Staff picks

Chris Martin, sports editor

The Fighting Irish are on a roll after their last-second defeat of Purdue last weekend. Besides the Nebraska game, this will be N.D.'s toughest of the year. Without DE Grant Irons, Kalamazoo, Mich.,-native T.J. Duckett will have a nice day running the ball for the Spartans. The Golden Domers will overcome Duckett's three touchdown performance and win a huge road game.

Notre Dame 28, Michigan State 24

No. 6 UCLA at Oregon, Saturday, 12:30 p.m. (PDT), FOXSN

The Bruins' offense is for real but I am still skeptical about their porous defense. Beating both Alabama and Michigan is a giant accomplishment for the Bruins but their toughest test this young season will be Saturday in Eugene, Ore. The Quackers are ready for this game and Mike Bellotti's boys will be ready to upset the favored SoCal boys.

Oregon 31, UCLA 24

San Jose State at No. 9 USC, Saturday, 3:30 p.m. (PDT)

Don't be fooled by the Spartans upset of Stanford two weeks ago, Stanford is no USC. That said, I fully expect Trojan QB Carson Palmer to have his first super game of the season. Paul Hackett had an intense bye week with a lot of hitting and I guarantee the men of Troy are hungry to get on the field and give San Jose State a whoopin'. They will, too.

USC 41, San Jose State 10

No. 10 Michigan at No. 19 Illinois, Saturday, 4:30 p.m. (PDT), ESPN

The Wolverines are licking their wounds after last weekends debacle in Pasadena. Well there is a new factor to the UM lineup - super QB Drew Henson. With Henson running the show, WR David Terrell will finally put up the huge numbers expected out of one of the premier playmakers in the country. The Fighting Illini will make it close, though.

Michigan 28, Illinois 25

No. 3 Florida at Kentucky, Saturday, 12:30 p.m. (PDT), CBS

So Florida got a cheap touchdown last week to defeat Tennessee. It happened three years ago to Nebraska when they beat Missouri and it propelled them to a national championship. There is something about this Florida squad that intrigues me. I don't think they are even close to playing to their potential and yet they are No. 3. Watch out America.

Florida 66, Kentucky 17

Ryan Finley, assistant sports editor

No. 16 Notre Dame at No. 23 Michigan State, Saturday, 12:30 p.m. (PDT), ABC

Light a candle at the grotto, Domer fans, because this weekend's game against the Spartans will prove to be the straw that breaks the Irish's back. C'mon, ND's quarterback is a former tight end! Notre Dame's dream season will prove to be just three games long, as the Irish get stomped and MSU raises a volley cheer on high. Bob Davie will be praying for his job - Domers will be praying for a new coach.

Michigan State 31, Notre Dame 10

No. 6 UCLA at Oregon, Saturday, 12:30 p.m. (PDT), FOXSN

All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray...that's right, the BCS will be California Dreamin' this Saturday when the Ore-gone Ducks play host to the surging UCLA Bruins. Look for DeShaun Foster to run all over UO and Tucson's own Brian Poli-Dixon to catch a couple touchdown passes en route to a Bruin romp.

UCLA 42, Oregon 10

San Jose State at No. 9 USC, Saturday, 3:30 p.m. (PDT)

Southern Cal has been the most publicized team in the nation so far this season, so (in true USC fashion), Troy will be upset by San Jose State at the Coliseum. Who plays for SJSU? Who cares? Simply, the Trojans will implode under a mountain of media pressure and fall victim to the Spartans, a team that has beaten Stanford three years in a row. Watts riots, part II.

San Jose State 17, USC 3

No. 10 Michigan at No. 19 Illinois, Saturday, 4:30 p.m. (PDT), ESPN

Oh boy...a midwestern showdown in scenic Urbana-Champaign, Ill. I wouldn't walk across the street to see these two Neanderthal offenses run dive and "iso" plays all afternoon. I don't care who wins - I'll be playing home run derby. But I do like upsets. So look for the Illini (and their fight song, Oskee Wow Wow!) to run over wunderkind Drew Henson.

Illinois 30, Michigan 17

No. 3 Florida at Kentucky, Saturday, 12:30 p.m. (PDT), CBS

It's a catch - wait, no its not! Anyone who saw last weekend's Florida-Tennessee game knows that the Gators should have lost. So I guess this weekend's tilt against Kentucky and their 275-pound quarterback should keep coach Steve Spurrier's momentum rolling. Some call Florida a team of destiny. I call them cheaters. Either way, it'll be a big win. The only intrigue will come guessing how many people named Cletus are in the stands.

