CFB Week 7 Most Intriguing Matchups

Writers: Andrew Martin & Aaron Hendon

#10 Oklahoma State @ Texas

Where: Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, TX

When: 11:00 AM on ABC

Line: OKST -7.0

Oklahoma State comes into their matchup in Austin as the 10th ranked team in the nation. Mason Rudolph looks to push them to 6-1 this week as they take on a huge BIG 12 road test. On the other end, Texas comes off a disappointing rivalry loss to OU, and looks to come back strong in week seven.

Andrew: OKST

Aaron: Texas

SB Nation

#9 Oklahoma @ Kansas State

Where: Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, Kansas

When: 3:00 PM on FOX

Line: OKLA -14.0

Week six gave the Sooners a golden cowboy hat with their victory over the Longhorns in Dallas, but now they face a possible trap game on the road against the 3-3 wildcats. Baker Mayfield looks to continue his Heisman campaign and the Sooners playoff campaign in Manhattan, Kansas.

Andrew: Oklahoma

Aaron: Oklahoma

#24 LSU @ Ole Miss

Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, MS

When: 6:15 PM on ESPN

Line: LSU -7.0

It’s been a roller coaster few weeks for LSU as they’ve gone from losing to Troy at home, to two huge ranked SEC wins. After pulling off the upset on #10 Auburn last week, the Tigers look to improve to 6-2 in week seven.

Andrew: LSU

Aaron: Ole Miss

#21 Auburn @ Arkansas

Where: Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR

When: 6:30 PM on SECN

Line: AUB -15.5

It’s been a rough season for the Razorbacks so far, and after getting smoked 41-9 by Bama last week, they welcome the recently upset Auburn Tigers to town. Auburn of course comes in after a week six loss to LSU, and have dropped 11 spots in the polls. However, a road game win could be just what this team needs to get their momentum back.

Andrew: Auburn

Aaron: Auburn

#11 USC @ #13 Notre Dame

Where: Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, IN

When: 6:30 PM on NBC

Line: ND -3.5

This promises to be the best game of week seven, as the 11th ranked Trojans hit the road to take on the Fighting Irish. This rivalry always gives us a thrilling finish year after year, and with season ending implications for both teams on the line this year, you can expect an even more intense atmosphere.

Andrew: USC

Aaron: USC

collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com

#2 Penn State Vs. #19 Michigan

Where: Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA

When: 6:30 PM on ABC

Line: PSU -9.5

It was a big weekend in the polls for Penn State as they finally broke through to the number two spot in the nation. However, they now have Harbaugh’s Wolverines coming to campus. Even though its been a tough year for Michigan, and they’re dealing with injuries, it is most certainly a game Penn State can’t look past.

Andrew: Penn State

Aaron: Penn State

footballscoop.com

#15 Washington State Vs. Colorado

Where: Martin Stadium, Pullman, WA

When: 9:45 PM on ESPN

Line: WSU -10.5

If you stayed up late enough on Saturday last week, you saw Washington State get completely dismantled by Cal 37-3. This game not only came as a shock, but came as a reality check to Leach and his Cougars. They now have no choice but to win out to have any chance at a New Year’s game, and it starts this week as they take on Colorado.

Andrew: WSU

Aaron: WSU

#18 Michigan State Vs. Indiana

Where: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI

When: 2:30 PM on ABC

Line: MSU -7.0

Michigan State continues their surprisingly impressive year at 5-1 after a three point win over Minnesota last week. Now heading into week seven, they’re at home for their game against the air raid offense of Indiana. MSU is climbing the polls right now, and a win this week would almost guarantee them to move up even more.

Andrew: MSU

Aaron: MSU

Cover Picks

Andrew: Andrew is taking Syracuse to cover the -16.5 spread of #8 Miami. After Syracuse’s gigantic upset over #2 Clemson at home last week, Andrew is going to ride their momentum and predict they will cover against a very impressive Miami team.

Aaron: Aaron is taking Louisville to cover the -6.5 spread against FSU. Even though FSU is sitting at 2-3 on the season, they’re still favorites against Lamar Jackson and the Cardinals.

