When on the telecast of Syracuse at Vegas I heard the unique if not so dulcet voice of my favorite college football analyst Petros Papadakis, I took it as a harbinger of another boffo prediction weekend ahead.

The Orange prevailed Friday evening. As did the Aggies and Cornhuskers and still undefeated Hoosiers on Saturday as was foretold in this space last week in advance of the games.

Which means that Louisville’s disturbing L to SMU in the L&N was my only miscue.

As for the Cardinals, I just don’t like the sound of Head Coach saying five games into the season with the hard part of the schedule yet ahead that U of L needs to change some things. It is never a good sign when culture and systemic changes are necessary in October.

Here’s a start, beat the Hoos on Saturday.

Anyhow, 4-1 for the weekend, lifts me to 30-10 for the year.

Which if my arithmetic is correct is 75% correct.

That works.

This week’s winners:

Texas vs. Oklahoma. The Longhorns and Sooners have been known to land body punches under that Ferris Wheel at the Texas State Fair. But we never know whose will be the knock out. Horns hooked ’em 49-0 season before last during a disappointing 8-5 campaign. Last year, the Okies handed the Burnt Orange their only regular slate L. Does Texas have a QB issue? Does Brent Venables really have the chops to be first chair guy? Stay tuned, the answers are not readily available as of this writing. As for this rendition of Red River Rivalry: Longhorns.

California @ Pittsburgh. The Golden Bears spit out the bit late at home in Bersekeley against The U. Maybe ’cause they’d been up since before dawn for Game Day. After falling to hapless Florida State game before. So much for a surprising 3-0 start including wins over San Diego State and Auburn. Pitt meanwhile totes an unblemished record in five encounters. And are playing at home in SteelTown. Panthers.

Ohio State @ Oregon. It’s one of my favorite stats of the season. In the Big Eighteen, schools that have traveled at least two time zones for a league game stand 1 W, 8 Ls. The banks of the Olentangy are Eastern Time Zone. That Quacking in Eugene is Pacific Time Zone. You can figure the answer on one hand. Both teams are good. Both teams are Top 3. Is this the biggest game of the year, decade, century since, oh, Georgia vs. Alabama? Yes. Ducks.

Vanderbilt @ Kentucky. This my fellow bronconagurskians is as tasty a battle as there is this weekend. The Commodores have supplanted IU as the new Flav o’ Flav in the pigskin universe. Goal posts in the Cumberland and all that. How will they handle a victory in what some believe is the biggest upset ever, at least in the SEC, perhaps in all the sport? A let down of some sort is inevitable. Right? I believe so. Wildcats.

Louisville @ Virginia. A kinda sorta realization: If U of L falls on Saturday, it will be nip and tuck for a bowl game. Who among the Cardinal faithful expected this revolting situation? Not moi. Sigh of relief on the way. Cards git ‘er done.

— c d kaplan