Boise St.: Boise State 31, Oregon State 27: Yvenson Bernard and Joe Newton are a handful for any defense and they have me thinking big upset, but I'm sticking with the home team on the Thursday night stage coming through. Somehow Jared Zabransky will make enough plays to get the W.

Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh 20, Cincinnati 10: The Bearcats are a little improved, but the Panthers have a very fast defense that should give Cincy fits on offense. The Bearcats' two-QB system scares me. Not thrilled with Pitt's 0-5 mark on the road last season but I think this is a very different bunch of Panthers.

Tennessee: No. 11 Tennessee 41, Air Force 7: The Vols offense is flying coming off the rout against Cal. Air Force doesn't have anything on defense to slow UT down. The two biggest things that came out of Tennessee's opener were that Erik Ainge really might have made some dramatic strides and that UT is devastating up front.

LSU: No. 8 LSU 28, Arizona 10: Mike Stoops really has raised the talent level with the Wildcats, but going down to the Bayou is a really nasty road trip. Zona's reliance on so many redshirt freshmen O-linemen also sounds like a very bad mix for this game. The Tigers ultimately will be too physical and too deep for the Cats.

Auburn: No. 4 Auburn 27, Mississippi State 9: The Bulldogs D is respectable. Actually, better than respectable. It's good. But I don't see anyway they have enough offense to keep this interesting. Still, I think MSU will do a better job of dealing with Kenny Irons than Washington State did. State's Quinton Culberson figures to give the Tigers' offense problems. I also think MSU shaking up its O-line might help a little.

Florida: No. 7 Florida 35, UCF 17: After the dismal performance by the Gator tailbacks in the opener, I suspect UF's guys will respond to being challenged by their coaches. As I mentioned the other day, watch out for budding UF star Percy Harvin. UCF, though, has a very underrated QB in Steven Moffett and he should do enough to get some points on the board.

Michigan: No. 10 Michigan 37, Central Michigan 13: The Wolverines' offense looked very close to lighting it up against Vandy. Michigan ran the ball very well, but had too many drops to blow out the Commodores. I don't see Chad Henne's receivers coming out that flat again. CMU is decent, but I think Michigan's D, especially Rondell Biggs and LaMarr Woodley, will be flying for this one, looking to follow up an impressive debut.

Georgia: No. 12 Georgia 14, South Carolina 13: The Dawgs have a history of bottling up Carolina's offense. In the last five meetings the Gamecocks have managed just 60 points. I picked Carolina in a chat the other day, but the more I think about those shaky Gamecock O-linemen going up against the Georgia front, especially Quentin Moses, the more I'm feeling a Bulldog win.

Rutgers: Rutgers 31, Illinois 13: Life is good around the Scarlet Knights' program, but Greg Schiano won't let his team forget the big lead it blew last year at Illinois. The Knights are a more physical offense now. Better yet, they actually believe they're a good team. They know how to win. When these two last met, RU was more wired for losing. Illinois won't have enough to stay with the Knights' tandem of Ray Rice and Brian Leonard or a very underrated bunch of receivers.

Iowa: No. 14 Iowa 37, Syracuse 13: If Wake Forest can run over the Orange, what will Albert Young and that O-line do? My hunch is that we're looking at a 200-yard effort. Also I'm not sure if the Cuse can do enough to neutralize the Hawkeyes' big pass rush. The misery continues for Greg Robinson.

California: No. 22 Cal 34, Minnesota 24: The Bears were humiliated last week. This game can't come soon enough for them. There's almost no way their guys in the trenches don't come out and try and take over. That should translate into about 300 yards rushing and a huge performance by Marshawn Lynch. I do think the Gophers will move the ball on them, both through the air and with their ground attack.

Ohio St.: No. 1 Ohio State 30, No. 2 Texas 24: This time it's the Buckeyes with the experienced QB. OSU looked pretty dynamic against a respectable NIU squad last week, but we didn't see Troy Smith cut it loose and take off much. I think that'll be the difference in this one, although I could see the Longhorn tailbacks running all over the place.

Notre Dame: No. 4 Notre Dame 35, No. 19 Penn State 24: The Nittany Lions have a terrific bunch of linebackers, but PSU is really green in the secondary. Charlie Weis will feast on that. I see Jeff Samardzija and Rhema McKnight both going over 100 yards receiving and I suspect ND will put more heat on Anthony Morelli than Akron did.

Texas Tech: No. 24 Texas Tech 44, UTEP 27: The Red Raiders offense seems just as sharp with Graham Harrell in control. The defense might be a little better than years past. And if UTEP had its hands full with San Diego State, I doubt it can hang with Tech. If the Miners have any shot, QB Jordan Palmer must avoid throwing those picks, but I don't have a great feeling about that.

Oklahoma: No. 15 Oklahoma 38, Washington 10: Adrian Peterson has been called out by his coach Kevin Wilson. Meanwhile, the Sooner D also got chewed out by their coaches since OU was awful trying to tackle UAB. Husky QB Isaiah Stanback is faster and more elusive than what OU faced last week, but I don't think this is a good time to get the Sooners. Washington also struggled last week with conditioning against San Jose State. It'll probably be a lot more humid and a lot more physical against the Sooners. Not good.

