The turnaround had to happen sooner or later. Two straight weeks of 6-0 picks have left me at a balmy 27-19 for the season. I’m inching my way back to respectability, baby! Adam didn’t log too shabby of a week, either, notching a stellar 5-1 record. I think we’re finally hitting our stride.

On to the picks:

No. 9 LSU at No. 3 Alabama

Nate - I see no way that Alabama, even though they have been slumping as of late, lose this game. LSU has been eeking by all season on reputation and a stingy defense. Alabama gets by pretty much the same way, but they happen to have a faux-Heisman candidate in Mark Ingram at RB, so that puts them over LSU in my book. Oh yeah, they have a guy named Julio Jones that they hardly ever throw the ball to. He’s pretty good, too. Though judging by his paltry 20 catches and only one TD on the year, you’d think that Nick Saban doesn’t know it.

Alabama wins, 17-12

Adam - It’s obvious that LSU needs this win in the worst way. With a loss, Alabama could still be in the National title race. I like LSU, I do, and while I think they will challenge Alabama, I’m not sure they can pull out a win. I like the combination of Bama playing at home, having a great running game, and using that to control the time of possession.

Alabama Wins 16-10

No. 8 Oregon at Stanford

Nate - Ah hahahahahahaha. If you think that Stanford is going to beat the high-octane Ducks offense, even if the game is at Stanford, you’re crazy. Sure, the Cardinal have a bruiser in Toby Gerhart, but they have proven that they can lose against good programs. Oregon is running like a well-oiled machine right now. I don’t see them having too much trouble with a bunch of eggheads.

Oregon wins, 39-20

Adam - Yes, Stanford has the top rusher in the Pac 10 and he will be an asset to them in this game, but the Ducks are on absolute FIRE right now. The Cardinal gave up a ton of points in their losses to Oregon State and Arizona, and the Oregon offense is sure to run wild on them. Masoli and James will both have huge games again. Coincidentally, OSU and Arizona may be the only threats Oregon faces for the remainder of the season.

Ducks Win 45-24

No. 16 Ohio State at No. 11 Penn State

Nate - Hey, look, it’s a Big Ten game worth watching! These don’t come around very often. In fact, it seems like they’re an endangered species outside of the Rust Belt. Penn State and Ohio State have, aside from convincing losses to good programs(and Ohio State’s WTF loss to Purdue), been blowing the doors off of inferior competition all year. Because of this, I honestly have no idea who the hell should win this game. Tyrelle Pryor has been better in the last few weeks, but his level of competiton (Minnesota and New Mexico State) hasn’t. So, I’m not sure if he’s turned the corner on his sophomore slump or not. Penn State has been yawningly efficient in dispatching their foes, yet hasn’t engendered any trust in their ability to win big games like this. My prediction is as good as a coin flip, here. I don’t like Tressel and his sweater-vest and JoePa is like the cranky grandpa I never had.

Penn State wins, 24-20

Adam - Both of these teams are playing great despite their losses, and both would certainly like to keep pace with Iowa. With just one loss overall and in the Conference, this game definitely means more for Penn State, and luckily they are playing at home. Ohio State has to play Iowa next week, and may be looking ahead to that game. While I like the Penn State offense over the Buckeyes’, I just have a feeling Ohio State will steal this game. Penn State will be too nervous and too concerned about getting back into the BCS picture.

Buckeyes Win 24-20

Oregon State at No. 20 California

Nate - I think that Oregon State is better than they look and Cal is worse. Jahvid Best aside, the Golden Bears are downright pedestrian or worse and even Best has shown the ability to curl up into a ball under bright lights. On the other hand, all ‘Quizz Rogers does is play bigger than anyone else on the field. If the rest of the Beavers show up in Strawberry Canyon, they win easy.

Beavers win, 34-24

Adam - Both of these teams have slipped in the Pac 10 this season, but both are on hot streaks. OSU has won the last four at Berkeley, and I like their chances in this game. The Rodgers brothers lead OSU in rushing and receiving and will play a huge part in what will certainly be a close game. What happened to Jahvid Best, I don’t know but he won’t have enough to carry the Cal offense.

Beavers Win 38-28

No. 24 Oklahoma at Nebraska

Nate - The Cornhuskers turned to Freshman QB Cody Green as their starter last week against Baylor and it paid off in a win. An ugly, frustrating win, but a win nonetheless. Oklahoma has lost Bradford for the season and his career, apparently. So the Landry Jones era has officially begun in earnest in Norman. The Blackshirts are back, to a degree, for Nebraska, but the offense is still a work in progress. Oklahoma has too many weapons and too much talent to lose this game, even if it is in Lincoln.

Oklahoma wins, 40-17

Adam - Oklahoma’s three losses have all been excruciatingly close, and likely tough to swallow. They head into Nebraska with out Sam Bradford this week to play a Cornhusker team that put up just 7 points against Iowa State two weeks ago. Landry Jones is not a bad quarterback by any means, and in the end he’ll have just enough to put the Sooners ahead. I just don’t think the Nebraska offense can keep pace.

Oklahoma Wins 41-24

Navy at No. 22 Notre Dame

Navy is never an opponent to overlook. Just ask Ohio State. For that matter, ask the 2007 Fighting Irish, who lost to Navy for the first time in over 40 years. The armed forces academies will never be college football powerhouses like they were in the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s, but they will always leave everything on the field and for that, if nothing else, they must be respected.

The Irish come into this game banged up but riding high from their blowout of a hapless Washington State team last week. Their main focus needs to be on not taking this game for granted after a big win. Big-play wide receiver Michael Floyd returns this week, which should be a boost, not that they seem to have suffered that much in his absence, with Golden Tate making a legit argument for inclusion in Heisman talks.

I think that Jimmy Clausen and company will take care of business against a thoroughly out-matched Navy defense. Notre Dame has been tough against the run in recent weeks, so this will be a big test for them. Don’t think that Navy won’t try and test the shaky Irish secondary, either. In the end, though, Notre Dame is just too big and too deep to lose this game.

Notre Dame wins, 38-17

Purdue at Michigan

Michigan hasn’t exactly lived up to the promise they showed early on in the season and their loss to an awful Illinois team is proof of that. The Wolverines were horrible against the Illini run game, so it seems that Purdue will have to get that working in order to stay in this game. Huge runs by Bolden and mistake free football from Joey Elliott will be the key for the Boilermakers, but I see them struggling big time at Michigan. Hopefully they can manage to score—a field goal perhaps…maybe a touchdown. They don’t even have to make the extra point for all I care, just put some points on the board fellas. Michigan wins 31-17