Big XII football always has and always will revolve around the state of Texas. The biggest school in the biggest state in football is the Texas Longhorns, regardless of how good they are or aren’t. It is going to be very interesting to see how the West Virginia Mountaineers do in their very first trip to Austin, a trip that is going to very potentially make or break the season for either of these teams. Both squads have upper echelon talent, and both have gotten through the first month and change of the season with great records intact. Join us for our Texas vs. West Virginia picks for the very first game in this newly born rivalry.

West Virginia Mountaineers @ Texas Longhorns Picks & Info
West Virginia Mountaineers @ Texas Longhorns Date: Saturday, October 6th
West Virginia Mountaineers @ Texas Longhorns Location: Royal Texas Stadium, Austin, TX
West Virginia Mountaineers @ Texas Longhorns Spread: Texas Longhorns -7

There is no doubt that what makes the West Virginia offense move is its passing attack. The team really has a knack for getting up and down the field this way, and why not? QB Geno Smith is clearly one of the top quarterbacks in the country and a legitimate pro prospect, while WRs Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin might both also be future NFLers. Ivan McCartney is the underappreciated receiver of the bunch, and the work of RB Dustin Garrison will likely end up going overlooked as well. Defensively, Head Coach Dana Holgorsen knows that he has his work cut out for him. His 3-3-5 unit does return seven starters, but there is going to be a real question as to how the ‘Neers are going to be able to contend with the Texas running game with just three returning starters up front.

Thus far this year, Smith has had himself a heck of a year, and he is coming off of one of the best passing games that a quarterback has ever had in college football, throwing for over 600 yards and eight TDs against the Baylor Bears. The defense though, is predictably not all that great, knowing that this unit just allowed 63 last week as well.

West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Texas Longhorns Past Games (Since 1995)
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This is going to be a great make or break type of a game for the Longhorns. They clearly haven’t hit the hardest part of their schedule, and losing this one clearly will separate the idea of a BCS type of a team and one that is going to be mired in the middle of the field with seven or eight wins that can only hope for a bid in the Alamo Bowl (or one of the sorts). The defense will have its work cut out for it going against Smith and the gang, but the offense might finally really have a chance to shine against a sometimes very weak unit. QB David Ash have had a few confidence boosting games in front of him to start off the campaign, and he has numbers that stack up against most of the Big XII quarterbacks right now. The good news is that this defense isn’t going to be all that good that he sees on the other side of the ball, but the bad news is that he is going to have to score a ton of points to get the win. Watch out for RBs Malcolm Brown, Joe Bergeron, and DJ Monroe to try to control the clock by keeping the ball on the ground, which could make for some room for Ash to get the ball up the field as he has done over the course of the first few games of the campaign.

West Virginia @ Texas Free Picks^^: We really want the points on our side in this game. West Virginia is a team that is built just like your average Big XII team, and in fact, it almost might have seemed displaced in the Big East in the past. Texas is starting to creep back towards the somewhat dominating team that it had over the course of the middle and end of last decade, but there is still quite some ways to go. Will the Longhorns get there? Sure they will… eventually. This probably isn’t the time for them to be laying 6.5 in a game like this one quite yet, though.

^^Notice: The NCAA football picks & predictions listed on the sports betting blog are made by our staff writers early in the season and do not represent the Bankroll Sports expert handicapping team’s actual premium service releases. Click Here to receive our expert handicappers premium college football picks for the 2012 football season.

You can purchase our premium West Virginia vs. Texas picks from our experts on 10/6/12

The SEC East title might be on the line relatively early in the season in Columbia, when the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Georgia Bulldogs square off at Williams Brice Stadium. These two teams have played quite the rivalry over the course of the last few years, and this year should be no exception. Both of these teams were ranked in the Top 10 in the Preseason AP Poll, and they are both in the Top 6 in the land right now. Join us for our South Carolina vs. Georgia picks and predictions for what could be one of the best games of the season in the SEC.

