It has been over ten years now since the college football season started to open its season in August. Labor Day weekend is when most teams get started even before some schools hold their first classes for the academic year. When Labor Day is early, as it is this year, August games are possible; especially when a number of contests are held the Thursday before the weekend.
The Long and Winding Season
Stretching from Labor Day to December 1st, the college football season now spans almost the entire Fall semester, especially for schools lucky enough to play in their conference championship game. Add in the January bowl date and football is about the only important accomplishment for some star athletes before the Spring semester.
No, I’m not advocating changing college football back to the days when schools played a ten game schedule and only the cream of the crop played got to see action on New Year’s Day. I understand that college football is big business, an opportunity for schools to attract students, increase alumni donations, and act as a minor league system for the NFL.
FCS Cupcakes Scheduled
What is unfortunate is that many schools are getting their season off to a start by scheduling weak opponents from Football Championship Series (FCS or 1-AA) schools. I can understand that for Georgia who hosts Georgia Southern on Saturday, but why is Miami (FL) playing against Charleston Southern?
Other blow outs scheduled for the opening weekend include Penn State against Coastal Carolina; Hofstra at UConn; Eastern Washington at Texas Tech; Florida International at Kansas; Tennessee-Martin at South Florida; and Northern Arizona at Arizona State. I do think that LSU had better be prepared for Appalachian State — remember last year when ASU shocked Michigan in their own house.
Predicting Contests, At A Glance
Forget predicting lopsided scores for low visibility games, but for high profile games this weekend, I can offer the following predictions:
- Vanderbilt over Miami (OH)
- Wake Forest over Baylor
- South Carolina over NC State
- Oregon State over Stanford
- Temple over Army
- Northwestern over Syracuse
- Michigan over Utah
- Kentucky over Louisville
- Colorado State over Colorado
- Rutgers over Fresno State
- Tennessee over UCLA
Not too many surprises in my picks, but the last three games look to be the most interesting of all this weekend.
Let’s play some football!
Tip — Is a lack of money keeping you from finishing your college education? Consider Federal Pell Grants which never have to be repaid or a work study program offered through your school. Upper classmen can sometimes find work as a professor’s assistant while private student loans and Stafford loans offer ways for you to borrow money which can be paid off after you graduate.
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