COLLEGE WEEK 2 RECAP

Last Week: 23 - 4
Season: 45 - 8

Friday Night

Utah State (1 - 0) 13 @ (24) Utah 27: Utah looked decent in getting a rivalry win. Correct. Utah 24 - 14.

Saturday

South Florida 24 (1 - 0) @ (11) Florida State (1 - 0) 37 : The 'Noles looked sluggish once again, but caught fire in the second half. It might take transfer QB Everett Golston a few games to get a handle on the offense. Correct. FSU 34 - 14.

Jacksonville St. (1 - 0) 13 @ (6 - 0) Auburn  (1 - 0) 30: Here is what I wrote in the prediction blog: "The Tigers need to execute and stay focused coming off a big win against Louisville or they could be in for a surprise." Well, they didn't and they did. Correct. Auburn 27 - 20 OT.

Appalachian State (1 - 0) 17 @ (12) Clemson (1 - 0) 34: The Tigers are looking pretty good, but no real competition. That will change this week, but how much is a question as their foe Thursday night is  0 - 2 Louisville. Correct. Clemson 41 - 10.

Tulane (0 - 1) 10 @ (15) Georgia Tech (1 - 0) 45: I predicted this one could get ugly and it did. The Yellow Jackets are primed for their date with Notre Dame. Correct. Ga. Tech 65 - 10.

(9) Notre Dame (1 - 0) 27 @ Virginia (0 - 1) 16: The good news is the Irish got out of Charlottesville with a win. The bad new is that starting QB Malik Zaire is out for the season. Tough blow for a team that could contend for a title. Correct. Notre Dame 34 - 27.

Stephen F. Austin (0 - 1) 17 @ (3) TCU (1 - 0) 47: Not really worth a comment. Correct. TCU 70 - 7.

Hawaii (0 - 0) 14 @ (1) Ohio State (1 - 0) 51: Forget about the great QB play, a Heisman candidate at running back and a former signal caller playing receiver, because the defense might be what gets the Buckeyes a second consecutive title.  Correct. Ohio State 31 - 0.

Fresno State (1 - 0) 20 @ (17) Ole Miss (1 - 0) 48: That's two weeks of 70+ points for Ole Miss. Can they make it three against Alabama next week? Not likely. Correct. 73 - 21.

(10) Georgia (1 - 0) 37 @ Vanderbilt (0 - 1) 17: Vanderbilt isn't very good and the Bulldogs were unimpressive in victory. They better pick it up if they want to get to Atlanta for the SC championship game. Correct. Georgia 31 - 14.

Middle Tennessee (1 - 0) 6 @ (2) Alabama (1 - 0) 38: I wasn't far off in this one. Correct. Alabama 37 - 10.

Toledo (0 - 0) 20 vs. (18) Arkansas (1 - 0) 34 (in Little Rock): Combine sluggish offensive line play with questionable play calling and poor clock management, and you get a major upset. The Hogs have a couple of weeks to get it together before taking on Texas A&M in Dallas. No. Toledo 16 - 12.

(19) Oklahoma (1 - 0) 27 @ (23) Tennessee (1 - 0) 24: Tennessee hasn't learned how to close and Oklahoma got a big non-conference win on the road that should impress the committee if they're in the running for a playoff spot. Correct. Oklahoma 31 - 24 2 OT.

Ball State (1 - 0) 14 @ (16) Texas A&M (1 - 0) 51: A nice win to continue early season momentum for the Aggies. Correct. Texas A&M 56 - 23.

(21) Missouri (1 - 0) 30 @ Arkansas State (0 - 1) 20: Missouri, as predicted here, was challenged by the Red Wolves. Correct. Missouri 27 - 20.

(22) Arizona (1 - 0) 37 @ Nevada (1 - 0) 34: It looked like Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez got more out of his Wildcats than in week one. Correct. Arizona 44 - 20.

Lamar (1 - 0) 17 @ (4) Baylor 51: Not much of a surprise, but this game won't help the Bears at the end of the season. A weak non-conference schedule could doom Baylor again if they have a couple of unimpressive conference games.  Correct. Baylor 66 - 31.

(7) Oregon (1 - 0) 30 @ (5) Michigan State (1 - 0) 31:It's rare a game lives up to the expectation, but this one may have exceeded it. A thrill to watch, especially since I nailed the pick.  Correct. Michigan State 31 - 28.

Idaho (0 - 1) 7 @ (8) USC (1 - 0) 56: At least the Trojans have Notre Dame and Oregon on their schedule. Correct. USC 59 - 9.

 (14) LSU (0 - 0) 23 @ (25) Mississippi State (1 - 0) 28: LSU was impressive and a little lucky that Mississippi State didn't drill the game winning field goal after a disallowed miss after Tiger coach Les Miles called timeout to ice the kicker.  No. LSU 21 - 19.

(20) Boise State (1 - 0) 24 @ BYU (1 - 0) 27: BYU scored with 43 seconds left to stun Boise, then got a pick six to extend the lead at the end. They take on UCLA next week. Can they make it three Hail Mary's in a row? Correct. BYU 35 - 24.

(13) UCLA (1 - 0) 51 @ UNLV (0 - 1) 10: As mentioned above, things will be a little tougher for the Bruins next week. Correct. UCLA 37 - 3.

