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!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
Saturday, October 21, 2017
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Week 7 Reflections
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!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
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!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
Saturday, October 14, 2017
Week 7 Predictions
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!!
#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!!
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