The two week hiatus was apparently just what the doctor ordered.  West Virginia beat Rutgers for the 16th straight season behind 352 yards passing from QB Geno Smith.  A 21-point 2nd half effort from the WVU offense put us on the right side of the half-point hook.  Now, all the Mountaineers needed for a BCS bowl berth was a South Florida win over Connecticut.  Unfortunately for West Virginia, The Weekly had Connecticut and we weren't going to be denied.  The Huskies claimed their first ever BCS bowl with a 52-yard field goal in the waning seconds in Tampa, giving us another win.  Rounding out the 3-0 week was Oregon's BCS Title Game clincher at Oregon State.  The three wins puts us on the doorstep of a profitable season -- something that seemed unlikely at the midway point.  

On to our traditional Army-Navy pick... 

Navy (-7.5) vs. Army, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2:30pm
     Army has had something of a renaissance season, but don't let their record fool you.  The Black Knights' signature win this season is over 5-7 Kent State, not exactly something to write home about.  Meanwhile, Navy has rolled off their seventh straight season of eight or more wins.  With a couple of bounces here and there, the Midshipmen could actually be 11-0. Their three losses have come by a combined total of 14 points.  Since losing to Air Force on October 2nd, the Naval Academy's offense has been on fire.  They've scored at least 28 points in each of their past seven games and at least 31 in their past five contests.  Mix in a 76 point outburst in their win over East Carolina and you're looking at a scary offense.  After not playing two weeks ago, senior QB Ricky Dobbs had a great game last week against Arkansas State carrying the ball 31 times for 154 yards.  Look for this Midshipmen offense to continue to click as they go on to beat Army for the ninth straight season.  Navy 38 - Army 17.

Don't sleep on The Weekly!  After getting a slow start out of the 2010 gates, we've chopped all the way back to the .500 mark with our first undefeated week of the season.  Michigan beat Illinois in a game of two-hand touch to get our week started on the right foot.  The Illini had no business letting Michigan back into the game, but since when do we complain about a cover?  Air Force took care of business in West Point and actually used the forward pass to get it done.  Falcon WR Jonathan Warzeka caught two passes and took both of them the distance, a 53-yard touchdown reception and a 63-yard touchdown reception leading Air Force to their first Commander-In-Chief's Trophy since 2002.  In our nightcap Arkansas whipped struggling South Carolina 41-20 -- more on the Gamecocks below... Now that we grinded our way back to .500 it's time to start going for the jugular.  On to the Week 11 picks... 

Utah (-5.5) at Notre Dame, 2:30pm
     So the Utes got slaughtered by TCU last weekend, but the Horned Frogs have dominated just about everyone this season so we're not going to read into it too much.  The good news for Utah is this is the perfect bounce back spot.  The Irish come limping into this one; no starting quarterback (Dayne Crist), no starting running back (Armando Allen) and they'll be without their second-leading receiver (New Jersey product Theo Riddick).  Despite scoring only seven points last weekend Utah is still averaging 41 points per game, good for ninth in the country.  We don't expect Utes QB Jordan Wynn to have back-to-back bad weeks.  With a true freshman at quarterback, Notre Dame won't be able to hang with this potent Utah spread attack.  Look for the Utes to open up the playbook early to try to erase last week's ghosts.  Utah 38 - Notre Dame 13.

South Carolina at Florida (-6.5), 7:15pm
     It's always an emotional time for The Weekly when the Head Ball Coach returns to Gainesville, especially when the SEC Championship game is at stake.  Last time Spurrier visited the Swamp he was rudely greeted by his former team, getting routed by the Gators 56-6.  This won't be a 50 point blowout, but don't look for South Carolina to keep it all that close either.  Florida WR/RB Chris Rainey is an enormous difference maker for this offense.  With his presence in the lineup and a little protection from the offensive line, QB John Brantley will be able to pick apart this defense much like Arkansas did last week on their way to 41 points.  Gamecock QB Stephen Garcia is always known to make an ill-advised throw or two, and he won't get away with those mistakes against a secondary with this kind of talent.  Florida 26 - South Carolina 9.

Kansas State (+13) at Missouri, 12:30pm
     What makes Missouri any good?  Yeah, yeah, we know they beat Oklahoma, but that doesn't hold too much weight right now since the Sooners are extremely ordinary.  The win over A&M keeps looking better and better, but that's not exactly something to hold your hat on either.  The Tigers come into this game off of two losses where they were torched by the run, giving up 198 yards last week against Texas Tech and 328 the week before at Nebraska.  Those numbers loom large when you look at this week's match-up.  We're talking about a K-State team who beat Texas 39-14 while attempting only four passes for nine yards.  That's no typo.  Four pass attempts, nine yards passing, 39 points scored.  The Wildcat attack is one dimensional with RB Daniel Thomas already eclipsing the 1,100 yard mark this season, but against this Mizzou defense it's the right dimension.  Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert will hang some points on the board here, but they won't be able to pull away with Kansas State controlling the football and the clock.  Missouri 31 - Kansas State 27.

The Weekly will be on site in Columbus this weekend, experiencing the Ohio State - Penn State battle.  JoePa, dotting the "i" and the Horseshoe all in one day?  Doesn't get much better than that.

As always, until next week...

Many Hundos.

