REDEMPTION STARTS HERE.

After a historic beat down last Saturday, we've spent most of the week licking our wounds and looking for sympathy. But as JK, my father-in-law once told me, you'll find sympathy only in the dictionary, "between shit and syphilis." So, here we are on the eve of another great October football Saturday, pondering tomorrow's winning picks. Admittedly, we're a little gun shy with so many top teams playing each other. But, as another wise man once told me, "no hill for a climber."

Let's get to it and Make Mo' Money !!

INSIDE THE HUDDLE

Nothing better than talking football over Friday coffee

As part of our ongoing commitment to stay informed on specific teams and conferences, we held one of our periodic input breakfast sessions this morning with two hardcore Nebraska Cornhusker fans, Harry Husker (Freemont, NE) and Jeff Husker (North Platte, NE). After general chit chat about Nebraska farm life and where to get the best runzas (google it), and who mows Warren Buffet's yard, we finally got down to the serious issues of Cornhusker football such as Bo Pelini's infatuation with cats, and the strong feeling that the Big Ten will be represented in the College Football Playoff by the Lincoln Bug Eaters. And by virtue of wearing my Nebraska cap, I was made an honorary Husker Fan with all the many privileges that go with that. I feel honored, and greatly appreciative listening to the football tales of two great Husker fans.

HERE'S YOUR GREAT EIGHT™ WINNING PICKS...

Yo. Wanna buy my autograph?

#13 Georgia @ #23 Missouri...a funny thing happened on the way to Columbia, Missouri. Well, not funny if you're a Georgia fan, or offensive coordinator Mike Bobo who built UGA's game plan around Todd Gurley and Georgia's running game which ranks 10th in the nation. With less than 36 hours to a big SEC East showdown with Mizzou, the Georgia brain trust is scrambling to come up with a winning scheme that doesn't stress out their passing game which is ranked 108th, and will be facing a tough pass rush from Tiger's Markus Golden and Shane Ray. The Dawgs will now turn to Nick Chubb. He's no gurley-boy but is quite capable at toting the rock. If the Dawgs are to win, Hutson Mason has to step up and make plays. He should have two top weapons returning, Mitchell and Scott-Wesley, but we're not convinced that's enough to make up for an absent Gurley which is explains why the line has shifted six points since yesterday's news. It's too bad that an off-the-field situation has impacted this game and denied everyone the chance to see a gifted athlete like Gurley perform. Take Mizzou over the Dawgs.

Duke @ #22 Georgia Tech...it's the 2014 Nerd Bowl and it's been a long time since Johnson's undefeated Jackets have been ranked, but we think it's well deserved given their big road win at Virginia Tech along with last week's win over Miami. There's a reason that Tech's QB Justin Thomas is known as "Smooth." Paul Johnson is big on limiting mistakes so he's got to be tickled gold over Smooth's ability to take care of the football as the Bees have only five turnovers after five games, compared with their 24 lost fumbles last season. That's especially impressive given GT's clock-draining triple option offense. Looking for Tech's "B-Back" Zach Laskey to have another impressive day as Cutcliffe's Dookies will have a long day on the Flats, where they have not won since 1994. Jackets down the Devils at Historic Bobby Dodd Stadium.

For whom the bell tolls

#2 Auburn @ #3 Mississippi State...in a gesture of good sportsmanship, the MSU athletic director has politely asked the Bulldog fans to be courteous and responsible with their cowbells, whatever the hell that means. In any case, this game is another tough one to pick. Both teams possess great offenses and are very stingy in giving up points (Auburn has allowed14.4, MSU 19.4). Both teams feature dual threat quarterbacks, Prescott and Marshall. And both teams are well coached. We think this contest will come down to how well Mississippi State (Prescott) can handle Auburn's defense and if MSU can continue playing well under the spotlight that will be on this game (e.g. ESPN's College Game Day rolls into Starkville for the first time, ever). It will be a close one. In an UPSET SPECIAL, take Mullen's Mutts over the War Eagles.

#12 Oregon @ #18 UCLA...the Ducks, plucked last Thursday, setting in motion the wildest 48 hours in college football history, will be looking for redemption against the Bruins, who also lost last week to Utah. Oregon has not lost back-to-back games in seven years and we don't see that happening on Saturday. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena is fairly laid back so the Ducks will not be intimidated being on the road. The key to this game is protection of the quarterback. Hundley and Mariota are two of the three most frequently sacked quarterbacks in the Power Five schools (Tennessee's Worley has that honor). But Mariota should have an easier time as the Bruins are dead last in the Pac-12 in sacks. Ducks fly back to Oregon with a win.

