Dulitz extends lead, improves to 11-3

Rachel Dulitz maintained sole possession of the lead for the fourth straight day in the LRT Bowl Pick ’em Contest with a 3-0 record Wednesday, improving her impressive prediction streak to 7 out of the last 8 bowls — during a time period when the average contestant has only gotten between 3 and 4 of those 8 games right — and increasing her lead to a 2-point advantage over her nearest challengers.

Dulitz has 14 points out of a possible 17, on an 11-3 record. (She has gotten all three of the 2-point games right.) She would have eight consecutive correct picks if not for the bizarre pick-6 that ultimately decided Tuesday’s Insight Bowl in Iowa’s favor.

Randy Styles and Ryan are tied for second with 12 points. Casey Zak and Michael Rosenkrantz are tied for fourth with 11 points. Andrew Hunter also has 11 points, but is sixth thanks to the “number of correct games” (regardless of point value) tiebreaker. There is a five-way tie for seventh place with 10 points.

The bowl action really heats up tomorrow with four games, the last two worth 2 points apiece, kicking off the part of the bowl season when most games will be worth multiple points. Dulitz picked Army, Kansas State, North Carolina and Nebraska, and will hold a 3-point edge over Styles at day’s end if those predictions all come true.

That said, Dulitz can theoretically maintain the lead with just a 1-3 record tomorrow, provided the one correct prediction is either Army or UNC. Conversely, she could potentially lose the lead even with a 2-2 record, if the two incorrect picks are Army and UNC. If they both lose (to SMU and Tennessee, respectively), she will fall out of the lead, and Ryan will take over as of day’s end.

There are four more games on Friday, each worth 2 points, and then six games on Saturday, New Year’s Day, all worth 2 points apiece except the Rose and Fiesta Bowl, which are worth 3 points each.

Full current standings are visible to contestants here (along with everyone’s picks), and visible to everyone here. Contestants can play around with “what-if” scenarios here.