NCAA College Football Picks Week 9

To everyone rooting for "BCS CHAOS OMG", sorry but it's not going to happen, at least not like they would hope. Two unbeatens went down last week to cut the number down to 8. Kansas State is going to lose to one if not both of the Oklahomas and Oklahoma State will lose to Oklahoma because they always lose to Oklahoma.

Clemson will Clemson themselves sooner or later, it's simply in their DNA. One of LSU or Alabama will be eliminated next week in a de facto playoff game, for all the people who don't understand why the college football regular season is awesome, games like the one next week are why. Houston hasn't played anyone. Boise State haven't played anyone. Utah is 0-4 in the Pac-12. Playing AQ opposition every week does make a big difference. If Stanford can clear USC, Notre Dame and Oregon, the latter two both at home, they will deserve to play the SEC Champion for all the jellybeans.

Picks after the jump.

Week Nine
Home Team listed second in CAPS
vs = Neutral Site game
(*) = Line Differential
[*] = National Ranking

Virginia (+14.5) at Miami
[9] Michigan State (+5.5) at [13] Nebraska
[22] Georgia (-2.5) at Florida
[25] West Virginia (-7) at Rutgers
Baylor (+18) at [3] Oklahoma State
[11] Oklahoma (-13.5) at [10] Kansas State
[14] South Carolina (-4) at Tennessee
[4] Stanford (-7.5) at [20] USC
[6] Clemson (-4.5) at Georgia Tech
[12] Wisconsin (-8.5) at Ohio State

Chris picks: Miami, Michigan State, Florida, Rutgers, Baylor, Kansas State, South Carolina, USC, Georgia Tech, Ohio State

I pick: Virginia, Nebraska, Georgia, Rutgers, Baylor, Kansas State, South Carolina, USC, Clemson, Ohio State

I usually pick the home team in these horrible Thursday night games, but there are some teams out there which are completely schizophrenic. Miami is one of them and there is no way I'd lay 14.5 points with them. I still thought they would win and that result was ridiculous. Virginia are pretty schizophrenic themselves. Michigan State had a big win last week, now they have to go on the road and run right into another hard hitting team in Nebraska. The Huskers had a bad matchup earlier in the season in Madison but at home I think they match up a lot better against the Spartans and figure to give them some serious problems.

Florida's uncertainty at QB forces me to give the edge to Georgia. Looks like they are on course to eke out an SEC East title, saving Mark Richt's job. West Virginia is moving to the Big 12 and I suspect they'll be given a nasty scare by a Rutgers team playing great on defense, it always seems to happen. I don't think Oklahoma State can get 3 touchdowns clear of Baylor, there will be a backdoor cover if anything; the Cowpokes defense is just not good enough. I suspect Oklahoma will serve Kansas State its first loss this season, but 13.5 feels like too much, the Wildcats can hang tough.

Both South Carolina and Tennessee are messes. While the Gamecocks very rarely win in Knoxville, they have a talent edge and should be able to hold down an inept Vols attack. USC is another team impossible to figure out but they have strung two dominating performances together and should be able to stay close to a Stanford team that haven't played a good defense all year. That game will be notable for Barkley vs Luck but Luck has the better talent around him. Georgia Tech have gone down the tubes and have played pathetically in their last two outings but its time for this Clemson thing to end so I'll pick the Tigers just to make sure. Finally, Ohio State is a gut call. I don't really believe in it, it's just a feeling.

Last Week:
Chris: 4-6
Me: 5-5

Season:
Chris: 25-54-1
Me: 40-39-1