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The Smoking Musket Pick ‘Em Gauntlet is an online college pick ‘em game where we will try to pick the winners of the weekly Big 12 contests plus Yahoo! editors’ selected games (usually the games involving the top 25 teams). We do pick against the spread (when available). There are usually 20-30 games to pick each week and each correct pick is worth one point. The winner (excluding Musket staff) will be the person at the end of the regular season who has the most correct picks/points. Points are cumulative, so don’t worry if you happen to miss a week or two. We will award the winner a WVU Nike T-shirt at the conclusion of the games in December.
All participants are subject to the Official Rules as determined by SB Nation.
We actually filled the first group, so we had to open a second league to fit everyone in. The second league will serve solely as an extension of the first league, and is not a standalone league. If you are in the second league, you are still competing with those in the first league.
Our game, as in the past, will be hosted by Yahoo! Fantasy. GAME LINK
Group Name: The Smoking Musket II
Group ID: 10859
Group password: letsgo
We have 27 games to pick this week, starting FRIDAY AT 7PM EST. Deadline for each pick is 5 minutes before kickoff.
Here are the leaders after week 8. Congratulations to CBO, Coal Powers America and Let’s Go Buffalo for winning week 8 with 17 correct picks each (all you win for this is kudos).
Smoking Musket Pick’Em Gauntlet Week Eight Leaderboard
| Rank | Pick Set Name | Total Points | Win-Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Pick Set Name | Total Points | Win-Loss |
| 1 | Cellyson84 | 124 | 124-86 |
| 2 | Southern'Eer | 119 | 119-91 |
| 3 | Go eers | 118 | 118-92 |
| 4 | Mountaineer757 | 116 | 116-94 |
| 5 | JABJR1972 | 116 | 116-94 |
| 6 | WVUSWIM | 116 | 116-94 |
| 7 | Coal Powers America | 115 | 115-95 |
| 8 | relyT | 115 | 115-95 |
| 9 | pat white is still my hero | 114 | 114-96 |
| 10 | EYE23 | 114 | 114-96 |
| 11 | Dan D'Antoni is a chode | 114 | 114-96 |
| 12 | London | 113 | 113-97 |
| 13 | KY4WVU | 113 | 113-97 |
| 14 | SmoxSayz | 113 | 113-97 |
| 15 | WVUDewMan | 112 | 112-98 |
| 16 | Mountaineer93 | 112 | 112-98 |
| 17 | Hank's Heroes | 111 | 111-99 |
| 18 | Roy's Team | 111 | 111-99 |
| 19 | The Heisman Connection | 111 | 111-99 |
| 20 | Ice Mountie | 111 | 111-99 |
| 21 | TickleMeWillyG | 110 | 110-100 |
| 22 | Capt1295 | 110 | 110-100 |
| 23 | National Champs or Bust | 110 | 110-100 |
| 24 | RHowell21 | 110 | 110-100 |
And now, the predictions!
Nick Shoemaker
I think this game is crucial if WVU is going to get back on track and make a run to the Big 12 Championship game. I think the crowd and night game atmosphere will make the difference, with the WVU defense holding Baylor to a handful of field goals and the WVU offense playing to their potential to boost the Mountaineers to a blowout win.
West Virginia 48 - Baylor 22
WVUIE97
WVU’s offensive personnel are looking to put that embarrassing showing behind them and will come out firing on all cylinders. The defense still does enough, despite the lack of depth at LB. Baylor is getting better, but they’re not good enough yet. ---OR--- WVU lays another egg and the season ending spiral of doom continues. I think our guys are better than the spiral situation, though. Time for them to prove it.
West Virginia 49 - Baylor 24
WVUNite
Charlie Brewer reminds me of Purdy from Iowa State with his ability to keep plays alive with his legs. Given what he did against the Mountaineers last year I think this is a close game. I’m also extremely concerned with the offensive line’s ability to handle pressure. Look for the Mountaineers to win but I think this is a one score game the entire way that is never as comfortable as we think it should be
West Virginia 35 - Baylor 27
statsboyandi
The offense spurs back to life and WVU gets a much needed victory.
West Virginia 45 - Baylor 16
Matt Kirchner
It feels like it’s been a year since West Virginia has taken the field and we’ve all the the chance to melt and recover what seems like five or six times in the nearly two weeks since Iowa State. I think West Virginia comes out strong tonight and gets some confidence back before heading to Austin.
West Virginia 38 - Baylor 17
Michael Miller
That loss in Ames left a horrible taste in my mouth, and Dana Holgorsen’s insistence that the issues stemmed from blocking and tackling and that offensive play calling was fine just made it that much worse. West Virginia is a 14 point favorite, according to Vegas and I’m not optimistic that we come anywhere close to covering that spread.
I know we are the more talented team. I know we should be able to put this one away by midway through the third quarter, but I have no evidence to believe the issues we had in Ames have been fixed. This one is going to be uncomfortable for the entire 60 minutes - there’s going to be times where it looks as if we should just call it a season - but the Mountaineers pull out the win on a late touchdown.
Prove me wrong. Hang 70 on the Bears and show me the West Virginia we saw in Charlotte is still here.
West Virginia 35 - Baylor 34
John Radcliff
They seem inconsistent. We seem inconsistent. This should be fun. The only thing that I can hang my hat on for a WVU win is the Baylor defense has been burned by good and average offenses. We probably get into a shootout here. It’s at home, so I give WVU the advantage here.
West Virginia 55 - Baylor 42
Robert Hurst
Mountaineers have a lot to prove tonight. I’m optimistically thinking that they do just that.
West Virginia 31 - Baylor 13
BartimusPrime
Baylor is a constantly-improving team that has been able to defeat clearly inferior opponents this season. That said, they’ve faltered against teams who are competent on offense. With 11 days to “get over” a loss, I think the WVU offense looks more in sync and finds its way to a big lead in the third quarter.
West Virginia 34 - Baylor 24
Jordan Pinto
Baylor is by no means an easy out, but if we execute like we’re capable of they shouldn’t be within two scores. Plus, we’re wearing the classic blue blue gold - need I say more?
West Virginia 38 - Baylor 23