#3 Mississippi @ #14 Texas A&M...in a perfect night cap game, the #3 Rebels are actually 2 point dogs, which says that Ole Miss has yet to convince the betting world that they are a legit contender. Winning in a tough atmosphere like College Station will be no easy task and Bo Wallace will face one of the fiercest pass rushes in the country as the Aggies are tops in the SEC in sacks. Wallace showed a lot of confidence in last week's epic win over Alabama. Can he duplicate that effort this week? And can the Ole Miss defense be as smothering again and contain Kenny Hill?  Buckle up your seat belts, this could get wild. Rebs take down the Aggies.

#9 TCU @ #5 Baylor...admittedly we're not experts on the Southwest Conference. Oh, wait, I meant the Big Dozen. But this game, which features the only remaining undefeated teams in the Big 12, is overshadowing the Red River rivalry as two programs that used to be conference pushovers are vying for the top chair. The Horned Frogs knocked off the Sooners last week and moved up 16 spots in the polls, while Baylor beat Texas 28-7. Bryce Petty had a poor day in Austin but did enough to win, and the Bear's defense was exceptional. Both Petty and Trevone Boykin will put up a ton of points and this will be more of a shootout. Take the Bears over the Frogs.

#11 Oklahoma @ Texas...this year's Red River Shootout is not what it typically is but it's still a big deal between these schools despite both coaches playing down the rivalry aspect. The Sooners fell last week to TCU and the Longhorns continue to struggle. But an Oklahoma win can put the Sooners back on track toward their goal of getting an invite to the playoff. For that to happen, the Sooners need to get back to playing strong defense since they have given up 33 points in each of their last two games. Quite a difference from earlier in the season. They should have no problem with Texas and will cover the points. Sooners rope in the 'Horns.

Southern Cal @ #10 Arizona...after knocking off #3 Oregon last week the question is can the Wildcats continue their winning ways. They appear to be the team to beat in the Pac-12 but yet are underdogs to the unranked visiting Trojans. Probably because for the past 12 seasons, USC has owned the Wildcats. But Rich Rodriguez is making things happen in Tucson. Take Rich Rod's Wildcats over the Trojans.

Let's check back next week to see how well did at redemption.

MAKE MO' MONEY WITH MARK™

SHAKE UP SATURDAY SENDS SEISMIC SHOCKWAVES

Thursday night's big upset of #3 Oregon should have told us that strange things lie ahead.

No other day in college football history has ever unfolded like last Saturday.

Within a matter of hours we witnessed 9 Top Twenty teams losing, resulting in major shifts in the polls including: #2 Alabama, #4 Oklahoma, #6 Texas A&M, #8 UCLA, #14 Stanford, #15 LSU, #16 Southern Cal, #17 Wisconsin, and #19 Nebraska.

As the smoke clears, we now have ten unbeaten teams remaining, and that number will certainly shrink over the next few Saturdays as most of these schools face each other such as TCU v Baylor, Auburn v Mississippi State, FSU v Notre Dame. (note of interest: Marshall may have the easiest path to an undefeated season thus forcing an invite to the playoffs).

Maybe it was global warming...OctoberFest...alignment of the stars?  Maybe it was just a result of scheduling in which top ranked teams happened to be playing each other. Or, perhaps, that a certain degree of parity is happening with Division I schools whom are recruiting from an ever increasing pool of gifted high school talent where kids are getting bigger, faster, stronger, with elite skill position players being developed from the first grade on.

Bump in the road but still ahead

Whatever it may be, we -- and most everyone else -- took a hit with Saturday's results.  If this were Wall Street, we'd call it a "market adjustment." In sports gaming, we simply call it a butt kicking. Ouch.

We went an ugly 3-5. No way to sugar coat it other than to say that some weeks we're hot, some weeks we're not. But in the long run, we tend to come out on top, and that's what counts. Remember, it's a long season.

So, enough whining. Let's focus on winning.  Here's your Weekend Rewind...

THE GOOD
Sometimes just surviving is good enough. And that's what Michigan State did as they survived Nebraska's monster comeback in the 4th Quarter as the Huskers scored 3 late touchdowns to send Sparty's sphincter muscle into serious spasms. The Spartans won 27-22 but will need new pants for head coach Mark Dantonio.

