Nate - Once again, the college football regular season has gone by far too fast for my liking. For the regular season, my record rests at a respectable 41-29. It’s Championship and de facto championship weekend, so all of our picks are going to be either title games or games that are essentially title games.

Adam - A 4-1 record last week keeps me in winning form going into the Bowls. Things were looking shaky for my credibility after the first half of the season, but I’m back on track with some great games to play this week.

No. 5 Cincinnati at No. 15 Pittsburgh

Nate - Pitt lost a hard game last week against West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl and now has to face Cincy for what is, in effect, the Big East title game. You can bet that Pitt is going to be looking to lay the wood to the Bearcats after losing to their bitter rival.

Cincinnati, on the other hand, has escaped unscathed in each of their last three games, winning by a total of 12 points. The defense has been exposed as suspect, but the offense, now with more Pike, has been up to the task of simply out-scoring anything and anyone. Don’t think that the rampant rumors that head coach Brian Kelly is headed to South Bend after the season ends isn’t going to play a part here, especially since he hasn’t denied anything and refuses to even talk about the issue to his own players. That can’t be good for team unity.

As much as I like the Bearcats and Brian Kelly, I think Pittsburgh ends their streak right here.

Pitt wins, 38-35

Adam - Last week Pitt stopped a great offensive team in West Virginia but lost the game. This week, they face undefeated Cincinnati who are on their way to a BCS game. I see a similar game with just a few more points being scored.

Bearcats Win 27-24

No. 1 Florida vs. No. 2 Alabama

Nate - Will we finally see the fall of the Tebow child in a big game or will he continue to build on his inexplicable Heisman hype? (seriously, he’s not having that good of a season at all) Mark Ingram is going to try and go for Alabama, but their struggles against an attacking Auburn defense don’t make me hopeful that they can pull out a game against Florida’s defensive juggernaut, Carlos Dunlap or no.

Florida wins, 28-17

Adam - I would love very much for Alabama to spoil the final season of Tim Tebow’s career, but I don’t see that happening. Bama’s defense is great, but they had a tough time with Auburn Last week. I don’t think Florida will score even as much as Auburn, but Tebow and the Florida defense will find a way to win.

Gators Win 20-17

No. 3 Texas vs. No. 22 Nebraska

Nate - The Boy Wonder Colt McCoy vs. Big Suh. That’s essentially what this game grinds down to. The Huskers offense leaves so much to be desired, it’s not even funny. Why they haven’t lined up Suh at TE at least once or twice this year is beyond me. The intimidation factor alone would be worth it.

Texas’ defense was exposed last week against A&M, but I don’t think that Muschamp is going to let that happen again, especially against an offense that is anything but explosive. If Nebraska has any hope of fucking up the BCS, it’s in shutting down Colt McCoy for 60 minutes, like they did with Oklahoma. But McCoy hasn’t been shut down like that all season and I don’t expect it to happen in this game.

Texas wins, 24-14

Adam - Colt McCoy is catching fire at the right time, and that spells trouble for Nebraska. The Cornhuskers’ defense has been solid all year, but Texas can smell the BCS Championship game and there’s no way they’ll lose.

Longhorns Win 31-20

No. 10 Georgia Tech vs. Clemson

Nate - Excitement, thy name is the ACC title game. Both GT and Clemson come limping into this game after getting their butts whupped in rivalry games last week. This game should be frustration revenge meted out in quarter-lengths. Expect a lot of big hits, late hits, breathtaking runs and mouth punches. I don’t think that Clemson is man enough to stop Paul Johnson’s offense, and C.J. Spiller can’t play every position, even if he wanted to.

Georgia Tech wins, 31-20

Adam - Tech beat Clemson early on this season by just a field goal, and now they face off in the ACC title game. Clemson’s defense has looked vulnerable lately, and after their loss to South Carolina, I think the Tech rushing game is going to have a nice day. Clemson is going to need big plays on defense and special teams to keep this game close.

