Hello readers, I hope you're all ready for another great weekend of football! There are a lot of great match-ups this weekend, so here are 8 of my big games to watch and their predictions! Remember to tune into KRNU2 online every Tuesday from 7-8 pm to listen to my College Football Radio show, The Second String! Enjoy the predictions and please comment if you have any other games you'd like me to weigh in on!
Iowa at Iowa State (Battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy)
Saturday kicks off with a classic rivalry in the Mid-West. Iowa's defense looked much better than I imagined they would be last week when they held Josh Allen and Wyoming to just 3 points and just 233 total yards. Wadley ran for 116 yards but that was the primary highlight for the Hawkeyes as they only gained 263 total yards and lost 4 turnovers to the Cowboys. They Cyclones aren't too much to shake a stick at either, but I like to point out this game simply because of the rivalry. This game almost always comes down to the wire, and with two young teams, I expect it to be close. Watch ISU WR Allen Lazard closely in this one, I expect him to cause more headaches than anyone else for the Hawkeyes secondary. Iowa always seems to get around my picks, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt on the road. Stopping Akrum Wadley will be tough for the Cyclones, so Iowa probably wins this one. Close game, fun rivalry, probably not that impressive of a game though. Hawks 27, Cyclones 22.
Indiana at Virginia
This game is one that I think has potential to be very good this afternoon. Most people probably wouldn't think to watch this game, but I like the match-up because the Cavaliers are on the rise. They may not turn a lot of heads, but this Virginia team has a solid offense lead by Senior QB Kurt Benkert, and could potentially cause some upsets this season. Bronco Mendenhall will look to right the ship in his second season as head coach, and I think Virginia could be dangerous under him. Indiana is a very similar team because they too aren't the strongest in their conference by any means, but have some very athletic play makers that should garner some national attention. Plus, first year head coach Tom Allen is one of my key new coaches to watch this season. He did wonders for the Hoosiers last year as their defensive coordinator, bringing them from the 121st ranked total defense in 2015 to the 45th total ranked defense in 2016. They started strong in 2017, but couldn't hold down the Buckeyes in the second half, so they'll definitely be looking for some vengeance. Again, I just really like this match-up and think it could be a really fun game to watch. I'm going to ignore the fact that Indiana refuses to start anyone at QB other than Richard Lagow, but with Diamont retiring from football at the end of last year, I guess he's their best choice. No matter what, I think this game comes down to defense and I'm giving the nod to Indiana. The Hoosier defense is lead by one of my top Linebackers in the nation, Tegray Scales. He racked up 12 tackles in the opener against Ohio State and causes havoc for every opposing OC and QB. Look for him to have a big game and lead the Hoosiers to a solid win on the road. Cavs fight tough, but Hoosiers win it 31-20.
#23 TCU at Arkansas
The Horned Frogs travel to Fayetteville to take on the Razorbacks. Both teams won easily last week against Division 2 opponents, so this will be the first real test of the season for each team. QBs Kenny Hill and Austin Allen looked good last week, but will be playing much faster defenses this time around. Kenny Hill lead the Frogs to 542 total yards last week while passing for 4 TDs. He has a lot of weapons to utilize within Gary Patterson's system, so look for TCU to spread the ball around and keep Arkansas on their heels defensively. The Razorbacks will look to do what they normally do, run over, around and through anyone who stands in their way. Freshman RB Chase Hayden had 120 rushing yards on 14 attempts last week for the Hogs. He seems to be one of the feature backs, but did split carries with Sophomore Devwah Whaley and Senior David Williams. TCU was 74th against the run last season giving up 188 yards per game, so we'll see if they've improved at all. In the end, I think this game will come down to QB play and offensive fire power. I lean towards TCU with that because the Frogs can strike so quickly. I think Kenny Hill outplays Allen and the Horned Frogs win a tight one on the road. TCU 41, Arkansas 37.
#13 Auburn at #3 Clemson
One of the big ranked match-ups of the weekend is a battle between Tigers. Auburn travels to Death Valley, SC to take on the reigning champs. This game features two dynamic QBs and some great defense. Ex-Baylor QB Jarrett Stidham leads Gus Malzan's high powered offense and has a lot of weapons at his disposal. Junior RB Kerryon Johnson rushed for 895 yards and 17 TDs a year ago, and is off to a solid start in 2017 with 136 yards from week 1. He'll be a key factor in today's match-up to take pressure off Stidham and keep the Clemson defense from blitzing so much. On the flip side, Junior QB Kelly Bryant will be making just his second start for Dabo, but will be a handful for Auburn to deal with. I thought he commanded the offense well in his debut, and his ability to run the ball will be crucial to Clemson's success this year. As usual, the Tigers (the ones that wear purple and orange) are quite formidable on defense. I expect them to get after the QB and cause lots of problems for Stidham early on in the game. I like the match-up on the outside too, Auburn has a lot of speed at receiver, so Clemson's secondary will be challenged. In the end, I think the home field advantage will be too much and Kelly Bryant will show why he's ready to fill Deshaun Watson's shoes. Clemson wins 38-27.
