Week 5

 Once again, I've got the five games you college football fanatics should take in.  Though I'm already starting to wonder, Oklahoma, Alabama, or LSU?  Who is the best team in the country?

Arkansas vs Texas A&M (10/1 at 12:00 pm ET, on ESPN/ESPN3) - Game of the Week

The Hogs got thumped by the Crimson Tide of Bama 38-14 last week, but not many teams are going to make it out of Tuscaloosa unscathed.  They put up a good fight for 2 1/2 quarters, but their defense is going to have to tighten in a hurry if they want a shot at slowing down the Aggies' high-flying offense.  The dual-threat imposed by Aggie QB Ryan Tannehill will be incredibly difficult for the Hogs to overcome, but let's not forget that stable of Razorback WRs.  This match between long-time rivals looks to be a slug-fest, and one of the most dynamic games of the year.  Do not miss.






Prediction: Arkansas wins the most exciting game of the day by 3.

Baylor @ Kansas State (10/1 at 3:30 pm ET, on ABC or ESPN/ESPN3)

Arky and A&M is my game of the week, while Baylor/Kansas State is my surprise pick of the week.   I said in week 1 that if Robert Griffen III isn't stopped, he can do some big-time damage.  TCU, Stephen F Austin, and Rice found out the hard way.  But the Wildcats of KSU won't be fazed a bit after going into Miami and pulling off the unlikely upset.  This time, the Wildcats are at home, and the homefield crowd behind them will give their stifling defense some extra juice.  This will be the biggest challenge of the year so far for Robert Griffen and senior WR Kendall Wright.  Kansas State is loaded with momentum, and won't be giving up half the century mark like most of Baylor's opponents thus far.

Prediction: Give me Kansas State for the upset by 2 with a late field goal.

Clemson @ Virginia Tech (10/1 at 6:00 pm ET, on ESPN2/ESPN3)

Clemson and coach Dabo Swinney have silenced critics claiming they're the underachieving "Georgia" of the ACC with huge home wins against Auburn and Florida State.  Now it gets even tougher as they travel to perennial ACC power Virginia Tech, making their first appearance in my weekly picks.  We know what Clemson has, but what about the Hokies?  Well, in three words: defense and rushing.  The same thing year in and year out with a Frank Beamer team.  And of course, there's the matter of "Beamer Ball," and their outstanding special teams.  But hard-nosed defense and a smash-mouth rushing attack (David Wilson and Josh Oglesby both have 5 TDs) will wear and tear this Clemson team that has been in close games all year.  And that fatigue may very well be the difference.

Prediction: Props to Dabo Swinney so far, but VT takes this by 9.

Alabama @ Florida (10/1 at 8:00 pm ET, on CBS)

It didn't take long for Will Muschamp to get the Florida Gators back in the national spotlight, and now we get to find out if they really are the real deal.  Trent Richardson has been pounding everyone as Bama continues to cruise through its season, but now he gets his stiffest challenge in the powerful Florida front seven.  Florida's young talent on defense is certainly maturing, but if John Brantley can't get the passing game going, the Gators will have their work cut out for them.  Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey have been breaking off monstrous runs, utilizing their ridiculous speed, but they haven't faced a defense as tough as Alabama's and I'm unsure how they'll react when they start getting popped in the mouth.  Speed alone won't win this game, so watch the battle in the trenches.  This is going to be a physical game, and if UF's big uglies can't hold their own, then they can kiss this perfect season goodbye.

Prediction: Alabama is too much and takes it by 14. 



Nebraska @ Wisconsin (10/1 at 8:00 pm ET, on ABC)

Nebraska's first Big Ten game will be a toughie.  Camp Randall is a tough venue to escape with a win, and Wisconsin sports fans are rough.  Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead are an outstanding duo, but Wisconsin has one of the meanest defenses around.  And Nebraska's offensive weapons have buckled in big games before.  On the other side of the ball, Russell Wilson has been everything the Badgers needed, throwing for 11 TDs to only 1 INT this season.  Mix in their always outstanding rushing attack, which has produced 12 TDs so far, including 9 from Montee Ball, and you've got one formidable team.  Let's not forget about 6'3 WR Nick Toon either, who has been a force in the Badger passing attack.  Nebraska has a tough task ahead of them, but this game will show coach Bo Pelini exactly where his program stands in its new conference.

