The picks, week 2

Scott Lutrus is listed as questionable for Saturday, the only bit of news to come out of today. Edsall spent most of the call explaining his policy on injuries, which I won't bore you all with. We know Lutrus has practiced this week, and he declared himself ready to play on Tuesday. Unless he had a setback, expect to see him in there.

Don't forget the live chat at 2 at http://www.nhregister.com/.

On to the picks.

Game 1: BUFFALO (+10.5) over Pittsburgh - Do you realize a Google search on "Dave Wannstedt mustache" draws 23,500 results? Next up is a Broadway play.

Game 2: North Carolina (-4.5) over UCONN - Ironically, this is also the over/under on blocked punts by Bruce Carter (who had another last weekend).

Game 3: Syracuse (+28.5) over PENN STATE - "Games almost won" will count as an official stat at Syracuse this season. The season goal is 7. Last week was number one in the GAW column.

Game 4: Notre Dame (-3.5) over MICHIGAN - A pair of up-and-coming coaches with bright, bright futures in college football.

Game 5: WEST VIRGINIA (-6.5) over East Carolina - At least Skip Holtz took a pass on the spray-on tan that turned papa Lou's skin a lovely shade of orange.

Game 6: RUTGERS (-45) over Howard - Howard is coming off a 1-10 season, but maybe I'm not giving it enough respect. The Fighting Cunninghams pumped Savannah State last year.

Game 7: Ucla (+10) over TENNESSEE - Chow/Kiffin. The most anticipated teacher vs. student matchup since Daniel LaRusso stuck it to Terry Silver by beating bad boy Mike Barnes to defend his All-Valley Karate Tournament title in Karate Kid III.

Game 8: Southeast Missouri State (+48) over CINCINNATI - SE Mo. St. U pummelled some school named Quincy 72-3 in its opener last weekend. Cincinnati shows some mercy. Tony Pike will be on the bench by mid-third quarter.

Game 9: SOUTH FLORIDA (-37) over Western Kentucky - Enjoying the Big East spreads this week?

Game 10: Southern California (-7) over OHIO STATE - "Not everybody is a perfect person in this world. I mean, everyone does ... kills people, murders people, steals from you, steals from me," Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor defending Michael Vick after last week's Navy game. Pryor wore black eye strips that said "Mike" and "Vick" during the game. I don't know about you, Terrelle, but I gave up killing people. It was my New Year's resolution.

Game 11: New Haven (+7) over ASSUMPTION - Didn't think I'd go another week without including a local game, did you? I have great memories of New Haven football, one of the best Division II programs in the nation in the 1990s, and am excited they brought the program back after dropping it earlier in the decade. Here's a blog entry from three years ago I wrote about the Chargers.

Last week's results
1. Gov.Phalen: 7-3
UConn Bob 7-3
Sean O 7-3
sammy 7-3
JZ 7-3
6. Chip 6-4
Rich 6-4
salami 6-4
wil L 6-4
Mike B 6-4
11. Rick C 5-5
Pete 5-5
Gary 5-5
Caleb 5-5
ian 5-5
16. Vinny 3-7

Enter your picks by clicking the "comments" link below.

Also, a hearty congrats to Neill Ostrout from the Connecticut Post on the birth of his son Wednesday. His boy and mine now share the same birthday (albeit two years apart).