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Our Mike Marteny lays out the confidence points in ESPN College Pick Em for week 11 of the 2021 season.
There are some big prizes on the line in the revamped ESPN College Pick Em game this season. $13,200 across their three entry modes. So we here at Rotoballer will try and help you win some money, because that's what we do. I have created a group for you Rotoballer readers out there. Once based on the confidence game mode, where you pick the winner of each of the ten games they pick and then assign a point value from 1-10 based on how confident you are on each pick. You can play along with me and other Rotoballer readers here. The other group has ten games that you have to pick the winner of against the spread. You can play along with that group here. They are free to enter, so come on and match wits with the rest of the readers of Rotoballer!
The group as a whole did better this week. keepingthelittlehumans alive led the way with 44 points. lbockenek was only one back of that. Kev Shep and The Whitetale Deer both finished with 42. That shook up the standings a bit. 2pretty4orange! takes a one-point lead over lbockenek overall. left handed freshman drops to third, but just one point behind second and two behind first.
Judith6074 is three points back in fourth place. BKNoleGirl is one point back of her to round out the top five. I slipped to sixth with a disappointing week, but am just one point out of the top five. keepingthelittlehumansalive is one behind me after a strong week. Kev Shep, Bamarick, and The Whitetale Deer round out the top ten with just 15 points separating first from ninth.
This article will follow be for the confidence game mode. You can also read my against the spread picks here every week for every game so you know how I'm leaning for that version of the game. Each week, I will recap who's dominating the group before I get into the picks. If you're going to beat everyone, all of the readers will know about it!
Let's get to the countdown! I will count them up from least confident (1) to most (10). You know, for dramatic effect. If I do change my pick or points at sometime during the week, I will try to update the article or post it on Twitter. Otherwise, you know all of my picks each week. Good luck out there. It looks like there are a few gimmes this week!
(1) San Diego State over Nevada
The only reason that I'm picking the Aztecs is because San Jose State gave teams a blueprint on how to beat Nevada and San Diego State has one of the defenses that is good enough to do it. The Aztecs are a frustrating team for fans and opponents alike. There's a reason I'm leaving this at one point. If the Wolf Pack get up early, they'll bury the Aztecs like a turd in a litterbox.
(2) Texas A&M over Mississippi
I don't trust this one either. The A&M defense is playing better, and they'll have to keep it up here. Ole Miss is strong enough to win this game, but A&M is playing as well as they have all season. We haven't seen a ceiling game from Ole Miss since they got castrated by Alabama. They haven't been the same.
(3) North Carolina State over Wake Forest
That Wake defense is a big giant elephant in the middle of their dream season. Devin Leary has been outstanding for the last month or so. He's going to be the next quarterback that lights up the Deacons D like a Christmas Tree. Tis the season, after all.....
(4) Iowa over Minnesota
Both teams play good defense and run the ball well. Both also have quarterbacks that hold the team back. Tanner Morgan is worse than Spencer Petras, if you can believe that. Due to that and the Iowa defense being better (and Minnesota losing to both Illinois and Bowling Green), the Hawkeyes are keeping Floyd in Iowa City.
(5) UAB over Marshall
UAB's kick coverage should be good enough to keep Marshall from running anything back. I may move this one down because I don't really trust the Blazers. They are the better overall team, but Marshall's defense is really good when they remember that they are. The Blazers are the safe pick though.
(6) Ohio State over Purdue
If this game were in West Lafayette, I would think about it. Ohio State is not infallible, but Purdue is too inconsistent to spring this upset, especially with Garrett Wilson back on the field for Ohio State. This game would be higher, but....Purdue. You just never know.....
(7) Oregon over Washington State
I don't think for a minute that Oregon covers this, but the Cougars don't really have the defense to lock down the receivers like Washington did. This will be close, but Washington State hasn't had a game of this magnitude. I don't think they are there yet.
(8) Oklahoma over Baylor
Some have no-shave November. Oklahoma has no-loss November. They haven't lost in the month of November since 2014. That was to Baylor. Still, the team is hitting their stride and Baylor just lost to TCU. The Sooners have entered November with at least one loss every year since 2005. Not this year. Couple that with their winning ways in November and we're playoff bound. Hope on that bandwagon now!
(9) Notre Dame over Virginia
This is not going to be your typical Notre Dame game. Virginia's offense is really good and they're going to rack up some points. I can see the Irish losing this so I may move it down, but I just can't pick that Virginia defense to do something good. They have been gouged by lesser teams than the Irish this year more than once.
(10) Michigan over Penn State
Despite the loss to little brother, the Harbaughs find themselves back up to number 6 already. They are setting up for a showdown with the Buckeyes and I don't see them slipping before then. Sorry, Penn State. The best efforts of Sean Clifford wont be enough here since the team can't run.
