Dudes Choose - Week 1

College football is back baby! Looking forward to 12 hours on the couch today after the emotional roller coaster last night. Turns out I am actually electric when it comes to gambling (132-115 last year), so I figured I would offer up my trade secrets:

·       Texas has a new sheriff in town and will be desperate for a W – unfortunately, they lost one of my all-time favorite players, Tyrone “18 Wheeler” Swoopes. Give me UMD and the points. MARYLAND

·       Even with DeShaun Watson, Clemson started slow last year, almost losing to Troy in Week 2. New QB Kelly Bryant may need a game to work out the kinks. KENT STATE

·       See Texas – Dantonio needs a good showing out of the gate, MSU by a million. MICHIGAN STATE

·       Cal apparently stinks? I don’t expect much from UNC this year, but when in doubt #goACC NORTH CAROLINA

·       NC State is historically pretty good against the spread (9-4 last year), but that’s mostly because they play the big dogs close. Gamecocks win outright, and everyone immediately changes their mind about NC State as their ACC dark horse for the tenth year in a row. SOUTH CAROLINA

·       I don’t think my bookie updated the line after the Gators suspended half the team over the past two weeks. MICHIGAN

·       The Sooners have a roadtrip to Columbus next week, so they’re get out to a quick lead and let the backups take over in the second half. The Miners gets the backdoor cover. UTEP

·       TEMPLE

·       The PJ Fleck-less Broncos not only lost their head coach, but also star QB Terell and WR Corey Davis. Not a big Darnold guy, but the Trojans take care of business. USC

·       This is a popular upset pick, seemingly because of a game that happened 10 years ago. You know how you get ahead in these pick’em pools? You take the favorite when everyone else takes the dog. GEORGIA

·       Lamar loves running up the score, he wants that Heisman again. LOUISVILLE

·       Saban is 10-0 against former assistants (average margin of victory of 30 points). The FSU OL can’t protect Francois, Derwin James is overrated and shouldn’t be mentioned in the same sentence as Harold Landry, and I don’t think this is as close as everyone thinks. ALABAMA

·       BYU already played last week, and barely escaped with a win against Portland State. Coach O ain’t losing to a bunch of Mormons. LSU

·       VT lost a ton from last year’s team – is Fuente the real deal, or was last year a fluke with Beamer’s top guys? This will be a close one, I’m taking the points. WEST VIRGINIA

·       Josh Rosen reminds me of my buddy Matt’s junior year drunk alter ego. TEXAS A&M

·       Everyone in the ACC Coastal is garbage this year, and GT is no different. They were in a rebuilding year to begin with and just dismissed top RB Dederick Mills – could be a long year for the Yellow Jackets. TENNESSEE