The Weekend That Was: "They Are Who We Thought They Were," Fighting Snyders, Willed to Win

We only get 13 Saturdays like this a year -- including your team's bye week and excluding bowl season. This one was one of the more boring ones I can remember. Every team in the top ten won (except for South Carolina who played No. 2 Florida), and there were hardly any nail-biters as they all do so easily. But enjoy them. The number of these precious Saturdays are down to four after this week.

Tough day for Connor Shaw and his Gamecocks

"THEY ARE WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE": As the season goes along, this phrase becomes more aprapos by the week. South Carolina made its way into the top 5 a couple of weeks on the road in some of the toughest SEC stadiums, their flaws were unmasked. Did anyone actually believe they were this good?

Their home win over Georgia was one of the most impressive of the year, but USC's inability to find a consistent run --or pass-- game with quarterback Connor Shaw leaves them with two losses in the league and a long-shot to get back to Atlanta. However, UGA, thanks to its weak schedule, has an opportunity to get back to the SEC Championship for the second year in a row with a win over Florida.

Florida, on the other hand, is a little better than we thought they were, as they have manhandled every team since their fighting out a win over Bowling Green in week two of the season. They have no aerial attack to speak of, but if the Gators can put together just a little bit of offense, their defense will do the rest.

Thanks to poor planning the SEC East race will be decided in this Saturday in the World's Largest Cocktail Party.

Sleep-depived Bill Snyder after Saturday's win.

 FIGHTING SNYDERS CONTINUE TO IMPRESS: Bill Snyder is 73 and coaching at Kansas State. He will win the national coach of the year because at the beginning of the season his squad was projected to win 7-8 games. Through seven weeks he is already there and ranked No. 3 in the BCS poll.

Kansas State rolled into Morgantown, West Virginia and layed a smackdown on the Moutnaineers, dominating in every phase of the game. They did everything right except for getting coach Snyder in bed before 9 p.m. Word is he was cranky all day Sunday. This was a team that was owned by Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl last year, but instead of letting their entire program go awry, as the Razorbacks have, they have responded and put together the season many thought the Hogs could have pre-April motorcycle ride.

"Seriously, I owe you for the Heisman."

Also of interest, Kansas State's Arthur Brown became the first player to intercept West Virginia's Geno Smith since December 1, 2010. Brown was also the first player to pick off former Baylor quarterback and Heisman trophy winner, Robert Griffin III.

While their schedule lines up nicely for an undefeated finish, the Wildcats must be careful to not become this years' 2011 Oklahoma State, who lost their next-to-last game at Iowa State and were kept them out of the BCS title game.

A WILL TO WIN: Notre Dame, Oregon State, and Texas Tech are what Skip Bayless would call "Tebowing" their way through this season. They are never overly impressive in their victories (minus TTU over WVU), but they just keep winning.

The Irish and the Beavers used fourth quarter touchdowns to secure wins this week, while the Red Raiders took No. 23 TCU to triple overtime before leaving Fort Worth as winners. At some point for these teams the luck has to run out.

One would think the Irish will have to have more than 17 points to defeat Oklahoma this week, Texas Tech will not be able to keep up with Kansas State's offense and defense, and Oregon State will have to get it together before traveling to Stanford in two weeks. Of course, those sorts of things have been said all season and these teams have delivered in unlikely situations over and over again.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

-Tennessee linebacker, and one of my favorites in all of college football, scored his sixth rushing touchdown of the year from the Volunteers' "Beast Package." While it was impressive, it is not the sort of performance you  want to see from your offense, seeing that it was the only touchdown on the night and the defense gave up 44 to Alabama.

The Ducks are flying high (too easy).

-Oregon could have literally named the number of points they wanted to score this week versus Arizona State. The Ducks offense has done this all year and luckily -- but unfortunately for fans outside the Pac-12 -- coach Chip Kelly has called off the dogs and not embarrassed too many opponents more than they should have been.

- Arkansas didn't lose this week. Sure, they didn't play but with the way the Hogs have played this year, you never know. They also opened as a 4.5-point favorite for Saturday's game against Ole Miss.