Prediction: Wisconsin at home by 13. 

Week 4

 As we get deeper into conference play, more and more big games start to show up on the schedule.  Last week had some entertaining games, but this week will be even better.  These are the five games you should watch:

Arkansas @ Alabama (9/24 at 3:30 pm ET, on CBS)

Bobby Petrino will be taking his Hogs into Alabama with a full head of steam after a lethargic win over Troy, the Trojans simply standing in their way as the calm before the storm.  He has his defense hitting harder than in years past, and they're going to need to be on top of their game to stop powerful RB Trent Richardson behind that big, nasty OL.  That said, the line of scrimmage will determine this game on both sides of the ball.  If Arkansas can't stop Richardson and at least keep the pressure on AJ McCarron, then we'll be hearing "TD Richardson" and "TD Marquis Maze" all afternoon long.  If Alabama's hard-nosed D handles Arky's front, which is very probable, making the outstanding Arky WRs like Joe Adams and Cobi Hamilton irrelevant, then we know how this one will play out.  But I believe the Pigs will be ready and able to get the ball to their playmakers, so expect the same all-out brawl we got last year.

Prediction: It's in Tuscaloosa, which is always a formidable venue to escape with a win.  Bama by 9.

Oklahoma State @ Texas A&M (9/24 at 3:30 pm ET, on ABC or ESPN2/ESPN3) - Game of the Week

This battle between the #7 ranked Cowpokes and the #8 ranked Aggies is without a doubt the most promising match-up of the week.  Both teams are undefeated and bring in soaring offenses that have put up eye-opening numbers.  OSU has scored 157 points in 3 games (just over 52 per game on average), while A&M Has put up 83 in two games (41.5 on average).  For Okie State, Brandon Weeden has thrown for 8 TDs, 3 of which were to arguably the nation's best WR in Justin Blackmon, while Joseph Randle has run for 7.  But A&M won't be outdone, with 1 less game, Ryan Tannehill has thrown 4 TDs, 2 to Ryan Swope, with speedy RB Cyrus Gray running for 4 TDs of his own.  This one truly might come down to which team gets the ball last, and definitely which team makes the last mistake. 

Prediction: In a game that will meet the media hype, Okie State wins by 6.

Florida State @ Clemson (9/24 at 3:30 pm ET, on ESPN/ESPN3)

Jimbo Fisher's Seminoles had the wind knocked out of their sails last week with their tough home loss to top-ranked Oklahoma.  But they better get back off the ground in a hurry because they're off to undefeated Clemson, which defeated reigning national champions Auburn last week by a score of 38-24.  Clemson is loaded with speed as always, but it's QB Tajh Boyd who has been opening eyes, having already thrown for 10 TDs on the young season, including 4 last week against Auburn.  Their defense still shows weakness however, and that might be trouble against an FSU team looking for blood.  For the Seminoles, the main problem has been what we expected: the lack of a superstar QB.  Their running game, currently led by QB EJ Manuel who doesn't have a rushing TD, has been less than stellar as well.  But defense will win this game, and FSU is anchored by German behemoth Bjoern Werner, along with excellent athletes like Valdosta, GA native Greg Reid.

Prediction:  FSU comes out angry and cracks Clemson by 12. 

Vanderbilt @ South Carolina (9/24 at 7:00 pm ET, on ESPN2/ESPN3)

 Wait, what?  Vanderbilt?  Why... wait, they're undefeated?

