NEAL'S PICKS PALATIAL HEADQUARTERS -- I told my interns after another week of failure that they needed to decide if they could love picking winners the way I love picking winners.

Match me, I told them. Match my passion. I love picking winners. Do you?

You see, that's leadership.

I told them they needed to be held accountable for their bad picks. I told them to go home, look in the mirror and ask themselves what can they do to make our picks better.

I told them to go home ask themselves some very difficult questions about what they've done -- or haven't done -- to put us in fourth place. I told them beating Luker wasn't enough. I wanted more. Match my intensity, I said. Match my love, I said.

I told them I never wanted to feel this level of pain and humiliation again, even though it was totally their fault. I did nothing and if the interns would have matched what I was doing, we wouldn't have this hole to dig out of.

I am, after all, him. I am the the gold standard of picking winners, I told them, and I urged them to mirror me.

Then they left.

And I locked the doors and double-bolted them and made the damn picks myself. The result: Glory and a Week 7 championship.

I let the interns back in on Monday. They were humbled but in awe. What did they learn? We're about to find out.

On to the picks...

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Last Week:

Neal McCready: 9-1 overall, 8-2 ATS

Chase Parham: 6-4 overall, 6-4 ATS

Jeffrey Wright: 6-4 overall, 6-4 ATS

Brian Rippee: 6-4 overall, 5-5 ATS

Michael Luker: 7-3 overall, 4-6 ATS

For The Season:

Neal McCready: 64-19 overall, 33-38 ATS

Chase Parham: 64-19 overall, 34-37 ATS

Jeffrey Wright: 67-16 overall, 38-33 ATS

Brian Rippee: 63-20 overall, 37-34 ATS

Michael Luker: 63-20 overall, 26-45 ATS

Mississippi State +7 at Arkansas, 11 a.m., ESPN

Neal McCready: I don't know. Look, I'm just going to hope that I can find a quick beer line and Cam makes his kicks. It's really that simple. Neal's Pick: Arkansas 30, Mississippi State 17

Chase Parham: Arkansas is just better, even though the record doesn't reflect that. The Hogs are ok on defense, and the skill positions don't suddenly completely suck. Arkansas gave good efforts against Ole Miss, LSU and Alabama, while State struggled with Western Michigan. Parham's Pick: Arkansas 34, MSU 20

Jeffrey Wright: I am breaking #TheSystem this week. I think this is the absolute lowest price you will get on Mississippi State this year. I think Arkansas thrives being the unexpected underdog while playing tighter as a favorite. I think the Bulldogs know they don’t have any margin for error for their bowl hopes and will give a good effort. WRIGHT’S PICK: ARKANSAS 27, MISSISSIPPI STATE 24

Brian Rippee: Seems like a lot of points, but Mississippi State is horrible, and the line seems to suggest that Will Rogers is not going to play. I don't think Mike Wright is the answer Bulldog fans are longing for. Arkansas hasn't played a home game in a calendar month and has lost five consecutive games. This will be a get-right week for the Razorbacks against one of the worst power five teams in the country. Rippee's Pick: Arkansas 38, Mississippi State 17

Michael Luker: Arkansas is the better team. I think Vegas wants you to take the points here, so I’m going to lay them. Luker's Pick: Arkansas 31 Mississippi State 21

No. 7 Penn State +4.5 at No. 3 Ohio State, 11 a.m., FOX

Neal McCready: I think the better team is the underdog. James Franklin is one hell of a football coach and that defense is the real deal. Neal's Pick: Penn State 27, Ohio State 24

Chase Parham: I'm as excited for this one as I can be for a Big Ten game, so the 11 a.m. time slot is a nice thing. Ohio State is the weird favorite who no one thinks is going to win. Ryan Day sort of annoys me, but it's James Franklin on the other side. He makes Day look not so bad. Parham's Pick: Ohio State 23, Penn State 17

Jeffrey Wright: Let’s wind back the clocks. I spent the entire month of November last year declaring that I wanted Michigan when they played Ohio State. Then, the books released the number, and the line begged me to take Ohio State. I took Ohio State. I’ve said for the last few weeks that I want Penn State in this game. They’ve covered every line and have covered six-of-the-last seven against the Buckeyes. I can’t lose twice using this logic. Give me the Buckeyes. WRIGHT’S PICK: OHIO STATE 27, PENN STATE 20

Brian Rippee: Penn State is a better football team than Ohio State. This game gives me 2015 Ole Miss at Alabama vibes. Rippee's Pick: Penn State 31, Ohio State 24

Michael Luker: Really looking forward to this game. I think Ohio State wins a close one at home, but Penn State covers. Luker's Pick: Ohio State 21 Penn State 20

