Big Saturday in College Football Land

ESPN is calling it "Gut Check Saturday," but it should be more aptly named, "Put Up or Shut Up Saturday." This is a weekend (including tonight) that before the season would've been an ordinary slate of games, but due to the nature of the scheduling, some well-timed upsets and the greater parity in the top conferences, this Saturday will help us determine which teams are for real and which teams have been truly feasting on cupcakes all season. Preview and predictions of the major games are as follows (all rankings are my rankings and the lines are courtesy of College Football News):

Tonight: #11 Kentucky at #18 South Carolina (-3.5) - Which of these teams is for real? UK has wins over rival Louisville and Arkansas, while South Carolina beat Georgia and hung close with LSU. This game should tell us who can make some noise in the SEC East. Prediction: Kentucky

Saturday
#10 Florida at #1 LSU (-9) - Florida was upset by Auburn last week and faces their biggest test this season going into Baton Rouge under the lights. If the beautiful aroma of bourbon doesn't knock the Gators out the LSU defense will. However, in order to beat the Gators, the Bayou Bengal offense will have to do more than just show up. It is time for Matt Flynn to step up and remove any doubt that he should be the QB1. Prediction: LSU

#4 Ohio State (-7) at #21 Purdue - The Buckeyes have really not been challenged in any of their games despite some closer scores. The defense looks legit, but it will have to face what appears to be a solid Boilermaker offense. This game will finally let us know if Purdue is a Big 10 title competitor or just a typical Purdue team that beats up on the cupcakes on their schedule. Prediction: Purdue with the upset, though OSU is the better team

#8 Wisconsin at Illinois (-2.5) - That is not a misprint. Ron Zook's Fightin Illini are favored to beat a very inconsistent, though 5-0 Wisconsin Badger team. I firmly believe this is the week the Badgers prove they are the team to beat in the Big 10 like I predicted in the preseason and simply dominate the Illini. Prediction: Wisconsin

Red River Rivalry - #5 Oklahoma (-11) vs. Texas in Dallas - Both teams are coming off upsets, but in only one of the games was the losing team simply outplayed and outclassed, which of course was Texas. At this point, UT has a potentially-concussed quarterback, an offensive coordinator that doesn't understand how to open up the passing game (and by open up I mean throw the ball upfield for longer than 3 yards) and a banged-up psyche. Oklahoma just looked complacent in the second half and when it was time to put their collective foot back on the gas, the tank was already empty. Inexcusable loss, but no major weaknesses were discovered, unlike the team from Austin. Prediction: Oklahoma

#19 Kansas at #22 Kansas State (-3) - K-State is coming off a huge victory over the Longhorns and may suffer a post-victory setback playing in-state rivals Kansas. The Jayhawks have truly feasted on some cupcakes and face their first real test. One of these teams will not be in the rankings next week and will be exposed for what they really are. Prediction: Kansas

Nebraska at #15 Missouri (-7) - This is a tough one because I think Missouri is legit, but I just can't get a read on the Huskers. Therefore, I don't know if a close game between these two will us any more about the season outlook for either. This is why they play the games. Prediction: Mizzou

#20 Georgia at Tennessee (-2) - Has Georgia grown up from the early part of the season and will they get revenge on a Volunteer team that hung over 50 on em between the Hedges last year. Tennessee has been up and down this year. The Dawgs will get their retribution on. Prediction: Georgia

#16 Virginia Tech at Clemson (-5.5) - The Hokies have been on a little roll since their atrocious loss at LSU and are ready to step back up among the big boys. Clemson is coming off a backbreaking loss to the GT Yellow Jackets. Hopefully, it won't come down to a field goal for the Tigers. Prediction: Va Tech

#14 Cincinnati at #17 Rutgers (-3.5) - Does Rutgers, coming off a loss to Maryland, get revenge on the Bearcats for their season-crippling loss last year or do the Bearcats keep their undefeated season and shot at a BCS bowl alive? With maybe the exception of South Florida, nobody in the Big East is playing as well as Cincinnati. Prediction: Cincinnati

Houston at Alabama (-11) - The Tide are coming off two straight losses and the Coogs are coming back from a devastating loss to ECU. This is Bama's homecoming game and Saban is the devil (at least in Miami and other parts of the US), so I am predicting a Cougar victory and have even put my money where my mouth is and didn't even take the 11 points. Prediction: Coogs!