NCAA Football Picks -- Week 6

(Photo by: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Alright, so I didn’t exactly have the best week this past week. At 39-15, my average continues to take a nosedive. Hey, at least I am still hitting over .500. That’s all that matters in my mind. With a fresh new slate of games that probably is going to be increasingly harder to pick than last week’s, I offer to you, my fellow blog readers, my picks for this weekend’s slate of games in college football.

Thursday

Arkansas State Red Wolves vs. Florida International Panthers (ESPNU, WatchESPN, 7:30 PM ET)

Pick: Florida International

East Carolina Pirates vs. UCF Knights (CBS Sports Network, 8:00 PM ET)

Pick: UCF

#13 USC Trojans vs. Utah Utes (ESPN, WatchESPN, 9:00 PM ET)

Initially thought this would be a trap game for the Trojans. Now that the have taken a loss, I expect them to womp Utah in Salt Lake City. Nonetheless, look out for Star Louteleli, who is the best defensive tackle in the country.

Pick: USC

Friday

Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Syracuse Orange (ESPN, WatchESPN, 7:00 PM ET)

Pick: Syracuse

Utah State Aggies vs. Brigham Young Cougars (ESPN, WatchESPN, 10:15 PM ET)

Pick: Utah State

Saturday

Navy Midshipmen vs. Air Force Falcons (CBS, 11:30 AM ET)

Pick: Air Force

Kansas Jayhawks vs. #7 Kansas State Wildcats (FX, 12:00 PM ET)

Pick: Kansas State

Connecticut Huskies vs. #22 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (ESPNU, WatchESPN, 12:00 PM ET)

Pick: Rutgers

#24 Northwestern Wildcats vs. Penn State Nittany Lions (ESPN, ESPN3D, Watch ESPN, 12:00 PM ET)

Do I foresee Northwestern being 6-0? Yes, yes I do.

Pick: Northwestern

Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Auburn Tigers (ESPN2, WatchESPN, 12:00 PM ET)

Pick: Auburn

Michigan State Spartans vs. Indiana Hoosiers (Big Ten Network, 12:00 PM ET)

Pick: Michigan State

Buffalo Bulls vs. Ohio Bobcats (ESPN3, GamePlan, 12:00 PM ET)

Pick: Ohio

South Florida Bulls vs. Temple Owls (Big East Network, GamePlan, 12:00 PM ET)

Pick: Temple

Boston College Eagles vs. Army Knights (CBS Sports Network, 12:00 PM ET)

Pick: Boston College

Boise State Broncos vs. Southern Miss Golden Eagles

Pick: Boise State

#20 Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Kentucky Wildcats (SEC Network, ESPN3, GamePlan, 12:21 PM ET)

Pick: Mississippi State

Virginia Tech Hokies vs. North Carolina Tar Heels (ESPN3, GamePlan, 12:30 PM ET)

Pick: North Carolina

Kent State Golden Flashes vs. Eastern Michigan Eagles (1:00 PM ET)

Pick: Kent State

Bowling Green Falcons vs. Akron Zips (2:00 PM ET)

Akron’s given up 103 points in the last two games. Not the recipe for winning.

Pick: Bowling Green

Massachusetts Minutemen vs. Western Michigan Broncos (2:00 PM ET)

Pick: Western Michigan

Arizona Wildcats vs. #18 Stanford Cardinal (FOX, 3:00 PM ET)

This could be a very enticing matchup in the early slate. The last time Stanford was in Palo Alto it dethroned the then #2 USC Trojans. Stanford now is coming off of a loss against unranked Washington and has seen their ranking tumble out of the Top 15. I like them in this game, but it will be close. Arizona’s hung around with some teams this year and will give the Cardinal a good fight.

Pick: Stanford

Southeastern Louisiana Lions vs. UAB Blazers (3:00 PM ET)

Pick: Southeastern Louisiana

Virginia Cavaliers vs. Duke Blue Devils (ESPN3, GamePlan, 3:00 PM ET)

Pick: Duke

Northern Illinois Huskies vs. Ball State Cardinals (ESPN3, 3:00 PM ET)

Pick: Ball State

Central Michigan Chippewas vs. Toledo Rockets (ESPN3, 3:00 PM ET)

Pick: Central Michigan

#4 LSU Tigers vs. #10 Florida Gators (CBS, 3:30 PM ET)

The LSU Tigers have seemed to really struggle lately. I’m not sure if it’s on the talent not producing, or the coaching of Les Miles. I’m leaning towards the latter. Nonetheless, this will be no easy task to go into the Swamp against a Florida team that is improving by the week. I say though, that LSU is a better team and I think Les gets his head straight (for one week at least) and coaches them up to a close, low-scoring victory.

