I went 5-2 last week in college picks and am now 40-23 on the year. Been a couple weeks since doing NFL picks but I'm getting back on that horse this week. The last time I made them, Week 5, I went 5-1 to finally get on the right side of things. I now stand 18-14 in NFL picks heading into Week 7. I am actually going to both the Virginia and Dallas games this weekend. Both teams have had been bad lately. They are a combined 4-8 but ever since the Cavs beat Penn State on Sept. 8, the two have gone a combined 1-8, and that one win was a struggling Cowboys victory over the Buccaneers. So here's to a little more success this football weekend hopefully.
COLLEGE
No. 6 LSU at No. 18 Texas A&M, Noon ESPN
Texas A&M won a wild 59-57 contest a week ago over Louisiana Tech. Except for its loss Sept. 8 at home vs. Florida, when the Aggies scored 17 points, Texas A&M has yet to go below the 30-point mark. The going should be much tougher against a Tiger squad which showed it shouldn't be counted out of the SEC race by beating undefeated South Carolina last week.
LSU 24, Texas A&M 21
Virginia Tech at No. 19 Clemson, Noon ESPN2 and ABC
Virginia Tech was in danger of losing to Duke in Blacksburg last week. The Blue Devils went up 20-0 but the Hokies stormed back and won 41-20. Maybe something clicked with the Hokies offense. They will probably need to hope so, as the Tigers bring an attack that has scored under 40 points just one time this year. Maybe Bud Foster lit a fire under the Hokies' defenders' butts as well to hold Duke scoreless after the first quarter. Since losing to Florida State, Clemson has defeated Boston College and Clemson 45-31 and 47-31. I think this game will be somewhat similar to the North Carolina-Virginia Tech game, a contest the Tar Heels won 48-34. It would not surprise me, though, to see Clemson do what it usually does this time of year and put up a stinker, especially against what could be a rejuvenated Hokies squad.
Clemson 42, Virginia Tech 35
No. 7 South Carolina at No. 2 Florida, 3:30 p.m. CBS
After a down couple seasons, Florida seems to be back to its winning ways under second-year coach Will Muschamp. Muschamp was the defensive coordinator at Texas, and a darn good one at that. So it is no surprise then that Florida is relying mainly on a nasty defense so far this season to attain its No. 2 ranking and an undefeated record. The Gators give up on 12.3 points per game, sixth in the country. Florida also gets it done on the ground, something that flies in the face of most teams these days which pass the ball all over the yard. Florida is 118th in passing yards per game but 14th in rushing yards per game. Two weeks ago, the Gators got it done in The Swamp against LSU and now the Gamecocks come to town for another top-10 SEC matchup. The Gamecocks were downed last week at LSU and now must turn around and play at Florida, a tough, tough couple weeks. Also, starting running back Marcus Lattimore might not start in the game.
Florida 26, South Carolina 22
N.C. State at Maryland, 3:30 p.m. ESPNU
The Wolfpack enjoyed a bye week after beating Florida State 17-16 two weeks ago at home. Maryland is the surprise of the ACC at 4-2 after going 2-10 last year. What's more, coach Randy Edsall lost lots of players because of transfer in the offseason and still getting the job done. He might be known as bit of an asshole, but it looks like the guy can flat out coach. He built UConn up from nothing and is now overcoming numbers problems and a 2-10 record to have the Terps headed toward bowl eligibility. I think the Terrapins have been helped along somewhat by a soft schedule, though, and I don't think they are quite ready to beat a Wolfpack team which could be making its seemingly annual late-season push to try to win the Atlantic Division.
N.C. State 27, Maryland 17
Michigan State at Michigan, 3:30 p.m. Big Ten Network
Neither has impressed this year. Both have won games they should win and lose the games they should lose. It's defense -- the Spartans allow just 15.7 points per game -- vs. offense -- the Wolverines run for the 16th most yards per game in the country. MSU has won four straight in this series and although Michigan seems to have the more complete team, there is just something tough-nosed about the Spartans that I like in this game.