Yeah, Vanderbilt.  I'm not sure if they'll make another appearance on my "Games to Watch" list, but they deserve it for the time being, having come off a close victory against Connecticut and a blowout over Ole Miss.  The fact is, despite QB Larry Smith still not lighting it up (even though he has an underrated WR/TE combo in Chris Boyd and Brandon Barden), Vanderbilt has actually got a decent team, and a lot of credit should be given to head coach James Franklin.  But now they're headed to their strongest opponent yet, The Old Ball Coach's USCe Gamecocks led by the best underclassmen RB in the nation, Marcus Lattimore.  Lattimore has already run for over 500 yards and 7 TDs, and if Vandy's good but thin DL can't hold him, then I might regret choosing this game as one of the top 5.  But I do believe that Franklin's staff will make this much closer than anyone thinks (nobody thought Navy would nearly upset USCe either), though it'll take a career performance from Larry Smith to pull off the win.

Prediction: It stays close early on, but SC gets the win by 10.

USC @ Arizona State (9/24 at 10:15 pm ET, on ESPN/ESPN3)

Arizona State had huge hype coming into the season, and it definitely looked as if they would break through this time after a thrilling OT win over Missouri.  But their big dreams perhaps crashed back to earth after a highly disappointing 17-14 loss at Illinois.  They'll try to bounce back on a tough team to do so on, the USCw Trojans, but fortunately they're at home.  USCw dismantled lowly Syracuse last week after sluggish wins against Utah and Minnesota, but maybe they're finally finding their groove.  Matt Barkley is the real deal at QB with 9 TDs to only 1 INT, but against ASU's ferocious D, they'll need more of a running game than RB Marc Tyler has provided thus far.  6'8 Brock Osweiler continues to lead the ASU attack despite some inconsistencies, but we know it's going to be up to their defense and awesome MLB Vontaze Burfict.  It'll be a great defensive showdown, and we might be in for a surprise.

Prediction: Arizona State pulls off the upset at home by 3.

Week 3

 Week 2 served up some much needed excitement after some disappointing week 1 match-ups, with 3 of the games on my list not decided until the final play.  Now it starts to get tough, as fewer teams have cupcakes available on their schedules for easy wins, but I believe I have another set of games that any college fan should watch.

Auburn @ Clemson (9/17 at 12:00 pm ET, on ABC)

Auburn shot down critics last week with its surprising (though not quite dominating) victory against Miss State.  Barrett Trotter is coming along nicely at QB while the TB combination of Michael Dyer and Onterio McCalebb is one of the deadliest in the SEC.  The problem is that their D has given up 72 combined against MSU and Utah State, hardly an encouraging number.  Clemson's offense has started slowly each of the last two weeks though, so if Auburn can open a big lead, then might have enough in the tank to hold off against a late charge.  Clemson, with a lot of speed on offense and talent throughout, has struggled mightily against lesser opponents in Troy and Wofford, and head coach Dabo Swinney's critics continue to question his leadership skills.  But talent alone will suffice against Auburn's D, so if he can just muster some big plays from that of his own team, he can certainly pull off the W.

Prediction: This one will be close, but Auburn will have 1-2 more big plays in them and win by 3.


Washington @ Nebraska (9/17 at 3:30 pm ET, on ABC or ESPN/ESPN3)

Washington has had defensive issues so far this season, giving up big points to Eastern Washington and Hawaii.  And on top of that Nebraska hammered them by 5 TDs in Washington last season.  Keith Price has thus far been a quality replacement for graduated QB Jake Locker, but they're going to need some defense if they want to hang with high-flying dual-threat QB Taylor Martinez and the Cornhuskers.  The fact that Nebraska displayed some defensive woes last week against Fresno State shows that this game could actually be a lot close than anyone thinks. 

Prediction: But Nebraska is still too much at home, and takes this one by 16.

Texas @ UCLA (9/17 at 3:30 pm ET, on ABC or ESPN/ESPN3)

Texas looked improved last week in their come-from-behind win against BYU, and is set to give Case McCoy a shot to follow in his older brother's footsteps as the next star Longhorn QB.  True-freshman Malcolm Brown has been solid in the backfield for Texas despite having not yet reached the endzone, but I predict that to end this Saturday against a porous UCLA D that gave up 38 to Houston.  UCLA has yet to find an identity on offense, and if they don't pick it up soon, the highly-talented Texas D and huge DE Jackson Jeffcoat will make them pay.  Texas, however, hasn't had much road experience recently as they travel out of state for only the 3rd time in their last 14 games, the last one being a 25-point mauling by Kansas State.  Their lack of road experience will be something to keep in mind for Saturday.

