Well football fans, week 9 did not disappoint! Two teams in the top 4 fell as conference chaos begins to take over and we even had the first mid-season firing with Jim McElwain headed out of Gainesville after just 2.5 seasons. There were a lot of great games, so be sure to listen to the podcast of, The 2nd String, down below as Nate Muhlbach and I discuss anything and everything with College Football! As for the Husker game, I'll give my reflection here, but for a more in depth analysis, be sure to listen to the podcast for that too! Here's my reflection on the Huskers' win at Purdue, enjoy!
Well, they got the win. That's about all I want to say about this game because for the first 58 minutes and 30 seconds of this game, I was almost sick watching that performance. Purdue honestly looked like they wanted this game more than the Huskers and they just about took it. Nebraska has talked all season about the necessity of establishing a ground game early and often in all of their games. That plan failed yet again as the Huskers mustered up only 40 rushing yards throughout the game being led by Freshman RB Jaylin Bradley with 42. Ozigbo only had 8 yards on just 10 carries and Wilbon squeaked out 3 on his lone carry of the game. Yes, they were playing from behind most of the game, but there was no effort to establish a rushing attack if you ask me. When Ozigbo only gets 10 touches on the ground, it's clear Langsdorf and Riley have no confidence in our ground game from the get go. Much like against Ohio State, Nebraska gave up the run game before even trying. Bradley did provide a bit of a spark in the second half, but regardless, when you face a middle of the road rush defense like Purdue (53rd nationally, 9th in BIG 10), your top running back should get more carries than just 10 and more yards than just 8. The offensive line has been one of the worst I've witnessed in my existence, and the injuries have not helped. Apart from the injuries though, self-inflicted wounds, missed assignments and getting flat out beat on the line has been the recurring theme of the year up front for Nebraska. If they have any hope of making a bowl game, they need to fix the issues up front NOW. I've been saying it all season, but all of the issues for Nebraska start up front. The offense will continue to struggle if we can't get a push up front. Pass protection is still an issue as well. Lee was sacked 3 times and the Boilermakers racked up 8 Tackles for Loss. Despite all of the issues in front of him, Lee passed for a career best 431 yards with 2 TDs and 0 picks for the second straight game. He's shown great improvement over recent weeks and has kept the offense from bombing out completely with his play. He'll need help as the Huskers move into November looking for two more wins, but Lee looks like he's settled down within the offense now. His accuracy has improved and the receivers didn't drop as many passes against Purdue. Hoppes was especially impressive! He made me want to take away the Tyler "Droppes" nickname he's earned, but I've got to see one more solid game before that happens. Regardless, the passing game has improved drastically since the early part of the season. Point will still be hard to come by if Nebraska can't run though.
On the defensive side of the ball, there's still the same issues we've seen all season long. Poor tackling, poor pass rush, no push on the line of scrimmage and DBs not sure how to play the ball when it's in the air. The Blackshirts surrendered 363 total yards to the Boilermakers, including 199 on the ground. Diaco claims this will be one of the top defenses in the country, but they have a long way to go before they reach that point. Hopefully players like Ben Stille and Jake Weinmaster get some more playing time moving forward at Linebacker. From what I've seen, they're two of the best at wrapping up when tackling. That's still my biggest issue of them all on defense. You're not going to win many games when you let backs and receivers break 2-3 tackles every time they touch the ball. Nonetheless, there are a few bright spots on defense. The Blackshirts held Purdue to 3-13 on 3rd downs and held David Blough to just 57% completion rating and only 164 yards. I was surprised the Boilermakers didn't try to mix in Elijah Sindelar, especially because he's more of the rushing threat at QB. I'm not sure if that would've been better or worse for the Huskers, but it's probably best we didn't find out. Not a great game from the defense, by not their worst by any means. Still need some more improvement.
Overall, this was a fairly pathetic game to watch. It seemed like Nebraska was confused on just about every play offensively and had no clue what to do once they got close to the endzone. Luckily Drew Brown is straight up $$$ at kicker, hitting all 4 of his field goals in the game with a long of 44. It's nice to have him in your back pocket, but Nebraska needs to be much more efficient when driving the ball into the 20. This again goes back to the lack of a rushing attack and poor blocking up front. We'll see what improvements are made heading into a tough game at home against a stingy Northwestern team. I'm content with the much needed win, but definitely not very optimistic about it. Thanks for reading and GO BIG RED! Be sure to watch for my predictions post this Saturday!
Hello Football fans! I hope you're all ready for another great week of College Football as we move into the last weekend of October. In my opinion, this is when some of the best games take place for football. We have a great slate of games to watch this weekend, so let's get right into my predictions for week 9, enjoy!
#11 Oklahoma State at #22 West Virginia
Both the Pokes and the Mountaineers are coming off nail-biters from a week ago where they edged out Texas and Baylor respectively. Oklahoma State's top ranked offense struggled mightily against the Longhorns last week, mustering just 13 points in the Overtime win. Mason Rudolph was held without a TD pass and their wideouts committed a number of costly drops. They will really need to re-vamp their offense as they head into Morgantown. For West Virginia, they may need to revamp their defense. Over their past two games against Texas Tech and Baylor, the Mountaineers have given up 82 points and 1,010 total yards combined. With OSU coming into town, this could turn into yet another shootout for WVU. Their offense has bailed out their defense over the past couple of games though because Will Grier has thrown for 350+ and 5 TDs in both games. The big issue lately for WVU has been establishing a ground game. Justin Crawford was the Big XII's lead running back just a few weeks ago, but has disappeared with just 77 yards over the past two games. Texas only mustered up 42 rushing yards on OSU's defense, so it could be another tough day for Crawford. West Virginia has been on both sides of close games this season, but with their defense right now, I think they could lose this one. It'll definitely be a shootout, and I wouldn't be surprised by a lot of crazy points, but I'll take the Pokes in a close one. Cowboys win it 53-47.
World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party
#3 Georgia vs. Florida
The Bulldogs are coming off a BYE as Florida heads into this rivalry match-up having lost their last two games by a combined 3 points... at home. This is the perfect upset in the making, and with a rivalry, it makes that chance even greater! However, I don't think the Dawgs will be sleeping on the Gators this year, they're looking to end their 3 year drought against the Blue & Orange. Freshman QB Jake Fromm has been sensational for Georgia this season, leading them to a 7-0 record and managing the offense very well. The biggest story in the SEC this year has been Georgia's defense. The Bulldogs are in the top 10 in all 4 of the main defensive categories (Scoring, Rushing, Passing & Total). Florida's offense ranks 102nd in total offense and that's good a good enough ranking for the worst offense in the state of Florida! I don't think the Gators will do much chomping in this one. Georgia wins 33-16.
#4 TCU at #25 Iowa State
The Cyclones are back in the top 25 for the first time since 2005! Their first task as a top 25 team? Host the #4 ranked Horned Frogs from TCU. This looks to be a good match-up, with two dynamic offenses and a lead in the Big XII race on the line. ISU has been on a tear this season, especially since walk-on Kyle Kempt has taken over at QB. The former 3rd-stringer has quite the back story of bouncing around at schools, including a redshirt stint at Oregon State under Mike Riley in 2014! After having numerous scholarships taken away because of coaching changes, Kempt went along with Campbell on his move to Ames. He's started the last three games and has thrown for 657 yards with 7 TDs and just 1 interception. He'll have to be stellar yet again to knock off TCU, as the Horned Frogs have the 11th ranked Total Defense in the nation. They only give up an average of 14.9 points per game, so ISU could have a tough time moving the ball. I think TCU has the edge in this one, even on the road, but I wouldn't be surprised with this game being close. Iowa State has played teams tough all season, and this one should be another battle. Horned Frogs keep their lead in the Big XII Conference and win a tough one on the road 37-24.