Auburn sent the LSU Tigers limping back to Baton Rouge after hammering them 41-7. The outcome was never in question and Brandon Harris, the newly annointed starting QB fell flat and Ant Jennings was re-inserted, but to no avail. LSU has tons of talent and they will regroup and return to winning...maybe this Saturday in Gainesville.

Mississippi State showed us once again that they are a quality team with solid coaching and a genuine Heisman candidate, Dak Prescott. The Bulldogs made a Mississippi State-ment as they knocked off their second Top Ten team in consecutive games, Texas A&M, 48-31. Big one ahead with Auburn in Starkville.

THE BAD

Katy: call us, please.

We, like most of the pundits and talking heads, missed out on the upset of Alabama. The difference: consistent quarterback play from Bo Wallace and critical turnovers by Bama. With Game Day in the Grove, the visibility of Ole Miss went thru the roof. Perhaps we should enlist Katy Perry to help with our picks?

Stanford lost as Notre Dame mounted a late comeback against the nation's top-ranked defense, and the Fighting Irish survived their first true test of the season. Looming ahead is a showdown with #1 Florida State (October 18).

Badgers sip their lattes, lick their wounds

Northwestern was another surprise as they upset Wisconsin, 20-14, despite Badger Melvin Gordon posting a career high 259 rushing yards (9.6 ypc). Wildcat safety Godwin Igwebuike won the game ball with his three huge interceptions.

Georgia Tech showed us once again how tough it is to predict the Yellow Jackets as the Bees won out over Miami, 28-17. The win pushes GT into the rankings for the first time since November 2011, the last season that they opened 6-0.

THE UGLY

Even Smokey was depressed

Like most, we fell for the notion that this was the year for Tennessee to finally beat Florida and snap a decade long losing streak. The community did its part. And the fans did their part (see the checkerboarding of Neyland). Unfortunately, the Vol offense failed to do their part, putting up a measly nine points. The good news for Florida followers: Tennessee helped you discover your next quarterback, Treon Harris, although he may be trading in his Gator uniform for an orange jump suit in the very near future (see arrest for sexual assault).

Look for our Great Eight Winning Picks this Friday.  See you then.

READY TO ROCK. READY TO ROLL. YOUR WEEK SIX PICKS.

If you're a college football fan then you'll be in heaven this Saturday. We're finally getting into the real meat of conference play with some pretty awesome matchups across the country, including possibly the best line up of SEC games ever, ever.

Here's Your  GREAT EIGHT™ Winning Picks...

Vols ready to party

Florida @ Tennessee...a coach looking for a big win. A quarterback looking for a big day. Which team are we talking about?? Florida head coach Muschamp needs a win badly to reduce the heat on his backside and Jeff Driskel needs to show he can produce. Meanwhile, bUTch Jones is still looking for a significant win to confirm his direction, and a much improved Worley wants desperately to snap a 9 game losing streak to the lizards.  Key to a Vol win: if Worley's uni is clean at the end of the game, Tennessee wins. Another key thought...three previous head coaches that have lost this game, have also lost their jobs during the season (Zook, Fulmer, Dooley)...not that we're suggesting anything, but both coaches have a lot on the line. The streak ends tomorrow as Tennessee finally finds a way to skin the gators. Amen, brother!

Miami @ Georgia Tech...last week we were dead wrong on the Miami-Duke game. Can the Cane's ring up another win, this time on the road? With five straight wins over the Bees, Miami will showcase its team speed on both sides of the ball. Freshman QB Brad Kaaya is getting better each week and Duke Johnson should do well against the worst run defense in the ACC. The only way the Jackets can pull out a win is if Justin Thomas has a phenomenal game and keeps the Miami defense off balance. And, oh yeah, the dreaded triple option has to be executed perfectly...no turnovers. Canes storm the Flats and blow out of town with a victory.

Wisconsin @ Northwestern...we're going with Mister Big Ten's projection (see yesterday's featurette) with the Badgers winning a rare one in Evanston. The Wildcats have a pretty good run defense but Melvin Gordon will be just too tough to contain for four quarters (averages 7.8 yards per carry. Badgers tame the 'Cats.