West Virginia: No. 5 West Virginia 45, Maryland 24: Steve Slaton isn't the only guy in the Mountaineer backfield who feels snubbed by the Terps. Fullback Owen Schmitt couldn't even get Maryland coaches to give him a shot to walk on there. WVU's high-powered ground attack should be too much for Maryland, and I don't like the prospects of the Terps' young receivers playing in Morgantown on a Thursday night stage

Toledo: Toledo 34, Kansas 23: The Jayhawks are 3-17 on the road under Mark Mangino. That troubles me.

Boston College: No. 23 Boston College 31, BYU 21: The Eagles, as usual, have a mauling front line and that, coupled with the youth of the BYU defensive front, has me convinced BC will chew up yardage. BYU RB Curtis Brown is very good, but BC is physical. If the Eagles can hold Clemson's stable of talented backs to 3.3 yards per carry, they should be fine against the Cougars.

Ohio St.: No. 1 Ohio State 48, Cincinnati 13: Jim Tressel probably won't relish lighting up his protégé Mark Dantonio, but I expect the Buckeyes to come out and show they can pound someone on the ground.

Florida St.: No. 9 Florida State 24, Clemson 17: Sooner or later you know the Noles' pride factor has to kick in. At least I think it does. I gotta believe this is the week Lorenzo Booker and Antone Smith stop dancing around and start attacking holes. That said, with FSU very thin on the D-line now, I could also see Clemson grinding out a lot of yards, too

Virginia Tech: No. 14 Virginia Tech 45, Duke 6: The Blue Devils' offense is a mess and ripe for the opportunistic Hokie defense to get a few more returns for touchdowns. I like Sean Glennon's chances of putting up some big numbers against the shaky Duke secondary which struggled against Wake's second team QB last week

Florida: No. 13 Florida 30, No. 7 Tennessee 20: Vols new offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe deserves tons of credit for the job he's done with Erik Ainge. UT's junior QB is connecting on 75 percent and hasn't taken a sack. I doubt he can sustain it against the heat Florida should put on him. My hunch is that Chris Leak picks apart the Vols' ailing secondary

Iowa: No. 16 Iowa 38, Iowa State 20: Payback time for the Hawkeyes. Iowa has to bounce back from not only getting crushed by ISU last year, but also from that dismal effort up at Syracuse last week. Weird theory alert: The last time a winning team almost lost to the wretched 'Cuse (Virginia in 2005), it came back the next week and won by 31. My hunch is that Drew Tate rallies and comes up with a big effort in the rivalry game

Auburn: No. 3 Auburn 13, No. 6 LSU 7: Kenny Irons shredded LSU last year for almost 220 yards. I could see him having another big day. Home field will be a huge factor here for Auburn

Louisville: No. 12 Louisville 23, No. 17 Miami 21: The Canes are reeling still. I know they have been called out by Cards LB Nate Harris, the one-time Miami signee. So what? Miami's offense, new coordinator or not, doesn't appear good enough to make a difference. Suddenly, Miami's swagger isn't relevant any more. Then again, every time the media as a whole starts drumming up "the Canes don't have it any more theory," Miami beats the crap out of some powerhouse team in its own backyard. Under Larry Coker, UM is 5-0 as an underdog.

Notre Dame: No. 2 Notre Dame 31, No. 11 Michigan 30: I'm so tempted to pick the Wolverines to win this outright. My head is telling me the two biggest flaws ND has shown this season are stopping the run and protecting Brady Quinn. Those two areas seem to play to Michigan strengths with Mike Hart and the D-line led by Alan Branch and LaMarr Woodley. Still, I think Charlie Weis will find a way to get a win here.

Southern Cal: No. 4 USC 41, Nebraska 17: The Trojans are going to miss DB Josh Pinkard and NT Sedrick Ellis since those are their two most valuable defenders. Still I don't think the Huskers' depleted secondary matches up well at all with USC's receivers. Look for Dwayne Jarrett to respond to being called out by Lane Kiffin this week.

Oregon: No. 18 Oregon 27, No. 15 Oklahoma 24: The Sooners have struggled defensively, missing way too many tackles against inferior talent. Jonathan Stewart, Oregon's standout sophomore RB, could gash OU big time if he's close to 100 percent. So could Ducks QB Dennis Dixon, who has a great chance here to make a big statement. For the Sooners to win, I think Adrian Peterson needs at least 200 yards rushing. At least. He'll probably get close to that but I doubt it'll be enough with the Ducks loading the box, daring QB Paul Thompson to make plays.

Wisconsin: Wisconsin 35, San Diego State 13: Interesting matchup between the two Hayden Fry disciples (Bret Bielema and Chuck Long). John Stocco, the Badgers QB, is really underrated and has been very sharp thus far. He should have a big day. The Aztecs' secondary seemed really shaky in their opener.

