Happy Thanksgiving. I went 17-5 last week, bringing my record for the year to 62-20. This week, I’m keeping it short and simple again. Also, this week, rather than the BCS rankings, I’m using the rankings I’ve developed in the Cross Poll. (Shameless plug.)

Thursday Throwdown: #12 USC at #6 Arizona State, Thu., 11/22, 8:00 pm, ESPN … The wacky Pac-10 race could get a little more wacky if USC knocks of the Sun Devils, creating a three-way tie with Oregon. … USC 25, ASU 22

Arkansas at #2 LSU, Fri., 11/23, 2:30 pm, CBS … Arkansas is underachieving this year. LSU is not. … Arkansas 25, LSU 38

#15 Texas at Texas A&M, Fri., 11/23, 3:30 pm, ABC … The first of several in-state rivalries this week. Usually a good game, but I don’t see the Aggies matching up well. … Texas 32, Texas A&M 24

#14 Boise State at #7 Hawaii, Fri., 11/23, 9:00 pm, ESPN2 … There’s a lot at stake in this one, including a possible BCS at-large berth. The Broncos have to travel to the island, but I think they’ll handle the trip well. … Boise State 30, Hawaii 28

#8 Virginia Tech at #16 Virginia, Sat., 11/24, 12:00 pm, ESPN 2 … Who is the best team in Virginia? Well, let’s see: losses to LSU and Boston College vs. losses to Wyoming and NC State. … Virginia Tech 22, Virginia 17

Miami (Fl) at #13 Boston College, Sat., 11/24, 12:00 pm, ESPN … Flutie Bowl! This one probably won’t require any last-second heroics. … Miami 17, BC 32

#24 South Florida at Pittsburgh, Sat., 11/24, 12:00 pm, GamePlan … Boy, Dave Wannstedt is really doing a great job with the Panthers, isn’t he? Maybe he should take the Michigan job. … USF 27, Pitt 18

#20 Tennessee at #29 Kentucky, Sat., 11/24, 1:30 pm, CBS … If a four-loss Kentucky team at home beats a three-loss Tennessee team, is it technically an upset? … Tennessee 29, Kentucky 32

Utah at #23 Brigham Young, Sat., 11/24, 2:00 pm CSTV/Versus/The MTN… Who is the best team in Utah? I honestly couldn't tell you. … Utah 22, BYU 21

#17 Connecticut at #4 West Virginia, Sat., 11/24, 3:30 pm, ABC/GamePlan … The de facto Big East championship game, and to the winner a likely BCS bid. For the Mountaineers, even more is riding on it because if they win out and either Kansas or LSU lose, they have a shot at the national championship. … UConn 17, WVU 30

#9 Georgia at Georgia Tech, Sat., 11/24, 3:30 pm, ABC/GamePlan … Who is the best team in Georgia? I came very close to taking the Rambling Wreck, but then I remembered how wrong I was the last time I bet against Georgia. … Georgia 26, Georgia Tech 23

#10 Oregon at UCLA, Sat., 11/24, 3:30 pm, ABC/GamePlan … Can the Ducks win without Dennis Dixon? It sure didn’t look like it last week. … Oregon 29, UCLA 22

Oklahoma State at #11 Oklahoma, Sat., 11/24, 3:30 pm, FSN … Who is the best team in Oklahoma? I’m not man enough to choose the Cowboys. … Oklahoma St 28, Oklahoma 38

#30 Florida State at #18 Florida, Sat., 11/24, 5:00 pm, CBS … Who is the best team in Florida? Well, who would you rather have, Tim Tebow or whoever the Seminole quarterback is this week? … Florida St 26, Florida 35

#25 Clemson at South Carolina, Sat., 11/24, 7:00 pm, ESPN2 … Who is the best team in South Carolina? Hopefully this one won’t make Lou Holtz cry. … Clemson 33, South Carolina 26

#22 Cincinnati at Syracuse, Sat., 11/24, 7:15 pm, ESPNU … The historic teams of the Big East (read: Syracuse and Pitt) are pathetic while the new guard (read: Cincinnati and South Florida) are dominating. Who saw this coming when Miami led the mutiny years ago? … Cincinnati 36, Syracuse 16

Alabama at #26 Auburn, Sat., 11/24, 8:00 pm, ESPN … Who is the best team in Alabama? Better question: Will anyone outside the state watch this one when there’s a much better game on ABC? … Alabama 19, Auburn 26

Game of the Week: #3 Missouri at #1 Kansas, Sat., 11/24, 8:00 pm, ABC … What are you doing Saturday night? If you like college football, you’re watching this game, probably polishing off some leftovers. I go back and forth on this one. One thing I know: there will be a lot of points scored. … Missouri 35, Kansas 38

 

 

I went 16-6 last week, bringing my record for the year to a nice, even 45-15. This week, I’m pressed for time, so I won’t make very long posts for each one. Keeping it short and simple. Also, this week, rather than the BCS rankings, I’m using the rankings I’ve developed in the Cross Poll. (Shameless plug.) 

