College Football Expert Picks, Predictions: Week 1 Saturday

Week 1 college football expert picks and predictions for Saturday including Oregon vs Georgia, Utah at Florida, and Notre Dame at Ohio State

College football expert picks, predictions for Week 1, highlighted by Oregon vs Georgia, Utah at Florida, and Notre Dame at Ohio State


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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
Colorado St at Mich | Cincinnati at Ark
Oregon at Georgia | Arizona at SDSU
UTEP at Oklahoma | Utah at Florida
Memphis at Miss St | UNC at App State
BYU at USF | Rice at USC
Utah St at BamaGa St at So Carolina
Notre Dame at Ohio StULM at Texas
Louisville at SyracuseBoise St at Oregon St
Kent St at WashingtonWKU at Hawaii
Florida St at LSUClemson at Ga Tech
Expert Pics Week 0 | Week 1 Thurs/Friday
CFN Predictions & Game Previews
2022 CFN Preview of all 131 Teams

Colorado State at Michigan

Line: Michigan -21, o/u: 57.5

Eric Bolin, RazorbacksWire.com: Michigan
Evan Bredeson, CornhuskersWire.com: Michigan
Tony Cosolo, ColoradoBuffaloesWire.com: Michigan
Jeff Feyerer, CFN: Michigan*
Pete Fiutak, CFN: Michigan
Dan Harralson, VolsWire.com: Michigan*
Phil Harrison, BuckeyesWire.com: Michigan
Jeremy Mauss, MWwire.com Michigan*
Big Game Ben Niewoehner, CFN Michigan
Ethan Niewoehner, CFN Michigan
Tyler Nettuno, LSUTigerswire.com Michigan
Zack Pearson, TarHeelswire.com Michigan
Johnny Rosenstein, SportsBookWire.com: Michigan
Nick Shepkowski, FightingIrishWire.com: Michigan
AJ Spurr, RollTidewire.com Michigan
Scott Steehn, WinnersandWhiners.com: Michigan*
Joe Vitale, UGAWire.com: Michigan
John Williams, SoonersWire.com: Michigan
Clucko the Chicken (a coin flip), CFN: Colorado State
CONSENSUS PICK: Michigan

Week 1 College Football Expert Picks
Colorado St at Mich | Cincinnati at Ark
Oregon at Georgia | Arizona at SDSU
UTEP at Oklahoma | Utah at Florida
Memphis at Miss St | UNC at App State
BYU at USF | Rice at USC
Utah St at BamaGa St at So Carolina
Notre Dame at Ohio StULM at Texas
Louisville at SyracuseBoise St at Oregon St
Kent St at WashingtonWKU at Hawaii
Florida St at LSUClemson at Ga Tech
Expert Pics Week 0 | Week 1 Thurs/Friday

NEXT: Cincinnati at Arkansas Expert Picks, Predictions

USC vs Rice Prediction, Game Preview

USC vs Rice game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Week 1 game on Thursday, September 1

USC vs Rice prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 1, Saturday, September 3


USC vs Rice How To Watch

Date: Saturday, September 3
Game Time: 6:00 ET
Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
How To Watch: Pac-12 Network
Record: Rice (0-0), USC (0-0)
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USC vs Rice Game Preview

Why Rice Will Win

The Owls know how to grind down the clock.

They were among the best in the nation last season in time of possession, the running game has just enough returning to at least try pounding a little bit against a USC defensive front that has to prove that it’s stronger, and the receiving corps will be a sneaky-good strength early on.

If QB Wiley Green can get enough time to work, he should be able to test the Trojan secondary downs he field and spread it around a bit.

On the other side, the Rice defense is as deep as it has been in several years, it was decent at forcing takeaways, and …

Week 1 CFN College Football Expert Picks

Why USC Will Win

Here we go.

The skill parts are tremendous, the talent level has been raised up several notches from the transfer portal, and Lincoln Riley was a massive upgrade for a program overdue for a next-level head coach.

Yeah, Rice will probably win the time of possession battle by ten minutes, but USC will go fast, fast, fast. It’ll want to make a big splash right away, it should be able to operate with good balance, and the other side will want to make a huge statement.

The underappreciated part of the puzzle should fit right away. Former Oklahoma defensive coordinator Alex Grinch should work wonders with the D line right away against a Rice offensive line that has to be far stronger.

Week 1 Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews, Saturday

What’s Going To Happen

You wanted the show, you got the show.

USC will start fast, get up without a problem, and then the story will be a defense that will try proving that 2021 was just a blip. Rice will generate a few scores, but it won’t have a prayer of keeping up.