Prediction: UCLA pulls the upset by just 1 point.

Ohio State @ Miami (9/17 at 7:30 pm ET, on ESPN/ESPN3)

The Battle of Off-Season Controversy is upon us.  This has definitely been one of the most anticipated games of the season, for all the wrong reasons.  Both teams will continue their attempts to push their scandals behind them when they clash this Saturday in Miami.  The Ohio State struggled badly last week against in-state foe Toledo, with Joe Bauserman having some difficulties in his first season taking over for Terrelle Pryor.  But sheer talent on both sides of the ball have more than made up for other deficiencies.  Miami's week 1 loss to Maryland was nothing short of a disappointment, and head coach Al Golden will have his work cut out for him attempting to revitalize his down-trodden troops.  His intact coaching staff is one of his only advantages in this game, but if he can't encourage his boys to come up with some big stops, then TOSU will run away with it in the end.

Prediction: Ohio State does indeed pull away in the 4th quarter, winning by 18.

Oklahoma @ Florida State (9/17 at 8:00 pm ET, on ABC) - Game of the Week

Two top-5 teams go at it for the second time this year, and you can be sure that this match-up will be better than the week 1 Oregon/LSU meeting.  Jimbo Fisher has got FSU rolling again, and with ridiculous loads of talent, this is their chance to make a statement in Tallahassee.  QB might be their only weakness, but they'll score points regardless.  FSU exemplifies "Florida speed," reminding me of the Gator teams of a few years back.  But Landry Jones, Ryan Broyles, and the rest of the Sooners are absolutely loaded, with a more physical defense behind them.  This will be a game in which one timely mistake could be the difference between victory and defeat.  This is "Big Game" Bob Stoops' chance to show the college world that he can still win the big one.  And the winner of this game will very likely be playing for the national title in January.  Make sure you don't miss the fireworks here.

Prediction: FSU is at home and just has too many weapons; they win by 7.

Week 2

After a disappointing opening week in which the two marquee match-ups (LSU/Oregon and BSU/UGA) ended in double-digit victories, week 2 will try to satisfy us with many more games between big-time schools.  It was more difficult this time around, but these are the five games I think you should make time to watch.

 Missouri @ Arizona State (9/9 at 10:30 pm ET, on ESPN/ESPN3)

Under new dual-threat QB James Franklin, Missouri entered the season with high expectations.  While he's one hell of a gifted athlete, he was far from dominant against a weak Miami (OH) team last week in the Tigers' disappointing 17-6 victory.  But while he might not be Blaine Gabbert just yet, he's still an exciting player to watch and the match-up between him and star ASU MLB Vontaze Burfict will be worth your time.

 When ASU has the ball, watch out for QB Brock Osweiler.  He's a physical specimen at 6'8, and has many weapons to work with.  Like Missouri, ASU has high expectations for the season, having returned 20 starters, and easily dispatched of over-matched UC Davis last week.  This is their first test, however, and Missouri isn't in the FCS.

Prediction: But I'll still have to go with ASU and their hard-hitting defense by 9.


Alabama @ Penn State (9/10 at 3:30 pm ET, on ABC) - Game of the Week

Alabama is locked and loaded, and possibly the best team in the country.  Penn State struggled last season, but will be fighting tooth and nail at home.  Both teams have struggled to find a starting QB, with AJ McCarron likely going for the Tide and Rob Bolden for the Nittany Lions.  McCarron will have more weapons, including speedy WR Marquis Maze and one of college football's most vicious defenses behind him.

Defense will be PSU's top priority as well, and you can be sure JoePa and staff know full well that getting McCarron to the turf will be a key to victory, as Bama did to them last season in their 24-3 victory.  Both teams had easy practice games in week 1, but Saturday's game in Happy Valley should deliver some big hits and a memorable defensive struggle.

Prediction: Alabama pulls away late and wins by 16.