No. 17 Tennessee +9 at No. 11 Alabama, 2:30 p.m., CBS

Neal McCready: Alabama has had this one circled. The Tide fell asleep at halftime last week, so you know practice this week was dialed-in. It's a cigar game for Alabama and Tennessee is awful on the road. Neal's Pick: Alabama 34, Tennessee 13

Chase Parham: Alabama is borderline elite with its front seven, and Tennessee couldn't do anything offensively last week against Texas A&M, using special teams for the margin. Jalen Milroe covering nine points is problematic, but this just seems like a bit of a snoozer. Parham's Pick: Alabama 30, Tennessee 16

Jeffrey Wright: SEC favorites have gone 16-9 in conference play, and home favorites are 9-5. I just don’t think Tennessee’s passing game is good enough to cover this number. They’ve had trouble blocking this year, and I still think Alabama has the best front in the league. I’ll lay them. WRIGHT’S PICK: ALABAMA 27, TENNESSEE 17

Brian Rippee: This is a fishy line. Tennessee's defense has been great, but the Vols have sorely missed not having Hendon Hooker at quarterback this year. His replacement, Joe Milton, is a great athlete but a very average quarterback in a relatively simple system. With that said, Tennessee feels like a bit of a sleeper as far as controlling its own destiny in the east (yes, I get Florida technically does, but look at their roster and schedule). I think the Vols pull a stunner here. Rippee's Pick: Tennessee 24, Alabama 20

Michael Luker: I think this is another game where Vegas is begging you to take Tennessee +9. It feels too good to be true, so it definitely is. Luker's Pick: Alabama 34 Tennessee 24

South Carolina +6 at No. 20 Missouri, 2:30 p.m., SEC Network

Neal McCready: Missouri is good. Get used to it. They figured NIL out, and Drinkwitz is a solid coach. It's a new world. Neal's Pick: Missouri 41, South Carolina 23

Chase Parham: South Carolina's coach kicked a Gatorade bucket and broke his foot. Missouri's coach has a legitimate shot at double-digit wins and is at home. This line is bothering me, but I'll fall right into the trap. Parham's Pick: Missouri 41, Carolina 31

Jeffrey Wright: The moment that Shane started his spot of the SEC Teleconference with “good recruiting news that he couldn’t tell us about”, I knew I wanted to lay whatever with Missouri. If Florida can light your secondary up, I know Missouri can too. WRIGHT’S PICK: MISSOURI 34, SOUTH CAROLINA 24

Brian Rippee: I am surprised this line is not 10 points or more. Missouri is a good football team with a veteran offense and two NFL-caliber receivers. South Carolina, despite getting great QB play from Spencer Rattler, is a team that lacks talent, has a horrific defense and a head coach in way over his head. Emphatic win for the Tigers here. Rippee's Pick: Missouri 41, South Carolina 24

Michael Luker: South Carolina has been extremely disappointing this year. The seat has to be getting a little warm for Shane Beamer, right? Say what you want about Eli Drinkwitz, but he's done a really good job this year. Luker's Pick: Missouri 34 South Carolina 27

No. 13 Ole Miss -5.5 at Auburn, 6 p.m., ESPN

Neal McCready: I think this is a scary spot for Ole Miss. Jordan-Hare gets loud. Rev. Freeze will have the boys playing for each other and love and all of that shit. That said, Auburn can't score and Ole Miss can. In the end, the Rebels win, but I suspect Ole Miss fans will be out of Tums and fingernails when it's over. Neal's Pick: Ole Miss 30, Auburn 20

Chase Parham: This is where I should probably write about the history and how Ole Miss has only won once at Auburn in two decades and not back to back in 71 years, Lane said. I didn't look it up. I guess that's what I'm doing, but the point is that Auburn just isn't very good. I think the Tigers throw a couple haymakers early because a win could set them up for a few weeks, but if Ole Miss withstands that, it's the better team. Jordan Watkins' injury is a worry, but I think UM pulls away. Parham's Pick: Ole Miss 30, Auburn 21

Jeffrey Wright: Say what you want about Bryan Harsin’s tenure at Auburn, but his teams didn’t quit on him. They just sucked. Well, now Hugh has largely the same team, and they quit on him last week.

