Submit your Week 1 entry form by 4 p.m. MT Friday

Week 1--Welcome to the 10th season of the RamNation Pigskin Pick'em Contest, sponsored by Rams Bookstore! Many of you have participated in this contest for years, so you know the run-down, but for some of you, this may be your first time. The contest is simple, and it's free. Each week we select 15 college football games, and it is your duty to pick the winners AGAINST THE POINT SPREAD. Click the "ENTRY FORM" link in the right-hand column of this page to pull up the entry form. Then, pick your winners and tiebreaker guesses, and submit the form. Please use your regular RamNation handle so we can track your standings. Please also insert a working email address so we can contact you if you win a week or a season prize. For a full list of contest rules/details, please scroll down the page.

As usual, we'll have a weekly prize (a CSU hat or T-shirt of your choice, courtesy of Rams Bookstore) to our top picker, and we'll also track everyone's standings as the season goes along so you can see how you fare for the season-long contest. The top three finishers at the end of the season will win gift certificates at Rams Bookstore.

We hope for a record turnout this year, so get your entries in ASAP and keep playing each week, even if you are out of the running. There's always the chance to win a weekly prize. We also throw out each contestant's two worst weeks at the end of the season, so if you do poorly in a week or two, or even miss a week entirely, that week's score can be thrown out. Please note that unless otherwise indicated for a specific week, entries are due by 4 p.m. MT each Friday.

And as always, please join me in thanking Rams Bookstore for their 10th year of sponsorship to this contest. When you're in need of CSU memorabilia, gear, or school books, Rams Bookstore should be your first choice!

--Joel Cantalamessa
(Good SHEPHERD)

Contest details/rules

Each weekly winner can pick a T-shirt or hat of his/her choice from Rams Bookstore. Season winners win gift certificates to Rams Bookstore.

Prizes:

Each weekly winner will receive their choice of CSU T-shirt or hat, compliments of Rams Bookstore. The top three finishers will receive gift certificates to Rams Bookstore.

Rules:

• Each week contestants will pick a winner in 15 games.
• Contestant's should make their picks "against the spread". For instance, if TCU is favored by 13.5 vs. Oregon State, and TCU wins by more than 13.5 points, they win "against the spread." If TCU does not win by more than 13.5 points, then Oregon State wins "against the spread," even though they might lose the game.
• The weekly winner will be the contestant with the most correct picks.
• In the event of a tie between contestants at the end of a week, the first tiebreaker is the total points scored in the "tiebreaker" game (usually a game involving CSU). The contestant that picks closest to the total points scored wins the tiebreaker. If total points does not break the tie, then total yards will be used. Again, closest guess to the total yards gained from scrimmage by both teams during that game will win the tiebreaker. If a tie is still unbroken, both contestants will receive a prize
• Please have picks in each Friday by 4 p.m. MST, with the exception of Thanksgiving week, when picks will be due by Wednesday afternoon. We will send out a reminder that week.
• Please submit only one entry form per contestant.
• The system is set up so that if you want to change your picks before the weekly deadline, you simply have to to resumbit your entry, and it will overwrite the exisiting entry.

Season Contest:

• In addition to each weekly contest, there is a contest for the entire 14-week season in which totals will be kept over the course of the season.
• The season winners will be the contestant's with the most correct picks throughout the season, while dropping your worst two weekly win totals. If you miss a week or have a bad week, you can drop that week against your season total. This allows for contestants who may miss the first week, or who may miss a week during the season for whatever reason to remain in contention for the title.
• If there is a tie between contestants at the season, the highest win percentage for all weeks will be the first tiebreaker. (A contestant must have participated in 11 or more weeks to be eligible.) If the tie is not broken by win percentage, then there will be a final playoff during the Conference Championship weekend, between contestants who are tied.

Guidelines and other notes:

The contest administrator (Q.Ram) will determine the weekly games on the following basis:

1. All games involving MWC teams.
2. All games involving two teams rated in the Top 25 AP Poll or receiving votes.
3. At least one game involving each of the eight biggest conferences.
4. Any other games of note (rivalry games or games involving Top 10 teams).

Please note that CSU games will not be included because the contest administrator (Q.Ram) is highly superstitious and doesn’t believe in betting on games in which he is emotionally involved. (Most of us are CSU fans, and we would all pick CSU to win every week anyway, so that game would be a wash.)

CSU games will, however, be used for the Tiebreaker game, unless they are on a Thursday night.

Results will typically be posted the following Monday. Please track your picks and make sure you are credited with the right amount of wins. Q.Ram has been known on a very, very rare occurrence to make a mistake, and we will correct errors up until the following week has been played.

Q.Ram will make his picks known on the message board prior to deadline, so that everyone will know the contest administrator is not rigging the game to win all of the prizes. (Neither he or any of the contest administrators or QAV employees/family members are eligible to win the grand prize.)

Remember, if you are in the market for audio/video equipment and/or installation, please give QAV first shot at your business. Also, if you are in the market for text books and CSU gear, Rams Bookstore should be your first choice. Their sponsorship is what helps make RamNation go.

All registered posters are welcome to join the contest, but remember all you Ram foes out there...the prizes are limited to what Rams Bookstore has in stock, which is primarily CSU-related gear! Thanks and best of luck to everyone (except Buffaloes, Cowboys, and Falcons).

--Q.Ram, Good SHEP, and CSURamFan