South Carolina @ Georgia (9/10 at 4:30 pm ET, on ESPN/ESPN3)

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle.  Mark Richt got to be feeling that hot seat about now.  After another disappointing loss against a team that should've been at a talent disadvantage, Richt might have just one more chance to turn this season around.  Against South Carolina.  USCe looked uncomfortable on D all afternoon against East Carolina in a 56-37 win, and that's good news for Richt, as he couldn't get anything to click against the Boise front seven.  But whether USCe's struggles were due to game-planning against UGA all week is so far unknown.

A safe bet is that USCe QB Stephen Garcia will start against UGA, which will be a curse for a Dawg defense plagued by injuries.  If UGA is unable to contain Garcia and WR Alshon Jeffery, then it'll mean UGA's OL play will determine the outcome of the game.  If they can't open holes for Isaiah Crowell and give Aaron Murray some time, it'll be over by the 3rd quarter.

Prediction: This might be the final nail in the coffin for Mark Richt.  South Carolina by 6.

BYU @ Texas (9/10 at 7:00 pm ET, on ESPN2/ESPN3) 

There's been a lot of talk about BYU and young QB Jake Heaps, and they were able to come through on the hype by going into a hostile SEC environment and coming from behind for the 14-13 win.  But Texas ain't Ole Miss.   While they might be coming off a losing season and a sluggish win against Rice, they still have loads of talent that will give BYU fits.  Garrett Gilbert still isn't the star Longhorn fans had hoped he'd be, and their WR talent still isn't there, but team speed, size, and home-field are all in Texas' favor.  I'm far from sold on the Longhorns at this point, but it would take a mammoth effort from the Cougars to pull this off.

Prediction: Texas has some trouble, but makes a few more big plays and wins by 12.

Notre Dame @ Michigan (9/10 at 8:00 pm ET, on ESPN/ESPN3) 

Eyebrows have been raised in South Bend as Brian Kelly's record with Notre Dame fell to 8-6 with an upset loss to South Florida.  While expecting him to have turned this program around in a season and a game seems unrealistic, it still bodes ominously for the Fighting Irish's games against other top programs.  The Wolverines looked solid in a 34-10 cruising over in-state rival Western Michigan, and many fans still believe QB Denard Robinson will be a leading Heisman candidate.  Along with RBs Michael Shaw and Fitzgerald Toussaint, who had excellent opening days, this should be one exhilarating offense to watch this Saturday.  The question here is: will Michigan's defense be able to do anywhere near the damage South Florida inflicted last week?  Or will they continue to get burned in coverage and give the Irish QBs much needed confidence?  Either way, look for a fun, high-scoring match-up between these two traditional powers.

Prediction: In the closest big game of the week, Notre Dame goes into the Big House and shocks the Wolverines by 3.

NCAAF 2011 Week 1

Welcome to my opinionated guide to the top college football games to watch each week! I'll be selecting five must-see games per week and telling you exactly why you should tune in, with a little prediction afterwards.  If you're as big into college football as I am, then you know how difficult it can be to figure out which games to settle on after your favorite team has finished up.  ESPN, CSS, FSN, etc preview so many high-profile games that finding the right one can be an annoying experience of constantly shuffling through dozens of channels.  So that's where my guide will come into play, to help you decide which games to watch each week.

After a painfully long off-season, week 1 is now upon us.  I don't think it would be a stretch to say that this has been the most controversial off-season college football has seen in decades, possibly in its history.  Auburn and its former QB Cam Newton got things started before their championship game was even played, a controversy that stretched past the end of the season and was followed up the Ohio State tattoo scandal, and more recently the shocking investigation and abhorrently detailed reports of Miami and booster Nevin Shapiro.  But fortunately, those of us not affiliated with the NCAA can get back to watching our beloved sport.  Week 1, as always, is mostly loaded with major programs getting the season started against small, cupcake opponents to get new starters experience while opening the season on a winning note.  Luckily though, there are a few games that will drastically alter the course of the entire season and the national title hunt, along with some games holding great historical significance.   That stated, let's take a look at my top five games for week 1.

