Scene One

Recap

Cal UCLA o53.5 – HIT!
SMU -3 at Florida State – Push.

2026 NCAA 2-1-1
2026 NFL 0-0
2018-2026 NCAA 130-135-7
2018-2026 NFL 175-156-11

The summer is over and America’s game is here for the next 23? weeks. We got a taste of college ball and it did not disappoint! SMU only winning by 3 was a bummer. I caught a bad line it was pretty universal -2.5 at kickoff, and honestly SMU should’ve won by 14+. Wasn’t a Korner pick but holy Ole Miss v Louisville! High level college shootouts are the most fun form of football in my opinion. It’s no secret I’m an NFL guy at heart, but Sunday night’s shootout is hard to beat on the fun scale. Rutgers might have lost (lost is putting in nicely, you could say embarrassed, dominated, destroyed, etc.) but the Rahway Indians are 2-0! They had a HUGE win vs Summit this weekend, and go to battle next week at Woodbridge, the team that ended Rahway’s season last year. AHHHH I’m so excited this is the best time of the year. Let’s get to it!

Rutgers

Rutgers didn’t just lose to UMass, they got manhandled, dominated, slapped around. Thursday was disastrous. Only thing to do is to get up and keep chopping. I’m expecting a level of desperation we saw when Rutgers went to Purdue last year and won, where it felt it could be the end of Schiano 2.0 but he rallied the troops to victory.
It’s hard to argue Rutgers is the side because Antwan Raymond averaged 3 yards per carry last week in large part due to a horrible offensive line. Cinci just had 254 rushing yards vs BC last week and they put up 34 points with their QB throwing it 14 times for only 77 yards. There is a weakness in this BC front and Rutgers will have to exploit it.
I love and hate the quarterback switch. It screams panic, like how do you see Lonergan win the job all summer just to yank him after one game. I mean he was awful, but it was only one game. The game was over, the coverage was softer, but Surace got 3 of his 6 completions to Duff and his one drive went 6 for 9 77 yards and a touchdown. Just manage the game keep the chains working, hope OC gets back in his bag, and KEEP CHOPPING.
Rutgers should beat BC. They should’ve beat UMass. The Big Ten is stronger than the ACC and MAC, and these are the games you have to win.

Minnesota v Mississippi State o55.5
Saturday September 12 3:30pm

We have two fun Quarterbacks here, and one defense that I believe is subpar. Miss St Kamario Taylor has all the tools to be a star. The Sophomore got two starts last season, and shined Week Zero albeit vs Louisiana Monroe. He’s a true dual threat QB who rushed 38 times in two starts last season. Minnesota’s defensive front is powerful and stout, but the 6foot4 Taylor is relentless. Running could pose a threat, but the Minne back end of the defense is weak, and I expect the vertical passing of Taylor to rack up points. When I look at Minnesota’s offensive side of the ball, I see a star in QB Drake Lindsay. The pure pocket passer went 7-0 having his team average 30 points per game at home last season. He’s steady, and the Mississippi State defense couldn’t defend a lick last year. It’s college, teams overhaul quickly, but with the additions, Miss State’s D should be swiss still. I have a coin flip game, both offenses going blow for blow, getting into the 60s.

Syracuse v Cal o56.5
Saturday September 12 3:30pm

Going back to the well with a Cal over. UCLA did the bulk of the lifting last week, and this week Syracuse could and should get touchdowns this week. Syracuse Steve Angeli is now at 13 touchdowns to 2 interceptions at his Cuse career and man they put up points! Cuse also has a good run game, and Cal showed they can’t stop a lick of the run. It was against a cupcake, but Cuse ran for 6.5 yards per carry on 39 carries last week. They’ll keep the chains moving, and Angeli will get them in the 30s. Cuse might not be bad this season, they have some dudes in the secondary. But still, JKS is a legit STAR, and Ian Strong and co. benefit from their quarterback. Besides, if JKS gets a little loose with the rock, turnovers can lead to quick points if early in the drive. Cal has to travel across the country but it’s still a 12:30pm body clock game so give me points, points, and more points!

Titans -1.5 v Jets
Sunday September 13 1:00pm

This is a big time hold your nose spot, but give me the Titans on Sunday. I really like the direction of this franchise. Brian Daboll gets to coach up Cam Ward, and they brought in help with the #4 overall pick Carnell Tate and free agent signing WanDale Robinson. Mix in Robert Saleh and their pieces on defense, especially defensive line, and the Titans are a frisky group. This Jets defense has lot a lot of pieces to the once vaunted group. Cam Ward has been shaky his NFL career, but at home vs the Jets should be a manageable spot. Where the Jets can get people is their offensive line, they have some maulers. Good luck slowing down Jeffrey Simmons, John Franklin-Myers and co. That’s what it comes down to for me. This Titans DLine is a scary group and the one area of the Jets I really like probably won’t be a strength on Sunday.

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Games that JUST missed the cut

Lotta college football games have my eye but I also see the flaw. Oklahoma gotta destroy Michigan, right? Or is it an overreaction from last week. I think Kansas State is the REAL deal, but Wazzu showed tough run D which could prevent KState from winning by 20+. I’m high on Alabama but 10.5 feels like a lot at Kentucky. New coach there seems to have the sauce! And Pitt UCF feels an over, but UCF might keep it on the ground too much. Mason Heintschel for Heisman though!
I like points in Bengals vs Bucs but it’s Week One in the NFL and many teams start slow due to a lack of preseason reps. Colts and Panthers are two home underdogs I have my eyes on, but the quarterback matchup has me hesitant. Trends say it’s not wise to think road teams will win divisional matchups but the Packers feel prime for a good game, I just worry on the Vikings defense and Flores.

Power Rankings

1. Los Angeles Rams
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2. Baltimore Ravens
3. Denver Broncos
4. Buffalo Bills
5. Seattle Seahawks
6. Los Angeles Chargers
7. Detroit Lions
8. Kansas City Chiefs
9. Philadelphia Eagles
10. New England Patriots
11. Jacksonville Jaguars
12. Dallas Cowboys
13. Chicago Bears
14. Houston Texans
15. Green Bay Packers
16. San Francisco 49ers
17. Cincinnati Bengals
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18. Indianapolis Colts
19. Tampa Bay Bucs
20. Minnesota Vikings
21. Carolina Panthers
22. Pittsburgh Steelers
23. New York Giants
24. New Orleans Saints
25. Washington Commanders
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26. Tennessee Titans
27. Atlanta Falcons
28. Las Vegas Raiders
29. New York Jets
30. Cleveland Browns
31. Miami Dolphins
32. Arizona Cardinals

Thank you,
Goose