Week 1 College Football Picks: LSU-Clemson, Oregon-Boise State — SkimNews
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- Clemson travels to No. 11 LSU on Saturday (7:49 p.m. on ABC) for the 'Battle of Tigers,' pitting Dabo Swinney's portal-skeptical old-school program against Lane Kiffin's No. 1-ranked transfer class at his new job.
- Lane Kiffin is fighting the SEC — which is suing the school — over his effort to play two former NFL players, adding an off-field legal subplot to the marquee Week 1 matchup.
- CBS Sports expert Brandon Marcello picked Under 50 for LSU-Clemson, citing both rosters adjusting to new offensive pieces and defenses expected to keep the game in the 20s.
- No. 9 Ole Miss faces No. 24 Louisville on Sunday night in Nashville (7:30 p.m. on ABC), with the pick going to Ole Miss -6.5 behind veteran quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy.
- Shehan Jeyarajah picked Under 51.5 for No. 2 Oregon vs. Boise State, citing what he called perhaps the best interior defensive line in college football shutting down the Broncos' run game.
- Brad Crawford picked Washington State +23.5 in the Apple Cup, with Williams cited as the difference-maker behind one of the Big Ten's best offensive lines.
- SportsLine's computer model, on a 32-19 run on top-rated CFB money-line picks since 2024, has simulated every Week 1 game 10,000 times.
Why it matters: Six featured expert picks converge on low-scoring or double-digit underdog games — three of six take either the under or a big underdog spread — suggesting CBS Sports expects Week 1 offense to be rough across the board. Lane Kiffin's ongoing legal fight with the SEC over fielding two former NFL players is the off-field storyline with the most potential to alter roster availability for the LSU-Clemson headliner.
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