For those of us who've played sports our whole lives, you get used to hearing coach after coach give you the same clichés over and over again.  Some of them find ways to be unique, but most are pretty lame.  "Win every pitch/inning/snap/quarter", "take it one day at a time", "it's all about the little things", "you have to want it more!", "RELAX!!!!".  (Hmm, maybe that last one isn't so common).  The Weekly's 2010 campaign can be described by a cliché that our own local college football team rallied around in 2006.  We're choppin' wood.  As much as any other week this season, last week fit our choppin' mantra.  We've been able to follow up a tremendously slow by steadily working our way back to even, going 9-5 over our last 14 games.   

Last week's recap begins in Lincoln.  Despite opening up a 24-0 first quarter lead, Nebraska almost found a way to not cover the 7.5 points.  But Cornhusker RB Roy Helu, Jr.'s 307 rushing yards were too much for the Tigers, our Week 9 Let Down Special, to overcome.  Out in Los Angeles, Oregon continued to run away from teams in the second half overcoming a 32-29 deficit to beat USC 53-32.  There might be someone out there who can slow Oregon down, but there's nobody who can stop them.  This team is on its way to a National Championship.  Staying with National Championship contenders, we told you that Auburn would lose to Ole Miss.  Do you see what happens when you bet against Cam Newton?  Lesson learned.  Let's get to choppin'...  

Arkansas (+4.5) at South Carolina, 7pm
     Both teams enter riding two game winning streaks, but the problems in the South Carolina secondary are going to doom them this Saturday.  Hogs QB Ryan Mallett can light up any scoreboard, even with top WR Greg Childs on the shelf with a bum wheel. South Carolina has had coverage issues all season, giving up 300+ passing yards to three of their last four opponents.  Things won't get better for the Gamecocks this weekend with CB Chris Culliver suffering a season-ending shoulder injury last weekend. Super freshman RB Marcus Lattimore will keep the Ol' Ball Coach in the game, but Arkansas is going to make this one a shootout that USC can't hang with.  Look for South Carolina QB Stephen Garcia to make a couple of crippling mistakes allowing the Hogs to pull off the upset.  Arkansas 38 - South Carolina 31.

Illinois (+3) at Michigan, noon     Illinois is a dog here?  Really?  Really???  For two teams headed in wildly different directions, this line is staggering.  This is now the third straight year where the Wolverines are a sinking ship after jumping out to a quick start.  Their defense isn't capable of stopping anyone, while the Illini offense is as hot as a pistol.  Freshman QB Nathan Scheelhaase has thrown six touchdowns and no picks in the last two games, leading Illinois to 87 points during that span.  A speedy Illinois defense will have done their homework, seeing how Michigan State contained Wolverine QB Denard Robinson, and keep him in check.  The Michigan defense hasn't forced a turnover in their past three games, while Illinois has protected the ball relatively well this season (turnover margin: +3).  Unless they can buck that trend, it's going to be another long day in the Big House for the home team.  Illinois 37 - Michigan 28.

Air Force (-6.5) at Army, noon     It's great to see an old school powerhouse like Army with a winning record, but let's not act like this team is something special.  These Black Knights won't be giving Army fans flashbacks to Doc Blanchard or Glenn Davis any time soon.  Their five wins have come against teams with a combined record of 11-30.  Meanwhile, Air Force is coming off a tough but hard fought loss at Utah, giving the Utes all they could handle before falling 28-23.  Air Force has won 16 of the past 18 meetings, including eight of the past nine in West Point.  With a win the Falcons will win the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy for the first time since 2002.  Don't expect this group to let that slip through their hands.  Both teams run the triple option, so don't expect either defense to look confused, but Air Force's triple option game is simply better.  Air Force 29 - Army 13.

This may have been the toughest week of lines that we've run into this season -- be careful of all those road favorites.  For those of you clamoring for a playoff, you get to see a pair of elimination games Saturday.  The TCU-Utah loser and Alabama-LSU loser are both out of the national championship picture, while the winners will live to see another week at the top of the BCS standings.

As always, until next week...

Many Hundos.

As Halloween looms over this upcoming college football weekend, The Weekly is haunted by the ghosts of past losses.  None more haunting than the one suffered last weekend in the Baylor-Kansas State game.  In his many years at Kansas State, head coach Bill Snyder is no stranger to meaningless touchdowns at the end of games, as he's notorious for running up the score when possible.  But this Saturday's meaningless touchdown came in a much different situation.  With Baylor leading 47-35, Snyder's Wildcats went 13 plays and 90 yards to score a cover-killing touchdown with just seven seconds left in the game.  The Weekly was a Baylor cover away from our third straight winning week, which is encouraging in some respect.  Let's see if we avoid the late game stumbles and get back in the black this week...
 
Oregon (-6.5) at Southern Cal, 8pm
     When in doubt take a home dog, but unfortunately for the Trojans there's no doubt here.  The Ducks are averaging almost a point per minute with their version of the spread offense.  Head coach Chip Kelly's offense is pretty simple in some respects.  They get the football to their play makers in space and they do it better than everyone else, and they do it with elite athletes.  What really sets Kelly's offense apart is their tremendous pace.  Oregon's offense is moving faster than any offense in college football history, getting snaps off every 15 to 20 seconds.  This is particularly bad for USC.  The most glaring Trojan weakness is their lack of depth thanks to the recent NCAA sanctions.  Oregon's offense has already worn out much deeper defenses, outscoring their opponents in the second half  by an amazing 156-23 margin this season.  Look for the Ducks to hammer away with their special spread option game... Oregon 55 - USC 24.

