College Football Kicks Off

Here we are opening up what promises to be another exciting college football season, and I am ready for the action. Actually the season kicked off in fine fashion Saturday with Montana's 38-35 win over four-time defending champion of FCS North Dakota State. That game ended on a winning TD run on the final play and while I cannot promise continued excitement of that enormity, I will say that this season should be a good one. Tonight will not shake up any early season rankings, but there are a few games of interest. Out in Salt Lake City, the Jim Harbaugh run at Michigan begins with a tough one versus the Utes, a team that had their way with the Wolverines last year in Ann Arbor. While I--and, well, everyone--expect Harbaugh to eventually do well at his alma mater, this first test is just too tough. Michigan will play smash mouth in an attempt to keep turnovers down but the Utah front seven, that dominated in last year's game, is experienced and loaded for bear. The Michigan D should be fine this year too, but Utah's offense features stud back Devontae Booker, who rushed for 1,512y, and veteran QB Travis Wilson. Michigan hopes to spring the dynamic play-making ability of CB and returnman and offensive surprise Jabril Peppers on opponents this season, but he should be somewhat negated by Utah's superb special teams and veteran QB. Pick: Utah covers -6. The first game on the schedule tonight is South Carolina versus North Carolina in Charlotte. This game pits two of the more disappointing teams in the country last season, but one of them, SC, has a big edge in track record as the vets on the squad know what it takes to win more than ten games in a season. They will begin their 2015 campaign the right way with a win over the still-struggling Tar Heels, who have to rebuild their disastrous D from last year. New DC Gene Chizik has too much work to do to stop the Gamecocks, who just need a decent game from new starting QB Connor Mitch. The Gamecocks two-headed run tandem of David Williams and Brandon Wilds will keep the chains moving, while stud WR Pharoh Cooper will be tonic to a young QB. UNC has a fine offense themselves, with stud QB Marquise Williams leading a unit that returns 10 starters, but they will not be able to score enough against a SC D that is improved from '14 to offset the weaknesses on their own D. Pick: SC -2.5 While Vanderbilt should show some improvement after an awful year in 2014, they will be hard-pressed to contain the explosive Hilltoppers who will be pumped up to open in an SEC stadium. Stud QB Brandon Doughty returns at the helm of an offense that scores in bunches. Pick WKU -2.5 That is three favorites in a row and so I owe you a dog. And so I am going with Minnesota at home. Normally picking a solid Big Ten team at home coming off an 8-win season would not be too ballsy, but in doing so I am going against highly-ranked TCU. Making it easier is that I am getting 16.5 points. Look, TCU knows it has to play well tonight on ESPN, but any motivation from not making the playoffs last year was used up when they blew out Mississippi in the Peach Bowl. The Gophers were banged up last year in losing at TCU by 23. This year they have the motivational edge in that nobody gives them a shot, despite the talent being nurtured by coach Jerry Kill and his staff. Plus they play really well at home--just ask OSU. Pick: Minny +16.5 For those of you on the West Coast--or insomniacs out East, the late Colorado at Hawaii game should be fun. Both teams are improved but I am a big fan of Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre and feel that they can pull away from the home team late as WR Nelson Spruce proves unstoppable. Pick: Colorado -7.5