2019 UCLA Bruins Prediction

After a year hiatus of being just flat out lazy, I'm back to predicting how UCLA will do this year. This is strictly for entertainment purposes only and any fiduciary losses you take on trips to Las Vegas are entirely on you. Of course, if you happen to win a few bucks, feel free to send a gratuity my way. Away we go...

at Cincinnati - There are a couple games on August 24th, including a Florida vs Miami showdown that will require some baby back ribs to be made and some adult beverages to be consumed, but the Bruins contest with the Bearcats is when the season really gets going. A Thursday evening opener in the Queen City, UCLA is a 3-point underdog. After starting 2018 with a loss to Cincy last year, if Joshua Kelley can carry over the momentum from last season and get the UCLA running game going to take some pressure off the quarterback, I like the Bruins to get a bit of revenge and win this one outright. 1-0

San Diego State - The Aztecs aren't quite as good as they were two years ago and this is one of those games the Bruins need to have if they want to get the six wins necessary for bowl eligibility. Home opener, Chip Kelly will have them ready to win the day. 2-0

Oklahoma - The Sooners roll into the Rose Bowl a week later for a tough non-conference game. Oklahoma will be among the top 10 all year and UCLA is a little too young to deal with the firepower the Sooners will bring. This one could get very ugly, but also might be an entertaining shootout like the Texas A&M vs UCLA game a few years ago. Still, going with Boomer Sooner. 2-1

at Washington State - The Cougars lost QB Gardner Minshew and his mustache to the draft, but Pullman is one of those places, like Utah, that always seem to give the Bruins trouble. Wazzu won't be as good as last year, but should still put up points. Chip Kelly vs Mike Leach should produce a lot of points...take the over and take the Cougars to win it. 2-2

at Arizona - The Wildcats have a bye before UCLA comes to town, and the Bruins will have played four teams that went bowling last year. They should be ready to deal with a mediocre Arizona team and pull out the victory. 3-2

Oregon State - If UCLA is going bowling this year, this is a game they have to win. At home, against unquestionably the worst team in the Pac-12 by a mile. This should be a Lew Alcindor dunk, Bruins pound the Beavers. 4-2

at Stanford - Bruins have a bye before going up to Stanford for another Thursday night game. Thursday, Friday, Saturday...it doesn't seem to matter when they play this game lately, and until the Bruins show they can beat the tree, I'll keep taking the tree. 4-3

Arizona State - Sun Devils had a shocking season under Herm Edwards last year. No one thought it would work. I still don't think it will and this is an opportunity for the Bruins at home. 5-3

Colorado - The Buffaloes have been a mess since winning the Pac-12 South a few years ago. They do seem to be one of those teams that the Bruins play down to, but with bowl eligibility in sight and a bye week coming, UCLA gets by. 6-3

at Utah - If the Utes are healthy at this point, they should be looking at winning the South and possibly going to the Rose Bowl. UCLA seems to struggle in Utah (Utah or BYU) and they will again. 6-4

at USC - Before the 2017 season started, I predicted that the Trojans would beat the Bruins and the heat would turn up on current head coach Jim Mora. Well, as that season began to play out, I predicted Mora would be fired if he couldn't get past USC. He couldn't and the Bruins got the coach I've said they've needed. Time for the Bruins to return the favor. After an incredible win last year, I'm looking for UCLA to do it again and possibly get USC's coach Clay Helton fired, and possibly AD Lynn Swann as well. 7-4

California - The season finale, and if UCLA pulled off a couple upsets against Stanford, Washington State and Utah, this might be for the Pac-12 South title. I don't think it will be, but still a chance to finish 8-4 and 6-3 in conference. Chip has them up for this and a berth in a late December bowl game, setting the stage for a run at the Rose Bowl in 2020. 8-4

2017 UCLA Predictions

It's time once again for my annual predictions on UCLA's football season. After a terrible year for them in 2016, including QB Josh Rosen going down, finishing 4-8 and coach Jim Mora being on the hot seat headed into this year, I'm expecting better things for the Bruins as long as Rosen stays upright all year long. Away we go...

Texas A&M - The Bruins lost a heart breaker in an entertaining overtime game last year at College Station. Coach Mora needs this one. Coach Kevin Sumlin needs it as well as the Aggies Athletic Department has already made it clear that an 8-5 year will not be acceptable. Expect another high-scoring shootout, with a healthy Josh Rosen and a better defense from the Bruins squeezing by Texas A&M. 1-0

Hawaii - The poor Rainbow Warriors started the season by flying all the way to Massachusetts, then flying home to play Western Carolina and then fly back to Southern California. That's a lot of miles in 15 days. Bruins should win easily. 2-0

at Memphis - UCLA had problems last year when they went to a BBQ heaven in Texas A&M and now they go to another one in Memphis. The Tigers aren't as good as the Aggies were last year, but this one does have a 9am west coast kickoff. Bruins will be a little sluggish to start the game but will pull away and win again before starting conference play. 3-0

at Stanford -  And this is where the schedule starts to turn and why that 3-0 start is so important. Until the Bruins prove me wrong, I will continue to pick the Cardinal to wear UCLA out. Stanford might just win the Pac 12 and go to the playoff if their quarterback stays healthy. 3-1

Colorado - The Buffaloes might be better than they were last year. The Bruins should be better than they were last year. Colorado beat UCLA in a close game in Boulder. I think they get another one in Pasadena. 3-2

at Arizona - The Wildcats are a mess and their coach Rich Rodriguez is on the hot seat as well. UCLA ends the two-game losing streak and gets their first conference win. 4-2

Oregon - New coach for the Ducks, same result for the Bruins. Again, like Stanford, until UCLA beats Oregon, I'm sticking with the team with the best looking cheerleaders in college football. 4-3

at Washington - The Huskies went to the playoff last year and played fairly well against Alabama, at least defensively. That defense might not be as good as it was last year, but it will be too tough for the Bruins at Husky Stadium. 4-4

at Utah - UCLA gets weird when they go to Utah. There have been the embarrassing blowouts to BYU and closer than they should be games against Utah. Bruins have to win one of these last few games and I'm picking this one. 5-4

Arizona State - Another Arizona team with a coach in danger of losing his job. Bruins win and a little heat comes off Mora. 6-4

at USC - Rivalry game. Throw out the records, blah, blah, blah. Trojans are more talented, might be playing for the Pac 12 South title and possible playoff berth. They will not have had a bye week all year, so may be a little fatigued and if Bruins get up a couple scores early USC might not recover. I don't think that happens and the heat turns back up on coach Mora. 6-5

Cal - The Bears are supposed to be somewhere between not very good and pretty bad, yet they went cross-country in the opening weekend and took out North Carolina. I still think they are going to be bad and the Bruins need this one. 7-5

Not a great year for the Bruins, but after 4-8 last year, it's an improvement. They'll go to a bowl game and if they can win that, 8-5 won't look so bad, especially after being 4-4 during the season. Winning 4 of their last 5 will have people thinking Rose Bowl in 2018 though they will need to find another quarterback.

