Posted on 08/28/2006 5:53:39 PM PDT by MikefromOhio
It's finally here!!! College football at it's best!!
The scheduled games (and my picks) are below:
Week One – College Football
Yes the season is finally here. It’s about freakin time too. Anyway, I am in several pick’em type leagues and here is how I am going to be filling my card out. Debate, criticize or whatever, but let’s remember that it’s just a game ok?
All rankings are from the ESPN.com Scoreboard page. I will also list any games of interest and any other games listed in my Public Yahoo league.
GAME(s) of the WEEK
Saturday, September 2nd, 2006
(9) California at (23) Tennessee (-1.5)
Cal faces a pretty stiff challenge going into Knoxville against a Tennessee team that everyone is expecting to rebound after a sub-par year. This is going to be a hard game to win right out of the chute and I don’t think they can do it.
Tennessee 24 – Cal 17
Monday, September 4th, 2006
(11) Florida State at (12) Miami (-3)
Now there normally won’t be two games that qualify as games of the week, but seeing that the preseason rankings aren’t exactly accurate by any stretch, I’ll go with two here. First off, last year’s defensive struggle won’t be repeated this year. FSU and Miami both lost key players on the defensive side of the ball. FSU lost more and they have more question marks on offense. Look for Miami to win a close and relatively offensive game.
Miami 32 – Florida State 28
Thursday, August 31st, 2006 – 10:00 PM ET
Northern Arizona at (24) Arizona State (NL)
ASU has an offense to hang with the big boys, but can they develop a defense? Certainly their offense will click against Northern Arizona, but how will their defense look? This game might even be close for a half or so.
The Prediction:
ASU 47 – Northern Arizona – 17
Saturday September 2nd 2006 (in ranking order)
Northern Illinois at (1) Ohio State (-18.5)
Northern Illinois isn’t a pushover by any stretch of the imagination. Although they aren’t on the caliber of Texas or Notre Dame, they can go into Columbus and sneak away with the win IF Ohio State is looking ahead. On paper this game doesn’t look like much of a contest.
The Prediction:
Ohio State 45 – Northern Illinois 10
(2) Notre Dame (-7.5) at Georgia Tech
Can Notre Dame find a defense to go along with the great offense? Calvin Johnson and GT will be a great first test. This game will go closer than many think.
ND 28 – GT 24
North Texas at (3) Texas (-41)
This game is all about getting experience for Colt McCoy. Texas will blow North Texas off of the field.
Texas 60 – North Texas 0
Washington State at (4) Auburn (-14.5)
Some people say Auburn is for real. Others don’t seem to pay much attention to them. Auburn thrives off of that type of non-hype, or at least they have in the past. This year they aren’t starting out of the top 10, they start at #4. Wazzu is improving, but they aren’t quite there yet.
Auburn 45 – Wazzu 13
Marshall at (5) West Virginia (-22)
All West Virginia has to do is win ONE game (at Louisville) and they are in the BCS title game. Marshall is a shadow of it’s former self and this is going to be another long year for the Thundering Herd.
WVU 42 – Marshall 14
(6) USC (-8) at Arkansas
USC 52 – Arkansas 20
Southern Miss at (7) Florida (-20)
Florida 44 – Southern Miss 13
Louisiana – Lafayette at (8) LSU (-30.5)
LSU 45 – LALA 7
UAB at (10) Oklahoma (-21.5)
Oklahoma 33 – UAB 13
Kentucky at (13) Louisville (-22.5)
L-ville 45 – Kentucky 10
Vandy at (14) Michigan (-26)
Michigan 33 – Vandy 9
Western Kentucky at (15) Georgia (NL)
UGA 35 – WKU 14
Montana – (16) Iowa (NL)
Iowa 52 – Montana 10
Northeastern at (17) Virginia Tech (NL)
VT 32 – Northeastern 0
Florida Atlantic – (18) Clemson (NL)
Clemson 38 – FAU 7
Akron – (19) Penn State (-16.5)
Penn State 24 – Akron 0
La Tech at (20) Nebraska (-20.5)
Nebraska 37 – La Tech 3
Stanford at (21) Oregon (-11)
Oregon 34 – Stanford 12
(22) TCU (-7.5) at Baylor
TCU 35 – Baylor 10
SMU at (25) Texas Tech (-26)
Texas Tech 59 – SMU 13
0-0 Straight UP 0-0 Against the Spread
I only did the top 25 this week......
Wow there is some HITTING going on in this SEC Game.
yeah
This is the weekend that gets everyone completely sick of NFL preseason too :)
With the College game starting in full force this weekend, everyone wants the real deal NFL to star too.
Especially in a conference like the SEC.
tell me about it....
That has to figure into the planning too. They are having to put on some plays that they would rather not too this early.
That's one reason why a school schedules the Fuhrman's and Northern Arizona's of the world, something of a quasi-preseason.
yeah....
It's one thing to schedule a good team in your first game.
But a conference opponent?
No thanks...
yep....
Nevada showed something late last year....but can it carry over??
Fresno State needs to take the next step to be a good program.
I think Fresno mailed it in after they almost beat USC and got the Liberty Bowl bid. As for Nevada...they've got some very key components (QB, WR, their top tackler) from last year's team, and there better be some improvement with Nevada.
They need to be able to hold onto the ball and eat the clock up.
Agreed that Cal is overated, but I don't think Tennessee is the team that can beat them.
(2) Notre Dame (-7.5) at Georgia Tech>>>>>>>>>>ND 28 – GT 24
Georgia Tech 20 ND 17
OK, wishful thinking on my part.
USC (-8) at Arkansas >>>>USC 52 – Arkansas 20
SC should be higher in the polls, this is their chance to prove it. If Arkansas scores 20, at least 7 will come in garbage time.
What this thread (night) needs is a lot more COWBELL. For S. Miss.
No. They are almost always three places higher then they should be. Why would any objective voter rate them higher then USC, who has lost 1 game in what?....almost three seasons.
This game is all about getting experience for Colt McCoy. Texas will blow North Texas off of the field.
Texas 60 – North Texas 0
C'MON! You couldn't give us at least a field goal???
hehe ok :)
60-3 :)
I think the SEC fans are a bunch of blowhards, and my allegiance is clearly to the PAC-10, but only to my team in the PAC-10.
Go Tennessee!
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