Iowa (1 - 0) 27 @ Iowa State (1 - 0) 21: The Hawkeyes took care of business in Ames.  Correct. Iowa 31 - 17.

Washington State (0 - 1) 20 @ Rutgers (1 - 0) 28: This was a nice rebound win for Mike Leach's Cougars, traveling all the way across the country to get it. Rutgers will be disappointed with this one.  No. Washington State 37 - 34.

Oregon State (1 - 0) 20 @ Michigan (0 - 1) 27: It was a pretty impressive home start for head coach Jim Harbaugh. Can they be a factor in the Big Ten? Possible, but not probable. Correct. Michigan 35 - 7.

East Carolina (1 - 0) 17 @ Florida (1 - 0) 27: ECU was driving late in the game, but a fluke turnover ended their chances. Correct. Florida 31 - 24.

Kentucky (1 - 0) 23 @ South Carolina (1 - 0) 27: This one won't go over well in Columbia. Is Spurrier's time up at South Carolina? No. Kentucky 26 - 22.

Don't forget to check out my new book, "Roughing the Passer - A PK Frazier Novel" and my first, "Illegal Procedure - A PK Frazier Novel", available in print and e-formats at Amazon.com, iBooks and Smashwords. The third installment, "Offsetting Penalties" is due out in the fall.

NFL WEEK ONE PICKS

I can't believe I'm picking so many road to teams to win in Week One. But that's just the way it seems to be working out. The first week is always a little of an adventure, so here it goes.

Green Bay 27 @ Chicago 21: Can Jay Cutler regain some prior form and challenge the Packers? I doubt it.

Kansas City 24 @ Houston 21: The Texans expect to be improved and hope to challenge the Colts in the AFC North. The Chiefs aren't a great road team, but if they look to unseat Denver in the AFC West, they'll need to win games like this.

Cleveland 17 @ New York Jets 20: The Browns are still trying to figure things out at QB. New Jets coach Todd Bowles will continue Rex Ryan's defensive focus.

Indianapolis 30 @ Buffalo 23: There's a lot of buzz in Buffalo, with Tryod Taylor moving from the backup at Baltimore to start for the Bills. Rex Ryan can make some noise with an upset of the team many are picking for the Super Bowl.

Miami 28 @ Washington 20: As a Washington fan, I would love for the beleaguered Redskins to find a way to defeat a vastly improving Dolphins team. But even with Kirk Cousins behind center, I don't see it happening.

Carolina 31 @ Jacksonville 20: Twenty years ago these two franchises kicked off their initial seasons.  I was in the Georgia Dome that day as the Falcons defeated the Panthers 23 - 20. The Jags lost to Houston, but it was the Oilers, not the Texans. Both teams had some early success. Today, Cam Newton should have his way in Jacksonville.

Seattle 17 @ St. Louis 20: It might take a few games for the Seahawks to work Jimmy Graham into the mix. Early game for a west coast team. I'm picking the home standing Rams to pull an upset.

New Orleans 27 @ Arizona 31: I like the Saints to win the NFC South, but with a healthy Carson Palmer, the Cardinals can actually contend for a conference title.

Detroit 27 @ San Diego 28: The Chargers, in what might be their final year in San Diego, have Philip Rivers locked up long term. I think they'll show up with a lot of enthusiasm today.

Tennessee 20 @ Tampa Bay 24: This is an interesting match of the top two draft picks, Marcus Mariota and Jaemis Winston. I think Tampa has a little more weapons and Winston is better suited to the pro game.

Cincinnati 24 @ Oakland 27: The Raiders have added some players to a decimated roster and should win more than the three games they tallied last year. I look for an upset for the home team.

Baltimore 27 @ Denver 34: We'll get an early look at whether Peyton Manning's health is strong enough to carry the Broncos again. The Ravens have a lot of support to make a Super Bowl run. But the air is a lot thinner in the Rockies than it is in Baltimore.

New York Giants @ Dallas: The Cowboys are my pick to win the NFC East and I really don't care for either of these teams. They can't lose, so I'll take Dallas to open with a home win.

Philadelphia 37 @ Atlanta 27: This should be an entertaining game as Chip Kelly enters his third season with the Eagles. Can he keep the up tempo offense and still keep his defense off the field long enough to get them some rest?

Minnesota 30 @ San Francisco 24: The 'Niners had a tumultuous off-season and the Vikes have Adrian Peterson back in the lineup QB Teddy Bridgewater has made great strides.

Don't forget to check out my new book, "Roughing the Passer - A PK Frazier Novel" and my first, "Illegal Procedure - A PK Frazier Novel", available in print and e-formats at Amazon.com, iBooks and Smashwords. The third installment, "Offsetting Penalties" is due out in the fall.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: WEEK TWO PICKS

Last Week: 22 - 4
Season: 22 - 4

Friday Night

Utah State (1 - 0) 13 @ (24) Utah 27: This is a pretty fierce rivalry, one of those "you can throw the records out the window" types. Utah State squeaked by someone called Southern Utah last week while Utah was defeating Michigan. I'll take the Utes, especially at home.

Saturday

South Florida 24 (1 - 0) @ (11) Florida State (1 - 0) 37 : Both of these teams drilled lesser opponents last week. USF is coming off a 4 - 8 season, trying to regain some of the past glory that had them competing for conference championships. They probably have enough offense to score on the 'Noles, but it's doubtful they can prevail in a shootout.