Georgia Bulldogs @ South Carolina Gamecocks Picks & Info
Georgia Bulldogs @ South Carolina Gamecocks Date: Saturday, October 6th
Georgia Bulldogs @ South Carolina Gamecocks Location: Williams Brice Stadium, Columbia, SC
Georgia Bulldogs @ South Carolina Gamecocks Spread: South Carolina Gamecocks (-2)

The Dawgs started off the season in poor shape last year, losing their first two games of the season. They were in a heck of a lot of trouble at that point, and Head Coach Mark Richt was probably on his way out the door. UGA rolled to 10 straight wins to end the regular season though, and it ultimately went to the SEC Championship Game as a result. QB Aaron Murray is expected to be one of the best in the SEC this year, especially knowing that this is his third year as a starter. The Dawgs aren’t going to have RB Isaiah Crowell, who was kicked off the team, but there are still some sturdy backs in the backfield to help carry the load. Thus far, Georgia’s problem has been with its defense, which has been bipolar at times. The unit is clearly going to be up against it versus the powerful Gamecocks offense, which features one of the most underrated offensive lines in the country. This defense for the Bulldogs though, has allowed at least 20 points in four of their five games this year, and considering the fact that there hasn’t been a great team on the schedule yet, that’s definitely a cause for some concern.

Georgia Bulldogs vs. South Carolina Gamecocks Past Games (Since 1995)
2011: South Carolina 45 – Georgia 42
2010: South Carolina 17 – Georgia 6
2009: Georgia 41 – South Carolina 37
2008: Georgia 14 – South Carolina 7
2007: South Carolina 16 – Georgia 12
2006: Georgia 18 – South Carolina 0
2005: Georgia 17 – South Carolina 15
2004: Georgia 20 – South Carolina 16
2003: Georgia 31 – South Carolina 7
2002: Georgia 13 – South Carolina 7
2001: South Carolina 14 – Georgia 9
2000: South Carolina 21 – Georgia 10
1999: Georgia 24 – South Carolina 9
1998: Georgia 17 – South Carolina 3
1997: Georgia 31 – South Carolina 15
1996: South Carolina 23 – Georgia 14

South Carolina has really made a nice renaissance here over the course of the last half dozen years or so under Head Coach Steve Spurrier, and this should be yet another great year with at least eight or nine wins. The fact of the matter is that this team is bringing back 13 starters, many of which are still young and quite talented. RB Brandon Wilds is just a sophomore, and RB Marcus Lattimore and QB Connor Shaw are just juniors. WR Ace Sanders is also a junior. DE Jadeveon Clowney is one of the best defenders in the nation, and he just a sophomore as well. Times are clearly only going to be getting better here for the Gamecocks, though it is clear that this is going to be a test of epic proportions against a fantastic UGA squad. South Carolina knows that this is the best chance that it has had over the course of the last several years to make it to the BCS for the very first time, and though that still doesn’t seem likely, it would really be virtually impossible if this game happened to be lost.

Georgia @ South Carolina Free Picks^^: There is a reason that this point spread is oh so close. The Bulldogs and Gamecocks are both great teams, and this should be the war of all wars in the SEC East this year. We do expect that the winner of this game is going to be the one that goes to the SEC Championship Game. Home field advantage is crucial for the Cocks, but in the end, we still think that Murray has the ability to come on the road and beat any team in this side of this conference. Back the Bulldogs for your college football picks.

^^Notice: The NCAA football picks & predictions listed on the sports betting blog are made by our staff writers early in the season and do not represent the Bankroll Sports expert handicapping team’s actual premium service releases. Click Here to receive our expert handicappers premium college football picks for the 2012 football season.

You can purchase our premium Georgia vs. South Carolina picks from our experts on 10/6/12

Last year in the SEC West, there was a point that the Arkansas Razorbacks, Alabama Crimson Tide, and LSU Tigers were ranked Nos. 1, 2, and 3 in the nation. This year though, matters are basically going to start over for these three teams, as they try to work their hardest to get back in the chase for the BCS bowl games and the National Championship Game. Alabama and Arkansas don’t quite have the same type of returning year though, as the Tide had a great offseason chock full of more recruits and high expectations, while Arkansas had to go through the dismissal of its head coach and a totally new scheme to put into place. This is going to be one of the top games in the SEC all season long, and especially since it is so early in the season, it is a game that we are going to watch on the college football betting odds as one of our Top 25 college football games of the year.