Western Conference Standing Predictions

Writer: Caleb Akpan

Calling the NBA’s Western Conference the “Wild Wild West” has never been more true as it seems to be going into the 2017-2018 season. A mass exodus from the East by all-star level players has strengthened the top teams, bottom teams have added some of the best rookies in the draft; it’s tough to try and decide exactly where all fifteen teams will stand by the end of the season, but we’ll try and do that today.

15. Sacramento Kings

2016-2017 Record: 32-50

2017-2018 Projected Record: 24-58

Picking someone to sit at the bottom of the West isn’t easy, but breaking down rosters, Sacramento seems to be a likely bet. There’s no rising star on the roster like a Phoenix has in Devin Booker and it doesn’t look like they’ll hand the keys to their draft pick De’Aaron Fox immediately as Los Angeles will do with Lonzo Ball. The Kings seem to be in a weird place of trying to build a competitive roster with veterans George Hill, Zach Randolph, and Vince Carter coming over to be apart of the main rotation, while also attempting to rebuild with young talent. With how strong the rest of the conference is this year, the latter option seems probable over any type of competing from the Kings.

14. Phoenix Suns

2016-2017 Record: 24-58

2017-2018 Projected Record: 27-55

The Suns would probably fall below the Kings if it weren’t for the scoring power Devin Booker possesses. At just twenty years old, Booker scored a historic seventy points against the Boston Celtics last spring, and as the shooting guard continues to improve, the 22 point per game average he held last year should only rise. Having a player that can score that many points will usually win your team a game or two, and in an older era of the NBA, it was enough to form a playoff team, but with super teams and stacked squads everywhere, Phoenix just doesn’t have much around Booker to tack on a couple surprise victories. Keep an eye on point guard Eric Bledsoe and rookie Josh Jackson as the season goes on, Bledsoe could end up being traded to a contender and Jackson is a darkhorse Rookie of The Year candidate.

13. Los Angeles Lakers

2016-2017 Record: 26-56

2017-2018 Projected Record: 30-52

Out of all the teams given little to no chance of making the playoffs, the Lakers are definitely getting the most hype. They’ll have more games on national TV than most playoff teams from l last year at 23, they’ll be talked about as much as any team not named Cleveland and Golden State, and you can continue to expect seeing the world’s biggest stars courtside at their games. or bad, these are usually common occurrences for LA thanks to their market and the brand they’ve built over the years, but for the first time post-Kobe Bryant, there seems to be some actual hope in the land of purple and gold. Picking a player with the potential Lonzo Ball has will usually do that, and it definitely helps that his dad has put the team up for playoff contention and continues to be one of the most talked about people in sports media. With the Ball family effect taking place and a ton of rumors swirling around an already storied franchise, the Lakers will certainly be one of the most talked about teams in the league, but with little following Ball outside of Brook Lopez, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and other very young players like Kyle Kuzma, don’t expect a lot of the discussion about the Lakers to involve winning.

12. Dallas Mavericks

2016-2017 Record: 33-49

2017-2018 Projected Record: 32-50

After sixteen seasons of playing basketball at .500 or better, the Mavericks are clearly in rebuilding mode. Dennis Smith Jr. gives the franchise a young talent that legend Dirk Nowitzki can pass the torch to when he decides to retire, and players like Seth Curry and Harrison Barnes are quickly learning how to score in coach Rick Carlisle’s system. The Mavs should stay focused on developing that young talent and letting Dirk gracefully exit the league over trying to squeeze into the playoff race. It didn’t do much for them in their final .500 years and a losing season already has the franchise headed in the right direction with the selection of Smith Jr., repeating that in 2017-2018 should help the team build a young core to move forward with. Watch for Nerlens Noel’s role in this season as well, after messy contract negotiations over the summer, Noel is stuck with a one-year deal at the qualifying offer and a bench role to start the season. If the young center isn’t happy with this at season’s end, he could easily change teams and set Dallas back even further from returning to their old form.

11. Utah Jazz

2016-2017 Record: 51-31

2017-2018 Projected Record: 35-47

Losing Gordon Hayward is a huge blow to the Jazz’s playoff chances after finally staying healthy enough and living up to their potential last season, winning 51 games. Now, in a Western Conference full of star talent, the Jazz don’t have an obvious go-to scorer and will have to look to an old Joe Johnson and an inexperienced Rodney Hood to lead the way. Luckily, the Jazz’s excellent defensive presence, led by Rudy Gobert, should not disappear with Hayward’s exit, and that should be enough for them to get some more wins than a Dallas or Los Angeles, but without an all-star talent, they just don’t have enough to keep up with the standard playoff teams of the NBA, especially in the West.

