Weekend Picks: Heels, Pack in for Another Long Day

I’m on a roll. On my selected six picks from last week, I go 5-1, missing only the Georgia Tech-Virginia game. This week’s picks are interesting, and I will tell you a little bit of luck will be involved on some.

Actually, this one is pretty cut and dried. I can’t see Carolina going into Blacksburg and beating the Hokies. T.J. Yates had a wake-up-to-reality call at South Florida, and he better have learned from it because he’ll face more heat on Saturday.

Tech is an 18-point favorite, and that sounds about right.

Only a fool would go against Virginia Tech in this one.

After sitting through State’s awful performance against Clemson, I would have to say the Pack has about a snow ball’s chance in July of winning this one. Even their coach says the Pack is not a good team – and at 1-3, he is so right.

However, Louisville is turning out not to be the pre-season national contender that everyone thought they’d be. They can score, without question, but their defense is as leaky as the Titanic after the iceberg.

State, of course, is having trouble doing everything.

I don’t see the Pack winning this game. No way they can outscore the Ville, and the Ville can sure outscore them.

This is a huge game for the Pirates, coming off that debacle at West Virginia. ECU, at 1-3, has somewhat fallen back to earth with a big thud.

Houston is the defending Conference USA champion. The Cougars are an interesting team that does a lot of different things offensively.

Last week at West Virginia and this week in Houston is tough scheduling for ECU. The schedule begins to take its toll.

Alabama is coming off two emotional games, coming from behind to beat Arkansas and losing to Georgia in overtime.

Florida State is 2-1, and I really don’t know what to think of them.

This is a game in which the ACC has a rare chance to shut up the SEC, and Florida State has had an extra week to get ready.

I think Alabama has been more impressive in the early going, and I think they’re tougher than FSU – but have the last two weeks taken something out of them?

The Noles of the past would win this one for sure, but those teams have faded like a beautiful sunset.

I’ve changed my mind a couple of times on this one.

I will admit that Georgia Tech’s opening win at Notre Dame got me on the Jackets bandwagon. I picked them to beat Boston College and Virginia, and you see where that got me. And of course, Notre Dame is so bad they might not beat Duke later in the season.

I was impressed with Clemson last week at State. Yes, it was State – but the Tigers looked good nonetheless.

Clemson is so far i proving to be at the top of a not-so-hot ACC. And Tech’s Tashard Choice is not 100 percent.

Now this should be a heck of a game. Two undefeated, high-scoring teams that are both ranked among the top 11 in the country. You put Southern Cal in at No. 1, and the PAC 10 has three schools among the top 11. That’s why many consider the PAC 10 to be the nation’s best conference.

California is the higher-ranked team, but they’ve lost seven straight at Oregon.

This is one where you could say, “I think I’ll toss a coin.” Or I like this one, too: “Go with the home team.”

My pick is Oregon.