What has happened to Pittsburgh this season?  The Panthers began the year
ranked as a top 25 team.  Their quarterback, Tyler Palko was on many people's
Heisman watch list and NFL journeyman Dave Wannstedt had returned to coach his
alma matre.  Life in the river city was looking good.  Then Notre Dame came to
town with their new coach (at his alma matre) and ran over the Panthers like a
freight train, winning 42-21.  All of us on the outside of the Pitt. program
figured O.K., it is Notre Dame, we'll give them a mulligan and start fresh next
week.  Well, then next week arrived.  With it came a trip to Ohio.  No, not to
Columbus, they were headed to Athens, as in Ohio University.

 Yes, a Friday night, nationally televised game against the Bobcats.  Just what they would
need to smooth out some rough spots and Pitt. would be on their way.  It didn't
work out like that.  The Panthers returned the opening kick off for a touchdown
and that was pretty much all they would do the rest of the night.  Pittsburgh,
a 14 point favorite, was upset by the Bobcats and their new head coach, Frank
Solich.  Who knew ole' Husker Frank had it in him?  The question I ask once
again, is, what happened?  How could this team which won the Big East last year
and played in the Fiesta Bowl go backwards so fast?

I believe the answer can be found in Stanford, California.  The head honchos in
Pittsburgh couldn't get Walt Harris out of town fast enough.  Well, one
program's trash is another program's treasure.  The Cardinal program has been
lost since Tyrone Willingham left for Notre Dame and was in need of some
stability.  It appears they've found their man.  Stanford is a surprising 4-2
so far this year and are on a three game winning streak.  They have won at
Arizona and Washington State and pulled off a big upset of Arizona State at
home last week.  I should add that Stanford was a pretty heavy underdog in all
three of those games.  So it looks like the "Stanford Tree" is where the easy
money is these days ha?  Look folks, bandwagon tickets cannot be purchased in
this column.  This week Stanford is home again to the 7-0 UCLA Bruins.  The PAC
-10 co leaders of Westwood opened up as an 8 point favorite and as I write, the
public has bet this number down to a 7.  Stanford has been on a very impressive
run and have been the surprise team in the conference.  That will end on
Saturday.  Stanford will be overmatched in this game by a much faster and
explosive UCLA team.  While handicapping this game it should be noted that next
week Stanford takes on the two time defending National Champions, the USC
Trojans.  While UCLA is not a team that should be overlooked right now, they
will be.  There's something about playing USC that get's into the heads of
college players.  When the Cardinal run out on the field this week, they'll be
high fiving and fired up, but they know who's on their card next week.  There
is no doubt in my mind that UCLA is at least a touchdown better than Stanford
and it is well worth the risk of laying 7 points.  Do yourself a favor.  Let
everyone else walk into a cigar smoked room and hand over their money to "The
Man" next week.  We'll make UCLA one of winners on Saturday.

 As I was watching last Saturday's telecast of the Oklahoma v.s. Baylor game, I
realized something amazing.  If the Sooners were to lose at home to the Bears,
it would be more likely than not that the boy's from Norman would not be bowl
eligible.  They stood with a 3-3 record, with games against Nebraska, Texas
A&M, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State still to come.  Oklahoma State would be the
only game considered a "Lock" win.  The Sooners, at home, went to overtime
before squeaking out a 37-30 victory.  Think about that though.  The winningest
team of the decade not reaching 6 wins and a bowl game.  The college landscape
these days is like Six Flags, a roller coaster ride.
     
Yes, it is definitely a down year for a team that has played in three of the
six National Championship games since 2000, but credit must be given to the
Golden Bears from Waco.  Chew on this.  The doormat of the Big 12 has covered
the line in 5 of their 6 games this year.  Their only loss was a 23-14 defeat
at the hands of Nebraska.  A game the Cornhuskers were only a 3 point favorite
in.  Last year Nebraska pounded Baylor 59-27.  So it appears that there are
bags full of money to be made by going "Bear Back" ha?  Once again folks, the
National Bandwagon doesn't make stops here.  
     
This week the Texas Tech Red Raiders come to town and there will be more red
and black in the stands than green and gold.  Make no bones about it, the Red
Raiders were brought back to reality last week at Texas, but what better way to
pick themselves up off of the mat than to put a hurting on the Bears.  As I
said, Baylor is a respectable program these days and at 4-3, they're looking to
go bowling themselves for the first time since 1994.  This game though, will be
a mismatch.  Texas Tech plays a style of football that Baylor hasn't seen yet
this year.  While other teams have used a ball control, balanced attack, Texas
Tech is going to come to town chucking it all over the field.  We all saw that
Texas made Mike Leach's squad look like their Nike's were filled with cement,
but hey, as we're learning, Texas is Texas.  Enough said.  Even with that
debacle in Austin last week, Texas Tech still has the #1 offense in the
country, averaging over 450 yards per game.  That has to be respected.  This
one could get ugly early.  The Red Raider should put up over 50 points in this
game and I don't see where Baylor will have the ball enough to score 20.  The
experts treating themselves to baked stuffed anything, and washing it down with
Dom Perrignon have made Texas Tech an 11 point favorite on the road.  The Red
Raiders are loaded with ammunition and this week they'll be hunting for
(Baylor) bear.  Texas Tech covers this number with ease.  Last week we pushed
on our Tennessee play, this week we'll start the day with one in the bank
early.  Its Halloween weekend and it will be a Nightmare on Bookie Street. 
Snickers and Kit Kats for everyone.  And hey, tell the guy next door, I don't
think he gets many Trick or Treaters.