#15 Georgia at #24 Notre Dame
The Bulldogs lost star QB Jacob Eason for the time being, so true Freshman Jake Fromm will get the start on the road in South Bend. Fromm looked solid as he took over last week for Eason, but this will be a much tougher opponent and a much tougher crowd. Look for the Bulldogs to heavily favor the ground game in this one, especially since Notre Dame gave up an average of 182 yards per game last season in 2016. Keeping 3rd down manageable will be crucial if Georgia wants to pull out a win in this game. Looking to the side of the Irish, Junior RB Josh Adams is the name to know. He carried the ball 19 times for 161 and 2 TDs last week against Temple, and looks to test Georgia's defense, especially with his speed. The Irish will have their own run defense to be in charge of however as Nick Chubb, Sony Michel and crew are coming to town. I think this one will be a hard-nosed, ground and pound battle, heavily dependent on the trenches. Whichever line gets the most push late in the game. I think it's close, but I'll give the nod to Notre Dame for my uncle. Wouldn't be surprised either way, but the Irish beat the Bulldogs 24-20.
#14 Stanford at #6 USC
Ten years removed from one of the most incredible upsets in College Football History, these two Pac-12 Titans are set to clash again. The Cardinal jumped onto the national stage after upsetting the Trojans at home in 2007, but now everyone knows their name. Both of these teams are lead by high powered offenses, specifically in the ground game. Stanford's Bryce Love has been doing his best Christian McCaffrey impression by rushing for 180 yards on just 13 carries thus far. With the Trojans giving up 263 yards rushing to Western Michigan last week, it could be fun to see how much Love is able to run around the Coliseum tonight. On the other side, Ronald Jones II is back looking to improve on his Sophomore year numbers, and already has 159 and 3 TDs to show for it. Oddly enough, Trojan QB Sam Darnold didn't look the most impressive last week, throwing two picks. He'll have his hands full with a very tough Stanford defense that loves to take advantage of mistakes. His opponent, Senior QB Keller Chryst already looks improved from last year, but USC's defense isn't no slouch. I think this game comes down to who commits the turnovers and who can get the most stops, because these offenses will be rolling! I honestly expect quite a few points early on in this contest. Great game for Saturday night, and I'm going with the Cardinal. I think Bryce Love will be too much for USC to handle and Stanford comes away with a 33-23 win.
#5 Oklahoma at #2 Ohio State
The big game of the week takes place in Columbus, OH as the Sooners travel to take on the Buckeyes. Two of the most dynamic QBs and offenses in all of college football face off as the Sooners look to avenge last year's blowout loss in Norman. Baker Mayfield is arguably the most athletic QBs in the nation, and will likely cause all sorts of headaches for a Buckeyes defense who gave up 420 yards passing to Richard Lagow and the Indiana offense last week. Mayfield will be looking for those holes the Hoosiers found last week, so Ohio State's secondary better be ready. The big target to watch is Junior TE Mark Andrews. He's a nightmare for defenses at 6'5, 254 and soft hands. Andrews caught 7 passes for 134 yards and 1 TD last week, and is definitely Mayfield's favorite target. Ohio State's young safeties will have to play really well to hold down Andrews tonight. On offense for Ohio State, JT Barrett will need to take care of the ball because OU's young, but talented defense will be looking to create lots of turnovers. Barrett struggles throwing the short and mid-range passes, and with expected pressure from the Sooner defense, that's where I see a couple of picks happen. Rising star RB JK Dobbins will probably be leaned on heavily as he rushed for 181 yards on 29 carries last week in his debut. This will be a high scoring game, and Mayfield will keep the Sooners in it, but in the end, I don't think their defense can make the key stops against the Buckeyes. Ohio State wins a good one at home 40-34.
Nebraska at Oregon
The first big road test for the Huskers comes against the revived Ducks out in Oregon. I have a lot of family ties with this game as my Great-Uncle taught at U of O and one of my cousins went to school there. However, my Huskers are coming to town, and that's not good news for them! Yes, Oregon has a lot of speed, just like normal, and yes, they did score 77 points last week. The Huskers, and Blackshirts especially, will have their hands full this afternoon. My biggest key to the game is containment on the edge and fighting off blocks. Last week, the secondary really struggled against blocking on the edge, and the containment of the quick passes. I know Husker fans weren't very impressed last week, nor was I, but you can't judge everything off of the first game. There are a lot of new people playing in new positions with a new system. There's no way to have a solid performance with that. I'm excited to see what adjustments are made and how our team comes out against that speedy duck offense! On the other side, Tanner Lee and the offense looked really good last week. Tre Bryant is clearly the number one back carrying the ball 31 times for 192 yards in week 1. I personally would like to see the touches spread out just a little bit more, hopefully saving Bryant's body for the inevitable bumps and bruises that will come with BIG 10 play. We'll see if Wilbon and Ozigbo get some touches today. Looking back at Lee, making reads and hitting his spots will be crucial this week. He got away with a couple close passes last week against Arkansas State, but I can assure you Oregon's defense won't be dropping as many picks. Wideouts will have much tighter coverage on them, so hopefully we'll see more route patterns, that was something I thought lacked a week ago. The O-line will be tested with more speed and a possible new starter. RT David Knevel has been in a boot all week, so redshirt FR Matt Farniok will likely get the start, I'm excited to see how he does! Finally, the Huskers will need a healthy dose of Special Teams if they want to win this one in Autzen. JD Spielman will be looking to run another one back, and Drew's leg could be the deciding factor! Kick and Punt Coverage needs to improve drastically from a week ago. I've got my Huskers winning a fun one in Eugene. Nebraska 40, Oregon 36.