TCU @ Baylor (9/2 at 8:00 pm ET, on ESPN/ESPN3)

 Two Texas rivals will take the field at 8:00 pm on Saturday in the first truly interesting game of the season.  The TCU Horned Frogs lead their longtime rivals 50-49-7 after dismantling the Bears of Baylor at home by a score of 45-10.  Baylor will be looking for payback as they welcome TCU to Floyd Casey Stadium, but despite losing much of their defense and star QB Andy Dalton to graduation, TCU won't go down without a fight.  Gary Patterson has turned TCU into arguably the best mid-major program in the country (though their mid-major status will be gone next season when they leave for the Big East), and he'll be working hard with DC Dick Bumpas to ensure that this game stays well within reach.  With MWC defensive player of the year Tank Carder returning along with Patterson's always-hard-nosed defenses, expect them to hold Baylor down regardless of athletic QB Robert Griffin.  If TCU can keep Griffin from scrambling out of the pocket at will while keeping speedy WR Kendall Wright in check, it could be a long day for the Bears, especially if RBs Terrance Ganaway and Glasco Martin can't keep the TCU defense honest.  But there's definitely a lot of athleticism throughout the Baylor O, so their speed against the power of TCU's D along makes this game worth watching.

On the other side of the ball, the game gets less interesting.  TCU runs a spread offense similar to the old West-Coast style, but it's far less aggressive than what most people think of when they hear the word "spread."  They do, however, utilize a very effective running game and aren't afraid to hit it between the tackles, and with a green QB taking the snaps, we might see a lot of that today.  Baylor on the other hand, has had more than its share of defensive woes, giving up 30 or more points seven times last season (and letting opponents pass the half-century mark twice).  RB Ed Wesley returns for TCU, and will have to make some hard runs to keep the pressure off new QB Casey Pachall.  If he's unable to, we might have a disappointing pillow-fight on our hands, and the advantage will move to the high-flying Bears offense.

Prediction: The Horned Frogs are too well-coached and hard-nosed, TCU by 6.

South Florida @ Notre Dame (9/3 at 3:30 pm ET, on NBC)

 It's been a while, but a Holtz has finally returned to Notre Dame.  The thing is, he's coaching the other team.  And so it is in his second season as head coach of the USF Bulls that Skip Holtz, son of long-time ('86-'96) Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz and former positional coach under his father, returns to South Bend.  He opposes Brian Kelly, who is also in his second year as head coach, both men 8-5 last season with their new teams.  Kelly has already begun to turn things around in South Bend, with marked improvements across the board and a monstrous recruiting class last season.  They're going to be hoping their young talent matures quickly, as USF's QB BJ Daniels has been known to torch shaky defenses.  Containing Daniels, mostly on the shoulders of LB Manti Te'o, will be key to the game: if they can make him a non-factor, the Bulls won't have enough offensive threats to put a dent in the Irish's talented D.  If they allow him to take over, this game will get very interesting.

Notre Dame's offense will be led by QB Dayne Crist, a player many experts believe will be a future high-round draft pick.  In his second year as coach, there's no doubt that Brian Kelly will be ready to open up his playbook and unleash his QB, who will be looking for three primary playmakers: Michael Floyd, TJ Jones, and Theo Riddick.  If they can open up the field, look out for RBs Cierre Wood and Jonas Gray.  USF has a strong front seven anchored by Cory Grissom, but the Notre Dame athletes might be too explosive to keep in check.

Prediction: The Fighting Irish have too many playmakers for the Bulls to handle, ND by 17.

Oregon vs LSU (9/3 at 8:00 pm ET, on ABC) - Game of the Week

This has been the most hyped (and controversial) games of the off-season for a reason.  Les Miles and his LSU Tigers are expected to be heavily improved from their 11-2 season last year, with many starters returning.  DC John Chavis may very well have saved Les Miles' job with his outstanding defensive coaching, and Oregon's high-powered offense might be about to run into a bigger brick wall than the one they hit last year against Auburn. 

