Buell's Eye: Week 1's College Football Picks

In week one of the 2009 College Football season, the nation sees the return of two Heisman Trophy winners hoping to lead their respective teams to another BCS National Championship appearance, along with other top 25 match-ups that already have national title hope implications.

The schedule begins with a Thursday night competition between two ranked opponents out West and ends with a Monday night rivalry showdown between Florida intra-state rivals.

The College Football season has finally arrived, and in timely fashion, here are Week 1's Top 25 College Football match-up predictions.

USA Today Poll No. 25 Oregon State Beavers vs. Portland State Vikings

Oregon State starts off this season hoping to build on what was an impressive 9-4 season in 2008 against the Vikings from Portland State.

The Beavers take this one without much trouble, 45-10.

No. 25 Kansas Jayhawks vs. Northern Colorado Bears

The Jayhawks hope to continue their recent success of consecutive winning seasons and bowl appearances as they start their 2009 campaign against the Bears of Northern Colorado.

Kansas will do just that with a 46-6 beating at home.

No. 24 Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Florida Atlantic Owls

There is talk of a Big 12 North Championship out in the wide open fields of Nebraska this season, and the Huskers would do well to start off their season hot with a big win at home against the Florida Atlantic Owls.

No worries there, as Nebraska triples up the score, 30-10.

No. 23 Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Nevada Wolfpack

Notre Dame has some impressing to do this season. Former Fighting Irish coach, now analyst, Lou Holtz is already beyond impressed, picking his old beloved program to reach the BCS National Title game versus the Florida Gators.

Easy now, Coach.

While they will not be booking tickets to the Promised Land in 2009, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame are set to have a much improved season, starting off with a 34-17 victory over the Wolfpack from Nevada.

No. 22 Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Northern Iowa Panthers

This match-up might mean something if you reside in Iowa, and maybe even be competitive if it was being played on the hardwood.

But it's not. It's on grass.

The Iowa Hawkeyes are back on the move in the right direction, and this game will be over before halftime.

The Panthers get a field goal somewhere in the midst of four quarters and the Hawkeyes take the game 35-3.

No. 21 North Carolina Tar Heels vs. The Citadel Bulldogs

The ACC is balanced again in 2009, and the Tar Heels look to have another dominant football season this year.

Their first test: at home versus the Bulldogs from The Citadel.

North Carolina takes this one easily, 31-14.

No. 19 Utah Utes vs. Utah State Aggies

The Utes from Utah continue to dominate in the Mountain West Conference year after year, and take on intra-state rival, Utah State, in one of the first games of the 2009 season on Thursday night.

The Utes defeat the Aggies in this one in a blow-out, 56-21.

No. 18 Florida State Seminoles vs. Miami Hurricanes

Monday night football starts in the collegiate ranks this season, as intra-state rivals from Florida square up in this season opener for both the Seminoles and the Hurricanes.

Coach Bobby Bowden has some games to win, both programs have a lot to prove, and laying it out on the line in the first game of the year is one way to tackle that assignment. Florida State gets it done over the improving Hurricanes, 27-10.

No. 15 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Jacksonville State Gamecocks

Georgia Tech is ready to impress the nation this season, and they're set to start off in a big way.

Jacksonville State's quarterback, Ryan Perilloux, has been suspended for the game, which will allow the Yellow Jackets to roll the Gamecocks in shutout-victory fashion, 44-0.

No. 14 Boise State Broncos vs. No. 16 Oregon Ducks

Speaking of national title game implications, please allow me to introduce the Boise State Broncos and the Oregon Ducks.

These teams face off again this season, a year after the Broncos took down the Ducks on Oregon's home field, 37-32.

Oregon wants revenge, both teams have a magnificent chance to be mentioned in BCS National Championship discussions come season's end, and week one all of a sudden got a lot more important out on that ugly, unforgettable, blue field.

Oregon gets their revenge, upending the powerful Boise State Broncos with their own dynamic O, 45-28.

No. 12 California Golden Bears vs. Maryland Terrapins

USC is finally supposed to yield a little this season, despite the fact that they start off 2009 ranked fourth in the nation.