- Are you ready for a  Orange Bowl featuring Louisville and Duke? It is a possibility. What a great way for the BCS to say "goodbye" on its way out.

-Duke is bowl eligible after beating hated rival North Carolina in some pretty heinous jerseys. This came a day after their Midnight Madness for the basketball team. What a weekend for Duke fans.

The Weekend That Was: More SEC Domination in BCS, Heisman Favorites, Samford Homecoming

The season's first BCS rankings came out on Sunday, sending some of those outside of the South into a firestorm. The SEC has the top two teams, Alabama and Florida, and six of the top 12 (Alabama, Florida, LSU, South Carolina, Georgia, and Mississippi State). Haters gonna hate.

There have been other impressive teams around the country and no doubt the bottom of the SEC is much further down than normal. There are five teams which legitimately pose a threat to dethroning the Crimson Tide from its seat as champion. It is much more likely to see a team like South Carolina or LSU (even if their offense has struggled), but it not outside the realm of possibility to see a team like Georgia win out and find themselves in the championship game, as the SEC champion has done for six consecutive seasons.

That said, watching Oregon's offense take on one of the SEC big-boy defenses, like I have said before, sounds like must-see television. Before you cry to me about Auburn-Oregon 2010, this is Ducks coach Chip Kelly' best team yet. Check the stats.

One-loss squads like Oklahoma, with their thrashing of Texas, and Southern Cal are also still alive. The great part is we are only halfway to anointing two teams worthy of playing for the championship, and if you think it will happen one way the system is bound to throw a kink in your thinking.

HEISMAN FAVORITES- I, like 99% of people who give you their Heisman hopefuls, do not have a vote. Regardless, here are my favorites for the award of the "Most Outstanding Player in College Football," not the country's most valuable player:

This Clowney character is one bad dude.

1) Geno Smith (West Virginia)- He had a bad game this week in their first loss, but Smith still has 25 TDs to his no interceptions and 2,271 yards through the air.

2) Jadaveon Clowney (South Carolina)- Like Smith, Clowney lost this week but still has a shot at the national championship game. With 12 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, he has made opponents look silly.

3) Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M)- The freshman leads the SEC in rushing (626 yards, 10 TD) and is third in passing (1,680 yards, 14 TD), and he still has prime time games on his schedule to display his talents.

4) A.J. McCarron (Alabama)- As long as he continues to not throw picks, manage the Tide to wins, and avoid getting hurt, his chances will increase.

SAMFORD ONE YARD TOO FEW- I was in Birmingham for the weekend to see my Bulldogs play the Moutaineers from Appalachian State. In typical "Samford-plays-in-a-big-game" form, the Bulldogs came up just short. This one was especially painful because it would have been the program's first win over national powerhouse, App State, but it was not meant to be.

Samford quarterback Andy Summerlin needed one
yard for the historic win.

With 2-and-1 on near midfield and less than two minutes left in the game, the Bulldogs only needed one yard in order to secure four more downs to run out the clock. Unable to get the 1 yard, Samford was forced to punt, leading to a Mountaineer drive which ended in a touchdown and win.

Though the game could have ended a little more pleasantly, it was one of the best atmospheres I have ever experienced in Birmingham. The quad was filled with tents, BBQ, and estimates of close to 10,000 people on the country's most beautiful campus.

Friends of mine who were not as fortunate to attend Samford, compared this tailgate to one at Georgia or Georgia Tech, saying it was small and not much to it. For those of us who were some of the first to set up tents on The Quad, it was a sight to see. Outsiders, think about it like this. Less than 5,000 people attend students and there were twice that number on campus on Saturday. If you take UGA's close to 50,000 students and compare it to the 100,000 or so who come to Athens for Saturdays, it puts it a little more into perspective.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

- Tommy Tuberville loves playing top-5 teams. Throughout his career, Tuberville has found a way to ignite passion within his ball clubs to go out and beat teams ranked in the top 5. He was the mastermind behind West Virginia's beat down this weak, as his Texas Tech squad held the potent Mountaineer offense to 14 points. The win pushed his record to 6-2 as the underdog against top 5 teams.

