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Red Flags: 5 college football teams on upset alert in Week 1

By Cody Williams

STILLWATER, OK - OCTOBER 31: Quarterback Spencer Sanders #3 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys drops back to pass for a 5-yard touchdown while running back Chuba Hubbard #30 feigns a handoff against the Texas Longhorns near the end of the first quarter at Boone Pickens Stadium on October 31, 2020 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Texas won 41-34 in overtime. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
STILLWATER, OK - OCTOBER 31: Quarterback Spencer Sanders #3 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys drops back to pass for a 5-yard touchdown while running back Chuba Hubbard #30 feigns a handoff against the Texas Longhorns near the end of the first quarter at Boone Pickens Stadium on October 31, 2020 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Texas won 41-34 in overtime. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /
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College football upset picks
Drake Maye, UNC Tar Heels. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports /

4. North Carolina Tar Heels

Opponent: at Appalachian State | Time: Saturday, Sept. 3, Noon ET | Spread: Pick

This line has been all over the place, which makes sense for the matchup at hand. UNC started out as a favorite around three points, but that moved all the way to App State being favored. And now we’ve met in the middle with a pick ’em. But when you think about an ACC team in the Tar Heels against a Sun Belt foe in the Mountaineers, it would be an upset if Appalachian State got the dub.

But they are more than capable of getting the win. Not only is this game in beautiful Boone instead of Chapel Hill, but the Tar Heels are coming off of a game in which the offense looked great against Florida A&M but the defense showed plenty of holes. Against an App State team that loves to control games on the ground, that could be trouble.

North Carolina has the better overall talent but this is a game that is very much losable for the Heels if the defense doesn’t tighten up and the offense slips up even at all behind Drake Maye making his second career start.

3. Utah Utes

Opponent: at Florida | Time: Saturday, Sept. 3, 7 p.m. ET | Spread: UTAH -2.5

For my money, Utah is the superior team to Florida. Even with some key losses, they return the majority of their offense and should have one of the best defenses in the Pac-12. Meanwhile, Billy Napier is picking up the pieces from the pipe bomb Dan Mullen dropped in The Swamp. While talented, the Gators have a ton of questions.

What’s dangerous for Cameron Rising and the Utes, though, is the fact that this game is in Gainesville…in early September. It’s going to be hot, it’s going to muggy, and it’s going to be brutal. Practicing in Utah isn’t going to have this team fully prepared for the conditions.

Furthermore, if Anthony Richardson can play as advertised, his mobility could cause problems for a linebacker corps looking to replace Devin Lloyd. It’s a tight spread for the No. 7 team in the country as the favorites, which is warranted given the situation.

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