Thursday Throwdown: #3 Oregon at Arizona, Thu., 11/15, 9:00 pm, ESPN … The quack attack keeps rolling and makes it 2-0 against teams beginning with “Arizona.” … Oregon 34, Arizona 26 

#9 Hawaii at Nevada, Fri., 11/16, 11:00 pm, ESPN2 … Watching Hawaii is like watching your alarm clock after you’ve hit snooze: you’re know it’s going to go off any minute now. … Hawaii 41, Nevada 28 

Syracuse at #19 Connecticut, Sat., 11/17, 12:00 pm, ESPN2  … Syracuse is averaging 15.9 points per game. UConn is giving up 15.0 points per game. Gee, I wonder how much Syracuse will score? … Syracuse 15, UConn 39

Florida Atlantic at #20 Florida, Sat., 11/17, 12:00 pm, GamePlan … Dear Florida Atlantic, welcome to the party. Here’s your door prize. Sincerely, the Florida school in the top 25. … FAU 22, Florida 41 

Northwestern at #21 Illinois, Sat., 11/17, 12;00 pm, ESPN … Is there a rule that if you’re a BCS program from Illinois you have to wear purple? … Northwestern 25, Illinois 35

#8 Ohio State at #24 Michigan, Sat., 11/17, 12:00 pm, ABC … Who makes the long trip to Pasadena this year? Everyone will be watching this one, but after last week, it’s just not as sexy. … Ohio State 23, Michigan 21

#26 Kentucky at #11 Georgia, Sat., 11/17, 12:30 pm, LFS/Gameplan … In the eternal struggle between cats and dogs, always go dogs. Unless it’s a labradoodle, and then you need to man up and not let your girlfriend choose your pets. … Kentucky 29, Georgia 39

#5 Missouri at Kansas State, Sat., 11/17, 12:30 pm, FSN … Battles of cat vs. cat are a little trickier though. But who would you choose, the tiger or the wildcat? That’s what I thought. Keep in mind, however, how Kansas State humiliated Texas a few weeks ago. … Missouri 40, Kansas State 30

#30 Mississippi State at Arkansas, Sat., 11/17, 2:00 pm … Darren McFadden will probably run for 300 yards again, and Arkansas will probably still lose. But, then again, probably not. … Mississippi State 18, Arkansas 28 

Idaho at #14 Boise State, Sat., 11.17, 2:00 pm, GamePlan … Oh no! SmurfTurf! Save your eyes, change the channel, quickly. … Idaho 20, Boise State 40

Vanderbilt at #22 Tennessee, Sat., 11/17, 2:00 pm, GamePlan … Vandy usually plays the Vols tough. But they’ll always be the little brother. … Vanderbilt 21, Tennessee 30 

#27 Brigham Young at Wyoming, Sat., 11/17, 2:00 pm, The Mtn … I have to admit that I haven’t seen either of these teams play this year. There, I said it. You can question my fanhood. … BYU 26, Wyoming 20 

Iowa State at #1 Kansas, Sat., 11/17, 3:30 pm, ABC/GamePlan … And I felt weird about ranking Kansas #2 last week. Raise your hand if you saw this in August. … Iowa St 20, Kansas 39

#25 Penn State at Michigan State, Sat., 11/17, 3:30 pm, ABC/ESPN … If both teams play up to standard, this one will essentially be a contest of who can avoid losing. … Penn St 26, Michigan St 25

#23 Wisconsin at Minnesota, Sat., 11/17, 3:30 pm, BigTen … Does anyone remember a few years ago when this game came down to the wire until Rhys Lloyd kicked that winning field goal, ran over to the sideline and grabbed Paul Bunyan’s axe? This one won’t be that dramatic. … Wisconsin 38, Minnesota 22

#2 LSU at Mississippi, Sat., 11/17, 3:30 pm, CBS … Speaking of dramatic, this one should be a barn-burner. … LSU 33, Ole Miss 19

Miami (FL) at #10 Virginia Tech, Sat., 11/17, 3:30 pm, ABC/GamePlan … This game will go a long way toward deciding who represents the Big East in the BCS. Oh, right. … Miami 15, VaTech 27 

