PREDICTION DERBY WEEK III: NORTH CAROLINA @ FLORIDA STATE

POS FEARLESS FORECASTER                            FOREBODING     DIFFER
=== ============================================== ============== ======
 1. Thurston Long <machupo#best.com>               FSU 24, UNC 13  17.03
 1. Michael Upchurch <upchurch~ma#glaxo.com>       FSU 24, UNC 13  17.03
 3. Kris Krake <noles#magicnet.net>                FSU 27, UNC 10  17.20
 4. Manny Bas <bas#nettally.com>                   FSU 24, UNC 14  17.80
 5. Kurt Siefken <kas2928#garnet.acns.fsu.edu>     FSU 27, UNC 13  19.10
 6. Michael S Edgerley <msedgerley#juno.com>       FSU 31, UNC 10  20.59
 7. Ernie Cooper <104612.3171#compuserve.com>      FSU 29, UNC 15  21.93
 7. Scott Mandell <Scootm#aol.com>                 FSU 33, UNC  9  21.93
 9. Sean Linkenback <showcase#onramp.net>          FSU 31, UNC 14  22.80
 9. Kathleen Healy <KMH#mail.municode.com>         FSU 31, UNC 14  22.80
 9. Rae Adams <raead#fn3.freenet.tlh.fl.us>        FSU 31, UNC 14  22.80
12. Justin J. Brookman <jjb2794#is.nyu.edu>        FSU 32, UNC 13  23.02
13. Michael Mock <MMock8493#aol.com>               FSU 34, UNC 10  23.26
14. Todd Bush <bush#mc.edu>                        FSU 35, UNC 10  24.17
15. James Gelvin <mpg#revealed.net>                FSU 31, UNC 17  24.76
15. Chris Lowder <CL4068#appstate.edu>             FSU 21, UNC 17  24.76
15. Tony Patterson <Tony.Patterson.0202042#nt.com> FSU 31, UNC 17  24.76
15. Michael Threapleton <mjt#netrunner.net>        FSU 41, UNC 17  24.76
19. Dr Micheal vanPelt <us005330#mindspring.com>   FSU 32, UNC 16  24.84
20. Gregory Reeves <greev282#concentric.net>       FSU 28, UNC 21  25.81
21. Allen Risley <arisley#coyote.csusm.edu>        FSU 37, UNC 10  26.00
22. <PSElliott#aol.com>                            FSU 35, UNC 14  26.08
23. Jeff Graves <jsgraves#unity.ncsu.edu>          FSU 38, UNC 10  26.93
24. GRUE <grue#prism.u-net.com>                    FSU 34, UNC 17  27.02
25. Chris Rasmussen <cjr4a#virginia.edu>           FSU 31, UNC 21  27.66
26. Bruce Stilmack <eng.fsu.edu#wombat.eng.fsu.edu>FSU 38, UNC 12  27.73
27. Paul Barkowitz <Paul_Barkowitz#transarc.com>   FSU 35, UNC 17  27.80
28. Scott Smith <smiths#icsc.net>                  FSU 28, UNC 24  28.30
29. Michael W. Ridenhour <gandalf#infi.net>        FSU 39, UNC 12  28.64
30. Everett Harris <eharris#cais.cais.com>         FSU 42, UNC  0  29.00
31. L M Bodnar <lbodnar#panda.cs.ndsu.NoDak.edu>   FSU 37, UNC 17  29.41
32. <cjpayne#aol.com>                              FSU 38, UNC 16  29.68
33. <locklearda#pembvax1.uncp.edu>                 FSU 28, UNC 10  29.73
33. Herb Wills <hwills#freenet.tlh.fl.us>          FSU 35, UNC 20  29.73
35. Randolph Langley <langley#scri.fsu.edu>        FSU 40, UNC 14  30.41
35. Dr Mark Weaver <weaver#eng.fsu.edu>            FSU 35, UNC 21  30.41
37. Mike Sukhadwala <msukhadw#garnet.acns.fsu.edu> FSU 42, UNC 12  31.38
38. <tdnole44#aol.com>                             FSU 44, UNC 10  32.57
39. <Peterroy#aol.com>                             FSU 41, UNC 17  32.76
40. Shawna Osborn <Shawna#ammlsgi.Magnet.FSU.edu>  FSU 42, UNC 14  34.01
40. Bob Stuke <coachbob#pbfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us>FSU 44, UNC 14  34.01
42. <akline#falcon.lhup.edu>                       FSU 45, UNC 13  34.54
43. Shawn Sleep <sleepsj3#wfu.edu>                 FSU 42, UNC 20  35.23
44. Chris Brady <chrispat#jax-inter.net>           FSU 45, UNC 17  36.24
45. William A Spanks Jr <spanks#dingo.eng.fsu.edu> FSU 48, UNC 10  36.40
46. <jfhayes#nettally.com>                         FSU 45, UNC 24  40.00
46. <PShu#aol.com>                                 FSU 45, UNC 24  40.00
48. Eric Lyman <ejlyman#aol.com>                   FSU 42, UNC 28  41.77
49. Danielle Galvin <DTG#mail.municode.com>        FSU 55, UNC 10  43.17
50. Heidi Satz <hms3843#garnet.acns.fsu.edu>       FSU 51, UNC 24  44.94
51. Richard Woodford <rwoodfor#lawsun.law.fsu.edu> FSU 63, UNC 17  52.81
52. <RickW267#aol.com>                             UNC 17, FSU 13 -17.00
53. <Jeff1267#aol.com>                             UNC 21, FSU 17 -21.38
54. <pauljr#nando.net>                             UNC 24, FSU 21 -25.30
55. Kevin Kathrotia <kevink#email.unc.edu>         UNC 28, FSU 27 -31.30
56. Mackey <mackey#nr.infi.net>                    UNC 30, FSU 24 -31.95

The actual score was Florida State 13, North Carolina 0.

Ouch.

Blame it on the rain if you like, but no one came close this week. Thurston Long repeated as champion with a difference of 17.03, sharing the top spot with Mike Upchurch. Close behind was Kris Krake, making his first trip into the top five this season, ending up third at 17.20. Also near the front was Manny Bas (17.80), whose fourth-place finish marks his second time in the top five. Kurt Siefken (19.10) rounded out the top five.

A lot of people got burned on this one, and I say that as a guy who took a third degree scorching myself (29.73). A comparison of winning performances this season is revealing:

GAM PROGNOSTICATOR     PREDICTION        ACTUAL SCORE      DIFF.
=== ================   ===============   ===============   =====
 1. Allen Risley       FSU 45, Duke 10   FSU 44, Duke  7    3.16
 2. Thurston Long      FSU 52, NCSU 14   FSU 51, NCSU 17    3.16
 3. Thurston Long      FSU 24, UNC  13   FSU 13, UNC   0   17.03
 3. Michael Upchurch   FSU 24, UNC  13   FSU 13, UNC   0   17.03

So blame it on the rain. Or the anemic offense. Or just forget about it, and make a great prediction for Clemson @ FSU. Once you've formulated it, send it to me at:

HWILLS@FREENET.TLH.FL.US

Make sure you put something like "FSU vs Clemson" in the subject line so I know it's not a message from Brent Musberger telling me how many first downs FSU made on Saturday. Wait on the weather report if you like, but make sure it gets to me by kickoff on Saturday, October 5.

Good luck, and thanks to everyone who played this week!

Herb Wills, HWILLS@FREENET.TLH.FL.US