Trying to take their place are the Golden Bears, also from California, who promise to impress this season, are certainly on the rise, and are called Rose Bowl favorites by many.

The Terrapins come to visit California in Week 1, put up a fight, but fall short by 13 in a 37-24 final.

No. 11 LSU Tigers @ Washington Huskies

The Washington Huskies cannot do any worse than they did last season.

Literally.

The Huskies were a dismal 0-12 in 2008. Quarterback, Jake Locker, looks to lead his team to at least one victory this season, but unfortunately he will not accomplish that goal in the season opener against the Tigers.

LSU slips a little this season, but starts 2009 with a 27-7 victory @ Washington.

No. 9 Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. No. 13 Georgia Bulldogs

You can hear lots of buzzing in the state of Oklahoma right now, and not all of it is for Boomer Sooner. The Cowboys aim to make some serious noise in the national title picture this season, and an opening win against the Georgia Bulldogs would certainly get them pointed in the right direction.

Georgia will miss former quarterback Matthew Stafford this season and lose this match-up in a close one, 35-31.

No. 9 Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Akron Zips

A late season loss to Iowa in 2008 was devastating to the Nittany Lions' title hopes. Head Coach Joe Paterno is already hoping his program is not being forgotten this year, especially with a lot of the Big 10 title talk revolving around the Ohio State Buckeyes, yet again.

Penn State starts off their 2009 campaign with a win at home over the Zips from Akron, but in a closer than imagined margin of victory, 28-14.

No. 8 Mississippi Rebels @ Memphis Tigers

A win over the 2008 National Champion Florida Gators and quarterback Jevan Snead running the Ole Miss offense was all it took to land the Rebels in the preseason top 10 rankings.

2009 promises to be an impressive and successful season for Ole Miss as they travel to Memphis in their season opener. Mississippi doesn't disappoint with an impressive 39-12 victory over the Tigers.

No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Navy Midshipmen

The Buckeyes are poised for another national title run this year and will be seeking their revenge against Penn State later on in 2009.

First things first, a match-up in week one against the Navy Midshipmen. Quarterback Terrelle Pryor leads his offense to victory over Navy in Columbus, 31-13.

No. 4 USC Trojans vs. San Jose State Spartans

Freshman quarterback Matt Barkley has some big shoes to fill behind center for the Trojan offense in 2009 ever since former QB Mark Sanchez fled for the NFL.

USC has Pac-10 opponents sneaking up on them hoping to steal their crown, and many are calling the San Jose State season opener a "trap game."

However, Barkley looks better than expected in the pocket, leading the Trojans to victory in battle over the Spartans, 41-10.

No. 3 Oklahoma Sooners vs. No. 20 Brigham Young Cougars

Quarterback Sam Bradford may have won the Heisman Trophy in 2008, but he won't be happy until he leads his Sooners back to the National Championship game for the BCS Trophy.

Oklahoma's first test on that path is a week one matchup against No. 20 BYU. The Cougars show up, but don't have enough to outscore the Sooners offense, falling in defeat, 38-24.

No. 2 Texas Longhorns vs. Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks

There is no doubt that Texas quarterback Colt McCoy is leading his Longhorn team on another National Title run this season. The only question is, do they fall short again?

Week one allows them to catch up on some more practice against the Warhawks of Louisiana-Monroe. Texas hooks 'em, 49-6.

No. 1 Florida Gators vs. Charleston Southern Buccaneers

In case you missed it, the Florida Gators are poised for another BCS National Championship. The schedule is in their favor and quarterback Tim Tebow returns for his final season.

The Gators start off 2009 beating up on the overmatched Buccaneers from Charleston Southern, trouncing the Bucs, 56-3, after pulling their starters in the 3rd quarter.

Week 1's Game of the Week: No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide @ No. 7 Virginia Tech Hokies

Now, how about a heavyweight fight to start off the 2009 College Footall season?

Saturday night.

Primetime.

You've got it.

Both Alabama and Virginia Tech are in the thick of national championship talk this season, and they put their 2009 life on the line immediately, facing off in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Crimson Tide have their important necessary components. The Hokies are a favorite to take the ACC crown.

In an absolute slugfest to kick off 2009, Alabama knocks out Virginia Tech, 20-13.