Jacksonville St. (1 - 0) 13 @ (6 - 0) Auburn  (1 - 0) 30: This is most likely going to be a laugher, but Jacksonville State was 10 - 3 last season in the FCS Ohio Valley conference and was seeded third in the sixteen team playoff field. They'll be overmatched at Auburn, but the Tigers need to execute and stay focused coming off a big win against Louisville or they could be in for a surprise.

Appalachian State (1 - 0) 17 @ (12) Clemson (1 - 0) 34: Sun Belt members Appalachian St. ran off six straight wins to end last season and beat Howard 49 - 0 last week. Clemson beat up on FCS Wofford last week and look to run their record to 2 - 0, but the Mountaineers could catch the Tigers peaking ahead to their Thursday night clash at Louisville.

Tulane (0 - 1) 10 @ (15) Georgia Tech (1 - 0) 45: The Yellow Jackets pounded Alcorn State last week, but take a step up in class, but just barely, against Tulane, big losers to Duke in week one. This one could get ugly, and very early.

(9) Notre Dame (1 - 0) 27 @ Virginia (0 - 1) 16: The Irish play their first of five ACC opponents, traveling to Charlottesville to take on the Cavaliers. Notre Dame looked terrific last week, trouncing Texas and sending the Longhorns home to reassess their situation. Virginia was taken down by UCLA's freshman QB sensation. I think the Irish have a good team and a real shot at the playoffs.

Stephen F. Austin (0 - 1) 17 @ (3) TCU (1 - 0) 47: Stephen F. Austin couldn't handle fellow FCS foe Northern Arizona at home last week, so it's not likely they'll be able to contain a TCU team that was probably a little disappointed with their victory over Minnesota to start the season.

Hawaii (0 - 0) 14 @ (1) Ohio State (1 - 0) 51: About the only good thing for a Hawaii team that is traveling a long way to get treated like the pig at a luau is that the Buckeyes are coming off a short week. So maybe the game will be close for 20 minutes instead of 5. Norm Chow is trying to get the roster up to a higher standard that he was familiar with at USC and other stops.

Fresno State (1 - 0) 20 @ (17) Ole Miss (1 - 0) 48: Fresno State competes well in the Mountain West, where they qualified for the championship game last season. But they struggle mightily against Big Five conference teams. The Rebels put up 76 points against FCS Tennessee-Martin last week. I don't see that many points this week, but they'll put up plenty against the Bulldogs.

(10) Georgia (1 - 0) 37 @ Vanderbilt (0 - 1) 17: A couple of seasons removed from head coach James Franklin's departure for Penn State, the Commodores appear to, well, be Vanderbilt again. A loss to Western Kentucky, albeit a good non-conference foe, wasn't the way they wanted to begin the season. It won't get much better on Saturday in an early season SEC match-up.

Middle Tennessee (1 - 0) 6 @ (2) Alabama (1 - 0) 38: Okay, I really can't say much about this one, except that Saban usually calls off the dogs instead of running up the score.

Toledo (0 - 0) 20 vs. (18) Arkansas (1 - 0) 34 (in Little Rock): the Razorbacks looked great in taking care of the first of ten bowl teams on their schedule. Toledo is the second and presents a defensive challenge for Arkansas. The Rockets averaged 37 points a game in 2014, putting up 52 and 63 to end the year. Bret Bielema's defense looked stout in defeating UTEP a week ago and they'll be tested. But Toledo doesn't pose much of a threat on the other side of the ball, so look for Hogs to keep the momentum going for another week.

(19) Oklahoma (1 - 0) 27 @ (23) Tennessee (1 - 0) 24: Next to the Oregon - Michigan State game, this is the next best game of the week. I'm not sold on the Vols, but I think Oklahoma has a decent chance to contend for the Big 12 title.   This early in the season it's all still a guessing game.

Ball State (1 - 0) 14 @ (16) Texas A&M (1 - 0) 51: The Aggies were very impressive in a victory over Arizona State. Ball State gave up 36 points to VMI. Enough said.

(21) Missouri (1 - 0) 30 @ Arkansas State (0 - 1) 20: No one can fault Arkansas State for their schedule. After traveling to USC last week they host a tough tiger team. The Red Wolves really didn't look as bad against the Trojans as the score would indicate and I give them a chance to make it close against the Tigers. 

(22) Arizona (1 - 0) 37 @ Nevada (1 - 0) 34: Arizona allowed 32 points to a far inferior UTSA last week. The Wolf Pack challenged the Wildcats in Tuscon last year and Arizona gives up a lot of points for a program looking to get to the next level. I like Nevada to give Arizona all they can handle.

Lamar (1 - 0) 17 @ (4) Baylor 51: The Cardinals routed Bacone, an NAIA team last week, by the score of 66 - 3. They should have banced (sic) some of those points because they'll need them today against the Bears, who put up 56 on SMU after a slow start last week.

(7) Oregon (1 - 0) 30 @ (5) Michigan State (1 - 0) 31: In the marquee match-up of the week, Michigan State will try to avenge last year's a tough loss in Eugene. This time they get to host the Ducks in East Lansing. I'm a big Spartan fan and think they have enough to contain Oregon and escape with their national title hopes intact.

Idaho (0 - 1) 7 @ (8) USC (1 - 0) 56: The Trojans are one of my picks for the Final Four and I they'll keep rolling today against one of the worst teams in the FBS.

