5th and inches - Week 5

Greetings fellow football fan-type peoples. More of the Thursday night footballs for you with 2 games on tap tonight, one involving the #1 team in the land.

Another good weekend for the Smoot last weekend, 9-4 ATS and 14-2 on straight-up winners/losers. For the year now, 35-18 ATS and 56-11 straight up. In phony money dollars at $25 per...the Smoot's up $425. But it's the footballs of the colleges, so you can expect a stock-market-esque crash any Saturday now. Let's get this crashing started.

**Thursday**

SMU (CBS College) @ Tulane (17) - 2 games lead off the weekend, the first of which would lead into the ESPN high school game of the week in most weeks. Ya gotta love a QB name Bo Levi, especially if you're an opposing defense. The Ponies followed up their 43-7 beating in Lubbock to the laid-back Mike Leach-led Red Raiders by getting summarily trounced by the incredibly high-strung Gary Patterson-led purple Frogs. Now they get the Green Wave, whose head coach is I'm sure extremely high-strung while being laid-back, which probably equals more butt beatings for the Ponies. Tulane...41-21.

#1 USC (23') @ Oregon State (ESPN HD) - About this game's most attractive feature is that it's in HD and on the West Coast, which means it might run a little later than norma, which is good for us night owls of the world. Normally, USC finds a way to sleepwalk through at least one conference game, especially if it's on the road. However, I don't see it being this one. USC...41-14.

**Saturday**

Arkansas (ABC) @ #7 Texas (28) - There is no way anyone should ever take a 4-touchdown line in this rivalry rekindling. Except maybe in this one. The Hogs have been really bad and Texas has looked really good, albeit against not-exactly-SEC athletes. Still...Texas...44-14.

#24 TCU (FSN HD) @ #2 Oklahoma (17') - TCU will undoubtedly be the best defense OU has faced thus far. This game is undoubtedly on the aforementioned high-strung Gary Patterson's "Make it personal" list for his team. But the last time they were in Norman, TCU won 17-10. I'd imagine it's been on the "personal" list for Bob Stoops for some time. I don't like the line being so big...and I think it will be a very-competitive football game...but I think in the end OU slips away for the cover. OU...38-17.

Army (Versus) @ Texas A&M (28') - A morning kickoff at Kyle Field. Actual Army came within a grenade's throw of beating Old Army in the Alamodome a couple of years in a true head-scratching "WTF Fran?" moment. Probably won't be the case this time. A&M...41-10.

Troy @ Ok. State (16') - Seems like it was a Friday night game or something (I'm not going to look it up) that found the Cowboys on the road in Troy Land last year. It was the end of the Bobby Reid era, if I'm not mistaken, as the Pokes were pounded by Troy. At slightly more than 2 TDs...I like this year's Cowboys over last year's...especially at home. Ok State...41-17.

Virginia Tech (ABC HD) @ Nebraska (6') - I've noticed I've got alot of 41s in here this week. That's not on purpose, and won't happen here. These 2 might not combine for 41. I see a real tough game here and I don't like 6+ either direction. Nebraska...20-16.

Colorado (ABC/ESPN) @ Florida State (6) - Don't ask me why, because then I'll spend 10 minutes telling you why, but I think Colorado goes on the road here and wins. Colorado...23-19.

La. Lafayette @ Kansas State (20) - Kansas Staters are a funny bunch, with lots calling for a short lease on the tenure of Ron Prince after getting lit up on national TV at Louisville. Lafayette, meanwhile, lost a 3-point ball game @ Illinois, who was no doubt looking toward Penn State this week. K State...30-14.

North Carolina @ Miami (7) - I can't find a TV listing, but I'm sure this is on Raycom 7 or something like that somewhere. Carolina disappointed in the Va. Tech loss, Miami won handily at Kyle Field. Miami...24-20.

#8 Alabama (ESPN HD) @ #3 Georgia (6) - No way do I like almost a TD in a top-10 SEC game. Both are playing well, but I think defenses rule the day. Georgia...17-13.

#9 Wisconsin (7) @ Michigan (ABC/ESPN) - Somewhere, something is telling me that this is going to be one of those "arrival" games for a coach/program. Obviously, Michigan doesn't need to arrive, but Rich Rodriguez does. I'm not ready to give him the win...but I think it could happen. Wisconsin...18-17.

Purdue (NBC HD) @ Notre Dame (2') - Ya know, this is one of those games where the Domers will win on a field goal that hits a rushing lineman in the helmet and then goes off an upright and through the posts. Notre Dame...21-20.

#22 Illinois (ABC HD) @ #12 Penn State (14) - 2 TDs is a little much for this one, methinks. Penn State...31-27.

Tennessee (CBS HD) @ #15 Auburn (6) - Another 6-point SEC line. Give me a break, Vegas line-making people. Auburn...24-14.

Maryland (Raycom HD) @ #20 Clemson (11') - Both are 3-1, Maryland has won 2 of the last 3 in Death Valley and beat #23 Cal two weeks ago. Still, I like Clemson. Clemson...38-24.