Week 1 Picks Put Perfect (0 for 0) Record at Risk

All right! It’s Week 1 of the college football season, and I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve.

Each week, I plan to pick six games of interest. We’ll see how I do.

Here we go, short and sweet. (I’m still not through with Football Friday preps!)

Central Florida at N.C. State

Central Florida has good experience, but I can’t see them coming into Carter-Finley and ruining Tom O’Brien’s debut. Discipline is returning to the Wolfpack. No way I’ll go against State.

James Madison at North Carolina

You know James Madison is a good NCAA Division 1aa – I’m sorry I mean NCAA football – championship subdivision program (what a pompous name that is!) and Carolina certainly is no world-beater. But it’s the savior Butch Davis’s debut, and does anybody really think the Dukes will come to Kenan and stun the Heels? No way. Gotta go with Carolina.

Connecticut at Duke

The Devils have lost 20 straight. If they don’t win this one, no telling how high that dubious streak may go. My pick is Duke, playing before a good number of empty seats at Wallace Wade Stadium.

Wake Forest at Boston College

Now this is the way to start a season. The Deacons are the defending ACC champions, but they are the underdog at B.C. I think the Eagles will be the best team in the Atlantic Division when it’s over in November. This is the first game for Boston College under its new coaching staff, so that could be a factor this early in the season. Wouldn’t be surprised if Wake wins, but I won’t pick them Saturday. Boston College wins it at home.

Florida State at Clemson

This is a Monday night game – and for a first game, it’s a real must for both.

FSU is coming off its worst season in years, while Clemson stumbled badly to end 2006.

Bobby Bowden loves his son, Tommy, but the old man is feeling as much pressure as the son. It’s no longer, “Gee, Tommy needed this more than I did.”

There’s allegedly a new attitude in Tallahassee, and I think the Tigers have more questions than answer. My pick is Florida State to win in Death Valley.

Georgia Tech at Notre Dame

Remember, it was against Tech that Rudy had his great moment. I love that movie. It always brings tears to my eyes. Really, it does. However, Saturday will be Tech’s revenge. Georgia Tech still can’t believe that little shrimp got that sack, was carried off the field and became famous at their expense. I do believe the Jackets will go to South Bend and beat the Irish and avenge Rudy. And I’m not really sure you can call it an upset. I go with Georgia Tech.

Friday night on the WRAL 11 p.m. news, I will be a part of Jeff Gravley’s weekly panel of pickers. To show how badly our department picked last year, Pam Saulsby beat us all – and she’s snubbed us this season by declining to defend her title. She’s not giving us the chance to get her back. Smart.

By the way, all the regulars – Jeff, Bob Holliday and Ken Medlin – have won titles. I haven’t. This is my year.