The Times’ college football experts make their picks: USC and UCLA will start the season with wins

Each week, the Los Angeles Times’ college football experts — it’s how they refer to themselves — will make choices on a variety of games. Warning: If they could accurately predict results, they wouldn’t be reporters or editors.

Ben Bolch

Texas vs. Maryland at Landover, Md.: Texas 28-27

Washington vs. Auburn at Atlanta: Auburn 24-21

Tennessee vs. West Virginia at Charlotte, N.C.: West Virginia 31-14

Nevada Las Vegas at USC: USC 31-10

North Carolina at California: California 38-20

Cincinnati at UCLA: UCLA 27-17

Michigan at Notre Dame: Notre Dame 30-20

Louisville vs. Alabama at Orlando, Fla.: Alabama 42-21

Miami vs. Louisiana State at Arlington, Texas: Louisiana State 28-27

Virginia Tech at Florida State: Florida State 24-21

Mike Hiserman

Texas vs. Maryland at Landover, Md.: Texas 31-20

Washington vs. Auburn at Atlanta: Auburn 27-24

Tennessee vs. West Virginia at Charlotte, N.C.: West Virginia 34-24

Nevada Las Vegas at USC: USC 45-17

North Carolina at California: California 30-27

Cincinnati at UCLA: UCLA 31-20

Michigan at Notre Dame: Michigan 24-22

Louisville vs. Alabama at Orlando, Fla.: Alabama 42-20

Miami vs. Louisiana State at Arlington, Texas: Louisiana State 26-23

Virginia Tech at Florida State: Florida State 27-21

J. Brady McCollough

Texas vs. Maryland at Landover, Md.: Texas 31-24

Washington vs. Auburn at Atlanta: Auburn 21-17

Tennessee vs. West Virginia at Charlotte, N.C.: West Virginia 35-24

Nevada Las Vegas at USC: USC 38-3

North Carolina at California: California 42-31

Cincinnati at UCLA: UCLA 24-13

Michigan at Notre Dame: Michigan 27-21

Louisville vs. Alabama at Orlando, Fla.: Alabama 50-14

Miami vs. Louisiana State at Arlington, Texas: Miami 21-13

Virginia Tech at Florida State: Florida State 28-21

Blake Richardson

Texas vs. Maryland at Landover, Md.: Texas 17-14

Washington vs. Auburn at Atlanta: Auburn 27-24

Tennessee vs. West Virginia at Charlotte, N.C.: West Virginia 24-17

Nevada Las Vegas at USC: USC 27-10

North Carolina at California: California 34-17

Cincinnati at UCLA: UCLA 24-10

Michigan at Notre Dame: Notre Dame 35-28

Louisville vs. Alabama at Orlando, Fla.: Alabama 42-9

Miami vs. Louisiana State at Arlington, Texas: Miami 35-31

Virginia Tech at Florida State: Florida State 28-24

Angel Rodriguez

Texas vs. Maryland at Landover, Md.: Texas 30-9

Washington vs. Auburn at Atlanta: Washington 28-17

Tennessee vs. West Virginia at Charlotte, N.C.: West Virginia 38-17

Nevada Las Vegas at USC: USC 37-10

North Carolina at California: North Carolina 24-13

Cincinnati at UCLA: UCLA 24-17

Michigan at Notre Dame: Notre Dame 27-21

Louisville vs. Alabama in Orlando, Fla.: Alabama 31-28

Miami vs. Louisiana State at Arlington, Texas: Miami 27-10

Virginia Tech at Florida State: Virginia Tech 21-20

David Wharton

Texas vs. Maryland at Landover, Md.: Texas 27-20

Washington vs. Auburn at Atlanta: Auburn 24-21

Tennessee vs. West Virginia at Charlotte, N.C.: West Virginia 35-27

Nevada Las Vegas at USC: USC 38-14

North Carolina at California: California 28-21

Cincinnati at UCLA: UCLA 38-21

Michigan at Notre Dame: Michigan 24-20

Louisville vs. Alabama at Orlando, Fla.: Alabama 42-17

Miami vs. Louisiana State at Arlington, Texas: Miami 27-21

Virginia Tech at Florida State: Florida State 30-24