Week 6 Predictions

      Welcome to Week 6 College Football Fans and with the Huskers playing tonight at Rutgers, I've got a special Friday post for my gameday predictions. There was supposed to be a lot of big headline games this week due to offseason drama and early season rankings, but with the chaotic start to the season some of these games have lost their luster. However, that just means the stage is set for more chaos to ensue. I've got all the big games to watch listed below with some keys and who will be victorious. Enjoy!

#8 Tennessee at #25 LSU

     The Volunteers are red hot this season and bring the #1 ranked offense into Death Valley to take on an LSU squad who is starting to get their feet underneath them. The Tigers have reeled off 4 straight wins since their opening week fiasco with Florida State, and are hanging tough in the division with two wins over Mississippi State and Auburn. Hendon Hooker could get in the mix of some Heisman talks as he's thrown for nearly 1,200 yards and 8 TDs so far this season. The LSU defense will need to be ready to defend the deep pass as the Vols love to throw down field. On the flip side, Jayden Daniels is just about everything for the Tigers' offense, leading them with 915 pass yards and 321 rushing yards. Tennessee will need to keep pressure and contain on him to force 3rd and long situations. He picks up a lot of third downs with his legs. This is one of the first games of the day on Saturday, so the night factor of Death Valley is taken out. This should be a good one to watch early in the day but I like Tennessee's offense to finish this game off with a statement. Volunteers 31, Tigers 27.

Texas Tech at #7 Oklahoma State

     A wild shootout could ensue in Stillwater as the Red Raiders and the Cowboys take the field. Both offenses are two of the best in the Big XII, and the Pokes rank 5th in scoring offense in the nation. Both defenses are better than you'd expect for the Big XII, but this game could open up quick. Spencer Sanders has picked up from his previous seasons, tossing for nearly 1,100 yards with 11 TDs and 2 picks. Donovan Smith leads the Red Raiders, but I'm not sure they'll be able to keep pace in this one. They'll score some points, but like last week their opponent will pull away. Cowboys win this one 44-30.

#11 Utah at #18 UCLA

     Easily one of the most interesting matchups of the weekend takes place out West with the Utes and Bruins looking to stay unbeaten. There's no North & South Division in the PAC-12 anymore, so this win really helps boost a team toward the conference championship. Utah has been dominant since their opening week loss to Florida, averaging 42 points per game while giving up just 14.4. UCLA is a sneaky 5-0 this season and could really make a statement with back to back wins over ranked conference foes. Chip Kelley once again has a top tier offense in the nation, ranked 8th with over 500 yards per game and nearly 42 points. Home field advantage isn't going to factor in much due to the crowds at UCLA games, but this game just has a weird feeling about it. I really like both teams and I think there's a good chance they both end up in Vegas for the conference championship. I'll take the Utes and see if UCLA can keep proving me wrong. Great one to watch Saturday afternoon. Utah wins 36-31.

#16 BYU at Notre Dame

     An interesting battle between the Mormons and Catholics is set up in South Bend as the Cougars come to town against Notre Dame. The Irish are starting to get back on track and coming out of a BYE week they should be well rested and prepared for this one. BYU QB Jaren Hall has been throwing wild for the Cougars, racking up nearly 1,500 pass yards with 12 TDs and just 1 pick. Notre Dame has struggled a bit against the pass so this could be an interesting game. You never know what BYU team will show up, and in a hostile environment after a BYE week Notre Dame should be prepared. I'll give the Irish the nod this one as they win 30-21.

#20 Kansas State at Iowa State

     Everyone has been talking about this Adrian Martinez kid down at K-State and how impressive he's been, so I guess I better get on board. Martinez has boosted the Wildcats' offense with 12 total TDs so far, 9 of which have come on the ground. Combined with the rushing monster of Deuce Vaughn K-State has rolled over their last few opponents. The Cyclones fell to Kansas last week and Baylor the week before. They're quickly falling out of Big XII Title contention and now have a hot team coming to Ames. Luckily, the Cyclones love to upset people at home and I think they're due for one. Iowa State pulls this one out in a close game 26-23.

