This week’s picks

CAL @ OSU

As tempting as it is to pick the Beavs in an upset, I don’t see it. Cal hasn’t played in weeks so they have faded from memory, but let’s not forget these guys are LOADED. OSU beat Cal @ Cal last year, with Aaron Rodgers worst game of his career. Don’t expect a repeat.

CAL 34, OSU 23.

UW @ Stanford

A winless UW team might be considered dangerous, but I can easily say that now at 0-3, this is the WORST UW team in my lifetime (I wasn’t born in 1969). Further, I can’t remember a time when the deck was more stacked against UW. A frosh QB in Bonnell (although he is 21 years old?), both starting WR’s out for the game, and the team’s best overall player, Tuiasosopo, out for the year? A defense that is 9th in the conference overall and they couldn’t even slow down Notre Dame, who certainly isn’t an offensive juggernaut?? Combine that with Stanford and Trent Edwards maybe the most improved team in the conference this year?? Even though Stanford is a little down in the dumps after missing out on the upset last week, they will be ready for UW (note that no player on the Stanford roster has ever beat UW).

Cardinal in a rout, 37-13.

San Diego St @ UCLA

This is my upset special. UCLA has had a couple of weeks off since their rout of UW, and no doubt they’ve been watching TV and listening to how wonderful they are. Well, letdown-city comes this weekend. San Diego St could have won at the big house, and they play a lot tougher D than UCLA will be expecting. This is a no-win situation for UCLA. Aztecs win at the Rose Bowl, 23-20.

ASU @ Oregon

ASU has been the most “dissed” team in college football, so they have a chip on their shoulder. Oregon got fat on Idaho (who doesn’t?) so it’s hard to guage how good they are. They lost at home to Indiana in their season opener, but that was the epitome of a trap game (week before playing at Oklahoma). However, ASU has one huge weakness, and that is NO running game. They have lost their top 2 tailbacks for the year, one to suspension, one to injury, so that could be trouble. Oregon will be crazy-loud, and something tells me the Ducks will find a way. Walter is right there with Leinart and Rodgers as the best QB’s in the conference, but with no running game, not many QB’s win on the road facing loud crowd noise and 3rd-and-long all day. I still have doubts about ASU’s D, too, but we’ll find out. You can run, but in the Pac-10, you can’t hide forever. Oregon in a squeaker, 27-24.

*Utah @ New Mexico

Earlier in the week I loved the Lobos in this one, another Friday night ESPN tilt. However, one big thing has changed – DonTrell Moore, stud RB deluxe, hurt his knee returning a punt last week and is doubtful! If you saw New Mexico’s green QB, how could anyone have any confidence in what he can do without Moore?? HOWEVER, the news is better later this week, and Moore appears he will be ready to go. The Lobos beat Texas Tech at home a few weeks ago, one of their biggest wins ever, and with Moore doing his thing, they’ll pull it out.

New Mexico 24, Utah 23.

Finally, national game of the week.

Auburn @ Tennessee

Auburn has lower expectations this year after the hype (and USC) killed them last year. This year is a different story – they are loose, strong and very fast on both sides of the ball. Meanwhile Tennessee is living on borrowed time. They should not have beaten Florida as an SEC official after the game admitted to screwing up the clock, most likely giving them an extra 45 seconds of time to move the ball into field goal position. The penalty for personal foul was just embarrassing, too, as the ref saw BOTH players throw punches, but only got the Florida WR for retaliating! It should have been an after the play, double-personal foul, both penalties offset and are ejected from the game, and it’s a 1st down Florida. Instead, 4th down Gators, and they punt. There’s good buzz on Ainge the frosh QB as he rallied the Vols to come back vs. Florida, but Auburn’s D is even better than Florida. Auburn will also move the chains on the ground with the force that is Cadillac Williams.

Auburn in a classic SEC war, 19-16.