Eventual National Champion Michigan State University 35, Florida Atlantic 17
We have not had that much luck with John Smith coaches, but he will have the kids playing their butts off. Hopefully, the coaches will not screw things up. Anyway, I have hopes for a quick rebuild after last year. It starts with Eventual 2024 Heisman Trophy Winner Aidan Chiles at QB. Everything I have read indicates that he has been impressive. I worry about both of our lines, though, particularly the middle of our defense. FAU was, like MSU, 4 and 8, and both their offense and defense were in the 90s or below last year.
Georgia 28, ClemSIN 10
Has ClemSIN declined? After a decade as one of the two or three CFB powerhouses, they almost seem an afterthought now. What they have lacked since their glory years has been a superstar QB like Watson and Lawrence. Following up the worlds worst Scrabble draw with Fran Kubelik (may not be actual name) has not been the answer. Maybe he turns the corner this year, maybe he just is what he is. I just know the Georgia defense is not who I would want to find about him against. And, Dabo SWINEy, it is 2024. USE THE TRANSFER PORTAL.
the Louisiana State 27, University of Southern California 24
Both teams lost superstar Heisman winning Quarterbacks, but what I am really interested in is whether LSU can fix their historically for them bad run defense from last year, and whether USC will play defense, as opposed to whatever the hell they have been doing the last two years.
Our Lady of the Perpetual Tie 27, TAMU 20
TAMU has a lot of talent. They have to, right? That was what Elliot did to earn his money, right? It sure was not his game coaching. Anyway I like OLotPT this year, in a I FUCKING HATE OLotPT but expect them to do quite well sort of way. Strong D, good running backs, interesting portal QB.
the Florida State 21, Boston College 20
Does the worlds worst Scrabble Draw, who was pretty good as a Beaver, only suck in the South Atlantic League? Because he was awful in Ireland. He had better right himself quick or a lot of people (me) are going to look really stupid in December.
the Pennsylvania State 24, Morgantown Tech 13
Allar is another QB I keep waiting to see turn the corner. He may already have, and around the corner was just another dead end street. I still have hopes. The defense should carry them a long ways. I think WVU is a sneaky contender in the Pure Prairie League, however, and I like their O line.
The U 31, Florida 27
They are finally back! They have turned the corner and are ready to dominate the football world again! You can choose which of the two teams those sentences apply to. Florida is coming off three straight losing seasons, and Miami has won double digits once in the 20 years since it joined the South Atlantic League. This is a ghost of a great game, not a great game. Note stupid cliche alert: I have used the turn the corner cliche three times already and it is only week one.
Washington State 35, Portland State 14
Wazzou will finish no worse than second in the PAWCP. Book it. Though they might also finish last. I decided to include this game just to make that joke. Hope you liked it.
Meatchicken 35, Fresno State 7
Gateway to Yosemite State is a sneaky tough game for Meatchicken to open with, coming off two straight 10 win seasons. But defensively they are only so so, and offensively, well, I trust the Meatchicken defense. It will be interesting to see the pretty much entirely new offense in action, and FSU is better than anyone Meatchicken has played out of conference since Fielding Yost. All right, that is an exaggeration. It is really only the last two years.
the 42, Akron 3
Yes, a cupcake game, and if it is even this close I will be surprised. But it will be interesting to see how Chip Kelly and Will Howard run the the offense. I also want to see if the next level QBs get some time, and I am not just Sayin that.
Maryland 24, Yukon 13
Yukon made the Fiesta Bowl after the 2010 season. Since then, their best season has been 2020, when it was cancelled. OK, that is a little unfair, since they did make two bowls as a 6 and 6 team. Maryland lost Baby Tags, and snagged an unproven not good enough to be a starter where he was from the transfer portal to replace him. The real test for Maryland comes next weekend, when they play the national consensus number 1 team.
University in Texas for People Who Define Christian as Disciples of Christ 42, Stanford 20
Was TCU as bad as they seemed last year, or was it just a post Georgia hangover? Asking for a friend in Tallahassee. Or do they just take odd numbered years off (5 and 7 in 2023, 2021, 2019)? Defense is an issue for TCU, but offense should not be. Stanford has been 3 and 9 three straight seasons, and moving Palo Alto from California to the Atlantic Coast has to have taken a lot out of them.
Minnesota 24, UNC 17
Well, I guess this is a major conference OOC matchup, so. Minnesota restocked in the transfer portal, so I expect them to be better than the frankly weird and inconsistent team they were last year, weird being a term Minnesotan football coaches apparently like to toss around. UNC was an 8 win team with a first round draft choice at QB. They also hit the portal, for a QB who has had more homes than your average army brat, so we will see if he can deliver.