Each week I'll highlight one game (usually Tech) and mention something about the point spread. Also, some of the writers will be doing a pick em challenge via Fox Sports and I will highlight how that contest is going. The games we will be picking are all Big 12 games and any game involving a ranked team. We will be picking against the spread and be using a confidence points system, so our records may not be stellar. Each week I'll list the spreads for the games we're picking and the current standings.

Main game: Sam Houston State at Texas Tech

This week's highlighted game is our opener. It may not be the biggest game in the nation, or even the state of Texas, but for us it's the biggest and most important this week. However, since this is a game against an FCS team, there is no line, and is a straight pick.

Big 12 Games

Thursday September 3^rd

Oklahoma State @ Central Michigan (+23)

#2 TCU @ Minnesota (+14)

Friday September 4^th

#4 Baylor @ SMU (+34.5)

Saturday September 5^th

South Dakota St @ Kansas (--)

Sam Houston St @ Texas Tech (--)

Akron @ #19 Oklahoma (-31)

South Dakota @ Kansas St (--)

Texas @ #11 Notre Dame (-9.5)

Georgia Southern @ West Virginia (-20)

Northern Iowa @ Iowa St (--)

Top 25 Teams

Thursday September 3^rd

Alcorn State @ Georgia Tech (--)

UTSA @ Arizona (-31.5)

Friday September 4^th

#5 Michigan St @ Western Michigan (+18.5)

Washington @ #23 Boise St (-10.5)

Saturday September 5^th

ULM @ #9 Georgia (-35)

UT-Martin @ #17 Ole Miss (--)

#21 Stanford @ Northwestern (+12)

Wofford @ #12 Clemson (--)

Louisville @ #6 Auburn (-10.5)

Virginia @ #13 UCLA (-17)

UTEP @ #18 Arkansas (-33)

SE Missouri St @ #24 Missouri (--)

Bowling Green @ #25 Tennessee (-21)

#15 Arizona St @ Texas A&M; (-3)

McNeese St @ #14 LSU (--)

#20 Wisconsin @ #3 Alabama (-10)

Eastern Washington @ #7 Oregon (--)

Texas St @ #10 Florida St (-30)

Arkansas St @ #8 USC (-28.5)

Monday September 7^th

#1 Ohio St @ Virginia Tech (+10.5)

As usual for the opening weekend, there are some rather large point spreads, with 7 games with more than 28 pts. Do you think some of these are too high, or can the power houses run up the score against lower schools?

At the time of this writing the standings in the VTM pick em challenge are:

#1 Drew (44 pts)

#2 Jonathan (31 pts)

#3 Ryan (10 pts)

#4 Hunter (5 pts)

#5 Conner (2 pts)

However, only 4 games have finished at this time, the full week 1 results will be posted with the week 2 games