Missouri at Nebraska (-7.5), 3:30pm
     LET DOWN ALERT!!  The Tigers are coming off an incredible emotional high and this is a beautiful let down spot.  Columbia was electric last Saturday night, as Missouri stunned then #1 Oklahoma, giving the Tigers a 7-0 start to the season.  Don't underestimate the affect a game like that can have on a team, it's draining.  Not only is it draining, but now they have to go on the road into a brutally hostile environment.  Good luck.  Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert isn't great when pressured, completing only 41 percent of his passes against the blitz.  Look for the Blackshirt defense to generate pressure creatively, since their front four hasn't proven they can do it on their own.  Weekly Favorite and Nebraska QB Taylor Martinez should be able to wear away at defensive front that is going to seriously miss DT Dominique Hamilton, who's out with a broken ankle.  The combination of Martinez with his compliment of downhill runners will be too much for Mizzou to overcome.  Nebraska 34 - Missouri 20.

Auburn at Ole Miss (+7), 6pm     It's going to be a shake up Saturday.  Listen, Auburn is good, even really good.  They aren't great.  Cam Newton is a special player, but there's going to be a time when he's not going to be perfect.  He needs to be perfect for this team to be really good.  Enter Ole Miss.  Sure they're on a two game losing streak, but those were a pair of tough road games at Alabama and Arkansas where you can say that they held their own.  The friendly confines of Oxford is going to be a breath of fresh air for the Rebels.  Veteran QB Jeremiah Masoli really looked like he finally hit his stride last weekend at Arkansas.  He's a dynamic quarterback with plenty of big game experience from his days at Oregon.  He also has a wide receiver named Ja-Mes Logan to throw to, which has to be a positive right?  Look for the Ole Miss defense to be able to slow down the Auburn running game, as they were able to do against Alabama's power run game.  Houston Nutt is 3-3 against top ten teams in Oxford, he's good for one of these upsets every year.  Ole Miss 32 - Auburn 29.

As always, until next week...

Many Hundos.

It took more time than we expected, but we're grooving heading into Week 8.  Our second consecutive winning week in a row still leaves us under .500 for the season, but gives us a renewed sense of optimism for the stretch run.  The best move of our season so far has been jumping on the Michigan State bandwagon.  Sparty was all tied with the Zookers at the half, but dominated the second half en route to a 26-6 win, taking control of their Big Ten destiny in the process.  Our second winner of the week was Kentucky's exciting win against South Carolina.  Gamecocks QB Stephen Garcia was predictably inconsistent, throwing an inexplicable interception with ten seconds remaining with his team within field goal range.  The ugliest performance of the day comes from Lincoln, where Texas beat Nebraska outright.  The Longhorns defense sent now former Heisman Trophy candidate to the bench during the second half amidst an awful showing.  The path back to respectability continues with the Week 8 picks...  

LSU at Auburn (-5.5), 3:30pm
     We clearly don't believe in this LSU team.  They have major deficiencies that will eventually catch up with them and this is the week that it's going to happen.  As The Weekly advised much, much earlier in the season, Auburn QB Cam Newton is a special player.  The Florida transfer is currently at the top of almost every Heisman leaderboard while leading his Tigers to a perfect 7-0 start.  This LSU defense will provide the stiffest test for Newton this season, but Newton is currently the most dominant player in all of college football.  LSU CB Patrick Peterson is the best in the business at his position, but Auburn won't need to win this game through the air.  Auburn's fake-heavy run game includes a myriad of read-option and misdirection that will really challenge the LSU defense.  All Newton has to do is keep the LSU defense honest in the passing game.  The bottom line here is that LSU's lack of production from the quarterback position will not allow them to keep up with Newton and the Auburn offense.  Factor in the frenzied crowd at Jordan-Hare Stadium and we're looking at an 8-0 Auburn team.  Auburn 31-LSU 16.

Air Force at TCU (-18.5), 8pm
     How is it possible that TCU is flying under the radar right now?  Their last three games: TCU 103 - Opponents 3.  That would be one field goal allowed in the past three games.  Air Force's one dimensional offense isn't a good match up for Gary Patterson's defense.  Add in the fact that starting FB Jared Tew, a vital cog in the triple option attack, is out with a broken leg and it might be a long day for the Falcons.  Let's not dismiss the other side of the ball because the Air Force defense has gotten progressively worse, while the TCU offense has been nothing short of prolific.  Air Force has allowed over 200 yards rushing each of the past three weeks, while the Horned Frogs' running game is pumping out an average of 254 yards per game.  Look for TCU to hang another 35+ point effort as the Horned Frogs continue to cruise in the Mountain West Conference.

Kansas State at Baylor (-6.5), 3:30pm
     We've been waiting for a spot to take Baylor all year, and they look ripe for the pickin' right now.  The Kansas State defense looked woefully slow against Taylor Martinez and the Nebraska offense, which bodes well for the Bears.  QB Robert Griffin is a tremendous playmaker with lightning speed, while WR Kendall Wright is an absolute burner on the outside.  The Wildcats are coming off a blowout win on the road against in-state rival Kansas.  College teams on the back end of back-to-back road games and teams coming off of wins against rivals are always prime candidates for let downs.  Look for Baylor's speed to be too much for a lethargic Kansas State defense.