Week 5 Picks - The MAC

Staying completely in the MAC this week after going 2-2 in week 1.

at Ball State -4 Northern Illinois - The Cardinals have been playing well and the Huskies have been horrible this year. Ball State should be able to control the game and win comfortably.

Eastern Michigan +2.5 at Bowling Green - The Eagles have a chance to go to a bowl game for the first time in a long time. The Falcons have been a mess on defense, giving up 77 to both Ohio State and Memphis this year. I like Eastern Michigan to cover and have a good chance to win.

Ohio -3 at Miami,OH - The Bobcats are only 2-2 but played Tennessee tough. The Redhawks are 0-4 but played Cincinnati close. The MAC East is not very good, and Miami is the worst of the bunch, so it's the Bobcats.

Akron -7 at Kent State - The Zips have been scoring against everyone, except Wisconsin, though lots of teams have had that problem this year, right LSU and Michigan State? The Golden Flashes are not scoring. Akron wins by double-digits.

Western Michigan at Central Michigan Over 58.5 - This should be a fun game with lots of points. Chippewas will keep it close and may even take the Broncos down, but there will be a lot of points

2016 UCLA Predictions

It's time again for my annual predictions regarding the UCLA Bruins football season. Yes, it's a week late getting up, and yes, I took the Bruins to beat Texas A&M, so starting off poorly. Last year I went 9-3 predicting their wins and losses, starting off 9-0 before being wrong on the last three. The Bruins were humming along until those last four regular season games and then the bowl game disaster against Nebraska. But quarterback Josh Rosen exceeded expectations, on the field and off.

Last year, a number of experts thought the Bruins were a playoff contender, but the combination of a freshman quarterback and the cannibalistic Pac-12 was too much to overcome. This year, with a year of experience, can Rosen lead the Bruins back to the glory of the Bob Toledo days and whispers of a National Championship? The crystal ball says...


at Texas A&M - UCLA is somehow the underdog in this game, probably because the Aggies are in the SEC, or maybe the oddsmakers figure the Bruins will be too tired from eating all that Texas BBQ. The Bruins are usually pretty good in these season-opening road games against a real opponent. UCLA starts the season off on the right foot, 1-0. (Apparently the Bruins "were too tired" from eating all that BBQ.)
   
UNLV - The Rebels should be out of this game by halftime and UCLA will be able to start resting the starters by the middle of the third quarter. Was probably a lot more fun when it was in Las Vegas last year and imagine what Rosen could do a hotel room in Vegas now. 2-0
   
at BYU - Another road test for UCLA and in a state where they seem to struggle a bit. They beat Utah last year in Utah and I'm picking them to beat the Cougars this year in Provo. 3-0
   
Stanford - The Cardinal have beaten the Bruins like a red-headed stepchild for so many years in a row now that it's bordering on abuse. But, until UCLA actually shows up for a game against Stanford, I'm going to keep picking the tree to open a boot store in the Bruins' ass. 3-1
   
Arizona -  Bruins lit Arizona up last year in Tuscon and think they'll do it again in Pasadena. Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez is going to be feeling some heat if the Bruins beat him by 25+ again this year, which they might. 4-1
   
at Arizona St.- What happened to the Sun Devils? They are only a couple years removed from looking like they were going to be competing for the Pac-12 South regularly. Bruins take advantage and get a close win in the desert. 5-1
   
at Washington St. - The Cougars upset the Bruins at the Rose Bowl last year, sending them into a tailspin where they lost 3 of their last 4 games. This year it's in Pullman, Washington State still has Luke Faulk at quarterback and the Cougars win again. 5-2
   
Utah -  The Utes lost an ugly game at home last year, 17-9. They'll have a shot here to put themselves in great position to win the Pac-12 South. I'll take the revenge factor and the Utes. 6-2
   
at Colorado - The first of two in a row against the cupcakes of the Pac 12. Colorado is getting better but they still are going to have a losing record. They might stay close into the fourth quarter but the game will never be in doubt. 7-2
   
Oregon St.-  The Beavers are bad. Really, really bad. UCLA beat them 41-0 last year in Corvallis. Expect a similar pounding this year in the Rose Bowl. 8-2
   
USC  - The Clay Helton era. Meh. Still, they have some of the same speed they did last year when they beat UCLA pretty soundly. Will take the Trojans to get the victory and secure the Pac-12 South for Utah. 8-3 
   
at California - This one is tough. If the Bruins lose to USC the week before like I expect, and are moping about, they may come out a little sluggish and the Bears have the offense to make UCLA work. But if UCLA is pissed from the loss and decide they want a shot at a 10-win season with a bowl victory, they will get up early on Cal and never let up, sending the seniors out with a win. 9-3 


Picks for Week 2:

at Miami -24.5 Florida Atlantic - The hiring of Mark Richt as the Miami coach was a good thing for the Hurricanes. They actually looked cohesive and well-coached in last week's 70-3 win over Florida A&M. Miami may surprise this year in the ACC and I like them to get to 10 wins with a bowl win.

at Oregon -23.5 Virginia - Virgiinia didn't just lose to Div-IAA Richmond opening weekend, they got routed. Now they fly almost 3,000 miles to one of the loudest environments in college football, against one of the highest flying offenses. This could be really ugly.

Eastern Michigan +24 at Missouri - Missouri should win this game, but they haven't had an offense for the past two years and shouldn't be expected to beat anyone by more than 10 points. The Eagles aren't good, but the Tigers won't cover.


The Battle at Bristol - Tennessee -11 Virgina Tech - A football game in the middle of a NASCAR racetrack with an insane big-screen scoreboard hanging over the whole thing on a Saturday night? Count me in. Tennessee has to be better than they showed against Appalachian State in the opening weekend. Lots of drunks in orange overalls singing "Rocky Top" all night long. 
   

2015 UCLA Predictions

Once again, it's my predictions for the UCLA Bruins for my lifelong friend and Bruins fan. I'll say I'm cautiously optimistic about the Bruins chances this year. Starting a true freshman quarterback, Josh Rosen, is always a risky proposition, but the rest of the team is loaded and may help him get through those first few games as he gets used to the speed of the college game. Still, I think he is going to have a couple games where his inexperience is going to cost them and UCLA may have to wait one more year for that Rose Bowl or Playoff spot. On with the picks...

