College Football- Week 10 (a Buckeye-free Weekend)

There will be two big top ten showdowns on Saturday afternoon when # 6 Alabama visits # 10 LSU and # 3 TCU visits # 5 Utah in what could be the games of the week in the College Football landscape.

GAMES OF THE WEEK:
# 6 Alabama Crimson Tide at # 10 LSU Tigers (both 7-1, 4-1)- 3:30PM EDT at Tiger Stadium; Baton Rouge, LA
and
# 3 TCU Horned Frogs (9-0, 5-0) at # 5 Utah Utes (8-0, 5-0)- 3:30PM EDT at Rice-Eccles Stadium; Salt Lake City
Two games. Four top ten teams. Big stakes are involved in the outcome of both games. These games will determine the outcome of the Top 10, when the new poll rankings come out on Sunday afternoon.

First up, SEC supremacy. Both Alabama and LSU have won two of the last three BCS National Championships. Both are 7-1 in overall in 2010, and 4-1 in the SEC. Why Alabama should win is because of the play of Greg McElroy, who helped carry the team when Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram sat out games because of injuries. Why LSU should win is because of their 7-0 start, and because the LSU receivers can expose Alabama's secondary, which was exposed in the Tide's loss to South Carolina. Both of these 7-1 teams were off last week, and both have tougher games this November (BAMA: Mississippi State and Auburn; LSU: Ole Miss and Arkansas). If the Tide roll past LSU, the Tide control their own destiny, in terms of returning to the BCS National Championship.

In the other game, you have a battle against two unbeaten schools from a non-BCS conference that are in two of the three non-BCS conference schools in the Top Five (Boise State's the third school), when TCU visits Utah. This will be the last Mountain West game for these two BCS crashers together as Utah moves to the Pac-12 next year. And for the third year in a row, this game has huge BCS implications. Utah, under then-coach Urban Meyer was the first non-BCS school to break the BCS mold in 2004. In 2008, Utah bested TCU 13-10 en route to a 13-0 season and a Sugar Bowl win. Something will give in both the capitals of Utah and Louisiana on Saturday afternoon.
Picks: Alabama and TCU

OTHER BIG TOP 25 GAMES:
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (5-3, 3-2) at # 22 Virginia Tech Hokies (6-2, 4-0)- 7:30PM EDT (Thursday/Tonight) at Lane Stadium/Worsham Field; Blacksburg, VA
Pick: Virginia Tech 31-20

# 16 Iowa Hawkeyes (6-2, 3-1) at Indiana Hoosiers (4-4, 0-4)- Noon EDT at Memorial Stadium; Bloomington, IN
Last week, Iowa ruined Michigan State's hopes for its first National Championship since '66 with a 37-6 shellacking in Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes fly into Bloomington to run a clinic against Ben Chappell. Speaking of Michigan State, see below...
Pick: Iowa 37-3

Minnesota Golden Gophers (1-8, 0-5) at # 14 Michigan State Spartans (8-1, 4-1)- Noon EDT at Spartan Stadium; East Lansing, MI
The doctor has ordered the perfect prescription to cure Michigan State's hangover after their loss to Iowa: a Saturday afternoon lunch date with the last-place Golden Gophers.
Pick: Michigan State 41-0

# 9 Wisconsin Badgers (7-1, 3-1) at Purdue Boilermakers (4-4, 2-2)- Noon EDT at Ross-Ade Stadium; West Lafayette, IN
Pick: Wisconsin 27-6

# 25 NC State Wolfpack (6-2, 3-1) at Clemson Tigers (4-4, 2-3)- Noon EDT at Memorial Stadium; Clemson, SC
Pick: NC State 30-14

# 21 Baylor Bears (7-2, 4-1) at # 17 Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-1, 3-1)- 12:30PM EDT at Boone Pickens Stadium; Stillwater, OK
Pick: Baylor 45-41

Chattanooga at # 2 Auburn Tigers (9-0)- 1PM EDT at Jordan-Hare Stadium; Auburn, AL
Cam Newton is for real, when it comes to the Heisman derby.
Pick: Auburn 55-6