- I have been an Derek Dooley apologist before, but there is no getting around the fact that he is now 0-20 against ranked opponents. While Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen, on the other hand, is having unprecedented success in Starkville. Both of these coaches will not be at their respective jobs too much longer but for totally different reasons

- Notre Dame escaped on Saturday. They won and you can not take that away from them but the more times you watch Stanford's Stephan Taylor give a second effort and hear no whistle the more convincing the Cardinal's case becomes.

The U.

The Weekend That Will Be: Week 12

Southern California at Oregon- Because of NCAA sanctions, the Trojans will not be allowed to go to a bowl game at the end of the season.There is nothing more they would like than to defeat Oregon and ruin the Ducks' national championship aspirations. USC seems like the most likely candidate of the teams left on Oregon's schedule. For USC to have a chance they have to at least slow down a Ducks offense that scores 47 points and tallies just under 500 yards a game. Oregon tailback LaMichael James is quietly leading the country in rushing for the second season in a row with more than 150 yards per game. The Ducks are well aware of USC and its capabilities and are well prepared to handle the visitors. Ducks win easy.

Oklahoma at Baylor- With Oklahoma State going losing to Iowa State this game in Waco, TX just got a little bigger, as the Sooners see a shot at the national championship opening up. Baylor is coming off an overtime victory over Kansas in which Bear quarterback Robert Griffin III looked like the player we got used to seeing in the beginning of the season. If he is able to keep his special combination of speed and accuracy the Baylor could easily upset the Sooners. Looking forward to next weekend's huge rivalry game, the Sooners squeak by the Bears.

Mississippi State at Arkansas- When this is the 'SEC on CBS' game, you may have yourself a weak Saturday of football. The Razorbacks are looking to keeping the scoring machine (93 points in the last two games) going and not get caught looking at a date with LSU on the day after Thanksgiving. The Bulldogs have nothing to lose and can gain bowl eligibility with a win in Little Rock. War Memorial Stadium, where the game will be played, is not the regular stadium for the Hogs, but they always perform well there. It is located in the center of the state, where most of the student-athletes are from, and by all accounts the bowl setting is often louder than Donald W. Reynolds Stadium in Fayetteville. The Hogs are welcomed to the state's capital and continue put up points. Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson goes over 3,000 yards on the season, too.

Other picks (winners in bold)

Samford at Auburn- As a Bulldog fan, I have been looking forward to this game for quite some time and wish I could be there for the monumental upset. Thanks to grad school and its homework, I'm sad to say I will not be in attendance as the Red and Blue beat the defending national champions.

LSU at Ole Miss- Remember last time a Houston Nutt team played a top-ranked LSU and was fired? A couple of things are different this time around. The Rebs do not have Darren McFadden (or any real offensive threat), any motivation (Ole Miss lost to La Tech last week) or any chance to win (Ole Miss has lost 12 straight SEC games).

Nebraska at Michigan- Last week, the Cornhuskers played in the second-largest stadium in college football. This week they visit the only one larger, The Big House in Ann Arbor. Wolverine quarterback Denard Robinson has never beaten a ranked team, and this trend will continue as he throws multiple picks.

Penn State at Ohio State- As soon as I start to believe in Braxton Miller, the freshman signal-caller for the Buckeyes, I know he will let me down so I go with PSU. Getting out of Happy Valley will do the Nittany Lions some good. With a win they will set up a clash with Wisconsin for a trip to the first-ever Big 10 title game.

Kentucky at Georgia
Virginia at Florida State
Wisconsin at Illinois
Boston College at Notre Dame

The Weekend That Will Be: Week 9

Georgia vs. Florida- The Gators have tried to make the World's Largest Cocktail Party (let's just call it what it is) interesting by announcing that quarterback John Brantley will be back under center as the starter. They will also bring running back Jeff Demps to Jacksonville. Georgia said they will be without Malcolm Mitchell, who is blossoming into a true go-to target for Aaron Murray. The Dawgs boast a top ten defense and the Florida has hardly been competent on offense, but will having the senior leader back in the huddle make the difference? No. Georgia wins its fourth win in 22 tries against UF.

