It’s a bad time to be No. 2
Beware, Michigan. The No. 2 ranking has been more curse than blessing this season.
Florida became the fourth team to lose while ranked No. 2 last week, falling 27-17 to Auburn, the previous No. 2 that lost a week earlier to Arkansas.
It marked the second time this season a No. 2 was defeated in consecutive weeks, a first in the history of the AP Top 25. Texas was No. 2 when it lost 24-7 to top-ranked Ohio State on Sept. 9. The next week, Notre Dame was No. 2 when the Fighting Irish were beaten 47-21 by Michigan.
Before this season, the last time No. 2 was beaten in consecutive weeks was 2001, when it happened three weeks in a row. The only other time No. 2 lost three straight weeks was 1964.
Michigan will try to avoid the No. 2 curse at home against Iowa today.
The picks:
| Matchup | Time | TV |
| Indiana at No. 1 Ohio State | ||
| Pick: Ohio State 40-17 | 9a | |
| Iowa at No. 2 Michigan | ||
| Pick: Michigan 31-13 | 12:30p | |
| No. 5 Texas at No. 17 Nebraska | ||
| Pick: Texas 28-17 | 9a | |
| No. 6 Louisville at Syracuse | ||
| Pick: Louisville 34-20 | 9a | |
| Alabama at No. 7 Tennessee | ||
| Pick: Tennessee 31-21 | 12:30p | CBS |
| Tulane at No. 8 Auburn | ||
| Pick: Auburn 44-10 | 11:30a | |
| UCLA at No. 10 Notre Dame | ||
| Pick: UCLA 27-24 | 11:30a | NBC |
| Washington at No. 11 Cal | ||
| Pick: Cal 48-17 | 12:30p | FSN |
| No. 13 Georgia Tech at No. 12 Clemson | ||
| Pick: Clemson 27-23 | 4:45p | ESPN |
| Fresno State at No. 14 LSU | ||
| Pick: LSU 47-14 | 6p | ESPN2 |
| Mississippi at No. 15 Arkansas | ||
| Pick: Arkansas 30-16 | 9:30a | |
| No. 16 Oregon at Washington State | ||
| Pick: Oregon 30-24 | 2p | |
| No. 18 Boise State at Idaho | ||
| Pick: Boise State 34-17 | 2p | KSKN 22 |
| No. 19 Rutgers at Pitt | ||
| Pick: Pitt 26-21 | 2:45p | ESPN2 |
| Colorado at No. 20 Oklahoma | ||
| Pick: Colorado 25-21 | 4p | FSN |
| No. 21 Wisconsin at Purdue | ||
| Pick: Wisconsin 34-24 | 9a | ESPN |
| No. 22 Boston College at Florida State | ||
| Pick: Florida State 24-20 | 12:30p | |
| No. 23 Texas A&M at Oklahoma State | ||
| Pick: Texas A&M 27-24 | 4p | |
| Kansas State at No. 24 Missouri | ||
| Pick: Missouri 32-14 | 11a | |
Last week: 17-4 (straight); 13-7 (vs. points).
Season: 117-25 (straight); 75-52-3 (vs. points).