Week #1 in college football might be the easiest of weeks to pick the winners.
An example of a rock solid pick in week #1 will be in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Despite being on rocky times the program is not going to stay down forever and Rich Rodriquez just didn't all of a sudden get stupid. Against UCONN in week #1 the Wolverines are favored by 3 points. UConn is a team on the rise making steady strides every year under Randy Edsall. This will be the toughest opening game for the Huskies though in their short history of division I football. Unfortunately no one will be sneaking up on the Wolverines only two years removed from one of the most storybook upsets in the history of college football as a team featuring numerous NFL players was upset in front of 110,000 plus maize and blue fans.
Michigan will win this game by more than three points based on the level of talent. Rich Rodriquez has been recruiting top players to Michigan and last year the team was full of first and second year players. Well these players are growing up and this year they will show the world they are a top 20 team. In 2009 the Wolverines showed flashes early in the season starting out hot but than taking a beating in conference play. A lot of those late season losses were based on poor play from QB Tate Forcier. Forcier a true freshmen took a beating last season and as fresh and talented as he was early in the year he was beaten up by mid-season and lacked the leadership skills he flashed early in the year. Expect the UM signal caller to come out showing off the style of play he teased us with early last year and than some as the QB growth if the greatest from their first year of starting to their second.
On the defensive side of the ball Michigan matches up very well against UConn's run oriented offense which will force UConn to throw the ball against a much improved UM secondary. By the end of the day Husky QB Zach Frazier should have more picks than touchdowns leading to a lopsided home opener for the Wolverines.
The pick of the week goes to the Colorado State Rams. The Rams are 12.5 point underdogs to in state rival Colorado. The history of this game is tight with 8 of the last ten games in this series decided by less than a touchdown. Three of those games have gone to overtime. Colorado does not have a dominating offense either passing or rushing the ball as Dan Hawkins cannot make up his mind on who to start at quarterback and has come up short on the recruiting trail since leaving Boise State 5 years ago for greener pastures. The Buffaloes are a team in disarray with no identity but they are the big name school on the national level that will attract bettors attention for all the wrong reasons.
Meanwhile Colorado State started out last year 3-0 including a 23-17 win over in state rival Colorado. Down the stretch the Rams proceeded to lose their final 9 games of the year. This year does not look promising on the offensive side of the all with freshman Pete Thomas under center. Hence the 12.5 point spread. Fact is neither team has an established QB and in a rival game it would not be a surprise to see the Rams come out victorious and at the very least they will keep it close as is the nature of this series.
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