All Day Diary: Week 9 Morning

9:49 a.m.
Moving week: time that could have been spent on game previews, breakdowns and the like was spent packing housewear I moved just a year ago. The good news? A Saturday reprieve to watch Big 10 leading Iowa trail...Indiana...at home. Not a good start for the Hawkeyes.

9:50 a.m.
Rutgers is off to a nice start hosting UConn. Neither time is on the level with Cincinnati or Pitt, but either could sneak into third with West Virginia losing to USF last night.

9:51 a.m.
Auburn's defense contains Ole Miss and the offense comes back on the field with a shot at the lead. I must say, this was one I assumed road blowout but the Tigers are playing the Rebels tough early.



9:54 a.m.
New Mexico State comes to Columbus for a big paycheck, and Ohio State is happy to take the gimme W. But for Jim Tressel to call an onside kick in the second quarter is disgraceful. Are plays being called via Bill Walsh College Football '94 now?

9:59 a.m.
Frightening scene in Auburn. Zac Etheridge is being stretchered out of the stadium. Say a prayer for the young man.

10:01 a.m.
On a much less serious note, Ben Chappell connects giving the Hoosiers a 14-0 lead in Iowa. This is surreal. Iowa can't possibly play in a shootout.

11:17 a.m.
Duty called, but I came back in time to see IU deliver what could have been a death knell and it's overturned. What do replay officials look at? If I can see it on a 24-inch, standard definition television you're telling me they can't see it from multiple angles on 50-inch HDTVs? I don't buy it.

11:23 a.m.
Rick Stanzi is having a BAD game. I never thought I'd see anything like the Nebraska - Iowa State game again, but here we are.

11:26 a.m.
NC State and Florida are having a shootout, as should be expected. Both teams are monumental disappointments: solid returner players, two of the better quarterbacks in the ACC, strong finishes to 2008. Russell Wilson and Christian Ponder don't get a whole lot of help.

11:34 a.m.
The Auburn defense, perhaps fueled by emotion, has really risen to the occasion. Ole Miss is now stifled after a few weeks looking like it was ready to break out. Not to the degree of FSU or NCSU but perhaps more significantly, Ole Miss has been a major disappointment.

11:36 a.m.
Five interceptions. FIVE INTERCEPTIONS. Stanzi's performance today is awful. I have definite sympahty for the guy, because if the Hawkeyes' title hopes are washed away he'll be the scapegoat. Bob Davie is calling for James Vanderberg to take over at quarterback.

11:38 a.m.
Jevan Snead is making sure all the bad quarterback play talk doesn't rest solely on Stanzi. Auburn gets an interception to the house.

11:51 a.m.
Auburn complements the defensive play with a big, long touchdown pass. This is a complete beatdown. Amazing.

11:58 a.m.
Dexter McCluster TO THE HOUSE with unreal speed.

11:59 a.m.
And an Auburn block + return! Did I see amazing? How about unreal? OK, good.

All Day Diary: Week 8 Morning Set

Another great Saturday on tap! Gameday comes to a close with the highlight being LaVell Edwards' shout-out to Arizona. He's calling the Wildcats a Pac-10 championship contender -- haven't heard that said in a decade! 3:30 is the 'Cats kickoff against UCLA, one of only two programs against which Mike Stoops has a winning record. In the meantime, there's a loaded morning slate.

9:08 a.m.
Columbus is brutal. Ohio State is on its opening possession, and after one incompletion the Buckeye fans are booing Terrell Pryor. It's amazing how quickly a fanbase can turn.

9:10 a.m.
Quicker than a fanbase turning on its quarterback is West Virginia's Tavon Austin. The kick returner blows through Connecticut's special teams for a touchdown seconds into the game. It can't be easy for the Husky players taking the field less than a week after Jasper Howard's tragic murder.

9:15 a.m.
Comcast Sports Network is broadcasting the William & Mary - James Madison game. Really nice turnout for the Tribe, who are 6-1 and an FCS championship contender.

9:25 a.m.
Ohio State's red zone offense is suspect at best. This can't be good for Pryor's confidence, as on third down the Golden Gopher defense converges on him in the backfield.

9:26 a.m.
Missed Ohio State field goal. Yikes.

