Week 1
Only one game to choose from but gotta play it for the faithful. The best NFL team in college football starts the season on the road to a depleted, almost always overrated Virginia Tech team...not playing at home, but close enough.
USC -18 at Virginia Tech
Last year USC started the season on the road at Auburn and pitched a shut-out and spread victory. They could easily do so again. This game very well could set the tone for the rest of the year. If USC wins big in this game...they will run the table and beat most opponents by 30 points with very few exceptions.
While USC has all the confidence in the world, they do have some question marks, although not many.
They are breaking in a new offensive front...one that has been key to the USC offense the past two years. I honestly don't remember Leinart getting sacked last year.
The Mike Williams situation in my mind also works against this team. USC will rely on two new go-to guys in the receiving corp, and these guys have to be feeling pressure. They will be amped up...overhyped, jittery. Certainly, more than anywhere else on offense, USC will miss the cool, calm, collected tandem of Williams and Colbert. Don't be suprised if Reggie Bush leads both teams in receiving.
I think Norm Chow will play it safe in Game 1, relying heavily on the running game and quick outs to Bush.
Defensively USC arguably has the best front seven in college football. And for those who say they have holes in the secondary, they have two of the best safeties in the country.
Virginia Tech has a strong defensive line and it will be up to these guys to disrupt USC's offense. They will have every opportunity to do so given the new USC offensive line.
Virginia tech is on their way down or at least in a rebuilding phase. Talk about fast starters. Here is a team that over the past three years has aveaged 132 points in its first three games, and while the list of opponents have been littered with patsies, there is an LSU, a Marshall, a Texas A&M....But now all their big dogs are playing in the NFL, and we are left with Randall and nobody else....Hope Beamer has a few suprises.
The only thing I hate about this game is Virginia Tech's offense. They might not score. And if that happens, I'll lose my bet, because I'm taking the points.
This will probably be the only game this year I bet against USC. The question marks on the front line and wide receiver spots need to be answered. It would not suprise me a bit to see USC come out and win by 40, but I'm banking on USC's offense to play it safe, give the big fellas a little time to get to know one another, and remove the pressure from the young receivers who have spent the past two years idolizing Williams and Colbert.
Final Score: USC 27 - Virginia Tech 13
Only one game to choose from but gotta play it for the faithful. The best NFL team in college football starts the season on the road to a depleted, almost always overrated Virginia Tech team...not playing at home, but close enough.
USC -18 at Virginia Tech
Last year USC started the season on the road at Auburn and pitched a shut-out and spread victory. They could easily do so again. This game very well could set the tone for the rest of the year. If USC wins big in this game...they will run the table and beat most opponents by 30 points with very few exceptions.
While USC has all the confidence in the world, they do have some question marks, although not many.
They are breaking in a new offensive front...one that has been key to the USC offense the past two years. I honestly don't remember Leinart getting sacked last year.
The Mike Williams situation in my mind also works against this team. USC will rely on two new go-to guys in the receiving corp, and these guys have to be feeling pressure. They will be amped up...overhyped, jittery. Certainly, more than anywhere else on offense, USC will miss the cool, calm, collected tandem of Williams and Colbert. Don't be suprised if Reggie Bush leads both teams in receiving.
I think Norm Chow will play it safe in Game 1, relying heavily on the running game and quick outs to Bush.
Defensively USC arguably has the best front seven in college football. And for those who say they have holes in the secondary, they have two of the best safeties in the country.
Virginia Tech has a strong defensive line and it will be up to these guys to disrupt USC's offense. They will have every opportunity to do so given the new USC offensive line.
Virginia tech is on their way down or at least in a rebuilding phase. Talk about fast starters. Here is a team that over the past three years has aveaged 132 points in its first three games, and while the list of opponents have been littered with patsies, there is an LSU, a Marshall, a Texas A&M....But now all their big dogs are playing in the NFL, and we are left with Randall and nobody else....Hope Beamer has a few suprises.
The only thing I hate about this game is Virginia Tech's offense. They might not score. And if that happens, I'll lose my bet, because I'm taking the points.
This will probably be the only game this year I bet against USC. The question marks on the front line and wide receiver spots need to be answered. It would not suprise me a bit to see USC come out and win by 40, but I'm banking on USC's offense to play it safe, give the big fellas a little time to get to know one another, and remove the pressure from the young receivers who have spent the past two years idolizing Williams and Colbert.
Final Score: USC 27 - Virginia Tech 13