Michigan State 29, Michigan 26
No. 4 Kansas State at No. 13 West Virginia
This as a more extreme version of Michigan State-Michigan. Kansas State has one of the top defenses in the country and West Virginia has one of the most explosive offenses in the nation. This game should be a real test for the undefeated Wildcats' 'D,' which will surely take a look to see what Texas Tech did last week to hold West Virginia to just 14 points after the Mountaineers had scored 69, 42, 31, 70, and 48 points in their first five games. I like WVU to play much better at home this week than it did in Lubbock last week, but I just can't pick them to beat Kansas State after the pitiful performance against the Red Raiders. KSU is a very tough squad that is good in close games and has a style that travels well -- rushing and defense.
Kansas State 35, West Virginia 31
North Carolina at Duke, 7 p.m. ESPNU
Duke needs just one more win to be bowl eligible. Can the Blue Devils do it? Everyone knew it would be difficult. The win against Virginia two weeks ago was crucial because now instead of needing two more wins, the Blue Devils need just one more win against one of the North Carolina, Florida State, Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Miami. Duke got off to a 20-0 start last week against Virginia Tech before getting pounded the rest of the way. I think Duke will have to wait a few more weeks to get that sixth victory it needs. North Carolina's offense will be too much for Duke to handle.
North Carolina 38, Duke 28
No. 14 Florida State at Miami, 8 p.m. ABC
Florida State bounced back nicely from its loss against N.C. State with a 51-7 victory over Boston College last week. Miami's defense is not as good as N.C. State's, however. The Hurricanes might be making strides, though, after giving up only 18 points to North Carolina in a loss. Miami had not given up less than 32 against any FBS squad this season before last week. I think Miami will keep this game close, but a late Seminole touchdown will put it out of reach.
Florida State 30, Miami 20
Wake Forest at Virginia, 12:30 p.m. ACC Network
First, some much-needed venting. I don't know if I have ever seen Virginia play a worse 15 minutes than it did last week in the first quarter against Maryland. The Cavaliers opened things up by allowing a kick return for a touchdown to true freshman Stefon Diggs. On the Cavs' first offensive possession, Phillip Sims threw an interception and then a hapless defense let the Terrapins score easily. Eventually, Maryland would end the quarter up 17-0. Finally, Virginia started to buckle down, and from there, the Cavaliers outscored their rivals 20-10. Unfortunately, mulligans aren't allowed in college football so the Wahoos were just left with a five-game losing streak and 2-5 record (0-3 in the ACC). I expected Virginia to struggle this season. The team is young and inexperienced, especially on defense. But the offense played surprisingly well for the most part last season and was expected to be a strength of the team this year and carry it to bowl eligibility. But that hasn't happened and the offense has been pitiful at times. A couple bright spots last week were the running of Kevin Parks, who picked up a career-high 129 yards, and a nice drive by Michael Rocco late in the game to bring the Cavaliers within seven points. The defense has played well at times, but has had lots of breakdowns at terrible moments in games. Perhaps the most frustrating thing about this team, though, is the lack of leadership, the coaching miscues, and the stupid mistakes and penalties. Who is taking ownership of this team? Are any of the players getting into other players' faces, demanding more, because they know they are capable of more? You can see it in flashes this season -- the first quarter and a half and final half of the fourth quarter against Louisiana Tech, playing TCU tough to the half on the road, a beautiful first drive to score a touchdown against Duke, the resiliency in the win against Penn State, and then last week, fighting to the end and outscoring Maryland for three quarters and holding it to negative rushing yards. But that "it" factor has only been there in bursts, as if the team is only interested in the outcome of the games at certain moments and not at others. That's how the first quarter last week was -- just dead. The team was lifeless and the stadium was rightfully lifeless. There was absolutely nothing to get excited about. Sometimes there is a debate -- does the team feed off the crowd or the crowd feed off the team? It is a little of both, just like at a rock concert. As beleaguered and criticized as Virginia's fans are, though, I felt sorry for us last week. The team has to give something in return. The balloon was just popped right from the beginning with Diggs' kick return for a touchdown. The team must come out better than that against a main conference rival in Charlottesville. It is inexcusable. The fans deserve more. I am glad the team manned up and played a better game after the first quarter because it was about to get ugly. It looked like the Terrapins, 2-10 a year ago, were going to beat Virginia at home by 40.
