Picks of the Week: No. 7

Don't ask me why, but the 'Eer has decided to venture back to the ACC to pick games. That can't be good. The 'Eer also had another winning week, but he still wants that perfect week. Maybe this is it.

Connecticut (-13.0) over Louisville
UConn is so close to being 5-0 right now. The Huskies outplayed Pitt last week, but fell 24-21 at Heinz Field. Nothing helps you avoid a losing skid than seeing Louisville on the schedule. The Cardinals did pull out a 25-23 win over Southern Miss last week, but the Steve Kragthorpe watch is such a distraction and UConn's defense is stingy, so Louisville will struggle in the cold at Rentschler Field.
Pick: Connecticut 28, Louisville 13

Miami (-14.5) over Central Florida
There's always a concern the Hurricanes will let up a bit after that treacherous four-game stretch to start the season. Last week, Miami handled Florida A&M 48-16. This week Randy Shannon is putting his players on charter buses and traveling four hours up the Florida Turnpike to face UCF. Jacory Harris will remain is cool self and lead Miami to an easy win in Orlando.
Pick: Miami 36, Central Florida 10

Ohio State (-13.5) over Purdue
Only 13.5 points? Sure the game is at Ross-Ade Stadium, but the Boilermakers are no match for Ohio State. There are a lot of concerns about the Buckeyes offense, especially the lack of consistency and improvement by sophomore QB Terrelle Pryor. But this is a perfect opportunity to let Pryor work out of his rut, plus the Ohio State defense should pitch another shut out.
Pick: Ohio State 34, Purdue 3

Temple (-9.5) over Army
I couldn't pass up this game. When's the last time Temple and Army were both .500 or better this late in the season? The Owls are 3-2, but lead the Mid-American Conference East Division at 3-0. Temple is also riding a three-game winning streak after falling to FCS-opponent Villanova in the opener and then it was thumped by Penn State. Freshman RB Bernard Pierce is the offensive catalyst. The Black Knights are coming off a huge 16-13 overtime victory against Vanderbilt. Expect QB Brent Steelman to run the ball about three more times than he passes.
Pick: Temple 31, Army 21

Upset of the Week
Wake Forest (+7.0) over Clemson
This pick is based strictly on the two coaches. Wake's Jim Grobe is among the nation's best, while Clemson's Dabo Swinney hasn't impressed many with his preparation (he sure does run around yelling and does a good job of playing a cheerleader). What scares me about this pick? The Tigers are more talented and the game is at Clemson. RB C.J. Spiller is the best player on the field. But don't pick against Grobe in this one.
Pick: Wake Forest 22, Clemson 21

Last Week: 3-2
Season Record: 16-14