Texas Tech: No. 24 Texas Tech 38, No. 20 TCU 31: The Horned Frogs got a little prep for the Mike Leach offense when they faced Baylor, which has implemented something kinda like what Tech runs. Trouble is, Tech runs it a lot better and has better athletes, especially WR Joel Filani and RB Shannon Woods

Georgia Tech: Georgia Tech 31, Virginia 10: If it wasn't for Chuck Amato and Larry Coker, Al Groh would be getting a lot of attention for the dismal performance by his Cavs this season. UVa has been, in a word, horrible. The Cavs are 11th in the ACC in third-down conversations at below 29 percent and they are last in total offense. And now, Groh is throwing out an inexperienced QB (freshman Jameel Sewell) to face Jon Tenuta's defense. That doesn't sound good. Actually, that sounds like a nightmare. Then again, Calvin Johnson is listed as questionable.

Nevada: Nevada 30, Northwestern 20: Tough to predict which Wildcats' squad will show up. I expect it'll be a roller-coaster ride for them all season. Nevada's a pretty solid offensive team, especially when the Pack is at home. They struggled on the road against Fresno and ASU, but came home to dominate a previously unbeaten Colorado State squad.

California: No. 21 Cal 42, No. 22 Arizona State 31: This one figures to be one of those traditional Pac-10 offensive shows. There is a very intriguing matchup here between the improved Sun Devils' run defense (third in the Pac-10, allowing 2.6 yards per carry) and the great Marshawn Lynch. I'm not very sold on the ASU D and I still expect Lynch to run wild. Plus I like the home field edge

Boston College: No. 20 Boston College 24, NC State 13: The Eagles D wasn't very impressive in last week's double-overtime win over BYU. They get to face a much less-experienced QB Saturday and a team that seems to be in a free fall. State does have the home-field advantage but that probably just means more people to boo Chuck Amato

Virginia Tech: No. 11 Virginia Tech 45, Cincinnati 13: The Hokies quietly keep moving up in the polls. Expect the swarming Tech defense to come after the Bearcat QBs. Last week Ohio State sacked Cincy quarterback Dustin Grutza seven times. The Hokies lead the ACC in pass defense and have picked off six passes against just one TD; the Hokies also lead the league with 11 sacks

Georgia: No. 9 Georgia 38, Colorado 3: The Dawgs have shut out their past two opponents and now they get possibly the most inept offensive team from a BCS conference. As if Dan Hawkins didn't have enough bad thoughts from his last visit to Athens when his Boise team got smoked there last season. That said, the UGa offense hasn't been very sharp this season. My guess it that the Dawgs' young QBs have a breakout weekend against a pass defense that is allowing teams to hit on over 68 percent of their throws

Iowa: No. 14 Iowa 24, Illinois 14: The Illini showed some signs of life late last week and might be catching the Hawkeyes at a good time (in between grudge matches with arch-rival Iowa State and Ohio State.) The Illinois D also hasn't looked too bad of late, having allowed less than 20 points each of the last two times out.

Texas: No. 7 Texas 45, Iowa State 14: Coming off a tough loss last week at arch-rival Iowa, the Cyclones jump right into the fire trekking to Austin to face a faster UT team that should be very hungry. The Longhorns' big, athletic wideouts match up very well with the suspect Cyclone secondary, meaning this should be a good chance to get Colt McCoy's confidence way up

Florida: No. 5 Florida 42, Kentucky 14: The Wildcats offense is actually decent. Problem is, UK is really hurting right now. Shifty TB Rafael Little is questionable for the game. His fullback has already been declared out (turf toe) and both centers are ailing. That'll put a lot of pressure on QB Andre Woodson. The more I think about it, that's probably too much pressure

Clemson: No. 19 Clemson 31, North Carolina 10: The Tar Heels' secondary is a mess. Opponents are completing almost 70 percent against it. The Tigers, the ACC's second-ranked passing team, must be giddy especially since they have the league's top O-line and an array of dangerous skill players

Notre Dame: No. 12 Notre Dame 41, Michigan State 35: The Irish offense is due and the Spartans' secondary is pretty ripe. MSU is 10th in the Big Ten in pass defense. Expect the Spartans, the Big Ten's leading ground attack, to follow Michigan's lead and go right at the shaky Irish defense, but I think ND will respond

Ohio St.: No. 1 Ohio State 35, No. 24 Penn State 17: Nice revenge game for the Buckeyes, whose loaded offense figures to cause lots of problems for the inexperienced Penn State secondary. Anthony Morelli struggled in his first big road test at South Bend, I suspect it'll be even tougher against a faster defense and an even more hostile environment. Last week OSU sacked Cincy QBs eight times. Penn State's green O-line might be in for a very long day

Florida St.: No. 18 Florida State 38, Rice 7: The Owls might just be what the 'Noles have been desperate for since Rice comes to Tallahassee with Conference USA's 10th ranked offense and 11th ranked defense. Best sign of all for the sagging Seminole offense: The Owls are dead last in C-USA against the rush, surrendering over 234 yards per game. If Antone Smith and Lorenzo Booker can't have a big game this week, it'll never happen for them

West Virginia: No. 4 West Virginia 47, East Carolina 17: Navy's ground game rolled for over 400 yards on the Pirates and you know how lethal the Mountaineers running attack is. ECU's passing game is decent and maybe it catches WVU napping a little after last week's big TV showing, but I doubt it. The Mountaineers have scored at least 42 points in each of the first three games and even though this is their first road game, they still have too much speed for the Pirates

