College Football Week 1 Picks, Predictions & Betting Preview + Colorado SURVIVES vs. NDSU

[Music] college football week one is here and we're going to take a look at the top five biggest matchups of the opening weekend plus toward the end of the show going to talk about Colorado a little bit they held on to beat North Dakota State last night and what was a pretty entertaining game I've got thoughts on that game and Colorado moving forward so stay tuned for that my name is Harrison Grant this is for verts a free NFL and college football YouTube channel hit the Subscribe button we're going to ramp up our college football content if you guys enjoy it enough so if you're a college football fan subscribe want to go through the Slate every single week give my picks give my takes and any other story that emerges in the college football world so uh help us out hit the sub button it's free and uh spread the word let's get more viewers and college football fans here on this channel all right the first big matchup of the week noon Eastern on Saturday number 14 Clemson against number one Georgia kind of a road game for Clemson it's in Atlanta now I would expect Clemson to travel well that's not a super far uh hike for Clemson fans uh coming down for South from South Carolina obviously but when Georgia plays in Atlanta it's it's a pretty big Advantage for Kirby Smart and Company and I I I just think they're the better team now some something I've found interesting is in the last 24 hours this game has shifted uh two points in favor of Clemson Georgia was 13 and a half Point favorites on Thursday now it's down to 11 and a half so some money has come in on Clemson and the betting Market I I feel like this is begging me to bet Georgia and put down some pretty big money um I'm going to keep track of my uh betting record this year so whether it's good or bad if we keep doing this we'll keep you guys updated I like to win and I kind of like him to win big um dbo Sweeny things seem to be slipping a little bit because his mindset won't really evolve with where college football's going he doesn't like nil he doesn't like the transfer portal he literally does not use the transfer portal he is still a big recruit and develop guy and you obviously need to do that but to ignore the portal all together I think it's just bad business for lack of a better term um Georgia does it all they have nil they uh recruit and develop they use the transfer portal like adding a guy like Trevor etn into that backfield to give them some explosiveness um I I I'm just I'm still a little unsure about Kade kumnick the Clemson quarterback uh did some good things last year but they lacked explosiveness Garrett Riley year 2 is the OC we'll see if they can take a jump uh but I I like Georgia I I think they um uh they handle this one by two and a half three three scores I say two and a half you know 16 17 points uh or something like that I don't know 3417 3720 I I I feel like Georgia pulls away in this one and if you want to if you want to bet last I checked Georgia minus 6 and a half in the first half I love that cover I I I like Georgia to win the first half by at least a touchdown so uh dogs win they also cover they're the team to beat this year and um you know I think Carson Beck is making a push to be one of the top picks in the NFL draft at the quarterback position all right Penn State West Virginia as the MERS give get the nety lions at home this one's also a 12 Eastern game so early kick there in Morgantown and if you remember last year West Virginia challenged Pinn State early on and it kind of went on to show that West Virginia was pretty decent last year they went eight and4 Neil Brown their head coach was on the hot seat and ended up getting an extension instead because they played so well Garrett green is kind of a crafty mobile quarterback for West Virginia but I like Penn State for a couple of reasons one they're just more talented I love the addition at offensive coordinator forgetting the guy's name but they hired him from Kansas's staff one of the most creative offenses in college football the last couple of years I'm not a big Drew Aller guy but if he could just play a little bit better than he did last year and if you remember last year outside of the Ohio State and Michigan games he was fine he was solid right um West Virginia is a goodish team they're not Michigan or Ohio State so Aller should be able to you know get into a rhythm get some completions going and they're just a better trenches team than West Virginia so I think West Virginia hangs around but I like Penn State to win into cover and courtesy of Brett McMurphy interesting stat here in Penn State's last 24 games when they've been a touchdown favorite or better they're 194 and one against the spread so not only do they win but they cover they're 24-0 in those games so moneyline play here for Penn State obviously not great bang for your buck based on history it's basically a lock under James Franklin 194 and one against the spread when favored by a touchdown or more they're favored by eight I like penate to win and to cover I think these betting Trends typically play out well um I I think Penn State wins by 10 to 14 points like yeah you know 28 to 1777 something like that uh I think their defense will create enough plays Abdul Carter one of the best Edge rushers in the country uh if you make Garrett green throw the football I've watched him for the last couple of years not a very good thrower does not threaten you consistently in that regard completed 53% of his passes a year ago for the Mountaineers uh if