Briggs' picks: What kind of statement will Michigan make against Texas?

A top-10 showdown at the Big House highlighting a chilled but postcard-perfect football Saturday? Sign us up.

Let’s dive right in with our weekly college picks:

UMass (0-1) at Toledo (1-0), 3:30 p.m., Saturday, ESPN+

■ Line : Toledo by 19

Minutemen QB Taisun Phommachanh — a one-time blue chipper who began his career at Clemson and passed for 271 yards against the Rockets last season — could keep this one close on his own. But, ultimately, same as usual, Toledo should have UMass saying NoMas.

■ Pick : Toledo 34, UMass 17

Bowling Green (1-0) at No. 8 Penn State (1-0), noon, Saturday, Big Ten Network

■ Line : Penn State by 35

Scot Loeffler and the Falcons are no stranger to no-freaking-way upsets. But, alas, the stunners are scheduled for every other year — Toledo in 2019 (26-point underdog), Minnesota in 2021 (31), Georgia Tech last season (21) — and this is not one of them. Or so the Nittany Lions hope. Regardless, BG — which gave national champion Michigan one of its better challenges last season — will come to play. While James Franklin is 10-0 against MAC teams, Penn State won just four of those games by at least 35 points.

■ Pick : Penn State 42, Bowling Green 10

No. 3 Texas (1-0) at No. 10 Michigan (1-0), noon, Saturday, Fox

■ Line : Texas by 7½

If nothing else, the scene at the Big House for this monster early-season game should be all kinds of fun. I also suspect a prideful Wolverines team that’s spent eight months hearing about their anticipated regression — and all week hearing they have little chance against Texas — will be in this for a while. Their defense is good enough. But, in the end, the veteran Longhorns have too much. Their front seven will give Michigan’s new offensive line fits, star quarterback Quinn Ewers will throw for a few scores, and the visitors will pull away late.

■ Pick : Texas 28, Michigan 17

Western Michigan (0-1) at No. 2 Ohio State (1-0), 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Big Ten Network

■ Line : Ohio State by 38

The last time the Buckeyes played a MAC team after a meh game against an overmatched opponent, it was 2022 against Toledo. Ryan Day told the crowd packed inside St. John Arena for the Skull Session that Ohio State was ready to dial it up a notch. “Tonight, the message is to dominate,” he said. “It’s time to start dominating.” And dominate the Buckeyes did, dicing the Rockets for 763 yards in a 77-21 waxing. Western Michigan — which had a fourth-quarter lead at Wisconsin in the opener — might be in for a similarly long night.

■ Pick : Ohio State 48, Western Michigan 7

Colorado (1-0) at Nebraska (1-0), 7:30 p.m., Saturday, NBC

■ Line : Nebraska by 7

Not a whole lot of marquee games elsewhere this week, but this one should be fascinating. A year after the Coach Prime Hype Train accelerated to runaway speeds with Colorado’s 36-14 win over rival Nebraska, will it derail against the much-improved Cornhuskers? I kind of think so.

■ Pick : Nebraska 31, Colorado 20.