10. Los Angeles Clippers

2016-2017 Record: 51-31

2017-2018 Projected Record: 41-41

The tenth seed is where we probably start to see teams that can make the playoffs and that’s pretty crazy, but it’s tough to say the Clippers don’t have enough talent to make it, even without Chris Paul. Blake Griffin, when healthy, is without a doubt one of the NBA’s best players and he’s in a frontcourt with solid scorer Danilo Gallinari and rebounding monster DeAndre Jordan. Their backcourt will miss CP3 without a doubt, but Patrick Beverly is one of the best guys in the league when it comes to playing his role and gives the Clippers a defensive identity they desperately need. His old Rockets teammate Louis Williams should contend for Sixth Man of the Year, replacing Jamal Crawford seamlessly and players like Milos Teodosic and Sam Dekker give the bench just enough depth to complete the team. The only thing stopping the Clippers from being higher is how strong the rest of the West is, but there’s a chance they can catapult some of the teams listed higher than them as long as they can stay healthy and gel together.

9. Memphis Grizzlies

2016-2017 Record: 43-39

2017-2018 Projected Record: 42-40

The Grit n’ Grind era is probably over in Memphis, but Mike Conley and Marc Gasol are still two of the best players at their positions. The thing that may stop them from making the playoffs is the talent around them. Chandler Parsons is coming off an injury-riddled 2017 season and if he can’t return to his form prior to last year, the Grizzlies are without a reliable third option, something most of the best teams in the league have these days. Tony Allen is no longer at the two to solidify the team’s defensive efforts, instead former Kings Tyreke Evans and Ben McLemore will try to live up to the potential they once had on their new teams, though they are mainly offensive talents. If Memphis is to continue their playoff appearance streak dating back to 2011, coach David Fizdale has to quickly retool the team’s style to fit their new offensive-minded players and shift away from the slower, defensive-minded style the Grizzlies have been accustomed to.

8. New Orleans Pelicans

2016-2017 Record: 34-48

2017-2018 Projected Record: 44-38

With the two best big men in the NBA, it should be no question that the Pelicans will make the playoffs, but here we are. Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins may not be enough to cut it, but if they can truly mesh together, it should be. Besides those two continuing to build chemistry, New Orleans needs Rajon Rondo to return to his assists leader form and Jrue Holiday to stay healthy as a number three after the big guys. After a surprisingly solid defensive effort last season, adding Tony Allen gives the team potential to gain elite status in that category, and they’ll need it to stop the teams ahead of them and make it into the playoffs. Their bench does not have enough to guarantee them a spot, and a lack of depth at the small forward position could force some awkward lineups, but if Davis and Cousins carry their loads and their other starts bring enough, New Orleans has the opportunity for postseason play before DeMarcus Cousins has the opportunity to switch teams in free agency.

7. Portland Trail Blazers

2016-2017 Record: 41-41

2017-2018 Projected Record: 46-36

Portland has a situation similar to New Orleans, except their most talented players are obviously in their backcourt. Damian Lillard is probably the best player in the league to not receive accolades for his accomplishments, rarely making the all-star team and not getting a spot on Olympic rosters due to how loaded the NBA is at point guard, despite being one of the leagues best scorers and shot creators. Alongside him, CJ McCollum continues to improve and is now a consistent twenty point scorer and one of the best shooting guards in the league. At last season’s trade deadline, Portland swapped Mason Plumlee for Jusuf Nurkic in a move that seemed to give Portland a legitimate third player, but Nurkic probably needs a bit more time with the team against some tougher competition before his impact can be judged more accurately. If he keeps up with his production from the end of last season, the Blazers have an anchor on both ends of the court to solidify a playoff team. If not, Portland may be on the outside looking in come late April, and with their contract situation, they’d have little room to improve, it’s playoffs or bust for Rip City.

