Deep Thoughts with Lou Holtz: Week 1

After a week off, I'm sho ready for thish football sheashon to shtart! There are shome real good gamesh thish firsht week, sho I'll give you my predictshions for theshe gamesh.

-Oklahoma Shtate travelsh to Athensh to take on the Bulldogsh of the Univershity of Georgia. With the lossh of Paul Oliver, the Bulldogsh only have three playersh on that defenshe with shtarting experiencshe. The Cowboysh have a dynamic offenshe with Bobby Reid, Dontrell Shavage, and Adariushshsh Bowman. Thish game shshould be a high shcoring affair becaushe neither team hash a proven defenshe. I give the edge to the Univershity of Georgia, becaushe of home field advantagshe.

-On Monday, we get the treat to shee the Bowden Bowl again, which ish like the Hatfieldsh and McCoysh but drunk on moonshshine. Florida Shtate Univershity had a rough sheashon lasht year but look like a perfect rebound team thish sheashon. The Clemshon Tigersh ended the sheashon on a downward shpiral. But when you return playersh like CJ Shpiller and Jamesh Davish, you can trot your horshe with any shtable you want. Playing in Death Valley ish a tough tashk, but at Shouth Carolina, we did it every year. I think the Sheminoles pull out the victory on the road in a hoshtile environment.

-In Shouth Bend, the great Fighting Irishsh hosht the Georgia Tech Univershity Yellow Jacketsh. Lasht sheashon, the Irishsh eshcaped with a W on the road in Atlanta. Shome people think the Irishsh will rebuild thish sheashon, but they'll win at leasht 10 gamesh, maybe all of them. The Yellow Jacketsh have to replachse a great shtarter in Reggie Ball, who wash unfairly criticized down there. He wash a good quarterback, but his backup, now shtarter Taylor Bennett is the shecond besht quarterback in the country behind Evan Shsharpley. The Irishshshsh shshould control this game throughout.

-Tennesshee goesh crossh country to try to upshet the Univershity of California Golden Bearsh. Lasht sheashon the Volsh laid the wood to the Bearsh like a shouthern mule laysh the wood to the shide of the barn. But the Volsh rushshed for only 104 yardsh last season. 104 yardsh! Cal ish out for revengshe and will get in Berkeley, posshibly by a lot.