GAMES OF WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22:
7:30 pm EST ESPN
-13 #3 Virginia Tech 6-0 (2-0 Big East)
  West Virginia 2-4 (1-1 Big East)
I think I just saw a liquor bottle flying through the air, and I'm sure I feel this Ambulance-a-rockin.  That can only mean one thing!  That's right, one more crack at the Black Diamond Trophy.

The thing that I like about West Virginia, is that they always play us tough.  Except when they don't.  And all politeness aside, this is one year when they won't.
Pick: HOKIES!
GAMES OF SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25:
7:00 pm EST TBS
-25 #1 Oklahoma 7-0 (3-0 Big XII)
  Colorado 3-4 (1-2 Big XII)
3-4 with a loss to Baylor, and 1-6 against the spread.  Colorado is gonna get worked!
Pick: Oklahoma
3:30 pm EST ABC, Gameplan
-10.5 #4 USC-West 6-1 (2-1 Pac Ten)
  Washington 4-3 (2-1 Pac Ten)
OK, so if destiny is planning on taking a seat at the bar, some things are going to have to start breaking our way.  To start with, every Pac Ten team has to earn at least a second loss.  This here would be a good start.

But I don't like Washington's chances.  USC is just too good, and Washington has serious holes, especially on defense.
Pick: USC
6:30 pm EST Fox Sports Net
  Oregon State 5-2 (2-1 Pac Ten)
-7.5 #6 Washington State 6-1 (3-0 Pac Ten)

Oregon State has the talent to beat Wazzou, but a predilection for penalties tends to offset the Heismanesque numbers being put up by Stephen Jackson.
Pick: OSU-West
12:00 pm EST ESPN
-20 #8 Ohio State 6-1 (2-1 Big Ten)
  Indiana 1-6 (0-3 Big Ten)
Ohio State's offense is currently #114 in the nation in total yards.  That's nothing short of embarrassing.  Sure, you say, they've got seven games against teams ranked in the top-25.  Great, except they've managed to get five of them at the Horseshoe, and of the two on the road they've already lost one.  Seems to me this season's MVP is the Athletic Director.
Pick: Indiana
7:45 pm EST ESPN
  #21 Auburn 5-2 (4-0 SEC)
-4 #9 LSU 6-1 (3-1 SEC)
Like every other 2-loss team out there, Auburn is our friend.  LSU this week, and Georgia in November.  Yup, the Aubbies can do many great things for us this year.

Go Tigs!
Pick: Auburn
3:30 pm EST ABC, Gameplan
  #10 Purdue 6-1 (3-0 Big Ten)
-6 #15 Michigan 6-2 (3-1 Big Ten)
Purdue and Michigan State are in the driver's seat for the Big Ten title.  And I'll tell you what, Purdue has been playing some solid football this year.  There is no shame in losing by a point to Bowling Green.

But warts and all, defeating Michigan in Ann Arbor is a TALL order.  In fact, I don't think that it's going to happen.  But I do think it will be close.  So the Boilermakers cover.
Pick: Purdue
4:00 pm EST ESPN 2
  #14 Northern Illinois 7-0 (3-0 MAC)
-3.5 Bowling Green 6-1 (3-0 MAC)
So ESPN Gameday is taking it on the road to Bowling Green this weekend.  And why not?  I mean this is the biggest MAC conference game in 30 years.  Heck, this game may make or break the non-equity conferences' last, best hope at BCS inclusion.

But you know what, it's no shock to this prognosticator to see NIU as underdogs.  See, the Huskies we all know about.  The media has anointed them as this year's Cinderella team.  But Bowling Green might be a better team.  They're second in the nation in total offense, and field a pretty darn good defense as well.  They're only loss is by a single score at Ohio State ... no shame there.

And because the BCS folks seem to get lucky every year, BG will probably win.  There won't be an undefeated MAC team, and TCU doesn't play enough "name" teams to get BCS consideration.  If the MAC really wanted to make things interesting, they'd pressure the Falcons to roll over ;)
Pick: Bowling Green
3:30 pm EST ABC, Gameplan
-7 #19 Oklahoma State 6-1 (2-1 Big XII)
  Texas A&M 3-4 (1-2 Big XII)
Everyone's saying that the Big XII South belongs to Oklahoma.  But methinks the Staters will having something to say about that before all is said and done.
Pick: OSU-SW
7:15 pm EST ESPN 2
  #20 Arkansas 4-2 (1-2 SEC)
-1.5 Mississippi 5-2 (3-0 SEC)
Lack of defense notwithstanding, Ole Miss is still very much in the SEC West race.  Lil' Manning is still down there slinging away, and Arkansas is fading fast.  That big win over Texas is nothing but a memory now.
Pick: Mississississississippi
12:00 pm EST ABC, Gameplan
  Notre Dame 2-4
-4 Boston College 4-2 (1-2 Big East)
It's sort of like a leap year.  Every so often Boston College shows up for this game with a better team than the Domers.  This year is one of those times.  So fight on might Eagles, and make the Big East ACC proud!
Pick: BC
1:00 pm EST  
  RUTSgers 3-4 (0-3 Big East)
-4.5 Temple 1-6 (0-2 Big East)
How can Rutgers be an underdog in this game?  Seriously?

Rutgers is gambling gold.  Seriously.  After staging a furious 2nd half rally against Pittsburgh last week, the Scarlet Knights stand at 7-0 against the spread on the year.  And Temple is awful.  They even managed to lose the Philadelphia City Championship to I-AA Villanova early this season.
Pick: Rutgers
OTHER TOP 25 & BIG EAST GAMES:

#5 Georgia (6-1) -29.5 v. UAB (3-4)
#7 Florida State (6-1) -20 v. Wake Forest (4-3)
#11 Nebraska (6-1) -22 v. Iowa State (2-5)
#13 TCU (7-0) -6 v. Houston (5-2)
#16 Iowa (5-2) -11 v. Penn State (2-5)
#17 Wisconsin (6-2) -11.5 @ Northwestern (3-4)
#18 Texas (5-2) -32 @ Baylor (3-4)
#22 Tennessee (4-2) -3 @ Alabama (3-5)
#23 Utah (6-1) -9.5 v. New Mexico (4-3)
#24 Minnesota (6-2) -14 @ Illinois (1-7)

Pittsburgh -7 v. Syracuse
 

           

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