College Football Picks: Week 8

In the heart of the conference schedule, as teams get ready for the stretch run... ok, I'm still working on my intros! But anyway, let's just stop this and get to the picks.

Iowa @ (2) Michigan
A couple weeks ago, Iowa was looked at as one of the top 3 or 4 teams in the Big 10, especially with Drew Tate at the helm. Now, they're barely above water after losing to Indiana, who hasn't been all that good the past few years. And now, they head into The Big House, home to what I believe is the best team in the Nation. Their only shot is if Drew Tate has some big-game heroics, but I don't see him doing enough. Not against Michigan. MICHIGAN 27-13.

(22) Boston College @ Florida St.
The Seminoles started off the year looking good with a win over Miami at the Orange Bowl... things haven't gone so well since. The offense is inconsistent, they have 2 losses, and they've fallen out of the poll. Meanwhile, BC is coming off of a convincing 22-3 win over Virginia Tech, which put them at 22 in the rankings. However, with the uncertainty over whether Matt Ryan will be able to play, combined with this game being in Tallahassee, I'll go with the Noles here. FLORIDA ST. 16-14.

(19) Rutgers @ Pittsburgh
Rutgers, yes Rutgers, is looking to remain undefeated heading into Pittsburgh (granted, they haven't exactly had a world-beating SOS). Pitt is playing pretty well themselves, as they stand at 6-1 with their only loss against Michigan St. Tyler Palko is playing very well, the D is solid, and they are getting solid contributions from the running game. For Rutgers, Ray Rice is a very solid RB, and Mike Heel has some weapons catching the ball. However, I like Palko and Pitt a little more, and I like them to drop another team from the undefeated ranks. PITTSBURGH 31-21.

(13) Georgia Tech @ (12) Clemson
Great matchup here between the two best teams in the ACC, though they have different ways of going about it. For Ga. Tech, everything is centered around Calvin Johnson, the best WR in the nation. For Clemson, it all revolves around the great running game, led by James Davis and freshman CJ Spiller. Both Davis and Spiller average over 6 YPC, and have combined for 20 rushing TD. Clemson's only loss came by 1 point at BC, while GT's only loss was by 4 points to Notre Dame. This will be a great football game between two very solid teams, but I like Georgia Tech a little more with the versatility of Reggie Ball at the QB position. GEORGIA TECH 34-31.

(5) Texas @ (17) Nebraska
The last matchup was between the two best teams in the ACC, and this pits the two best teams in the Big 12 (especially with Adrian Peterson out). Texas has played great football since the loss to Ohio St., and Nebraska has been solid all year long. For the Huskers, it's all about the passing game under Bill Callahan, and Zac Taylor has been superb, with 14 TD passes. For the Longhorns, Colt McCoy has upped him, with 18 TD passes already. But the real difference here is in the RBs... Marlon Lucky is a fine looking sophomore, but he's no match for the combo of Selvin Young and Jamaal Charles. Nebraska is Texas' top competitor, but the Longhorns are the class of the Big 12. TEXAS 28-17.

Last Week: 4-1
Season: 26-9