Some other interesting games to watch this week are Pitt at #4 Penn State, a great rivalry with the Battle for the Beehive Boot (Utah at BYU), and Boise State at #20 Washington State. I hope you all have a great Saturday and enjoy some fantastic College Football! GO BIG RED!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
Saturday, September 9, 2017
Monday, September 4, 2017
Week 1 Reflection
Now that everyone has had a day to think about the Husker's win over Arkansas State, I'd like to throw my recap and analysis of the game out to the world. Overall, I would give the Huskers a solid B if I were to grade them. Many readers might initially disagree, but there are parts of the game missing when you look at just the score and number of yards racked up. The Red Wolves challenged the Huskers in a number of ways, finding a number of holes in Diaco's defense. Most people have been quite quick to criticize the new system, and although there were things I didn't necessarily like, I am definitely still a believer. Here's why:
I'll start with the defense as I break down the Huskers' game, and we'll start up front with the DL. Lots of rotation, but not a lot of pressure. I was hoping for a bit more since ASU was starting 5 new offensive linemen, but their QB was only sacked once and hurried just a handful of times throughout the game. Part of this was due to Arkansas State playing away from their offensive weakness and using a lot of quick passes to the perimeter in order to keep the ball away from their young O-line and part of this was due to the Blackshirts still working in the new system. I was hoping for more pressure from the D-line, but they contained the QB well and held the run game in check, not a bad start. Moving to the Linebackers, speed seemed to be an issue. We were almost always in purist all game long and it seemed as though some of them had cement shoes when getting out to the edge to make a tackle. When you load the box with 6-8 guys every down, teams are going to really push the boundaries and attack the perimeter of the field. Diaco and Bray will definitely need to look at the contain with the outside backers. Overall, solid tackling, and apart from a few mismatches, I thought the LBs covered well. That's something they haven't had to do much under previous defenses, so that will be an adjustment to keep your eye on. Finally, we get to what looked to be the biggest issue for the Blackshirts, the Secondary. Giving up 415 yards through the air to Arkansas State isn't exactly the ideal way to start the season, but there are some bright spots too look at as well. The first being there were only 2 passes over 20 yards, so the big play was prevented well. Secondly, tackling was fairly solid for the Secondary as well. My biggest concern was the cushion given to the wide receivers of ASU, especially in the first half. It was clearly a scheme thing, but all of our DBs were playing 7-9 yards off of the ball, giving the Red Wolves lots of room for those quick perimeter passes to gain 8 yards a pop. There was definitely more aggression towards those in the second half, but with so much cushion, it's easy to see how QB Justice Hansen threw for 415 yards. Another issue was how easy it seemed to be for our secondary to be taken out of the play. Specifically on those quick screens, ASU's wideouts would drive the corners to the sideline and would not let off on their blocks. Great execution by the Red Wolves, poor block shedding on the outside. I know Oregon will attack the perimeter just as much as the Red Wolves, and they actually have a decent ground game to lean on with Senior RB Royce Freeman and crew, so the Blackshirts will have a lot to contain next week in Eugene. I wasn't expecting anything overly impressive with the defense, but even with a couple of young corners I expected a little more from the secondary. We'll see what improvements and adjustments Coach Diaco and Company make for this week. Overall not the best, but definitely not quite as bad as everyone might initially react. Working to prevent 3rd down conversions will be key as well, ASU had 7/13 converted, many on quick passes underneath with too much cushion.
On the offensive side of the ball, I was very happy with the performance. Tanner Lee looked good, 238 yards, 2 TDs and just under 60% completion percentage for his first game as a Husker. Many people were probably expecting him to put on a show and be damn near perfect, but you need to remember he hasn't taken a live snap in a couple of years. His deep passes were very pretty, and he hit a lot of receivers in stride. Solid performance in game 1, I'm excited to see how he handles the crowd at Autzen while managing the offense. Looking at the run game, Tre Bryant was clearly the feature back, and with good reason. the Sophomore racked up 192 yards on 31 carries and added a TD for good measure. The things I liked most about watching him was his patience in waiting for holes to open up, and his toughness. I swear Bryant broke through at least 2 tackles on every play except for the safety. He will be a force to be reckoned with if Nebraska can lean on him throughout the season. I'm hoping to see a little more of Ozigbo to mix in as well, but Bryant looked like the clear number 1 on Saturday. The O-line was about what I expected, strong run performance, decent pass protection and a lot of stupid penalties. There were a few plays where I saw some missed assignments (i.e. the safety), but overall the penalties are the biggest issue. Finally, the Wideouts. I was very happy with their performance, and believe they will cause a lot of headaches for opposing defenses. I'm hoping Riley and Langsdorf mix in some more mid-range passes rather than just quick screens and long bombs, but I can understand the play calling due to the lack of size with our guys on the perimeter. Nonetheless, speed, athleticism and raw talent will help our wideouts be a step ahead of most corners they'll face this year.
