We hit the midway point of the year for CFB this week, and the Locks have made a nice little run going 3-1 ATS last week to get back close to .500 (9-11 ATS for the year). Recapping last week’s selections, we had Fla. (-7.5) cover the number in Death Valley, GT (+3) won at F$U and the OGDS hit again with the Idaho Vandals (+4) winning straight up at SJST. The only loser was Kansas (-13.5) as they won but failed to cover the big number against Iowa St. It was very tough to select the picks this week as the odds makers put out some very sharp numbers. A good slate of games this week with the marquee match-ups pitting OKLA/TEX in the Red River Rivalry (one of the Locks this week), U$C going to South Bend to face the Luck of the Irish and The Ol’ Ball Coach bringing the Chickens into T Town to face the Tide.

Watching games last week, I was struck by the lack of really good play-by play announcers in CFB. Can it get any worse than Verne Drunkquist and Brent Furburger? I thought old Verne was going to have a coronary when Teabag got under center to take a snap. I have never heard so many “Oh Mys” in my life. Funny thing is, a time out was called and all of Verne’s self created drama was lost. Brent may be worse in trying to call a game. Every time I watch a game he is calling I have to mute the volume. Long gone are the days of Summerall, Jackson, Gowdy and Schenkle. Those guys were great and made every game they called entertaining by calling the game and not trying to be part of the story. The best broadcast team around in my book is Mike Patrick and Todd Blackledge on ESPN’s prime time game. I will forgive Patrick for his Brittney Spears gaff last year, because he has a great play-by-play voice. It warmed my heart to see “SEC Gridiron Live” this week as David Pollack was sporting a bright Orange blazer on the set in honor of the Vols’ thrashing they put on Pollack’s Dawgs. The host of that show, Charles Davis does an excellent job. Another CFB weekly show that has caught my interest is “Coach’s Spotlight” that airs on Tuesday evenings from 6:00-10:00 PM on ESPNU and features the press conferences of most of CFB’s HCs. Jim Donnan is excellent on this show and his insight is usually spot on. I would also recommend ESPN Game Plan to anyone who does not have it. You get 6 extra channels of CFB on Saturdays for only $100/year. Because of this great concept, I was able to watch Idaho get the win and the cover last week against SJST. It looks like the Polls are coming around a little as they have Bama moving up. I watched Boise on Wed. night and have to say they are not one of the best 7 teams in the nation, so they fall out of this week Lock’s Lucky 7 Power Poll. This week’s poll is ….1. Fla., 1(tie). Bama, 3. Tex., 4. Cincy, 5. VT, 6. TCU, 7. Mia (F). Now onto this week’s Locks.

1. WISC -2 v. IOWA Why in the world is the #8 team in the nation catching points to a team that just lost by over 20? When I looked a little further, I discovered the answer. Last week Wisky had more first downs than O$U (22-8) and outgained O$U 368-164, but lost due to 2 INT returns for TDs and a KOR for a TD. The Badgers are a good team and Camp Randall is a tough place to play. This will be the Hawkeyes first true road game. They have won ten straight games (4 at home by a combined 16 points) but have been doing it with smoke and mirrors. Iowa hung on to beat Michigan last week by 2 even though Michigan had 5 TOs. Iowa’s D gets no push from its front 4 (2 sacks in past 5 games) and allowed Michigan to gain 195 yds on the ground. Iowa QB R. Stanzi has thrown 8 INTs in the last 5 games (3 were pick 6s) and the ground game is very pedestrian. This week they face a pissed off Wisky team that ranks #29 in total D, RB Clay who leads the Big 10 in rushing (641 yds) , QB Tolzien (64% completion rate, 216 pass yds/game, 9TDs/5 INTs) and most importantly HC B. Bielema who is a former Iowa DB and sports a Hawkeye tattoo. If Wisky can avoid the big TOs, then they should win this game comfortably, ending any ridiculous talk of Iowa being a player for the BCS NC. This line opened at Iowa -1 and has crossed the line to Wisky being the favorite. I will follow the sharp money here. WISKY 30 IOWA 21

