Can you feel it? College football is almost here. Each day that kick-off inches closer, our souls fill with a little more excitement and love of the game that we’ve been missing since January. As the meaningless lists and almost just as meaningless rankings come out, is it fair to say that we could possibly see an upset brewing before the season even begins?
Well, that all depends on how much stock you put into what “experts” have to say about these teams.
If you’re anything like me, you don’t put much stock into the “expert” opinions; you simply wait until the games are played to see how each team performs, especially since we’re in this no-man’s land where players can transfer to four different schools in a two-year period. However, Vegas never sleeps and to capitalize on the lack of information, you have to bet smart.
These are my picks for SEC football in week 0 and 1.
Vanderbilt at Hawaii (the only SEC game in week 0):
Vandy is -5.5 to -6.5 on the road at Hawaii. Both teams are in rebuilding seasons, but Vanderbilt has too many issues to address. Hawaii is starting all over in 2022, and I like their chances. I’d take the Rainbow Warriors with the points.
Utah at Florida:
Florida is 2-point dog in this matchup as Utah begins the season ranked anywhere from 4th in the Coaches Poll to 7th in the AP. Although it’s at the swamp, a lot of questions remain unanswered about the Gators. I expect Utah to come in, take care of business, and capitalize on the weaknesses of this Florida team. I’m taking Utah -2.
And now for Ball State at Tennessee:
Ball State comes to Neyland Stadium. It’s going to be a rough outing, but is it 32 points worth? There are very few circumstances that I bet the favorite to cover a 32-point spread and this is not one of them. With Tennessee’s questionable defense, especially in the secondary, and some movement on the offensive line, I’d take Ball State at +32. Tennessee needs a week to get everything in order before I’d take them to cover anything over 30 points.
For more way-too-early SEC football picks, watch here: