PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – It's rivalry week, and the college football picks are no exception.
The college football-minded panel of experts will try to predict the winners of a season-high 21 games this Thanksgiving weekend, beginning with Thursday night's grudge match in the Lonestar State between TCU and Texas.
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Local10.com managing editor Peter Burke continues to hold a narrow lead over sports reporter Clay Ferraro with a 102-38 overall record, but Ferraro isn't far behind with a 100-40 record.
Executive sports producer David Lang is quickly gaining on Ferraro after finishing 9-1 last week to improve to 99-41 overall.
Sports producer Tory McMahon is last with a 94-46 overall record.
Anything can happen during rivalry week, and that's not lost on the panel of prognosticators.
Burke and McMahon smell an upset in the battle for the Apple Cup between Washington and Washington State. Both are picking the Cougars to earn consecutive victories against the Huskies at home.
There's also some division in the bragging rights for the Palmetto State, where South Carolina will visit Clemson. The Gamecocks have won five in a row against the Tigers, but Clemson owns the nation's No. 1 overall defense. Lang is picking South Carolina to keep the streak alive.
Other teams on upset alert include 11th-ranked Kansas State in its rivalry with Kansas and No. 4 Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl against No. 18 Mississippi.
Virginia visits Virginia Tech in a game that will determine which team becomes bowl-eligible. Lang predicts the Cavaliers will snap their 10-game losing streak to the Hokies.
The panel is split in its predictions of the "Duel in the Desert." Burke and McMahon are choosing Arizona State to win for the fourth time in five games, while Ferraro and Lang think the Wildcats will beat the Sun Devils at home.
Despite the emotions that are sure to follow the Gators when they travel to Tallahassee, the panel is unanimous in picking Florida State to find a way to win against Florida in Will Muschamp's final game.
The group was also unanimous in choosing Ohio State to win its annual border war against underachieving Michigan at "The Horseshoe."
All picks are in bold.
Peter Burke
TCU at Texas (Thursday)
Nebraska at Iowa (Friday)
UCF at USF (Friday)
Stanford at UCLA (Friday)
Arizona State at Arizona (Friday)
Virginia at Virginia Tech (Friday)
Michigan at Ohio State
Georgia Tech at Georgia
South Carolina at Clemson
Kentucky at Louisville
Old Dominion at FAU
Florida at FSU
Mississippi State at Mississippi
Baylor vs. Texas Tech at Arlington, Texas
Minnesota at Wisconsin
Notre Dame at USC
Kansas at Kansas State
Pittsburgh at Miami
Auburn at Alabama
Oregon at Oregon State
Washington at Washington State
Clay Ferraro
TCU at Texas (Thursday)
Nebraska at Iowa (Friday)
UCF at USF (Friday)
Stanford at UCLA (Friday)
Arizona State at Arizona (Friday)
Virginia at Virginia Tech (Friday)
Michigan at Ohio State
Georgia Tech at Georgia
South Carolina at Clemson
Kentucky at Louisville
Old Dominion at FAU
Florida at FSU
Mississippi State at Mississippi
Baylor vs. Texas Tech at Arlington, Texas
Minnesota at Wisconsin
Notre Dame at USC
Kansas at Kansas State
Pittsburgh at Miami
Auburn at Alabama
Oregon at Oregon State
Washington at Washington State
David Lang
TCU at Texas (Thursday)
Nebraska at Iowa (Friday)
UCF at USF (Friday)
Stanford at UCLA (Friday)
Arizona State at Arizona (Friday)
Virginia at Virginia Tech (Friday)
Michigan at Ohio State
Georgia Tech at Georgia
South Carolina at Clemson
Kentucky at Louisville
Old Dominion at FAU
Florida at FSU
Mississippi State at Mississippi
Baylor vs. Texas Tech at Arlington, Texas
Minnesota at Wisconsin
Notre Dame at USC
Kansas at Kansas State
Pittsburgh at Miami
Auburn at Alabama
Oregon at Oregon State
Washington at Washington State
Tory McMahon
TCU at Texas (Thursday)
Nebraska at Iowa (Friday)
UCF at USF (Friday)
Stanford at UCLA (Friday)
Arizona State at Arizona (Friday)
Virginia at Virginia Tech (Friday)
Michigan at Ohio State
Georgia Tech at Georgia
South Carolina at Clemson
Kentucky at Louisville
Old Dominion at FAU
Florida at FSU
Mississippi State at Mississippi
Baylor vs. Texas Tech at Arlington, Texas
Minnesota at Wisconsin
Notre Dame at USC
Kansas at Kansas State
Pittsburgh at Miami
Auburn at Alabama
Oregon at Oregon State
Washington at Washington State