College Picks, Week 8

This is the most fun and interesting college football season in recent memory. There is no clear favorite in the national championship race. Games that were once thought of as slam dunks and gimmes are no longer that. On any given week, a really good team can lose, especially to a conference opponent. With that said, here is another week of picks:

Last Week: 13-7 (Peru State lost. Too bad…)
Season: 93-47

Oklahoma at Iowa State: Iowa State’s team may not be very good, but their athletic department had no problem selling season ticket packages, as they are hosting Texas and OU in successive weeks. OU is only a 28 ½ point favorite in this one. Pick: OU

Kansas at Colorado: Who would have thought that this game would be for control of the Big 12 North? Kansas is undefeated at 6-0, and is looking like a legitimate Top 15 team at minimum. They aren’t just beating inferior opposition, but are pounding them into submission. The Buffs were thumped on the road by the Kansas Aggies last week. KU is actually favored on the road. When you’re hot, you’re hot. I’ll ride the hot hand. Pick: KU

Texas Tech at Missouri: Mizzou made a good showing last week in Norman, but the Tigers aren’t happy with that. They thought they could have and should have won the game. That’s progress in Columbia. Mizzou is a team to be reckoned with. Both teams have high-powered spread offenses. Whatever the point total is here, take the over. These teams will sling the ball all over the field. The game starts at 2:30 p.m., and may not finish until 7:00. Mizzou is just a little better. Pick: Missouri

Texas at Baylor: Texas bounced back from their loss to OU by hanging half a hundred on Iowa State last week. Baylor is everyone’s favorite whipping boy, and this season is no exception. The death watch continues for the Baylor coaching staff. Pick: UT

Kansas State at Oklahoma State: Thanks to the limits of the Big 12 TV contracts, this game will not be televised. That’s too bad, because this will be a good game. The Power Towel guys got a big win last week over CU in the Little Apple. OSU is coming off of their biggest win in ages, thumping Nebraska 45-14 in Lincoln. OSU is making a habit of getting people fired. After they outscored Tech last month, the Red Raiders fired defensive coordinator Lyle Setencich. Upon the Cowboys’ mauling of Nebraska, the Huskers fired athletic director Steve Pederson. What does that say about OSU? Who gets fired at K-State after OSU wins this one? Pick: OSU

Texas A&M at Nebraska: The Buyout Bowl. Both coaches, Dennis Franchione and Bill Callahan, are exploring their options as both are likely to be given the ziggy after the season. The Ticket’s Johnny Wyatt* will be at this one, as he likes to see coaches’ heads chopped off. Which team wants this one least? These teams have fallen so far, there is no TV for this one. They will only be moving from left to right on your radio dial. Pick: Nebraska

Florida at Kentucky: Do the Wildcats have anything left in the tank for this one? UK is coming off of a thrilling triple overtime win over then top-ranked LSU. They’re ranked #8 in the BCS. They now turn around and host a tanned, rested, and desperate Florida Gator team. Sorry, but there’s not enough gas in the tank in horse country this week. Pick: Gators

Tennessee at Alabama: It’s the third Saturday in October, which means one thing in the Confederacy: the Vols and Tide hook up. Lost in the shuffle of the rise of USC-East and Kentucky is Tennessee, as the Vols only have one conference loss, and control their own destiny in the conference. Meanwhile, the Sabanists at Alabama await their hated rivals with baited breath. Who do I pick? Could it be….Saban? Pick: Bama

Auburn at LSU: Down in the bayou, the Auburn Tigers continue their redemption tour as they recover from two early upset losses. LSU will be mad, hungry, and out for blood after their loss last week at Kentucky. The Tigers will win this game. Which ones? Pick: LSU

Miami at Florida State: This was once the biggest game of the year in college football. Now, it’s just a game between two ACC also-rans. FSU is just a hair better than the Canes, and it’s in Tallahassee. Pick: FSU

Virginia at Maryland: The Wahoos are now a quiet 6-1 after squeaking past UConn last week. The Terps have been inconsistent this year. Which Turtles show up? The good ones. Pick: Maryland

South Florida at Rutgers (Thursday): The Bulls are the story of this year’s college football season thus far, coming from nowhere to #2 in this week’s BCS ratings. This week, they play last year’s feel-good story in the Thursday night special. USF is better than many give them credit for. But, the Scarlet Knights put it together this week. Pick: Rutgers

Louisville at Connecticut (Friday): The Ville rescued their season last week with a 28-24 win at previously undefeated Cincinnati. They now visit Rentschler Field in East Hartford. The Huskies have only lost once, a 17-16 heartbreaker last week at Virginia. The Ville makes it two road wins in a row. Pick: Louisville

Michigan at Illinois: The bright lights will be in Champaign, as this one will be nationally televised on ESPN on ABC Saturday Night Football. The Wolverines have returned with a vengeance, having won five in a row after an embarrassing start. The Illini reminded us last week that Ron Zook is their coach, only managing two field goals in a 10-6 loss to Iowa. Michigan returns to prime time in more ways than one. Pick: Meatchicken

Penn State at Indiana: Lions go on the road to visit the resurgent Hoosiers. I hope Joe Pa isn’t driving. Penn State did knock the stuffing out of Wisconsin last week, while Indiana crashed back to earth against Michigan State. I don’t trust Penn State on the road. Pick: Indiana

Michigan State at Ohio State: Spartans have returned to respectability, but this is a trip to the Big Horseshoe on the Banks of the Olentangy. TOSU doesn’t lose in Columbus often. And, they won’t lose to Michigan State. Pick: TOSU

USC at Notre Dame: The Trojans are human. They’re just an ordinary Top 25 team, which is a lot worse than they have been in recent years. However, the Irish would trade places with them. The Irish stink, and can clinch a losing season with a loss on Saturday. Pick: USC

Cal at UCLA: The Bears blew a chance to become the #1 team in the nation last week. They now visit the Rose Bowl for a meeting with UCLA. The Bruins are having major quarterback issues. Cal hopes to return to this stadium on January 1. Cal should bounce back. Pick: Cal

Utah at TCU (Thursday): Once again, why play on Thursday night if you can’t be on ESPN or ESPN2? This one is on CSTV, Versus, the mtn., or one of those other out-of-the way channels the Mountain West is stuck with. Maybe it’s on QVC. Anyway, the Utes have been really good at times this year. So have the Frogs. It’s in Fort Worth, so go with the home team. Pick: TCU

Geneva at Thomas More: Thomas More is the only school in the Presidents Athletic Conference not located in western Pennsylvania. It’s in northern Kentucky, just across the river from Cincinnati, home of WKRP. Dr. Johnny Fever went there. Not really. Pick: Thomas More.

*Johnny Wyatt was a fictitious reporter on the Dunham & Miller morning show on The Ticket in Dallas. His specialty was reporting on coaching changes. He always described a coach firing in terms of the coach having his head chopped off. The Johnny Wyatt character had many different ways in which he described decapitation. He had this sick obsession with coaches getting their heads chopped off.