Oregon QB Darron Thomas was not suspended for the matchup despite being in the car with CB Cliff Harris (who is suspended) who was pulled over for driving 118 and under the influence of marijuana (the officer believed both players were).  After recruiting allegations, Oregon also lost highly-touted RB Lache Seastrunk to transfer.  LSU is not without their own problems, with starting QB Jordan Jefferson, among others, suspended for the game after a brawl outside a bar.  But as I've already so much as stated, it won't be LSU's offense that will win this game.  Their defense is almost without flaw, and will get physical with Oregon's speedy playmakers from the get-go.  If the Duck's Heisman candidate, ridiculously agile RB LaMichael James, is unable to have a big game and open up Darron Thomas's air attack, then Oregon is in some trouble.  But that's easier said than done, as James averaged just over 144 yards per game last season with 24 TDs.  The clash between Oregon's O and LSU's D might very well be the best we will see during the entire regular season, so make sure not to miss out on this one.

Prediction: Despite the loss of several LSU players, I believe their defense slowly wears Oregon out: LSU by 2.

Georgia vs Boise State (9/3 at 8:00 pm ET, on ESPN/ESPN3)

I will usually try to avoid adding two games that will be played at the same time, but this was unavoidable.  No doubt that UGA/Boise is the second best game of the week.  UGA is trying to bounce back from an abysmal 6-7 season that saw another disappointing loss to Florida be followed up by an embarrassing bowl loss to C-USA champion Central Florida.  This season will likely determine the future of under-fire HC Mark Richt.  His work is cut out for him from week 1 though, as Boise State returns much from a 12-1 season, including star QB Kellen Moore.  Boise coach Chris Petersen has turned this small program into one of the most surprising teams of the last five years, constantly playing, and often beating, the "big boys."  However, that was not the case when they visited Athens in 2005, where UGA came up big with a 48-13 win en route to the 2005 SEC title. 

The thing to watch out for here is the huge size difference between the teams.  It's no secret that UGA recruits among the elite of the country while Boise scrapes by with 1*-3* recruits.  And Bulldog NTs Kwame Geathers and John Jenkins outweigh the Broncos' C Thomas Byrd by around 60 pounds.  That's pretty much the case across the entire OL and DL as well, with UGA players typically outweighing their opponents by perhaps 20 pounds on average.  BSU also lost star WRs Titus Young and Austin Pettis (and have had some suspensions), so it will be up to Kellen Moore and RB Doug Martin to find a way through UGA's mammoth players.  But if DC Todd Grantham has the UGA defense clicking as much as some fans think, then that might be too much for BSU to overcome.  On the other side of the ball, Boise's front seven is superb, but if UGA QB Aaron Murray can find the gaps in their weak secondary, that might be all it takes for uber-hyped freshman RB Isaiah Crowell to show why he was the consensus #1 HS RB in the nation last year.

Prediction: Virginia Tech doesn't recruit like UGA, so BSU's win over them last year might be misleading.  I believe this talent gap is too much to overcome: UGA by 4.

SMU @ Texas A&M (9/4 at 7:30 pm ET, on FSN)

 A&M wants out of the Big 12.  SMU wants in.  They certainly wish to be considered among the elite in Texas again.  So now's the time to prove it, in front of a huge crowd in College Station.  June Jones is already working his magic with the SMU Mustangs the way he did in Hawaii with his alma mater, getting them to two straight bowl games.  While I admit there are some other matchups that maybe deserve to be here more, both teams run fast-paced, exciting offenses, and if it turns into a shoot-out, then you won't want to miss it.  Ryan Tannehill takes over as the A&M starting QB, and has many weapons to work with in an A&M offense many think could take them to the top of the Big 12.  SMU QB Kyle Padron, however, has much more experience and threw for 31 TDs last season.  Second-year A&M DC Tim DeRuyter, who has been doing a fine job turning around the Aggie defense, will have better athletes at his disposal, and if he can shut down Padron's WRs, SMU will have a difficult time adjusting.  No matter how you look at it, A&M should handily take this game against its smaller in-state rival.  But with the potential of a high-speed shoot-out, at the very least keep an eye on this game, especially since the NFL regular season doesn't start for another week.

Prediction: The Aggies have too much firepower and I'll take them by 25.