9:29 a.m.
Pitt's Bill Stull goes 5-for-5 and the Panthers take a quick 7-0 lead on South Florida. For every action there's an opposite and equal reaction -- as Pryor's stock drops, Stull's rises.

9:35 a.m.
Jevan Snead gets a touchdown on a bootleg Ole Miss' first possession. Ryan Mallett has been getting more buzz than Snead (and deservedly so), thus I think this has to be a proving ground type game for Snead.

9:38 a.m.
There's a vocal Arkansas contingent in Oxford, and they are heard as the Ole Miss shotgun offense is shutdown its second possession.

9:40 a.m.
Via Twitter: http://tinyurl.com/yjca4aw, Indiana would go to 4-3 with a win over Northwestern. For the record, I think Rittenberg's probably right. If the Hoosiers beat the Wildcats, IU is going bowling. But IU has dropped three straight, each by increasingly large margins. Last week's beatdown at Virginia was ugly.

9:43 a.m.
Another good link via Twitter: http://tinyurl.com/yloflu8 T-shirt sales benefitting funds for the slain Jasper Howard.

9:46 a.m.
Virginia is tied with No. 12 Georgia Tech, 3-3 in the late first quarter. Interesting game, not one a few weeks ago I would have anticipated being so. But the Cavaliers are leading the ACC Coastal and have a home win streak vs. GT dating back to 1990.

9:49 a.m.
Pitt now ahead of USF 14-0, and this one has the making of a blowout. Late October road game for the Bulls -- seems about right. Late season trips into cold weather have been South Florida's undoing in recent seasons.

9:52 a.m.
Anytime I watch Dexter McCluster carry the ball, I wonder why Houston Nutt doesn't call on him more. Is his ability an element of surprise type thing?

9:54 a.m.
The Ole Miss team playing Arkansas today is the Rebel squad I expected to see all season. Took eight weeks.

9:55 a.m.
If you don't use TWitter, I suggest you register just to read the musings of College Game Balls (@cgb_blog).

9:58 a.m.
Another field goal, and UVa. is ahead of Georgia Tech. Put Mike Hogewood on alert, we've got an upset watch in the ACC.

10:02 a.m.
Yet another Twitter tidbit: UVa. has scored every red zone this season. (@BFeldmanESPN). Of course, 11 are field goals and only seven are touchdowns (@edsbs).



10:03 a.m.
Looks like a safe bet that Indiana will end its three-game losing skid. 28-3 lead over Northwestern in the second quarter. Ben Chappell is killing the Wildcats. I attribute Indiana's turn around to ditching the black helmets and goofy Times New Roman font logo.

10:06 a.m.
Arkansas' fourth down offense is sick -- eight touchdowns on fourth down! That's one touchdown more than Virginia has scored in the red zone on the year.

10:08 a.m.
Another Pitt touchdown. The vaunted USF defense is not so hot today.

10:14 a.m.
Arkansas over Ole Miss was the upset in my office pool I'm immediately regretting.

10:26 a.m.
Georgia Tech takes what might be an insurmountable lead: 10-6. Virginia's defense is really impressive, but this offense is brutal.

10:32 a.m.
Big interception for Iowa State as Nebraska gets into the red zone. Huskers lead 7-3 and have completely manhandled the Cyclones, but the longer Nebraska lets ISU hang around, the more confidence a scrappy Cyclone bunch gets.

10:33 a.m.
David Sims had the perfect storm of presence-of-mind to get that interception -- snatch the ball out of mid-air about a foot from the ground AND keep his knee from touching the turf. Amazing play for the Iowa State DB.

10:41 a.m.
WOW, Iowa State fake punting on fourth down then on a play action gets a 54-yard touchdown strike against a Bo Pelini defense. I feel like I'm in Bizarro World as the Cyclones lead 9-7.

10:42 a.m.
Botched extra point...back to reality.

10:47 a.m.
Jericho Nelson ends the first half on a high note for Arkansas, picking off Jevan Snead and preventing more Ole Miss points. Given how McCluster has run rampant on the Hog defense, being down just 17-7 has to be a small victory for the Razorbacks. If Ryan Mallett's receivers can handle some passes, Arkansas is right back in it.

10:56 a.m.
Minnesota with some poor special teams play to open the second half. Can Ohio State capitalize on dreamlike field position? Indicators say no.


