WEEK #1 LINES! How the Football Challenge works

So I opened up the USATODAY website, and there they were - the opening lines on every game of the 1st college football weekend! This means that the challenge has officially begun, so I figured I'd get them out to you as early as possible with an explanation of what we'll all be doing for those of you that are new to the progrum.

How does this work?

1) I'll send out all the games (NCAA and NFL for week 2 and beyond, just NCAA for week 1) via this blog with the point spreads (I use the opening line from the USATODAY website so we can all be consistent, and the line never changes)

2) We will pick 15 games each week (Wk1 = 15 NCAA Games, Wk2 and beyond 10 NCAA and 5 NFL). Please scan the list of games and send me back a list of your picks.

3) Format for picks? It really doesn't matter - just send me a list of the teams that you want to bet on. As long as I can figure out who you picked, that is all that matters.

4) MONEY - it will be $40/guy to enter this season - please get me your money before the season starts (this gives you about 3 full weeks...9/3 is the first game) Payouts will be at the end of the season as follows:

1st - Best overall record - $280.00
2nd - $40.00

There will be a bowl games/playoff challenge after the season that will be a totally different contest if you are interested.

OTHER RULES

- if a game ends right on the spread, everyone wins (i.e. MIN -6 over SYR, I pick MIN, they win 24-18 which is right on the spread, everyone who bet this game is a winner) This basically builds in a .5 pt advantage for every team you bet on each week.

- you can change your picks up until the game starts...but I need to know about it via email, phone call, text, in person...if you have a change of heart just let me know and I will send an update to the entire group so we all have an accurate list

- if you don't pay before the season starts, your picks will not count...I hate to be this way, but we need to make this legit and get $ in before anyone falls too far behind. Please make arrangements to get it to me or to someone else in the league who could get it to me by the September 3rd deadline.

So, here is how a typical week actually works.
- I send out picks on MON with some stragglers on TUES if they are not posted on MON. These will be in this format on the blog site, so you should all get them in email form

MN
SYR 6

BUF
NE -10

Bottom team is the home team, the line for that team is always posted next to them. So SYR is a +6 against MN in this example, or MN is -6 vs. SYR. The email will consist of a list of lines like this and you pick out your 15 games for that week.

- once you have your list, send it over to me BEFORE NOON ON THURSDAY, which allows me to compile and get the list and weekend preview out to everyone before the Thursday night games.

- you send me any changes before that game actually starts via phone (612-232-0227), email (james.rollins@bestbuy.com or jrollins.mn@gmail.com) or text works, too.

- games are played, I compile results, I post the results on Monday as well as the next week's games

Pretty simple, I just wanted to lay out the whole process for those of you who are new. It's a ton of fun, and with a larger group we should be able to get some nice banter going. I will throw out shots at everyone weekly, but please feel free and encouraged to participate as well. Remember, the blog is for eveyone to post on so if you have anything to say please let it fly...even if it's just a comment on another post. There is a link to the blog in every email you get from it.

So, without further adeiu - your week 1 games ( I will send these out again on the Monday before the games are actually played, but I was too excited to hold on to these for 3 weeks without communicating them)

* Don't forget to get me your cash - $40/guy - cash is best, but I can do checks too if necessary. Send it to me via the standard mail if you need to:

2063 Stone Creek Drive
Chanhassen, MN 55317

Games will be sent next in a separate post.