Y’all, I did some research. I KNOW, right?!?!?? Anyway, I have been doing these picks since 2012!! Zach joined the fray in 2013. I’m not going to go back and figure out year by year results, but I can tell you that last season I finished 56-61, while Zach was 55-62. Hopefully we’ll both do a little better this year. The college football season actually kicked off last weekend with a couple of rather entertaining games, but the schedule has certainly leveled up this week. As a matter of fact, the slate of games is so good that I am seriously considering skipping our local Italian Heritage Festival for the first time in many years. I’d much rather vegg out at home watching hours upon hours of delightful gridiron goodness. 

Texas at Ohio State (-1.5)

I love the fact that the College Football Playoff now forces contenders to jump right into the fire and play elite non-conference opponents rather than ease into the season with two or three cupcakes, which was always the norm during my youth. Most polls have these teams #1 & #2 (or #3), except for mine. The Buckeyes actually ended Texas’ 2024 season in the CFP Semifinals en route to winning the National Championship. However, Ohio St. had 14 players drafted into the NFL (four of them in the first round), and losing that kind of experience and that amount of production has to have an impact. You might already be tired of hearing about Texas QB Arch Manning, who talking heads have as the presumptive top pick in next year’s NFL Draft without even knowing if he’ll declare early. The kid will either silence any doubters or make alot of “experts” look foolish, and we’ll get a sense of which one by watching this game. Former pro wrasslin’ champ Ric Flair used to say “To be The Man you’ve got to beat The Man”. Ohio St. has an opportunity to reinforce last year’s victory on their home turf. It’ll be a tough battle, but I think they’ll get the job done. Conversely, Zach’s disdain for Ohio St. is well documented, and he believes Texas has all the ingredients necessary to win it all. He foresees the ‘Horns winning by two TDs.

My Pick: Ohio St.

Zach’s Pick: Texas

Alabama (-13.5) at Florida State

It undoubtedly looked like a much more attractive matchup when the schedule was made years ago, but Florida St. has been experiencing a decade long rough patch. Well, okay, to be fair, they did go 23-4 in 2022-23, but there have been five losing seasons dating back to 2018, including a dismal 2-10 record a year ago. I’m not sure how head coach Mike Norvell is still employed, but he probably won’t be if this season isn’t much better. Meanwhile, in Tuscaloosa, Kalen DeBoer took on the formidable task of replacing the legendary Nick Saban last season and went 9-4. That’d be great at most schools, but if The Tide doesn’t roll into the CFP this year DeBoer’s seat will become uncomfortably warm. As far as this game goes, I’d be shocked if Florida St. mounts a credible challenge, even in the cozy confines of Tallahassee. Zach sees encouraging signs from Florida St. and would like to see them atleast stay close, but ultimately can’t go there just yet, especially against ‘Bama’s stout defense.

My Pick: Alabama

Zach’s Pick: Alabama 

LSU at Clemson (-4)

This is the game that might keep me at home on Saturday night instead of out painting the town red, white, and green. Expectations are high for both teams, with good reason. LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is a legit Heisman contender and likely first round draft pick. His closest competition for both (other than the aforementioned Arch Manning) might be Clemson signal caller Cade Klubnik. The Bayou Bengals were 9-4 a season ago, mostly due to a three game skid in late October into November. Clemson made six consecutive appearances in the four team CFP from 2015-20. Last year they made the 12 team field only to suffer a first round loss to Texas. The SEC is extremely tough, so I’m sure that LSU understands that they must take advantage of opportunities to impress against out-of-conference competition. It’ll be a hell of a battle, but I believe the visitors will score a very tight, mildly surprising upset. Zach opines that Clemson has the best roster in college football in addition to an elite coach. Those factors, in addition to the home field, lead him to choose the Tigers to win by a touchdown.

My Pick: LSU

Zach’s Pick: Clemson

Virginia Tech vs. South Carolina (-8)

It is very possible that I have vastly overrated South Carolina given the highly competitive nature of the SEC. However, I am all in on QB LaNorris Sellers, who has the potential to be every bit as good as Manning, Klubnik, Nussmeier, or any other top notch quarterback. The Gamecocks were 9-4 a season ago, with three of those losses by a collective nine points. I am hopeful that the ball will bounce in their favor a bit more often this year. Conversely, the Hokies were 6-7 last season and haven’t won ten games since 2016. The ACC is barely a “power” conference these days, yet Tech hasn’t been any better than middle of the pack for a decade. Head coach Brent Pry is entering his 4th season in Blacksburg, and I’m not confident there’ll be a fifth. This is a neutral site contest in Atlanta, but the fans there will likely need to wait for their Falcons to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next week to see an entertaining football game. Zach likes South Carolina’s defense and thinks they’ll win by double digits.

My Pick: South Carolina 

Zach’s Pick: South Carolina 

Notre Dame (-3) at Miami (FL)

The old Catholics vs. Convicts battle feels more like Episcopalians vs. Misdemeanors nowadays. Notre Dame has done a better job lately of remaining relevant on the national stage, finishing as the runner-up in last season’s CFP. I have high expectations that they can match that success, with junior running back Jeremiyah Love leading the charge. Love had 1100+ rushing yards & 19 touchdowns last season, and could be even better this year. The defense returns six starters, while on the other side of the ball redshirt freshman quarterback CJ Carr steps in for the departed Riley Leonard. That’ll be something to pay attention to, especially early on. The Hurricanes have a new quarterback as well, but he’s hardly a freshman. Carson Beck won two national championships as a backup at Georgia, and went 24-3 in two seasons as the starter. Miami’s defense has five returning starters but they also have a new defensive coordinator, while their offense is essentially rebuilding. They’ll be successful and might even challenge for the ACC title, but The Irish are simply levels above. I don’t foresee this being a particularly close game. Zach believes both teams are overrated, but he really likes Irish head coach Marcus Freeman. He agrees that Notre Dame will score a comfortable victory.

My Pick: Notre Dame 

Zach’s Pick: Notre Dame