Georgia Tech Wins 35-24

No. 16 Oregon State at No. 7 Oregon

Nate -  Autzen Stadium at night. The Rose Bowl on the line. The Civil War. Retina-burning uniform colors. Micro-brew drunk fans. I can’t imagine a better game to kick off championship weekend than this.

We have two high-powered offenses coming in at full strength. Two capable defenses who play opportunistic football but are not shut-down caliber. With the bitter rivalry angle, everything is lined up for a big time shootout. Do not be surprised to see sluggo LaGarrette Blount make a surprise appearance at some point and run over a few Beaver defenders. Chip Kelly has shown that he is nothing if not innovative and that would be one hell of a wrinkle to pull out in a game like this. In the end, I think that Oregon has just too much firepower to lose this game.

Oregon wins, 48-45

Adam - I’m gonna call this one like most of the recent Oregon games. Their defense will surrender plenty of points to the Beavers, especially with the way the Oregon State offense is playing, but the offense of the Ducks is just too damn good. Add to that, that Oregon is playing at home and you have a trip to the Rose Bowl.

Ducks Win 45-41

Adam - A 4-2 record last week keep me on the winning side of my picks as we enter a week full of rivalries and games where truly anything can happen. My beloved Boilermakers finished their season at 5-7; probably a tad bit better than most thought they would do. The offense is likely to have a completely different look next season so there will still be a lot of questions to start the year as to how good this team can be. One thing is for certain, the defense can’t give up a million points like they did this year.

Nate - I stumbled to a 3-3 record last week, placing me squarely at 37-27 on the season with one week left. There were so many good rivalry games with implications this weekend that it was hard to nail down which games to pick, but I think we got it down to a hearty five. Like most of you, I’m a bit crunched for time in this short week, so my picks will be in haiku form again. Enjoy!

No. 2 Alabama at Auburn

Adam - Here’s the thing Auburn’s offense is awesome, but Alabama has the top defense in the country. SEC games can go either way on any given week, but I think Bama can roll this week on their way to the SEC title game against Florida next week.

Tide Wins 23-17

Nate -

War Eagle, Roll Tide
Saban-focused SEC
Roll Tide Roll Tide Roll

Alabama wins, 31-14

No. 9 Pittsburgh at West Virginia

Adam - Pitt has had a very difficult schedule leading up to this game against West Virginia and then they get to face Cinci next week. They’re coming off a big win against the Irish, and could be on their way to a huge BCS game if they run the table. Both offenses are great, but I think the Pitt defense will stop West Virginia.

Pitt Wins 31-24

Nate-

Devine runs thru night
Pitt to the left and the right 
Mountaineer upset

West Virginia wins, 38-35 (OT)

Nevada at No. 6 Boise State

Adam - This is a tough one to call. I like to watch Boise State play, because they are fun, but I don’t like them at all. I don’t think they deserve to be in the National Title game. Maybe it’s because of the BCS, maybe their strength of schedule; I don’t know, but something’s gotta give if they ever want serious recognition. Perhaps a change of scenery would do the trick. I like about a million points to be scored in this game, but I like the Broncos on their stupid blue turf.

Boise State Wins 51-41

Nate -

Wolfpack run around
Boise on the ground and air
Broncos by a hair

Boise State wins, 58-57

Florida State at No. 1 Florida

Adam - Florida State’s defense gives up far too many points for them to be able to take down the Gators at home. Tim Tebow is a Golden God. The Second Coming. The Messiah. The Lord of College Football. Well…you get the picture. Look for Florida and Tebow’s legend to really be tested when they face Alabama. Even if they lose to Alabama I wouldn’t be surprised if Florida plays in the National Championship because you will never see Tim Tebow want to play in a game as much as he will want to play in that game. Thank you and God bless.

Florida Wins 35-21

Nate -

Bobby rises again
Tebow not enough to win
Florida trap game

Florida State wins, 42-37

UCLA at No. 20 USC

Adam - USC’s defense and the entire program have collapsed over the past three or four weeks. I can’t tell you how happy that makes me. It’s time to crown a new king in the Pac 10. UCLA is coming off three straight wins and actually look like they have an outside shot at the win. It’ll surely be a nail biter, but UCLA’s lack of an explosive running game will hurt them in the end.