Washington Huskies (3-5, 2-3) at # 1 Oregon Ducks (8-0)- 3:30PM EDT at Autzen Stadium; Eugene, OR
The really bad news for Washington is that they lost quarterback Jake Locker. Oregon is going to have a field day, especially after last week's 53-32 comeback win over USC.
Pick: Oregon 62-0

# 7 Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-1, 3-1) at Iowa State Cyclones (5-4, 3-2)- 3:30PM EDT at Jack Trice Stadium; Ames, IA
Pick: Nebraska 40-13

North Carolina Tarheels (5-3, 2-2) at # 24 Florida State Seminoles (6-2, 3-1)- 3:30PM EDT at Bobby Bowden Field/Doak Campbell Stadium; Tallahassee
Pick: Florida State 41-13

Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (7-2, 5-0) at # 4 Boise State Broncos (7-0, 3-0)- 3:30PM EDT at Bronco Stadium; Boise, ID
This is Boise's last big test, as they face a potentially dangerous on offense Hawaii squad, with their can offense making an appearance at Bronco Stadium. Nip that one in the Idaho spud.
Pick: Boise State 28-16

# 23 Nevada Wolf Pack (7-1, 2-1) at Idaho Vandals (4-4, 1-2)- 5PM EDT at ASUI-Kibbie Dome; Moscow, ID
Pick: Nevada 27-13

# 18 Arkansas Razorbacks (6-2, 3-2) at # 19 South Carolina Gamecocks (6-2, 4-2)- 7PM EDT at Williams-Brice Stadium; Columbia, SC
Both the Razorbacks and the Gamecocks were victims of the competitiveness of the SEC, now standing in the shadows of Auburn, Alabama, and LSU (all in the Top 10 of the AP and BCS polls). Both of these schools, plus the three aforementioned SEC schools are all bowl eligible. It will be tough to say who wins this one.
Pick: Arkansas 27-23

# 8 Oklahoma Sooners (7-1, 3-1) at Texas A&M Aggies (5-3, 2-2)- 7PM at Kyle Field; College Station, TX
Pick: Oklahoma 38-15

# 15 Arizona Wildcats at # 13 Stanford Cardinal (both 7-1, 4-1)- 8PM at Stanford Stadium; Stanford, CA
This is the first meeting with both of these schools ranked entering the matchup. Arizona has its own quarterback controversy as Andrew Noles returns from a rib injury, not to diss Matt Scott who took over in Noles' absence. The Cats are off to their best start since 1998. Stanford is off to its best start in 40 years, when the Cardinal beat Ohio State in the 1971 Rose Bowl (a year that delusional Buckeye fans claimed that OSU won the National Championship). Stanford allowed the second-fewest total yards in school history last week (107 yards) in a 41-0 shellacking of Washington. Andrew Luck will have a great night at home.
Pick: Stanford 41-21

# 12 Missouri Tigers (7-1) at Texas Tech Red Rebels (4-4, 2-4)- 8PM at Jones AT&T Stadium; Lubbock, TX
Pick: Missouri 24-7

NORTH COAST CONFERENCE:
Wabash Little Giants (7-1, 5-0) at Wittenberg Tigers (8-0, 5-0)
This one is going to be for the North Coast Conference Title and the automatic bid to the Division III playoffs. The Little Giants have a 6-5 advantange over the Tigers since joining the North Coast Athletic Conference.

Kenyon Lords (0-8, 0-4) at Wooster Fighting Scots (4-4, 3-1)
Pick: Wooster 52-0

Allegheny Gators (5-3, 3-2) at Hiram Terriers (1-7, 1-3)
Pick: Allegheny 42-6

Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops (1-7, 1-3) at Oberlin Yeomen (3-5, 2-3)
Pick: Oberlin 23-13

