Bowl Bonanza #3: New Year's Eve Bash

In the busiest day to date we get a great night cap with the Peach Bowl (or Chick-Fil-A) and have some interesting games throughout the day. Florida State will field the JV squad in the Music City Bowl while Oregon limps into the Sun Bowl against South Florida. The feel good story of the bowl season plays out on the NFL network when Indiana takes on Oklahoma State in a surefire shootout. We are almost into the BCS games and Monday's slate will only further our appetite for them.

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (Dallas, 12:30 ESPN)

California 31 - Air Force 21

California phoned it in more than any other team in the country this year while Air Force took many by storm (including lowly Notre Dame). A lot of people are pegging this game for the upset of the bowl season but I like Cal and their speed to be too much for Air Force. Desean Jackson will be the fastest player the Falcons have seen all year and should create some serious mismatches. Air Force will give it a go for a while but Cal simply has too much depth and speed.

Roady's Humanitarian Bowl (Boise, ID 2:00 ESPN 2)

Fresno State 28 - Georgia Tech 20

Georgia Tech is sans coach and playing out West where their pitiful fan base will not travel. Fresno State always plays big teams tough and Tech is not that good. All are signs why I have GT going down. Tech DC Tenuta won't be there as he has decided to leave the program so the one strong point of the GT team will be without its coach. I know little to nothing about Fresno State but I know all I need to about how average Georgia Tech is.

Brut Sun Bowl (El Paso, Texas 2:00 CBS)

South Florida 30 - Oregon 17

Without Dennis Dixon Oregon is lost at sea and that is the case heading into this game. South Florida has a stout D, especially against the run, and should be able to stymie the Duck QB's all day long. The Bulls' offense is not much to write home about but the Oregon D is not the best either. I like the Bulls to put up a TD via the defense and get some solid production out of QB Matt Grothe.

Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl (Nashville, Tenn. 4:00 ESPN)

Kentucky 30 - Florida State 20

Florida State will be without 25% of their roster due to the massive suspensions which leaves them very vulnerable. Andre Woodson is a top notch QB who should be able to get FSU in some tricky spots. The Free Show offense is horrendous but it should be able to move the ball on Kentucky at times. This game would have gone to FSU had it not been for that minor cheating scandal. Woodson will win the MVP as he should have a huge day against FSU.

Insight Bowl (Tempe, Ariz 6:00 NFLN)

Oklahoma State 38 - Indiana 30

This should be one of the highest scoring games of the bowl season with both offenses having great skill players. I think OSU has better skill players as a whole and should match up very well with Indiana. The Hoosiers have a great combo of offensive talent in a shifty QB and a dominant WR in 6-foot-6 James Hardy. I like Adarius Bowman of OSU a little better and the spark plug running back for the Pokes is solid. This should be an entertaining game with OSU coming out on top.

Chick-Fil-A Bowl (Atlanta 7:30 ESPN)

Auburn 17 - Clemson 13

This should be the opposite of the Insight Bowl where defense will rule the day. Auburn has one of the best defenses in the nation led by oft-suspended LB Tray Blackmon. Clemson will be without a few defensive starters due to suspension which should help the always average Auburn offense. There should be some hard hitting defense throughout and some stud RB play as well. Clemson has one of the best RB duo's in the country with James Davis and CJ Spiller while Auburn RB Brad Lester is solid (when not suspended). Look for Auburn to stuff the run and force Clemson to throw the ball where Auburn's D is fierce.

Independence Bowl: A Satan-Versus-Hippy Epic

Alabama fans went nuts when Saint Saban took all of that chedda' and left the NFL to be the next Bear Bryant. Too bad Saban couldn't have gotten any new players. The Tide went an abysmal 6-6 with the low point coming when they lost to LA-Monroe at home. Saban was given a free pass this season but next year a 7-5 type season will not get it done. Colorado is living off of their freakish upset win over Oklahoma. They have a decent offense and a decent defense but Bama should have the edge in overall talent. I like Bama to win a close game where neither team looks especially good.

Bama 24 - Colorado 20

Bowl Bonanza #2

For the second day in a row we get a triple header worthy of...well...not that much. Beginning with the Meineke Car Care Bowl (what a douchey name) and ends with the Alamo Bowl. In between the two is the epic contest known as the Liberty Bowl. The only reason to watch this game is the UCF RB, but more on that later. One way to look at it is that after Saturday night we will have cleared the majority of the horrible games and we will be that much closer to the real bowl games. And now, on to the picks.

Meineke Car Care Bowl (Charlotte, NC 1:00 p.m. ESPN)

Wake Forest 24 - Uconn 21

* actual score: Wake 24 - Uconn 10

This game is all about Defense (read: horribly boring) and should be close throughout. Both teams rely on a solid defense and great coaching to win games which means this could turn into quite the chess match. When Wake QB Riley Skinner gets into a rhythm he can be deadly (ask Florida State). Uconn relies on TO's and solid D (as well a BS fair catches) so they should be able to make plays during crunch time as many of their games were close. I think Wake Coach Jim Grobe is one of the best game day coaches in the business and he should be enough to get Wake Forest its first bowl win in a very long time.

Liberty Bowl (Memphis, Tenn 4:30 p.m. ESPN)

Memphis State 20 - UCF 17

* actual score: MSU 10 - UCF 3

This game is really too close to call but I am going with MSU for little more than admiration. Admiration of not only what Mississippi State has done on the field but also how head coach Sylvester Croon has done it: the right way. Croon focuses on defense and motivation and does so with a sense of class and dignity unrivaled in today's game. All of the talk going into this game will center on UCF RB Kevin Smith. Smith is 181 yards shy of Barry Sanders' all time record (note: Sanders played in 3 LESS games than Smith). MSU has been hit-or-miss on defense this year but I like them to step it up and make UCF beat them via the passing game and hold Smith under 180 yards thus keeping the record in Barry's hands.

Alamo Bowl (San Antonio, Texas 8:00 p.m. ESPN)

Penn State 27 - Texas A&M 17

* actual score: PSU 24 - TAMU 17

Texas A&M runs the ball very well. Penn State stops the run better. This is a case of strength versus strength when these two teams square off which should make for some good drama. Penn State as one of the best defenses in the nation led by star LB Dan Conner. Texas A&M will feature a 3 pronged attack with QB Stephen McGee and RB's Michael Goodson and Javorskie Lane. Penn State will force the Aggies to throw the ball and the only good option the Aggies have is in TE Martellus Bennett. I think Penn State can handle all of this and will win going away and give JoePa his 23rd bowl victory.

Bowl Breakdowns: A Triumvirat of Mediocrity

We get the pleasure of watching 3 meaningless, boring football games today as we are slowly widdling away the horrible bowls. Today we have the Champs Sports Bowl, the Texas Bowl and the always enjoyable Emerald "Nut" Bowl. Rather than having me waxing poetic about the greatness, or total lack thereof, of these games we will cut to the chase and get on with the gettin' on...just like those lovely Song Girls.

Champs Sports Bowl (Orlando, FL 5:00, ESPN)

Boston College 31 - Michigan State 28

* actual score: BC 24 - MSU 21

Matty Ice and Co. should have little worries when it comes to putting up points on MSU as every team that plays the Spartans does that with ease. The problem for BC will be stopping the high powered Spartan offense. Mark D'antonio inherited a great offense when he took over for John L. Smith but has yet to fix the defense. This should be an entertaining game in terms of points scored as both offenses are highly productive. I like the BC defense to make at least one more stop than the Spartans thus taking the game in a shoot out of sorts.

Texas Bowl (Houston, TX 8:00 NFL Network)

TCU 23 - Houston 20

* actual score: TCU 20 - Houston 13

Houston comes into this game without their coach as he has bolted to Baylor (WTF was he thinking?). Houston is known, or at least was known, for their spread passing attack which should make for a decent match up with defensive minded TCU. TCU comes into this game highly disappointed with themselves as they were a pre-season top 25 team that finished at 7-5. Houston is right where they should be in some podunk bowl game that no one cares about. I like the TCU defense to hold Houston in check just enough to get the win. Thankfully this game is on the NFLN so no one will have to watch it.