#14 NC State at #9 Notre Dame
The Fightin' Irish are coming off their biggest win of the season, beating USC 49-14 last weekend. The Wolfpack are back in the top 15 for the first time since 2003 and looking to cause some chaos in the ACC and even playoff picture in the weeks ahead. They march into South Bend with a 6-1 record and one of the best defensive players in the nation with DE Bradley Chubb. Chubb has 6.5 sacks and 13 Tackles for Loss on the season thus far, and opposing defenses have really struggled to slow him down. Notre Dame has the 6th best rushing attack in the nation, and QB Brandon Wimbush has 508 yards on the ground with 10 rushing TDs. NC State will have a tough time handling this ground game, but the Wolfpack do have the 6th ranked rush defense in the nation, giving up just 91.3 yards per game on the ground. I expect this to be a tough, grinding game, but I think Notre Dame has the talent to finish this one out. They have a tough schedule ahead, but this won't be the trip up for the Irish. If NC State does pull this upset though, they could really be a team to watch. They could still win the ACC with out this one, but I've got the Irish with a 27-20 win.
#21 USC at Arizona State
The Trojans are likely shell-shocked after the 49-14 thumping they received from the Irish last week. Arizona State is coming off back to back big wins against Washington and Utah, with impressive defensive performances. The Sun Devils have allowed just 17 points over the past two games compared to a minimum of 30 in their first 5. QB Manny Wilkins has helped their offense total 630 yards in the past two weeks combined, so we could be in for a good show with this Pac-12 after dark match-up. Sam Darnold looks to right the ship as the Trojans still lead the way in the Pac-12 South Division. They would have a two game lead on the Sun Devils with a head to head win tonight. Tempe can be a tough place to play, but it takes a lot to hold down Darnold. I'm still not entirely sold on Arizona State yet, so I'm going to stick with the Trojans. USC wins it in the desert 34-21, Fight On!
#2 Penn State at #6 Ohio State
The biggest game of the weekend takes place in the Horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio. The Nittany Lions take on the Buckeyes in a game that will not only likely decide the BIG 10 East Division winner, but will also likely decide which BIG 10 team will get into the Playoff! This game is going to be a good one, and to make matters even better, my friend Nate and I made a wager on this game during our radio show. Nate is crazy and thinks Ohio State is going to win this game, while I know the true victor will be Penn State. So with our opposing views, we put the intro rights for next week's show on the line. Winner gets to introduce the other person and I cannot wait to win this bet! Let me explain why Penn State will win this game (and the bet). First of all, Ohio State has demolished every team in their path since losing to Oklahoma, but that list of teams includes Army, UNLV, Rutgers, Maryland and a very lackluster Husker squad. Their offensive numbers have been off the charts, but only because they're inflated by major wins over bad teams. Penn State is coming off of a huge home victory over Michigan and has arguably the most well rounded team in the nation. Their defense ranks in the top 10 in 3/4 of the major categories, the only one that isn't is their 17th ranked pass defense. None of their opponents have been able to move the ball on the Nittany Lions and they give up an average of just 9.6 points per game (#1 in the nation). The front seven of Penn State's defense is one of the most underrated in all of College Football in my opinion. Hardly anyone mentions their dominance (mostly due to Saquon Barkely), but they have been reeking havoc on opponents all season long. The Nittany Lion defense is 6th in the nation for Tackles for Loss with 59 of them so far this season and 8th in the nation for sacks with 24. They like to bring constant pressure, and with players like Senior Linebacker Jason Cabinda leading the way, JT Barrett and the Buckeyes will have a difficult time moving the ball. Barrett isn't always the most accurate passer, and that's going to cost them against Penn State. The second reason Penn State will win this game is their offensive dominance. Yes, we all know about Saquon Barkely, but the rest of their offensive attack is no slouch, especially when they average 40 points per game. Saquon is the key play-maker, but WRs DaeSean Hamilton and Juan Johnson along with the 6'6 Kangaroo named Mike Gesicki at Tightend, Ohio State will have to deal with the most talented offense they've faced all season long. Again, the numbers are skewed because of their weaker schedule, but Ohio State is currently 36th in the nation for pass defense. I'm not buying that number because Tanner Lee put up over 300 on the Buckeys and after the Oklahoma game, Ohio State had the nation's WORST pass defense. Just because you play Army and UNLV doesn't mean your pass defense is fixed. I think Trace McSorley will reek havoc on this young secondary and knock the Buckeyes from Playoff possibilities. They already blew out the #1 ranked defense of Michigan! Ohio State is definitely capable of winning this game, I never want to assume anything with Urban Meyer, but I think Penn State wins a good one this afternoon 33-21.
Nebraska at Purdue
The Huskers are coming off a BYE as they head into West Lafayette while the Boilermakers are trying to figure out what happened against Rutgers last week. This will be a great indicating game of what direction the Huskers are going in for the rest of the season and if a bowl game is still a possibility for this team. Purdue is going to continue using their two QB system with David Blough and Elijah Sindelar. Statistically, Blough looks to be the better of the two, but from when I've watched Purdue this season, Sindelar seems to help move the offense along more. Regardless of who takes the snaps, the key for Nebraska is to get pressure on them and shut down the run. Purdue has two RBs that split the load fairly equally with Tario Fuller and D.J. Knox. Both are averaging around 6 yards per carry, so the Blackshirts need to get a push up front. Switching back to the pressure aspect of the game... CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HIT THE QUARTERBACK?! Nebraska's pass rush has been atrocious lately, mustering just a total of 10 sacks over the entire season thus far. If the Huskers want to make a bowl, that stat needs to change, pronto.
On the offensive side of the ball, Nebraska needs to establish a rushing attack, stick with the rushing attack, and make sure Lee's throws are necessary and accurate. Devine needs to carry the ball at least 20 times and just let him plow through that Purdue defense like a runaway train (pun intended). If Nebraska can establish a ground game with Ozigbo, Tanner Lee will have much less congestion in the pocket, allowing for more accurate passes. Purdue's newly vamped up defense loves to fly to the ball and hit hard, so the Huskers will really need to be careful with passing the ball. Lee has improved quite a bit since the early part of the season, but without a ground game to lean on, he will not be nearly as effective. Overall, this is definitely a game Nebraska should win, but it's also one they could positively lose. Hopefully they were able to get their minds right as they come out of the BYE week. I've go the Huskers coming out with a solid 34-17 victory. GO BIG RED!
Here are some Quick Hits on games I didn't get a chance to analyze deeply:
Cal at Colorado- The Buffs have fallen back into the pit they once owned having lost 4 of their last 5 games. Cal is on the rise after a couple of tough losses and a major upset against #8 Wazzu, so I'm going to go with the Golden Bears! I like what Justin Wilcox has cooking up in Berkley. Cal beat Colorado on the road 35-24.
UCLA at #12 Washington- A battle between two of the best QBs in the nation is set to square off up in Seattle. The Huskies have a 17 point spread for this game, but Josh Rosen of UCLA can always keep them in the game. Sadly, he doesn't have much help around him, and he'll have a tough time doing anything against this Washington defense. UCLA is not good enough to compete in this game, Washington wins it 31-17.
#16 Michigan State at Northwestern- The Spartans are coming off a tough game against their rival Indiana and have a showdown in Happy Valley vs. the unstoppable Nittany Lions. This has trap game written all over it, and I'm sure Northwestern will cause some headaches. They have a tough defense, but not much to offer on offense, much like Michigan State. Northwestern hangs around, but I think Lewerke finishes this game strong. I always pray for the upset, but this is one that's unlikely in my book. Spartans stuff the Wildcats 23-10.