Special teams was both great and horrible. Drew Brown is automatic, that will be very useful this year, and JD Spielman is all I knew he would be and more. Caleb Lightbourn even had 3 punts downed inside the 20, so he's starting to improve as well! The bad parts came with kick coverage. The Punt Return was bad, everyone over pursued and did not cut down their angles to cut off the return man. I do want to give Red Wolves returner Blaise Taylor credit, he's their school's all-time kick and punt returner, but the Huskers definitely need to work on their coverage. Finally, the onside kick. Great kick, couldn't ask for anything better, but again, expect that to be a focus in practice this week!
I hope you all enjoyed the game and reading my review. Quick shout out to Turner Gill and Liberty for pulling the upset on Baylor! There were a lot of great games this weekend, and we're only at week 1! Remember to tune in tomorrow (Tuesday) night from 7-8 on http://krnu.unl.edu/ KRNU2 to listen to my friend Nate Muhlbach and I break down the Husker game and more on our new Radio show, The Second String. We'll be talking all about College Football from all around the nation, so you won't want to miss it! Thanks for reading and GO BIG RED!!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
I'll start with the defense as I break down the Huskers' game, and we'll start up front with the DL. Lots of rotation, but not a lot of pressure. I was hoping for a bit more since ASU was starting 5 new offensive linemen, but their QB was only sacked once and hurried just a handful of times throughout the game. Part of this was due to Arkansas State playing away from their offensive weakness and using a lot of quick passes to the perimeter in order to keep the ball away from their young O-line and part of this was due to the Blackshirts still working in the new system. I was hoping for more pressure from the D-line, but they contained the QB well and held the run game in check, not a bad start. Moving to the Linebackers, speed seemed to be an issue. We were almost always in purist all game long and it seemed as though some of them had cement shoes when getting out to the edge to make a tackle. When you load the box with 6-8 guys every down, teams are going to really push the boundaries and attack the perimeter of the field. Diaco and Bray will definitely need to look at the contain with the outside backers. Overall, solid tackling, and apart from a few mismatches, I thought the LBs covered well. That's something they haven't had to do much under previous defenses, so that will be an adjustment to keep your eye on. Finally, we get to what looked to be the biggest issue for the Blackshirts, the Secondary. Giving up 415 yards through the air to Arkansas State isn't exactly the ideal way to start the season, but there are some bright spots too look at as well. The first being there were only 2 passes over 20 yards, so the big play was prevented well. Secondly, tackling was fairly solid for the Secondary as well. My biggest concern was the cushion given to the wide receivers of ASU, especially in the first half. It was clearly a scheme thing, but all of our DBs were playing 7-9 yards off of the ball, giving the Red Wolves lots of room for those quick perimeter passes to gain 8 yards a pop. There was definitely more aggression towards those in the second half, but with so much cushion, it's easy to see how QB Justice Hansen threw for 415 yards. Another issue was how easy it seemed to be for our secondary to be taken out of the play. Specifically on those quick screens, ASU's wideouts would drive the corners to the sideline and would not let off on their blocks. Great execution by the Red Wolves, poor block shedding on the outside. I know Oregon will attack the perimeter just as much as the Red Wolves, and they actually have a decent ground game to lean on with Senior RB Royce Freeman and crew, so the Blackshirts will have a lot to contain next week in Eugene. I wasn't expecting anything overly impressive with the defense, but even with a couple of young corners I expected a little more from the secondary. We'll see what improvements and adjustments Coach Diaco and Company make for this week. Overall not the best, but definitely not quite as bad as everyone might initially react. Working to prevent 3rd down conversions will be key as well, ASU had 7/13 converted, many on quick passes underneath with too much cushion.
On the offensive side of the ball, I was very happy with the performance. Tanner Lee looked good, 238 yards, 2 TDs and just under 60% completion percentage for his first game as a Husker. Many people were probably expecting him to put on a show and be damn near perfect, but you need to remember he hasn't taken a live snap in a couple of years. His deep passes were very pretty, and he hit a lot of receivers in stride. Solid performance in game 1, I'm excited to see how he handles the crowd at Autzen while managing the offense. Looking at the run game, Tre Bryant was clearly the feature back, and with good reason. the Sophomore racked up 192 yards on 31 carries and added a TD for good measure. The things I liked most about watching him was his patience in waiting for holes to open up, and his toughness. I swear Bryant broke through at least 2 tackles on every play except for the safety. He will be a force to be reckoned with if Nebraska can lean on him throughout the season. I'm hoping to see a little more of Ozigbo to mix in as well, but Bryant looked like the clear number 1 on Saturday. The O-line was about what I expected, strong run performance, decent pass protection and a lot of stupid penalties. There were a few plays where I saw some missed assignments (i.e. the safety), but overall the penalties are the biggest issue. Finally, the Wideouts. I was very happy with their performance, and believe they will cause a lot of headaches for opposing defenses. I'm hoping Riley and Langsdorf mix in some more mid-range passes rather than just quick screens and long bombs, but I can understand the play calling due to the lack of size with our guys on the perimeter. Nonetheless, speed, athleticism and raw talent will help our wideouts be a step ahead of most corners they'll face this year.
