California vs Michigan State August 30, 2008 Memorial Stadium Berkeley, CA

Why?: Kind of another game I got snookered into being interested in by the preseason punditry since it's two decent quality BCS teams on opening weekend and have since wondered "why is this on the list?", but I think it will probably be a good game worth watching, and it's also an opening weekend game so you know you'll also be flipping madly through the channels to every single game you can get, too.

Who do I think will win?: Phil Steele is pretty high on Cal, picking them second in the Pac 10 despite only 12 returning starters (four on offense) and the memory of a painful late season collapse after a brilliant 5-0 start netted them a 7-6 final record. The Spartans also finished 7-6 but were in every game that they played, losing in overtime to Northwestern and Iowa, and also dropping heartbreakers to Michigan, Wisconsin, and Boston College by less than a TD each. Dantonio instantly had the Spartans playing tougher than the John L. Smith model, and they should improve a good bit this season in his second year. Michigan State it is.

Who do I hope will win?: Going with the Spartans again, since Spartans are impossibly bad ass and I cannot fathom why anyone would choose to be the "Trojans" instead.

Would you rather be associated with Leonidas, the King of one of the greatest warrior cultures in the history of the world who's bravery and skills in combat held off a monstrous army with only 300 men and who's sacrifice rallied his fellow Greeks to defeat the invading hordes of Persia, or a guy named Paris who's greatest claim to fame is being kind of douchey for stealing other men's womens and easily fooled by gigantic wooden horses?