GRIDIRON PICKS

Editor’s note: This is week four of the Daily’s season-long Gridiron challenge. Each week, four of the Daily’s football reporters, along with a weekly guest pick, will choose the winner from nine college football games around the country and provide commentary about each game. ISU volleyball head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch will be making this week’s guest picks.

1. Michael Zogg — Staff Writer (20–7)

2. Nate Sandell — Managing Editor of Sports (18–9)

3. Jake Lovett — Assistant Sports Editor (17–10)

4. Chris Cuellar — Staff Writer (15–12)

Guest pick — Christy Johnson-Lynch — ISU volleyball head coach

1) Iowa State vs. Army

Nate — Iowa State — The Cyclones put the little green Army men back in their box and into the toy chest.

Michael — Iowa State — Army lost to Duke. Duke!

Chris — Iowa State — Cyclones out-talent their second military-occupied school in as many weeks.

Jake — Iowa State — Army’s not wearing their camo uniforms. Bad tactical decision.

Johnson-Lynch — Iowa State — Believe in coach Paul Rhoads. He’s going to get it done here!

2) Iowa @ Penn State

Nate — Penn State — Remember Iowa’s stunning and season-ruining upset victory against Penn State last year? Lighting doesn’t strike the same place twice.

Michael — Penn State — You can bet the Nittany Lions haven’t forgotten who cost them a shot at the national championship game last year.

Chris — Penn State — More than 100,000 Nittany Lion fans wearing white aren’t as friendly to the Hawkeyes as 50,000 dropouts wearing black and yellow.

Jake — Penn State — Joe Pa has dropped 6-of-7 to Iowa. No, seriously. I didn’t believe it either.

Johnson-Lynch — Penn State — Penn State proves too much for the Hawkeyes at home.

3) Auburn vs. Ball State

Nate — Auburn — Can it really be possible? Can Chizik really win more than three games in a season? The answer is, begrudgingly, yes.

Michael — Auburn — Chizik will win his personal-best fourth game in a season as head coach.

Chris — Auburn — 46 y/o WM looking for: commemorative coin, SEC head job (o.b.o.), spread offense and burning bridges. Ask for Gene.

Jake — Auburn — Nothing like a tough non-conference game for Gene and his boys before going into the SEC schedule.

Johnson-Lynch — Auburn — Down year for Ball State = good for Auburn.

4) No. 9 Miami @ No. 11 Virginia Tech

Nate — Miami — You can almost hear Will Smith now. “Party in the city where the heat is on, all night on the beach till the break of dawn. Welcome to Miami.”

Michael — Miami — The U has got their swagger back.

Chris — Miami — Miami’s return to a BCS bowl game won’t be stopped by a floundering Hokie offense.

Jake — Miami — The U is back. That, and I’m not sure Va. Tech could move the ball against Ames High’s defense.

Johnson-Lynch — Virginia Tech — The Hurricanes’ hot start ends in Blacksburg.

5) No. 15 TCU @ Clemson

Nate — TCU — TCU keeps its high-powered offense rolling.

Michael — TCU — The Horned Frogs have one of the coolest and most unique mascots in the country.

Chris — Clemson — Upset special: Horned Frogs won’t be able to keep up with C.J. Spiller in Death Valley.

Jake — TCU — Clemson doesn’t scare this BCS buster.

Johnson-Lynch — TCU — Down year for the ACC is a good thing for TCU.

6) Texas Tech @ No. 17 Houston

Nate — Texas Tech — Tech barely outlasts Houston, avoiding the same fate as the Cougars’ week two victim Oklahoma State.

Michael — Texas Tech — The Red Raiders may have lost last week, but they won my respect.

Chris — Texas Tech — Houston’s upset of Oklahoma State wasn’t as surprising as how well the Red Raiders reloaded this year against the Longhorns. Potts beats Keenum to six TDs.

Jake — Houston — This game will be fun. And by fun, I mean something like 56–50.

Johnson-Lynch — Texas Tech — The Red Raiders earn back Big 12 pride in this one.

7) Southern Miss @ No. 20 Kansas

Nate — Kansas — Southern Miss will be desperately looking for a yellow brick road out of Lawrence.

Michael — Kansas — The Jayhawks add to their impressive non-conference resume which already includes UTEP, Northern Colorado and Duke.

Chris — Kansas — Southern Miss’ obnoxiously bold uniforms won’t be a match for Mark Mangino’s obnoxiously large pants and game plan.

Jake — Kansas — Southern Miss has the second-longest winning streak in FBS. No, seriously. I’m not making these things up.

Johnson-Lynch — Kansas — KU at home wins this game in a rout.

8) Arkansas @ No. 3 Alabama

Nate — Alabama — Alabama keeps its title hopes in good shape in a tough but surmountable conference game

Michael — Alabama — Arkansas looked OK last week against Georgia. They won’t be so lucky on the road against ‘Bama.

Chris — Alabama — The Crimson Tide are more talented on every side of the ball in this game, but it could get interesting if Bobby Petrino decides to resign and quit on his players at halftime.

Jake — Alabama — The Tide are really, really, really, really alright.

Johnson-Lynch — Alabama — Alabama has too much power for the Razorbacks to be successful in this one.

9) No. 22 North Carolina @ Georgia Tech

Nate — Georgia Tech — Georgia Tech gets back on track in a big way, proving to the nation the only sport the Tar Heels should be ranked in takes place on the hardwood.

Michael — Georgia Tech — The Yellow Jackets got exposed by Miami … the Tar Heels aren’t Miami.

Chris — North Carolina — T.J. Yates and the Tar Heels put their foot down on the option.

Jake — Georgia Tech — The Wreck got a bad rap after last week’s loss to Miami. They’ll be back.

Johnson-Lynch — Georgia Tech — The option proves too much as Georgia Tech bounces back for the win.