Hey everyone, I apologize for not writing a reflection on the Week 8 games, but I had a very busy week. I had a solid 5-3 record on my predictions this past week, but my Huskers disappointed yet again. I did go a little overboard on my prediction for that game, because Northwestern always plays Nebraska tough. Offensively, I don't know where the Huskers were at last week, the entire game we killed Northwestern in field position and TOP, but we couldn't score to save our lives. Defensively, we started out very strong, but let Wildcat QB Clayton Thorson run all over us. The biggest issue that troubled the Huskers on defense was tackling. It did not look like anyone on the defense could wrap up or actually bring anyone to the ground. This season is really looking rough for the University of Nebraska.
1. USC at Cal
This will be an interesting match-up in the PAC-12. The Trojans are coming off of a massive upset win against formally number 3 Utah, and the Golden Bears are coming off of back to back losses at the hands of Utah and UCLA. Jared Goff has struggled the past couple weeks and the back half of Cal's schedule only gets harder with trips to both Oregon and Stanford. I think that the Trojans are riding a strong high after their performance last week, and will come in to take down a rattled Cal team. USC 38, Cal 23.
2. Georgia vs. 11 Florida
We've got a big one in the SEC East for the "World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party". The Bulldogs and the Gators face off yet again in a game that could very well decide the SEC East division. Despite the Bulldogs losing to both Bama and the Vols, if they win out for the next three weeks, they would actually win the East Division. Florida is in the same boat though, and they have been playing very well this season. Coming off a bye week, they will be well prepared for a struggling Bulldog offense. The Gators defense is too strong and Treon Harris will play very well leading to a 42-27 Gator beat down.
3. 12 Oklahoma State at Texas Tech
This is an interesting match-up down in the Big 12. The undefeated Pokes travel to the home of the Red Raiders in what will likely be another shoot-out. OSU has had a tough defense so far this year, but have yet to play the true offensive powers of the Big 12 Conference. This is the first test as Texas Tech hosts one of the top offenses in the nation, so it will be interesting to see if the Pokes' defense can rise to the challenge. Texas Tech will hang around, but still won't be able to pull the upset. Pokes win it 40-34.
4. 15 Michigan at Minnesota
Another classic rivalry in the BIG 10 as the Wolverines and the Gophers battle for the Little Brown Jug. Minnesota won it last year, but these are two very different teams this season. Earlier this week Minnesota Head Coach Jerry Kill stepped down for health reasons. Obviously a big blow to any program, and something very difficult to walk into a rivalry game with. Michigan has had a long bye week to think about their heartbreaking loss to "Little Brother", but will come out strong against the Gophers. A struggling Minnesota offense won't be able to keep up and the Wolverines will take the Little Brown Jug home with a 30-14 win.
5. 9 Notre Dame at 21 Temple
The undefeated Owls take on their biggest test of the season as the Irish come to town looking to spoil a perfect season. Temple has a strong defense so far this season, but has yet to play an offense as high caliber as Notre Dame. The Owls are very opportunistic on defense and force a lot of turnovers. Offensively, they are not a powerhouse. Their QB PJ Walker is tough to rattle though, he stands tall in the pocket and finds his wideouts. They are a very sneaky team, and love to hang around and have strong second halves. If the Irish want to win, they need to score early and a lot. However, I have faith in the Owls, and they pull the upset 24-20 to remain undefeated!
6. Nebraska at Purdue
It's Ryker time Husker fans! Tommy is out this week and Ryker Fyfe will get his first start at QB for Nebraska. In all honesty, I don't see how the Husker's offense can get much worse. We struggle so much at just getting first downs, let alone scoring. Purdue has dropped 5 straight, some close, some not. Both teams have struggled mightily this season, but the biggest difference is the talent level. Everyone knows that Nebraska has a much stronger football program than the Boilermakers, but the Huskers have consistently proven this season that execution is what decides the victor. Look for the Husker defense to step up and dominate a struggling Purdue offense. Offensively, I really have no idea what to expect from the Huskers. Ryker looked solid in practice, and his passes were accurate, but he's definitely no Tommy. Look for a little more emphasis on the ground game to keep passing situations easy for Ryker. I always have my Huskers winning, and they'll get back on track today 28-17. Boiler-down!
I hope you all have a great Saturday and don't forget to sign up to receive emails about posts on my blog! Just use the box to the left of this post. Thank you, and GO BIG RED!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
No comments:
Post a Comment