Special teams was both great and horrible. Drew Brown is automatic, that will be very useful this year, and JD Spielman is all I knew he would be and more. Caleb Lightbourn even had 3 punts downed inside the 20, so he's starting to improve as well! The bad parts came with kick coverage. The Punt Return was bad, everyone over pursued and did not cut down their angles to cut off the return man. I do want to give Red Wolves returner Blaise Taylor credit, he's their school's all-time kick and punt returner, but the Huskers definitely need to work on their coverage. Finally, the onside kick. Great kick, couldn't ask for anything better, but again, expect that to be a focus in practice this week!
I hope you all enjoyed the game and reading my review. Quick shout out to Turner Gill and Liberty for pulling the upset on Baylor! There were a lot of great games this weekend, and we're only at week 1! Remember to tune in tomorrow (Tuesday) night from 7-8 on http://krnu.unl.edu/ KRNU2 to listen to my friend Nate Muhlbach and I break down the Husker game and more on our new Radio show, The Second String. We'll be talking all about College Football from all around the nation, so you won't want to miss it! Thanks for reading and GO BIG RED!!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
Saturday, September 2, 2017
Week 1 Predictions
College Football is finally Back!!! Hey everyone, I hope you're as excited as I am about football being back! I apologize to anyone who tried to tune into our radio show, The Second String on KRNU2 last week, they forgot the activate our ID cards, so we were unable to get into the booth. That issue has been resolved, so every Tuesday from 7-8 pm you can tune into the online stream of KRNU2 at http://krnu.unl.edu/. Now onto my predictions for this weeks' games!
Maryland at #23 Texas
Picking games for the first week of the season is always the toughest, because I have only assumptions and guesses to base my picks off of. I'm starting with the Maryland-Texas game because even though Texas finished last year 5-7, they are ranked to start the season and some analysts even have them competing for a Big XII Championship and more! This is all due to they hype followed by the hiring of Tom Herman in replace of Charlie Strong. Don't get me wrong, Texas has a number of experienced players returning and Herman is a great coach. However, this game will give us a lot of insight to the season the Longhorns could have. Offensively, they are lead by Sophomore QB Shane Buechele. Buechele passed nearly 3,000 yards last year with 21 TDs and 11 picks. He returns a number of weapons including speedster Devin Duvernay who averaged 20.6 yards per catch last year as he sprinted past defenders. The Longhorns have to replace star RB D'Onta Foreman who has moved onto the NFL, taking with him 2,028 rushing yards and 15 TDs with a 6.3 yards per carry average. The duo replacing Foreman are Junior Chris Warren III and Sophomore Kyle Porter. Porter is listed as the #1 back, but I expect both of them to be used heavily to take the pressure off of Buechele. The Terrapins return a number of offensive weapons including star widout D.J. Moore and the RB duo of Ty Johnson and Lorenzo Harrison III who combined for 1,637 yards last season along with 11 TDs. They have an experienced offensive line to follow, so look for the ground game to be a focus early on for Durkin's squad. The biggest issue comes at QB. It's been a battle all offseason, and it looks like Sophomore Tyrrell Pigrome will be the guy. Pigrome appeared in 11 games last season with one start against Minnesota. He threw for just 322 yards with a 52.1% completion rating and a 2:2 TD to INT ratio, but was quite dynamic on the ground rushing for 254 yards and 4 TDs. Having a year to mature will help along with the supporting cast of weapons I mentioned. Look for Texas' defense to struggle with Pigrome's dual threat ability. Speaking of the Longhorn defense, they have a lot of returning starters, but will need to improve if they want to avoid a third straight season of giving up 30+ average points per game. The Terps are in a similar boat with experience, but not a lot of product to show for it. They gave up just under 30 points per game last year and were ranked 99th in rush defense. Senior Linebacker Jermaine Carter Jr. has lead the Terps in tackles over the past two years and will be looking to lead this defense yet again in 2017. Be sure to watch #15 on defense for the Terps, Melvin Keihn. He's a terrific pass rusher and Buechelle and crew will have to keep an eye out for him all day. In the end, I think Texas will win (not that I want them to), but I'd like to see Pigrome and Maryland test them. The Terps have the talent to stick around, we'll see if they do. Texas 34, Maryland 24.
