Week 12 Spotlight

The Cleaning Crew took back control in Week 11, and the Staples need to make something happen quick if they hope to erase the 59 point deficit by the end of the year."

Quarterbacks
- Brian Brohm is third in the nation in passing yards per game, and is about the only bright spot for Louisville this season. They are going to score, and he's going to get his yards. They put up 31 points last week against a good West Virginia defense, so they will do their thing against anyone. For as good as the Louisville offense is, their defense is that much worse. That is why dual threat quarterback Matt Grothe of South Florida should have a huge day throwing the ball and running the ball against Louisville.

Runningbacks
- West Virginia has a big game this weekend at Cincinnati. They need a win to stay in the Big East Title race. When it comes to big games, the Mountaineers give the ball to Steve Slaton and let him carry them to victory. Look for him to have a big day. Another runner that will have a big day is big Anthony Dixon of Mississippi State. The Bulldogs have been a huge surprise in the SEC this season and Dixon has run for over 1,000 yards this season. Going against an Arkansas defense that doesn't really play any, the Bulldogs should be able to pound the football all game.

Wide Receivers
- When you have a team that has a system that produces insane numbers like Texas Tech's passing attack, the players involved will benefit. However, when you get talent in those systems the results are eye popping. Michael Crabtree has been having one of those years and he is good for over 100 yds, and a few touchdowns per game. Another big target that has had a big year is Aaron Kelly at Clemson. He has emerged as the go to target for quarterback Cullen Harper, and look for Kelly to have a big day against Boston College.

Offense/Defense
- West Virginia's offense is going to give Cincinnati problems this weekend. A team that can normally stop the run well, the Bearkats haven't seen anything like Steve Slaton and Pat White. Coming off a poor performance last week against Louisville, look for West Virginia to bounce back in a big way. Penn State travels to Michigan State this weekend, with the Nittany Lions looking to lock up a new years day bowl. It should be cold, with a chance of rain and snow, which will make it a low scoring Big Ten affair. Also, I'll be at the game, so I need something to cheer for.

Picks

Maryland (5-5)
Florida State (6-4)

#7 Ohio State (10-1)
#21 Michigan (8-3)

#23 Kentucky(7-3)
#9 Georgia (8-2)

Mississippi State (6-4)
Arkansas (6-4)

Duke (1-9)
Notre Dame (1-9)

Penn State (8-3)
Michigan State (6-5)

#17 Boston College (8-2)
#15 Clemson (8-2)

#6 West Virginia (8-1)
#22 Cincinnati (8-2)

Louisville (5-5)
South Florida (7-3)

#4 Oklahoma (9-1)
Texas Tech (7-4)

Week 11 Spotlight

While the Stomach Staples won Week 10, their 207-204 victory didn't do much to cut into the 50 point lead for Joe Pa's Cleaning Crew. Joe Pa retained the overall lead, as well as the lead in pickem (.630-.610). The Staples are running out of chances to get back into the race...

Quarterbacks
Two quarterbacks are making their first appearance on fantasy rosters this season, as I'm looking to Todd Reesing, Kansas and Zac Robinson, Oklahoma State. Reesing has thrown for 2300 yards and 23 touchdowns this season, and also picks up some yards on the ground, for the surprising 9-0 Jayhawks. Many will say that he has put up those numbers against inferior competition. Well, what do you think Oklahoma State's defense is? Zac Robinson on the other hand has come on of late after being named the starter four games into the season. (That whole Bobby Reid for Heisman thing certainly worked out well. But if you want to talk about that, then COME TO ME, I'M A MAN, I'M 40!) In his short time, Robinson has led the resurgent Cowboys throwing for 1900 yards and 15 touchdowns. While Kansas has a solid defense, no one has been able to stop this Oklahoma State offense.

Runningbacks
Over the past two weeks, there hasn't been a better running back in the country then Jamaal Charles (okay, maybe Darren McFadden). But Charles has been on a tear as of late, finding the endzone three times in each of his last two games, and running for nearly 500 yards. Facing a Texas Tech defense that has a rush defense ranked in the lower half of the country, should lead to another big Charles day. Ohio State is heading into a game against Illinois, and against the weak defense of the Illini they will lean on Chris Wells. Wells has been nothing short of outstanding this season, running for 1100 yards and 10 touchdowns. He is the key for the Ohio State offense, and he should overpower the Illini.

