Robert Griffin III has put up gaudy numbers through Baylor's 3-0 start, but the versatile quarterback may face his toughest challenge yet when his team opens Big 12 play.

Griffin and the 15th-ranked Bears visit undefeated Kansas State on Saturday, pitting the nation's most accurate passer against one of the top-ranked defenses in the country.

Griffin is coming off another impressive game after he combined for a career-high six touchdowns - including five passing for the second time this season - in Baylor's 56-31 win over Rice last Saturday.

Baylor is seeking its first 4-0 start since 1991.

This is the Bears' first visit to Manhattan since a 51-13 loss in 2007. Baylor just has the better athletes and much better QB which will lead them to a TD or more victory.
10* Game of the Week.

Taking WESTERN MICHIGAN here. This is a talented unit. QB Alex Carder is completing nearly 69% of his passes, has a WR in Jordan White who is on his way to 100+ catches (44) this season. Flying under the radar this team is for real.
They also have a pair of backs averaging over 5 yards a carry.
The UConn offense looks terrible. They barely averaged 2 yards a carry vs Buffalo last week, a fellow MAC team that returned just 3 starters on defense. The Broncos have played well vs Big 10 teams Michigan and Illinois. Take the points with W Michgian as I like them to WIN OUTRIGHT!
10* Oddsmaker Mistake Play

A lot of teams are at a disadvantage when facing the Naval Academy, but not this Air Force group as they both run the same Option offense. The Navy offense does come in ranked 4th in rushing at 358 ypg, but they don't have the better rushing offense on the field today as Air Force checks in with the top ground game as they have averaged 412 ypg on the ground so far. Not only can Air Force run, but they can throw a little as they have put up 153 ypg through the air so far, compared to Navy throwing for just 69 ypg.

Look for the Air Force offense to have the better showing here vs a Navy defense that is weak and really hasn't even played a great offense so far. Air Force wins outright. KEY TRENDS--- Navy is 2-11 ATS as a home favorite vs an opponent off a win, while Air Force is 17-3 ATS in road openers, plus 10-2 ATS as road dogs off a non-conference game.

5*

The BYU Cougars host their 2nd straight Friday night primetime spectacle this week when they host the Utah State Aggies at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Last week in front of the entire nation, the Cougars forced some big turnovers to rally from behind to beat Central Florida 24-17. The Cougars played a tough schedule this year and I look for a big blowout win for them on Friday night!

BYU looks to build off that momentum when they take the big stage against a competitive Utah State Aggies football team.


This week BYU would love to get more help from the offense. Running back JJ Di Luigi almost reached the 1,000 yard plateau in 2010, but has managed to compile just 164 yards rushing in 4 games this season.
Utah State beat BYU last year for the first time since 1982. Look for BYU QB Jake Heaps to have a big game against this weak Utah St defense.
The big advantage the Cougars have this Friday will be playing in Provo where they are an outstanding 28-4 SU in their last 32 home games and should man handle Utah St like they've done over the years.
5*

South Florida didn't really get much time to prepare for this game.
The Bulls racked up 575 yards - 373 on the ground - in beating UTEP 52-24 on Saturday, but didn't seal it until a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns.


The short week presents another challenge for South Florida, which normally uses Monday to focus solely on academics. A very late-night practice Monday was to be followed by a normal session Tuesday ahead of Wednesday's travel day and trip to Pittsburgh.

The Panthers blew a fourth-quarter lead in their second straight loss. They let a 17-point advantage slip away in a 31-27 defeat at Iowa on Sept. 17 before allowing Notre Dame to score the winning touchdown with 6:48 remaining last weekend.

Tino Sunseri is a very good QB and coming off his worst career game.
Sunseri completed 22 of 30 passes for a season-low 165 yards with one touchdown.

The Panthers have won three straight in the series and Pitt has the better defense and playing a home in possible rain storms gives Pittsburgh more of an advantage. Take the home underdog with Pittsburgh plus the points. 5*

Dallas is a different team on defense this year led by new -Coordinator Rob Ryan. He is motivating them and they are all over the field.
The Dallas offense has many weapons with Felix Jones, Dez Bryant, Jason Whitten and more.
Dallas is finally making its 2011 home debut and I expect a big performance from them at home tonight.
PLAY a 5* on the Dallas Cowboys.

The Jets defense looks very good this year. I think that they are going to shut down the Oakland running game just like it was able to shut down Jacksonville's strong running game last week.
This Jets team is physical and won't have a problem pushing the Raiders around and matching up with them. Oakland has gotten outgained in both of its games and was fortunate to get a win in Denver in Week 1.
They should be 0-2 but a blocked punt helped them win. This team collapsed last week in Buffalo and gave away that game in the second half.
The Raiders are just 5-21 ATS as an underdog of 3.0 or less and not a very good home team.
10*

Tennessee is my sleeper team in the AFC as we had them last week as a 10* play and that I think they are going to be a moneymaker throughout the year. Chris Johnson will continue to get more touches and get in better game shape and the Titans offensive line is very good!
The books were virtually begging people to take the points and roll with Denver (mainly because everyone is still operating under the foolish notion that the Titans aren't any good). But Tennessee put it on a very good Baltimore team last week.

The Broncos played without five starters and had two more injured last week and are very banged up on both sides on the ball. The Titans have no problem covering the 6.5-7 pts here on Sunday afternoon.
10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK.

With USC ineligible for the postseason, Arizona State could be the favorite to reach the inaugural Pac-12 championship game out of the South Division.

The Sun Devils begin conference play Saturday night when they try to end their 11-game losing streak to the visiting No. 23 Trojans and I beleive they have the athletes and talent to win big at home here on Saturday night.

Arizona State (2-1) was ranked 22nd last week before a 17-14 loss at Illinois, but coach Dennis Erickson is focused on quickly turning the page to conference play against an opponent the Sun Devils haven't beaten since 1999.I'm not a big beleiver in Lane Kiffin and this is USC's first road game.Look for Arizona State to come up big at home behind their huge QB and lead them to a comfortable win. 10* LATE BURIAL

The Clemson Tigers come off one of their biggest wins in recent memory while the Seminoles travel to Death Valley with a bad taste in their mouths after losing to Oklahoma at home last weekend. The positives far outweigh the negatives for the

BYU has played the much tougher schedule and in my eyes the much better team. Now playing in high altitude and C Florida will get winded in the fourth quarter. BYU had 7 turnovers in their last game and it was ugly. Expect a much better and focused effort tonight on the National TV stage.
BYU with a prime time Friday night double digit win here. 5*

The Cincinnati Bearcats have already been embarrassed once this year on national television. Now, they get to stand all by themselves on the Thursday night football betting slate, as they host the NC State Wolfpack.