Washington State at #6 USC

     The Cougars are looking to stay in the PAC-12 race as they travel to LA to take on the Trojans. USC has yet to face much of a conference challenge outside of their trip to Corvallis, but don't take the Cougars for granted. They may have given up a double-digit lead at Oregon, but they have some playmakers. However, Wazzu is -3 in the turnover margin and USC leads the nation with a staggering +14 on the season, 5 more than any other team. You don't want to give Lincoln Riley and that offense more opportunities. Trojans light it up 42-28.

Florida State at #14 NC State

     The ‘Noles fell to Wake Forest last week and the Wolfpack were bitten by the Tigers of Clemson, both for their first losses of the season. This is a big bounce back game for both teams as they look to keep pace in the ACC. NC State coming back home will look to use the crowd to their advantage and fire up their defense. FSU will need to hang onto the ball in this one because the Wolfpack defense is hungry for turnovers after last week. I’ll take the home team 31-17.

#17 TCU at #19 Kansas

     We finally got it folks, College GAMEDAY is headed to Lawerence, KS. The undefeated Jayhawks are hosting the undefeated Horned Frogs. TCU is coming off their demolishing off the Sooners and will look to blow the top off of KU’s defense with their high powered offense and downfield passing attack. TCU has blown their opponents out of the water all season long, averaging 48.5 points per game. Senior QB Max Duggan has thrown for nearly 1,000 yards so far this season with 11 TDs and no interceptions. Kansas has found a way to win a lot of close games and make key stands on defense at just the right time. TCU has not been in many close games yet this season and if they don’t build an early lead quickly I’m not sure how they’ll handle that situation. With the Gameday atmosphere and all the hype in Lawrence, I like Kansas to step up to the challenge. Rock Chalk as the Jayhawks remain unbeaten and win a thriller at home 29-24.

Nebraska at Rutgers

     The Friday night feature of the week takes place in Piscataway, NJ as my Huskers take on the Scarlet Knights. Nebraska has its first road test under interim Head Coach Mickey Joseph and while this is a very winnable game, Rutgers is more than capable of causing dismay among Husker Fans. They have the 18th ranked rush defense in the nation, which poses a threat to Nebraska’s offensive game with Anthony Grant. Don’t get me wrong, Grant still needs the rock, but it could be tough sledding. Converting 3rd downs will be a big key in this one, and they could be with some distance to them. Expect Rutgers to put a lot of pressure on Casey Thompson and press the Husker receivers. Opponents are averaging just over 30% on third down against Rutgers' defense, and the Husker offense ranks 13th in the nation in converting third downs with nearly 51%. Offensively, the Scarlet Knights have not been impressive in any way, shape or form, so if the Husker defense can muster up a performance similar to last week then we could see a solid win by the Huskers. They haven’t played well on the road in years, but I’m feeling good about this one. Despite Rutgers being favored, I think the Huskers put together back-to-back wins and beat the Scarlet Knights 34-30 on the road.

Quick Hit Predictions:

Arkansas at #23 Mississippi State - The Hogs have fallen from the high ranks over the last couple weeks and their defense has been spiraling. Never a good thing when you're about to face the Pirate and his high-powered air attack. Bulldogs win 37-27.

Auburn at #2 Georgia - The Bulldogs had a scare with Missouri last week but don't think they'll let that happen again. Auburn has had a few close ones but I fear this could get ugly. UGA wins it 40-17.

Purdue at Maryland - An under the radar game in the BIG 10 takes place out East as the Boilermakers take on the Terps. Both squads have a dynamic passing attack, so we could see some points in this one. Purdue never seems to step up when I make predictions on them to win, but I don't trust Maryland. BoilerUP as they win on the road for the second week in a row 38-31.