 (14) LSU (0 - 0) 23 @ (25) Mississippi State (1 - 0) 28: Mississippi State is a home Bulldog, with LSU coming in as a four point favorite. But the Tigers had their opener against McNeese State cancelled due to weather and will have to open the season in a very hostile environment. I'll go with a mild upset, not really understanding where all the hype around an unproven LSU 8 - 5 team from last year is coming from.

(20) Boise State (1 - 0) 24 @ BYU (1 - 0) 27: BYU escaped Lincoln with a last second Hail Mary and Boise was unimpressive on offense against Washington. In a virtual tossup, I'll go with the home team to carry some momentum from last week's stunner.

(13) UCLA (1 - 0) 51 @ UNLV (0 - 1) 10: Bruin Freshman Josh Rosen was a week one sensation, throwing for over 300 yards and three touchdowns against a decent Virginia defense. He should get to stay sharp against a pretty bad UNLV team.

Iowa (1 - 0) 27 @ Iowa State (1 - 0) 21: A tough intrastate clash finds Iowa heading to a tough place for visitors, but I don't think Iowa State has enough to stay with the Hawkeyes.

Washington State (0 - 1) 20 @ Rutgers (1 - 0) 28: Washington State was stunned by Portland State, a mediocre FCS team that probably cemented the end of Mike Leach's tenure in Pullman. The Knights pounded their FCS opponent, Norfolk State, 63 - 13. Not a tough pick on paper, but we'll see how the Cougars rebound in a coast to coast trip.

Oregon State (1 - 0) 20 @ Michigan (0 - 1) 27: This is a good chance for new Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh to get his first win, and over a Big Five conference foe. The Wolverines played another Pac-12 team close on the road last week and look for Michigan to get into the win column today.

East Carolina (1 - 0) 17 @ Florida (1 - 0) 27: These same teams played in the Birmingham Bowl to end last season and the Gators came out on top. That was against a better Pirate squad at a neutral site, so I don't think ECU has quite enough in a rebuilding year to grab a win in The Swamp.

Kentucky (1 - 0) 23 @ South Carolina (1 - 0) 27: Mike Stoops has an improved Wildcat team and if this game was in Lexington, I'd give them the nod. But North Carolina is a pretty good team and the Gamecocks found a way to beat them last week.

Don't forget to check out my new book, "Roughing the Passer - A PK Frazier Novel" and my first, "Illegal Procedure - A PK Frazier Novel", available in print and e-formats at Amazon.com, iBooks and Smashwords. The third installment, "Offsetting Penalties" is due out in the fall.

NFL THIURSDAY NIGHT PICK

NFL Thursday Night

Pittsburgh 34 @ New England 31: The NFL season begins tonight, and with it my weekly picks. The opening game is a good one between the defending Super Bowl champs, off a postseason of deflate-gate and departing defenders and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Patriots are virtually unbeatable in home openers and will be hoping the friendly Gillette Stadium crowd can help them overcome the loss of both starting cornerbacks, Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, and defensive tackle Vince Wilfork from their championship defensive unit.  The Pats generally bounce back pretty quickly from personnel shuffling, but those are big holes to fill. The Steelers have their own problems, with Le’Veon Bell, their top rusher serving a two-game suspension and center Maurkice Pouncey out for close to half the season with an injured ankle. I have a hard time, with the way QB Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown can put up big yards in the passing game, understanding how New England is a seven point favorite. Big Ben is playing at a high level and the Patriots haven’t had that much time to rebuild its secondary. The biggest loss is Pouncey, but if this turns into a shootout, which I think is probable, my money is on the Steelers. 

Don't forget to check out my new book, "Roughing the Passer - A PK Frazier Novel" and my first, "Illegal Procedure - A PK Frazier Novel", available in print and e-formats at Amazon.com, iBooks and Smashwords. The third installment, "Offsetting Penalties" is due out in the fall.

WEEK ONE COLLEGE PICK RESULTS: 22 - 4

For those of that are new to my blog, I not only pick the games, but I come back and look at how I did. Not a bad start, going 9 - 0 on Thursday and Friday, but I underestimated how good the SEC West teams Texas A&M and Auburn are, at least in their opening games. Overall, the SEC looked great, while the Pac-12 and Big Ten didn't.

This week: 22 - 4
Season: 22 - 4

Alcorn State 20 @ (16) Georgia Tech 34:  It looks like Paul Johnson might have a team capable of returning to the ACC Championship, especially with Va. Tech having to break in a new starter. Correct. Ga. Tech 69 - 6.

(2) TCU 37 @ Minnesota  17: Not the overpowering performance many expected from the Horned Frogs, but Minnesota's a tough team, especially at home. Correct. TCU 23 - 17.

Texas San Antonio 10 @ (22) Arizona 44: I didn’t see much chance for a close game, but UTSA showed up and made the Wildcats sweat it out. Correct. Arizona 42 - 32.

North Carolina 24 vs. South Carolina 27 (Charlotte, NC): As predicted, it was a close one, but at the end the Gamecocks just had a little too much. Correct. South Carolina 17 - 13.

Oklahoma State 30 @ Central Michigan 21: The Cowboys weren't particularly impressive in what will be their toughest non-conference game. We won't know how good this team is until they start Big 12 play. Correct. OSU 24 - 13.

