Tonight's Pick

I am red hot this September as I have opened the season 17-7. But that is in the past so let's remain focused. Tonight I am going with Louisville, although I will be rooting hard for head coach Bobby Petrino to open the season 0-3 with the Cardinals. Still, they are a desperate team and playing at home on a Thursday. clemson is not as good as their ranking. Pick: Louisville +6.5

How Much Lower Can Rutgers Sink?

With multiple players being suspended for accused criminal activity the Rutgers football program will soon be holding open tryouts. Well, maybe not. But the ability of the squad to compete with the upper echelon of the Big Ten, already pretty shaky before the suspensions, is now looking near impossible. Truthfully wins and losses matter little at the moment. The program needs to get a hold of the situation before anyone else gets hurt and then go about earning respect as a team that plays hard and does the right thing off the field. The situation is so dire now that changes have to happen. The coach and athletic director are obvious choices to go while the president himself needs to argue for his job. Someone beyond reproach needs to be hired, but current guys who both win and in the right manner are few and far between. Coaches are usually given a free pass if they win and athletic directors are fired if their hires do not win, so there is little reason to expect the good guys to get hired. Hopefully Rutgers will get the shipped straightened out although there is little reason for optimism.

Today's Picks

Sitting at 12-6 on the season I am ready for a few games today. Buffalo +17.5 at PSU Army +7 at UConn Miss State +4 hosting lsu CSU +5 hosting Minny Iowa -3 versus ISU MSU -4 hosting

Tonight's Pick

Once again the Beehive State is loaded with quality football players and tonight's Utah State-Utah game is a fine showcase. Utah looked like the Pac 12 contender it is last week in handling Michigan and they will try to control the game tonight. But tonight's opponent will have emotion on its side and better QB playing. That QB Chuckie Keeton has spent so much time injured over the years that he should view tonight's televised match-up as a chance to make up for lost time. The Aggies will stay close in this one, a game that is the last scheduled between these two rivals for the time being. Pick: Utah State +12

Conference USA Update

There is a big game tonight and I am not talking about the NFL. Western Kentucky, fresh off a two-point victory over Vanderbilt, hosts fellow Conference USA contender Louisiana Tech. The game is a huge one for the Hilltoppers after last year's surprising blowout loss at Ruston, Louisiana. The Bulldogs won that game 59-10 but one would expect the home team to come out for bear this season, especially with star QB Brandon Doughty, RB Leon Allen and three of the top four receivers from '14 back in the fold. For the visitors the key will be new QB Jeff Driskel's ability to move the ball on an improved, but still suspect, Hilltopper D that will be inspired. The environment will be crazed and I look for a Western Kentucky win (but not confident to list it as a pick).

Saturday Recap and Tonight's Pick

One of the many elements of college football that is truly wonderful is the shear number of folks who are ecstatic today because of results from this weekend. I love the NFL and am a big Giants fan, but while I would love for them to beat Dallas next Sunday night, I won't be that excited if they do as there is a long season ahead of us, including a rematch, and one game does not make or break a team. There is no way I will feel as happy Sunday night with a win as fans of Temple remain today two days after their school's historic victory over Penn State. BYU fans will always remember Saturday's incredible finish, even if the Cougars will have to continue the season without injured star QB Taysom Hill. Most of the other winners who impressed did not have victories as huge as BYU and Temple, but fans of Northwestern, Notre Dame, Auburn and Texas A&M among hundreds of others, cannot wait to continue a promising season. We may have another momentous win tonight if Virginia Tech can repeat their upset of Ohio State. The problem for the Hokies is that OSU's offense is so much better today than last September. I rally do not see the Hokies be able to hang in once the Buckeyes get rolling. Close at the half but then comfortable by game's end. Pick: OSU-14. After a good Saturday I sit at 10-6 for the season.

Today's Picks

FORDHAM!!!! Okay I got that out of my system. Down to 3-3 after Boise allowed Washington back into last night's game. For today: UCLA-14.5, Northwestern +11, ASU +3, BYU +6.5, Bowling Green +21.5, La-Lafayette +17, Georgia So +19.5, ND-9.5, Bama-12. My hunch pick is Temple +6.5