Boyz,
Good to be back. I have had 3 profitable years in a row on this forum. I've also had 3 winning years with my weekly college totals plays, but I post them on a different thread. Here goes.....
ALABAMA -38 over KENT STATE (***Double Play***)
The Golden Flashes have a new head coach, Darrell Hazell. He's in for a baptism of fire in Tuscaloosa. It's a little known fact that Bama HC Saban once coached at Kent State. He probably doesn't want to humiliate his old chums, but his players will be thinking differently. They, of course, want to get off to a good start of the season and will have no problem walloping the Golden Flashes. I don't see Kent State scoring. Bama, 52-0.
MICHIGAN -13- over WESTERN MICHIGAN
The Brady Hoke era starts right here. Michigan has moved on from ineffective HC Rich Rodriguez. Fortunately they are bringing back most of their players from last year, including stud QB Denard Robinson. Eight other offensive starters return so scoring won't be a problem. They'll put up at least 40. What I look for this year is a renewed emphasis on defense for the Wolverines. The past few years have been dreadful. Hoke knows this has to change. It starts here. Lay it.
TEXAS -24 over RICE
The Longhorns were humiliated by last year's pathetic 5 win season. Expect them to get rid of the foul taste in their mouth by breaking from the gates quickly this year. Rice actually returns quite a few starters from last year's team, but they're simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Texas has brought over the OC from Boise State. He'll breathe some fresh air into the Horns struggling offense. Texas pounds 'em.
BOISE STATE -3- at GEORGIA
At the end of last season, my power ratings had Boise State about 17 points better than the Bulldogs. Since then, both teams lost stud WRs. Both teams had minor off field issues in the offseason. Boise returns more starters. Boise has the better QB. Georgia has the home field, sort of, as this is being played in Atlanta. Huge edge to the Broncos in terms of how important this game is. This is one of their few chances to prove to those BCS meatheads that they're legitimate. Can't understand why Boise isn't at least a 10 point favorite in this one. Last year they opened the season with a nice victory on the road against Virginia Tech. They'll do the same this year against the Bulldogs. Lay it with the best money-making team in college football.
TEXAS A&M -15- over SMU
Both teams return tons of starters....but let's face it, the Aggies have the better players. It will show here in this one. In the past 2 years, A&M is 11-3 ATS at home. They're doing it for their fans and alumni. More of the same here. The Aggies have the better rushing attack and a far better passing game. They should win by about 24.
Fully realize I'm laying the points this week, but that makes sense in the early season. There are a lot of out of conference mismatches and I prefer to side with the better team.
As always, best of luck.
Harry