Note: Week 2 of the college football season is here. Scroll down to make your picks for Joe vs. the Pro and the Hero at the bottom of the post or by using this link.

Celebrated from coast to coast by sports fans, bag men, bartenders, mafia kings and mathematicians, Joe vs. the Pro and the Hero is the greatest resource for college football shenanigans on the internet. This is the 15th season for Joe vs. the Pro and the Hero in its various forms.

This is the second season of the grand experiment for readers to get in on the action. Sign up for Joe’s newsletter, “SPORTS! Happy Hour,” to keep up with who wins the 6-0 Challenge each week. Make your and compare your wits against the experts (and Joe). Win the 6-0 Challenge and enjoy eternal glory. The newsletter comes out every Thursday afternoon at 4:20 p.m. Enter your email to subscribe.

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 Pro and the Hero? Consider it a gift to society.

THE GRAND EXPERIMENT

Joseph 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 sharp and a football expert with a Harvard education? It’s a gift for college football fans every week in the state where college football is like a religion.

The Pro is Lee Sterling, a noted numbers man of national success. Sterling features his best picks on his website, ParamountSports.com, but The Pro fearlessly picks the most difficult college games of the week against Joe and the Hero. Joe is just a hack and a slacker who everyone loves to hate.

No one works harder than Hero Ben Abercrombie. Ben played football at Hoover High School and Harvard, and he’s working every day to regain his ability to walk. He’s a student at Harvard, and an inspiration to all. To thank him, we want everyone to stand up for Ben and show him some love.

Show Joe no love at all. Besmirch his name at small dinner parties, and troll him with signs on ESPN College GameDay.

6-0 CHALLENGE

Click the link here to make your picks for Week 2 of the 6-0 Challenge. We’re also embedding the picks form each week in Joe’s columns and here in Joe vs. the Pro and the Hero. Weekly winners of the 6-0 Challenge will be announced in Joe’s newsletter. Sign up for the newsletter here and scroll down to make your picks at the bottom of this post. Remember, picks are against the spread.

LAST WEEK

Joe: 4-2 straight up, 3-3 against the spread

Pro: 5-1 straight up, 5-1 against the spread

Hero: 3-3 straight up, 2-4 against the spread

LAST SEASON

Joe: 59-31 straight up, 39-48-2 against the spread

Pro: 60-30 straight up, 44-42-2 against the spread

Hero: 65-20 straight up, 49-38-2 against the spread

No.3 Texas (1-0) at No.10 Michigan (1-0)

When: 11 a.m., Sat.

Where: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Mich.

TV: Fox

Series: Texas leads 1-0.

Spread: Texas by 6.5

Trendy: Favored by 20 ½ points, Michigan failed to cover against Fresno State in Week 1. The Wolverines won by 20.

GAME NOTES: This is Texas’ first regular season matchup against a Big Ten team since 2018 when the Longhorns opened the season at Maryland.

Joe says: The Longhorns are loaded with the best team money can buy for this SEC vs. Big Ten clash. It is an embarrassment of riches. Michigan can’t steal signs anymore either, so I’ll lay it and play it. Texas might have the best one-two combination at quarterback in the country. Quinn Ewers is the starter and Arch Manning is the backup. In the modern age of college football, that depth could be the difference in making the playoffs or not being selected. Just ask FSU.

Joe’s pick: Texas 31, Michigan 21

Pro says: If you’re looking for a team to show some regression from last year, then the Wolverines fit the bill. Texas is the perfect team to expose them. Michigan’s new quarterback, Davis Warren, may not even be the starter in a couple weeks. In its win over Fresno State last week, Michigan’s four scoring drives only covered 26 to 47 yards. Welcome back to reality Michigan!

Pro’s pick: Texas 27, Michigan 16

Hero says: Michigan had the best team in college football last season, but after key playmakers JJ McCarthy and Blake Corum moved on to the NFL, their offense left much to be desired in Week 1. New Michigan coach Sherrone Moore returns star cornerback Will Johnson to lead a stingy defense that will prove to be tough behind the Michigan fans inside of the Big House. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian returns the core of his Texas team in quarterback Quinn Ewers as well as adding some key transfers like wide receiver Isiah Bond from Alabama. The Longhorns came into Tuscaloosa and beat the Tide by two touchdowns last year and I like their chances of going into the Big House in Ann Arbor and winning by 14.

