Another week at 8-2? I am getting pretty good at this, hopefully you are all starting to realize that.

Bears fans, I tried demanding an apology from some of you after correctly picking the Lions to beat the Bears despite your spiteful remarks. So far, I have not received any apologies.

This is a big week in Kosciusko County as the battle for the Traveling ‘W’ is renewed between rivals Warsaw and Wawasee. But before I get into all of the picks for this weekend, I must address some other sports news.

The Chicago Cubs are looking for a new manager after firing skipper Dale Sveum and I know all of you Cubs fans out there are wanting to know my opinion on who Chicago should hire next. Well, fellow Cub fans, I am here to answer your call. The Chicago Cubs not only should but will hire current Yankees manager Joe Girardi. Yes, I am calling my shot like Babe Ruth in the 1932 World Series. The Cubs WILL hire Girardi to lead them back to the playoffs and beyond. You can put money on it (Just not too much because, well, I am not perfect).

There you go, readers, your first ever baseball bonus. You are welcome. On to the picks!

Last Week: 8-2
Overall: 41-18

High School Football Week 7 10/4

Tippecanoe Valley (3-3) at Rochester (5-1), 7 p.m.
The Scoop: Valley finally looked like the team Viking fans have been waiting all season to see. Unfortunately it was against a very bad Wabash squad. This week Valley gets to take on a Rochester team that is on a four-game winning streak and is tied for first place in the Three Rivers Conference. If the Vikings can pull this out, they are right back on track and have the odds in their favor to win the TRC. I just do not see Rochester bowing down easily at home.
The Pick: Rochester 35, Valley 27.

LaVille (3-3) at Triton (1-5), 7 p.m.
The Scoop: It could not have gotten much uglier for Triton last week. New Praire was the heavy favorite and it showed why with a dominating victory. The road is definitely much easier for the Trojans this week, just not easy enough.
The Pick: LaVille 23, Triton 14.

Whitko (4-2) at North Miami (1-5), 7 p.m.
The Scoop: Whitko is looking good, really good. Is there a team that has surprised people more this season than the Wildcats? North Miami’s lone win is against Wabash so while having a win is nice, it is not that impressive. I see no reason for Tanner Hughes to not break 200 yards on the ground again. Even if the big man does not go north of 200 this Friday, Whitko still wins.
The Pick: Whitko 35, North Miami 10.

Wawasee (3-3) at Warsaw (4-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Scoop: The Traveling ‘W’ Trophy is up for grabs and could not have come at a better time for both teams. Warsaw played a team it should have dominated last week in Goshen and the Tigers did just that. Wawasee, meanwhile, was buy kicking Plymouth right out of the 4A rankings with an impressive 52-35 victory. It is important for both teams to keep level heads going into this game as both will be riding highs coming off of nice wins. Wawasee has had a strangle hold on this rivalry in recent years winning the past three contests and seven of the last 10. If Wawasee can figure out a way to contain Tristan McClone, the Tigers will have a long night.
The Pick: Wawasee 28, Warsaw 17.

Girls High School Soccer 10/3

Northridge (12-1-2) at Warsaw (8-2-2), 5 p.m.
The Scoop: Northridge rolls into Lake City ranked No. 13 in class 2A for this showdown with the Lady Tigers. I chose to spotlight this game over the boys game simply because it is in Warsaw and people should get out to see these two teams in action. Warsaw is a tough team and will definitely not be discouraged by the Raiders ability to score quick and often. Do not let the forecast keep you away. Yes, it could be a little humid and maybe even feel swampy, but it will be well worth the trip to watch the Tigers gang up on one of the region’s best teams.
The Pick: Warsaw 2, Northridge 1.

College Football Week 6 10/5

Penn State (3-1) at Indiana (2-2), 12 p.m.
The Scoop: IU had an entire bye week to prepare for the Nittany Lions. I really wish I could say that will make a difference this weekend, but I do not think it will. The Hoosiers have played Penn State well in recent season but they have to prove they can beat them (or other prestigious Big 10 teams) before I can feel confident about them.
The Pick: Penn State 45, Indiana 31.

Ball State (4-1) at Virginia (2-2), 12 p.m.
The Scoop: Ball State has looked good in all five of its games so far. Even in their lone loss to North Texas, the Cardinals were up 21-0 at one point. Ball State held off a tough Toledo squad last week and showed that it can close out games. Virginia has played one very good team and got absolutely manhandled by it (Oregon, 59-10). Outside of that, Virginia has played no teams worth noting and may find it tough to defend a high-octane Cardinal offense.
The Pick: Ball State 38, Virginia 24.

No. 22 Arizona State (3-1) at Notre Dame (3-2), 7:30 p.m.
The Scoop: The Shamrock Series goes to Dallas as the Irish will play host to the Sun Devils in Jerry’s World. Let me start out by thanking Arizona State for getting Lane Kiffin fired after hanging 62 points on USC last Saturday. Now, the Sun Devils will score nowhere near that much this week but could still have a very big day. This game fully depends on the play of Tommy Rees. If Rees protects the ball last week against the Sooners, then Notre Dame beats Oklahoma by 10 or more points. The problem is, he did not protect the ball and I currently see no reason why that would change this week.
The Pick: Arizona State 28, Notre Dame 17.

NFL Week 5 10/6

Seattle (4-0) at Indianapolis (3-1), 1 p.m.
The Scoop: Two weeks ago I would not have given Indy chance in this game, but now the Colts have turned things around. The Colts are arguably the AFC’s second best team behind the Broncos and Peyton Manning (who is on pace to throw 64 touchdowns, just saying). But this is the toughest defense the Colts will probably face all year. The good news is that Indy gets Seattle at home. The Seahawks are an entirely different team on the road then they are in Seattle, I cannot stress how important home field advantage is in this game. Regardless, the Colts have to prove they belong before I can pick them in a game like this.
The Pick: Seattle 20, Indianapolis 14.

New Orelans (4-0) at Chicago (3-1), 1 p.m.
The Scoop: This is going to be a very good game. Drew Brees is going to make a few mistakes but will ultimately do what he does best, throw touchdown passes (probably to Jimmy Graham). The thing is, I do not know how much it will matter. All signs point to a Saints win this week, but I am not buying in. I like the Bears this week. I really have nothing to base that on, it is just a feeling. It is a very similar feeling that I had last week when I correctly picked the Lions to beat the Bears. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.
The Pick: Chicago 31, New Orleans 27.