Huge games kick off college football season

Even Nick Saban, a coach who is all about urgency, wasn’t quite ready to buy into the idea that the first game of the season was a make-or-break deal.

“It’s a horrible thought for any team to be out of anything after one game,” the Alabama coach said this week.

True, but in college football, one loss can change a season, which makes opening weekend games such as Alabama-Virginia Tech and Oregon-Boise State so intriguing.

Four games matching ranked teams highlight this weekend’s football bonanza, starting with tonight’s showdown in Boise, Idaho. For No. 14 Boise State, the visit by the 16th-ranked Ducks is being called the biggest home game in school history.

The picks:

TODAY

Utah St. (plus 20½) at No. 19 Utah: The Utes have won 11 straight in the rivalry. Utah, 42-17.

No. 16 Oregon (plus 3½) at No. 14 Boise St: The Ducks are looking for payback after a 37-32 loss to the Broncos in 2008. Oregon, 40-27.

Saturday

Charleston Southern (no line) at No. 1 Florida: The Gators paid $450,000 for this game, or about $6,400 a point. Florida, 70-7.

Louisiana-Monroe (plus 41) at No. 2 Texas: The Longhorns have won nine consecutive openers by an average of 43 points. Texas, 60-14.

No. 3 Oklahoma (minus 22) vs. No. 20 BYU: The Cougars banged-up offensive line leaves little chance of upset. Oklahoma, 50-21.

San Jose St. (plus 33½) at No. 4 Southern California: Freshman quarterback Matt Barkley starts for the Trojans. USC, 45-10.

No. 5 Alabama (minus 6½) vs. No. 7 Virginia Tech: All the making of a defensive struggle. Virginia Tech, 20-17.

Navy (plus 21½) at No. 6 Ohio St: The Middies’ option could prove tricky for the Buckeyes – a little. Ohio State, 35-14.

No. 13 Georgia (plus 5½) at No. 9 Oklahoma St.: SEC 1, Big 12 0. Georgia, 31-28.

Akron (plus 27) at No. 9 Penn St.: The first of three cupcakes to open the season for Joe Paterno’s team. Penn State, 48-14.

No. 11 LSU (minus 17½) at Washington: This is no way for the Huskies to usher in a new era. LSU, 48-20.