Week 4 - Easy Rider

Ahhhh, it sure was satisfying going 5-2 last week. I won't lie, I didnt think much of my picks at about 2PM after TCU donked off their game at Air Force (wow, TCU takes that Ravens superbowl model to the extreme...talk about a lack of an offense...UGLY) I was feeling a little down. Then John Parker Wilson (or whatever that SEC Haircutted freak is called) decided to show Houston Nutt what a man of will really was. Thankfully D-Mac showed everyone what athleticism brings to the football table. Not bad. Not bad at all.

On a completely unrelated note, what's going on in College Station? I was one of many folks who thought that five or six years ago with Coach Fran showed up at the A & M campus that the Aggies were going to quickly become a Big-12 powerhouse. What happened? From what I understand, Fanchione is a real dick, so I can't say that Im all that dissapointed in their stagnant decline, but I have to say I am surprised. Is Mack Brown really that good that he poaches ALL of the top tier talent? I just don't get it. Getting blown out by Miami is just an embarrasment, and I wonder how much longer the Aggie faithful are going to sit idly by and watch their program flounder about. Watch out for some douchebag like Glen Mason to scoop that job up once it becomes available.

So anway, now it's week Four, which is without a doubt the most boring week of College Football so far this season. I'm about as excited for this weeks games as I am for the return of Ian MacKellen to the stage in "King Lear". That being said, I will watch football all day on Saturday since that is what I do. Some people rape babies, others beat their wives...I watch football on Saturdays.

Here are my picks this week. Tough week this week...

Penn State (-3) over MICHIGAN. Sorry Scoops, I have to disagree with you on this one. Michigan had a loaded offense, but without Drew "The Stork" Henne firing bullets around the field I just don't think that they can outscore Penn State. The Big House has seen a tremendous fall from grace as a big time advantage for the home team (Wolverine fans are conspicuously quiet these days) and Penn State is going to be the first team this year to introduce a real defense to the Maize and Blue. Freshman QB + Worst Michigan Start in Years (pressure) + Worst Michigan Defense in Decades + Joe Pa hammering PSU kids with tales of bygone upsets = PSU win by 10.

Washington (+6) over UCLA. I agree with Scoops on this one. Locker is a stud, that UCLA defense just is not as good as everyone thought it was, and Willingham is flat out a better coach than Karl Dorrell. Plus, UW has to be a little edgy since they lost at home against OSU last week...Im thinking they are looking to prove themselves, and what better way than a quick jaunt down the west coast the hellhole that is Los Angeles and put a whoopin on the Bruins?

Purdue (-14) over MINNESOTA. OK, so now I'm taking three road teams. So what? Scoops bleeds Maroon and Gold (seriously, I've seen blood stains), and while his concern about taking a road team with a double-digit spread is very astute, I just hate this matchup for the Gophers. As Scoops pointed out below, the Minnesota defense is TERRIBLE, and their secondary is the weakest link. Combine dome conditions, a solid running game, a team that runs the spread and throws the ball all over the field AND boasts the most efficient passer in the Big Ten and I think you got a blowout comin. As a Gopher fan, I hope I'm wrong. But I don't think I am. Tiller's squad is going to rack up about 60 points on the Gophers, and it ain't gonna be pretty.

ARKANSAS (-6.5) over Kentucky. Another great find by Mr. McCracken. Kentucky has NO ANSWER for D-Mac (but, really, who does?) and they are just primed for a letdown game after beating the Brohminators last week. I think that comeback ignited the Razorbacks, and I get the feeling that they realize that each week they are playing for their Head Coach to keep his job. The real question in this game is which offensive star is going to be picked first in the next NFL draft - Woodson or D-Mac?

WISCONSIN (-7) over Iowa. I really think Iowa might be in deep trouble after dropping that game to the Cyclones last week. I hate to pick so many favorites, but I really think that Wisconsin is just starting to get in their groove where they rush for 400 yards in 9 straight games, and Iowa has to be heartbroken and in complete soul searching mode after losing to an Iowa State team that had previously lost to Kent State and Northern Iowa. Watchout, Hawkeye Fans: as much as I love Kirk Ferentz, I think the realities of recruiting in such a vaccuum of talent are finally catching up to him. Don't worry, Kirk, the Michigan job should be waiting for you in February.

The UNDER on TCU/SMU at 52. Wow. Now that is an easy pick. TCU's offense is about as effective as Dennis Miller giving a speech to an elementary school, and SMU has not been good at football since the Ford administration. This is going to be an ugly, stinking, rivalry-style slugfest, with the emphasis on SLUG. Here's to hoping that this game is NOT on ESPN Gameplan.

South Carolina (+19) at LSU. This is a really, really strange line. I will admit that LSU looks like a clone of an NFL defense right now, and that is impressive. Glen Dorsey should be playing for the Arizona Cardinals right now. That being said, I just like the odds of The Old Ball Coach putting something together to stifle that highly talented LSU team. When was the last time Spurrier got blown out when he had comparable talent on the field? OK, the Redskins notwithstanding, I feel like it has been a long time. Im not going to look that up. But anyway, how many points do you really see these teams scoring? A 19 point spread is going to take some work. Spurrier pulls through in this one, although LSU still wins by two TDs.

Last Week - 5-2. Season 14-7.