Virginia - The Cavaliers showed more fight than expected in last year's game against the Bruins. That can probably be attributed to the fact that it was essentially a 9am game for UCLA playing in Charlottesville. Virginia may make this year's contest a game of it for a half or so, but the Bruins should be able to turn turnovers into points and will pull away for a victory in Josh Rosen's first game as QB. 1-0

at UNLV - As long as the Bruins stay out of the casinos, strip clubs and all you can eat buffets, this should be an easy Vegas road trip and another confidence builder for Rosen. 2-0.

BYU - The Cougars have a knack for showing up early on the Bruin schedule and derailing their season before it even really gets going. Those usually happen in Provo. This one is at the Rose Bowl and UCLA will find a way to win. This is the first game where I think Rosen could cost the Bruins with his decision making, but the defense and playing at home will make up for it. 3-0

at Arizona - Playing on the road against the Wildcats may be where the young QB let's the atmosphere get to him. I think he's shaky but the Bruin defense is solid enough to keep Arizona in check and UCLA goes to 4-0...

Arizona State - ...before the Sun Devils come to town and end the undefeated season, make Rosen look like a true freshman and announce themselves as the front-runner for the Pac-12 South title. 4-1

at Stanford - The first of back-to-back Thursday night games, this one on the road. The Cardinal have owned the Bruins the last several years, wearing them down and then punching them out. Until UCLA shows me they can beat Stanford, especially at Stanford, I'm sticking with the Cardinal. 4-2

California - The second Thursday night game against a Cal team that at least can put up some points even if they don't stop anyone. The Bears used to be a tricky team for the Bruins; when Cal was bad, they seemed to give the Bruins fits and when they were good, they were terrible against UCLA. They're currently a little better than bad and maybe improving, so I'll take UCLA to win. 5-2

Colorado - There is no reason UCLA shouldn't hang at least 45 on Colorado. The Buffaloes have been awful since they joined the Pac-12 and that isn't changing this year. 6-2

at Oregon State - New coach, only two returning starters on defense and not a very good team last year, the Beavers should be no match for the Bruins. Strange things sometimes happen in Corvallis, but not this year. 7-2

Washington State - Similar to Cal, the Cougars are getting better but they still aren't great. They'll play the Bruins close but lose and UCLA will be back in the Pac-12 South title discussion as the conference cannibalizes itself. 8-2

at Utah - This is a tough one. It's at Utah. As mentioned earlier, UCLA struggles when they go to Utah. Maybe it's the fact that it's hard to get beer there, maybe it's all the scenic national parks, maybe it's the altitude. This is another game where I think the inexperience of the quarterback may cost them and they lose a tough one. 8-3

at USC - Three in a row for the team from Westwood. The Trojans are off there sanctions but still don't have the depth they need. Coach Sarkisian may be coaching for his job after his pre-season drunken show. UCLA wins a close one. If they blow out the Trojans, look for Sark to be fired shortly after. 9-3

Week 9 Picks

A week off last week, 3-2-1, the week before, moving the season record to 12-10-2. This weekend should knock a few more teams out of the running for one of the playoff spots. On to the picks.

Clemson at Boston College Over 45 - The Tigers can score a few points. The Eagles can score a few as well. Neither team has been awe-inspiring on defense. Combined, they should be able to score/give up three touchdowns each and someone will have to get one more.

Marshall -22 at Florida International - Marshall is still rolling and moved up to #25 this past week and knows they have to keep it going if they want to be the representative from the Other 5 conference in the New Year's games. The Thundering Herd has been deadly in the first half and should get up big on the Golden Panthers. Marshall moves to 7-0, and if you can get them in the first half at -14 or less, jump on it as well.

UCLA -7 at Cal - The Bruins have not looked good the last two weeks, losing to Utah and Oregon at home. Now they go on the road to a place they haven't won at since 1998 and the last five games in Berkeley have been double-digit losses. UCLA has to be ornery after the last couple games and the sideline spat between their head coach and defensive coordinator last weekend. While the Bears are 4-2 right now, they haven't beaten anyone with a winning record. The Bruins take out the frustrations of the last couple weeks on Cal and have this one locked up by the third quarter.

at Northern Illinois -13.5 Miami (OH) - Another team coming off a rough weekend, losing to Central Michigan at home and ending a number of winning streaks that they had going on (home field, MAC, etc.). Expect the Huskies to be locked in and to rip the 1-6 Redhawks apart.

Missouri +5.5 at Florida - The Gators are a mess and are looking at a two quarterback system this Saturday. The Tigers were awful last week, getting shutout by Georgia 34-0 at home and Maty Mauk being a turnover machine. He can't be that bad two weeks in a row and Florida will be pushed to win this game by more than a touchdown. Missouri covers and might even sprinkle a little on the money line for the Tigers to win outright.

Western Kentucky -4.5 at Florida Atlantic - The Hilltoppers have been putting points on everyone this season...unfortunately for them, they've been giving up even more. Meanwhile, the Owls have only gotten past 21 points once this season. Western Kentucky should be able to lay it on FAU and still think about making a bowl game.

Michigan State -16.5 at Indiana - The Spartans allowed a late cover two weeks ago against Nebraska and were less than impressive against Purdue last week. The door has been opened for them to get back into the playoffs and smoking the Hoosiers this weekend will help keep them in the Playoff Committee's minds (though they should still be ranked lower than Oregon...when you lose head-to-head, you should be lower). Sparty rolls.

Week 6 Picks

Went 3-2-1 last week (thanks Bowling Green for giving up a late TD to UMass and turning a win to a tie). Season record moved above .500, 9-8-1. Just quick ones today.

at Tennessee -2.5 Florida - Tennessee has looked fairly good. Florida QB Jeff Driskel still seems terrible. Vols at home.

Alabama -4.5 at Mississippi - Gameday will be fun for Ole Miss but then then they have to go play a game against the team that's been the best in college football over the last five years. Tide rolls.

Baylor -15 at Texas - Texas players shouldn't be running their mouths when they're not very good. Bears stomp them again.

at Auburn -7.5 LSU - These games tend to be close but Auburn seems to be too much for LSU's young defense. Auburn wins it going away.

Pitt +5 at Virginia - The Panthers can't be as bad as they looked against Akron last week. Virginia can play defense but the offense is still suspect. Pitt covers and probably wins the game.

at Oklahoma State -16.5 Iowa State - The Cowboys have only lost to Florida State in the opener and have scored on everybody. The Cyclones have only beaten Iowa (and the Big Ten is not very good this year) and give up points to good teams. Cowboys will get to at least 40 today and win easily.

Week 5 Picks

Random musings from the past week...

Why don't teams line up under center when they have less than a yard to go? You don't have to take every snap from the shotgun and it just seems like you put yourself at a disadvantage starting 4 to 7 yards deep to gain that one yard. Clemson, you were a shining example of how not to gain less than a yard multiple times last week against Florida State, including a snap over your head at the goal line that probably cost you a victory. But Clemson wasn't the only one, as multiple teams have failed to convert short distance by starting in the shotgun.

