Not surprisingly El Pres got off to a fast start in college football going 2-1 on Thursday including nailing my first mortal lock of the season in Rutgers.  I was actually 3-0 when picking sides, but I A+R’d Oregon with the over and burnt myself in the ass.  Still I’ll take it considering some ESPN experts (not mentioning names) were all over Miss State yesterday.   Anyway enough talking about the past and time to look towards the future.  And by future I mean today as we get the first full card of the season.   As a side note the First Lady is in Germany on business which means all my betting units double.  When the cat is away the mice shall play…. I just hope we still have a place to live when she returns.

ECU at Virginia Tech -27.5

Anybody who knows anything about college football knows that Blacksburg is one of the best home field advantages in all the land.  The Hokies have a knack of turning 10 pt games into 40 pt games in the blink of an eye.   Now mix in the tragedy that happened this off season and frankly I’m scared for East Carolina.    As a rule off an off season death is generally worth 14 pts in the opener.  But a tragedy on the scale of what happened at Vtech is worth at least 30.  So by my math the Hokies are already up a field goal before they even take the field.

Pick – Vtech

Bowling Green at Minnesota -14

You can set your watch to the way Minnesota’s season unfolds every year.  They start the season by playing a bunch of cupcakes and win each game by an average margin of 8,293 pts.   Then they play either Michigan or Ohio State and get throttled.   It’s the same exact script every time.    And every time I’m there to clean up.  It’s like betting with that book from Back to the Future with the results already it.

The Pick – Minnesota

Wake at BC -5

I’m rooting for the Superfans in this one because I take a perverse pleasure in watching them put themselves in position to make it to a real bowl game only to suffer a crushing loss later in the season.  If they lose their opener to Wake Forest you can pretty much book your tickets for Boise and what fun is that?    Anyway, I have no idea who is going to win this game but I can tell you this much.  It is going to come down to the last drive.   BC could outgain Wake Forest 500 yards to 10 and it would still somehow come down to a last second field goal.  That’s just the way it is when these two teams play.

The Pick – Wake

Nevada at Nebraska -21

Not much to say about this one except it will be Blowout city.   Nebraska is sneaky on their way to becoming a national contender again.  Nevada is not the worst team in the world but they can’t compete in Lincoln that’s for sure.  This will be a statement game to build up the Cornhuskers confidence for USC.   I got Nebraska by 40 in this one.

Mortal Lock – Nebraska.

Georgia Tech at ND -1  (RAT GAME ALERT)

The bookmaker is begging and I mean begging people to take ND in this game.    And like an idiot I’m going to walk right into their trap.  But at least I know I’m a fool going in.  That makes it easier to stomach somehow.  Bottom line is that I don’t think ND will lose their home opener.   Yeah I know that the Ice Man’s little brother is the starting his first game as QB for the Irish, but he was the #1 recruit in the country.   I mean he’s not chop liver.  Charlie Weiss has to find a way to win this game right?  How can this line only be 1?

The Pick – ND

Tennessee at Cal – 6.5

I have a little rule in life.  Anytime Tennessee is catching 6 pts on the road vs. anybody not named USC I’ll take the Vols.    This line is especially mysterious considering that TN massacred them last year in the opener and Cal is worse than they were last year and Tennessee should be better.   Weird.  Maybe Philip Fulmer has lulled the bookies to sleep with his I’m dumber than dumb appearance?  Whatever the case may be I actually like Tennessee outright in this one.

Ok State at Georgia -6

I don’t know what happened to Georgia last year but they were horrible.   And I don’t know much about them this year, but I just got to assume they’ll get back to the team I remember for the past 10 years before that.    And if that’s the case than Ok State has no chance.  The Cowboys are night and day away from home and Athens is one of the toughest places to play in the country.   

The Pick - Georgia