The Big Games This Weekend

The opening weekend of college football is usually filled with cupcake games (San Jose State @ USC, Akron @ Penn State, Louisiana-Monroe @ Texas, etc.), but there are three really big games to watch this weekend.

3:30 PM EST - ABC:
#13 Georgia Bulldogs @ #9 Oklahoma State Cowboys
This mouth-watering matchup features two teams looking to make statements to their respective conferences. Both UGA and OSU can compete for the SEC, and Big XII titles, respectively, and both will use this game to propel them to that goal. I think Georgia is just a bit overrated, and I know Stillwater is a very tough place to play. The Cowboys were undefeated at home, except when they played Oklahoma.

Prediction: Oklahoma State 31, Georgia 24



7:00 PM EST - ESPN:
#20 BYU Cougars vs. #3 Oklahoma Sooners (Arlington, TX)
How many punts will hit the midfield jumbotron? I bet there's some place in Vegas where you can bet on that. BYU is a shadow team looking to prove something. They're dwarfed by TCU and Utah. Don't get me wrong, BYU is good, just not good enough to beat the likes of TCU and Utah. And they're not good enough to stay on the field with OU. Arlington's only 200 miles from Norman, but it's 1,200 miles from Provo. Oklahoma will more than cover the 22 point spread.

Prediction: Oklahoma 49, BYU 20



And now the big one...

8:00 PM - ABC:
#5 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. #7 Virginia Tech Hokies (Atlanta, GA)
Bama is still steaming from their two losses at the end of last season. And Virginia Tech is overrated, a big fish in the small pond that is the ACC. Alabama are sharks, and will devour Va-Tech in a blowout. Or at least they should. VT can pull out some weird special teams plays to keep it close, but nevertheless, Bama walks out of the Georgia Dome with the W.

Prediction: Alabama 31, Virginia Tech 10



-The Commodore