Well, we’ve reached the bye week of the season and the Gators are sitting at 6-1, with a 4-1 record in the Southeastern Conference following Saturday’s loss to LSU.
Other than Florida looking for a new kicker, it’s been a relatively slow week for coach Jim McElwain and the team.
However, here at the AlligatorSports Brand Picks Column, we don’t believe in bye weeks.
Arguing this week’s Washington vs. Stanford game is alligatorSports assistant editor Luis Torres and alligatorSports staff writer Graham Hack.
Washington will win because...
This game is a battle between a pretty good offense in Stanford — 33rd in the country — versus a good defense in Washington, which ranks 32nd in the nation in total defense.
The Huskies are also 16th in the country in scoring defense as they allow just 16.8 points per game.
And while the game is in Palo Alto, I’m going with the old rhetoric that defense always travels and I will take the Huskies in this game.
The biggest thing Washington will have to worry about is Christian McCaffrey, but as long as they can slow him down, the Huskies should leave Stanford with the W.
— Luis Torres
Stanford will win because...
Well, I picked Stanford to make the College Football Playoff earlier this week, so there really wasn’t much of an option here.
But in all seriousness, this team is on a roll right now, particularly on offense.
Led by running back Christian McCaffrey, who ranks first nationally in all-purpose yards, the Cardinal hasn’t scored below 40 points in a game in more than a month.
Meanwhile, the Huskies haven’t scored more than 31 in the same span, and that came against Utah State.
At home, Stanford will come away victorious.
— Graham Hack
Now onto the picks!
We have a tie for first place, both sporting 31-24-1 records. Leading things off is Alligator managing/online editor Jordan "Flashed his teachers for beads" McPherson, who saw one of his former teaching assistants on Bourbon Street and one thing led to another before McPherson was adorned in sweaty beads.
Jordan, I know it’s New Orleans, but that doesn’t mean you can show some skin on a work trip.
Tied with Jordan is the Palm Beach Post’s Anthony "No show" Chiang, who had the Post send him to Baton Rouge for the LSU game, even though he hasn’t been in Gainesville since the Ole Miss game.
Hey Anthony, I thought you like commuting from unincorporated Dade County to Gainesville? Maybe you should get the Post to fly you out to Gainesville more.
In third place we have Gator Country’s Nick "Clickbait" De La Torre, who admitted he enjoys when the Gators punt so he can post his oft seen "Punters are People Too" picture to receive multiple retweets.
Come on Nick, get your priorities in order.
At least you didn’t post it before a punter was suspended.
In a tie with Nick we have alligatorSports assistant editor Luis "Pull over" Torres, who couldn’t stop throwing up after leaving New Orleans.
Torres found himself so sick he almost insisted we bring him back to the hotel to miss the game.
Luckily he made a last-minute recovery, but the fact remains that you have the liver of a small child.
In fifth place with a 29-26-1 record we have the Orlando Sentinel’s Edgar "21st Century" Thompson, who has been revolutionizing his work by taking videos of coach Jim McElwain’s press conferences.
It’s okay, Edgar, we can help you with all the newfangled technology.
Even though small children can figure out iPhones doesn’t mean we expect you to.
In sixth with a 27-28-1 record is alligatorSports editor Graham "God said no" Hall, who while on Bourbon Street was shouting "God said no" to people on the second floor balcony when they asked him to flash for beads.
As you can expect, he eventually did.
C’mon Graham, don’t pretend you have high standards.
We’ve all seen what type of body you have.
In seventh place with a 25-30-1 record we have 247Sports’ Thomas "the Annexation of Puerto Rico" Goldkamp, who is keeping busy during the bye week by watching the movie "Little Giants" to give McElwain trick play ideas.
Come on Goldkamp, that movie won’t give you Les Miles-like inspiration.
Stick to breaking down pee-wee football.
And in dead-ass-last with a piss-poor record of 25-32-1 is alligatorSports’ staff writer Graham "Bourbon Street is boring" Hack, who moped around New Orleans on Friday night with a pouty face on.
Come on Graham, we know you were disappointed there weren’t any bars serving chocolate milk and that the music was too loud, but try and have some fun.
Next time we’ll tuck you in early with a glass of Metamucil, you grandpa.