11:01 a.m.
Baylor was among my pre-season darkhorse picks. The Robert Griffin injury really killed the Bears, who today trail Oklahoma State 17-0 at halftime. But it's not just in its play where Baylor looks bad -- the all-gold uniforms? Hoof.

11:07 a.m.
Georgia Tech shoving its running game down Virginia's collective throat to start the second half. UVa. isn't in the Yellow Jackets' league.

11:08 a.m.
Zac Lee is getting booed loudly in Lincoln. Seven straight incompletions, and Nebraska is punting away to Iowa State with a minute-plus to go in the first half.

11:19 a.m.
Food for thought: an Indiana and a Duke win today puts both at 4-3 with very realistic shots at bowl eligibility.

11:34 a.m.
Dexter McCluster evading three tackles en route to a big touchdown. Dude is FAST. Reminiscent of Maurice Jones-Drew.

11:44 a.m.
This Nebraska - Iowa State game is one of the strangest I've seen this season. Zac Lee has to be injured; the way he's throwing the ball is like a bad high school quarterback.

11:46 a.m.
Northwestern with a torrid comeback inches within two points of Indiana. To quote former Indiana Hoosier Lee Corso, in reference to that IU bowl talk: "Not so fast my friends!"

11:49 a.m.
Turnovers are just KILLING Nebraska. Iowa State's offense is so anemic against this Husker defense, but Nebraska can't get anything going offensively.

11:59 a.m.
Have to take umbrage with the commentary team doing the Ole Miss - Arkansas game. Sure Mallett is 9-of-28, but how many badly dropped balls have there been in this game? There were three in one possession.

12:04 p.m.
UConn takes the 24-21 lead over West Virginia. This would be quite an emotional win for the Huskies. Marcus Easley's touchdown reception and his reaction are priceless. Heartwarming moment.


12:07 p.m.
Eastern Michigan separting itself from Ball State. Eagles, welcome to the win column.

12:10 p.m.
Noel Devine breaks off a sick touchdown rush for his second score of the day. The Big East is loaded with talented running backs.

12:16 p.m.
Field goal completes a miraculous Northwestern comeback. Oh, Indiana. You know how to lose games.

12:19 p.m.
Freeman attempts a 58-yarder for IU...online, but too short.

12:21 p.m.
Glover's arm is tipped and a West Virginia interception ends it for the Huskies. Too bad, UConn played admirably.

12:26 p.m.
Iowa State is moving the ball late against Nebraska. A Cyclone touchdown would put this one almost out of reach, and more shockingly move ISU to 5-3. But Nebraska's defense has been stingy all game long.

12:31 p.m.
Paul Rhoads going extra-conservative with the playcalling near midfield. The blocked extra point is going to haunt Iowa State, I can sense it.

12:37 p.m.
Nebraska gets a first down its first play from scrimmage, and Oregon takes the field in Seattle rocking black helmets. Look a little bit like bikers. Sons of Anarchy Eugene!

12:40 p.m.
Another Lee interception saves Iowa State. Still another just-under-three minutes remaining so the Cyclones can still find a way to lose, but...wow. This one is a shocker.

12:43 p.m.
Iowa State is really trying to lose this thing. That's NOT a shocker.

12:48 p.m.
An EIGHTH Nebraska turnover seals it. Iowa State is 5-3! Time for a lunch break, and I'll be back later.

BYU vs. TCU - MWC Rumble

Winning the conference title is what every Mountain West team aspires for. But I'm sure if you asked fans in Provo, anything shy of busting the Bowl Championship Series picture is seen as a disappointment. The Cougars have been close twice (2006 and 2007), meanwhile archrival Utah has done it twice. And as nice as another trophy for the case is, I'm sure the thought of a Sugar or Fiesta Bowl is far more appealing than yet another Las Vegas Bowl.

TCU joins BYU as the meat in the sandwich of Utah's two BCS berths. The Frogs won the '05 MWC title, finished the regular season 10-1, but inexplicably lost in Week 2 to SMU. Had the Frogs won that game, the nation would have been spared another Notre Dame BCS stinker but alas TCU couldn't take care of business.

BYU's BCS aspirations burst early when Florida State came into LaVell Edwards Stadium and smacked the Cougars in the mouth. TCU's remain, however. A third MWC title in four years is in the Cougars' sight, but perhaps more satistfying would be spoiling a conference opponent's own BCS dreams.

