Week 1 picks are in for Joe vs. the Hero and the Senator

This is an opinion column.The most popular college football picks column on the planet has a new player this season. Joe and the Hero are thrilled to welcome The Honorable Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama to the grand experiment.Celebrated from coast to coast by sports fans, bag men, bartenders, frat boys, tech bros, mafia kings and mathematicians, Joe vs. the Hero and the Senator is the greatest resource for college football’s cultural fever dream on the internet. This is the 16th season for Joe’s picks column in its various forms, and the first time in the 250-year history of the greatest country on earth for a United States Senator to pick games against a guy wearing a beer hat.Important note: This is the third season of the grand experiment for readers to get in on the action. Scroll down to make your picks and compare your wits against Joe, the Hero and the Senator. Win the 6-0 Challenge and enjoy eternal glory.Joe subscribes to ol’ Billy Shakespeare’s philosophy of picking football games. “Jesters do oft prove prophets,” mused the Great Bard. What is Joe vs. the Hero and the Senator? As we like to say, it’s the grand experiment and gift to society.THE GRAND EXPERIMENTJoseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for AL.com. What happens when a sportswriter picks some of the toughest games of the week and goes head-to-head against a mathematical futures genius who graduated from Harvard with a degree in finance and a United States senator from Alabama who has all the inside connections? It’s a gift for college football fans every week in the state where college football is like a religion. The Hero is Ben Abercrombie, who works harder than anyone you’ve ever met in your entire life.Abercrombie was fully paralyzed while playing his first college football game for Harvard. But the Hero didn’t allow his accident to slow him down. After over a year of rehab and therapy at the Shepherd Center, the Hero returned to Harvard with the goal of graduating from the most prestigious university on the planet.Along the way, he learned how to write with a computer program operated completely by his eyesight. He has used that technology ever since to make his college football picks, and, oh yeah, graduate from Harvard, get a big-time job as a financial advisor and inspire people across the world with his bravery and courage.The Hero now dedicates his free time to raising money for advanced spinal-cord research at the famed Shepherd Center. To show the Hero some love, please consider donating to help fund this important work. Ben’s goal is to one day walk again, but he has been flying high his entire life.The Honorable Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama needs no introduction here. She loves college football, representing Alabama and we hear she is ultra-competitive at everything she does.That’s good news because so is the Hero.As we all know, Joe is just a hack and a slacker. Besmirch his name at small dinner parties and pregame tailgates.On to the picks!GOODMAN: Fight like the Hero every day of your lifeGOODMAN: How to be mentally tougher than a Navy SEAL6-0 CHALLENGEClick the link here to make your picks for Week 1 of the 6-0 Challenge. We’re also embedding the picks form at the bottom of the post. Weekly winners of the 6-0 Challenge will be announced in Joe’s newsletter. Sign up for the FREE newsletter here. Winners of the 6-0 Challenge will be announced on the newsletter every week. Remember, picks are against the spread.2025 SEASON TOTALSJoe: 50-34 straight up, 36-48 against the spreadHero: 57-27 straight up, 44-40 against the spreadNotes: The Hero wears the crown as the reigning king of college football picks. He’s still soaring high after nailing last season’s Iron Bowl. Pick against Bama? Joe is notorious for going against the Tide. The Hero would never, but what about the Senator?Bring on the Week 1 picks!Auburn running back Jeremiah Cobb returns for another season with the Tigers. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)APAuburn vs. BaylorWhen: 2:30 p.m., Sat.Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, AtlantaTV: ABC and Disney+Series: Tied 2-2-1.Spread: Auburn by 7.Total: 59.5Trendy: Bears are 5-1 against the spread in their last six neutral-site games as an underdog.GAME NOTES: A rematch of Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown (USF) and Baylor quarterback DJ Lagway (Florida) from 2025, a game Brown’s team won 18-16 in Gainesville.Joe says: Alex Golesh, welcome to big-time college football. Don’t screw this up! To avoid disaster in Year One, Golesh brought along quarterback Byrum Brown and all of his wide receivers. Golesh says this offense is further along to begin a season than any team he has ever coached. We want to believe him.Joe’s pick: Auburn 35, Baylor 18Hero says: Auburn happily welcomes new coach Alex Golesh and the vast majority of last year’s USF team to the Plaines after a miserable 3 years with Hugh Freeze. Meanwhile, Baylor coach Dave Aranda’s seat is scorching hot, and it’s up to former five-star quarterback Lagaway to live up to expectations and cool it off. With Golesh’s high-flying offensive system, and a quarterback in Byrum Brown who runs it to perfection, I expect the Tigers to start fast and take this one by double digits. Hero’s pick: Auburn 38, Baylor 20Senator says: Auburn handled Baylor well on the road last year and will take a giant leap forward under new head coach Alex Golesh. Auburn’s new QB1, Byrum Brown, beat Florida in the Swamp last season at USF, and will have talent upgrades around him to do even more this year. DJ Lagway may keep it interesting early, but Auburn pulls away for a double-digit win in Atlanta. Senator’s pick: Auburn 32, Baylor 17Alabama running back Daniel Hill gets his chance at redemption this season after a tough day in the Rose Bowl against Indiana. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)APEast Carolina at No.13 AlabamaWhen: 11 a.m., Sat.Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala.TV: ABCSeries: Alabama leads 1-0.Spread: Alabama by 28.5.Total: 52.5 Trendy: Tide is 5-0 against the spread in its last five games in September.GAME NOTES: Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer hasn’t stayed with the same team for three consecutive seasons since beginning his career at Sioux Falls.Joe says: We’ve been talking about Alabama’s embarrassing 35-point loss in the Rose Bowl for nine months. New Tide quarterback Keelon Russell is about to set the field on fire in his debut. East Carolina counters with six-year quarterback Mitch Griffis, who has had stops at Texas Tech and Wake Forest. Griffis throws at least two picks and the Tide pours it on late.Joe’s pick: Alabama 45, East Carolina 14Hero says: The Crimson Tide comes into the season unusually under the radar. With pressure to revive a running game that was nonexistent last year, there has been nothing but positive reviews of the job that new O-line coach Adrian Klemm and new tight ends coach Richard Owens have done to address it. All the questions are surrounding the offense, and with a new starting quarterback in redshirt freshman Keelon Russell, it’s more than important for the O-line to open holes, running backs to hit the holes and be enough of a threat to take some of the pressure off the passing game. I think the coaching changes and an entirely new O-line will be good for Bama. Keelon Russell stars and the running backs run away with this one. Hero’s pick: Alabama 45, East Carolina 13Senator says: I expect Alabama to prioritize establishing the ground game early and ease Keelon Russell into his first start. From everything I’ve heard, you can also expect Keelon to make some jaw dropping throws to get fans excited about this year. There’s no question about Kane Wommack’s secondary, and his men up front will be bigger this year and ready to stop the run. The Tide rolls. Senator’s pick: Alabama 56, ECU 7 Suddenly everyone's favorite coach. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)APClemson at No.11 LSUWhen: 6:30 p.m., Sat.Where: Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, La.TV: ABCSeries: LSU leads 4-1.Spread: LSU by 10.5.Total: 50.5Trendy: Under is 10-2 in the Tigers’ last 12 games as a favorite.GAME NOTES: Clemson enters the season having not lost to the same team in back-to-back years since 2014, the final year of a three-game series winning streak by Florida State. Clemson can keep that streak alive with wins in 2026 against LSU, Syracuse, Georgia Tech and Duke, all which defeated Clemson in 2025.Joe says: Little Ol’ Clemson suddenly has a lot of fans from sea to shining sea. Lane Kiffin begins his time at LSU wearing the black hat of college football’s biggest villain. Kiffin ain’t so bad, though. He’s just trying to give NFL washouts another shot at the glory years. It’s all for the players, and that’s what we liked about this heartwarming offseason. But Kiffin has been known to stumble in his biggest moments and I’m betting (hoping?) on karma to sweep the leg.Joe’s pick: Clemson 24, LSU 21Hero says: Man, wouldn’t it be a fitting episode of the Lane Kiffin never ending saga to get LSU kicked out of the SEC before he even coaches a game there? It’s a possibility with all 15 other schools in the SEC unanimously threatening to kick the Tigers out if Lane and Governor Jeff Landry continue with their attempts to bring NFL players back to play in college. College football is screwed up enough as is … and besides, LSU emptied the pocketbook to add talented portal additions like quarterback Sam Leavitt. Meanwhile, Dabo is as traditional as they come, naming Clemson lifer and Birmingham native, Christopher Vizzina as their starting quarterback. If Clemson wants to win, their inexperienced O-line has to give Vizzina time, but that’s easier said than done against a Blake Baker-led defense. The LSU Tigers are national title contenders without NFL additions, and I think they take the win here. Hero’s pick: LSU 27, Clemson 17Senator says: I’ll join the rest of America cheering for Dabo to upset the NFL’s newest franchise. With the amount LSU spent on this roster, and how much Lane Kiffin has talked, it’s hard to pick against the Bayou Bengals. Dabo will have his team focused for this Revenge Game and it will go down to the wire. Senator’s pick: LSU 27, Clemson 24Ole Miss coach Pete Golding and linebacker Suntarine Perkins crash through Nashville this weekend. (AP Photo/Thomas Graning)APNo.24 Louisville vs. No.9 Ole MissWhen: 6:30 p.m., Sun.Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tenn.TV: ABCSeries: Ole Miss leads 1-0.Spread: Ole Miss by 6.5.Total: 55.5Trendy: Rebels are 5-1 against the spread in their last six games against the ACC.GAME NOTES: Of its 59 newcomers, Ole Miss welcomes in 33 new transfers as part of its No.2-ranked transfer class.Joe says: College football really is a mystery in 2026 because how can a team be ranked No.9 in the country while having 59 new players? In truth, no one knows anything going into Week 1, but I like the team with quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running Kewan Lacy. They’re both Heisman hopefuls and Ole Miss fans will be honky-tonking through the streets of Nashville on Sunday night. Do I have any faith in Louisville transfer quarterback Lincoln Kienholz (Ohio State)? Absolutely not.Joe’s pick: Ole Miss 30, Louisville 21Hero says: Ole Miss had the best season in program history last year and returns one of the best 1-2 punches in the nation in top 3 QB Trinidad Chambliss and RB Kewan Lacy who shattered school single season records in rush yards and rush TDs. But Louisville has an outstanding 1-2 punch of their own in RBs Isaac Brown and Keyjuan Brown who were first and second in the nation in yards per carry a season ago with 8.8 and 7.3 yards per carry. However, I think this game will lean more towards a defensive battle with each team returning talented defensive fronts and questions on the O-line.Hero’s pick: Ole Miss 27, Louisville 20Senator says: Speaking of Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss opens against a good Louisville team on a Sunday at a neutral site. Recipe for an upset, but the Rebels still have a chip on their shoulder and something to prove and their post-season experience last year will carry them. Senator’s pick: Ole Miss 38, Louisville 24Heisman hopeful quarterback CJ Carr of Notre Dame is poised for a big season. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)APWisconsin vs. No.3 Notre DameWhen: 6:30 p.m., Sun.Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wis.TV: NBCSeries: Notre Dame leads 9-6-2.Spread: Notre Dame by 20.5.Total: 47.5Trendy: Badgers are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games as an underdog.GAME NOTES: Last season, Irish quarterback CJ Carr was second in the nation in yards per pass attempt (9.35), fourth in passing yards per completion (14.06), second among freshmen in passing touchdowns (24) and fifth in passing efficiency (168.1).Joe says: Notre Dame hasn’t been ranked this high in the preseason AP Top 25 since 2006. The Irish return four starters along the offensive line plus nine starters on defense. Good enough for me. Wisconsin flipped its roster after last season’s 4-8 record. Wisky transfer quarterback Colton Joseph is from Old Dominion. Maybe Joseph should have stayed in Norfolk.Joe’s pick: Notre Dame 55, Wisconsin 18Hero says: On paper, no chance this game is close. It’s the nation’s best projected defense in the Irish vs the nation’s worst Power 4 offense from last season averaging only 13 points per game and only four yards per play. The Badgers tried to revamp their offense through the portal, but QB Colton Joseph from Old Dominion, who’s not known for his passing ability, is not the answer to fix the level of problems Wisconsin had a season ago. Meanwhile, the Irish return a scary amount of talent on defense with nine returning starters, starting with edge rusher Boubacar Traore. The paper will be right on this one. Hero’s pick: Notre Dame 45, Wisconsin 6Senator says: I expect Wisconsin to significantly improve from last season, but this is too tall of a task. Notre Dame will start slow at Lambeau Field, but finish strong. Senator’s pick: Notre Dame 31, Wisconsin 13 Southern Methodist quarterback Kevin Jennings is tough to bring down. (Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com)Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.comNo.19 SMU at Florida State (1-0)When: 6:30 p.m., Mon.Where: Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Fla.TV: ESPNSeries: SMU leads 1-0.Spread: SMU by 3.Total: 52.5Trendy: FSU is 2-8 against the spread over its last 10 games.GAME NOTES: FSU features 23 four-year transfers.Joe says: FSU has a stunning number of newcomers this season (62). Is Coach Prime already in Tallahassee? Thirty-five of those players are freshmen. That win against New Mexico State to begin the season might not be enough in the ACC opener against a deep SMU squad led by talented third-year starting quarterback Kevin Jennings.Joe’s pick: SMU 28, Florida State 21Hero says: The Seminoles got to shake off the rust in a Week 0 win against New Mexico State where they didn’t look great, but the first game rarely does (unless they’re playing Alabama). SMU likes to play fast behind returning quarterback Jennings who is great when comfortable, but threw 11 of his 13 interceptions when under pressure last year. The Seminoles will need to generate pressure on defense and run the life out of SMU using mobile quarterback Ashton Daniels and sophomore running back Ousmane Kromah. Hero’s pick: Florida State 24, SMU 23Senator says: SMU has two new coordinators, and Rhett Lashlee has continued to impress during his time leading the Mustangs. Meanwhile, FSU had an underwhelming warmup last week. Senator’s pick: SMU 24, Florida State 20 NOW MAKE YOUR PICKS!(And don’t forget, picks are against the spread.)