Texas at Oklahoma - The Red River Rivalry (I still refuse to call it showdown) features an unranked matchup for the first time in a quarter of a century. Both teams have been up and down, but the horns do get QB Quinn Ewers back. We'll see if he can provide a spark, but the Texas defense is the key. If they step up, they could keep Oklahoma spiraling. I really don't know who to pick for this one, but I'll say the Husker curse sticks and OU keeps losing. Hook 'Em as Texas wins the Golden Hat 33-28.

Iowa at Illinois - This BIG 10 West features an Illinois team that just held Wisconsin to 2 total rushing yards and an Iowa team that still has their defense score most of their points. Watch out for Bret Bielema's squad in this one. Fighting Illini win an important divisional game at home 20-14.

Texas A&M at #1 Alabama - This game was supposed to be one of the best of the season after the offseason drama with coaches talking back and forth about the money paid to recruits. However, the Aggies have fallen off quickly with out much of an offensive attack and the Tide are starting to wake up after a sluggish start to the season. Roll Tide as Bama makes this one ugly in prime time. Alabama 44, Texas A&M 14.

Thanks for reading my Gameday predictions and enjoy your weekend of College Football. GO BIG RED!

#CFBKnowItAll

Alex Fernando

Week 5 Reflections

      It was certainly a wild week in College Football, but my most important takeaway is that the Huskers won! Mickey Joseph got his first win as interim Head Coach and Nebraska is now tied for first place in the BIG 10 West Division. Obviously it's still early in the season, but with how teams in the BIG 10 West have played so far this season, there's no telling what could happen. This post will break down my GOOD, EXPECTED and BAD from the Husker game as well as the other big news from around College Football.

     The Huskers hosted the Hoosiers for homecoming and fired up another sellout crowd for a 35-21 victory. This was a good game to see as the Huskers had solid control for most of the game. There were hiccups, but with the first blocked punt for a TD in 13 years, there's a lot of positives to take from this one. I've got my breakdown below.

GOOD - Secondary adjustments and 4th Quarter defense. Easily one of the biggest turnarounds for the Huskers was the play of the secondary and pass defense. Indiana was a pass heavy team, but mustered just 223 yards through the air against the Huskers. Nebraska had one of the nation's worst pass defenses (still does ranked 111th), so this lockdown in the secondary was very impressive. My aunt asked me mid game what the difference was between the previous games and the one versus Indiana. From my analysis in the stands, it's quite simple, the Huskers are pressing much more and mixing in more man coverage. To break this down, the defense would shorten the cushion of yardage between them and the receivers, forcing tighter throws and being in better position to defend the ball itself. There were and still will be some growing pains with this as many of the corners have not played this technique much under Frost and Chinander, so turning to look for the ball on deep routes is still a foreign concept. However, without the 12 yards of cushion, defenders were in the right spot much more often, and able to make plays on the ball as Luke Reimer did with the hit and interception. Overall, the Huskers' defense gave up 5 total yards in the 4th quarter to the Hoosiers and held them to 0/4 on 3rd downs. Mickey Joseph wanted his team to win the 4th quarter and they did just that. Movement in the right direction on the defensive side of the ball.

EXPECTED - Solid offensive performance. The Huskers have been able to put up points in almost every game this year and Indiana was another strong performance for the Husker offense. Anthony Grant has been a dominant force in the ground game despite the lack of blocking up front at times, racking up 136 against Indiana on 32 carries and averaging 5.3 yards per carry so far this season. Thompson had a number of throws that still raise concern, but commanded the offense well and the deep ball to Trey Palmer was B-E-A-UTIFUL! The few question marks I had on offense came from the play calls with Chubba Purdy in the game and why Bryce Benhart should ever see the field again. Always things to correct but overall a great performance by the offense. FEED ANTHONY GRANT!

BAD - Penalties and pace of the game. These two somewhat contributed to each other, but with 23 combined penalties between the two teams and multiple reviews (some of which were unnecessary), the pace of the game was horribly disrupted. The game ran over 3 hours and just felt incredibly slow from watching in the stands. Nebraska racked up 111 yards in penalties, significantly causing issues in the middle of drives. This is always an issue that needs to be looked at, but when nearly 1/3 of your total yardage is taken back by penalties this is a major issue.

