WITH OU AND OSU off this week, we started to write about the Big Four college basketball outlooks, became despondent 10 minutes into the project, decided to move on.

As college football's most entertaining season ever turns toward the home stretch, few championship contenders will lose on merit.

There will probably be extenuating circumstances.

Here are the top 15 excuses for losing a big ball game.

15. Busted assignments got us.

(This usually means the other team was much quicker and better.)

14. Tall grass got us.

13.The heat got us.

12. The altitude got us.

11. The cook got us.

(Excuses 11, 12 and 13 probably have more to do with a lack of conditioning, or too much stomach, caused by too many turnovers of the apple variety, than anything else.)

10. The sun got us.

9. Football (not apple) turnovers got us.

(This excuse is universally given by contenders one and all, even if the opposing team drove 60 in four plays after a turnover; turnovers don't get you until your defense has failed to make a play.)

8. The starting time

(Don't they still have 8 a.m. classes in college?)

7. Final exams got us.

6. The media got us.

5. Travel got us.

4. The dew point got us.

3. Complacency got us.

2. The refs got us.

1. The wind got us.

(Yes, it is a true freak of nature, sometimes the wind only blows when one of the teams is on offense.)

The Picks

THURSDAY

Boston College at Virginia Tech (-3): Everybody says here comes another upset.

Guess what -- the team ranked the highest (BC) is a solid underdog, proving once again that most polls are fiction.

Tech by 6.

SATURDAY

SMU at Tulsa (-14): This or raking leaves?

This.

But it's not the slam dunk it used to be.

TU is favored 14 -- for it to win by that, the defense is going to have to figure out how to hold somebody in the mid-thirties.

NCAA death penalty handed Mustangs in 1776 still seems troubling.

TU by 15.

Kansas (-3) at Texas A&M: Get the smelling salts: Kansas a top 10 basketball and football school!

The Nebraska football coach is good at one thing -- taking heat off people like Aggie coach Frannie.

KU by 1.

Colorado at Texas Tech (-13): Altitude (lack) could get Buffs.

Also troubling are the seemingly thousands of passes knocked down by opposing linemen.

Tech by 17.

USC at Oregon (-2-1/2): What's not to like about USC being in tough?

Oregon by 3.

Arizona at Washington (-3-1/2): Zona seems to have given Stoops about 25 last chances to do something, anything.

Wild offenses appear to have left another defensive genius gasping.

Washington by 3.

Georgia at Florida (-10): SEC winner should get an automatic pass to the national title game, the conference is that strong.

Also, the SEC probably has the top three Heisman candidates.

Florida by 13.

Nebraska at Texas (-22): Hillbillies pick up bottles from highway shoulders and bet it all on Tex.

Texas by 30.

South Carolina at Tennessee (-3): These SEC also-rans could finish 1-2 in Big Ten.

Vol fans again stuck with Fulmer because of just enough wins? Tennessee by 6.

Ohio State (-4) at Penn State: Don't adjust your set, these teams really are that slow.

But they are smart -- the league has no playoff.

JoePa fires up squad with leather helmet stories.

Ohio State by 7.

SUNDAY

Indianapolis (-6) at Carolina: Tough spot for Indy.

Tougher for Carolina.

Indy by 7.

Detroit at Chicago (-5-1/2): Munsters of the Midway.

Chicago by 6.

Eagles (-1) at Minnie: The Viking coach must be saving Peterson for the Letterman show.

Minnie by 4.

Jacksonville (-2) at Tampa Bay: Retirement Bowl.

Tampa by 2.

Washington at New England (-16-1/2): See if Washington has any intelligence to be insulted by huge point spread.

New England by 17.

MONDAY

Green Bay at Denver (-2): Denver's minor sport this year.

Favre shows about four-fifths of his age.

Denver by 5 .