Week #4

The record continues to improve as I earned my first push of the year last week. I bitterly note that 2 of my 3 losses have come in picking Michigan. Even against the pathetic Irish of Notre Dame, backing the Wolverines of 2008 proved to be a big mistake. Lesson learned: I won't touch them again. Week #4 sees a beginning of real conference play, especially here in the South.

Here's a look at 5 games I like from week 4.

Temple(+28) at Penn State -- MY PICK: PENN STATE, GEORGE'S: PENN STATE; Last week visiting Penn State beat weakling Syracuse 55-13, amassing 560 yards and 7 TD's of offense. Coach Joe Paterno still recruits incredibly well and QB Daryl Clark is supported by a strong running attack. Penn State is good for one more home blowout before embarking on its Big 10 schedule next weekend.

Wake Forest(+4) at Florida State -- MY PICK: WAKE FOREST, GEORGE'S: FLORIDA STATE; Though they cracked the top 25 this week after two big wins over cupcakes, the once great Seminoles still have no business being the favorite in this game -- even at home. With returning QB Riley Skinner, Wake Forest handled them easily last year and even won the year before in Tallahassee. Let's see if FSU QB Christian Ponder is the real deal.

Buffalo (+34.5) at Missouri -- MY PICK: MISSOURI, GEORGE'S: BUFFALO; You won't see too many spreads this high. Missouri needs to beat MAC up-and-comer Buffalo by 5 TD's. Coming off a 52 point road win against a better Nevada team, I still think the spread is way too low. Look for Mizzo QB Chase Daniel to add plentifully to his already sick numbers.

LSU (-2.5) at Auburn -- MY PICK: LSU, GEORGE'S: LSU; Although Alabama may enter the mix this year, the winner of this game usually ends up on a fast-track to the SEC Championship game. Both teams have good coaching, good defense, and questionable offense with unproven QB play. However, Auburn's 3-2 win over Mississippi State last week was pathetic. Coach Tommy Tuberville is mistakenly trying to implement an option offense with players not fit for such a system. Laying 2 1/2 pts is not enough to scare me away from the Bayou Bengals

Florida(-7) at Tennessee -- MY PICK: FLORIDA, GEORGE'S: TENNESSEE; This one is a close call but I feel compelled to take a stand. I can see the Vols having a good year because of their talent on defense, but I can also see them being a disappointment if new starting QB Jonathan Crompton cannot help out the solid running game with a pass attack. On the other hand, if the Gators cannot handle this Tennessee team, they are not worthy of a top 5 ranking. I think Florida wins handily, even if they do surrender some points.

JTB YEARLY RECORD: 10-4-1
GW YEARLY RECORD: 4-10-1