     Hopefully this win propels the Huskers to many more victories this season, but for now we'll enjoy the fact that the Huskers are tied for first place in the BIG 10 West.

Quick Hit CFB Updates:

- Missouri nearly took down the defending champs as they took Georgia down to the wire, falling 26-22.

- Despite a strong 3rd quarter comeback, the Razorbacks couldn't stop the Tide from Rolling.

- Kentucky had their game-winning TD called back due to a penalty and then fumbled the next play, big win for Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss.

- UCLA with a big surprise win over Washington. Chip Kelley's squad has a lot of experience and a high-powered offense, watch out for this team.

- Utah obliterated the Beavers at home 42-16. So much for my PAC-12 dark horse.

- Speaking of big wins, the Horned Frogs racked up 55 points and nearly 700 total yards on Oklahoma. Sooners got BOOMED!

- A defensive battle in Lawrence led to a KU victory after multiple missed Field Goals by ISU. Jayhawks are 5-0 and hosting College Gameday this week!

- Oklahoma State held off the Bears and are quietly setting up for a big season. We'll see if they can keep it clean through their Big XII slate.

- Jimbo Fisher is in hot water at Texas A&M as the Aggies fell to Mississippi State on the Road and are quickly falling in the polls.

- Clemson extends their home winning streak with a 10 point victory over the NC State Wolfpack.

- BoilerUP as they handle Minnesota on the road. The BIG 10 West will be the most confusing (and interesting) division in football this year.

- To continue the confusion trend in the BIG 10 West, Bret Bielma gets revenge on the Badgers by winning 34-10 with the Illini in Camp Randle. The Badgers mustered just 2 rushing yards on the day which is likely a contributing factor in the firing of Paul Chryst. I personally cannot fully understand this firing as he has a very similar record to both Bo Pelini at Nebraska and Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. I suspect there's something bigger afoot, but as for now, Wisconsin is moving on from one of their own as Paul Chryst is out from Badgertown.

#CFBKnowItAll

Alex Fernando

Week 5 Predictions

      Welcome to Week 5 College Football Fans, and welcome back to a Husker Gameday! So excited to be back in Memorial Stadium tonight and watch the Huskers take on the Hoosiers. There is a fantastic slate of games this week with lots of ranked battles that could have major CFB Playoff impacts later in the season. I've got all your predictions for the big games right here, along with a few for some games that you should definitely watch if you like exciting battles that keep things interested. Enjoy!

Week 4 Record: 14 - 5

Overall Record: 45 - 26

#4 Michigan at Iowa

     Everyone has been talking all week about how Michigan has lost each of its last 4 games in Kinnick Stadium. And while many ranked teams have gone down in Iowa City over the years, I don't see this ending well for the Hawkeyes. I will say Michigan will need to be ready for a tough defense, as Iowa ranks 6th in total defense and already has 7 takeaways so far this season. The Hawkeyes win many of their games because of stout defensive play and horrendous mistakes by the other team. Michigan has been one of the most well-rounded teams so far this season and the offense is averaging 50 points per game led on the ground by RB Blake Corum. J. J. McCarthy is QB1 now and will look to help the Wolverines survive Kinnick Stadium for the first time since 2005. Michigan looks solid in this one with a 38-17 win.

#7 Kentucky at #14 Ole Miss

     The red-hot Wildcats travel to the Grove to take on the Rebels of Ole Miss. Lane Kiffin and Sophomore QB Jaxson Dart lead a high-powered offense for the Rebels, averaging 41 points per game. Kentucky isn't far behind with 31.3 points, so defenses will be tested in this one. Kentucky survived a big test on the road at Florida a couple weeks ago, and Lane Kiffin was complaining earlier this week about fan commitment and support. A challenge for sure, but I like Kentucky to edge this one out. Wildcats win a big one on the road 34-28.

