It’s here. Finally. After nine excruciating months filled only with inflation, realignment gossip, and basketball, America’s game — college football — returns.
College football has the best rivalries, the best traditions, the best mascots, the best fans, and the greatest games in sports.
And with Labor Day weekend upon us, it’s back!
In no particular order, here’s a preview.
Colorado State at Michigan (8)
Rams / Wolverines
NR tie-in: Associate Editor Craig Young (of Ft. Collins, Colo.) vs. Senior Editor Jay Nordlinger (UM alumnus)
In a sport full of coaching eccentrics and weirdos, Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh ranks right up there. Now, he’s turned to biblical hermeneutics to divine his choice for starting quarterback. Over the weekend, Harbaugh announced that’d he choose — over the first two games of the season — between senior Cade McNamara and sophomore J.J. McCarthy by leaning on the Wisdom of Solomon.
“Some people have asked, ‘How’d you come to that decision? Was it based on some kind of NFL model?’” Harbaugh explained. “No. It’s really based biblical. Solomon was known to be a pretty wise person.”
Does that mean that Harbaugh will encourage CSU defensive ends to try to split the QB? Your guess is as good as mine.
Mark’s pick: Michigan 31 Colorado State 17
Jay’s pick: 42-3 Mich
Oregon (11) at Georgia (3)
Ducks / Bulldogs
Dan Lanning won a national championship last year as Georgia’s defensive coordinator. Now he’s the Ducks’ head ball coach.
After practicing against them every day for years, no one on planet Earth knows better how to stop the Dawgs’ offensive attack than Lanning — well, at least in theory.
The problem for Lanning and the Ducks when they go down to Georgia is: Will any of that matter with Mercedes-Benz Stadium exploding with 70,000 riled up Dawgs fans?
Mark’s pick: Whatever — I’m going for it: Ducks by 3
UTEP at Oklahoma (9)
Miners / Sooners
NR tie-in: Executive Editor Mark Antonio Wright (Oklahoma alumnus)
Oklahoma — which invented championships under coaching legends Bennie Owen, Bud Wilkinson, Barry Switzer, and Bob Stoops — begins a new era under new head coach Brent Venables when the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) comes to Norman.
Venables — who won one national championship at Oklahoma and two at Clemson as a defense coordinator — is charged with bringing toughness, grit, and dominance back to a Sooners defense that has slipped from an elite (and at times — sigh — barely competent) level over the past decade.
Coach Venny is going to get it done.
Strap up, college football: Bennie, Bud, Barry, and Bob have now been joined by Brent.
Mark’s pick: 41-10 Sooners
Cincinnati (23) at Arkansas (19)
Bearcats / Razorbacks
Cincinnati charged to last year’s playoff on the backs of tough, experienced upperclassmen. Unfortunately for this year’s team, eight of those players were drafted in April.
Sam Pittman’s Hogs are strong and mean up front, with four starters returning on the O-line.
Mark’s pick: The Baby Bearcats can’t handle the Hogs; 31-20 Arkansas
Troy at Ole Miss (21)
Trojans / Rebels
NR tie-in: Executive Assistant to the Publisher Wister Hitt (Ole Miss grad)
Lane Kiffen lost his quarterback (Matt Corral) to the NFL and his offensive coordinator (Jeff Lebby) to Oklahoma.
It won’t matter — at least not this week.
Mark’s pick: Rebs pour it on; Ole Miss 35 Troy 3
Wister’s pick: 48-7 Rebs
Notre Dame (5) at Ohio State (2)
Fighting Irish / Buckeyes
NR tie-in: Contributing Writer Alexandra DeSanctis (Notre Dame alumna)
In the biggest game of the weekend, the Irish head to Columbus to take on a Buckeye team still smarting from getting pushed around by Michigan last year in Ann Arbor.
The Buckeyes are loaded on offense. But can new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles fix a shaky defense in just one off season?
Amazingly, this will be only the fifth regular season matchup between the two teams.
Xan’s pick: ND is gonna get demolished. Call it 42-28 Ohio State.
Mark’s pick: Where’s your faith, Xan? Irish with the upset; 28-21 Notre Dame
Utah (7) at Florida
Utes / Gators
NR tie-in: Senior Writer Charlie Cooke (Oxford alumnus but Gators fan)
Utah wins by being tougher and uglier in the trenches than anyone they play (just ask Oregon). Florida is Florida, which means they have athletes — they always do.
But Kyle Whittingham likes to run the ball. And he’s going to run it on the Gators.
Mark’s pick: Utes win in the Swamp; 28-24 Utah
Charlie’s pick: Utah 20 Gators 13
Richmond at Virginia
Spiders / Cavaliers
NR tie-in: Editor in Chief Rich Lowry (Virginia grad)
Wait? Virginia has a football team?
Mark’s pick: 24-17 Virginia
Rich’s pick: N/A
Editor’s Note: Rich refused to predict a score. I guess he’s not aware of Virginia’s having a football team either.
Bonus Ivy League Matchup (about which I know nothing):
Never mind. Apparently the Ivies don’t start playing until Week 3. Dorks.
Bonus Canadian College Football Matchup (about which I know nothing):
McGill vs. Université Laval
Redbirds / Rouge et Or
NR tie-in: Literary Editor Katherine “KC” Howell (McGill alumna)
I’ll be honest, until this afternoon I had never thought about Canadian college football a single time in my whole life. Chalk that up to my ignorance. Yes, the Canadian Football League (CFL) is a better-known league in the States. I’ve even sat down and watched the Grey Cup once or twice.
Well, “U Sports” is the highest level of Canadian college football and the 27 teams at that level play annually for the Vanier Cup.
Now we know.
Mark’s pick: McGill 24 Laval 17
KC’s pick:
Hmm, well can’t say I have followed it ever, never made it to a football game once while I was there, but go Redmen! There was some mini scandal about the team’s hazing rituals while I was there I think, though, and it was covered in the Globe and Mail.
Mark: I need a pick, KC.
KC: McGill will definitely win.
Correction: the Oregon vs. Georgia game will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta not, as I had written, at Sanford Stadium in Athens. I am grateful to a reader for correcting me.