they can contain him as a runner I think the nitty Lions uh Cruise a little bit albeit it's on the road all right Miami at Florida this is one I can't quite figure out uh the Hurricane's Two and a Half Point favorites it's it it's in Gainesville so I get the spread kind of being closer to even to an extent but Miami is far more talented um they have the better quarterback in cam Ward they have an elite running back and Damen Martinez coming over from Oregon State Xavier Restrepo is a explosive receiver um you know some people might say well betters aren't going to trust Mario Cris ball you trusting Billy Napier like I I I don't get this one like I get it Miami has a lot to prove certainly crystall does he has had some coaching just nightmares over the years like the game last year against Georgia Tech where they can kneel it out instead they hand it off fumble Georgia Tech ends up winning but I kind of like Miami by double digits here I really do I get Florida State's going to have some athletes they're they're going to compete out there but their defense hasn't been as good in recent years Napier seat couldn't be hotter um you know their veteran quarterback who I'm drawing a blank on Graham Merz uh transfering from Wisconsin played better than I thought last year for Florida but he's got limitations cam Ward is a clear Advantage for Miami at quarterback I I like the Hurricanes to win and to cover and quite frankly to cover pretty easy uh Vegas they keep building casinos for a reason House Always Wins but I uh especially with it only being two and a half like I I got to love the cover if it's tied late and they drive down a kick a field goal you win if it was three and a half it's like okay that Hook's a little scary but I like Miami to pull away here um in this one and I picked them to win the ACC and early on that looks like an okay play if they win this game because some of these other ACC teams Florida State NC State last night didn't look that good it's been a little messy I I don't think Clemson will compete with Georgia so the opportunity is there for Miami to to send a message early and to have a convincing win on the road against an SEC opponent all right uh Notre Dame at Texas A&M 7:30 Eastern on ABC rain was in the forecast all week now it's down to about 25% so uh we'll see what the conditions are um I I like Notre Dame getting points here I I I think they win outright I think a Notre Dame moneyline pick here is pretty good value and the reason is is and we'll see on the rain if it rains I really like Notre Dame if it doesn't I think that kind of evens it out a little bit more because Conor Wegman with Texas A&M they're going to want to throw the ball a lot whereas I expect Notre Dame be more balanced Riley Leonard their quarterback can uh run a little bit they have a couple of nice running backs but Notre Dame's defensive line is what of the best in the country I think they can control this game at the line of scrimmage this feels like an underplay as well um so I I like Notre Dame to win outright and if they can they're in a really good position to make the college football playoff because after this game their schedule is very manageable so if they can go win at Texas A&M not only does it Notch them a resume building win but then they really only have to go you know nine and two the rest of the way and they're probably in 10- two with an outof Conference win at Texas A&M it's probably going to get uh Notre Dame into the playoff I say out of conference they're independent but you know what I mean a ranked opponent on the road SEC uh this is a big game for both these programs Mike ELO's first game at A&M though like it the pressure is always going to be high there but if they lose to Notre Dame it's not going to be the end of the world if Notre Dame can win this game though they position themselves really nicely I think they win I think it's I think it's tight I think it's like one of these like 2421 type of games but they're getting points I I like that for the Fighting Irish all right picking one more game here then we'll talk a little Colorado USC LSU I I don't really know why USC is ranked my theory is they just want this to be a top 25 matchup it's in Vegas it's the Sunday night game um I I think that that plays a role but USC was a mess last year and they lost Caleb Williams Miller Moss had a good bowl game but he's not nearly the level of talent that Lincoln Riley's used to now one advantage that'll leave Lincoln with is he can kind of just coach Miller Moss to hey just run the offense whereas you know Caleb Williams Kyler Baker Mayfield more so Kyler and Caleb you know they're going to do more of the Off Script stuff right and make magic cap and that's not who Miller Moss is so it feels like this will be more of a Lincoln Riley offense and hey if USC has a good year Lincoln Riley's image can shift back in a positive light pretty quickly like hey with a much lesser Talent we we won nine or 10 games but I think they're in trouble man I think Lincoln Riley is under a microscope this year I don't know if he's on the hot seat truly some people would say he is um after that first year where they overachieved big setback last year this is an important season for him at USC people are still questioning if the culture fit is right was a Small Town Texas guy going to La is that going to work long term LSU new quarterback uh with Gus nus uh Brian Kelly's done good things through two years there but he's looking to break through and get this team into the playoff as well uh I like LSU in this game this only being a four-point