PREDICTION DERBY RESULTS WEEK V: FLORIDA STATE @ MIAMI

POS POWERFUL PREDICTOR                              PREDIXN       DIFFER
=== =============================================== ============= ======
 1. Stephen Brown <stbrown#cts.com>                 FSU 35  UM 14   2.24
 2. Renee' Davis-vanPelt <netbabe#mindspring.com>   FSU 31  UM 17   3.16
 3. Scott <ScootM#aol.com>                          FSU 31  UM 21   5.83
 4. Randolph Langley <langley#scri.fsu.edu>         FSU 35  UM 10   6.08
 5. Mike Sukhadwala <msukhadw#garnet.acns.fsu.edu>  FSU 28  UM 13   6.71
 6. <jfhayes#nettally.com>                          FSU 27  UM 16   7.00
 7. shaggy <jmcgeene#tdo.infi.net>                  FSU 27  UM 17   7.07
 7. Bruce D Stilmack <stilmack#wombat.eng.fsu.edu>  FSU 27  UM 17   7.07
 7. Bob Stuke <coachbob#pbfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us> FSU 27  UM 17   7.07
10. Michael S Edgerley <msedgerley#juno.com>        FSU 38  UM 10   7.21
11. Heidi Satz <hms3843#garnet.acns.fsu.edu>        FSU 40  UM 10   8.49
11. <Paul_Barkowitz#transarc.com>                   FSU 28  UM 10   8.49
13. Michael Mock <MMock8493#aol.com>                FSU 27  UM 10   9.22
14. Kurt Siefken <kas2928#garnet.acns.fsu.edu>      FSU 24  UM 17  10.05
14. GRUE <grue#prism.u-net.com>                     FSU 24  UM 17  10.05
14. Manny Bas <bas#nettally.com>                    FSU 24  UM 17  10.05
17. Dr Mark Weaver <Weaver#Magnet.FSU.edu>          FSU 24  UM 14  10.20
18. Reid Gilliam <rgilliam#email.unc.edu>           FSU 23  UM 16  11.00
19. Rick Bin <rik#nettally.com>                     FSU 24  UM 21  11.18
20. Rae Adams <raead#fn3.freenet.tlh.fl.us>         FSU 24  UM 10  11.66
21. Dr Micheal vanPelt <us005330#mindspring.com>    FSU 23  UM 12  11.70
22. Kathleen Healy <KMH#mail.municode.com>          FSU 23  UM 21  12.08
23. Everett Harris <eharris#cais.cais.com>          FSU 24  UM 23  12.21
23. <shark815#ix.netcom.com>                        FSU 24  UM  9  12.21
25. Sean Linkenback <showcase#onramp.net>           FSU 23  UM 10  12.53
25. Kris A. Krake <noles#magicnet.net>              FSU 23  UM 10  12.53
27. Harry H. Schoennagel <harrys#gate.net>          FSU 21  UM 14  13.15
28. Gregory Reeves <greev282#concentric.net>        FSU 21  UM 13  13.34
29. Keith Burnsed <kburnsed#iu.net>                 FSU 20  UM 17  14.04
30. Michael Upchurch <upchurch~ma#glaxo.com>        FSU 20  UM 14  14.14
31. <PShu#aol.com>                                  FSU 20  UM 13  14.32
32. Scot Lerner <slerner#usit.net>                  FSU 19  UM 17  15.03
33. Michael Threapleton <mjt#netrunner.net>         FSU 20  UM 10  15.23
34. jp <jpjohn#lex.infi.net>                        FSU 17  UM 15  17.03
35. Todd Bush <bush#mc.edu>                         FSU 17  UM 14  17.12
35. Jeff Thomas <jhthomas#sage.net>                 FSU 17  UM 14  17.12
37. Thurston Long <machupo#best.com>                FSU 17  UM 13  17.26
38. <PSElliott#aol.com>                             FSU 17  UM 10  18.03
38. <akline#falcon.lhup.edu>                        FSU 17  UM 10  18.03
38. Robert Taylor <RATaylor14#aol.com>              FSU 17  UM 10  18.03
41. Allen Risley <arisley#csusm.edu>                FSU 16  UM 14  18.11
42. Herb Wills <hwills#freenet.tlh.fl.us>           FSU 17  UM  9  18.38
43. Danielle Galvin <DTG#mail.municode.com>         FSU 17  UM  7  19.24
44. Eric Lyman <ejlyman#aol.com>                    FSU 13  UM 10  21.84
44. Fred P Snyder <fsnyder#clandjop.com>            FSU 13  UM 10  21.84
46. Kelly J. Ciombor <kciombor#umabnet.ab.umd.edu>  UM 21  FSU 17 -17.72
47. Luo Lian <lian#chem.ufl.edu>                    UM 18  FSU 13 -21.10
48. Angel Pruitt <cane#seminole.iag.net>            UM 17  FSU  9 -25.02
49. Richard Woodford <rwoodfor#lawsun.law.fsu.edu>  UM 47  FSU 35 -31.02
50. Rick Workman <rickw267#aol.com>                 UM 24  FSU  0 -34.93

The actual score was Florida State 34, Miami 16.

