The Train To Peoria is Leaving The Station

Welcome back for another exciting year of the Peoria Pliers Handicapping Performance. Hopefully I do better than I did last year, and hopefully these posts keep coming throughout the season instead of losing steam like we did last year. That was horrible. Anyway, onto Week 1, arguably the best week of the College Football gambling calendar. (Remember, home team in CAPS)

SOUTH CAROLINA by 13.5 vs. N.C. State. Amato might have had some nice sunglasses and a great hairdoo, but he certainly couldn't recruit worth a damn. And now Tom "Shipjumper" O'Brien is a the helm with no talent facing a hungry SEC team trying to save the Ol' Ballcoach's job. SC wins this one going away. South Carolina 42, N.C. State 24

The UNDER on the LTU/Miss. St. game at 45.5. Sly Croom has no athletes on offense, and mix that with a very stout Miss. St. secondary that returns a bunch of guys (including the Derek "the pimp" Pegues) and this is a recipe for an early season snorefest. Miss State 17, LTU 14.

Clemson by 5 at ALABAMA. Yeah Saban is a better coach than Bowden Jr. Yeah Clemson is a perennial underachiever. Yeah this game is in the heart of Alabama. So what? C.J. Spiller is legit...and he's a second stringer for Clemson this year. Alabama's D-Line was decimated and Captain Haircut (A.K.A. JP Wilson) is shakier than the San Andreas fault. The Tide are one or two years away, and this is Clemson's year. The only reason this isn't a double digit line is the fact that it is a home game for Alabama, and I don't put too much stock into that anyway. Clemson 35, Tide 17.

Fresno St. to cover 5.5 at RUTGERS. Schiano is the man, but so is Pat Hill. Two of my favorite coaches in the country no doubt. I think this might just be an upset special for Gregory; he better be ready. The loss of Ray Rice will highlight the mediocrity of Mike Teel, and Fresno probably wins this game. Definitely a groin-kick to the Rutgers fan base on opening night, but they have had a lot of fun the last two years so I don't feel bad for them. Fresno St. 28, Rutgers 24.

Colorado by 11 at COLORADO ST. It's always risky to pick these rivalries, but this is as lopsided a matchup as I've ever seen with a line of 11. Wow. Hawkins gets another year to install his system (with his own kid running the show, no less) and the Rams are still trying to find an identity after the departure of Sonny Lubick. The Buffs win this one big and the blowout starts a buzz around Boulder re-living the glory days of Westbrook, Salaam, and Stewart. Not so fast, Buffs fans, realty will sink in when the Big XII schedule starts, but you will be kings for the first week. Colorado 48, Colorado St. 17.

Michigan St. to cover 5 at CAL. I don't think Berkley is a great home field advantage (prove me wrong, Silent Bob), and I think Tedford may be a QB genius but his teams are always overrated due to the relative weakness of the Pac-10. I love Dantonio, and Michigan State seems poised for a good year. Plus, they are getting almost a touchdown. I like 'em for this pick...this should be a fun game to watch. Michigan State 24, Cal 27.

The OVER on the Illinois/Mizzou game at 59.5. Chase Daniel. Jeremy Maclin. Juice Williams. Arelious Benn. Chase Coffman. Need I say more? Illinois 42, Mizzou 48. This is going to be just as fun to watch as it was last year.

The UNDER on the Pitt/Bowling Green game at 56. These two teams are too poor on the offensive side of the ball to put up that many points, especially considering Pitt's stout defense. Booooooorrrrriiiinnnng. Just the way Wannstedt likes it. Pitt 24, Bowling Green 17.

There ya have it, that's how I like 'em. I will probably add one or two more before the start of the weekend (I'm especially interested in the O/U on the Washington/Oregon game...).