#29 California at Washington, Sat., 11/17, 3:30 pm, ABC/GamePlan … Boy, I sure hope this one is playing on my local ABC station. Aw shucks! … Cal 34, Washington 22

#7 West Virginia at #18 Cincinnati, Sat., 11/17, 7:45 pm, ESPN … Ohio State/Michigan is going to get all the hype, but this game is almost as important in deciding BCS berths. The Big East will likely come down to West Virginia or Connecticut, but Cincinnati could easily play spoiler here like the did for UConn last week, and South Florida before. … WVU 28, Cincinnati 24

#17 Boston College at #13 Clemson, Sat., 11/17, 7:45 pm, ESPN2 … Can the Eagles right the ship after two straight losses? And can they do it against a surging Clemson team? … BC 21, Clemson 29

Louisville at #28 South Florida, Sat., 11/17, 8:00 pm, ESPNU … Likewise for South Florida. Minus the “surging” part, which I would not use to describe Louisville this year, even though they played West Virginia tough last week. … Louisville 23, USF 31

#4 Oklahoma at Texas Tech, Sat., 11/17, 8:00 pm, ABC … I picked Texas Tech last week, and they let me down. In the immortal words of our illustrious president, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, won’t get fooled again.” … Oklahoma 35, Texas Tech 34

Thursday Throwdown: Louisville at #7 West Virginia, Thu., 11/08, 7:30 pm, ESPN. … What happened here? This should have been a prime time game between the two best programs in the Big East in front of a national audience. Instead, that national audience will get to watch the Mountaineers roll over Louisville’s pathetic defense. Expect Slaton, White, Reynaud, and Schmitt to go nuclear. … Louisville 23, West Virginia 38

Wake Forest at #21 Clemson, Sat., 11/10, 12:00 pm, ESPN2. … This should be a close game between two mid-level ACC schools. Don’t expect a lot of fireworks, though. … Wake Forest 21, Clemson 28

 

 

#12 Michigan at Wisconsin, Sat., 11/10, 12:00 pm, ESPN. … Wisconsin’s coming off a bad beat last week, so they should be fired up here. Plus, they’re at home. And Michigan is Michigan. But I see the Wolverines running the table until the showdown with Ohio State. … Michigan 24, Wisconsin 21

 

 

#23 Penn State at Temple, Sat., 11/10, 12:00 pm, ESPNU. … How the hell is Penn State still ranked in the BCS? … Penn State 30, Temple 17

 

 

Texas A&M at #6 Missouri, Sat., 11/10, 12:30 pm, FSN. … I’m sure OSL will disagree with how many points I offer the Aggies here. Not that I expect it to be very close. … Texas A&M 24, Missouri 35

 

 

#22 Alabama at Mississippi State, Sat., 11/10, 12:30 pm, LFS/GamePlan. … The Bulldogs are a win away from bowl eligibility. But they won’t get it here. … Alabama 27, Mississippi State 20

 

 

Arkansas at #24 Tennessee, Sat., 11/10, 12:30 pm, LFS/GamePlan. … This is the second most interesting SEC game this week, and I see an upset in the works. However, I’m a little tired of the Heisman hype around McFadden. He may be the most explosive player in the game, but that hasn’t helped his team a whole lot this year. Get ranked, then we’ll talk. … Arkansas 33, Tennessee 27

 

 

#25 Kentucky at Vanderbilt, Sat., 11/10, 2:00 pm. … Let’s hope Kentucky’s football team learned something from their basketball team last night, and that they decide to actually show up. … Kentucky 31, Vanderbilt 26

 

 

#20 Boise State at Utah State, Sat., 11/10, 3:00 pm, GamePlan. … Boise State still isn’t getting much love, but that will change in a few weeks when they beat Hawaii. … Boise State 37, Utah State 21

 

 

#9 Arizona State at UCLA, Sat., 11/10, 3:30 pm, ABC/GamePlan. … Arizona State had their hearts broken last week, but they should rebound against a UCLA team that can’t decide who they are from one game to the next. … Arizona State 30, UCLA 20

 

 

Game of the Week: #18 Auburn at #10 Georgia, Sat., 11/10, 3:30 pm, CBS. … This one should be close down to the wire. I have a feeling it will be decided by less than a touchdown. The Dawgs are tough at home, but Auburn has the hunger here. … Auburn 23, Georgia 20

 

 