Searching for a way to win

#19 Nebraska @ #10 Michigan State...this game could very well be a preview of the Big Ten championship game. The Bug Eaters are the only undefeated team in a flat conference, and feature a genuine Heisman Trophy candidate, Ameer Abdullah, who averages 212 all purpose yards per game. So it's no secret that Nebraska will work hard to establish the run, eat the clock, and play keep away from the Spartan offense that leads the Big Ten in scoring. MSU QB Connor Cook and TB Jeremy Langford are solid and should combine for a big home win in East Lansing. Take Sparty over the Huskers (and cue the Bo Pelini haters).

#14 Stanford @ #9 Notre Dame...conventional wisdom suggests we take the Fighting Irish: home game, undefeated, dynamic quarterback, Touchdown Jesus. To quote Lee Corso: Not so fast my friends! Notre Dame will finally face a quality team that has the nation's number one defense: fewest points given up (6.5 pts per game, 198 yards per game). But while Stanford's defense is stout, the offense is a whole other issue, averaging only 27.5 points per game, and a dismal red zone success rate. We're going old school on this one...where Defense wins games. Take the Cardinal over the Irish.

#15 LSU @ #5 Auburn...this should be a pretty entertaining game as Less Smiles brings his Tigers to the Plains to take on the Tigers/War Eagles/Plainsmen/Dying Oaks. LSU has shuffled the QB deck with frosh Brandon Harris taking over for Ant Jennings who struggled again last week and was ultimately benched. Poor kid was getting booed everytime he set foot on the field which shows you the lack of class in Baton Rouge, not to mention the intensity of big boy football in the South. The one thing that LSU fans should worry about is their ability to stop the run. In games against Wisconsin and Mississippi State, LSU was gashed for 268 and 302 yards respectively. Auburn has been posting 261 yards rushing this season so LSU will have its hands full. Harris will have his opportunities for heroics but Gus Malzahn will have his Auburn crew ready to roll. Aubbie clips LSU on the Plains.

#6 Texas A&M @ #12 Mississippi State...this game features two undefeated division rivals with two of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the nation: Kenny 'Thrill' Hill and Dak Prescott, another legitimate Heisman contender. The Bulldogs, bolstered by a great run game, average over 537 yards in offense; the Aggies, 594 yards. So both teams know how to roll up the yardage and light up the scoreboard...this will be a shoot out in StarkVegas. Point of interest: Texas A&M has outscored opponents by 59 points in the 4th quarter, best in the FBS. Conversely, Mississippi State ranks 100th in 4Q scoring. We think Dan Mullen (future Florida head coach by the way) will lead his mutts to a win over the Aggies.

Hello Bo. Howz it going?

#3 Alabama @ #11 Mississippi...the Rebels/Black Bears/Black Rebel Bears/whatever will experience again why they'll never get to the top of the SEC West after the Crimson Tide rolls up a win in Oxford. We are not buying the hype with Mississippi and can't understand for a second their lofty ranking. No disrespect intended. We're simply going on who they have played thus far: Boise State (a bad Boise State), Vandy (sans James Franklin), La-Lafayette, and Memphis. A combined 7-11 record. And now here comes Bama rolling into Oxpatch, sporting a 42 points per game average and an offense loaded with tons of 5 star athletes that are finally getting creative direction courtesy of Lane Kiffin (best hire in the SEC). When Blake Sims gets tired of hooking up with Amari Cooper, he simply goes to the best stable of tailbacks in the country: Yeldon, Henry, Drake. Yes, Ole Miss has a good defense. But they have inconsistent qb play with Bo Wallace who leads the SEC with 6 INTs. Look for more of that as the Tide will dial up the pressure. The Crimson Tide have won 10 in a row over Ole Miss. They will make it 11 in a row Saturday. Note of interest: the last time Ole Miss beat Bama, the Rebels were led by Eli Manning and David Cutcliffe, the SEC coach of the year they ran out of town!

 Let's check back tomorrow and see how we did. Have a great Saturday!

MAKE MO' MONEY WITH MARK™

MISTER BIG TEN CHECKS IN

Mister Big Ten checks in again, this time with his outlook for the Wisconsin-Northwestern game.

Mister Big Ten back on campus

For those that don't know, Mister Big Ten (MBT) has a unique perspective on the Big Ten Conference.