Florida 60, Kentucky 35

Maxx Wolfson, staff writer

No. 16 Notre Dame at No. 23 Michigan State, Saturday, 12:30 p.m. (PDT), ABC

There's a Spartan war against the Irish this weekend. The Irish hits the road for the first time this year and converted QB Gary Godsey will get the nod again for the Irish. Godsey will have to have his best game of the season in order to counter the MSU powerhouse T.J. Duckett. Duckett goes for three touchdowns for the victorious Spartans.

Michigan State 30, Notre Dame 17

No. 6 UCLA at Oregon, Saturday, 12:30 p.m. (PDT), FOXSN

Remember the game Duck Hunt on Nintendo? The Bruins do and they are planning on winning their fourth straight game of the season. The boys of Westwood get out of the heat for a weekend and head to Eugene where the temperature is supposed to be in the high 60s. The Bruins will breeze to a victory against the Ducks and prove that their victories against Alabama and Michigan were no joke.

UCLA 42, Oregon 21

The well-rested Trojans take on the team that Stanford has been having nightmares about the last three seasons. Yes, SJSU did beat Stanford - but the Trojans are no Stanford. Palmer will continue to impress after his 275 yard performance against Colorado two weeks ago and help lead the Trojans to victory during the 500th game played at historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

USC 54, San Jose State 10

Michigan looked more like a team that will be fighting for a berth in the Micron-PC Bowl rather than the Rose Bowl. The Illini are led by a running back named Rocky. Just give Rocky the ball and watch how he makes a suspect Michigan defense look bad. Just like he did last week against UCLA, QB Navarre will be playing for the Illini instead of Michigan. Late interception by Navarre leads to a Michigan loss.

Illinois 24, Michigan 20.

After suspending wide receiver Jabar Gaffney for the first half of Saturday's game, Steve Spurrier realizes his football team needs a reality check. The Gators pulled out a last minute victory against the Tennessee last week -don't expect that close of a game this weekend. Florida needs to prove they deserve the No. 3 ranking, which they should be able to do on the road in Kentucky.

Florida 45, Kentucky 17

Francisco Merced, staff writer

No. 16 Notre Dame at No. 23 Michigan State, Saturday, 12:30 p.m. (PDT), ABC

Just sit right back and I'll make some picks, some picks that will make you twitch. If you don't like the Catholic boys then you will make me sick. The Spartans from Michigan State will try their best, I'm sure, but the game will be fought back and forth in a three hour tour, a three hour tour. With Bob Davie and you know who, that other guy and his wife? A movie star, a professor and Mary Anne here in East Lansing?

Notre Dame 27, Michigan State 17

No. 6 UCLA at Oregon, Saturday, 12:30 p.m. (PDT), FOXSN

UCLA will come to play when they show up this Saturday. Oregon will try to duck and some guy named Foster will run amuck. UCLA is now No. 6 and the Pac-10 is really great, but their ranking is in the AP poll, on ESPN their No. 8. The Bruins will ruin the Ducks at home, the crowd will be upset. The Ducks will still run and roam, but the defense will be a mess. The crystal balls comes out again and tells you all my friends that Oregon will lose this game and UCLA will win.

UCLA 31, Oregon 14

San Jose State at No. 9 USC, Saturday, 3:30 p.m. (PDT)

Do you know the way to San Jose? La, la, la, la, la. That's right L.A. I love L.A. at least that's what the song says, but I do love L.A. in this game. From the moment I wake up and make my milkshake up, I'll say a little prayer for you - you San Jose. The Trojans will come to dominate and poor, poor San Jose and the game will be over in the first quarter.

USC 48, San Jose State 3

No. 10 Michigan at No. 19 Illinois, Saturday, 4:30 p.m. (PDT), ESPN

With Michigan many words can come to mind that rhyme. Michigan has a plan to put the man, down. Let's try Wolverine. Wolverines are fiends and can be seen dominating the scene. Now onto Illinois. Illinois will have their boys to kill the noise Michigan makes. Ok, now onto Illini. Say goodbye to the Illini and try to cry a little tear for them. Iambic Pentameter. Actually that wasn't, in fact I don't know what that was.

Michigan 24, Illinois 10

No. 3 Florida at Kentucky, Saturday, 12:30 p.m. (PDT), CBS

The last pick in wannabe Haiku form.

Florida throws long

Kentucky tries to throw long

Florida wins big.

Florida 28, Kentucky 7