For those who salivate over polar opposite clashes, today's TCU - BYU game is a juicy one. The Horned Frogs' identity is, and under Gary Patterson always has been defensive. TCU punctuated its 2008 by stifling Boise State in the Poinsettia Bowl, and this season continues rolling along with the No. 10 defense in the nation (13.7 points per game). Anchoring that unit is college football's best defensive lineman, tackle Jerry Hughes.

Hughes is a monster sure to make life hard on BYU quarterback Max Hall. His nine sacks are among the nation's best, fourth behind Von Miller, Lindsey Witten and Josh McNary. The pressure he helps force in the backfield has contributed in a 156 yard per game pass defense, though TCU has yet to pass an offense as prolific as the Cougars.

Hall already has over 2000 yards, is completing better than 69 percent of his passes, and has 16 touchdowns. Vital for the Frogs is applying that pressure and forcing Hall into bad decisions, which he is prone to. Those 16 touchdowns are offset by 10 interceptions through seve games. Harvey Unga must establish the running game early to alleviate pressure on Hall. Unga has been steady, posting just shy of 96 yards per game and nine touchdowns.

Unga had 97 yards in the Cougars' loss to Florida State, but those came on just 10 carries. Limiting Unga's opportunities will benefit the Frogs. And to do that, TCU needs to do what the Seminoles were successful in doing -- taking advantage on the opposite end.

BYU is known for its high point outputs. TCU is not, but at nearly 34 points per game probably should be. The offense isn't flashy, and Aaron Brown is no LaDainian Tomlinson. But Turner gets the job done, both as a rushing and receiving option. Quarterback Andy Dalton does a nice job spreading the ball amongst all his option including Turner. And Dalton's all about efficiency.

His numbers aren't flashy, but TCU is ninth in the nation in time of possession, and Dalton's three interceptions are among the fewest for an FBS quarterback. This style is an interesting juxtaposition to the high risk, high reward style Bronco Mendenhall and company employ in Provo.

It's going to be a contest of which team can run its very different style more effectively. The winner has a major foothold in the Mountain West -- and perhaps more important to each, a notch in BCS history.

Four Downs for Week 8

First Down: Road Tests
Undefeated Iowa's Rose Bowl (or perhaps National Championship) hopes are on the line against a Michigan State team that has improved every week.

Oklahoma isn't jockeying for BCS contention at this juncture -- the Sooners are just trying to stay above water. A loss at Kansas would drop the Sooners to below .500 -- a mark that no OU team has been to this late in the season since 1998 when the Sooners finished 5-6. There's good news and bad news for OU has it heads to Lawrence. The good news? Oklahoma has a decade-long win streak against the Jayhawks. And KU has one of the worst defenses in the nation, so quarterback Landry Jones should be able to get comfortable, even with DeMarco Murray out of the lineup.

The bad news? In its previous three losses, the Sooners were taking on top rated offenses. Granted in each of those encounters, the Sooners kept the opponent below its season average, but a team's ability to score any points seems to be problematic. Basically, the onus is on Oklahoma's defense to win games with its offense sputtering.

Oregon controls its own destiny in the Pac-10 race. The Ducks already handled Cal, and get USC in the always raucous Autzen Stadium. But this week, UO travels to Husky Stadium where the unthinkable happens. Just ask USC and Arizona. Washington has been two different teams on the road and at home.

Texas is undefeated and ranked third. So far, so good right? Well...not exactly. The Longhorns haven't been the impressive destroyer some expected to see. UT needed a late wake-up call vs. Colorado and barely nipped a depleted Oklahoma bunch.

Second Down: WAC Attack
Who could have guessed before the season that Idaho - Nevada would be a headline match-up on Oct. 24? The Vandals put their 6-1 record and unbeaten WAC mark on the line against league stalwart and fellow WAC unbeaten Nevada. With decent but not truly impressive road wins over Colorado State and Northern Illinois, the Vandals have a real opportunity in Reno.

For Nevada, it's a matter of holding serve at home after a disappointing start. The Wolfpack is grouping, having won its last three consecutively including two in conference play. Another victory boosts UNR above .500 for the first time on the campaign, and puts the team in position for a second place finish in the WAC. That's the difference between the Hawaii Bowl and Humanitarian Bowl; then again, playing in Honolulu is probably a lot more fun than going to Boise.