6. Denver Nuggets

2016-2017 Record: 40-42

2017-2018 Projected Record: 48-34

Just barely missing the playoffs last season, adding Paul Millsap should be enough for Denver to improve on their 40-42 record. Milsap gives a Denver team that finished 29th in defensive rating last season one of the league’s best players on that end of the floor, and paired with offensive standout Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets have one of the best big men pairs in the NBA. Players like Gary Harris, Wilson Chandler, and Will Barton quietly get their points night-by-night, and a solid point guard rotation gives the Nuggets depth that’s so desperately needed in today’s game. The biggest question for Denver will be if Milsap’s defensive contributions will be enough to get the team over the hump. Almost finishing dead last in defense last season, the team has a lot of ground to make up, and need more than just Milsap to step up their defensive game and move up in the rankings. A couple of solid defensive outings could be the difference between the playoffs and the lottery, and how close a team can be from being in one group to the other is something the Nuggets are all too familiar with.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves

2016-2017 Record: 31-51

2017-2018 Projected Record: 50-32

Does Minnesota have enough talent to almost flip their wins and losses entirely this season? Adding Jimmy Butler (23.9 PPG in 2017) to a team with Karl-Anthony Towns (25.1 PPG, 12.3 RPG in 2017) and Andrew Wiggins (23.6 PPG in 2017) makes that seem like a yes. Will it be easy? Absolutely not, many had the T-Wolves making the playoffs last season, and the obviously still had a lot to learn. Countering this by adding veterans like Butler, Jeff Teague, and sixth man of the century Jamal Crawford to the roster should make the transition a bit easier, and even if they don’t finish as high as this fifth seed prediction, Minnesota definitely seems to have enough in their players and their coaching led by Tom Thibodeau to finally make the playoffs for the first time since the Kevin Garnett MVP days of 2004.

4. Houston Rockets

2016-2017 Record: 55-27

2017-2018 Projected Record: 55-27

Combining Chris Paul and James Harden could add onto the genius legacy Mike D’Antoni has in the NBA, with teams like the Seven Seconds or Less Suns; but it also feels like the situation could become a bit disastrous like the 2013 Lakers, also led by D’Antoni and barely making the playoffs amongst months of drama, rumors, and a lack of team cohesion. Luckily, Harden and Paul are both a bit younger and more giving types of players than Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard, and in the preseason, pairing their playmaking has looked like a genius decision, as the Rockets shoot threes at a historic pace and keep the tempo as high as possible. Those are the exact things you need to do in the modern NBA, and the exact things that should keep Houston in contention for at least a Western Conference Finals appearance, though if they finish in fourth, it may be tough to make it due to the team they’d probably have to face in the second round……

3. San Antonio Spurs

2016-2017 Record: 61-21

2017-2018 Projected Record: 57-25

The Spurs barely did anything to improve their roster over the off-season, in fact adding high- volume shooter Rudy Gay and losing Tony Parker for the time being to injury may have them set up in a worse position…….but they’re the Spurs. It’d be wrong to count them out and blasphemous to not rank them as one of the top teams in the league until they show signs of slowing down. Gregg Popovich will use Kawhi Leonard to the fullest of his potential and with the San Antonio system running almost two decades strong, the Claw should be enough, despite a league trending towards needing three or even four all-stars to have a chance at winning the championship. They might even play super slow and focus on their defense, just because they’re the Spurs, and they don’t really care what everybody else is doing, they’re gonna do their thing and they’re gonna make it work to the tune of 50 to 60 wins, 2017-2018 should be no different.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder

2016-2017 Record: 47-35

2017-2018 Projected Record: 58-24

OKC put in about as much work as a team could to improve their roster heading into this season. They turned Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis into Paul George and Enes Kanter and Doug McDermott in Carmelo Anthony. How they did it is still being questioned, but what they have now is the reigning MVP Russell Westbrook combined with two of the best forwards in the game to form one of the strongest teams in the NBA. Complemented perfectly by defensive standouts Andre Roberson and Steven Adams, Oklahoma City’s Big 3 should be able to keep up with any attack the rest of the league has to offer, other than maybe the one listed ahead of them in this ranking. The key to their regular season will be putting in the work to form a team capable of beating the #1 out West, on paper the task doesn’t seem absolutely impossible, but chemistry will have to form quickly, and a confidence will have to build among Westbrook, George, and Anthony that the firepower they possess as a trio is enough to bring the first championship banner to the Thunder franchise.