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Picks & Info
Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Date: Saturday, September 15th
Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Location: Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR
Alabama vs. Arkansas Opening Point Spread: Alabama Crimson Tide -6
Alabama vs. Arkansas Current Point Spread: Alabama Crimson Tide -20

The Crimson Tide won the BCS National Championship last year, and this time around, they are going to be favored to do the exact same thing. There are only going to be 12 returning starters from last year’s title team, but at Alabama, the Tide don’t rebuild; they reload. And that’s exactly what we have seen so far this year. The talk of the town in Tuscaloosa is that this is the best offensive line in the country. Barrett Jones and Chance Warmack are anchoring what should be an awesome line to block for QB AJ McCarron and a loaded running back stable. We think that this is a team that has the potential to put up a ton of points like it did last year, and at least at this point in the season, that has proven to be the case. Defensively, the Crimson Tide are always amongst the best team in the land, and this is no exception even though there are only five starters back in the fold. This early in the year though, it should be a bit of a task to ask some of these freshmen and sophomores to come on the road for the first time in what should still be a hostile environment.

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Past Games (Since 1995)
2011: Alabama 38 – Arkansas 14
2010: Alabama 24 – Arkansas 20
2009: Alabama 35 – Arkansas 7
2008: Alabama 49 – Arkansas 14
2007: Alabama 41 – Arkansas 38
2006: Arkansas 24 – Alabama 23
2005: Alabama 24 – Arkansas 13
2004: Arkansas 27 – Alabama 10
2003: Arkansas 34 – Alabama 31
2002: Alabama 30 – Arkansas 12
2001: Alabama 31 – Arkansas 10
2000: Arkansas 28 – Alabama 21
1999: Alabama 35 – Arkansas 28
1998: Arkansas 42 – Alabama 6
1997: Arkansas 17 – Alabama 16
1996: Alabama 17 – Arkansas 7

Head Coach Bobby Petrino is out of the loop after some major off the field issues, but the cupboard isn’t nearly bare for the new coach, John L. Smith. There are only seven starters that are back on offense, but the losses of the likes of WR Joe Adams, WR Greg Childs, WR Jarius Wright, and RB Broderick Green won’t hurt the team all that much. QB Tyler Wilson is a senior quarterback now, and the fact that he is going to be out of the fold injured is why this point spread has jumped up by two touchdowns. The offensive line only has three returners, and that could really be exploited against the terrorizing Alabama defense. The defense will be challenged as well, though at least the secondary has three starters that are back. Watch out for LB Alonzo Highsmith, who could be the centerpiece of this lineup, though he could find it tough to get into the Alabama backfield as he did last year against the majority of the SEC. The defense is going to have to keep the Hogs in this game from start to finish, because if the offense’s play last week against Louisiana Monroe was any indication, it is going to be a long, long game for them against Bama.

Alabama @ Arkansas Free Picks (as of August 2012)^^: We know that this could be a tough test for the Crimson Tide early in the year, but we just don’t see how the Razorbacks, with so many changes going on this year, are going to be able to beat the big boys from the SEC West. Arkansas might live to tell about this in the end, but we just don’t think that Wilson is going to be able to get the job done, even at home. Alabama should be able to punish the Arkansas offense, and that could send the end result of this one into a romp for the guests.

Update 9/14/12: Obviously, matters changed in this game when Wilson was knocked out for the biggest game of the year. The Crimson Tide really have looked great and are the top ranked team in the nation. Arkansas will be hard pressed to figure out how to stop this offense, and it will surely have a tough time scoring points. The crowd is literally going to have to be the 12th man on the field for the whole game if Arkansas has a fighting chance.

^^Please Note: The Alabama @ Arkansas picks listed above on our sports betting blog are made by our staff writers. These football picks are based upon the betting lines listed in August 2012 and do not reflect the actual expert handicapping picks at Bankroll Sports. Click Here to receive our premium expert handicappers NCAA Football Picks for the 2012 campaign.

You can purchase our premium Alabama vs. Arkansas picks from our experts on Saturday, 9/15

It was only five years ago that the Stanford Cardinal, a tiny little team that was on the upswing coached by Jim Harbaugh, came into the LA Coliseum and shocked the USC Trojans as 39-point underdogs. Since that point, these two have played back and forth football, including some tremendously competitive games. Now that USC is back from its probation, this could be a heck of a clash in the Pac-12, and it might be a preview of the Pac-12 Championship Game if the chips end up falling right for both teams. Coaches on both sides have changed, and both teams have gone through some massive overhauls, but in the end, the results should still be the same. There is a reason that this is the No. 9 game in our list of the Top 25 college football matchups of the season.

