Week Twelve

BETTER DUCK … those who thought the Oregon Ducks were out of the national championship picture after that uninspired season-opening loss to LSU had better think again … Oregon soared back into the championship conversation with a scintillating 53-30 win over previously unbeaten and seemingly unbeatable Stanford, and made it look easy … all I can say is that’s the fastest flock of Ducks I’ve ever seen … now, if LSU and Oklahoma State win out, the Ducks are nothing more than Duck soup … but if one or the other stumbles, Oregon can sneak into the title game by winning its remaining two games, plus  the Pac-12 championship game … the Ducks, however, must still get past ever-improving and always dangerous USC … LSU still has a difficult date with Arkansas, while Oklahoma State finishes its regular season at home against – you’d better sit down – Oklahoma … so all sorts of things can happen … in fact, if Oklahoma upsets Ok State – some would say that wouldn’t even be an upset –  the Sooners will be making championship game noise as well … unfortunately, Oklahoma inexplicably lost to a truly awful Texas Tech team and even the BCS computer hasn’t forgotten that one …

BOB CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (BCS) STANDINGS … 1) LSU, 2) Oklahoma State, 3) Oregon, 4) Alabama, 5) Oklahoma, 6) Arkansas, 7) Stanford, 8) Clemson, 9) Virginia Tech, 10) Houston, 11) USC, 12) Georgia, 13) TCU, 14) Boise State, 15) Wisconsin, 16) Michigan State, 17) South Carolina, 18) Kansas State, 19) Nebraska, 20) Michigan, 21) Notre Dame, 22) Southern Miss, 23) Florida State, 24) Baylor, 25) Penn State.

BOTTOM OF THE BARREL … 120) UNLV (lost to former worst team in America), 119) New Mexico (former worst team in America), 118) Oregon State (lost intrasquad game midweek, 117) Arizona (dropped football at halftime of Colorado game).

This week’s picks are as follows:

STANFORD over CAL … after last week’s stunningly lopsided loss to Oregon, Stanford may well be sleepwalking through the first part of this game. But once the Cardinal realizes it’s playing Cal, Katie bar the door. Stanford by 24.

OREGON over USC … a dangerous, dangerous game for the Ducks, who are suddenly back in the national championship conversation. USC is clearly the best team in the country that won’t be playing in a bowl game and is more than capable of upsetting Oregon’s applecart. But not this Saturday. And not in Eugene. Ducks by a dozen.

WASHINGTON over OREGON STATE … the Huskies are learning just how far it is to the top of the conference. The Beavers already know. Huskies by 10.

ALABAMA over GEORGIA SOUTHERN … the Crimson Tide’s national title hopes go up in smoke thanks to a schedule that gets soft at the very moment it needs to toughen up. Playing a I-AA opponent in late November is no way to impress the computers. Bama by 40.

UTAH over WASHINGTON STATE … the up-and-down Cougars can’t put it together two weeks in a row. Utes by 3.

UCLA over COLORADO … at long last, the Bruins get a breather. Maybe. Bruins by 21.

NOTRE DAME over BOSTON COLLEGE … the Irish are rolling. A little late, perhaps, but things look bright for next year. Irish by 35.

OKLAHOMA over BAYLOR … the Sooners continue to nurse their distant national title hopes. Sooners by 14.

UPSET OF THE WEEK: Arizona over Arizona State … two teams nearing the end of disappointing seasons. Nick Foles is the difference in this one. Wildcats by 2. (Upset record: 3-8).

ROUT OF THE WEEK: Oklahoma State over Iowa State … can anyone beat these Cowboys? Certainly not Iowa State. Cowboys by 45. (Rout record: 11-0).

DON’T BET ON IT, BUT: Hawaii over Fresno State … talk about disappointing seasons, here are two more who can join the club. Hawaii by 14. (Don’t bet record: 4-7).

FIVE EASY PICKS: Bet the rent on these, Martha. This week’s guaranteed-to-pay winners are BYU (over New Mexico State), Michigan State (over Indiana), Texas A&M (over Kansas), Southern Miss (over UAB) and TCU (over Colorado State). (FEP record: 53-2).

AGGIES over SACRAMENTO STATE … disappointing years? Add two more to the list. This is why they have rivalry games. The winner at least gets to claim Sacramento Valley superiority. Take the Ags by 3.

OTHER GAMES: Toledo over Central Michigan, South Carolina over Citadel, Nebraska over Michigan, Wisconsin over Illinois, Northwestern over Minnesota, Iowa over Purdue, Georgia over Kentucky, Georgia Tech over Duke, Auburn over Samford, Florida over Furman, Arkansas over Mississippi State, Clemson over North Carolina State, Houston over SMU, Ohio State over Penn State, Miami (Fla.) over South Florida, Missouri over Texas Tech, Rice over Tulane, Air Force over UNLV, Boise State over San Diego State, LSU over Ole Miss, Vanderbilt over Tennessee, Florida State over Virginia, Kansas State over Texas, Tulsa over UTEP, Utah State over Idaho, Nevada over Louisiana Tech, and Wyoming over New Mexico.

Last week: 24-11, season: 352-96, season: .786.