College Football Idiot Savant Season Review
Congratulations to the Indiana Hoosiers, your 2025 national champions, and a big shoutout to Mr. Mendoza for that 4th quarter touchdown run. They are deserving champions and put together a remarkable 14-0 season.
Thanks to everyone who took time to read the series over the past two seasons, it’s been fun to participate in the banter and joke around about college football. I feel like it’s a good season to end on because going 36-20-2 against the spread is a feat I will probably not repeat. Betting successfully 61% of the time when a main point considered is how much you can’t stomach one of the teams is not a repeatable winning formula.
I’ll still be watching the Buckeyes right along side you from the city-state of Columbus, and I’ll never not respond to an, O-H. The sport is in a pretty good place with the playoff system going forward, and I’d eventually run out of jokes at the South’s expense. Thanks again to everyone who read one of these over the past couple of years, it brought me may smiles.
College Football Idiot Savant National Championship
As we wrap up this season and reflect on the journey we have been on with our teams and schools, take a moment. Celebrate yourself for participating in group sports solidarity, camaraderie, and traditions almost on the level of professional soccer. All things considered it has been a great season of football to watch, and we should celebrate the student athletes that make our Saturdays whole in the fall.
One thing I need to address since I’ve been hearing about it for 23 years: Miami fans don’t get to bitch about the 2002 national championship pass interference call ever again. They got such a gift of a no call against Ole Miss, 24 got away with pulling down the receiver on that last play. It’s not my fight to have, and I respect the result, but Ohio State fans should keep this reference in their back pocket for late night bickering contests.
Allow me to focus on the topic at hand, #1 Indiana (-8.5) vs #10 Miami in the title game . It’s worth pointing out that these are two of the three oldest rosters in college football in terms of years of experience, based on my Chat GPT analytics. This would help to explain why Indiana is the only team in the expanded playoff era to win a game after a bye. The depth of experience on their offensive line in particular has been the engine of the Mendoza attack.
Both of these teams have earned their spot here with impressive playoff runs, and either one would be a fitting champion for the second season of the new playoff system. That being said, barring injury, I don’t see any other outcome than Indiana winning this game. As a former offensive lineman at a very amateur level, I look forward to watching part of the first half to see who wins the battle at the line of scrimmage.
That will be what determines the outcome, both in terms of the cover, and the straight up winner. I think Mendoza will be protected enough to be efficient on 3rd downs and they have been able to get short yards rushing the ball at will. I hesitate to be too positive about anything related to Indiana because of my experiences on the roadways there, but I digress. Mike Pence survived an attempted hanging on January 6th, 2021 with a new lease on life and dreams of seeing a day like this for his state. He’s still a bag of liquid garbage with no redeeming value, but for now, Who! Who! Who! Hoosiers!
Summary:
#1 Indiana covers -8.5
Record: 37-19-2
College Football Idiot Savant Playoff Week 3
There was certainly a lot of excitement in the playoff over the new year holiday, with a couple of explosive matchups to come in the semi-final. It was disappointing to see the Buckeyes knocked out, but please allow me to extinguish the flames amongst the fan base about blame. I have already seen and heard the Ryan Day hate club out and about, let me be clear: it doesn’t matter what plays are being called when the other team is dominating you on both sides of the ball at the line of scrimmage. We got beat, physically, on the field, spend the offseason cursing the kicker’s name if you have to.
Prediction 1: Sometimes you learn something from taking a beating, that should be the hope. What I learned in Ohio State’s loss to Indiana last week is that there are two contenders left, the two that are the best at the line of scrimmage, 300 pound man on 300 pound man. #10 Miami showed they have that in spades last week, and could get 3 yards whenever they needed to. The monsters on their defensive line are no slouch either, with #6 Ole Miss in their sights, may the last SEC pillar fall. Miami covers -3.5.
Prediction 2: I have to give major props to Heisman trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, who in his first breath during the postgame interview praised, “the hoggies.” With 50 rushes for 215 yards through stars-and-bars territory, that offensive line from #1 Indiana made Alabama look like a directional school, in the playoff. #5 Oregon in my lifetime has always been flash and finesse over strength, and that doesn’t match up well here. If Indiana gets four yards per carry again, this one wont be that competitive. Indiana Hoggies cover -3.5.