Third Down: Contenders and Pretenders
The postseason picture is still very murky. Only 10 programs have reached bowl eligibility (Florida, Alabama, Idaho, Texas, Cincinnati, Iowa, Central Michigan, Pittsburgh, Penn State, Boise State, TCU, BYU) so everyone else is jockeying for more prestiguous placement, or any kind of placement.

• South Florida at Pitt


After dropping a nationally televised game to Cincinnati, the Bulls were basically wiped from public consciousness. Regardless of the Cincy loss, USF is still a good team. The Bull defense is still among the nation's top 20. And redshirt freshman quarterback BJ Daniels is still doing an admirable job with Matt Grothe sidelined.



But with its 6-1 start and the Bulls' more recent loss, the Panthers have become the new Big East darling. Pitt's an exciting team, and this is unquestionably the best bunch Dave Wennstadt's had at his alma mater. Quarterback Bill Stull is emerging as a steady quarterback. He's not putting up mindblowing numbers, but he's limiting mistakes and that's keeping defenses honest -- which in turn, is allowing freshman Dion Lewis to rush for a nutty 131 yards per game. How the Bull defensive line reacts to Lewis and how much pressure it can put on Stull will determine this one.





• Georgia Tech at Virginia


UVa. had a rough start to the season, but has since regrouped and somehow leads an ACC Atlantic featuring three ranked teams -- one of which is Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets defeated Virginia Tech last week in dramatic fashion. That, coupled with GT's history in Charlottesville, makes this one an intriguing trap possiblity. 1990 was the last time the Yellow Jackets won here, and the UVa. rush defense has suddenly emerged as one of the nation's 10 best.





• Wake Forest at Navy


A rematch of last season's EagleBank Bowl, the Demon Deacons and Midshipmen meet in Anapolis with very similar resumes. These are teams with multiple personalities. There are moments when I see Wake and there's Josh Adams running the ball powerfully and Riley Skinner passing brilliantly, and the defense flying around making plays. But then there are times Wake Forest looks like the WF teams of my youth -- stuck in quicksand, looking completely overmatched.



Navy's more consistent than the Demon Deacons, but has a tendency to play to its competition. Maybe that means Saturday's outing is destined to be an even one. How the Mids defense deals with Skinner should tell the tale -- Skinner is averaging just under 260 yards per game passing, and the Navy defense has yielded about 200 yards an outing.





• UCLA at Arizona


The Bruins are one of only two Pac-10 programs Mike Stoops has a winning record against (the other being Washington State). Arizona turned an important corner last week, defeating a Stanford team it has struggled with in the final minutes. That said, the Stoops Era has been marked by two-steps-forward-one-step-back so a home loss to UCLA seems likely. UCLA has a pass defense that ranks 20th nationally, a sure challenge to Nick Foles' prolific start. Those that have beaten UCLA have been able to do so on two fronts -- exposing the still youthful offense, and challenging the rush defense. The health of Nic Grigsby will determine how Arizona moves the ball.





• Arizona State at Stanford


The Pac-10 has seven bowl possibilities available to nine teams. Should UA take care of business against UCLA it would be safe to scratch the Bruins from the list; but that still leaves another team in the lurch. ASU and Stanford are candidates for that uneviable position.



The Cardinal last defeated the Sun Devils in 2005. That was an ASU team very similar to this year's version -- young, lacking clearcut leadership but very talented. This Stanford team has lost a couple heartbreakers, and while already at last season's win total could easily be 6-1. The frustrations of a waning minutes road loss to Arizona could boil to the surface when Arizona State comes to town, but defeating the Sun Devils won't be easy.



ASU boasts a rush defense that is second in the nation. Toby Gerhart is going to get a workout, and you can bet the Sun Devils will load the box. That means Andrew Luck is going to need another stellar outing akin to the one he had in Tucson. Luck has steadily improved over recent weeks -- or more accurately, taken on a more active role in the offense has defenses have keyed in on Gerhart.





• Temple at Toledo


I was immediately regretting my pre-season prediction of Temple Owls: Bowl Game Participants when they came out and lost the opener to FCS Villanova. Since then though, Temple has regrouped and is off to a 4-2 start, including a pair of MAC wins. Toledo's another strong bowl contender, especially with Western Michigan and Northern Illinois struggling in the Western Division.