USC Wins 27-24

Nate -

Win forever, ha!
Bruins hungry for fresh blood
Four-loss season hurts

UCLA wins, 24-20

Notre Dame at Stanford

Charlie’s toast, Clausen’s surveying defenses through a black eye and AD Swarbrick is ducking errant reports of who’s going to be coaching the Irish next year like a elementary school dodgeball game. Everything is lining up for this to be a slaughter. Stanford is going to come out pissed after losing the Big Game to Cal last weekend. Gerhart is going to be in full-on BEAST MODE and Harbaugh might just go for two every chance he gets against the hapless Irish defense.

But then again, adversity has a way of bringing everyone together in a way that nothing else can. I’m just not certain that the Irish offense will be able to outscore the Cardinal in regulation. At the very least, I see another overtime thriller unfolding, as Clausen finishes his career with a flourish, attempting to vault himself to the top of the draft boards. Maybe the Irish can pull this one out in Palo Alto, maybe they can’t, but it will be riveting television, either way. I think that it does go to OT and the walk-on kicker, Ruffer, who has been replacing Nick Tausch the last two weeks, comes up big. It’s probably just wishful thinking on my part, but hey, I have to have something to look forward to at this point, right?

Irish win, 48-45 (OT)

Adam - With a 5-1 record on my picks last week I am finally into the win column with an overall record of 33-30 (Or at least I’m pretty sure that’s my record. I kinda lost track for a week or two). Let’s all give Stanford a round of applause for giving us the most gratifying blow out victory in recent memory.

Nate - Another solid (if unspectacular) showing last week puts me at 34-24 on the season. That kind of middling record nearly puts me on par with every Notre Dame coach since Lou Holtz. I guess you could call me the Bob Davie of college football pick ‘em. Actually, don’t call me that. Ever.

On to the picks:

No. 11 Oregon at Arizona

Adam - The Wildcats’ loss to Cal last week takes a little of the luster off of this game, but it’s still just as meaningful for Oregon, who is still in the hunt for a Rose Bowl berth. I suppose Arizona is still in the Rose Bowl hunt, but with this game, Arizona State next week, and the season finale at USC, it’s not likely they’ll be in discussion. The Ducks’ offense is still on fire and the defense got back on track last week. Arizona plays a solid run defense, but I don’t think they can slow Oregon down enough to pull out a win.

Ducks Win 38-24

Nate - The Wildcats had a tough loss last week at Cal. While they’ve rarely looked dominant, they have been more than competitive all year and their losses have come by a combined total of 21 points. They have an explosive offense and a rough and tumble defense and should give Oregon a run for their money, but the Ducks score far too much and far too quickly for Arizona.

Ducks win, 38-24(honestly, we did these picks independent of one another, honest)

No. 25 California at No. 17 Stanford

Adam - This is another big game in deciding the Rose Bowl picture. Cal is out, but Stanford is on a roll with an extremely satisfying throttle of USC last week. Stanford is just too good right now. The entire offense is clicking, and with huge wins against the Trojans and the Ducks, playing Cal at home should be a piece of cake.

Stanford Wins 42-22

Nate - Cal comes into this game without top tailback Jahvid Best and Stanford comes in fresh off a surprise 55-21 clobbering of USC. Usually, I’d say that this situation is ripe for the high-riding team to have a misstep, but the Cardinal have already avoided that pitfall once, seeing as they beat Oregon two weeks ago. Cal has been riding on the edge all season, with their annual dalliance with the Top 10, followed by an utter collapse and a slight rebound. So, as much as I’d like to say that Stanford continues on their winning ways, I think that the suffer a setback here, at home, to their most hated rival.

Cal wins, 34-28

No. 16 Wisconsin at Northwestern

Adam - This game is tougher to call than it seems. Wisconsin is on a winning streak after losing to Ohio State and Iowa in back to back weeks. Northwestern is already bowl eligible and causing a lot of problems for other Big Ten teams. The Wildcats did upset Iowa, but last week’s game at Illionois was a little too close for my liking. Despite playing at home, I think the balanced Badger offense is a little too much for the Wildcats.