Michigan 23 @ Utah 28: This one went pretty much as expected. I think the Wolverines will improve, but coach Jim Harbaugh need another recruiting season to get some better players in Ann Arbor. Correct. Utah 24 - 17.

(5) Michigan State 30 @ Western Michigan 23: The Spartans jumped out fast, but Western Michigan hung around. Correct. Michigan State 37 - 24.

(4) Baylor 41 @ SMU 10: The Bears didn't look very dominant in the first half, but wore down a less talented SMU squad in the second half. Correct. Baylor 56 - 21.

Washington 27 @ (23) Boise State 35:Way less offense and a lot more defense than I expected in this one. Washington may be on the way back up, or maybe Boise will struggle. Tough to say which one. Correct. Boise State 16 - 13.

(21) Stanford 31 @ Northwestern 24: I'm not sure anyone saw this one coming. The Cardinal will have some work to do to recover from a dismal performance. No. Northwestern 16 - 6.

Lousiana-Monroe 13 @ (9) Georgia 44: Not much to say. Correct. Georgia 51 - 14.

Tennessee-Martin 14 @ (17) Ole Miss 30: The Rebels could have taken their foot off the pedal, or maybe it wouldn't have mattered. Correct. Ole Miss 76 - 3.

Wofford 10 @ (12) Clemson 37: Another FBS rout over an FCS team. Correct. Clemson 49 - 10.

Virginia 24 @ (13) UCLA 28:Freshman QB of the Bruins is the talk of the college football world as he stung the Cavs for 351 yards and three TD's in his debut. Watch out Pac-12. Virginia's defense isn't that bad. Correct. 34 - 16.

UTEP 17 @ (18) Arkansas 34: Arkansas picked up where they left off from their 31 - 7 beat down of Texas to end last season. The Hogs were impressive on both sides of the ball. Correct. Arkansas 48 - 10.

Louisville 27 vs. (6) Auburn 24 (Atlanta, GA): Louisville was my pick to win the ACC. If Auburn is as good as their ranking, the Cardinals will probably still contend. This was an important non-conference win for the Tigers, especially if Louisville excels. No. Auburn 31 - 24.

Bowling Green 24 vs. (25) Tennessee 38 (Nashville, TN): I predicted that the Bowling Green defense probably wouldn't be able to contain the Vols, and I got it right. They were able to put up 30 on Tennessee, so the Vols need to shore up that defense. Correct. UT 59 - 30.

Southeast Missouri State 13 vs. (24) Missouri: 37: There wasn't much to be learned from this game. Correct. Missouri 34 - 3.

Akron 16 @ (19) Oklahoma 38: An impressive performance from the Sooner defense as they try to contend with TCU and Baylor in the Big 12. Correct. OU 41 - 3.

(15) Arizona State 31 vs. Texas A&M 30 (Houston, TX): This was a three point ballgame entering the fourth quarter, but the Aggies dominated the rest of game and won going away. It was a huge win and could be extremely meaningful when it comes time for the committee to pick its final four. No. Texas A&M 38 - 17.

Texas 20 @ (11) Notre Dame 27: Just  like Arkansas, Texas continued their bowl game play into this season. Things are not going well for Charlie Strong in Austin. On the other hand, Notre Dame looked good, and they better with that schedule if the Irish want to contend for a title. Correct. Notre Dame 38 - 3.

McNeese State 13 @ (14) LSU 44: No contest here. That's what I wrote on Saturday. I didn't mean there would literally be no game, but that's what happened when weather intervened.

(20) Wisconsin  24 @ (3) Alabama 27(Arlington, TX): The Tide seem to have rebounded nicely from the playoff loss and the turnover of personnel on the offense. Of course, Wisconsin lost to Ohio State 59 - 0 last season, so it's difficult to say what was really going on in this one. Correct. Alabama 35 - 17.

Eastern Washington 20 @ (7) Oregon 41: If I was Oregon, I'd be concerned about my defense. Eastern Washington had a new quarterback, because their old one was playing for the Ducks. Vernon Adams was impressive before getting knocked out of the game on a bad hit from a former teammate. Correct. Oregon 61 - 42.

Texas State 10 @ (10) Florida State 51: Texas State hung around in the first half, then faded as expected. Correct. FSU 59 - 16.

Arkansas State 21 @ (8) USC 30: Arkansas State was over-matched, but the Trojan defense looked very good. USC was my pick in the Pac-12 and I didn't see anything that would change my mind. Correct. USC 55 - 6.

BYU 21 @ Nebraska 24: A 42 yard Hail Mary spoiled Nebraska coach Mike Riley's debut. A heartbreaker in Lincoln. No. BYU 33 - 28.

Don't forget to check out my new book, "Roughing the Passer - A PK Frazier Novel" and my first, "Illegal Procedure - A PK Frazier Novel", available in print and e-formats at Amazon.com, iBooks and Smashwords. The third installment, "Offsetting Penalties" is due out in the fall.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK ONE RECAP

It's difficult to make too many assumptions about an entire college football season based on the first weekend's results, but I think there are a few things that were apparent after the scores of the contests were etched in the record book:

• Alabama didn't seem to miss a beat from last season's team that made it to the College Football Playoffs. Despite bringing back only two starters on offense, they put up 35 in a dominant performance against Wisconsin on a neutral field. Of course, this is the same Wisconsin that got rolled 59 - 0 by eventual national champion Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game. So is Wisconsin slipping a notch or has the Tide successfully retooled? Still hard to say.

