Colleges dominate weekend
For the college football fan who can never get enough, this weekend is for you.
With the NFL season a week away, college football has practically taken over Labor Day weekend. Games began Thursday night and continue through Monday.
Top-ranked Southern California and No. 23 Oregon are the only Top 25 teams not in action. The one drawback: It’s a quantity over quality situation.
There are few juicy matchups among the top teams. The best game on the schedule was postponed because of Hurricane Frances. No. 5 Florida State will play at No. 6 Miami Friday night instead of Monday night. Also, No. 11 Florida postponed its game today in Gainesville against Middle Tennessee.
Most of the top teams will ease into their seasons by hosting nonconference patsies — though don’t try suggesting that to the coaches expected to ring up an easy W.
“First games are always scary because you don’t have previous film,” said Missouri coach Gary Pinkel, whose Tigers are a 33-point favorite against Arkansas State. “You have to be able to adjust to anything that happens.”
Some of the other glaring mismatches include No. 3 Georgia against Division I-AA Georgia Southern; No. 12 Kansas State taking on I-AA Western Kentucky; and No. 17 Auburn against Louisiana-Monroe.
| The lineup | Time | TV |
| No. 2 Oklahoma vs. Bowling Green | ||
| Pick: OU 40-16 | 9 a.m. | ABC |
| No. 3 Georgia vs. Georgia Southern | ||
| Pick: Georgia 34-7 | Noon | |
| No. 4 LSU vs. Oregon State | ||
| Pick: LSU 24-14 | 3 p.m. | ESPN |
| No. 5 Florida St. at No. 6 Miami | ||
| Postponed | ||
| No. 7 Texas vs. North Texas | ||
| Pick: Texas 27-7 | 4 p.m. | |
| No. 8 Michigan vs. Miami U. | ||
| Pick: Mich. 34-14 | 9 a.m. | |
| No. 9 Ohio State vs. Cincinnati | ||
| Pick: OSU 17-10 | 9 a.m. | |
| No. 10 West Virginia vs. E. Carolina | ||
| Pick: W. Va. 41-17 | 3 p.m. | |
| No. 11 Florida vs. Mid. Tennessee | ||
| Postponed | ||
| No. 12 Kansas St. vs. W. Kentucky | ||
| Pick: K-State 48-9 | 4 p.m. | |
| No. 13 California at Air Force | ||
| Pick: Cal 27-17 | 9 a.m. | |
| No. 15 Clemson vs. Wake Forest | ||
| Pick: Clemson 45-17 | 12:30 | |
| No. 16 Virginia at Temple | ||
| Pick: Virginia 38-3 | 9 a.m. | ESPN2 |
| No. 17 Auburn vs. La.-Monroe | ||
| Pick: Auburn 50-10 | 11:30 | |
| No. 18 Missouri vs. Arkansas St. | ||
| Pick: Mizzu 48-10 | 4 p.m. | |
| No. 19 Iowa vs. Kent State | ||
| Pick: Iowa 36-7 | 9 a.m. | |
| No. 21 Wisconsin vs. Cent. Florida | ||
| Pick: UW 35-17 | 9 a.m. | ESPN |
| No. 22 Maryland vs. No. Illinois | ||
| Pick: Terps 24-14 | 3 p.m. | |
| No. 25 Minnesota vs. Toledo | ||
| Pick: Toledo 31-27 | 6 p.m. | ESPN2 |
Sunday No. 14 Tennessee vs. UNLV | ||
| Pick: Tenn 38-13 | 5 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| No. 24 Purdue vs. Syracuse | ||
| Pick: Purdue 30-20 | 10:30 | ABC |