Early season sports picks are always tough because there are no recent past performances upon which to make comparisons.

But tradition, in the sense that some teams are always good, and the number of quality returning players, the team's overall physical health, and the coach are some factors that can help the sports bettor make better picks.

Here's a look at the 2008 college football pre-season AP rankings:

1. Georgia
2. Ohio State
3. USC
4. Oklahoma
5. Florida
6. Missouri
7. LSU
8. West Virginia
9. Clemson
10. Auburn
11. Texas
12. Texas Tech
13. Wisconsin
14. Kansas
15. Arizona State
16. Brigham Young
17. Virginia Tech
18. Tennessee
19. South Florida
20. Illinois
21. Oregon
22. Penn State
23. Wake Forest
24. Alabama
25. Pittsburgh

As you can see, the usual teams, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Texas, USC, Florida, West Virginia, etc., are there, but this year we have a few teams that haven't made the pre-season Top 25 in a long time.
Pittsburgh and Wake Forest are examples but don't expect them to be in the BCS Championship game.

On the other side of the coin it is somewhat of a shock not to see former powerhouses Nebraska, Michigan, Miami and Florida State in the Top 25.

Don't count any of these former National Championship teams out though, it's a long season and I expect some, if not all of them to finish in the Top 25.

Off hand, and with nothing but hunches to guide me, I expect Georgia, Ohio State, USC, Oklahoma, Florida, LSU, West Virginia, and Texas to be the cream of the crop this year.

Right now, for a crazy prediction, I think that Georgia, USC, Oklahoma, Florida, and LSU, are all capable of ending up as #1. We'll see.

For the first weeks picks, if I were a betting man, I'd go with:

Missouri, at home, minus 8, over Illinois
Syracuse, away, minus 11, over Northwestern
Florida International, away, plus 36, at Kansas
UCLA, at home, plus 7 1/2, over Tennessee
Rutgers, at home, minus 7, over Fresno State
Wake Forest, away, minus 12, over Baylor

We'll start the season with six picks and as the season progresses and there are more games to choose from I'll increase the number.

Check out the "Vegas.com" and "Vegas Insider" betting lines for your own picks.

Have fun and good luck!

Source:www.betvega.com