Stephen Brown, undeterred by his 44th place finish in the Clemson contest, was this week's foremost forecaster. His difference of 2.24 is the second best this season. First-time player Renee Davis-vanPelt also had one of the season's lowest differences, taking second with a 3.16. Making their first trip to the top five this season were Virginia fan Scott Mandell (3rd, 5.83) and Tallahassee Free-Net founder Randolph Langley (4th, 6.08). Returning to the top five for the first time since the N.C. State game was Florida State law student Mike Sukhadwala (5th, 6.71).

For those of us (like myself) who failed to either come within 10.00 or do better than the median prognosticator, I can only point to my favorite whipping boy, Richard Rosenblatt of the Associated Press, who picked Miami to win 24 - 21. That would have earned him 46th place with a difference of -11.18. So if you can't win the Seminole Predixn Derby, you can always work for the AP.

Let's take a moment to salute this season's winners, and see how they did this week:

PREDICTOR         PREDIXN          ACTUAL SCORE     DIFF   THIS WEEK
================  ===============  ===============  =====  =========
Allen Risley      FSU 45, Duke 10  FSU 44, Duke  7   3.16  41 (18.11)
Thurston Long     FSU 52, NCSU 14  FSU 51, NCSU 17   3.16  37 (17.26)
Thurston Long,                                             37 (17.26)
Michael Upchurch  FSU 24, UNC 14   FSU 13, UNC 0    17.03  30 (14.14)
P. S. Elliot      FSU 35, Clem 3   FSU 34, Clem 3    1.00  38 (18.03)
Stephen Brown     FSU 35, UM 14    FSU 34, UM 16     2.24   1 ( 2.24)

I'd feel better that none of them finished above the median this week, except they all finished ahead of me anyway. When I take a beating, I take a beating.

And, while we're throwing out season statistics, here are the ten best predixns so far this season:

PREDICTOR              PREDIXN             ACTUAL SCORE       DIFF
================       =================   =================  ====
P. S. Elliot           FSU 35, Clemson 3   FSU 34, Clemson 3  1.00
Stephen Brown          FSU 35, Miami 14    FSU 34, Miami 16   2.24
Allen Risley           FSU 45, Duke 10     FSU 44, Duke 7     3.16
Thurston Long          FSU 52, NCSU 14     FSU 51, NCSU 17    3.16
Stephen Amanson        FSU 35, Clemson 6   FSU 34, Clemson 3  3.16
Mike Threapleton       FSU 35, Clemson 6   FSU 34, Clemson 3  3.16 
Renee' Davis-vanPelt   FSU 31, Miami 17    FSU 34, Miami 16   3.16
Manny Bas              FSU 41, Duke 9      FSU 44, Duke 7     3.61
Dr Michael vanPelt     FSU 32, Clemson 0   FSU 34, Clemson 3  3.61
GRUE                   FSU 54, NCSU 14     FSU 51, NCSU 17    4.24

As you can see, I didn't make -that- list, either.

But in two weeks we all get another chance as the Virginia Cavaliers visit Doak Campbell Stadium for Florida State's homecoming game. Yesterday it was reported that Virginia has only thrown one touchdown pass in five games. Is this a quarterback problem, or do you really -need- touchdown passes when you've got Tiki Barber running out of the backfield? Will the Wahoos rain all over the Seminoles' homecoming parade? Or will the 'Noles thrash the 'Hoos soundly as payback for last years' Virginia victory?

It's your call to make. E-mail your predixn of the final score of the Florida State - Virginia game to:

HWILLS@FREENET.TLH.FL.US

Put something like "FSU vs UVa" in the subject line of your message so I don't mistake it for an extremely late entry for the FSU - Duke Predixn Derby. Make sure it gets here before kickoff, which is at 3:30 PM EDT on October 26. All predixns will be recorded to be scored and ranked following the game.

A big thank you to all who played this week. Good luck with your predixns in the Virginia game!

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