Week 5 Picks: Conference Play Begins in Earnest

Texas A&M Aggies vs. Arkansas Razorbacks
Draper: SEC vs. soon-to-be-SEC. The Razorbacks got absolutely SMOKED by Alabama in a game that surprised no one. A&M fell apart last week by giving up a 17 point lead at home to an offensively dynamic team in Ok State. Both teams limp into this marquee matchup that (once again) no one is talking about. Arkansas is an also ran every year (as is Texas A&M) but I think the Aggies have a little more top to bottom talent. The second half collapse looms large but A&M needs to rebound. Arkansas's Tyler Wilson is good but they will come up just short. TAMU: 27--Ark: 24
Auer: After losing a game they shouldn't have, the Texas A&M Aggies will be looking to make a statement against an overrated R-kansas squad. The Aggies have surprised me, mostly in good was every time I've watched them, and their defense is better than expected. Arkansas has struggled, and karma has not been with them so far. TAMU: 21--Ark: 13
Hoying: A&M showed flashes of brilliance last week against Okie State, but QB Ryan Tannehill has proven to be as turnover-prone as ever, practically giving the game away. The Aggies also proved to be vulnerable against the pass, which gives an edge to Arkansas's airborne attack. However, Texas A&M is too balanced and too talented for the the Hogs to pull this one off. Look for the Aggies to win a shootout. TAMU: 41--Ark: 31

Nebraska Cornhuskers @ Wisconsin Badgers
Draper: I hate to say this, but I don't think this is going to be that close. Neither of these teams has played an opponent with a pulse but Wisconsin has looked solid on both sides of the ball whereas the Black Shirt defense of Nebraska has yet to make an appearance. Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead are spectacular runners but Wisconsin will probably load the box to slow down the running game. Martinez won't be able to throw well enough to keep up with the points his defense will give up. Also, Camp Randall at night is a trial by fire for the Nebraska welcome to the B1G. Nebraska: 17--Wisconsin: 31
Auer: Very torn in this one. Do I root for a team I despise, or a newcomer to the conference I know and love? Wisconsin really might be that good. Nebraska's defense might very well be a sieve. I'm going with the Badgers here, and I think it could be ugly. Nebraska: 13--Wisconsin: 41
Hoying: Which team wins this one: the one which has struggled to beat mid-level competition or the one which has spent 4 weeks mauling the Little Sisters of the Poor? Wisconsin has looked nigh unbeatable so far, but their lack of practice against quality opposition will come back to bite them here. Look for a big rushing day from Taylor Martinez and another great performance from Russell Wilson, but the over-hyped, over-confident Badgers will be brought down to reality at the hands of the B1G's newest contender. Nebraska: 35 -- Wisconsin: 34

Clemson Tigers @ Virginia Tech Hokies
Draper: Clemson is coming off a tailor made upset over Florida State (QB hurt, opponent off of a huge game, etc.) to face the other big bad boy in the ACC in Lane Stadium. Tajh Boyd has been spectacular as has the freshman Sammy Watkins, but Virginia Tech is quietly sneaking around under Logan Thomas. Clemson provides the first real test, but Blacksburg will be rocking. Let's not forget all of Clemson's big wins come at home. Lane Stadium shifts the needle to the Hokies and people will start to take note of Beamer's boys. Clem: 16--VT: 27
Auer: Clemson is off to a good start this season but is due for a let down. Haven't watched much of the Hokies, but Blacksburg and Beamerball are the perfect medicine to stop Dabo's Tigers. Clem: 10--VT: 19
Hoying: Clemson QB Tajh Boyd has been playing out of his mind this year, putting up ridiculous numbers against Florida State and Auburn (yes, Auburn has no defense this year, but they're no Marshall or Appalachian State). Meanwhile, Virginia Tech has been fed a steady diet of mediocre teams while waiting to trap the Tigers in Blacksburg. What have we learned from watching Clemson in the past? They have to seize a shot at the conference title before they can choke it all away! Clem: 27--VT: 21

Alabama Crimson Tide @ Florida Gators
Draper: This is a HUGE game in the SEC that will test to see if UF is for real and is Bama as good as we think they are. Florida has some awesome playmakers in Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps but Bama's defense is really really good. On the other side of the ball, both are relatively pedestrian except for the Tide's running back Trent Richardson. Being in the Swamp at night is a tall order, but I think Saban quiets the Gators again with some key defensive stops. Bama: 27--UF: 16
Auer: The Crimson Tide are proving time and again that they are the best team in the nation. The Gators are the Gators, and will stick with the top defense in the nation for a good bit of this game. The Swamp could slow down Alabama initially, but the solid ground game and stout D will prove too much for Florida. Bama: 35--UF: 20
Hoying: Make no mistake, the Gators are back after Urban Meyer's phoned-in 2010 season, but they're not quite in position to challenge Alabama yet. If Our Lord and Savior TIM TEBOW himself were back in orange and blue, all we would see is another waterworks on the sidelines after this scary Alabama D stuffed him again. This one shouldn't be close. Bama: 27--UF: 10

Michigan State Spartans @ Ohio State Buckeyes
Draper: One. more. game. That's all we need Buckeyes. This is the last game for which there are excuses. Following this game, WR1, RB1, LT, and...random defensive guy come back. This is the last statement game for those guys who did everything (or most things in the case of Jordan Hall) right. Huge statement game in the Shoe to show the Buckeyes haven't fallen completely away. The good news is that we get Sparty who, for lack of a better term, is Sparty. MSU has smoked the crappy teams and lost on their only road game vs. a mediocre opponent in ND. Look for Braxton to keep running with little umph in the passing game. Hall will go for 150 yards to stake his claim to challenge Herron upon return. Kirk Cousins and the Spartans will need to throw to score and a key interception late will seal a huge win for the Scarlet and Gray. It won't be pretty, but we'll escape. MSU: 23--OSU: 24
Auer: The Bucks have to win, don't they? Mark Dantonio is a great coach, but his QB, Kirk Cousins, is still a flake. The Buckeye defense will continue to improve, and needs to gel against an average MSU offense. They do present a variety of threats, but the Silver Bullets are just better. The Shoe should be rocking for the Big Ten opener and the final game before the "Friends of Pryor" return to the lineup. Go Bucks. MSU: 16--OSU: 24
Hoying: This game pits strength on strength: OSU's latest Superman, RB Jordan Hall, will need all his X-Ray vision to find gaps in a stout MSU run defense. Add in his phenomenal kick return ability, and he should do enough to keep the Scarlet and Gray close, but not enough to win. That task will fall squarely on the shoulders of Braxton Miller. Notre Dame's Tommy Rees was able to smoke the Spartan secondary, but Braxton will crumble under the pressure, making a crucial late-game mistake that seals the Buckeyes' fate. I hope I'm wrong. MSU: 21--OSU:17

Upset Special(s)
Draper: NW over Ill, Zona over USC (I don't really see any)
Auer: KState over Baylor, Iowa State over Texas
Hoying: Auburn over South Carolina (and lots of upsets above)