ESPN

College Pick 'Em is a pick-the-winner game with a twist: Players must rank their picks in order of confidence. It's not as easy as it looks, so I'll weigh in every Friday to help you make those tough decisions. Be sure to log in to the College Pick'em page on Tuesdays for the upcoming week's matchups and previews, and don't forget to check my blog throughout the week for the latest from around the college football world.

Miami versus Marshall (10 points)

As evidenced by last year's embarrassing opener in Morgantown, W. Va., Marshall is sorely lacking in team speed. Of course, Pat White and Steve Slaton have made a lot of opposing teams look bad, including Georgia, but the reality is that the Herd simply doesn't have the athletes on defense to compete with the likes of West Virginia -- or Miami. The Canes have a new coach in Randy Shannon and a new attitude. The players claim that Shannon has instilled not only the discipline for which he is so well known, but also a family spirit among teammates. While it might be true that the swaggering individualism that characterized so many past Hurricane editions has been shelved, the speed and athleticism for which the team is known is alive and well. And that's bad news for the Herd. Miami wins this one going away, whether new starting quarterback Kirby Freeman turns out to be the solution or not.

UCLA @ Stanford (9 points)

Quarterback Ben Olsen has had a great fall camp. He and the other 19 returning starters hit the road Saturday to take on a Stanford squad that has plenty of experience of its own, most of it unpleasant. The Cardinal returns 16 starters from last year's 1-11 team. One player who did not return is graduated three-year starting quarterback Trent Edwards. T.C. Ostrander takes over, but compared with the depth and talent at UCLA, he doesn't have much of a supporting cast to work with. The Bruins are a deep, veteran team, while Stanford is adjusting to new schemes under first-year coach Jim Harbaugh's staff. Karl Dorrell's teams have laid some eggs on the road in the past, but it's hard to see the superior squad losing here.

Notre Dame versus Georgia Tech (8 points)

Most of the tangibles point to a Tech victory. Notre Dame is breaking in a quarterback with no experience, and he won't have any proven receivers catching his passes. The Jackets have one of the nation's better defenses, schooled by superb coordinator Jon Tenuta. All-everything wideout Calvin Johnson is gone, but junior signal-caller Taylor Bennett, who lit up West Virginia in the Gator Bowl last year, is surrounded by plenty of weapons, including super running back Tashard Choice. The consensus is that Tech has the better team, and that the Irish are in for a rebuilding year. College football, however, is very much about coaching, and that's where Notre Dame has the advantage. Expect Charlie Weis to outthink counterpart Chan Gailey as the Irish ride a surprisingly powerful rushing attack to victory.

Arizona @ BYU (7 points)

The Wildcats are an entirely different team this year. The defense will be much stronger with nine returning starters, including most of the key players. The offense, meanwhile, is undergoing a transformation under the tutelage of former Texas Tech assistant Sonny Dykes. If the spring game was any indication, talented quarterback Willie Tuitama likes the new schemes. His first-team offense rolled up more than 550 yards! There is a sense in Tucson that this is the Cats' year, and Dykes has simplified his usually-complex blocking schemes as part of a commitment to winning now. Things are not as rosy in Provo, where BYU has lost several starters to injury since the beginning of fall practice. The Cougars are trying to replace second-round NFL draft choice and second all-time passing leader John Beck. Inexperience and lack of depth at key positions will doom the Cougars against a Wildcat team bent on avenging its loss to BYU in last season's opener.

Colorado State versus Colorado (In Denver) (6 points)

Both teams should be much improved from the disastrous 2006 editions. Colorado has 15 starters back but is still a very young team. The Buffs are breaking in a freshman quarterback, head coach Dan Hawkins' son Cody. Colorado State, meanwhile, has a deep, veteran club that was ravaged by injuries the past two seasons. The Rams have experience at nearly every position, but it's the Buffaloes who boast the superior talent. It seems like this game is always close, but this year it will be the Rams getting in most of the licks behind quarterback Caleb Hanie, running back Kyle Bell and a defense that only can improve. The Buffs will play good defense as well, but they just don't have the firepower to beat teams like CSU that can move the chains with any regularity.

Wisconsin versus Washington St. (5 points)

The Cougars' defensive back seven is suspect, but it remains to be seen if untested Badgers quarterback Tyler Donovan can take advantage. Washington State matches up well, with a decent defensive front that can at least slow P.J. Hill and the Wisconsin power running game. Cougar quarterback Alex Brink will get some shots in, but Wisconsin second-year coach Bret Bialema's team is too experienced to drop its home opener against a less athletically gifted squad.

Georgia versus Oklahoma St. (4 points)

Oklahoma State is a team to be reckoned with this year. The high-powered trio of quarterback Bobby Reid, running back Dantrell Savage and wide receiver Adarius Bowman will move the chains with regularity in 2007. Georgia's pass defense suffered a big blow this offseason when cornerback Paul Oliver, an All-American candidate, failed to qualify academically. The Dogs' young offense is led by sophomore quarterback Matthew Stafford, and he has a bevy of talented backs and receivers at his disposal. Oklahoma State will put Georgia to the test, but the Cowboys' defense will wilt in the end.

Auburn versus Kansas St. (3 points)

Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman showed up at fall camp overweight, but has gotten back in shape and out of coach Ron Prince's doghouse. Freeman, a 6'6", 250-pound sophomore, has a chance to be one of the Big 12's top signal-callers in the coming years. He'll be tested against an Auburn defense that returns seven starters. Auburn quarterback Brandon Cox also will be under pressure from a Wildcats stop unit that finished sixth in the nation in sacks last year. The Auburn offensive line has four new starters, and the Tigers don't have the firepower to run away with this one. In the end, the defense will save the day for a rebuilding Auburn squad, and the Tigers will escape with a win.

Illinois versus Missouri (In St. Louis) (2 points)

This easily could be the best game of the weekend as a Missouri squad that plays host to Nebraska later in the year and believes it finally can win the Big 12 North takes on a much improved Illinois team. The Illini have 17 starters back from a team that went 2-10 last year but actually outgained opponents by an average of nearly 40 yards per game. The Illini are still young, but they have an exciting and talented sophomore quarterback in Juice Williams, a game-breaking running back, an experienced defense and an offensive line that features four upperclassmen returning starters. This is the most improved team in the nation and it's very capable of upsetting a loaded Missouri team that is good enough to contend for top honors in the Big 12.

California versus Tennessee (1 point)

The big game week news in this East-West revenge tilt is Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge's broken finger. Ainge is still expected to start, but if he's ineffective, the Vols are in trouble. The Bears really need to finally win a big game, especially after the dismantling they suffered in Knoxville last year. Cal can score on anyone, but they've lost several key players on defense, including cornerback Daymeion Hughes, the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. The Vols are the more physical team, and if Ainge isn't hampered by his cracked pinky, this game will be a nail-biter. Otherwise, Cal will finally get that program-defining win the team has been seeking -- but it still won't get much credit.

Will Harris is a fantasy baseball and college football analyst for TalentedMrRoto.com. You can contact him at WillHarris@TalentedMrRoto.com.