USC Trojans vs. Stanford Cardinal Picks & Info
USC Trojans vs. Stanford Cardinal Date: Saturday, September 15th
USC Trojans vs. Stanford Cardinal Location: Stanford Stadium, Palo Alto, CA
USC Trojans vs. Stanford Cardinal Spread: USC Trojans -11.5

After last year’s loss to Stanford in overtime at the Coliseum, the Trojans figure to be out for blood. They have actually lost three in a row in this series, and this is a part of the reason why QB Matt Barkley has come back to school for his final year. Barkley is one of the many future NFLers that will be on the field in this game on both sides, and a lot of them are going to be wearing the colors of the Trojans. Still, you have to go back to 2008 to find the last time that USC was able to come into “The Farm” and post a victory, and at that point, Stanford was still a team that was up and coming. The defense is what is going to be challenged for USC, as the Cardinal have dropped 56, 37, and 55 points on the board against the Trojans over the course of the last three seasons, something that Head Coach Lane Kiffin is surely going to be pointing out to his team when this one comes up on the schedule.

USC Trojans vs. Stanford Cardinal Past Games (Since 1995)
2011: Stanford 56 – USC 48
2010: Stanford 37 – USC 35
2009: Stanford 55 – USC 21
2008: USC 45 – Stanford 23
2007: Stanford 24 – USC 23
2006: USC 42 – Stanford 0
2005: USC 51 – Stanford 21
2004: USC 31 – Stanford 28
2003: USC 44 – Stanford 21
2002: USC 49 – Stanford 17
2001: Stanford 21 – USC 16
2000: Stanford 32 – USC 30
1999: Stanford 35 – USC 31
1998: USC 35 – Stanford 9
1997: USC 45 – Stanford 21
1996: Stanford 24 – USC 20

We haven’t spoken a heck of a lot about the Cardinal this year, but we still think that they are going to be a dangerous team in spite of the fact that QB Andrew Luck is now playing with the Indianapolis Colts. QB Brett Nottingham is a heady player, and he learned at the feet of Luck to be able to come into this position. This might be the time for him to shine. He has a great offensive line in front of him even though OL David DeCastro elected to go to the NFL early. There are four returners, and a heck of a lot of tight ends that know what they are doing both in the passing game and the blocking game. RB Stepfan Taylor could be in for a massive game this time around, almost like what RB Toby Gerhart was able to do to the Trojans a few years ago when these teams played here in Palo Alto.

USC @ Stanford Free Picks^^: The hype that has surrounded USC over the course of the last few months has been out of this world. There is no doubt whatsoever that the Trojans have the superiorly talented team, but we have to remember that Stanford has covered nine out of the last 13 here in this series. That’s definitely not a mistake. Especially for a game that is being played here “On the Farm,” it could be a heck of a challenge for the Men of Troy. We definitely want the points on our side, and we wouldn’t be all that shocked if there is an upset that is in the cards.

^^Please Note: The USC @ Stanford picks listed above on our sports betting blog are made by our staff writers. These football picks are based upon the betting lines listed in August 2012 and do not reflect the actual expert handicapping picks at Bankroll Sports. Click Here to receive our premium expert handicappers NCAA Football Picks for the 2012 campaign.

You can purchase our premium USC vs. Stanford picks from our experts on Saturday, 9/15

The Missouri Tigers are moving into the SEC this year, and they are going to have a heck of a battle right off the bat when they take on their first foe from the SEC East, as they will fight it out with the Georgia Bulldogs. Both of these teams are going to hope to challenge this year in the conference, but both know that this is going to be the start of a heck of a year that could prove to be difficult for both clubs. Don’t miss out on our Georgia @ Missouri picks in the first SEC game of the season for both clubs.

Georgia Bulldogs @ Missouri Tigers Picks & Info
Georgia Bulldogs @ Missouri Tigers Date: Saturday, September 8th
Georgia Bulldogs @ Missouri Tigers Location: Farout Field, Columbia, MO
Georgia Bulldogs @ Missouri Tigers Spread: Georgia Bulldogs -4.5

The Bulldogs started off the year at 0-2 last season, only to go on a great run to get all the way to the SEC Championship Game. They ended up losing their last two games of the year though, and they aren’t going to want to be in that situation once again in 2012. This is a very tough game though, as Georgia is becoming the first team in the SEC to take a trip to Columbia. Fifteen starters return, but the man of the hour is going to be QB Aaron Murray. Murray is just a junior, but he already is showing the promise of being one of the best quarterbacks, not just in the SEC, but in the nation as well. He is really doing well following the footsteps of QB Blaine Gabbert, and that’s a great sign moving forward for the Dawgs. This defense could really be tested though, as the nine starters that return are going to be facing the type of task that they haven’t really had to deal with in recent years. It’s been quite some time since Georgia has had to play a team out of the Big XII, and this is going to be a totally different contest from the normal SEC games.