If UCLA plays like they did in the 2nd and 3rd quarters last night against Arizona State, no one is going to beat them this year. Down 17-6 and then outscore the Sun Devils 42-3 over the next 22 minutes. Offense, defense and special teams. Best performance on all sides of the ball by a team I've seen this year for a sustained period.

Current Final Four (in alphabetical order): Alabama (defense not up to Nick Saban standards yet, but the Lane Kiffin offense is humming), Oklahoma (offense and defense are hammering opponents), Oregon (the seven sacks allowed last week against Washington State are a concern, but as long as Marcus Mariota is healthy, the Ducks will roll) and UCLA (as long as they continue to do what they did to Arizona State).

Outside looking in: Texas A&M (who have they beaten? South Carolina's defense isn't very good.), Florida State (not nearly as dominant as last year), Baylor (the Bears will get their chance to move in when they get into Big 12 play) and Nebraska (someone from the Big Ten has to be in the discussion. Michigan State, you'll get in the discussion if you don't lose again.)

Dumpster Fire Four: SMU (lone offensive touchdown on a Hail Mary at the end of a game they lost 43-6 to North Texas), Connecticut (offense is anemic and lone win is 19-16 over Stony Brook), Massachusetts (you know you're horrible when the MAC has asked you to leave), Vanderbilt (their only win was holding off Massachusetts...see above) and UNLV (only win a 13-12 victory over Northern Colorado).


3-2 last week on the picks, taking the season record to 6-6. Time to get above .500.

TCU -32 at SMU - The Mustangs can't score, averaging 4 points per game. The Horned Frogs have the defense to potentially pitch the shutout and the offense will get their work in and get their points. TCU wins by at least 37.

Maryland +4 at Indiana - The Hoosiers had a big upset win last week against Missouri. The Terps blasted Syracuse. Here's thinking Indiana is still suffering from a hangover win, the Terps keep it close and might even win this straight up.

at Penn State -11 vs Northwestern - Northwestern has been a mess since the middle of last year. Penn State is unbeaten and unbelievably could be the Big Ten champion if they keep winning. The dream will stay alive this week as the Nittany Lions go to 5-0.

Bowling Green -5 at Massachusetts - The Minutemen are terrible. Bowling Green isn't great, but they should be able to beat UMass by more than five.

Iowa -9 at Purdue - This one's tough. Iowa has been way, way overrated for a number of years. Purdue is really, really bad. The Hawkeyes might still be reveling in the fact that they beat another Power 5 conference team last week and come out flat, but the Boilermakers defense is nearly non-existent and the offense isn't much better. Iowa gets it done...barely.

Baylor -21.5 at Iowa State - Baylor has picked up right where they left off last regular season, destroying opponents in the first 30 minutes and coasting to victory. The offense takes a little dip when they go on the road, but three touchdowns shouldn't be a problem. The Bears by 30 plus.

Week 4 Picks

A 3-4 start to the season on the picks. Time to get back to making picks and trying to turn around the record.

South Carolina -21.5 at Vanderbilt - The Gamecocks had a nice win against Georgia last week, even if it was only by inches. Vanderbilt had to fight to hold off a terrible Massachusetts team. Chance for Spurrier's team to flex their muscle and tune up their offense before getting to the tougher part of their schedule. South Carolina should have no trouble with the Commodores.

Marshall -9 at Akron - The Thundering Herd has an outside, outside chance of making it to one of the big bowls as one of the Other 5 Conferences representatives. To do that, they'll need to dominate everyone on an extremely weak schedule. The Zips were good against Howard in their opener, not so good against Penn State in their next game. Marshall will get up by double-digits in the first half and cruise to 4-0.

Oklahoma -7.5 at West Virginia - A couple years ago, the Sooners escaped Morgantown in a wild game, 50-49. Oklahoma's defense is looking absolutely nasty so far this year and their offense is burying people early in the game and then just easing to victory. West Virginia gave Alabama a game in their opener but I'm not sure the Crimson Tide defense is quite as good as it's been the last few years. The Mountaineers score some points, but too little late as Oklahoma puts in another claim to be one of the final four.

North Carolina +2.5 at East Carolina - For all the flak the Big Ten takes about being not very good, the ACC isn't much better. They do have the defending National Champion in Florida State, but the rest of the conference isn't great. East Carolina played South Carolina tough a couple weeks ago and upset Virgina Tech last week. This feels like a hangover game for the Pirates and the Tar Heels get by.

Texas A&M -34 at SMU - Going with all road teams this week and while the spread is large, the Aggies are rolling on offense and SMU is still trying to figure things out after head coach June Jones stepped down after two games this year. A&M needs the style points to stay in the discussion for the final four and beating SMU by less than five touchdowns won't help that. Aggies tempo wears out the Mustangs and they stay unbeaten.

The Little Ten

Even FCS schools are taking shots at the Big Ten.

Ahh, the poor Big Ten. After getting destroyed last weekend in their big showdown games - Michigan State losing to Oregon (though most teams would lose to Oregon at Autzen), Michigan getting shutout by Notre Dame and Ohio State losing at home, at night, to Virginia Tech - and having the media kill them all week, they followed it up with another poor showing in Week 3. And some of the quotes from coaches involved in the game just made it even worse.

Yes, there was some cheering to be heard. Ohio State bounced back and took out Kent State 66-0. And Michigan beat Miami (the bad one from Ohio, not the okay one from Florida). Hey, don't laugh, the MAC has owned the Big Ten this year. Nebraska shook off the near loss to McNeese State by putting up "double nickels" on a Fresno State team that played marginal defense last year and now plays none as they gave up at least "half-a-hundred" for the third straight game. Penn State beat new Big Ten member Rutgers 13-10 with the help of five Gary Nova interceptions, so that's a wash.

Everything else was a disaster. Bowling Green beat Indiana (the MAC is owning the Big Ten's middle tier teams this year); West Virginia got by Maryland in overtime; Iowa decided to try and ice the Iowa State kicker with a timeout...he missed the kick that didn't count then nailed the game winner. Thanks, Coach Ferentz, for that brilliant piece of strategy. Three losses in four years to the Cyclones. Notre Dame whipped Purdue, but in a slight moral victory, it was close at the half.

"We should have moved to the Big Ten instead of the Big XII...
neither one can count and we could make a couple Rose Bowls."
-Gary Patterson, TCU Head Coach

Minnesota traveled to TCU and showed they didn't belong on the same field as the Horned Frogs, losing 30-7. When TCU head coach Gary Patterson was asked after the game about his offense's progress this year, he had this to say: "I have no idea. We played Samford and then played a Big Ten team." A team only a couple years removed from the Mountain West taking shots...