Wisconsin Wins 31-17

Nate - I’ve said time and time again this year that Northwestern is scrappy, and it’s true. Wisconsin is the epitome of scrappy and tough, though. They have better athletes and are very well-coached. Not that the Wildcats aren’t well-coached, but something just tells me that Wisconsin wins this game. It’s going to be a typical, cold weather Big Ten game.

Badgers win, 21-17

No. 8 LSU at Mississippi

Adam - Conditions may be perfect for Ole Miss to pull out a win against LSU. The Tigers seemed to be a little hungover from there loss to Alabama when they barely escaped Louisiana Tech last week. Both of these teams play defense exceptionally well, but I like the offense of Ole Miss over LSU’s. The Rebels get the benefit of playing at home and spoiling LSU’s chance at a BCS game. It’s going to be a tight game.

Mississippi Wins 17-13

Nate - Ole Miss has been on the rebound as of late. Mostly because they suddenly remembered that they have a gigantic playmaker on offense in Dexter McCluster, who put up over 300 yards of total offense and four TDs last week against Tennessee. LSU has been muddling through their whole season and it’s netted them a #8 ranking.  That’s the reputation of the SEC for you. Call me crazy, but I think that Houston Nutt somehow pulls this one off at home.

Ole Miss wins, 34-30

No. 14 Penn State at Michigan State

Adam - Penn State is looking to stay in the BCS hunt against Michigan State who narrowly escaped Purdue with a win last week. Michigan State is not the same caliber of team as Penn State, but their five losses have come at a total margin of just over 20 points. The Spartans are going to keep it close and will certainly put tons of pressure on Penn State who are going to have a hard time ignoring the fact that this is a must win game. The Penn State defense will be the deciding factor.

Penn State Wins 34-27

Nate - Penn State has had it’s struggles against solid competition this year, falling to Iowa and Ohio State in convincing fashion. The defense hasn’t held up to expectations and the offense, well, that’s what happens when you lose your top 3 WRs and have to start from scratch in the passing game. Everything suffers.

Michigan State has been winning and losing games by the skin of their teeth all year. Their five losses have come by a combined 21 points. I think that they put it all together and end their season on a high note at home.

Michigan State wins, 23-20

**Purdue at Indiana** Purdue lost a heartbreaker to Michigan State at home last week that would have put them in a bowl game with a win at Indiana this week, but whatever. The Boilers are just 4-7, but they have played tough and kept it close against good teams all year long (With the exception of the lose to Minnesota and the massacre at Madison.). A 5-7 finish would be acceptable for a season that saw a new head coach and a whole lot of question marks on the roster. With all of that being said, the offense has been scoring a lot of points the past couple weeks and the defense…well the Boilermaker defense just stinks. As a Purdue fan, this is one of those game where you like to think they could roll into Bloomington and easily defeat the Hossiers, but the fact of the matter is both teams are 4-7. Ralph Bolden is the key. He will be tough to stop, Purdue will control the time of possession, and he will finish with a 1,000-yard season.

Purdue Wins 34-27

Connecticut at Notre Dame

Look, I know that Notre Dame is on the skids. They’re on a losing streak and desperately need to break it. It’s senior day in South Bend and I want the seniors to have a good send-off. But, I can’t shake the feeling that UConn is going to come in and pull a Syracuse this weekend. They’ve lost three straight after CB Jasper Howard was stabbed to death almost a month ago, all of them heartbreaking losses. It would mean the world for the to come into hallowed Notre Dame stadium and knock off the Irish. With Notre Dame’s propensity to play down to their competition, this is not out of the realm of possibility. But…

I simply can’t go against Notre Dame this week. I want to. I want to say that UConn will win, tears of joy will be shed and everyone on their team will feel a little better about this season and life in general. But I just don’t think it’s going to work out that way. The Irish players seem to love Weis, and Weis is under attack from all sides (including me, for whatever that’s worth). Some of the seniors are from Weis’ first recruiting class, so you know that winning one more at home for their coach means a lot to them.