Emerald Bowl (San Francisco, CA 8:30 ESPN)

Oregon State 30 - Maryland 28

* actual score: OSU 21 - Maryland 14

These are 2 teams that I know very little about. Oregon State gets their star RB Yvenson Bernard back from injury which should bode well for the Beavers. Under Ralph Freidgen the Terps are about as hit or miss as Lindsey Lohan. One game they look like knockouts and the next they are face down in a puddle of their own vomit while attempting to take a line of blow off of a hookers ass (ok, maybe that was a stretch...but not for Lohan). The Beavers will have more fans at the game (assuming people actually show up) but this game really is too close to call. I like Bernard and Co. from the West to redeem Arizona State for their phone-it-in performance from last night.

Philip Rivers and his Mouth of Trash

Let's be completely honest. Who in the viewing audience thought that it was appropriate for Mr. Rivers to be talking trash to Jay Cutler? I contend that even the strongest Rivers' supporters (his family) were aghast with horror when they saw him jabbering at the Broncos' QB. What has Rivers ever done to be justified for this type of behavior. To me he looks like a rich man's Sam Keller with his shot put release. He is playing with one of the greatest running backs in the history of the NFL in L.T., and has above average talent all over the field when he is behind center. However, I have never gotten the feeling that he is anything but an average QB. Some will say that this is an idiotic opinion because he has led his team to back-to-back solid regular seasons. Despite the fact that the Chargers have been anything but consistent this season, they are still in position to finish 11-5 and champions of the AFC West. I feel that the Chargers are in the position that they are in not because of River's play, but in spite of it. I have watched a great deal of NFL games this year, including many including the Chargers, and I have yet to be impressed with Mr. Rivers. He seems to only be able to make strong throws when his receivers are wide open or make great catches. I never get the feeling that the Chargers are moving the ball because of Philip. This is directly counter to the feeling that I get when I watch the best QB's play. In conlusion, I simply ask Mr. Rivers to shut the hell up.

Holiday Bowl Previes: The First Good Matchup

There are a lot of bad games on the bowl slate this year but the Holiday Bowl is not one of them. Texas and Arizona State are both high scoring teams (19th and 35th respectively) and this should be a fun game to watch. Arizona State gets it done via the air while Texas chooses to do its work on the ground. Sun Devil QB Rudy Carpenter should be able to attack the much maligned Texas D while Longhorn RB Jamaal Charles should be able to run all over the Sun Devils' defense. The Holiday Bowl always seems to be a shootout and this game should be no different. I like Colt McCoy to make enough plays to win this game in a barn burner.

Texas 38 - Arizona State 35

* actual score: Texas 52 - ASU 34

Motor City Bowl Preview...Does Anyone Even Care?

Chalk this up into the category of bowl games that no one cares about. Purdue played Central Michigan earlier this year and hammered them in West LaFayette but this looks to be a little closer. Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour has put up some Vince Young-like numbers this season and looks to do the same against a shady Purdue defense. The Boilers will be without star WR Selwyn Lymon as he has been kicked off of the team. Talk about a bad year for Lymon. He gets hit up for a DUI and then gets stabbed in the chest only to be followed by getting booted off of the team. Way to go Selwyn. As for the game itself I am going with the upset and taking CMU. They played much better down the stretch while Purdue really struggled towards the end of the season. There should be a ton of offense on display which always helps the ratings of games in which no one cares about.

Central Michigan 34 - Purdue 31

* actual score: Purdue 51 - CMU 48 (F$!#, so close yet still so far away)

Hawaii Bowl Breakdown...Melikalikimaka

Boise State finds itself in the Hawaii Bowl a yar removed from its shocking Fiesta Bowl win last year. This year they have to slum it up in Hawaii and take on a decent (at best) East Carolina team in what should be a blowout. The Mini-Lou Holtz coached East Carolina squad is not too bad coming in at 7-5 but when you play the teams that ECU plays that is not that impressive. Boise State hasn't beaten anyone of note but they have gone toe-to-toe with Hawaii. Boise played well in Hawaii and it certainly cannot hurt to be familiar with the setting. Boise has a better coach and better talent which should lead to a decisive score.

Boise State 31 - East Carolina 17

Mea Culpa

I need to apologize to the readers. I promised bowl breakdowns for every game but as I have been shitfaced for the last couple of days I completely forgot to do breakdowns. But fear not. As I cannot fathom drinking...ever again, and will now do some breakdowns.

Is Something Fishy Going Down in Columbus?

Earlier today there were reports on all of the major .com's that Ohio State had suspended 2 players for the BCS title game. The 2 players were both corners, one starting and one a solid backup and were said to have violated team rules. Now the team is saying that (gasp!) the starter has NOT been suspended and only the backup was. Now, we don't know what happened but we do know that either all of .com's as well as the Columbus Dispatch were dead wrong or Ohio State is not as saintly as Big 10 Commissioner Jim Delany would have you think. This would certainly not be the first time a school has chosen to suspend the backup and let the stud continue playing (FSU comes to mind during the Peter Warrick fiasco) but if this is in fact as shady as it looks, all of the Ohio State fans need to shut up with the bashing of the "corrupt" SEC. Now, this could all be a case of horrible journalism but something seems a little fishy to me.

Bowl Mania Begins Tonight...Can You Feel The Excitement?

The 2007/08 bowl season begins tonight with Utah taking on coach-less Navy. With this marking the beginning of the end for this college football season we here at the Gods will predict each of the 32 bowl games with spectacular insight (ok, that last part was total bullshit). Let's get this started with the breakdown of the epic San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. On a short aside, could someone please explain to me why in the hell the good folks of San Diego could not have come up with a better name for a bowl game? That sounds like a financial seminar for the retired community of San Diego and not a bowl game. You guys are better than that. With that over, here is the breakdown of the first of many shitty...I mean fantastic bowl games.

Utah 31 - Navy 20

If Paul Johnson was still the coach of Navy their chances would have increased greatly. Sadly for Navy, he is gone. Utah has a stout defense (something that Navy does not have) and should be able to stymie the option game as they have had plenty of time to study it. Utah is well coached and has some deceptive speed (read: fast for a bunch of white kids) and should be able to score many-a-point on one of the worst defenses in the nation. Although I suppose when you put all of your effort in defending a nation you can only do so much on a football field. I am sure the ratings for this game will be through the roof thus making the good people of San Diego very happy. There is no truth to the rumour that next year's game will be named the Bank of San Diego's Free Student Checking Chrysanthemum Bowl.

What's Wrong With This Picture?

What is it about this picture that disturbs me so greatly. As a devout Georgia Bulldog fan, I should appreciate the fact that a national media personality such as Colin Cowherd made a visit to Athens for the UGA-Auburn game last fall and was given a personalized jersey. It could only help Georgia nationally when Cowherd has a good experience in Athens. However, the fact remains that I have simply developed a hatred for this man over the past year. I used to enjoy his show and listened on a regular basis. I realize that his job is to create controversy, but it seems that he has gotten more arrogant and all-knowing over the past year. He comes out with these outrageous opinions that aren't based on any semblance of fact. The best example of this syndrome is his treatment of Sean Taylor's murder. Instead of waiting for the facts to come out, he jumped to the conlusion that Taylor's past had a direct influence on his shooting. It turned out that he was dead wrong, and the crime was commited by teenagers in search of an easy score. As a media personality that wields such influence, this attitude strikes me as nothing but dangerous. It seems as if he has become increasingly controversial in an attempt to garner a bigger audience.

With all that being said though, the biggest problem I have with this picture is that Cowherd looks like a gigantic douchebag.

Michigan Tabs Rodriguez as Head Coach

The University of Michigan has replaced Lloyd Carr with West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez in a hire that has the potential to put the Wolverines back on top of the Big 10.

Rodriguez brings his high powered spread offense to Ann Arbor which is a funny twist as many said Carr's inability to stop the spread offense was his biggest weakness. As the saying goes, "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" and that is precisely what Michigan has done. This move will sure make Ohio State nervous as the last 2 teams that ran the spread absolutely torn them a new one.

The deal is worth a reported $2.5 million per year making Rodriguez one of the top paid coaches in the country. It is unknown at this time whether or not Rodriguez will bring his staff with him but one thing is for sure and that is that the Wolverines got the big splash that their fans were looking for.

Petrino or Saban? Take your pick.

