WEEK 8 RALPHVIRUS PICKS AND PREDICTIONS

I feel like crap today so this is going to be short and sweet.

1) I want to take GT so bad in this game that it hurts. They own Clemson over the last decade, but Clemson hasn't had an offense like they have now probably ever. They are the #1 scoring offense in college football, and that's after playing teams like Wake Forest, Florida State, and Boston College. Tech has a really good defense, but I think Clemson rolls at home. Gimme Clemson and the points.

2) Texas is only getting 7 at Nebraska? There must be something about Nebraska that's invisible to me. I don't care if he is a freshman QB in Lincoln, Colt McCoy and co. get this one done. If they can beat Oklahoma by 18, they can easily beat Nebraska by 7. Texas and the points.

3) Iowa at Michigan. I have no idea if Manningham is healthy, and I don't know if it matters. Iowa is coming off a horrendous loss to Indiana, and still can't get their offense or defense started. They've been treading water all season and Michigan has looked consistently good. I'm afraid they're going to get too conservative on offense to cover that spread, but in the big house, with or without Manningham I'll go with Big Blue for the win and cover (noticing a trend yet?)

4) I have no idea on this one. Normally you'd never bet against Bobby Bowden in the swamp, but FSU still has no offense, and their defense is too undisciplined to stop a methodical attack like BC. Plus I'm tired of BC screwing me when I pick against them. Double jinx in effect, but I'll take BC on the road here.

5) I can't figure Alabama out. Brody Croyle wasn't good enough to lead them to a 13-1 or whatever it was record last year, and their defense was good, but not THAT good. They hung with Florida, and just pulled one out against Duke. Meanwhile, Tennessee is playing like a team possessed right now, and as long as Erik Ainge can stay on his feet and find those insanely talented receivers, I don't know if they can be stopped. I know this is old school SEC rivalry, but Bama just isn't very good this year, and in Neyland stadium, Tennessee takes the game and covers.

6) Rutgers has been moving the ball with a powerful rushing attack and a stout defense. Lately, Pitt has been lighting up every defense they've come across. QB Palko's line? 70.8% completions, 17 TD, 3 INT, 4 sacks, 1661 yards for a rating of 188.59, 60 points higher than his rating last year. Heisman frontrunner Troy Smith's rating? 172.75. Wow. I keep calling for Rutgers to finally lose because I lost the first ever bet I placed on them, and here I think I might get my wish. Pitt gets the win and there's no way a rushing attack can keep up with the kind of numbers Palko is putting up right now, so Pitt takes the points too.

Yes, I took all favorites and their lines. Kentucky taught me a lesson last week, and it's that I don't know shit about picking upsets, so I'm staying with my strengths. And if I was a gambling man, I'd bet every nickel I had on South Carolina this weekend, because Vanderbilt is getting too much credit for their win in Athens. Georgia played a miserable game, and Spurrier has the Gamecocks clicking right now with Syvelle Newton at QB. I know the game's in Nashville, but there is no home field advantage for Vanderbilt. That stadium is like a high school stadium. Likewise, I can't believe UGA is getting 18 against Mississippi State. I hope UGA just wins this one, because I don't know if there's anybody else on the schedule I feel good about facing. But after you lose to Vanderbilt at home, you probably shouldn't be an almost 3 TD favorite the next week unless you're playing a IAA team. Then again, it is Mississippi State.

Final interesting line, the Miami/Duke game opened at Miami -20. After the 13 suspensions, the line only moved to -17. Wow. Way to crack down there Miami. I guess I shouldn't use the word "crack" too much if Miami fans are reading.