Wyoming at Iowa
Yes, I did pick this game in part because I really hope to see Iowa lose, but trust me, Wyoming is a team to watch. They surprised everyone by winning the Mountain Division of the Mountain West Conference last year, and return star QB Josh Allen. Allen can cause headaches for any opponent, and with the Hawkeyes replacing 3 starters in the secondary, including 2015 Thorpe winner Desmond King, Allen could have a field day this weekend. The Hawks do return all 3 starting linebackers, so they will have good experience leading the defensive side of the ball. Offensively, Akrum Wadley will be the primary focus this year. Wadley rushed for 1,081 yards last year, but with a severe lack of experience at QB and WR, he could easily crack 1,500+ in 2017. The Cowboys gave up an average of 203.64 yards per game on the ground last year, so look for Iowa to attack that weakness early and often. Wyoming's defense returns 8 starters, so experience won't be much of an issue. Craig Bohl's team knows what needs to be fixed and could definitely upset Iowa at home. If Josh Allen can find early chemistry with his wideouts, the Hawkeyes will be in trouble. Iowa has a lot to replace from last year, and with Brian Ferentz being named the new OC, there could be some early struggles. Sticking to what they know best and handing the ball to Wadley as much as possible could save them, but I think Josh Allen is the real deal. Partly because I think Josh Allen and the Cowboys will do it, and partly because I want them to do it. Cowboys win a close one in Iowa City 27-23.
#11 Michigan vs. #17 Florida
For a team that only returns 6 total starters in 2017, Michigan is ranked incredibly high. The Wolverines need to replace nearly everyone, but they are lucky enough to return QB Wilton Speight who threw for more than 2,500 yards last year and 18 TDs. The ground game will be a heavy focus since all of Speights primary wideout targets are now in the NFL. Sophomore RB Chris Evans averaged 7 yards per carry last year, and will likely be the feature back in Ann Arbor. Florida is in a similar boat, but that one is sinking fast. The Gators have 10 players suspended for the opener against the Wolverines, including star WR Antonio Callaway. With so many suspensions hurting positions on both sides of the ball, Jim McElwain's squad could have a very frustrating Saturday. The Gators still have talented players, but with a new starting QB, lack of weapons and severe lack of experience on defense, I'm giving the edge to Harbaugh and Co. Michigan wins a not-so-epic opener 35-20.
Appalachian State at #15 Georgia
This game may not seem like a highlight game, but I think this has potential to be a good one. Plus, we must not forget that just a decade ago was the crazy Appalachian State upset over #5 Michigan. I like the way this one sets up because lots of people (including myself) are picking the Bulldogs to challenge Florida for the SEC East Division crown. Most people think a simple Sun Belt team would be an easy cupcake to start the year, but Appalachian State (and Arkansas State for that matter) are not your typical Sun Belt cupcakes. The Mountaineers shared last year's title with the Red Wolves, and star RB Jalin Moore looks to continue his success as a Junior. Moore rushed for over 1400 yards last season, averaging 5.9 yards per carry and topping 100+ yards in 8 games in 2016. Georgia ranked 36th in rush defense last year giving up an average of 143.7 yards per game on the ground, so Moore and Senior QB Taylor Lamb will be challenged. The Bulldogs return practically everyone on their defense, so App. State will have to keep control of the clock if they want to pull off an upset, as it could be difficult to score. Speaking of scoring, that will be Georgia's primary focus this season. They have a lot of returning weapons on offense from a year ago, but only averaged 24.5 points per game in 2016, ranking 102nd in the nation. The Mountaineers took Tennessee to Overtime in the opening week last year, so look for this to be a tough win for the Bulldogs. I like Kirby Smart's team playing at home, but never count out Appalachian State. Just remember, any given Saturday someone can go down! Nick Chubb and the Bulldogs will take over late with this one, but we can always hope for that upset! Georgia 38, Appalachian State 24.
BYU vs. #13 LSU
This game had to be moved to New Orleans due to the terrible flooding in Houston, but will go on as scheduled apart from the location change. The Cougars started their season last week at home against Portland State, but did not look overly impressive. Junior QB Tanner Mangum only completed 59.3 percent of his passes last week, and I anticipate LSU's defense to be much more stingy than Portland State. This will probably a lower scoring game because of the two teams having experienced play makers on defense. Both teams return roughly half of their defensive starters, and were both in the top 15 in scoring defense in 2016. Lucky for the Cougars, LSU has been struck by the injury bug and will be without a couple of their top pass rushers for the season opener. Because the defenses will be so tough, QB play will likely make the difference. LSU QB Danny Etling will be lead by new OC Matt Canada and is without one of the best RBs in the nation behind him. Luckily, Fournette's shoes won't be too hard to fill as Junior RB Derrius Guice already has 1,823 career rushing yards and 18 TDs. Guice will have a difficult time fighting through the Cougar Defense, but I think just a few big plays could break this game open. Closer game, but I'll give the edge to LSU and their ground attack. I think Guice will wear them down in the end. Tigers beat the Cougars 24-17.
