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. Its about freakin time too. Anyway, I am in several pickem type leagues and here is how I am going to be filling my card out. Debate, criticize or whatever, but lets remember that its 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 dont think they can do it.
Tennessee 24 Cal 17
Monday, September 4th, 2006
(11) Florida State at (12) Miami (-3)
Now there normally wont be two games that qualify as games of the week, but seeing that the preseason rankings arent exactly accurate by any stretch, Ill go with two here. First off, last years defensive struggle wont 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 isnt a pushover by any stretch of the imagination. Although they arent 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 doesnt 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 dont 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 arent starting out of the top 10, they start at #4. Wazzu is improving, but they arent 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 its 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
Mike, you're funny. UAB won't cover. I guarantee.
Oklahoma 35 UAB 3
I did kinda put that one on the line huh??
I don't know, until I see how Thompson runs the Oklahoma offense.....
UAB isn't horrible either.
As an aside, "We Are Marshall", a film about the tragic 1970 loss of the football team and how the University coped with it and the aftermath, is scheduled to be released this Dec.
yeah...
I might have to watch it....
The FSU v. Miami match-up won't last long as a season opener. But I am happy to have it while it lasts - both schools play it close, usually a D struggle. Playing it first helps both sides gauge their teams without nuking their entire season. But the drama isn't nearly as high playing it right out of the gate - October games were history, these are exhibitions.
Now I agree with you there.
I don't like them playing the game right off the bat.
This game should be in October or November. Not September....
That makes two of us!
I was gonna say - guess someone has some confidence in him. Good we got the problems over with early. Now we can play us some FOOTBALL!
BTW, what is a UAB? It sounds Arab. Oh, must be Alabama-Birmingham.
Stars Will Fall on Alabama ... this weekend.
BOOMER SOONER!!
Weatherford will be awesome when he matures a bit. Better than Xavier Lee would have been at the helm.
Problem isn't the O-line. It's the offensive coordinator.
Yes, I know there were a lot of injuries last year, but FSU's offensive problem has been going on for some time now.
West Virginia has been very good to me over the years. I'll probably lay the points.
Probably a very good idea....
He needs maturity and he needs to have some time to set his feet and throw.
LOL
For a while there, I was consistently making money just calling Iowa, WVa, and Boise State every week. It was weird.
Oh I'd believe it....
Especially last year, when EVERYONE had WVa as a dog in every game.
Being from Purdue, I know alternate lyrics to this tune, but can't post them in a "family" forum.
I can't wait to see him in action next week. This is like the week before Christmas for me...
Wouldn't it would be something to beat Miami two years in a row?
Sooner!
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