Hopefully Virginia can carry some of that late-game momentum this week into its game against Wake Forest, a team that has had its share of problems this season. The Demon Deacons are 3-3, and boast a one-point win over North Carolina but not much else. Their other two wins are over Liberty and Army, and Wake was beaten by Florida State 52-0, Duke 34-27, and Maryland 19-14. Wake Forest has suspended eight players in two weeks, but six that were suspended for the Maryland game two weeks ago are eligible for reinstatement against the Cavaliers. Two more were suspended last weekend, and this week, Jim Grobe wrote an open letter to fans, supporters, students, and media explaining his decisions, and basically saying that while winning is very important, it will not be pursued at the expense of integrity. The suspended players didn't show a lot of discipline, but that is something that Grobe is known for and I think the suspensions will set the Demon Deacons straight. On the field, Grobe always fields one of the most disciplined teams in the conference with few penalties and turnovers. Wake has just 26 penalties all year -- Virginia had 16 against Louisiana Tech. The Demon Deacons have turned the ball over eight times, more than one per game, but the Cavaliers have them beat there, too, with 17. In fact, UVa is 123rd in the nation in turnover margin and the only team worse is its opponent in the Chick-fil-A Bowl last season, Auburn. Additionally, Virginia has forced just three turnovers, and only one team, Buffalo, has caused less.
Virginia has been inconsistent at QB but Wake Forest has had junior Tanner Price start since his freshman season. He's completing only 52 percent of his passes in 2012 but has thrown seven touchdowns and just four picks. Wake's main threat at receiver, Michael Campanaro, is out until at least the team's next game against Clemson because of an injury he suffered against Duke. The beaten up Deacons have experienced numerous injuries this season but with a bye week to get ready and prepare for Virginia, I think they will be ready. Wake is a team at 3-3 that can still be in the mix for a bowl game with a win over the 'Hoos. A loss and it will probably be difficult. There are lots of problems right now with Wake, but I think its ability to play a mostly clean game and a coach that has gotten a lot out of a little in his time at the school should help the Demon Deacons get past a Cavalier squad that can't get out of its way despite periods of potential showing through.
Wake Forest 27, Virginia 24
(Yes, I realize this is the score I picked last week, and I was just four points off since UVa tallied 20 points. There is just something about this score that seems right; it is probably my most picked score.)
Aside: Last weekend was Homecomings at Virginia. Not sure why the "s" is added, but it is on there. Anyway, as such, thousands of alumni were in town. I spotted one former player in the stadium near the end of the game -- tight end Joe Torchia, who graduated in 2011. Thousands of fans poured out of the stadium when it looked like the 'Hoos were headed toward another loss. Virginia almost came back to tie the game, however, and was in Maryland territory but could not convert on fourth down to keep the tying drive alive. I overheard Torchia talk about fairweather fans and how disheartening it is to see fans leave after the players have busted their butts all week to come out and play in front of them. He didn't say it in those exact words -- he might have been rougher around the edges -- but I got his point and it was interesting to hear a former player talk about the Virginia fans like that. I was proud of the fans that did stick around that almost witnessed a comeback and was actually surprised more didn't leave the stadium before the game's conclusion. To the other fans, those of you that did leave or have given up on the season, now is not the time. I know that this team has been hard to watch and even hard to pay money to see in person. I'm not expecting fans to rush to the stadium to see this team lose time and time again. But keep supporting them, whether you are at the game or not. Take a different approach with this team: Don't expect results in the "win" column, but expect improvements on the field. The team has some tough opponents left on the schedule and now is not the time to bail. It is going to get tougher. But I think this team will pull at least one magic rabbit out of its hat this season and you will want to be watching, or at the very least, be an engaged fan, when it does happen. And if you are in the stadium, might as well stick it out and show your support until the end. The players notice.
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NFL
Rams at Packers, 1 p.m. FOX
The Packers might have gotten their offense going last week when they knocked off the undefeated Texans in Houston. Aaron Rodgers through six touchdowns and Green Bay scored 48 points. Now they face a Rams team that has been one of the good surprises of the season. St. Louis has been especially tough at home this year (3-0) but I like the Packers in this one.
