Predictions?

Since this is the only place that seems to have enough people interested, it seems like a good place for an "office pool" on this weekend's results.

According to form, here's what should happen this weekend:
Notre Dame over Minnesota
Florida State over Boston College
Portland over James Madison
Stanford over Rutgers
UCLA over USC
Virginia over Duke
Florida over Texas A&M
North Carolina over Illinois

I'll pick BC and Texas A&M as upset winners (while rooting hard for Rutgers against my alma mater).

Bragging rights to anyone who calls the upsets correctly.

Oh man... SK, rooting against the alma mater. That's tough. But when the Pilots hosting the 4th round is at stake, I'm glad you are willing to make the exception!

I think pretty much all the faves will go on... ND, FSU, UP, UCLA, Florida, UNC, and Stanford.

I think the only toss up games is Virginia/Duke.

I have heard that Florida is maybe vulnerable, and I'm sure Rutgers' physical style will give Stanford fits, but really... I don't think the real drama will start until the Elite Eight.

i will pick aggies over the gators...

I just have a feeling that USC is going to sneak past UCLA.

I agree with A_Fan. Based on last night's game, I'll go with USC over UCLA.

USC over UCLA

Duke over VA

if they get a FIFA ref,
Rutgers over Stanford....

two upsets - USC (Rodriguez scores the winner) and Texas A & M. I'll really be pulling for Rutgers, but I'll pick Stanford because I want to win the prize.

Rutgers-Stanford is Friday at 7:00 ET, with a matchtracker.

Soreknees - Are you going to award the prize for the pool? Come to think of it, what IS the prize? I hope I'm not wasting all this time and careful thought for nothing.

I think UCLA is due for a knock off; especially after USC's bitter loss at the LA Coliseum. Look for SC to show up for the playoffs.

Notre Dame will manage another team for the downhill win.

Florida and T. A&M ?

Duke over Virgina. I like Coach K. Wait this is soccer.

North Carolina over Illinois. Its theirs to win or lose

FSU over BC. Offensive juggernaut

Rutgers over Stanford. Defense

Portland over JMU. Obvious

I suggested "bragging rights" as the prize. Other ideas that can be implemented online?

As for rooting against the alma mater, I was at Stanford sufficiently far in the past as to predate the emergence of soccer as a significant college sport. Hence I developed no allegiance to their soccer program and was ripe for my partisanship to be plucked by UP. They won me over in the 1990s with a combination of wonderful play and "user-friendliness."

I had season tickets to the Timbers for a few years, but it got to the point that it was hard to watch them bounce the ball around aimlessly on the turf. It was an easy decision to transfer the season-ticket budget over to the Pilots a few years ago (and saved some money, too!).

I'll go with:

Notre Dame (RPI 5) over Minnesota (RPI 22). Minnesota is a pretty big unknown, with an excellent record (20-3-0) but no significant games outside of the Big 10, which was considered weak this year. So, it's hard to know how good or not good they are.

Florida State (RPI 6) over Boston College (RPI 7) in a shootout. Florida State won the regular season game 1-0.

Portland (RPI 4) over James Madison (RPI 48). This is the largest RPI spread of any of the Sweet 16 games.

Stanford (RPI 2) over Rutgers (RPI 35). Yes, Rutgers has pulled off two good upsets against Penn State (RPI 9) and Oklahoma State (RPI 11). However, in many peoples' opinions, including mine, those two opponents were over-rated. And, neither of those teams is at the level of any of the top five.

UCLA (RPI 3) over USC (RPI 13). Based on what I saw at the beginning of the season and in some televised games since, the teams' relative positions have reversed since last year and UCLA now is the better team. The only question has to do with Lauren Cheney and Amy Rodriguez. Neither is having a particularly good season. I've heard a rumor that Cheney is pretty exhausted, and I have to assume that Rodriguez is too and perhaps even more-so. I also would expect Kara Lang to be very tired, but she has been performing quite well. The game could be close, but I've got to go with UCLA.

Virginia (RPI 10) over Duke (RPI 12) in a shootout. These teams tied 0-0 during the regular season. It looks like both can be a little erratic. I'm going with Virginia.

Florida (RPI 8) over Texas A&M (RPI 14). Many think the Big 12 was over-rated this year. Many also think Florida has been very lucky to have done as well as they've done, having come from behind to win in a significant number of games. I think Florida is good at hanging around and then turning it up when they have to. Are they good or lucky? That's the big question for this game. I'm going with Florida, but this is the big puzzler.

North Carolina (RPI 1) over Illinois (RPI 30).

I think that Stanford will be upset; it's just a matter of how soon....

My upsets:

Duke over Virginia

Rutgers over Stanford --definitely a stretch, I just don't think that Stanford is a #1 seed though...

BC over FSU

Notre Dame over Minnesota
Florida State loses to Boston College
Portland over James Madison
Stanford loses to Rutgers ---> C'mon Rutgers! I'd like to be at Merlo after Turkey! One more home game for Megan!
UCLA loses to USC ---> Go Trojans. Crush the Bruins in Futbol too!
Virginia loses to Duke
Florida over Texas A&M
North Carolina loses to Illinois ---> My upset special of the week!

I don't see big upsets happening this week.
Notre Dame should beat Minnesota (3-1)
Florida State has lost unexpectedly; I'll pick BC (2-1)
Portland (4-0)
Stanford over Rutgers (hope I'm wrong) (2-1)
UCLA over USC (2-1)
Duke over Va (1-0)
Florida beats A&M (1-0)
UNC over Illinois (2-0)

I also think USC will defeat UCLA. Virginia will win over Duke, the favorites should win the rest. As some of you have said, UF will lose to A&M, I dont agree, UF has been the luckiest team in the country and that luck wont run out till they meet UNC. Besides UF has some serious home field advantage, I can not think of a worse field for visiting teams, a track 2 feet from the sidelines, and grass that might as well be AstroTurf.
Disclaimer, everything said about the University of Florida is coming form a Florida State fan, it's like Ann Coulter talking about Democrats.

FSU Fan - It looks like you and I are up well before the left coasters. Good luck this weekend.

Some of us are still having our coffeee, and some of us never sleep.


I thought FSUfan showed admirable restraint in the comments about Florida, a team clearly in Satan's camp

LOL, thanks fan from afar.

I only wish I were still sleeping...

Geezaldinho - Always best to have coffee to clear the mind BEFORE posting, especially before spelling coffee.

And then there's Aleppiek, who must have his coffee before even I get up here in the East.

If I went to work at 5:30, I probably WOULD be asleep now.

When you haven't had any, it's coffffeeeee.

My point exactly - Coffee first.

Unless, of course, too much coffee gets your finger shaking over the e - coffeeeeeeeee.

We have 13 predictions so far. Here's the consensus:

ND 13, Mn 0
FSU 9, BC 4
Port 13, JMU 0 (surprise)
Stan 11, Rut 2
USC 7, UCLA 6 (hmmmm)
Va 8, Duke 5
Fla 9, TA&M 3 (one abstention)
NC 12, Ill 1

If anyone can tell me how to convert a spreadsheet to a table, I'll put up a detailed table of predictions on Friday morning.

I'll bite, I have been reluctant to predict, for fear of being totally wrong, but here goes.

ND over Minn
FSU over BC
DA PILOTS!
Stanford in a nailbiter
USC over UCLA
UVA over Duke
A&M over FLA
and UNC over Ill

I'll pick JMU over UP. Translation below.





JMU will be overcome with fear at playing UP in front of 5k fans and fold in the first 7 minutes.