Upset Special: #13 Connecticut at Cincinnati, Sat., 11/10, 3:30 pm, ESPNU. … It’s a shame this game is stuck on ESPNU because it should be a fun one to watch. Connecticut, and not West Virginia, currently sit atop the Big East standings. But Cincinnati is the dark horse that no one seems to pay attention to. They should catch the Huskies unawares just like they caught South Florida napping last week. Their upcoming game against the Mountaineers should go a long way to deciding who comes out of this tight race. … Connecticut 18, Cincinnati 22

 

 

Florida State at #11 Virginia Tech, Sat., 11/10, 3:30 pm, ABC/GamePlan. … Florida State, the only team to beat Boston College, travels to Blacksburg to take on Virginia Tech, the last team to lose to Boston College. Don’t expect the Hokies to lose another home game. … Florida State 17, Virginia Tech 24

 

 

Illinois at #1 Ohio State, Sat., 11/10, 3:30 pm, ABC/ESPN. … The Buckeyes keep cruising along to their date against Michigan. Zook’s doing some good things at Illinois, but they don’t match up well in this one. … Illinois 16, Ohio State 28

 

 

Texas Tech at #14 Texas, Sat., 11/10, 3:30 pm, ABC/GamePlan. … Texas Tech is just waiting to catch one of the Big XII big boys napping, and Texas is poised for another upset. Should be an interesting day in Austin. … Texas Tech 28, Texas 26

 

 

Baylor at #5 Oklahoma, Sat., 11/10, 6:30 pm, FSN. … Oklahoma is a solid team, but I don’t think they are as powerful as some of the other one-loss teams, like LSU, Oregon, and maybe even West Virginia. That doesn’t mean Baylor stands a chance in this one. I’m just looking forward to an eventual championship against Kansas. … Baylor 17, Oklahoma 40

 

 

#19 Virginia at Miami (FL)., Sat., 11/10, 7:15 pm, ESPN2. … This is Miami’s last game against in the Orange Bowl. Too bad it’ll be a loss. … Virginia 22, Miami 21

 

 

#15 Florida at South Carolina, Sat., 11/10, 7:45 pm, ESPN. … Spurrier vs. Meyers. Both teams have been rather disappointing this season. But Florida must have the home addresses of all the poll voters to still be ranked so high. … Florida 35, South Carolina 31

 

 

#8 Boston College at Maryland, Sat., 11/10, 8:00 pm, ABC/GamePlan. … Boston College should rebound after losing to Florida State, and Maryland is a good team to do it against. … Boston College 27, Maryland 20

 

 

#17 USC at California, Sat., 11/10, 8:00 pm, ABC/GamePlan. … This is one of those moments I hate living on the East Coast. I would much rather watch this game than BC vs. Maryland. I’m taking USC here, but I will not be the least bit surprised if Cal pulls it off, especially in Berkley. … USC 28, California 21

 

 

#4 Kansas at Oklahoma State, Sat., 11/10, 8:00 pm, ABC/GamePlan. … Kansas keeps rolling, though they might not roll up 76 points again. … Kansas 34, Oklahoma State 20

 

 

Louisiana Tech at #2 LSU, Sat., 11/10, 8:00 pm, GamePlan. … Yawn. … Louisiana Tech 10, LSU 33

 

 

Fresno State at #16 Hawaii, Sat., 11/10, 11:00 pm, ESPN2. … Hawaii is going to lose. They won’t end up busting the BCS. However, while Fresno is going to play them close, I don’t think this will be the week the Warriors go down. Fresno has to make the long flight to the islands. … Fresno State 25, Hawaii 37

 

 

 

 

 

 

49ers at Falcons (-3), 1:00 pm. … A battle to prove who is less irrelevant and who has a leg up on draft position. … 49ers 17, Falcons 21

Bengals at Bills (-2.5), 1:00 pm. … The Bengals have certainly underperformed this year. And you can’t spell “underperformed” without “J.P. Losman.” … Bengals 22, Bills 24 

Broncos at Lions (-3.5), 1:00 pm. … A few weeks ago, while I watched a Broncos game, my girlfriend asked why there wasn’t a team named the Unicorns. I think she was serious. … Broncos 21, Lions 26

Packers at Chiefs (-1), 1:00 pm. … Who will receive their AARP card first, Brett Favre or Priest Holmes? … Packers 21, Chiefs 17

Chargers (-7.5) at Vikings, 1:00 pm. … The greatest running back in the game versus the next great running back. … Chargers 23, Vikings 20

Jaguars at Saints (-3.5), 1:00 pm. … Boy, the Saints have been a disappointment this year, haven’t they? A year after surprising everyone and making the playoffs, they struggle this year. … Jaguars 21, Saints 17