Packers 27, Rams 21
Cardinals at Vikings, 1 p.m. FOX
Two more surprises in the NFL this season are 4-2 Arizona and Minnesota. The Cardinals have suffered two losses in a row, to St. Louis and Buffalo, after starting the season 4-0. The Vikings were shredded by the running of Robert Griffin III in a loss last week in Washington. At home, the Vikings should be able to beat the Cardinals, who typical struggle on the road and are going to be without quarterback Kevin Kolb.
Vikings 23, Cardinals 17
Redskins at Giants, 1 p.m. FOX
A real test for RGIII now -- the Super Bowl champions on the road. And it looks like the Giants are starting to click. They've gone 4-1 since a season-opening loss to Dallas. New York was dominant last week in beating San Francisco 26-3. I think this game is a little too much for the Redskins to handle, though it should be competitive. Back in Washington though later in the season, the Redskins might be ready to win.
Giants 31, Redskins 21
Cowboys at Panthers, 1 p.m. FOX
Oddly, like Jerry Jones, I felt pretty good after the Cowboys' loss at the Ravens last week. Had it not been for a record kick return touchdown by Jacoby Jones, the Cowboys would have walked out of Baltimore with a win and for them to keep it close and for it to come down to a 50-yard kick at the end, I feel pretty good. If they play as good as they are capable of, a win at Carolina is possible. The Panthers have struggled so far this season, especially on offense. They have one win, at home against the Saints 35-27 in Week 2. Quarterback Cam Newton is explosive and always has the potential to have a good game. The key will be for the Cowboys to hold his scrambling and running down and force him to pass the ball, where he is less comfortable and has thrown five interceptions this season. On offense, Dallas will be without the services of DeMarco Murray, who sprained his foot last week. But Felix Jones and Philip Tanner filled in nicely once Murray left the game. Jones recorded 92 yards and Tanner tallied 31. As a team, Dallas had a terrific running week against the Ravens, picking up 227 yards, which I think was more than any team has ever run for against Baltimore. Carolina also brings a shoddy run defense into the game, ranked 23rd in the NFL. If the Cowboys can run the ball well, that will open things up for the passing game and Tony Romo will hopefully not feel like he has to force as many passes into tight situations. As we know, he can throw his share of interceptions. But if he keeps his mistakes to a minimum, Dallas gets its run game going again, and the defense can at least slow down Cam Newton, Dallas can snap its two-game losing streak and I can watch a Cowboys' win in-person.
Cowboys 24, Panthers 14
Ravens at Texans, 1 p.m. CBS
The Texans will be looking to get back on track after getting smashed by the Packers at home. The Ravens are 5-1 and comfortably atop the AFC North, but their close win at home last week over the Cwboys didn't come without costs -- Ray Lewis is out for the forseeable future and cornerback Lardarius Webb is out for the season with a torn ACL. The Ravens could get a boost from Terrell Suggs, who is saying that he will play against the Texans despite just starting to practice this week. Suggs tore his Achilles' heel in April. Still, with the Cowboys running for over 200 yards against the Ravens last week, Arian Foster and Co. should have a field day on the ground.
Texans 28, Ravens 24
Jets at Patriots, 4:25 p.m. CBS
The Jets got back on track in a big way last week with a 35-9 victory over the Colts at home. We should never count out Rex Ryan at New England, as he's famously trash talked his way to some victories over the Patriots, but I think it is asking too much right now. The Patriots will be focused coming off a 24-23 loss at Seattle.
Patriots 31, Jets 24
Steelers at Bengals, 8:20 p.m. NBC
The Steelers have yet to win on the road this season and the Bengals lost to rival Cleveland last week, giving the Browns their first victory of the season, so both teams are in need of a victory to keep up with the Ravens. I like the Bengals in a close game.
Bengals 20, Steelers 17
Lions at Bears, 8:30 p.m. Monday ESPN
NFC North rivals clash in Chicago. The Bears were off last week and have beaten their last three opponents -- the Rams, Cowboys, and Jaguars -- by a combined score of 98-27. The Lions have had a tough time getting it going this season after making the playoffs last year although they did come back on the Eagles last week in Philly in the fourth quarter and cause defensive coordinator Juan Castillo to be fired. The Chicago crowd should be amped and I think the Bears' ballhawking defense will come up with a turnover or two.