Things in the ACC are getting rough this year, and the Wolfpack are really no exception. The truth of the matter is that Head Coach Tom O

The Rams didn't play as poorly against The Eagles as the final score indicated.
They seemed to tire at the end, while Mike Vick and Le Sean McCoy racked up lots of yards
in the 2nd half.
The Rams biggest problem in week one was dropped passes and that could

The Dallas Cowboys are banged up. Dez Bryant has a bad hammy and the Cowboys 2 starting CB's are OUT today, not to mention the emotional letdown of Dallas blowing that game last Sunday night.
I expect new head coach Jim Harbaugh to put a good game plan in place. In their last 18 home games since last week, SF has won or stayed within three points in 15 of the 18 home games that have been played. Meanwhile, Dallas is just 3-9 ATS as a road favorite in their last 12 games. Look for Gore to have a big game and the confident 49ers to steal a win here against a banged up Dallas team.

10* NFL Game of the Week

4*

The Ravens wanted that game last week against Pittsburgh badly. They were sick of losing to the Steelers and even sicker about hearing about it all the time. They put all that to rest and they

The Seminoles come into this game with an inflated ranking thanks to a few good recruiting classes under Jimbo Fisher and the fact that the other Florida programs are in either a small rebuilding process or completely in turmoil.

The Sooners are built to win now and are looking for a signature win to kick start a championship season. Quarterback Landry Jones leads an explosive offense than can score in a hurry, while the Sooners defense is a force on their own. Even though Florida State is out for revenge after a 30-point pounding at the hands of Oklahoma last season, they

5*

Auburn coach Gene Chizik knows he has a resilient team with a flair for the dramatic.
Coming off a second straight thrilling victory, Chizik's 21st-ranked Tigers look to shore up some glaring defensive shortcomings Saturday when they visit a Clemson team that is also not fully satisfied with its first two wins.

Auburn has won 14 straight over Clemson since a 34-0 loss in 1951, but the last two have each gone to overtime.

While Auburn's run defense still looks vulnerable, its rushing offense made major strides from the first game to second.Clemson has played a few cupcakes, while Auburn has been battled tested and proved they can win the big games.
TAKE AUBURN PLUS THE POINTS In the early kickoff on Saturday. 10*

5*

Like Oregon, MSU prefers to run the football and the Tigers have the size and speed to
bottle up one dimension and stop the run. The Bulldogs QB Chris Relf hit for only 5.9 yards per attempt last
week vs. an average Auburn group and carried the offensive load with his legs carrying
it 27 times.
LSU is coming off a blowout 49-3 win over Northwestern St and most of the starters rested the 2nd half, while MISS ST battled Auburn in a heated game.
That

It

Dallas has a very good offense and Tony Romo back as their QB.
Rob Ryan is getting a lot of attention as the Cowboys Defensive Coordinator but that

Kevin Kolb enters the desert with a ton of playmakers surrounding him while he takes on a team with a running a rookie quarterback who couldn

Notre Dame dominated last week with over 500 total yards, but 5 turnovers killed them.
They out-gained USF 508-254, shame on us. Fool
us twice, shame on us. Michigan

First of all we

The Stanford offense and talent will be way too much here.
The trip to Duke represents a good test for the Cardinal secondary before going up against Arizona QB Nick Foles and WR Juron Criner. Vernon and Varner are a couple of skilled route-runners who are going to force cornerbacks Barry Browning and Johnson Bademosi to play tighter in coverage than they had to a week ago.

Stanford will be focused and and playing with motivation.
Luck and his supporting cast will be no match for a Blue Devils defense that

Missouri first-year starting QB Franklin is a good athlete, but against Miami-OH last
week he couldn

Coach Mike McCarthy is dealing with a new set of distractions for his defending champions, starting with the NFL's mammoth pregame concert with Kid Rock, Lady Antebellum and Maroon 5 - stars not usually associated with small-town Green Bay.
Green Bay started slow last year and caught fire at the right time

THe Saints come into this game not having to worry about the weather or any cold issues. Drew Brees is coming off his career high in INT's and they'll be ready for the Super Bowl Champs.
Brees and the Saints won't be awed by the festive atmosphere. This is the third time in five years they'll be playing in the league opener, having defeated Minnesota last year in New Orleans

Brees put together his third straight season with at least 33 touchdowns in 2010, leading the NFC with 4,620 passing yards and helping New Orleans go 11-5 to return to the playoffs. The Saints, however, were stunned by Seattle in their first postseason game in their bid to repeat.

They know exactly what the Packers are going through this week.

Brees tried to minimize the effect of the lockout by holding players-only workouts that reportedly were the best-attended among all teams.Play the SAINTS plus the points here on opening night! 5*

BYU is the more balanced team and I think Mississippi is still a few years away.

BYU sophomore QB
Heaps struggled early last year, but finished with 14 TDs to just 3 picks in his last six
games. New offensive coordinator Doman played at BYU and tailored the passing game
to Heaps

Backing Pat Fitzgerald in this role has been a recurring theme on these pages
through his time at Northwestern, with a 10-2 ATS run as road underdogs or bowl
underdogs on neutral fields the past three seasons.
I beleive we are getting a major edge at QB, with Dan Persa healthy again after completing 73.5 percent of
his passes, with 15 TD

The Memphis Tigers were one of the worst teams in college football last season and things might be even worse this year.
The Tigers lost nine straight games to end the season last year on their way to a 1-11 record. The Memphis defense was horrible and this season they must also replace their QB and a majority of the offensive line.

Its gonna take time for the Memphis team to start to play together. Miss St has won and covered the last 5 in this series.
Senior quarterback Chris Relf along with 16 returning starters will be allowed to open up the passing game more this season to go along with the punishing ground attack that the Bulldogs feature. Last season Mississippi State knocked off the Tigers 49-7 as they piled up 569 yards of offense and I look for another BIG BLOWOUT here on FSN TV Thursday night. 5*

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY ACTION:
5* Green Bay Packers -2.5


Last year, I rode Drew Brees and the Saints to the Superbowl. This year, I'm riding Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.
GB was my pick to goto the Super Bowl at the beginning of the year and I am sticking with them. Aaron Rodgers is also extremely tough and has a very quick release. The Packers will spread out their speedy WR's on the Dallas turf and use their speed to their advantage. The Patriots spread out Pitt in the regular season and put up 39 points in Pittsburgh.
Rodgers has now clearly established himself among the top quarterbacks in the game with his arm and mobility.

I've been riding the Packers this year. I really like BOTH their offensive and defensive play-calling and feel the tandem of McCarthey and Capers is among the very best in the game.

The Steelers will be without Pouncy their center and probably their best player on the offensive line.
As long as Green Bay doesn't turn the ball over multiple times, I like GREEN BAY to win SUPER BOWL 45.

