SCOOPS' WEEK 1 PICKS: TIME FOR BLAST OFF!

The engine is idling…the gear is in the trunk of the car…the dog has been fed…and game tickets are in hand. Opening weekend of the 2009 college football season is officially upon us, and unlike the professional participants, the 1st teamers won’t play a quarter, or a couple of series. If there is any doubt about this, tune in on Saturday night to the contest being housed at the Georgia Dome as one team’s national championship hopes will already be dashed around 11:30PM.

Same rules as last year, with the only difference that I’ll actually be making some real wagers along with using “mythical money” when making my picks. I’ll treat they mythical money like Vegas: Bet $11 to win $10. All bets will be $10 unless I state otherwise (there may be a few lead pipe locks). Real wagers will be marked with an official Scoops “double asterisk” prior to the bet. Also, the official online bookie of Scoops McCracken for 2009 is betus.com.

Enough of the B.S…..time to get down to brass tax!

[**] Minnesota (-6) over SYRACUSE: The line has since jumped to -8, but due to Scoops’ due diligence, it was -6.5 two weeks ago, and I bought another half point for $1, giving me a straight $12 to win $10 with the Gophers holding -6. A lot of intriguing items for this game. How does the Doug Marone era begin for the Orange? What are we going to see out of Greg Paulus at QB? How will an outdoor team like Minnesota be able to adapt to playing indoors? Thank you, thank you…..I’ll be here all season, folks.

FINAL SCORE: MINNESOTA 31, SYRACUSE 16. [$12 straight wager, $10 payoff]

OHIO STATE (-22) over Navy: It’s always fun when the University of the Navy (copyright: Lou Holtz) comes to town to take on a team that actually has national championship hopes, unlike their annual contest with Notre Dame. Nevertheless, Ohio State needs a tune up for when the rockstars known as USC come to town. Pryor will want to impress everybody and show that “he’s all grown up, and won’t be pushed around,” to pharaphrase Teddy KGB. Ohio State roles because they know they need to impress people for votes & BCS status if they want anything come January.

FINAL SCORE: OHIIO STATE 44, NAVY 10

PENN STATE (-28) over Akron: Similar situation for Penn State, only they have to run up things even more because their non-conference schedule is absolutely embarrassing in 2009. One slip up, or even one non-impressive week and Penn State will have no shot at Pasadena. Look for Penn State to try to make a statement along the lines of “see, we won’t miss Derrick Robinson & Deon Butler at all” even though the Zips are hardly the opponent to prove that point.

FINAL SCORE: PENN STATE 52, AKRON 13

MICHIGAN (-13) over Western Michigan: Nothing beats a little bit of controversy surrounding a football program, and the latest episode of Michigan players participating in off-season workouts for more than the allotted 20 hours per week is thrown into the bag of tricks. Of course every single Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Big XII, & Pac Ten program does such a thing, but why worry about everyone else when it’s fun to kick a program while they’re down, right? Michigan struggles, but finds a way to cover.

FINAL SCORE: MICHIGAN 31, WESTERN MICHIGAN 14

Northern Illinois (-16.5) over WISCONSIN: Guys like Larry English are hard to replace & even harder at a MAC school like the one in DeKalb. However, NIU had a first year coach, young receiving corps and a brand new QB last year. They’ll move the ball, and Wisconsin still is Wisconsin with (insert new mediocre QB’s name) running the show. Wisconsin wins, but doesn’t cover.

FINAL SCORE: WISCONSIN 34, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 20

PURDUE (-10.5) over Toledo: Chester Taylor isn’t walking through the doors of the Toledo football complex. They still may have a chance, but I’m going to go with new emotion of Danny Hope and what actually wasn’t that bad of a defense considering where Purdue ended up in the Big Ten standings in 2008

FINAL SCORE: PURDUE 24, TOLEDO 10

ILLINOIS (-7) over Missouri [@ St. Louis]: There is only one offense in the Big Ten in 2009, and they’ll be on display at the Edward Jones Dome on Saturday. No Chase Daniel or Jeremy Maclin to save Mizzou this time around as Illinois explodes & keeps the scoreboard operators busy.

FINAL SCORE: ILLINOIS 48, MISSOURI 37


MICHIGAN STATE, INDIANA, IOWA & NORTHWESTERN all play D-IAA [errr….FCS] schools this weekend.

VIRGINIA TECH (+6.5) over Alabama [@ Atlanta]: Big things expected for VA Tech. If Tyrod Taylor goes off, which I think he will, VA Tech will win. Plus, with no Glen Coffey, Andre Smith & the pumpkin pie hair cutted freak known as John Parker Wilson, I’m going to go with the spread cover.

FINAL SCORE: ALABAMA 31, VIRGINIA TECH 27

OKLAHOMA STATE (-5.5) over Georgia: What a fantastic opening weekend game. The Bulldogs and whoever their new QB is travels to T.Boone Pickins Stadium and gets to deal with an OSU team that’s pretty darn good and would have serious New Year’s Day thoughts if they weren’t in the same conference subdivision as Texas & Oklahoma. Cowboys win & cover.
FINAL SCORE: OKLAHOMA STATE 44, GEORGIA 31

[**] Oregon (+4) over BOISE STATE: If the above two games weren’t an indication why college football is better than the pro game, this one is the final nail in the coffin. What an opening game, and on a Thursday, no less. A team with serious BCS thoughts and dethroning USC thoughts that was one of the better teams in the country at the end of 2008 travels to the BCS spoiler and puts on a show on the blue turf in prime time. I just think Oregon has a feeling that they know what to expect and will be ready for whatever home field advantage Boise is going to reward them with. FINAL SCORE: OREGON 34, BOISE STATE 31 [$5.50 straight wager, $5 payoff]

[**] Ohio State (-16)/Penn State (-22)/Oklahoma (-16) 6 point teaser: You saw my above thoughts regarding Ohio State & Penn State…give them each another -6 and I like that…and Oklahoma hosts BYU and currently is -22. I like Bradford & Oklahoma to make a statement at home, like they so often do in the non-conference season (see Cincinnati, & TCU for examples). Knock that down to -16 on the 3 team tease and I like what I’m doing. [$5 teaser wager, $8 payoff]