Week 1 Wrap-Up:

3 out of 5 hits for Week 1! Not bad at all, right? Saturday started strong with 3 straight wins:

Clemson vs. Georgia – UGA -13.5 – HIT

Georgia did what Georgia does: overpower the competition. They dominated Clemson on both sides of the ball, with Carson Beck playing as efficiently as anyone could ask for. The defense was outstanding, holding Clemson to just 3 points. It’s another rough start for Dabo Swinney, and as I said before, unless he embraces the transfer portal, his playoff chances are slim.

Miami vs. Florida – MIA -2.5 – HIT

Told you Miami was loaded! This is the most talented team Mario Cristobal has had, and they’re his recruits. Cam Ward had a breakout performance, putting himself firmly in the Heisman conversation. I watched him closely last season at Washington State, and he’s continuing that success at Miami. Florida, on the other hand, might need to start looking for a new head coach soon.

Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M – ND +3 – HIT

Notre Dame’s defense was the story here, just like I predicted. They held Texas A&M’s Conner Weigman to only 100 passing yards and limited the Aggies to 146 rushing yards. The offense did just enough to secure the win, but this victory was all about the defense. A&M has a lot of ground to cover if they want to move up the rankings.

New Mexico vs. Arizona – AZ -30.5 – MISS (NM 39, AZ 61)

This was a tough miss. Arizona looked like they might cover in the end but had a slow start, only pulling away in the 3rd quarter. It seems they were surprised by New Mexico’s intensity after their tough loss to FCS Montana State. I’d keep an eye on Arizona in the coming weeks—if they keep starting slow, I’d stay away from betting on them.

USC vs. LSU – LSU -4.5 – MISS (USC 27, LSU 20)

This was the game of the weekend. It came down to the last drive, and LSU had a chance to win. Even though I lost this pick, I’m excited about USC. Their defense was impressive, clearly a focus for Lincoln Riley in recruiting. USC looks like they’ll be a force in the Big 10, and I’ll be keeping them on my radar.

Late Night Chase – Wyoming vs. Arizona State – WYO +6.5 – MISS (WYO 7, ASU 48)

I was way off on this one… Wyoming might not be the team to watch in the Mountain West this year. Arizona State surprised me, but I still don’t believe they’ve improved that much in one season.

The Late Night Chase is meant to help you recoup losses from earlier games, but if you followed my other picks, you should’ve been up and didn’t need it. I hope you stayed away from this one!

Week 2 Picks:

(3) Texas vs. (10) Michigan – TX -7

I’m big on Texas this season. Aside from losing Xavier Worthy and Jonathan Brooks to the NFL, this team has seen little turnover, and Steve Sarkisian continues to recruit top talent. Heisman candidate Quinn Ewers will face his toughest test yet against Michigan’s elite defense, led by Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant.

If this line was 7.5, I’d lean Michigan, but at 7, I think Texas can win by a touchdown or more. It’s going to be close, but I’m taking Texas.

Arkansas vs. (16) Oklahoma State – OKST -7.5

Arkansas is getting respect because they’re an SEC team, but this year they aren’t as strong as they’ve been in recent seasons. Oklahoma State, despite being in a supposedly weaker Big 12, will surprise people this year. I see Mike Gundy’s team controlling the clock with RB Ollie Gordon, leading to a low-scoring game where OK State wins by two touchdowns.

Arkansas’ QB Taylen Green is a playmaker, but I don’t think he’ll get enough opportunities in this one.

Iowa State vs. (21) Iowa – Iowa -3

Classic Iowa: low-scoring, grind-it-out games. If you listened to my podcast last season, you know I’m all about betting the Iowa unders. Kirk Ferentz always finds a way to win these small-margin games, and I think the defense will carry them again here. Iowa to win by a TD sounds right to me.

(14) Tennessee vs. (24) North Carolina State – NCST +10

I can’t believe Vegas is giving NC State this little respect, especially after the ACC’s solid start to the season. Tennessee, led by QB Nico Iamaleava, has plenty of offensive weapons, but 10 points is a big spread. NC State narrowly beat an FCS team last week, but I think that was their “tune-up” game. I’m taking the points in this one.

Boise State vs. (7) Oregon – BS +21.5

It’s hard to ignore Oregon’s sluggish win over FCS Idaho last week. They have top-tier talent, including Heisman candidate Dillon Gabriel, but their struggles in the run game were concerning. Boise State is no joke—they’re my pick to win the Mountain West and possibly sneak into the CFP. With the country’s top RB Aston Jeanty, Boise should keep it within 10 to 14 points. I’m taking Boise State to cover.

The Late Night Chase:

Oregon State vs. San Diego State – SDSU +6

I have little faith in Oregon State this season after so many players left through the transfer portal. San Diego State, playing at home in their new Snapdragon Stadium, could surprise here. They’re getting 6 points, and I think they could win outright. If you’re down by the late game, this one should make the night interesting, especially with SDSU being a potential future Pac-12 team.

I’ll be back next week with more picks. Let’s hope for another solid week!