Hello!  Boy, it is so good to be back for yet another year of my football picks.  This is my fourth season and I expect great things from myself.  Last year, I had my best year ever, going 133-67.  Okay, so I didn't pick Green Bay to win the Super Bowl.  My name is Butkus for crying out loud.  Now, if they had named me Reggie, I might have.

In case you don't know me, I am a fifteen pound Bichon Poo dog that lives with the Bald Guy, Mama and a Bichoin the size of a large SUV (aka the Fat Dog).  The Fat Dog and I are sort of like George and Lenny from "Of Mice and Men."  I, of course, am George. A couple years ago, when I had a bad week, the Bald Guy gave the Fat Dog a shot at making picks and he was so bad, I came back the very next week.  You can't fix stupid, although the Fat Dog is fixed.

It's been quite a year around here.  The Bald Guy and Mama have relocated the Fat Dog and me to a place the size of a large storage locker.  No more taking dumps in the basement for me, because we don't have one anymore.  I've adjusted okay, but at night, I swear I can hear the Fat Dog sobbing.  Either that or he's looking out the window barking at cars again.  Man, he is an idiot.

Okay, let's get to work.  For those of you that are new to how we do this, I pick ten games each week, five college and five pro.  Since the pros don't start until next week, we'll just do five college games this week. We pick our games straight up, because the fat dog is so stupid he thinks "point spread" is something you put on toast.  Here's goes nothing:

• UNLV at Wisconsin: The Badgers could easily be the best team in the Big Ten, especially with Ohio State being decimated by Sweatervestgate.  They have a new QB who may be the best they've ever had and an offensive line that is so big, they could block the sun.  They also have a great running game.  As long as they can play defense, they'll be a force to reckon with this year and have an outside shot at a title, or at very least, another trip to the Rose Bowl. Cheese beats Dice.  Take Wisconsin.
• Kent State at Alabama: The question in this game is not will Alabama win, but by how much. The bigger question is who will come out ahead in the quarterback race.  Because with Arkansas coming up September 24th, the Tide will need to figure that out pretty quickly.  Take Alabama BIG.
• Minnesota at USC: The Gophers hired a coach named Kill in the off season. It's too bad his first name is Jerry and not Road because that's what Minnesota will become on Saturday.  Take USC.
• Oregon vs. LSU (Dallas).  This is a huge game for LSU.  A loss to Oregon will surely drop them in the national rankings, but more importantly, give their SEC west rivals Alabama and Arkansas a leg up on them.  The Tigers are even at more of a handicap, playing without their starting quarterback, Jordan Jefferson, who is suspended after being arrested for being in a bar fight.  If you want to know how Jefferson can impact a game, re-watch LSU's game against Alabama last year.  LSU is still good, but Oregon is better.  And when it is Pac 10 vs. SEC, speed is not an issue because both teams will be fast.  Take Oregon.
• Boise State vs. Georgia (Atlanta): This game is big for both teams.  BSU wants to continue to prove it can play with the big boys.  A loss in this game will not only drop kick them into the mid teens in the polls, but kill any chance they have of playing for a title as they require a perfect storm to do so.  Georgia also has a lot to play for.  After a couple of down seasons, Georgia coach Mark Richt is clearly on the hot seat and needs to win big games like this.  Given that the SEC East is way down this year (Florida and USC are slightly above average, Vandy, Tennessee and Kentucky are horrid) Georgia needs to win both this game and their meeting next week against South Carolina.  Anything less and Richt can start cleaning out his office.  I know that Boise is the little guy, but opening in a hostile environment, on the big stage against a quality opponent may be too much for the Blue Man Group.  I'm going to stick out my fool Bichon Poo neck and take Georgia in a squeaker.