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OK, time to have some fun here on Bleacher Report. Some real fun. As one of the few female writers here, I am willing to go up against the courageous bloggers who want to go head-to-head with me on college football games...

College Football Contest: Lisa vs. Bleacher Report Bloggers

by Lisa Horne (Senior Writer)

70

1018 reads

Preview/Prediction

August 17, 2008


OK, time to have some fun here on Bleacher Report. Some real fun.

As one of the few female writers here, I am willing to go up against the courageous bloggers who want to go head-to-head with me on college football games.

Last year, we had this contest on FOXSports.com, and well, the guys didn't fare well against me. I even beat a fellow co-worker.

Maybe b/r writers are better?

This is really simple to enter and play. From the last week of August to the first week of December, I will pick 10 games for us to make our picks.

To make it more difficult, I will be using the spread (USA Today's odds). These are not straight-up picks. In case of a tie, the favorite team gets the nod. (i.e., if the spread is seven points, and team A wins by seven, then team A is the winner)

There are 15 weeks of college football games scheduled. Each week, one "guest" will get an email from me with the ten games, and usually several games from that guest's home conference will be selected. For example, if the guest is from the East Coast and follows the ACC, then several ACC games will be featured. See how nice I am?

No games that have FCS teams as an opponent will be selected, as odds aren't posted for those games. The games, however, will have at least one BCS conference team in them.

Once the guest has made his pick, he will write in one sentence why he thinks his pick will be the right one. Once he is finished with his pick, a short 2-3 sentence bio or major smack-talking bit can be added. Picks are due Friday noon, unless a Thursday game has been selected.

Fifteen guests will compete. The prize? Bragging rights and the respect from your fellow writers.

Got game?

Want to see if you can score for the guys? Remember, last season, I picked 95 out of 181 games correctly, while my guests only picked 83 correctly. Yep, the guys stunk it up.

This is your chance to prove how much you know about college football. And to beat a female sportswriter. The gauntlet has been thrown down, now it's your chance to have a shot to take on a girl for one week. It's also a blast!

If you want to enter, just give me a reason why you should be selected for one week. I want to hear some major smack, an epic beatdown or a really nice whiny plead. The best responses get picked. And the owners of b/r are encouraged to enter.

Good luck! Let's hear some smack.

Football Girl

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70 comments Last one added 10 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. Mitch at sportschatplace.com 10 months ago

    I want in and if anyone else dares to throw down the gauntlet I'm willing to take them on as well. While we respect your opinions here I don't think that current media members are too good at picking the games, especially against the spread. I've published a free newsletter picking games against the spread for the past Ten years and I've never had a losing season. Around the start of this season I'll be giving away a free ebook on my site about betting on football (though my blog will remain ad free for the time being and even if eventually I accept advertising it won't be from sports books or gambling sites or those people who charge for picks). I'll be posting picks pretty much weekly here and once my new site is finished I'll be doing a video show analyzing games, making picks and of course coming back to see where I went right and wrong, at least that's the plan, we'll see what adjustments we need to make and we'll do it on the fly. In any event I perfectly understand if you're scared of going head to head with a pro, you probably should be.

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    • Lisa Horne 10 months ago

      Hmmm...I've never had a losing season either. That sounds like a challenge. You're in. You'll regret it! :p

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    • Mitch at sportschatplace.com 10 months ago

      It is a challenge and I plan on showing the world who is the best CFB picker against the spread on B/R. Of course I'm also hoping that I'm not going to show the world that it's actually you. ;)

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    • Mitch at sportschatplace.com 10 months ago

      By the way if its possible I'd like the week of 9/13 with all of the BIG OOC games including wisky-Fresno, you know who I like in that 1 :) If that's taken any other week is fine..I think you are on the mark with the edit comments idea.

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  2. Burton DeWitt 10 months ago

    If we did only 1-2 games a week, I think I'd win. My 5* picks were 16-4 last year. I'm in, but I cannot guarantee a good mark overall as I only make sure picks. It'll be fun to attempt games that I'm not as confident about and hopefully I get some luck. But yeah, count me in. I'd be honored if I find a way to beat you!

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  3. Tim Pollock 10 months ago

    It is on. I want one of those nasty October East vs. West SEC weekends. Maybe even the epic Nov. 1st FL-GA, Tennessee-Carolina weekend.

    Picking with the spread is for cowards, but I'm still ready for the challenge.

    Why should I be selected? Because of my 9-week old son. It's all about the kids, Lisa. Kids are the future. Insert more kid cliches here.