-------------------------------------

A few props I like are:

Rodgers MVP 3/2
Hines Ward UNDER 45 receiving yards
Heath Miller UNDER 39 receiving yards.
TOTAL FG's OVER 3

Pittsburgh survived a third battle against the rival Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, and it was a very physical game.
The problem for the Steelers is that the Jets certainly won

Everyone is saying the Packers are going to win just because they destroyed the NFC-#1 seed and the Falcons.
The Bears are very tough to beat at Soldier Field, and are playing very good ball. They play a great cover 2 defense and have the linebackers to get after Aaron Rodgers.
I also give the edge to the Bears and their Special teams and Coaching.
The Bears have Mike Tice on offensive line and Martz as offensive coordinator, it's all about finding weaknesses, exploiting them, and using them to your advantage with the best staff Lovie Smith has ever had. Whenever you have a pro-bowl coaching staff, teams improve because they are all talented, for the most part.
Lastly, if you watched the Seattle/Chicago game last week, the field got sloppy in the cold weather and this field will slow down the speed of the Green Bay WR's and favor this great Bears defense.

Look Chicago to win outright here on Sunday.
10* BEARS

I'm taking the points with Seattle as the Bears usually play to their competition. These 2 already battled a tight game and the Bears struggled with other sub 500 teams like Buffalo, Detroit twice and the Washington Redskins.
Seattle coming off their hugely emotional win over the defending champs. They did what no one thought was possible, and proved everyone wrong and I think they can do it again against the Bears whose offensive line is very poor. They beat Chicago 23-20 in week 6, and Cutler was terrible in that game, getting sacked 6 times and throwing 17-39 passing. Seattle is motivated as everyone is doubting them, but 10 pts is too many to hand Seattle this week.
5*

Look for GB to spread the ball out on offense. This has to be giving Atlanta

The Pittsburgh Steelers are well rested after their BYE week and will be looking to get revenge at Heinz Field against the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore is off a win last week, but KC had 5 turnovers and handed them the win.
This Ravens team is very old on defense and with a short week, they'll be hurting and the Steelers linebackers are some of the best in the league to blitz and stop the Ravens rushing attack.

The Steelers are a perfect 9-0 ATS in January and are 5-0 ATS against division rivals. Joe Flacco has never beaten the Steelers, in six meetings, when Ben Roethlisberger is under center. Pittsburgh will throw deep to Wallace and that will open up the middle for the Steelers TE's and other WR's.
Play Pittsburgh here on Saturday afternoon. 5*

With all of this production and talent on offense, it

The Boston College Eagles (7-5, #5-7) are a major underdog on Sunday night as no one is giving them a chance against the 12-1 Nevada who beat Boise St this year.
However- Boston College is well coached and has a very good defense!
They also have a big line advantage and a solid rushing attack. BC has some of the besst linebackers in the country along with Penn St. Nevada hasn't seen a defense this good on their schedule and with plenty of time to prepare, I see BC keeping this one tight.5* BOSTON COLLEGE.

On paper, the Packers offense appears to have a very favorable matchup against the Eagles defense. First of all, the Eagles pass defense is one of the worst in the league. But add to the mix a rookie making just his third start of his career at safety.



Green Bay

New Orleans scores early and often, pand should put Seattle out of it early here.
The Seahawks finished the season with a 5-3 SU home record, it must be noted that none of the five wins came against playoff-bound teams. In fact, those five teams finished with a combined record of 29-51 SU. The three losses came against teams with a combined 33-15 SU record. Seattle lost those games by an average score of 39-16.

All three opponents scored at least 34 points. And all nine losses overall came by at least 15 points. The Seahawks' defense allowed an average of 34.8 ppg in the nine defeats.
Seattle is 0-9 ATS against teams that average at least 235 yards passing per game, losing by an average score of 36-12. They're on a 0-7 ATS slide in the second half of the last two seasons, against teams with a winning SU record, losing by 21 ppg. And if that's not enough, the Seahawks are on a 0-8 ATS slide off a SU home win, losing by almost 20 ppg! Mike Williams will be Matt Hasselback

Shortly after the regular season concluded, Pittsburgh head coach Dave Wannstedt announced his resignation. Wannstedt was named the 34th head coach in Pitt football history in 2004, and he compiled a 42-31 record over six seasons at the helm of his alma mater.


The Panthers decided on a new leader for the program, hiring Michael Haywood as head coach. Haywood joined the Panthers after orchestrating the biggest turnaround in major college football this past season as head coach at Miami of Ohio. Unfortunately, Haywood never got to coach a single game for Pitt, as he was arrested just a couple of weeks after being hired and charged with domestic battery in the presence of a minor. As a result of the pending legal trouble, Haywood was fired on New Year's Day.


Pitt Athletic Director Steve Pederson has named defensive coordinator Phil Bennett the team's interim coach, and he will lead the Panthers into action on January 8th.

Pitt is averaging 26.2 ppg and 367.8 total ypg. The Panthers have scored 37 offensive touchdowns through 12 games, 22 of which have been rushing scores. Dion Lewis didn't have as great a season as most expected, but his 956 rushing yards and 12 rushing scores are impressive nonetheless. He gets plenty of help from Ray Graham, who brings 832 yards and eight scores into this bowl game. While Lewis averages 4.9 yards per carry, Graham owns a far more impressive mark of 6.4 ypc.

As for Pittsburgh's passing attack, Tino Sunseri has completed 65.4 percent of his passes for 2,476 yards with 15 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. His top target is clearly Jon Baldwin, who has hauled in 52 receptions for 810 yards and five scores. The Panthers have a very good 3rd down conversion rate too.
If QB Mike Hartline was playing for Kentucky, it would be a different story, but without him, I really like PITT in this game.

Defensively, the Kentucky Wildcats are surrendering 353.9 total ypg and 28.5 ppg. They have given up 41 touchdowns to opposing offenses, 28 of which have been rushing scores. Pittsburgh should be able to run the ball well against the Kentucky defense.
The Panthers will rally around their hard working defensive coordinator and get him a win on Saturday.
10* PITTSBURGH on Saturday at 12 Noon ET.

The top team in the MAC and one of the most underachieving teams in the Sun Belt meet up at the GoDaddy Bowl in Mobile, AL on Thursday night

Ohio St's only loss was on the road at Madison to the Badgers (31-18) has relegated their season to the Sugar Bowl, even though they won their final five games of the season and topped it off with a, 37-7, victory over rival Michigan in their finale.

Ohio State still has some making up to do for their previous BCS game blunders on national television too, so you can bet the Buckeyes will come ready to play against the Razorbacks.

Both teams averaged over 37 points per game, but its Ohio St who has the better defense.
Ryan Mallett is a very good QB for Arkansas, but Terrelle Pryor is no bum! You can expect a BIG game from Pryor and Ohio St since he and other starters are suspended for the 1st five games of next season's schedule.
Ohio State

The VT Hokies roll into Miami on an 11-game win streak, 10-1 ATS yet they are underdogs against Stanford. Frank Beamers boys lost to 1-AA James Madison early in the season and I don't recall any bowl team who won their lost and lost to a 1-AA football school.

Andrew Luck the Stanford QB is the REAL DEAL. Luck only threw 7 INTs all season, and has a HUGE offensive line in front of him averaging 301 pounds/player facing a quick but small VT defensive front at 270/player.
It's no secret Stanford offensive coordinator David Shaw will try to establish the running game behind the legs of RBs Stepfan Taylor and Anthony Wilkerson and an experienced offensive line. Shaw's rushing attack features multiple formations and personnel packages along with several pre-snap shifts, and the Cardinal are doing a great job of executing the counter lead play to the weak side. Shaw will overload one side with a multiple-tight end set, forcing defensive fronts to reduce to the strength of the formation, then try to exploit the weak side.