Battle for the Floyd of Rosedale:
Minnesota at Iowa- A bronze Pig is on the line as Minnesota and Iowa clash for another classic BIG 10 Rivalry. The Hawks are coming off a puzzling loss to Northwestern as the Gophers just edged by Illinois. This will probably be fairly low scoring and honestly just an ugly game. Neither team plays a lot of "good looking football", but they get the job done most of the time. Iowa has 2 straight on the Gophers, and I think they'll take 1 more. Iowa 22, Minnesota 16.
Georgia Tech at #7 Clemson- The Tigers and the Ramblin' Wreck look to get back on track as the Yellow Jackets invade Death Valley. Clemson saw what very well was their repeat title hopes dashed by Syracuse, so they could be ready to fight after the BYE. Georgia Tech will likely jump out to an early lead and then wash it away as they normally do. I'll take the Tigers at home, Clemson wins it 33-17.
Thanks for reading my game predictions and I hope you have a fantastic Saturday! Don't forget to tune into The 2nd String, every Tuesday evening from 7-8 pm on KRNU2 online! Here's this week's episode of the 2nd String as well for you all to enjoy! GO BIG RED!
Good morning College Football fans! I hope you're all ready for a fantastic day of football! Even though the Huskers have a BYE week, there's still a great slate of College Football games to watch today. There's a couple of ranked match ups, couple of rivalries and most importantly, lots of potential for CHAOS! So let's get to my big games to watch this weekend and all my game picks, enjoy!
#10 Oklahoma State at Texas
The Pokes roll into Austin, TX looking to keep their CFP hopes alive and keep pace in the Big XII. Texas is coming off a close loss to their arch rival, the Sooners, in the Red River Rivalry last week. The Horns were down early, but came back and made it a close one later in the game. Texas QB Sam Ehlinger accounted for 388 total yards and 2 TDs, so OSU will have their hands full with him today. This looks to be a typical, high scoring, shootout Big XII game as both teams give up an average of 24 points per game while averaging 48.8 (Pokes) and 33.7 (Horns). The biggest factor to watch will be Mason Rudolph vs. the Texas Secondary. The Longhorns rank 109th in the country for pass defense, giving up 264.8 yards passing per game. That means Mason Rudolph and James Washington will have a field day. Rudolph already has more than 2,300 yards on the season with a 19:4 TD to INT ratio, and I expect those numbers to get a boost today. Texas has played teams tough though, taking USC and Oklahoma both to the wire. I think Sam Ehlinger could be one of the best QBs in the nation in a couple years based on his play so far this season, but I'm not quite sure if he can pull the upset over Rudolph yet. Texas will hang around, but Rudolph and the Pokes will start to pull away late. Cowboys win a tough one on the road 41-28.
Tennessee at #1 Alabama
I honestly don't think this game will go very well for you know who, but it's still technically a rivalry game, and beating the spread against Bama can be considered a win on some level, especially to Tennessee. The Vols are looking to keep it respectable as they stroll into Tuscaloosa, AL after losing their last two games by a combined 56-9. They fought tough last week, but gave up a few late scores to allow South Carolina to come away with the win. Looking at Alabama, they do the typical Bama thing and score 40+ per game while giving up about 10 and only 254 total yards on average. With Tennessee's struggling offense, they might be lucky to cross the 50 in this game. They did find a spark by changing QBs last week, but I'm not sure how well the Freshman, Jarrett Guarantano, can handle Bama on the road. They might cross the 50 with Guarantano, but after watching them last week, I doubt they'll score. This is more of a prediction to see how bad Tennessee will lose. I'm taking Bama big! The Tide Roll along over their "rival" 40-7.
Syracuse at #8 Miami
The Cuse are coming off the major upset of Clemson last week, but now have to travel down to South Beach to take on the 8th ranked Canes. Can lightening strike twice? Syracuse proved they can move the ball against one of the toughest defenses in the nation last week, and Eric Dungey leads an offensive attack that averages 463 yards (318 passing) and 31.3 points per game. Miami has had a couple of nail-biters in their past two games, but Malik Rosier keeps this team humming along. He's been very impressive this season, especially late in the game during clutch time. He's lead back to back game winning drives against Florida State and Georgia Tech, so I don't think he's too nervous when trailing late in the game. No matter what, he'll have to watch out for the pressure form Syracuse, the Orange had 4 sacks and 5 TFL on the Tigers last week, so look for them to bring the heat early and often in this game. I think Miami will take this one, but Syracuse will definitely play them tough, they're not just a flash upset team. Dungey keeps them in it for a while, but Miami will finish off on the right foot. Canes beat the Cuse 33-24.
Battle for the Old Brass Spittoon
Indiana at #18 Michigan State
The Hoosiers and the Spartans are set to square off in East Lansing in another setting of this old rivalry. Indiana came away with a 24-21 Overtime victory last year, so you know this one is going to be a battle. Sparty has been playing well this season, especially on defense. They have the 5th ranked total defense in the nation and only give up 18.2 points per game. The issues lie primarily with their offense, which only scores 23.7 on average per game. Indiana's offense has been much more dynamic under the Freshman QB, Peyton Ramsey. Ramsey has 815 through the air with 7 TDs and 4 picks so far this season, but his scrambling ability has been the most painful for opposing defenses. Ramsey often keeps drives alive with his legs, and is one of the better QBs Sparty's defense has faced this season. The problem with Indiana is closing out the game. They struggle mightily when keeping games close, as evidence of their OT loss against Michigan last week. This game has a 6.5 point spread, but I think it could be closer yet again. Two tough defenses and two dual threat QBs make for an interesting one in the BIG 10 this afternoon! I'll take Sparty with a close win at home. I always like the upset opportunity, but Indiana has failed me more times than not when I pick them. Michigan State wins the game and the Old Brass Spittoon 27-23.
#20 UCF at Navy
Scott Frost played a little QB in practice earlier this week to make sure his team was ready for this option attack brought by Navy. The Midshipmen average nearly 400 yards per game on the ground, so UCF will need to be very disciplined when defending the option in this one. Navy can hurt you with so many different players in a number of directions, so defensively UCF must maintain their gaps all game long. On the offensive side of the ball, the Knights are lead by Sophomore QB, McKenzie Milton, and have the #1 scoring offense in the nation, averaging 50.6 points per game. Navy's defense has struggled, giving up nearly 400 yards on average and 28 points per game, so this seems like prime picking for Frost & Co. Wrong! Navy is a very tough team to beat, especially in Annapolis. They keep games close and run the clock all game long. They don't make many mistakes and are always a dangerous team when an underdog. I've picked them for upsets before, but I'm not sure they'll quite have it today. It'll be close early on, but I think UCF has a chance to be that Group of 5 team to break into one of the New Year's Day bowl games. Gold Knights win a tough one on the road 41-33.
Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh
#11 USC at #13 Notre Dame
Another great chapter will be written for this rivalry as the Trojans march into South Bend to take on the Irish. Both teams have 1 loss, and have a shot at the playoff if they win out. However, when your arch rival stands in your way, that just makes for a great game! USC has not been the dominant team everyone expected to compete for the National Title, but they've battled a lot of injuries so far this season. They've also battled the turnover bug as Darnold has thrown 9 picks this season and has fumbled a handful of times as well. To beat Notre Dame, they need to hold onto the ball. The Irish have caused 14 turnovers so far this season, so they'll be looking to take it away under the lights tonight. Looking at the Irish offense, they're lead by a dynamic rushing attack that averages 308 yards per game. Josh Adams has nearly 800 yards rushing on the season, and Junior QB Brandon Wimbush will be back this week as well. Wimbush has been putting up solid numbers, throwing for 783 with a 6:2 TD to INT ratio so far this season while also rushing for 402 yards and 8 TDs on the ground. The last dual threat QB the Trojans faced was Texas' Sam Ehlinger, and he had over 300 total yards on them. Wimbush is a better runner than Ehlinger, so look for a lot of option attack to keep USC off their game. Under the lights, anything can happen in South Bend, and not many people have seen much from Notre Dame this season. The back half of their schedule is one of the toughest left in the nation, so this night marks the start of a "time to prove" for the Irish. I think they're a dangerous team and USC has too many turnovers to win this game. Irish take home the Shillelagh with a 34-30 thriller!