spread I I think the Tigers win this game by at least a touchdown and I think there's there's a real possibility that coming out of this game we're like oh is Lincoln Riley not going to work out I I think that's very much on the table and remember USC tried to back out of this game that was reported a few months ago so they they better they better strap up and be ready to go because if they lose this game and lose it ugly especially if the defense doesn't look improved they obviously got rid of Alex Grinch hired the UCLA guy I if they give up 30 plus in this game to LSU that that's not going to be good Optics either this is an important game for USC it's important for both but if you had to ask me who's under more pressure in this game Brian Kelly or Lincoln Riley I I think I would say Lincoln Riley no doubt about it so uh pressure's on and uh it's not like you get to ease into the season so uh buckle up all right Colorado they survived 3126 over North Dakota State last night and my takeaway is shador Sanders is really good their offensive line still can't block and he's getting cracked and he's delivering the football um you know people are already saying he's the number one pick I'm not ready to go there because I think he kind of has an average NFL arm now he has good arm Talent he can throw with accuracy he can layer footballs he can throw with anticipation but in terms of ripping the ball launching the ball 60 plus he doesn't really have that he he's a fi thrower and that's fine you know like Tua is a good example of that those a good touch accuracy but you know you get into these cold weather games or tough conditions that can be problematic he's not a great Runner either like he moves well in the pocket but he's not going to scramble for a bunch of first yards but first downs but I I like what I saw he looked good he beat he added about 10 or 12 pounds uh you could tell that so that's good he was playing at under 200 last year broadcast said he's about 210 based on what the staff told him so uh that's a good sign for him Travis Hunter is the best best player in college football he only missed two total snaps plays corner and receiver had a buck 30 and three touchdowns in that game including a one-handed One In The End Zone um can he do this all year like I I I just I worry he's going to get hurt because he's playing 100 plus snaps every single week at positions where you're running every single play essentially now run plays defensively at corner you know you don't take those off but like it's not as taxing necessarily but receiver your defending receivers I mean you're running around I mean he is I think the broadcast said that Dion told them that he's he's burning almost 5,000 calories a game I mean that is an extreme number um but as far as moving forward Jimmy horn Jr by the way 200 yards almost in a touchdown he's a stud they got three stars offensively but they can't protect they can't run the football and their defense is pretty bad they had one dude on the defensive line that had some pressures but we'll see against you know Troop power four division opponents division one opponents how that looks nothing against North Dakota State cuz they are probably if they jumped into true D1 they'd probably be a top 60-ish program like they have real players but like Colorado's got a gauntlet in the second half of the Season Kansas State Arizona Oklahoma State I mean they they have every ranked Big 12 team on the schedule Nebraska on the road next week I think that's going to be tough I just don't know if they have enough depth in key areas like shador and Hunter and these guys like they could play with anyone there's no doubt like they would play at the best of the best programs in the country but when you get beyond the top three guys then you know maybe the next 10 players on this roster I don't know if they have guys that can really play at this level 42 transfers which I'm a transfer portal guy but it's when it's that many it's kind of tough to figure out how many of these guys can actually play and North Dakota State kind of pushed them around for two and a half quarters so so we we'll see um they kind of feel like a four to five win team again this year that will have entertaining moments offensively but their defense is going to get worn down they're not going to be able to consistently stop the run and eventually that's that becomes problematic especially over the course of a season and by the way the situational coaching last night they're they're not taking a knee slh handing the ball off when they can almost run the clock out based on the math they're throwing go routes it was in one went incomplete and that allowed n DSU to get the ball back like that was a mess I don't know I I I think um I think it's going to be pretty interesting uh to to follow them this year and next week will will be a good test at Nebraska they can win that game okay get a little momentum Colorado State the week after that but it's going to ramp up and it's going to ramp up fast and if they lose in Lincoln watch out this this is going to be tough for Colorado to navigate all right be sure to shout out your favorite college football team in the comments below I want to know who's being represented on this video and we'll keep track of my uh my betting picks all year long bet responsibly for anyone out there enjoy the opening weekend of college football NFL gets it going next week we'll ramp up with that as well my name is Harrison Graham don't forget to subscribe to the Channel free NFL and college football content we'll see you next time [Music]