#22 West Virginia vs. #21 Virginia Tech (Sunday)
Battle for the Black Diamond Trophy
We get to start off the 2016 with a classic rivalry being renewed! Both teams saw great success in 2016 as the Mountaineers finished 10-3 and the Hokies won the Coastal Division. The Hokies return 12 total starters including 7 on a defense that ranked 27th in scoring last year giving up only 22.8 points per game. They're going to need to be tough again on defense, because the Mountaineers averaged over 30 points per game in 2016. WVU only returns 8 starters from last season, but Senior RB Justin Crawford is back and is looking to take the pressure off of ex-Florida QB Will Grier who will start for the Mountaineers. VT has to replace lots of weapons on offense, but I think Justin Fuente will have them ready. You never know when a rivalry resumes after 12 years, but I'm going with the Hokies in this one! Virginia Tech 34, West Virginia 23.
Texas A&M at UCLA
The Aggies and the Bruins are both looking to forget disappointing seasons in 2016. There are numerous questions on both sides of the ball for Texas A&M. They have to replace a #1 draft pick on defense as well as break in a new QB. Luckily, whoever gets the nod will have some weapons to help them out. WR Christian Krik has nearly 2,000 receiving yards over the past two years along with 16 TDs. Defenses will be keying on Krik early, so the Aggies will need other wideouts to step up. On defense, I already mentioned how they will have to replace DE Myles Garrett, one of the best pass rushers in the nation. The Aggies will also be replacing some starters in the secondary, which bodes well for UCLA and star QB Josh Rosen....that is, if Rosen can stay healthy and focused on football. Injuries plagued the Bruins last season and definitely played a factor in their 4-8 record. Having Rosen back should help give their offense a boost, and I think that QB will be the difference maker in this one. Rosen has the talent, and I think there are too many question marks with the Aggies. UCLA wins it 40-24.
#25 Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech
Last year, Tennessee was the team to watch, and the team that would give Alabama a run for their money in the SEC. Last year Tennessee sputtered to a disappointing, but expected, 9-4 record. I always have a difficult time trusting the Volunteers, and this season is no different. They return a lot of experience on their offensive line, but that's about it after QB Joshua Dobbs, RB Jalen Hurd and WR Josh Malone have all moved on. Luckily, there's plenty of young talent in the cupboards for Butch Jones to use. I expect them to lean heavily on RB John Kelly who rushed for 630 yards last season while sharing carries. On the other side of the ball, the Vols will need some work. They gave up an average of 28.8 points per game in 2016 and ranked 104th in the nation in rush defense giving up 218.6 yards per game on the ground. That is bad news when you line up to face the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets averaged nearly 260 rush yards per game in 2016 with their Triple Option attack, and with 17 returning starters, GT is a Dark Horse team to watch in 2017. I like the Yellow Jackets in this one! Georgia Tech wins a good one 38-23.
#1 Alabama vs. #3 Florida State
The biggest opener in College Football History takes place down in Atlanta to kickoff the primary Saturday of the 2017 season! The Tide and the 'Noles clash for what looks to be an incredible game. I'm a little frustrated, because although I am beyond hyped for the Husker game, I'm a little bummed it is taking place during the same time as the FSU-Bama game. This one has the makings to be one of the all-time classics, and there are some great young players to watch. Both teams feature two dynamic Sophomore QBs in Deondre Francois and Jalen Hurts. I personally think Francois is the better of the two, especially in the passing game. Francois threw for 3,350 yards with a 20:7 TD to INT ratio last season compared to Hurts who threw for 2,780 yards and a 23:9 TD to INT ratio. The biggest difference between the two is the protection. Francois was sacked 34 times last season and was constantly under pressure. Jalen Hurts plays QB for Alabama... so he didn't get hit very often (19 times). Protecting the QB will be one of the biggest keys to success in this one, especially because these two teams have arguably two of the best defenses in the nation. The Seminoles return 9 starters on the defensive side of the ball, including one of the best players in the nations with Safety Derwin James. The Tide only return 5, but again, it's Alabama, I think they'll probably be okay. This game is incredibly difficult to pick on because I think both of these teams will be in the CFP at the end of the year. Florida State has the talent to beat Alabama, but it's so hard to pick against Bama, especially in a season opener. I want to see Francois have the game of a lifetime and beat the Tide, but I think the offensive line for Bama will be too much in the end. Great game, great finish, Roll Tide. Bama 31, FSU 30.
Arkansas State at Nebraska
Now is the prediction you've all been waiting for! I got the chance to help out with Football Friday at the Wick Alumni Center last night, and listened to the football panel on their predictions for the Husker game. The recurring theme that was talked about were all the question marks. This has been one of the most anticipated Husker seasons of my lifetime, simply because we have no idea what the Huskers will look like! New QB, new weapons on offense, new defense, new faces and a new outlook on direction of the program. So many questions will be answered in this opener, not just because we'll see lots of new players on the field, but because the Red Wolves face a bigger challenge than most think. They won a share of the Sun Belt title last year and were a top 20 defense giving up only 21.5 points per game on average. They also lead the nation in tackles for loss in 2016, so look for their defense to come with a lot of pressure. Senior DE Ja'Von Rolland-Jones lead the nation with 13.5 sacks last year, so Tanner Lee and Crew will definitely have to keep an eye on him. The good news for the Huskers is even though the Red Wolves have strength on the Defensive line, their biggest weakness is their offensive line. Arkansas State will be starting 5 new offensive linemen against Nebraska today, so the new 3-4 defense will have lots of opportunities to cause havoc. We've all heard the things to watch for, but I'm just excited to have football back, get some questions answered and watch some of my good friends play football! Be sure to watch #57 Jake Weinmaster and #23 DiCaprio Bootle! Huskers win a solid game and answer a lot of questions for us! Nebraska 37, Arkansas State 17.
