THE WORLD OF BAX: Finally, Football Season Has Come Back….

If the offseason had lasted a minute longer, and I mean one minute longer, I might have gone insane. While I’m channeling my inner Rock to kick off the year, I couldn’t be happier that the long summer months filled with sunshine and weddings have finally passed and the autumn days of football are upon us because this is truly the best time of year for sports fans everywhere.

This year, I’m expanding my weekly preview. While I previewed the best 6-8 games per week last fall, I’m upping the ante this year and predicting a lot more matchups and I look forward to another successful year. Last fall, I finished 80-46 in my picks, which I was pretty pleased with considering that I was picking only the toughest games. With an exciting opening week on tap, I hope I can start the year off with a bang. On to the games!

South Carolina at North Carolina State

Thursday, 7:00 PM EST

South Carolina blew out NC State last fall 34-0 to begin the year. However, the Gamecocks regressed over the course of the season while NC State really improved down the stretch and now the Wolfpack enters the game with a clear advantage under center. Expect Russell Wilson, the ACC’s best quarterback, to have a big game against the team that knocked him out with a concussion last fall. An interesting subplot will be watching Steve Spurrier try to avoid running over and talking to his quarterback after a poor play, a habit which he claimed he would break this fall. While I expect the Head Ball Coach to produce a better offense this fall, I’m taking the home team and the better quarterback in this matchup.

NC State 34, South Carolina 27

#21 Oregon at Boise State

Thursday, 10:15 PM EST

This game is really Boise State’s entire season because a win here makes them a huge favorite to earn their way into the BCS thanks to an extremely easy schedule. However, the Ducks have revenge on their minds after a chippy loss last fall and the Ducks also want to give new head coach Chip Kelly a win in his first game in charge. I think that Oregon’s superior talent on offense will deal Boise State their first home loss since 2004 and ruin their BCS hopes.

Oregon 38, Boise State 31

Nevada at Notre Dame

Saturday, 3:30 EST

Notre Dame had better not overlook a very dangerous Wolfpack team. While everyone is talking about Jimmy Claussen going into this game, he might not even be the best quarterback on the field as Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick is a dual threat terror. While I don’t think Notre Dame is going to be nearly as good as a lot of people expect (Lou Holtz should be fired on grounds of senility for suggesting they’ll play for the National Title), I think they’re in for a rebound this year and will earn a tough victory to kick off the season.

Notre Dame 27, Nevada 24

 

> Check out the College Sports Fans 2009 college football team previews and the 2009-2010 college basketball previews today!

#8 Georgia at #4 Oklahoma State

Saturday, 3:30 PM EST

The marquee game of opening weekend matches up two teams that I really think are in for great years. Georgia is debuting a new backfield but is deep everywhere else. Meanwhile, the Cowboys have one of the most diverse offenses in college football and should put up some points. I think that the Bulldogs are going to be very strong this fall but they’re walking into a hostile environment to play a very good football team and I think that Okie State wins a close one in the day’s biggest matchup.

Oklahoma State 38, Georgia 34

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#12 Illinois vs. Missouri

Saturday, 3:40 PM EST in St. Louis, MO

The Tigers have won four straight in this matchup but I expect that to change this fall. The last two years have produced 40-34 and 52-42 victories for Mizzou but all of their major offensive weapons are gone. Meanwhile, Illinois returns one of the country’s most dangerous offenses and QB Juice Wiliams set a school record for total offense in a single game in last year’s loss! I have no doubt that Illinois will continue scoring a ton of points and I don’t think Mizzou can keep up. Illinois is going to make a statement on opening day and kick off the year with a big win against the rebuilding Tigers.

Illinois 45, Missouri 24

BYU vs. #3 Oklahoma

Saturday, 7:00 PM EST in Arlington, TX

This is the litmus test for BYU, who has scheduled aggressively this fall. Can they defeat last year’s National runner up on a neutral field? While I like the Cougars and think that they have a very good team this fall (they were my pick in the MWC), the Sooners are simply too good and will move the ball practically at will. Expect a lot of points but this is going to be an emphatic season opening win for Oklahoma.

Oklahoma 42, BYU 24

#13 Virginia Tech vs. #10 Alabama

Saturday, 8:00 PM EST in Atlanta, GA

Both teams enter the season facing some adversity. Virginia Tech lost starting tailback Darren Evans to a torn ACL in camp and Alabama has nearly a dozen players suffering from the flu, including mammoth DT Terrance Cody. First off, this will be a much better game than Bama’s season-opening beatdown of Clemson last fall and I think that both defenses will rule the day. Virginia Tech and Alabama will both decide their fate in the National Title chase with this game and you can expect a charged atmosphere and a hard hitting affair. However, I think that Tech’s experience at quarterback will be the deciding factor and I’m picking Virginia Tech to win a VERY tight game in Atlanta.

Virginia Tech 20, Alabama 17

Maryland at #6 California

Saturday, 10:00 PM EST

Maryland sprung a big upset over Cal last year in a rare noon EST kickoff for a West Coast team. Thus, the Golden Bears return the favor, starting this year with a very late kick for the East Coast squad. However, I don’t think that the time of the game will matter this year because Cal is loaded. Expect a big opening salvo from Cal’s talented offense to begin the year.

Cal 45, Maryland 17

#13 LSU at Washington

Saturday, 10:30 PM EST

This is a much tougher game than it appears on the surface for LSU. The Tigers have to travel a long way out of their Southeastern comfort zone and face a significantly improved UW team. I think that Jake Locker will give the Tigers some trouble early and one of the Pac Ten’s loudest crowds will be rocking. However, LSU is too talented to lose this game and I think that they’ll pull away late for a hard-fought opening win.

LSU 34, Washington 20

Cincinnati at Rutgers

Monday, 4:00 PM EST

This is one of only two BCS conference openers during the season’s opening weekend and Cincy coach Brian Kelly is not happy. He has to replace ten defensive starters on the road against one of the conference favorites! Whoever loses this game falls immediately behind the eight ball in Big East play. I like Rutgers’ more experienced team to take advantage of Cincinnati’s youth defensively while slowing down their strong offense enough for a close win. However, I think that this is the biggest toss up of the entire weekend due to both teams changing so much and could easily go either way.

Rutgers 24, Cincinnati 20

#15 Miami at Florida State

Monday, 8:00 PM EST

Speaking of conference openers, the ACC’s biggest rivalry marks the final game of opening weekend. After a two year hiatus from Labor Day, Miami and Florida State return to the season’s first week. Both teams have very high hopes for 2009 and both will probably field their best teams in the last four years. Looking back, this was always one of those 13-10 type games to open the year because both teams’ extremely athletic defense were way ahead of the offenses and I have to say that I expect the same thing to happen again. I think that the Canes are less likely to commit costly turnovers in this game and that makes them my pick.

Miami 17, Florida State 13

By Matt Baxendell
CollegeSports-fans.com Staff Writer

Matt Baxendell is collegesports-fans.com’s football writer. Keep an eye out all fall for his multiple weekly articles discussing everything college football. If you want to get in touch with him, email him at Matt.Baxendell@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @MattBaxendell

More college football articles from Baxendell:

• College Football Preseason Top 25 & National Title Contenders
• 2009 college football conference previews