Michigan State at Nebraska- This game could be over in two hours as much as these teams like to run the football. The Spartans are coming off winning the best game of the season, where a Kirk Cousins Hail Mary pass barely crossed the goal line for a MSU win. State is also traveling to an intimidating Memorial Stadium, which has sold out since the mid-60s, for the first time. Husker quarterback Taylor Martinez will be forced to throw against a tough Michigan State defense in order to win their third Big 10 game. Until Martinez proves that he can throw the football consistently, Nebraska is tough to trust in big games. Sparty wins another.

Oklahoma at Kansas State- All season long the figure heads on the tube have gone against the Wildcats and they have proven them wrong time and time again. But this week the should go with their gut feeling because the Sooners will get the best of them. Under the control of coach Bob Stoops, Oklahoma does not lose again after losing the week before. The Sooner defense was embarrassed last week by Texas Tech and will not let that happen again on national television. Manhattan is one of those quirky places to play a football game on the road, but all quirkiness aside, Oklahoma wins big. Big props to KSU coach Bill Snyder who continues to make something out of little.

Other picks (winners in bold)
Arkansas at Vanderbilt- A slow start last week almost cost the Hogs their hopes of a BCS bowl bid. They will look to jump out early against a talented Commodore secondary.

Baylor at Oklahoma State- If you like points, don't miss this one. The Cowboys have a bigger goal on their mind, beating the Sooners four weeks away.

Ole Miss at Auburn- Will Houston Nutt lose his 11th straight SEC game as the Ole Miss coach? Yep. The Rebels showed hope last week and the future looks brighter.

Stanford at USC- This will be the best two quarterbacks on one field this season. Luck is clearly the better of the two, but the Trojans have the best chance at an upset this week.

Clemson at Georgia Tech- I'll be coming to you live from this game via Twitter. This will be my first time to see Clemson and ACC game in person. A shootout helps Clemson.

South Carolina at Tennessee
Purdue at Michigan
Arizona at Washington
Wisconsin at Ohio State

The Weekend That Will Be: Week 6

Oklahoma vs. Texas- One of the best atmospheres in college football is at the Cotton Bowl during the Texas State Fair, disgusting combinations of fried foods and Big Tex can be found at the Red River Rivalry. In the last two years the Longhorns have held a potent Sooner offense to 311 and 361 yards. This year's OU team is better than a year ago, but it is no doubt that Texas coach Mack Brown know how to play the Sooners. The more experienced Oklahoma team is able to come back home with an easy win.

Florida at LSU- One guy you should feel sorry for this week? Florida freshman starting quarterback Jeff Driskell.Really you should feel sorry for anyone on the offensive staff for the Gators, too. Last week it was the punishing Alabama defense and Saturday they have the Blitzin' Bengals. Simply put, it is cruel and unusual punishment. Do not doubt Florida too quickly. They did beat an eventual national champion LSU with a freshman quarterback in 2003. Granted, Chris Leak had three starts under his belt. Watching Tiger defensive back Tyrann Mathieu create turnovers is reason enough to watch this game when LSU starts to run away with it in the second half.

Auburn at Arkansas- The one game I have been to in Fayetteville was a 9-7 snoozefest filled with field goals in 2007. How times have changed... Defense? Where? Not here. Last year the score was in favor of Auburn 62-45 and this year could be close to that because both teams have struggling defenses. Both teams are also coming off games in which they were not favored to win, but Donald W. Reynolds will be rocking on Saturday night and having DE Jake Bequette back on the field will be the difference for the Hogs.

Georgia at Tennessee- With South Carolina having serious issues on the offensive side of the ball, this game has become one of those games we will look back to at the end of the year as a difference maker for the Vols or Dawgs. Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray is the most efficient passer in the SEC but he will be going against a Todd Granthum 3-4 defense that continues improve every week. Georgia also boasts the NCAA leader in interceptions in safety Barari Rambo. The Vols need to get a running game going if they want to win; UGA needs Aaron Murray to step up if they want to have a shot. Based on recent history, Tennessee will blow out Georgia in Neyland. To take a line from Lee Corso, "Not so fast, my friend!" Dawgs win.

