**SEASON RECORD: 18-10** **[LAST WEEK][1]: 8-6**So I guess it’s worth pointing out after last week that I voted Texas A&M second in the Big 12 South in my preseason conference poll. Behind Texas. Ahead of Oklahoma. Wow..That was one of six games I missed on a week ago, and easily goes in the books as the most embarassing.Oh well, it could be worse. I could be the Houston mascot in [this video][2].Anyways, on with this weeks’ picks…**WEEK 5** **_Big 12 Tilts_** **Nebraska (-22) vs. Iowa State** Fool me once (picking Nebraska -23 over Ball State), shame on me. Fool me twice (upcoming pick), I’ll swear against the Children of the Corn for the rest of the year. **My pick: Nebraska -22****Texas (-15.5) vs. Kansas State** I’m a big believer in the whole ‘revenge game’ thing. The thing is, a lot of people will pick K-State because of 1) How good their defense looked at Auburn and 2) How close Texas was with Arkasnas State and Central Florida. But last week, something lit the fire under the Longhorns’ collective rear and made them realize ‘Hey, we’re Texas, come here so we can beat you so hard your entire family tree will feel it.’ **My pick: Texas -15.5****Oklahoma (-22) at Colorado** If Tulsa (a bowl team despite last week’s debacle) couldn’t cover 21.5 points against the Sooners, then Colorado (a bowl team under no circumstances this year, in my mind) has a snowball’s chance in Florida. **My pick: Oklahoma -22****Texas A&M (-17) vs. Baylor** Blake Szymanski has thrown for 1,211 yards and 14 TDs against a much stronger non-conference platter than Todd Reesing. Given A&M’s ability to stop Miami’s young offense on the road, I like the Bears’ chances of keeping it close. **My pick: Baylor +17****_Around the Nation_** **West Virginia (-7) at South Florida** I watched South Florida on T.V. last weekend as the Bulls pasted North Carolina. I’ll tell you, USF is the second-best college football team in Florida behind the Gators, no question. They’re big, athletic, fast and they have a great young QB in Matt Grothe. Plus, remember, they beat West Virginia in Morgantown a year ago. **My pick: South Florida +7****Oregon -5 vs. California** Just a hunch… **My pick: Oregon -5****Florida State -2.5 vs. Alabama (in Jacksonville, Fla.)** How the Seminoles got to be favored in this game is beyond me. They have the talent on offense, but have yet to string it together. To steal a phrase I used in [Twisted Pick ’em v. 1.0][3], this game would be much more interesting if it were 1993. **My pick: Alabama +2.5****Florida -19 vs. Auburn** Another revenge game…but Auburn’s defense is just too good to get blown out – Especially with a linebacker (Tray Blackmon) whose nickname is [“The Little Ball of Hate.”][4] **My pick: Auburn +19****Penn State -3 at Illinois** My upset of the week…and this is where Arrelious Benn has his breakout game for the Illini. Penn State was exposed a week ago as a team that can’t score against real competition. **My pick: Illinois +3****Louisville -9 at North Carolina State** If NC State wasn’t having so much trouble at the quarterback position, I’d be tempted. **My pick: Louisville -9****Southern Cal -21 at Washington** I think after slashing Washington State a week ago, Southern Cal has already hit that point kind of like the 2005 Texas team where they’re just gonna blow teams out and cruise into December. It’s because they have the ability to make decent teams look bad (like Texas did to KU in ’05). They did it last week, they’ll do it again Saturday. **My pick: Southern Cal -21****Purdue -22 vs. Notre Dame** 0-5 Notre Dame. Never thought I’d see the day. Then I watched them play the last two weeks. **My pick: Purdue -22****_KUSports.com editor Ryan Greene can be reached at rgreene@ljworld.com, or by phone at (785) 832-6357._** [1]: http://www2.kusports.com/blogs/greene_room/2007/sep/19/picks_11/ [2]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkbKjtuNJhQ [3]: http://www2.kusports.com/blogs/greene_room/2007/sep/12/picks_10/ [4]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNJuSXaT5vM&mode=related&search=