Bears 31, Lions 17
COLLEGE
No. 6 LSU at No. 18 Texas A&M, Noon ESPN
Texas A&M won a wild 59-57 contest a week ago over Louisiana Tech. Except for its loss Sept. 8 at home vs. Florida, when the Aggies scored 17 points, Texas A&M has yet to go below the 30-point mark. The going should be much tougher against a Tiger squad which showed it shouldn't be counted out of the SEC race by beating undefeated South Carolina last week.
LSU 24, Texas A&M 21
Virginia Tech at No. 19 Clemson, Noon ESPN2 and ABC
Virginia Tech was in danger of losing to Duke in Blacksburg last week. The Blue Devils went up 20-0 but the Hokies stormed back and won 41-20. Maybe something clicked with the Hokies offense. They will probably need to hope so, as the Tigers bring an attack that has scored under 40 points just one time this year. Maybe Bud Foster lit a fire under the Hokies' defenders' butts as well to hold Duke scoreless after the first quarter. Since losing to Florida State, Clemson has defeated Boston College and Clemson 45-31 and 47-31. I think this game will be somewhat similar to the North Carolina-Virginia Tech game, a contest the Tar Heels won 48-34. It would not surprise me, though, to see Clemson do what it usually does this time of year and put up a stinker, especially against what could be a rejuvenated Hokies squad.
Clemson 42, Virginia Tech 35
No. 7 South Carolina at No. 2 Florida, 3:30 p.m. CBS
After a down couple seasons, Florida seems to be back to its winning ways under second-year coach Will Muschamp. Muschamp was the defensive coordinator at Texas, and a darn good one at that. So it is no surprise then that Florida is relying mainly on a nasty defense so far this season to attain its No. 2 ranking and an undefeated record. The Gators give up on 12.3 points per game, sixth in the country. Florida also gets it done on the ground, something that flies in the face of most teams these days which pass the ball all over the yard. Florida is 118th in passing yards per game but 14th in rushing yards per game. Two weeks ago, the Gators got it done in The Swamp against LSU and now the Gamecocks come to town for another top-10 SEC matchup. The Gamecocks were downed last week at LSU and now must turn around and play at Florida, a tough, tough couple weeks. Also, starting running back Marcus Lattimore might not start in the game.
Florida 26, South Carolina 22
N.C. State at Maryland, 3:30 p.m. ESPNU
The Wolfpack enjoyed a bye week after beating Florida State 17-16 two weeks ago at home. Maryland is the surprise of the ACC at 4-2 after going 2-10 last year. What's more, coach Randy Edsall lost lots of players because of transfer in the offseason and still getting the job done. He might be known as bit of an asshole, but it looks like the guy can flat out coach. He built UConn up from nothing and is now overcoming numbers problems and a 2-10 record to have the Terps headed toward bowl eligibility. I think the Terrapins have been helped along somewhat by a soft schedule, though, and I don't think they are quite ready to beat a Wolfpack team which could be making its seemingly annual late-season push to try to win the Atlantic Division.
N.C. State 27, Maryland 17
Michigan State at Michigan, 3:30 p.m. Big Ten Network
Neither has impressed this year. Both have won games they should win and lose the games they should lose. It's defense -- the Spartans allow just 15.7 points per game -- vs. offense -- the Wolverines run for the 16th most yards per game in the country. MSU has won four straight in this series and although Michigan seems to have the more complete team, there is just something tough-nosed about the Spartans that I like in this game.
Michigan State 29, Michigan 26
No. 4 Kansas State at No. 13 West Virginia
This as a more extreme version of Michigan State-Michigan. Kansas State has one of the top defenses in the country and West Virginia has one of the most explosive offenses in the nation. This game should be a real test for the undefeated Wildcats' 'D,' which will surely take a look to see what Texas Tech did last week to hold West Virginia to just 14 points after the Mountaineers had scored 69, 42, 31, 70, and 48 points in their first five games. I like WVU to play much better at home this week than it did in Lubbock last week, but I just can't pick them to beat Kansas State after the pitiful performance against the Red Raiders. KSU is a very tough squad that is good in close games and has a style that travels well -- rushing and defense.