#19 Michigan at #2 Penn State
The WHITE OUT! Michigan heads to Happy Valley to take on the Mighty Nittany Lions of Penn State. Two BIG 10 East heavyweights are set for one of the biggest games of the year under the lights. Michigan has the best defense in the nation according to the numbers, but probably the worst offense according to the other numbers. Penn State has one of the best offenses in the nation, all lead by the duo of Trace McSorely and Saquon Barkely. Barkley continues to march on with his Heisman campaign, but faces a wall tonight. The Wolverine's defense gives up only 223 yards per game on average, and love to create pressure on opposing QBs. McSorely struggles mightily under pressure, so look for lots of quick throws, screens and roll outs to keep him safe from the Michigan pass rush. On the other side of the ball, Michigan needs to pray all game long just to move the ball. Everyone has been forgetting to mention the Nittany Lion defense. Penn State is #9 in total defense, and gives up just 9 points per game. No one has been able to move the ball against Penn State, and I highly doubt Michigan will be with all of their offensive struggles. This will be a tough, grinder-type game down in Happy Valley, but I think Penn State's defense makes the biggest play and brings this game home. I've been saying the Nittany Lions are Playoff material all season long, and I'm sticking by it! Penn State tops Michigan 24-10.
Here are some quick hits on other interesting games this week:
Iowa at Northwestern- A bit of a sleeper in the BIG 10, but these two teams always play tough games. Both have great defenses, but the Wildcats lack of offense could do them in, much like it has done in other games. They did hold Barkley to just 75 yards rushing though, so Wadley could have a tough day for the Hawks. Iowa will be without LB Josey Jewel though, giving NW a big advantage! We'll see what the Wildcats can do with it, but Northwestern needs to start feeding Justin Jackson if they want to start winning games. I really want to see the Wildcats win, but Iowa will probably win a dumb one, 28-23.
Louisville at Florida State- Last year, Lamar Jackson accounted for 5 TDs against the 'Noles, and he'll be looking for more this year. Both of these teams are looking to get their seasons back on track as we move into the second half of the year, but both teams have to face two play making QBs. I think Lamar has the edge though, Florida State is a mess right now. Cardinals 40, Seminoles 30.
Boston College at Virginia- The Cavaliers are a sneaky 5-1 this season, and are playing incredible defense. They'll have their hands full with Boston College and their rushing attack. I think Virginia plays well at home and takes care of business though. Cavs win it over the Eagles 35-21.
Arizona State at Utah- The Sun Devils are coming off of a major upset over Washington while the Utes are coming off a tough, 1 point loss to the Trojans. Both teams will be ready to prove that last week wasn't just a fluke in their own ways, but I'm taking the home team. I don't think Arizona State can repeat that defensive performance from last week. Utes win it 30-17.
#23 West Virginia at Baylor- This could be a trap game for the Mountaineers. Baylor has struggled, but they can always put up points. Plus, WVU is coming off a big comeback against Texas Tech last week and has to look forward to a visit from Oklahoma State next week. Baylor keeps it close and may even upset! I'll stick with the Mountaineers, but this one could go either way in my opinion! WVU 37, Baylor 35.
Thanks for reading all my predictions and enjoy your football Saturday! We'll see if we can get any more chaos today, GO BIG RED!
Hey everybody! Sorry again for the late post, but it's been a busy week yet again! This post will have my reflections on the atrocious Husker game from this past weekend. I'll also include the link for this week's episode of The 2nd String! We had a great discussion this week on all the upsets and on the state of the Huskers, so I encourage you all to go listen for a more in depth analysis of the Ohio State game. Here's my reflection, enjoy!
When I woke up on Saturday, something didn't feel right. I didn't feel the buzz of Gameday, and as I walked to the stadium to meet the recruits I couldn't feel any of the normal excitement that surrounds campus on Gameday. I know Wisconsin was a rough one, but I never expected for a Gameday to ever feel like that one did in Memorial on Saturday. From the opening kickoff it didn't even feel like there was a chance for Nebraska. The crowd was dead and disappeared quickly before halftime even arrived. I don't blame them though, Nebraska had no spark and it was painful to watch a performance like that, especially when it happens 20 yards from your face. As I watched our team get demolished on Saturday night, there was only a few things that came to mind.
The first was how far behind Nebraska is to teams like Ohio State, Clemson, Alabama, etc. in terms of talent. Recruiting wise, I know we are bringing in some high-caliber players, and Riley and Co. have a great system set up. It's been very interesting seeing the recruiting world from the inside because Nebraska does so well when we bring these kids to town, and I truly believe that Riley is bringing in the right players to allow this team to compete with some of the best in the nation. However, the development of those players once they step foot on campus is the bigger concern. Pelini struggled to develop his players, and I'm sensing that Riley and his staff could fall down that path if they're not careful. I was originally excited about the Riley hire because of his ability to develop players. He's had a number of players go on to have successful NFL careers. However, I haven't quite seen that yet at Nebraska. The line has been better over recent weeks, only giving up one sack in the past two games, but still can't establish a run game and are the focal point for drive-killing penalties. The receivers continue to commit costly drops and our tight ends get blocked more than they give blocks (go watch the attempted swing pass where Hoppes gets knocked back 5 yards by the man he's supposed to block). On the defensive side of the ball, there's no push from the d-line and teams are easily getting to the second and third levels with their running backs. Lamar Jackson and Eric Lee still get beat by at least 7 yards on every pass play and none of our Secondary players can play the ball when it's in the air. Worst of all, I don't think anyone apart from Weber and Stille can actually tackle for the Blackshirts. I think I've said this for the past 5 seasons, but I don't think I've ever seen so many missed tackles in a season. Riley and his staff need to speed up their player development if they want jobs at the end of the year. As much as I think he should have at least 1 more season, if there is no signs of improvement on even the simplest aspects of the game, then discussions need to be made.
The second point I thought of was how unmotivated and flat out lame Nebraska looked in this game. This is partly due to the Wisconsin hangover, but from both players and coaches, it did not seem like anyone had a clear idea of how to attack or stop Ohio State in this game. I don't think anyone on the team has a clear idea of what the plan is. The points that made me think of this are the following: DiCaprio Bootle starting at Safety and Mikale Wilbon starting at Running Back. Don't get me wrong, I know both of these guys personally and think they are phenomenal athletes. Bootle will be a great corner by the time he leaves Nebraska and already has shown flashes of greatness and Mikale is a proven, solid RB. However, when Bootle has been practicing at Corner, you don't just throw him at safety and say "here, play a position you don't regularly practice at against one of the best offensive attacks in the nation". You also can't just sit Ozigbo after 3 straight 100+ yard rushing performances, one of which came against Wisconsin who has the 4th best rush defense in the nation. From the beginning, it seemed as though Nebraska was telling Ohio State "hey, we don't think we can run on you guys, so we're not going to try. We'll put a RB who just returned from injury out on the field first instead of the RB with over 300 yards in the past 3 games". Again, Mikale is a strong runner, but he's a different style back compared to Zig, and he's much better in the passing game. Ozigbo has proven that he should be the focal point of the rushing attack, and even with a lack of blocking he can still get those tough yards. The past three games Zig had 24, 18 and 23 carries respectively. Saturday against Ohio State he had 9. Now I understand not wanting to wear a guy down, but there's no reason he should only have 9 carries. If the Huskers want to make a bowl game they need to figure out a clear cut plan and quickly.
