ITS HERE! ITS FINALLY HERE! - COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEKEND PREVIEW

by WCT, The Ship of Fools

I used this line before week 1 last year, but F it, it still fits: The first weekend of college football is like the first sip of water after an eight month trek through the desert. So refreshing...So fulfilling...

This extended weekend has a couple decent matchups, but mostly a lot of yawners. But you know what? Screw it. I'm not complaining. Its football. Its meaningful football. Its the one weekend a year when UTEP at Buffalo is must-see TV. Eastern Illinois at Central Michigan? Appointment television! Temple at Army? Bring it on! So fill up those online betting accounts and grab an extra liver, because football season is finally here!

Lets take a look a few of the better games of the weekend (all times Eastern):

NC State at South Carolina (-13.5) 8pm tonight - South Carolina is still reeling from losing the "USC" moniker to Southern Cal over the off season, so look for them to play this entire season with a giant chip on their collective shoulder. In all seriousness, I think this will be a big year for the Gamecocks. Coach Spurrier knows that the expectation level was raised when he was hired, and so far he has not lived up. Its time for his top-flight recruiting classes to start paying dividends. Hey coach O'Brien, how is that bizarre move from BC to NC State working out for ya? Take South Carolina.

Vanderbilt at Miami University (-4) 7:30pm tonight - Finally, someone from Ohio is going to beat someone from the SEC!

Oregon State (-3) at Stanford 9pm tonight - Yes, there are actually conference games this weekend too. By the way, get used to snooze-fests like this one in the Pac-10 this season. Every game that does not involve the Trojans is going to be garbage like this, and every game that does involve the Trojans is going to be a bludgeoning. Can't anyone else in this conference ever challenge them?

Utah at Michigan (-3.5) 3:30pm Saturday - Our first look at the new-look Wolverines, and they have to take on a lot of people's non-BCS darling. With a new coach, a new offense, and 12 new starters, this year's Michigan team will hardly be recognizable to most football fans. It seems like forever ago that a Michigan team took the field without Chad Henne and Mike Hart, doesn't it? Could the University of Michigan get upset in two consecutive home openers? Yes, yes they can.

Southern Cal (-19.5) at Virginia 3:30pm Saturday - This is the Trojans' only warm-up before the big showdown with Ohio State on September 13. It will be interesting to see how this inexperienced team plays in what could (but won't be) a trap game on the road. It will also be interesting to see how Mark Sanchez plays with his recent knee injury.

Appalachian State at LSU (no line) 5pm Saturday - I know what you are all thinking, and the answer is no. They can't do it again.

Alabama vs Clemson (-5) at Atlanta 8pm Saturday - One of the two marquee games of the first Saturday. Personally, I have never liked Clemson. Everyone knows that they lose at least one game they should win each year. Alabama had one of the nation's top recruiting classes last year, and Nick Saban, while universally considered one of the biggest dicks in sports, is a really good coach. When the coaching disparity is this great (Saban vs. Tommy Bowden) I go with the better coach. I'm going to take the points in this one.

Illinois vs. Missouri (-8.5) at St Louis 8:30pm Saturday - Everyone is so focused on Bama-Clemson that this game has flown under the radar. Based on ranking (whatever that garbage is worth) this is actually the better game of the two. A lot of experts have Mizzou winning the Big 12 this year, and I think that my man Chase is going to be a finalist for the Heisman. Illinois +8.5 is a sucker bet people! Don't be a sucker! Illinois will sorely miss Rashard Mendenhall this year and probably end up third or fourth in the Big Ten.

As always, throw any game analysis of any game I may have missed in the comments.