Kansas State 35, West Virginia 31
North Carolina at Duke, 7 p.m. ESPNU
Duke needs just one more win to be bowl eligible. Can the Blue Devils do it? Everyone knew it would be difficult. The win against Virginia two weeks ago was crucial because now instead of needing two more wins, the Blue Devils need just one more win against one of the North Carolina, Florida State, Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Miami. Duke got off to a 20-0 start last week against Virginia Tech before getting pounded the rest of the way. I think Duke will have to wait a few more weeks to get that sixth victory it needs. North Carolina's offense will be too much for Duke to handle.
North Carolina 38, Duke 28
No. 14 Florida State at Miami, 8 p.m. ABC
Florida State bounced back nicely from its loss against N.C. State with a 51-7 victory over Boston College last week. Miami's defense is not as good as N.C. State's, however. The Hurricanes might be making strides, though, after giving up only 18 points to North Carolina in a loss. Miami had not given up less than 32 against any FBS squad this season before last week. I think Miami will keep this game close, but a late Seminole touchdown will put it out of reach.
Florida State 30, Miami 20
Wake Forest at Virginia, 12:30 p.m. ACC Network
First, some much-needed venting. I don't know if I have ever seen Virginia play a worse 15 minutes than it did last week in the first quarter against Maryland. The Cavaliers opened things up by allowing a kick return for a touchdown to true freshman Stefon Diggs. On the Cavs' first offensive possession, Phillip Sims threw an interception and then a hapless defense let the Terrapins score easily. Eventually, Maryland would end the quarter up 17-0. Finally, Virginia started to buckle down, and from there, the Cavaliers outscored their rivals 20-10. Unfortunately, mulligans aren't allowed in college football so the Wahoos were just left with a five-game losing streak and 2-5 record (0-3 in the ACC). I expected Virginia to struggle this season. The team is young and inexperienced, especially on defense. But the offense played surprisingly well for the most part last season and was expected to be a strength of the team this year and carry it to bowl eligibility. But that hasn't happened and the offense has been pitiful at times. A couple bright spots last week were the running of Kevin Parks, who picked up a career-high 129 yards, and a nice drive by Michael Rocco late in the game to bring the Cavaliers within seven points. The defense has played well at times, but has had lots of breakdowns at terrible moments in games. Perhaps the most frustrating thing about this team, though, is the lack of leadership, the coaching miscues, and the stupid mistakes and penalties. Who is taking ownership of this team? Are any of the players getting into other players' faces, demanding more, because they know they are capable of more? You can see it in flashes this season -- the first quarter and a half and final half of the fourth quarter against Louisiana Tech, playing TCU tough to the half on the road, a beautiful first drive to score a touchdown against Duke, the resiliency in the win against Penn State, and then last week, fighting to the end and outscoring Maryland for three quarters and holding it to negative rushing yards. But that "it" factor has only been there in bursts, as if the team is only interested in the outcome of the games at certain moments and not at others. That's how the first quarter last week was -- just dead. The team was lifeless and the stadium was rightfully lifeless. There was absolutely nothing to get excited about. Sometimes there is a debate -- does the team feed off the crowd or the crowd feed off the team? It is a little of both, just like at a rock concert. As beleaguered and criticized as Virginia's fans are, though, I felt sorry for us last week. The team has to give something in return. The balloon was just popped right from the beginning with Diggs' kick return for a touchdown. The team must come out better than that against a main conference rival in Charlottesville. It is inexcusable. The fans deserve more. I am glad the team manned up and played a better game after the first quarter because it was about to get ugly. It looked like the Terrapins, 2-10 a year ago, were going to beat Virginia at home by 40.