Wide Receivers
As one of the Texas defensive players said earlier this week about Michael Crabtree, "I can't even put up those kind of numbers on a video game". Michael Crabtree is having a historically amazing season, with over 100 receptions, 1500 yards and 18 touchdowns. It's a shame everyone is overlooking it because of the offense he plays in. After losing Ted Ginn and Anthony Gonzalez, many thought the passing game for the Buckeyes would suffer, but that hasn't been the case. Brian Robiskie has become the go to receiver and he has had a great season recording 833 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Offense/Defense
Arkansas the past two weeks has been absolutely unstoppable on offense, behind the two-headed monster of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. A trip to Tennessee and an opportunity to face that porous defense should have McFadden and Jones more than excited. Auburn once again this season has been known for defense. Heading to Georgia this weekend, Auburn should find itself in a slug fest between two good defenses and two mediocre offenses. This affair should be low scoring and ugly.

Picks (Winner in Bold)

Wake Forest (6-3)
#21 Clemson (7-2)

#12 Michigan (8-2)
Wisconsin (7-3)

Arkansas (6-3)
#24 Tennessee (6-3)

#18 Auburn (7-3)
#10 Georgia (7-2)

Illinois (7-3)
#1 Ohio State (10-0)

Texas Tech (7-3)
#14 Texas (8-2)

Florida State (6-3)
#11 Virginia Tech (7-2)

#13 Connecticut (8-1)
Cincinnati (7-2)

#4 Kansas (9-0)
Oklahoma State (5-4)

#17 USC (7-2)
California (6-3)

Week 10 Spotlight

Week 9 was a second consecutive poor showing by the Stomach Staples. They fell by a score of 154-135. Dropping behind Joe Pa's Stadium Cleaning Crew 53 points. The Stomach Staples are running out of time to make their comeback, so this week looms large. On to the picks for Joe Pa....

Quarterbacks
Arizona State continues to keep winning, and it's behind the play of Rudy Carpenter that is getting it done. Despite an injured thumb on his throwing hand he will be ready to go this weekend against #5 Oregon. While it is two top teams, it is still a Pac-10 game, so we'll be sure to see some points. In other action, Penn State takes on Purdue, and Penn State's defense has been shreaded in consecutive weeks. Look for the pass happy Boilermakers to try and take advantage, and for Curtis Painter to have a big day.

Runningbacks
Don't expect Jamaal Charles to have another week like he did against Nebraska, no defense is that bad. But Charles has appeared to regain his confidence, and it's just in time, as the Longhons travel to Stillwater to face a defense that can give up a lot of points, in Oklahoma State. With all the injuries Oregon has faced this season, the stars have had to pick up the slack. Jonathan Stewart already has 1,000 yards on the season and will look to add to that total against Arizona State.

Wide Recievers
Rutgers is traveling north this weekend to take on the newest Big East cinderella, Connecticut. While UConn is a solid team, they don't have the talent to match up with Rutgers superstars. Win or lose, Tiquan Underwood should have a big day. South Carolina has been on a slide over the last few weeks and will look to rebound against Arkansas. Arkansas' defense has been suspect, and Kenny Mckinney should have a big day outside.

Offense/Defense
When Texas and Oklahoma State get together it is pretty much a certainty that both teams will score in the 40s. Who will score more, I think Texas, so I have their offense. As for defenses, Ohio State has a great one, though it helps that their competition isn't amazing. Wisconsin is a pretty one dimensional team, so look for the Buckeyes to stop PJ Hill and stop Wisconsin.

Picks (Home team in BOLD)
#11 Virginia Tech (6-2) over Georgia Tech (5-3)
#1 Ohio State (9-0) over #21 Wisconsin (7-2)
Penn State (6-3) over Purdue (7-2)
#24 Wake Forest (6-2) over #23 Virginia (7-2)
Cincinnati (6-2) over #18 South Florida (6-2)
#15 Texas (7-2) over Oklahoma State (5-3)
#3 LSU (7-1) over #17 Alabama (6-2)

#5 Oregon (7-1) over #4 Arizona State (8-0)
Rutgers (5-3) over #13 Connecticut (7-1)
Arkansas (5-3) over South Carolina (6-3)

Week 9 Spotlight

Week 8 was a disaster for the Stomach Staples. They had very much the Notre Dame performance going 4-6 on pickem and losing 183-139. The loss knocked them out of the overall lead (1338-1304) and positions them in a dangerous position (Ed. Note: Really? Positions them in a dangerous position?) heading into Week 9...

