Week 1 is about as top-heavy as Dog The Bounty Hunter’s ex-wife Beth. There are about five games that would be considered "big" and then not a lot else. Of course four of those games involve teams from the nation's premier conference, the SEC. Luckily, most fans really don't care and are just glad to have real football back in their lives.

This week's guest picker is none other than former Gamecock long snapper Ike Crofoot (03-06). The Crofoot family is one of the most well-represented in the SEC, with five Crofoots playing college football in the conference. Two with Florida, two with Auburn, and Ike with the Gamecocks. After his playing days, Ike got into the family business, Palm Casual Patio Furniture. They've been in business for 45 years selling Patio Furniture at factory prices in the southeast. Locations are in Myrtle Beach, Summerville, Mt. Pleasant, Blufton, and multiple more locations in Georgia and Florida. Come by and purchase the highest quality furniture from the factory at the factory price.

Ike's thoughts on Week 1: Short and simple - GO GAMECOCKS!

* All game times listed below are in EST.

Why in the world is Mack Brown still at it? Nearly all of his contemporaries have called it a career. Brown is the oldest head coach at the FBS level at 72, nearly four years older than the next oldest coach. Retirement can't be that bad. Minnesota was picked to finish 12th in the new-look Big Ten and UNC eighth in the expanded ACC. The ACC appears wide open after Florida State's performance in Ireland.

Coastal football has now turned the page from the Jamey Chadwell/Grayson McCall era. Chadwell is about to kick off his second season at Liberty and McCall will be under center in Raleigh this season for the Wolfpack. Rich Rodriguez's Gamecocks were picked to finish third in Conference USA this season. Chadwell's Flames are the CUSA favorite. Tim Beck's Chanticleers were preseason number three in the Sun Belt East. This could be the best game of the night.

The luster is starting to wear off Coach Prime. I'd wager he isn't sticking around Boulder after his son leaves, but I hope I'm wrong as college football doesn't have the great personality of head coaches it once did and Deion Sanders is a huge personality. Folks in Colorado might not want him around if he loses this game. Why in the world did Colorado schedule the best team in FCS football? There is nothing for the Buffs to gain from this game.

Outside of the Carolina/ODU game, this game will have piqued the most interest amongst Gamecock fans. Is Garrett Riley going to get Cade Klubnik to progress into what Clemson expected him to be? Is Georgia the team to beat nationally? It seems strange to watch this game knowing that Carolina isn't playing the Dawgs a few weeks later. Will Xzavier McLeod factor into UGA's two-deep? Fans who don't mind tailgating in 90+ degree temps can take this one in before heading inside Williams-Brice.

Neal Brown looked dead in the water in Morgantown after they were roughed up in Happy Valley to kick off 2023, then the Mountaineers rebounded to win 9-of-12 to close the season. If WVU has another losing season in year six under Brown, then that goodwill from 23' is gone.

Excuse me for not getting too excited about the Kings of September, Penn State, despite their #8 national ranking. Beat Ohio State on November 2 and get back to me.

This is the third time in the past four seasons that Miami has started a season inside the AP Top 20, they haven't finished in the Top 25 in any of those prior seasons. The Canes are 12-13 under Mario Cristobal. I'll take a wait and see approach on The U.

The Gators play the nation's most difficult schedule. That's not a recipe for success with a coach who is on the hottest of hot seats. Billy Napier is 11-14 in two seasons in Gainesville. It's hard to see him surviving 2024 if the Gators lose 6-7 games again.

Here we are in year three of Gamecock Scoop. At this point you already know this is your destination for the best Gamecock coverage on the internet. We'll have plenty more on this game throughout the week.

Hot take: If the Irish win this game they will make the CFB Playoff. FSU and So Cal will be the only two opponents left on Notre Dame's schedule that they won't be double-digit favorites against.

Mike Elko will be making his head coaching debut for the Aggies in this primetime showdown. Elko was formerly a DC for A&M under Jimbo Fisher. As you know, Texas A&M comes to Columbia the first weekend of November.

Is Lincoln Riley on the hot seat? He makes $10 million a season. He's 19-8 as the Trojans coach and coming off an 8-5 year. With LSU, @Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn St, and at Minnesota all coming in the first six weeks of the season, the Trojans can't afford to falter.

LSU has a loaded offensive line to protect new QB Garrett Nussmeier. Brian Kelly, who has lost his only two season-openers at LSU, went out and hired Blake Baker from Missouri to fix his porous defense last season. As you know, LSU comes to Columbia in two weeks.

The Seminoles' front seven got exposed in Ireland as Georgia Tech rushed for 190 yards, averaging 5.3 ypc with three rushing scores. The luster is off FSU this season. They will undoubtedly get better, but they will be fighting an uphill battle to make the playoffs. Gamecock fans will want to keep an eye on BC WR Jayden McGowan. The Vandy transfer is a Laurens native who spurned the home-state Gamecocks in the last portal cycle to play in front of 50,000 fewer fans in 50-degree colder weather.

Want to get in on the conversation? Let us know which games have you the most excited on the Insider's Forum.