Six Pick: Week One

BCO's College Football TV Viewing Guide

For more than a decade I have been picking which games people should watch each week over the course of a season. At first it was a spreadsheet put together at the beginning of the season for my family, friends and coworkers. It eventually grew into a weekly column for the masses on my previous blog. There, I could pick from week to week, publishing with up-to-date info and the cheap shots stayed current (no one is safe). It's my favorite thing to write, even it entertains no one else but myself. Each week on TKP I will write my Six Pick of must see games. Admittedly, there will be personal bias towards VT, ACC and other teams I like. That said, many weeks I will not have a Hokie game on the list. VT versus The Sisters of the Poor is not must see TV. Potty mouth alert... If bad words offend your sensibilities read another damn column.

On to the meat and Idaho potatoes... College football is fuckin' back! For us die-hards our holiday season runs for 131 days, Thursday September 2nd to Monday January 10th, so let's get it on! This isn't just about my top games of the weekend, I am also picking winners (for entertainment purposes only) against the spread. Yahoo will be the site I use for odds (updated on Tuesday nights). I invite you to make picks in the comment section. The most correct picks during the season will win a prize is to be determined, which I am sure it will be pretty kickass. There are 14 weeks with at least 84 games to be picked, the winner must have picked at least 70% of all the games. I will keep a running tally of games correctly picked against the spread for everyone to be posted by the Tuesday after the games in our forum.

To be honest, week one of the college football season isn't great for television viewership, not when it's compared to weeks two and three. Everyone is amped for the return of college football, especially if your team is playing a big boy out the gate, but most good teams are playing warm up pay-for-win games. Hell, I picked Navy to be on this list only because I needed a 6th game and this might be their only time on guide, save the Army game.

The Road to the BCS Begins Now...

Thursday, September 2nd

Pitt at Utah -3 8:30 pm Versus

So you Wanny be a Big East superstar? Live large, big house, five cars, you're in charge?¹ First step to making it over the hump and being THE Big East team, beat a non BCS darling. Pitt opens up in inhospitable Salt Lake City with the weight of a conference hanging on the 'stache. Talent favors Pitt, but not the coaching, home field or intangibles (playing the outsider card). Kyle Whittingham's team wins this game.

What to watch for: Which team can run the ball most effectively will win. Pitt has stud Dion Lewis but questions with a new starting QB and a green, shaky OL, which means Utah is loading the box. Pitt's front seven are very good, so running on them will be difficult.

Pick: Utah covering

Saturday, September 4th

UConn at MissAgain -3 3:30 pm ABC/ESPN2

Raise your hand if thought coaching and talent would ever favor the team from Storrs over the one from Ann Arbor, even if slightly. The DickRod hot seat has reached Tommy Bowden temperatures. A loss in this game will be shortly followed by a cross country booster flight to Palo Alto. I will not lie, I love watching the power spread offense, when it works, however I like watching DickRod falling on his shaft even better. Everything about DickRod screams, "I'm an asshole", so while I have a standing policy to not cheer for any Big East team, I hope UConn releases the Huskies on MissAgain.

What to watch for: First team with a defensive stop in the 4th quarter wins. Both teams will run the ball effectively, albeit differently, so whoever gets a stop late wins.

Pick: MissAgain covering

theothertOSU +13.5 vs. Tejas Christian (Big D) 7:45 pm ESPN

The Beavers have got quite the challenge this season to take out not one, but potentially two BCS busters. Playing spoiler to non automatic qualifiers Tejas Christian this week and at Boise State in week three (if our Hokies don't beat them to it.) I can tell you this, if Oregon State gives both these teams a L, Bill Hancock will rain a BCS at-large sum of cash on Beaverton and Phil Knight will let them have an A-list uniform for once.

What to watch for: Annually, the Beavers are slow out of the gate and to compound matters are breaking in a new QB. Sure they have the electric dynamos brothers Rodgers and will move the ball some, but you have to think ball control offense and bad ass, man up defense of the Horned Frogs is how the script is going to play out.

Pick: Oregon State plus the points

LSU -3.5 vs. UNC (ATL) 8:00 pm ABC

The Chick-fil-A Kickoff pwning continues with the Tarheels as the next in line to lose to a $EC opponent. Six weeks ago, this one could've gone either way, as both teams were very similar–suffocating defenses with shitty offenses. After weeks of the NCAA looming over Chapel Hill this game is likely to feel like a reprieve to the Tarheel players and coaches... that are still on the sideline. I promise you this, if the Hat loses this game, he will not be coaching in Baton Rouge next season.

For the Heels in attendance do not be discouraged if your team loses, there are a lot of things to do in the ATL. Plenty of good bars, an all day tailgate and of course Dragoncon. Nothing like staying in a hotel or riding the MARTA with grown men and women dressed up like elementary school kids for Halloween. Also a word of advice, if you defeat looks imminent, leave a bit early to beat the MARTA lines to Club Cheetah.

What to watch for: Fortitude. With all that is surrounding this Heels team can they play hard and keep the game close or even win? Will LSU find an offense under Gary Crowton? Will the best thing about the University of Non Compliance be their gunmetal helmets?

Pick: LSU covering

Monday, September 6th

Maryland at Navy -6.5 (Baltimore) 4:00 pm ESPN

This isn't a good game, though it's likely a primer to the Terps season, score a decent amount of points only to see the opposition double that. Lame Terp walking is likely to see Navy's Dobbs, maybe the best Navy QB since Staubach, run for one fiddy and three scores. The big question is will any Terps fans care or have they already accepted he is just playing out the string so the AD could save some cash?

What to watch for: A lot of offense and if Navy wears their Captain Stubing uniforms. This will be the only game on, if Dobbs does well he can begin to validate @DobbsForHeisman.

Pick: Navy covering

Boise State -2.5 vs. Virginia Tech (The District) 8:00 pm ESPN

The weauxfing done by Boise State fans has reached $EC level proportions, pretty ballsy from a school in the WACk! The Broncos haven't played a team with this many future NFL players since the Oklahoma win four years ago. It took every trick in the book versus a Sooner team that was just looking to personally get to know some of the local Arizona State talent. I respect the Broncos, good damn team, but if they want me to think they are Bama, LSU or USC from years past they had better put a hurting on the Hokies. Don't confuse me with Mr. Soapbox, Colin Cowherd, they aren't going to do that, not now, not ever. I've been waffling, but officially I picked Boise to win last week so I have to keep that pick. The more experienced team will execute the game plan a little better and win, though based on historical precedent the Sports Illustrated cover did them no favors.

What to watch for: Which team will scheme the other better and, my personal favorite, who can handle being punched in the grill better from the opening kick. One school is used to dealing the punch, what happens when they get hit back?

Pick: Boise State covering

Tailgating Beer of the Weekend: Laughing Dog Alpha Dog Imperial IPA

A solid Idaho Double IPA, attainable in Va.

Happy viewing, drinking and picking! It's HERE!

¹Altered version of Cypress Hill's Rock Superstar