It's all about the quarterbacks this week, as Tennessee's QB tandem of Erik Ainge (10) and Rick Clausen (16) travel to Baton Rouge to face JaMarcus Russell and the Tigers of LSU.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: WEEK 4 PREDICTIONS

#21 Iowa @ #8 Ohio State

Saturday, 9/24/05, Noon ABC Regional
Line: OSU -7.0

Shane's Prediction: Iowa 31, Ohio State 28
Chad's Prediction: Ohio State 17, Iowa 10

Bet: Shane - Shocker to start the week off. I don't think OSU responded very good to their loss to Texas last week against San Diego State. I'm not sure Iowa wins this one... but I think people are writing off Iowa because people kind of forgot they expected Iowa State to be good this year... and are punishing Iowa for it. Iowa's still a good football team... and I think OSU stumbles once again. Maybe if the offense can make the leap and trust Matt Zwick or Troy Smith with the job 100% of the time (qb tandems suck, period... look at the teams losing this year (Tennessee, Ohio State, Oklahoma?). And how many times have you seen teams win the national title with split qbs... if Georgia had given David Greene the job outright in 2003... I think they might have won either the 03 or 04 National Title... and Shockley would've still been good!). I am not on the Iowa bandwagon that drove me nuts last year (and when they beat UF a few years back)... but you gotta give em some 'spect!
Chad -

#11 Purdue @ Minnesota
Saturday, 9/24/05, Noon ESPN

Line: Minnesota -3.5
Shane's Prediction: Minnesota 28, Purdue 21
Chad's Prediction: Minnesota 31, Purdue 24

Bet: Shane - I'm all about Purude. I just kept trying to pick them to win this game, though, and couldn't. Minnesota is off to a solid start, and there's nothing momentum-wise holding them back (though I believe they'll end up with 3 or 4 losses as this team strikes me as a team that slumps once it loses a game). Games like these, though, just bring back memories of Drew Brees' great time at Purdue... where every week was a battle (Brandon Kirsch, you listening? ... Hmm, apparently not... A - I don't think he reads this! B - He had a horrible game last week against Arizona!).
Chad -

North Carolina @ North Carolina State

Saturday, 9/24/05, Noon ESPN Gameplan
Line: NCState -10.0
Shane's Prediction: North Carolina State 47, North Carolina 17
Chad's Prediction: NC State 24, UNC 10

Bet: Shane - Yeah, ummmmm... this is going to be a good old fashioned barn raising. And UNC is the barn. And raising means systematic annihilation. I've been waiting for a while for NCSU to get someone to play to get some retribution for a game they well shoulda won versus VTech... and I think this is at. At home... responding to a tough loss to a top team... retribution for last year's game... yeah, this one's going to hurt Tarheels. Especially when they are probably feeling a little better than they should holding close to Georgia Tech (overrated) and Wisconsin (probably overrated a tad as well... very mercurial team). Then again, I've never been good at picking games to do with NCSU. Now Chad, I'm not even an alum, nor that big of a fan, and I got them winning by 30... I look forward to your pick!
Chad -

Boston College @ Clemson
Saturday, 9/24/05, Noon ESPN Gameplan

Line: Clemson -3.0

Shane's Prediction: Clemson 32, Boston College 28
Chad's Prediction: Clemson 24, BC 20

Bet: Shane - It's a pity everyone plum forgot about this game when both teams lost last week. What should be taken from last week is that both teams are really right in the elite of the conference, especially given the way they won their other 2 games each. Might be an ugly rebound game to heartbreaking losses in which both teams were trying to finally show they are better than people give them credit for... but it should evolve into a classic in my mind. The winner of this game is going to make life miserable for quite a few opponents down the road... and could be an Atlantic division competitor should FSU lose to Virginia or NC State. Three point favorite to the home team... that's a sign the odds makers think these teams are even. This one will be a doozy. NOTE: I originally predicted 31-28... but that would be a wash, and that's almost certainly going to end up with me being wrong! But I would almost bet that it will indeed be a wash! Maybe if given that kind of pick deserves!
Chad -

#15 Georgia Tech @ #4 Virginia Tech

Saturday, 9/24/05, 3:30pm ABC Regional
Line: Tech (the V variety) - 11.5
Shane's Prediction: Virginia Tech 35, Georgia Tech 11
Chad's Prediction: Virginia Tech 34, Georgia Tech 14

Bet: Shane - Maybe this is to be the week the cream come to the top in the ACC (note that Florida State doesn't play!). Georgia Tech is overrated, in my mind. I think they've won three games they definitely should've won (this just in, Auburn's going to lose to Western Kentucky this week). But I think they are all Reggie Ball. Look at their struggles last week against Connecticut for proof (Ball was out sick). Even though it looks like Ball will be back this week, VT should be able to box him in and hit him all day. Unless PT Daniels rushes for 175 yards, they are through. No hope... sorry GT.
Chad -

#16 Notre Dame @ Washington

Saturday, 9/24/05, 3:30pm ABC Regional
Line: ND -13.5
Shane's Prediction: Notre Dame 28, Washington 27
Chad's Prediction: Notre Dame 38, Washington 10

