Pickin' a September Saturday

After a 5-0 start on Thursday and Friday, yours truly went 4-4 on games from Saturday through Monday to end the first week of the college football season with a 9-4 record vs. the spread. For the mathematically challenged among you, that means that if you bet $100 on each of my selections last week, you would have pocketed a cool $460.

Not bad work for a Labor Day weekend! Might even pay for the beer you drank.

But handicapping is like football in that it’s always about the next play. No use worrying about or celebrating the last one.

So, with that, I must say that I like this week’s board. I’ve got no less than seven selections (very possibly a record for me) for Saturday. So let’s go take a look!

(Games are listed chronologically and all times are Central. ... Oh! And the following information is for news matter only!)

Brigham Young (-9.5) at Washington, 2 p.m., Husky Stadium, Seattle, Wash. (FSN)

• Brigham Young defeated Northern Iowa, 41-17, last week and hosts UCLA next week.
• Washington lost at Oregon last week, 44-10, and hosts Oklahoma next week.

Life’s been tough lately for Ty Willingham and it doesn’t look to get better when the Cougars visit the Huskies Saturday afternoon. The Huskies managed only 10 second-quarter points and went down hard to an Oregon team that was playing most of the game with what amounted to its third-string quarterback. Even Washington’s dual threat QB Jake Locker struggled, completing less than half his passes (12 of 28) for just 103 yards.

Willingham’s team started 10 players that were either freshmen or sophomores. They managed only 242 yards total offense (just 95 rushing) and allowed the Quackers to rack up almost 500.

Now Brigham Young comes to Starbucks City. The Coogs have their sights set on being this year’s BCS buster. In its opener against Northern Iowa, QB Matt Hall and TE Dennis Pitta, both juniors, piled up some sick numbers. Hall, who threw for 3,848 yards last season, completed 31 of his 34 chucks for 486 yards against the Panthers. Pitta caught 11 passes for 213 yards --- that’s almost 20 yards a catch! And all this magic happens thanks to a line that features two Outland Trophy candidates in guard Ray Feinga and center Dallas Reynolds.

BYU’s only question is defense, where it returned only three starters from last year. Still, defensive end Jan Jorgensen and linebacker David Wilson are players and linebacker Vic So’oto shows signs of being the real deal after a move from tight end. Know, too, that of Northern Iowa’s 17 points, six came on a 76-yard pass play and six more on a fumble recovered for a TD.

The Cougars are so much better and have so much more to play for than the Huskies. I just don’t see this being close. Take visiting BYU and lay the points!

Akron at Syracuse (-5), 2:30 p.m., Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y. (FSN Ohio)

• Akron lost last week at Wisconsin, 38-17, and hosts Ball State next week.
• Syracuse lost, 30-10, at Northwestern last week and hosts Penn State next week.

Akron’s Zips travel to Big East country on Saturday to tangle with what I expect to be a fairly horrible Syracuse team. At Northwestern last week, the ‘Cuse managed only 225 yards total offense while giving up 484 to the Wildcats. Meanwhile, Akron managed almost 300 yards total offense (297) against a much more powerful Wisconsin team. Zips quarterback Chris Jacquemain and wide receiver Derwyn Bowser both had nice outings. Jaquemain was 22 0f 36 passing for 227 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Though he missed all of preseason due to injury, Bowser caught five passes for 76 yards. The Akron defensive backfield was stingy, allowing the Badgers only 75 yards through the air. But UW chewed up 404 on the ground. Still, the Orangemen lack the offensive line play and running prowess of a team like UW.

It’s also interesting that Akron catches the ‘Cuse between Northwestern and Penn State. Of course, with Greg Robinson’s 7-29 record, the Orangemen shouldn’t be looking ahead to anyone.

I think the underdog Zips win this one outright in the Dome. Perhaps even handily. … Take Akron and lay the five!

Oregon State Beavers at Penn State Nittany Lions (-15.5), 2:30 p.m., Beaver Stadium, University Park, Pa. (ABC)

• Last week, Oregon State lost to Stanford, 36-28; next week they host Hawai’i.
• Penn State defeated Coastal Carolina, 66-10, last week and will travel to play Syracuse next week.

More trouble at Penn State this week. A small amount of marijuana was found in the apartment of four Nittany Lions Tuesday night and three players have been suspended and another kicked off the team. Two of the players, defensive end Maurice Evans and defensive tackle Alex Koroma, are starters. The other suspended player, tight end Andrew Quarless, and the player removed from the team, cornerback Willie Harriott, were listed as second-stringers.

Even before this news, I really liked Oregon State in this spot. Now, if your man keeps it on the board, you have to love it. Teams can totally disintegrate around in-season incidents like this one. Or, granted, they can use it as a rallying point.

Regardless, the Nittanies lay 16.5 to a good Oregon State team this week. This is not Coastal Carolina. Sure, Oregon State lost to Stanford, but Stanford will win its share this year. And even in the loss Beaver quarterback Lyle Moevao passed for 404 yards, the bulk of it to two targets --- Shane Morales, who caught 13 passes for 151 yards, and Sammie Stroughter, who caught 12 for 157. Granted, heralded tailback Jacquizz nor his brother James ever got going on the ground, but they could against the Nits, who allowed 250 yards total offense to a supremely inferior opponent.

