William Jennings Bryan's title is safe. Bo Pelini, while certainly young for his position, will likely never inspire any title as grandiose as the "Boy Orator of the Platte" but I think that's sort of the point.

We had a guy not too long ago who had perfected the art of saying something without saying anything at all. A smooth, slick and ultimately meaningless answer was always at the ready. Few men can talk football better than Bill Callahan, which made Pelini's press conference, where he was visibly nervous and even bought himself some time on a few questions with a "how do you mean" or two, that much more refreshing.

This isn't a coach who likes talking about football, this is a coach who loves coaching football. It's possible that this worried a few Nebraskan's as they tuned in Sunday and it's possible that it will worry a few more down the road but if I had to characterize Pelini's persona today there's a word that comes immediately to mind: Nebraskan.

Chuck Klosterman wrote perhaps my favorite passage regarding the Midwestern ethos while describing his upbringing in North Dakota in Fargo Rock City:

"...what this culture lacked (and still lacks) is an emphasis on ideas--especially ideas that don't serve a practical, tangible purpose. In North Dakota, life is about work. Everything is based on working hard, regardless of what it earns you. If you're spending a lot of time mulling over the state of the universe (or even the state of your own life), you're obviously not working. You probably need to get back to work."

Swap Nebraska for North Dakota in that passage and you have the perfect description of where I grew up and I couldn't help but think of it while watching Pelini undergo his first Q&A session as Nebraska's head coach. For some people, most of the people I knew back in Nebraska, talking about working is a lot more difficult than actually working. Pelini seems to be one of those people and those people are typically the ones you want working beside you.

In my mind, Bo left that press conference, immediately removed his tie like a young boy after Christmas Eve mass, put on a grey sweatshirt and started calling recruits. More likely, he probably had a nice dinner with his family, watched to see where LSU would land and then went to bed but the important thing here is perception and in the end it came down to this: Pelini may not be polished behind a mike but he already feels like one of us.

My favorite part of the press conference came after it was officially over. Dr. Tom had already stepped in and delivered the "one more question" decree and then there was Pelini, sort of looking around wondering if it was actually over. Somebody suggested a family photo and then a employee of the athletic department walked in front of the podium and asked Bo if he'd like a hat.

"Yeah, the white one," the 28th head football coach at Nebraska said before exiting stage left.

Good choice. The good guys always wear white hats.

The embattled Nebraska AD was officially ousted this afternoon at 2:15 p.m. according to the Lincoln Journal-Star.

Chancellor Harvey Perlman was quoted as saying:

"We are of course disappointed about the progress in our football program. Steve has done many positive things for Husker athletics during his tenure but I think only new leadership can objectively assess the state of our program and make the decisions necessary to move us forward."

Perlman is scheduled to speak to the media at 4:oo p.m.

Read the full press release here.

Like many others I suspect, the HPSWBT took an absolute beating over the weekend that was, posting a 3-7 record. I'll blame this solely on Mississippi. Not the school but the state. For three quarters each it looked like my Magnolia State parlay was going to pay off with two wins. Didn't happen. If not for Auburn, the week would've been a total loss.

Alas, another week begins anew and we've got work to do...

Kentucky @ South Carolina (-3.5)

The Wildcats have never beaten the Head Ball Coach but Kentucky's major questions seem to be on the defensive side of the ball but that's a good place to have them when facing the Gamecocks. Rich Brooks dream season will lose a little of its luster over the next three weeks but I don't think it will be here.

Arizona St. @ Washington St. (-9)

I'm officially the last person on the Sun Devil bandwagon. Over the past two weeks I've chastised friends of mine for taking ASU but they keep rolling along and Wazzu is some kind of awful. The Cougars have given up 95 points in two Pac-10 games.

NC State @ Florida St. (-18)

The Pack has one win this year. Against Wofford. But I'm not certain that Florida State can score 18 points, much less win by that much. Despite their struggles NC State has been able to put up at least two scores in each game this season. The Seminoles have topped 28 only once.

Kansas @ Kansas St. (-3)

"Bounce" is one of the most difficult things to predict in horse racing so trying to apply it to football, especially in 2007, is doubly absurd but I'll be real interested to see how the Wildcats come off their shocking win over Texas. Kansas seems to have the most at stake here with a nation full of disbelievers.

Florida @ LSU (-9)

Somewhat lost in last week's shock and awe is the fact that LSU slept through the first half of their game against Tulane. In my mind, USC was much more impressive against Washington than the Tigers were against the Green Wave. This is the SEC after all, the conference where everybody beats everybody. I'm not ready to call an outright win for Florida but it wouldn't surprise me.

Georgia @ Tennessee (-2)

The Bulldogs are the Jack Kerouac of college football. They do their best work on the road.

Virginia @ Middle Tennessee St. (+10)

After an absolute debacle in Laramie to open the season, Wahoo Wah could be one of the top teams in the admittedly abysmal ACC. Should probably mention here that the Blue Raiders lost to Florida Atlantic.

TCU @ Wyoming (-3)

Love the Cowboys defense but they can't really be the class of the Mountain West can they? Subquestion: I'm not really going to take 10 road teams this week, am I....

Oklahoma v. Texas ( +11)

...no, I'm not because there is no road team at the State Fair. The difference here, besides the four games prior to last week's shocking results, is that Oklahoma gave their game away. Texas got straight punched in the mouth. Sooners are still the class of the Big 12.