When I heard the news two days ago that Bobby Petrino was leaving the Atlanta Falcons to take the job at the University of Arkansas, I wish I could say that I was surprised. However, given this guy's track record, he's only following a long established pattern of disloyalty and selfishness. At least when Nick Saban left the Miami Dolphins last year, he at least finished the season. He may have lied up until the very end, but at least he didn't quit on his team's fans, the players, and the owner before the season even ended. I'm really at a loss of words to describe the absolute classlessness that Petrino has exhibited over the past few days. I'll just let a few of the Atlanta Falcon's players describe it.

Careful What You Wish For...

Arkansas got what it wanted on Tuesday evening: A top notch college coach. The problem...He will not be around long enough to fulfill the Razorbacks dreams. As everybody, now, knows, Petrino doesn't stay in one place for very long. Since his hire at Louisville, he has toyed with other jobs in every off season. So it comes as no surprise that he bolted from the Atlanta Falcons. What is a surprise is the way in which he bolted. Petrino, apparently, called in his resignation via cell phone and had a brief, to say the least, meeting with his staff to inform them of his decision. He did not, however, meet with the Atlanta Falcon players. The aforementioned actions can be summed up in one word: CLASSLESS! Maybe I am a little bit biased, seeing as I am a Falcons season ticket holder and if I am, then so be it. He at least could have had the dignity to address his players and offer some kind of explanation. But, what do expect from a man who has made it a habit out lying. Well, I will, at least, say this about Petrino, he is a hell of a college football coach and IF he stays at Arkansas, I have no doubt that he will win there. However, for the time being, I hope that he falls flat on on his face. Good luck Arkansas fans and for your sakes, you should trust Petrino about as far as you can throw him.

It must be hard to be Tim Tebow...

Man, Tim Tebow is living the dream. Starting quarterback at the University of Florida, National Championship winner, Heisman trophy winner and connoisseur of large breasts. Man, it must be tough. On Saturday, Tebow took home the Heisman and in doing so became the first Sophomore to win the prestigious award. Where as Tebow is definitely deserving of the award this year, I can't help but feel bad for Darren McFadden. Twice now, has he lost out on college football's highest individual honor. Last year McFadden was passed over in favor of Ohio State QB Troy Smith. No offense to Troy Smith, but McFadden was the rightful recipient of the trophy, and what you ask was the reason for withholding the trophy from McFadden? Answer: He was a sophomore. Well, talk about ironic. This year McFadden plays second fiddle again, but this year it is to a sophomore, the one thing that kept McFadden from winning last year. But, all is not lost for RunDMC as he is damn near guaranteed to be the 1st overall draft pick this April (Please go to Atlanta Falcons.). As for Tebow, talk about high expectations. Now, that he has a national championship and a Heisman Trophy in the first two years of his career, how can he possibly top that? Honestly, you really can't top it but you can match it. He still has 2 years of eligibility left and barring injury should be able to continue to put up gaudy numbers. Although, with the introduction of Emmanuel Moody, Tebow's numbers should drop a little. However, he will still be the clear Heisman favorite heading into next year. Will he be able to do something that only one other player in college football has ever done, win the Heisman twice? Only time will tell. Speaking for everybody in the SEC, other than Gator fans, I hope that he doesn't.

2007 Bowl Season Is Here...This Is Me Yawning

This past season was one of the most exciting college football seasons in history. It began with a bunch of hippies taking down Big Blue (in the Big House no less) and ended with West Virginia losing to a 28 point underdog on its own turf. So it is only logical that we would have been granted the opportunity to watch some great games this bowl season after the great regular season, right?

Wrong. There are 32 bowl games which means that nearly half of all division 1 football teams make a bowl. Well, seeing as how there are only about 30-35 good college football teams in division 1 this causes a problem. I remember when making a bowl game used to mean something and I am only 24 years old. Hell, Alabama made a bowl game. Yes, the same Alabama team that lost to freaking UL Monroe...at home! Florida Atlantic is going bowling too. I cannot wait to see the ratings on their epic tilt with Memphis.

The way I see it there are only 15 bowl games worth watching. If you do the math on that you would realize that this means that there are 17 games that are not only bad, they are atrocious. Now for the rankings. There are some surprises to the list as some BCS games are lower than other non-BCS games but that is to be expected as the BCS is one of the dumber things that the powers that be have given us. The top 5 will have a brief synopsis of things to come while the last 1o aren't quite worthy of my time.

Top 15 Watchable Bowl Games

#1. BCS Title Game: LSU - Ohio State

This is compelling on a number of levels. First, this is for the "title." I put that in quotes because how we will ever know who the best team is without a playoff is beyond me. This is also a very interesting match up that pits the big (slow) Ohio State team up against the athletic (fast) LSU squad. Will we see another rape-job of Ohio State or will the Buckeyes redeem themselves and take home their 2nd title in 5 years. There is no way Ohio State shits the bed for the second year in a row but LSU has too many playmakers for the Buckeyes.

LSU 24 - Ohio State 21

#2. Sugar Bowl: UGA - Hawaii

After last years' Fiesta Bowl everyone will be asking the same question. Can Hawaii be the next Boise State? As a Georgia grad I can already feel the team and the fan base taking the Warriors lightly. This is the same thing that happened to the Dawgs when they played West Virginia in the Sugar Bowl a few years back. If the Dawgs don't prepare for Hawaii like they would against an Auburn team this game will be VERY close. If the Dawgs come to play and bring their "A" game this will be a 25+ point ass kicking. I see Hawaii coming to play and the Dawgs playing their B+ game thus the score will be closer than it should be.

UGA 31 - Hawaii 21

#3. Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma - West Virginia

The Mountaineers epically shit the bed when they performed the choke job of the year by losing to Pittsburgh at home. Oklahoma lambasted Missouri in the Big 12 title game and feel snubbed by getting placed in the Fiesta and not the BCS title game. This game is going to come down to Pat White's arm. The Sooners are going to load up in the box and force WVU to throw the ball. The problem with that is the Sooners have some badasses in the secondary led by Reggie Smith. The Sooners feature the most efficient passer in the country in Sam Bradford and feature a power running game that should give the Mountaineers fits. WVU took UGA by surprise in the Sugar bowl in 2005 but will have that luxury this time around.

Oklahoma 31 - West Virginia 23

#4. Cotton Bowl: Arkansas - Missouri

The hose job of the latest BCS catastrophe went against the Missouri Tigers. Finishing 6th in the BCS and having already beaten both Illinois and Kansas the Tigers were past over by the BCS for both of the aforementioned schools. What do they get instead? A trip to shitty ass Dallas to play Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. The Razorbacks ended on a high note by beating then #1 LSU and look to end Darren McFadden's career with a win. Arkansas will be coached by their defensive coordinator in the game which shouldn't be that big of an issue as Houston Nutt sometimes forgets he has RunDMC in the backfield. There should be a ton of offense in this game and watching the contrasting styles should be worth your 3 hours. I like Arkansas' speed to prevail in a shootout.

Arkansas 31 - Missouri 28

#5. Holiday Bowl: Arizona State - Texas

Both of these teams looked like BCS locks as late as Thanksgiving but both faltered when it mattered most. Arizona State was hammered at home by USC and Texas lost to Texas A&M for the second consecutive year. The Holiday bowl is always fun to watch due to the fact that the defenses usually skip the trip out to Sunny San Diego. I think Arizona State is one of the most overrated teams in the country but Texas may be one of the most underachieving teams in the country. There is a ton of talent on each side of the ball with Texas bringing one of the best backs in the country to the game in Jamaal Charles and star Arizona State QB Rudy Carpenter. This game is almost always a close shootout and I feel that trend will continue.

Arizona State 35 - Texas 34

#6. Chick-Fil-A Bowl: Clemson - Auburn

I like the Tigers/War Eagles in this one as they should be able to contain Clemson's running game.

Auburn 20 - Clemson 14

#7. Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech - Kansas

This will be a very fast defense against a very spread out offense. I like the speed of VT in this one as Kansas hasn't beaten anyone of note all year long.

VT 27 - Kansas 20

#8. Capital One Bowl: Florida - Michigan

Lloyd Carr wants to go out on a high note. Too bad he can't get a horribly slow QB. Florida should light up the slow Michigan D and prove he was worthy of the Heisman.