All of the CFN Predictions

USC vs Rice Prediction, Line

USC 45, Rice 10
Line: USC -34.5, o/u: 64.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2

How every college coach does against the spread

USC vs Rice Must See Rating: 2

5: Gangs of London Season 2
1: Mack & Rita

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10 Best College Football Predictions Against The Spread Week 1 Saturday

10 best predictions for the first big weekend of the college football season. Best bets and picks for Week 1’s Saturday games.

10 best predictions for the first big Saturday of college football. What games appear to be the best bets and best picks for Week 1’s Saturday games?


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Expert Picks
Week 1: Thursday/Friday | Saturday | NFL
Week 1 Schedule, Game Previews

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Seriously, what more could you have possibly wanted out of the first batch of games?

This is done before the Friday slate, so it all might change in a snap, but from Central Michigan’s monster cover comeback against Oklahoma State, a late stop by Nevada against New Mexico State, and thriller after thriller for the investment community, this has been a blast so far.

But now the fun is over.

We’ve had a few laughs, enjoyed the fine banter, had a few drinks, and now it’s time to get serious. It’s the first big Saturday of the college football season, and with that are the 10 best picks against the spread – with a few more thrown into the mix for giggles.

There’s a theme for the first five picks – do we believe in this thing or not?

After all the blather and hype and talk this offseason, do I really believe in these teams, or not? You’ll see what I’m talking about starting with …

Results So Far: 8-1-1

Click on each game for the preview

10. Rice at USC

LINE USC -32.5
ATS PICK USC

It’s not possible to go more unabashed fanboy than I did over USC these past seven months.

The unbelievable array of talent brought in by Lincoln Riley might have been the most underappreciated and underanalyzed big thing that happened this offseason – seriously, it’s as if no one quite realizes the all-star two-deep USC now has.

Do I believe in this USC thing or not? I’ve totally bought in, even though giving away 32.5 to a potted plant would scare me.

In the grand opening. I want the show, and I’m going to get the show.

9. NC State at East Carolina

LINE NC State -11.5
ATS PICK NC State

I’m very well aware that East Carolina is one of those programs that rises up at home once in a while and screws things up for the big name team.

QB Holton Ahlers has been around for forever, the Pirate team that went bowling last year is better this season, and …

I believe in NC State.

I can’t very well go around screaming that Clemson is the star of the ACC – more on that in a moment – NC State is 2, and everyone else gets lumped together if I don’t go with the Pack -11.5 now.

If you really think this defense is that good, and you should, assume the season starts strong, even on the road, with a great performance. Speaking of which …

8. Houston at UTSA

LINE Houston -4.5
ATS PICK Houston

Blah, blah, blah – Houston is going to go to the New Year’s Six, it might be this year’s Cincinnati, it’s going to blow up before going to the Big 12, and on and on and on.

I couldn’t have talked up Houston any more than I did this whole offseason.

UTSA is loaded with experience and talent – even without star RB Sincere McCormick – it’s a home game, and the place should have the energy to get both sides fired up.

But it”s only 4.5 points – I had better believe at that line.

Any Group of Five program that can even think about being this year’s big thing shouldn’t have a problem taking down the Roadrunners – as good as they are – by at least a touchdown without breathing hard.

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7. Notre Dame at Ohio State

LINE Ohio State -17
ATS PICK Notre Dame

Oh Notre Dame. That Little Engine That Could program travels to Columbus to collect its paycheck, catch a beating, and leave.

It’ll be a miracle if the team even gets off the bus, right?

No, I don’t deep down somewhere in my soul believe that the Irish will pull this off – not like I sort of do when it comes to the underdog with the next pick – but I do think it’s solid enough in all phases to hold up and make this a fight.

The Buckeyes will win, but I’m having a hard time fully believing it’ll be a total wipeout – the Irish lines are too good and the secondary too solid – until it happens.

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6. Georgia vs Oregon

LINE Georgia -17
ATS PICK Oregon

As I’ve said time and again over these last few weeks, if Georgia comes out and rolls 44-2, I’ll eat it. Obviously, a rocking win by the defending national champs would hardly be shocking. But …

Do I believe that Oregon has the best linebacking corps in the country? It’s at least close.

Do I believe the lines are good enough to hold up, and Stetson Bennett has a three-interception game inside of him just waiting to come out? Yeah, and maybe.

Do I like that Oregon is a 17-point underdog, even though it might just be the best team in the Pac-12? Love it.

(BTW, I can’t fully dive in on this, but Oregon +625 on the money line in some places?! Just sayin’ … )

NEXT: College Football Pick Against the Spread No. 5: Middle Tennessee at James Madison and Arizona at San Diego State