Week 7: Keggs and Bacon

By Kyle Magin

Texas and Oklahoma are forcing us to get up really effing early on the West Coast (8 a.m.!) so I'm going to grouch via video.

That was cathartic, I think. Onto football. We've got a tremendous slate of games involving teams from West of the Mississippi this weekend: Stanford heads to Notre Dame, the aforementioned Red River Shootout, Oregon State and BYU and USC heading up to Seattle.

Texas vs. Oklahoma -3.5 (Dallas) 
UT's defense is not good. Oklahoma is shaky, but WHEN the Sooners get Landry Jones protection, he can find holes in the backfield to the tune of 11.3 yards per completion. He's getting great help from his rush game, but OU, completely logistically, doesn't bother to run all that much. Of course. Texas' offense is solid aside from a pesky penchant for fumbling the ball—8 times so far this season. Its defense has a miserable habit of giving up big plays—opponents managed 13.5 yards per catch against the 1-loss Horns through the first half of the season, and time and again last week West Virginia's receivers got loose for long plays. If Jones can find his receivers, it'll be a long day in the Cotton Bowl, but, few teams get to the passer like Texas' d-ends.

Southern Cal -12 @ Washington
We all know Washington is hapless against the run game. USC has difficulties protecting its quarterback. Watch for SC to try to manufacture some protection for Matt Barkley with Silas Redd and the boys in the run game before going to the air.

Oregon State @ BYU -6
Oregon State is ranked 10th and still getting no love. I understand Provo is no easy place to play, but the Cougars' offense has been so and up and down this season while the Beavers have been rock solid.

Stanford @ Notre Dame -7.5
Big play Ty Montgomery, a receiver for the Cardinal, is likely hurt and out for game in South Bend. That's a problem, because any headway opponents have made this year against the Irish has been through the air. UND strangles opposing offenses, giving up just 39 percent of opposing third down conversions and a minuscule 17 percent of red zone scores as touchdowns. If you get off on the Irish, consider yourself lucky.