Quarterbacks
Dennis Dixon has been stellar all season for the Ducks, throwing for 1700 yards and 16 TDs, and running for 400 yards and 7 TDs. In every tough game this season, he has risen to the occasion, and in front of the home crowd, he will rise to the occasion against the mighty Trojans and have a big day. Further south, Arizona State will face their first real opponent this season as they take on the Cal Bears. Rudy Carpenter has had a solid season (1700 yards/16 TDs) but he will get his first chance to show why they got rid of Sam Keller. (Well I think Keller might have shown that at Nebraska) It might help a bit that Cal's defense is pretty atrocious. Carpenter should be throwing the ball all over the field in a shootout.

Runningbacks
Ray Rice showed against South Florida he enjoys being the workhorse. He has done just that for Rutgers this season (999 yards/ 13 TDs) and will need to do it again to keep the high powered West Virginia offense off the field. Look for him to get 30 plus carries again. Why do they want to keep West Virginia's offense off the field? Because of Steve Slaton. The back has put together another solid campaign running for 715 yards and 10 TDs and 215 yards receiving. West Virginia likes to get him his touches in big games because of his big play ability. I think he'll get in the end zone at least twice against the Scarlet Knights.

Wide Receivers
Ohio State's offense had to break in a new quarterback this season and he relied a lot on his big target Brian Robiskie. At 6'3" Robiskie is a big target and has had a great season (37/728/7 TDs). After how much Penn State's small corners struggled against Indiana's big target, look for Ohio State to try and take advantage in a similar way. With Cullen Harper's emergence as a solid passing quarterback, Clemson has become multi-dimensional on offense. This has also allowed Aaron Kelly to emerge as a big time receiving threat. With 46 catches for 637 yards and 6 TDs, Kelly has established himself as Harper's favorite target. With Maryland coming to town, look for Kelly to add to those numbers.

Offense
With Cal's dynamic offense and lathargic defense, opposing offenses usually have the ball a lot and score a lot. Look for Arizona State and Rudy Carpenter to have a big day throwing the ball on the Bears. It should be a shoot out, and Arizona State should have a big day offensively.

Defense

Ohio State's defense has been the best in the country this season. Granted when you play in the Central Ohio High School District, that will be the case. The defense is talented though, and Penn State seems to shift into the 1950 offense in big games. And of course, Anthony Morelli is good for one defensive touchdown per big game.

Picks (Home teams in BOLD)
#8 Virginia Tech over #2 Boston College
#7 West Virginia over Rutgers
#12 USC over #5 Oregon
#10 South Florida over #23 Connecticut

#11 Florida over #18 Georgia
Clemson over Maryland
Texas A&M over #9 Kansas
Tennessee over #16 South Carolina
#25 Penn State over #1 Ohio State
#21 California over #4 Arizona State

Week 8 Spotlight

After a two week hiatus, and watching Joe Pa's Stadium Cleaning Crew struggle to perform well, we enter week 8 ready to turn around the struggles. After some scoring adjustments the Stomach Staples hold a 1165-1155 lead. But have no fear, Week 8 will turn it all around...

Quarterbacks
Graham Harrell takes his show on the road to Missouri this week. He has put up astonishing numbers this season, and don't look for the Tigers mediocre defense to put a stop to it. The Red Raiders will throw all game long. Andre Woodson has been battle tested and has played solid in big games. That will be no different this week as he takes on the Florida Gators. But the Gators defense is no where near the LSU defense that he faced last week. He should shread the Gators on the ground and through the air.

