Not one member of our Pick Six crew got through [Week 1][1] unscathed, but we’ll try again this college football Saturday.
We’ve got a few interesting games for Big 12 teams on the docket, as well as a football/basketball question for Kansas vs. Duke week.
WEEK 2 MATCHUPS
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Kansas at Duke
West Virginia at Maryland
Arkansas at Texas Tech
UCLA at Texas
Iowa State at Iowa
Georgia at South Carolina
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
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In your opinion, which school with a traditionally elite college basketball program has the best football program? (Think big picture, not just this season.)
*Overall: 5-1 Last week: 5-1*
**Duke** 30-20
**West Virginia** 28-24
**Arkansas** 37-34
**UCLA** 21-7
**Iowa** 41-17
**Georgia** 36-27
**Answer**: If we’re not counting Bradley University’s undefeated football team since 1970 (program disbanded), then I’d have to go with Michigan State. The Spartans always seem to pop up as national contenders every once in awhile, and if they could’ve held onto Nick Saban for a couple more years, then they could have been a Big 10 powerhouse before this sparkling Mark Dantonio era.
*Overall: 5-1 Last week: 5-1*
**Duke** 45-17
**Maryland** 28-27
**Arkansas** 35-31
**UCLA** 38-31
**Iowa State** 17-14
**Georgia** 42-24
**Answer**: Florida. The Gators’ basketball program does not have the prolonged history of schools like Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Duke, UCLA and Indiana, but Billy Donovan has developed Florida into one of the top teams in the country during his tenure. Florida’s football program took a bit of a tumble last year with a disastrous 2013 season. There were high expectations for Will Muschamp when he took over for Urban Meyer, but he’ll need to lead the Gators to a big turn-around or he’ll be shown the door after a few seasons much like Meyer’s predecessor, Ron Zook.
*Overall: 4-2 Last week: 4-2*
**Duke** 42-28
**West Virginia** 35-31
**Arkansas** 38-35
**UCLA** 35-31
**Iowa** 31-17
**South Carolina** 38-35
**Answer**: I’d have to give the nod to Ohio State over Florida. You think basketball second with both schools, but they still have elite b-ball programs. As for schools at which basketball consistently is way better than football, I’d give North Carolina the nod.
I often find myself wishing several traditional basketball powers would team up for a football conference: Connecticut, Duke, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Marquette (lost to TCU on New Years Day, 1937, in the first Cotton Bowl), North Carolina, Notre Dame, Syracuse and Villanova.
I also often find myself wishing Neil Young would book a solo show at Liberty Hall.
*Overall: 4-2 Last week: 4-2*
**Kansas** 35-31
**West Virginia** 33-23
**Arkansas** 35-20
**UCLA** 27-19
**Iowa** 28-27
**Georgia** 38-28
**Answer**: Michigan State. It may be considered a reach by some of you, but I’m good with it. Whether you’re talking Magic in the ’70s, Jud Heathcote’s 339 wins from 1976-95 or the current run by Tom Izzo and company, Sparty definitely has elevated itself to elite status when it comes to college hoops. Add to that the six football national titles in the ’50’s and ’60’s, 24 bowl appearances and eight Big Ten titles (including last season), and you’re looking at a program that has enjoyed a heck of a sustained run in college athletics’ two major sports.
*Overall: 4-2 Last week: 4-2*
**Duke** 45-13
**Maryland** 31-20
**Texas Tech** 30-24
**UCLA** 28-10
**Iowa** 39-31
**Georgia** 24-17
**Answer**: I’m probably forgetting somebody obvious, but I’d go with schools like North Carolina and UCLA. They’ve been pretty darn good in both throughout the years. Louisville is pretty good in both. Big 12 should have gobbled up Louisville a few years ago. Louisville would have given KU a good run in basketball and U of L is pretty good normally in football.
*Overall: 4-2 Last week: 4-2*
**Duke** 42-21
**West Virginia** 55-52
**Texas Tech** 42-41
**UCLA** 77-7
**Iowa** 35-3
**Georgia** 3-2
**Answer**: Florida
*Overall: 4-2 Last week: 4-2*
**Kansas** 27-24
**West Virginia** 31-24
**Arkansas** 55-49
**UCLA** 42-17
**Iowa State** 31-30
**Georgia** 24-7
**Answer**: First, let’s determine the truly elite college basketball programs. There are only eight: Duke, UNC, Kentucky, Kansas, Louisville, Michigan State, UConn and Syracuse. (Florida, UCLA, Wisconsin and Arizona are next tier). So, picking just from the elite group, it’s no contest — Michigan State (48-19 the past five years) has the best football program with Louisville a distant second.
*Overall: 4-2 Last week: 4-2*
**Duke** 38-31
**Maryland** 34-31
**Texas Tech** 28-27
**UCLA** 34-24
**Iowa** 31-28
**Georgia** 30-27
**Answer**: UCLA (Kansas would have to be in the discussion)
*Overall: 4-2 Last week: 4-2*
**Duke** 28-21
**West Virginia** 30-24
**Texas Tech** 33-30
**UCLA** 23-17
**Iowa State** 21-20
**Georgia** 24-21
**Answer**: UCLA? If we’re looking big picture, it doesn’t get much more elite than 11 NCAA hoops titles. And 17 conference titles in football isn’t anything to sneeze at. Then again, I’m just a guy reading Wikipedia.
*Overall: 3-3 Last week: 3-3*
**Duke** 38-35
**West Virginia** 34-27
**Arkansas** 41-35
**UCLA** 31-17
**Iowa** 23-16
**Georgia** 30-24
**Answer**: I have to go with Florida. Yes, the Gators had a losing record (4-8) in 2013. But that was the first sub-.500 season the Florida faithful had to endure since 1979. Nineteen. Seventy. Nine. The Gators have won 15 bowl games in that span and three national championships. Florida’s men’s basketball program has become just as impressive since the 1990s, with five Final Four appearances in the past 21 seasons, and two national titles under Billy Donovan.
[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/picksix/2014/sep/5/week-1-nobodys-picking-semo/
