I was all prepared to write a lead-in complaining about the scheduling in college football, how we haven’t seen many great games, how we need to not hear about the need for a playoff at the end of the year but we do need strength of schedule added back into the BCS formula so there's an incentive for schools to schedule games against good teams.
Then along comes the Oregon State Beavers. If you missed this game, shame on you. Oregon State ran up the middle, manhandling the vaunted USC defense for most of the game. The first half, USC tallied only three first downs, while Oregon State racked up 21 points.
We keep hearing about how many great players USC recruits and has on roster every year, but throughout the game we kept hearing about how many star players for USC were hurt and weren't on the field. Bullocks! Bullocks I say!
This one wasn't about how hard it is to play at Oregon State. It wasn't about Trojan injuries. It was about a team that didn't show up to play their best, their hardest and having their innards handed to them by a team that did.
That’s it for USC, there will be no PAC 10 champ. The conference isn’t strong enough, all of the other top teams will have to lose two games. I don't think everyone will be so obliging, and after watching SC's defense, maybe they'll lose another.
Woooeee! On to the picks!
Alabama at Georgia
Georgia by 7
Husker Mike: Georgia has looked good, but not as dominant as people predicted. It's in Athens though. Maybe dominant isn't the right word. Folks thought they were the best in the country, but also felt that the SEC was too tough for them to escape unscathed. They haven't looked like the best yet, though. Good to be sure. Just not >that< good.
Corn Blight: That Arizona State game bothered me. I thought they'd smoke ASU worse than they did. They could have scored right at the end, though, so the final score was deceptive. In Georgia, with Knowshon Moreno and Stafford at QB against Nick Saban, I'm going Dawgs.
Husker Mike: Sabanator 31, Dawgies 28
Corn Blight: Dawgs 31, 'Bama 27
Wisconsin at Michigan
Wisconsin by 6.5
Corn Blight: Wisconsin, same ol' same ol' versus lost Meechegan
Husker Mike: Michigan's had two weeks to figure something out. It's the 500th game at the Big House though. Hmmm... Bucky 500, Weasels 0?
Corn Blight: Badgers 23, Michigan 13
Husker Mike: Bucky 31, Weasels 13
Tennessee at Auburn
Auburn by 6.5
Corn Blight: Auburn can't score. Neither can Tennessee. You have to wonder if Fulmer will survive past this season.
Husker Mike: Nobody can score on Auburn either. Two crappy offenses, one good defense.
Husker Mike: Auburn 16, Tennessee 4
Corn Blight: Auburn 17, TN 10
Purdue at Notre Dame
Corn Blight: Notre Dame is still lost. Jimmy Clausen=suckage, he hasnÕt improved at all. Purdue can score. Notre Dame really can't.
Husker Mike: Except when they play the weasels. Purdue isn't much either. But yeah, they can score at least.
Corn Blight: Purdue 27, Notre Dame 20
Husker Mike: Boilermakers 31, Amish 10
Illinois at Penn State
Penn State only favored by 14.5
Corn Blight: Penn State wins this going away. Zooker = overrated
Husker Mike: Penn State might give the Big 11 some respectability this season. Illinois can only score against teams with a black "M" on their helmet.
Husker Mike: Fighting JoePa's 56, Fighting Zookers 13
Corn Blight: Nitts 35, Zooker 17
North Carolina at Miami-Fla.
Miami favored by 7.5
Husker Mike: North Carolina lost their QB. This should be ugly. MIami scored 40+ against A&M.
Corn Blight: Yeah, but it'll be ugly on both sides of offense. Still, Miami should be able to run against North Carolina. Sooner or later, they'll wear them down if NC can't keep their offense going.
Husker Mike: Canes 24, Heels 6
Corn Blight: Miami 31, Tar Heels 17
Fresno State at UCLA
Fresno favored by 6.5
Corn Blight: Did you see that UCLA had taken out an ad urging Fresno State fans to buy tickets? UCLA is just too beat up, but Ricky can pull stuff out his butt at home. Not this time, though.
Husker Mike: Fresno can buy all the tickets they want. Rose Bowel security just won't let them in. Fresno can be flakey at time. One game, they can nearly knock off a USC. Next week, lose to a 1-AA team. Unfortunately, UCLA's only offense was against Tennessee.
Corn Blight: Fresno 30, UCLA 24
Husker Mike: Fresno 24, UCLA 7
South Florida at N.C. State
South Florida by 8.5
Husker Mike: I think South Florida has a decent defense. And Harrison Beck is starting for NC State. Check out this quote:
Corn Blight: No need to say anymore than that.
Husker Mike: Bulls 28, Becks 7
Corn Blight: Bulls 31, NC State 13
Arkansas at Texas
Tejas favored by 27.5
Corn Blight: Arkansas sucks. They'll be missing old Nutt after this game.
Husker Mike: They replaced one circus (Nutt) with another (Petrino)
Husker Mike: Cows 49, Piggies 7
Corn Blight: Texas 41, Hogs 14
Army at Texas A&M
A&M is favored by 28.5
Husker Mike: New Hampshire scored 28 on Army, Temple scored 35. Army's only scored 20 points all season.
Corn Blight: Even Mike Sherman can't screw this one up at home.
Corn Blight: Aggies 38, Army 9
Husker Mike: Cadets of Bill Byrne 38, Black Knights of the Hudson 3
Colorado at Florida State
Florida State is favored by 5.5
Husker Mike: It's in Jacksonville. At least CU has an offense against 1-A opponents. FSU might have a decent defense though. I think this is going to be fairly low scoring.
Corn Blight: Florida State.... no QB, no offense. FSU has a decent defense but they only scored 3 points against Wake. What was it, five INTs between two QB's?
Corn Blight: CU 17, FSU 13
Husker Mike: Buffies 13, Seminoles 6
TCU at Oklahoma
Sooners favored by 17
Husker Mike: TCU beat Stanford 31-14. Beat SMU 48-7. I don't think TCU can beat the Sooners, though, but they'll give 'em a run for their money. (TCU can't win, unless of course, they cheat...)
Corn Blight: What is it with Oklahoma and complaining? Ah well, the Mountain West Conference is kicking ass this season. Utah, BYU, TCU. TCU can't beat the Sooners but they can embarrass them.
Husker Mike: Sooners 21, TCU 17
Corn Blight: Sooners 28, TCU 23.
Virginia Tech at Nebraska
Nebraska by 6.5
Husker Mike: At least Va Tech has played somebody. I don't think we've shown much on offense so far. Our only problem is the mobile quarterback. Except Tyrod Taylor doesn't have the arm of a Ell Roberson. And he's not Vince Young or even Brad Smith either.
Corn Blight: I can see our running game working well enough to set up the pass.
To stop Virginia Tech's offense, we can stack the run, and our CB's should cover their receivers. As long as we don't make mistakes, we win. Virginia Tech is good on the road, though.
Husker Mike: I'm going to go with Nebraska 21, Virginia Tech 17.
Corn Blight: Nebraska 28, VT 21
Corn Blight: We really really really need this win.
Husker Mike: This sets the tone for the rest of the season. Lose to Tech, and suddenly you don't see a lot of W's on this schedule.