The Fraud Five – Week Two

By Mike Kern

September 9, 2019

Fraud Five, second installment. And yes, some of these teams I actually took this week in my picks. Funny how that sometimes works. And many are already repeat offenders, which is hard to do this early.

1. Syracuse – I should have seen where the line was trying to tell me something. I must not have been listening. The Orange was a two-point underdog at Maryland. They could have been getting 42 and it still wouldn’t have been enough. That’s what happens when you give up 63, to a team that will host Temple this week. Cuse, meanwhile, will now host top-ranked, defending national champ Clemson, a team it nearly upset a year ago. They won’t be a two-point dog in this one.

2. UCLA – Yes, the Bruins lost to San Diego State, at home, for the first time ever, after losing their opener at Cincy. They have no offense. Remember when Chip Kelly was a genius. Of course that was three coaching stops ago. The last time they were 0-2 was over a quarter century ago. Now they get to host Oklahoma before heading to Washington State. Good luck with that.

3. Kansas – Lost at home to Coastal Carolina. Scored seven points in the process. At least Les Miles gets to host West Virginia in two weeks. It’s hard to see the Jayhawks having a chance in many others.

4. Washington – Probably shouldn’t be losing at home to Cal, which hadn’t scored an offensive touchdown against the Huskies since 2016. That’s what can happen when you let it come down to a late field goal.

5.  Nebraska – Lost in overtime at Colorado, after blowing double-digit lead. Sorry, I thought the Cornhuskers were supposed to be better than that in Scott Frost’s second season.

Dishonorable Mention

Tennessee – Probably shouldn’t be losing at home to BYU in double overtime, coming off an embarrassment against Georgia State, particularly when you led by 10 at the half. And the Vols are at Florida in two weeks.

Florida State – Are you kidding me? C’mon already. The Seminoles, after losing at home to Boise State, needed OT to beat Louisiana-Monroe. ULM? On a missed extra point no less. They led 24-7 after 30 minutes. ULM scored four TDs and a FG on its last six possessions in regulation. I guess they haven’t sorted out those dehydration issues in Tallahassee yet. Or maybe Willie Taggart, in his second season, remains a little bit in over his head. Just saying.

Michigan – Yo, I know Army is good. But the Wolves are allegedly a national-title contender. So why did they score all of 14 points in regulation against a team that, even though it almost won at Oklahoma a year ago, shouldn’t be able to stand toe-to-toe physically in the Big House. Jim Harbaugh gets a bye before heading to Wisconsin, which has looked better than expected so far. Michigan beat Wisky in Ann Arbor last October by 25.