Sweet Redemption and Rivalry Week

I've been puffing my chest out a little this week, I won't lie. I've also had a little bounce in my step, well metaphorically at least (it's hard being perky going to work at 8 in the morning surrounded by odd smelling people on the subway). And deservedly so. The weather in New York is unseasonably warm, a much needed Thanksgiving at home looms close, I'm getting paid to sit at a desk and type this (sort of), and my college picks weren't a complete embarrassment. Following a few weeks of some questionable picks, which saw my jarringly bad selection of Georgia over Florida, I was feeling like Leonardo DiCaprio in What's Eating Gilbert Grape?, but then Stanford obliterated USC and I was finally able to get out of the red with a 4-2 record that moved me back to a respectable 4 games over .500 on the year. I feel like I know a little something about college football game. Now that I have just jinxed myself, on with the picks...

#9 Ohio State at Michigan

Big Ten frenzy culminated three years ago this week when the Buckeyes and Wolverines were the consensus #1 and #2 teams in the country. The game in Columbus turned into a shootout, which the Buckeyes won, and gave the illusion that these teams were indeed the nations best. Fans and sports pundits alike started to seriously entertain the notion of a rematch in the title game. Alas, thankfully for everyone there was not. Ohio State got embarrassed by Florida in the title game and Michigan got blown out by Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl.

The conference's image has yet to make a proper recovery from that disastrous bowl season and its only hope is a less than inspiring Rose Bowl bound Ohio State team that struggled to put away a depleted Iowa team last week in the Horseshoe. Jim Tressell continues to, sorry for the pun, play things to close to the vest. The coach played for overtime at home with over two minutes left and the ball, running it three straight times for little gains. Also, why recruit an incredible athlete like Terrelle Pryor if all your going to do is give him the ball to hand off? I haven't seen a worse waste of talent since Kate Beckinsale in Whiteout. (Begin rant) Come on Kate, you are easily one of the hottest women on the planet. You can do better than this shit. Find a manager who will put you in something, that, you know, people will want to see (End rant). Tailor your offense to Pryor's strengths for crying out loud and maybe you won't lose to two teams like Purdue.

Anyways, before Ohio State gets a shot at the Pac-10 champion it first travels to Ann Arbor. The only way this game is even close is if the Buckeyes have a letdown after earning their trip to Pasadena last week. However, eleven manikins could do as good a job as Michigan's defense at this point in the season. It doesn't matter how many hours Rich Rodriguez is making his team practice, that defense is atrocious. It will continue to be so.

And so will the Big Ten.

Ohio State 37, Michigan 14

#10 LSU at Ole Miss

Anyone who saw Rebels tailback Dexter McCluster torch a very good Tennessee defense for over 300 total yards must have all been thinking the same thing as me: Where the hell has this guy been all season? Not only did McCluster look like an absolute stud shifting and sprinting his way around the Vols, he also looked like a carbon Darrien Sproles copy and the type of back that can thrive in the NFL these days.

Needless to say I was curious to find that through Ole Miss first six games the senior had a grand total of 164 yards rushing.

164 yards!

He's had 591 in his past three. Not surprisingly, his numbers have gone up with an increase in touches. So congratulations are in order for coach Houston Nutt for letting his best offensive player waste away for half a season.

Unfortunately for a very banged up and very overrated LSU team, Nutt won't be ignoring him any more.

Ole Miss 28, LSU 17

#11 Oregon at Arizona

The Pac 10 really is the wackiest, not too mention deepest, league in America. I have no idea who to pick in these games. On one hand you have Oregon who destroyed USC and then got soundly beat by Stanford. A Stanford team that had already lost to Arizona. But then Arizona lost to California last week and has also lost to Washington, who have also beaten USC. So yeah, I don't really know how to pick this one. I think I'll go with Oregon, but that's purely based off of the fact I have never seen Arizona play. Needless to say, I'm not that confident.

Oregon 42, Arizona 31

California at #14 Stanford

I have already done my whole Pac-10 spiel, so let me offer up some stats that, in the wise words of Kenny Powers, will "fuck you up with the truth."

Stanford RB Toby Gerhart #7 2009 Stats

262 Attempts

1395 Yards

5.3 Yards Per Carry

19 Rushing Touchdowns

8 Receptions

87 Receiving Yards

0 Fumbles Lost

Alabama RB Mark Ingram #22 2009 Stats

194 Attempts

1297 Yards

6.7 Yards Per Carry

10 Rushing Touchdowns

25 Receptions

225 Receiving Yards

3 Receiving Touchdowns

0 Fumbles Lost

Now I am not going to delve into who is having the better season, but just trying to illustrate to you how good Gerhart has been for the Cardinal this year. It would be a disservice for him not to be a finalist for the Heisman.

Stanford 38, Cal 35

Kansas State at Nebraska

The Big XII North has been so bad the second half of this decade that its potential winner, Kansas State, won't even make a bowl game unless it beats Nebraska on Saturday. II don't see it happening. Nebraska, aside from a complete no show against Iowa State, has been the best team in the division all year and deserves to win it.

Their reward for  a divisional crown?

Getting slaughtered by Texas.

Nebraska 17, K-State 10

Connecticut at Notre Dame

I am more worried about Charlie Weiss suffering the same fate as UGA XII than losing his head coaching job. That might change with a loss here. I am 0-3 when I pick Notre Dame to win. Naturally, I'll pick them again.  

UConn 28, Notre Dame 31

#13 Penn State at Michigan State

Akron, Syracuse, Temple, Illinois, Eastern Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Northwestern, and Indiana.

What are the two things all these teams have in common?

1. They make up all of Penn State's 9 victories this season 
2. They all suck

Michigan State sucks too. It is in the Big Ten. I just thinks it sucks a little less than the teams listed above. Especially at home.

Michigan State 24, Penn State 17