My final point from watching the game is how incredible JD Spielman is. Spielman set a Nebraska school record on Saturday night with 200 yards receiving. He was the favorite target for Tanner Lee catching 11 passes compared to the next closest Husker who had just 3. One thing that really stood out to me is how much he fights too. His motor never stops and that kid fights for every yard possible when he has the ball. He's only a Redshirt Freshman, so he's got an incredibly high ceiling in my opinion. Teams better start watching out for him, especially with Tanner Lee's improvement over the past couple weeks.
To conclude my analysis, I simply want to say that Nebraska has a long way to go to reach the level we want them to be at. They have the talent and ability to win a majority of their games every season, but regularly fall short of that potential. Hopefully the BYE week will help with that! Thanks for reading and be sure to listen to the 2nd String podcasts and live on Tuesday nights from 7-8pm on KRNU2 online! GO BIG RED!
Saturday games haven't even started yet and not 1, but 2 top ten teams have fallen already this weekend! The slate of games looked a bit lackluster heading into Week 7, but that's when the best upsets tend to happen! Just last night, #2 Clemson fell to Syracuse on the road and #8 Washington State was demolished by a sneaky Cal team up in Berkeley. I have to eat my words a little bit because I've been talking up the Cougars quite a bit, especially on my radio show. However, that's the beauty of College football, a team can look Playoff bound one week and then look absolutely atrocious the next. Regardless of what I thought of Wazzu before, they're done now, and the Cougars and Tigers might not be the only top ten teams to fall today! Let's get to my game predictions!
#6 TCU at Kansas State
The Horned Frogs are coming off of a big win against WVU at home and are the front runners to win the Big XII. Plus, with Clemson and Wazzu losing, the door has been opened a bit wider for them to jump fully into the Playoff Picture! Could they be in jeopardy of falling into a trap game up in Manhattan? Jesse Ertz leads the Wildcat offense with 930 pass yards and 336 rushing yards. He doesn't have many weapons to attack the TCU defense with, so most of the production will probably fall on Ertz yet again. I think TCU sees their opportunity to fully take over the Big XII conference and will be able to key in on Ertz to shut him down. Their offense might be a step slow after the big game last week, so turnovers will be crucial to watch in this one. K-State sticks around for a while, but I've got the Horned Frogs winning 35-24 in the end.
#17 Michigan at Indiana
The Wolverines fell to their "Little Brother" last week at home, and now they have to go on the road to Bloomington where the Hoosiers are looking to end a 30 year drought against the Wolverines. Michigan's offense is absolutely horrible, but their defense should keep them in striking distance for every game. However, defense is only going to get you so far with the high powered offenses left on the schedule. Indiana has changed QBs (THANK GOODNESS), and their offensive production has picked up. I think this will end up being a low scoring game though, because Michigan's defense will be coming after the young QB early and often in this game. Peyton Ramsey will need to keep up his efficiency to beat the Wolverines in this one, but through a couple of games he's throwing an impressive 68.5% completion rating. On the other side, Michigan's porous offense has to face off against a better than people think Hoosier defense. Their defense is lead by LB Tegray Scales, who became the Hoosiers first All-American Linebacker since 1987. Be sure to watch out for #8 in Crimson because he'll be coming after O'Korn in this game. The Wolverines struggle mightily on the offensive line and the lack of a productive rushing attack will force O'Korn to drop back and try to pass against a defense that has recorded 14 sacks thus far on the season. The last couple seasons have been tight games between these too, and the Hoosiers could definitely pull this upset at home! Michigan has too many issues and with Penn State looming in the distance next week, they may forget about Indiana. I think they bounce back from the loss to Michigan State, but I'll say the Hoosiers keep it close. Michigan 20-14.
#10 Auburn at LSU
The Tiger Rivalry takes place down in Death Valley this year. Auburn walks in with one of the best defenses in the nation, giving up just 13 points per game and 287.5 total yards on average. LSU is coming off a narrow win in the swamp, basically saving their season. This will likely be a low scoring game, because LSU only give up 18.8 points on average. Auburn has a very dynamic offense with Jarrett Stidham at QB, but the best defense they've faced this year was Clemson, and those Tigers held them to 6 points and Stidham had just 79 yards passing. Will Auburn struggle against another Tiger defense today? It's definitely possible, but they have more weapons than Florida used against LSU. Auburn RB Kerryon Johnson has 504 yards rushing on the season thus far, but an Nation-leading 12 TDs! LSU will be challenged by Auburn's run game, especially because Troy and Mississippi State ran all over the Purple & Gold. I think Auburn wins in another close fight between the Tigers, but LSU doesn't have enough to break through that defense. The AUBURN Tigers win this one 19-13.
Georgia Tech at #11 Miami
If you're looking for an upset pick this week, Georgia Tech is a good one to consider! The Canes are coming off a huge win at their arch rival Florida State, where they snapped a 7 game losing streak. Now they return home and have to face one of the top rushing team in the nation as the Yellow Jackets walk in averaging an insane 396 yards on the ground per game. Yes, they run the triple option, but they've been running it well. I'm still scratching my head (I'm sure they are too) as to how they lost that opener to Tennessee. The Yellow Jackets are one of the most experienced teams in the nation, and their defense is only allowing 260 yards and 19 points per game on average. The Canes lost their best offensive weapon in RB Mark Walton for the season after an injury last week, and WR Ahmmon Richards is questionable with a Hamstring injury. This will hurt the Canes' offensive production greatly, and against a team like Tech, you need to score when you can. They lead the nation in time of possession, holding onto the ball for an average of nearly 37 minutes per game. Miami won't have the ball much in this game, so they'll need to make the most of their opportunities. Paul Johnson and the Jackets haven't won in Miami under his watch, so we'll see what they can do today. I want to see the upset, but Georgia Tech disappointed me once this year... can I really pick them again? Yes, yes I can. Watch out for the Ramblin' Wreck in the ACC Coastal! Georgia Tech finally beats the Canes 30-21.
Red River Rivalry
#12 Oklahoma vs. Texas
The Red River Rivalry is upon us yet again! As a Husker, its my natural instinct to hate both of these teams, but no matter what I feel, this always turns out to be a great game. One of the most classic rivalries in all of College Football is set to take place this afternoon in the Cotton Bowl. Oklahoma is trying to recover from the stunning loss to Iowa State at home last week while Texas looks to remain undefeated in conference play and keep pace with TCU in the race for the Big XII. The QB battle will be one to watch in this game as Baker Mayfield looks to recover from being swarmed last week for 2 sacks and lots of pressure. The other QB in this game is young Sam Ehlinger for the Longhorns. Ehlinger is just a Freshman, but he's playing phenomenally, throwing for 900 yards so far this season with 5 TDs and 3 picks. He also rushed for over 100 yards on the ground last week at K-State, so watch out for his dual threat ability. I would love to see OU go down yet again, but after the shock last week, it'd be hard to pull the upset. However, Texas' passing attack has been deadly over recent weeks with Ehlinger in, and OU has given up over 800 yards passing over their past two games. I think this one could turn into a shootout down south! I would love to say Hook'em (in context of course, not for any other reason), but I think Mayfield shows his Heisman caliber and pulls this one out. Boomer Sooner wins the Red River Rivalry 37-33.
#9 Ohio State at Nebraska
The Huskers are coming off a big loss at home to Wisconsin a week ago, and now we get Ohio State. This does not look or sound fun at all. I'm optimistic for the Huskers to upset, but I'm not necessarily confident. Ohio State has started hitting their stride on both sides of the ball while Nebraska still can't figure out any rhythm on offense. If Nebraska is going to win this game, they need to capitalize on their opportunities. Last week against Wisconsin, the Badgers made more mistakes than they had all season, but Nebraska did not take advantage of them. Much like Wisconsin, Ohio State does not make many mistakes. Nebraska needs to keep pace if they have a shot in this game. No matter what, Lincoln is never an easy to play at, especially at night. Besides, last time OSU came to town, the Huskers had their largest comeback in school history to win 34-27 in the rain. It's supposed to rain today, so we'll see what happens! Hopefully Nebraska can just beat them outright. It'll be tough, but I'll take my Huskers in the upset! 30-28 Nebraska! GO BIG RED!
