Pick Six: Week 4

The Triangle is not going to have a better Saturday for football than this one. The only way to make it better? The Pick Six.

What you don't know what the world famous Pick Six is? Team ACC Now, Caulton Tudor and Joe Giglio (me), pick six winners (straight up).

We are challenged each week by a guest picker. Patrick Hewett, an ECU grad student, went 6-0 in Week 3. He's too busy celebrating ECU's success, and his own perfection, to gloat in this space so we'll collect his award for him. Well done, sir.

The honor of this week's guest picker belongs to Darren LeRose, who went to kindergarten with me. If you want to be next week's guest picker, send me an e-mail. Give a good reason and you'll be picked. If you beat Team ACC Now, you get this space for a shoutout.

Hot off a 5-1 week, I tied Tudor with a 10-8 record after three weeks. To defend those numbers, there are no gimmes on the card, like other sites.

On with the picks (straight up, as always, lines are for informational purposes).

No. 15 ECU @ N.C. State

When: Saturday, noon
TV: ESPN
Line: ECU by 7.5

This is an unpredictable series, as N.C. State's 34-20 win in Greenville proved in 2007, but the Wolpack's offense is not good enough to beat the Pirates for a second straight year.

The visitor has won the last two games in this series. Make that three.

Picks: Tudor (ECU), Giglio (ECU), LeRose (State)

Virginia Tech @ UNC

When: Saturday, 3:30
TV: ABC
Line: UNC by 3

Strength against strength in UNC's passing game against Virginia Tech's secondary. Corner Macho Harris didn't play in VT's season-opener, a 27-22 loss to ECU. He'll be busy with either Hakeem Nicks or Brandon Tate on Saturday.

Too many bandwagoners on the Tar Heels after the 44-12 win at Rutgers. If it was that easy, everyone would get it right.

Despite the offensive limitations for VT, the Hokies should be primed to defend their ACC honor, by hook or by blocked kick.

Picks: Tudor (UNC), Giglio (VT), LeRose (VT)

No. 18 Wake Forest @ No. 24 Florida State

When: Saturday, 7
TV: ESPN2
Line: FSU by 4

Wake has won two straight in the series, including 30-0 at FSU in 2006. Have you read that somewhere this week?

I don't like Wake's offensive line, and by association, the running game.

The Noles, even in their 7-6 malaise, tend to make a "Hey, we're still here" stand (@ BC last year) once a year. They get it out of the way early this year.

Picks: Tudor (FSU), Giglio (FSU), LeRose (FSU)

No. 6 LSU @ No. 10 Auburn

When: Saturday, 7:45
TV: ESPN
Line: LSU by 2.5

The home team rules this series, winning eight in a row, but everyone's down on the Tigers, the blue and orange variety, after a 3-2 win over Mississippi State.

Tommy Tuberville has been known to pull a few out of the fire (@ Florida last year). He'll do it again, just to zig, when everyone else zags.

Picks: Tudor (LSU), Giglio (Tigers), LeRose (LSU)

Florida Atlantic @ Minnesota

When: Saturday, noon
TV: Big Ten Network
Line: Minnesota by 7

By rule, it cannot be a big football Saturday without Duke. Since the Devils are off, Ted Roof's new team (he's the defensive coordinator at Minnesota) must make its Pick Six debut.

Tudor and Darren like the Gophers. I am the Owl to their mongoose, or something like that.

Picks: Tudor (Minn), Giglio (FAU), LeRose (Minn)

New Mexico @ Tulsa

When: Saturday, 7:05
TV: none
Line: Tulsa by 10.5

Why? Because New Mexico beat Arizona last week and Tulsa might be the team that ends ECU's dream season.

Plus, since "Wolfs" was so popular on the blog last week, as my super-secret, gramatically-challenged alternative to Wolfpack, I'm thinking of mixing in Lobos next time.

Picks: Tudor (Tulsa), Giglio (Tulsa), LeRose (Tulsa)