1. Golden State Warriors

2016-2017 Record: 67-15

2017-2018 Projected Record: 69-13

Surprise, surprise, Golden State’s at the top of the Western Conference. They’ve got two of the three best players in the league in Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, along with Klay Thompson, who makes scoring 60 points in three quarters look like light work and the defensive player of the year Draymond Green to round things out. On top of all of that, you could probably say they improved their championship-winning roster in the off-season, holding onto players like Andre Iguodala and David West and adding more shooters in Nick Young and Omri Casspi. Golden State can not only top the West, they could top the history books with all the talent they have, something they’ve already done with even less talent prior. The 73-9 regular season record they held in 2016 and the 15-1 playoff dominance they displayed last year are both in jeopardy with all the talent the team in the Bay has. There’s a reason why the rest of the league seems to be getting stronger, they’re just trying to keep up with the machine that is the Warriors, a machine set to have a wildly successful season regardless of who’s in their way.

CFB Week 6 Most Intriguing Games

Writers: Andrew Martin & Aaron Hendon

CFB Picks update through week 5

Andrew: 44 correct, 12 incorrect

Aaron: 41 correct, 15 incorrect

#17 Louisville @ #24 NC State

Where: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC

When: 7:00 PM on ESPN

Line: LOU -3.5

Louisville hasn’t started their season exactly as they wanted. After their blowout loss to Clemson, they are now stuck at the #17 ranking. A win over 24th ranked NC State would help their campaign immensely. On NC State’s side, they welcome the Cardinals as the home dogs. With them barely having a top 25 ranking, this win would be a big statement to the AP committee.

Andrew: Louisville

Aaron: Louisville

SB Nation

#12 Auburn Vs. Ole Miss

Where: Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL

When: 11:00 AM on SECN

Line: AUB -21.5

Ole Miss had a very distracting off season with all of the allegations surrounding Hugh Freeze and their program. Since then, Freeze has been fired and the Rebels are .500 on the season at 2-2. They now face what could be a major SEC road win as they travel to take on #12 Auburn.

Andrew: Auburn

Aaron: Auburn

#5 Georgia @ Vanderbilt

Where: Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville, TN

When: 11:00 AM on ESPN

Line: UGA -17.5

Georgia is the real deal. Their new QB, Jake Fromm, and experienced running back, Nick Chub, have been leading this high-powered offense to constant success. Now after a 5-0 start, the Bulldogs have everyone thinking they are legit playoff and title contenders. However, until we get to see them play more powerful teams later in the year, they have to get big statement wins against teams like Vanderbilt this week.

Andrew: Georgia

Aaron: Georgia

The Red and Black

#8 TCU Vs. #23 West Virginia

Where: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX

When: 2:30 PM on FS1

Line: TCU -12.5

TCU is one of the more surprisingly good teams of the 2017-18 season. Coming in at 4-0 they welcome the Mountaineers to town. Along with West Virginia, College Gameday will be there, as this should be the game of the week.

Andrew: TCU

Aaron: TCU

Blue Gold Sports

#13 Miami @ FSU

Where: Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL

When: 2:30 PM on ESPN

Line: Miami -3.0

The only word to describe FSU’s season thus far is confusing. The year began with a season-ending injury to their starting QB, Deondre Francois. Now, the Seminoles sit with a depressing 1-2 record as the Hurricanes come to campus. Miami has been very impressive at 3-0, and last week even had to give QB Malik Rosier his first start against previously undefeated Duke. He lit it up for 820 yards and 8 TD’s in Durham, and now Miami looks to make FSU’s season just a little bit worse.

Andrew: Miami

Aaron: Miami

#7 Michigan Vs. MSU

Where: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI

When: 6:30 PM on ABC

Line: MICH -10.5

Week 6 of the college football stadium brings us a great rivalry as Michigan State goes on the road to face Jim Harbaugh and Michigan. This in-state rivalry always seems to deliver from a viewer’s perspective and, although Michigan State isn’t as good as they usually are this year, it is still a rivalry game and anything can happen. With that being said, if you’re home at 6:30 on Saturday make sure to turn the channel to ABC and watch a game full of amazing atmosphere in this BIG 10 matchup.