And remember: PSU QB Darryl Clark will be making his first start against a major college opponent. That could be good news for a talented and veteran Beaver secondary led by returning starters Brandon Hughes, a Thorpe and Lott trophy candidate at cornerback, cornerback Keenan Louis, a smart player whose been All-Pac 10 All-Academic for three years, and safety Al Afalava, an honorable-mention All Pac-10 selection last year who returns after being suspended for the Stanford game.

Folks, with all the turmoil at Penn State and getting those fat points, too, I’m going with the Beavers and the 15.5!

Air Force Falcons at Wyoming Cowboys (-3), 2:30 p.m., War Memorial Stadium, Laramie, Wyo. (CBS College Sports)

• Last week, Wyoming defeated Ohio, 21-20. Next week, it hosts North Dakota State.
• Last week, Air Force defeated Southern Utah, 41-7. Next week, it travels to the Houston Cougars.

This is really pretty simple for me. Both teams start first-year quarterbacks, Wyoming’s Dax Crum and Air Force’s Shea Smith. The difference is that this may as well be Smith’s opener, as Southern Utah was probably less competitive and athletic than what he faced in preseason scrimmages. That won’t be the case on Saturday.

Meanwhile, sophomore Crum got his baptism in a hard-fought win over a good opponent in Frank Solich’s Ohio Bobcats. He’ll be looking to exploit an Air Force secondary that returns only one starter from last season and he’s been tested.

Smith hasn’t. Throw in that junior defensive tackle and Rotary Lombardi Trophy candidate John Fletcher will have his sights set on Smith from the get-go in this revenge game (Air Force beat the Cowboys, 20-12, in Colorado Springs last year) and, well, I think Wyoming has a sizeable advantage. Lay the three and take the Cowboys to win by double digits!

South Florida Bulls (-14) at Central Florida Golden Knights, 6 p.m., Bright House Networks Stadium, Orlando, Fla. (ESPN2)

• South Florida defeated UT-Martin 56-7 last week. Next week, the Bulls host Kansas.
• Central Florida defeated South Carolina State 17-0 last week. Next week, the Golden Knights are idle.

While Central Florida struggled at home with South Carolina State, South Florida was busy blasting Tennessee-Martin 56-7. The competition is comparable.

South Florida comes in featuring a host of offensive weapons, including QB Matt Grothe, RB Mike Ford and talented receivers Taurus Johnson, Marcus Edwards and A.J. Love. That’s not to mention an experienced offensive line led by guards Zach Herman and Matt Huners and center Jake Griffin. And, of course, the Bulls feature All-Everything defensive end George Selvie anchoring a tough defense.

Meanwhile, UCF had to replace its starting quarterback from last year and, most importantly, no longer has RB Kevin Smith, who has taken his considerable talents to the NFL’s Detroit Lions. Defensively, the have a star cornerback in Joe Burnett and a stellar group of linebackers in Derrick Hallman, Chance Henderson and Corey Hogue. But, without offensive firepower --- and they certainly lacked it against SC State --- they’ll be hard pressed to stay with USF’s Grothe-Ford-fueled juggernaut.

And, remember, USF dismantled the Knights 64-12 last year. When Kevin Smith was still in Orlando. Matt Grothe outrushed him, 100 yards to 55.

Take USF and lay the 14!

Miami Hurricanes at Florida Gators (-22), 7 p.m., Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Fla. (ESPN)

• Miami defeated Charleston Southern 52-7 last week. Next week, the Hurricanes are idle.
• Florida defeated Hawai’i 56-10 last week. Next week, the Gators are idle.

Candy from a baby.

Think Florida won’t be ready after having lost six straight to the Hurricanes? Think that Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin and an experienced Gator offensive line might be salivating at the thought of ending that streak? Think the fact that this is a recruiting game might make Urban Meyer a little more likely to keep his foot on the accelerator? Think the Gator defense may pin its ears back and go after ‘Canes QB Robert Marve, who has never thrown a pass in a collegiate contest? Think that, despite 472 yards in total offense vs. Charleston Southern, Saturday’s game represents quite the step up in class for the U? Think an improved Florida defense might see Saturday as its first chance to really show its mettle? Think that Randy Shannon will wish by the end of the day this game had not been scheduled?

Oh, this is gonna be hoomillyatin’ for the Hurricanes!

So play this one large. And play the Gators and lay the 22!

Texas Tech Red Raiders (-10) at Nevada Wolfpack, 8:05 p.m., Mackay Stadium, Reno, Nev. (No TV)

• Last week, Texas Tech defeated Eastern Washington, 49-24. Next week, the Red Raiders host SMU.
• Last week, Nevada defeated Grambling, 49-13. Next week, the Wolf Pack travels to Missouri.

Ever heard of Grambling quarterback Greg Dillon? Neither have I.

Now, ever heard of Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell? Yeah, me, too. And he must be licking his chops.

Last week, Grambling’s Dillon completed 13 of 25 passes for 225 yards against Nevada. Last week, Graham Harrell threw the ball 58 times.

Do your own extrapolatin’.

While the Wolf Pack do return eight on offense, including a number of skill-position players led by quarterback Colin Kaepernick, they return only five on defense, only one in the secondary.

The word on the street is that the Tech defense, which has been prone in the past to force its offense to win in shootouts, is better. And with defensive linemen McKinner Dixon and Brandon Sesay, linebackers Brian Duncan, Marlon Williams and Bront Bird and defensive backs Jamar Wall and Darcel McBath leading the charge, it should be good enough to keep Nevada’s fabled Pistol offense reasonably cool.

I like the Red Raiders in a rout. Take Texas Tech and lay the 10!

That’s it for me! Good luck on ya!