Author: Frank LaManna

Hello! My name is Francis Joseph LaManna, Author of Smorgasbord A Collection of Thoughts, Experiences, and Stories, Smorgasbord 2 Catch Up and Relish, and Administrator of https://noozbuffet.com. Nooz Buffet is my piece of the web, and I write about things I like, things I dislike, and things I think people should know about.

Feature Game Analysis; NCAA College Football Week 6

Hello!  What’s up err’body?  I hope you enjoyed reading the Table Seven Top 6 this morning.  This here is our Feature Game Analysis.  Our NCAA College Football Week 6 game of the week is (14)IOWA at (19)MICHIGAN.

 

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(14)IOWA @ (19)MICHIGAN- Saturday, October 5th at 12:00, the Hawkeyes and the Wolverines will get after it, and Michigan is the favorite at home by 3 points.  Iowa would like to extend their winning streak to five games and remain undefeated this season.  They would also like to break into the top 10 Nationally.  That’s what they would like to do, but wait a minute.  Where the heck did Iowa crawl out of?  Out of nowhere apparently, but they are ranked 14th, and they’re undefeated (4-0) so we must give some credit where it’s due.

Iowa’s best win this season was that 18-17 game against Iowa State.  Iowa St. was ranked at the time.  Last week Michigan beat Rutgers 52-0, but Iowa also played Rutgers in their second week and won 30-0.  Hawkeye QB Nate Stanley is very consistent, and he doesn’t turn the ball over.  He has thrown for 965 yards and 8 touchdowns thus far.  WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette has big play potential as does Tyrone Tracy Jr., but they’ll have to work extra hard this weekend against a Michigan defense that’s ranked 3rd against the pass.

In the backfield, Iowa looks to Mekhi Sargent to carry the load, which he has proven himself capable, but 5′ 11″ 223 pound senior Toren Young is a battering ram averaging over 7 yards per carry.

Michigan is 3-1, but they really need to shake off that 35-14 loss to Wisconsin.  It’s unfortunate that that game came in the first week of the season, but what can we do.  Wisconsin is still undefeated, and so far, that was Michigan’s only real test.  Since then, well, they beat Rutgers and Middle Tennessee State convincingly, and struggled in an overtime win against Army.  A win is a win though I guess.

We do know Michigan’s QB Shea Patterson has been picked off twice, and he’s only completing 59% of his passes.  He should get some help from WR Nico Collins.  Collins is a big boy who’s averaging 21 yard per catch.  He also has 2 touchdowns this season.

Iowa and Michigan to me, is one of those classic Big 10 games.  Today it’s Big 10 East versus Big 10 West, but still the same.  Michigan, in my opinion, is inconsistent and unproven, but they’ve shown flashes of some very good things against some not so good teams.  Playing at home must give them some advantage.  Iowa, although they haven’t played some of the better teams in the conference yet, seem to be very consistent and mistake free.  They also have a very good defense.  It’s ranked 10th against the run and 5th overall.  If Michigan can’t throw the ball against Iowa they will not win this game.  Straight up!  I think Iowa will play some really good defense this week, and offensively, they have enough to keep Michigan off balance.  I really want to say Michigan is going to win this, but I don’t know.

Feature Game Winner

Michigan

Feature Game Winner Versus The Spread

Michigan -3

There it is.  We think playing at home will give Michigan the edge in this game versus Iowa.  We also think Michigan will cover the 3 point spread and bring us to 3-1-1 on the season.  We hope you enjoy this game and all the others this weekend.  Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to log on to https://noozbuffet.com Sunday, October 6th, for the Feature Game Follow Up!

 

Table Seven Top 6; NCAA College Football Week 6

Welcome friends to the Nooz Buffet Table Seven Top 6.  This is where we share our top six NCAA College Football games to watch.  Just a reminder, it is week 6, and as we continue to get deeper into the season, we’re going to see who’s who.  Now, lets see what’s what for this week.