Virginia Tech is 1-26 vs.Top 5 ranked teams and Stanford is currently ranked #4 in the nation.

Hokies coach Frank Beamer announced Saturday that he has suspended tailback David Wilson and safety Antone Exum for the first quarter of Monday night's Orange Bowl against Stanford.
Both players were disciplined for their failure to adhere to the team's 1 a.m. curfew Saturday , New Year's Day.




VT won most of their games on Special Teams and in the Turnover margin as I believe they were + 18. However, Stanford doesn't turn the ball over.
Stanford coach Harbough is very good and smart coach and coming off a bowl loss last year against Oklahoma in which they were a big underdog.
Stanford is making its first BCS appearance since 1999 in the Rose bowl and I expect a big game from Luck with the extra practice and in the National Spotlight.

It's been a tremendous season for the Cardinal,and they'll cap off a 11-1 season with a win in the Orange Bowl.
10* BOWL GAME OF THE YEAR ON STANFORD.

Tennessee has one victory since Oct. 24th. The Titans are 3-12-1 ATS when facing clubs
with a winning mark. However, Kerry Collins is healthy and they would love to play spoiler in their final game of the season against the Colts.

Nothing is
going to come easy for a Colts team racked with injuries on both sides of
the ball and cannot stop the run. Chris Johnson should have a field day against the Colts. Manning has thrown 31 touchdowns and passed for more than
4,400 yards, but has 17 interceptions. The Titans hung tough against the
Colts just three weeks ago losing, 30-28 and I think this will be another tight game.
Take the Titans and the points. 5*

TCU is taking on a superior class of an opponent. They did not face a difficult late-game situation
all season (the scoreboard vs. San Diego State was closer than the game
flow), and because of that there can be a real lack of development in some key areas.
Wisconsin brings no such issues, and the Badgers may have been the best team in
the nation in November, leading Indiana, Michigan and Northwestern by 84
points at halftime in the last three games. Usually those scoreboard explosions
would leads to a market over-reaction, but in this case it did not. WISCONSIN has been HOT and I think they pull out the win here in the Rose Bowl and knock off the undefeated TCU team. 5*

So here we have a team that was 3-5 in the
Big 10, with every one of the losses in double figures, and a defense that was #102
in points allowed and #108 in yards allowed, playing on New Year

Historically, Penn State does very good in the bowls when they have this extra time to prepare.

Penn St. The Nittany Lions are playing in their 37th bowl game under Paterno, who is the all-time leader in bowl wins (24) and appearances. Paterno's team is appearing in its 25th New Year's bowl game, having compiled a stellar 17-7 mark. Penn State is 3-0 in the Outback Bowl, beating Tennessee in the 2007 version in its last appearance





The Penn State offense has seen better days as well, but the unit isn't totally devoid of talent as the school's all-time leading rusher, Evan Royster, prepares for his final game as a Nittany Lion. Royster carried the ball 188 times this season, producing 916 yards and six TDs for a Penn State team that averages 142.8 ypg on the ground and has scored 14 rushing TDs.

The PSU aerial attack accounts for 231.2 ypg, with Matt McGloin, having been given the keys to the ship midway through the season, hitting 58 percent of his passes for 1,337 yards with 13 TDs and only four INTs. Rob Bolden earned the starting QB job in the summer, but threw just five TD passes while being picked off seven times. Derek Moye is Penn State's top receiver with 48 grabs for 806 yards and seven scores, while Brett Barrett is next with 37 receptions for 497 yards and five TDs.


Penn State is probably the more physical team and traveling to warm Tampa always helps. With the health of Joe Paterno he may not see another bowl game and his players and coaches realize that. I think it will be a tough battle, but love Penn St plus the TD on Saturday.
10* Barking Dog.

The oddsmakers have made a clear statement here about
just how good the Spartans really are. It took some unique bounces to get past
Notre Dame, Northwestern and Purdue, which could have meant an 8-4 and a
bowl appearance several days before this one. Michigan St is 11-1 yet they are 9 pt underdogs here.

The non-conference schedule was
abysmal, so a team that has yet to win a bowl game under Mark Dantonio has plenty
to prove. They have been granted the opportunity against this high profile
opponent, but we are not sure they belong. The Crimson Tide simply do everything
better across the board

SC QB Garcia of Gamecocks can look awesome to mediocre in games, but the speed of FSU will frustrate him. The Seminoles defensive line will cause problems for SC front five.
For the Seminoles they now have Christian Ponder back healthy and he will be the difference maker here. Their backup QB Manuel took more snaps at all the extra practice and is a very athletic QB who will be ready if needed.
The only edge I could find for SC was their tall WR's, but overall FSU has more talent and speed and they'll get the win here Friday night.
5*

Led by freshman quarterback Jeff Godfrey, Central Florida coach George O'Leary hopes his team is primed to finally earn its first bowl victory.

Georgia coach Mark Richt is looking to redshirt freshman QB Aaron Murray to help the Bulldogs avoid their first losing season in 14 years.

The Knights make their second Liberty Bowl appearance in four seasons when they take on the Bulldogs in Memphis on Friday.

Godfrey completed 68.4 percent of his passes for 2,042 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions this year, going 9-2 as a starter to earn Conference USA freshman of the year honors. Godfrey, the eighth-highest rated quarterback in the FBS at 165.3, also ran for 546 yards and nine TDs, helping the Knights (10-3) score 33.8 points per game ? 24th in the FBS.

He didn't even begin the season as the starter, backing up junior Rob Calabrese before taking over by the third game.

"I think he's progressed each week," said O'Leary. "I think the offensive staff has done a great job of not overloading his plate. I think they've put enough on the plate to win the game and not overburdening him with a lot of mental capacity that he couldn't handle at this stage."



-------------

The Bulldogs face another tough test against the Knights, who average 192.5 yards on the ground, 25th in the FBS. Also Georgia hasn't played since Nov. 27th and could be very rusty.

That attack is led by Ronnie Weaver, Latavius Murray and Godfrey, who ran for 2,178 yards and 30 TDs.

Washaun Ealey, who paced Georgia with 751 yards rushing and 11 scores, could have a difficult time picking up yards against UCF. The Knights are surrendering 110.4 yards per game, 10th in the nation.

O'Leary's defense, 12th in the nation with 18.0 points allowed per game, is anchored by two-time conference defensive player of the year Bruce Miller. The end has seven sacks ? four in the last two games ? to rank second on the team to Darius Nall (eight).

However, they will be without junior running back Caleb King. The Bulldogs' second-leading rusher with 430 yards, King will not play in the Liberty Bowl after missing his fifth academic-related meeting. He missed two games during the regular season with a high ankle sprain and two others for failing to appear in court to deal with a speeding ticket.

