessee
- Week 8 Bankroll: $975
Week 8 Selections: "I've done pretty well in recent week with home underdogs. So, of course, this week I'm out on a limb with road underdogs to cover. Let's roll the dice. "
- $100 on Iowa to cover (+30.5) at Ohio State, Saturday, noon.
- "I don't doubt that the Buckeyes will win this one big. But Iowa is No. 3 in the nation in scoring defense, giving up less than 10 points a game. That's not going to hold against a powerful Ohio State offense, but I'm betting (literally) it will hold enough to keep the margin under 30. (Bonus, the Buckeyes haven't covered vs. Iowa in their last four meetings.)"
- $75 on Syracuse (-13.5) to cover at Clemson, Saturday, noon.
- "Syracuse, for whatever reason, has played well against the Tigers. Three of the Orange's last five losses to Clemson have been by a field goal. Now, the other two were blowouts, but I'm counting on Syracuse to have enough quality to stay within two touchdowns, even though Clemson is a team needing to make a statement against a ranked opponent at home."
- $100 on Ole Miss (+2) at LSU, Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
- "Ole Miss is the better team with the better offense. And while Brian Kelly has LSU improving, I still think the Rebels have enough quality to beat both LSU, and the spread."
Rick Bozich
- Week 7 Bankroll: $650
- Week 7 Results: Lost with Maryland and Kansas
- Week 8 Bankroll: $615
Week 8 Selections: "I've tried listening to podcasts, checking Jeff Sagarin's power formula and checking injury reports. And I've been awful. So it's time to simply go with my gut."
- $50 on Clemson (-13 1/2) vs. Syracuse, Saturday, noon.
- $100 on Rutgers (-3) vs. Indiana, Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
- $35 on Baylor (-9 1/2) vs. Kansas, noon.
At least the pain will be over early.
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