  1. (18)UCF @ CINCINNATI- This game will be played Friday night at 8 o’clock.  Cincinnati is an underdog at home.  On September 7th they had a big loss to the Buckeyes 42-0, but they’ve played well since.  Last week they defeated Marshall 52-14.  If you remember, UCF had that one point heartbreaker loss to Pitt 34-35.  Last week they showed up for their game against Connecticut.  Right now, UCF is 4-1, and they need every win they can get in a ranking system that’s not very friendly.
  2. (14)IOWA @ (19)MICHIGAN- Kickoff is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at 12:00.  Michigan is the home favorite here, and they’re 3-1 overall.  The Wolverines look for running back Zach Charbonnet to continue being productive.  He’s averaging 4.5 yards per touch and 3 touchdowns this season.  Iowa, whoa!  Where did you come from?  Iowa is 4-0 and ranked 14th.  Their biggest win this season was against rival Iowa St.  The Hawkeyes have a trio of running backs that bring something to the table, but Mekhi Sargent seems to be “the guy” with 54 carries and 2 touchdowns.  This a huge game for both teams, as Iowa would like to remain undefeated and break into the top 10.  As for Michigan, they need to prove they can play with the big boys.  They lost the only test they’ve had so far, 35-14 against Wisconsin.
  3. PURDUE @ (12)PENN STATE- Here’s another game that kicks off Saturday afternoon at 12:00.  Penn State is (4-0) undefeated and a big time favorite at home in Happy Valley.  QB Sean Clifford is completing 66% of his throws, and he has accumulated 1,179 yards and 9 touchdowns.  He also has a rushing touchdown, but whatever.  Purdue is 1-3, and their only victory was a 42-24 win against Vanderbilt.  They really don’t have much going on in the backfield, and arguably, the better QB Jack Plummer isn’t getting enough playing time.  Any offensive issues could be magnified this week against a Nittany Lion defense that gives up just under 10 points per game.  Something is funny here though.  We think Penn State will overlook this game against the 1-3 Boilermakers in anticipation for next week’s banger against undefeated Big 10 rival Iowa.  Purdue might just catch the Nittany Lions with their pants down.
  4. (7)AUBURN @ (10)FLORIDA- This is a huge game scheduled for Saturday afternoon at 3:30 in Gainesville, Florida.  Believe it or not, Florida is a sight underdog at home.  Yes, they are.  Both teams are undefeated with five wins.  There isn’t much to talk about here from a statistical standpoint because after this game is played we’ll know a whole lot about who’s for real and who’s not.  Whoever it is, will be 6-0 and a serious contender for the National Championship.  Let’s just put it that way.
  5. (25)MICHIGAN STATE @ (4)OHIO STATE- Game time is Saturday evening at 7:30 in Columbus, Ohio where the Buckeyes are favored at home by about 3 touchdowns.  Ohio State is undefeated (5-0) and blowing teams out.  Seriously, they win big.  (I’ve been a fan since 1996, just saying) Last week they beat Nebraska in Lincoln 48-7.  Michigan State is no slouch though, and history tells us the Spartans will be prepared to play a mistake free game.   They only have one loss this season, and that was to a very good Arizona State team.  Michigan State is ranked 25th nationally, but their defense is ranked 7th overall.  This game will be closer than we think.
  6. CAL @ (13)OREGON- This will be a Saturday night game, and kickoff is scheduled for 8:00.  Oregon is 3-1 and favored at home.    Duck’s QB Justin Herbert is completing just about 75% of his passes.  He has also thrown 14 touchdown passes!  On the receiving end, Johnny Johnson III has 22 catches and 264 yards.  TE Jacob Breeland is also very good.  It’s going to be interesting to see how Cal comes back after losing to Arizona State last week.  They were ranked 15th, but hey, where’d they go?  Come back Cal!  Remember this is the same Cal team that gave Washington their only loss.  Oh, I forget to mention, Cal’s starting QB Chase Garbers could possibly be out for the season.

There you have it!  This weeks top 6 NCAA College Football Matchups, and of course, this is our opinion.  Don’t forget to check back this afternoon at 3:00 for our NCAA College Football Week 6 Feature Game analysis.  We’ll tell you who we think will win straight up and who will bring in the money as we attempt to go 3-1-1 versus the spread.  Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day.