Georgia will try to shut down Quincy McDuffie, second in the nation with 32.7 yards per kick return.

I highly respect HC George O'Leary and he'll have his boys ready on Friday afternoon as I really like their team and their edge on Special Teams as well. Play on U Central Florida plus the points......
10* selection.

You have to give the edge to Syracuse playing in their home state with all of their fans. Kansas State comes in averaging nearly 34ppg, but are one dimensional with their running game.

Syracuse offers a strong defense ranking #5 in total yards, 6th in passing D and 18th in rushing D and finally 13th in scoring defense. Again. How bad was the Big East this year. The Orange only gives up 18 ppg and 270 yards. and Kansas St and everyone else in the Big 12 doesn't play any defense at all. Syracuse played well on the road this year and I like them in this spot on Thursday now that they are almost 100% healthy on both sides of the ball.
10* Pinstripe Power Play

This is another bowl game being played in the back yard of one of the participants as Houston should have a huge home crowd advantage with 30,000 fans expected for Baylor, but that doesn't always equate to victory as the Hawaii Warriors found out on Christmas Eve.

Illinois fields a rush-heavy,
Run first-Pass offense which was the nation

A big factor in handicapping early bowl games is trying to find reasons for team motivation. In today's game the Maryland players are motivated to send off their coach Ralph Friedgen a winner.
I expect the Terrapins to be well represented in the stands since their campus is nearby the stadium and Maryland has a nice following.



Maryland closed strong this year, rebounding from a 2-10 campaign as season ago to go 8-4 this year, and the Terps did cover 4 of the 5 times this season they were laying points.

The Turtle is also 4-2 against the spread in 6 previous bowl games under Friedgen.

East Carolina's defense is among the worst in the nation, and eventually will lead them to yet another loss.
EC gives up an average of 38 points/game and Maryland should have their way and pull away to a big win in the 2nd half. 5*

The Missouri Tigers (10-2) started the season just outside the Top 25 but nearly reached their third Big 12 championship game in four years. Consecutive losses at Nebraska and Texas Tech prevented them from accomplishing that feat.



Iowa has a great coach in Kirk Ferentz. He stated this week "We're anxious to get back on the field and have a chance to compete again."


Iowa senior Ricky Stanzi had a career-low 4 INTs this season while registering a career-best 25 TD's.

With Johnson-Koulianos out, Stanzi could rely more on another St. Louis native, Marvin McNutt, who led the Hawkeyes with 51 receptions for 798 yards. Coker had 403 yards and two TDs on 81 carries.

While Iowa will try to win its third straight bowl game, Missouri will attempt to bounce back from last season's 35-13 loss to Navy in the Texas Bowl.

IOWA will be ready here and use this game and the extra practices to prepare for next season. Don't let Iowa's record fool you as they could be undefeated this year. PLay IOWA to notch a win on Tuesday night's late game.
10*

The Mountaineers are led by superstar running back Noel Devine. His Heisman campaign never developed, but he still remains a threat out of the backfield as a rusher and pass receiving specialist. Quarterback Geno Smith is ok and this is about all the West Virginia team has to offer.



The Wolfpack are an amazing 21-8-1 against the spread (ATS) in their last 30 games as an underdog and 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 bowl games. The Mountaineers are 4-12 ATS in their last 16 against the ACC and just 2-6 ATS in their last eight bowl games.

Wilson will be able to offset the Mountaineer pass rush with his legs and the Wolfpack will win the Champs Bowl. 5*

After going a month without playing at the Georgia Dome, the Atlanta Falcons are one win away from not having to leave home again until a potential trip to the Super Bowl.

It has been more than a year since their last loss at home, when the New Orleans Saints took advantage of a banged-up Atlanta team.

The surging Falcons look to clinch their first division title in six years and secure home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs Monday night when they host the Saints, who are one win away from a postseason berth.

Playoff-bound Atlanta (12-2) has a two-game lead over New Orleans (10-4) in the NFC South, needing either a victory this week or a home win over lowly Carolina next Sunday to clinch the No. 1 overall seed.

Matt Ryan has won 15 straight in Atlanta since a loss to Denver on Nov. 16, 2008, and is 19-1 all-time at the Georgia Dome, tied with Danny White for the best winning percentage in a player's first 20 home starts in the Super Bowl era. In six home games this season, Ryan has thrown for 1,545 yards with 12 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.
Atalata doesn't turn the ball over and should dominate this game on Monday night at home and behind their home crowd.
5*

The top two rushing teams in college football meet in the Independence Bowl tonight, but defensively, I think these teams are a world apart. GT will be without their starting QB.
Ga Tech is also dealing with their share of suspensions. It seems like Ga Tech loses players to suspension almost every time they reach a bowl game. Two of the four are starters.
Ga Tech also suspended three more players for the first half.

While Air Force closed out the regular season with three straight blowout wins (42-22, 48-23, 35-20), Georgia Tech limped to the finish line by losing four of its last five (the Yellow Jackets

Detroit may not be the most exotic locale for a bowl game, but Toledo and Florida International are thrilled to be making the trip.
While reaching this bowl is a great reward for Toledo, it's a remarkable achievement for FIU, which is in just its ninth season of play at any level and sixth year in the FBS. The Golden Panthers' six wins this season comprise one-fifth of their 30 victories all-time. They claimed a share of the Sun Belt Conference championship with Troy, which they beat 52-35 Nov. 13 on the road. Flor-INT is loaded with speed and played a tough schedule. The Golden Panthers hit their stride down the stretch, averaging 38.0 points while winning four of their final five games. Their offense leans heavily on a pair of running backs, junior Darriet Perry (707 yards and 14 TDs in 2010) and sophomore Darrian Mallary (669 yards, two TDs). Quarterback Wesley Carroll, a transfer who played two years at Mississippi State, completed 61.8 percent of his passes for 2,483 yards with 15 TDs and 13 interceptions.

Toledo got a lot of breaks in their games forcing 33 turnovers, but Florida-Int is a solid club who gets this bowl win on Sunday night.
5*

5*

The Jacksonville Jaguars lost their last game to the Colts and now they are tied with Indy for the lead in the AFC South. The schedule is on their side since there may be no better team to get back on track against than the Washington Redskins, who have lost 4 straight and 6 of their last 7.
The Redskins' offense and Rex Grossman had a career day and game last week and I dont see that happening again on Sunday. Washington only has the league's 28th rushing offense and they only picked up 55 yards on the ground in the win over Dallas.

One of the main reasons the Jaguars lost last week was that RB Maurice Jones-Drew could not get it going. He only had 46 yards averaging 3.1 yards per carry and it ended his streak of 6 straight 100-yard games. He will get back on track this Sunday since the Redskins' rushing D only ranks 27th in the league and gave up 134 rushing yards to the Cowboys last week. Jags' QB David Garrard was forced to air it out since the Colts stuffed Jones-Drew and he played well passing for 294 yards with 2 TD and 1 INT. The Redskins' defense is not a good one and they will likely be without one of the better players with LB Brian Orakpo doubtful for this game. Also, S Reed Doughty and DE Phillip Daniels are questionable for this Sunday with injuries sustained in the Cowboys game. Jacksonville is the overall better balanced team in all phases of the game. 10* Early Dominator Play on Jacksonville.