Having grown up in Chicago, MBT graduated from the University of Illinois where he developed his love for Big Ten football as a Fighting Illini.  Yearning for brats and brews, MBT headed north to Madison, Wisconsin where he majored in Badger football while earning a masters degree. Then, after a brief stint at the University of Wyoming where he managed their rodeo program, MBT heeded the call of the Windy City and returned to Chicago where he joined Northwestern University as one of the lead academic advisors for pre-med students in Evanston, and professor of brewology.

So, MBT knows his Big Ten football: the trials and tribulations at Illinois. The 'jump around' craziness at Wisconsin. The resurgence of Northwestern Wildcat football, Chicago's Big Ten Team.

But before we get to his prediction, it's appropriate for some Q&A since it's been awhile since we last visited. So, let's have some Q&A with MBT.

Time For Q & A with Mister Big Ten

Mister Big Ten on mini golf tour

WWW:  It's been sometime since we last spoke. What's new with you?
MBT:  Well, it's been a pretty busy summer with the miniature golf tour, advising duties at Northwestern, getting married. And I joined a new bowling team.

WWW:  Whoa!  What? A new bowling team?
MBT:  Yep. Things sort of plateaued with the High Rollers so I felt it was time to change lanes. When the Northside Keggers called, I had to strike. It's all about timing.

WWW:  And you got married, too?
MBT:  Oh yeah. Being a bachelor for so many years was getting old and I finally met the girl of my dreams. So we tied the knot back in July. It's all about timing.

WWW: Hmmm. Is being married going to cramp your style and miss out on the important things like watching Big Ten football?
MBT: Not at all. My bride knows that Big Ten football is in my blood, like a worm in tequila. So I won't miss a beat when it comes to watching my teams this fall.

WWW: That's good to hear. And good to know your priorities are intact.
MBT: It's all good, my friend. It's all good.

WWW:  Well, enough preamble. Let's have your take on Saturday's big game in Evanston.

MBT's TAKE ON WISCONSIN vs NORTHWESTERN

While the Wildcats hope to give Wisconsin a big surprise on Saturday, as they did to Penn State last week in their 29-6 win, they have to remember that the Badgers are not the Nittany Lions

One major advantage for Wisconsin is the size of their offensive line. Weighing in at an average of 319.6 lbs. and 6’5.8” inches, the Badgers have the 7^th largest line in D1 football (the Big Ten averages 303.8 lbs for o-lines. They've got some big boys).

I expect this game to be a battle of the defenses initially as both teams try to figure out each other’s offense. The Wildcats are still running on last week’s steam and will undoubtedly play with confidence.

NU is currently ranked 16^th in the country in scoring defense and held Penn State to only 50 rushing yards. So the game could be interesting if they can contain the run, which is a tall order given that Wisconsin has the number one rushing offense in the country.

Now let’s talk offense. The Cats looked great in the redzone in their win over Penn State, but the numbers show that they struggled at times. NU’s top slinger Trevor Siemian,  has yet to reach his passing potential but is dangerous with his feet as he rushed for 3 TDs last week.

Bucky the Badger takes care of business

Wisconsin offense can be wrapped up in 2 words: Melvin Gordon. Wisconsin’s own homegrown prodigy from Kenosha, could potentially have a field day on the fresh grass at Ryan Field. Gordon has led all FBS players in yards per carry for the last two seasons and Coach Andersen is not holding him back. He had a career high 32 attempts accumulating 187 yards and racking up 2 TDs in their bout with South Florida.

I think weather and home field advantage could keep the Cats in this one until the second half when I expect Gordon to go full throttle. Wisconsin’s defense should manage well against the Wildcats offense (which ranks in the top 20 in all 4 categories: scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense, passing defense). So lock in the W for Wisconsin this Saturday.

Be sure to check back later today for our winning picks for Saturday!

MAKE MO MONEY WITH MARK®

PRETTY SPECIAL WITH 4 OF 5 UPSET SPECIALS

It was a crazy Saturday tracking games and keeping an eye on a couple of key contests on the tube while entertaining VIP visitors at the lake. But somehow we managed.

Nifty Chart™says it all

We went 5 of 8 overall. But making it extra schweet was hitting on 4 of 5 UPSET SPECIALS. So if you took our picks, then it's time to show us some love because you made some serious coin...again.

YOUR WEEKEND REWIND....

THE GOOD...

Tennessee was one or two plays away from winning in Athens but with the points, you came away a winner as the Vols beat the 17 point spread and gave a pretty good scare to the mutts. The game played out pretty much as expected: the Vols exploited the UGA secondary and Todd Gurley ran crazy in the 4th quarter. No signature win yet for bUTch.