Hopefully Virginia can carry some of that late-game momentum this week into its game against Wake Forest, a team that has had its share of problems this season. The Demon Deacons are 3-3, and boast a one-point win over North Carolina but not much else. Their other two wins are over Liberty and Army, and Wake was beaten by Florida State 52-0, Duke 34-27, and Maryland 19-14. Wake Forest has suspended eight players in two weeks, but six that were suspended for the Maryland game two weeks ago are eligible for reinstatement against the Cavaliers. Two more were suspended last weekend, and this week, Jim Grobe wrote an open letter to fans, supporters, students, and media explaining his decisions, and basically saying that while winning is very important, it will not be pursued at the expense of integrity. The suspended players didn't show a lot of discipline, but that is something that Grobe is known for and I think the suspensions will set the Demon Deacons straight. On the field, Grobe always fields one of the most disciplined teams in the conference with few penalties and turnovers. Wake has just 26 penalties all year -- Virginia had 16 against Louisiana Tech. The Demon Deacons have turned the ball over eight times, more than one per game, but the Cavaliers have them beat there, too, with 17. In fact, UVa is 123rd in the nation in turnover margin and the only team worse is its opponent in the Chick-fil-A Bowl last season, Auburn. Additionally, Virginia has forced just three turnovers, and only one team, Buffalo, has caused less.Virginia has been inconsistent at QB but Wake Forest has had junior Tanner Price start since his freshman season. He's completing only 52 percent of his passes in 2012 but has thrown seven touchdowns and just four picks. Wake's main threat at receiver, Michael Campanaro, is out until at least the team's next game against Clemson because of an injury he suffered against Duke. The beaten up Deacons have experienced numerous injuries this season but with a bye week to get ready and prepare for Virginia, I think they will be ready. Wake is a team at 3-3 that can still be in the mix for a bowl game with a win over the 'Hoos. A loss and it will probably be difficult. There are lots of problems right now with Wake, but I think its ability to play a mostly clean game and a coach that has gotten a lot out of a little in his time at the school should help the Demon Deacons get past a Cavalier squad that can't get out of its way despite periods of potential showing through.
Wake Forest 27, Virginia 24
(Yes, I realize this is the score I picked last week, and I was just four points off since UVa tallied 20 points. There is just something about this score that seems right; it is probably my most picked score.)
Aside: Last weekend was Homecomings at Virginia. Not sure why the "s" is added, but it is on there. Anyway, as such, thousands of alumni were in town. I spotted one former player in the stadium near the end of the game -- tight end Joe Torchia, who graduated in 2011. Thousands of fans poured out of the stadium when it looked like the 'Hoos were headed toward another loss. Virginia almost came back to tie the game, however, and was in Maryland territory but could not convert on fourth down to keep the tying drive alive. I overheard Torchia talk about fairweather fans and how disheartening it is to see fans leave after the players have busted their butts all week to come out and play in front of them. He didn't say it in those exact words -- he might have been rougher around the edges -- but I got his point and it was interesting to hear a former player talk about the Virginia fans like that. I was proud of the fans that did stick around that almost witnessed a comeback and was actually surprised more didn't leave the stadium before the game's conclusion. To the other fans, those of you that did leave or have given up on the season, now is not the time. I know that this team has been hard to watch and even hard to pay money to see in person. I'm not expecting fans to rush to the stadium to see this team lose time and time again. But keep supporting them, whether you are at the game or not. Take a different approach with this team: Don't expect results in the "win" column, but expect improvements on the field. The team has some tough opponents left on the schedule and now is not the time to bail. It is going to get tougher. But I think this team will pull at least one magic rabbit out of its hat this season and you will want to be watching, or at the very least, be an engaged fan, when it does happen. And if you are in the stadium, might as well stick it out and show your support until the end. The players notice.
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NFL
Rams at Packers, 1 p.m. FOX
The Packers might have gotten their offense going last week when they knocked off the undefeated Texans in Houston. Aaron Rodgers through six touchdowns and Green Bay scored 48 points. Now they face a Rams team that has been one of the good surprises of the season. St. Louis has been especially tough at home this year (3-0) but I like the Packers in this one.