Illinois wrapped it up by losing 44-19 to a Washington team that had struggled with Hawaii and Eastern Washington. And sticking with Big Ten delusions of grandeur, Illini Head Coach Tim Beckham had this to say: "You take out 21 points on three big plays and we're in this football game." Ummm, okay. You still lose 23-19, but if that counts for something in the Big Ten, you go ahead and take that. I guess it's better than losing by two touchdowns or more.

Now we roll into week four and conference play starts in earnest. And beating other Big Ten schools just isn't going to help the perception of the conference. Good job Big Ten on going 1-10 against the other Power 5 conferences (Rutgers beating Washington State on the opening Thursday). That's the same amount of wins as the Sun Belt has against the Power 5 (Louisiana-Monroe beating Wake Forest the first weekend).

The chances of the Big Ten getting a team into the College Football Playoff this year is dwindling each week, and their fans are going to go ballistic if two SEC teams get in over their conference champion, but you only have yourselves to blame, Big Ten.

Week 1 Picks

Started off the season 1-1 in the early games. Who knew South Carolina would completely forget how to cover and tackle? On to Saturday's games. Just quick blurbs on the games.

Florida State -17.5 Oklahoma State - Defending National Champions are still loaded and should handle the Cowboys easily.

UCLA -19 at Virginia - The opening game in the Bruins drive for one of the playoff spots. Slow start, roll in the second half.

Boston College -17 at Massachusetts - BC will run all over the hapless Minutemen. Will probably slow it down a little in the 4th quarter.

Marshall -24 at Miami, OH - The Thundering Herd destroyed Miami last year 52-14. The Redhawks aren't vastly better this year and Marshall returns their quarterback and big receivers. This one gets ugly in a hurry.

Ohio State -14.5 at Navy - Braxton Miller might be out for the season, but the Buckeyes are still light years ahead in talent over the Midshipmen. Ohio State gets up early and gets their backups experience.

It's Back!

Once again, the best time of the year is upon us. Less than 24 hours until the start of another college football season. In the next 72 hours, the 2014 season will be well underway, and most teams will still have their hopes of being one of the Final Four for the first college football playoff intact; since for the most part they scheduled schools who would be challenged beating an egg. Hats off to those schools who actually scheduled someone who has a pulse.

Finally, the commissioners of the major conferences decided that a playoff format was the best way to determine a true champion (like all the other college sports). Sure, the allure of all that money they were leaving on the table the last dozen years or so probably had something to do with the decision, but at least they finally came around to what the fans have been wanting for decades and got rid of that BCS atrocity.

I always love the start of the college football season. It's like Christmas morning when I was 10. But this year has the new wrinkle of the playoff. And someone is going to be disappointed. With only four spots for the Power Five Conferences, someone is going to be left without a chair (maybe only three spots if the SEC has their way...who am I kidding. If the SEC had their way, it would be four SEC teams in the playoff.). My hope is that it makes the regular season even more important and if they truly look at strength of schedule to determine the four teams and someone gets left out because of it -- looking at you Oklahoma, Baylor and Ohio State -- it will cause teams to schedule even better games during the regular season in the future, which just makes every Saturday even better.

I LOVE Crab Legs!!! -
Jameis Winston, Florida State QB

So, who gets those four golden tickets this year? Florida State seems like a lock for one of them. They're still loaded, have the returning Heisman Trophy winner and have a schedule that looks very manageable. The winner of the SEC is almost assuredly in, just based on their track record the last eight years. The winner of the Pac-12 is probably in, as long as they don't have more than one loss; two losses is possible, but they better be really close or fluky. That leaves one spot for either the Big 10 (12? 14?), the Big XII (X?) or SEC runner-up. Ohio State was probably set up pretty well, with a cream puff schedule, but the loss of quarterback Braxton Miller for the year probably dashes those dreams. I'll go with a final four of Florida State, Oregon, Oklahoma and Alabama.

And as I do every year, my predictions for the UCLA Bruins for my lifelong friend and Bruins fan who encouraged me to start this blog based on my e-mail predictions for his Bruins. All of this is contingent on Brett Hundley starting at quarterback all year for UCLA. Returning for another season as a QB when you have an option to go pro has not worked out well in recent years for Pac-12 quarterbacks (Matt Barkley the most recent example) and here's hoping that's not the case for Hundley.

We play football?!?!

at Virginia - A nice out of conference opponent to start the season, though the early morning start on the east coast has been an issue in the past for Pac-12 teams. Still, UCLA should be more than ready to make an opening weekend statement and should pull away in the second half to knock off the Cavaliers. 1-0

Memphis - Outside of Cal, probably the easiest game on the Bruins schedule. A nice home opener and a 2-0 start to the season. (Memphis does have some decent cheerleaders, for those attending the game.)

at Texas - This should be an interesting game...on the Longhorn side. Will they have bought into what new head coach Charlie Strong tried to instill this off-season or will they still be struggling with their identity? Texas is a little short-handed for this match-up and the Bruins finish out of conference play perfect at 3-0.

at Arizona State - Last year's game was a disaster for the Bruins, falling behind big in the first half. They rallied to make it close, but still came up short, essentially costing them a shot at a third straight Pac-12 South title. Payback is a bitch, and the Sun Devils are going to get theirs. 4-0

Utah - If the Bruins are serious about being one of the Final Four this year, they need to bury the Utes, which they should do, so they can get rested for the next test to see if they really belong. 5-0

Oregon - This is very likely a preview of the Pac-12 Championship game. The Ducks have owned UCLA the last five years and it hasn't even been remotely close, with the Bruins giving up points in huge bunches. But the Bruins have Oregon at home and the Ducks seem to always have that one hiccup game a year. Stil, I expect the Ducks to be rolling by this time and they'll win by double digits. The loss won't kill the Bruins chances for the Final Four, but it will put Oregon in the driver's seat for one of the spots. 5-1

at Cal - The Bears were an absolute mess last year, with a defense that was shredded week in and week out. In the past, this still might have been a problem for UCLA, as strange things have happened in Berkeley. Not this year. The starters are out by the end of the third quarter and the only question will be how many style points do the Bruins want. 6-1

at Colorado - The Buffaloes haven't been a good football team for quite awhile now. UCLA should be able to get up early and coast to a three-touchdown win. 7-1

Arizona - This will be interesting. The Bruins have won the last two against the Wildcats, but are 3-6 the last nine years, with some ugly, ugly blowout losses in there, when they were clearly the better team. Bruins make it three in a row this year. 8-1

at Washington - The Huskies should be a better team defensively with Chris Petersen at the helm. It probably won't be enough to stop the Bruins this year. 9-1

USC - Rivalry games are always tricky, and if the Trojans manage to stay healthy all year, this could be for the Pac-12 South. It's at the Rose Bowl, the Bruins have something special going on this year and USC won't have enough depth to overcome a team on a mission. 10-1

