Picks of the Week

Wow! I stunk it up last week. After going 0-5 in my picks last week, I return to redeem myself and regain some self respect. Remember my picks also include the spread, so let's see how I can do this week.

Arizona (-18) over Washington
The 'Cats rebounded last week with a 31-10 victory over reeling UCLA. A victory here is critical for the future of Mike Stoops in Tucson. A win here gets 'Zona to 4-1 with winnable games still on the slate with Stanford, Washington State and Arizona State. Game should prove to be a showcase for two of the Pac-10's top receivers in UA's Mike Thomas and Washington's D'Andre Goodwin. However, October has been a rough month on Arizona under Stoops (3-14).
Pick: Arizona 42, Washington 18

Florida (-21) over Arkansas
Tim Tebow had a bad game against Ole Miss. Urban Meyer's performance was even worse. That doesn't happen in back-to-back weeks. Look for Tebow and Meyer to take out their frustrations on Bobby Petrino's boys. Watching Arkansas quarterback Casey Dick try to complete a pass is as painful as trying to say his name without snickering like a 10-year-old.
Pick: Florida 45, Arkansas 14

Missouri (-9.5) over Nebraska
Now we find out how high-flying the Tigers' offense really is. I think we'll find out that the Chase Daniel to Jeremy Maclin matchup is just too much for the rebuilding Cornhuskers. Bo Pelini's squad held its own against Virginia Tech last week (35-30 loss), but a home victory was more important than a moral victory. Expect Missouri to exploit Nebraska's weaknesses even more than VT.
Pick: Missouri 48, Nebraska 24

Vanderbilt (+4.5) over Auburn
I don't think Vandy will pull off the win, but the Commodores will hang with the Tigers. Vanderbilt leads the SEC East and has played well against decent competition. Wins against South Carolina and Ole Miss look OK right now. Auburn is the team I can't figure out. Played an outstanding game against LSU, but struggled with Southern Miss, Mississippi State and Tennessee—all three are teams on the rocks. Expect this to be close and potentially some strange play to sway momentum.
Pick: Auburn 7, Vanderbilt 6

Upset Special South Carolina (+3) over Mississippi
The Ol' Ball Coach has been off his game this year. I think Spurrier's starting to realize signing that long-term deal with South Carolina may not have been such a good idea (or for his legendary status). He's looking to impress the brass at Tennessee so he can work his way into the fold as a replacement for Phil Fulmer. Look for the Gamecocks to put together a good game plan and execute (sorry for stealing Herbstreit) against the Rebels, who are still in shock after winning in The Swamp last week.
Pick: South Carolina 20, Mississippi 17

Last week: 0-5
Season: 4-6