Michigan: No. 6 Michigan 28, Wisconsin 10: There is the potential for a let down from the Wolverines, but I don't see it happening since this is a home game. If anything, I believe the talented Michigan defense will be flying after that big confidence booster last week. P.J. Hill,, the Badgers' young running back who leads the conference in rushing, will get a real taste of what Big Ten football is like

Auburn:

Rutgers:

Florida:

Utah:

California:

Missouri:

Virginia Tech:

Miami (FL):

Nebraska:

Penn St.:

Ohio St.:

Oregon:

Notre Dame:

Syracuse:

Florida St.: No. 17 Florida State 17, NC State 6: I realize Chuck Amato has had quite the grip on his old mentor's program, but I don't think there is much left in the Pack's tank. NC State hasn't scored more than 17 points against any of its I-A opponents. FSU's defense has been hit hard by injury but NC State's passing game is so shaky I don't see it doing enough against FSU's speed.

Auburn: No. 2 Auburn 30, Arkansas 13: The prospect of young Mitch Mustain going to Auburn to face the Tigers' speed scares me. The Tigers' run defense is miles better than the Hogs' D, but it will be interesting to see how Arkansas, which has been pretty good in pass protection, holds up against the SEC's second-ranked sack attack. I see the Tigers rolling for over 200 rushing yards

Ohio St.: No. 1 Ohio State 48, Bowling Green 13: The last time these two met (in 2003), the Falcons hung with the Buckeyes and lost 24-17. I expect BGSU, which has a pretty formidable ground attack, to do a little damage early. But a Falcons defense that surrendered 38 to Kent State will be overmatched by the Buckeyes' speed and array of weapons. The most interesting play might be whether OSU's budding star LB James Laurinaitis picks off a pass for the fifth straight game. My hunch is yes.

Clemson: No. 15 Clemson 24, Wake Forest 13: Jim Grobe is a whiz at out-scheming more talented teams, but the Tigers should be well prepared after last week's cake walk past La. Tech. Clemson has a lot more firepower than any of Wake's previous five opponents, but the biggest difference Wake will see is the Tigers' outstanding O-line

LSU: No. 9 LSU 20, No. 5 Florida 14: I think this is the weekend the UF O-line gets exposed a bit. It has played pretty well, but the LSU defense is more physical and much deeper than anything the Gators have seen thus far. Also, JaMarcus Russell and his receivers are more dangerous than the Bama group that enjoyed some success for a while against the Gators last week. I do buy that the Swamp is a big advantage, but the Tigers have already been in a nasty road spot and I think Russell will respond

Georgia Tech: No. 18 Georgia Tech 27, Maryland 10: Sam Hollenbach is a solid QB and won't come unglued against the pressure Tech defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta likes to cook up, but I just don't buy that the Maryland passer has enough weapons around him to dent the scoreboard a lot. Tech always seems ripe for a letdown game, but I think it will be able to run the ball enough against a mediocre Terp D (11th in the ACC against the run) to overcome any sluggishness

Michigan: No. 6 Michigan 38, Michigan State 13: The dam has broken. MSU is sinking. Maybe more important, the loaded Wolverines attack is so keen on the vibe that sooner or later Michigan will keep pushing the envelope. They'll swarm a Spartans D that just gave up almost 400 yards to the young Illinois defense at home no less

Texas Tech: Texas Tech 30, No. 23 Missouri 24: I was in Columbia in 2003 when Tech visited the Tigers. Brad Smith ran for like 650 yards that day. This time the game's in Lubbock and the Red Raiders' defense is better (it actually leads the Big 12 in pass D), but it hasn't faced a QB anywhere near as sharp as the Tigers' Chase Daniel. Mizzou did a great job stifling Mike Leach's offense back in 2003. (It was 34-10 at halftime.) Trouble is this Tech offense has better and bigger receivers than the 2003 team. The big key will be can Tech neutralize the Mizzou pass-rush (tops in the Big 12 with 20 sacks)? I'll say yes.

Texas: No. 7 Texas 34, No. 14 Oklahoma 28: My hunch is that Adrian Peterson needs to run for over 200 yards for OU to win because I just don't think the Sooners' D, which has been a big disappointment thus far (11th in the Big 12 in run defense), will bottle up the Longhorns' backs. I realize Peterson's a great back and he's probably going to rip off some big chunks of yards, but I feel like UT's D-line has a big edge over the OU offensive front

Iowa: No. 19 Iowa 34, Purdue 31: The Boilers' D, the great Anthony Spencer notwithstanding, is horrible against the pass and so I'm expecting a big bounce-back game from Drew Tate. (The Boilers have been starting two true freshmen at DB and a third rookie is the nickel guy.) Purdue's passing game is dangerous too and the Hawkeyes haven't had much luck getting off the field this season (last in the Big Ten in third-down D). Actually, the more I think about this one, the more tempted I am to go against my gut and pick the Boilers to win. But it's late and I'm tired so I'll ignore that

Notre Dame: No. 12 Notre Dame 58, Stanford 13: I don't think Charlie Weis could keep the score down if he tried. The Irish passing game is revving up and now it faces a defense that allows QBs to complete 67 percent of their passes. Worse still is the Cardinal's run defense which is dead last in the Pac-10 by an eye-popping margin (119 yards per game) behind the next-worst D in the conference. That should help the inconsistent ND running game.