Redskins (-4) at Jets, 1:00 pm. … See above. Replace “Saints” with “Jets.” … Redskins 22, Jets 19

Panthers at Titans (-4.5), 1:00 pm. … Who would you rather have, an injured Vinny Testaverde or an injured David Carr? I’ll take an injured Vince Young, thanks. … Panthers 18, Titans 20

Cardinals at Buccaneers (-4.5), 1:00 pm. … I hate the pirate ship. I hate the pewter. But I like the Bucs in this one. … Cardinals 20, Buccaneers 23

Seahawks at Browns (-1), 4:05 pm. … The number four scoring offense (Cleveland?!) versus the number three scoring defense. Go with the D. … Seahawks 24, Browns 22

Patriots (-5.5) at Colts, 4:15 pm. … Hey, did you know that the Patriots are playing the Colts this week? I was going to work out this elaborate metaphor with the Patriots as the Empire and the Colts as the Jedi. It works well for the Pats -- Belichick as the Emperor (he’s got the hood) and Brady as Vader (he’s got the mask) -- plus, they’re just  plain evil. But I ran into trouble trying to compare Manning to Luke Skywalker, Dungy to Obi Wan, and Freeney to Chewbacca. … Patriots 30, Colts 27

Texans at Raiders (-3.5), 4:15 pm. … I feel bad for all of you who get to watch this game instead of the other one. Have fun with that. … Texans 21, Raiders 23

Cowboys (-3) at Eagles, 8:15 pm. … I’ll take Tony Romo and the Cowboys as long as he isn’t playing against Carmen Electra in anything. … Cowboys 26, Eagles 21

Ravens at Steelers (-7.5), 8:30 pm Monday. … Okay, let’s say that you’re in charge of creating the NFL schedule. Which game do you put on Monday Night Football this week? How many of you said this one? That’s what I thought. … Ravens 15, Steelers 23

 

I went a respectable 11-6 last week. I blame Kentucky and Virginia for most of my faliures, including the games they had nothing to do with. To avenge my wrongs, I won't pick either of them this week. Teach you to lose to Mississippi State and NC State.

Thursday Throwdown: #11 Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech, Thu., 11/01, 7:30 pm, ESPN. … This game has the potential to be a defensive struggle between two evenly matched teams, each of whom are giving up about 15 points per game. If it stays a close, low-scoring affair, I give Georgia Tech a slight advantage for two reason: first they’re playing at home in front of an amped crowd on national television; second, the Hokies are coming off an emotional letdown after last week, when they dominated Boston College for 55 minutes, only to lose the heartbreaker at the end. It’s difficult to rebound from something like that. … Virginia Tech 14, Georgia Tech 17. 

 

#25 Clemson at Duke, Sat., 11/03, 12:00 pm, GamePlan. … If Duke loses, and no one watches, does it really happen? Don’t worry, basketball season’s almost here. … Clemson 23, Duke 13. 

 

#21 Wisconsin at #1 Ohio State, Sat., 11/03, 12:00 pm, BigTen Network. … It’s good to know that the thirteen people in the nation who get the BigTen Network will be the only ones to watch our #1 team this weekend, especially against a team they haven’t beaten at home since 1996. It might be a bit of a test, but the Buckeyes should pull it out. After all, they’re only allowing an average of 8.9 points per game, while Wisconsin has given up more than twice that. … Wisconsin 13, Ohio State 20 

 

#24 Wake Forest at #23 Virginia, Sat., 11/03, 12:00 pm, LFS/GamePlan. … Both ACC schools have shown flashes of potential this season, but both have lost games they should have won. If you’re Virginia and you’re trying to prove you belong in the elite category, you don’t lose to Wyoming and NC State. You just don’t. Meanwhile, Wake needs to step it up and prove that last season was no fluke. … Wake Forest 17, Virginia 15. 

 

Vanderbilt at #20 Florida, Sat., 11/03, 12:30 pm, LFS/GamePlan. … Vanderbilt beat South Carolina who beat Kentucky who beat LSU who beat Florida. So the Commodores should trounce the Gators in the Swamp, right? Nah. … Vanderbilt 23, Florida 31 

 

Nebraska at #8 Kansas, Sat., 11/03, 12:30 pm, FSN. … Kansas still can’t get much love from pollsters, so they still have a lot to prove. Meanwhile, Nebraska’s still Nebraska, and Bill Callahan’s still at the helm. For now. Someone’s going to have to right this ship. Soon. … Nebraska 12, Kansas 27 

 

