College picks: Sooners get nod over Longhorns

Even before the season, Oct. 11 was circled on the calendars of many college football fans. Now that six weeks of football have been played, Saturday's schedule looks even better.

Three games matching six ranked teams, including four of the top five, will surely rock the national championship race, starting in Dallas at the Texas State Fair.

Oklahoma and Texas renew the Red River Rivalry, and once again the stakes are enormous. Both Big 12 South rivals are ranked in the top five. The loser not only will have its national title hopes take a hit, but just getting to the conference champion game becomes a tricky task.

Under Bob Stoops, Oklahoma is 6-3 against Texas and coach Mack Brown, but the Longhorns have won two of the last three.

The game could also produce a Heisman Trophy front-runner. Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford is second in the nation in passer rating, while Texas quarterback Colt McCoy has completed 79 percent of this throws and leads the team in rushing.

In the Southeastern Conference, the last two national champions meet in Florida's Swamp. The Gators, who won it all in 2006, have already lost a home game. That should make for one desperate group awaiting the arrival of defending champion LSU.

The Tigers beat the Gators and Heisman winner Tim Tebow last season, converting five fourth down opportunities and rallying to win 28-24.

While it was obvious OU-Texas and LSU-Florida were going to be big games, Oklahoma State-Missouri is an unlikely headliner.

The Cowboys have practically matched the high-scoring Tigers point for point. Oklahoma State is No. 3 in the country in scoring at 52.6 per game. Chase Daniel, another Heisman contender, and Missouri is second at 53.4.

The picks:

^Thursday

^Clemson (plus 2½) at No. 21 Wake Forest

Week 7 is here and the ACC is still impossible to figure out ... CLEMSON 24-21.

^Saturday

^No. 1 Oklahoma (minus 6½) vs. No. 5 Texas at Dallas

The better team usually wins the Red River Rivalry, and that would be ... OKLAHOMA 33-21.

^No. 17 Oklahoma State (plus 13½) at No. 3 Missouri

In matchup of great offenses, go with better defense ... MISSOURI 55-38.

^No. 4 LSU (plus 6) at No. 11 Florida

Tigers' tough D-line vs. Gators' shaky O-line ... LSU 27-24.

^No. 6 Penn State (minus 5) at Wisconsin

Can Badgers get ready for big game after two straight losses? ... PENN STATE 28-20.

^Nebraska (plus 21) at No. 7 Texas Tech

Last time here, Huskers handed worst loss ever, 70-10. ... TEXAS TECH 69-10.

^Arizona State (plus 26½) at No. 8 Southern California

Even good Sun Devils' team usually roll over against Trojans ... USC 45-13.

^New Mexico (plus 23½) at No. 9 BYU

BYU's Max Hall builds his Heisman resume ... BYU 50-17.

^Tennessee (plus 12½) at No. 10 Georgia

Just what Vols didn't need - to face a ticked off bunch of Bulldogs ... GEORGIA 28-14.

^Purdue (plus 19) at No. 12 Ohio State

The Beanie and Terrelle show has rejuvenated Buckeyes ... OHIO STATE 39-13.

^No. 13 Vanderbilt (minus 2½) at Mississippi State

Can Commodores avoid letdown? ... VANDERBILT 17-10.

^No. 14 Utah (plus 23½) at Wyoming

Cowboys have worst offense in Mountain West ... UTAH 35-10.

^No. 15 Boise State (minus 11½) at Southern Miss

Broncos pounded Golden Eagles, 38-16, in Boise last season ... SOUTHERN MISS 38-30.

^Colorado (plus 14) at No. 16 Kansas

Home team has won eight of 11 in the series ... KANSAS 35-17.

^Arkansas (plus 19) at No. 20 Auburn

If Tigers can't find some offense this week, it could be long season ... AUBURN 28-14.

^Notre Dame (plus 7½) at No. 22 North Carolina

The echoes are stirring ... NOTRE DAME 28-23.

^No. 23 Michigan State (plus 2½) at Northwestern

Perfect Wildcats still looking for recognition ... MICHIGAN STATE 21-20.

^No. 25 Ball State (minus 16) at Western Kentucky

High-scoring Cardinals enjoy first game as ranked team ... BALL STATE 44-24.

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Last week: 14-4 (straight); 11-7 (vs. points).

Season: 90-23 (straight); 51-47 (vs. points).