I don’t like how all of the early money is on Ole Miss, and books aren’t moving the line to 7 or more. I’m pretty sure Ole Miss has never won a night game at Jordan-Hare. Ole Miss is likely without their leading WR, and while I’ve been impressed with defense, I still don’t quite trust it. However, I do trust the Rebels’ defense to be effective against a one-dimensional Auburn offense, especially one that is passing inept. WRIGHT’S PICK: OLE MISS 31, AUBURN 24

Brian Rippee: Auburn's offense is too dysfunctional to win this game. It can't get up when it needs to get up, ya know, when it's showtime. Hugh Freeze might end up being successful on The Plains. Maybe he finds a Tampa-area quarterback with a firm grip and a strong arm to massage the ailments that plague this offense. I don't think the Tigers can swoop in from behind to win this game if they slump down early. Unless Ole Miss is too aroused by the excitement and prematurely climaxes, emotionally, that is, and gift Auburn points, I think the Rebels win this going away. I see no happy ending at Jordan-Hare on Saturday evening. Rippee's Pick: Ole Miss 38, Auburn 20

Michael Luker: My first thought here is to hammer Ole Miss, but I'm going to fade myself here and say that it's too good to be true. Both coaches desperately want this one and historically Ole Miss plays bad in Jordan-Hare. Ole Miss, but close. Luker's Pick: Ole Miss 27 Auburn 24

Army +29.5 at No. 19 LSU, 6:30 p.m., SEC Network

Neal McCready: I don't see how Army stops LSU. Neal's Pick: LSU 49, Army 10

Chase Parham: It's just a lot of points when possessions could be at a minimum. LSU is going to score whenever it wants to, but I'll make a line play here. Parham's Pick: LSU 38, Army 10

Jeffrey Wright: Army is 6-1 ATS since 2003 as an underdog of 29 points or more. However, the game most similar to this matchup was Army’s 2017 game against Ohio State, a 38-7 win and cover for the Buckeyes. The big question is how many possessions will LSU’s starters get because I’m not sure LSU will get stopped. Army has bigger games the next two weeks, UMASS for their bowl hopes and then Air Force. I’ll say the athleticism for Army is too much. WRIGHT’S PICK: LSU 45, ARMY 14

Brian Rippee: This will be the strongest offense the troops have seen since the royal navy invaded various east coast harbors in the summer of 1776. Rippee's Pick: LSU 50, Army 10

Michael Luker: Sure. Luker's Pick: LSU 44 Army 14

No. 16 Duke +15.5 at No. 4 Florida State, 6:30 p.m., ABC

Neal McCready: Florida State has tons of athletes. It's in Tally. It's at night. Duke will have the 'Noles' attention. It's a recipe for a blowout. Neal's Pick: Florida State 37, Duke 17

Chase Parham: Duke is a cool story, and Mike Elko is a really good coach. Florida State, however, is a really good team, and Duke's quarterback is banged up. We'll go with a backdoor cover on a game never really in doubt, but this is a big of a leap. Parham's Pick: Florida State 40, Duke 27

Jeffrey Wright: I really like Florida State in this game. Duke’s defense has been great this year, but they really dare you to beat them with wide receivers. I think Florida State can do that, and I don’t think Duke will move the ball enough to keep up. WRIGHT’S PICK: FLORIDA STATE 38, DUKE 17

Brian Rippee: I am not sure if Riley Leonard plays in this game. I think the line reflects that. I like Duke a lot. Mike Elko has a done a tremendous job. I also like Florida State. I am surprised this line is not higher given Leonard's health status. I will revert back to my policy of siding against logic. Rippee's Pick: Florida State 34, Duke 24

Michael Luker: Without Riley Leonard I struggle to see how Duke keeps this close. Luker's Pick: Florida State 34 Duke 17

No. 14 Utah +4.5 at No. 18 USC, 7 p.m., FOX

Neal McCready: I have no read on this one. On one hand, Utah beat USC up twice last season. On the other, there's no Cam Rising for the Utes. On the other hand -- God, it's like a Tampa massage parlor now; hands everywhere -- I'm betting Caleb Williams doesn't have two terrible games in a row. Neal's Pick: USC 31, Utah 24

Chase Parham: Caleb Williams will play better, but I'm not sure USC's defense can stop what this Utah program calls offense this season. This is a taking the points thing more than anything, and if you do that, you may as well call the upset. Parham's Pick: Utah 31, USC 30

Jeffrey Wright: I think this is a buy-low spot on the Trojans. Also, while USC’s defense isn’t good, if you just put 11 guys on the field, you can stop Utah’s offense. I think USC has more losses headed its way, but I don’t think it will happen this weekend. WRIGHT’S PICK: USC 31, UTAH 20

Brian Rippee: Feels like a great value spot for USC. Two weeks removed from barely surviving Arizona and getting embarrassed at what I think is a middling Notre Dame team, I would implement my anti-logic system here and take the Utes, but with Cam Rising, I am going to roll with the Trojans. Rippee's Pick: USC 34, Utah 23

Michael Luker: I'll ride with Utah here. I'm just not a believer in USC. Lincoln Riley seems to field the same type of team every year. Really good/generation QB talent but absolutely awful in the trenches and awful on defense. Not a good formula for the Big10. Luker's Pick: Utah 28 USC 27