College Football- End of the Regular Season Picks

On Sunday, the BCS Bowl selections will be revealed as the regular season winds down with some Pac-10 rivalries (USC-UCLA and The Civil War), and Championships in the ACC, Big 12, MAC, and SEC.

GAME OF THE WEEK:
# 9 Oklahoma Sooners (10-2, 6-2) vs. # 13 Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-2, 6-2)- Big XII Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, MO)- Saturday @ 8PM EST on ABC

...And so the final Championship Game for the Big XII with 12 schools will take place as Oklahoma picked up key wins late in the season for a chance to play for the Big XII's automatic BCS berth. This is Nebraska's last game as part of the Big XII before they head to the Big Ten, and probably the first-ever Big Ten Championship Game (next year in Indianapolis). The Sooners will send the Huskers to the Big Ten on a whimper.
Pick: Oklahoma 30-15

OTHER CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS:
(Southeastern Conference)
# 1 Auburn Tigers (12-0, 8-0) vs. # 19 South Carolina Gamecocks (9-3)- SEC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome (Atlanta)- Saturday @ 4PM EST on CBS
Ohio State fans want Auburn to win so that they have a shot at winning the Sugar Bowl. The NCAA still insists that Auburn standout Cam Newton is eligible, despite his accused "rule bending". Newton gave the performance of a lifetime on Black Friday, while most Americans were too busy spending cash to care. Down 24-0, the Tigers rallied for a 28-27 win in the Iron Bowl over Alabama. You can't script December. The 'Cocks have been in this 19 vs. 1 scenario already this season, knocking off then-# 1 Alabama 35-21 in October. This could be a spoiler scenario if the Cocks win. Does TCU get the BCS bid, or does it go to an overrated school like Ohio State?
Pick: Auburn 38-24

(Atlantic Coast Conference)
# 21 Florida State Seminoles (9-3, 6-2) vs. # 15 Virginia Tech Hokies (10-2, 8-0)- Dr. Pepper ACC Championship Game- Saturday @ 7:45PM EST at Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, NC) on ESPN
Remember when Virginia Tech was 0-2, losing at Boise State on a Monday, and then five days later, losing to FCS/I-AA James Madison? I sure don't, as the Hokies reeled off ten straight wins to take part in the Dr. Pepper ACC Championship against Florida State. In 'Noles Head Coach Jimbo Fisher's debut season, Florida State surprised a lot of folks by being so successful.
Pick: Virginia Tech 30-24 (OT)

(Mid-American Conference)
# 25 Northern Illinois Huskies (10-2, 8-0) vs. Miami Redhawks (8-4, 7-1)- Marathon MAC Championship Game- Friday @ 7PM EST at Ford Field (Detroit)
Northern Illinois has been here before, but hasn't won a Conference Title in 27 years. Miami can thank the OU Bobcats for losing to Kent State, because Kent State's upset win over OU put Miami in the MAC Title Game up in Detroit.
Pick: Northern Illinois 23-22

OTHER GAMES:
THE CIVIL WAR- # 2 Oregon Ducks (11-0, 8-0) at Oregon State Beavers (5-6, 4-4)- Saturday @ 3:30PM EST at Reser Stadium (Corvallis, OR)- RIVALRY WEEK SERIES
Pick: Oregon 75-0

Arizona State Sun Devils (5-6, 3-5) at # 23 Arizona Wildcats (7-4, 4-4)- Tonight (Thursday) @ 8PM EST at Arizona Stadium (Tucson, AZ)
Pick: Arizona 20-15

# 17 Nevada Wolf Pack (11-1, 6-1) at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (5-6, 3-4)- Saturday @ 3PM EST at Joe Ailett Stadium
Last week, as billions of hungry shoppers returned home from their annual holiday shopping splurges, the Wolf Pack stunned all BCS bracket busters everywhere with a 34-31 overtime win for the ages over Boise State (who had won 24 straight). This one won't even be close.
Pick: Nevada 37-7

Pitt Panthers (6-5, 4-2) at Cincinnati Bearcats (4-7, 2-4)- Saturday @ Noon EST at Nippert Stadium (Cincinnati)
Cincinnati is definitely not the same team that won the Big East last year and finished 12-1 in a blowout loss to Florida in the Sugar Bowl. This year, the Bearcats crashed and burned, and will close out the season against Pitt, who is still in the running for the Big East Title.
Pick: Pitt 28-9

USC Trojans (7-5, 4-4) at UCLA Bruins (4-7, 2-6)- Saturday @ 10:30PM EST at Rose Bowl (Pasadena)- RIVALRY WEEK GAME OF THE WEEK
There has been usually some significance with "The Battle of Los Angeles", but not this year as UCLA limped through 2010, and despite USC's winning mark, the Trojans are on the first year of a two-year Bowl ban for indiscretions caused by former USC running back Reggie Bush. Lane Kiffin ends his first year at USC on a high note.
Pick: USC 28-13

Illinois Fighting Illini (6-5) at Fresno State Bulldogs (7-4)- Friday @ 10:15PM EST at Bulldog Stadium (Fresno, CA)
Pick: Fresno State

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (4-7, 1-5) at West Virginia Mountaineers (8-3, 4-2)- Saturday @ Noon EST at Mountaineer Stadium (Morgantown, WV) on ABC
This is West Virginia's to lose, as the Mountaineers need a win (and a little help) to win the Big East (and the BCS berth).
Pick: West Virginia 31-10

Washington Huskies (5-6, 4-4) at Washington State Cougars (2-9, 1-7)- Saturday @ 7PM EST at Martin Stadium (Pullman, WA) on Versus
Could this be Locker's last hurrah? The Huskies need a win to go bowling, but anything is possible in this Pacific Northwest rivalry.
Pick: Washington 37-21

and last but, not least, Next Saturday (the 11th)...
Army Black Knights (6-5) vs. Navy Midshipmen (8-3)- Dec. 11 @ 2:30PM EST at Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia) on CBS- RIVALRY WEEK GAME OF NEXT WEEK/GAME OF THE WEEK NEXT WEEK
Next week, this game is the only Division I-FBS game, and it is a dandy, featuring two of our favorite branches of the United States Military squaring off in the City of Brotherly Love, like they always do in early December. It will have been 21 days since Army's last game (a 27-3 loss to Notre Dame at Yankee Stadium), and the Black Knights may need to dust off their cobwebs. Yesterday, the Black Knights accepted a bid to the Armed Forces Bowl, their first bowl in 14 years. This will be the first time ever in which the Army, Navy, and Air Force will all go bowling (1996 was the last time all three posted winning seasons in the same year. Army and Navy went to bowls, while 6-5 Air Force was left out in the cold, staying home for the holidays). Army could limp into their bowl game, but they will do their best to finish with a winning record after a three-week vacation.
Pick: Army 21-17