RANKMAN & SON/Pick Six Week 12

It was another Pleasant Valley Point-Spread Saturday for Rankman & Son, here in status symbol land, with Poncho and Lefty both scoring 2-1 records to raise their Pick Six Friday season record to 36-28-2. Son is carrying most of the water as his 20-11-2 overall mark has drawn scholarship offers from Circus Circus State, the U of M (University of Mirage) and "Over" Land Community College.

The easy thing now would be to sit back and rest on our laurels but the goal here is to finish strong run up the tally the way Georgia is going to run it up against UMass on SEC "cupcake" weekend. Son has chosen more traditional games this week while Father has dipped deep into the degenerate well of unkindness in search of broken competitive spirits, "lost" locker rooms, compromised peanut vendors, fifth-round prospects saving themselves for the NFL draft and soulless conviction coaches on the verge of firing, intervention, career change and\or witness protection. It's too bad Bobby Petrino isn't around to see how it plays out.

Son's games:

Georgia Tech at Virginia (53.5)

Boston College (-1.5) at Florida State

West Virginia (-4.5) at Oklahoma State

Father Knows Bets

UTEP at Western Kentucky (-7)

South Alabama at Louisiana (-17.5)

Liberty at Auburn (62)

Son's Picks

Son thinks "good" Georgia Tech will show up for Virginia and percolate the game, clock and scoreboard with its bag of triple-option tricks:

The Pick: Over

Son had to rub his eyes at first after seeing that BC was a 1.5 favorite at Florida State, which seemed as screwy as the state's election process. But then he checked FSU's vital signs and immediately rushed to the betting window.

The Pick: Boston College

Son thinks West Virginia has too much at stake to lay a mullet against Mike Gundy's team in Oklahoma State and figures covering 4.5 points as the the road favorite will be as easy as Will Grier hitting an open receiver on a screen pass.

The Pick: West Virginia

The Score: WVU, 45-35

Rankman's Picks

Texas El-Paso at Western Kentucky is a gutter-ball match up of 1-9 Sun Belt teams looking for a little love and respect from bookmakers who so often turn their backs on the good Miners and Hilltoppers of our nation. We like WKU to protect and serve as seven-point favorites at home.

The Pick: Western Kentucky

The Score: WKU, 28-20

Louisiana Lafayette has been a stalwart performer for TMG and we expect no less this week even though the Ragin' Cajuns have to give 17.5 points to swampy South Alabama. Louisiana (5-5) will be up to the challenge with bowl eligibility on the line.

The Pick: Louisiana

The Score: Louisiana, 42-20

Liberty can't beat Auburn on The Plains but the Flames should score enough to push the point total over 62. Liberty's religiously righteous offense, filled with Hail Marys, Good Book-and-laterals, back-shoulder psalms and other Falwell Flea Flickers, has scored 50 or more points three times this year.

The Pick: Over