Stanford - Like the Ducks, the Cardinal are another team that has had the Bruins number the last few years. Granted, Stanford has been incredibly good the last five years and have beaten almost everyone they've played, especially in the Pac-12. But this year feels like it will be different. Stanford coach David Shaw didn't seem to adjust well to a changing game plan in the Rose Bowl against Michigan State (and a few other games during the regular season that they still won). Jim Mora will have his team mixing it up on offense and defense and the Pac-12 South will be UCLA's for the third time in four years. 11-1

Our "O Face"

An 11-1 season. This will bring back memories of the Bob Toledo/Cade McNown days, when UCLA won 20 in a row and then a hurricane (and the Hurricanes) messed up everything (and the fact that the Bruins forgot how to tackle). Pac-12 South Champions and a rematch with Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship game. Unfortunately for the Bruins, the Ducks get the better of them again and UCLA has to settle for a home game on New Year's Day in the Rose Bowl.

A couple of early picks before Saturday's full slate of games.

at South Carolina -10.5 Texas A&M - The Aggies defense was terrible last year. The Gamecocks should be able to take advantage of that. South Carolina hasn't lost an opener since 1999, and have won 7 of the last 10 openers by double digits.

BYU -16.5 at Connecticut - The Huskies are not a good team. They lost to Towson 33-18 in their opener last year. I'll take the Cougars to run, run and run some more against UConn and the BYU defense to stifle the Huskies offense.

Enjoy the dawn of a new era of college football...and the start of a whole bunch of new arguments on who should be the fourth team in.

Also, if you get the SEC channel, there was a pretty good documentary that ran tonight about Steve Spurrier called "The Believer". Love him or hate him (I fall in the former camp), it brought back some great memories about the Fun and Gun offense of those 1990's Florida teams...and it even included that epic beatdown they took from Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl. Watch it if you get the chance.

Week 14 Picks

Down to the last full week of regular season games before Championship Saturday next week.  A 3-2 weekend last week moved the season record to 37-22-1.  A couple games for Friday this week in addition to Saturday.

at Central Michigan -18 Eastern Michigan - When the Michigan directional schools get together for a game, you can throw out the records; it's a battle for compass bragging rights.  Central Michigan can finish their season with a 6-6 record with a win and a chance to go to a bowl game.  Eastern Michigan can finish their season with 10 losses with a loss.  The Chippewas have been playing better of late while the Eagles have been dreadful all year.  Chips get up early and cruise in the second half.

at Central Florida -27 South Florida - Another directional battle, down in the Sunshine State.  This one means a little more than the one in Michigan as UCF can clinch at least a tie for the American Athletic Conference with a win and be one step closer to a BCS bowl game.  The Bulls have been a mess all year and have scored all of 9 offensive touchdowns this year.  Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds had 7 in one game last week.  The Knights have burned me in the past against the number but this week they take care of business and get their 10th win.

Rutgers -2.5 at Connecticut - This might be a trap game as Rutgers has looked really, really bad 4 of the last 5 weeks.  But Connecticut has looked terrible all year (even though they finally got their first win by beating Temple last week).  This game will probably be a dumpster fire to watch but I'm counting on the Scarlet Knights to pull out a close 7-3 or 14-10 type of game.

Alabama -10.5 at Auburn - Auburn has been a great story this year and have had a miracle season (see Auburn vs Georgia ending).  Alabama has been a great story for five years.  The Crimson Tide are a team on a mission.  The Tigers may get a score or two early to get the fans roaring, but Alabama will do what Alabama does and continue to pound the ball on the ground and wear down the Auburn defense.  It may be close at the half, but by the fourth quarter the Tide will have things well in hand as they get ready to go to the SEC Championship game.

Ohio State -16 at Michigan - I know, it's a rivalry game and you throw out the records when two long-time rivals play.  But seriously, if you really look at rivalry games, how often does it happen that the vastly superior team loses to the inferior team?  Not too often.  They make for great stories when they do (UCLA over USC in 2006 comes to mind), but generally the better team wins.  The Buckeyes are far superior to this year's version of the Wolverines.  Michigan turns the ball over too much, the offense is erratic and they just won't have the firepower to keep up with Ohio State.  Ohio State might hang half a hundred on the Maize and Blue and this won't be close.

Baylor -13 at TCU - Last week's loss to Oklahoma State was devastating for the Bears.  They lost their undefeated season, lost control of the lead in the Big 12 and possibly a BCS bowl berth and an outside chance to play for the National Title.  TCU has struggled all year and has not looked like a typical Gary Patterson coached team.  Baylor bounces back from their whipping last week and gets back to being Baylor, hanging 40 plus on the Horned Frogs.

at Georgia Tech +3 Georgia - The loss of QB Aaron Murray for the Bulldogs last week seems like the unfortunate perfect exclamation point for the season of injuries Georgia had this year.  Without him and the other season-ending injuries they've suffered, the Yellow Jackets triple-option attack will have a chance to move the ball and run off the clock.  I'm picking Georgia Tech to win this game outright and line themselves up for a slightly better bowl game.

Week 13 Picks

Last week was a disaster, only going 2-4 and dropping the season record to 34-20-1.  A lot of dog games this week as teams play teams like The Citadel, Chattanooga and Coastal Carolina but there are still a few to pick.

Bowling Green -25.5 at Eastern Michigan - Bowling Green is tied for the MAC East lead and has a showdown with Buffalo next week for the right to go to the title game.  Eastern Michigan has been blown out in almost every MAC game.  The Falcons get a chance to fine tune everything before next week and they rip the Eagles.

Vanderbilt +2.5 at Tennessee - The Volunteers have been a better team at home than on the road but the only decent team they have beaten this year is South Carolina.  Vanderbilt isn't a great team, but they are a decent team and have been playing well as of late.  I like the Commodores to win this one outright and keep alive their chance for an 8-win season.

Wisconsin +16.5 at Minnesota - The Golden Gophers have had a very successful season by their recent standards.  The Badgers have had a great season and except for a 7-point loss to Ohio State and a loss to the Pac-12 referees/Arizona State, they have been steamrolling opponents.  Minnesota's rush defense isn't great and Wisconsin will exploit that.  Badgers make this one ugly and keep the Paul Bunyan Axe.

Boise State -6 at San Diego State - The Aztecs have played better since an 0-3 start, winning 6 of their last 7.  Five of those wins have been by a touchdown or less.  The Broncos have been rolling along as well with only a loss to BYU in their last six games.  San Diego State upset Boise last year and this year the Broncos get their revenge this year.