I appreciate that the committee, or whatever overcompensated corporate entity involved, decided to put the Big Ten game on Friday night so I can watch it. This playoff has seen some new faces, new colors, new stars, and the hope is that this will be the last week of SEC football until the fall. I haven’t decided who I am rooting for in the final four yet, but I like Oregon’s uniforms the most so I’ll go with them. I think the highest probability is a low scoring Indiana-Miami slog that I won’t be able to stay awake for.
Summary:
#10 Miami covers -3.5
#1 Indiana covers -3.5
Record: 35-19-2
College Football Idiot Savant Playoff Week 2
The presents have been unwrapped, the gift from uncle Kevin has been returned, and we’re ready for a holiday party of college football proportions. Alabama was the only one to bail me out last time, but I’m back in the fighting spirit.
Prediction 1: #2 Ohio State (-9.5) looks for a bounce back, and what better a way than #10 Miami in the Cotton Bowl? I was awake and alert for the call in 2002…it was pass interference. We are to that point in the season where the conditions are ideal, the lights are brightest, and the best teams win. Ohio State covers -9.5.
Prediction 2: While the Ducks couldn’t give me a cover last week, they did put up fifty points on a playoff opponent, so there’s that. I haven’t been falling in love with Texas Tech all year and Landman, while great, hasn’t changed my mind. Duck’s cover -2.5 with all of that offense.
Prediction 3: My hope is that wherever you are this New Year’s Day, by around four o’clock you hit the crock pot for seconds and get ready for a slugfest between Indiana and Alabama. This is a no win prediction for me, I can’t stand either moving on to the final four. However, the Big Ten runs in my veins, and I think #1 Indiana can cover -7 with the Heisman Trophy winner under center.
While I wasn’t enamored with the matchups last time, this week should be an excellent watch. Make the most of the holiday that means the least this New Year, and watch as much football as possible.
Summary:
#2 Ohio State covers -9.5
#5 Oregon covers -2.5
#1 Indiana covers -7
Record: 33-18-2
College Football Idiot Savant Playoff Week 1
While championship week left a little to be desired from Buckeye fans everywhere, they only dropped one spot in the playoff. Liveforthepage went 2-1 despite the letdown, as we look forward to the first round of the playoff.
Prediction 1: Most Americans wouldn’t live in Alabama if given the choice, but those who do live for their college football. #9 Alabama (-1.5) takes another trip to Norman playoff style to see #8 Oklahoma in a rematch of the regular season contest won narrowly by Oklahoma. They say a wounded dog hunts, three loss Alabama is wounded and I wouldn’t wanna be animal control this weekend. This goes double when considering that Oklahoma gave them a loss last year as well. Three wins against Alabama by anybody would be an anomaly, and with the spread this close, Alabama covers sooner than later.
Prediction 2: In what may be the best watch of the weekend, #10 Miami travels to meet #7 Texas A&M (-3) in Saturday’s noon game. The last two matchups between these two sides split evenly, and it should stay close, but I don’t think that’s the college football story here. The story is that in your second big year of the 12 team playoff, with all the money and media attention, playoff week one will be in the books by 3:30 Saturday afternoon. I say that because the remaining two games will be snooze-fests relegated to TNT/HBO Max that few will watch or care about. If this is the premium product of the college football year, how do the remaining two games have spreads of -17.5 and -21 respectively where you also limit the viewership to cable? Texas A&M covers, then you’ll need to cover the rest of the Saturday in ranch dressing watching something else.
Prediction 3: In that vein, #12 James Madison takes its freshly minted FBS program up to Eugene to face #5 Oregon (-21). Not only is this one of the toughest places in the country to play, but I don’t think Oregon will need to lean into crowd noise after the first 4 possessions when this is a 14-0 chase for a cover. Respect to James Madison for getting here, I don’t have any material about them yet, but give it one more playoff run and I’ll have jokes. Mostly I just hate this matchup for the fans and my entertainment prospects on Saturday, Oregon covers and it might get ugly.