2. WAKE +7 @ CLEM The Demon Deacons come into this contest riding a 2 game winning streak and find themselves at the top of a jumbled up Atlantic Division of the ACC. The Tigers enter off a bye week and 2 straight losses to TCU and Maryland. There is word of discontent between the staff at Clemson as first year HC Yabba Dabba Dabo Swinney tries to hold things together. Swinney may be in over his head as he was promoted from a position coach (WRs) to HC last year. Can anyone remember a position coach going straight to HC with any success? Mike Dubose, Mike Shula, Ed Orgeron …….? Clemson is a mess on offense ranking #102 in total O and #83 in scoring O due mainly to a power struggle between Swinney and OC B. Napier. They have some good skill players in RB CJ Spiller and WR J. Ford but QB K. Parker has been terrible. On the other hand, Wake’s O seems to be firing on all cylinders (#25 total O) as QB R. Skinner has thrown 13 TDs in the past 5 games and is averaging over 350 yds passing in the last 2 games. Wake has a trio of WRs who can get the job done in M. Williams, C. Givens and D. Brown. If the Wake OL can give Skinner time to throw by holding off Clemson DEs D. Bowers and R. Sapp, then Wake can get an early lead which will be difficult for the Clemson O to overcome. The big mis-match in this one is the HC M. Grobe for Wake. Grobe has done an amazing job making Wake a perennial contender in the ACC, and should be able to handle this one. Remember, 7 is a critical number (3,7, 10, 14) so buy the half point and make it Wake +7.5 just for insurance. WAKE 26 CLEM 24

3. OKLA +3 v. TEXAS (in DALLAS) The Red River Rivalry is one of the best in CFB. Not only is this a national game it is a conference and even a divisional game now. Remember last year when Texas won but somehow the Sooner were able to sneak into the Big 12 Championship game and ultimately the BCS NC game. One would think that the Horns would have this in mind as well. I was really surprised this line was so short, and I initially liked the Horns here, but in looking into this game Texas has played absolutely no one to date (sorry T Tech) and has not been impressive at all this year. Okla has suffered 2 very close losses to BYU and Mia (F) and are more battle tested. Both teams have impressive numbers. In total O, Texas ranks #7 and Okla ranks #14. In total D, Texas ranks #4 and Okla #9. The big story in the media seems to be the QB battle between C. McCoy and S. Bradford, but I think this game really comes down to who can run the ball and who can limit the other teams big plays. Texas WR/Returner J. Shipley has been the spark for the Horns this year averaging over 10 receptions a game and already returning 2 punts for TDs. Last year Shipley changed this game with a KOR for a TD. I doubt that happens this year, as Okla ranks #3 in nation in punt coverage (allowing -.4 yds/return, yes this is not a misprint) and only allowing 19.5 yds. on kick offs. Another turning point in last year’s game was when Okla LB R. Reynolds went down with an injury. It seemed like McCoy was able to get things going for Texas after his replacement came in. Reynolds is back and is playing like his hair is on fire and is teamed with LB T. Lewis. This duo covers a ton of room and will make it difficult for Texas to run the ball. Also, the Horns top 2 RBs are banged up and not 100%. Finally, I just cannot see the Sooner and Stoops losing 3 games this early in the season. I may be going out on a limb here but I see an Okla straight up win. Since this is another critical number (3), but the half point to make it Okla +3.5. OKLA 24 TEXAS 23

4. OBSCURE GAME DEGENERATE SPECIAL-SMU +7.5 v. NAVY As long as I am hot on this one I will keep it in the selections. The Ponies are averaging 297 yds passing/game and Navy ranks as the #112 pass efficiency team in the nation and have played no one to date who can throw the ball. SMU will score enough to cover the spread. NAVY 35 SMU 33

GOOD LUCK!