Running Backs
UCLA has a solid defense, but California's offense is loaded, and they will throw the ball and spread out UCLA's defense. When this happens, Justin Forsett will take advantage inside and kill the Bruins on the ground. Rashad Mendenhall has had a great season for the Illini, running for 839 and 10 TDs in 7 games. He is the key for this Illinois team and he will get the ball early and often against the Wolverines. He won't do tons of damage on the ground, but look for him to get in the endzone against Michigan.

Wide Receivers
As Texas fans will tell you, the Kansas State Wildcats have one receiving threat, Jordy Nelson. Despite this information, Nelson continues to make catches, 56 for 727 in 6 games. This shouldn't change as Oklahoma State doesn't have a great defense. Speaking of passing offenses, Texas Tech has the best in the country. While Michael Crabtree gets all of the exposure, Danny Amendola is having a great season as well. As defenses gear towards Crabtree more and more, look for Amendola to benefit.

Offense/Defense
Texas Tech's offense is the premier unit in the country. It will get to shine on a national stage as they face Missouri. The Tigers unit hasn't been formidable for much of the season, and Texas Tech will be their greatest challenge yet. Tech will shread the Missouri defense en route to a big day. LSU's defense had a lackluster showing against Kentucky, and you can expect them to rebound in a big way. They face a good Auburn team, but it's a team that relies on their defense. The game should be under 20 points, and LSU's defense should cause problems all day for Auburn.

Picks
(2) South Florida (6-0) at. Rutgers (4-2)
Texas A&M (5-2) at. Nebraska (4-3)
(12) California (5-1) at. UCLA (4-2)
Miami (4-3) at. Florida State (4-2)
(15) Florida (4-2) at. (7) Kentucky (6-1)
(24) Texas Tech (6-1) at. (16) Missouri (5-1)
(21) Tennessee (4-2) at. Alabama (5-2)
Kansas State (4-2) at. Oklahoma State (4-3)
(25) Michigan (5-2) at. Illinois (5-2)
(17) Auburn (5-2) at. (4) LSU (6-1)

Week 5 Spotlight

Last Week: After having the highlight reel that was Graham Harrell (640 yds, 5 TDs) and Michael Crabtree (230 yds, 3 TDs) of Texas Tech, the Stomach Staples dominated Week 4 winning (211-185). The win erased the entire overall deficit and has given the Stomach Staples a (707-700) lead overall, heading into Week 5.

Week 5 for Joe Pa's Stadium Cleaning Service:

QB - Dennis Dixon, Oregon - The Ducks are the surprise team in the Pac-10, and that is in large part thanks to Dennis Dixon. Known for his running abilities, Dixon has shown his medal as a passer this season, throwing for 932 yards and 11 TDs in just 4 games. He will face his biggest test this evening, when the #6 Cal Bears come to Eugene. He will get every opportunity to shine against a mediocre defense, but will need to keep pace with Cal's high octane offense.

QB - Cullen Harper, Clemson - Another surprise at quarterback this season has been the play of Cullen Harper at Clemson. The running of James Davis and CJ Spiller will always give Clemson plenty of chances in the passing game, and it looks like Clemson finally has someone that can exploit it. Harper has thrown for 964 yards and 12 TDs in 4 games this season. He will need to continue that output this weekend against a Georgia Tech team that has been let down by their defense during their 0-2 ACC start.

RB - Steve Slaton, West Virginia - Last season, South Florida derailed the Mountaineers title hopes. This season, West Virginia is looking for redemption against #18 South Florida. Expect the Mountaineers to take care of business in the rematch, and do it by sticking to what they do best. That would be giving the Bulls a steady dose of Steve Slaton. Possibly the best back in the country, Slaton has run for 502 yards and 9 TDs in his first 4 games.

RB - Ray Rice, Rutgers - For those that don't think Steve Slaton is the best running back in the country, it's because they are in the Ray Rice camp. The Rutgers back has picked up right where he left off, running for 431 yards and 8 TDs in his first three games. Rutgers will face their first true test of the season in Maryland, but with the weakness of Maryland's offense, expect Rutgers to have the ball a lot, which means Ray Rice will wear down the Maryland defense.

WR - Tiquan Underwood, Rutgers - Teams have their hands full with Ray Rice when they face Rutgers. This allows Tiquan Underwood to get free at least once or twice a game. Maryland will focus and put a lot of men in the box to stop Rice, and it should allow Underwood to build on his 20 catches for 500 yards and 3 TDs that he has racked up in the first 3 games of the year.

