Gary “The Gut” Goombah – Week 18, 2025
Week 17 Recap – Gary had one of his best weeks of the season! He went 13-6 last week, including 8-4 in college bowls and 5-2 in NFL action. Can “The Gut” keep it up in Week 18? First, let’s recap Week 17.
NCAA Selections – all odds taken from the Chicago Sun-Times
CFP Playoff – 1st Round
Oklahoma Sooners (+1.5) over Alabama Crimson Tide – Final Score: Alabama won 34-24. Result: Lost
Texas A&M Aggies (-3.5) over Miami Hurricanes – Final Score: Miami won 10-3. Result: Lost
Ole Miss Rebels (-17.5) over Tulane Green Wave – Final Score: Ole Miss won and covered, 41-10. Result: WON!
Oregon Ducks (-21.5) over James Madison Dukes – Final Score: Oregon was dominating 48-13, put in their subs, and blew the cover after leading by 35! Oregon ended up winning by only 17 points, 51-34. Result: Lost
Other Bowls
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Washington St. Cougars (+2.5) over Utah State Aggies – Final Score: Washington St. won 34-21. Result: WON!
Boca Raton Bowl: Toledo Rockets (+7.5) over Louisville Cardinals – Louisville won by only five points, 27-22. Result: WON!
New Orleans Bowl: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (-4.5) over Southern Miss Golden Eagles – Western Kentucky won by 11 points, 27-16. Result: WON!
Frisco Bowl: UNLV Rebels (-4.5) over Ohio Bobcats – Ohio won 17-10. Result: Lost
Hawaii Bowl: Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (+1.5) over Cal Golden Bears – Final Score: Hawaii came back and won the game after trailing 21-0! Result: WON!
GameAbove Sports Bowl: Northwestern Wildcats (-10.5) over Central Michigan Chippewas – Northwestern dominated 34-7. Result: WON!
Rate Bowl: Minnesota Golden Gophers (-2.5) over New Mexico Lobos – Minnesota won by three points in OT, 20-17. Result: WON!
First Responder Bowl: UTSA Roadrunners (-8.5) over FIU Panthers – UTSA dominated by 37 points, 57-20! Result: WON!
Gary’s “Lucky Seven” NFL Selections
Chicago Bears (+1.5) over Green Bay Packers – In one of the greatest Bears games in history, Chicago defied the odds and won at the end in a dramatic, exciting “helluva” game! Final Score: Chicago won 22-16 in OT! Result: WON!
Tennessee Titans (+3.5) over Kansas City Chiefs – Gary was right, K.C. had nothing left to play for. Final Score: Tennessee won 26-9. Result: WON!
Houston Texans (-14.5) over Las Vegas Raiders – Final Score: Texans won by only two points, 23-21. Result: Lost
Detroit Lions (-6.5) over Pittsburgh Steelers – Final Score: Pittsburgh upset Detroit, 29-24. Result: Lost
San Francisco 49ers (-5.5) over Indianapolis Colts – Final Score: San Francisco won 48-27. Result: WON!
Los Angeles Chargers (+1.5) over Dallas Cowboys – Gary still can’t believe that Dallas was favored in this one. Final Score: L.A. won 34-17. Result: WON!
Jacksonville Jaguars (+3) over Denver Broncos – Final Score: Jacksonville won 34-20. Result: WON!
Week 17 Results: 13-6 (68.4%) Overall; (8-4 NCAA, 5-2 NFL)
Season Results: 111-120-1 (48.1%) Overall; (58-64 NCAA, 53-56-1 NFL, with 2-0-1 on “Lock of the Week”)
Gary “The Gut” Goombah’s Week 18 Selections
NCAA Selections – all odds taken from Saturday’s Chicago Sun-Times (these spreads changed quite a bit in one day, in fact, Gary changed some picks based on line changes from Friday to Saturday)
CFP Playoffs (2nd Round: December 31-January 1)
Ohio State Buckeyes (-9.5) over Miami Hurricanes
Texas Tech Red Raiders (+1.5) over Oregon Ducks – As much as I love the Ducks, Gary doesn’t care what I think.
Indiana Hoosiers (-7) over Alabama Crimson Tide
Georgia Bulldogs (-6.5) over Ole Miss Rebels
Other Bowls (December 27-January 2)
East Carolina Pirates (+10.5) over Pitt Panthers
Clemson Tigers (-2.5) over Penn State Nittany Lions
UConn Huskies (+7.5) over Army Black Knights
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (+4) over BYU Cougars
Fresno State Bulldogs (-5.5) over Miami (OH) Redhawks
North Texas Mean Green (-6.5) over San Diego St. Aztecs
Virginia Cavaliers (+4) over Missouri Tigers
LSU Tigers (+1.5) over Houston Cougars
Georgia Southern Eagles (-7) over Appalachian State Mountaineers
Tennessee Volunteers (-2.5) over Illinois Fighting Illini
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (-9.5) over Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
USC Trojans (-6.5) over TCU Horned Frogs
Vanderbilt Commodores (-4.5) over Iowa Hawkeyes
Arizona State Sun Devils (+3) over Duke Blue Devils
Texas Longhorns (-7.5) over Michigan Wolverines
Nebraska Cornhuskers (+14) over Utah Utes
Texas State Bobcats (-11.5) over Rice Owls
Navy Midshipmen (-7) over Cincinnati Bearcats
Mississippi St. Bulldogs (-3) over Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Arizona Wildcats (-3) over SMU Mustangs
Gary’s “Lucky Seven” NFL Selections
San Francisco 49ers (-3) over Chicago Bears – The Niners are waitin’ for the Bears to travel out west. Chicago is on a high after the improbable victory over the hated Packers. Gary expects a letdown by the Bears. Besides, we’ve seen good Bears teams go out there before for big night games and well, let’s just say it was an ambush. Check out December 14, 1987… San Fran blew the doors off Coach Ditka’s Bears 41-0. PICK: San Francisco
Carolina Panthers (+7) over Seattle Seahawks
Jacksonville Jaguars (-5.5) over Indianapolis Colts
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-5.5) over Miami Dolphins
New York Jets (+13.5) over New England Patriots – Gary thinks this is too many points against a division rival who is missing at least five starters. PICK: New York Jets
Tennessee Titans (+2.5) over New Orleans Saints
Buffalo Bills (-1.5) over Philadelphia Eagles
Let’s hope Gary keeps riding his recent good luck and makes the end of ’25 a solid winner! Good luck and remember…..
“Whether rich or poor, thou shalt gamble more” – Gary “The Gut” Goombah’s mantra
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