 

 

Thank You Thank You

I promised.  I promised myself and my readers that I would give less attention and less of my time writing about negativity and experiences that upset me, but finally, finally, finally, finally, someone actually apologized.

The corner store near my house opens at 6am.  I got there at 5:45am and waited outside in the parking lot for the doors to open.

At 6am the lights go on, and the woman inside behind the counter walks towards the door to unlock it.  I’m at the door waiting to greet her.

When she opens she tells me there’s no money in the register, and the woman who is in charge of the cash is on her way.  In charge of the cash?  Really?

You just opened the door, but you don’t have any access to the cash that belongs in the register?

Anyway, I said okay and I returned to the parking lot to continue waiting patiently.  The lady who runs the cash register shows up about five after six, and finally they’re ready to serve me at about ten after.

With an attitude, she asks me what I want, and after I tell her, she rips open the glass doors that encase my item.  She pushed those glass doors so hard, I thought they were going to shatter.  Then she turns around and insults me for coming to the store so early.

If you’re a retail manager, and you run a convenient store, shouldn’t you want people at the door with money for purchases?  Yes.  Are you supposed to judge your customers after they purchase items in your store?  No.

Look, if you’re miserable and upset about something, you’re not supposed to take it out on your customers.  You should be thanking your customers for supporting your business.

You should be happy that people want to come to your store and see your face at six in the morning.

I’m going to leave it at that.  I can feel this post beginning to snowball out of control as I’m now thinking back to that morning.

I did want to mention though, this is the same store I left because the Manager was threatening me during meetings.  He would also blow me off and tell me I was lying when I expressed my concerns about things that were happening to me in the store during working hours.  I walked out.

Thank you for the apology.

 

Time To Be Frank, or whoever you really are.

Somewhere during the last twenty years, I lost myself,  I lost everything that made me, me.  I lost whatever made me Frank.

When you’re lost or lose yourself, you’re no longer a leader, therefore, you’re easily led.  If you don’t wake up, you drift further and further from your center because you’re being led astray.

In the absence of my shit, I’ve explored, I’ve experimented, and I’ve talked to people that otherwise, I wouldn’t have spoken to.  In the end, I became good.  Just good.  I immersed myself in studies and learned all about astrology, numerology, spirituality, meditation, and so on.  In doing so, I found something I was passionate about.

No more taking the wheel with the windows down on a hot summer night.  I traded in the Caddy for a station wagon  so-to-speak.  No more arrogance, no more outspokenness, no more Frank.  More listening, and less talking.

But… where has being good got me?  It’s gotten me ignored, it’s hard to find a job, and I haven’t had a romantic partner in seven years.  I bite my tongue now, and try my best to speak the truth.

People treat me differently because I’ve become a different person, but you see, there has to be a balance to this, and what I’m finding out is that people will shit, shit, and shit all over you as long as they feel like they can get away with it, and believe me, I’ve let people get away with some shit.  No more however, no more.

I’m not asking for anything anymore, because at this point, I almost don’t care.  If my life never turns out the way I thought, expected, or hoped,  than I guess it wasn’t meant to be, but…..

…..no matter how scared I may be, I will never be controlled by fear.

NCAA College Football Week 5 Feature Game Follow Up

Our attempt to go 3-0-1 versus the spread this weekend was crushed in USC’s 14-28 loss to Washington.  We caught the line at 10, but obviously, that wasn’t enough.  Table Seven is now 2-1-1 versus the spread. 

USC lost by 14 to Washington, are you shocked?  Washington does have a good team this year, but I thought for sure USC was going to come closer than 14.  Senior WR, Michael Pittman Jr. did have a touchdown, but he was the only one the trio that did.  Turnovers really ruined USC’s chances as quarterback Matt Fink threw three interceptions.  With this win, the Huskies improved their record to 4-1.  The Trojans are now 3-2, and this is their second loss on the road.