Andrew: Michigan

Aaron: Michigan State

Big Ten Network

#11 WSU @ Oregon

Where: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR

When: 7:00 PM on FOX

Line: ORE -1.5

This is one of the more puzzling games of this season. WSU comes into Eugene at 5-0, and just off a huge win over #5 USC. However, they’re still underdogs. I’m not sure what else they can do to be favored against unranked teams. whether they’re on the road or not. With that being said though, look for the Cougars to take this game against Oregon personally and make a real statement to the committee on why they should be a top 10 team.

Andrew: WSU

Aaron: WSU

#20 Utah Vs. Stanford

Where: Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, UT

When: 9:15 PM on FS1

Line: STAN -6.0

Another perplexing line in week 6 comes to us in this PAC 12 matchup. Undefeated, and 20th ranked, Utah is at home against unranked and 3-2 Stanford, yet they’re six-point underdogs. How does that make any sense at all? Utah needs to come out with a chip on their shoulder, and on the other side of the ball Stanford needs to show just why they’re favored.

Andrew: Utah

Aaron: Stanford

The Salt Lake Tribune

#3 Oklahoma Vs. Iowa State

Where: Memorial Stadium, Norman, OK

When: 11:00 AM on FOX

Line: OKLA -28.0

The undefeated and title contending Sooners welcome Iowa State to town in a BIG 12 matchup this week. Baker Mayfield looks to continue his dominant Heisman campaign, but the Cyclones would like nothing more than spoil their season.

Andrew: Oklahoma

Aaron: Oklahoma

Cover Picks

Andrew: I’m taking WSU to cover their spread this week as they’re +1.5 to Oregon this week. I not only expect them to cover that spread; but, I expect them to win the game.

Aaron: I’m taking Maryland to cover the spread this week as they come in as 30.5 point underdogs against 10th ranked Ohio State.

Week One: CFB Top 25 Picks

Writers: Aaron Hendon & Andrew Martin

Showing up fashionably late to the party after missing 4 of the 1st 20 games from top 25 teams in week 1 of the 2017 college football season on Thursday & Friday. Without further ado, here are the picks for the top 25 teams.

Thursday August 31, 2017

#2 Ohio St. Vs. Indiana

Where: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN

Time: 8 PM ET, on ESPN

After Coming Out to start the game flat and going into halftime down by 1, Ohio State turned it on to run away from Indiana in the 2nd half led by true freshman RB K.J. Dobbins with 181 yards on 29 carries.

Result: #2 Ohio St 49-21

#10 Oklahoma St. Vs. Tulsa

Where: Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK

Time: 7:30 PM ET, on FS1

Oklahoma State came out Thursday night and showed why so many have them pegged to win the BIG 12, Senior quarterback put on a clinic by completing 83% of his passes in the route of Tulsa.

Result: #10 Oklahoma St 59-24

Friday September 1, 2017

#8 Washington Vs. Rutgers

Where: High Point Solutions Stadium, Piscataway, NJ

Time: 8 PM ET, on FS1

Down 7-3 to Rutgers with 3:50 left in the half, Dante Pettis swung the momentum Washington’s way with a 61-yard punt return to put them ahead at the half 10-7. After that is was all Husky in the rest of the way to take down Rutgers on the road.

Result: #8 Washington 30-14

#9 Wisconsin Vs. Utah St.

Where: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, WI

Time: 9 PM ET, on ESPN

Another slow start from a BIG 10 school in the 1st two nights of games to kick off the season, Utah St. pretended to hang around for a quarter until Wisconsin laid down the boom with 59 unanswered points to grab the 1st win of the year for the badgers.

Result: #9 Wisconsin 59-10

Saturday September 2, 2017

#1 Alabama Vs. #3 Florida St.

Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Time: 8 PM ET, on ABC

Line: Alabama -7.0

By far the most exciting game of the weekend as 2 top 5 teams square off at the brand-new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Alabama and Florida St, both with college football playoff aspirations look to start off the year on a high note.

Aaron: Alabama

Andrew: Alabama

#4 USC Vs. Western Michigan

Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA

Time: 5:15 PM ET, on PAC 12 Network

Line: USC -27.5

After finishing the season in crazy fashion last January, USC starts off the year with a easy task against Western Michigan who will try to replace the NCAA leading receiver in 2016 and the #5 pick in the NFL draft Corey Davis.

