These Games Might Suck, But These Games Are Still Football. Let's Pick 'Em.

The first day of college football plays out less like an overture for what's to come, and more like a movie that had its DVD extras released early. Did we need the scene with Georgia Tech and Jacksonville State, really? And the chase scene with South Carolina and N.C. State? Was that integral to the plot?

No, and no, and no to the question of whether any of these games stand as being elemental to anything that happens over the course of the 2008 season. You will watch them, of course, for the same reason that a model jumps after a freshly fried piece of bacon on a fish hook: because you are hungry, friend.

(All games are televised or available on ESPN 360, a.k.a. our new crack for 2008. With apologies to crack, this could be better.)

Hofstra at Connecticut. The decision to schedule a 12th game looks more useful every day? We meant, YAY 12th game! A classic warm-up game between Hofstra, a team that went 7-4 in the Colonial Athletic Association, and the co-champs of the Big East, the UConn Huskies. If you watch a nanosecond of this game for any reason, do it to watch Hofstra suffer for the bullhorn loud auto-start video on the CAA's website. Pick: Connecticut, in tastefully dominant fashion.

Jacksonville State at Georgia Tech. An essential bit of online viewing tonight as the pressbox will ooze with liquid sex. Because I will be there. Stop laughing. Really, stop. (Editor's note: Spencer will have more on this game later tonight.)

A worthy peeker of a game for two reasons: 1) Paul Johnson's offense will be as shambolic as it ever will be in game one of the Stingbone option attack; 2) LSU transfer Ryan Perrilloux will begin his second life as a college quarterback for Jax State. This one might be uncomfortably close, especially as the reports from Tech scrimmages did not exactly make it sound like players were clear on their assignments in the secondary. Pick: Tech, but closer than the names on the program would suggest.

Vanderbilt at Miami ... of Ohio, that is. The Redhawks nine returning starters on defense meet Vanderbilt's three returning starters on offense equals the night's highest coefficient of intrigue divided by brain power. Perhaps the second best watch of the night, which doesn't say much, but with the scrapple we're working with here, we'll take it. Pick: Miami wins, Vanderbilt begins a long year, and both fanbases stay rich and successful no matter what happens.

N.C. State at South Carolina. The biggest names on a nameless night, and there's little reason to suggest the headliners will do much to satisfy your yen for quality football: South Carolina's traditionally started slow in game one under Spurrier, Tom O'Brien's N.C. State squad is shot through with holes in the roster. Both teams are without their starting running backs. The only real question that might provoke serious interest in a low-stakes nonconference game: How many plays will elapse before Steve Spurrier yanks playcalling from his son, Steve Jr., who is (for the moment) going to relieve the OBC of his duties? Pick: South Carolina, but not pretty, and not without some gross mishandling of the ball.

Oregon State at Stanford. Jim Harbaugh, as he is fond of telling his players, bows to no man! Unfortunately, these are Beavers. Pick: Oregon State.

This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.