    Oh, you also have to write a column about your embarrassing loss every week that you lose. Just sayin. It's only fair.

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    • Lisa Horne 10 months ago

      Tin-

      Not only are you in, but you get the week of the WLOCP! Moreover, each week I'll be crowing or eating crow...what's fair is fair. I'm a good loser. (But I only lost oneout of 16 weeks last year!)

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    • Lisa Horne 10 months ago

      Tim...oops...not "Tin"..and how is the spread for cowards? Anyone can pick straight up...I do 75% on those in NFL. Spread is harder, especially with those Louisian Tech +45 vs. LSU in college football.

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    • Tim Pollock 10 months ago

      I thought I was supposed to talk smack, hence the cowardly comment. But I do hate the spread when a team scores a meaningless TD with 35 seconds left against 3rd stringers.

      Can't wait to see the line for the UF-UGA game.

      And if you take SC in the UT game, then I will officially call you a coward after you blasted the Gamecocks in your last article!

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  4. Justin Goar 10 months ago

    ok i want in. i don't care what weekend. my reason: redemption.

    every year on my site for the bowl season i do a picks column with a guest picker. two years ago my wife wanted in. i picked the games from knowledge she picked the games based on where she wanted to visit or whose mascot or uni's she liked better or if the bowl name matched up with the team in some sort of weird way. i beat her that year quite handily, but response to the article was great so i brought her back for 2007.

    and although our comic pairing got another great response this year there was one unexpected twist: she beat me by one game.

    that stung. i had real football to cheer me up at the end of last season but i'm still smarting from my "bowl picks extravaganzpalooza" loss.

    so i swore i would exact revenge on the first female to challenge me.

    that's you!! so bring it on!!!

    but don't take this the wrong way lisa, i'll be beating you, but i'll be imagining my wife the whole time.

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  5. Michael Felder 10 months ago

    Lisa,

    You know you can count me in whenever you're ready to pick the ACC. Especially since I'm one of about three people on the planet who even bothers to follow ACC football haha.

    I'll be waiting to hear from you and as long as you lock the spreads in and there is no waffling I fully expect to win.

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  6. J. Michael Morris 10 months ago

    Lisa, You probably won't get an offer from another MWC fan and you should be fair to the pee-ons out here in the great wide open. It may be tough to have enough BCS matchups throughout the season. But we do play lots of PAC10 pansies. Remember, I will have inside info because MWC includes VEGAS!!!

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  7. Kristofer Green 10 months ago

    Lisa my friend you are going down! There is no way you can beat me head to head picking games from the Big Ten! Just not going to happen.

    I did something similar last season with a few friends picking 12 games and I had not one, but two perfect weeks. So bring it on... Can you handle the pressure!

    I'm in and I'm ready to take you down! All in good fun of course :)

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  8. Justin Hokanson 10 months ago

    So when you get beat, are you going to say well you should beat me because I'm a girl? I think you should have to beat me, not the other way around. : )

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    • Lisa Horne 10 months ago

      Justin-

      Sex has nothing to do with this... Leave sex out of this...this is all about braggin' rights. I have never used my gender as an excuse for anything...ever!

      Be warned, last year it got really heated when a couple of guys tanked their weeks and got nasty messages on their blogs. :p

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  9. J. Michael Morris 10 months ago

    I want a piece of this action.

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  10. James Doker 10 months ago

    I'll take you on, any week of the season, any games. Last yearI did a season-long facebook contest picking against the spread and was 16th out of something in the several thousands.
    I'm sure I can take on this challenge.

    95 out of 181 is 52.5% correct. Decent, but not much more than half (which, when picking against the spread, is theoretically what you would get if you just randomly picked teams (I should know, I'm a mathematician)). I can guarantee I'll beat your percentage from last season in the week you pick against me. 6/10 is a piece of cake.

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  11. Alex Smith 10 months ago

    Count me in on this as well. I'm no Einstein but there are 20 things I know very, Very, VERY Well, and one of those things is College Football. I got lunch money throughout High School picking winners in College (& pro too) and let me tell ya, I spent around $8 bucks a day on lunch. Man, Woman, Child, I don't care, when It comes to picking Football, I will mop the floor with damn near anyone on the planet. And the beating will be sweeter since you want to use the USA Today odds.

    If you want a Real challenge, you'll accept me in this pool.

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  12. Jameson Fleming 10 months ago

    Once the season gets going here, I'll be writing up a lot of Big East football which is something not represented too well on this site. I'll take you on representing the Big East since I'm the C/L for the conference.