This is an interesting contrast in styles between Navy

It wasn

The favorites in the Bowl season are 3-0 so far and I like the chalk again tonight.

This L-Ville Cardinals defense will likely be one of the best groups the Golden Eagles have faced this season. Coach Charlie Strong really made a huge difference in his first season on the defensive side of the ball. The former Florida Gators defensive coordinator turned a Cardinals defense that ranked 69th in 2009 to one of the best defenses in the entire country in 2010. Louisville ranks in the top 15 in both total and scoring defense.


On offense the Cardinals Senior quarterbacks Adam Froman and Justin Burke have both shared time behind center. Froman started the season, but has battled some injuries during the 2nd half of the year. Burke has started the last 4 games and has been fairly solid. The Southern Miss secondary has just been horrible against the pass this season so Louisville will have the chance to fire some shots down the field.

The Cardinals offense does have a star running back in senior Bilal Powell. Despite being slowed by a knee injury during the latter part of the season he has enough time off to get healthy and recover. I like Louisville who with the 28 days off to let the injured get healthly to get the job done on Tuesday night in the BOWL GAME as a 10* play.

Miami came up with a gritty win over the Jets last week, but they really did nothing at all on offense, and with Chad Henne having thrown 11 interceptions already, it is very hard to have any confidence in the Dolphins covering anything over a field goal.
The Dolphins are just 1-5 straight up at home this year, and a money-burning 4-15 their last 19 tries when laying points at home. Buffalo has been a tough out for teams this year, as 5 of their 10 losses this year have come by 5-points or fewer. The Bills are also 4-2 against the spread on the road this year.
5*

Huge NFC East game and I cannot pass on grabbing the points with an Eagles team that has just owned their division-rival of late. New York shot themselves in the foot in the first meeting between the teams, turning the ball over 5 times en route to a 17-27 setback.
Philly is now on a 5-game series win and cover streak! The Eagles are also a money-turning 17-3 straight up in the month of December the past 4-plus years, going 14-5-1 against the spread in those contests. Andy Reid has always been great on the road and as a dog. Play the EAGLES Sunday afternoon.
5*

The Colts are 9-9 their last 18 games and just not that good this year. And this late in the season, if you're not playing at some level of consistency, you might as well accept the fact you're not going to be in the postseason. Even worse, you stop earning the respect from you peers.
Now, if you want consistency, you look at a team like the Jaguars, who have won six straight and are on the verge of wrapping up the AFC South. In fact, a win over the mighty Colts would hand the Jaguars the division title.

Jones-Drew, who has averaged 5.4 yards per carry on 165 rushes and 12 career touchdownsn against the Colts, has been the spark plug for the Jags' offense. He'll be fired up for this one, as it's been a long time his team is the team to beat in this matchup. Look for the Jags to win behind their solid rushing game and much better defense here.
10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

Ohio will match up well on defense and this game has the potential to be one of the most entertaining bowl games of the season.

The Trojans are 2-7 against the spread (ATS) in their last none games as a favorite and 1-4-1 ATS in their last six non-conference games. The TROY defense is AWFUL especially against the run. WE'll take the better rushing team and defense on Saturday night.

The Bobcats are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games as an underdog, 5-1 ATS against a team with a winning record, and 7-2 ATS in their last nine games overall.
Look for Ohio U to bounce back after an ugly performance in their previous game. 5*

At first look I liked Fresno, but this game is being played in Boise where cold weather and snow is projected.
I never like the California teams in the cold. N Illinois is used to that and its a huge advantage for them. After all they are called the Huskies.

I like the fact No Illinois lost their conference championship and a coach in the process, as they will be hell bent on redemption come Saturday. Its usually tough for an opponent to prepare for a new HC as they don't know what to expect.
Fresno allowed 31 ppg and 4 yards per carry their last 3 games against a team who averaged 8 yards per carry on the ground in their last 3 games, especially with your best linebacker out for this game.

Northern Illinois pulls away on the smurf turf with their strong rushing attach of Chad Span and QB Chandler Harnish.

A couple of .500 programs kick off the 2010 bowl season this weekend, as the BYU Cougars clash with the Miners of Texas-El Paso in the fifth annual New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque.

BYU, a program that has been one of the elite in the Mountain West Conference for several years, fell on hard times in 2010 and almost appeared to be preparing for a long, hard rebuilding campaign. Following a 23-17 win against Washington in the opener, the Cougars dropped four in a row and the question about the direction in which they were headed began popping up on a regular basis. However, despite having a fresh-faced quarterback, head coach Bronco Mendenhall refused to give up and thus began the great reclamation project that led to a 6-6 overall record and a 5-3 mark in conference play thanks to a string of four consecutive triumphs over the likes of Wyoming, UNLV, Colorado State and New Mexico before bowing at Utah in the regular-season finale by just a single point, 17-16.



Coach Mendenhall has the Cougars in the postseason yet again, despite the team operating with a freshman quarterback for much of the season. Initially the plan was to go with a combination of Jake Heaps and Riley Nelson, but once the latter went down with an injury all the pressure was placed on the shoulders of Heaps. In the second half of the season when the Cougars really needed a boost, Heaps came alive with four straight passing efforts of at least 225 yards and he tossed nine touchdowns against just a single interception in those outings, showing tremendous growth down the stretch.



I believe BYU is better in all phases of the game and should roll by 14-24 points on Saturday afternoon.
5*

San Francisco is not that good of a team as they are a pathetic 2-7 SU, 4-5 ATS when facing non-NFC West teams, and now they travel to Southern California to face an unfamiliar AFC opponent on top of their game.

These Chargers also need to win, as they sit one game behind Kansas City with three to play. For all the hype about the Niners defense, they are decidedly middle-of- the-pack, giving up a 91.9 QB rating, and now they face Philip Rivers, whose QB Rating is 100+. SAN DIEGO should score early and often and I am backing the SD Chargers Thursday night. 5*

Last week Tavaris Jackson led the Vikings to a win but he also had three interceptions and several missed throws, often bailed out by star WR Sidney Rice and a great rushing attack. He is a dangerous QB who can run and pass and with an extra week of practice should get the job done. The Giants dominated last week but got 6 turnovers from the Redskins and that will make any team look like a Super Bowl contender.
New York had been shaky the previous three games and while the Giants currently cling to the final wild card spot for the moment it will be difficult to stay there. Minnesota has a far better rush defense and historically is a very solid performer. Vikes beat them last year and I like them again Monday night plus the points.

NFC East rivals collide this Sunday night when the Dallas Cowboys host the Philadelphia Eagles from Cowboys Stadium.

The Eagles have won 4 of their last 5 games and in recent weeks have become one of the hottest offenses in the NFL. Now they face Dallas who is led by Jon Kitna. HA- The Eagles defense will be all over him! He is no Tony Roma and I expect a big performance from the Eagles.

