Travis Henry Locks of the Week

I hope no one else watched that travesty of a football game last night. The ACC should seriously be forced to give up their BCS bid so a real football team can be added. The way it is looking Wake Forest or Virginia Tech will be playing against Utah or BYU in a BCS bowl. That would be the equivalent of Rosie O'Donnell taking on Star Jones in a bikini contest. Ok, it is friday which means it is time for the return of the "Travis Henry Locks of the week." I went 3-2 last week only because Sage Rosenfals decided it would be more fun to spin around like the propellor on those hats everyone has seen in cartoons but no one has actually seen in person than win the game. I mean how is it possible to blow a 17 point lead in five minutes when the other team does not even recover an onside kick? Aight, on with the picks.

2:30 on some station in Mississippi) Mississippi State plus 2.5 against Vandy: Yes, I all but guarenteed an Auburn massacre of the Commodores last week, but isn't that what should have happened? In the first quarter it looked like last year's Patriots were playing against a team from the MAC and then Auburn inexplicably abandoned their power running game to go back to the spread. What Tommy Tubberville did was the equivalent of a salesmen being at dinner with a client on the cusp of locking up a huge deal and then coming back from the bathroom naked with the signing papers just to see if he could still close. Mississippi State is 1-4 but I am just not convinced Vandy can score more than 14 points against a solid defense. Plus, Sylvester Croom has the name and the look of a 1950s gumshoe who is constantly reading the paper and smoking a pipe. With that in mind you cannot shy away from the Bulldogs. Mississppi State 17, Vanderbelt 13.

3:30 ABC) Notre Dame plus 8.5 at North Carolina: Before reasons are given for Notre Dame being the pick there is one question that needs to be asked. Whose hair looked worse long? Jimmy Clausen at the beginning of the season when he has trying to make sure everyone in the country knew that even though he goes to school in Indiana he is from the West Coast or Bill Murray's at the end of King Pin? Anyways, I like Notre Dame because the line opened at 5.5 and then a bunch of people jumped on it because of what the Tar Heels did to UCONN last week. Yes, it was an impressive win but if you look at their performances in the two weeks before that they lost to Virginia Tech at home and struggled against Miami on the road. They are still missing their starting quarterback and the Irish have been steadily improving all season. UNC 28, Notre Dame 24.

7:45 ESPN) Florida -6 over LSU: I will also set the over/under on how many times Wes Miles is referred to as a riverboat gambler at 5.5 and will take bets. How does going for it more on 4th down than a stoner playing Madden relate to wagering money on a boat. The reasons I like Florida in this game are; Tim Tebow would have been an effective midievel warrior, they have already gotten their worst performance of the season out of the way and LSU is extremely unproven. Florida 31, LSU 20.

8 ABC) Wiscosin plus 5 over Penn State: Yes, I picked against Wiscosin last week because of a heartbreaking loss and now after another heartbreaking loss I am picking them. However, like LSU, Penn State has played no one. Their best win is probably a home victory against Illinois and they struggled last week on the road against an awful Purdue team. Plus, the band is back from suspension. Apparently new female members of the band were blindfolded and forced to remove the underpants of senior male band members. No comments need here except to say I doubt American Pie will be shown on future road trips. In addition, last week was the first home loss for Wiscosin in their past 17 and they are not the kind of team that will pack it in. Although I will not watch this game because Florida, LSU is on the other channel and that would be the equivalent of choosing to play Tecmo Bowl in black and white over Madden 09 on a flat screen, look for Wiscosin to win in a low scoring match up. Wiscosin 17, Penn State 14.

NFL

1 on stations in New Orleans and Oakland) Saints -7 over Raiders: Can we go ahead and add Al Davis to the commercials they show around Halloween with all the famous Monsters drinking punch and jamming out while a Monster Mash plays in the backgroun?. Do you think he would try to cut in on Frankenstein (who always seems to be a little off beat) and that woman with the white streak in her hair? On a less serious note, how is this line not higher? The Saints are at home, in a must win situation against a team whose first game coach led the Idaho Vandals to a record of something like 14-41 in his only other head coaching experience. Saints 35, Raiders 13.

1 on stations in Houston and Miami) Texans -3 over Dolphins: The Texans are too good of a team to not win a game and the direct snap is like the punch buggy. It might have come back and people will buy it at first but in a couple weeks everyone will be laughing at how rediculous of an idea it was in the first place. Texans 24, Dolphins 20.

Monday 8:30 on ESPN) Browns plus 9: If Tony Kornheiser went with an Emmitt Smith quote and said, "You know someone has to win this game" would Jaws argue. It is undeniable Kornheiser needs some work as an announcer but he would be much more tolerable if Jaworski didn't immediately contradict everything he says like he is the mom of the rich kid you were friends with during grade school. The Browns are not that bad and the Giants are not that good and if that analysis doesn't satisfy you I do not know what will. Giants 24, Browns 17.

The proverbial "trap" game is coming up for the Skins this weekend. Someone has to come up with a new name for these games before Sunday so I do not have to wear ear plugs during the broadcast. Have a great weekend everyone and I hope Tony Siragusa is not "On the field" for your teams game.