Shout out to the alma mater for finishing strong and landing a spot in the Boca Raton Bowl, Toledo students need as much sun as they can get this time of year. I’ll be monitoring the score from my cubicle on Tuesday, and Louisville should be a fun matchup. However, the only reason to ever find oneself in Kentucky is for the subsidized cigarettes, and Rocket senior Tucker Gleason is gonna be smokin’ defensive backs all day. Hope you enjoy the games and the holiday everyone, always remember to abide.
Summary:
#9 Alabama covers -1.5
#7 Texas A&M covers -3
#5 Oregon covers -21
Record: 32-16-2
College Football Idiot Savant Championship Week
Honorable vindication, humility in evisceration, if you want me to get really hyperbolic, compassionate anti-colonialism. They guarded the M, but who wants to plant a flag on a piece of land nobody wants in Ann Arbor? An audible O-H-I-O chant going around The Big House at the end of the broadcast should instill far more embarrassment than any flag ever could. Those were season ticket holders that sold their seats. Ryan Day deserves all praise for this undefeated regular season, as the Buckeyes move on to the next one. For all you northern counters, it’s been over 365 days since Michigan scored a touchdown against Ohio State.
Prediction 1: Our first championship matchup comes to us from Arlington, but #4 Texas Tech (-12.5) will not need to rely on any in-state advantage to come out on top in this one. The honor coders from #11 BYU should be proud of an 11-1 season, but I don’t see a future. They should try to catch a glimpse of any Cowboy cheerleaders that might be in the building. They can think about how much they would love to disappoint those beautiful women too. Tech covers.
Prediction 2: Let me start by saying what I hope this game isn’t: a nail biter that gives the committee sway to let a three loss #9 Alabama team into the playoff. A lot of players will be drafted from both of these teams, but I think #3 Georgia (-2.5) has put together a more impressive season. I also trust the coaching of Kirby Smart more to take his alma mater to a top four spot. Dawgs cover.
Prediction 3: As a proud graduate of an Ohio public institution, this one is a no brainer. Some without prior knowledge would say this is an Indiana home game with it being in Indianapolis, not so. Ask the folks in Ann Arbor who saw the chant in action last week if Buckeye nation will fill Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday night. Countless fans will brave the Fallout-adjacent wasteland that is the Indiana leg of I-70 to Indy to see #1 Ohio State (-4.5) cover #2 Indiana in style, by a touchdown.
It’s been a great regular season here at liveforthepage, and we appreciate everyone who takes the time to read this drivel every week. This week’s Big Ten Championship is a point-of-pride game, both teams will be in the playoff, but only one will have drivable roads when it’s over. Respect to Indiana for what they’ve built, but if you think I’m going to give anything more than that to a citizenry who thought Mike Pence was a good idea, dead wrong. It’s going to be a sea of red at Lucas Oil on Saturday, and 70% of them are going to be from out of state. Buckeye faithful, it may be a good idea to check if your AAA roadside assistance dues are current, O-H!
Summary:
#4 Texas Tech covers -12.5
#3 Georgia covers -2.5
#1 Ohio State covers -4.5
Record: 30-15-2
College Football Idiot Savant Week 13
It serves me right for betting against Ohio State and for Alabama in the same week, that’s a karmic disaster. I repent, I repent, I will blaspheme no more this season. The Buckeyes ability to dominate the lesser teams on their schedule this year hasn’t gone unnoticed. Last year I was at a wedding where the uncertainty of the Nebraska game delayed the start of ceremonies. It’s that kind of fandom that should be remembered when people bemoan Buckeye fans, as if to say, “What good is forever love if we lose to the Cornhuskers for Christ’s sake?” Barring injury, there simply is no more picking against them this year.
