College football: Predictions for Week 2

Not a bad opening week for my college football predictions. I went 16-4; lost the Boise State-Georgia game, Notre Dame-South Florida (man, I almost picked USF), TCU-Baylor and Indiana-Ball State (I assume everyone missed that one).

So here goes for Week 2:

Arizona at Oklahoma State: Cowboys 41-28. Excellent series. Regardless of conference realignment, this is the kind of game OSU should be playing. Last year, these teams met in the Alamo Bowl. Next year, Cowboys go to Tucson. Whether or not it’s a conference game in 2012, I think State will be going for a sweep.

Missouri at Arizona State: Tigers 24-23. Dennis Erickson is not getting the job done at ASU. Gary Pinkel is getting the job done at Missouri. James Franklin seemed a little shaky in his Mizzou quarterback debut, but he gets enough accomplished to win here.

Oregon State at Wisconsin: Badgers 35-13.Seemed like a pretty solid matchup. Until Oregon State lost to Sacramento State.

Iowa at Iowa State: Hawkeyes 29-10. In all this conference realignment, I feel sorry for only one school. Iowa State. The Cyclones haven’t done anything except mind their own business, try to do things right and play decent football and basketball from time to time. And they might get left out in the cold.

Mississippi State at Auburn: Tigers 23-21. No way can Auburn be as bad as they looked last week against Utah State. The key game for Auburn’s 2010 national title run was a Thursday night game in Starkville, Miss., where the Tigers survived Mississippi State. Homefield is a big deal. I think Auburn finds a way here.

Northern Illinois at Kansas: Jayhawks 22-20. I know Kansas stinks, but still. Why is Northern Illinois favored? How often is a MAC team favored on the road against a BCS conference school. Has it ever happened?

Tulsa at Tulane: Golden Hurricane 41-17. Tulsa’s only soft spot in September. TU plays three top-10 squads (OU, OSU and Boise State), plus the Green Wave. TU will take advantage.

Virginia Tech at East Carolina: Hokies 33-21. In 2008, East Carolina opened the season with a neutral-field upset of Virginia Tech, then the Pirates beat West Virginia. I would have ranked East Carolina No. 1 at that point, had I a vote in the polls. Don’t expect a 2008 repeat.