The Eagles were swept in 3 games by Dallas last year and its time for PAYBACK Sunday!


Eagles QB Michael Vick has been mainly responsible for the offenses' explosiveness. Vick is playing outstanding football and is coming off his 3rd 300 yard passing performance in his last 4 games.
Outside of Vick, the rest of the Eagles offense has been stellar as well. Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin leads the team with 820 receiving yards while the big play threat of DeSean Jackson has posted 762 receiving yards this season. Both wide outs have enormous big play potential and have combined for 27 plays over 20 plus yards on the year.


The Eagles also had 3 extra days to prepare since they played last Thursday and HC Andy Reid is always dangerous with extra time.



Not to mention the offense has received a big boost from running back LeSean McCoy who has revived the Eagles running game. McCoy has rushed for 823 yards and 7 touchdowns on the season. The Cowboys are not good in the secondary and linebacker positions, so look for Vick and company to get a big win on Sunday night! 10* NFL GAME OF THE YEAR!

The Bills are hoping to get back on track at home on Sunday.

Buffalo endured three consecutive three-point defeats at the end of its 0-8 start but rebounded for wins over Detroit and Cincinnati last month. The Bills then suffered their third overtime loss this season to Pittsburgh on Nov. 28 before falling 38-14 last week in Minnesota.

Buffalo (2-10) committed a season-high 5 turnovers and three personal foul penalties against the Vikings and is was sloppy. Chan Gailey says they'll be ready this week against their rival Browns which isn't far away.


Starting right guard Eric Wood is expected to return after missing two games because of an ankle injury and take over for Hangartner. Ed Wang and Cordaro Howard are slated to split time at right guard in place of Urbik.


Delhomme threw for 325 yards last season against Buffalo but also three interceptions in a 20-9 loss for the Panthers.
5* BILLS

I'm taking the points with the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night.

Few would dispute that Peyton Manning is the best QB in the NFL but he has
thrown 11 INT's in the last 3 games, including four that have
been returned for touchdowns.

Tennessee is a team with a strong history
as home underdogs. Despite the 5-7 record Tennessee actually still owns the
best point differential in the division, featuring by far the best defense. The
Titans should have a substantial edge on the ground both offensively and
defensively in this match-up as well.

This is just what Tennessee needs when the awful Colt defense rolls into town. They are terrible at stopping the run and Titans at home who are still alive for the division should have a field day with Chris Johnson running the ball.

This is Kerry Collins 2nd game back and he'll be much more accurate with his passes as he has had more reps and shook off his rust last Sunday. Peyton Manning just isn't himself this season and he really doesn't have much to work with on the WR and TE front.
TENNESSEE TITANS +4 on Thursday night NFL.

The Patriots are clicking on all cylinders right now and Tom Brady has returned to the top of his game. Brady has thrown 9 TD's and zero INT's the last 3 games.
Before brutalizing a terrible Cincinnati team on Thanksgiving Night, the Jets had won their previous 3 games by a total of 12 points and were in danger of losing each one with 2 OT victories. In the game before that streak they we exposed by the Packers at home during a 9-0 loss.
The Patriots have gone about their business in workmen-like fashion and have made in-game adjustments all season. Whenever Bill Belichick has nine days to prepare for a game, I like his team

The New York Giants have had their share of problems against Donovan McNabb in the past.
McNabb went 11-7 as a starter including playoffs in his career against New York (7-4) with Philadelphia, throwing 27 touchdowns to nine interceptions.
The Redskins expect RB Ryan Torain back today to help their rushing game.


The Giants entered last week ranked in the top two in offense and defense,
but turnovers and injuries make the Giants too much of a risk to lay many
points in a division matchup. Eli Manning has committed 21 turnovers this
season. New York has a minus six turnover ratio. The Giants

Last week the Saints beat the Cowboys, but failed to cover the spread. The Cowboys racked up over 450 yards of total offense in that game and under Sean Payton, the Saints are just 6-15 ATS after giving up 400+ yards. Prior to that game, the Saints played games against the likes of Seattle, Carolina twice, Cleveland and Arizona. This team has played a very weak schedule (bottom five in the league).
Teams that win the Superbowl the previous year are 32-67 ATS on the road as a favorite the following year with everyone gunning for them. The Saints are 2-3 ATS this year in the defender role on the road. Bengals have lost eight straight and their season is long gone, but they have one more game with a lot of meaning left and that is this one. I like the Bengals at home in cold Cinncinati to take care of business and cover this number.
5*

Virginia Tech has been the ACC's dominant team since joining the league in 2004, winning three championships and favored to capture a fourth.

The one team the Hokies haven't dominated is Florida State.

The 20th-ranked Seminoles - who beat Virginia Tech to win the 2000 national championship and the 2005 Atlantic Coast Conference title - are again poised to spoil another Hokies season when the teams meet in Charlotte, N.C., on Saturday. Virginia Tech has been very slow starters this year and against FSU and their athletes on both sides of the ball, that spells trouble.

This years FSU team is balance and very good and playing better each week.




Florida State hasn't been to a BCS bowl game since 2005, and Ponder, a fifth-year senior, relishes the opportunity to lead his team to the Orange Bowl with a victory on Saturday.

FSU will dominate with their running game against VT which is ranked 68th in rushing defense.
Then FSU's running attack will result in long time consuming drives.
FSU's time of possession is nearly 2 minutes a game higher than VTechs.
The running game will opening up the play action passing game and I like Ponder in these spots with his experience and mobility.
As long as Ponder doesnt turn the ball over, FSU wins this one outright! 10* GAME OF THE WEEK

Illinois is most likely going to run the ball for most of the game with Leshoure but I'd expect at least a couple long pass attempts in the later stages of the game once the run is established. Scheelhaase has the arm and Illinois has revenge from last year.
Illinois is a lean, mean, fighting machine compared to last years squad. The Illini defense is going to put on the smack down!


A lot is on the line here. Both teams will probably get into a lower-tier bowl game as things stand now, but a win here could increase either team

The Philadelphia Eagles don't have much time to recover from their first loss in a game Michael Vick started and finished.

The Houston Texans' offensive star didn't finish Sunday's game and sure must be happy he's starting this one.

Andre Johnson avoided a suspension for his highly publicized altercation, keeping two of the league's top offensive weapons on the field Thursday night when his Texans visit Vick and the Eagles.
Houston is very balanced and can run and pass the ball. 9 points is a lot and I like the Texans tonight.

The Eagles aren't so pleased to see him playing, particularly if Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel misses a second straight game with a knee injury as he is a GTD and might just see limited action.

Andrian Foster ran for 143 yards and caught nine passes for a season-high 75 yards Sunday as the Texans ended a four-game losing streak. It is supposed to be cold and windy tonight in Philly and I beleive that will benefits the Texans rushing attack. Take the points with HOUSTON. 5*

5*

The Philadelphia Eagles and the Chicago Bears are both on three-game winning streaks. They are both winning their division. They are both 7-3, a game back from the best record in the NFC and the entire NFL for that matter.
Bears Matt Forte has 567 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns, 32 receptions, 331 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. Johnny Knox leads the Bears in receiving with 37 receptions for 672 yards and a touchdown. It will be cold and windy in Chicago and Michael Vick doesnt like that weather.

