College Football Predictions: Baby's Losers For Week Four

     Baby's Losers 

1. Miami @ Virginia Tech

The coming-out party for Jacory Harris of the Hurricanes is temporarily put on hold in the confines of Blacksburg. Despite an extra two days rest, Miami's "catch and hold" blocking schemes once again play into the hands of Bud Foster's aggressive battle plan.

Baby's Loser: Miami 

2. Arizona State @ Georgia

Spoiler alert as the Sun Devils have not forgotten last year's war in the desert and are anxious to repay the Bulldogs. Two-time National Champion Coach Dennis Erickson has his defense giving up less than 150 yards a game. Be ready for a payback thriller.

Baby's Loser, Close: Arizona State 

3. Arkansas @ Alabama

Arkansas demonstrated a lack of defense against Georgia last week. The Razorbacks are last in the SEC in rushing offense. Arkansas will have to go to the air to compete.

Baby's Loser: Arkansas

4. LSU @ Mississippi State

An interesting match between two teams that are not in a hurry to score. The Maroon Bulldogs are last in the SEC in rushing defense and passing offense. Sounds ominous for the fans in Starkville.

Baby's Loser: Mississippi State

5. Florida @ Kentucky

Tennessee proved the Gators are not invincible. The Wildcats will be competitive at home, but they have only one victory over the Gators in the past 30 years.

Baby's Loser: Kentucky

6. California @ Oregon

The game at Minnesota (see pictured above) took a lot out of California. They will be up against a resurgent Duck team playing in front of a frenzied crowd. In what could be the game of the year in the PAC-10, look for the powerful Bears to survive.

Baby's Loser: Oregon

7. Indiana @ Michigan

Who would have believed this would be a battle between unbeaten teams? The Hoosiers are improved and have some balance but, it has been 42 years since Indiana went to the Rose Bowl, and the talent difference is too great to overcome.

Baby's Loser: Indiana

                                          Saturday's Tough One

8. New Mexico State @ New Mexico

Saturday's Tough One could be the most difficult pick this year. It goes without saying there is no love lost in this high desert rivalry known as the "Battle For I-25". In a Mountain West vs. WAC confrontation, the Lobos snatch the Maloof Trophy.

Baby's Loser, Close: New Mexico State

                                         Game Of The Week

9. Iowa @ Penn State

Last season, the Hawkeyes knocked Penn State out of competition for the BCS Title and into the Rose Bowl, where they were buried by Southern California.

Iowa may have a team speed advantage over the Nittany Lions, but Penn State is giving up only 46 yards a game on the ground and has surrendered only two touchdowns this season.

Baby's Loser: Iowa

A 7-2 record for last week, missing Va, Tech and Fla. State, 19-8 for the year.

A big 9-0 unbeaten record was posted by Kevin with the first comment of the week. He was joined in unbeaten land by Scott. Congratulations to both of you, great work.

Now, we did have a few perfect performances last year, but they are as rare as a blue moon.

Coming in at 8-1 we have 12, Trey J., Georgia Dawg, Connor, Sean, and Bill B.  A simply sensational performance by all six of you.

Joining BT at 7-2 we find Mosang along with Kimberley, Colt, Red Raider, Tim Croley, Tom O., Kent, Kenneth J., Illya, Cliff, Michael O., Jonny S. Tray L., Robert, Ben Long, Rick G. Dan C. Ryan R., Sandman, Drew M., Blake B., Daryl, and Jim.

The 7-2 group would have been in first place in most weeks.

Coming in at 6-3 we find Kristofer, Dan B., Michael C., Mitch, Tim P., J. Michael, Ronnie, Isaac, Cedrick, Brad, Brandon H., Brandon, Chris C., Stephen S., Carl S., and Travis.

This is a terrific group of experts, some of the finest minds of the Bleacher Report.

Four folks came in at 5-4, among them we find Tony O., Daniel, Tyler L., and Tyler S.

Congratulations on bettering .500 during a difficult week of games.

Coming in under the Mendoza line we find Southern Man, Jon, Matt, Chris, and Chad.

You will have the most to gain next week as we jockey for position to start the important October month.

And a special notice for Taylor who went 6-2 but did not pick the Notre Dame Fighting Irish game.

Obviously a follower of Oliver Cromwell!     

Now that we are firmly into the second full season of the Baby's Losers series on the Bleacher Report, there are a few areas that require some detail clarification.

We are very pleased to have the thousands of readers and hundreds of participants for the Baby's Losers series.

When we started the series in August 2008, it was a result of the Director of the Bleacher Report, Zander, putting yours truly in the position of overall Community Leader of the College Football section of the Bleacher Report.

That suited perfectly my philosophy concerning this position. Never become identified with any particular team or conference. Why should any specific team be safe from the barbed tongue?

Zander's instructions? "Go have some fun, do what needs to be done, and keep up the good work."

At that time, the membership in the college football section was much smaller. The position of CL of the entire CFB section was a work in progress that we just invented as we went along.

Each day we would read and review every article of every writer in each conference and team community. And many of you remember those days.

When writers of outstanding ability were recognized we recommended someone becoming the Community Leader of specific teams and conferences. 

This led to the development of a close knit group that ushered in a golden age of the Bleacher Report.

Because of this activity, members of the college football section and myself had a one on one relationship, and it was an exciting and rewarding time.

We created the series Baby's Losers based upon a tip sheet idea run by myself as a 21 year old stationed in the Panama Canal Zone in the fall of 1954 and missing the give and take with football buddies back home in Texas.

At that time, the name used by fellow service personnel to describe my paper, is too profane to be repeated in the family-oriented Bleacher Report, certainly by anyone with a moral compass.

It was born into the Bleacher Report following the bouncing of ideas with Tim Croley a powerfully knowledgeable member of the Bleacher Report, who was here when this writer arrived in June 2008.

Tim is a leading force in the Alabama community section, a gifted writer, and one of the key reasons for the success of the B/R among Crimson Tide followers.

Easy to read, easy to show to anyone else without fear of being offensive, and extremely topical, Tim is a special talent, and has a wonderful influence on young writers, whom he always makes the time to befriend.

The acceptance by the other Community Leader of the college football section, Trey Bradley, an administrator who runs all prize contests provided by the Bleacher Report was the final step before first publishing our series in August '08. 

Trey's advice? "Go get 'em," and after 13 months, it seems we have.

It does go without saying that the weekly contest would not be the success it has become with out dedicated participation of the contestants each week.

A great thanks goes out to all who have made this such a weekly gathering point in the Bleacher Report.

It does seem that with the changes in B/R and the huge number of members now, it would be folly to expect each member to know everyone the way we did as a growing community but rest assured, if there is anywhere you need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us as soon as possible. 

Hey, that is how we got started in the first place.

Baby Tate