Taking a break from the rat race this afternoon, I better get my picks in now before my schedule explodes this week.

Make or break games again this week for many teams....

Utah 39 TCU 33

TCU is a pretender and Oklahoma already proved that point earlier this year, while the Utes have proved otherwise in previous big games. Utah gets a quality win on the way to an unlikely BCS bid.

Ohio State 17 Northwestern 14

Ohio State is a lot like the Dow Jones this year. Up and down and inconsistent.

Missouri 38 K-State 21

Yeah, yeah, yeah. A part of me wouldn't mind seeing Pinkel head to Washington, but the guy has put down roots in Mid-Missouri and his family is firmly planted. With Pinkel's recruiting classes and solid program in place, Mizzou would be able to snag an elite coach to take over. Which is another reason why he won't leave. Look for Mizzou to handle it's business this weekend.

Texas Tech 45 Oklahoma State 28

This one could be headed to overtime, but I think since the game is in Lubbock the Red Raiders will roll. I miss those games in Lubbock while growing up in West Texas and later after college. One of the most underrated stadiums and crowds in college football.

LSU 16 Alabama 13

LSU wakes up and smacks a team that should know better. Call it karma, call it luck, call it a BCS dream ender for the Crimson Tide.

Oklahoma 63 Texas A&M 24

Boy, that game with Texas Tech should be a real good one after the bye week.

Cal 31 USC 30

Heart. USC doesn't have any this year.

Penn State 14 Iowa 12

A close and unexpected battle for the Fighting Jo Pa's, but they gain momentum late in the 4th quarter to seal the deal.

Florida 55 Vandy 14

Could be closer than the experts think. Uh, nevermind. This isn't the same Gator squad that began the season.

Boston College 24 ND 17

Yawn.

Working hard these last couple of weeks has taken its toll on my blogging time, but I still found time to vote early. After two hours in a line that wrapped around the block, IT WAS WORTH IT. I must say though I haven't rang a cowbell in days now and I am jones'n a bit. Go Rays!

A few words on this weekend's debacle at the top of the polls. Alabama is NOT the #1 team in the country. They don't play like it and they haven't won as impressively as Texas Tech nor Penn State. Let's talk about Texas Tech. Any doubts about the defense was put to rest Saturday night and this team is playing on a whole new level this year. They didn't surprise Texas and this was no fluke game.

Texas was out played, out matched, and out coached plain and simple. What the game did prove is that the Big 12 is the strongest conference in the country and the top four teams in the South would be undefeated in any other conference.

I wish I could say the same about the North, but alas Mizzou is the only great team in the North. I still believe they would make mincemeat out of Alabama. With that said, Florida is playing the best out of the SEC schools despite Georgia revealing once again how overrated they really are this year.

1. Texas Tech

2. Penn State

3. Alabama

4. Oklahoma

5. Florida

6. Texas

7. Oklahoma State

8. Utah

9. USC

10. Missouri

11. Boise State

12. Ohio State

13. TCU

14. LSU

15. Georgia

16. Ball State

17. Michigan State

18. North Carolina

19. Kansas

20. Northwestern

21. West Virginia

22. Georgia Tech

23. Maryland

24. Florida State

25. BYU

Last week I spent every day away from the house, which meant no time for blogging or picks. Sorry guys and gals. Monday I took the kids to see Obama speak in Tampa at the Yankees spring training facilities across the street from Ray Jay. The field used to be called Legends Field, but I guess George just felt like naming it after himself.

Tuesday I took the wife to see Rise Against. Awesome.

Wednesday I arrived at the Trop at 2pm and unloaded the kids and set up camp in the parking lot for Game 1 of the World Series. Awesome.

Thursday, more baseball!

Friday, dinner out at Bubba Gump's with my family. Gotta love spot bonus gift cards when you least expect them!

Saturday... what a day! Great games. Though I thought LSU was better than Georgia, but geez was I wrong on that one. Or has Georgia just improved over the course of the season and LSU taken a few steps back???

1. Texas

2. Penn State

3. Texas Tech

4. Alabama

5. Oklahoma

6. Florida

7. Georgia

8. USC

9. Oklahoma State

10. Boise State

11. Ohio State

12. Missouri

13. Utah

14. TCU

15. Tulsa

16. Minnesota

17. Ball State

18. LSU

19. Florida State

20. Michigan State

21. Oregon

22. North Carolina

23. BYU

24. Maryland

25. Kansas

1. Texas

2. Penn State

3. Alabama

4. Oklahoma

5. Oklahoma State

6. Texas Tech

7. Florida

8. Boise State

9. USC

10. Ohio State

11. Georgia

12. LSU

13. Missouri

14. Tulsa

15. South Florida

16. Pittsburgh

17. Kansas

18. Georgia Tech

19. Florida State

20. Utah

21. Northwestern

22. TCU

23. Ball State

24. Minnesota

25. Virginia Tech

This close to gametime I don't expect discussion, but gotta put 'em on the record here in the blogosphere anyway.

With that said, I have to put and "I TOLD YOU SO" out there for all the BYU talk I heard every week I said they were pretenders all along. Also Boise State, contenders. Period.

Mizzou 44 Texas 31

LSU 23 South Carolina 21

Oklahoma 35 Kansas 17

Georgia 17 Vanderbilt 14

Michigan State 28 Ohio State 24

Penn State 66 Michigan 13

UNLV 30 Air Force 28

Kansas State 31 Colorado 16

Navy 33 Pittsburgh 21

Alabama 31 Ole Miss 30

Bonus

Dallas Cowboys 44 St. Louis 10