Week 7 Picks - Walter  

@ Texas Tech -8 over Texas A & M

It's put up or shut up time for Texas Tech. They've been rolling along nicely, dominating weaker opponents with their patented Air Raid offense. Well Texas A & M ain't great, but they defintely aren't Northwestern State either. That said, it's not like the Aggies have been lighting up superior opponents. In fact, Texas A & M looked so bad against a Miami passing attack that has been, for lack of a better term, completely inept, that one has to wonder just how many passing yards Graham Harrell and Co. can put up this week. In the past this is the type of team Tech would struggle with. A team that would come in and run the ball right at them and force them to play physically. But frankly, this A & M team just isn't that good, and add in all the distractions surrounding embattled coach Dennis Franchione this past week and you have a recipe for a blowout. I expect the Tech passing game to completely dominate this game. The Red Raiders are a different, more efifcient, much better team in Lubbock and they show it this week. Call it Tech 42-27.

Missourri +9 @ Oklahoma

This line makes no sense to me. Oklahoma is good, but after everyone annointed them as a top 3 team after their scintillating start the Sooners have proven that they aren't yet great. The offensive line has been fantastic, as expected, but the defense has been wildly inconsistent. Mizzou on the other hand, has been an offensive machine since the opening kickoff of the season. Chase Daniel has been the mark of consistency, and is playing better than anyone in the country. Now granted, the game is in Norman. But dare I say that Missourri has more to play for right now than the Sooners. I mean, with Texas in shambles Oklahoma is going to win the Big 12 South, but they still need a LOT Of help to get back into the national title picture. The Tigers, on the other hand, simply need to win out and they're in. Coming off the program's biggest win in a decade last week against Nebraska I think the emotional edge favors Mizzou. Still, everything else aside, the only way Missourri wins this game is if their defense plays its best game of the year. Oklahoma has the horses on offense to make big plays in the passing and running game. Chase Daniel and Co. will put up points against the Sooners defense, but I'm just not certain the Tigers will have the horses in the end. Mizzou will start the game fueld by emotion and grad the lead, but Oklahoma will wear them out. Expect a lot of points and a very close game. Give it to Oklahoma though, 38-35.

Auburn +3 @ Arkansas

A big name matchup that features two teams that just aren't very good, although Auburn has played much better lately. This is an intriguing matchup, however, in that it pits McFadden and Jones up against a very physical, but more importantly fast defense, and a coordinator who is not afraid to do whatever is necessary to stop the opposing team's best weapons. Seriously, Will Muschamp is a tremendous coordinator. He had a brilliant, yet simple, gameplan against Florida to contain Tim Tebow, and he'll utilize a similar strategy against the Razorback two headed monster. Expect Auburn to have 8 sometimes 9 guys in the box, daring Arkansas to throw the ball. McFadden and Jones will get their yards, but it'll be between the 20's and not near the goalline. Arkansas is one dimensional on offense. Everyone knows it. Look for Auburn to dare Casey Dick to beat them. He won't be able to. Call it

Auburn 21, Arkansas 17.

Louisville +10.5 @ Cincinatti

I might regret this one, but 10.5 points is a HUGE number, especially when the team getting points has arguably the three top offensive players in the game. For as bad as Louisville has been this season, the offense has been just as good as advertised. Brian Brohm and Co. have been brilliant in every game. They are balanced and explosive, and rarely turn the ball over. On the other side, Cincinatti has been a revelation under coach Brian Kelly. Ben Mauk runs the spread offense to perfection, and the Bearcat defense has been smothering. This team is a lot like the 2006 Wake Forest Deamon Deacons. Still, I just can't seem to justify laying 10.5 points even at home. I mean, as good as the Cinci defense has been you've got to believe the Cardinals are gonna put up 35 points. Is Cincinnati really capable of putting up 46? Even against the terrible Louisville defense, I say no. Call it Cinci 38, Louisville 35 on a last minute Brian Brohm garbage time scoring drive for the backdoor cover.

LSU -9 over @ Kentukcy

LSU is locked in. They just are. Kentucky was a nice story, but I think the end of the line has come for the Wildcats, even at home. Kentucky was dominated, repeat DOMINATED, in Lexington by a stout South Carolina defense. As I have stated before, nothing against the Gamecock defense, but they succeed by playing sound football and not making mistakes. They are not the physical, fast, terrifying athletes that LSU will put on the field Saturday. Seriously, Woodson, Burton, Tamme, and Little belong on the same field as these LSU Tigers, but that Kentucky offensive line is going to be ridiculously overmatched against the best front 4 in the nation. Glen Dorsey is a man child and he is capable of winning this game himself. On the flip side, the LSU offense may not be great, but they have Jacob Heisman....I mean Jacob Hester pounding away, and this Kentucky defense is pretty terrible. This game could get ugly quickly, and it's not because Kentucky isn't talented. It is that LSU is just a nightmare matchup for them. LSU wins this one big, 40-23.

@ Roslyn High School -3 over West Hempstead

Yup it's that time of year again. Homecoming for Long Island football, and once again I will be making the four hour trip to watch one cousin play in the game, and two cousins play in the band. The dynamic backfield duo of Kaplan and Coen has led Roslyn to one win already this year, I'm betting they get their second on Saturday. Last year I brought the luck with me to the Island resulting in a shocking upset of Westbury. This year we don't need no stinkin luck. Roslyn wins the game going away 20-13.

Last Week: 1-4

Season: 12-17-1