Florida 34 - Michigan 24

#9. Rose Bowl: USC - Illinois

What a joke this game is. There are at least 3 other teams that deserve to be here more than Illinois. USC will make Juice Williams look horrible and should shut them down all day long.

USC 37 - Illinois 13

#10. Outback Bowl: Wisconsin - Tennessee

Tennessee has a knack for sucking in second tier bowl games but this years team has come on late. Wisconsin plays well in bowl games but this years team is not that good.

Tennessee 24 - Wisconsin 21

#11. Gator Bowl: Virginia - Texas Tech

UVA plays the game like a pro team would. Run the ball and stop the run. Texas Tech doesn't know what it means to run the ball so this should be fun. If Leech stays at Tech the Red Raiders should take this game.

Texas Tech 31 - UVA 28

#12. Music City Bowl: Florida State - Kentucky

The Seminoles had a bad year...again, but they get a shot at one of the top QB's in the nation in Andre Woodson. Kentucky's D is not that good which should keep the Noles in this game.

Kentucky 24 - Florida State 21

#13. Insight.com Bowl: Indiana - Oklahoma State

The feel good story of the year is Indiana making a bowl game on the heels of losing Coach Terry Hoeppner to cancer. Both teams have crazy good offenses and crazy bad defenses which should make for an entertaining game.

Oklahoma State 38 - Indiana 31

#14. Alamo Bowl: Texas A&M - Penn State

The Aggies will be sans coach in this game although that may not be a bad thing. Penn State has one of the most boring offenses in the country but feature a nasty D. Look for the D to carry the day.

Penn State 20 - Texas A&M 17

#15. Champs Sports Bowl: Boston College - Michigan State

Matt Ryan is worth the price of admission. Michigan State has a solid offense under first year coach Mike D'Antonio which should make this game a high scoring affair. I like Matty Ice to take this game and end his great career on a high note.

Boston College 31 - Michigan State 27

Ohio State and the Big 10: Defrauding College Football Fans Two Years Running

Ohio State...yes, the same Ohio State that did not play a single team in the top 20 at game time. The same team that lost to the only other good team in the Big 11. The same team that won the weakest conference in the BCS and did so only because Illinois wet the bed against Michigan. The same team that played the 43rd toughest schedule (according to CBSsportsline) while Virginia Tech played the 4th toughest schedule and Georgia played the 21st toughest schedule gets the chance at a national title thanks to the great BCS. As the gentlemen at the Big Lead noted, if you learned anything after watching this year's college football slate it should be that a team has ZERO incentive to schedule tough opponents. Why play tough teams when your schedule strength goes unnoticed by the voters?

Oklahoma played and equally average schedule (44th), yet they have quality wins over Texas and Missouri (twice) but they lose out to an Ohio State team whose best win came against a VERY average Wisconsin team. Virginia Tech played the 4th toughest schedule this year while LSU and Georgia played schedules that ranked in the top 26 yet Ohio State, after having won a conference with only 3 ranked teams (and losing to one of them) gets to play for the title. We, as college football junkies at the Gods of the Gridiron, can only hope for a repeat of last years raping of Ohio State.

Right now if Ohio State were to play UGA, USC, LSU or Oklahoma on a neutral field they would be underdogs yet they are #1. But yes, Greg Saunders, this is the best system in place. The same system that puts Kansas in the BCS over Missouri when the Tigers beat Kansas head to head...one freaking week ago. The same system that puts #13 Illinois in the BCS over the same Missouri team as well as a higher ranked Florida and Arizona State team.

The most exciting sport in America gets to what should be the great conclusion and instead of waiting to see 7 amazing games (8 team playoff) we get to see a bunch of computers spit out an undeserving team to play for all of the marbles. What makes this even worse is that we have to hear it from Fox...oh the horror. When we should be seeing LSU play Oklahoma and USC play Georgia we instead get to see Virginia Tech playing Kansas (yes, that Kansas) and Hawaii playing in a BCS bowl game. What a sad state the college football world currently lives in.

An Absolute Clusterf#&k

I just wanted to post a conversation that I had with my girlfriend a few minutes ago while watching the BCS Selection Show on Fox. Keep in mind that she didn't even know what the BCS was until I made her watch the show.

Her: So even if Georgia beats Hawaii, they don’t get to play another game? I don’t get it.

Me: I know, it's a horrible system.

Her: I just thought the point of a championship was to figure out who was the best team. How can you do that if most of these teams don’t play each other during the regular season? It’s ridiculous. It just doesn’t make sense.

Championship Saturday is Here

I sincerely wish I was more excited about today’s games. It’s very disappointing that Georgia is not playing today, but there are other games that I am mildly interested in. The Conference Championship games in the Big 12, ACC, and SEC should be entertaining affairs. However, I really could give a shit about most of the other games on the slate this week. After a mediocre start to the season in the picks I have gone 21-3 the last three weeks. Let’s hope that trend will continue this week.

Oklahoma 41 Missouri 35

Missouri could very easily win this game. Oklahoma did beat Missouri earlier in the season, but that game was played in Norman. This game will be played on a neutral field, and Missouri has the opportunity to earn a spot in the National Title game with a victory. With that said, Oklahoma is still the better team. I think Missouri will jump out to an early lead, but Oklahoma will come back and pull the victory out in the end.

Virginia Tech 28 Boston College 21

Virginia Tech has really been playing solid ball the second half of the season. With only one really bad loss on their resume (48-7 to LSU), VA Tech still has an outside shot at reaching the BCS Title game. Boston College on the other hand has fallen back to earth pretty hard after a very impressive start to the season. They’ve struggled in virtually every game since reaching the #2 ranking, and that trend will continue in this game. Boston College will stage a late comeback, but it will be too little, too late.

LSU 35 Tennessee 31

LSU should really pound Tennessee, but they seem to play down to their opponent no matter how much is on the line. That will continue in this game, and they will have to score a late touchdown to pull out the victory. Les Miles and Bo Pelini both have one foot out the door for the Tigers, so there is a question about where LSU’s mind will be in this game. Regardless, this game is for the SEC Title and both teams should be jacked up.

USC 35 UCLA 10

Not much to say about this game other than USC should be looking for revenge after last year’s upset loss to the Bruins. Nobody should get too excited about UCLA’s win last week against Oregon because the Ducks started a Leaf at QB. That win really shouldn’t even count for UCLA. The Trojans will win this one big, and provide even more impetus for UCLA to boot Carl Dorrell.

Hawaii 45 Washington 24

There is absolutely no way that Washington can score enough points to stay with Hawaii.

Arizona State 30 Arizona 24

I was torn on this game. I’ll go with Arizona St. because of the home field advantage.

Navy 21 Army 13

I know nothing about either team. I’m picking Navy because they have a much better record, and I think Paul Johnson is a very good coach.

West Virginia 56 Pittsburgh 17

Please God, help Pitt and the “Mustache Man” Dave Wannstedt pull the upset. We need a miracle from God for West Virginia to lose this game.

Prelude to the BCS

The crazy college football season has one more weekend in which to one up itself. Of course, nobody will be shocked by the outcome, whatever that may be but you can bet that there is still some drama left. After this weekend the BCS picture will be set in stone and another regular season will be in the books. There are only a couple of games this weekend that will actually have an effect on the Championship game but, nonetheless, there are many great games to scope out. Unlike many years, the SEC championship has no bearing on the BCS Championship game but it could possibly be a showcase of both Michigan and Nebraska future head coaches. The two games that have the biggest BCS Championship ramifications are the Big 12 Championship game and the yearly "Backyard Brawl" between West Virginia and Pittsburgh. Needless to say, the folks in Baton Rouge, Columbus and possibly Athens will all be glued to the televisions hoping that the drama can continue for just one more week. Well, here are the picks.

Oklahoma 31 - Missouri 28

Oklahoma took care of business the first time and something tells me that Missouri is foaming at the mouth for a chance at redemption. Honestly, this game will come down to one thing: Oklahoma's defense. If the Sooners D can keep the Tigers from putting up half a century then they stand a good chance of a 2nd straight Big 12 Championship. That, however, is a very big if. What is lost on most people is that Oklahoma has an offense that isn't too shabby either. Look for Bradford and crew to exploit a soft Tiger defense and play their way to another BCS game. Missouri's title hopes come crashing down.