Prediction 1: From the ashes of the PAC 12 comes the classic west coast matchup of arguably the Big Ten’s best dressed. #15 USC descends upon Autzen Stadium to take on #7 Oregon (-9.5), it’s too bad this isn’t a night game to showcase whatever strip Oregon goes with. Playoff hopes are on the line for both teams here but I don’t believe in USC’s defense as much as I do believe in Oregon’s home field advantage. Take Oregon to cover, but I think it might be a nail biting win by 10.
Prediction 2: As Rutgers visits Columbus this weekend to take on #1 Ohio State (-31.5), I hope the get their sightseeing in. I hope they check out Easton, North Market or Bridge Park, really anything to make the most of their trip over here. That is to say there will be little evidence that they played a football game, other than their own bruises. It’s a leave no doubt week, a telegraph score that once it’s over the wire, the real season begins. Buckeyes cover.
Prediction 3: If you would have told me at the beginning of the season that I would be making this many Missouri football predictions, I may have reconsidered the series. #22 Missouri heads to Norman where #8 Oklahoma (-7.5) looks to solidify its playoff position and I’m afraid they may not need to circle the wagons to win this one. The cover on the other hand will be trickier, but doable, I see this as a ten point game between disparate programs as Oklahoma rolls to a cover.
Expect my Toledo Rockets to take care of business against Ball State, but I’m not touching a 27.5 point spread with the midnight blue and gold anymore this season. One can start to feel the foreshadowing of next week on campus already, and it doesn’t feel heavy to me. I’m not about to start making bold statements or exaggerated claims, just the quiet confidence of knowing what this Buckeye team is capable of. Think twice about your order of Detroit style pizza over the next 8 days, you don’t need it that bad.
Summary:
Oregon to cover -9.5
Ohio State to cover -31.5
Oklahoma to cover -7.5
Record: 26-15-2
College Football Idiot Savant Week 12
Liveforthepage had a strong 2-1 run last week, with only the honor coders at BYU letting us down. We saw a Buckeye win with the successful Herbstreit pick of Purdue and the points, those are always hard needles to thread. There are a couple of marquee matchups in big boy college football this weekend so let’s let it ride for another week.
Prediction 1: #11 Oklahoma travels deep into their new conference territory to Tuscaloosa, where #4 Alabama (-6) looks to sure up its first berth in the new playoff format. Alabama have not yet made the playoff in the new expanded format, despite often being there when there were only four teams. I just wanted to point that out while it’s still true, however fleeting. In my mind Oklahoma isn’t going to delay the inevitable here, take Alabama to cover.
Prediction 2: The UCLA Bruins make their obligatory visit to Columbus for a shellacking per the Big Ten media agreement. This is the team that ended James Franklin, but Ohio State (-32.5) is not at risk here. That said, Ryan Day isn’t going to play to the spread number, just to dominate the game. For that reason, I again, regrettably revert to going with another Herbstreit pick. Take the Bruins and the points.
Prediction 3: When it comes to the blue bloods of college football over the last decade, Georgia is one, Texas wants to be one. #5 Georgia (-6) is only favored by a touchdown, to me that extra point gets you the cover here. Georgia has more NFL bodies and I don’t look at it with the glee that some do, but Arch Manning coming up small here is more of a probability than a possibility. Dawgs cover.
It was good to see the Rockets get a win over Miami in some mid week Maction, which ensures this alumni doesn’t lose any more money to their cause for the week. The Buckeye juggernaut clocks in for another snoozer, but there are some other intriguing matchups this weekend. #9 Notre Dame at #22 Pitt isn’t an impossible upset scenario and #21 Iowa at #17 USC should be a colorful display of new Big Ten football. Traffic in Grandview is a mess, but not on Buckeye game days. Head to Dewey’s Pizza on 5th at halftime for a great pie, Buck ID accepted.
Summary:
Alabama covers -6.
UCLA and the points +32.5
Georgia covers -6
Record: 25-13-2
College Football Idiot Savant Week 11
Win, loss and push was not what I was hoping for with last week’s picks, but that’s gambling. Credit to Vandy for keeping in close enough for the push against a traditional powerhouse, and props to the Buckeyes for leaving no doubt against Penn State. I saw there were rumblings about making certain prop bets illegal, which makes sense considering the rampant opportunities for abuse, so get your silly ones in while you can.
