Harry Gagnon’s Ultimate Football Challenge Update

It has been a wild ride so far as I continue to stay above water in the Golden Nugget's Ultimate Football Challenge. After six weeks, I am tied for eighth place (of 282 entries), a half-point from seventh, one game from fourth and two points out of first, which pays 40 percent of the pot.

I’ve had some ups and downs, and definitely a few really lucky breaks.

In Week 1, I went 6-1 but my loser was Nebraska -4 at Colorado. The Cornhuskers were up 17-0 at the half but gave up 24 in the fourth quarter and then still had a chance in OT but head coach Scott Frost’s play calls were terrible and the Buffs pulled out a 34-31 OT win. That craziness prevented me from starting the contest 7-0.

In Week 2, I went 3-1 with college dogs and that included taking West Virginia +6.5 at home vs NC State and the Eagles of Eastern Michigan +7 against Big Ten school Illinois. Not only did both cover but they both won straight up. You do gain a bit of confidence when you are pulling games out straight up like that.

In Week 3, it was a 2-5 overall beatdown, my only losing week. I did call Appalachian State to win by a field goal vs UNC and they did just that, but I had too many tough losses that week as well. I touted Michigan over Wisconsin that week and that game was a loser from the beginning. Then, in the NFL, I had the Falcons +2 against the Colts and they lose by three despite outgaining the Colts in every offensive stat except the only one that really counts and that’s the scoreboard.

In Week 4, I was extremely confident with the Bills +7 at home vs the Patriots and a lot happened in that game and I was fortunate to cover that game by a point.

In Week 5, I went 4-0-1 in college and that included Oregon State as a 6-point dog that won straight up and Stanford as a 16-point dog that also won straight up and both teams won by double digits. WOW … I actually have to pat myself on the back for those two Pac-12 beauties. I also pulled out a tie +11 with West Virginia as I got a garbage-time touchdown with 10 seconds left on fourth-and-10 from the Texas 12-yard line.

In Week 6, I lost in a blowout and have now learned the hard way to not bet against the Wisconsin Badgers again. I’m 0-2 betting against them and both games were done by halftime. Wisconsin may be the best team in the country and sleeping on them at this point is just plain silly if you do so. However, aside from that, I went 6-1 ATS for the third time in six weeks. I went to 2-0 in the contest taking the Houston Texans as a road underdog. I won with them +5 vs the Chiefs and in Week 1 when they were +7 in the Big Easy against the Saints.

So all in all, I’m still in it at 28-13-1 and can just hope I make smart picks and whether I use the force, toss a coin or throw darts to make them, it doesn’t matter as long as I continue to be on the right side more often than not.