Blog

That’s right.  Tonight’s the night we’ve been waiting on since Monday, January 11th.  That’s 234 days.  7 long months 21 days to turn it back around (and yes, that’s a Hank III reference), since we watched Alabama reclaim the SEC’s seemingly rightful place atop the throne of college football.

The crisp isn’t quite in the air just yet, but that sweltering heat of the summer is slowly fading away.  The South is getting ready for the last month of smelling freshly mowed lawns in every neighborhood, and the only nights we’ll have to go without football from here on are Tuesdays and Wednesday, and even those will soon be taken over the the Sun Belt and MAC.

Everybody is undefeated (except Hawaii), and everybody’s hope springs anew on this first weekend of the football season.  The numbers may say your team is not going to be very good… but miracles happen.  You’ve seen it.

So for one weekend, up until the final seconds tick off the clock, just believe and hope for the best.

Same thing for you gamblers… and if you follow my picks, you’ll be sure to be undefeated after this weekend.

Chris and I will be doing head to head picks, along with our five favorite gambling picks of the week, and we’ll be releasing this every Wednesday or Thursday, both in the podcast and in this weekly article.  So enough with the bs… let’s get to the games!

Current head to head standings:

This week:

1. South Carolina @ Vanderbilt (-3.5)
Thursday – Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, TN
Gary: Vandy (-3.5)
The line moved from USC -3 to Vandy -3.5.  I believe in Vanderbilt this year.  I think their defense has been pretty damn good under Mason.  USC is coming off their worst year in a decade, and they brought in an SEC retread that couldn’t keep his job at Florida because he couldn’t win enough games.  I don’t think the Gamecocks have a lot of talent, and I think the personnel is still a dumpster fire.  Vandy should get this one at home.

Chris: South Carolina (+3.5)
Going with the team that I think has the better defense.  Always scares me when the line swings that much.  Don’t know that I believe in Muschamp as much as I don’t believe in Vanderbilt. 

2. Clemson @ Auburn (+7.5)
Saturday – Shug Jordan Stadium in Auburn, AL
Gary: Clemson (-7.5)
I think this line should be enormous.  But, I do remember Clemson looking like hell against South Carolina, but I think it had to do with their ego thinking they could just walk over anybody they wanted to in certain games.  But this is the first game of the season, on the road, against an SEC team that the majority of the media says will give them problems.  Not to mention it’s the first game back after getting their hearts ripped out in the national championship game.  Auburn’s lost a ton of players to attrition in the offseason, including just recently suspending their starting safety for this game.  Watson should go insane on the Teagles.

Chris: Clemson (-7.5)
This line actually scares me a little… because I feel like it should be muuuuch higher.  It’s only a touchdown and the hook?  That doesn’t look right.  I think Clemson’s gonna roll on them.

3. LSU vs Wisconsin (+10)
Saturday – Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI (Lambeau Classic)
Gary: LSU (-10)
I think LSU will demolish this team.  Wisconsin won’t score more than 10-14 points in this game.  LSU just stole their defense coordinator in the offseason, and he was a big part of what made them successful.  LSU out-athletes these guys all up and down the field and wins by 3 touchdowns.

Chris: LSU (-10)
10 points is a lot of points to lay, and I don’t know if it’ll be 3 touchdowns, especially in somewhat of a road environment, but I do think that LSU comes out to play and really puts it on them.  The Tigers and bigger and faster than Wisconsin and should win comfortably.

4. Georgia vs North Carolina (+3)
Saturday – Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA (Chik-Fil-A Kickoff)
Gary: Georgia (-3)
I’m going Georgia -3.  Only 3?  In Atlanta?  I know they’re starting a freshman, but Chubb is healthy, and North Carolina can’t stop the run.  Georgia’s defense will be able to slow down Fedora’s offense and should cover this.  It’ll be close, but they win by more than a field goal.

Chris: North Carolina (+3)
I don’t know that I put a lot of credit to the “Atlanta” factor.  I’ve watched the Bulldogs not show up too many times in the Georgia Dome, so I do like North Carolina.  I like Fedora, even coming off the Boeckman distraction.  I was so close to picking North Carolina to win the ACC, and I think they’ll win this ballgame.

5. Alabama vs USC (+11)
Saturday – AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX (Advocare Classic)
Gary: Alabama (-11)
Alabama has owned Jerry World, and they’re light years ahead of where USC is right now with a first year head coach and a first year starting quarterback, and having to replace a starting left tackle this week.  Alabama’s defense is being described as the best Saban has had in his 10 years at the Capstone.  I don’t know that USC scores a touchdown.