Boston College 10 - Virginia Tech 21

Virginia Tech dominated the last meeting for all but 5 minutes. Those 5 minutes, however, contained 14 BC points and led to a BC victory. Va Tech hasn't forgotten that. The, usually, mediocre Hoakie offense has actually looked decent in the last couple of weeks and like typical Va Tech football, the defense is stout. I think the revenge factor will be enough for the Hoakies to pull out the victory and an ACC title for Beamer. They will most likely get a another shot at their opponent from last years Chick-Fil-A bowl: UGA.

LSU 21 - Tennessee 28

This is a reach but I just have the feeling that all of the chaos swirling around Baton Rouge will have a negative effect on the Tigers. It is no secret that Les Miles and D-Coordinator Bo Pelini could be leaving. Tack on the fact that LSU has next to no shot at a National title and that leads to a half-assed attempt on the field. Just last weekend, the Tigers were sitting at number one holding one of the two slots in the championship game. One week later, they are out of the championship race and are, most likely, losing two of their coaches. I think that will be enough of a distraction for Ainge and the Vols to not take advantage of.

USC 31 - UCLA 20

Karl Dorrell is out the door and man, did he screw up a great job. Anyways, USC is finally looking like the team that everybody expected at the beginning of the year, while UCLA is looking like the complete opposite of what we thought at the beginning of the year. Ultimately, the Trojans are just better. Oh, don't forget that this UCLA team is responsible for ending USC's title hopes last year. I would be willing to bet that the Trojan's haven't forgotten that.

Washington 21 - 35 Hawaii


Hawaii needs one more win to be guaranteed a BCS victory and they should get it here. Let's be honest, Washington is not a very good football team. With that being said, Colt Brennan and the Warriors should not have a hard time putting points on the board. There really isn't much else to say about this game. Hawaii earns a BCS bid...Woohoo.


Arizona State 31 - Arizona 17

State rivalries. These are usually the nastiest of them all. Arizona State needs this win to give them any hope of a BCS berth. The Sun Devils have a potent offense and should be able to score points on the Cats at will. Coach Stoops and his boys are fairly out manned and barring serious injury (read: Oregon game) they will not have what it takes to make it out of this one.

Navy 35 - Army 14

Navy leads the NCAA in rushing yards per game. In fact, watching Navy reminds you a little bit of old school Nebraska football. You can bet the coach Johnson and the Midshipmen will be doing some serious running on Saturday. I don't think most people realize how incredible of a job that Paul Johnson has done at Navy. To win at one of the academies consistently, is damn near impossible. Hats off to coach Johnson and his staff. Army on the other hand, is not any good. Look for Army to give it hell for about a quarter and a half. After that, Navy will take control.

West Virginia 45 - Pittsburgh 17


This game should be an absolute ass beating. West Virginia has an offense that is damn near impossible to stop. Their only loss this year was without Pat White. This game will be like most rivalry games: One team will play there ass of for about one quarter before ultimately folding. Oh yeah, West Virginia has to win this game in order to play for a National Championship. Something tells me that should be enough incentive to get the Mountaineers a victory.

Week 14 Picks: Championship Saturday

The season is down to its final week and there is still so much to play for. West Virginia and Missouri are each one game away from making the national title game while other teams are pulling for their counterparts. UCLA may be sans coach should USC take them down in the Coliseum while LSU looks to rebound and take the SEC crown over a game Tennessee squad. We also have the Army-Navy game which is always fun to watch (less for the football and more the atmosphere). Could this be Paul Johnson's last game at Navy? We think yes but stranger things have happened. We also have a great re-match with Boston College taking on Virginia Tech in Jacksonville for the ACC title. There are great games this weekend and after Saturday be prepared for the onslaught of bitching amongst fans bases across the country. With that in mind here are your Championship Saturday locks.

Oklahoma 38 - Missouri 35

Missouri has a fantastic offense led by Heisman candidate Chase Daniel and should put up enough points to win this game. The problem is Oklahoma has QB Sam Bradford back and their offense may be just as effective as Mizzou's. This game will come down to which defense can stop the other (even if it is only one stop). If I were a betting man I would bet on the Sooners stepping up and making a play on defense and win this game in a shootout in San Antonio thus ending the Tigers dream season and relegating them to the Cotton Bowl.

West Virginia 41 - Pittsburgh 24

As a Georgia grad and avid fan I am pulling hard for Pitt knowing that it is futile. The Mountaineers have a dynamic backfield and should run all over the porous Pitt defense. The Panthers may make this a go for a half (I doubt it) but the fact that WVU is playing at home and they have everything to play for while Pitt may want to throw the game to get rid of Dave Wannstedt (only kidding...maybe). WVU should roll right into the BCS title game in N'awlans.

LSU 34 - Tennessee 28

Erik Ainge is the best QB no one wants to talk about but their run in the SEC is about to come to an end. LSU could be reeling after blowing their chance at a national title but as everyone who knows SEC football knows that at the beginning of the year an SEC title is the #1 goal. Les Miles may be on his way out and DC Bo Pelini could follow which is why I feel this game will be close and why I expect the Vols to put up some points on the once stout Tiger D. LSU QB Matt Flynn may be out of this game but I feel that Perriloux is a better QB, albeit an idiot who cannot keep himself out of trouble, and the offense opens up greatly with Perriloux under center. Look for this to be a close game (does LSU do it any other way?) with the Tigers pulling it out in the 4th.

Virginia Tech 24 - Boston College 21

The Hokies were stung by Matt Ryan in the final moments at home earlier in the year and they are looking for some payback. The Hokie defense looks as good as ever now that they have their full squad and should give the Golden Eagles fits. The Hokies are going to use the 2 QB system in hopes of achieving a Florida-like offense and so far so good. The Hokies are on a roll as of late and what was once looking as a lost season will end up in the Orange Bowl. Look for a tight game throughout with a key turnover leading the Hokies to a victory.

USC 31 - UCLA 13

USC wants to smack the Bruins around after last years upset in the Rose Bowl and this looks like a public funeral in the making. The Bruins are a banged up team while the Trojans have never been healthier. While it may benefit the Trojans in the long run to lose this game thus keeping the inept Karl Dorrell as UCLA head coach but this is not going to happen. The Trojans are one of the hottest teams in the country and should keep up that pace with a beatdown of their in-city rivals from Westwood. At least the Bruin fans can look forward to basketball season.

Hawaii 38 - Washington 28

Hawaii is one game away from the most undeserved BCS bowl in history. Having played one decent team all year the Warriors are one game away from a date with either LSU or Tennessee in the Sugar Bowl. Washington is a team that began with promise but has faded as the season has gone on and nothing that they have done lately points towards an upset this week. Colt Brennen should have his usual 50+ attempt, 400+ yard and 4+ touchdown game as the Warriors make their way to a BCS bowl.

Arizona State 30 - Arizona 23

Arizona State is still in the hunt for the Rose Bowl but having to pull for UCLA over USC is a long shot to say the least. Arizona is playing for pride as they have yet again underachieved under Mike Stoops. The Wildcats should make this a game as rivalry games rarely end in blow outs but Arizona State has too much on offense and playing at home should count for something.

Navy 38 - Army 24

Paul Johnson wants to go out with a bang and beating a bad Army team should do just that. While this will be a game for a half (Army has WAY too much pride to get housed from jump street) Navy's offense is too good for the boys from West Point to handle. The triple option that Navy uses is very difficult handle when you rarely see it and this game should be a perfect example of that.

RIP: Sean Taylor

In what will most assuredly be one of the saddest stories of the year, Redskins safety Sean Taylor has died today from a gun shot wound suffered yesterday. Apparently he walked in on a robbery and was shot in the leg striking his femoral artery. He was 24 years old and had a 1 year old daughter. Some punk bitch took a little girl's father for a freaking TV...such a sad world in which we live.

Head Are Rolling

Sweet Jesus it is a bad time to be a bad coach. With the season not even finished yet the number of coaches that are getting the ax is amazing. The following is a list of the known coaching vacancies (in order of best to worst job) and their most likely replacements.

