Man, it's a testament to how much I love all of you that I continue to subject myself to this weekly humiliation.
Texas at Kansas State (-11)
If you read my preview of this game earlier this week, you've probably got a good handle on where I'm going with this.
Texas hasn't shown much resilience lately in bouncing back from disappointment. Having lost to TCU last week, the Longhorns picked a bad time to play one of the best teams in the country.
Pick: KSU rolls behind a huge performance by Collin Klein.
Oklahoma State at Baylor (+4.5)
The Cowboys took a punch to the gut last week in losing a late double-digit lead to in-state rival Oklahoma before succumbing in overtime to the Sooners. That puts OSU in a similar situation to Texas from a mental standpoint.
Add in that OSU's secondary is struggling badly. That spells trouble against Nick Florence, Lache Seastrunk, Terrance Williams and the rest of a Bears offense that is clicking.
Pick: Bears feast.
Florida State vs. Georgia Tech (+14) – ACC Championship Game
*Charlotte
I really don't feel super-confident in any of these picks, but that goes triple for these next three.
FSU just lost as a favorite to in-state rival Florida. The Seminoles defensive coordinator is leaving for Kentucky and may be taking some other assistants along with him. Their head coach's name keeps getting thrown around for other jobs. Lastly, they haven't faced the Yellow Jackets and their option game since 2009.
Pick: Ramblin' Wreck, as FSU may be sleepwalking.
Central Florida at Tulsa (-2) – Conference USA Championship Game
The Golden Hurricane dominated this game everywhere but the scoreboard the first time these two met this year. Definitely makes me wonder why the line isn't a little higher, but I'm trying not to overthink it.
Pick: T-to-the-U.
Alabama vs. Georgia (+7.5) – SEC Championship Game
*Atlanta
I feel like I'd be cheating y'all if I didn't give a pick in this game.
I detest the idea of betting on Mark Richt and Aaron Murray in a big game. However, UGa really looked sharp in the last month of the season. The Bulldogs didn't beat many good teams during that stretch, but they did beat them all soundly.
Something just feels off about this Alabama team to me. The close scrape against LSU and outright loss as a double-digit favorite at home versus Texas A&M suggest the Crimson Tide aren't playing with the same kind of edge that they had early in the season. Did Nick Saban already shoot his wad? (Can I say that?)
Pick: Georgia keeps it close.
(Last Week: 2-3; Overall: 31-34)