Georgia at Kentucky (+4.5), 7:30pm
     The Bulldogs have been a true Jekyll and Hyde story this season.  Between The Hedges they're 3-1 and outscored Vandy and Tennessee 84-14 over the past two weeks.  On the road though?  Different story.  No wins, three losses.  This Kentucky offense is really dangerous.  QB Mike Hartline is a decent triggerman; he can be elusive in the pocket and has been completing almost 70% of his passes.  But the guy to really keep your eye on is WR Chris Matthews.  He went wild last weekend, making 12 catches for 117 and a touchdown.  At 6'5", 220 pounds he is an impressive athlete, one that can cause a defense lots of matchup problems.  Look for Georgia's Mr. Hyde to show up again, as they'll continue their poor play on the road.  We love our home dogs and as first year head coach Joker Phillips continues to move the Wildcats in the right direction Kentucky will pull off their second straight upset win. 

Four winners and we're right back at .500... Let's do work.

As always, till next week...

Many Hundos.

We said that we were looking for a huge bounce back last week and were a back door cover away from getting it.  Instead of a huge bounce back, we simply had a winning week; a badly needed winning week.  Arkansas did their best to allow A&M to cover, but the Aggies were just as sloppy and couldn't take advantage.  Michigan State stuck it to Michigan in the Big House, beating the Wolverines for the third year in a row.  It's the first three game winning streak for Sparty against the Wolverines since the '60s.  Oregon State gave us a our second underdog upset of the day, knocking off previously unbeaten Arizona.  Florida found some offense in the Swamp but couldn't overcome Les Miles's late game magic.  Apparently, he still has some rabbits left to pull.  Our other loser was the one that really hurt, as SMU gave up a 4th quarter, cover-killing touchdown. 

On to the Week 7 picks... 

Illinois at Michigan State (-7), 3:30pm
      Maybe we're just on the Sparty bandwagon now, but this looks like a great spot for Michigan State.  The Fightin' Illini are coming off an emotional win at Penn State where they actually played well, something that hasn't been the norm around Champagne this season.  Despite their 3-2 record, Ron Zook's crew hasn't really been too impressive.  A pair of wins over directional Illinois programs was all the had to hang their hat on before breaking out in Happy Valley last weekend.  Having to go right back on the road following a big road win doesn't bode well.  Michigan State is one of the most balanced teams in America.  We talked about their punishing ground game last week, and they delivered in the win over Michigan.  Look for the Spartans to methodically wear down Illinois and pull away late.  MSU 33 - Illinois 17.

Texas at Nebraska (-9.5), 3:30pm
    It's been a long time since Nebraska has been a serious national title contender, but the Huskers are back.  Freshman QB Taylor Martinez has been a revelation in the early going, garnering deserved Heisman hype.  They're coming off a dominating performance at K-State last Thursday night, setting themselves up perfectly for their rivalry game with the suddenly struggling Longhorns.  The not-so-subtle back story here is the pure contempt that the entire Nebraska athletic department has for the University of Texas.  The departure of Nebraska from the Big XII can be directly linked to how the Huskers were sick of Texas' larger share of the conference's television money.  Look for Martinez to break a couple of big plays, making things happen with his legs, while the Blackshirt front seven dominates an undermanned UT offensive line.  Don't think that Nebraska is going to take their foot off the gas petal, because they won't.  If they can hang a hundred, they'll hang a hundred.  Nebraska by a couple of scores.

South Carolina at Kentucky (+5), 6pm
     Doesn't this have trap written all over it?  This is yet another let down spot here, as the Gamecocks are coming off the biggest win of the college football season over former #1 Alabama and have a tougher than advertised task in Lexington.  The Wildcats aren't great but are definitely frisky, even without RB Derrick Locke who is listed as doubtful.  South Carolina QB Stephen Garcia just played the best game of his life.  If you saw the game last week, you watched the peak of Garcia's career, it's all downhill from there.  He's had a wildly inconsistent career and it's always time to bet against him after a great performance.  Meanwhile, Kentucky is coming off a near miss against Auburn where they rattled off 34 points against a more talented defense then they'll see this weekend.  We always love home dogs and the 'Cats are going to be in this one for 60 minutes.  Look for a late field goal to win it for someone. 

Tough week here.  Not too many games stand out.  We'll take our three home teams and run with them...

As always...

Many Hundos.

The 2010 season is proving to be a real uphill battle for The Weekly.  Just when we thought we were going to get the three wins we badly needed, South Carolina decided to piss it all away.  Leading 27-21 in the 4th quarter, the Gamecocks proceeded to turn the ball over four times and give up two touchdowns to lose 35-27.  What a cooler.  Florida dominated Kentucky -- again -- as Gator freshman Trey Burton burst onto the scene by running for five touchdowns and throwing for one.  Oregon State hung in with Boise State, thanks in large part to a 54-yard punt return for a touchdown by Beaver WR James Rodgers.  Oklahoma looked pretty mediocre in their two point win at Cincinnati, pushing us to 2-2 for the week.  Despite going .500, we feel like we finally got untracked last week.  Big things are on the horizon...

Navy (+9.5) at Air Force, 2:30pm
     There is a lot of buzz circulating around this Air Force team, but we're not buying into it just yet.  The Midshipmen come into this first leg of the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy as the 7-time defending champion (translation: they've beaten both Army and Air Force in each of the past 7 years).  QBs Ricky Dobbs of Navy and Tim Jefferson of Air Force are both prolific at running their option heavy offenses but this is shaping up to be a defensive struggle like 2009's 16-13 slug fest.  In what should be the shortest game of the 2010 college football season, we'll count on the more reliable and, in our opinion, better quarterback.  Beating Navy by 10 points is really tough because they grind out every single possession.  Navy has a knack for finding a way to win these games, so we'll take the Middies to win on a late touchdown by Dobbs, 21-20.