In general, it was an amazing weekend of college football!  The Tar Heels played an outstanding game against the number one team in the country, Clemson.  The game was a 14-14 tie in the fourth quarter until Clemson scored and took the lead for the first time in the game.  Then, North Carolina came right back and scored.  The score was 21-20, Clemson was winning by one point.  The Tar Heel coaching staff decided to go for the 2-point conversion, and QB Sam Howell was stuffed short.  The game ended 21-20, Clemson won, and I’m still trying to figure out for the life of me, why the decision to go for two?  Why?  Why would you play your ass off for four quarters against the best team in the country, and then gamble the game away at the very end?  It didn’t make sense to me, it really felt like UNC just gave Clemson the game.  They could’ve kicked the extra point and battled it out in overtime.  Obviously, if they converted, it would’ve been the best call ever, but c’mon.  If you don’t need two, you don’t go for two.

Michigan beat Rutgers 52-0, and that’s exactly what Michigan needed to do this week.  Wisconsin looked terrible in their throwback uniforms, but the odd look brought them good luck in their game against Northwestern.  It was a 24-15 win for the Badgers.  Kellen Mond led Texas A&M to a 31-27 victory over the Razorbacks, and Arizona upset number fifteen California 24-17.  Earning respect on the field was our call to Notre Dame this week, and they answered by beating (18) UVA 35-20.

Alright my good friends.  Week five has come and gone, and the overall picture of who’s who in NCAA College Football is starting to come into focus.  We picked Washington to win their game against USC, and they did, but we also picked USC to cover the 10 point spread, and they didn’t.  That’s okay though, it’s early.  The upset this week definitely goes to Arizona in their win over Cal, and we’re happy to send some respect in Notre Dame’s direction for beating (18)UVA by fifteen.  Don’t forget to check back Thursday, October 3rd, for the Table 7 Top 6, and our Week Six, NCAA College Football Feature Game Preview.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend.   

Table Seven NCAA College Football Feature Game Analysis; Week 5

Welcome everyone to our NCAA College Football Feature Game Analysis.  Yes, it is the fifth week of the season already.  Our pick is the game between the USC Trojans and the Washington Huskies.

This game will be played Saturday afternoon at 3:30 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington.  Washington is a 10 point favorite.

The USC Trojans have wins this season against Fresno State, Stanford, and (19)Utah.  Their only loss was in overtime to BYU 30-27, but they did bounce back well against Utah.  All three of USC’s wins were captured at home, but they’re on the road this week.  The Trojans can and will throw the ball as they’re ranked 30th in the league.  They have a playmaker at WR.  Senior, Michael Pittman Jr. is 6’4 and 220 pounds.  He’s averaging over 100 yards per game and has 3 touchdowns.  Senior, Tyler Vaughns, and Junior, Stephen Carr are also two very productive receivers that compliment Pittman.  I’m sure that loss to BYU was something unexpected, but don’t expect the Trojans to make a habit of losing games on the road.

Washington is also 3-1.  They lost by 1 measly point on the road to (15)California, but they had no problems beating BYU on the road.  That was a 45-19 win for the huskies.  Washington’s QB Jacob Eason is a 6’6 junior who’s completing 73 percent of his passes.  He has almost 1,100 yards in the air and 10 touchdowns.

This game is your traditional CIvil War of the PAC-12.  Saturday, September 28th, it’s the Trojans versus the Huskies.  It’s North against South.  It’s going to be hard, close, and electric.  Neither team expects to lose, but of course, one will.

  Feature Game Of The Week Pick

Washington

Feature Game Pick Versus The Spread

USC +10

Okay y’all!  We pick Washington to win this game at home, but we think USC will cover the 10 point spread.  This week we attempt to go 3-0-1 versus the spread, and we can’t wait.  Have a wonderful college football Saturday, and enjoy all the games.

Table 7 Top 6; NCAA College Football Week 5

Good morning everyone.  Week 5 of the college football season is already here, and I hope you’re enjoying it as much as I am.  Down below is our Top 6, that is, six college football games you might want to keep an eye on this weekend.