This is a team that has been backed into a corner, partially by their own hand, but a team backed into a corner is a dangerous thing. Their offensive firepower makes them doubly dangerous. When you have a QB that can throw for over 400 yards on any given Saturday and WRs who are heads and shoulders above the players that are going to cover them, that just makes it worse. I don’t think that the Irish necessarily have a field day with the Huskies, but I think that they will win.

Notre Dame wins, 48-34

I struggled to a 3-3 record last week, leaving me 30-22 on the season. The winning streak couldn’t continue forever. Let’s see if I can start another.

No. 25 West Virginia at No. 5 Cincinnati

Brian Kelly has announced that Zach Collaros will start this game over Tony Pike, but Pike will see some limited action. I think this bodes well for the Bearcats, because the Mountaineers had all sorts of trouble with South Florida’s B.J. Daniels, allowing him to run and pass all over them. Collaros is a much better passer than Daniels and is just as adept at running when the play breaks down. He’s going to give them fits. If the Bearcats can hold Noel Devine in check, which is a tall order, they’ll get out of this game just fine.

Cincinnati wins, 34-23

Stanford at No. 9 USC

Can John Harbaugh pull off another huge upset of USC? Sure, this time around Stanford isn’t 43 point underdogs(the line is actually -11) and he has a real live quarterback under center and not a walk-on, but it’s still a bit of a long shot. USC has weathered a beat-down to Oregon and a nail-biter against a game ASU team, so they might be poised for a breakout blowout. Then again, Toby Gerhart laughs at your attempts to tackle him and is one of the scarier white running backs of the last 20 years, if not longer. But since this game is at the Coliseum and USC does not lose at the Coliseum, unless it’s a game that Vince Young is involved in, I say the Trojans survive.

U$C wins, 27-21

No. 10 Iowa at No. 11 Ohio State

Ricky “who cares if I just threw five picks?” Stanzi is out for the season and with him goes any chance of Iowa beating a top-flight program. Their running game is gimpy. Their QB is shaky. The defense is stout and Anger-ier than last year. But I still don’t think that they have a shot against Ohio State at Ohio Stadium. Sorry, Hawkeyes.

Ohio State wins, 23-10

No. 16 Utah at No. 4 TCU

TCU has been cutting through their schedule with the usual ease and will be sporting fancy-pants new Nike Pro Combat unis for this game, making them water and tackle resistant, or something. Utah has been living by the skin of their teeth most of the year and will be starting a true freshman at QB for the second straight game. TCU, meanwhile, has a powerful run game and a QB in Andy Dalton who seems to have been there for ages. Still, Utah is a well-coached team and plays tough. I just don’t think that they’re tough enough to beat the Horned Frogs

TCU wins, 24-20

No. 14 Miami (FL) at North Carolina

Bro Montana and his precocious teammates will invade Chapel Hill to face a hard-nosed Butch Davis team that keeps winning, for some reason. It is the ACC, where anything can happen. I think that Miami will get more than they bargain for against UNC. Sure, Jacory “Bro Montana” Harris has led Miami to some signature wins this year, but he has also faltered, as a sophomore is bound to. I think he falters against the Tar Heels’ gritty defense and the Heel offense does just enough to win at home.

North Carolina wins, 17-13

Notre Dame at No. 12 Pittsburgh

Pitt has been the surprise of the season, so far. Their offense is firing on all cylinders and their defense is one of the best in the Big East(whatever that means). After losing to NC State, they have let only one opponent, UConn, get close to them. All of their other games have been won by at least a touchdown. Playing at home, at night, they will be fired up.

If Notre Dame comes out and executes well on offense and the defense manages to hold freshman RB Dion Lewis somewhat in check while not allowing Bill Stull to pass all over them, they should have a chance. They get RB Armando Allen and G Trevor Robinson back Saturday. Michael Floyd is only going to get more in sync with Clausen on his second week back from a broken collarbone. If this game turns into a shootout, which it just might, my money is on ND.

Notre Dame wins (pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease), 45-41