--- So give those gambling types an update on your picks to date and who you like this week?

I’m 11-7 against the spread with your Q&A picks, hitting 9 of the last 12, and I’m 4-0-1 on the Ohio State picks (which sometimes double as my favorite picks in your Q&A here).  I will go with the Buckeyes, again.  As I mentioned in the Buckeye Bag, I don’t think any Big Ten defense outside of Michigan State can stop this Buckeye offense right now, and I think Urban will want to impress the playoff committee; I like the Bucks laying the 19.5.  Next, I will go against the Noles again; both top 25 opponents they played this year hung tight and I think Notre Dame will as well.  Take the Domers +12.  And I like Oklahoma State getting 9 against TCU.  I can’t see how TCU is in the right mindset after the colossal collapse in the last 10 minutes of last week’s Baylor game.  And this is a well coached OSU Lite team; Gundy is 63-39-4 against the spread since the start of the 2006 season – that’s sick. 

---- Storm clouds are gathering over Tallahassee. Last Sunday the New York Times reported the Feds are investigating the local police for covering up FSU student athlete sexual assaults and this week turns out Jameis Winston signed a bunch of swag for the same guy who paid Gurley. The smoke is getting pretty thick, does a fire break out and ruin Winston's season?

Winston’s rant while standing on a table in the student union, making derogatory statements toward women, was incredibly stupid.  But last I checked, there is no law against being stupid and against free speech.  Yet, he was still suspended for a game.  There have been no rape charges filed against him and there is no concrete evidence that he accepted money for autographs.  You have the grocery store theft that happened during baseball season, in which he took a three-game suspension from the ‘Nole baseball coach.  But based on the evidence in the rape and autograph cases, or lack of which, I don’t know how you suspend him again.  If more evidence comes to light, that obviously changes things.  And don’t get me wrong…the guy is scum of the earth. 

--- Who is still alive for the four team playoff?

You have 12 teams battling for four spots, and Ohio State and Sparty are definitely two of them.  The others (in no particular order) are: Florida St, Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, Miss St, Georgia, Oklahoma, Baylor, Oregon and Notre Dame.  I’d be surprised if a team outside of that pool gets in.  Most of the teams in that pool will have two or more losses by the end of conference championship Saturday, and there is a distinct possibility that the winner of the OSU-Sparty game will have only one loss.  We shall see…. it’s wide open and I would bet money that a one-loss OSU or Sparty team gets in.  I wouldn’t have said that a few weeks ago.

---- With all the attention on the blowtorch focused squarely on Brady Hoke's ass, how warm in Bo Pelini's seat these days?

Let’s wait to see what the Huskers do against Northwestern Saturday.  I have a feeling NW may beat them which will firmly put Pelini on the hot seat.

---- Just when it seemed Michigan's season couldn't get worse, it looks like the Dead Schembechlers might be performing this year. This is an ominous sign for Brady Hoke as this usually means a coach is about to get fired (or die). 

I was stubborn…it took me awhile to get on the “Hoke is gone” bandwagon, but I’m on it now.  Hoke needs to pull a small miracle to keep his job.  I think the Shane Morris concussion thing was blown out of proportion, but the bad press is what it is….it’s certainly adding to the other things that will cost Hoke his job, i.e. his atrocious W-L record, UM’s drastically falling attendance numbers, the current donut shortage in Ann Arbor, etc.