Tennessee: No. 13 Tennessee 21, No. 10 Georgia 10: If (Ole Miss true freshman DE) Greg Hardy was able to give UGA's line problems, I think Tennessee's guys are going to make life very tough for the green Georgia QBs. UT will force them to make some big plays in the passing game. The Vols' running game also matches up well against a Georgia defense that hasn't played well of late either.

Southern Cal: No. 3 USC 31, Washington 14: The Huskies are improved but not that much improved. USC's secondary was very shaky last week at Wazzu, but I don't think Washington's passing game is quite as potent and ready to take advantage. I think John David Booty has his sharpest game yet as he attacks the Pac-10's worst pass defense. Worth keeping an eye on: can USC's sluggish pass-rush (8th in the Pac-10) get some pressure on speedy Isaiah Stanback? Getting NG Sedrick Ellis back should help

West Virginia: No. 4 West Virginia 27, Miss. State 14: As shaky as the Bulldogs are, they do have enough good athletes on defense to keep the Mountaineers' high-octane ground game from running wild. The Bulldogs only yield 3.1 yards per rush. The bad news is MSU's horrid passing game (1 TD, 5 INTs) isn't good enough to rattle WVU's soft spoke: its pass defense. Then again, this would make the third time I've picked MSU to cover at home and I've been wrong the other two times

Boston College: Boston College 24, No. 22 Virginia Tech 14: Last season, every Eagle, save for perhaps Brian Toal, looked -- and played -- like they were intimidated by a night game at Lane Stadium. This Hokies defense isn't as physical or as nasty as that one and the game being played in Chestnut Hill is a huge difference -- especially since Eagles QB Matt Ryan has really blossomed. Look for BC's steady O-line (six sacks allowed in five games) to be up to the Va. Tech challenge.

Southern Cal: No. 3 USC 45, Arizona State 13: The Trojans have just been a hair off from making some big plays. The Sun Devils are reeling. This sounds like the perfect opponent for USC to get its confidence back. ASU is ninth in the Pac-10 in scoring defense. I also would be stunned if the Trojans' D-line doesn't get heat on a quarterback for a third consecutive outing.

Texas: No. 6 Texas 48, Baylor 13: Colt McCoy and the Longhorns' offense are quietly warming up. But the thing that is making UT look like a top-five team again is that superb D-line that has contributed to 20 sacks and the nation's third-ranked run defense. Keep an eye on Texas WR Limas Sweed, who is emerging as an all-league type talent, proving to be more than just a great blocking wideout. I do like the improved Baylor passing game and think they'll keep it closer than the 62-0 UT rout last year, but not that much closer.

California: No. 10 Cal 38, WSU 34: The Bears are the hottest team in the Pac-10, but my hunch is that the Cougars' potent passing game will give Cal some problems. The Bears have struggled against the pass quite a bit this season (ninth in the Pac-10 in pass D), although I think some of that is a reflection of them being so far ahead of some of their teams.

Oregon: No. 18 Oregon 38, UCLA 17: Losing Ben Olson really hurts the Bruins, especially having to play in such a hostile environment as Autzen Stadium. I'm curious to see how the Bruins' surprisingly stout run defense (best in the Pac-10, allowing 50 yards per game) holds up against the Ducks, who I think will dent them big-time. Big bounce back for the Ducks.

Florida: No. 2 Florida 20, No. 11 Auburn 17: The Gators seem to be riding one of those team-of-destiny vibes. The Chris Leak-Tim Tebow balance has been working beautifully, Reggie Nelson always seems to be ready to make a play and the O-line has held together well enough. Plus, they managed to get standout DT Marcus Thomas back. Then again, the Tigers' running game and pass rush are good enough to ruin all of that. I learned my lesson last week. I'll stick with UF till the Gators lose.

LSU: No. 14 LSU 35, Kentucky 10: Cats QB Andre' Woodson has been terrific, but this is too tough of a proposition for the shaky UK O-line to try and hold off the best defense in the SEC and a unit that has generated a league-best 20 sacks. Expect the LSU passing game to burn the lowly rated UK secondary.

Michigan: No. 4 Michigan 17, Penn State 14: Tony Hunt has been running really well of late, but now he faces the Big Ten's roughest run defense. My hunch is that PSU manages more than the 40 yards on the ground the Wolverines are allowing. Penn State isn't too shabby on D either, and home field at night should help the Nittany Lions keep this one close.

Wisconsin: No. 25 Wisconsin 35, Minnesota 17: Two very good running attacks, but one of these squads (the Gophers) doesn't deal with defending the run very well. The Badgers also have the Big Ten's top-ranked pass efficiency D (seven INTs, two TDs). Expect a big day for P.J. Hill, the Badgers' powerhouse young redshirt freshman. Hill is coming off a season-high 249 yards rushing and now gets Minnesota and its 98th-rated run defense.

Missouri: No. 19 Mizzou 24, Texas A&M 21: Another homecoming game for Tigers QB Chase Daniel and a handful of other Tigers standouts who were raised in Texas. No doubt the more experienced Aggies secondary is better this year than it was in '05. This week's challenge will be coping with the Tigers' towering tandem of Chase Coffman and Martin Tucker, a pair of guys who look like tight ends but are really 6-foot-6 and 6-7, 240-pound wideouts. Worth watching will be A&M's promising young TB Mike Goodson, who might be the spark the Aggies have been searching for.