Fourth Down: One Less Winless

Fifty percent, exactly half, of the winless teams in FBS call the Mid-American Conference home. Two of them play Saturday in Ypsilanti, Michigan. After 60 minutes, either Eastern Michigan or Ball State will have landed in the W column for the first time in 2009. Neither team has been good at all. Ball State is being outscored 30-19 on average, and Eastern Michigan 34.5 to 13.5. To that end, it should be a close game. I think Ball State is the more talented team, but homefield can go a long way.

Desparation in Chapel Hill

You could see it last year. Butch Davis had assembled a bumper crop of talent in Chapel Hill. After a decade of struggles, Tar Heel football was ready to round the corner. Sure, Carolina could never hope to have as popular or as prominent a product on the gridiron as on the hardwood, but maybe a BCS contender?

Wins over Notre Dame, Rutgers, Miami, Georgia Tech showed that this was a new era at UNC. And the team reached the Meineke Car Care Bowl. But some lingering traces remained. There was that 41-10 beatdown NC State handed the Tar Heels, and in the previously mentioned bowl game, a down West Virginia put up big offensive numbers in a 31-30 decision.

Regardless, with its bevy of returning talent UNC was a pre-season favorite to do big things in the ACC. The season is past its midway point, and the Tar Heels are winless in the conference. They scored only three points against Virginia. Tonight, clad in all-navy uniforms and playing on national television, UNC blew a nearly three-touchdown lead in losing to a decidedly mediocre Florida State team.

UNC is still above .500 at 4-3, but there are no more Georgia Southerns or The Citadels remaining on the schedule. Three of the five remaining ACC games are on the road, and four of those are against 2008 bowl qualifiers. A return trip to the postseason is by no means a guarantee.

So what's wrong in Chapel Hill?

First and foremost is an anemic offense. The Tar Heels rank 103rd and 102nd respectively in passing and rushing. Certainly that won't suffice, but a strong Tar Heel defense served as ample support.

That is, until tonight.

Coming ranked third nationally, the UNC defense allowed Christian Ponder 395 yards passing. The FSU quarterback carved up the Tar Heels in the second half, a decided aboutface from a first half Bobby Bowden said made his team look "like the worst in the country."

So with an offense unable to move the ball and a powerful defense that showed its first, but very legitimate signs of weakness, it could be panic time in Chapel Hill.

Mid-Season Surprises

Last week, as mentioned here Idaho became one of the first eight teams to achieve bowl eligibility. The Vandals aren't the only surprise of the 2009 season, though. With the campaign at its midpoint, there's

Unbeaten Iowa
The Hawkeyes were an almost-across the board choice to finish third in the Big 10. That's certainly respectable, especially when Ohio State and Penn State were tabbed by many to play in BCS bowls. That would have meant a Capital One Bowl trip for Iowa. Again, very respectable. But national championship contender? No one outside of Iowa City (and many in Iowa City) could have predicted that.

A stingy defense is allowing opponents just 15 points per game, and powering the Hawkeyes to victory. With Penn State and Wisconsin already in the rearview mirror, only this week's trip to Michigan State and a November 14 date with Ohio State remain as potential road blocks to the program's first BCS bowl trip since 2002.

UTEP in C-USA West Driver's Seat
A 3-4 team slipped into an enviable position last night. UTEP rallied from 13 points to down Tulsa, reigning Conference USA West champs. And now with wins over the Golden Hurricanes and No. 17 Houston, the Miners control their destiny in the division. If UTEP wins out, it plays in the C-USA title game.

The Miners are a team that have a nasty habit of playing down to competition, as evidenced in losses to Buffalo and Memphis. That renders the Oct. 31 match-up with UAB a definite trap. Then there's a stretch of three consecutive road games at Tulane, SMU then Rice. But if the identity that showed up last night and vs. Houston remains for throughout the season, this team could be playing for a Liberty Bowl berth.

Battling Warhawks
Troy was tabbed to win yet another Sun Belt Conference championship, and the Trojans should still be the favorite. However, Troy's Halloween match-up with Louisiana Monroe is a heckuva lot more interesting than it may have appeared in the pre-season.