Hero’s pick: Texas 27, Michigan 13

Colorado (1-0) at Nebraska (1-0)

When: 6:30 p.m., Sat.

Where: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Neb.

TV: NBC/Peacock

Series: Nebraska leads 49-21-2.

Spread: Nebraska by 7.5.

Trendy: Colorado lost its last six games of the 2023 season but covered in four of the last five.

GAME NOTES: Colorado reports that more than 67,000 applications were processed for newcomers this semester. That’s up 20 percent and over 60,000 for the first time in CU history. Applications for people of color were up 29 percent and applications for Black/African-American students were up over 50 percent.

Joe says: People are down on Colorado but the victory against NDSU in Week 1 showed that the Buffs have heart. Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders is an NFL talent and two-way star Travis Hunter is worth two touchdowns a game. Nebraska looked good against UTEP in Week 1, but I’ll go with the star power.

Joe’s pick: Colorado 42, Nebraska 35

Pro says: The main story lines for this game seems to be how much Nebraska has improved and they’re looking for revenge for last year’s 36-14 loss in Boulder. As improved as Nebraska is — and they finally found a quarterback — the best two players on the field are Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter. Colorado coach Deion Sanders may have something to say about who gets the Florida State job if it opens up.

Pro’s pick: Colorado 48, Nebraska 45

Hero says: Colorado features one of the best quarterbacks in college football in Shedeur Sanders and one of the best two-way players in cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter. Coach Prime has built a talented but not very deep roster in his second year coaching the Buffaloes. Coach Matt Rhule is also in the second year of his rebuild of the Nebraska football program. Rhule’s biggest accomplishment so far was signing five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola out of high school powerhouse Buford, Ga. The freshman quarterback led the Huskers to an easy win over UTEP last week, but it will be an up-and-down year for Raiola as he faces a tough Big Ten schedule. I give Nebraska the slight edge playing at home in Lincoln this week but watch out if Colorado gets the ball late in the fourth quarter with a chance to win.

Hero’s pick: Nebraska 31, Colorado 27

Houston (0-1) at No.15 Oklahoma (1-0)

When: 6:45 p.m., Fri.

Where: Memorial Stadium, Norman, Ok.

TV: SEC Network

Series: Oklahoma leads 3-1.

Spread: OU by 29.

Trendy: Houston fell to UNLV 27-7 to begin the season.

GAME NOTES: This is OU’s first-ever home game on a Friday night.

Joe says: OU receiver Deion Burks is a special talent. Houston is in a free fall in the post-Dana Holgorsen era. The Cougs averaged one yard per carry against UNLV. OU’s ball-hawking defense should have teams in the SEC paying attention.

Joe’s pick: Oklahoma 55, Houston 12

Pro says: The Cougars are a team in transition. Willie Fritz might be the right guy to steady the ship but he’s their sixth coach in 10 years. Oklahoma, behind new quarterback Jackson Arnold, might be able to rest their starters by the end of the third quarter. Rocking chair game of the week.

Pro’s pick: Oklahoma 58, Houston 17

Hero says: The Sooners handled Temple 51-3 last week while the Cougars lost to UNLV 27-7. Coach Brent Venables is in his third year as the Oklahoma head coach and his team looks ready for its first SEC season. Meanwhile, Willie Fritz is in Year One of his tenure at Houston and it looks like he inherited a horrible team. Look for Oklahoma to dominate the line of scrimmage on both offense and defense, cruising to an easy win at home in Norman.

Hero’s pick: Oklahoma 38, Houston 3

No.14 Tennessee (1-0) vs. No.24 N.C. State (1-0)

When: 6:30 p.m., Sat.

Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C.

TV: ABC and ESPN+

Series: Tennessee leads 2-1.

Spread: Tennessee by 7.5.

Trendy: Tennessee is 3-0 against the spread in neutral site games dating back to the 2022 season.

GAME NOTES: Tennessee notes that the Vols are one of two SEC teams (South Carolina) starting a redshirt freshman at quarterback in 2024. Nico Iamaleava, a former five-star recruit from Long Beach, Calif., made his second career start and first in Neyland Stadium last weekend. He set a UT record for most passing yards in a half with 314.

Joe says: Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava is getting all the hype but N.C. State can put up points, too. The Wolfpack counter with transfer quarterback Grayson McCall, who made a name for himself at Coastal Carolina. I bucked the trends last week with Penn State and got burned. I guess I always learn my lessons the hard way.

Joe’s pick: N.C. State 33, Tennessee 31

Pro says: If you only watched the first three quarters of the Wolfpack game against Western Carolina last week, then you’d probably put your money on Tennessee to roll here. In the fourth quarter, Coastal Carolina transfer quarterback Grayson McCall put it all together and looked like a Top 10 college quarterback. Tennessee’s offense is going to be explosive this season, but they might have the worst secondary in the SEC. To the wire!

Pro’s pick: Tennessee 38, NC State 36

Hero says: The Wolfpack did not live up to their preseason expectations last week as they struggled to beat FCS Western Carolina, while the Volunteers performed as expected last week and destroyed FCS UT Chattanooga. Senior quarterback Grayson McCall of NC State will present a good challenge for the Tennessee defense and the Wolfpack should be able to move the football and score points. However, the explosive Vol offense led by redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava should be able to outscore the Wolfpack in Charlotte.

Hero’s pick: Tennessee 38, N.C. State 23

Cal (1-0) at Auburn (1-0)

When: 2:30 p.m., Sat.

Where: Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, Ala.

TV: ESPN2

Series: Auburn leads 1-0.

Spread: AU by 13.5.

Trendy: Auburn was 6-7 against the spread for the 2023 season.

GAME NOTES: Prior to last season’s 14-10 home loss to Auburn, Cal had won three straight games against SEC opponents, most recently a home-and-home sweep of Ole Miss.

Joe says: I’m heading to Auburn this weekend for the game. Are the Tigers back? Would love to believe it, but I’m not buying Payton Thorne just yet. Bears running back Jayden Ott is probably, and could keep this game close if he can find a rhythm against Auburn’s defense.

Joe’s pick: Auburn 21, Cal 18

Pro says: Love the trio of freshmen wide receivers the Tigers added to what could be one of the most underrated offenses in college football. On the other side of the field, Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza is about as pedestrian as they come. He could be riding the pine by midseason. Sometimes you gotta lay it if you want to play it.

Pro’s pick: Auburn 37, California 17

Hero says: Auburn earned a hard-fought win over Cal last season in Berkeley. Even though the weather will be cooler than normal for early September in Auburn, I think the Bears will be feeling the heat from a hungry Auburn team and fanbase eager for a big win at home. Hugh Freeze has more offensive weapons in Year Two of his Auburn rebuild, so I don’t expect for a decent Cal team to be able to hang around into the fourth quarter this year.

Hero’s pick: Auburn 31, Cal 13

South Florida (1-0) at No.4 Alabama (1-0)

When: 6 p.m., Sat.

Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

TV: ESPN

Series: Alabama leads 2-0.

Spread: Alabama by 31.

Trendy: Kalen DeBoer’s Washington team was 4-6-1 against the spread in the 2023 regular season.

GAME NOTES: ​​Prior to Saturday’s matchup with South Florida, the University of Alabama will officially rename the Crimson Tide’s home venue to Nick Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium

Joe says: The Tide struggled with the weather last year in Tampa. It was a crummy day and the Bulls’ offense can cause problems. Jalen Milroe returns the favor in this one. He accounted for five touchdowns in the opener and he’ll have five more on Saturday.

Joe’s pick: Alabama 45, South Florida 10

Pro says: Most bettors will lay the wood and expect Alabama to try to run it up against the Bulls, who gave them a scare last year in that 17-3 escape. The Bulls return 18 starters plus sophomore quarterback Byrum Brown can do it all, passing for 26 touchdowns and added 11 touchdowns with his legs. Bulls are 6-1 against the spread against Power 5 opponents since 2021 and won’t lay down. Take the Bulls and hold your nose.

Pro’s pick: Alabama 42, South Florida 17

Hero says: The poor offensive performance by Alabama last year in Tampa against USF seems to have given the Bulls and their coach Alex Golesh some confidence heading into Tuscaloosa. However, Jalen Milroe will be starting the game at quarterback for Alabama, and he has plenty of weapons to make Bama fans forget the USF game from last season. The Bulls bring in a more explosive offense this year, led by junior quarterback Byrum Brown, and may have some big plays offensively, but the aggressive Tide defense will generate turnovers and help Alabama put up another exciting performance.

Hero’s pick: Alabama 48, USF 10

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