The picks, week 2

Don't expect much news to come out of the Thursday conference calls with the new UConn injury policy. We'll get the updated injury list later this afternoon. But aside from the scout team players of the week (Tebucky Jones on offense, Chris Lopes on defense, Mike Osiecki on special teams), there's little to report.

Edsall said the intensity in practice was better on Tuesday and Wednesday then they were last week. That's odd considering last week the team was prepping for Michigan and this week it's a tiny Division I-AA school, but that's what a disappointing performance will do.

The situation will dictate who gets carries as the backup tailback to Jordan Todman, but D.J. Shoemate is doing just fine after his crucial fumble last week, according to Edsall. We also found out that Taylor Mack was the only other true freshman that played (Leon Kinnard the other) last week. He is on kickoff return coverage, though his name didn't appear on the official "participated" list.

On to the weekly picks...

Game 1: SOUTH CAROLINA (-3) over Georgia (+3) - Georgia's A.J. Green suspended by NCAA four games for selling one of his old jerseys. Yet the Georgia bookstore's website has 23 different versions of Green's No. 8 jersey for sale, some as high as $150. Everyone is making money off A.J. Green except A.J. Green.

Game 2: FLORIDA (-16) over South Florida - Bulls go from playing Stony Brook last week to a trip to the Swamp this week. Sort of like going from playing the local county fair to Carnegie Hall.
Game 3: Louisiana State (-10) over VANDERBILT

Game 4: Florida State (+7.5) over OKLAHOMA

Game 5: Michigan (+4) over NOTRE DAME - Is this the year Michigan and Notre Dame return to top 20 mainstays?

Game 6: WASHINGTON (-13.5) over Syracuse - An all-ugly uniform battle. Orange won't get second straight win. But they will get some good Seattle coffee.

Game 7: Penn State (+12) over ALABAMA - Hard to ignore the Joe Paterno-Bear Bryant parallels, and not necessarily in a morbid way. Yes, Paterno is still coaching at 83 1/2 because he thinks he's going to die a few weeks after he retires like Bryant. But the series with some terrific moments is being renewed after a 20-year hiatus. Bryant was 4-0 against Paterno, and the two first met in 1959 when Paterno was an assistant for the Nittany Lions.

Game 8: FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL (+19) over Rutgers - Norfolk State. FIU. Tulane in two weeks. Army after that. Another blistering non-conference schedule for Rutgers.

Game 9: CONNECTICUT (-35) over Texas Southern - Expect lots of work from the Huskies' second string against the visiting Armadillos. I mean Tigers.

Game 10: New Hampshire (+21) over PITTSBURGH - I always love the I-AA vs. I-A games (well, at least the good I-AA teams) as I maintain there's not much difference aside from depth. A high percentage of I-AA starters could easily be playing up a level, and many could be starting. Since UNH is traditionally one of the better I-AA programs in the country, they could have the firepower to pull an upset. Probably won't happen, but it could be a very close game.

Game 11: University of New Haven (-7) over LINCOLN (PA.) - Two UNH's in one week? And I'm taking both? Ryan Osiecki, older brother of UConn freshman linebacker Mike Osiecki, thriving as the Chargers quarterback.

Last week's results/standings
1. B-Stew 7-3-1
2. Chip 6-4-1
caleb 6-4-1
4. Ian 5-5-1
Gabe 5-5-1
sammy 5-5-1
vinny 5-5-1
gary 5-5-1
9. pete 4-6-1
seanO 4-6-1
Uconnbob 4-6-1
12. BostonDan 3-7-1
govphalen 3-7-1