2011 College Football: Week 7

This weekend is the midway point of the College Football regular season, and in the Big Ten, two unbeatens could possibly fall, as # 12 Michigan (6-0 for the first time since 2006) and # 16 Illinois (6-0 for the first time since 1951) face Michigan State (4-1) and Ohio State (3-3), respectively, in the Paul Bunyan and IlliBuck Trophy Games, respectively, in East Lansing and Champaign, respectively.

THURSDAY NIGHT LIGHTS:
USC Trojans (4-1, 2-1) at Cal Golden Bears (3-2, 0-2)- at AT&T Park in San Francisco
The Golden Bears, after a 3-0 start, have dropped their first two Pac-12 contests, and things don't get easier, as USC travels up from LA to the Bay Area to play those Golden Bears. Tonight is also the 35th Annual Joe Roth Football Classic, played whenever Cal hosts UCLA or USC since 1977, to honor the memory of quarterback Joe Roth, who was the starting quarterback at Cal in 1975 and 1976, who died of melanoma in February 1977 at the young age of 21. Roth's jersey number (12) is the only number to be retired at the University of California-Berkeley.
Pick: USC 23, Cal 19

Other Games Coming Later
Big Game of the Week:
The Paul Bunyan Trophy- # 12 Michigan Wolverines (6-0, 2-0) at Michigan State Spartans (4-1, 1-0)
"When you come to Michigan to play football, your legacy is left by Big Ten Championships, Rose Bowls and how you did against your rivals."- Ryan Van Bergen
The last time that the Wolverines won in East Lansing was 2007- the 100th battle between those in-state rivals. The Paul Bunyan Trophy has called East Lansing home the last three years. Now that the Wolverines have a new Commander-in-Chief, the Wolverines look to dominate this rivalry once again. The Spartans, fresh off a bye after beating Ohio State for the first time since 1999, is looking to beat the Boys in (Maize and) Blue for a fourth straight year. Can they do it? Can Michigan finally play 60 minutes and not play catch-up finally? We'll see...
Pick: Michigan State 34, Michigan 24

Rivalry Game of the Week:
Capital Crusaders (2-3, 2-2) at Otterbein Cardinals (1-4, 0-4)
Boy, have the mighty fallen. Three years ago, the Cardinals skyrocketed to an 8-0 start, and went to the playoffs for the first (and only) time. Now, the Cardinals are struggling, losing four straight, not being able to stay in close games, and their quarterback Austin Schlosser turns the ball over frequently. This would not be a good time to head into Capital week, but here the Cardinals are, hosting their bitter crosstown rivals. The Cards have won four of the last six meetings, including three straight in Westerville. The Crusaders have had more heart than the Cardinals have, and the Cardinals are on the same sinking ship as the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Pick: Capital 35, Otterbein 12

Upset Pick of the Week:
# 15 South Carolina Gamecocks (5-1, 3-1) at Mississippi State Bulldogs (3-3, 0-3)
Stephen Garcia, we hardly knew ye. The Gamecocks' quarterback was dismissed from the team for failing an alcohol test. Connor Shaw will be the QB the rest of the way for the Gamecocks who head to Mississippi State.
Pick: Mississippi State 24, South Carolina 21

Other Big Games This Week:
The IlliBuck Trophy- Ohio State Buckeyes (3-3, 0-2) at # 16 Illinois Fighting Illini (6-0, 2-0)
The last time that the Illini were 6-0, Harry Truman was President, John Wayne was Hollywood's Biggest Star, and I Love Lucy debuted, and gas probably cost 50 cents too (1951). The Buckeyes have only gone 0-3 in the Big Ten twice in the last 40 years (that being 2004, remember the upset loss at Northwestern, then back-to-back spankings from Iowa and Wisconsin to start the Big Ten season), and another Buckeye loss would basically be another nail in Luke Fickell's head coaching coffin at OSU. But, Nathan Scheelhaase has been solid for the Illini, while the Buckeyes blew a 21-point lead in Lincoln by surrendering 28 unanswered points to Nebraska, while losing QB Braxton Miller to an ankle injury. Good news for OSU is that Miller is listed as the starter. The bad news for them will be if they can't contain Scheelhaase.
Pick: Illinois 38, Ohio State 23

# 1 LSU Tigers (6-0, 3-0) at Tennessee Volunteers (3-2, 0-2)
LSU picked away and clawed Florida last week, and expect the Bayou Bengals to do the same to the Vols at Neyland Stadium.
Pick: LSU 48, Tennessee 7

Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-0, 2-0) at # 17 Texas Longhorns (4-1, 1-1)
The Longhorns were stampeded out of the Cotton Bowl by Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout last week. Can the Horns recover?
Pick: OSU 35, Texas 21

Virginia Tech Hokies (5-1, 1-1) at Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-1, 3-0)
Pick: Virginia Tech 38, Wake 24

Florida State Seminoles (2-3, 0-2) at Duke Blue Devils (3-2, 1-0)
Can this be right? FSU 2-3? Duke 3-2? Huh? Nobody thought that the football Blue Devils would start off decently. But appearances can be deceiving.
Pick: Florida State 45, Duke 10

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (6-0, 3-0) at Virginia Cavaliers (3-2, 0-1)
The Jackets are 6-0 for the first time since 1966. Can they keep it going?
Pick: Georgia Tech 41, Virginia 10

Arizona State Sun Devils (5-1, 3-0) at Oregon Ducks (4-1, 2-0)
Pick: Oregon 35, Arizona State 8

Stanford Cardinal (5-0, 3-0) at Washington State Cougars (3-2, 1-1)
Pick: Stanford 51, Washington State 6

Auburn Tigers (4-2, 2-1) at Florida Gators (4-2, 2-2)
Pick: Florida 23, Auburn 16

Colorado Buffaloes (1-5, 0-2) at Washington Huskies (4-1, 2-0)
Colorado is wishing it were still in the Big 12, instead of the Pac-12.
Pick: Washington 31, Colorado 10

Northwestern Wildcats (2-3, 0-2) at Iowa Hawkeyes (3-2, 0-1)
Northwestern blew its chance for an upset, surrendering a 24-14 halftime lead at Ryan Field against Michigan, and being shut out 28-0 in the second half. This week, they head to Iowa City to play the Hawkeyes, who are also looking for their first Big Ten win of 2011.
Pick: Iowa 27, Northwestern 17

Indiana Hoosiers (1-5, 0-2) at Wisconsin Badgers (5-0, 1-0)
This one will be over after the opening kickoff. Remember last year's 83-20 drubbing?
Pick: Wisconsin 72, Indiana 0

# 3 Oklahoma Sooners (5-0, 2-0) at Kansas Jayhawks (2-3, 0-2)
If you saw the Red River Shootout, Oklahoma is for real this year.
Pick: Oklahoma 66, Kansas 6

Iowa State Cyclones (3-2, 0-2) at Missouri Tigers (2-3, 0-2)
Pick: Missouri 28, Iowa State 21

Clemson Tigers (6-0, 3-0) at Maryland Terrapins (2-3, 1-1)
Pick: Clemson 31, Maryland 3

Miami Hurricanes (2-3, 0-2) at North Carolina Tar Heels (5-1, 1-1)
Pick: North Carolina 34, Miami 7

Louisville Cardinals (2-3) at Cincinnati Bearcats (4-1)- at Paul Brown Stadium
Pick: Cincinnati 41, Louisville 13

Toledo Rockets (3-3, 2-0) at Bowling Green Falcons (3-3, 1-1)
Pick: Toledo 37, Bowling Green 34

# 2 Alabama Crimson Tide (6-0, 3-0) at Ole Miss Rebels (2-3, 0-2)
Pick: Alabama 42, Ole Miss 0

Georgia Bulldogs (4-2, 3-1) at Vanderbilt Commodores (3-2, 0-2)
Pick: Georgia 34, Vanderbilt 14

OAC Games (besides Otterbein-Capital):
Muskingum Muskies (4-1, 3-1) at John Carroll Blue Streaks (3-2, 3-1)
Wilmington Quakers (0-5, 0-4) at Marietta Pioneers (1-4, 0-4)
Mount Union Purple Raiders (5-0, 4-0) at Heidelberg Student Princes (4-1, 3-1)
Ohio Northern Polar Bears (3-2, 2-2) at Baldwin-Wallace Yellow Jackets (4-1, 3-1)
Picks: Muskingum, Marietta, Mount Union, and Baldwin-Wallace (and of course, Capital)

Other Central Ohio Schools:
Wittenberg Tigers (5-1, 3-0) at Kenyon Lords (0-5, 0-2)
Denison Big Red (3-3, 2-0) at Allegheny Gators (3-3, 1-1)
Ohio Dominican Panthers (3-3, 2-3) at Findlay Oilers (3-3, 3-2)
Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops have a bye this week
Picks: Wittenberg, Denison, and Ohio Dominican