    And although I've never placed a bet in real life, lines are something that have always fascinated me. I grew up with a strong background in math and have dabbled every once in awhile in trying to figure out tricks to be the spread, none of which have been successful.

    So for those reasons I challenge you.

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    • Lisa Horne 10 months ago

      Jameson-

      How can I say NO to a C/L? You're in. And these aren't real bets, no money wagered. Just pride on the line! Good Luck!

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  13. William Qualkinbush 10 months ago

    Lisa, i want in simply because, well, NOBODY is better than I am at picking games. For the past 4 years, I've put out a weekly newsletter (maybe like the guy above me) and I've been pretty consistently 60% or higher. I normally go with top five games, one major upset, and of course I pick Clemson since I'm already there on most weeks.

    That brings me to reason #2: If Clemson loses and you pick against them, you'll have one up on me from the get-go. I'm such a dad gum homer.

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  14. Nic Gulas 10 months ago

    Lisa, I want in on this just for good ol' fashion fun, but I want a real weekend, not some podunk schedule. I would even go out on a limb right now to say I want Iron Bowl weekend or Saban Bowl weekend. I want something with some difficulty, becuase I usually fly by the seat of my pants on some picks, but for the afore mentioned games, its quite obvious where my allegiance lies.

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  15. Rob Sansing 10 months ago

    Ha!! This could be really easy. If you go with your heart, and pick the Trojans and Gators, I figure I'll have a two game advantage right out of the gate!!!
    Rob in Florida, Lisa in California, right coast, left coast, SEC, pac 10,expert, amateur...it's too good a match up to pass up!!!

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  1. Timothy Croley 10 months ago

    Lisa, I don't really pick college football games to be honest, but I'm sure that I could hold my own against you. I mean, after all, who on earth is a USC Trojan/Florida Gator's fan?? Isn't that like an oxymoron?? How on earth could you pull for both the PAC-1 and SEC? That should give me a leg up already even if I don't have the experience of picking games.

    Third Saturday in October is right up my alley, as is most Crimson Tide games. SEC games could be a difficult challenge to pick. But hey, I'd be going against you, right?

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  2. Bill Burkett 10 months ago

    Ivy League...need I say more?...my brain power (what's left after post traumatic football thumpings) will overwhelm your PAC 10 Surfing 101 education....Brown Bears rule....my only caveat, we have to pick at least one game from the former 1AA, now some ridiculous initals subdivision...

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  3. Joseph Morgan 10 months ago

    I want in. Bring the heat! I'm not afraid. I called numerous upsets last year, including Illinois over Ohio State and Pitt over West Virginia. Last year was no fluke, either. I'm ready to take you on, Lisa and I will win. I love a challenge and I will NOT take "no" for an answer! The week the doesn't matter. Bring it on!

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  4. Michael Shibley 10 months ago

    Ok I want in. I have never done picks with a spead, but I have been darn good straight up. I have to prove that the SEC is better at picks as well as football...LOL. Just kidding, it will be fun!

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  5. Tim McGhee 10 months ago

    This game needs a) some Big East flavor and b) an old guy. While a WVU fan, I cut my teenage teeth watching Texas and the wishbone, then really honed my appreciation with the ultimate college I back, USC's Anthony Davis. Give a geezer a chance. But, if you do, you'll be signing up for a losing week.

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  6. Aaron Partridge 10 months ago

    Alright, let me in on this. I can take anything you thrown at my way, I was possibly the only person in Champaign-Urban to predict the Illini's 9-3 record last season and took all kinds of comments for it. Getting every game except the loss to Michigan at home right. Let's play some pick em'.

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  7. James Doker 10 months ago

    I already commented once, but didn't get any response. So I want to just say, Lisa, if you don't pick me I'll know just how scared you are of my dominant picking ability.

    Don't make me call you a poseur Gator fan.

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  8. Thomas Brown 10 months ago

    lisa,
    if you werent scared youd let everyone play, not just 15 guests

    if you talk it you gotta bring it sister

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  9. L.J. Burgess 10 months ago

    Are all the slots taken? are you doing FCS games too? can we?

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  10. 12 10 months ago

    Your mother wears army boots...ok, I'm older than the ancient Baby Tate, so do I get the sympathy vote? Pleeeeeeeeeeeease???

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  11. Mitch Rowe 10 months ago

    Hey Lisa, I know Stanford is pretty good this year BUT this year it will be ASU who takes down USC at home..Just try not to cry when it happens

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  12. Scott Taylor 10 months ago

    Based on a lot of the stories I have read on the website, I would have to give you a big advantage over the BR staff, even though I remember your PAC 10 preview where you said OSU had two great QBs ( I think you meant garbage, or at least I hope. Anyway, it is yours to win unless only I was representing the male population, which would give the males a big advantage!