We saw on last Sunday night that if a team has a solid DL and mobile LBs they can slow down the Eagles. The Bears are exactly that and have a a very oportunistic defense averaging 2.5 turnovers per game. Chicago's offensive line is improving and the Bears at home should cover the +3.5 or win this game on Sunday afternoon.
5*

The Texans have a big passing game that can exploit the corners of Tennessee. Andre Johnson should have a huge game at home. On the season, Matt Schaub has 2,574 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Foster has been dominant in the backfield. He may be the best running back in the league this year.
The Titans have a lot of problems. They have had issues in the lockeroom and on the field and also injuries with Vince Young & Kerry Collins. With Rusty Smith behind center for the Titans expect to see plenty of RB Chris Johnson. That won't bode well for Tennessee as the Texans do an adequate job versus the run and the lack of a passing game will allow Houston to stack the box and make RUSTY beat them. I'll take our chances with HOUSTON at home while the Titans play a QB named RUSTY on the road.
10* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK.

Rest and revenge game for the Wildcats here on Saturday afternoon.
They have a vision of a good bowl game and are healthy after their BYE.
Kentucky is talented and also hungry due to the 25 year losing streak against the Vols.
A bowl game is extra practices for a young Kentucky team and I think they'll be fired up here.
and the extra practices with such a young team.


Although there is the appearance of a late-season Tennessee turnaround to get the
Vols back to within a win here of being bowl eligible, some of those results have to
Be taken with a grain of salt.
Memphis did not even bother to compete; Vanderbilt
Was a badly depleted side; and it was a 5-0 TO differential that produced that pretty
Scoreboard vs. Ole Miss, including two INT

In their last visit to Tuscaloosa two years ago,AUBURN lost 36-0 and remember that game well.
It was the game's widest margin in 46 years and the end of a six-year Auburn winning streak.

Popular coach Tommy Tuberville resigned under pressure a few days later, and athletic director Jay Jacobs hired Gene Chizik.

It was a lowpoint. for the team, coaches, players, and fans. This afternoon is their chance to get some revenge on the road.
Auburn is looking to stay in contention for the national championship game. Auburn is simply too good this year led by Newton who has been unstoppable. 10* Black Friday Burial.

Dallas is born again and playing some good ball under their new coach.
Dallas is rejuvenated since Jason Garrett has taken over as head coach, resulting in two straight wins including a blowout win against Detroit last week and on the road at the NY GIants. The Cowboys have historically played well on Thanksgiving.
Jon Kitna is learning more of the offense each week and is looking better with each game. Dallas has scored 68 points in their last 2 games since Garrett has taken over, and I expect the Cowboys to be pumped up to play the Super Bowl champs at home on Thanksgiving.


New Orleans really hasn

The Lions have a nose for the point spread this year but they are starting to get a little overvalued in Vegas. New England should be double-digit dogs to a Patriots team that has turned the corner and is getting sound fundamental play from their young defense. With the short week, I'll take the veteran QB and Tom Brady and the better coach to get the team prepared for this one.
5* early kickoff Thursday

Michael Vick is getting all sorts of media attention this week and rightfully so. Vick seems to be getting more and more comfortable with the offense and Andy Reid. The Eagles are playing great right now and have a ton of playmakers on offense to help him out too. If the Giants choose to drop eight and only rush three, then Vick can probably run for first down after first down. If they decide to blitz, he can pick them apart just like he

Reggie Bush is back for the Saints and could seek revenge on Pete Carroll, but is it really Petie

Andrew Luck of Stanford has been dynamite all season, and I expect him to light it up Saturday. California can score but their defense is poor. I also expect a major letdown from last weeks tough loss to Oregon, where several players got injuried for Cal.



Andrew Luck didn't throw a touchdown pass for the first time this season in Stanford's latest game, but that didn't matter after the sophomore led his team to a come-from-behind win that kept its Rose Bowl hopes alive.

Look for Luck to light it up on Saturday!
Last year he also played poor against California, which he would love nothing more a little revenge payback!
Luck has still thrived, accounting for 25 touchdowns with a completion percentage (69.6) and passer rating (159.7) that are among the top 10 nationally.Look for STANFORD to come up BIG and get a double-digit win with our REVENGE GAME OF THE YEAR!

A whole season of hope and expectation rides on 8th-ranked Ohio State's game at No. 21 Iowa on Saturday.

The Buckeyes know that all those offseason workouts, the grueling two-a-days in the heat of August, the close calls and the big wins will be for naught if they lose to the Hawkeyes. A defeat would most likely mean an end to Ohio State's five-year run as Big Ten champion and maybe even a trip to a second-tier bowl game. Ohio St's defense is the best in the Nation and I think Prior will carry them to victory here.


The Buckeyes have almost always played well at Kinnick Stadium, winning six of their last seven there. The only setback in that string is Iowa's 33-7 victory in 2004.
Look for the Ohio St defense to keep Stanzi in check and the Ohio St offense and special to take advantage.
10* Oddsmaker Mistake SUPER PLAY

With their bye week following the loss, head coach Mike Shanahan had plenty of time to put his mouth in this foot by saying McNabb doesn

**CHECK BACK on this site for a LATE NFL PICK SUNDAY after 3pm EST. ******** The Texans have also been playing poorly after their hot start, losers of 3 of their last 4 games, and the only win, a 4 pt squeaker against the Chiefs in Houston. The Jags have a huge advantage here coming off their BYE week. The Texans are getting almost all of the action at the windows with the public loving them yet the Jags line has moved up a point. This is an indication that the game is getting hit with sharp action on JAX and I couldn't agree with the Wiseguys here. Jags win by 6-12 on Sunday as our 10* GAME OF THE WEEK.

5*

The Sun Devils lost a heartbreaker against USC last weekend and look to get back on track against the Cardinal. Unfortunately for ASU, the Cardinal have their eyes on a BCS Bowl and continue to creep up in the BCS standings. Jim Harbuagh continues to tell his squad that they still have an outside shot at a spot in the National Championship and will not allow them to ruin that opportunity on their own. Stanford is very good and almost beat OKLAHOMA at OKLAHOMA only losing by 3 points. Stanford wins this one big, by 10-20 points. 5*

Steve Spurrier

The Nittany Lion offense managed just three points at both Iowa and Alabama in their only serious road challenges, and while Matt McGloin was not yet at QB in those defeats, this is a huge step up for him on the road against probably the Nations best defense. This is not the Penn State of yester years. The defense is not as talented as in past years, and they are in trouble on saturday afternoon. Last week they got Joe Pa his 400th victory. I just cannot see the Lions scoring more than 10 points in this contest. The Ohio St Buckeyes offense and rested off their BYE should roll here. I say OHIO ST WINS 38-10. ****10* BLOWOUT