Chris: USC (+11)
I’m picking USC out of spite!  I’ve given money over to seedy characters before, betting with my heart, but I’m gonna do it again.  Alabama can’t stay on top forever.  USC is definitely not the model for consistency, but they’ve got talent, so I’m just hoping they can keep it close.

6. Oklahoma @ Houston (+10)
Saturday – NRG Stadium in Houston, TX
Gary: Oklahoma (-10)
Oklahoma is an NFL factory.  The players for OU aren’t regular people.  They’re machines.  Houston has regular guys.  Hermann may be the more “it” coach right now, but I think OU has something to prove.  They’ve been focused, and I think Oklahoma covers this one.

Chris: Houston (+10)
I’m so excited to watch this.  I’ve got Houston and I’m riding the bandwagon.  They’re one of the most fun teams to watch in football.  You’re giving me 10 points and they’re playing in Houston?  I’m gonna be looking at the money line because I think Houston is the better football team.  Oklahoma, when they’re down in the polls, they come out like they have something to prove, but when they’re highly ranked, they come out flat.  Every.  Year.  I love the Cougars.

7. Notre Dame @ Texas (+3.5)
Sunday – Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Arlington, TX
Gary: Notre Dame (-3.5)
I don’t care if they had 6 people arrested a couple of weeks ago.  They’ve always been “next guy up” under Brian Kelly.  Charlie Strong still has a lot of building to do down there.  I don’t think they’re up to ND’s level yet.

Chris: Notre Dame (-3.5)
Notre Dame is a good football team.  Strong should get this program turned around, but they’ve got a ways to go, and they won’t make it up in the first week.

8. Ole Miss vs Florida St (-4.5)
Monday – Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando, FL (Camping World Kickoff)
Gary: Florida St (-4.5)
I think FSU has one of the most talented rosters in all of college football, and Ole Miss has had too many distractions in the offseason.  Not to mention they lost a lot of first round talent in Oxford, and you just can’t replace those guys that are playing on Sundays now.  I think FSU outmuscles em.

Chris: Ole Miss (+4.5)
Ole Miss doesn’t have Florida St talent, but I think Chad Kelly has something to prove.  He’s the best QB in this football game.  I’m going with Hugh Freeze to keep it close and within that 4.5.  Freeze is always good to get his guys up for big games.  They’re 7-1 straight up, and 8-0 the last 8 times they’ve been underdogs.  I think they’ll roll.

Our weekly favorites:

Gary:
South Carolina @ Vanderbilt (U42)
– I don’t think these two teams will get close to 42.  They’re both terrible on offense.  Last year USC beat em 19-10.  I doubt it gets any higher.

Appalachian St (+21) @ Tennessee
– App St went 11-2 last year and they return basically everybody from the 11th ranked defense in the country.  I think Tennessee is a lil over-inflated with all the praise they’ve gotten in the offseason, and they’ll be looking ahead to Virginia Tech next week with College Gameday coming out for Woodstock meets College Football at the Battle of Bristol.  App St should keep this close.

Kansas St (+15) @ Stanford
– You’re giving Ol Man Snyder 15 points?  I don’t know how anybody continues to disrespect this guy.  Kansas St always shows up in games like this, and Stanford seems to come out flat early every year.  I don’t think KState wins, but they keep it close.

Georgia (-3) vs North Carolina
– same reasons as above.  Georgia has more talent and they’re in the Georgia Dome.

Clemson (-7.5) @ Auburn
– same as above.  I think it’s name recognition with Auburn.  Nobody believes they can be as bad as they are.  People think teams in a decline will snap out of it, but they rarely do.  This should be a bloodbath.

Chris:
South Carolina @ Vanderbilt (U42)
 – These two teams couldn’t score 42 points if their lives depended on it.  I don’t see 42 at all.

South Carolina (+3.5) @ Vanderbilt
– I think USC is the better team, so I’m rolling with the hook here.

Kansas St (+15) @ Stanford
– Kan St plays tough every year and nobody ever gives them credit.

Georgia vs North Carolina (+3)
– I’ll be looking at the money line here.  I love North Carolina in this game.

Oklahoma @ Houston (+10)
– Another money line game.  That money line is going to be huge with the spread being 10.

Conference Champions

Playoff picks