Nebraska: No. 21 Nebraska 38, Kansas State 20: Aside from that flat, timid performance against USC, Nebraska has been pretty impressive. The Huskers' ground game is starting to get really tough. Meanwhile KSU has given up almost 200 rushing yards in two of their last three games. I'm looking for NU to blow this one open in the second half.

Ohio St.: No. 1 Ohio State 42, Michigan State 17: The Spartans keep sinking while OSU's young defense only seems to be getting tougher. My hunch is that the Buckeyes' ground game really cooks against the ailing MSU defense, which gave up over 200 rushing yards to Illinois and Michigan, respectively.

Rutgers: No. 24 Rutgers 30, Navy 24: There could be 600 rushing yards in this matchup. Rutgers' run defense is dramatically improved, at least statistically (allowing 2.6 yards per carry and 74 yards per game). But Navy offers a much tougher test than anything RU has seen thus far. Look for RU to try and get QB Mike Teel going.

West Virginia: No. 5 West Virginia 48, Syracuse 20: The Orange have the second-worst run defense in the Big East and visit the league's most dynamic ground game -- a multifaceted attack averaging 303 rushing yards per game. That's a bad deal for SU, especially on the road. Steve Slaton, Owen Schmitt and Patrick White combine for almost 400 yards. The 'Cuse also doesn't run the ball well enough to keep WVU off the field.

Georgia: No. 16 Georgia 24, Vandy 17: The Dawgs are struggling. Vandy's defense isn't bad, but it has had some big problems against physical running games and that figures to be Georgia's M.O. The key for UGA will be containing the great Earl Bennett, the Commodores' go-to guy. I don't see the Dawgs really shutting Bennett down, although UGA's vaunted DE tandem of Quentin Moses and Charles Johnson figures to be a lot more of a presence against this Tennessee squad than they were against the Vols last week.

Virginia: Virginia 27, North Carolina 10: Here are two sinking ships that are near the bottom in almost every statistical category in the ACC. To nitpick, UVa isn't sinking quite as fast. Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell and WR Kevin Ogletree are coming off a solid effort, and my hunch is that they'll put on a decent show in the Thursday night national TV spotlight.

West Virginia: No. 4 West Virginia 52, UConn 13: Statement game for the Mountaineers, who do look a bit shaky on D, especially against the pass. Trouble is UConn is a horrible throwing team, completing only 49 percent of its passes. The Huskies are also seventh in the Big East in rushing defense, which means its probably Steve Slaton's turn to go over 200 yards Friday night.

Tennessee: No. 7 Tennessee 35, Alabama 13: Expect a lot more heat on Mike Shula after he and the Tide face a high-powered passing attack. There is some good news for Bama: RB Ken Darby has warmed up in the last couple of weeks, but the Tide has too many holes to hang in a shootout with Erik Ainge and Co

Boise St.: No. 18 Boise State 42, Idaho 21: The Broncos offense is flying. RB Ian Johnson has been running over everyone. He's even better on national TV games. Unfortunately for Boise, this one's only on pay-per-view

Oklahoma: No. 20 Oklahoma 14, Colorado 6: No doubt the Sooners are going to miss the great Adrian Peterson, but I think his absence will draw a good performance out of the under-achieving OU defense. My feeling is that even though the Sooners only have 9 sacks in six games, they will respond this weekend

Clemson: No. 12 Clemson 24, No. 13 Georgia Tech 14: Nice matchup between Tech D-coordinator Jon Tenuta and the Tigers array of tailbacks and receivers behind the best O-line in the country. Statistically, both teams are very similar, so I'll go with the home team and the one with more weapons

Ohio St.: No. 1 Ohio State 48, Indiana 14: Only Purdue has a worse defense than the Hoosiers, who are terrible against the pass and even worse against the rush. Translation: The Troy Smith Heisman candidacy keeps chugging forward.

Michigan: No. 2 Michigan 23, Iowa 10: The Wolverines defense, led by dominant DT Alan Branch, seems to be getting nastier by the week. Iowa's offensive line is respectable, but needs to play a whole lot better if the Hawkeyes are to keep it close

Missouri: No. 24 Mizzou 41, K-State 13: Even though the Tigers are no longer unbeaten, I believe they are legit. They have speed on defense and playmakers on offense. My hunch is that K-State doesn't have enough of a ground game to scare the Tigers or even threaten them

Louisville: No. 6 Louisville 41, Syracuse 17: The Big East's worst pass blocking team, the Cuse, looks pretty ripe for the pressure-mad schemes of Cards D-coordinator Mike Cassity. Brian Brohm and the dangerous U of L wideouts also figure to have a big day in the dome

Pittsburgh: Pitt 24, No. 19 Rutgers 20: It pains me to pick against the Scarlet Knights, but even though RU QB Mike Teel is coming off a career game, I think the Panthers speedy and talented back seven will give him a long day. Keep an eye on Knights RBs Ray Rice and Brian Leonard against Pitt LBs H.B. Blades and Clint Session.

