Brett Fera sports editor

Arizona vs. Texas Christian

I've said it once, and I'll say it again. I never ÷ EVER ÷ pick Arizona to lose. Call me biased. Call for my head as a biased reporter. I don't care. It won't happen. And to all you naysayers who leave by halftime and think the entire team is just a waste of space, you had better not be standing next to me when you spout off, or you'll be biting the bleachers. Cats save Mack for another week.
     Arizona 20, TCU 12 (six safeties)

Oregon vs. Washington State

Life is like a hurricane, here in Duck ÷ burg · Race cars, lasers, aeroplanes; It's a duck ö blur! · Might solve a mystery, or rewrite history! Ducktales! (a - whooh ooh); Every-day-they're-out-there-making ÷Ducktales! (a - whooh ooh) · I'm officially on the bandwagon. Oregon and Southern California don't see each other this year. Good for USC, Îcause the Ducks look like they're catchin' up with the Trojans on the Pac-10 radar screen.
     Oregon 42, Washington State 17

Arkansas vs. Alabama

Cedric "The Entertainer" Cobbs, who leads the Southeastern Conference in rushing this season and is averaging a whopping seven yards a carry, managed to score a touchdown in five straight season openers after the fifth-year senior was granted a medical redshirt following the 2000 campaign. In other news, I'm four-for-four in bombing my "season-opening" exams, looking to set a record of my own next fall. The drive for five has begun.
     Arkansas 34, Alabama 24

Pittsburgh vs. Texas A&M

When the day comes that I get to do my ultimate college football road trip, Kyle Field sits at the top. I know I'm probably the only person in the country who liked it, but when ESPN ran that show "Sidelines" two years back about A&M, I was glued every week. It was reality television about sports ÷ and college football nonetheless. The reality here, however, is that Pittsburgh is ÷ again ÷ overrated, and Kyle Field isn't too kind to visitors.
     A&M 21, Pitt 13

Shane Dale assistant sports editor

Arizona vs. Texas Christian

Mackovic's revolving door is apparently not limited to quarterbacks, as sophomore tailback Beau Carr is reportedly getting the starting nod this Saturday. Why? None of us are exactly sure yet. Seems like another brilliant move, especially against a team that was ranked first in fewest yards allowed last season. Why the hell not, I guess. Let's just hope TCU's "D" is on the field for more than 20 minutes.
     Texas Christian 52, Arizona 6

Oregon vs. Washington State

At least now Arizona can say it's been beaten by ranked teams the last three weeks ÷ sort of. After knocking off Michigan, the Ducks seem to be for real. But then, so are the Cougars, who would be ranked as high at Oregon if not for their fourth-quarter collapse against Notre Dame. Gotta give the nod to the Ducks, though, since this one's in Quackville.
     Oregon 20, Washington State 12

Arkansas vs. Alabama

Doesn't seem that long ago that Razorbacks fans would just wait out football season until basketball came around. Why does that sound familiar? But their one-two punch of QBs Matt Jones and Ryan Sorahan, both of whom have yet to throw a pick this year, has been exceptional. You can't discount Alabama, though ÷ they gave top-ranked Oklahoma a hell of a scare. It's all about home turf in this one.
     Alabama 31, Arkansas 30

Pittsburgh vs. Texas A&M

It's always easy to pick one team over another when one's ranked and the other isn't. This one's a little misleading, though. The Panthers have played nothing but opponents that were supposed to be pushovers ÷ and lost the last one at Toledo. Meanwhile, the Aggies have also lost one game ÷ to No. 5 Virginia Tech. It'll be close, but as a ranked team, Pitt just has a little more to prove.
     Pittsburgh 28, Texas A&M 21

James Kelley staff writer

Arizona vs. Texas Christian

TCU's quarterback and top two running backs are probably out, but the Frogs need not worry ÷ they have their vaunted defense to fall back on. To combat the TCU ÎD', Mackovic, hanging by a thread, is probably going to start the third-string quarterback and third-string running back, while 2001 Pac-10 rushing champ Clarence Farmer is fourth-string. I think he's lost his mind. Maybe he should look for it back at ESPN.
     TCU 35, Arizona 10

Oregon vs. Washington State

Oregon's going to run over Washington State like the Ducks were TCU assistant Mack Garza (arrested last week), giving a whole new meaning to the chant "Sack Mack." Wazzu has shocked with its hot start, but Oregon is looking like it can go undefeated now (they don't play USC). The Cougars will walk away with a limp, though not like that of Florida State's Chris Rix.
     Oregon 28, Washington State 13

Arkansas vs. Alabama

The past two years, former Wildcat sports editor Connor Doyle took a shot at ÎBama in his staff picks. But with him in Siberia ÷ I mean Idaho ÷ I guess I have to take over. With their Klan ties and cousin-lovin' already used by Connor, I'll go with the next best thing: their women. Considering how the stripper Mike Price fooled around with looks, how bad must the ÎBama women look? Anyway, Arkansas will have no trouble with the Tide.
     Arkansas 31, Alabama 20

Pittsburgh vs. Texas A&M

I'd be willing to bet former Aggie defensive coordinator and current Wildcat defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz never had two 59s and a 48 dropped on his ÎD' in College Station in a three-week span. With the always-overrated Panthers in town, A&M (and former TCU coach Dennis Franchione) could make Pitt look like Arizona. If Pitt were in the West, they'd be Utah or New Mexico or something.
     Texas A&M 38, Pitt 21