2010 College Football Week 1

Here are my top 15 games of the week and predictions. Let's go.

GAME OF THE WEEK

1. #3 Boise State vs. #10 Virginia Tech (Landover, MD) - Two teams with national title aspirations. The Broncos must not only win but win convincingly if they want to prove they are among the best teams in the nation. VT will have the crowd behind them but that won't help them execute on the field. Boise State 27-17

BEST OF THE REST

2. #15 Pittsburgh @ Utah (THURS) - The Panthers get an early test to see just how they stack up on the national scene. Playing at a place like Utah is never easy, but especially to begin the season. Utes are a physical team that should play Pitt tough. Pittsburgh 24-20

3. #24 Oregon State vs. #6 TCU (Arlington, TX) - TCU has BCS dreams yet again but just like Boise State, must win this game and win it handily to make a statement. Andy Dalton is back at QB so the offense should be solid. But it always starts with defense at TCU. Oregon State has the Rodgers brothers who will give them fits though. TCU 20-17

4. #21 LSU vs. #18 North Carolina (Atlanta) - This game lost a lot of its luster thansk to 13 Tar Heels being suspended, including many of their defensive players. The good thing for UNC is that LSU was terrible on offense last season and isn't supposed to improve. LSU 24-10

5. Connecticut @ Michigan - UConn lost 5 games last year by a combined 15 points. In other words, they were in EVERY game last year. And with 16 starters returning, they'll come into the Big House full of confidence. Michigan probably has the better athletes but it's still a team in disarray. Connecticut 31-20

6. Purdue @ Notre Dame - Former Miami (FL) QB Robert Marve takes over, giving Purdue hope of a decent offense. That's all they'll need against an anemic Irish defense. The Irish offense though should be just fine though. With the experience they have and the addition of Brian Kelly's offense, this game should have plenty of points. Notre Dame 41-31

7. Washington @ BYU - Jake Locker is back for the Huskies, restoring hope of a strong season in Seattle. Tough opener though against a quality BYU squad. Provo is not an easy place to play but I have a feeling Locker has something to prove. This is my UPSET SPECIAL. Washington 31-28

8. Illinois vs. Missouri (St. Louis) - Ron Zook is on a short leash this season. A win over the rival would be great for his sake. But Mizzou is simply the better team and is 5-0 against the Illini when they play on a neutral field. Missouri 23-13

9. Marshall @ #2 Ohio State (THURS) - Marshall has a new coaching staff so the Buckeyes don't know what to expect from the Herd. The Buckeyes do expect one thing though: to win. Ohio State 41-14

10. Southern Miss @ South Carolina (THURS) - I am expecting a lot out of South Carolina but they will truly go as QB Stephen Garcia goes. They should win this game but it's not just about the win. It's about looking good as they get ready for their border bash game against Georgia next week. South Carolina 31-10

11. #12 Wisconsin @ UNLV - Nothing like beginning your season in Sin City. The Badgers have to be a bit careful here. It's a late start to a game (10:00 CT), on the road, and against a team that will play with nothing to lose. Wisconsin 34-20

12. #14 USC @ Hawaii (THURS) - It's the season that means nothing for USC so it'll be interesting to see just how much motivation they come into each game with. Hawaii on the other hand would be thrilled to get a win over the Trojans so expect them to give USC their best shot. USC 30-14

13. San Jose State @ #1 Alabama - No doubt who is going to win this game. The only question surrounding this game is how well will Bama adapt to a run game without Mark Ingram. Trent Richardson is a quality back so keeping him healthy will be very important. Alabama 48-3

14. Northwestern @ Vanderbilt - Northwestern has been getting better every year under Pat Fitzgerald and this year should be no different. Never easy though going into an SEC stadium and coming away with a win. Vandy has a new head coach and young team but it's Week 1, so beware. Northwestern 24-21

15. Wofford @ Ohio - Wofford isn't a bad football team so if the Bobcats underestimate the Terriers, they may be in for an unpleasant surprise. Thing is, I don't expect the 'Cats to take the Terriers lightly. Instead, they'll focus on making a statement to the MAC that they are the team to beat. Ohio 37-14