Week 1 picks against the spread: Texas, Clemson, Notre Dame look enticing as West Coast schedule carries limited intrigue

Welcome the Hotline s weekly picks against the point spread published each Thursday throughout the regular season with a focus on the top games nationally and the majority intriguing matchups across the West Last year we were - - against the spread percent The lines are taken from vegasinsider com The picks are for entertainment purposes only unless they aren t Week is loaded with marquee matchups but the drama tilts decidedly to the right to the eastern half of the country and in particular the southeastern corner LSU-Clemson Alabama-Florida State and Notre Dame-Miami are the biggest games of the holiday weekend along with Texas-Ohio State as the season begins in full force Meanwhile the the bulk intriguing encounter in the Mountain and Pacific time zones matches a gang that finished th in the Big Ten last season against a club that finished th in the Big We aren t complaining about Utah s tangle with UCLA in the Rose Bowl Matchups involving Pac- legacy teams are consistently worth watching especially when the participants are desperate to change their trajectories To that end Cal s visit to Oregon State is worth monitoring as well Otherwise the schedule is unlikely to resonate nationally Arizona State Brigham Young Oregon USC and Washington State all play FCS opponents Arizona and Washington host Mountain West foes Colorado has an ACC opponent Georgia Tech but kickoff is Friday The first full Saturday of the season is a decidedly Eastern Time Zone affair To the picks Games involving FCS teams not included All times Pacific Georgia Tech - at Colorado Kickoff p m on ESPN Friday Comment The line reflects lowered expectations for the Buffaloes without Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter How will new quarterback Kaidon Salter a transfer from Liberty perform It depends largely on an offensive line that has been second-rate for two seasons That announced the spread looks a limited points too large Pick Colorado Texas at Ohio State Kickoff a m on Fox Comment The super-mega showdown marking the start of the Arch Manning era in Austin could be a one-sided affair and not in favor of the home squad We expect the Longhorns to be in mid-season form or close to it and control the battle from start to finish One storyline that hasn t received enough attention the impact of changes to Ohio State s coaching staff Pick Texas Alabama - at Florida State Kickoff p m on ABC Comment Two of the contest s highest-paid coaches FSU s Mike Norvell and Alabama s Kalen DeBoer are under extreme pressure to produce this fall The Crimson Tide is loaded along the lines of scrimmage and far better positioned than the Seminoles to contend for a College Football Playoff berth But goodness that s a lot of points for a visiting association with a first-year starting quarterback Ty Simpson Pick Florida State LSU at Clemson Kickoff p m on ABC Comment A showdown of ranked teams and Heisman Trophy contenders with the quarterbacks Clemson s Cade Klubnik and LSU s Garrett Nussmeier right now carrying odds Manning is the favorite The difference Clemson s defensive line is absolutely stocked with future pros The march to the national championship begins with a dominant showing by Dabo Swinney and Co Pick Clemson Cal at Oregon State Kickoff p m on ESPN Comment August isn t typically a month for must-win games but our back-of-the-envelope bowl math indicates the postseason calculation will turn tricky for the loser of this Pac- legacy duel Expectations are high for the new quarterbacks Cal freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and Oregon State transfer from Duke Maalik Murphy This should be in doubt with five minutes left Pick Oregon State Hawaii at Arizona Kickoff p m on TNT Comment We would expect Arizona to win handily if not for Hawaii s competitive edge courtesy of having played last week a supremacy over Stanford As a development this could be a tad close for comfort for the Wildcats at least through three quarters They should pull away in the fourth but that extra half-point makes us wary given the frequency of -point margins Pick Hawaii Utah - at UCLA Kickoff p m on Fox Comment We love West Coast primetime broadcasts on Fox s over-the-air organization there are only one or two each season and this edition has the makings of a taut physical old-school matchup Quarterback Nico Iamaleava makes his anticipated debut for the Bruins after the much-scrutinized transfer from Tennessee but could Devon Dampier who joined the Utes from New Mexico last winter be the star of the show We like the Under more than the point spread to be honest Pick UCLA Related Articles Big football CFP fate could be sealed by Week after SEC Big games Pac- media rights The CW mirrors CBS signs deal for football hoops Arizona football preview Brent Brennan under pressure in Year CFP projections Penn State Clemson Texas Texas Tech earn top seeds Arizona State football preview Big title repeat determined on margins Colorado State at Washington Kickoff p m on Big Ten Structure Comment The Rams are quite capable of holding their own against power conference opponents but we expect Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr tailback Jonah Coleman and receiver Denzel Boston to show why they stand as one of the elite playmaking trios in the Big Ten this season The concern with a spread over points is dependably that dastardly back-door cover in the meaningless final minutes Pick Colorado State Notre Dame - at Miami Kickoff p m on ABC Sunday Comment The first meeting since doubles as a duel of preseason top- teams and the debut of quarterback Carson Beck for Miami Playmakers are abundant and both offensive lines are stout Pardon us for wondering if Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal will find a way to lose Pick Notre Dame TCU - at North Carolina Kickoff p m on ESPN Monday Comment Bill Belichick s debut in Chapel Hill comes against an opponent accustomed to Week attention Two years ago TCU served as Deion Sanders foil in his first event with Colorado The Horned Frogs have a first-rate quarterback in Josh Hoover and a veteran defense Will Belichick wear a hoodie with the sleeves chopped off How various times will ESPN s cameras show his girlfriend Jordon Hudson Will she watch from a suite or on the sideline with a headset We re kidding of subject But seriously will the Tar Heels look competent Pick TCU Straight-up winners Colorado Texas Alabama Clemson Oregon State Arizona Utah Washington Notre Dame and TCU Five-star special Texas The showdown in the Horseshoe won t be as lopsided as the Longhorns domination at Michigan early last season But we don t expect the encounter to be in doubt with five minutes remaining Send suggestions comments and tips confidentiality guaranteed to wilnerhotline bayareanewsgroup com or call - 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