College Football Picks Week 1: Predictions and Odds for Top 25 Schedule
Week 1 in college football begins a four-month odyssey that is expected to take several twists and turns as the College Football Playoff debate rages on.
The first full weekend slate of the 2018 regular season features four showdowns between ranked teams, with the top-10 clash in Atlanta between Washington and Auburn acting as the headliner.
The renewal of the Michigan-Notre Dame rivalry receives top billing Saturday night, while Miami and LSU square off Sunday and a pair of ACC titans clash Monday.
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Below is a look at the latest odds for Week 1 and predictions for each contest involving a top 25 program.
Week 1 Schedule and Odds
All Times ET
Thursday, August 30
No. 21 UCF (-16.5) at UConn, 7 p.m., ESPNU
Friday, August 31
Utah State at No. 11 Michigan State (-27), 7 p.m., Big Ten Network
Western Kentucky at No. 4 Wisconsin (-33), 9 p.m., ESPN
San Diego State at No. 13 Stanford (-14.5), 9 p.m., FS1
Saturday, September 1
Oregon State at No. 5 Ohio State (-38), Noon, ABC
Florida Atlantic at No. 7 Oklahoma (-24), Noon, Fox
Southern at No. 16 TCU, Noon
No. 23 Texas (-10.5) at Maryland, Noon, FS1
Furman at No. 2 Clemson, 12:20 p.m.
Austin Peay at No. 3 Georgia, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
No. 6 Washington vs. No. 9 Auburn (-3), 3:30 p.m., ABC
Appalachian State at No. 10 Penn State (-28.5), 3:30 p.m., Big Ten Network
Tennessee vs. No. 17 West Virginia (-7), 3:30 p.m., CBS
UNLV at No. 15 USC (-31.5), 4 p.m., Pac-12 Network
No. 22 Boise State (-10.5) at Troy, 6 p.m., ESPNNews
No. 14 Michigan (-1.5) at No. 12 Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m., NBC
Stephen F. Austin at No. 18 Mississippi State, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU
Louisville vs. No. 1 Alabama (-28.5), 8 p.m., ABC
Bowling Green at No. 24 Oregon (-28.5), 8 p.m., Pac-12 Network
Sunday, September 2
No. 8 Miami (-3) vs. No. 25 LSU, 7:30 p.m., ABC
Monday, September 3
No. 20 Virginia Tech at No. 19 Florida State (-6.5), 8 p.m., ESPN
Odds obtained from OddsShark
Predictions
Auburn 27, Washington 20
Saturday's showdown at Mercedes-Benz Stadium means more to No. 6 Washington than it does to No. 9 Auburn.
Given the perceived weakness of the Pac 12, the Huskies need to put together an impressive performance against the SEC West side.
Washington head coach Chris Petersen noticed similarities between Auburn and its biggest rival, Alabama, the last SEC opponent the Huskies faced.
He described the Tigers defense as "Alabama-ish", per Adam Jude of the Seattle Times.
"I look at Auburn on defense and it seems very Alabama-ish to me," Petersen said. "It's that physical style, that really athletic—they don't give you anything. You have to earn everything."
Quarterback Jake Browning and running back Myles Gaskin will try to combat the Auburn defense with their playmaking abilities.
Browning threw for 2,719 yards and Gaskin ran for 1,380 yards a year ago, and if they're able to find success with a mixture of run and pass plays, they should challenge the ninth-ranked Tigers.
Auburn possesses an experienced quarterback itself in Jarrett Stidham, who threw for 3,158 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2017. His top offensive weapon is senior wide receiver Ryan Davis, who led the Tigers with 815 receiving yards and five touchdown catches in his junior campaign.
Auburn is understandably the favorite in the opener given its stature on the national scene, and the only way Washington will earn respect is if it comes away with a victory to boost its own profile as well as the Pac-12's reputation.
However, the Tigers will have too much on defense for Browning and Gaskin to deal with, and an early lead created by Gus Malzahn's side will be too much to overcome.
Miami 19, LSU 16
LSU head coach Ed Orgeron reunites with one of his former employers in Sunday's lone contest at AT&T Stadium.
The Tigers stumbled out of the gates in 2017 before recovering to finish 9-4, and they can't afford to start in a similar fashion this year.
Sunday's matchup with eighth-ranked Miami serves as a statement game for the Tigers to show themselves and outside observers they're ready to take the next step in the competitive SEC West.
The Hurricanes vaulted themselves into the national conversation with their ferocious defensive play last season, and now Mark Richt's team must prove 2017 wasn't a fluke.
The combination of Miami's tenacious defense and LSU's offense still coming together with a new offensive coordinator and quarterback should lead to a low point total from the Tigers.
Miami's X-factor Sunday—and for the entire season—will be quarterback Malik Rosier, who threw for over 3,000 yards as a junior.
The 22-year-old will eventually come up with a big play or two for the Hurricanes, but don't be surprised if he experiences some early struggles against LSU's talented defensive backfield.
Other Predictions
UCF 45, UConn 17
Michigan State 37, Utah State 3
Wisconsin 49, Western Kentucky 10
Stanford 41, San Diego State 16
Ohio State 35, Oregon State 17
Oklahoma 63, Florida Atlantic 24
TCU 61, Southern 10
Texas 23, Maryland 9
Clemson 59, Furman 6
Georgia 49, Austin Peay 16
Penn State 47, Appalachian State 10
West Virginia 17, Tennessee 10
USC 56, UNLV 10
Michigan 16, Notre Dame 13
Mississippi State 52, Stephen F. Austin 24
Alabama 63, Louisville 17
Oregon 55, Bowling Green 21
Florida State 19, Virginia Tech 10
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90
Statistics obtained from Sports Reference
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