Here are some Quick Hit games to watch that could get interesting:
#24 Texas Tech at West Virginia- The Red Raiders have one of the highest scoring offenses over the past few season when they face anyone not named WVU. The Mountaineers have TTU's number and I think they'll keep it. WVU bounces back from the loss at TCU last week and wins a shootout in Morgantown. The teams are a little chippy before the game too, so you know this will be a good one! WVU 38, TTU 34.
Baylor at #14 Oklahoma State- Another Big XII game with a potential for a lot of points. We know the Pokes are going to score as Mason Rudolph looks to continue his insane year with nearly 2,000 passing yards already. The spread is 27 on this game, but I'm going to take the under on that. Zach Smith and the Baylor offense isn't what it used to be, but they can still put up points and OSU gives up an average of nearly 370 yards and 26 points per game. Bears keep it closer than 27 easy in my book. Pokes still win it though 44-28.
#25 Navy at Memphis- The Midshipmen are back in the rankings but I'm not sure it will last long. QB Riley Ferguson has that Tigers offense humming as they put up 70 last week on UConn. This looks to be a higher scoring game though, as Navy puts up an average of 37.2 points per game and the Tigers defense isn't the best, giving up 35.2 per game. Navy is favored by 3.5, but I've got Ferguson leading the upset! Memphis wins 38-35.
Utah at #13 USC- Possible trap game for the Trojans? The Notre Dame Rivalry looms in the distance and Darnold played better last week. Utah is coming off their first loss of the season to Stanford last week, and their offensive struggles could carry over. If they win, it'll be because of their defense. The Utes have 9 picks so far this season, so Darnold will really need to take care of the ball. I think USC has their mind right after the Wazzu upset and they're able to take care of Utah today. Trojans beat the Utes 33-17.
#21 Michigan State at Minnesota- Tough, defensive game. I don't see many points in this game, but Lewerke and Michigan State should be fine. Their defense is too much to handle for the Gophers and Minnesota struggles a little too much on offense. I'm sticking with Sparty in a solid performance today. Michigan State wins on the road 23-10.
#5 Washington at Arizona State- The Huskies haven't won in Tempe since 2001! This could be a difficult road test as Washington is somewhat cruising right now. They're playing very good football and Jake Browning has looked better than ever. The biggest change for Washington is the emergence of their rushing attack under Myles Gaskin. If they can get him going early on, ASU won't have a shot. The 18 point spread is dangerous (other top teams found that out), but I think the Huskies should be fine. They get their first win at ASU in 16 years! Huskies 39, Sun Devils 17.
Thanks for reading and get ready for the upset tonight! GO BIG RED!!
Hi everyone! I apologize for the late post on the reflection of the Husker game, but I've had a crazy busy week thus far! I will again post the link to my YouTube page with the podcast of this week's episode of The 2nd String, my radio show that talks all about Husker and College Football with my good friend Nate Muhlbach. I'll give my normal analysis, but for a more in depth take on the game, be sure to listen to our discussion on The 2nd String! Here's my reflection on the Wisconsin game, enjoy!
On what felt like the perfect night for an upset, Wisconsin rumbled away with a 38-17 victory over the Huskers. I, like most of you, was not only disappointed with the outcome, but more so with the consistent mediocrity of our team. The Huskers played fairly well up until the mid third quarter. That's when Wisconsin decided to just run the ball over and over again, wearing down a defense that was left on the field far too long. Yes, it's obvious that Wisconsin is just a stronger team, but Nebraska had countless opportunities to take over and win this game. Let's dive into the details...
Starting with the offense, I don't think I've ever seen a team start a game by throwing a pick six not once, not twice, but THREE times in a season, let alone half of a season. A fabulous opening drive was ruined yet again by one of the most pointless plays in the Husker playbook, the bubble screen. Don't get me wrong, I've seen bubble screens work and I've ran them myself, they can be deadly... but only if blocked well. We don't have stellar blocking on the edge like we did back when Quincy Enunwa and Kenny Bell were around, so the play is a gamble out of the gate. The other issue apart from blocking is how easy the play is to read. That's how the Northern Illinois pick six happened. Regardless if they get the interception or not, being able to read a play so quickly allows the defense to attack from early on in the play. That's when its left up to the blockers and how quickly they can get set up to create a lane. It hasn't been working and will continue to not work for the foreseeable future. STOP TRYING IT!! Especially within our own 20 yard line, it's just not a good play for Nebraska. They can't seem to run it correctly, yes Zig probably should've caught it, but no matter what, this play has been pure poison for the Huskers all season long.
Looking at the rest of the game for the offense, pretty mediocre. The run game was okay, not great by any means, but Ozigbo did finish with 112 yards and averaged 4.9 yards per carry. Tanner looked okay as well, throwing for 262 with 1 big TD to Stanley and the pick six. His completion rating was only 50%, but you can chalk that up to some drops by his wideouts. In my opinion, he played well enough for Nebraska to win the game. However, the inability to finish drives ended up killing that dream. Nebraska punted 5 times in this game, and I'm positive at least 3 of those were on Wisconsin's side of the 50. The Huskers consistently moved the ball until they reached the 35-40ish yard line of Wisconsin, and then stopped. Anywhere near mid-field seems to be similar to the Bermuda Triangle when it comes Nebraska's productivity on offense, because it disappears. I think play-calling is a big part of the issue, but between the 40s, the offense needs to improve drastically. The inability to sustain drives leaves the defense on the field for too long, and against a team like Wisconsin, they'll wear down eventually.
Switching to the defensive side of the ball, I thought the Blackshirts played a damn good game (apart from the 75 yard run right before half time). Yes, they wore down in the end, but that 4th Quarter wasn't even fair for them. Nebraska's offense only ran 6 plays for the entire 4th Quarter. Wisconsin had the ball the rest of the time. Looking back at the defense, they played well, but not great. They too missed a number of great opportunities to capitalize on and take this game over. The first being the aforementioned 75 yard TD run for Johnathan Taylor and the second being after they had just gotten a pick six on Hornibrook and tied the game at 17. Wisconsin is not a team that makes many mistakes, let alone penalties, but they had 8 in this game. A couple of those penalties lead to the Badgers being pushed back to their 7 yard line immediately following the pick six by Aaron Williams with a tie game and Memorial Stadium rocking. As a defender, I cannot imagine a better scenario to step up and take over this game. This was my big turning point in the game, the defense needed to make a stop. From this point onward, Wisconsin only ran 2 pass plays for the rest of the game, both on this drive. One for a 3rd down completion where Lamar Jackson fell down covering his receiver on a crossing route and the other on the touch down where Eric Lee Jr. fell down covering his man in the endzone. Apart from that the Badgers just ran over, around and through the Blackshirt defense. Again, some of this was due to getting worn out by their offensive line that late in the game, but to give up a 93 yard touchdown drive with big chunk runs all the way down the field after you had just tied the game is not how you keep the momentum. They'll be challenged yet again this week with Ohio State, so we'll see what happens. Our safeties were the leading tacklers in the game against Wisconsin, showing that Taylor was not getting touched until the second and third levels. Right now, we can only hope for the best.
Overall, a solid performance early on in the game, but a lack of capitalizing on opportunities and a lack of consistency defeated the Huskers yet again. We'll see how they look this week with another big one at home. Thanks for reading and GO BIG RED!
