This Weekend in College Football: Week 6

Well, I really hope you didn't take any of my "advice" from last week. Anyway, back to winners/losers.

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Noon:

• Oklahoma vs. Texas (@Dallas, TX; ABC): It's the Red River Shootout and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Texas has shown signs of an offensive rejuvenation, but I don't think it will be enough against the Sooners.
• Minnesota @ Purdue (ESPN):
  
  
  Purdue should win.
• Louisville @ North Carolina (ESPN2): Carolina responded well to their first loss of the season by taking care of business against ECU. Louisville lost to Marshall last week. I think you can infer the rest.
• Mississippi State @ Alabama-Birmingham (FSN): Things haven't quite gone to plan for Dan Mullen and Co. They should get a shot in the arm against the 0-4 Blazers, though.
• Maryland @ Georgia Tech (ESPNU): Oy, where to begin? Well, first, let's discount those last two touchdowns against NCSU - both were freak plays. That said, against a better opponent we would have lost that game. Tech allowed 195 yards rushing to a team that averages less than 100 yards per game. This defense still has many, many, questions and will be weakened by the loss of 2 of their top 4 linebackers.
  Other than their week 1 win against Miami, the Terps haven't had much to show for this season, probably now mostly remembered for a 38-7 loss to Temple. The true talent of this team is probably somewhere in between, and Tech's tendency to play down to their competition makes this a very dangerous game.
• Kentucky @ South Carolina (SEC): I don't think it's going to matter which QB Spurrier throws out there this week, Kentucky just isn't very good this year.

12:30: Florida State @ Wake Forest (ACC): If E.J. Manuel is back this weekend, then Seminoles win easily. Well, they should win otherweise as well, but it will probably be a lot closer.

3:00: Boston College @ Clemson (ACC/FSN): BC: still looking to break that elusive 20-point barrier. They probably won't against suddenly potent Clemson.

3:30:

• Florida @ Louisiana State (CBS): The only saving grace for Florida might be that this is an afternoon game and not a night one, which is really only conceivable way the situation could be worse for their trio of freshman quarterbacks.
• Air Force @ Notre Dame (NBC): I think Air Force will keep it close but that ND will probably prevail in the end.
• Iowa @ Pennsylvania State (ABC/ESPN): I'll take Iowa here, because they actually seem capable of playing offense.
• Miami @ Virginia Tech (ESPN/ABC): It's the "readjusted expectations" bowl! I think the Hokies will be out for blood after last weekend, though.
• Missouri @ Kansas State (ABC): It feels weird to say that K-State beating Baylor is one of the bigger upsets of the year, but here we are. Still, though, Missouri has lost to a whole spectrum of teams, so I will take a chance on the Wildcats here.
• Pittsburgh @ Rutgers (ESPNU): Other than being an abomination against offensive football, last week's Rutgers-Syrcause game as pretty entertaining. The same probably won't be able to be said about this one as the Panthers should roll.
• Southern Mississippi @ Navy (CBSS): Watch out, Navy, USM is pretty a pretty solid team. I still like the Midshipmen here though.

7:00:

• Texas Agricultural and Mechanical @ Texas Tech (FX): I don't think TAMU will need to worry about blowing a 2nd half lead here.
• Auburn @ Arkansas (ESPN): I think Arkansas will be able to take this one from the outset.
• Georgia @ Tennessee (ESPN2): I actually have no idea who will win this. Neither team boasts any real upset losses or unexpected wins, so it's hard to say what'll go down here. So, when in doubt: pick the home team. Especially in college football.
• Iowa State @ Baylor (FSN): Iowa State's defense is not so hot. Neither is Baylor's, but if this turns into a shootout, my money is on the Fighting Robert Griffin the Thirds.
• Vanderbilt @ Alabama (ESPNU): Anything less than a shutout will probably be disappointing for the Tide.
• East Carolina @ Houston (CBSS): ECU's played a killer non-conference schedule, going 0-3 against South Carolina, Virginia Tech, and North Carolina. And now they get the Case Keenum show. Probably not good for them.
• Michigan @ Northwestern (BTN): Northwestern may finally have their own dynamic QB back, but Michigan's is even, er, dynamicier. (Yes, that's not a word. Let's move on.) Also, Northwestern's defense is, like, epically bad.

7:30: Colorado @ Stanford (Versus): Maybe they'll get Andrew Luck catch two passes in this likely laugher.

8:00: Ohio State @ Nebraska (ABC): Speaking of laughers, which will be greater: the number of points Ohio State scores, or the average number of beers consumed by their fans in trying to forget how the season has gone so far?

10:15: San Jose State @ Brigham Young (ESPNU): With two wins, San Jose State is just "bad" this year as opposed to "really bad" in years past. Probably still not enough of an improvement to beat BYU though.

10:30:

• Washington State @ California-Los Angeles (FSN): Washington State may go to 2-0 in the Pac-10/12 for the first in... well, I'm feeling lazy tonight so yeah it's probably been awhile. UCLA's offense is just so bad, though.
• Texas Christian @ San Diego State (CBSS): TCU should've been in the Big 12 the whole time, so an injustice 15 years in the making is finally being righted. In other news, turns out this year's version of TCU isn't that good. I think SDSU will actually seize the opportunity to do some last-minute restructuring of the pecking order in the Mountain West.

Anyway, it's bowl predictions time! Look for 'em Sunday or Monday.