Mizzou rebounded nicely in this UPSET SPECIAL as they knocked off South Carolina, 21-20.  By our count, Spurrier's visor went airborne at least a dozen times as the Tigers rallied from a 13 point deficit late in the game.

It took a monster comeback by the Aggies to survive a Razorback scare, 35-28, with two late touchdowns and a missed Arkansas field goal. But, you still won if you took the Hogs and the points in this UPSET SPECIAL. Key stat to ponder: Arkansas has lost 14 consecutive SEC games.

Maryland topped Indiana 37-15 as the Terps limited the nation's leading rusher Tevin Coleman to 122 yards on 22 carries, more than 75 yards below his average. This was Maryland's first Big Ten conference game and they came out winners in this UPSET SPECIAL.

Southern Cal took care of the Oregon State Beavers, 35-10, as Trojan qb Cody Kessler went 24 of 32 and has yet to throw an INT this season while their defense has not yield a TD pass.

THE BAD...

Our luck of betting against Miami finally came to an end as they defeated Duke, 22-10. This was our lone upset special that went sideways, much like Duke's offense that sputtered with only 264 yards offense and ten points...slightly off their average of 441 yards and 35 points per game.

The Nittany Lions fell completely flat as they lost at home 29-6 to Northwestern. While I'm partial to the Wildcats, we were expecting a stronger effort from Penn State, especially at home and with Northwestern struggling. Interesting note: PSU qb Hackenberg hasn't thrown a touchdown pass in the last 3 games after starting the season with a sizzling 773 passing yards in the first two games. Not a good trend line.

THE UGLY...

If Brady Hoke survives this season it will be a miracle. The Wolverines were whipped again at home, 30-14, this time by the Golden Gophers. But compounding this loss was a gross lack of judgment when Hoke and his staff failed to remove their quarterback, Shane Morris, from the game after it was so obvious that he was in la la land after getting his bell rung. No excuse for this at all, especially with all of the recent attention to concussions and brain injuries. This will be one more reason to cut Hoke loose.

We'll see you later in the week with more winning picks.

 Have a Winning Week!

READY TO WIN? OR READY TO WHINE?

It's Week Five of college football and the intensity of play is starting to pick up as most schools are beginning conference play. And in most cases, a single loss is bad news in competitive leagues.

Like previous weeks, we're feeling pretty good about our UPSET SPECIALS and we're rolling the dice again this week with five key upsets on the docket. It's high risk but high reward, and that's what we're all about. So take a quick read and get ready for another great Saturday.

Your Great Eight™ winning picks...

Duke @ Miami...the Blue Devils are still unranked despite opening the season with four straight wins. And they're underdogs on the road at Miami. No respect for Cutcliffe's crew. If they contain the Cane's Duke Johnson, we think QB Anthony Boone can lead the Dookies to another win and a number in front of their name. UPSET SPECIAL...Duke bedevils the Hurricanes.

Tennessee @ #12 Georgia...this has been one of the more entertaining series in the SEC and Tennessee is hoping they can snap a four year losing streak to the bull pups. Two names that will be key to each team's success tomorrow: Vol linebacker AJ Johnson and Georgia tailback Todd Gurley. For Tennessee to have a chance of winning, Johnson, who averages about 10 tackles per game, and his fellow linebackers must find a way to control Georgia's potent run game led by Gurley, and force Hutson Mason to throw. In an UPSET SPECIAL, take Tennessee and the points.

Arkansas @ #6 Texas A&M...it's tempting to take Arkansas in this one especially with their run early/run often rush strategy which is ranked #8 nationally. But the Aggies feature a passing game ranked #4 in the country led by QB Kenny Hill and six receivers that have double digit receptions. We're going old school with this one and are putting our money on the Razorback run game. UPSET ALERT...Hogs with the points will root it out.

Missouri @ #13 South Carolina...the Tigers are still smarting from last week's 31-27 upset loss to Indiana and are looking to get back on track with an upset win over the Gamecocks. South Carolina's offense has yet to hit full stride and their running game averages less than 70 yards per game with Mike Davis struggling for traction. Maty Mauck could be the difference against a South Carolina defense that struggled with Vandy last week. This should be one of the better games this weekend, especially if the Tigers can get Spurrier to throw his cap a few times. In another UPSET SPECIAL, Tigers chop the Cocks.