Aaron: USC

Andrew: USC

#5 Clemson Vs. Kent St.

Where: Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC

Time: 12 PM ET, on ESPN

Line: Clemson -39.5

Clemson coming off a National title in 2016 Clemson gets a Kent St. team that finished 1-4 to finish the year in 2016. Clemson should have no problem even having to replace Deshaun Watson.

Aaron: Clemson

Andrew: Clemson

#6 Penn St. Vs. Akron

Where: Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA

Time: 12 PM ET, on ABC

Line: Penn St. -30.5

As mentioned earlier, USC finished the year in crazy fashion, Penn St. was on the opposite side of that crazy ending on the losing side. Returning is RB Saquon Barkley, looking to solidify his 1st round draft grade, Penn St. will be in good shape if he can stay healthy.

Aaron: Penn St.

Andrew: Penn St.

#7 Oklahoma Vs. Utep

Where: Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, OK

Time: 3:30 PM ET, on FOX

Line: Oklahoma -43

As a favorite to finish in the top 2 in the BIG 12, Oklahoma must find ways to replace the 1, 2 punch backfield of shifty Joe Mixon and the Bruising Samaje Perine, not to mention their leading receiver DeDe Westbrook. Luckily, they will return Heisman hopeful Baker Mayfield to lead the sooners in 2017.

Aaron: Oklahoma

Andrew: Oklahoma

#11 Michigan Vs. #17 Florida

Where: AT&T Stadium

Time: 3:30 PM ET, on ABC

Line: Michigan -4.5

Looking at another solid matchup in week 1, two powerhouses from power 5 conferences match up at Jerry World in Arlington. Both teams looking to find some new playmakers after losing some of their primary production from 2016. Florida will need a little more after RB Jordan Scarlett and WR Rick Wells are suspended for the season opener.

Aaron: Michigan

Andrew: Michigan

#12 Auburn Vs. Georgia Southern

Where: Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL

Time: 7:30 PM ET, on SEC Network

Line: Auburn -35

Auburn will have a new face under center as Baylor transfer Jarrett Stidham gets the nod. The former 5 star quarterback out of Stephenville, TX played in 10 games in 2015 throwing for 1265 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Aaron: Auburn

Andrew: Auburn

#13 LSU Vs. BYU

Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA

Time: 9:30 PM ET, on ESPN

Line: LSU -14.5

After a natural disaster in Houston the AdvoCare Texas kickoff was moved from Reliant Stadium in Houston to the Mercedes Benz Stadium in New Orleans. After losing Taysom Hill in 2016 BYU won game 1 of the season last Saturday against Portland St. They will have their hands full with LSU being not only much more talented, but essentially playing in their backyard.

Aaron: LSU

Andrew: LSU

#15 Georgia Vs. Appalachian St.

Where: Sanford Stadium, Athens, GA

Time: 6:15 PM ET, on ESPN

Line: Georgia -14

10 years and 1 day ago, Appalachian St. shocked the world as they marched into Ann Arbor and stunned the Wolverines in a 34-32 victory over the nationally 5th ranked team in the country. They come into Athens only a 14-point dog, could history repeat itself? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Aaron: Georgia

Andrew: Georgia

#16 Louisville Vs. Purdue

Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

Time: 7:30 PM ET, on FOX

Line: Louisville -25

Reigning Heisman trophy winner Lamar Jackson and the Louisville Cardinals aim to prove their dominance after scuffling with 3 straight losses to end the 2016 season. Lamar Jackson isn’t the favorite to win the Heisman but he could prove he is a force to be reckoning with if he can have a strong outing against Purdue.

Aaron: Louisville

Andrew: Louisville

#18 Miami Vs. Bethune Cookman

Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, FL

Time: 12:30 PM ET, on ACC Network

Line: N/A

Finishing the year winning 4 of 5, Bethune Cookman isn’t the worst FCS team Miami could be playing, but I expect Mark Richt to have his hurricanes ready. Miami returns RB Mark Walton who finished top 5 in the ACC with 1117 yards last season.

Aaron: Miami

Andrew: Miami

#19 USF Vs. Stony Brook

Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

Time: 4 PM ET, on ESPN3

Line: N/A

Charlie Strong in his 1st year at USF started out on a high note as the Bulls smacked San Jose St. by 20. USF QB Quinton Flowers completed less than 50% of his passes and still managed to throw for over 200 yards and 2 TD’s. expect him to be much sharper against lesser competition this week.