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  13. Lisa Horne 10 months ago

    Ok.....fifteen have been chosen, with one alternate.

    Joseph Morgan
    Michael Shibley
    MiamiMitch.com
    Tim Pollock
    Justin Goar
    Michael Felder
    Kristopher Green
    Justin Hokanson
    J Michael Morris
    Jameson Fleming
    William Qualkinbush
    Nic Gulas
    Rob Sansing
    Timoth Croley
    Bill Burkett

    alternates: Joshua Riddley and James Doker

    Please send me an email at LisaHorneonFox@yahoo.com so I can add you in my address book and have all the emails ready.

    William Qualkinbush, you are first up for week 1, so please send me an email ASAP. Your spreads will be sent out next Tuesday, and are due by Wednesday since the South Carolina NC State game is Thursday early evening. Thanks everyone.

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  14. Tony Bishop 10 months ago

    Last year was also probably the most unpredictably wild college football seasons in recent times, so I have no doubts that your guesses were just as lucky as Appalachian State's field goal defense.

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  15. Doug Kraus 10 months ago

    Lisa, you are lucky that I actually decided to do some work today at the office instead spending the day reading B/R - my new favorite site. I would have CRUSHED you like a bug. My season opening pick is IL over MO with no points. That's how I roll.

    Looks like I'll have to bet with the 2nd grade girl next door for milk money again this year. Yeah, I made her cry. She still owes me a buck.

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    • Lisa Horne 10 months ago

      Doug-

      Dang, too bad I made the picks...you are PERFECT for this challenge. I love the smack beat-down. EPIC, my friend.

      Mizzou beats Illinois by 6+. No Mendenhall means Juice and Benn will have to score via the pass. A lot. Live by the pass, die by the pass. :p

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  1. SEC Idiots .com 10 months ago

    Lisa, I'm glad I'm too late. Women DOMINATE our family bowl pick'em against the spread. Getting embarassed by a girl once a year is enough for me. Good luck.

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  2. Doug Kraus 10 months ago

    Oh silly Lisa. Do not count out the Illini so quickly. Now that Zook is in town he is keeping a lot of quality Chicago area talent in state. These guys used to head to ND and Iowa and other places. I grew up in Wayne's World (Aurora, IL) and I can't remember IL ever being any good. Zook is on the right track and I would be shocked if they don't have a few unknown running weapons in their toolbox.

    They should go well this year until THE Ohio State University rolls into Chambana for redemption. I have them 6-2 in the Big Ten. Move or on crazy Big Ten predictions in an upcoming article. I really go out on a limb to invite all the B/R folks to jump all over my stupidity.

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    • Mitch at sportschatplace.com 10 months ago

      Doug, for better or worse I have to say I'm with you on this one. With the Big 12's absolutely horrific OOC record vs. ranked opposition as of late it looks like good news for the under rated Illini. Of course the reality of it for those of us willing to wager on this one is the trends say it's Mizzou or nothing as the Tigers come in riding a 12-3 mark in their last 15 against the number including a perfect 4-0 on the turf, 6-0 in non conference games, 5-1 against the Big 10 and a gaudy 6-1 in neutral site games. For Juice and the Illini it's a sad but true 1-6 vs. the number in non conference match ups.
      On the bright side the over looks rock solid but the 8 1/2 point line makes this one look like one of those break out the calculator games when the o/u is released.

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    • Lisa Horne 10 months ago

      Doug-

      I'm not silly! Last year I picked the Illini to go to the Rose Bowl and everyone laughed at me. But this year, they don't have Mendenhall, and I believe that's going to hurt them. Zook is a master recruiter, and I like him, even if Floridians, don't. But I don't see them beating Mizzou. Good luck! I have them finishing third, behind OSU and Penn State. :(

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  3. Ben Weixlmann 10 months ago

    Lise!

    You better choose me!

    bweixlmann@stlsportscenter.com

    Ben

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  4. Michael Collins 10 months ago

    You're lucky you closed the competition out so soon. Last year I picked 88 out of 140 successfully (63%) and finished second out of 72. The guys at Fox must be real losers.

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  5. Raj Kamruddin 10 months ago

    Lisa...keep us posted each week on the results. I would like to check in and see how you guys are doing.

    Good luck to all.

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  6. Nicholas Pardini 10 months ago

    Count me in this competition. I focus on Pac-10 football and teams within the top 25.

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