Packers 27, Rams 21
Cardinals at Vikings, 1 p.m. FOX
Two more surprises in the NFL this season are 4-2 Arizona and Minnesota. The Cardinals have suffered two losses in a row, to St. Louis and Buffalo, after starting the season 4-0. The Vikings were shredded by the running of Robert Griffin III in a loss last week in Washington. At home, the Vikings should be able to beat the Cardinals, who typical struggle on the road and are going to be without quarterback Kevin Kolb.
Vikings 23, Cardinals 17
Redskins at Giants, 1 p.m. FOX
A real test for RGIII now -- the Super Bowl champions on the road. And it looks like the Giants are starting to click. They've gone 4-1 since a season-opening loss to Dallas. New York was dominant last week in beating San Francisco 26-3. I think this game is a little too much for the Redskins to handle, though it should be competitive. Back in Washington though later in the season, the Redskins might be ready to win.
Giants 31, Redskins 21
Cowboys at Panthers, 1 p.m. FOX
Oddly, like Jerry Jones, I felt pretty good after the Cowboys' loss at the Ravens last week. Had it not been for a record kick return touchdown by Jacoby Jones, the Cowboys would have walked out of Baltimore with a win and for them to keep it close and for it to come down to a 50-yard kick at the end, I feel pretty good. If they play as good as they are capable of, a win at Carolina is possible. The Panthers have struggled so far this season, especially on offense. They have one win, at home against the Saints 35-27 in Week 2. Quarterback Cam Newton is explosive and always has the potential to have a good game. The key will be for the Cowboys to hold his scrambling and running down and force him to pass the ball, where he is less comfortable and has thrown five interceptions this season. On offense, Dallas will be without the services of DeMarco Murray, who sprained his foot last week. But Felix Jones and Philip Tanner filled in nicely once Murray left the game. Jones recorded 92 yards and Tanner tallied 31. As a team, Dallas had a terrific running week against the Ravens, picking up 227 yards, which I think was more than any team has ever run for against Baltimore. Carolina also brings a shoddy run defense into the game, ranked 23rd in the NFL. If the Cowboys can run the ball well, that will open things up for the passing game and Tony Romo will hopefully not feel like he has to force as many passes into tight situations. As we know, he can throw his share of interceptions. But if he keeps his mistakes to a minimum, Dallas gets its run game going again, and the defense can at least slow down Cam Newton, Dallas can snap its two-game losing streak and I can watch a Cowboys' win in-person.
Cowboys 24, Panthers 14
Ravens at Texans, 1 p.m. CBS
The Texans will be looking to get back on track after getting smashed by the Packers at home. The Ravens are 5-1 and comfortably atop the AFC North, but their close win at home last week over the Cwboys didn't come without costs -- Ray Lewis is out for the forseeable future and cornerback Lardarius Webb is out for the season with a torn ACL. The Ravens could get a boost from Terrell Suggs, who is saying that he will play against the Texans despite just starting to practice this week. Suggs tore his Achilles' heel in April. Still, with the Cowboys running for over 200 yards against the Ravens last week, Arian Foster and Co. should have a field day on the ground.
Texans 28, Ravens 24
Jets at Patriots, 4:25 p.m. CBS
The Jets got back on track in a big way last week with a 35-9 victory over the Colts at home. We should never count out Rex Ryan at New England, as he's famously trash talked his way to some victories over the Patriots, but I think it is asking too much right now. The Patriots will be focused coming off a 24-23 loss at Seattle.
Patriots 31, Jets 24
Steelers at Bengals, 8:20 p.m. NBC
The Steelers have yet to win on the road this season and the Bengals lost to rival Cleveland last week, giving the Browns their first victory of the season, so both teams are in need of a victory to keep up with the Ravens. I like the Bengals in a close game.
Bengals 20, Steelers 17
Lions at Bears, 8:30 p.m. Monday ESPN
NFC North rivals clash in Chicago. The Bears were off last week and have beaten their last three opponents -- the Rams, Cowboys, and Jaguars -- by a combined score of 98-27. The Lions have had a tough time getting it going this season after making the playoffs last year although they did come back on the Eagles last week in Philly in the fourth quarter and cause defensive coordinator Juan Castillo to be fired. The Chicago crowd should be amped and I think the Bears' ballhawking defense will come up with a turnover or two.
Bears 31, Lions 17
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