  1. (12)Penn State @ Maryland- This is a Friday night game that will be played under the lights in College Park, Maryland at 8 o’clock.  Maryland, according to CBS Sports are 6.5 point underdogs at home.  At this point they’re 2-1, which really sucks because they balled in that upset win against Syracuse on September 7th.  If you remember, the Orangemen were ranked then, but Marland came out nowhere and shocked a lot of people with a 63-20 win.  So it sucks to come out the following week and lose 17-20 against Temple, but hey, that’s how it goes.  Last week the Terrapins had a bye, which couldn’t have come at a better time now that the Nittany Lions are coming to town.  Penn State is ranked 12th in the Nation, and sports a perfect 3-0 record.  Junior receiver KJ Hamler, although relatively undersized at 5’9 and 175 lbs., has been really productive averaging 82 yards per game with 2 touchdowns.  In my opinion, Penn State is still unproven, so I’m going to conclude anything can happen here.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Maryland wins.
  2. Arizona State @ (15)California- This is another Friday night game scheduled to kickoff at 10:30.  California is undefeated (4-0) and favored by 5 at home.  I think Cal opened some eyes when the beat Washington on September 7th, who was ranked 17th at the time, and they’ve been rolling along ever since.  Nothing fancy, just getting the job done.  Arizona State is 3-1, and their most notable win this season was a 10-7 victory over Michigan State.  Last week, they lost to division rival Colorado 31-34.  In four games, QB Jayden Daniels has thrown for 1,073 yards, completing 61% of his passes.  Out of the depths of the backfield, Eno Benjamin is averaging 73 yards per game, and it is just that- average.  No one has taken over offensively yet as a “go-to-guy” or game breaker, but i guess that’s okay for now because their defense is playing well.  Before giving up 34 points to Colorado, they only gave up 7 points in each of their first three games.  Predictions point to a low scoring and close game, in which California wins by 5 at home.  We shall see.
  3. (18)University of Virginia @ Notre Dame- Last week Notre Dame lost to Georgia 17-23, and to be honest, I’m really happy about that because Notre Dame always seems to get way more credit and respect then they actually earn.  I mean, we obviously can’t count on their ranking, because they could probably lose 4 games and still play for the BCS National Championship (exaggeration, but I know you agree).   In their defense, they haven’t had any problems moving the ball or scoring so far.  They’re averaging 445 total yards per game.  UVA has wins against Pitt and Florida State and right now they’re undefeated (4-0).  You see what I mean, they’re ranked 18th, and Notre Dame is ranked 10th, and I’m not looking to the top 25 ranking as the answer for everything, but if the season ended today look at where these teams would finish.  If Notre Dame wants my respect they need to start winning games ON THE FIELD.  They get no more respect for ranking well, and if they’re not careful, UVA could leave Indiana with their 5th W.
  4. (1)Clemson @ UNC- North Carolina is a 27 point underdog at home this weekend.  There’s probably no way Clemson will lose this game, but I would like to mention, for all the hype Trevor Lawrence has received, it looks as if, statistically, the Tar Heels might have the better quarterback.  Sam Howell has a 64 percent completion rating.  He has thrown for 1,024 yards and 9 touchdowns with only 2 interceptions.  Like I said, Clemson probably won’t lose this game, but Lawrence’s 5 interceptions in four games won’t cut it against better teams.
  5. (5)Ohio State @ Nebraska- This game kicks off Saturday evening at 7:30 in Lincoln, Nebraska.  Ohio State is fuc*ing blowing teams off the map!  The Buckeyes are undefeated (4-0) and look to keep that streak going.  Nebraska is 3-1, but records and stats might not necessary in this one because…trap, trap, trap!  Once upon a time, it was a dark and gloomy night in Lincoln, and for some strange reason, everything that could go wrong, went really wrong for the Buckeyes.
  6. Mississippi State @ (8)Auburn- Kick off is 7:00pm in Auburn, Alabama.  Auburn is undefeated (4-0), and Mississippi State is 3-1.  Auburn is ranked 27th in the country in rushing yards per game (259.5), and they’ve already beaten two teams ranked in the top 25 (Oregon and Texas A&M).  It’s early in the season, but they’ve been tested, and they’ve passed.  Mississippi State won’t just roll over and give Auburn the game though.  They looked quite impressive last week in that 28-13 win over Kentucky.

    Alright!  There it is, the https://noozbuffet.com Table 7 Top 6 matchups of week five in NCAA College Football.  Don’t forget to check back to this site this afternoon at 3pm for our NCAA College Football Feature Game Analysis.