Tennessee at LSU (-16.5), 3:30pm
     We hate betting against a Weekly Favorite, Tennessee QB Matt Simms, but are the Vols really ready to be competitive in Tiger Stadium?  We don't think so.  LSU is one of the five toughest places to play in America, so taking an inexperienced team to Baton Rouge for their first road game is a tall order.  It gets worse for the Vols though, because they not only have to deal with going to Baton Rouge, they also have to deal with one of the stingiest defenses in the country.  In the truest sense of what the Heisman winner should be (college football's "most outstanding player") LSU CB Patrick Peterson fits the mold perfectly.  Peterson is the epitome of a "lock down" corner and is capable of fireworks every time the ball ends up in his hands, especially as a punt and kick returner.  The tremendous athleticism of the LSU secondary coupled with a young offensive line spells trouble for Tennessee.  Look for LSU to wear away at the Tennessee front seven by keeping the ball on the ground and out of QB Jordan Jefferson's hands.  The defense and special teams will get the Tigers at least one score while giving their offense short fields to work with all day long.  Tigers 27 - Vols 3. 

Washington State at UCLA (-24), 3:30pm
     Are we worried that UCLA QB Kevin Prince is banged up and might not play? Sure.  Are we worried that this looks like a classic trap game for UCLA?  A little bit.  Are we worried about Washington State? Not even slightly.  Washington State is in the midst of the worst three year stretch by a BCS conference program since Northwestern was the doormat of the 1980s Big Ten.  The Cougars are 1-18 in the Pac-10 over the past three seasons and have gone a paltry 6-13 against the spread in that time.  Their closest conference game in 2009 was a 27-13 loss to Arizona State, one of only two games where they didn't allow 30 points last season.  We could write a novel about how historically bad Wazzou has been.  UCLA is streaking right now behind a suddenly punishing running game.  A pair of RBs, Jonathan Franklin and Derrick Coleman, are averaging over five yards per carry in the Bruins' pistol attack.  Look for UCLA to take few chances but to pound away at the talentless Cougars and hang half a hundo on 'em.

Washington at Southern Cal (-10), 8pm
     Why is USC getting no respect these days?  They went from getting the benefit of the doubt from every voter, to being 4-0 and ranked 18th in the country.  Sure, they're down a little bit, but they haven't fallen off the face of the college football landscape just yet.  Were going to keep our eye on the Trojans as the season progresses, since there seems to be lots of value in their lines right now.  Look for Trojans' QB Matt Barkley to be efficient, but the Trojans are going to do most of their damage on the ground, beating up on an inferior Washington defensive line.  This game is going to end up looking more like the 56-0 USC win of two years ago than the 16-13 Husky win last season.  USC moves to 5-0 and maybe moves up in the polls in the process.

We passed on the four most important games of the weekend: Florida-Alabama, Oregon-Stanford, Oklahoma-Texas and, of course, Bergen Catholic-Don Bosco.  It's shaping up to be one of the finest weekends of the fall.

Until next week...

Many Hundos.

After a positive move in Week 2, we got beat up again in Week 3.  We're putting Connecticut on the Colorado List.  No more wagering on Connecticut until at least 2012.  That's what you get when you lose to a school who got kicked out of your own conference because they were so uncompetitive.  Auburn squeaked out an overtime victory over Clemson, in what turned out to be a hard-hitting affair.  No surprise that Clemson lost another big one, but this time they let a 17-0 first half lead dissipate.  Unfortunately, that lead was enough to give Clemson a cover and put us at 0-2.  LSU proved to be a worthy foe for Mississippi State, we'll have to wait on that upset MSU will pull off this year.  Our lone win was Boise State's at Wyoming.  The Cowboys put up a fight against Texas for those of you who roll your eyes at Boise's schedule. The Broncos rolled to a 51-6 victory.  Sitting at an ugly 4-8 is pretty uncomfortable, a three win week would serve us well right now.  Let's get to the picks...

Oklahoma (-14) at Cincinnati, 6pm
     It's been a strange three games for the Sooners.  They looked vulnerable against Utah State in the opener, then drubbed a ranked Florida State team, and survived against Air Force last week despite giving up 350 yards on the ground.  They won't see another rushing attack like Air Force's so don't expect the Sooners to give up another 300 yards of rushing anytime soon.  Luckily for Oklahoma, they get a Cincinnati team that is currently a mess.  This isn't the same team that won the Big East each of the past two seasons.  They rank 110th in America in pass defense, not a recipe for success for against Landry Jones, Demarco Murry and company.  Cincy hasn't given anyone a reason to think they are capable of beating a good team, forget about beating a team in Oklahoma's class.  Unless the Bearcats can find a way to create multiple turnovers and commit none, they're gonna get blown out here.  Sooners, big.