Nebraska: No. 17 Nebraska 31, No. 5 Texas 30: I know Colt McCoy really got rolling last week and that the Huskers were fairly dismal in their only real big test this season (at USC), but I'm playing a hunch here. Of course, logic is telling me that the staunch UT run defense (less than 48 yards allowed per game) should contain the Huskers, but I'll ignore those silly stats this week

Texas A&M: No. 23 Texas A&M 27, Oklahoma State 20: The Cowboys are only ninth in the Big 12 against the run and the Aggies ground game appears to have found itself. Beware that 285-pound meat grinder named Jorvorskie Lane. He is a budding folk hero in the A&M backfield. K-State's struggles on third down (last in the Big 12) could prove disastrous against a physical team that would love to grind it out.

California: No. 11 Cal 38, Washington 7: The Huskies being without Isaiah Stanback, their play-making QB, is going to really hurt. More importantly, U-Dub and its worst pass defense in the Pac-10 looks mighty vulnerable against QB Nate Longshore and all of the Bears skill talent.

Wisconsin: No. 21 Wisconsin 35, Purdue 17: The Badgers pass defense has been terrific this season (2 TDs allowed, 8 INTs), but the Boilers do have some dangerous weapons. My hunch is that won't be enough to challenge the Badgers, who quietly have been a nice story. The difference will be the power-running of freshman bulldozer P.J. Hill against a soft defense

Clemson: No. 10 Clemson 30, Virginia Tech 17: The Tigers roll into Blacksburg riding a lethal ground game powered by the nation's toughest O-line. It'll be interesting to see how the Hokies respond at home after the debacle a couple of weeks ago on national TV. Their pride had to be hurt. If they were playing anyone else in the ACC, I think they'd be fired up enough to get the W, but right now Clemson is playing too good

Clemson: No. 10 Clemson 30, Virginia Tech 17: The Tigers roll into Blacksburg riding a lethal ground game powered by the nation's toughest O-line. It'll be interesting to see how the Hokies respond at home after the debacle a couple of weeks ago on national TV. Their pride had to be hurt. If they were playing anyone else in the ACC, I think they'd be fired up enough to get the W, but right now Clemson is playing too good

Florida: No. 9 Florida 31, Georgia 14: It was a nice time for the Gators to have an off week to catch their breath. I suspect that Chris Leak will have an answer for his shaky road performance against Auburn. Plus, as long as Marcus Thomas is able to suit up for the Gators, their defense will be nasty -- and I expect him to be running wild Saturday against the underwhelming UGa O-line

Florida: No. 9 Florida 31, Georgia 14: It was a nice time for the Gators to have an off week to catch their breath. I suspect that Chris Leak will have an answer for his shaky road performance against Auburn. Plus, as long as Marcus Thomas is able to suit up for the Gators, their defense will be nasty -- and I expect him to be running wild Saturday against the underwhelming UGa O-line

Wisconsin: No. 17 Wisconsin 28, Illinois 10: The Big Ten's most impressive freshman, Wisky's sledge-hammer P.J. Hill, faces the league's youngest team. I do like the Illini's improvement. Juice Williams is going to make more than his share of mistakes, but he will also do enough positive things to give Illini fans hope. Still, I think the Badgers are too physical for the young opponent

Wisconsin: No. 17 Wisconsin 28, Illinois 10: The Big Ten's most impressive freshman, Wisky's sledge-hammer P.J. Hill, faces the league's youngest team. I do like the Illini's improvement. Juice Williams is going to make more than his share of mistakes, but he will also do enough positive things to give Illini fans hope. Still, I think the Badgers are too physical for the young opponent

Georgia Tech: No. 21 Georgia Tech 17, Miami 14: Last year Calvin Johnson gave Miami fits and the star wideout is coming off a game where he was shut out. Tech must find more ways to get him the ball, especially against a UM defense that has not been very good against the pass. The Canes young wideouts have started to emerge which is a big thing since Javarris James struggled last Saturday and you can expect Tech DC Jon Tenuta to unsettle the Miami front again this Saturday. I don't see UM winning unless Kyle Wright has his best game as a quarterback, whereas I can see Tech winning with Reggie Ball playing like Reggie Ball

Georgia Tech: No. 21 Georgia Tech 17, Miami 14: Last year Calvin Johnson gave Miami fits and the star wideout is coming off a game where he was shut out. Tech must find more ways to get him the ball, especially against a UM defense that has not been very good against the pass. The Canes young wideouts have started to emerge which is a big thing since Javarris James struggled last Saturday and you can expect Tech DC Jon Tenuta to unsettle the Miami front again this Saturday. I don't see UM winning unless Kyle Wright has his best game as a quarterback, whereas I can see Tech winning with Reggie Ball playing like Reggie Ball

Ohio St.: No. 1 Ohio State 42, Minnesota 14: The Gophers were embarrassed Saturday by a late one-point win over North Dakota State at home, but I don't see them rallying to keep this one close. OSU is too good on both sides of the ball and has far too many weapons for Minnesota, which is reeling these days.

