Week one of the season is here! College football is back and looks to be better than ever. This year, we will have a couple games to make Labor Day weekend exciting. The greatest season ever begins Thursday night at 6:00 P.M. I will highlight the key match-ups every week. View attachment 56724 View attachment 56725 View attachment 56726 View attachment 56727 View attachment 56728 Thursday North Carolina Tar Heels @ #6 South Carolina Gamecocks What a great way to kick off the year. THE University of North Carolina against THE University of South Carolina. Why this game isn’t being played at Bank of America Stadium is beyond me. North Carolina will be looking to start off the year by scoring a major upset. South Carolina will be looking to kick off the year on the right foot. South Carolina is a 12 point favorite, but I expect this game to be much closer...for the first half. South Carolina should take control of this game in the second half. View attachment 56729 Utah State Aggies @ Utah Utes BATTLE OF THE BROTHERS! Last season’s contest was a classic with the Aggies pulling off the stunning upset. This game should be another classic with the Aggies looking to win two in a row for the first time since 1996-1997. The Aggies should be the favorite, but the Utes find themselves 2.5 point favorites. That will add fuel to this already explosive fire. I’m going to pick Utah State in this one, but it will be close. Mississippi Rebels @ Vanderbilt Commodores The SEC season begins with an interesting match-up. Last season, the Commodores opened the season by losing to South Carolina. They will be looking to change that this season. The Rebels find themselves 3 point favorites in this one. That seems to be pretty spot on as I am taking Ole Miss in an extremely tight and exciting SEC kick-off. Rutgers Scarlet Knights @ Fresno State Bulldogs This is the game that most people won’t pay attention to. This game is between two BCS tweeners. Both of these teams have the expectations to contend for their conference titles, but most people are ignoring them in favor of the favorites. The Bulldogs are 9.5 point favorites, but I expect Rutgers’ defense will find a way to keep this game closer. I’m taking the Bulldogs in this one, but I expect it to be a touchdown game. Friday North Dakota State Bison @ Kansas State Wildcats If any FCS school is going to pull off an upset, it will be the Bison. The defending FCS National Champions travel to the Little Apple to take on Bill Snyder’s Wildcats. This game will be a battle to the finish. The Bison despite their FCS status, are no slouch. The Wildcats are 12 point favorites in this match-up. This game will either be close or a blowout. I’m not certain which way to go, but I am taking the Wildcats to win this one. Saturday View attachment 56733 Mississippi State Bulldogs vs #13 Oklahoma State Cowboys Reliant Stadium hosts an interesting match-up between the SEC and Big XII. Oklahoma State will be looking to start off their season as Big XII favorites on a real high note. The Bulldogs will be looking to begin the season with an upset. Oklahoma State is favored by 12.5, but I expect them to run away with this one. View attachment 56730 #1 Alabama Crimson Tide @ Virginia Tech Hokies The Crimson Tide will look to kick off their run at a three-peat with another showdown in Atlanta. Virginia Tech will be looking to score a huge upset. Alabama is a 20 point favorite. Some people think that is not enough. I think it is a little high but Bama should still Roll past the Hokies. View attachment 56734 #5 Georgia Bulldogs @ #8 Clemson Tigers This is the game of the week. Both of these teams have struggled in big time games to open the season. The Dawgs are favored by 1.5 points, but I expect the Tigers to win this one since it’s in Death Valley. Watch the Heisman candidates from Georgia in Aaron Murray and Todd Gurley and from Clemson in Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins. View attachment 56732 #12 Louisiana State Tigers vs #20 Texas Christian Horned Frogs Here is the Dallas Showdown. LSU and TCU will create a classic. The Tigers defense is always nasty, but so is TCU’s. LSU is favored by 4.5 points but I believe the Frogs will pull off the upset. It will be interesting to see how TCU quarterback Casey Pachall looks after missing most of last season in drug rehab. #19 Boise State Broncos @ Washington Huskies The Broncos and Huskies faced off in the Maaco Las Vegas Bowl last season, and it was a beauty. This season, the game is in Seattle. Both teams have the talent to surprise some people. Washington is 3.5 point favorites this season. It will be an interesting battle between Washington’s offense and Boise State’s defense. These teams are polar opposites and it should lead to another classic. I’m taking Boise State to win once again, but it will be close. Sunday View attachment 56735 Ohio Bobcats @ #9 Louisville Cardinals This game is not getting the attention it deserves. Everybody thinks Louisville is going to run away with this game, NOT SO FAST! Ohio is going to put up a Hell of a fight. Louisville is favored by 20.5, and that is just too high. Ohio will make this a fight, but I expect the Cardinals to pull this one out. Monday View attachment 56731 #11 Florida State Seminoles @ Pittsburgh Panthers The Seminoles will be breaking in a new quarterback in redshirt freshman Jameis Winston. The hype surrounding him is intense. How will he handle the spotlight on Labor Day? This will be the Panthers first ACC game. I expect the Noles to cover the 10.5 point spread. Week one will be amazing. For most of these teams, their chances for a national championship will hinge on how they do this week. Just sit back and enjoy the beginnings of a wild ride folks!
If you want me to highlight your team's game next week, give me a heads up. I know we have Syracuse, Oregon State, Hawaii, Alabama, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Florida, and Florida State fans. I can put some focus on those games from here on out if wanted.
North Carolina vs South Carolina, LSU vs TCU and Georgia vs Clemson are must watch games if you call yourself a NCAA fan.
So far, next week's focus games will be Florida @ Miami, South Carolina @ Georgia, Syracuse @ Northwestern, Texas @ BYU, Notre Dame @ Michigan, Hawaii @ Oregon State, and San Jose State @ Stanford.
I can give some love to Penn State. Found it odd that the Penn State vs Syracuse game was the only game this week to not have a spread
I watched Clowney's play in that game, if you could call it play. He sat out more plays than he played. I have never seen a player with stamina that low. He wouldn't make it 20 seconds in an NFL game.
Not making excuses for him but apparently he was sick or something a week before the game. His Heisman chances took a big hit no doubt, especially with Tajh Boyd having a huge game.