Kentucky at Florida (-14), 7pm
     The Gators are looking for their 24th consecutive victory against the Wildcats, and we don't think it's going to be a problem.  Kentucky has beaten up on a few cupcakes in impressive fashion, committing no turnovers in three games.  That will certainly change on Saturday evening.  As the Florida offense has struggled relative to what they had gotten used to in the Tim Tebow Era, the defense is loaded.  The Gators have picked off ten passes in their first three games, two of them against opponents superior to Kentucky.  The offense should be able to put it together this week against an undersized Wildcat group. We think that Florida QB John Brantley is going to be a good one, and this is the week he's going to break out.  The fastest man in college football, WR/RB Jeff Demps is going to break a couple of long touchdowns, as Florida wins going away.

South Carolina (+3) at Auburn, 7:45pm
     With the Tigers coming off of consecutive grueling victories over Mississippi State and Clemson, we're looking for South Carolina to be able take advantage of a worn out and nicked up Auburn defense.  This is Weekly Favorite Steve Spurrier's most talented group since arriving in Columbia.  Freshman sensation Marcus Lattimore has been a revelation for the Gamecocks.  The Tiger defense should be able to keep him in check early, but we think South Carolina will wear out the Auburn defense, giving Lattimore some seams late in the game.  USC QB Stephen Garcia has benefited from Spurrier's dedication to the run, opening up opportunities in the play action game.  Defensively, South Carolina's front seven has been excellent, extremely stingy against the run.  They'll be able to force Auburn QB Cam Newton to air it out, and he's been just average in the passing game.  Look for the Gamecocks to grind out this one, 20-12.

Oregon State (+18) at Boise State, 8pm
     This is a shocking number to us.  We expected this line to be around 10, not 18.  Nobody likes Boise State more than we do, but this is way too many points for a team with the offensive weapons that the Beavers have.  The Rodgers brothers, RB Jacquizz and WR James, are capable of going the distance every time they touch the ball.  There is lots of concern about Oregon State's first year QB Ryan Katz and rightfully so because this is a tough spot for the sophomore.  Katz got a taste of the big time in their opener against TCU and made enough plays to keep Oregon State competitive, which is all we're asking for.  Boise might without their best pass rusher, DE Shea McClellin, who sustained a head injury last week and his status is unknown for this weekend.  With a little bit of protection, look for the Beavers to break off a couple of big plays that will keep the game close into the fourth quarter.  Broncos win in a shootout.

We almost took all road teams, as Alabama, North Carolina and Stanford all look very enticing...

See you next week at .500...

Many Hundos.

Week 2 was much, much kinder to the Weekly than Week 1 was.  Alabama continued their dominance, extending their regular season win streak to 26 games and their overall winning streak to 16 games.  The Tide look reloaded and prepared to make a run at their third straight SEC West title and possibly a whole lot more.  Love him or hate hate him, nobody is better than Nick Saban is at running a college football program.  In our other win, Iowa manhandled rival Iowa State to take home the Cy-Hawk Trophy again.  RBs Adam Robinson and Jewel Hampton combined for 34 carries, 240 yards and two touchdowns, while QB Ricky Stanzi went an efficient 11-18 with two touchdown passes.  Our only loser was a squeaker in West Point as the Black Knights fell to Hawaii 31-28 on a field goal with seven seconds left.  Army ran for 250 yards but just didn't have an answer for Hawaii QB Bryant Moniz who tore up the Army defense for 343 yards and three touchdowns.  This week's slate isn't nearly as enticing for spectators as last week's was, but there are a lot more gambling opportunities out there and that's all we care about here.  Onto the picks...

Connecticut (-6) at Temple, noon
     Despite the Week 1 loss at Michigan, we're sticking with the Huskies.  Watching the 20-point loss at The Big House was disappointing, but UConn was by no means dominated in that game.  It was one of those games where nobody dominated the game play, but somebody dominated the scoreboard.  Connecticut was able to move the ball fairly effectively; UConn RB Jordan Todman ran for 105 yards and averaged over 5 yards per carry against the Wolverines.  Their biggest problem that day was Denard Robinson and we don't think that's going to be a problem unique to the Huskies.  Temple is a pretty solid MAC team, but that's about all they are.  Close wins over Villanova and Central Michigan aren't exactly eye openers.  UConn will be able to move the ball on the ground and win going away.

Clemson at Auburn (-7), 7pm
     We have a few Clemson grads here and they're not going to be happy about this one but so be it.  Let's start with the most obvious question: can anyone remember the last time Clemson won a big game?  Good luck finding one of those games.  We went all the way back to 2003, got bored and stopped looking.  Clemson has an aptitude to fold when the pressure is on, and the pressure will surely be on at Jordan-Hare Stadium tomorrow night.  Clemson has really cruised in the first two games against North Texas and Presbyterian.  We always like playing against teams who are coming off of cupcake wins who then have to go on the road, especially an ACC team going on the road against an SEC opponent.  Auburn should be able to get pressure on Clemson QB Kyle Parker with their front four, allowing them to drop seven deep to take advantage of any Parker mistakes.  If you haven't seen Auburn QB Cam Newton play yet, take the time to watch him.  You won't be disappointed.  He's built in the Terrelle Pryor mold; tall, fast and super-athletic.  He's the prototypical Gus Malzahn quarterback.  His ability to make plays with his legs will give Clemson a lot of trouble.  Look for Auburn to make this 14 wins in a row over Clemson.

