This week’s picks
This is going to be a little shorter version this week with not as many comments partly because the outcomes of these games are pretty obvious and also because I’m under the weather right now. But, I’ll be back with a full slate starting of things to talk about on Monday. Here are the games.
Alabama vs San Jose State, 6 p.m. Tuscaloosa, PPV-What are there 102,000 seats now at Bryant-Denny? Pretty impressive. ‘Bama will obviously get off to a good start. Trent Richardson will be the focal point of a lot of fans as I know many are excited about him and he’s going to have to carry the load without Ingram. Ingram should be back by Penn State it’s my feeling but most certainly by Arkansas in game four. It’ll be fun to watch Trip doin work. The rest of the offense is pretty spectacular as well. San Jose State is being totally rebuilt under first year coach Mike MacIntyre, the son of former Vandy Coach George MacIntyre, who took Vandy to the Hall of Fame Bowl game in Birmingham in 1982 and beat Ray Perkins’ second Alabama team in Tusc in 1984. They’re looking at 3-4 wins this year as realistic.
Alabama 49, San Jose State 10
Arkansas State @Auburn. 6 p.m. Fox Sports South. AU should get their offense in gear right away and Cam Newton should be able to get a practice game in before the Tigers have to go to Miss. State next Thursday night for a tough one. It’ll be good to see how defense plays with some frosh playing key roles on the defensive line like Whitaker and Lemonier along with a couple of others. The linebacking corps should have some young ones, too. Secondary will have some guys back in Etheridge, Savage and McNeal. Good tuneup for State.
AU 52, Ark State 10
Miami of Ohio at Florida 11 a.m. ESPN. John Brantley will try to show to the country that he is capable of replacing Tim Tebow and can throw in the pocket even better as he tries to lead the Gators to an SEC title this year. The weapons are around. Florida can basically name its score.
Florida 56, Miami Ohio 3.
North Carolina vs LSU. 7 p.m. ABC. In the Georgia Dome at Chick Fil A Classic. This looked like a classic this summer but with North Carolina without 16 players including some very good players on defense, LSU should win.
LSU 24, UNC 21.
Kentucky at Louisville 2:30, ABC. Two first year African American coaches in Joker Phillips and Charlie Strong take over Ky and Lville respectively. Kentucky is in more of a smooth transition than Louisville. They have Randall Cobb, Derrick Locke and an experienced qb in Mike Hartline with a great, athletic qb Morgan Newton coming off the bench. Think Louisville will play’em tough though.
Ky 31, Lville 24.
Memphis @Miss. State-Like State to start out on a good note in Dan Mullen’s second season. Win and get ready for Auburn next Thursday Night at Starkville. The key to this game is to keep the cowbells in check so there won’t be multiple fines.
State 35, Memphis 10
Game of the Week:
Boise State vs Virginia Tech. 7 p.m., ESPN-Great matchup in first week. Boise State with national title hopes. Need to get by Va Tech and Oregon State and should be in good shape after those two. But they’re playing at Landover, Md, virtually a home game for Va Tech, and Va Tech has the powerful, explosive Ryan Williams and his backup Darren Evans who is almost equally as good. Both 1,000 yard plus rushers last year. You could argue that they are as good as Ingram and Richardson. Plus the qb, Tyrod Taylor, should be a threat throwing the ball. The Hokies usually play hard-nosed defense. While I love Boise with 21 of 22 players returning, I think Va. Tech’s power football will prevail in this game.
Va Tech 28, Boise State 24.
Georgia 49, La. Lafayette 3
Ole Miss 35, Jax State 28
Missouri 38, Illinois 21
Michigan 28, UConn 24
FSU 42, Samford 7
(Trent Richardson will try to lead Tide; Mario Fannin takes over at tailback for Tigers)
- this weeks’ picks
- Picks for Saturday
- Week 7 analyses and picks
- Coaches’ poll out
- It’s going to be a wild season
