Week 8 Picks

1. Rutgers over #2 South Florida
This is the kind of game that has put Rutgers on the map over the past two seasons. Ray Rice will carry the game on his shoulders. It'll be close, but the Scarlet Knights put the Golden Bulls where they belong--ranked around #10-15 in the nation.

2. #4 LSU over #17 Auburn
This one's kind of a gimme pick, as LSU is still the favorite to win the national championship. Auburn is much improved since their disastrous beginning to the season, but they haven't improved enough to beat an LSU team that's got something to prove after a 3OT loss to Kentucky.

3. #15 Florida over #7 Kentucky
Two straight losses and then a Bye...the Gators are as ready and fired up for this game as a team can possibly be. Urban Meyer himself would suit up and play a headhunting Safety before he let his Gators lose this game. Andre Woodson should have a field day against a weak Florida secondary, however, so it should be close--and a good opportunity to pad his Heisman numbers.

4. #24 Texas Tech over #16 Missouri
Nobody's talking about Graham Harrell. They should be. Texas Tech has a good system for QB's...but Harrell is taking it to a whole other level. You heard it here first, he's more than a system QB. And he'll prove it on Saturday. This game should be a fun one to watch, and I wouldn't be surprised if there's over 1,000 yards of total offense.

5. #25 Michigan over Illinois
A year ago this would have been a gimme pick. But just last week Illinois was ranked and Big Blue was not, so this is more of an evenly matched game--on paper--than many would have predicted. Michigan has rebounded from their disastrous start, though, and will give Ohio State a run for its money. Illinois should prove little more than a minor bump...but the Illini are on the upswing with the Zooker at the helm, who just got a 3-year extension.