Our Favorite Color is RED

Before we get to what should turn out to be a great November on the college gridiron, we'd like everyone to partake in a moment of silence for a basketball legend and Boston icon Red Auerbach, deceased at age 89 . . . Thanks for the memories Red.

(On a more personal note to my family & friends: Before the traditional wake and funeral, I'd appreciate it if you gave me a true sendoff the likes of which Bunk and the Baltimore City Police Department would be proud. Do me a favor and make sure the felt is Irish Green).

But I digress, as there's money to be made while we still inhabit this Earth. Here are Red's Saturday Plays of the Day:

As 5th ranked Louisville is about to take out 3rd ranked West Virginia, we can't help but think that the first Saturday of November is going to be highly lucrative, and entertaining, for the Mayoral staff. A great stretch of games is on the horizon. If you can't wait for the remainder of the month, of until Saturday for that matter, you might want to take a look at Air Force minus 6.5 at Army tonight. The Force averages 270 rushing yards/game and runs the vaunted Spreadbone offense. To think that Army will be able to hang with this offense, even at home, is not monetarily efficient. Go with The Force.

As for the Saturday Action:

We're starting things off at noon in the Big 12 and taking a road dog to win outright when Mizzu plus 4.5 heads to Lincoln to take on the 6-3 Nebraska Huskers. Both teams are coming off a loss; Nebraska at Oklahoma State and Mizzu at home against Oklahoma. The game should be decided by a field goal so at least take the free points. Bill Callahan's Huskers have been a huge disappointment this season, while a win on the road will go a long way toward the Tigers becoming respectable-like within the Big XII. Quite simply, we don't trust Nebraska's defense. Even though Mizzu hasn't won in front of the 75,000 plus at Lincoln since 1978, we like QB Chase Daniel to keep things interesting. At least take the points.

For our next play we're heading to Madison where a rookie head coach takes on a 41 year veteran. It's Bret Bielema versus Joe Paterno. 8-1 Wisconsin versus 6-3 Penn State. In this classic Big 10 battle we like Wisky minus 7 over Penn State. Wisky has revenge on its mind after getting hammered last season in Death, I mean Happy Valley, 35-14. Penn State is one of the schools that is referred to as Linebacker U. But don't slight Wisky's crew this season. Their defense is for real. With the playing status of RB P.J. Hill up in the air, it will be up to the defense to keep PSU out of the endzone. If they can play tight on defense it will allow QB Johnny "Old School" Stocco to take control of the offense. Stocco has thrown for 14 TD's and only 4 INT's while his counterpart Anthony Morelli has thrown for 7 and 6. Wisky by double digits as the rookie head coach takes the veteran to school.

Let's travel to Oil Country for a 3:30 tilt when 7-1 Tulsa goes on the road to play 6-3 Houston (minus 3.5). Tulsa has the 4th ranked passing defense and Houston doesn't play much defense. But Houston does have future NFL QB Kevin Kolb. The senior has thrown for over 2,600 yards with 21 sixers and only 3 turnovers. We're taking Kolb's Poise & Precision at home over the vaunted Tulsa defense.

Much will be written about the game featuring #13 LSU(6-2) at #8 Tennessee (7-1). We won't bore you with in-depth analysis, angles, trends etc. We'll let the national media outlets provide you with too much information. Quite simply, this game will be a Defensive Slugfest. LSU has the nation's best defense. Tennessee has a slightly hobbled Eric Ainge at QB. We're not sure who is going to win outright. But one thing is for sure, this game isn't coming close to the OVER/UNDER 44.5. We love the UNDER.

It's November and the Fall season has arrived. Which is exactly why we're going with a veteran Boston College squad to go on the road and prove that Wake Forest is lucky to be sitting at 7-1. The Eagles, which also enter this game at 7-1, haven't fared well recently against Wake. They needed a last minute comeback by QB Matt Ryan to escape with a home victory last year. If not for the last minute dramatics, Wake would enter this game as winners of the last 3 in this series. However, BC still has Ryan under center. Which means all the difference in the world. Wake runs a very diverse and confusing defensive scheme but if anyone can decipher that scheme it's BC head coach Tom O'Brien. With the line hovering around the field goal plateau, we have to think that Ryan and his crew will leave Winston-Salem with at least a 3 point win.

Our Saturday Night Selection has us once again traveling to the great state of Texas when 6-2 Oklahoma (minus 2.5) faces off with 8-1 Texas A&M in College Station. Everyone thought Oklahoma was finished after losing star RB Adrian Peterson. But wouldn't you know it, the Sooners still know how to stockpile backs. In this case it's junior Allen Patrick. He's rushed for 272 yards in the last two games as he's grown accustomed to being the main threat out of the backfield. A&M counters with the sound QB play of Stephen McGee (11 TD/1 INT) and a wide receiver corps which mimics that of the Pats & Colts in the NFL. It's the rushing defense of A&M versus the passing defense of Oklahoma. The deciding factor will be the Sooners' Bob Stoops outcoaching A&M's Denis Franchione. The stat geeks point to the fact that the home team has covered 10 of the last 12. We don't like stat geeks. Take the Sooners.

Our picks may be right or wrong but at least you can throw down a few greenbacks on some college action while you await the demolition of the Indy Colts by our very own New England Patriots on Sunday night. And if you don't enjoy football, there's always the Breeder's Cup. Have a good luck and a good day.