WR - Lavelle Hawkins - While DeSean Jackson garners much of the attention for the Cal passing game, it has been Hawkins who has been the go-to guy in the Cal passing attack. The wide receiever has had 25 catches for 315 yards and 2 touchdowns in the first four games this season. Look for those numbers to continue to improve as Cal will be locked in a shootout with #11 Oregon this weekend.

Rutgers Offense - While Maryland has a solid defense, their offense has been unable to keep their defense off the field this season. This will prove to be a problem when they face Rutgers high powered attack. Rutgers averages 525 yards a game and 46 points, featuring a balanced attack that strikes with the deep pass after establishing Ray Rice on the ground.

Penn State Defense - The Nittany Lion defense learned a valuable lesson this weekend against Michigan. They can't afford to give up any points if they expect to win. The defense held Michigan to 14 points (7 of which was due to Morelli dropping the ball on his own 10), despite being on the field most of the second half. Penn State's defense will shut down the Illinois ground game, and with it Illinois' offense.

Week 5 Picks
(home team in bold)

#5 West Virginia (4-0) over #18 South Florida (3-0)
#6 California (4-0) over #11 Oregon (4-0)
#9 Wisconsin (4-0) over Michigan State (4-0)
Georgia Tech (2-2) over #13 Clemson (4-0)
#21 Penn State (3-1) over Illinois (3-1)
Florida State (2-1) over #22 Alabama (3-1)
#10 Rutgers (4-0) over Maryland (2-2)
#7 Texas (4-0) over Kansas State (2-1)
UCLA (3-1) over Oregon State (2-2)
Virginia (3-1) over Pittsburgh (2-2)

Week 4 Spotlight

Last Week: Joe Pa's Stadium Cleaning Service continued to roll, taking Week 3 by a score of 196-185, extending their overall lead to 19 points (515-496). Joe Pa overcame Colt Brennan and those pesky Stomach Staples behind the play Tim Tebow, Mike Hart, and Darren McFadden.

This week:

Quarterbacks: Andre Woodson has been an outstanding dual threat quarterback, leading the Kentucky Wildcats to an upset win against rival #8 Louisville, and has Kentucky at 3-0. Kentucky takes on Arkansas this week, and while they might not be able to come away victorious, the Arkansas defense practically guarentees 40 points for Kentucky. Jake Lockar of Washington will face a tough test against UCLA, but any defense should look easy compared to Ohio State. As the leading passer and almost the leading rusher for the Huskies, Lockar will put up points.

Runningbacks: Darren McFadden is a heisman favorite for a reason. He is downright explosive and leads the Arkansas offense. Playing Kentucky, it should be a high scoring affair and McFadden has a chance to do a lot of damage. Terry Grant will continue to carry the load for Alabama as they look to make it a 4-0 start against the Georgia Bulldogs. Grant is a bruising back that could find the endzone in what should be a grind it out affair.

Wide Receivers: Adarius Bowman has been about the only bright spot for Oklahoma State this season. With the Red Raiders coming to town, Oklahoma State may not be able to get back on track, but the offense should at least play a lot better, going against the Red Raiders defense. South Carolina shouldn't be a difficult test for LSU, but is should be close for a bit. Quarterback Matt Flynn has relied on Early Doucet early in games, and this test should be no different for the LSU passing game. The closer this game stays, the better the day Doucet will have.

Offense: Oklahoma State has been nothing short of awful all season long, and whether it continues against Texas Tech is besides the point. Texas Tech's offense is one of the best in the country and will shread the OSU secondary all game long.

Defense: When Maryland and Wake Forest get together it's going to be a low scoring affair. Maryland didn't show much on offense against an average West Virginia unit, so don't look for them to fair much better against a solid Demon Decons defense.