Mississippi State (+7.5) at LSU, 7pm     Mississippi State will pick someone off this year and we think LSU is ripe for the pickin'.  Tigers' QB Jordan Jefferson has been pretty shaky in the early going and the team as a whole hasn't looked much better.  They allowed a depleted North Carolina team to come back to within one score of victory in the opener and only led lowly Vanderbilt by a touchdown in the fourth quarter last week.  The MSU offense has been inconsistent, but head coach Dan Mullen is brilliant play caller who should be able to exploit the holes that allowed Carolina QB TJ Yates throw for 400 yards. Mississippi State has an excellent defensive line, anchored by Pernell McPhee that will force the Tigers to throw the ball.  Les Miles rarely loses night games in Baton Rouge but remember that the LSU crowd always has high expectations and if Jefferson gets off to a slow start you might hear the boo birds out in full force, which never helps college kids.  Look for a tight defensive struggle that comes down to a field goal in the final minute.

Boise State (-23.5) at Wyoming, 8pm
     Thanks to Virginia Tech's unlikely loss to James Madison, Boise State must come out to impress every single week.  The only way you can impress people when you play Wyoming is to hang a whole lot of points on the board.  The Cowboys actually have a little bit of firepower and won't get shutout, but we're looking for a well rested Kellen Moore to come out firing early and often.  Boise by 35. This feels like a big week.  We hate having two road favorites, but Mississippi State is our favorite dog (no pun intended) of this young season.

We love hearing feedback, so bring on anything you have to add.

Until next week...

Many Hundos.

We certainly didn't get off to the hot start that we would have liked in Week 1.  The Michigan offense was a big reason why we're off to a 1-4 start.  We were concerned about sophomore QB Denard Robinson's explosiveness, saying that he could be a Michigan version of Pat White.  We didn't realize that he was going to be Pat White reincarnated though.  Robinson was 19-22 for 186 yards and a touchdown through the air and he rushed for 197 yards with a touchdown.  He's gonna be a fun one to watch.  Washington pissed away a 3rd quarter lead on their way to a 6-point loss at BYU.  In typical fashion, Clemson couldn't get the job done for us.  Why do we ever bet on Clemson?   That brings us to Navy and Boise State.  Navy controlled the game against Maryland.  They ran twice as many plays and Maryland had no answers for the triple option.  But when you lose three fumbles inside the six yard line you're not going to win very many games.  Boise State's win over Virginia Tech was everything that college football is about.  The raucous crowd jumped through the television screen in a way you never see on Sundays.  There were times when both teams were sloppy, but it also made for some exciting plays.  Broncos' QB Kellen Moore has ice water running through his veins.  He coolly led Boise State down the field in less than a minute to keep his team in the National Championship hunt while catapulting himself to the top of the Heisman rankings.  A 1-4 week sucks, but Boise's win kept our head above water.  On to the week two winners...

Hawaii at Army (-3), noon
     After a terrible week one, we're going a little off the board for our first pick.  We're mainly playing the hunch that Hawaii is going to have a tough time adjusting to one of the longest trips in college football history.  Hawaii will be traveling just under 5,000 miles and across five time zones.  The noon start will feel like a 6am start for the Rainbow Warriors.  College teams who make these types of trips generally don't fare well.  Army's pounding rushing attack will help neutralize Hawaii's wide open offense by controlling the football and the Black Knights won't beat themselves.  Army wins by 10.

Iowa State at Iowa (-13.5), 3:30pm     For some reason this intrastate rivalry has become a Weekly staple.  The Weekly is 2-0 against the spread in Cy-Hawk games, winning with Iowa State as a double digit dog in both 2007 and 2008.  The Cyclones are once again double digit dogs, but this is going to look more like last years 35-3 Hawkeye romp than the 15-13 Iowa State upset in 2007.  Iowa is a real BCS National Championship sleeper.  They're quietly sitting at #9 in both polls waiting for Penn State, Wisconsin and Ohio State to take their trips to Kinnick Stadium.  Look for savvy Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi to keep the mistakes to a minimum while grinding away at the Cyclones.  The Hawkeye defense forced ISU QB Austen Arnaud into four picks last season and there's no reason to think that they won't be able to force turnovers again this season.  Iowa State's carelessness with the ball will be too much to overcome.   

Penn State at Alabama (-12), 7pm
     The Nittany Lions bring Robert Bolden, a true freshman quarterback, to Tuscaloosa.  We could probably stop our analysis right there.  Nick Saban coached defenses are aggressive, complicated and disciplined and will force the freshman into a couple of big mistakes. Penn State RB Evan Royster will have to take on much of the offensive burden and we don't think he'll be successful enough to keep this one close.  Last week the Nittany Lions were only able to muster 72 yards rushing on 17 carries against Youngstown State and their offensive line looked disjointed.  On the other side of the ball Alabama will find ways to score points with or without Heisman Trophy winning RB Mark Ingram.  Backup RB Trent Richardson is explosive and the Tide has talented trio of wide receivers who cause most of their damage after the catch.  Penn State's veteran secondary is going to have to make sure they wrap up and tackle well.  The Bama D will force Bolden into too many mistakes that the Nittany Lions won't be able to recover from.  Alabama wins this one big.

This was a difficult week to pick games.  We really tried to find an underdog that we liked, because underdogs are always more fun to bet on, but there wasn't one that looked worth taking.  We would have taken Michigan plus the points if the conditions were going to be nice, but the rain in South Bend will hamper Denard Robinson's effectiveness. 

Enjoy the weekend...

Many Hundos.

Is this really the sixth year of College Football Weekly?  What's the most incredible part about that -- the fact that I actually started writing this thing six years ago or that I'm still wasting my time with it six years later?  Actually, everyone probably knows the answer to that already...