Nebraska @ Missouri (-7)

I'm going to have a lot to say about this game tomorrow but for now it comes down to three keys for the Cornhuskers: 1) Can the defense find some answers? If they can't now, with the Tigers running their mouths, they won't this year. 2) Can Nebraska run the ball? I feel like Lucky has gotten his due when you consider that for two games, USC and Ball St., Nebraska had to abandon the run entirely. 3) Can Sam Keller stop turning the ball over? The Surgeon has been the rock for Nebraska so far this year, but he's only one INT short of tying Zac Taylor's total from all of last year.

Last week: 3-7

Year to Date: 28-22

Look at that, we're already at the quarter-pole in the 2007 BCS Stakes. In brief: LSU, USC, Florida...good; Syracuse, Auburn, Notre Dame...bad. Oklahoma? Looked good but I need to see a bit more.

After 10 days on the road, canvassing five states and seeing an ugly Nebrask win and an ugly Nebraska loss, I'm finally back on my home turf. And, while I didn't struggle as badly with my picks while on the road in past years, I wasn't writing home about my 10-10 record either. You tread water for too long and the gators will eventually get ya.

Alas, every Thursday the agony and ecstasy begins anew. It's a pretty pathetic slate of games to round out the non-conference portion of the schedule and all the good action is in the SEC. Of course, many people will tell you this is always the case.

Texas Ag. & Mech @ Miami (-2.5)

Not often you get a non-conference battle as good as this on a Thursday night. After looking ugly against Montana State and surviving Fresno State, the Aggies finally found a team to pound on in UL-M, but this Miami game marks the beginning of a brutal schedule from here on out. Ag. & Mech. needs a win here in what looks a lot like a toss-up. Do you want Franchione under those circumstances? On the road? I don't. Miami's defense will do enough to give their offense time to get cranking.

Oklahoma @ Tulsa (+23)

It's a great week for Big 12 weeknight games. Props to Oklahoma for going on the road against an in-state school. The Sooners earth-movers are too dominant for Tulsa to give them real fits, but the Golden Hurricanes can put some points of their own and, with a jacked Friday night lights crowd, I think they sneak in under the number.

Georgia @ Alabama (-3.5)

I've ridden the Saban express for the past two weeks but this is my stop. The win against Arkansas was nice but you can't overlook the fact that the Tide lost a three touchdown lead twice. The Dawgs have struggled in Tuscaloosa of late, but Richt won his only trip and I've got a feeling that the notion of starting 0-2 in the SEC will be enough to motivate UGA.

Georgia Tech @ Virginia (+3.5)

No shame for the Ramblin' Wreck in a loss to Boston College last week. The Eagles just might be the class of the ACC. Meanwhile, Virginia has swept Tobacco Road over the past two weeks, barely, but the last time I checked that didn't really earn you anything on the gridiron.

South Carolina @ LSU (-16.5)

I have four very strong thoughts on this game: 1) I fully expect LSU to win, 2) If I had to choose one coach to go in and win a conference game in Baton Rouge it would be Steve Spurrier, 3) South Carolina is not the 12th best team in the land, and 4) that said, 16.5 seems like a helluva lot of points a good Gamecock defense. Head Ball Coach loves to win games he shouldn't by uglying things up and that should be the case here. I doubt Blake Mitchell, who needs a permission slip just to audible, will be able to handle Bo Pelini's blitzes but USC's defense is nothing to scoff at either. It won't be the prettiest game of the weekend but it should be the most fun.

Kentucky @ Arkansas (-6)

I loved what Kentucky did last week and if they win here I'll be positively ecstatic, but I have a feeling that Darren McFadden has other ideas. The boss hawg had a huge game against 'Bama only to miss Arkansas' crucial offensive series with tweetie birds circling his head. Darren McFadden hates that crap. Expect him to take it out on the Wildcats.

Oregon @ Stanford (+16.5)

The Ducks have finally looked as flashy as their uniforms thus far in 2007. I rolled with the spunky Jim Harbaugh in week one against UCLA and the Cardinal got creamed. Then UCLA got creamed. Not Stanford gets creamed again.

Northwestern @ Ohio State (-22.5)

Northwestern should have beat Duke last week in the big conference brainiac bowl outgaining the Blue Devils 509 to 306, but they didn't, ensuring their school will live on in terms of major conference futility. Out west, Ohio State took a couple shots from Washington but won on the road. Don't look now, but the Buckeyes could be your Big 10 favorite, because...

Penn State @ Michigan (-3)

...I'm not sure the Lions have enough roar. The Big 10 needs Penn State to win here. Wisconsin is an underwhelming 3-0, nobody outside of Ohio wants to see the Buckeyes in the mix again and if Michigan can win the conference, well, start printing your Appy State - Big 10 Champions shirts. That leaves Penn State. The fate of the conference is in your hands. If the Nittanies can win here they're the legitimate front-runner. I don't think they can. Michigan's been exposed up the middle but now they're playing somebody more their speed and flavor (i.e. vanilla). If the Wolverines open 0-3 at the Big House I suggest it be repossessed.

Ball State @ Nebraska (-22.5)

This is not a motivational pick. I'm not picking against Nebraska for the first time this season to light a metaphorical fire under any metaphorical asses. Sadly, I'm not sure the Cornhuskers read this blog so I'd just be throwing a pick away if that was my motivation. It's not. I'm fairly certain Nebraska will win here. That's the Callahan way. Get embarrassed against the good teams and roll it up on teams you're physically better than by running the football. Ball State, to quote my favorite piece of scouting ever to come out of Indiana, is a bunch of mites, but mites are notoriously annoying and hard to contain. The Cardinals can score enough to keep this closer than three touchdowns and, if they get much closer than that, seats could get real hot in Lincoln. BSU is dangerous, but Nebraska has a lot to prove after last week.

Last Week: 5-5

Year to Date: 18-12