Troy at #10 Georgia, Sat., 11/03, 1:00 pm. … Troy is a lot better than your average fan realizes, so they might give the Dawgs a tough game, especially after that emotional win against Florida last week. While arguably the best team in the Sun Belt, Georgia should remind Troy, ultimately, that that’s still the Sun Belt. But expect it to be closer than expected. … Troy 18, Georgia 21 

 

Tennessee Tech at #16 Auburn, Sat., 11/03, 2:30 pm. … Yawn. Next. … Tennessee Tech 16, Auburn 49 

 

Upset Special: Navy at Notre Dame, Sat., 11/03, 2:30 pm, NBC. … Could things get worse for the Irish this year? Yes, yes they could. Things will get much worse if they lose to Navy for the first time in 43 years. Navy has one of the most miserable defenses in the nation, giving up an average of 38.1 points per game, and just gave up 59 points to D1-AA (or FCS or whatever the kids are calling it these days) Delaware. However, Notre Dame’s defense isn’t exactly air tight either, allowing almost 30 points per game themselves. The difference? Navy’s scoring an average of 35.8 points against their opponents, while Notre Dame is managing a paltry 10 points per game, and much of that has come from their defense. If ever a year for the Middies to pull it out, this is it. … Navy 22, Notre Dame 16 

 

San Jose State at #22 Boise State, Sat., 11/03, 3:00 pm, GamePlan. … Hey! SmurfTurf! Boise State’s at home this weekend, so you know what that means: only watch if you want to lose the players as they blend into the field. Forecast for San Jose Saturday: Sunny with a high of 79 degrees. Forecast for Boise Saturday: Sunny, but with a high of 57 degrees. Bring your mittens, Spartans. … San Jose 20, Boise 38 

 

Cincinnati at #18 South Florida, Sat., 11/03, 3:30 pm, ABC/GamePlan. … South Florida, after being ranked #2 a few weeks ago, has hit quite a tailspin lately, losing their past two to Rutgers and Connecticut, giving them slim chance of winning the Big East title. Meanwhile, Cincinnati is a darkhorse in the Big East race, and a team looking to ruin everyone else’s title hopes. The Bulls are at home, so they should right the ship (no pun intended; ok, maybe I am making fun of that pirate ship they play under), but they may have trouble rebounding after two straight losses. It’s a toss up. … Cincinnati 28, USF 24 

 

#12 Michigan at Michigan State, Sat., 11/03, 3:30 pm, ABC/ESPN. … Michigan is 1-1 this year against teams ending in “State.” If they can get past Michigan State and Wisconsin, then they’ll face Ohio State for the chance to play in the Rose Bowl. Hard to believe that a few short weeks ago they were the laughing stock of college football. Who am I kidding? They’re still the laughing stock of college football. But the pollsters seem not to remember that far back. Still, I think they’ll improve their record to 2-1 against State schools. The Spartans always seem to find a way to lose. … Michigan 28, Michigan State 26 

 

#15 Texas at Oklahoma State, Sat., 11/03, 3:30 pm, ABC/GamePlan. … The Cowboys have to prove that they’re grown men, not kids, and beating Texas would be a good way to do that. (I know the joke’s getting old, but I had to do it.) In the game of “whose mascot wins,” you should always take the Cowboy over the Cow. But in the game of “who has the uglier orange uniforms,” go with the white pants. … Texas 30, Oklahoma State 27. 

 

#3 LSU at #17 Alabama, Sat., 11/03, 5:30 pm, CBS. … Ready for Saban Bowl I? This one won’t be as interesting as next year, when Saban and the Tide travel to Baton Rouge to face the LSU faithful. Story line aside, this should be a good game as both teams try to get a leg up in the SEC West race. Saban’s already done some good things with this Alabama team, but I think they’re at least a couple years away from any championships. … LSU 29, Alabama 23 

 

#9 Missouri at Colorado, Sat., 11/03, 6:30 pm, FSN. … Don’t look now, but the Big XII North is relevant again, with Kansas and Missouri both ranked in the top 10 of the BCS. While the match up between those two on November 24 will likely determine who gets to play for the whole case of Dr. Pepper, don’t count Colorado and Kansas State out quite yet. Both are sitting patiently at #3, and both will play a role in determining the champion this year. And the Buffs have proven they can knock off the big boys. All that said, I give the nod to the Tigers … Missouri 21, Colorado 16 

 

Game of the Week: #4 Arizona State at #5 Oregon, Sat., 11/03, 6:40 pm, ESPN/FSN Regional. Are you a college football fan? If you answered yes, you watch this game Saturday night. How good is Arizona State? Does Oregon deserve the hype? Do either of these teams deserve to be mentioned in the national title hunt? This game will go a long way to answering those questions. While I’m not completely sold on either of these teams yet, I do think they’re the real deal. I just keep waiting for them to flake out again like Oregon did against Cal. In the end, I think the Ducks knock the Devils off their pedestal. It will be fun to watch either way. … Arizona State 20, Oregon 22 

