The games for Week 1

Here we go with Week 1 of the college football pool. I'm sending the games out a little earlier than usual to help anyone going out of town for the Labor Day weekend and to give everyone a little more time to make their first picks.

If there's one thing I've learned in five years of doing this pool, it's that Clemson is among the most unpredictable football programs in the country. Just when they sucker the majority into thinking they will do one thing, they pull out the wild card and do the opposite. So what better way to kick off the pool than with a game involving our favorite team... as the favorite... at a neutral site. Will Saban be the one to deliver us a bonus point? Or will it be Zook? Or Neuheisel? There are plenty of opportunities this week.

Note that the team listed last will always be the home team except in two cases like this week, Alabama-Clemson and Illinois-Missouri, where games are being played at neutral sites. Also note that all game times used are Central Time. (In the face, Eastern Time.) All correct picks are worth two points unless otherwise noted.

Could we see a lot of bonus points come into play to begin the season? It's time to find out. The games for Week 1 follow. For $800 and the prestigious Ramon Escobar Trophy, select your winners and e-mail them back to me by 5 p.m. Friday. It's on.


Utah-Michigan
2:30 p.m., Sat., ABC/ESPN2
Line: Michigan by 3

Alabama-Clemson
7 p.m., Sat., ABC
Line: Clemson by 5
* Underdog worth three points in this game

Michigan State-California
7 p.m., Sat., ABC
Line: California by 5
* Underdog worth three points in this game

State Farm Arch Rivalry
Illinois-Missouri
7:30 p.m., Sat., ESPN
Line: Missouri by 8
* Underdog worth three points in this game

Tennessee-UCLA
7 p.m., Mon. ESPN
Line: Tennessee by 7
* Underdog worth three points in this game


Good luck.
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