Well, conference play is in full swing and the games should be GREAT this weekend. The biggest game on the college football menu this weekend of course is the Red River Rivalry.

#1 vs. #5. By the end of the weekend there will no longer be three Big 12 teams in the Top 5, so all you haters will be happy for a couple of weeks anyway.

By Monday, I believe we will have a new #1 in the major polls.

Texas 31 Oklahoma 30

Vanderbilt 22 Miss State 21

North Carolina 34 Notre Dame 14

Michigan State 44 Northwestern 34

South Carolina 27 Kentucky 7

Arizona State 14 USC 13

Texas Tech 65 Nebraska 34

Mizzou 44 Oklahoma State 10

Florida 24 LSU 21 (OT)

Boise State 48 Southern Miss10

Bonus

Dallas Cowboys 35 Arizona 24

Well, we learned some things this past weekend... or did we? After some matchups I still have questions. Let's discuss....

Is Vandy really for real or is Auburn just that lame? Well, if a backup QB can still lead the team to a win, I feel Vandy is for real. I have had them ranked for weeks now in the Homer Poll, but they are now the highest ranked team out of the SEC East.

Has Mizzou's defense really improved? The Homer in me wants to say yes, but the realist says... a little bit. Sure, they held Nebraska to just 10 points, (the last 7 as time expired was against our bench warmers), but Ganz is a good QB and exposed our secondary as he elluded defenders all day. Another mobile QB with better receivers later in the schedule... oh shit, we play in the Big 12. Still, we made the adjustments and improved as the game progressed. It looks like Pinkel has finally realized what halftime is for.

Is Penn State really a National Title contender? Yes.

Will Tampa Bay beat Denver this afternoon? Yes.

With that, the poll before the polls.

1. Missouri

2. Oklahoma

3. Alabama

4. Penn State

5. Texas

6. LSU

7. Vanderbilt

8. Texas Tech

9. USC

10. Oklahoma State

11. Kansas

12. Florida

13. Utah

14. Georgia

15. BYU

16. Boise State

17. Ohio State

18. South Florida

19. Northwestern

20. Wake Forest

21. Michigan State

22. Virginia Tech

23. Auburn

24. North Carolina

25. Notre Dame

Bryant was a perfect 3-of-3 on field goal attempts (23, 36, and 24 yards) and converted all three PATs in the Buccaneers 31-20 win over the Packers.

His play was key to the Buc's win as they trailed Green Bay 21-20 with 2:26 remaining in the fourth quarter. It was then Bryant kicked a 24-yard field goal, his third of the day, and the game winner. Bryant is 8-of-8 on field goal attempts and 12-of-12 on PATs this season. It is the second time in his career that Bryant has earned Player of the Week honors with the Buccaneers and fourth time overall.

So what's the big deal? The mere fact he was on the field was something  to notice and pay attention to. The mere fact that he had a career day on the field during a spectacular season wasn't the source of the drama. Bryant was on the field just hours after he had arrived back from Texas on the team's plane along with his wife and family. Hours removed from laying his new son to rest in Texas.

After suffering a horrible tragedy earlier in the week with the passing of his three-month old son, Tryson, Bryant had a perfect game.

His wife awoke and began to start her day as always, to get them ready to go. She went into the room and found Tryson had passed away in his sleep overnight. 

As a father of three kids all under the age of 6, and one still just a year old, I know the joy this time of life and in marriage can be. I know the size of my heart is a direct result of the three children filling it over the top everyday.

I also know I would absolutely have not the slightest bit of strength to get on the field and play with such perfection. What if he had missed his first one? The first one of the season, the first one of the game dedicated to his son's memory? This is one of those moments I will always remember as a sports fan.

Through work we do a lot with the players from time to time, which is how one of my new colleagues became friends with the Bryants. He was there in the luxury box with Bryant's wife and family during the game. Yes, his wife showed just as much strength and character in this overwhelming time of tragedy. Though she wore sunglasses, streams of tears flowed down her cheeks each time Matt was on the field and he motioned to his son as he spoke with him on the field.

Few games will have the impact this game, this man's performance and strength, or this tragedy have had on me. This hit close to home for me as a father.

I quit my career and put my life on hold to raise my kids and keep them from being raised in daycare centers. Though I am back working on my career and had to really start all over again, I am fortunate I am still able to watch them all day. I put family first, which is my point. 

The fact that Matt is a family man and a man that puts his family first and leads a good life just hits home with me. I know how much he loves his children because of my love for my children. Maybe I am trying to explain this point a little too well for you jaded single folks, but there is no way I can comprehend his loss. But I have a pretty good idea.

That's why I see this moment of this season  and I have to take a pause. I have to recognize that in a world of overpaid athletes and lost ethics and principles that there is still one of the good guys out there. And that man is hurting right now and I have to say that this moment of strength and character is not going without recognition.

And I have to cheer for the Bryants. So, I will cheer for the Bucs this year with an emotional investment usually reserved for America's Team. Sure, I am a diehard Cowboys fan. Living here in Tampa Bay, I have actually been to as many Bucs games as I have Cowboys games.

I'll always be a Cowboys fan. But this year, I am a Matt Bryant fan. As much as I think Gruden is a prick and an asshole, which is a common thought here locally,  as much as I really do not want Gruden to get a another ring this year of all years... I am a Matt Bryant fan. I want him to win.

You have to want him to win. You have to want to see him kick the game winning field goal or extra point that sends Tampa Bay into a frenzy.

You have to cheer for a family that is putting the pieces back together. For a father and a mother that still have kids running around being kids. For a father and mother that must move forward and look beyond the sorrow for their childrens' sake. You have to cheer for the Bryants. You just have to.

Well, I do.

Bad things happen to good people. This year I have seen a few bad things happen here in my life in this wonderful Republican economy, but it gets put into context when I see the sorrow and grief of a family losing a child so young and without warning.

I still get to hug my girls and keep them safe tonight. I hugged them a little tighter last week when I heard the news early that morning. My Mikayla calls those hugs a "Big Squeeze" and always asks for an extra one after the bedtime story is finished.

Though they'll never know it, Tryson and his father have touched my life and made me take a moment out of this hectic and stressful time to stop and remember why I am working so hard and struggling and juggling to just stay afloat.

So tonight at bedtime, make sure you think about Tryson and give yours a couple of more seconds before you head back over to the TV and give them a Big Squeeze.

Well, Oregon State just beat the #1 ranked USC Trojans and now head to #15 Utah. Should be a no brainer, but this year the Pac 10 isn't doing so well against the Mountain West. Of course, I think the beavers will win and the Utes will beat BYU later in the season and thus deny both teams BCS glory and/or embarrassment.

So with that.... This week I tried to pick most games honestly. I got cocky last week and picked with my heart and went 5-5, 5-6 with the bonus. My worst week of the year. 40-13 overall for the year... and holy bat shit it's Monday and I have my picks done.

Mizzou 38 Nebraska 9

USF 41 Pitt 30

Florida 32 Arkansas 13

Texas 48 Colorado 16

Ole Miss 23 South Carolina 21

Oklahoma 34 Baylor 28

Alabama 41 Kentucky 14

Vanderbilt 24 Auburn 22

Oregon State 31 Utah 28

USC 24 Oregon 20

Fresno State 33 Hawaii 17

North Carolina 28 UConn 10

Bonus

Dallas Cowboys 45 Cincinatti Bengals 27

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