Michigan:

Out: Lloyd Carr

Most likely replacement: Kirk Ferentz. We all know Miles has been mentioned but the Michigan AD loves Ferentz and there have been reports that there is mutual interest. On a short side note, it seems that Michigan is trying to get the most overrated coach in the nation when they could go get any young gun...simply amazing. Ohio State will rule the Big 11 for the next 20 years at this rate.

Nebraska:

Out: Bill Callahan

Most likely replacement: Bo Pelini. While we here at the Gods feel that there were better candidates, Tom Osborne loves Bo and the fans see him as a hero of sorts after his one year at Nebraska as their DC. Look for this to be announced in the near future.

Texas A&M:

Out: Dennis Francione

In: Mike Sherman. An ex-Aggie coach and former Green Bay Packer coach was hired out of the blue as his name was never mentioned in the search (props to AD Bill Byrne). It appears the Aggies will go to the West Coast offense so if you are an A&M fan good luck with that.

Ole Miss:

Out: Ed Orgeron

Most likely replacement: Houston Nutt. Jim Donnan said today on a radio show in Atlanta that he knows "for a fact" that Nutt has been offered the job at Ole Miss. Now the Rebel fans can see what a team looks like when it cannot throw the ball...oh wait, they had that the past 3 years.

Arkansas:

Out: Houston Nutt

Most likely replacement: Mike Leech. On the same radio show as mentioned above, Jim Donnan said he knows that Leech is the favorite to get the job in Arkansas which would be a huge change from Nutt. Leech actually knows how to throw the ball which is something the Razorbacks have never seen under Nutt.

Georgia Tech:

Out: Chan Gailey

Most likely replacement: Paul Johnson. Johnson knows the south (former Georgia Southern HC) and is a hot name in the coaching community. Anytime you can win at Navy you have proven that you are a good football coach. Now we can watch GT attempt to run the option on Virginia Tech, Miami and FSU...no worries there.

Washington State:

Out: Bill Doba

Most likely replacement: Bill Callahan? This is a total guess but he is a great offensive mind and can recruit very well. As long as he doesn't bring his defensive staff with him this would be a big upgrade for Wazzu.

SMU:

Out: Phill Bennett

Most likely replacement: Dennis Francione. His name has been mentioned and he has great ties in the state of Texas. SMU has a history of hiring coaches once their star has fallen a bit and Francione has had success at smaller schools (TCU for one).

Baylor:

Out: Guy Morris

Most likely replacement: Who cares? We honestly don't know now that Mike Singletary has shot them down. Baylor will never win in the Big 12 as they aren't committed to doing so. The Big 12 should kick them out and take TCU...Baylor is a joke.

Duke:

Out: Ted Roof

Most likely replacement: Who cares X2? This team should fold their program and we aren't even kidding. They can win in Basketball because getting 5-7 players through the admissions requirements is not impossible but getting an entire football team is. They could allocate money to other places as Duke will never win when they go up against teams like FSU, VT, MIA, BC, UNC, GT, CLEM, etc...Maybe they should give the money to the lacross team...just a thought.

All Signs Point To Bo Pelini Heading North

From all of what we can find out it appears that Bo Pelini will be announced as the next head coach at the University of Nebraska. Tom Osborne has interviewed him already and the team is having a meeting today (Nov, 26th) and it has been widely speculated that they will learn that Bo will be their next coach. As a longtime Nebraska fan I can say that I am not overly thrilled about the hire as I think there were some better choices on the board but his defensive pedigree can only be a good thing for a Husker team that is coming off of the worst defensive season in their storied history.

A Return to Respectability

After suffering through most of the season, Apollo's Creed has put together back-to-back 7-1 weeks in the picks. Look for that trend to continue as we look at this week's slate of games. Rivalry week is upon us, and I could not be happier. Not only do we have a great selection of college games to enjoy over the holiday weekend, but there are 3 NFL games on Thursday that are actually interesting to me. My two favorite NFL teams are in action as the Cowboys will take on the Jets and the Falcons are hosting a banged up Colts team. Although I have no allegiance to either team in the other game on Thanksgiving Day (Detroit-Green Bay), the Lion's game actually should be a fairly good game for the first time in years. In addition to picking our normal group of college games that we do every week, I'm also going to throw in the Thanksgiving Day NFL games as a special holiday treat for our readers. Without further ado, let's get onto the picks.

Missouri 48 Kansas 45

Wow!!! Who would have guessed before the season that this would be the biggest game of the weekend? I really don't have strong feelings about either team in this match-up in terms of making a confident pick, so I'm going to flip a coin in what should be a high-scoring affair. Both of these teams have powerful offenses that have gotten fat against ridiculously bad schedules, but at the same time they have been very impressive. Missouri wins a shootout on a late field goal to spoil Kansas' perfect season.

Virginia Tech 20 Virginia 16

This game is for the ACC Atlantic Division title, and should be a heated affair. Virginia is getting this game at home, and has been very effective at winning the close games this year. However, even at this point in the season I'm still not very confident in their ability to beat a solid team. I just haven't seen it, and Virginia Tech has been playing well lately. They take this game in a close one, and Coach Beamer will take his team to the championship game.

USC 27 Arizona State 23

Arizona State was exposed as the frauds that they are against Oregon and Dennis Dixon. Much like Kansas and Missouri, Arizona State hasn't beaten anyone of note. USC has been up and down, but in the end they are still USC. This game will be closer than many expect it to be, but the Trojans will pull out the victory on the basis of their defense and running game.

West Virginia 31 UCONN 21

As much as I would like to see West Virginia go down in this game, I just don't see them losing in Morgantown when they have as much on the line as they do. UCONN has played solid ball all year, but I just don't think they have the overall talent to score enough to keep up with West Virginia's offense.

Florida 35 Florida State 24

This game will be played in the Swamp, which really doesn't matter as much some would believe. Florida is simply the better team, and would probably be undefeated if they played in the ACC. Tebow has been unstoppable, and has turned out to be a much more accurate passer than I thought he would be this year. Tebow will dominate this game, and Florida State's pedestrian offense will be held in check.

Oregon 24 -UCLA 14

The only thing I will say about this game is that even though Dennis Dixon is out at QB for Oregon and a Leaf will get the start for the Ducks, UCLA is going to battle with a fourth-string walk-on QB. That alone will eliminate any possibility of a Bruin victory in Los Angeles.

Auburn 24 Alabama 14

I really can't stand Nick Saban. There's something about him that just makes my skin crawl. Maybe it's the fact that he's the devil. Anyways, Auburn should win this game as long as Brandon Cox doesn't blow it. It seems like that's always the extent of my analysis for any Auburn game.

Georgia 34 Georgia Tech 17

Georgia should put the final nail in Chan Gailey's coffin in this game. That said, this game always seems to be closer than it should be. That could very well be the case this year, but I really think Georgia is playing at the top of their game right now and will dominate the Yellow Jackets. Knowshon will continue his march towards being a preseason favorite for the Heisman in 2009, and Matthew Stafford will chip in a few touchdown passes.

Detroit 24 Green Bay 20
(Green Bay is a 3.5 point favorite)

Dallas 34 N.Y. Jets 13
(Dallas is a 14.5 point favorite)

Indianapolis 20 Atlanta 17
(Indy is a 12.5 favorite)

Rivalry Week...Let the bloodbath ensue.

Well, anytime that we have a Florida State game in the picks, I deem it necessary to have a picture of the spokeswomen from FSU. Anyways, it's rivalry week and that means a ton of grudge matches on the tube. Just a taste of what we have this weekend: Kansas and Mizzou battle it out for a possible berth in the National Championship game. Needless to say, that game is the most important, in terms of BCS implications but the game to watch will be the Auburn vs. Alabama game as the Tide looks to rebound after their Pearl Harboresque tragedy last weekend. Also, look to see if the FSU linebackers can backup their claim of stopping the scoring machine that is Tim Tebow.

Missouri 35 - Kansas 31

Here is the first real test for the Kansas Jayhawks. Up until now, they have played the 117th toughest schedule in college football. In all reality, this game should be a toss up. Both of these teams are pretty evenly matched. Both have high powered offenses, however, both also have mediocre defenses. Sorry, I know that Kansas has great defensive stats, but just take a look at their competition up until now. If the Tigers can slow down KU's offense just a little bit, then the Mizzou offense should be able to take advantage of an overrated Jayhawk defense. This game is going to be a shoot out and, quite frankly, a fun game to watch. Unfortunately, for the Jayhawks, with this game goes the national title shot.