Bet: Shane - This is one of the most interesting games of the week, for sure. I really think T Willingham was shafted by ND. And what a chance to make up for it. But while I think it's only a matter of time until he returns the Huskies to glory... it isn't yet. Notre Dame has never been to a team to come off a loss strong... but I think they clip UW.
Chad -

Michigan @ Wisconsin

Saturday, 9/24/05, 6:00pm ESPN2
Line: UM -3.0
Shane's Prediction: Wisconsin 31, Michigan 28
Chad's Prediction: Wisconsin 17, Michigan 10

Bet: Shane - I've never been good at picking Wisconsin games. I've never been a big fan of their style. They never look dominating... just enough to be victorious, I guess. They haven't beat up on anyone this year(sorry Temple, you don't count as anyone)... though you can argue wins over Bowling Green and UNC were both hard earned and well deserved. But basically I'm picking Wisconsin because I don't know who to pick and I'm not really excited right now about either team going into this game.
Chad -

#9 Louisville @ South Florida

Saturday, 9/24/05, 6:45pm ESPNU
Line: UL -20

Shane's Prediction: Louisville 45, South Florida 28 Shane's LPL
Chad's Prediction: Louisville 41, USF 10, CHAD's LEAD PIPE LOCK

Bet: Shane - You can tell I had control of the picking this week (though I was happy to let Chad sneak in his NCSU-UNC rivalry game). I have gotta say, this could be the biggest chance Louisville has to lose all season. USF played Penn State close in State College, and have won both games rather handily since. Getting Louisville, with all their Rose Bowl buzz, at home, really gives this team a chance to put the Bulls on the national map. Think about it, South Florida just came up to the "big show" with their move to the Big East... and really want to show they belong. I think a win by USF might end up being good for the conference, too, if its a good game, as it might show the conference has some depth which is seriously floundering right now with every team losing an out of conference game but WV and Louisville, and Pitt dive-bombing towards ESPN's Bottom 10. But I can't bear to pick USF to win this game... Louisville should escape. But it may well even be much closer than 20. My LOW to be sure!
Chad -

#0 Oklahoma @ Off A&M

Saturday, 9/NEVER/05, AllDaypm PAX
Line: OFFA&M -41.0
Shane's Prediction: Bob Stoops 2, OffA&M -3
Chad's Prediction: OFF A&M 5, OU 1

Bet: Shane - I think the predicting machine broke. Apparently OU will finally be able to avoid looking bad this week! But I'd watch out for A&M... they hit Oklahoma pretty bad in their December matchups the past couple seasons.
Chad -

#1 USC @ #24 Oregon

Saturday, 9/24/05, 7:00pm ABC Regional
Line: USC -21

Shane's Prediction: USC 48, Oregon 21
Chad's Prediction: USC 38, Oregon 24

Bet: Shane - 21 points!?! That's just two Reggie Bush's and a Lindell White! I hate to do this, but I can't pick Oregon here. But it could definitely happen. This game either gets ugly by halftime or goes to the wire. You've gotta remember the pride Oregon has. They had the longest home winning streak late in the 90s, I believe. They've slipped the last couple years... but they know they can play with USC. I just hope they can. As I said, if USC gets up 14 early, it's going to be a long night.
Chad -

THE GAME OF THE WEEK

#10 Tennessee @ #3 LSU
Monday, 9/26/05, 7:30pm ESPN 2

Line: LSU -7

Shane's Prediction: Tennessee 34, LSU 31
Chad's Prediction: LSU 28, UT 17

Bet: Shane - I'm starting to think people are jumping on the LSU bandwagon because of what has happened with Katrina and now Rita. After all, what's an LSU home game without a hurricane to move/postpone it (this is their third scheduled, and their third change). But Tennessee has always responded well after a loss. LSU has beaten me already once this season, and I'm going to challenge them to do it again. I think the spread is a little much, and if not for the Louisville game, this would be my lock of the week. Tennessee has really gotten an unfair shake by the spread Gods this season. They are still right there in the hunt for the BCS, though. And I think Riggs and the qbs... none of which played THAT badly last week... really come out this week. Boy, Tennessee is going to be happy to get back to Knoxville next week.... Made my life easier, though. Didn't have to change a lot of the setup to the page!
Chad -

Matchup	Shane Young	Chad Ringley
----------------------------------------	----------------------	---------------------
#21 IA @ #8 OSU (-7)	IOWA	OHIO ST
#11 PRDU @ MINN (-3.5)	MINNESOTA	MINNESOTA
UNC @ NCSU (-10)	NC STATE	NC STATE
BC @ CLEM (-3)	CLEMSON	CLEMSON
#15 GT @ #4 VT (-11.5)	VIRGINIA TECH	VA TECH
#16 ND (-13.5) @ WASH	WASHINGTON	N DAME
MICH(-3) @ WISC	WISCONSIN	WISCONSON
#9 LOUIS (-20) @ USF	SOUTH FLORIDA	LOUISVILLE
#1 USC (-21) @ OREG	USC	OREGON
#10 TENN @ #3 LSU (-7)	TENNESSEE	LSU

Shane's lock: South Florida +20 vs Louisville
Chad's lock: Louisville -20 vs. South Florida


Shane's Record Thus Far:
12-18 vs the spread
20-10 straight up
1-2 Locks of the Week

Chad's Record Thus Far:
14-16 vs the spread
23-7 straight up
1-2 Locks of the Week