Other picks (winners in bold)

Georgia Tech at Maryland
Boston College at Clemson
Illinois at Indiana
Air Force at Notre Dame
Michigan at Northwestern
Texas A&M at Texas Tech
Ohio State at Nebraska

2011 New Years Day Bowls

TicketCity Bowl
     Texas Tech vs. Northwestern- Really? The Ticketcity Bowl is a New Years Day bowl game? (I can only imagine trying to explain how the bowl system works to my kids someday.) Northwestern wins in this game coming off of a disappointing season. They have not been the same team since the injury to their starting QB Dan Persa.

Capital One Bowl
     Alabama vs. Michigan State- As I have said before, this is the best non-BCS bowl game, bar none. One of three Big 10 Champions and last year's national champions take the field to help decide the Big 10 vs. SEC debate. Alabama has to still be hurt after how they lost to Auburn and MSU has to be a little let down after not being invited to a BCS bowl game. MSU Head Coach Mike D'Antonio comes from the Nick Saban coaching tree adding some spice to this match up. I see Alabama coming out strong and pulling out a win for their program and the SEC.

Outback Bowl
     Florida vs. Penn State- Urban Meyer vs. Joe Paterno... The most exciting storyline of the whole game is between the coaches. One coached dinosaurs and the other has had tremendous success early in his career, which appears to be over. I see Penn State pulling out a win because their offense is much more versatile than they are given credit. That is a tough statement for this SEC homer to say.

Gator Bowl
     Mississippi State vs. Michigan- Many people are writing off Michigan because Head Coach Rich Rodriguez's uncertain future in Ann Arbor. I am not quite ready to do that yet. Chances are he will be back next year, and the kids playing for him love their coach. Also Michigan QB Denard Robinson will be at full health for the first time since the beginning of the season. As long as he is not injured by the big boys from the SEC he could have a big day. State needs to stop him and limit turnovers to have success. This game will be closer than the experts think. State does these things and wins though, making their fans the most excited in the nation for a nine win season.

Rose Bowl
     TCU vs. Wisconsin- This year's Rose Bowl does not have the same amount of swagger as last year's national championship.  Who ever thought the day would come we would see TCU in the Rose Bowl? I do not think the Horned Frogs will enjoy their stay too much. Much has been made about the size of Wisconsin's offensive and defensive linemen. The fact is line play determines so much of the success of a team and that will stand true tomorrow, too. The Badgers wear out a smaller TCU.

Fiesta Bowl
     Connecticut vs. Oklahoma-  How about the job UConn Head Coach Randy Edsell has done with his Huskies, taking them from a D-IAA school to a BCS bowl game. On the other hand is a team that has experienced recent struggles in their BCS games, including a shot at a national championship. Oklahoma has a chance to exorcise their recent BCS bowl game demons against an inferior opponent. Here we will see experience win, and win big. Oklahoma rolls much like Florida, a much more BCS experienced team, did in last year's Sugar Bowl, dominating the Big East Conference champion, Cincinnati.

Championship Weekend

They say there is no playoff system, but what is this championship weekend come down to? Two teams must win to get their shot at a national championship. Experts can complain about the bowl system but the system we have now sure does make for an exciting last weekend of football.

Auburn vs. South Carolina- Did you see the special on ESPN about the SEC championship titled Atlanta? It hit the importance of this game right on the head. Yes, for the Tigers it most likely means a chance at the national championship and a Sugar Bowl bid for the Gamecocks, but it also means they are the best team in the South, a very important title in these parts. South Carolina must stop Cam Newton but no one has figured it out yet. It ain’t happening this week either. Sure South Carolina might play well for a while but the Tigers are playing for something bigger and Newton officially locks up the Heisman.

Oregon vs. Oregon State- Another “playoff game” atmosphere in Corvallis, Oregon, as the Ducks go down the road 40 miles and try to win the Pac-10. Oregon State has been the home to many upsets recently and would like nothing more than to ruin their rival’s run to the championship. Here is there chance. They are going to slow the game down to have a chance but their D isn’t good enough to do it. Ducks win and have roses in their mouths at the end of the night.