OHIO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE: (all games @ 1:30PM ET on Saturday)
Mount Union Purple Raiders (8-0, 7-0) at Baldwin-Wallace Yellow Jackets (7-1, 6-1)
This is a tough one to choose, as both are 15-1 overall and 13-1 in OAC play combined. Mount Union scored a paltry 28 points in a 28-10 win over Otterbein, as the Cards had two defensive goal line stands against Mount Union. Baldwin-Wallace needs an upset to forge a three-way tie for first place in the OAC (Ohio Northern being the third school). Mount Union will continue its free ride as the instamatic victor of the Ohio Athletic Conference, and perhaps could win their 11th National Championship in the last 18 years.
Pick: Mount Union 35-14

Otterbein Cardinals (4-4, 3-4) at Marietta Pioneers (2-6, 1-6)
The last time the Otterbein Cardinals went to Marietta, they were a perfect 7-0, looking forward to another 8-0 vs. 8-0 showdown against Mount Union, and perhaps a return trip to the playoffs, to capitalize on the success left over from the 2008 campaign. Then, the unthinkable happened as Otterbein was hit by the injury bug, and the Pioneers capitalized on Otterbein's shortcomings and scored the game-winning touchdown with a minute left in a 25-22 Pioneer upset, derailing Otterbein's playoff hopes. While Otterbein may not make the playoffs this year, the Cardinals want to avenge the demon that kept them out of the playoffs last year, in said demon's House of Horrors. And that demon is Marietta. Last week, Otterbein held Mount Union at bay, holding the Purple Raiders to 28 points in a 28-10 Purple Raider win.
Pick: Otterbein 41-24

John Carroll Blue Streaks (4-4, 4-3) at Heidelberg Student Princes (4-4, 3-4)
Pick: John Carroll 28-14

Wilmington Quakers (0-8, 0-7) at Ohio Northern Polar Bears (7-1, 6-1)
Pick: Ohio Northern 41-0

Capital Crusaders (3-5, 3-4) at Muskingum Muskies (3-5, 2-5)
Pick: Muskingum 21-17

OTHER CENTRAL OHIO COLLEGES:
Ashland Eagles (6-3, 5-3) at Ohio Dominican Panthers (both 2-6 overall and in GLIAC play)
Pick: Ashland 39-14

OTHER NCAA DIVISION I-FBS GAMES:
Illinois Fighting Illini (5-3, 3-2) at Michigan Wolverines (5-3, 1-3)- Noon at Michigan Stadium; Ann Arbor
Michigan still has no answer for their ****ty defense, and they can't keep playing Denard Robinson 24/7 if they have any hopes of crashing Jim Tressel's Thanksgiving Party in three weeks when the Boys in (Maize and) Blue play the Buckeyes in The Game. Michigan's defense needs to step it up if they want any hopes of (a) going to a bowl and (b) keeping Rich Rodriguez in Ann Arbor beyond this season. Speaking of Rodriguez, the NCAA concluded their investigation of the extended practice scandal and gave Michigan a third year of probation today.
Pick: Illinois 42-24

Maryland Terrapins (6-2, 3-1) at Miami Hurricanes (5-3, 3-2)- Noon
Pick: Miami 33-16

Florida Gators (5-3, 3-3) at Vanderbilt Commodores (2-6, 1-4)- 12:20PM at Vanderbilt Stadium; Nashville
Pick: Florida 27-13

Boston College Golden Eagles (3-5, 1-4) at Wake Forest Demon Deacons (2-6, 1-4)- 3:30PM
Pick: Wake 20-14 (OT)

Northwestern Wildcats (6-2, 2-2) at Penn State Nittany Lions (5-3, 2-2)- 3:30PM at Beaver Stadium; College Park, PA
Pick: Penn State 31-24

Cal Golden Bears (4-4, 2-3) at Washington State Cougars (1-8, 0-6)- 4PM
Quarterback Kevin Riley's season is over for Cal, so what seemed to be a sure bet for a win may look like a trap game in Pullman as the Cougs could pull off an upset in Pullman.
Pick: Washington State 24-14

Arizona State Sun Devils (4-4, 2-3) at USC Trojans (5-3, 2-3)- 10:30PM at The Coliseum; Los Angeles
Pick: USC 34-7