Briggs' picks: Is Michigan football on upset watch in primetime opener?

OK, enough talking.

Football season is here, at last, arriving not a moment too soon to take the edge off the melancholy of summer’s looming end.

We’ll get right to it, too.

Time for — apologies in advance — the first edition of our weekly college picks. After Toledo and Bowling Green opened in style Thursday night, here’s a look at the rest of the holiday weekend:

Akron at Ohio State, 3:30 p.m., Saturday, CBS

■ Line : Ohio State by 48½.

As the offensive coordinator at Oregon, Joe Moorhead masterminded the Ducks’ upset at Ohio State in 2021. Now as the coach at Akron, he has just a bit less horsepower. In the Ryan Day era, the Buckeyes have squeaked past their three Mid-American Conference opponents (Miami, Toledo, and Akron) by a combined score of 212-33. Don’t expect this one to be so close.

■ Pick : Ohio State 70, Akron 3.

Fresno State at Michigan, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, NBC

Line : Michigan by 20½.

If Fresno State coach Jeff Tedford hadn’t stepped down last month due to health reasons, I might have put the Wolverines on mild upset watch. Still, the Bulldogs — an annual Mountain West contender who return 13 starters from a nine-win team last season — won’t be a total walkover. Expect the new-look defending champions to take a minute finding their footing before pulling away late.

■ Pick : Michigan 27, Fresno State 10

No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 14 Clemson, in Atlanta, noon, Saturday, ABC

■ Line : Georgia by 14

Dabo Swinney’s admirable reluctance to add any big-money transfers may have the Tigers No. 1 in team unity. But I suspect singing “Kumbaya” is not quite as much fun after a loss. The top-ranked Bulldogs should roll here.

■ Pick: Georgia 27, Clemson 10

No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 20 Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, ESPN

■ Line : Texas A&M by 3

I think new Texas A&M coach Mike Elko — a former Bowling Green defensive coordinator who worked wonders at Duke — will do big things in College Station, and he’ll have a ton of help from the Aggies’ kinda cultish but totally electric 12th Man. But the Irish bring back nine starters from a top-five defense and have a big-game QB (Duke transfer Riley Leonard) who will not shy from the stage. Give me Notre Dame in a good one.

■ Pick : Notre Dame 24, Texas A&M 17.

No. 13 LSU vs. No. 23 Southern California, 7:30 p.m., Sunday, ABC

■ Line : LSU by 4½.

We know Brian Kelly is a great coach, but are we still completely sold on Lincoln Riley? If nothing else, this Sunday night showdown between teams with high-powered offenses in transition and low-powered defenses in absentia — LSU was 108th in total D last year, USC 119th — should be plenty of fun.

■ Pick : LSU 38, USC 28