Aaron: USF

Andrew: USF

#20 Kansas St. Vs. Central Arkansas

Where: Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, KS

Time: 7:10 PM ET, on ESPN3

Line: N/A

The disciplined Wildcats should not be alarmed with central Arkansas coming to town, the bears are just 0-5 against FBS schools since 2011. Jesse Ertz and the ground and pound run game should put Central Arkansas away early.

Aaron: Kansas State

Andrew: Kansas State

#23 Texas Vs. Maryland

Where: DKR Memorial Stadium, Austin, TX

Time: 12 PM ET, on FS1

Line: Texas -19

The Tom Herman ERA officially will begin in Austin come noon eastern on Saturday, Shane Buechele and the longhorns will look to bounce back from an embarrassing 5-7 season last year. Moving on from Charlie Strong, Texas fans and boosters have high hopes for Herman and the horns in 2017.

Aaron: Texas

Andrew: Texas

#24 Washington St. Vs Montana

Where: Martin Stadium, Pullman, WA

Time: 10:30 PM ET, on FS1

Line: N/A

Mike Leach and his air raid return for another year of cougar football. Led by QB Luke Falk, Washington St. will throw the ball all over the lot and try to score a lot of points. The late start and some touchdowns from Falk earl against one of the lesser FCS schools, could have the ratings falling towards the end of the night.

Aaron: Washington St.

Andrew: Washington St.

Sunday September 3, 2017

#21 Virginia Tech Vs. #22 West Virginia

Where: Fedex Field, Landover, MD

Time: 7:30 PM ET, on ABC

Line: Virginia Tech -4

One of our favorite matchups of the weekend will take place Sunday night between the BIG 12 and ACC in the battle for the Black Diamond Trophy. Will Grier has found a new home, again, in Morgantown, and will look to finally prove that he can consistently play football at the college level.

Aaron: West Virginia

Andrew: Virginia Tech

Monday September 4, 2017

#25 Tennessee Vs. Georgia Tech

Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Time: 8 PM ET, on ESPN

Line: Tennessee -3

The upset alert will come on the final game of the weekend as Tennessee and Georgia Tech throw down at Mercedes-Benz stadium, losing Alvin Kamara and Josh Dobbs will really hurt the Vols early as they search for a new identity, then also having to prepare for the triple option could be a nightmare in the making.

Aaron: Georgia Tech

Andrew: Tennessee

History of the Headgear

Writer: Andrew Martin

ESPN

FINALLY, College Football is back. Clemson beat Alabama in a thrilling National championship game to end the 2016-17 season last year, and ever since then we’ve been patiently waiting for a new season. Here we are now at the beginning of September with a new season kicking off, and with that new season comes one of the most watched sports television shows, College Gameday.

Anyone that loves college football knows all about College Gameday, it started in 1987 and has since become the number one Saturday show to watch on ESPN. While the show is hosted by Rece Davis, and has past athletes like Desmond Howard, Kirk Herbstreit, and David Pollack apart of the cast, the true star of the show is Lee Corso. Corso is the only member on the cast that was a part of the original premiere for gameday in 1987, and he may be the reason that most people watch. Corso is known as the loveable and eldest man on the show, and while Corso is a very smart analyst and offers insightful information throughout the program every week, it’s all about what he does at the end of the show that draws in viewers. On October 5th, 1996 College Gameday visited Columbus, Ohio for the Ohio State vs Penn State game, at the end of the show they went around the table each making their prediction for the game as they do every show. When it was Corso’s turn he decided to do something a little different to make his pick, he grabbed the Ohio State mascot head and put it on, the crowd absolutely loved it and ever since that moment the headgear selection has become a tradition for every show.

Detroit Sports Nation

Entering the 2017-18 season College Gameday will make their first trip of the year to Atlanta as number three Florida State takes on number one Alabama in a great week one contest. College football junkies are excited for a football filled day kicking off with Gameday in the morning, and with the first gameday of the year comes the first headgear selection of the year. Corso will be choosing between FSU and Bama, and I predict that the Alabama elephant will be the first piece of headgear put on by Lee Corso this season.