College Football Weekend Preview Volume 9

Greetings... Let's get to the big matchups...

• Florida State @ NC State - 7:30 Thursday ESPN - This gets top billing because, well, the game is tonight... FSU has been pretty impressive sans the blowout loss to Oklahoma, but they go on the road and encounter one of the most under-discussed great players in college football in NC State's QB Russell Wilson... the guy can flat-out play...
  
• Michigan State @ Iowa - 3:30 Saturday ABC/ESPN - The last remaining big test for MSU... and I think they flunk it... Iowa is a very good home team historically, and they have the personnel to slow down the MSU offense... it's really on Ricky Stanzi in the end though... and btw, Iowa is a 6.5 point favorite... against an undefeated top-5 team... lol...
  
• Missouri @ Nebraska - 3:30 Saturday ABC/ESPN - The biggest remaining test for Missouri until the Big 12 title game... and I think they flunk it too (sensing a trend?)... Nebraska is the more physical team, the more talented team, and they have a lock-down corner in the Prince to take TJ Moe out of the game...
• Oregon @ USC - 8:00 Saturday ABC - USC isn't the USC of old... but any time you have to go to the Coliseum at night, it's a test.. I think USC can score 30 on Oregon... that's not the issue b/c Matt Barkley is very, very good, but can USC slow Oregon down? I say no...
• Michigan @ Penn State - 8:00 Saturday ESPN - I know that no one cares... but I do... fresh off the bye week to get Denard healthy, this is an almost must-win coming off back to back losses... PSU's offense is pretty bad, but I'm sure it'll be a white-out and it'll be a hostile environment in Happy Valley...
• Georgia vs. Florida - 3:30 Saturday CBS - Both teams unranked... wow... Florida owns the matchup for the last 20 years or so and that can't be ignored... also, Aaron Murray in his first cocktail party... I like Florida in the game, but Georgia is definitely playing better football... should be entertaining at least (but if you watch this game in the 3:30 timeslot rather than MSU/Iowa or Nebraska/Missou, you have a problem... or you're a Florida or Georgia fan)
  

THE PICKS! (17-21 entering... kill me)

• Northwestern -3 @ Indiana - Bounceback for NW...
• Florida +3 vs. Georgia - Will pick Florida in this matchup every year until it shifts
• Auburn - 7 @ Ole Miss - Ole Miss is bad... Auburn scores 40...
  
• Texas -7.5 vs. Baylor - Mack Brown and the boys will get right against Baylor... gotta believe that...
• Oregon State -2.5 over Cal... always good at home... Rodgers brothers go off...

Enjoy the slate!