Georgia Bulldogs vs. Missouri Tigers Past Games (Since 1995)
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The Tigers are going to have to win this game with their offense. We just don’t think that their defense is going to be able to stop the Georgia offense, especially this early in the year with just six starters returning. Offensively, the keys are really in place for something special. QB James Franklin is in his second year under center, and RB Henry Josey might be able to poke some holes in that Georgia defensive line. WR TJ Moe is back as well, as are three of the offensive linemen from last year. Senior and junior leadership is all over the place this year for Mizzou, and this is the unit that is going to have to step it up if there is going to be a victory over the Bulldogs in the first game of the team’s time in the SEC.

Georgia @ Missouri Free Picks^^: It’s going to be a challenge, but we think that Missouri is going to figure out how to make this a very, very close game. Georgia might have been a tad overrated last year, knowing that it got to dodge the best teams in the SEC West. We aren’t so sure how the Tigers are really going to stack up when they have to take on Alabama, Arkansas, and LSU, but we do think that they have the ability to win this game, especially in front of the hometown crowd here at Farout Field.

^^Note: This is a college football prediction that is made as of August 2012, and it does not reflect the opinions that our expert NCAA Football handicappers will have on this game. This article by our very talented sports blog staff is for entertainment and informational purposes only. If you would like to purchase our premium college football picks for the year, please Click Here

Our college football expert handicappers will have their Georgia @ Missouri picks ready on Saturday, 9/8.

The ACC Coastal Division is always one that is tight all season long, and college football matchups like this one tend to go a long way in deciding which team is going to go to the ACC Championship Game later in the year. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Virginia Tech Hokies might be decided right at the outset of the season, as they are going to be duking it out with one another on the first Monday night of the season, as the two get started on Labor Day. Don’t miss our Labor Day NCAA football picks for this crucial clash in the ACC!

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Virginia Tech Hokies Picks & Info
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Virginia Tech Hokies Date: Monday, September 3rd
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Virginia Tech Hokies Location: Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, VA
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Virginia Tech Hokies Spread: Virginia Tech Hokies -7

The Ramblin’ Wreck averaged 316.6 yards per game last year on the ground, and obviously with the triple option attack, they’ll be up there again this year. They got 243 yards last year against the Hokies, but that wasn’t nearly enough, especially in the fourth quarter when the offense was just totally shut down. Bud Adams’ defense clearly learned what it was doing, and now, Virginia Tech has really had the entire offseason to prepare for facing this defense. QB Tevin Washington is back, and it’s always good to have the leaders of a triple option offense returning to your lineup. Even better is the fact that all five starting offensive linemen from a campaign ago are going to be back as well. Sure, WR Stephen Hill is gone, but G-Tech has always been able to make due with whatever receivers it has had to work with in the Head Coach Paul Johnson era.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Virginia Tech Hokies Past Games (Since 1995)
2011: Virginia Tech 37 – Georgia Tech 26
2010: Virginia Tech 28 – Georgia Tech 21
2009: Georgia Tech 28 – Virginia Tech 23
2008: Virginia Tech 20 – Georgia Tech 17
2007: Virginia Tech 27 – Georgia Tech 3
2006: Georgia Tech 38 – Virginia Tech 27
2005: Virginia Tech 51 – Georgia Tech 7
2004: Virginia Tech 34 – Georgia Tech 20

That defense that we spoke about for Head Coach Frank Beamer and Coach Adams is returning a whopping nine players, and there is a lot of NFL talent in that bunch. Like we said, the Hokies figured out the triple option at the end of last year’s game, and with the full offseason to work, especially with the majority of the players back from that team that did so well in the fourth quarter last year, we are looking for good things. QB Logan Thomas is going to be the leader of an offense that only returns three players. The big question is going to be at tailback, as gone are both the team’s leading rusher from a season ago, RB David Wilson, and his backup from last year, RB Josh Oglesby. There is only one member left from the offensive line and just one receiver out of the four that were regularly in the rotation. Needless to say, offensively, it could be a slow start to the season if the running game can’t get going.