Good morning Football fans!! I hope you're all ready for another fantastic day of College Football as we move into October and the heart of the season. There may not be a lot of big ranked games this weekend, but there are some great match ups and a lot of potential for upset! Here are my big games to watch today and who I think is going to get the win. Enjoy!
#4 Penn State at Northwestern
Yes, Penn State has been rolling through the majority of their competition. However, Pat Fitzgerald is known for causing headaches in games like this. Northwestern has not looked great yet this year, but seemed to find something good last week as they nearly came back against a tough Wisconsin team on the road. Clayton Thorson needs to take care of the ball in this one, and make smarter choices. Taking that sack for a safety last week destroyed all their chances at the comeback. If they can attack the Nittany Lion defense early, they may be able to keep this one closer than most people think. My only key is to get the ball to RB Justin Jackson as much as possible. Northwestern is lacking a lot of dynamic weapons, but Jackson is easily the best player on their team. He only has 273 on the ground and 103 through the air this season, but has recorded 4 TDs this year and is very dangerous in the return game. Speaking of return game, apparently Saquon Barkley likes to return kicks now as he opened last week with a 98 yard kick return for a TD. Barkley has proven that he can do just about anything short of cure cancer, so expect Penn State to keep living through him. The Wildcats did hold Wisconsin's Johnathan Taylor to just 80 yards on the ground last week, but containment out of the backfield will be the biggest key to watch with Barkley. He's an incredible receiver out of the backfield and I think he has yet another incredible performance. Northwestern is 14 point underdogs at home, but with an early kick and some resurgence, I think they'll keep it just under that. Penn State still wins without any big issues. Nittany Lions 31, Wildcats 20.
#5 Georgia at Vanderbilt
Vandy has not lived up to the hype I gave them over the past couple weeks, and this is arguably their last chance to make something big happen with their season. The 5th ranked Bulldogs walk into Nashville after back-to-back blowout wins against Mississippi State and Tennessee. Their defense has been immovable so far this season, giving up 244 yards per game on average and just under 10 points. Vandy QB Kyle Shumur will look to lead his team back to they spotlight they want to be in. He has 985 yards with 11 TDs and just 1 pick so far this season, but has not had much help. Their run game is practically non-existent, averaging just 79.2 yards per game. Plus, the Commodores are giving up 200+ on the ground per game, so they're loosing the Time of Possession battle as well. Vandy ranks 103rd while Georgia ranks 30th in that category. It won't be as bad as Bama, but Georgia should look solid in this game. Bulldogs win it on the road 39-17.
#13 Miami at Florida State
At the begging of the season, this looked like one of the biggest games the ACC would see this season. Injuries and tough losses has diluted this rivalry to the national eye, but no matter what, the 'Canes and the 'Noles always have a great game. Miami rolls into this game after man-handling Duke on the road last week 31-6. Mark Walton, RB for the Canes, has been a 1 man wrecking crew this season, with 403 rushing yards, 91 receiving yards and 3 TDs. Because Florida State's secondary is the biggest strength of the team, look for Miami to run Walton quite a bit. The 'Noles have been strong on defense all together, only giving up an average of 333 yards per game, but their offense has been the issue. They're averaging under 100 yards per game rushing, and Freshman QB James Blackman has been sacked 9 times in just two starts thus far. Protection will be crucial if Florida State wants to win this game. Now all these stats are nice, but since it's a Rivalry game, you can throw out most of it and just ask who wants it more? Miami hasn't beaten the Seminoles in 7 years, so look for Mark Richt's squad to come out ready. Everyone has written FSU off of the map this year, so we'll see if they can bounce back. I'm sticking with the U though, Miami 27, FSU 24.
LSU at #21 Florida
Is Ed Orgeron coaching for his job? Yes, yes he is. After the Homecoming loss to Troy last week, LSU is reeling after hiring Orgeron after his interim season in 2016. I said it before and I'll say it again, Orgeron was not a smart hire. Nonetheless, he's there, and a $12 Million buyout will likely keep him there for a while. The wounded Tigers limp into the Swamp to take on the re-surging Gators who are looking to keep pace with Georgia in the SEC East. Neither team has been very impressive this season, but I think Florida has it slightly more put together. LSU either comes together as a team or falls apart in this game. I expect both teams to stick to the rushing attack in this game because Danny Etling has not been good for LSU at QB and Florida will be going with Felipe Franks full time now after the injury to Luke Del Rio. I personally think Franks is the better option, but with LSU only giving up 184 through the air per game, the ground game will be crucial. Troy ran for 206 on the Tigers last week, so Florida will be following their game plan closely. There is just a 1 point spread in this game, but I don't think LSU has it together. Gators win it in the swamp 27-21.
Michigan State at #7 Michigan
The Battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy will take place under the lights for the first time a the Big House. Sparty is coming in off a solid performance against Iowa at home and the Wolverines are coming off a BYE. They Maize and Blue will be without starting QB Wilton Speight as he is out for a while with his injury. John O'Korn will be his replacement and honestly could be an upgrade for the Wolverines. He won't have many weapons, but I expect this to be a defensive game regardless. Michigan & Michigan State have two of the toughest defenses in the nation giving up 203 yards and 248 yards per game on average respectively. Both teams also give up an average of under 20 points per game. I think the X factor in this game will be MSU QB Brian Lewerke. He's been a dynamic weapon for the Spartans, throwing for 963, 8 TDs and 2 picks while also leading the team in rushing with 248 yards and 2 TDs. Michigan has yet to face a dual threat QB like Lewerke this season, so he could cause some headaches. You never want to assume anything in a Rivalry game, especially one like the Big Brother- Little Brother one. I think this will be a tight one, but I like Michigan's defense at home. Wolverines win it 23-20.
#11 Washington State at Oregon
Wazzu had the game of the week in week 5 after their big upset on USC. The Cougars are playing really well this season, and I think it's primarily because of their defense. Yes, we all know Luke Falk and the high-powered offense, but the Cougars are playing much better defense than they have in previous seasons. They are only giving up 275.2 yards per game on average and just 20.2 points. Oregon will be without starting QB Justin Herbert, so their offensive production could take a hit. The Ducks are also giving up nearly 240 yards through the air per game, and I think Luke Falk could hit that in the first half. I think Wazzu lives up to the hype and Mike Leach has them ready to play in this one. I'm taking the Cougars on the road, because if I don't pick them, I'm scared their DT Hercules Mata'afa will come and destroy me. Watch #50 for the Crimson on defense, he's a game changer! Cougars eat up the Ducks 35-17.
#23 West Virginia at #8 TCU
College Gameday headed down to Fort Worth, TX for this Big XII match-up between the Mountaineers and the Horned Frogs. Two QBs reviving their careers from the SEC have found their way to WVU and TCU. Will Grier has looked very solid for the Mountaineers so far this season, passing for 1,374 yards, 13 TDs and just 3 picks. He also has 131 yards on the ground and has only been sacked 4 times this year. WVU's offensive line has done a fantastic job protecting Grier and giving him time to throw. They'll need to keep up that success today because TCU has 11 sacks and 30 Tackles for Loss already this season. They'll be coming after Grier early and often. The other QB reviving his career is Kenny Hill. The star QB has been playing really well for the Horned Frogs this season, leading their high-powered offense with 965 passing yards, 9 TDs and just 3 picks as well. With all the talk of QBs in this game, people may forget about the running backs. Justin Crawford (WVU) and Darius Anderson (TCU) have been phenomenal so far this season for their respective squads. Crawford is averaging 7.4 yards per carry and has 6 TDs while Anderson isn't far behind with 6.3 ypc average and 6 TDs of his own. Both defenses will be challenged with how balanced these two offensive attacks are. One more player to watch for is WVU wideout David Sills V. He's the infamous 13 year old QB Lane Kiffin offered a scholarship to, and now he's one of the Mountaineers leading receiver with 396 yards and 7 TDs! At 6'4, he's a very big target for Grier who is very difficult to defend. This is going to be a great game to watch this afternoon, and I like the Frogs at home. They went into Stillwater and shutdown Mason Rudolph and the Pokes. I think their defense is tough to move on and they create a lot of opportunities for their dynamic offense. Horned Frogs win it at home over the Mountaineers 38-28.
