FOOOOOOOOOTBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!

(I'm not counting last Saturday as the start. It was an appetizer. It was that one present your parents let you open on Christmas Eve. It's not the real thing. Tonight starts Week 1, and Week 1 starts the college football season.)


Future opponents in action, with my sizzling takes:
1. Purdue vs #16 Louisville - Should be a Louisville blowout. We don't have an athlete that compares to Lamar Jackson, but if he's on the bench with 6 TDs by half, maybe that's a good sign for our O next week.

2. Kansas vs. SEMO - I saw one analysis give SEMO a 30% chance to pull the upset but I'm not buying it. I know we had a couple former players transfer to SEMO--are any still there? Once a Bobcat, always a Bobcat.

3. EMU vs. Charlotte - Vegas says EMU by 14. I don't know. Charlotte wasn't horrible last year...4-8 but not embarrassingly so. If this is closer than 2 TDs, I think it probably says more them than EMU.

4. UMass vs. Coastal Carolina - CCU is new to FBS (I think...they aren't still FCS, are they) and they are favored to beat UMass. UMass lost during Week 0 to a team playing 5 time zones away from home. UMass is bad.

5. CMU vs. Rhode Island - CMU should cruise. Next week they play Kansas, so that will be a game to pay attention to.

6. BG @ Michigan State - MSU is down, but they should win. Vegas has it a 17 point line. If BG keeps it interesting late it will be worth noting.

7. Kent @ #5 Clemson - I think the only reason to watch this game is to see how Clemson replaces Deshaun Watson. The line is 39.5.

8. Fiami @ Marshall - IMO, the 2nd most important game this week. Vegas has it Marshall -2.5, so basically an even game. If Fiami beats Marshall (who should be improved over last year) by a significant margin in Huntington, I think they have to be considered the MAC East favorites. If they lose big, I think we are the rightful favorites. If it's close, Oct. 31 will be very interesting.

9. Toledo vs. Elon - Toledo should cruise.

10. Akron @ #6 Penn State - Vegas says Penn State by 30.5. Sounds about right.

11. Buffalo @ Minnesota - I think Fleck will want to make a statement in his first game at Minny and won't call the dogs off until late.

I remember when we played Louisville at the beginning of the season. I went in thinking we had a chance with TT, but we got SMOKED by Teddy Bridgewater. We had a hangover from that game, seemed to get beat up in the matchup. We squeaked out our home opener the next week against North Texas.

Purdue will be facing the reigning Heisman trophy winner, likely determined to show that he's the favorite this year as well. Then, they turn around and play us following a short week. They'll likely have an exhausting and bruising game. Ours hopefully will be much more of a smooth ride. This week one matchup could really work in our favor.

That Louisville team went 12-1 and blew out a lot of people that season. But man, Ohio didn't even looks like it wanted to be there. Like we just mailed it in and tried to avoid injury.

As I recall, their coach is out for the season with health issues.

The star slot back on my son's team says he'll be a Chanticleer next season. He's very good. Reminds me of Papi.