It was a tumultuous off-season in college football, one that left the Big Ten and Pac-10 with 12 schools and the Big XII with only ten schools.  Nick Saban suddenly (and laughably) became the captain of the moral police in the NCAA's never ending crusade against professional agents.  Lane Kiffin landed at USC and USC landed some harsh penalties that's going to severely damage one of the nation's marquee programs.  BYU thinks that it's the LDS version of Notre Dame, going independent in football starting next season.  Did anyone know that BYU has their own TV network?  You do now.  The quarterback that led Oregon to the 2010 Rose Bowl is now the quarterback at Ole Miss.  We could go on all day, but that's not why you're reading.  Let's get to the picks.

We hammered our way to 62% in 2009 but followed that up with a weak 2010.  Just over 50% doesn't cut it.  We recently heard from a (somewhat) reliable source that "college football looks like easy money this year".  Let's hope that it's easy money for The Weekly readers.  Without further adieu, let's get the 2010 Degenerate Season underway!!!

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Connecticut (+3) at Michigan, 3:30pm
     We've had our eye on this game for about a month now.  Connecticut has some big time sleeper appeal in '10.  They return 16 starters from last year's 8-5 squad, a team that lost five games by four points or less, including near-misses at three ranked opponents.  Head Coach Randy Edsall has built something out of nothing in Storrs.  He took the Huskies from 1-AA to 1-A in 2002, secured nine wins in their second Division 1-A season and won at least eight games in each of the past three seasons.  Junior RB Jordan Todman, who ran for nearly 1,200 yards last season, leads an offense that should be able to move the ball on the ground and control the clock.  Michigan certainly has weapons.  Rich Rodriguez hasn't publicly named a quarterback but keep your eye out for sophomore Denard Robinson.  Robinson is a true dual-threat (ran a 4.32 40-yard dash and came in third in the 100 meter dash in the Florida High School State Championships).  He's perfectly suited to play the Michigan-version of Pat White.  The Wolverines should have invited a patsy to the opening of the renovated Big House.  UConn won't be phased by the atmosphere after beating Notre Dame on the road and almost beating Cincinnati on the road in 2009.  Huskies by a late field goal.

North Texas at Clemson (-27), 3:30pm
     The "wise guys" in Vegas make their living off of games like this.  Bookmakers and "squares" (as they call 'em) alike don't have an in-depth knowledge of the teams in the fringe conferences, such as the Sun Belt.  Since 1999, Sun Belt road dogs of 20+ points are 61-98-1 against the spread.  There are three other non-conference road games involving the Sun Belt this week (UL-Lafayette at Georgia, Western Kentucky at Nebraska and Arkansas State at Nebraska) if this tickles your fancy.  As for North Texas, they're 2-15 against the spread as a 17+ point road dog against a non-conference opponent since 2002.  They're also coming off a miserable 2-10 campaign.  Considering that Clemson is a tough place to play regardless of your talent level, this should be a long one for the Mean Green.  We're figuring that opening day at Clemson will be pretty rowdy, even against North Texas, since there's not a heck of a lot going on in rural South Carolina.  C-L-E-M-S-O---------N!!

Washington (+2.5) at BYU, 7pm
     BYU is well coached and typically tough at home, but they won't be able to keep up with Washington QB Jake Locker.  The likely #1 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft has been working with quarterback guru Steve Sarkisian for over a year now and should be able to set a pace that BYU can't handle.  The Cougars are planning on going with the dreaded two-quarterback system, with one being a freshman.  Two quarterbacks coupled with less than spectacular weapons is not a good way to go into a football game against Washington.  Locker's ability to make plays with his feet and extend drives will be the difference maker, as the Huskies get a solid road win to start 2010.  

Monday, September 6, 2010

Maryland vs. Navy (-6.5), Baltimore, Maryland, 4pm
     Navy QB Ricky Dobbs is a force to be reckoned with.  He set an NCAA record for quarterbacks by rushing for 27 touchdowns last season and just a shade under 1,200 yards.  He even threw for 1,000 yards even though Navy isn't known for their air attack.  All this despite missing two games due to a injury.  This looks like a bad matchup for Maryland.  The Terps gave up over 200 yards on the ground four times last season and the Naval Academy returns five of its top six leading rushers from 2009's 10-4 team.  Look for the Middies to come out and shove their triple option down Maryland's throat all day long. 

Boise State (-1.5) vs. Virginia Tech, Landover, Maryland, 8pm
     Here's the game everyone's been talking about since February.  The Broncos come in as the most legitimate threat a non-BCS conference school has ever had to crack the BCS National Championship game.  We're not going to judge whether it's fair or not, but it's certainly not unreasonable to say that they're two major obstacles away from getting there.  The Hokies are the largest of those two roadblocks.  Over the past two weeks it seems like people have been jumping on the Virginia Tech bandwagon for this game, we're not ready to jump on.  The Broncos return nearly their entire 2009 team that went 14-0.  They have an experienced offense that isn't afraid to take risks and can score points on anyone.  If Tech is going to win this game they're going to have to dominate the ground game with Ryan Williams and Darren Evans.  Even if they're able to do that, the Broncos offense can score in bunches and we expect them to do just that.  Boise State gets one step closer to the National Championship game, 31-20.  

Five winners for the opening weekend.  It's going to be a hell of a season.

As always, until next week.......

Many Hundos.