BIG GAMES ON TAP. TAKE YOUR PICK(s)

After going 8 for 8 last week for the second time this season, we're feeling pretty good about where we stand as we go into the fifth week of competition with a lot of confidence and bravado. So, we take a bow and now move onto this weekend's great slate of gridiron contests. And there's some good ones!

Your Weekend Winners are...

#21 Ole Miss @ #1 Alabama...the Rebs look to end a nine game skid to the Tide with its up tempo offense and the legs of QB Bo Wallace. The Rebs are averaging 38 points per game and over 250 rushing yards per game (second best in the SEC). Meanwhile Saban's crew is still trying to find a consistent offense that has struggled at times with its run game being the worst in the conference. The Tide has won the last 11 straight meetings with Ole Miss in Tuscaloosa. Tomorrow make that 12. Tide rolls.

UGA may need a bigger ice bag

#6 LSU @ #9 Georgia...there are several sub plots to this little get together in Athens. First, Georgia's record when the ESPN College Game Day crew shows up is 3-11.  Not good. Second, LSU's bad boy quarterback Zach Mettenberger is back on campus. Lock up your women. Third, LSU's new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron seems to have the Bengal Tiger offense on track and he's licking his chops to go after the young Dawg defensive secondary. But it may very well come down to which team runs the ball best: Georgia's Gurley (averages 6 yd/carry) or LSU's Hill (averages 8 yds/carry). If anything, Georgia is well tested after facing two top ten teams in the last 3 weeks: Clemson and South Carolina. So, who do we like? Take the Tigers in a tight one in Athens.

#20 Florida @ Kentucky...the only question we have about this game is Florida only favored by 13? We know the Gators have been struggling on offense and they'll be playing their second game with back up quarterback Tyler Murphy (who by the way did a great job jumping in last week when Driskel was knocked out of the game by the Vols). But the Gator defense is pretty pretty stout, only giving up an average of 212 yards per game (second best in the nation). Kentucky hasn't beaten Florida since 1986. And it aint gonna change Saturday. Gators chomp the Cats.

#23 Wisconsin @ #4 Ohio State...we love this match up. The Badger running game averages 349 yards per game, led by RB Melvin Gordon who has 7 TDs in the last four games. Gordon leads the nation with 624 rushing yards. Meanwhile, this is the first big test of the season for the Buckeyes who are coming off a 77-0 embarrassment of FCS opponent, FAMU, and allowing only 116 rushing yards per game. Braxton Miller is slated to return as tOSU's qb so it will be interesting to see if there's any rust. UPSET ALERT: we like the Badgers over the Buckeyes.

He best not bet on his Irish

#14 Oklahoma @ #22 Notre Dame...one name to remember: Blake Bell. He's the Sooner QB that posted 413 passing yards against Tulsa, and leads a Sooner crew that averages 490 yards per game. That's a lotta yards! Oklahoma is 1-9 all time against the Irish. Tomorrow that luck changes as the Sooners win in South Bend.

Virginia @ Pittsburgh...the Panthers give up a ton of points (41 per game). But they also put up a bunch of points in each game (40). The Cavs defense has looked pretty good thus far (forget their loss to Oregon. The Ducks are killing everyone) but we think they are clearly over-matched this Saturday. So we're going with Pitt over the Wahoos.

#5 Stanford @ Washington State...The Cardinal have a long winning streak with eleven games, second only to Ohio State's sixteen, and are averaging 36+ points a game. Meanwhile the Cougar defense has been yielding only 12 points a game. This game is quite a contrast. Stanford loves to run the ball (211 yds/game) while WSU prefers the passing game (329 yds/game) with some very talented receivers including sophomore Gabe Marks, second in the Pac-12 with 31 catches. So this game could come down to turnovers and special teams. But who knows? We're going with Stanford as they continue to build their case for top ranking. Stanford over the Cougars.

#10 Texas A&M @ Arkansas...the Aggies go on the road for the first time this season as they travel to Fayetteville. Johnny Brat will certainly put up the yards and points (they average over 600 yds per game) but the Aggie defense will be in for a challenge as they face a different offensive flavor with the Razorbacks: power football, courtesy the Big Ten and Wisconsin's Bret Bielema. But the Aggies have too much firepower. Aggies over the 'Backs.

 Check back on Monday to see how we fared. Enjoy your Saturday.

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