Last week I conceded the fact that Mizzou had not played good enough for the #1 ranking I had given them from Week 1 through last week. They won by 21 points and I ranked USC at #1 after watching them dismantle Ohio State.

This week my earlier suspicions about the Pac 10's last great hope at credibility went down in flames. No matter how you slice that game, they were outplayed and dominated for every minute of the contest.

My suspicions about Florida's meeting with Ole Miss were fully realized, as were my barbs pointed at Georgia thus far in the season now justified. Illinois proved they are a good team, but Penn State proved they are truly the best in the Big 10.

The Big 12 had a bad week as Colorado and Nebraska lost to mediocre out of conference foes. Oklahoma shrugged off a Top 25 out of conference foe, launching OU to what I am assuming will be it's first #1 ranking in the AP and Coaches polls.

You can definitely tell Arkansas is missing Felix Jones now that he is with the Dallas Cowboys.

Well, if you saw my poll last week you know that my obvious choice for #1 is....

1. Alabama

2. Missouri

3. Oklahoma

4. LSU

5. Penn State

6. Texas

7. Texas Tech

8. South Florida

9. USC

10. Florida

11. Oklahoma State

12. Auburn

13. Kansas

14. Georgia

15. Vanderbilt

16. BYU

17. Ohio State

18. Utah

19. Boise State

20. Kentucky

21. Northwestern

22. Oregon

23. Wisconsin

24. Fresno State

25. Maryland

The University of Missouri football game at Nebraska on Oct. 4th has been chosen for a national cable telecast on ESPN, and will kickoff at 8 p.m. (central). The game will mark Mizzou's second appearance on ESPN already this season, adding to the season-opening 52-42 win over 20th-ranked Illinois on Aug. 30th, that was shown by the network.

If the game isn't where you find the Gameday Crew, I'll be putting my clowny foot up Herby's arse.

The Big 12 is now operating on its 12-day advance notification process for all future weekends, because let's face it, all eye's are on Mizzou and Oklahoma from here on out.

While I am concerned about OU taking on TCU this weekend, Mizzou has a rough schedule from here on out with trips to Lincoln, Austin and dates with an improved Big 12 North. The last thing the Big 12 needs is one of our elite to fall to a team from a lesser conference so the Sooners better be ready. All due respect to Kansas, but that loss to USF is embarrassing. But at this point, no one is invincible in college football anymore.

Which brings me back to the Tiger trip to Lincoln. Despite recent ass whoopings inflicted on the Cornhuskers, all of them occurred in Columbia. In fact, Mizzou has not won in Lincoln in decades.

That fact alone is reason for any gambler to avoid this game like the plague.

Stick to Florida State/Miami that weekend.

Added to the intrigue surrounding this game is an improved Corhusker defense showing signs of swagger under the leadership of first year coach, longtime Husker, Bo Pelini.

This week they get a nice warm up game with the Hokies coming to town. Honestly, I wish Mizzou had the Fighting Beamers coming into town instead of the boys watching the game on the couch.

The Tigers are 4-5 after bye weeks heading into conference play under Gary Pinkel.

The history behind this game is stacked against a Missouri win, but this is a Tiger squad that is re-writing that history since the historic #1 ranking a year ago.

Chase Daniel will be the shortest Heisman winner since Nebraska's Eric Crouch. The first in school history.

The first conference championship since 1969. The Dec. 6th Big 12 Championship Game will likely look like a Mizzou home game at Arrowhead. Coincidentally, it will be the Tigers second straight game at the stadium as they meet Kansas Nov. 29th. It will also be likely that those are the two best games played at the NFL stadium this year. Boy the Chiefs are BAAADD. Sorry, dad.

Sounds like a storybook year in the making for the Missouri Tigers.

The Nebraska game will also be the first time that a captive national audience will get to see Mizzou's defense since the Illinois game. This isn't the same defensive squad rusty from a summer break.

Defensive leader Weatherspoon was recently honored for his career day, as he led Mizzou with a career-high 20 tackles against Buffalo. Among those tackles included three tackles for a loss, including a sack, while also breaking up one pass.  Mizzou had a nice defensive tune-up against Buffalo, as it allowed an opponent season-low 286 yards of offense to a Buffalo team that came into the game averaging 427 yards per game. 

As the great T.O. likes to say, "Get your popcorn ready!"

Holy Shit. Wednesday arrives and I am doing my picks by day's end. I guess I am getting used to getting up at 3:30 am every morning.

This week finds my Mizzou Tigers on the couch and in the film room. Getting ready for a trip to Lincoln we will be watching as the Hokies provide insight into this year's Husker squad.

The game of the week is, big surprise an SEC game, Alabama @ Georgia. No other matchup in any other conference has more BCS implications.

Gee, I can't imagine why the SEC might have a superiority complex. My picks were down going 7-3 last week (8-1 previous week), that's 35-8 on the year.

Alabama 35 Georgia 16

USC 62 OSU 3

Ohio State 23 Minnesota 22

Maryland 31 Clemson 28

Florida 28 Ole Miss 27

Texas 44 Arkansas 24

Colorado 34 FSU 13

Oklahoma 44 TCU 21

Nebraska 20 VT 9

NC State 31 USF 28

Bonus

Dallas Cowboys 35 Washington Redskins 15

There can only be one. This week, it isn't Mizzou.

A hard thing for a homer to swallow, but the Tigers just don't look as good as they should heading into conference play. This week, another group of Tigers struggled to win, but in the end looked like a real contender. But there is another SEC team I have ranked higher this week and no, it isn't Georgia.

Here's the poll before the other polls. Gotta run, I have to hit the store for the BBQ I'm having for the Dallas Cowboys/Green Bay Packers game.

1. USC

2. Alabama

3. Missouri

4. LSU

5. Oklahoma

6. Florida

7. Penn State

8. Texas Tech

9. Texas

10. Georgia

11. South Florida

12. Wisconsin

13. Oklahoma State

14. Wake Forest

15. BYU

16. Minnesota

17. Clemson

18. Vanderbilt

19. Nebraska

20. Colorado

21. Kansas

22. Auburn

23. Utah

24. East Carolina

25. Ohio State

So, earlier this week I mentioned taking my time and making my picks Wednesday evening. Well, of course it is Friday and I have had absolutely NO time. I watched Monday's, Wednesday's and Thursday's games with the Rays tuned in on the picture in picture. Yep, I even had to multitask my sports viewing.

I might as well have skipped the Rays last night, but oh well.

This week I am pretty much NOT that interested in the matchups, they look extremely boring. I don't care if Auburn plays LSU, the game isn't going to be any good. This cat fight has all the makings of a snoozer, but of course I'll keep track anyway. I will be pretty busy anyway as I join folks from work as we team up with the Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup here in the Tampa Bay area. If you're nearby and want more info visit 97xonline.com, just click on events.

I'll be out at the Fort Desoto clean up, wearing my NBT 7 shirt and dragging my three girls behind me if you want to say hi.

Well, with last nights amazing college football game I will say that no, West Virginia isn't that bad. Yes, Colorado has turned the corner. Yes, I am very glad that the Buffs have to head to Columbia in October.

Now to the picks....

Mizzou 58 Buffalo 9

LSU 24 Auburn 15

Florida 44 Tennessee 10

Michigan St 30 ND 13

Miami 35 Texas A&M 24

Air Force 38 Utah 37

South Florida 69 Florida Intl 10

Ball St 31 Indiana 24

Florida St 14 Wake Forest 13

Baylor 44 UConn 23

Bonus

Chicago Bears 17 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16