Opening of College Football Just Days Away

We are now inside of two weeks to the start of the 2012 college football season and here are the best games of week one!

South Carolina vs Vanderbilt: The 9th ranked Gamecocks travel to Nashville on Thursday, August 30, to take on James Franklin’s Commodores. Vandy was 6-6 last year and actually made a bowl game (Lost Liberty to Cincinnati 31-24) for the second time since 1982. This game is a huge opportunity for Vandy and a potential trap game for Carolina. The Commodores starting QB Jordan Rodgers (Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers younger brother)  couples with Jordan Matthews to form one of the most dangerous passing combinations in the SEC. The running game is led Zac Stacy, who rushed for over 1200 yards a year ago while Rodgers added another 500 yards.  This could be a springboard to Vandy’s best season in decades if they can defend their home turf against the Cocks!. That said, South Carolina will show up loaded for bear, first game of the season, first road game, & first SEC game. The Commodores will have the full focus of the Gamecocks and thensome…. given these factors. Running back, Marcus Lattimore and QB, Connor Shaw will lead the offense and D-ends Devin Taylor and  Jadeveon Clowney along with LB, DeVonte Holloman will bring a very formidable defense to this ho-down in the Music City. Vandy’s good… no better …. in 2012 than in 2011….. it will not matter…. USC is both good and better than Vandy!  South Carolina 19 Vandy 7

Boise State @ Michigan State:  On Friday, August 31, college football’s Little Big Man, Boise State travels to East Lansing to take on the Spartans of Michigan State.  Both programs will be breaking in new QB’s  this season. Andrew Maxwell will replace Kirk Cousins @ MSU, while Joe Southwick will step in for Kellen Moore at Boise. Both teams also lost outstanding RB’s, the Broncos lost Doug Martin, who rushed for 1299 yards while the Spartans graduated Edwin Baker, who rushing for 665 yards in 2011.  MSU will feature RB, Le’Veon Bell, (948 rushing yards) and a strong defense led by D-Ends William Gholston & Marcus Rush, LB Max Bullough, & D-Back Johnny Adams.   Boise State has losses everywhere and a great deal more to overcome than the Spartans. Michigan State 24 Boise 10

Michigan vs Alabama: A rare Big Ten  / SEC regular season match-up… we do not see these conferences playing one another prior to the bowl season. Given that and Brady Hoke’s quick restoration of the Michigan program, this game is the # one game of the opening week. Look for the Tide to move the ball effectively against an improving but undermaned Wolverines defense. Bama’s QB, AJ McCarron’s and RB, Eddie Lacy are playing behind the best O-line in college football, led by Barrett Jones, the Outland Trophy winner in 2011. Michigan’s offense is led by Denard Robinson, one of the most exciting players in the country. That said, in the SEC, Robinson is just another real fast guy on the field. The things he does that overwhelm defenders in the Big Ten… will simply not work when facing the quickness of an SEC defense. Alabama 31 Michigan 10