Friday, August 30, 2019

CFB Games of the Week: Week 1

Before we get started, did you see Tulane last night?  Wow!  The Green Wave look legit my friends.  Been sayin’ it all offseason, but actually seeing it was something else.

My games of the week are below.  Times and channels via 506Sports.Com.


5. Friday, 8:00 PM - Utah State (+2.5) @ Wake Forest (ACCN)
This is such an interesting game.  A good, maybe even elite, Mountain-West team versus one of the least consistent programs in the ACC.  The Mountain-West has been extremely successful against the Power 5 the past few years, and I think that continues this week.
Has Wake Forest improved its defense?  That’s the real question.
Pick: Utah State (+2.5)


4. Saturday, 12:00 PM - Ole Miss (+7.5) @ Memphis (ABC)
A down South rivalry, Power 5 versus Group of 5, and somehow the SEC team is getting points?  I feel like I missed the joke somewhere, but that’s only because I have no idea whatsoever what’s going on with Ole Miss.  Still, though… how can this be right?
Pick: No play. 
I’m really curious about both teams, but I’m too scared to bet based solely on my personal biases.
3. Saturday, 3:30 PM - UNC (+7.5) vs USC (in Charlotte; ESPN)
I’m curious about this one mainly because I want to see how former Army DC Jay Bateman’s defense looks with players who aren’t necessarily tactical thinkers.  If I had to guess, I’d take South Carolina to win a close one.
Pick: North Carolina (+7.5)
Probably a stupid play, but ...

2. Saturday, 7:30 PM - Middle Tennessee (+30) @ #7 Michigan (BTN)
Michigan’s gonna trounce these guys and then put in the backups.  They might win by 30, but where’s the urgency?  Are they upset if they only win by 25?
Pick: No play.  
I’m super-curious to see the new-look Wolverine offense, though.

1. Saturday, 3:30 PM - Georgia State (+25.5) @ Tennessee (ESPNU)
Last year’s OC Tyson Helton is now the head coach at Western Kentucky, and it’s unfortunate because the Vols probably needed a little stability in their offense, but… I also kind of thought their offense was half the problem. They never got consistent production, and it cost them some winnable games.
Regardless, Tennessee ought to win this one. However, I’ve been a Vols fan my entire life, and they never seem to look great in the first game of the season.  They’ll win, sure, but it’ll be way closer than it needs to be.
Pick: Georgia State (+25.5)
Whatever happens in this contest, I wouldn’t read too much into it.

Honorable Mentions
Friday, 7:00 PM - Massachusetts @ Rutgers (-10) (BTN)
Rutgers sucks, but so does UMass.  Both teams have a lot of work to do, but Rutgers needs to make a statement.
Pick: Rutgers (-10)
Saturday, 4:00 PM - Virginia Tech @ Boston College (+2.5) (ACCN)
Saturday, 7:30 PM - Virginia (+1) @ Pittsburgh (ACCN)
No play, but these are both interesting, season-opening in-conference rivalry games.  It stinks that they’re both on the ACC Network.
Saturday, 7:00 PM - Boise State (+4) vs Florida State (in Jacksonville; ESPN)
I’ll take Boise State for the same reason I took Utah State.
Saturday, 7:30 PM - #3 Georgia @ Vanderbilt (+19.5) (SECN)
Getting almost 20 points at home against an in-division foe?  This ought to be a good, even excellent, spot for the Commodores.  
Sunday,  7:30 PM - Houston @ #4 Oklahoma (-24) (ABC)
The over/under on this game currently sits at 79.5 points, and do you know, they might actually hit it.  Holy smokes!
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