Written by Mike Piper

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LSU, Oklahoma, USC, Florida and now....The Lead Man. That's all the college football powerhouses that have fallen from the ranks of the unbeaten this year.  Yes players, the unpredictability of the 2007 college football season finally caught up to Lead in week 8, as he was left to enter figures on the wrong side of his ledger for the first time on a college football Saturday.  Leadquarters isn't happy about this, and western Lake County's top handicapper has made it clear to his researchers that the lifestyle Lead followers have grown accustomed to will continue.

LSU, Oklahoma, USC, Florida and now....The Lead Man. That's all the college football powerhouses that have fallen from the ranks of the unbeaten this year. 

Yes players, the unpredictability of the 2007 college football season finally caught up to Lead in week 8, as he was left to enter figures on the wrong side of his ledger for the first time on a college football Saturday. It was a bitter weekend all around as Lead was forced to watch Joe Paterno turn touchdowns into field goals to blow an easy Penn State cover at Indiana, and then Lead watched the Tribe flame out of the post season. These events left Lead in no mood to wax poetic about his incredible run through the first seven weeks of the season. 

And that's the point this week players. Don't think the Lead Man is going to be satisfied cruising you home with something like a 55% success rate after such a good start to the season. As the Boss, George Steinbrenner, did to Joe Torre, LP has put the employees at The Leadquarters on notice.  Just being good is not going to cut it. Stringing together a a couple of losing weeks is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. He has made it clear to his researchers that the lifestyle Lead followers have grown accustomed to will continue. This is imperative. 

For a hump like Daniel Powter, having a bad day might be worth singing about. But that's simply not how The Lead Man operates. On to this week's picks; 

When someone mentions Duke University to Lead it conjures up thoughts of annoying point guards, a whining basketball coach, bi-racial stripper laden lacrosse parties and horrible football. Players, the doormat of the ACC heads south to Tallahasee Florida this weekend to take on the Seminoles of FSU. Duke is 118^th in the nation in rushing offense, 112^th in pass defense and 116^th in sacks allowed. In other words, about any team lead could think of is a poor match-up for the Blue Devils. What in the name of Mike Junkin in going on in Greensboro? Anyway, Bobby Bowden has x'ed out Xavier Lee and reinstated Drew Weatherford to the starting QB position.

This should curb FSU's recent turnover problems and allow the Seminoles to roll at home. FSU -17. 

The Mean Green of North Texas hosts the Middle Tennesee State Blue raiders. Last week the Mean Green defense forced 7 turnovers AND STILL LOST BY 38. This unit makes Duke's D look like Mean Joe Green's Steel Curtain. They are surrendering 521 ypg. MTSU comes in hot and dual threat QB Dwight Dasher should have his way Saturday and "Lead" the Blue Raiders to an easy Sun Belt Conference victory.

If you want to make the green, bet against the Green. MTSU -13. 

The Lead Man is "On Wisconsin" in this weekend's tilt vs. Indiana. Look for PJ Hill to run over the Hoosiers, who struggle away from their home turf. PJ Hill against Indiana's run defense isn't the only match-up problem. Indiana struggles to protect it's promising freshman signal caller and Wisconsin can get to the quarterback. This will go a long way in neutralizing the Hoosiers best offensive weapon in WR James Hardy. This isn't a week in which the Hoosiers will be able to rest their laurels on Hardy. Unless Kelvin Sampson was helping out the football program by illegally calling some offensive lineman instead of power forwards this week, the Hoosiers are in trouble.

Wisconsin -7. 

The Heisman race is heading around the final turn, and Kentucky has it's horse. Look for Andre Woodson to pour it on against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. With Heisman trophies and BCS bids at stake Lead feels that the Wildcats aren't going to take their foot off the accelerator Saturday, and as Lead mentioned earlier in the year, the sun has been shining bright on Kentucky at home.

Kentucky -13.5. 

How bout them cowboys! The Wyoming Cowboys, that is. They welcome UNLV into Laramie and War Memorial Stadium. UNLV is coming off an embarrassing loss to Colorado State in which they gift wrapped a win to a team who was holding one of the nation's longest losing streaks. UNLV can't stop anyone on the ground, and while Wyoming has some QB issues, they can run it. UNLV has QB problems of their own and is searching for a leader. Lead doubts they find one this week against a game Wyoming D. Pardner up with the Lead Man, wager the Cowboys and russle yourself up a victory.

Wyoming -11.5. 

Utah travels to Fort Collins to face Colorado State who is the misdt of one of their longest winning streaks in two years - one. CSU needed 5 turnovers and freakishly windy conditions in the desert this week in order to get that first W, and Lead feels they will be back to their losing ways at the hands of the Utes. Look for Utah to become bowl eligible this weekend, and start a new losing streak for the Rams.

Utah -6. 

In the pro game, Indianapolis is the play. 

Good Luck Players! 

Want to know the steam on any of this weekend's game, shoot the Lead Man an e-mail...