Pick: LSU

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. #15 Clemson Tigers (ESPN, WatchESPN, 3:30 PM ET)

Pick: Clemson

Iowa State Cyclones vs. #15 TCU Horned Frogs (3:30 PM ET)

Pick: TCU

#17 Oklahoma Sooners vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders (ESPN2, ABC, WatchESPN, 3:30 PM ET)

Pick: Oklahoma

Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Maryland Terrapins (ESPNU, WatchESPN, 3:30 PM ET)

Pick: Wake Forest

Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Wisconsin Badgers (ESPN2, ABC, WatchESPN, 3:30 PM ET)

Pick: Wisconsin

Tulsa Golden Hurricanes vs. Marshall Thundering Herd (CBS Sports Network, 3:30 PM ET)

Pick: Tulsa

Louisiana-Monroe War Hawks vs. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (ESPN3, GamePlan, 3:30 PM ET)

Pick: Louisiana-Monroe

Michigan Wolverines vs. Purdue Boilermakers (Big Ten Network, 4:00 PM ET)

Like the Boilermakers here. Shaking my head meanwhile at Michigan, who continues its tumble.

Pick: Purdue

New Mexico State Aggies vs. Idaho Vandals (ESPN3, GamePlan, 5:00 PM ET)

Pick: Idaho

Tulane Green Wave vs. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (ESPN3, GamePlan, 5:00 PM ET)

Pick: Louisiana-Lafayette

Washington State Cougars vs. #14 Oregon State Beavers (Pac-12 Network, 6:00 PM ET)

How good are the Beavers? We won’t know for a little while, but they will beat the team from Pullman this week in Corvallis. That’s for certain.

Pick: Oregon State

Texas State Bobcats vs. New Mexico Lobos (6:00 PM ET)

Pick: Texas State

#5 Georgia Bulldogs vs. #6 South Carolina Gamecocks (ESPN, WatchESPN, 7:00 PM ET)

Georgia’s biggest test of the season, by far. That’s for as of now and for the rest of the way, seeing as the Florida game is in Jacksonville. I’m not all that worried about Georgia’s performance last week, because let’s face it: South Carolina didn’t look impressive against Kentucky either.  Think these two might have been looking ahead? It’s a possibility. When it comes down to it I like the QB and RB play of Georgia as a whole more than I do the QB and RB play of South Carolina as a whole. Connor Shaw isn’t facing the Missouri secondary, and Georgia’s defense is considerably better. I like the Dawgs.

Pick: Georgia

#8 West Virginia Mountaineers vs. #11 Texas Longhorns (FOX, 7:00 PM ET)

West Virginia is coming off of a 70-63 game against Baylor and there’s two things learned from that game. 1, WVU’s offense is awesome. 2, WVU’s defense is abhorrent. Texas’ defense is much, much better than Baylor’s and it’s not even close. To say that this is probably WVU’s toughest test of the season would be a statement that is right on the money. I will say this though: if WVU can keep Texas off guard and run the ball like Okie State did last week then WVU can put up a lot of points again. If not, Texas’ defense will keep this closer than people think. Give me the Longhorns, who are surprising me week in and week out.

Pick: Texas

Fresno State Bulldogs vs. Colorado State Rams (7:00 PM ET)

Pick: Fresno State

Vanderbilt Commodores vs. Missouri Tigers (ESPN3, GamePlan, 7:00 PM ET)

Pick: Missouri

Texas A&M Aggies vs. Ole Miss Rebels (ESPNU, WatchESPN, 7:00 PM ET)

Pick: Texas A&M

Rice Owls vs. Memphis Tigers (7:00 PM ET)

I bet Memphis wishes they had DeAngelo Williams. Owls, by ten.

Pick: Rice

North Texas Mean Green vs. Houston Cougars (7:00 PM ET)

Pick: Houston

Miami (OH) Red Hawks vs. Cincinnati Bearcats (ESPN3, GamePla, 7:00 PM ET)

Pick: Cincinnati

UNLV Runnin’ Rebels vs. Louisiana Tech (ESPN3, GamePlan, 7:00 PM ET)

Pick: Louisiana Tech

Wyoming Cowboys vs. Nevada Wolf Pack (7:05 PM ET)

Pick: Nevada

Miami (FL) Hurricanes vs. #9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Is Notre Dame for real? They sure have looked like it this season. One of the only teams in FBS that have yet to trail this season, and in fact they may not have any company at all. I like the Irish here in this game at Soldier Field, even though I think with how everything has played out, Miami has a decent chance at going to the ACC Championship Game.

Pick: Notre Dame

#3 Florida State Seminoles vs. North Carolina State Wolfpack (ESPN2, WatchESPN, 8:00 PM ET)

Pick: Florida State

#21 Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. #12 Ohio State Buckeyes (ABC, 8:00 PM ET)

Not thoroughly impressed with Ohio State as I would like to be and really, the entire Big Ten. Still though, they’ll win at the Horseshoe.

Pick: Ohio State

Hawaii Warriors vs. San Diego State Aztecs (CBS Sports Network, 8:00 PM ET)

Pick: San Diego State

Southern Methodist Mustangs vs. UTEP Miners (8:00 PM ET)

Pick: SMU

#25 UCLA Bruins vs. California Golden Bears (Pac-12 Network, 10:00 PM ET)
Pick: UCLA

#23 Washington Huskies vs. #2 Oregon Ducks (ESPN, WatchESPN, 10:30 PM ET)

Oregon seems to be playing this game of playing a conservative first half and then going fubar in the second half. Not saying they’re going to lose this game, but they better not do it to the wrong team.

Pick: Oregon