ULM won a pair of exciting Sun Belt clashes, at FAU and last week over Arkansas State to charge in the conference's top spot. The Warhawks are now 4-2 headed to Kentucky this week, the first in a critical three-game road stretch. The Warhawks can make a case for a bowl bid with four more wins, particularly if they can split this next pair (at UK and Oct. 31 at Troy).

Good Morning Sunshine
Folks around Tucson have taken to calling quarterback Nick Foles "Sunshine," an allusion to the 2000 movie Remember The Titans. The moniker could also refer to the sunny outlook for the rest of the season Foles has shined on the Wildcats since taking over as starter Sept. 26. That's when he helped lead UA to a win at Oregon State, and in just three starts he's emerged as the 10th most prolific passer in FBS.

He's completed a ridiculous 73.8 percent of his pass attempts for 1152 yards, nine touchdowns to just two interceptions and last week helped engineer a game-winning drive over thorn-in-their-side rival Stanford. The Michigan State transfer will be put to the test Saturday against a UCLA passing defense that ranks 20th nationally.

NFL Picks

Houston @ Cincinatti
The Bengals are off to a surprising 4-1 start, and could be 5-0 were it not for a ridiculous end against the Broncos. Cincy's defensive has been impressive, which should be the difference. Bengals 28, Texas 20

Detroit @ Green Bay
The Packers are better than their 2-2 record, and the Lions aren't rejuvenated as the TV hype machine would have you believe. Packers roll. Packers 38, Lions 17

St. Louis @ Jacksonville
I should have more confidence in the Jaguars given how bad the Rams have played all season. But after last Sunday's debacle in Seattle, I'm shaky on this Jag team -- not enough to pick them to lose at home, however. Jaguars 21, Rams 10

Baltimore @ Minnesota
This is the Favres Vikings biggest test thus far. The Ravens have dropped back-to-back heartbreakers. A third straight loss would devastate this team. I think Baltimore answers the call. Ravens 27, Vikings 24

NY Giants @ New Orleans
Game of the Week. The two unbeatens put their prolific offenses on display. The Saints defense is underrated, and the Eli Manning injury leaves questions. Saints 35, Giants 27

Cleveland @ Pittsburgh
This one should be U-G-L-Y. Steelers 42, Browns 6

Carolina @ Tampa Bay
Given the Panthers' struggles, the Buccaneers could conceivably get off the schneid. But I think Carolina has played with more heart, and is certainly more talented. That should be enough. Panthers 24, Buccaneers 17

Kansas City @ Washington
This is a trendy pick for the Chiefs to finally get a win. I don't see it. The Skin offense has struggled mightily, but homefield is going to mean a lot. Redskins 17, Chiefs 14

Philadelphia @ Oakland
I don't get the Raiders. There are pieces to be at least respectable, but the team lacks heart. Donovan McNabb should unload. Eagles 41, Raiders 10

Arizona @ Seattle
There might be something to this Super Bowl jinx thing. But more realistically, injuries have hampered the Cardinals. Seattle was hitting on all cylinders last week with Hasselbeck back in the lineup. I suspect the Seahawks keep it rolling. Seahawks 34, Cardinals 28

Tennessee @ New England
It's time to let Vince Young start. The AFC South is too strong, and the Titans are in too deep of a hole. It's only going to get deeper when the Patriots take out some frustrations on the exposed Titan defense. Patriots 35, Titans 13

Buffalo @ NY Jets
The Bills are falling apart at the seams. The Jets have suffered two straight tough losses and need a slumpbuster to get back on track. Buffalo is that slumpbuster. Jets 28, Bills 10

Chicago @ Atlanta
The Bears are coming off a bye week, add a new defensive lineman in GAines Adams, and had a chance to get healthy. The Falcons just put in work on San Francisco. Expect a great game in Sunday's prime time, much like the two team's 2008 meeting. Falcons 27, Bears 26

Denver @ San Diego
The early season darling Broncos are 5-0 and Kyle Orton has this team playing great. The Denver defense has been outstanding, which will frustrate the Chargers. San Diego has had a ton or trouble rushing the ball. All that said, I expect Phillip Rivers to unleash a big outing to get the Chargers back on track and bring the Broncos back to Earth. Chargers 24, Broncos 21