IN THE CROSSHAIRS

Week One: Bama picks up where it left off; Vols get W

Ken Cross

August 30, 2012 at 4:44 am.

Jesse Williams leads an Alabama defensive line that could give Michigan's offense problems. (Marvin Gentry-US PRESSWIRE)

The first installation of In the Crosshairs is always a crap shoot.  You have an idea of what to expect, but the forecast is clouded by fog and mist.  Players and teams that are not even on the radar this week emerge every year. And 2012 will not disappoint. Since there are so many mismatches this week, we will pick the entire SEC slate, plus the key matchups across the country. So with that, I quote the Black Eyed Peas: “Let’s Get It Started!”

1.) Alabama (-12) 30, Michigan 13 – (Dallas, Texas) – This game will be won in the trenches as the Crimson Tide has a much bigger and more experienced line on both sides of the football.  Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson could struggle considering this is the most defensive team speed he will see for the entire season. Powerful Eddie Lacy could arrive on the national scene in the Alabama backfield.

2.) @Michigan State (-7) 31, Boise State 24 – Both teams start quarterbacks who replace record setters at the respective schools. Joe Southwick takes over for Boise State’s Kellen Moore, while Andrew Maxwell replaces Kirk Cousins at the Spartan controls. The Broncos are still the MW favorite even though they seem to be in transition this season. The key for the Broncos will be stopping physical Michigan State rusher Le’Veon Bell, who averaged 5.2 yards per carry last season and had 13 touchdowns.

3.) Auburn (+3) 27 vs. Clemson 21 (Atlanta, Ga.) – Kiehl Frazier won the quarterback battle and will take over the offense for head coach Gene Chizik.  He should be a versatile and mobile option that will keep the Clemson defense on the run all evening.  Losing wide receiver Sammy Watkins is a major blow for CU as he is capable of matching speed with a fast Auburn defense.  Clemson’s reworked offensive line must keep Tajh Boyd upright and give him confidence.  Auburn’s defensive front is much more physical and aggressive and could be the difference in the contest.

4.) South Carolina (-6 1/2) 24 @Vanderbilt 17 – The Commodores have played the Gamecocks tough over the last five, but the South Carolina defense has dominated the last two games.  Bookend defensive ends Devin Taylor and Jadeveon Clowney will be charged with getting a pass rush on Jordan Rodgers while jamming running back Zac Stacy at the line of scrimmage.  The overall talent level of USC will prevail in one of the weekend’s best matchups.

5.) Tennessee 33 vs. NC State (+4) 30 (Atlanta, Ga.) – Two gunslingers in Tennessee’s Tyler Bray and Mike Glennon of NC State hook up Friday night in the Georgia Dome.  Bray has a big-time target in Justin Hunter, who returns from injury, but he’ll be minus wideout Da’Rick Rodgers, who was dismissed from the team.  The key for the Vols may be junior college transfer Cordarrelle Patterson, who could step in for Rodgers easily and leave the Tennessee passing game with little transition.  Glennon will take advantage of Tobias Palmer at wide out as this could be a tale of who has the ball last.

6.) @USC 48, Hawaii (+38)17 – The Trojans are out of the NCAA jail and ready to assert their muscles in Norm Chow’s debut as the Warriors coach.  Matt Barkley wanted a shot at a national championship and stayed with the Trojans and he will have a plethora of weapons, led by wide outs Marquise Lee and Robert Woods, to work with.  Penn State transfer Silas Redd will be under a microscope in his first game as a Trojan.

7.) @Nebraska (-17 1/2) 38, Southern Miss. 16 – The Golden Eagles won the last matchup in 2004 in Lincoln.  The Cornhuskers will be powerful again up front with run-oriented quarterback Taylor Martinez operating behind the rugged line.  It’s Ellis Johnson’s debut as the USM coach and he named Chris Campbell, a pure pocket passer, as his starter.

8.) @Washington 38, San Diego State (+14 1/2) 28 – This is the latest game of the day on Saturday and possibly one of the most intriguing.  The Huskies have to replace a physical runner in Chris Polk as coach Steve Sarkisian has decided on a tandem of Jason Callier and Bishop Sankey.  Aztecs coach Rocky Long has a dilemma in how to attack the Washington defense which features a new staff, led by former Boise State and Tennessee coordinator Justin Wilcox.

9.) @BYU 42, Washington State (+13 1/2) 31– It’s exciting to see Mike Leach back on the sidelines as he takes Wazzu to his alma mater in his WSU opener.  It will be interesting to watch Leach’s gun-slinging mentality with Jeff Tuel at the helm in enemy territory.  Tuel will likely strike down-field to receiver Marquess Wilson, who is the Pac-12’s active career leader with 2,394 yards.  BYU’s Riley Nelson has a go-to guy of his own in Cody Hoffman, who has a catch in 19 straight games.

10.) @Virginia Tech 24, Georgia Tech (+7 1/2) 17 – Once again the Hokies are one of the favorites in the ACC. However, Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas could be tested by a defense led by 6-7, 345-lb. defensive tackle T.J. Barnes.  On the flip side, Tevin Washington will once again run Paul Johnson’s scheme as a graduate student.  The Yellow Jackets seldom throw the ball and will be looking to take advantage of a Hokie defense that features only two senior starters.

SEC:

Texas A&M (-6 1/2) 34,@ La. Tech 27

@Georgia 42, Buffalo (+37 1/2) 7

@Florida 34, Bowling Green (+29) 12

@Arkansas 55, Jacksonville State 10

@LSU 38, North Texas (+43) 6

@Ole Miss 31, Central Arkansas 10

@Miss. State 48, Jackson State 6

@Missouri 49, SE Louisiana 10

Pac-12:

@Cal (-13 1/2) 31, Nevada 17

Colorado 24, Colorado State (+6) 21 (Denver, Colo.)

@Arizona State 34, No. Arizona 17

@Stanford (-25 1/2) 40, San Jose State 14

@Arizona (-10 1/2) 35, Toledo 24

@Oregon (-35) 55, Arkansas State 17

Big 12:

@Iowa State (+1) 31, Tulsa 28

@West Virginia 35, Marshall (+24) 17

@Texas 41, Wyoming (+29)14

Oklahoma (-31) 45, @UTEP 10

SMU (+11) 41, @Baylor 38

Big East:

@Louisville (-14 1/2) 31, Kentucky 14

@UConn 38, UMass (+25)14

@Temple 23, Villanova 20

@Syracuse (+1) 23, Northwestern 20

Rutgers 30, @Tulane (+17 1/2)17

Big Ten:

@Ohio State 30, Miami (Ohio) (+22 1/2) 16

@Penn State 21, Ohio U. (+7)17

@Illinois (-9 1/2) 28, Western Michigan 17

Iowa 30, @Northern Illinois (+10) 24

ACC:

@Boston College (even) 20, Miami 17

Mountain West:

Minnesota (-8) 31, @UNLV 20

CUSA:

UCLA (-15 1/2) 34, @Rice 16

Appalachian State 41, @ East Carolina 30

Troy (-5 1/2) 31, @UAB 24

Independents:

Notre Dame 34, Navy (+16 1/2) 20 (Dublin, Ireland)