2025 Record
Blaine Duncan: 1-2 (Week One: 1-2)
TD Wood: 1-2 (Week One: 1-2)
Mallory McCormack: 1-2 (Week One: 1-2)
Greg Bosworth: 1-2 (Week One: 1-2)
All the writers went 1-2 for Week One, and if you do the math, that puts them all in the red. They look to improve this week with the addition of one weekly NFL game. Join Blaine, TD, Mallory, and Greg each Friday afternoon to see whom they pick against the spread, now including one NFL game of the week!
Blaine Duncan
If we all go 1-2, at least something is consistent. And that something is that Clemson is going to do its Clemson’ing in the big ones. When Brian Kelly gets a win, we’re all losers.
Kent State at Texas Tech (UNDER: 60.5) - Kent State ain’t contributing to a sixty-point final scoreboard. The Red Raiders are a decent team, one a lot are thinking may win the Big XII; in comparison to a lousy Kent State, Tech will win big. But they’re not scoring sixty-one points on a noon kickoff game.
UL Monroe (+35.5) at Alabama - Yeah, I’m going there. I’ve no faith in this Alabama coaching staff and team until I have something to go on. Will UL Monroe win the game outright? That would not surprise me. If the Tide win, it’ll be by fourteen or seventeen points at the most.
Sam Houston at Hawai’i (-6.5) - That’s a grueling trip for any team, much less one from Texas. Hawai’i isn’t bad, either. Count on the Warriors to get a fourteen-point victory in front of the home crowd, bustling as it is.
NFL Game of the Week
Ravens at Bills (+1) - What a swing this one has been! The Bills started the week favored by a point and a half to now being underdogs at home. Give me home dogs (almost) every time! Go Bills! Oh, and sorry, TD, long time Ravens diehard.
TD Wood
Well, at least it wasn’t a winless opening week? I feel like I start every year with a donut, so maybe this is a good sign. I put a little too much faith in Hawai’i and Notre Dame’s freshman QB (although he played fairly well, his line just got overwhelmed and they weirdly didn’t lean on their excellent run game). This week’s slate is a snoozer, which usually means chaos is around the corner, particularly this early when teams are still figuring things out.
Kansas (+6.5) at Missouri – I’m all-aboard the Kansas bandwagon. I picked them as my surprise team in the Big 12 in our preseason predictions, and I think the Tigers are due for a step back this season. Jalon Daniels seems to be back in top form, and I like the Jayhawks, not just to cover, but to pull the upset.
Delaware at Colorado (-23.5) – Dubious clock management aside, the Buffaloes looked better than expected against Georgia Tech, and I expect them to work out some frustrations on the Blue Hens.
North Carolina (-13.5) at Charlotte – Yes, the Tar Heels got boat raced in Bill Belichick’s college debut… but, maybe TCU is a lot better than we thought, and the score was a little misleading. Charlotte got stomped by rival App State in their opener, and I like this as a “get right” spot for UNC.
NFL Game of the Week
Bengals (-5.5) at Browns – This game, at first look, has wacky potential. Cincy loves to start slow, and the Browns can get frisky at home, particularly against division rivals… but man, I think Cleveland is going to be BAD this season. I like the Bengals offense to go off in this one.
Mallory McCormack
This one will be short and sweet as I’m currently parked in a 7-11 parking lot outside of Nashville on my way to Lextington to see the Rebels try and get some revenge for homecoming last year.
Baylor at SMU (-2.5) - I don’t think Baylor is that great (nor Auburn for that matter), and the Ponies will be ready.
UConn at Syracuse (-6.5) - Syracuse made a come back last week…or at least an attempt. Being back in the Dome with the upgrades finished, they’ll trounce UConn. Because this is football not basketball.
Arizona St (-6.5) at Mississippi State - The Bulldog fans have talked a lot of trash online, but the videos of the Sun Devils practicing with cowbells were adorable. They don’t need Skattebo.
NFL Game of the Week
Ravens at Bills (+1) - This was shocking when I saw it. I work with a bunch of Bills fans, and I think the Buffalo home crowd will be ready.
Greg Bosworth
Look at that! I’m in first place for now🥳😂! Definitely not ideal coming out the gate but looking for a great Week Two.
Illinois at Duke (OVER: 48.5) - This might be one of the most underrated games going into the season with a Big Ten playoff favorite heading to face a very good Duke team. It should be a fun matchup between two talented QBs in Luke Altmyer and Darian Mensah. I’m expecting a back and forth with possible fireworks -- leaving the over as a no brainer for me.
Baylor at SMU (-2.5) - The former SWC conference foes meet up in Dallas in another game that should light up the scoreboards. I’d expect a lot of yards to be compiled between both. It will be interesting to see how the Bears rebound after the tough loss to Auburn and if their defense has better luck against another mobile quarterback. We will find out how improved Kevin Jennings is from a year ago and though he will pass far more than Jackson Arnold his mobility will be the difference this week. As long as he doesn’t turn the ball over expect the Ponies to win close between 3-7 points.
Kansas (+6.5) at Mizzou - The return of a hated rivalry on the gridiron may go down as the highlight of Week Two. I still have questions about how good the Tigers will be in 2025, but feel as long as Kansas QB Jalon Daniels doesn’t have a bunch of turnovers the Jayhawks will keep under a touchdown at worse. It wouldn't shock me if they actually win, but the spread is a little less risky.
NFL Game of the Week
Ravens (-1) @ Bills - In what should be a very entertaining back-and-forth Sunday night, I’m going with Lamar and King Henry. A wise person once told me always go with the road team if they are a slight favorite in what seems like an even matchup. We shall see how wise that advice really is! 😬😬
Note: All games are against the spread. Odds are taken from MGM Grand Sportsbook.