USC 27 - Arizona State 21

Arizona State still has an outside shot at a BCS Championship game berth but they have to get through USC first. One thing you need to know: Pete Carroll has never lost a game in the month of November while at the helm at USC. Now, at some point he will, but his team is still head and shoulders more talented then Arizona State and more times than not, talent wins out. Look for USC to curb a powerful ASU offense and give JDB and crew enough solid opportunities to put points on the board. USC spoils the Sun Devils hopes at a championship shot.

Virginia Tech 21 - UVA 17

This game is going to be the most boring game of the weekend. Both of these teams really don't have consistent offenses but they both possess solid defenses with the Hoakies having the edge. The fact that this game is being played at UVA should help but Va Tech's defense should raise enough havoc to ensure a shot at the ACC title this year. UVA's ACC title hopes come crashing down in a close one.

West Virginia 31 - Uconn 24

I think this game might get out of hand. West Virginia has a legitimate shot at a title if a few things fall their way. That being said, look for White and Slaton to run all over the place and do whatever it takes to get the job done. Bottom line: WVU's offense is pretty damn hard to stop and I don't think that Uconn has the athletes to get it done. This is West Virginia's last hurdle. If the Mountaineers get through the Huskies, then they just have to sit back and hope that some teams lose.

Florida 28 - FSU 17

The Florida State linebackers have been quoted as saying, "Tim Tebow is going down." Smooth move guys. Nobody has stopped Tebow all year and now you have gone and fired him up. Great game plan. This rivalry used to have National Championship implications every year but due to FSU's downward spiral into mediocrity as of late, it has lost a lot of its luster. Have no fear, it is still a rivalry between two teams that genuinely hate each other. This years installment should be won easily by the Gators due to the fact that they are just a better team. Look for Tebow to ink a few more touchdowns onto his Heisman resume in this one. Florida State will keep it close but, ultimately, will not have the offense to match the Gators.

UCLA 21 - Oregon 17

We saw how good Oregon is without Dennis Dixon. With Dixon out for the rest of the season, the QB duties fall on Brady Leaf. Yeah, same family. Like brother, like brother. That should tell you all you need to know. UCLA needs one more win to become bowl eligible and Karl Dorrell could use one more win...shit, Karl Dorrell is a dead man walking. Honestly, I just have a feeling that the Ducks go down in this one. It is unfortunate, because it would have been a great game between Oregon and LSU.

UGA 24 - Georgia Tech 17

This one is closer than it should be more years than not. The dawgs are playing solid football and a win will guarantee a BCS bowl game. Gailey and the jackets are playing anything but solid football. Add to that the fact that Gailey has never beaten a Mark Richt coached dawgs team and things do not look to good for the Jackets. Look for Georgia to try and jump on Tech early. If the dawgs can put a couple of early touchdowns on the board it should seal the deal because Tech doesn't have the offense to come from behind. However, if you have watched this game in the last couple of years, then you know that it will probably be ugly and close. Dawgs clinch a BCS bowl invite with a win on the flats.

Alabama 17 - Auburn 31

This is, arguably, the greatest rivalry in college football. Sorry Buckeyes and Wolverines, you don't own that distinction outright. Auburn has owned the Tide as of late and that trend should continue this year. Auburn has too good of a defense for the pedestrian Bama offense to overcome. The only that thing will give Bama a chance is a bed shitting by Brandon Cox. Something tells me that will not happen. Alabama comes out of the tragedy (read: Coach Saban press conference) game against UL Monroe and follows it up with a solid defeat at the hands of the Tigers. Look, I have no doubt that this series will get a lot more competitive once Saban has had a chance to get his players to Tuscaloosa but, currently, he doesn't have them. Man, Shula won just as many games last year with the same talent. Isn't Nick Satan...I mean Saban supposed to be the greatest college football coach...ever? Not all is well in Sabanation.

Week 13 Locks: Rivalry Week

We have finally arrived at the annual rivalry week in collage football. This week also gives us the game of the year in college football when #4 Missouri takes on #2 Kansas which will go a long way in deciding who plays in the national title. We also get to see Saint Saban in his first Iron bowl. Losing to UL Monroe is shocking but losing to UL Monroe and Auburn in the same year is simply unacceptable to the Bama crazies. With that having been said it should be a great week in college football so let's get to the picks.

#4 Missouri 41 - #2 Kansas 35

Kansas' schedule makes Missouri's look like murderers row. No Texas, Oklahoma or Texas Tech. Well, at least they played a good out of conference slate right? Wrong. Central Michigan, Southeast Louisiana, Toledo and Florida International made up the OOC schedule for the Jayhawks. That is fucking pathetic. Sure, they have hammered a number of teams (ask Nebraska), but they have not played a team with a record better 6-5....are you freaking kidding me Kansas? And they wonder why no one respects them. Missouri at least played Illinois and won in a shootout. Neither team has played anyone with a defense except for Missouri playing Oklahoma (go figure that they looked like shit against the only team worth a shit). Both of these teams are total frauds with the winner having the pleasure of getting housed by LSU.

#11 USC 24 - Arizona State 21 (Thursday)

Arizona State is another team that is a total fraud. The Sun Devils have played only one team that could be considered great and were hammered by Oregon. The Sun Devils have not seen a defense as good as USC's and look for Rudy Carpenter to force too many throws against the aggressive Trojan defense. Booty and Co. seem to have picked it up a bit on offense for the Trojans and Arizona State's defense leaves a lot to be desired. I know Dennis Erickson has done great things with this team but they are a paper tiger and USC should take it to them on Thanksgiving night.

#8 Virginia Tech 24 - #16 Virginia 17

Virginia Tech has owned Virginia over the last 5 years and, although this game will be played in Charlottesville, I expect the Hokies to continue the trend. Tech has been playing great as of late and if not for the late game heroics of Matt Ryan Virginia Tech would be in the top 5 in the nation. Virginia has won 5 games by 2 points or less (think about this for one second; they are 10 points away from being 4-7). I like the Hokies to hit Virginia in the mouth from jump street and look for the defense to make a number of plays and get out of C'Ville with another win.

#3 West Virginia 38 - #20 Uconn

West Virginia is going to back into the national title game having not beaten a single team worthy of the top 25. Cincinnati and Uconn, the highest ranked teams that the Mountaineers will have beaten will both be out of the top 25 by seasons end. Uconn is another fraudulent team that has played a cookie dough schedule and look for West Virginia to run all over the Husky defense. Pat White and Steve Slaton should have a field say and West Virginia is going to set themselves up to play LSU in the title game. What a sad world we live in.

#12 Florida 28 - Florida State 24

Florida has one of the best offenses in the nation while Florida State always plays stout defense. FSU has one of the worst offenses in the country but the Gators haven't exactly played like the 85 Bears on defense. This game will be closer than most think with all of the emotion that the players will be playing with but look for Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin to light up the Free Shoe defense and cement his status as the Heisman frontrunner. If Tebow can put up close to 300 total yards and 3+ TD's the trophy should be his come December.

UCLA 20 - #9 Oregon 17

Poor Oregon. They were 3 games away from the BCS title game when their star QB Dennis Dixon blew his knee without being touched. They then lose to Arizona (4-6 at the time) and looked horrible in doing so and in a season that looked so promising may end up in the Sun Bowl. UCLA has been one of the most disappointing teams this season as Karl Dorrell and Co. had 20 starters returning. After a number of injuries and some horrible losses look for Dorrell to beat a top 10 team in the Rose Bowl and sending Oregon into a downward spiral.

#7 Georgia 24 - Georgia Tech 13

The Dawgs have owned this series as of late (5 straight wins) and the trend should continue on Saturday. The Jackets have not been able to develop a QB since Chan Gailey has been there and this has been the Achilles heel for Georgia Tech. The Dawgs are one of the hottest teams in the country and are a Tennessee loss away from playing LSU in the SEC title game. Matt Stafford has played well (save for the Kentucky game) and Knowshon Moreno is a beast. The Tech defense is stout against the run but they can only play so well for so long until they break down due to the tunrovers that Tech will commit. This should be the last game Chan Gailey coaches for the Jackets as he has done very little in a poor conference in the last 6 years.

Auburn 20 - Alabama 17

Nick, welcome to the Iron Bowl. Saban took one on the chin last week losing to UL Monroe and a follow-up loss to Auburn (which would be 6 in a row should they lose) and Saban will feel the Tuscaloosa heat all off season. There are rumours that Tommy Tubberville may dip out of Auburn and bolt to Texas A&M. I don't know if this will happen but if they are true then you know Tubbs will want to go out on a high note by beating Bama for 6 straight years. The loss will mark the second straight 6-6 season for the Tide thus putting half of the state on suicide watch.

Week 12 Anti-locks of the Week

Last week seemed to right the ship a bit for Apollos's Creed. I finally found a way to get over half the week's games right. Maybe that trend will continue this week, but I highly doubt it. Anyway, let's get onto the picks.

Michigan 23 Ohio St. 20

It's another matchup in ESPN's "Greatest Rivalry in College Sports." The two best teams in the depleted Big Ten will meet in Ann Arbor to settle who will win the most ridiculously bad major conference I have ever seen. That observation is coming from someone who wants the Big Ten to be respectable. It wasn't that long ago that the argument for the Nation's best conference came down to the Big Ten or the SEC virtually every year. Those days are long gone and the Big Ten has been relegated to a second-class citizen in major college football. Ohio State has been vastly overrated for the entire season, and Michigan has seemingly recovered from a disastrous start to the season. The Wolverines are getting this game at home, and if it is true that Lloyd Carr is planning on resigning following the season then I fully expect Michigan to come out fired up in his last game against the hated Buckeyes. I think Michigan wins this game on a late field goal, and they keep open the possibility of sending Lloyd Carr out on a positive note.

WVU 35 Cincinnati 28

As much as I would like to see the Mountaineers go down in this game to keep alive the Dawg's slim hopes to reach the BCS title game I just don't see it happening. Even if the Bearcats can slow down Steve Slaton, they will still get burned by QB Pat White. The Mountaineers will jump out to an early lead in this game, and hold on for the narrow victory.

BC 28 Clemson 25

Alot of people seem to be counting Boston College out. However, they haven't given up on the season and will be going up against a Clemson team still coached by Tommy Bowden. Clemson only has two losses, and there is no way that Clemson will finish this season with fewer than four losses. It's simply not possible for a Tommy Bowden team to finish with under four losses. Regardless of how Matt Ryan has played over the past few weeks, he still is a very good, very experienced, college quarterback. B.C. will pull out this win on the road in a close game.

Georgia 52 Kentucky 31

Georgia seems to be on a roll. Since Mark Richt has been at Georgia, I can't think of a time when I was confident that they would score forty points. However, the offense is rolling right now and Kentucky definately doesn't have the horses "no pun intended" to slow down the Bulldog' rushing attack. Knowshon Moreno is getting an early start on what should be at least
two more years of Heisman candidacy for him. Kentucky will definately put up points in this game, but they won't be able to keep up with a suddenly potent Georgia offensive attack led by Matthew Stafford and Moreno.

Texas Tech 38 Oklahoma 35

Oklahoma is due for a big letdown on the road. They seem to have the season right where they want it in control of their own destiny. However, it wouldn't be unlike a Bob Stoop's coached team to have a letdown in a conference road game especially with a redshirt freshman QB. Texas Tech will respond to Mike Leach's impassioned remarks following last week's loss and pull off the shocking upset in Lubbock.

South Florida 31 Louisville 28

South Florida has literally fallen flat on their face over the past month. After a brilliant start to the season, they've finally started to play like South Florida should play. Louisville has had a disappointing year under first year coach Steve Kragthorpe, but they still possess the immensely talented Brian Brohm at QB. This game should be a close one, but South Florida will win another home game to salvage what still should be the best season in program history.

Missouri 48 Kansas St. 28

This is another game in which I'd like to see the underdog win. However, Kansas State gave up over 70 points to Nebraska which doesn't give me much hope that they can hold the Missouri offense in check enough to pull the upset. Missouri wins this one going away.

Arkansas 27 Miss. St. 13

There are not many SEC games involving anyone other that Ole Miss that I have no interest in watching. However, this is probably one of those games. Arkansas is completely one dimensional, and Miss St. is extremely boring to watch so I doubt that I will pay that close of attention to this matchup. This game is in Little Rock, and Darren McFadden is playing what will probably be his final college game, which leads me to believe that Arkansas will dominate this game on the ground and win a somewhat boring game to everyone except for the respective team's fans.

Week 12 Locks: Does Anyone Want to be #2?

With Oregon being the 5th #2 team to lose to an unranked foe it reinforces the notion that every game, especially on the road, is going to be a dogfight. There are a few games that match ranked teams this week but other than that this week is somewhat slow. However, as we have seen all year, we should expect the unexpected. With that in mind here are my locks of week 12.

Ohio State 30 - Michigan 24

Jim Tressel absolutely owns Lloyd Carr. Having beaten Michigan like a drum over the last 5 years Tressel has Carr on the verge of retirement. If this was a completely healthy Michigan team I would like the Wolverines but with Hart, Henne and Long all banged up to a certain extent I like the Ohio State defense to win this game in the second half and Tressel will out coach Carr as he always does.

West Virginia 31 - Cincinnati 20

I am going out on a limb here and taking the road team big. Cincinnati has a ball hawking defense but seeing as how WVU doesn't throw the ball very much that should negate some of Cinci's turn overs. Pat White and Steve Slaton should be able to run all over the Bearcats and don't sleep on WVU's defense. While they were lit up last week by Brian Brohm (who isn't?) this has been a solid defense all season long.

Clemson 30 - Boston College 26

There has not been a team in the last 5-10 years that shits the bed in big games more than Tommy Bowden's Clemson Tigers. This is a home game and if the Tigers can pull it out they will be headed for Jacksonville for the ACC title game. Why I am picking them I don't know but I have a feeling that Boston College will continue their downward spiral. James Davis and CJ Spiller should be able to run the ball effectively and look for Cullen Harper to continue his stellar play at QB for the Tigers. Matt Ryan will try to keep his team alive with all of his might but his defense will once again let him down.

Georgia 38 - Kentucky 24

Kentucky brings the best offense they have ever had to Athens on Saturday and should be able to score plenty of points. The only problem is that UK's defense is horrible and Knowshon Moreno should run roughshod all over the Cats. Look for Matt Stafford to hit Bailey and Massaquoi deep a few times and UGA's run should continue with another big win in the SEC.

Oklahoma 48 - Texas Tech 34

A lot of people are calling for an upset in this game. Texas Tech has an explosive offense and is playing a home game at night. Oklahoma has just as good of an offense and has owned the Red Raiders for the better part of, oh, the last 100 years. Look for OU's defense to make at least one stop (which cannot be said for TT's atrocious D) and break out to a big lead only to see Texas Tech put up a half assed comeback which will undoubtedly lead to Mike Leech making some hilarious statement to the press.

South Florida 27 - Louisville 24

Brian Brohm is putting together another freakish season for the Cardinals. Too bad he doesn't play defense. South Florida should be able to put up plenty of points on Louisville and I like the Bulls defense to make a few stops along the way. This should be a close game as Louisville is looking for a bowl birth but South Florida has played very well against the Cardinals over the course of the last few years.

Arkansas 20 - Mississippi State 16

Darren McFadden and Felix Jones should be licking their chops as they look to bounce back from a bad performance against Tennessee (although McFadden's was more due to the idiocy of Houston Nutt). Mississippi State is the feel good story of the year in the SEC as they are bowl eligible and are looking for another win to secure a bowl selection. While the Bulldogs should play well, as the have all year under Croom, Run DMC and Co. should be able to take it to them at get a win in Little Rock.

Missouri 27 - Kansas State 24

On paper this game looks like a blowout. KSU is coming off of a game in which they gave up 73 points and 702 yards to a bad Nebraska team. Missouri has one of the best offenses in the country, led by star QB Chase Daniel and freshman sensation Jeremy Maclin at WR. Missouri may be looking ahead to their match up with Kansas a week from now. Look for Kansas State to play one of their best games of the year at home but Mizzou's offense is simply too good and they should pull this one out in the 4th quarter.