#9 Wisconsin at Nebraska
The best game of the week will obviously take place in Lincoln, NE as the Badgers travel to take on the Cornhuskers! This is arguably the biggest game of the season for Nebraska, and they need to start winning if they're going to make this Rivalry for real. In my opinion, this game will likely decide the BIG 10 West Division. Wisconsin is the clear favorite in this game, but I'll give you all the reasons on why the upset is going to happen! First off, the Huskers are honoring the REAL 1997 National Championship team (Michigan is trying to do the same, but we all know Nebraska was better). When you bring back a team like the 1997 Champs, you'd better show up to your game. Second, Nebraska is not a fun place to play for opponents, especially at night. The Huskers have a nation-leading 20 game home night game win streak, and the last time they beat Wisconsin? 2012 at home under the lights! Looking at the game, both teams will be getting some key players back from injury. Wisconsin will get star TE Troy Fumagalli back from injury, who causes headaches for every defense he faces. Fumagalli has 236 yards and 3 TDs on the season even with missing last week, he'll be a big boost for the Badgers. For Nebraska, most of their help returns on defense. Linebacker Marcus Newby, Safety Josh Kalu and even Corner Chris Jones could make an appearance! I'm not too confident in Chris Jones playing a lot of minutes, but just to have him suited up on the sidelines will help that secondary and their confidence. Both teams will look to establish a solid ground game, so containment is key for the Blackshirts. Northwestern held their RB Johnathan Taylor to just 80 yards on the ground last week, forcing Alex Hornibrook to make throws to beat them. Nebraska needs to do much of the same. Hornibrook is consistent and smart with his throws. Applying pressure in passing situations will be crucial for the Huskers. Finally, to stop Wisconsin, you need to TACKLE! Nebraska has struggled all season with tackling, and if they struggle with that today, it won't look pretty. On offense, Nebraska needs to live through the run. Eat up as much clock as possible and keep the ball away from the Wisconsin offense. Protection is still crucial and improved last week against Illinois. However, Wisconsin's front seven is much more formidable than the Illini's. If Tanner Lee has time, he'll need to make smart throws and play calling will be crucial. Consistency on offense and getting the ball to their play makers will give Nebraska the best chance of winning. Feed Ozigbo and Wilbon as much as possible! I'm excited for this game and there's nothing quite like Memorial Stadium under the lights! Get ready for the Blackout and GO BIG RED! Nebraska pulls the upset 24-23!
Here are some Quick Hit games to watch that could get interesting:
Iowa State at #3 Oklahoma- If this was in Ames, IA, I would be more inclined to pick the upset, but I think Oklahoma at home is too much. The Cyclones can score some points though, look for them to cut into that 32 point spread. OU wins it 41-20.
Wake Forrest at #2 Clemson- Does Clemson fall asleep in this one? Wake nearly pulled the upset on FSU last week but was too conservative, we'll see if they pull any surprises on the Tigers. That defense is too much though, Clemson should be fine. Tigers 37, Demon Decons 10.
#21 Notre Dame at North Carolina- The Tar Heels have issues across the board and give up 220+ on the ground per game. Notre Dame averages over 300 on the ground alone, Irish will roll. Notre Dame wins this easy 38-10.
Minnesota at Purdue- A lack-luster match-up in the BIG 10 West, but it could be fun to see how these teams respond to their recent losses. I say Boiler-UP and that offense gets rolling. Boilermakers 35, Golden Gophers 23.
Stanford at #20 Utah- The Utes have been very quite all season, but are sitting at 4-0. They have the improved Stanford Cardinal coming in and they're lead by RB Bryce Love. With the QB change, I think Stanford is back on track and I'm not sure Utah can contain Love. This is their first major opponent and I think Stanford runs away with this one. The Trees take it 33-21.
I hope you enjoyed all my game picks and are ready for a fantastic Saturday of College Football! Thanks for reading and GO BIG RED!
I hope everyone is having a good start to their week and enjoyed another great weekend of College Football! With the Huskers playing on Friday night, I was able to watch a lot more games over the weekend, and there was a lot to talk about on my radio show The 2nd String with my friend Nate. I've attached our latest episode, so if you missed the show you can listen to it below! Now onto my reflections of the Huskers' win at Illinois!
By far the best performance of the season for the Huskers resulted in a 28-6 victory over the Fighting Illini on Friday night. This is hopefully a sign of what's to come for Nebraska as they head into the bulk of their schedule and come home to face #9 Wisconsin and #10 Ohio State in back to back weeks. For now, we'll focus on the win, and I'll preview Wisconsin in my predictions later this week.
Starting with the offense, Nebraska looked much improved from the past couple weeks. Tanner Lee had some protection, and although he wasn't (and probably never will be) the QB everyone imagined him to be, he didn't look too bad when he had time. Lee finished with 246 yards on 17-24 and 3 TDs. There were a few drops that you can take away, but there were also some inaccuracies. The most notable was the near interception that was broken up by TE Tyler Hoppes. Lee obviously still has a lot of improving to do, especially if he's going to lead Nebraska to victory against some of the tougher defenses coming up. Nonetheless, his performance against Illinois should give him, and the offense some much needed confidence. The other thing that the offense did well is run the ball. Again, still a lot of room for improvement, but having a consistent rushing attack will be crucial as the Huskers move deeper into conference play. Devine Ozigbo finished with 106 yards, giving him 2 straight 100+ yard performances. Mikale Wilbon also added 60 rushing yards, and the team finished with 165. Not great by any means, but they were consistent and wore down Illinois late in the game. I was especially pleased with the end of the game where the Huskers drove for the final 6:54 of the game on a fantastic 13-play game winning drive. That's how you put a game out of reach, and drives like that are going to be crucial in the tight games to come ahead. The Wideouts looked good, but drops were yet again an issue. The worst offender was easily Stanley Morgan, who was also one of the best in the game catching 8 passes for 96 yards and 1 TD thanks to one incredible Stiff-arm. However, that doesn't make up for the easy balls he dropped, he'll need to fix that issue heading into Wisconsin. Overall, very good performance from the offense.
On the defensive side of the ball, I cannot say enough about their improvement and consistency over the past few weeks. Since the 2nd half of the Oregon game, the Blackshirts have only given up 23 points. They have not played the most high powered of offenses, but the improvement is there nonetheless. The Blackshirts kept consistent pressure on Chayce Crouch and recorded 10 tackles for loss as well as 5 sacks. Easily the best game statistically for them as a team as they gave up only 93 yards on the ground and 199 total yards in the game. The Linebackers had a very solid game, and Redshirt Freshman Ben Stille even received BIG 10 Freshman of the week honors for his performance! Stille has appeared in the last two games for the Huskers and looks to be pushing for a starting position after his 4 total tackle, 3 solo, 3 TFL and 1 sack performance against Illinois! Be sure to watch out for #95. Regardless of their performance, there are tougher challenges ahead and the tackling issue needs to be addressed. The Blackshirts missed far too many tackles last week against Illinois, and that issue will not fly against teams like Wisconsin and Ohio State. Eric Lee Jr. and Lamar Jackson are two of the biggest offenders, but overall I think everyone needs to practice tackling this week.
Thanks for reading my analysis of the game and be sure to checkout the podcast of my radio show The 2nd String with my good friend Nate Muhlbach. Feel free to make comments on any games or teams you'd like me to go in depth on and GO BIG RED!
