College football season is back – and so are Pac-12 Pick-ems!
Every Thursday throughout the season, Star sports staffers Brett Fera, Michael Lev and Justin Spears will give their predictions – straight up and against the spread – for the upcoming slate of Pac-12 games.
This week, the conference schedule extends from Thursday through Sunday. Please note: We aren’t picking every game during the first three weeks. Rather, it’ll be a “best of” focusing on the most intriguing matchups. Arizona’s opener vs. NAU – which won’t have a point spread until Saturday because the Lumberjacks are an FCS program – is among the games we’re skipping.
For more on this week’s picks – including a breakdown of the UA-NAU game – check out The Wildcast Podcast. It’s available on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
THURSDAY, AUG. 31
Matchup: No. 14 Utah (-5) vs. Florida
Time/TV: 5 p.m., ESPN
Fera’s prediction: Florida to win outright
Lev’s prediction: Utah to win and cover
Spears’ prediction: Florida to win outright
FRIDAY, SEPT. 1
Matchup: Stanford (-3) at Hawaii
Time/TV: 8 p.m., CBS Sports Network
Fera’s prediction: Stanford to win and cover
Lev’s prediction: Hawaii to win outright
Spears’ prediction: Hawaii to win outright
SATURDAY, SEPT. 2
Matchup: Colorado (+20.5) at No. 17 TCU
Time/TV: 9 a.m., FOX/11
Fera’s prediction: TCU to win, Colorado to cover
Lev’s prediction: TCU to win and cover
Spears’ prediction: TCU to win, Colorado to cover
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders responds to questions during a news conference after the team’s practice on Aug. 4 in Boulder, Colo.
Matchup: No. 10 Washington (-14) vs. Boise State
Time/TV: 12:30 p.m., ABC/9
Fera’s prediction: Washington to win, Boise State to cover
Lev’s prediction: Washington to win, Boise State to cover
Spears’ prediction: Washington to win, Boise State to cover
Matchup: Cal (-6.5) at North Texas
Time/TV: 1 p.m., ESPNU
Fera’s prediction: Cal to win and cover
Lev’s prediction: Cal to win and cover
Spears’ prediction: Cal to win and cover
Matchup: Washington State (-10.5) at Colorado State
Time/TV: 4 p.m., CBS Sports Network
Fera’s prediction: Washington State to win and cover
Lev’s prediction: Washington State to win, Colorado State to cover
Spears’ prediction: Washington State to win, Colorado State to cover
Matchup: UCLA (-14.5) vs. Coastal Carolina
Time/TV: 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Fera’s prediction: UCLA to win, Coastal Carolina to cover
Lev’s prediction: UCLA to win and cover
Spears’ prediction: UCLA to win and cover
SUNDAY, SEPT. 3
Matchup: No. 18 Oregon State (-16.5) at San Jose State
Time/TV: 12:30 p.m., CBS/13
Fera’s prediction: Oregon State to win, San Jose State to cover
Lev’s prediction: Oregon State to win, San Jose State to cover
Spears’ prediction: Oregon State to win and cover
No. 5 LSU vs. No. 8 Florida State highlights the opening-week slate.