Northwestern @ Penn State...the Nittany Lions are 4-0 with first year head coach James Franklin. While their run game as been flat, QB Christian Hackenberg has carried the team with his arm, while the defense has been pretty tough, holding opponents to 270 yards total offense, including an FBS-best 49 rushing yards...which is Northwestern's best attribute. Could be a long night in College Park. Lions roar.

Minnesota @ Michigan...this is the Big Ten opener for both teams in a series that has been dominated of late by the Wolverines. Brady Hoke is hoping that he can clear the slate with another win over the Golden Gophers. There's no question that the Michigan offense has struggled but we think it gets back on track tomorrow.  Look for the Wolverines to chomp some Gophers.

Oregon State @ #18 Southern Cal...one name to remember in this game is Cody Kessler, the Trojan quarterback who has completed over 70% of his passes with NO interceptions. Another key stat to chew on: the Beavers have not won at LA Coliseum since 1960.  That trend continues tomorrow as the Trojans trump the Beavers.

Maryland @ Indiana...the Hoosiers are still pumped after upsetting reigning SEC East champ Mizzou last week. Can they keep that momentum going this week? We think the Terps have the firepower to keep pace as QB CJ Brown has gotten stronger and has plenty of talented playmakers surrounding him. In an UPSET SPECIAL...Terps trip the Hoosiers.

Let's check in on Monday and see if we're winning or whining!

MAKE MO MONEY WITH MARK™

UPSET SPECIALS FUEL GREAT WEEKEND.

It was another late night of great college football and if you took our picks your evening was even greater!

Awesome numbers, huh?

For the second straight Saturday, we went deep with our UPSET SPECIALS, hitting on two of three underdog picks: Mississippi State over LSU, and Georgia Tech beating Virginia Tech; both wins coming on the road!

All in all, we went Six of Eight, which makes for an awesome day, and pushes our winning percentage to a schweet 69%.


THE GOOD

The affair in Baton Rouge was a classic. Dak Prescott lived up to expectations as he led Mississippi State to an upset win over #8 LSU. The victory catapulted the Bulldogs to a #14 ranking. As predicted, Dan Mullen dialed up the Dog defense to harass Tiger QB Ant Jennings (Marietta Blue Devil) all night long as the Tigers struggled to put points on the board. The last few minutes of the game were interesting but Missy State hung on to win and send a clear message that they can compete in the SEC West. Hail State.

Jackets steal a "W" and a "T"

Neither team deserved to win but underdog Georgia Tech did just enough to steal a tough road victory at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, 27-24, and are now 4-0 as they prepare to take on the Hurricanes in two weeks. With the defeat of the Gobblers, the Jackets have an inside track to the Coastal Division, but it's early early.

Oklahoma handled the Mountaineers but it wasn't easy, winning 45-33. Sooner tailback Samaje Perine rushed for 242 yards and 4 touchdowns as Oklahoma pulled away late in the game.

The stat guys are still working overtime in Tuck-a-loser as the Crimson Tide opened up a can of old fashion whup ass on the Lizards, 42-21. Blake Sims passed for 445 yards as the Tide rolled up 645 total yards of offense. The seat only gets hotter for Will Muschamp.

If UT beats Bama I'm getting a Butch tattoo

The Seminoles showed why they are still #1 as back up QB Sean McQuire did enough for the Noles to win in overtime, 23-17. Clemson is a tough team to beat, and with the head thug on the sideline, the Tigers pushed it into OT.

Nebraska took care of business with the Miami Hurricanes in Lincoln, 41-31. Ameer Abdullah logged 229 rushing yards and seems to have inserted himself into the Heisman conversation. We think he definitely deserves consideration especially if he keeps up the pace.

THE BAD

The Utes (cue My Cousin Vinny) embarrassed the Wolverines in the Big House, 26-10...another Big Ten loss to a non-conference foe, which by the way was the only Big Ten loss of the weekend. Unless Michigan turns it around real fast, this ain't gonna end well for Brady Hoke (cue the moving vans).

THE UGLY

Pirates sending a message

We picked UNC to beat East Carolina but boy were we ever off...like most others in America. The Tar Heels gave up 70 points to the Pirates in an embarrassing 70-41 blow out ; the most points and yards (789) ever allowed by North Carolina. You woulda thought we were talking roundball.

 Have a winning week!