#20 Texas A&M (3-0) at. Miami (FL) (2-1)
#12 South Carolina (3-0) at. #2 LSU (3-0)
Iowa (2-1) at. #9 Wisconsin (3-0)
#22 Georgia (2-1) at. #16 Alabama (3-0)
#21 Kentucky (3-0) at. Arkansas (1-1)
Maryland (2-1) at. Wake Forest (1-2)
Texas Tech (3-0) at. Oklahoma State (1-2)
Connecticut (3-0) at. Pittsburgh (2-1)
Oregon State (2-1) at. Arizona State (3-0)
Washington (2-1) at. UCLA (2-1)

Week 3 Spotlight

What better way to enjoy a great thing like college football, then with Fantasy College Football. Every week the Drinking the Forty staff will be picking their fantasy team from the top 10 matchups of the upcoming week in College Football. Below, our picks...

Last Week
Joe Pa's Stadium Cleaning Service rebounded from a deficit Week 1 to surge back, winning week 2 and taking the overall lead. It must've been the team name that inspired the troops. Or maybe it was Dennis Dixon running and throwing all over Michigan.

Quarterbacks
It worked last week with a running quarterback, so let's continue that with West Virginia quarterback Pat White and Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. Pat White takes on a Maryland team that always plays WVU tough, but struggles with the athleticism the Mountaineers possess. They usually can find a way to stop Slaton, which will let White throw more and break some big scramble plays. If we've learned one thing from Tennessee, is that they have no offense and struggle with pure speed. Enter Florida. Tim Tebow should continue to put up points with the bevy of weapons he has to work with.

Runningbacks
As bad as Michigan has been, Mike Hart has been really good. With a freshman quarterback starting, and Notre Dame's run defense making the trip (or not making the trip) to the Big House, Hart has a chance to have another big day. The closest thing to LaDanian Tomlinson in college, Darren McFadden is a threat to run, catch, and throw the ball, and should be used in every aspect to overcome a tough Alabama squad.

Wide Recievers
It is pretty much a given that Colt Brennan will throw for at least 450 yards a game. Well, someone has to catch all those footballs, and look for Ryan Grice-Mullins to pull in a lot of those balls. Michigan State's Devin Thomas has been one of the few strong points for the Spartans this season and Pittsburgh's defense has struggled. Look for Thomas to continue to put up big numbers as the Spartans will most likely go 5-0 before losing their last 6, like they do every season.

Offense
Hawaii scores points. Lots and lots of points. They also have no defense, so it's assured that they will get the ball back quickly. They may be playing a solid UNLV team, but they will get their points.

Defense
Nebraska looked shakey this past weekend against Wake Forest. Sam Keller has yet to play well, and Nebraska was lucky to walk away with a win. This weekend, the USC Trojans come to town, and they have a defense loaded with NFL prospects. Don't look for the upset as the Trojans will show they are still a tier above the Huskers.

#4 West Virginia (2-0) at Maryland (2-0)
Pittsburgh (2-0) at Michigan State (2-0)
Virginia (1-1) at North Carolina (1-1)
#22 Tennessee (1-1) at #5 Florida (2-0)
#10 Ohio State (2-0) at Washington (2-0)
Notre Dame (0-2) at Michigan (0-2)
#16 Arkansas (1-0) at Alabama (2-0)
#1 USC (1-0) at #14 Nebraska (2-0)
#21 Boston College (2-0) at #15 Georgia Tech (2-0)
#24 Hawaii (2-0) at UNLV (1-1)

Week 2 Spotlight

What better way to enjoy a great thing like college football, then with Fantasy College Football. Every week the Drinking the Forty staff will be picking their fantasy team from the top 10 matchups of the upcoming week in College Football. Below, our picks...

Last Week
Charlie Weis’ Stomach Staples took Week 1 by a score of 183-176, led by Chase Daniel (Missouri) and Yvenson Bernard. Both of us went 7-3 in the team picks. I think I would’ve won if I had a team name. Therefore my team shall be known as Paterno Stadium Cleaning Service. Now on to Week 2.

Quarterbacks
Matthew Stafford (Georgia) played well last week against Oklahoma State, showing that he might be ready to take his team to the next level. This week we will continue to put up good numbers as South Carolina comes to town after a less than impressive win over Louisiana-Lafayette last week. Dennis Dixon (Oregon) is the pure dual threat quarterback. After 141 yards on the ground and 132 through the air, Dixon faces a defense that proved they have trouble stopping a dual threat quarterback.