• The SEC West, with wins over Arizona State, the aforementioned Wisconsin and Louisville, all on supposedly neutral fields, appears to be ready to once again lay claim to the toughest division in college football. Texas A&M looked particularly strong, effectively bottling up ASU's normally high powered offense. Auburn, while not dominant, still notched a quality win that might come in handy by the time the dust settles in December.

• Either Texas' second year head coach Charlie Strong is in big trouble, or the rest of the teams on Notre Dame's schedule are. In a 38 - 3 pounding of the Longhorns, the Irish dominated in almost every way imaginable. Matched with its season-ending 31 - 7 loss to Arkansas in the Texas Bowl, Texas has been outscored 69 - 10 in its last two games, not exactly the direction the program was hoping to move.

•  Maybe the Pac-12 isn't quite as deep as we thought. Stanford stunk it up and probably lost any chance of promoting QB Kevin Hogan for the Heisman with a 16 - 6 loss at Northwestern. Arizona State was manhandled, especially by Texas A&M's front seven on defense.

• It's time to stop these farces that some big time programs try to sell as football games. I know there are a handful of big upsets every few years, but Georgia Tech's 69 - 6 win against Alcorn State, Clemson's 49 - 10 mercy killing of Wofford, Ole Miss' putting up 76 points on Tennessee-Martin are all examples of FBS schools whacking FCS teams around for the sake of an easy win. There was a time when some of these games were required just to fill out a schedule, but there are now 128 FBS schools, and plenty of those are available to take $500,000 or so to get pushed around by a Big Five conference school. I also believe that every Big Five conference schools should be required to schedule at least one non-conference game against another Big Five team, in addition to stop scheduling games against FCS opponents.

Don't forget to check out my new book, "Roughing the Passer - A PK Frazier Novel" and my first, "Illegal Procedure - A PK Frazier Novel", available in print and e-formats at Amazon.com, iBooks and Smashwords. The third installment, "Offsetting Penalties" is due out in the fall.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK ONE: SATURDAY PREDICTIONS

As usual, week one in college football is a little short on key games and long on mismatches. From a playoff elimination perspective, keep an eye on Louisville - Auburn, Arizona State-Texas A&M and Wisconsin-Alabama.

(21) Stanford 31 @ Northwestern 24: Stanford had a bit of a down year last season, but finished strongly with road wins at Cal and UCLA, followed by a rout of Maryland in their bowl game. Northwestern was 3 - 2 after upsetting Wisconsin, then their offense went into the witness protection program. Cardinal QB Kevin Hogan figures to be the difference in this one.

Lousiana-Monroe 13 @ (9) Georgia 44: When coach says his "team will play hard" and "that's the most important thing", it leads one to believe that it might be a long season. The Warhawks head into Athens as prohibitive underdogs and the Bulldogs will no doubt be expecting to win big. I think they probably will.

Tennessee-Martin 14 @ (17) Ole Miss 30: Not much of an early test for the Rebels with FCS UT-Martin invading Oxford.

Wofford 10 @ (12) Clemson 37: Wofford's a decent FCS team, but they're no match for a team many have winning the ACC.

Virginia 24 @ (13) UCLA 28: This is a tough opener for the Cavaliers who are trying to save coach Mike London's job. UCLA will contend again for the Pac-12 South crown.

UTEP 17 @ (18) Arkansas 34: Unlike some of their SEC brethren, the Hogs have a decent matchup to open the season. They'll need to respect the Miners and look to control the line of scrimmage to build on last year's late season momentum.

Louisville 27 vs. (6) Auburn 24 (Atlanta, GA): I like the chances of Louisville to contend nationally. Coach Bobby Petrino is no stranger to big games and Auburn's defense under new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp will need to show early improvement to reach expectations. This is my first big upset pick of the season.

Bowling Green 24 vs. (25) Tennessee 38 (Nashville, TN): The Vols are picked to contend for the SEC East, but I think they're a year away, given Georgia and Missouri return strong teams. Bowling Green may be the class of the MAC, arguably the toughest of the mid-majors. I don't see the Falcons paying well enough defensively to stun Tennessee.

Southeast Missouri State 13 vs. (24) Missouri: 37 This is the first of an unimpressive list of non-conference opponents for Missouri until a November showdown with BYU. Southeast Missouri is a middle of the pack team in the FCS Ohio Valley Conference.

Akron 16 @ (19) Oklahoma 38: The Sooners are looking to give TCU and Baylor a run for their money in the Big 12. The Zips should be easy pickings in Norman today.

(15) Arizona State 31 vs. Texas A&M 30 (Houston, TX): This is a much bigger game than most people might realize. The playoff committee values conference titles and strength of schedule. There's no shortage of tough conference games for either of these teams, so a big non-conference win would give them a jump start toward qualifying for the playoffs. This is a virtual home game for the Aggies and NRG Stadium will be rocking. I have to go with the Sun Devils, as I still can't go with Texas A&M because of their lack of defensive consistency.

