Well, here we sit four weeks into the season and three preseason national championship contenders – Iowa, Michigan and Oklahoma – are a combined 5-6. Thank you for your wonderful $40-a-year insight, ESPN Insider.

Also, I forgot to write my ending joke last week in which I was going to give props to conference leaders Baylor, Kansas and Vanderbilt, but alas, it was not meant to be.

And I don’t just give out props two weeks in a row all willy-nilly-like, partially because I don’t know if I have enough “street cred” to even say the word props.

By the way, if someone out there could give me an official ruling on my street cred, I’d honestly like to know.

But I digress; on with the picks.

I was a perfect 5-0 last week, pushing my record to 29-7.

KANSAS (3-0) AT NO. 16 TEXAS TECH (3-0)

Last week: Kansas beat Louisiana Tech, 34-14 (Sept. 17); Texas Tech beat Indiana State, 63-7.

There isn’t a better way to start off a column than with a Mark Mangino joke, so here it goes. Last week the Red Raiders talked about putting up 100 points against Indiana State, and although that didn’t happen, this week they’re saying they will score more points than Mangino has pounds. Ba-zing.

THE PICK: TEXAS TECH

KANSAS STATE (3-0) AT OKLAHOMA (1-2)

Last week: Kansas State beat North Texas, 54-7; Oklahoma lost at No. 20 UCLA, 42-21.

It doesn’t seem possible that Oklahoma could be staring down a must-win game at the very start of October, but it appears that’s what’s happening. The Wildcats are still somewhat of an unknown, but they have won on the road and handled an inferior opponent without breaking a sweat, two things the Sooners haven’t done.

Oklahoma has been very one-dimensional, so until the Sooners beat someone through the air, teams will win by loading up with eight or nine guys in the box to stop the run. Plus, when you combine the Wildcats potent ground game and at least a functional passing game with the fact that the Sooners amazingly rank No. 10 in the Big 12 for total defense, you have to go with Kansas State.

THE PICK: K-STATE

COLORADO (2-1) AT OKLAHOMA STATE (3-0)

Last week: Colorado lost at No. 9 Miami (FL), 23-3; Oklahoma State beat Arkansas State, 20-10 (Sept. 17).

The Buffaloes got through the preseason with a 2-1 record, which was the first step in making sure there will be six wins and a bowl game. Beating Oklahoma State is the next step. Colorado is a team that may be better than people give it credit for, but its schedule presents some serious roadblocks – Texas A&M and Texas after this game.

The Cowboys have looked terrible in the preseason, squeaking by Arkansas State 20-10, and will not win this game, provided Colorado quarterback Joel Klatt’s toe injury doesn’t cause too much of a hubbub.

THE PICK: COLORADO

No. 2 TEXAS (3-0) AT MISSOURI (2-1)

Last week: Texas beat Rice, 51-10 (Sept. 1); Missouri beat Troy, 52-21.

Oh, what this game could have been if Gary Pinkel didn’t coach the Tigers. Back when Brad Smith was a freshman – and especially as a sophomore – he was anointed as the second coming of Michael Vick. He looked the part too, but then Pinkel tried to coach him and that dream went down the drain.

Mack Brown, on the other hand, hasn’t yet figured out how to waste Vince Young, but I suspect he is trying. And it’s because of Brown being on the Texas sideline that I’m not quite ready to call this game a complete lock. The Missouri defense is soft, however, and will have no answer for Young. Missouri could make this interesting for a while, but Texas will pull away comfortably in the second half.

THE PICK: TEXAS

LAUGHER OF THE WEEK: BAYLOR (3-0) AT TEXAS A&M (2-1)

Last week: Baylor beat Army, 20-10 (Sept. 17); Texas A&M beat Texas State, 44-31.

Finally, at long last, the Teddy Bears have returned to their home in the Laugher of the Week suite. Oh, how I’ve missed you, Baylor. Although I feel bad for squashing hopes of a national championship in Waco, the Aggies will be geared for revenge against the Bears for last year’s overtime debacle. The 12th Man will be rocking and the Aggies will be rolling by the time the final horn sounds.

THE PICK: TEXAS A&M

GAME OF THE WEEK: No. 23 IOWA STATE (3-0) AT NEBRASKA (3-0)

Last week: Iowa State beat Army, 28-21; Nebraska beat Pittsburgh, 7-6 (Sept. 17).

Before we start with this game, I would like to remind everyone that my second favorite team is Texas Tech. Why, you ask? Because they hung 70 on Nebraska last year (more on that below).

In case you haven’t heard, Iowa State hasn’t beat Nebraska in Lincoln since 1977. None of the ISU players – except Tony Yelk, who’s older than the entire football program at ISU – were even alive then. Can the Cyclones forget about that and focus on the here-and-now?

During the preseason, I anointed the winner of this game North champions, and although that may be slightly premature, this game is still huge in terms of the conference race. Nebraska’s defense will be the best Iowa State has faced thus far this season, but the Husker offense may be the worst to line up against the Cyclones. This game will be ugly and will no doubt be decided by turnovers.

If the total points in this game exceed 20, I would be surprised. Neither offense has had a game to hang their hats on and both defenses are capable of holding the opposing offense down, making for a good old-fashioned defensive slobber-knocker.

The big question will be, which team shows up for Iowa State? The uninspired, sloppy teams that played against Illinois State and Army, or the fired up team that crushed Iowa? If this team can’t get fired up with 74,000 people in the stands, then things could get ugly in Lincoln.

That being said, I think the Cyclones will be ready to go and I don’t think the Nebraska offense can do enough through the air to win the game. On the other hand, if Bill Callahan turns the game over to Cory Ross and runs the ball at Iowa State from the beginning, then I think the advantage swings back to the Huskers.

What will happen? If Iowa State survives the opening 20 minutes, something they haven’t done in Memorial Stadium lately, the Cyclones will win. Iowa State already shut down Drew Tate, so Zach Taylor shouldn’t be too difficult. Callahan won’t abandon the pass until at least the third quarter and by then it will be too late.

THE PICK: IOWA STATE 13, NEBRASKA 10

And now it’s time for everyone’s favorite part of the column, the “What’s With the Nebraska Lovefest” question of the week.

After last week’s picks, there was a barrage – OK, two – comments demanding the end of the Nebraska joke. I hate Nebraska, you hate Nebraska and they need to be made fun of. The state is a wannabe Iowa.

Do you really want me to let up on the team that was formerly nicknamed the Bugeaters? I’m putting this to a vote, so give me your feedback and tune in next week for the decision.