Texas Tech at #25 Kansas State

     Both the Wildcats and Red Raiders had big wins last week over Big XII Powerhouses Oklahoma and Texas respectively. Both were great games to watch as TTU QB Donovan Smith for the Red Raiders threw for 331 yards on the Longhorns and ex-Husker QB Adrian Martinez had a career game with numerous highlights and 5 total TDs, 4 of which came on the ground. I really like what Joey McGuire is doing down in Lubbock with the Red Raiders, but taking on the Power Cats in Manhattan is no easy task. The Wildcats win this one 30-24.

Oregon State at #12 Utah

     Hidden amongst a number of big ranked matchups in the afternoon, the Beavers at the Utes could be one of the most interesting games of the day. Oregon State nearly knocked off the Trojans last week and are looking for a big road upset this weekend. Utah had the heartbreaker to start the season in the Swamp, but have looked great since and Junior QB Cameron Rising has nearly 1,000 yards on the season with 10 TDs and just 2 picks. The Beavers are led by Junior RB Deshaun Fenwick who averages 4.8 yards per carry. This is likely to be a defensive game, so turnovers are the key to victory. I really like the Beavers in the PAC-12 this year, but Utah at home is tough to stop. Great game as the Utes hang on to win 23-20.

#22 Wake Forest at #23 Florida State

     An ACC Atlantic showdown takes place as the Demon Deacons take on the Seminoles. Wake Forest couldn't close out Clemson in overtime last week, so this game is crucial to them getting back in the ACC title game race. Junior QB Sam Hartman is the star, throwing for a school record 6 TDs against the Tigers last week. He'll be up against an FSU defense that ranks 16th in pass defense in the nation, so his accuracy will be tested with how well the Seminole secondary covers. For Florida State, they have a very dynamic and balanced offense. While they have not played any stellar competition so far this season, they average 503 yards per game. We all know Wake's offense can score, putting up 45 on Clemson last week. But the real question is if can they stop Jordan Travis and the FSU offense. Wake's defense needs to step up, but I like the Demon Deacons on the road 42-30.

#9 Oklahoma State at #16 Baylor

     A classic Big XII shootout is set to take place in Waco, TX with the Pokes and the Bears, but defense could be a bigger theme in this game than you think. Both the Bears and Cowboys have solid defensive units that love to pressure opposing QBs, racking up 10 sacks each so far this season. The QB battle will be an interesting one as Spencer Sanders leads the Cowboys air raid. Baylor has a bit more balanced attack, but QB Blake Shapen is still the focal point. The Bears have been tested multiple times already this season, but this is the first true test for Oklahoma State. This is a tricky one to pick but I think Oklahoma State is going to have some surprises this year. Go Pokes as they win on the road 33-31.

#2 Alabama at #20 Arkansas

     The Hogs host the Crimson Tide as Alabama rolls into Fayetteville with the #2 ranking. No one is sleeping on Arkansas anymore, so expect Bama to be ready for a rowdy and ruckus atmosphere. Bryce Young is still looking for some assistance on offense to boost this unit, but the defense will be solid as always. They have to deal with Razorback QB KJ Jefferson though, and as I've said all season long, he's got that HOG in him. A couple of unfortunate plays were the difference in their game against the Aggies last week, so much like last week turnovers are HUGE. Alabama hasn't been challenged this season other than Texas, so look for Arkansas to come out swinging. They keep falling short in my predictions, but I'm going to stick with my darkhorse one last time. Arkansas 31, Alabama 27. Woo Pig Sooie!

#10 NC State at #5 Clemson

     College Gameday is live from Death Valley as NC STate and Clemson battle in a top 10 showdown. Control of the ACC Atlantic Division is at stake as the Tigers have the nation's longest home winning streak at 37 games currently. The Wolfpack pulled off the upset in overtime against Clemson last year, but taking them on in Death Valley is a whole different task. Wake Forest went toe to toe with the Tigers last week, but didn't have enough defense to seal the deal. NC State ranks 14th in total defense so far this year, but they haven't faced the likes of DJ Uiagalelei in 2022. The Clemson QB has improved significantly and is complimented well on the ground by RB Will Shipley. NC State has been able to find chinks in the Clemson armor recently, but the Tigers in Death Valley are too much. Clemson extends their streak with a 31-28 battle.

