Welcome to Glass Slipper! Don’t ever let anyone convince you that baseball is boring; please enjoy the show.

- Jacob Rhee

**NOTICE: Glass Slipper will arrive on Sunday, Monday, and Saturday next week.

Each Saturday morning of the college football regular season, I will be predicting the outcome of the six best games of the weekend. Every time I pick the wrong team to win, it costs me $15. At the end of the year, I will use the total pot of money to buy gifts for random Glass Slipper subscribers. That’s right; you literally benefit from my failures. Let’s go.

Game 1: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 17 Illinois

The pick: Ohio State wins, 35-23.

As some of you deduced, I had this as an Illini victory prior to the season. It wasn’t written in Sharpie, but perhaps a ballpoint pen. I genuinely envisioned Illinois fans storming the field, with Jenny Taft hollering into Bret Bielema’s ear amidst the chaos. An old squad that has withstood countless wars, against Julian Sayin in his first ranked road contest? I was wearing the orange-colored glasses.

Watching a group that you believe in give up 63 points changes some things. Illinois bounced back with a nice win over USC, yet I’m finding it impossible to shake that massacre in Bloomington. I hadn’t been so disappointed in a college football team since… oh. Yeah. That one OSU game last November. Let’s move on before I slide down the wall.

The possibility of my Buckeyes starting slow isn’t off the table at all; I anticipate an awesome Illini crowd, which will absolutely be a factor. Still, I’m rolling with Ohio State to move to 6-0.

Game 2: No. 8 Alabama vs. No. 14 Missouri

The pick: Alabama wins, 31-20.

Alright, Beau Pribula. Showtime.

I’m fascinated to see how he performs. The kid committed to Penn State over a half-decade ago, and finally gets his chance to step into a national spotlight as the guy. Pribula has never really put anything ugly on tape, so there’s no reason to believe that he can’t hang. 31 career total touchdowns, to just four interceptions. I’ll take that all day long.

Unfortunately, he’s catching this Alabama crew at the wrong time. Kalen DeBoer and Ryan Grubb are feeling themselves, and the Tide’s big boys on both sides of the ball have woken up. Missouri lingers into the fourth, before Jam Miller shuts the door.

Game 3: No. 7 Indiana vs. No. 3 Oregon

The pick: Oregon wins, 34-21.

I was so wrong about Dante Moore. If you recall, I’m the clown that said he would be the Ducks’ weak link. Moore is instead parked in No. 1 pick conversations, and would put a few fingers on the Heisman trophy with an awesome showing and a win tonight.

The dude leading Indiana’s huddle is neck-and-neck with Dante on every front. Admittedly, I was just as late to the Fernando Mendoza hype train; maybe the conclusion here is that I need to be better with evaluating young quarterbacks.

Autzen Stadium is such an underrated atmosphere, and earning an impressive victory away from home is among the few boxes that Curt Cignetti has yet to check with the Hoosiers. I think IU trades punches for a half, but Oregon’s front seven eventually grabs control. Give me the Ducks.

Game 4: Texas vs. No. 6 Oklahoma

The pick: Texas wins, 28-16.

John Mateer literally broke a bone in his throwing hand, and only missed one game. That’s superhero stuff. If he stomps out the Longhorns’ remaining playoff hopes, the people of Norman might build him a statue by the end of the weekend.

I’m not quitting on Texas, though. I can’t bring myself to do it. Colin Simmons and Anthony Hill have combined for only 1.5 sacks thus far, after tallying 17 a year ago. Those guys are itching to wreak havoc, against an OU offensive line that I still have questions about.

This Arch Manning discourse has swerved in an awfully goofy direction recently. I believe that he’s ready to simmer the noise a little bit. The redshirt sophomore submits a solid performance, and dons the Golden Hat.

Game 5: No. 15 Michigan vs. USC

The pick: Michigan wins, 27-24.

I have a feeling that this winds up being the best game on the slate. The Wolverines don’t have a solution for Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane. USC can’t contain Justice Haynes. Add in a little contentious banter between the head coaches, and I’m fully prepared for 200 minutes of quality entertainment.

When in doubt, I roll with the crew that I trust more at the line of scrimmage. Michigan triumphs in a thriller.

Game 6: No. 21 Arizona State vs. Utah

The pick: Utah wins, 26-17.

Sam Leavitt is unavailable, which means that… huh? Wait, what? Jeff Sims still plays college football? I’m sorry?

Though it’s a cool opportunity for our friend Jeff, this is a really tough spot. He hasn’t won a start in over three years, and is suddenly tasked with defeating Kyle Whittingham in Salt Lake City. Best of luck, sir.

People were quick to write off the Utes after the loss to Texas Tech, but that was a one-point affair heading into the fourth. I think Utah gets the job done, and reappears in the AP poll 27 hours from now.

• Week 6 Results: 5-1

• Overall Season Picks Record: 20-16

• Current CFB Prize Pot: $240

Pressroom

Spin It

“Take Me There” by Micah Edwards. Savor the weekend.