There are 78 games for your enjoyment to open the first week of the 2010 College Football season. Thursday will feature 18 games, Friday two games, Saturday 54 games, Sunday two games, and Monday will feature the final two games of the week.
Each of the AP Top 25 teams play this week, including six teams which will play another ranked opponent: Saturday at 7:45 p.m. ET No. 24 Oregon State vs. No. 6 TCU ESPN, Saturday No. 21 LSU vs No. 16 North Carolina 8 p.m. ET (Georgia Dome Atlanta, Georgia) ABC, and Monday night No. 3 Boise State at No. 10 Virginia Tech. (FedEx Field Landover Maryland) ESPN.
Thursday will open the 2010 College Football season with 18 games, highlighted by the Utah Utes versus the No. 15 Pittsburgh Panthers on VERSUS. We'll have Preview and Picks posted at Digital Sports Daily each day until Monday.
THURSDAY SEPT. 2
Presbyterian at Wake Forest ESPN3.com 6:30 p.m. ET
The Demon Deacons will get a cupcake of an opener, coming off their 5-7 season. Presbyterian of the Big South Conference didn't win a game last season. Look for Wake Forest to win easy.
Southeast Missouri State Redhawks at Ball State Cardinals 7 p.m. ET
Ball State is coming off a disappointing 2-10 season. The Redhawks didn't do much better in the Ohio Valley conference finishing at 2-9. We're picking Ball State to win.
Rhode Island at Buffalo 7 p.m. ET
How will Buffalo do without the guidance of Turner Gill? The Bulls hired Brian Kelly's offensive coordinators at Cincinnati, Jeff Quinn. He was an assistant for Kelly for 22 years, so we know who one Notre Dame coach will be rooting for Thursday night. The Bulls are coming off a disappointing five win season, while the Rhode Island Rams won just a single game last season in the Division-11 Colonial Athletic Association. Buffalo by a field goal
Hampton at Central Michigan 7 p.m. ET
The season opener marks the debut of Dan Enos as the Chippewas' head coach. Meanwhile, the Chippewas will be Hampton's first ever FBS opponent. Central Michigan in a landslide.
Murray State at Kent State 7:00 p.m. ET
The 2010 opener at Kent State marks the sixth time in the last 10 seasons the Racers have opened the season on the road against an FBS opponent. Chris Hatcher formerly of Georgia Southern will be making his debut as coach for Murray State. Kent State is 5-0 against FCS/Division I-AA teams under coach Doug Martin and that shouldn't change. Kent State by 10 points.
Marshall at No. 2 Ohio State 7:30 p.m. ET Big Ten Network
This game will be more about quarterback Terrelle Pryor making his first Heisman audition for the 2010 season more than anything else. Ohio State by 20
Florida A&M at No. 13 Miami (Fl) 7:30 p.m. ET ESPN3.com
If Miami does have National Title aspirations, it might be helpful to run up the score while several voters in the Coaches Poll are tuned in. Quarterback Jacory Harris has been nursing a thumbinjury so we'll see if he has fully recovered from that or if it affects his game. Miami wins big
Towson at Indiana 7:30 p.m. ET Big Ten Network
Indiana will be playing without leading wide receiver Tandon Doss due to a groin injury, it will be interesting to see how Ben Chappell navigates the Hoosier offense without one of his best weapons, none the less Indiana should win by two touchdowns.
Norfolk State at Rutgers 7:30 p.m. ET ESPN3.com
The Scarlet Knights lost an awful lot on both sides of the ball, and face an uphill challenge with in the Big East but look for them to handle NSU easy.
Minnesota at Middle Tennessee 7:30 p.m. ET ESPN U
The Gophers lost nine starters on defense, and this game could be competitive in spots. The Gophers are trying to establish the run game, and they should be able to do that Thursday night. MTSU will be without their starting quarterback Dwight Dasher who is suspended for this game, either way look for Minnesota to prevail.
Southern Miss at South Carolina 7:30 p.m. ET ESPN
The Ole Ball Coach pledged that this was the year he finally got the Gamecocks on track, that was before the NCAA visited Columbia.
While the NCAA visits may turn out to be no more than a headache he did have to suspended tight end Weslye Saunders for lying to coaches and in general the chaos surrounding the program can't be considered a positive-none the less the Gamecocks should win by two touchdowns.
Florida Atlantic at UAB 8:00 p.m. ET
The last time these two teams met, which was just last season, UBA won easily 56-29 and we look for the same result in in 2010.
Northern Illinois at Iowa Sate 8:00 p.m. ET
The fact that the BCS AQ team Iowa State is favored by just four points makes us think that Northern Illinois really is just the better team here. We're picking the Huskies to upset.
Southeastern Louisiana at Tulane 8:00 p.m. ET
Before writing this preview we didn't even know Southeastern Louisiana exited, so we're going to pick Tulane in this cupcake game.
No. 15 Pitt at Utah 8:30 p.m. ET VERSUS
The voters like Pitt, the odds makers like Utah, both teams look great on paper, but the Utes do have that 17-game home winning streak. The pressure has always been on Pitt but Utah headed to the Pac-10 next year has a lot to prove that they can compete in an AQ BCS conference. Pitt by a field goal.
North Dakota at Idaho 9:00 p.m. ET
The Vandals aren't the top team in their own state, but that doesn't mean they won't beat North Dakota. They will by two touchdowns.
Eastern Washington at Nevada 9:05 p.m. ET
Nevada, like Utah will have a lot to prove this season as they make the step up to the Mountain West conference. Eastern Washington isn't exactly a cupcake and has some weapons on offense but Nevada will win by 10 points.
No. 14 USC at Hawaii 11:00 p.m. ET
Aw what a perfect time for Lane Kiffin to make his debut, 11:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. All eyes will be on sophomore quarterback Matt Barkley just as much as they will be on Kiffin. USC will beat Hawaii but the question is by how much? Hawaii could keep it close. And is Barkley good enough to lead USC to a Pac-10 title?