Texas 20 @ (11) Notre Dame 27: If this game was in Austin, I'd have to give the Longhorns a shot, but the Irish get to host Texas in South Bend. Texas, always stacked with athletes, is going to get back to the top of the Big 12 eventually, but coach Charlie Strong still has some work to do. Notre Dame has the schedule and enough talent to aspire to a national championship.

McNeese State 13 @ (14) LSU 44: No contest here.

(20) Wisconsin  24 @ (3) Alabama 27(Arlington, TX): Alabama returns only a pair of starters from last year's playoff participant, and was a point away from losing to Arkansas, a team coached by former Wisconsin head man Bret Bielema. I'm not a big Tide fan this season, but I think they pull this one out, but it could be very close.

Eastern Washington 20 @ (7) Oregon 41: Oregon quarterback Vernon Adams will play against his former team, for whom he put up monster numbers for the FCS title contenders. As the Ducks usher in the post Marcus Mariota era, this could be a tough opening contest. But there's very little chance for the visitors to challenge in Eugene.

Texas State 10 @ (10) Florida State 51: Really, Jimbo? The 'Noles need to beef up that schedule if they want to get to the playoffs without running the table.

Arkansas State 21 @ (8) USC 30: At least the Trojans have Notre Dame on the schedule. But the Red Wolves made a bowl game last year, so USC will need to stay focused against a team that returns 13 starters that played at Tennessee and Miami last year.

BYU 21 @ Nebraska 24: BYU is just a notch below the Big Five teams, but they have a chance to defeat Nebraska as new coach Mike Riley tries to instill a new offensive system in Lincoln. QB Tommy Armstrong will need to step up his passing game. Until he does, I still think the 'Huskers will control the line of scrimmage enough to pull out a close win.

Don't forget to check out my new book, "Roughing the Passer - A PK Frazier Novel" and my first, "Illegal Procedure - A PK Frazier Novel", available in print and e-formats at Amazon.com, iBooks and Smashwords. The third installment, "Offsetting Penalties" is due out in the fall.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK ONE: FRIDAY NIGHT PREDICTIONS

Apparently there isn't enough time on Thursdays and Saturdays the top conferences to schedule games, so we're seeing more movement to Friday nights. I guess the high schools will just have to get over it. Tonight we find three ranked teams in action, two of them from the preseason top five. Let the choas continue.

(5) Michigan State 30 @ Western Michigan 23: This isn't a walkover for the Spartans and should provide a strong test in advance of Oregon's visit to East Lansing next week. The Broncos, after a 2 - 3 start in 2014, ran off six consecutive victories before losing to Northern Illinois in the regular season finale and to Air Force in the Idaho Potato Bowl. Michigan State needs to take this one seriously.

(4) Baylor 41 @ SMU 10: Last year, the Bears were the first of eleven consecutive teams to drill SMU. It's one thing to be bad, but the Mustangs made it an art form in 2014. This season they have a new coach, but many of the same players are still around. It's going to take some time before they can compete in the American, much less with a top team from the Big 12. Baylor will be looking to continue what they did last year, but without standout quarterback Bryce Petty. It shouldn't make much difference tonight.

Washington 27 @ (23) Boise State 35: Washington coach Chris Petersen, in his second year after leading Boise State to national prominence, takes the Huskies to play on the blue turf in Idaho. Their 4 - 5 conference record was a bit deceiving as they failed to defeat any team that finished ahead of them in the league. Boise State returns nine starter off an offense that reeled off nine consecutive wins to finish 2014 and definitely is deserving of a ranking in the top 25.

Don't forget to check out my new book, "Roughing the Passer - A PK Frazier Novel" and my first, "Illegal Procedure - A PK Frazier Novel", available in print and e-formats at Amazon.com, iBooks and Smashwords. The third installment, "Offsetting Penalties" is due out in the fall.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEC PREVIEW

The Southeastern Conference, since 2003, has produced eight of the twelve national champions in the BCS and now College Football Playoffs. However, for the first time since 2004 and 2005, the league has not had a national championship winner for two consecutive years. Does that number climb to three, or can a team emerge from the SEC unscathed enough in the regular season to make it to the playoffs? It's widely believed that a one-loss SEC team, especially one from the West, would probably beat out an undefeated team from a lesser conference, say the ACC or Big 12. But it probably depends on what team that is, because the strength of the non-conference schedules among the contenders varies greatly. In fact, the conference slates can also have an impact, as no teams play the exact same league schedule.

Alabama, the highest ranked of the SEC schools, opens against Wisconsin in Dallas and in addition to the killer West schedule, plays the top two projected teams in the East, Georgia and Tennessee. LSU, on the other hand, plays non-conference games against McNeese State, Syracuse, Eastern Michigan and Western Kentucky, hardly a murderers' row. They also dodge Georgia, Tennessee and Missouri from the East. Auburn opens with Louisville, my dark horse favorite to win the ACC and must also take on Georgia. Arkansas, while on the surface has what is a weak non-conference schedule, plays bowl teams Toledo and UTEP. So if a one-loss LSU wins the conference title, the committee may penalize them for a soft schedule. I don't think LSU can get through with just a single loss, but if it happens, controversy may be in the offing.