 

Rutgers at #13 Connecticut, Sat., 11/03, 7:15 pm, ESPNU. … The Big East is turning into a difficult conference to predict. Of course West Virginia’s going to be the team to beat for the foreseeable future, but suddenly a lot of teams are emerging. Teams like Rutgers and South Florida have shown that they are worthy of title discussion. Meanwhile, schools with tradition, like Syracuse and Pitt, suffer on the bottom of the pool. And then there’s UConn, whose only loss this year came against Virginia. While quietly passing under most radars this year, the Huskies got a statement win against South Florida last week and find themselves sitting atop the Big East standings as the only team undefeated in league play. The big test comes in the final week when they play West Virginia, but first they have to get past a good Rutgers team coming off a spanking and looking for revenge. No easy task. … Rutgers 23, UConn 27 

 

Florida State at #2 Boston College, Sat., 11/03, 8:00 pm, ABC/GamePlan. … Remember when Boston College defected from the Big East and the ACC broke into two divisions? Remember how Florida State and Miami were put in separate divisions with the idea that this would essentially guarantee the title game would come down to a rematch between them every season? Hasn’t quite turned out that way, has it? Instead, teams like Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, and now Boston College have been the teams to beat, while Florida State and Miami are playing second fiddle to South Florida in state bragging rights. Who saw that coming? Boston College will likely stumble at some point this season, and the Noles might challenge them this week, but in the end I see the Eagles remaining perfect, even if it takes last-second heroics again. … Florida State 14, Boston College 20 

 

Texas A&M at #6 Oklahoma, Sat., 11/03, 8:00 pm, ABC/GamePlan. … Oklahoma tries to remain undefeated against the state of Texas (with games again Baylor and Texas Tech coming up), while A&M tries to rebound from last week’s home loss to Kansas. Advantage Sooners, who are beating their opponents by an average of 27.9 points per game this season. This one should be closer, but not really close. … Texas A&M 17, Oklahoma 24 

 

Oregon State at #19 USC, Sat., 11/03, 8:00 pm, ABC/GamePlan. … USC is 0-1 against teams from Oregon, while Oregon State is 2-1 against teams from California. (Hey, if other “experts” can come up with ridiculous justifications like this, so can I.)  Plus, Oregon State comes off a win against Stanford, and USC, well, you know what happened when they played Stanford. However, while you can’t rule the Beavers out, I have to give the Trojans the advantage here, especially since they’re playing in the Coliseum, though that didn’t seem to help much against the Cardinal a few weeks ago. USC definitely seems vulnerable, even when winning, but they should have enough mojo left to win this one. … Oregon State 17, USC 21

 

 

Well, Rutgers made last week's post about South Florida all but moot. However, my point remains the same; you can just substitute Kansas or Arizona State for South Florida. I still hold that any unbeaten team from any BCS conference deserves a shot at the National Championship over any one-loss team, even if that one-loss team does hail from the mighty SEC.

With that said, on to the picks. The rankings are according to the BCS poll, and all times are Eastern.

Thursday Throwdown: #2 Boston College at #8 Virginia Tech, Thu., 10/25, 7:30 pm, ESPN. ... Number 2 hasn’t been a good place to be lately. Will that trend continue?  Lane Stadium is going to be fired up tonight. The quarterback situation for the Hokies has me questioning their chances, but they have the homefield advantage, and since getting embarrassed by LSU, they have won their past five games by an average margin of 34.6 to 11.4. This one will be much closer. … BC 20, VT 21

Friday Fight: Boise State at Fresno State, Fri., 10/26, 9:00 pm, ESPN. ... Boise State is arguably the best unranked team, and are the most likely candidate to spoil Hawaii’s BCS dreams. But first they have to beat Fresno State away from the SmurfTurf. The spotlight will be on, and there isn’t even World Series games to distract us. … Boise 34, Fresno 27

 

 

 

#7 West Virginia at Rutgers, Sat., 10/27, 12:00 pm, ABC/GamePlan. ... Before the season, many had circled this game as the de facto Big East championship. Doesn’t look so hot now, but it’s still an important game, and both teams are surging. Rutgers is coming off an emotional upset of South Florida, and while they’ll keep it close, I don’t see them beating two top ten teams in a row. … WVU 26, Rutgers 23

 