Running Backs
Nebraska made it clear that they are easing Sam Keller into the offense and are not ready to make him win games. It makes sense if you have Marlon Lucky (Nebraska). He ran for 233 yards and 3 TDs in week one, and will face a Wake Forest defense that was lit up by Boston College. The only positive out of Michigan’s loss last week was Mike Hart (Michigan). He ran for 188 yards and 3 TDs. Look for him to put up similar numbers against Oregon and their Pac-10 quality defense.

Wide Receivers
Early Bennett (Vanderbilt) had a monster day pulling in 13 catches for 223 yards and 3 TDs. Alabama will be gameplanning for him, but I don’t see Nick Saban sliding extra receivers his way. I think Bennett will again have a big day. Early Doucet (LSU) proved week one that he is the reliable receiver for Matt Flynn. Against a good defense in Virginia Tech, he will be relied on heavily by Flynn for success in the passing game.

Offense/Defense
Losing to Appalachian State was embarrassing and Michigan will be coming out looking for redemption. The offense will have a big day against Oregon’s defense. Look for them to put up a ton of points and redeem themselves from last week’s defeat. Notre Dame looked confused and atrociously bad all game long against Georgia Tech. They’re hoping Jimmy Clausen will be the answer, but making your first start in the evening in Happy Valley is a daunting task, even for the chosen one. And since I will be in attendance, I can help cheer on Penn State’s defense as they shutdown Notre Dame.

Week 2 Picks (Home team in bold)
#5 Oklahoma (1-0) over Miami (FL) (1-0)
#16 Nebraska (1-0) over Wake Forest (0-1)
Alabama (1-0) over Vanderbilt (1-0)
Michigan (0-1) over Oregon (1-0)
#22 Boise State (1-0) over Washington (1-0)
#23 Texas A&M (1-0) over Fresno State (1-0)
#11 Georgia (1-0) over South Carolina (1-0)
#14 Penn State (1-0) over Notre Dame (0-1)
#7 Texas (1-0) over #22 TCU (1-0)
#2 LSU (1-0) over #9 Virginia Tech (1-0)

Week 1 Spotlight

What better way to enjoy a great thing like college football, then with Fantasy College Football. Every week the Drinking the Forty staff will be picking their fantasy team from the top 10 matchups of the upcoming week in College Football. Below, our picks...

Quarterbacks
Erik Ainge (Tennessee), rebounding after a terrible sophomore season, had a great season. He torched California last year at home, and as a senior will have another big game. Brett Ratliff (Utah) threw for 3,000 yards last season as a junior, and in the Utah offensive system will continue to put up big numbers. Facing a Pac-10 defense in Oregon State, Ratliff will come out of the gates firing.

Running Backs
Tashard Choice (Georgia Tech) emerged as one of the top running backs in the ACC in 2006. He will be relied on even more in 2007 with the graduation of Reggie Ball and the departure of Calvin Johnson. He faces a Notre Dame defense that was terrible a year ago. He will have a big day. Amir Pinnix (Minnesota) was one of the few bright spots for Minnesota last season. Facing a weak Bowling Green, Pinnix will start off 2007 on a good note.

Wide Receivers
Adarius Bowman (Oklahoma State) had a monster season as a junior for the Cowboys last year. In a pass oriented Oklahoma State offense, and the departure of DaJuan Woods he will reak havoc on an overrated Georgia team. In the Pac-10, they know offense. Sammie Stroughter (Oregon State) is coming off close to 1300 yards a year ago and will continue to put up big numbers against a Utah team not known for defense.

Offense/Defense
The Missouri Tigers bring back most of an offense that scored about 35 points a game last season. They open up the season against one of the worst teams in the Big Ten, Illinois. This game could get ugly. Boston College takes on Wake Forest in an ACC battle between two strong defenses. Wake Forest won't be able to re-create the magic from last season, and Boston College's defense will shut them down.

Week 1 Picks
Oregon State over Utah
Colorado over Colorado State
Georgia Tech over Notre Dame
Boston College over Wake Forest
Mississippi over Memphis
Missouri over Illinois
#13 Georgia over Oklahoma State
#15 Tennessee over #12 California
Minnesota over Bowling Green
#19 Florida State over Clemson