SEC East:

Scheduling could play a huge role in the outcome of the East. Georgia's talented, but they need to break in a new quarterback under first year offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. They also have the unenviable task of having to play both Alabama and Auburn, while also facing rival Georgia Tech to end the season. Tennessee should be improved under third year coach Butch Jones, coming off an impressive bowl win over Iowa that enabled them to win four of their last five games. Key games for them will be a Sept. 12 date at home against Oklahoma, and then a three game stretch during which they host Arkansas and Georgia, then get a week off before traveling to Alabama. If they get out of the month of October with just one conference loss, they could contend for a title. But let's not forget about two-time defending East champion Missouri. Despite getting mauled by Alabama in the championship game, the Tigers a still led by junior quarterback Maty Mauk, but he'll be throwing to a new group of receivers. Can they make it three in a row? With Mississippi State and Arkansas on the schedule and an East that includes Vanderbilt, Kentucky and rebuilding Florida, there's a good chance as long as Mauk can make plays and stay healthy. And finally, Steve Spurrier needs to get the South Carolina Gamecocks back on track in 2015. Although the old ball coach says he has no plans of retiring, another disappointing season could nudge him in that direction.

SEC West

Perhaps the toughest division in college football, it's also very likely not to produce a College Football Playoff participant. As much as it appears that Alabama simply reloads, they only return two offensive starters, and they have to play Wisconsin the first weekend. They don't get a lot of time to get their act together before facing Ole Miss, the only team to defeat them in the regular season in 2014. With Arkansas projected to be better and Georgia on the schedule, the Tide will really need to develop their new starters in a hurry. Auburn stumbled down the stretch last year an will need to find more consistency if the potential they seem to have is going to be realized. A mid-season trip to Arkansas will be a gauge for both teams and perhaps establish which team will challenge Alabama for West supremacy. The Razorbacks, who averaged just over ten points a game defensively in their last six games, including a 31 - 7 trouncing of Texas in the Texas bowl, enter the season with high expectations. But trips to Alabama, Tennessee and LSU will prove to be challenging. Texas A&M was 5 - 0 after a thrilling win over Arkansas last year before hitting the skids, losing three in a row, ending in an embarrassing 59 - 0 defeat to Alabama and eventually losing five of their final six league games. But a new defensive coordinator has the Aggie fans hopeful they can stay with the big boys. Last year's darlings, Mississippi State and Ole Miss will probably take a step back, especially if Arkansas emerges as expected. Ole Miss, however, gets Vanderbilt and Florida from the East, giving them somewhat of a break from a schedule perspective.

Prediction:

This is a totally homer pick, partially because my nephew is a walk-on at the University of Arkansas and partially because the Razorbacks showed glimpses of complete dominance of the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball last year. I also think the winner of the West may end up with two conference losses, making the race totally wide open. A matchup with Georgia in the championship game will give Arkansas it's first ever SEC title. But it won't be enough to get them into the College Football Playoffs. I'm sure I'll catch plenty of flack from SEC fans, but that's how I see it.

Don't forget to check out my new book, "Roughing the Passer - A PK Frazier Novel" and my first, "Illegal Procedure - A PK Frazier Novel", available in print and e-formats at Amazon.com, iBooks and Smashwords. The third installment, "Offsetting Penalties" is due out in the fall.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK ONE: THURSDAY NIGHT PREDICTIONS

The college football season begins tonight with a handful of ranked teams in action. The team everyone will be watching is TCU, as they look to avenge last season’s College Football Playoff snub of the Big 12. The other story of the night is Michigan, led by first year coach Jim Harbaugh, as they travel to Utah to see if they can return the Wolverines back to national prominence. 

Alcorn State 20 @ (16) Georgia Tech 34:  The Yellow Jackets had better be wary of the Braves, last year’s  SWAC champions who went 10 -3 last season. They can put up big numbers on offense, but I’m not ready to predict an upset. Georgia Tech should have enough firepower to win the game.

(2) TCU 37 @ Minnesota  17: The Horned Frogs are favored not to just win tonight, but are expected to contend for a national championship.  Minnesota showed signs of perhaps getting to the next level last year, but this is a stern test for their defense. I look for Trevone Boykin to be impressive as he kicks off a Heisman Trophy campaign.

Texas San Antonio 10 @ (22) Arizona 44: I don’t see much chance for a close game. The Wildcats are strong on both sides of the ball and will contend in the Pac-12 South.

North Carolina 24 vs. South Carolina 27 (Charlotte, NC): This is projected as a close game, with UNC looking to continue a rebuilding process. I love the fact that these two teams are playing each other in a neutral site that although it’s in North Carolina, couldn’t be much closer to South Carolina. As much as I would like to see an ACC team put to one from the SEC, I think the Gamecocks will prevail.

Oklahoma State 30 @ Central Michigan 21: The Cowboys begin their tortuous non-conference schedule against the Chippewas before hosting FCS Central Arkansas and last year’s 4 – 8 Texas – San Antonio. Really? It would serve them right to get blindsided tonight. 

Michigan 23 @ Utah 28: Jim Harbaugh makes his debut as coach of his alma mater in a tough environment. We’ll get to see how much difference he can make, since he’s still at least a year away from getting the kind of players on campus that can make the Wolverines a contender. Utah returns nine starters on defense for a unit that played well at times last year, but at others were vulnerable to big plays.

Don't forget to check out my new book, "Roughing the Passer - A PK Frazier Novel" and my first, "Illegal Procedure - A PK Frazier Novel", available in print and e-formats at Amazon.com, iBooks and Smashwords. The third installment, "Offsetting Penalties" is due out in the fall.