Weekend football; revenge, comeuppance, money

On the timeless subject of football and wagering, this reporter has been known to wax emotional. As I've said many times, the level of cerebral involvement one has with a televised football game can be measured in direct proportion to the sum of money one wagers on said game.

The moral? Always bet on football when you can. That is, when you can arrange to travel to Tijuana, Nevada or a number of Native American reservations, where such activity is completely legal.

You won't be alone. The late Pete Axhelm once repeated, incredulously, former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle's conclusion that only 5 percent of the NFL's fans bet on games. "They must all live on my block," Axhelm said.

What follows is the first installment of a weekly Forty-Niner column that will handicap choice NFL and NCAA games each weekend.

Team records are in parenthesis, followed by the betting line as of this printing, my predictions, and Forty-Niner sports copy editor Gregory Gaussa's picks. We'll keep track of our won-loss records as the season progresses.

Despite the fact that it's a fun activity which can also be highly profitable, many people still consider gambling immoral. Accord them no mind.

Instead, always remember three things: it's not important where the money came from; always read the injury and weather reports before betting; and finally, always take the favorites and the unders in the playoffs.

Comments, questions and suggestions are welcome, as always. Good luck.

COLLEGE

USC (6-0) at Notre Dame (5-2)

USC minus 3 1/2

Are Trojans going to snap 12-game winless streak against the Irish this year? Does the pope wear white?

USC, 45-14. (Greg likes USC)

UCLA (4-2) at Stanford (4-1-1)

UCLA minus 2 1/2

Look for inconsistent Bruins to struggle behind freshman quarterback Cade McNown at Palo Alto. After six games, you'd think Bruin Coach Terry Donahue would have decided on his starting quarterback. Maybe Charles Young will decide on a new coach soon.

Stanford, 27-24. (Greg likes Stanford)

PRO

Bengals (4-2) at Steelers (3-3)

Steelers minus 7

Pittsburgh's up and down. Despite their record, the Bengals' worst loss was only by 10 points. Return of Neil O'Donnell, national TV audience, embarrassment of last game's loss to Jacksonville will be enough to motivate Steelers.

Pittsburgh, 23-7. (Greg likes Steelers)

Oilers (2-4) at Bears (4-2)

Bears minus 7

Bears look OK on offense for a change. Former USC star Curtis Conway has given quarterback Erik Kramer a new confidence. Oilers played Cleveland tough in Week 2, but there's been no sign of consistency.

Bears, 31-17. (Greg likes Bears)

Lions (2-4) at Redskins (2-5)

Lions minus 1

Is it just me, or do these two teams seem to play each other about five times a season? 'Skins are improving more than Lions, Gus Frerotte has a gun, and his offensive line is starting to give him time.

Redskins, 27-7. (Greg likes Lions. Really, I'm not kidding, he does.)

Jaguars (2-5) at Browns (3-3)

Browns minus 13

Jaguars have played respectively in all but one game (a 27-10 loss to the Jets in Week 3). Browns need to recover after Monday night loss to Bills and they will, but not by two touchdowns.

Browns, 24-17. (Greg likes Browns)

Chargers (3-4) at Seahawks (2-4)

Chargers minus 2 1/2

Records are deceptive. Chargers have the tough schedule after winning AFC last season. Seahawks have patsy schedule and still suck canal water.

Chargers, 17-3. (Greg likes Chargers)

Colts (4-2) at Raiders (5-2)

Raiders minus 8

Two of the strongest teams in the AFC. With a big spread like this game could go either way, but the feeling here is that the Raiders will be upset after being embarrassed by Broncos, while Colts will be a little complacent after three straight upset wins.

Raiders, 24-10 (Greg likes Raiders)

MONDAY NIGHT

Bills (5-1) at Patriots (1-5)

Bills minus 1 1/2

Bills will be trying to win one for Coach Marv Levy, who recently announced to the team that he has prostate cancer. Ouch. And that's just what Drew Bledsoe and the Pats will be saying after another nationally televised humiliation.

Bills 34-14. (Greg likes Bills)