East Carolina -6 at North Carolina State - Going with a fifth road team this week by taking the Pirates.  The Wolfpack is on a six-game losing streak and they haven't really been close.  East Carolina is scoring points in bunches and playing decent defense.  They'll take out the Wolfpack and keep a 10-win season as a possibility.

Week 12 Picks

Another 4-1 week last week that takes the season record to 32-16-1.  Last week went with four SEC games; this week we'll go with three Pac 12 games.  Starting the weekend early with a Friday night game.

UCLA Bruins Midnight Uniform

at UCLA -2.5 Washington - The Bruins have been fantastic at home and the Huskies have been less
than stellar on the road.  If UCLA can contain running back Bishop Sankey and make quarterback Keith Price have to beat them, I think the Bruins can force a couple of turnovers they can turn into points.  UCLA should be fired up for this game in their black Midnight uniforms and will win by a touchdown or more.

West Virginia -6.5 at Kansas - Granted, the Jayhawks might have a "decided schematic advantage" under coach Charlie Weis, but that still doesn't get around the fact that their players aren't very good.  Yes, the Mountaineers haven't been exactly world beaters either, but they did beat Oklahoma State, they played Texas tough last week and covering a touchdown against a bad Kansas team should be too hard.

Stanford -3.5 at USC - I'll grant that USC is playing better since they got rid of Lane Kiffin.  And the win at Oregon State was nice.  And last week the offense showed up in a rout of Cal.  But the other team from the Bay Area...they actually play defense.  This is one of those games that might be close for a half, maybe even in to the third quarter.  And then Stanford's pounding style will start to wear out the Trojans and the lack of depth due to the scholarship limitations will truly show.  Look for a double-digit victory for the Cardinal and keeping their slim national title hopes alive.

at Arizona -11 Washington State - The Cougars are improving under Mike Leach.  Unfortunately, they still don't have the talent they need to compete with the good to really good teams in the Pac 12.  They've lost four of their last five, and all of those by 24 points or more.  The Wildcats at home will get back on track after their close loss to UCLA last week and maul the Cougars.

at South Carolina -12.5 Florida - This one could get ugly.  The Gators have been decimated by injuries on both sides of the ball this year.  The Gamecocks still have a shot at winning the SEC East and playing for the SEC Championship.  Florida has no offense whatsoever and if they get down 10-0 or 14-3 early, this one will be done by halftime.  Look for Carolina and coach Steve Spurrier to kick them while their down and roll to an easy victory.

Michigan State -6 at Nebraska -  The Cornhuskers have been living lucky the last two weeks with a Hail Mary victory over Northwestern and a last minute win against Michigan.  Unfortunately, those two opponents aren't very good and are really reeling.  On the other hand, the Spartans are rolling and are somehow flying way under the radar at 8-1 with an absolutely nasty defense.  That defense will more than keep Nebraska in check and chalk up another easy win.

Week 11 Picks

After going 4-1 last week, the season record moved to 28-15-1.  Looking to keep it rolling this weekend with a number of games in the SEC.

Missouri -13.5 at Kentucky - With Oregon's loss on Thursday night, a potential window has opened for Missouri.  Win out (and win convincingly), beat Alabama in the SEC Title game and maybe look at a National Title shot.  It starts against Kentucky and the Tigers should be able to tame the Wildcats.

Auburn -7.5 at Tennessee - Auburn is another SEC team who was helped out by the Ducks loss.  If they can run the table and beat a one-loss Missouri in the SEC Title game, they might end up in the National Title game.  The Tigers top 10 rushing offense goes up against Tennessee's not very good rushing defense and their tempo should wear out the Volunteers in an easy win.

at Alabama -12 LSU - This has been a very close game the last few years, at least in the regular season.  LSU is one of the few teams who doesn't seem to fear playing the Crimson Tide...but this year, the Tigers defense isn't what it's been in the past and the big weakness is the run defense and Alabama's strength is the running game.  The Tide will wear out the LSU defense and Alabama's defense will force a couple turnovers as the Tide rolls.

at Mississippi -17 Arkansas - The Razorbacks are not very good and they are skidding out of control like Bobby Petrino on a motorcycle right now.  Ole Miss gets bowl eligible with a win against Arkansas.  The Rebels only losses this year are to Alabama, Auburn and Texas A&M.  The Razorbacks haven't been competitive at all against good teams this year, losing their last five games by double-digits.  Ole Miss wins easily and gets bowl eligible.

USC -16.5 at Cal - The Trojans have played very well since Lane Kiffin got fired, especially the defense.  Cal's defense hasn't played well all year and the offense has only been average.  USC won't need a lot of points to win this game and their defense should be able to hold the Bears down and cover the number.

Week 10 Pics

A good run last week, going 3-1-1 (thanks, Virginia Tech for showing no offense against Duke).  The season record moved to 24-14-1 and look to continue the winning ways this weekend.

Northern Illinois -25 at Massachusetts - The Huskies have a chance to go BCS bowling again this year.  They're undefeated, quarterback Jordan Lynch got the hat trick last weekend (4 passing TDs, 1 rushing TD and 1 receiving TD) and they need to continue to impress voters.  The Minutemen played Western Michigan close last week but Northern Illinois is in a completely different class and will hammer Massachusetts on their way to 9-0.

Clemson -18 at Virginia - I generally don't like double-digit road favorites in BCS conference games late in the season, but the Cavaliers have shown almost nothing this year and the Tigers still have a chance to get to the ACC Championship (especially if Miami helps them out later Saturday night against Florida State).  Look for Clemson to shake off the rust they showed against Maryland last week and shut down Virginia.

Arizona -16 at Cal - Another double-digit road favorite in a BCS conference game.  But Cal is absolutely terrible on defense and their offense seems to be regressing as the season goes along.  The Wildcats balanced offense will get them up early and their running game will close out the Bears.

Auburn -7.5 at Arkansas - Arkansas' season has not gone as they hoped under new coach Bret Bielema.  Auburn's has gone far better than expected under new coach Gus Malzahn.  The Tigers hurry-up offense will be destroy the Razorbacks this Saturday and the hog fan base will start to make things a little hot for Bielema.

Wisconsin -9.5 at Iowa - Wisconsin is in a good spot here.  Coming off a bye week and Iowa coming off a hard fought 17-10 overtime win against Northwestern.  The Badger running backs have been running wild and they should be able to continue that trend against the Hawkeyes.

Week 9 Picks

Had the first losing week last week, going 2-3, and dropping the season record to 21-13.

Ball State -10 at Akron - The Cardinals have been rolling pretty well the last month, including a blowout upset at Virginia.  Akron finally got their first win over a FBS opponent by beating hapless Miami (OH) by a single touchdown.  Ball State will continue to roll and bring the Zips back down to earth this weekend.

at Virginia Tech -13 Duke - Very quietly, the Hokies have put together a solid season after the opening loss to Alabama.  And their defense is back to being nasty.  The Blue Devils had an incredible rally last week to beat Virginia, but Tech won't let that happen this week and while most of the Hokies games have been close, they should get a bit of a breather this week.