Indiana at Nebraska

     The Huskers host the Hoosiers under the lights in Memorial Stadium, coming out of their first BYE week. Indiana is looking to bounce back from a 45-24 beat down from the Cincy Bearcats last week, and have some serious gaps on defense they need to close up. Lucky for them, the entirety of Nebraska's defense seems to be one giant gap this year. The Huskers rank 127th out of 131 in total defense so far in 2022, missing tackles constantly and giving up an average of 514 yards per game. The Hoosier offense is nothing to shake a stick at, but RB Shaun Shivers and WR Cam Camper are the players to watch. Shivers averages over 4.6 yards per carry and has good speed on the edge. Strong tackles will be important today to slow down the ground game. In the secondary, Camper poses a big threat at 6'2 200 lbs. The Junior averages 12.7 yards per catch and while he only has 1 TD so far this season, he's broken multiple catches for 20+ yard gains. The Husker secondary needs to know where he's at on the field at all times and shift their coverages accordingly. Of course, pressure on the QB is always nice but I don't want to get too greedy. Offensively, Nebraska needs to get the ball to its playmakers on the edge. Trey Palmer and Anthony Grant with perimeter lead blocking will be huge. Cincy passed for over 354 yards last week on Indiana, and if the Huskers can get Casey Thompson in rhythm early, things will be a lot easier. I expect a lot of quick passes to get the ball out quick and avoid having any pressure from the leaky offensive line. This game could easily turn into a shootout with the lack of defensive prowess on the field, but surely my Huskers can't lose twice under the lights. Huskers win Homecoming 38-31. GO BIG RED!

Quick Hit Predictions:

#18 Oklahoma at TCU - The Sooners had a nasty fall from the top after losing to K-State at home last week. They travel to an unbeaten but somewhat unproven TCU squad in Fort Worth today. The best bounce back is with a lot of points, so Boomer Sooner as they beat the Horned Frogs 45-35.

Iowa State at Kansas - A sneaky interesting Big XII Battle is set to take place in Lawrence as the undefeated Jayhawks host the Cyclones. ISU fell to Baylor in a tough battle last week, but there's just something about this Kansas team. The Jayhawk offense is certainly one to watch this season and I think QB Jalon Daniels has a big day. Rock Chalk yet again and Kansas holds strong against Iowa State 28-27.

#17 Texas A&M at Mississippi State - The Aggies have back to back wins over top 15 teams, but have not been able to move up much in the poles as many still doubt their top tier status. They take on the Pirate and his Bulldogs today in Starkville. The air raid from Will Rogers against the defense for the Aggies will be interesting but I don't think A&M can keep pace on offense. Mississippi State wins 34-24.

Cal at Washington State - The Golden Bears and Cougars are both interesting PAC-12 contenders this year. Wazzu gave up a big upset over Oregon last week and statistically both of these teams are evenly matched. This is a tricky one but I'll take the Cougars at home with a 35-31 victory.

LSU at Auburn - The SEC East Tigers battle out in Jordan Hare Stadium. Auburn should've lost twice last week but got lucky as Missouri fumbled away the victory in overtime. LSU is picking up steam and I like them to win this 27-17.

Virginia Tech at North Carolina - The Hokies have a stout defense and the Tar Heels have a high-powered offense. Best on best in this game should be fun to watch, but offense usually wins out in College Football. UNC wins 38-21.

Stanford at #13 Oregon - Normally this would be a big upset watch game but Stanford is really down this year. The Ducks were nearly knocked off last week but should have their heads on straight for this PAC-12 rivalry. Ducks 45, Trees 21.

Thanks for reading my Gameday Predictions and enjoy your College Football Saturday. We had fantastic celebrations for Homecoming on campus this week and the big Cornstock Festival was last night. Nothing gets me more hyped for a game than seeing so much Husker spirit on campus. GO BIG RED!

#CFBKnowItAll

Alex Fernando