Georgia Tech @ Virginia Tech Free Picks^^: This is a tough, tough game to handicap. We know that we want the ‘under’ for sure. But, given what we know about both of these teams, we think that the Georgia Tech offense is going to do the more struggling of the two teams. Again, it’s a heck of a lot easier to defend this triple option when you have the whole offseason and a longer week of preparation to get the job done, especially when the game is at home, then when you have to go on the road during a short week to prepare. We wouldn’t be surprised to see the Ramblin’ Wreck stuck in the high-teens in this one, and if that turns out to be the case, we just don’t see how they are going to be able to cover a TD of a spread.

^^Please Note: The Georgia Tech @ Virginia Tech picks listed above on our sports betting blog are made by our staff writers. These football picks are based upon the betting lines listed in August 2012 and do not reflect the actual expert handicapping picks at Bankroll Sports. Click Here to receive our premium expert handicappers NCAA Football Picks for the 2012 campaign.

You can purchase our premium Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Tech picks from our experts on Monday, 9/3

Michigan Wolverines fans and fans of the Big Ten have been barking for years that they don’t get primetime love in the big time games of the week. The Penn State Nittany Lions had their chance against the Alabama Crimson Tide over the course of the last two years, only to get pummeled in both outings. Now, it’s up to Big Blue to see if they can represent the Big Ten in what should be one of the best games of the season against the Tide in Arlington at Dallas Cowboys Stadium on the first Saturday of the season. You surely don’t want to miss this one, as the Wolverines and Crimson Tide should make for one of the best college football matchups of the season.

Michigan Wolverines vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Picks & Info
Michigan Wolverines vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Date: Saturday, September 1st
Michigan Wolverines vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Location: Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, TX
Michigan Wolverines vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Spread: Alabama Crimson Tide -12.5

Welcome to the big time, QB Denard Robinson! Robinson knows that this is the game that will make or break his entire season. Finding a way to pull off the upset of the Crimson Tide in what might feel like a de facto road game would make Michigan a National Championship contender, would solidify Robinson as a Heisman Trophy finalist nearly for certain, and it could make Robinson a first round pick in the NFL Draft next year. No pressure, kid. Of course, around Robinson is the core that returns from a defense that ranked surprisingly high last year in the Big Ten. This is going to be a heck of a challenge against an Alabama defense that is always one of the best in the nation, knowing that the Michigan ‘D’ won’t be able to make all that many mistakes and live to tell about it. Watch for WR Roy Roundtree in this one, as he might be the best receiving option that Robinson has to get the ball up the field to against a stout secondary.

Michigan Wolverines vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Past Games (Since 1995)
2000: Michigan 35 – Alabama 34
1997: Alabama 17 – Michigan 14

We know full well that Alabama is going to be a contender to back to the BCS National Championship Game this year. The Tide are stacked once again in spite of the fact that they are only returning 12 starters from last year’s title team. That being said, the Crimson Tide don’t know how to rebuild. They just know how to reload. RB Eddie Lacy is going to end up being the next featured back now that RB Trent Richardson is gone, and there will surely be some great linebackers that step up to replace LB Don’t’a Hightower and LB Courtney Upshaw. The key to what will make this team go though, will be the offensive line. The four remaining members from this outstanding OL will be protecting QB AJ McCarron, who could suddenly become one of the better quarterbacks in the SEC as well.

Michigan vs. Alabama Free Picks^^: Michigan is going to end up being disrespected in this game, and we just don’t know if it is justified. Granted, we think that the Crimson Tide are going to end up winning this game, but we don’t know if laying a dozen is a great idea with a team that is going through so much change. Michigan knows that it has a real shot of pulling off the upset, and if it goes into this one feeling like that can happen, it should be able to stick around with the Tide. This really could live up to the billing as one of the best games of the year, unlike what happened last year when the LSU Tigers took on the Oregon Ducks here in Jerry World.

^^Note: This is a college football prediction that is made as of August 2012, and it does not reflect the opinions that our expert NCAA Football handicappers will have on this game. This article by our very talented sports blog staff is for entertainment and informational purposes only. If you would like to purchase our premium college football picks for the year, please Click Here.

Our expert college football handicappers have a huge 10* Inside Info Release going (@ 8pm EST) in the Michigan @ Alabama matchup for Saturday, September 1, 2012. Don’t miss it!

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