Mississippi State at #14 Kentucky, Sat., 10/27, 12:30 pm, LFS/GamePlan. ... Kentucky is giving up an average of 28.8 points per game. It’s hard to have consistent success when you give up nearly 30 points per game. But against the Bulldogs, it probably won’t matter. … Mississippi State 26, Kentucky 32

Iowa State at #13 Missouri, Sat., 10/27, 2:00 pm. ... Since beating Iowa, the Cyclones haven’t exactly blown the doors off their opponents, losing their last five games. Missouri will make that six straight with an easy win. … Iowa State 17, Missouri 34

#12 USC at #5 Oregon, Sat. 10/27, 3:00 pm, FSN. ... USC hasn’t lived up to their preseason billing this year, losing to Stanford and not exactly looking impressive in most of their wins. However, I’m not sold on Oregon as a top 5 team. They seem poised for an upset. If not this week, soon. If USC pulls this one out, prepare for the Trojan hype to swing into high gear again. But it won’t last long. … USC 40, Oregon 37, OT

 

#10 South Florida at #23 Connecticut, Sat., 10/27, 3:30 pm, ABC/GamePlan. ... Last week, South Florida left sunny, warm Tampa and headed north to New Jersey where they lost by three points. This week, they’ll leave sunny, warm Tampa and head north to Connecticut. … USF 20, Connecticut 23

 

#11 Florida at #18 Georgia, Sat., 10/27, 3:30 pm, CBS. ... Do you think that if Florida loses again, they might fall out of the top 15? Probably won’t happen this week. Unless Tim Tebow lets all this Heisman hype go to his head. … Florida 27, Georgia 25

Minnesota at #20 Michigan, Sat., 10/27, 3:30 pm, ESPN Classic. ... Don’t look now kiddies, but Michigan is ranked again. For now. They’ll probably be embarrassed again, but not against Minnesota, even if they are playing in the Big House. … Minnesota 23, Michigan 35

 

Nebraska at #19 Texas, Sat., 10/27, 3:30 pm, ABC/GamePlan. ... Tom Osborne won’t stop the Nebraska slide into mediocrity until he gets back on the sideline. Do you think it says something that Nebraska is pretty much the only team who can’t have success with the spread? Speaking of the spread, here comes Tejas. … Nebraska 21, Texas 33

 

#15 Virginia at NC State, Sat., 10/27, 4:30 pm, ESPNU. ... Virginia has been playing well since the opening week loss at Wyoming, and they’re slowly climbing up the rankings. Meanwhile, do you think Tom O’Brien feels a little green around the gills when he compares the job he left and the job he took? … Virginia 24, NC State 20

Mississippi at #22 Auburn, Sat., 10/27, 6:00 pm, GamePlan. ... If Auburn loses again, do you think they’ll finally fall out of the polls? We’ll have to wait at least another week to find out. … Mississippi 18, Auburn 27

 

#9 Kansas at Texas A&M, Sat., 10/27, 7:00 pm, ESPN2. ... Many people (read: poll voters) don’t seem to take Kansas seriously. This team is giving up an average of 10.1 points per game. Meanwhile, A&M is giving up over twice that. Plus, Kansas has something to prove. … Kansas 31, Texas A&M 17

 

#16 South Carolina at Tennessee, Sat., 10/27, 7:45 pm, ESPN. ... Sixteen seems a tad high for a team that just lost to Vanderbilt, but stranger things are happening this season. Tennessee has been underwhelming, and while they may play the Gamecocks tough at Rocky Top, I don’t see Fulmer beating Spurrier this time round. … South Carolina 28, Tennessee 21

#1 Ohio State at #25 Penn State, Sat., 10/27, 8:00 pm, ABC. ... I’m still not sold on the Buckeyes as our national title favorites, and a large part of that is their schedule. Have they played anyone outside the state of Ohio? This will be their first test against a decent team. However, this isn’t your father’s Nittany Lion team. … OSU 21, PSU 16

 

#21 California at #4 Arizona State, Sat., 10/27, 10:00 pm, FSN. ... The Pac-10 isn’t exactly known for their defensive play, but the Sun Devil defense is a large part of their undefeated record, allowing only 15 points per game. And, like Kansas, they have something to prove to the poll voters. Too bad none of them will see this game, ending well after their bedtimes. … Cal 21, ASU 30

 

New Mexico State at #17 Hawaii, Sun., 10/28, 12:05 am. ... I put the over/under on the number of touchdowns Colt Brennan throws at 5. Unfortunately, I also put the over/under on the number of interceptions he throws at 5. … New Mexico State 24, Hawaii 40