Prediction 1: The long distance dedication pick of the week comes from all the honor code followers at #7 Brigham Young University. They would like this one to go out to all their unloved girlfriends who, in their hearts, wish they were dating men from #8 Texas Tech (-10). The Cougars are getting ten points as a top ten team, and this could turn into a blowout, but I’m going Casey Kasem on this one: BYU and the points.
Prediction 2: I never expected Missouri to come up in the picks this frequently when we started the season, but I’ve got one reference left. #3 Texas A&M (-6.5) will visit #22 Missouri on Saturday and they will cover nonchalant style. The real best thing to ever come out of Missouri is the 2010 coming of age drama, Winter’s Bone featuring our introduction to Jennifer Lawrence. Aggies cover.
Prediction 3: As the radio advertising in Columbus reiterates this week, Drew Brees no longer plays for Purdue, so there isn’t much to worry about this week. However, #1 Ohio State (-29.5) with nearly a thirty point spread is a little rich for my blood. I think the Buckeyes will systematically dismantle Purdue, but in their interest of preserving bodies and sportsmanship, it may not get to thirty. That’s not to say you won’t see some showmanship and skill in big plays, everybody should eat on Saturday, but take Purdue and the points.
Shout out to the Toledo Rockets getting back on track with a 42-3 win over Northern Illinois in some Wednesday Maction. The Rockets may not win the conference this year, but they always make me proud. Well, except for the various point shaving scandals throughout the years, but I digress. Enjoy the matchups this weekend, don’t get baited into picking an Iowa upset in Autzen, it ain’t happenin’. Get yourself some Black Dog Pizzeria this weekend to change things up, fantastic specialty pizza.
Summary:
BYU and the points +10
Texas A&M to cover -6.5
Purdue and the points +29.5
Record: 23-12-2
College Football Idiot Savant Week 10
This week we’ve seen the last of Brian Kelly at LSU after a beatdown at home, as well as a 3-1 outcome on the picks. The Rockets didn’t survive their west coast trip, I can’t emphasize this enough, don’t bet on your alma mater unless it’s Ohio State. But that’s all water under the bridge, we’ve got the Buckeyes back in play and a couple of SEC contests to ponder upon.
Prediction 1: It’s a football Friday in Columbus again, the cold weather won’t prevent the tailgate. The matchup we had circled on our calendars before the season is now a twenty point spread with Penn State at #1 Ohio State (-20.5). I’m not making the same mistake I did with Wisconsin, I don’t like the number, but I’m not doing a ceremonial Kirk pick. Buckeyes cover at the shoe in football weather.
Prediction 2: Talk about a loaded noon window this week, if Penn State had handled their business would could have had a party this weekend. #9 Vanderbilt at #20 Texas (-3) represents the most intrigue for me this week, David and Goliath, Intellect vs Strength, chickens coming home to roost for SEC fans that underestimated the only academic institution in the conference. We may see the end of Texas’ playoff run and the emergence of another threat. Take Vandy and the points.
Prediction 3: It might be too early to call it a play-in game, but with #18 Oklahoma and #14 Tennessee (-3.5) both sitting at two losses it might be. That isn’t to say a three loss team won’t make it to the playoff this year, but it is to say it wont be either of these two. With those hopes nearly dashed last week by Ole Miss, Oklahoma will get the final nail in their playoff coffin this week in rocky top Tennessee! Volunteers to cover.
No matchup this week for the Rockets as they will enjoy a week and a half break until they take on Northern Illinois on a Wednesday. As we start to peer into the abyss that is the playoff bracket, teams will be eliminated this week. You can’t win the Masters on Thursday, but you can lose it. Conference championship matchups will also take shape over the next few weeks, so be sure to enjoy the action. I had some Tommy’s Pizza last weekend, and it didn’t disappoint. It remains the best bet for your tailgate this weekend.
Summary:
Ohio State to cover -20.5
Vanderbilt and the points +3
Tennessee to cover -3.5
Record: 22-11-1
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