Every week I send my buddies a fun text with my CFB picks for the upcoming weekend. I call it Free Money because the text/picks are aimed at helping my friends and their families prosper, and I do it all for free.
This week The Chat told me to share my Free Money text in a more public forum, so here I am, and here it is...
Alright fam, this is the week we separate the wheat from the chaff! The men from the boys! The have-nots from the should-have-taken-Nils’-Free-Money! Because this week is a gift. I’m sure some of you know where I’m going with this, and you’ve already re-allocated next month’s mortgage and grocery money to capitalize on this moment.
Somehow, someway, at the time of texting, OSU is just an 8.5 point favorite over the Washington Huskies. If I were with you in person right now, I’d spit out my coffee, just for the effect.
Now, I will admit.. Washington is fun to watch (esp when they’re playing UC effing Davis). They’ve got a Kyler-esque QB in Demond Williams Jr., a bowling ball bruiser RB in Jonah Coleman, and a fast, rangy WR1 in Denzel Boston (apparently no relation to the Pierced-Nipple Steroid-Stalwart himself, pictured above).
But after those three offensive skill players, the talent for UW falls off a cliff. The Huskies’ roster has 0 five-stars and just 18 four-stars. The rest? 3-stars and below, putting their roster talent at 37th, nationally (according to 247).
The Buckeyes have 11 five-stars and 56 (!!!) four-stars, good enough for third overall, behind Bama and UGA. The competition they face in practice is not the same (I once heard that it's actually iron that sharpens iron).
The psychology of these teams is also (currently) not the same. OSU’s mon-stars are well rested and hungry coming off a bye. This early in the season I imagine many of the first-time starters still feel as though they have something to prove. UW, on the other hand, played their rival WSU for the Apple Cup last Saturday.
The men leading these teams are also not the same. Ryan Day is one of, if not the best, offensive minds in the sport. And, hilariously enough, three games in and it’s looking like Matt Patricia is a DOG of a DC in the college ranks. Who knew!? I guess Ryan Day had a hunch.
UW HC Jed Fish is a sound offensive mind, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a Fish in a new Swamp come 2026 (), but his defenses are bad. Even Iowa dropped 40 on them last year.
Yes, the game is in Seattle, but the Buckeye Faithful love an excuse for a game-cation in the fall. I trust that even the sailgaters on Union Bay will tire of the O-H-I-O chants coming from Husky Stadium by Q4.
As I'm sure you do, I have wonderful, vivid memories of Ohio State beating the piss out of “fun” UW teams:
- In 2019, it was Meyer’s and Haskins’ last game as Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl. "Jake Browning is a winner!" they said, but he wasn't that night (28-23, and it wasn’t that close as OSU was up 28-3 in the 4th).
- In 2007, it was my freshman year at OSU with Beanie and Saine running all over the dogs in Seattle, while Jake Locker threw 3 picks to Laurinaitis (2) and Jenkins (1) (33-14).
- In 2003, it was a top-twenty matchup, a night game in The Shoe, and the Buckeyes’ first game post-natty. I watched in standard def from my parents’ friends’ basement as OSU shut down Cody Pickett and the Husky offense (28-9). Shoutout to OSU WR3 Drew Carter, pictured above.
There's little doubt in my mind that this Saturday will be any different than the memories above. The only difference I expect is for the outcome to be even worse for the purple and gold. Why? Because these team are not the same.
UW has remained a good regional program, but the OSU program has evolved (mutated?) to a truly elite level. The Buckeyes have an NFL roster coached by NFL guys, and there’s no one in a sweater vest to take his foot of the gas. That’s why I have the Buckeyes giving 8.5 as my BBW (for the 11W readers, that's my Big Bet of the Week, of course).
If you’re feeling spicy: go ahead and sprinkle a few bucks on the alternate spread of -28.5 (+680) jusssssst in case it’s the blowout I think it really could be. Allow Coach Day to turn your $15 into $100, then go split a steak with your Special Someone at The Top (get the dry-aged bone-in ribeye, lawwwwd have mercy)
More Free Money below, and it’s featuring three teams I am thrilled the Buckeyes are not playing right now.
- USC -6.5 at Illinois - I’m not sure Illinois was EVER good these last 2 years
- Indiana -7.5 at Iowa - Iowa’s only hope is to play keep away, and I don’t think they can do it.
- Oregon +3.5 at Penn State - Both teams have played a cowardly schedule so far, but Penn State has looked like ass while Oregon resembles a runaway freight train. I’ll happily take the points, even in a whiteout.
Conservatively, I think I’m going undefeated this week. Lock it in.