Baylor -34.5 at Kansas - I've stayed away from Baylor the last couple of weeks because the spreads have been so big.  It hasn't mattered.  The Bears continue to just pile up video game numbers and their deadly passing, running, receiving, returning and even adding some defense.  The Jayhawks are terrible under Charlie Weis and Baylor will get to 60 again on Saturday.  The question is will Head Coach Art Briles let the Bears get to 100 one day.

Georgia Tech -10 at Virginia - How Virginia beat BYU the first week of the season remains one of the great mysteries this year.  This team has no heart and Head Coach Mike London is probably done after this year.  They put a cherry on top of their season by blowing a 22-0 lead over Duke last week and losing 35-22.  The Yellow Jackets are in trouble of not being bowl eligible and this is one of the few very winnable games left on their schedule if they hope to make it.  Tech should be able to run at will against the heartless Cavaliers and roll to victory.

Arizona -13 at Colorado - The Buffaloes haven't been within 26 points of any of their Pac-12 opponents this season.  Arizona comes in with Ka'Deem Carey going for over 200 yards on the ground last week.  The Wildcats should blast Colorado easily.

Week 8 Picks

Last week was successful, going 4-2 and taking the season record to 19-10. 


South Carolina -7.5 at Tennessee - The Gamecocks were helped last week by Missouri taking out Georgia and now may have the inside track to the SEC East title with Georgia's injuries, Florida's lack of offense and Missouri losing their starting quarterback.  Spurrier loves beating Tennessee and should put up points on an over-matched Volunteer squad.

Oregon State -10.5 at Cal - The Bears are playing absolutely no defense.  The Beavers quarterback Shawn Mannion is leading the nation in TD passes with 25 and has only 3 interceptions.  This number seems like a gift and the Beavers are going to be able to get their In-N-Out Burger reward.

Ball State -20 at Western Michigan - Ball State struggled last week against Kent State but still moved to 6-1.  Western Michigan had no such struggle in losing their seventh game in a row this year, 33-0, to Buffalo.  The Cardinal should have no problem giving the Broncos their eighth loss in a row.

Army -1 at Temple - The Owls might be the worst team in college football.  They're near the bottom in scoring and yards per game and Army is actually playing decent this year.  They should be able to rush for 350+ yards against Temple and win the game.

at Ohio State -18 Iowa - The Buckeyes and Urban Meyer understand that the perception is their schedule is weak and if they want to play in the BCS Championship game, they're going to have to take every Big Ten opponent to the woodshed.  Will it make a difference if Alabama, Oregon and/or Clemson/Florida State are undefeated at the end of the season?  Probably not, but the Buckeyes can only take care of what's in front of them.

Faking Injuries and Week 7 Picks

Something that's becoming a real problem in college football the last few years is the faking of injuries by defensive players to slow down an up-tempo offense.  Stanford is the latest team to be accused of it after some iffy looking injuries in the 4th quarter of their game with Washington last week.  The Huskies were moving the ball and moving quickly and then a Cardinal player would fall to the ground and lay there while the trainers came out to look at them while the rest of the defense caught their breath, drank some water, Gatorade, whiskey (does anyone know for sure what's in those bottles?).  And then, one play later, the player who was so injured and needed help off the field is back in the game, running at full speed.

If the NCAA is really concerned about player safety - and I'm sure if they're not now, they will be once they have to settle a lawsuit like the NFL recently did - why not make it mandatory for the player to sit out the current drive?  Why not let the team doctors check the player out for more than the ninety seconds that an injury timeout and one play takes?  That doesn't seem unreasonable, especially when it's the player's health.  Plus, it makes you seem like you care about your student-athletes and their future well-being instead of quickly rushing them back into the game if they are truly injured.

The secondary benefit of having the player sit out the current drive is so that our football doesn't get compared to the rest of the world's football, as former Oregon Ducks Coach Chip Kelly pointed out a few years ago when they played Arizona State and the Sun Devils engaged in some of these shenanigans.  Some of these players are starting to look like soccer players who, when they get lightly bumped, fall to the ground like they were hit by a sniper round, roll around clutching their appendages with a look on their face like they just ate a two-month old tuna fish and ranch dressing sandwich, but then pop right back up once the other player has been given a yellow card.  Let's not have football become like soccer and basketball with their flopping.

And speaking of Cal faking injuries to slow down an up-tempo team, it was interesting to hear their new coach Sonny Dykes complaining about Northwestern pulling the same stunt to slow down his new offense in the first game of the season.  Probably should have looked at your own team's recent actions before making that statement, Coach.  True, you weren't the coach then, but it does seem a little hypocritical coming from the one school who actually suspended a coach for telling his players to fake injury.

Last week's picks went 3-2, bringing the season record to 15-8.

at LSU -7 Florida - The Gators are playing some pretty good defense and their offense came to life a bit last week.  Unfortunately for them, LSU's offense is rolling right now and Florida's offense won't be able to keep up.  A late afternoon start will allow the Death Valley faithful to be well-lubricated and loud as evening falls, helping the Tigers to remain in the chase for the SEC Championship.

Boise State -7 at Utah State - If Chuckie Keeton was playing for the Aggies, this line might be more in Utah State's favor.  But he is done for the year and the Broncos only having to cover a touchdown against one of the preseason Mountain West favorites seems like a gift.  Of course, the guys in the desert have given apparent gifts before only to have them never materialize.

Stanford -8 at Utah - Picking against another Utah team this week as Stanford got pressed a bit by Washington in their last game and need to make a statement this week to keep their BCS Championship hopes alive.  The Utes had some bad luck last week against UCLA with a number of tipped balls resulting in interceptions and Stanford's physical play will demoralize them by halftime.  The only fear on this number is that the Cardinal don't seem to purposely embarrass their opponents.

Oregon State +3 at Washington State - The Beavers had a bad loss to a Div-I AA school earlier this year and the Cougars are much improved in Mike Leach's second year.  But Oregon State will be too much for Washington State and won't only cover but win outright.

Oregon -12 at Washington - In another battle of Oregon school vs. Washington school, I'm taking the Oregon school.  This is the first time the Ducks have been under a two-touchdown favorite this year and I'm not buying it.  The Ducks have pounded the Huskies the last nine years and they'll make it an even ten on Saturday as they look to keep their BCS Championship hopes and Marcus Mariota's Heisman drive alive.

Oklahoma -11.5 Texas - Mack Brown isn't going to have an answer for the Sooners running game and the officials aren't going to be able to bail him out like they did last week against Iowa State.  Oklahoma rolls and the heat gets turned up a little more on the Texas head coach.