Florida State vs. Virginia Tech- Maybe this ACC Championship will have more than 10,000 people in Charlotte at the stadium. As good as the SEC Championship game is shows how the ACC just doesn’t have it quite right. If there are people there watching or not Virginia Tech is winning the game, sorry Boise. The Hokies are hot, winning their last 10 games. It really is about when you win in college football. Florida State has made huge strides this year and is headed to the right direction, but the Hokies are experienced.

Oklahoma vs. Nebraska- In the best game that no one is talking about, Nebraska is playing their last game in the Big 12. If you going to leave, this is the way to go. Too bad they don’t win in their last Big 12 match up. Nebraska’s games have been close recently and just have not been the same team since QB Taylor Martinez hurt his ankle. His motor is what makes this offense go. Oklahoma, on the other hand, has had to play its way into this game and is motivated to win and they will.

Other Picks (in bold):

Connecticut at South Florida- UConn is going to the Orange Bowl without a single vote in the Coach’s Poll.

Utah State at Boise State- I bet Boise K Kyle Brotzman doesn’t miss a kick. Too bad it’s one week too late

Southern Methodist at UCF- My high school QB and favorite UCF player WR Brian Watters gets a ring and a trip to the Liberty Bowl.

Washington at Washington State

USC at UCLA

Rutgers at West Virginia

Nevada at Louisiana Tech

Best College Football Weekend

I am coming to you live from Vicksburg, Mississippi. Because I am on vacation I am trying to work when I can. I will be updating this as I can, but here is the work I have done so far.

Auburn vs. Alabama- I have had more trouble trying to justify a winner in this match-up more than any all season. Alabama is the favorite, according to Vegas, has home field advantage, and their Head Coach Nick Saban has had extra time to prepare for this game. Auburn, on the other hand, though lacking any as semblance of a defense all season, has not been stopped. But Auburn has yet to play a good team on the road and has struggled against the run, the Tide’s specialty. It is because of this I am going to take the Alabama Crimson Tide. Auburn fans will simply not be heard. Heck, the Auburn band has been moved to the upper deck! These people just don’t like each other. Alabama will rely heavily on the run but Alabama QB Greg McElroy will have to make a few important 3^rd down conversion passes to Julio Jones. The Tide win in a close one, and Tuscaloosa implodes from the celebrating.

LSU vs. Arkansas- A huge game that will shape the BCS bowl picture as much as any adds to what is already one of the best young rivalries. With a win both teams figure to lock up a bid to the Sugar Bowl. For Arkansas and LSU, success of the season rides on this game. Arkansas fans have felt all year that this year was crucial in the turnaround under Head Coach Bobby Petrino. Can the Hogs deliver results after such high expectations? The previous 5 games have been decided by less than 13 points so expect a tight one. The game will come down to whether or not a stout LSU defense can stop an Arkansas offense that has been rolling. In one of the most fun match ups all weekend two top 10 NFL prospects will go head to head as Arkansas QB will try to pass on LSU CB Patrick Peterson. The Rock will be doin just that this afternoon, rockin' as the Razorbacks figure out the LSU defenses and, depending on the unpredictable computers, lock up a bid to their first BCS Bowl.

Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss- For the first time in my life I will spend the day in Mississippi on the day of the Egg Bowl. Nationally, this game does not get the recognition that some rivalry games get, but don’t tell the folks from Mississippi that. Heck, the Bulldogs Head Coach Dan Mullen will not even say the words “Ole Miss,” in stead calling them “the team from up North.” I am watching the game with die hard State fans and one thing is certain, it is always good when Ole Miss loses, but so much better when State has the pleasure of giving them the loss. With that said, the only factor that makes this game close is the game is played in Oxford. Mississippi will have a hard time stopping the counter attack of State QB Chris Relf and RB Vick Ballard and really has no offensive threat of their own. Ole Miss QB Jeremiah Masoli was supposed to save the season for the Rebels but has failed miserably. The hurt continues today in an intense atmosphere, and State people have bragging rights for another year.

Arizona at Oregon- The game tonight in Autzen Stadium is the last true test the Ducks of Oregon will face before the national championship. Senior night versus a good Arizona Wildcats team that is coming of of two conference losses will be tough but doable for Oregon. Arizona beat Iowa earlier this year at home and has shown flashes of things to come from Head Coach Mike Stoops. The flashes will not be enough tonight as  Oregon running back LeMichael James leads this high scoring offense to another victory.

Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State- The Battle for Bedlam has extra meaning this year as the two teams involved are fighting for a spot in the Big 12 Championship. The rivalry has been dominated by big brother Oklahoma, winning 80 of the 104 games. Oklahoma State is seeking the teams first 10 win season in school history in what was supposed to be a "rebuilding year," but I think they will have to wait until their bowl game to get it. The Cowboys will not handle the pressure of the beating the Sooners, who have been there done that. It is a struggle, but Oklahoma QB Landry Jones, with the help of a big performance from RB Demarco Murray, will pull out the W.

Other Picks (in bold):

Boise State at Nevada

Michigan State at Penn State

Florida at Florida State

Kentucky at Tennessee

South Carolina at Clemson

Oregon State at Stanford

Notre Dame at USC

Michigan at Ohio State

How See the College Football Weekend

Back again and trying to improve on last week's terrible start. Oh well that is why they play the game, for me to talk about it. Sarcasm. Either way I like to think so. Studying for my Anatomy Lab exam might be what I should be concentrating my efforts towards. No worries parents and grandparents, I studied earlier today so I would have time for to write to my faithful followers.

LSU vs. Auburn- Seriously can any one stop Auburn quarterback Cam Newton? If LSU does they win the game easily. Besides Newton please tell me how Auburn would have scored any points this season. Nope, you can't do it. Like I said last week I know have complete respect for him but am not ready to crown the War Eagles (I know Auburn fans. It's so the two teams are not confused.) the SEC West champion, much less the winner of the whole league and I know that the Bayou Bengals will have to say something about it too. All this said, or written, for my more literal readers, I don't see the Mad Hatter being able to rub the rabbit's foot and pull out a win here.

Alabama vs. Tennessee- Remember when the 3rd Saturday of October meant something? It is OK if you don't. It's been a few years. Since Nick Saban has arrived to Tuscaloosa he has handled the Volunteers all three years. Last year's epic game in which Terrance Cody blocked a potential game-winning kick to win the game was just that, epic. I don't see this one being nearly as close as the Crimson Tide continues to get their roll on and handles this road game easily.

Mississippi vs. Arkansas- This game has started to mean something since the head coach of the Rebels is the former Razorback coach. Yet again, Houston Nutt will get a hearty welcome from his former home crowd. By hearty I mean the loathing will come straight from the heart. Petrino, who was berated earlier this week by a former co-worker during his stint with the Atlanta Falcons, the Cincinatti Bengals Defensive Coordinator, will be looking to show his home crowd that he couldn't be happier in Fayetteville. Arkansas' Ryan Mallet is back from his concussion and has a big week against a subpar pass defense from Ole Miss.

Oklahoma vs. Missouri- The matchup in Columbia is the home to College Gameday, which always bring a little extra excitement to the air. Add in two undefeated teams, one of which is the new BCS number one, and you have as big of a weeknd as you can have in Missouri (outside of Branson of course, Grannie). I am not a believer in the Tigers yet but this would boost nationwide credibility. I can't say that I see it happening though. Heisman candidate, DeMarco Murray runs wild and Oklahoma gets a big win to boost their already top BCS score.


Wisconsin vs. Iowa- Here is Wisconsin's or Iowa's chance to make some serious headway in their quest for the Big 10 title. This will be one of the hardest hitting games of the weekend with both clubs having serious size on the line. I was again impressed by John Clay and the Badger running game that I think they can pull out a tough road game against the most consistent team in America. Wisconsin goes on the road for a mini-upset and separates themselves as the team to beat in the Big 10.

Other Winners (in bold)

North Carolina vs. Miami
South Carolina vs. Vanderbilt
Georgia vs. Kentucky
Notre Dame vs. Navy
Georgia Tech vs. Clemson
Michigan State vs. Northwestern
Syracuse vs. West Virginia
UAB vs. Mississippi State
Whoever Boise State plays vs. Boise State


I have mostly visitors winning which makes me a little nervous but I am ready for Saturday. Who's with me?