Bye week should be helpful for prognosticator, Florida

A bye week sometimes is needed for a handicapper, especially one who can’t get off the weekly injury report while suffering from bad judgment and a bruised ego.

Following a pathetic 2-8 performance two weeks ago — the worst record in the five-year history of the College Football Forecast — I benched myself last week.

Retirement was considered, but using Floyd Mayweather Jr. as a role model, that idea quickly was discarded. So it’s time to get down to business.

One of my top plays this week is Florida as a 61/2-point road favorite over Kentucky, which has played eight straight weeks and is coming off an upset of Louisiana State.

Wildcats quarterback Andre Woodson is sure to be a high NFL draft pick, but he’ll struggle against the Gators’ fast defense. Kentucky’s defense ranks last in the Southeastern Conference against the run, and Florida quarterback Tim Tebow is a running threat.

The Gators are coming off a bye, and coach Urban Meyer is 22-2 straight up with extra time to prepare.

Here are eight more plays for Saturday (home team in CAPS):

INDIANA (+71/2) over Penn State; COLORADO (+4) over Kansas; Tennessee (+1) over ALABAMA; NOTRE DAME (+18) over Southern California; OKLAHOMA STATE (-21/2) over Kansas State; Cincinnati (-91/2) over PITTSBURGH; New Mexico (-8) over SAN DIEGO STATE; UNLV (-21/2) over Colorado State.