College Football Expert Picks, Predictions: Week 1 Thursday, Friday

Week 1 college football expert picks and predictions for Thursday and Friday including West Virginia at Pitt, Penn State at Purdue, and Illinois at Indiana

College football expert picks, predictions for Week 1, highlighted by West Virginia at Pitt, Penn State at Purdue, and Illinois at Indiana


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* next to the pick means the team will win, but not cover.
Click on each game for the game preview and CFN Prediction

Week 1 College Football Expert Picks
Ball St at Tennessee | WVU at Pitt
CMU at Ok State | La Tech at Missouri
Penn St at Purdue | NMSU at Minnesota
WMU at Mich St | Va Tech at ODU
Temple at Duke | Illinois at Indiana
TCU at ColoradoWeek 1 T/F Schedule Picks
CFN Predictions & Game Previews
2022 CFN Preview of all 131 Teams

Ball State at Tennessee

Line: Tennessee -32.5, o/u: 67.5

Eric Bolin, RazorbacksWire.com: Tennessee
Evan Bredeson, CornhuskersWire.com: Tennessee
Patrick Conn, College Wires Editor: Tennessee
Tony Cosolo, ColoradoBuffaloesWire.com: Tennessee*
Jeff Feyerer, CFN: Tennessee*
Pete Fiutak, CFN: Tennessee*
Dan Harralson, VolsWire.com: Tennessee
Phil Harrison, BuckeyesWire.com: Tennessee
Joey Ickes, AggiesWire.com: Tennessee
Jeremy Mauss, MWwire.com Tennessee*
Kevin McGuire, NittanyLionsWire.com: Tennessee
Big Game Ben Niewoehner, CFN Tennessee*
Ethan Niewoehner, CFN Tennessee*
Zack Pearson, TarHeelswire.com Tennessee
Johnny Rosenstein, SportsBookWire.com: Tennessee
Nick Shepkowski, FightingIrishWire.com: Tennessee*
AJ Spurr, RollTidewire.com Tennessee
Scott Steehn, WinnersandWhiners.com: Tennessee*
Joe Vitale, UGAWire.com: Tennessee*
John Williams, SoonersWire.com: Tennessee
Clucko the Chicken (a coin flip), CFN: Ball State
CONSENSUS PICK: Tennessee*

NEXT: West Virginia at Pitt Expert Picks, Predictions

Oklahoma State vs Central Michigan Prediction, Game Preview

Oklahoma State vs Central Michigan game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Week 1 game on Thursday, September 1

Oklahoma State vs Central Michigan prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 1, Thursday, September 1


Oklahoma State vs Central Michigan How To Watch

Date: Thursday, September 1
Game Time: 7:00 ET
Venue: Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK
How To Watch: FS1
Record: Oklahoma State (0-0), Central Michigan (0-0)
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Oklahoma State vs Central Michigan Game Preview

Why Central Michigan Will Win

The Chippewas were badly hurt by the vultures in the transfer portal and to the NFL Draft, but they return enough good offensive parts to be dangerous.

Daniel Richardson is a good veteran quarterback who can keep things moving, Lew Nichols led the nation in rushing last season, and the secondary should be one of the best in the MAC as the season goes on.

Central Michigan should once again be strong defensively on third downs, the pass rush will once again be terrific, and the No. 1 team in college football in tackles for loss will generate a push. However …

Week 1 CFN College Football Expert Picks

Why Oklahoma State Will Win

Oklahoma State’s offense will be balanced and explosive, and the great defense of 2021 isn’t going to skip a beat.

The Cowboys lost their top four tacklers, but new defensive coordinator Dereck Mason should be able to keep it all going thanks to a loaded group of defensive ends that should live in the Central Michigan backfield.

The Chippewa offensive front will be okay – it has the size and options to find the right starting five as the season goes on – but it has to replace NFL blockers Bernhard Raimann and Luke Goedeke on the outside.

Oklahoma State isn’t the team you want to go against if you’re breaking in two new offensive tackles. The defense should be able to control the game with a few key sacks.

Week 1 Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews, Thursday & Friday

What’s Going To Happen

Central Michigan won’t be a pushover, but the balance of the OSU offense – starting with the experience of QB Spencer Sanders and a good running game – should keep pressing through a few big lulls.

Oklahoma State is occasionally slow out of the gate.

It struggled to get by Missouri State in a 23-16 win to kickoff last year, it had to push to beat Tulsa to start 2020, and it famously – and controversially – was shocked by Central Michigan 30-27 in Week 2 of 2016.

It won’t be a perfect performance, but relatively slow and steady will win the race – there will be two explosive plays to pull away. Central Michigan will keep it close for a while, but the Cowboy defense will clamp down in the second half.

All of the CFN Predictions

Oklahoma State vs Central Michigan Prediction, Line

Oklahoma State 30, Central Michigan 16
Line: Oklahoma State -21.5, o/u: 58.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2.5

Oklahoma State vs Central Michigan Must See Rating: 3

5: ‘Billie Jean’
1: Aidan Hutchinson’s rendition of ‘Billie Jean’

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