Week 1 College Football Picks
South Carolina -6.5 vs Vanderbilt: Ahhh, the first prime time game of the year. Vanderbilt is sneaky good. They’re well coached (went 9-4 ATS last year) and they do have Aaron Rodgers’ younger brother at QB. However, The Ol’ Ballcoach will be sporting one of the stiffest front 7’s in all of the land, and return arguably the best all-around RB in the country. Expect a close game early, but South Carolina to pull away after both teams settle down. 1.5U Play
Ohio St. -21.5 vs. Ohio: Bettors get to jump on the back of Urban again. As despised as his public image may be, his career ATS record of 71-43-2 is unheard of. Sophomore Braxton Miller is a perfect catalyst to run Urban’s spread attack. Expect exceptional special teams and defense from the Buckeyes all year. Get in on this fast. I had -21.5 a few weeks back, as of today spread is -23. I would feel safe with the Buckeyes covering up to -24. 2U Play
Minnesota -8 vs. UNLV: UNLV has consistently been one of the worst programs in the NCAA. Minnesota is returning some athletes and WR turned QB MarQueis Gray has progressed during the spring and summer workouts. It should also be noted that Gophers Head Coach Jerry Kill has seemingly found out the cause for all his in-game seizures on the sidelines last year. It will probably be the first and last time I bet on the Gophers this year, but many oddsmakers believe they were undervalued last year and it looks like has carried over into 2012. Most bettors believe this should be -13/14 range. 1.5U Play
Tennessee -4 vs. NC State: Fresh off a Da’Rick Rogers suspension, who would have likely been an All-American and 1st round NFL pick, the Vols luckily have two more NFL-caliber WRs to replace his production. Combine that with all five OL starters returning and Mel Kiper’s 4th favorite college QB, Tyler Bray, and the Vols should have no trouble putting up points. It’s a pivotal game for both programs, and each team will look to establish a running game early, as both finished outside of the top 108 in rushing offense in 2011. Give the edge to Tennessee, who has the upper hand in the trenches and depth across the board. 1U Play
Washington -14.5 vs. San Diego St.: Washington QB Keith Price has somehow flown under the radar after throwing for 3,000+ yards and 30+ TDs as a freshmen. After two straight top 30 recruiting classes, the Huskies are starting to get athletes across the board. Facing a brutal schedule that includes USC, Oregon, and LSU, the Huskies will need to take advantage of games like these. SDSU will be looking to replace an NFL caliber backfield, after RB Ronnie Hillman and QB Ryan Lindley were drafted this past spring. Expect fireworks early and often from Washington. 2U Play
Those will be on record! If you are starving for plays, there are a few others I like, but just don’t love:
ND -16 vs. Navy: 30,000 Irish fans expected to be in Dublin. Also the Domers usually get a week or less to prepare for Navy’s spread option attack.
Washington St. +13.5 vs. BYU: The Cougars have the best WR that no one knows about and one of the sharpest minds on all levels of football in the Pirate.
Texas St. +37 vs. Houston: Crazy right? Just trust me.. Don’t tell anyone, but I read Texas St.’s practice reports.
Cal -11.5 vs. Nevada: I have a 2U bet on this one. I like the Bears offense, led by future top 15 pick Keenan Allen. Their LB corps is also deep, especially after picking up Penn St. transfer Khairi Fortt. But.. We're talking about a Golden Bears team that just perennially underachieves, so let's watch with binoculars from afar.
And... if you must know, I did bet on the Rainbows +42 against my beloved Westside Warriors. So don't call me biased! I'm on a war path to make this season my foot stool.