There's a new wrinkle here tho.  Clemson has a defense.  A real one with guys who can tackle and everything!  Wild stuff.  They only lost once, to #6 Georiga.  By three points.  In Athens.

And Florida State is wounded.  Or at least they look that way.  Now unless Lili takes a real sudden turn, the weather shouldn't be a factor tonight.  Maybe that means Greg Jones will be able to run.  Maybe that means Chris Rix won't have any passes slip out of his hands funny.

Call me crazy, but I have a hard time thinking about Florida State losing two in a row.

To this point in his career, Chris Simms is a 5 o'clock hero.

Lucky for him, Oklahoma State is just batting practice.  Seven o'clock doesn't come around until next week.

Shocker.

Maybe it's just popular reaction to NCAA sanctions, but I find it somewhat absurd that Alabama is not ranked in the top 25.  They hung tough with Oklahoma, and have handed Southern Miss and Arkansas their only losses to date.  I figure Bama at around #15 or so in my book.

Georgia is an interesting case.  They've won a couple of tough games (Clemson and @ USC) but not in very impressive fashion.  Their defense is good, their offense is not.  And I'm not talking about merely unbalanced as VT's can be.  No, Georgia's offense is just plain bad.  Playing on the road against Alabama is as much of a test for Georgia as it is for the Tide.  Given their lofty ranking, it may be even more of one.

Now, since Bama's favored, I have to pick Georgia.

No, I don't think so.  Arizona got whupped by the only good team they've faced, and struggled in wins over Utah and North Texas.  And their starting tailback is out with an injury.  Unless they've been playing possum, Oregon should handle the 'Cats with ease.

Ducks in a waddleover.

Number 5 comes today.  But it won't be easy.

Can't pick it.  Both teams have been up and down all year, though the Cranes have thus far been able to avoid actually losing.  So why not?  I'll pick the home team.

Still, I don't like road favorites against higher-ranked teams.  Wazzou's QB looked reasonably healthy last week, and should be even better after 7 more days to rest.  This is not Ohio State.  WSU sees the Trojan defensive scheme every year, and should have some idea how to exploit it.  If the Cougars have aspirations for a serious bowl game, they're going to have to win this one.

Sorry Rickey, I'm grateful for some good years and all, but I gotta pull for the favorite here.  You understand right?  It's just business...

Of course, my theory is that a solid defense will shut down a gimmick offense.  And in my book the Spread is a gimmick offense.

Honestly though, I'm pulling for the Pitts.  The Big East needs more than two entries in the top-25, and it would be nice if the Panthers and/or Boston College could pull out an 8 or 9 win season.  Hell, maybe even West Virginia.  Having dropped 3 OOC, I'm forced to throw in the towel on the Cuse.  The last thing we need is them coming in 3rd in the conference at 7-5.

But then I read that UPitt has not beaten Syracuse ever since the Big East was formed.

*yuck*