Ohio St.: No. 1 Ohio State 42, Minnesota 14: The Gophers were embarrassed Saturday by a late one-point win over North Dakota State at home, but I don't see them rallying to keep this one close. OSU is too good on both sides of the ball and has far too many weapons for Minnesota, which is reeling these days.

Nebraska: No. 20 Nebraska 30, Oklahoma State 24: The Huskers didn't get the upset last Saturday against Texas, but I suspect they took a lot out of their performance, which was a lot better than it was against USC. Expect NU's ground game to bounce back Saturday, although the Cowboys' gifted wideouts could expose a group of DBs that always seems pretty ripe. In fact, OSU's passing game almost made me pick the Cowboys, but I'll ride NU on the hunch

Nebraska: No. 20 Nebraska 30, Oklahoma State 24: The Huskers didn't get the upset last Saturday against Texas, but I suspect they took a lot out of their performance, which was a lot better than it was against USC. Expect NU's ground game to bounce back Saturday, although the Cowboys' gifted wideouts could expose a group of DBs that always seems pretty ripe. In fact, OSU's passing game almost made me pick the Cowboys, but I'll ride NU on the hunch

Michigan: No. 2 Michigan 45, Northwestern 10: NU's nightmarish season can't end soon enough. Part of me thinks this is one game where the Wolverines might come out flat, but given all the Wildcats have had to deal with in the last two months I just don't expect they have anything left in the tank to avoid the rout

Michigan: No. 2 Michigan 45, Northwestern 10: NU's nightmarish season can't end soon enough. Part of me thinks this is one game where the Wolverines might come out flat, but given all the Wildcats have had to deal with in the last two months I just don't expect they have anything left in the tank to avoid the rout

Notre Dame: No. 11 Notre Dame 38, Navy 10: With the Middies having to rely on a backup QB, they simply won't be dynamic enough to dent the Irish defense, and while it isn't very good, that unit has most of its problems via the air. Also, the ND O-line, which was overmatched again last Saturday against UCLA, gets an undersized Navy front that it should be able to handle. This will be a good chance for Charlie Weis to get his run game going a little

Notre Dame: No. 11 Notre Dame 38, Navy 10: With the Middies having to rely on a backup QB, they simply won't be dynamic enough to dent the Irish defense, and while it isn't very good, that unit has most of its problems via the air. Also, the ND O-line, which was overmatched again last Saturday against UCLA, gets an undersized Navy front that it should be able to handle. This will be a good chance for Charlie Weis to get his run game going a little

Southern Cal: No. 3 USC 35, Oregon State 7: The Trojans are due. They haven't been as bad as everyone seems to be saying. True, they don't have much of a game-breaking threat, but they still have a boatload of weapons. I suspect this will be the week the USC pass rush awakens and sparks some turnovers

Southern Cal: No. 3 USC 35, Oregon State 7: The Trojans are due. They haven't been as bad as everyone seems to be saying. True, they don't have much of a game-breaking threat, but they still have a boatload of weapons. I suspect this will be the week the USC pass rush awakens and sparks some turnovers

Texas: No. 5 Texas 31, Texas Tech 17: UT's run defense has been downright nasty. Michigan nasty. True, the Horns are a bit dinged up on the D-line, but they are one of the few programs deep enough to handle it. Meanwhile Tech's lack of strong senior leadership has turned this team into one lucky to go bowling. I think the Red Raiders will get most of their points after the Longhorns have fired up the bus

Texas: No. 5 Texas 31, Texas Tech 17: UT's run defense has been downright nasty. Michigan nasty. True, the Horns are a bit dinged up on the D-line, but they are one of the few programs deep enough to handle it. Meanwhile Tech's lack of strong senior leadership has turned this team into one lucky to go bowling. I think the Red Raiders will get most of their points after the Longhorns have fired up the bus

Texas A&M: No. 22 Texas A&M 27, Baylor 20: The Bears are finding themselves in their pass-happy new offensive scheme, but so is the physical Aggie running attack, which I think finally has given A&M an identity for the first time in years

Texas A&M: No. 22 Texas A&M 27, Baylor 20: The Bears are finding themselves in their pass-happy new offensive scheme, but so is the physical Aggie running attack, which I think finally has given A&M an identity for the first time in years

Washington St.: Washington State 24, UCLA 17: I suspect the heart was torn out of the Bruins after coming so close to the upset last Saturday in South Bend. Meanwhile the Cougars are going in the opposite direction

Washington St.: Washington State 24, UCLA 17: I suspect the heart was torn out of the Bruins after coming so close to the upset last Saturday in South Bend. Meanwhile the Cougars are going in the opposite direction

Rutgers: No. 16 Rutgers 31, UConn 6: This is a showcase game for the surging Scarlet Knights and their outstanding running back tandem. Lost in all of the Ray Rice/Rutgers hysteria has been the terrific job Greg Schiano has done working as the defensive coordinator. RU's D-line dominated a group that had been playing well for Pittsburgh. I think this will be more of the same

Rutgers: No. 16 Rutgers 31, UConn 6: This is a showcase game for the surging Scarlet Knights and their outstanding running back tandem. Lost in all of the Ray Rice/Rutgers hysteria has been the terrific job Greg Schiano has done working as the defensive coordinator. RU's D-line dominated a group that had been playing well for Pittsburgh. I think this will be more of the same