Friday:
-Western Michigan at Michigan State - mostly because there aren't any games worth a damn besides Auburn/Baylor and GaTech/CU. WMU was decimated by the portal and they replaced upwardly mobile talent with FCS guys in many instances and, really, who gives a shit? I don't.
What I do care about a little is MSU. I think Smith is a good coach. No one is talking about MSU, mostly because they've sucked for a while. They're picked by everyone towards the bottom of the Big 10. The QB Chiles kind of sucked last year after running his mouth before the season, but he should be improved and Nick Marsh is a stud WR. MSU avoids OSU and Oregon, but they also avoid Purdue, NW, Rutgers, and Wisconsin. Getting to a bowl will be tough even if they're improved, but if they're going to get there, being good enough to blowout a shitty WMU team would be a good start.
-Auburn at Baylor - I've heard the SEC talking heads all week speak of this game as though it should be a "dogwalking of Baylor by Auburn" (quoting Chris Marler on SEC Radio yesterday). These clowns think they know ball and all they really know is "muh SEC" and it is always old. Baylor has NFL talent all over the field on offense. Baylor returns 5 starters from a poor defense, but they added talent from the portal and their star LB returns.
While I don't think Baylor is a particularly difficult place to play, Auburn has been a dogshit road team. They were 1-3 on the road last year with a win over shitty Kentucky. Auburn has a great WR corps, the interior of the OL is back, Arnold may or may not be worth a shit, Kendric Faulk is good and also overrated and Durkin DC'd them to a top 30 defense last season. I expect Baylor to win and I am interested in seeing if BU does win, do we some sort of complete meltdown in or immediately after the game from Hugh Freeze, who comes across like a ticking timebomb to me.
-Georgia Tech at Colorado - Colorado basically replaces everyone on offense except their LT. Salter was great at Liberty playing against the weakest schedule in the country every season. How does he handle things against a better slate of teams with a completely inexperienced group around him? The defense isn't in much better shape and the strength of the D from last season, the secondary, has basically been wiped out. They're counting on a ton of transfers turning their careers around up front.
Haynes the RB and Haynes King return for GT, but the offense needs to replace 3 OL, 2 WRs and the TE. I'm sure Key will have the OL in sync, though. The defense returns Efford at LB and 3 other starters, but they're largely being rebuilt as well. Can Gideon actually be a competent DC? I doubt it, but I am biased because of Tech in '08 and will never get over it. Nonetheless, I am taking Georgia Tech to win this one on the road.