Welcome back to the ACC/SEC Pick’em League for the 2023 season!

Last year, I chronicled my run through this league I’ve been participating in for many years, and I’m back to celebrate with you all along the path to glorious redemption this season! No Scott Frost stupidity costing me 2 points in Week 0. No HEARTBREAKING UCLA collapse late in the season in another 2 point game that would have seen me lap the field and ascend to the top spot (I was behind on points, had to take a chance at a big upset). None of that. We’re going to have pure domination from start to finish as I retake my rightful throne.

Since it’s been a year, let’s take a second and reset the rules for the ACC/SEC Pick’Em League. And, while we pick winners straight up, the lines listed on the games (you’re welcome) come from our friends at DraftKings Sportsbook.

ACC/SEC Pick’em League Rules

The Rules are really simple:

• We pick winners, straight up. Lines are fun for debating and used in other places, but here, it’s a simple “who do you think wins this game” picks league.
• Picks are due by Thursday at 5pm unless otherwise noted by Tyler, the commissioner.
• If you miss the deadline, you get zero points for the week. No extensions. No excuses.
• Newly instituted this year, if you want to keep picking, you can notify Commissioner Tyler that you want to join the side group consolation bracket.
• Every game with an ACC or SEC team is worth 1 point.
• Implemented in 2018 — this one is controversial and I VOTED AGAINST IT — but there’s a bonus NATIONAL game added to the list of games, and that game is worth 2 points. It’s the moneyball from the 3pt competition rack. I HATE IT. Wyoming-Montana St or Idaho-New Mexico should NOT count twice as much towards the championship as Miami-Florida State or Alabama-Georgia. But. I. Digress.
• Whoever has the most points at the end of the season wins.
• In the case of a tie (or multiple way tie which was the case in 2020), tiebreaker procedures for Championship Game Weekend are sent to the contenders. These include a score prediction for the Conference Championship game thought to be the most competitive.

Final 2022 Standings

I should have done the recap piece like 9 months ago, but I was so mad at how the end of the season went, I elected not to do that. Whatever. Tough losses happen. But, for these competitors, it was sweet, sweet glory for them.

Full disclaimer: I use pseudonyms for all competitors other than myself, so putting this together was a chore....since my list of names and aliases got destroyed. But, I figured it out. The top 7, in reverse order:

7th Place - Mike Schmidt

6th place - The Playmaker

5th place - Steve Simmons

4th place - Layla

3rd place - Commissioner Tyler. His highest finish ever. That’s right: he’s been running this show for all these years, and hasn’t won yet. Cruel world.

2nd place - Brent Thames. Far and away the rookie of the year, and quite possibly the best rookie season in ACC/SEC Pick ‘Em league history.

And your 2022 ACC/SEC Pick ‘Em League Champion: Harper’s Bazaar! They led for most of the year, and emerged with a well-earned championship.

Photo by Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images

As for me, I finished tied for 9th after the season. Those dropped points from the Nebraska and UCLA games (as well as a couple other bad beats) cost me a chance to end up higher, and compete for a championship in the final weeks of the year.

Week 0 Picks

Here we go. Starting a new year with a clean slate, chasing another championship. There is only 1 game with an ACC or SEC team, and only 2 games total. 3 points on offer, but as we’ve seen, every point matters, even in week 0.

With no further ado, here are my picks. REMINDER: I’m picking straight up. The lines are for your general edification. And my picks are in BOLD.

• Hawai’i at VANDERBILT (-17.5)
• Navy at NOTRE DAME (-21) in Dublin

That’s it. That’s what we’ve got. Hop in the comments and leave your picks and track your progress throughout the season!

Welcome back, football. We missed you!

Go Canes

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.