I hope you enjoyed all of my game predictions and have a fantastic Saturday! Be sure to subscribe with your email so you can receive updates on my posts and GO BIG RED!!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
Maryland at #23 Texas
Picking games for the first week of the season is always the toughest, because I have only assumptions and guesses to base my picks off of. I'm starting with the Maryland-Texas game because even though Texas finished last year 5-7, they are ranked to start the season and some analysts even have them competing for a Big XII Championship and more! This is all due to they hype followed by the hiring of Tom Herman in replace of Charlie Strong. Don't get me wrong, Texas has a number of experienced players returning and Herman is a great coach. However, this game will give us a lot of insight to the season the Longhorns could have. Offensively, they are lead by Sophomore QB Shane Buechele. Buechele passed nearly 3,000 yards last year with 21 TDs and 11 picks. He returns a number of weapons including speedster Devin Duvernay who averaged 20.6 yards per catch last year as he sprinted past defenders. The Longhorns have to replace star RB D'Onta Foreman who has moved onto the NFL, taking with him 2,028 rushing yards and 15 TDs with a 6.3 yards per carry average. The duo replacing Foreman are Junior Chris Warren III and Sophomore Kyle Porter. Porter is listed as the #1 back, but I expect both of them to be used heavily to take the pressure off of Buechele. The Terrapins return a number of offensive weapons including star widout D.J. Moore and the RB duo of Ty Johnson and Lorenzo Harrison III who combined for 1,637 yards last season along with 11 TDs. They have an experienced offensive line to follow, so look for the ground game to be a focus early on for Durkin's squad. The biggest issue comes at QB. It's been a battle all offseason, and it looks like Sophomore Tyrrell Pigrome will be the guy. Pigrome appeared in 11 games last season with one start against Minnesota. He threw for just 322 yards with a 52.1% completion rating and a 2:2 TD to INT ratio, but was quite dynamic on the ground rushing for 254 yards and 4 TDs. Having a year to mature will help along with the supporting cast of weapons I mentioned. Look for Texas' defense to struggle with Pigrome's dual threat ability. Speaking of the Longhorn defense, they have a lot of returning starters, but will need to improve if they want to avoid a third straight season of giving up 30+ average points per game. The Terps are in a similar boat with experience, but not a lot of product to show for it. They gave up just under 30 points per game last year and were ranked 99th in rush defense. Senior Linebacker Jermaine Carter Jr. has lead the Terps in tackles over the past two years and will be looking to lead this defense yet again in 2017. Be sure to watch #15 on defense for the Terps, Melvin Keihn. He's a terrific pass rusher and Buechelle and crew will have to keep an eye out for him all day. In the end, I think Texas will win (not that I want them to), but I'd like to see Pigrome and Maryland test them. The Terps have the talent to stick around, we'll see if they do. Texas 34, Maryland 24.
Wyoming at Iowa
Yes, I did pick this game in part because I really hope to see Iowa lose, but trust me, Wyoming is a team to watch. They surprised everyone by winning the Mountain Division of the Mountain West Conference last year, and return star QB Josh Allen. Allen can cause headaches for any opponent, and with the Hawkeyes replacing 3 starters in the secondary, including 2015 Thorpe winner Desmond King, Allen could have a field day this weekend. The Hawks do return all 3 starting linebackers, so they will have good experience leading the defensive side of the ball. Offensively, Akrum Wadley will be the primary focus this year. Wadley rushed for 1,081 yards last year, but with a severe lack of experience at QB and WR, he could easily crack 1,500+ in 2017. The Cowboys gave up an average of 203.64 yards per game on the ground last year, so look for Iowa to attack that weakness early and often. Wyoming's defense returns 8 starters, so experience won't be much of an issue. Craig Bohl's team knows what needs to be fixed and could definitely upset Iowa at home. If Josh Allen can find early chemistry with his wideouts, the Hawkeyes will be in trouble. Iowa has a lot to replace from last year, and with Brian Ferentz being named the new OC, there could be some early struggles. Sticking to what they know best and handing the ball to Wadley as much as possible could save them, but I think Josh Allen is the real deal. Partly because I think Josh Allen and the Cowboys will do it, and partly because I want them to do it. Cowboys win a close one in Iowa City 27-23.
#11 Michigan vs. #17 Florida
For a team that only returns 6 total starters in 2017, Michigan is ranked incredibly high. The Wolverines need to replace nearly everyone, but they are lucky enough to return QB Wilton Speight who threw for more than 2,500 yards last year and 18 TDs. The ground game will be a heavy focus since all of Speights primary wideout targets are now in the NFL. Sophomore RB Chris Evans averaged 7 yards per carry last year, and will likely be the feature back in Ann Arbor. Florida is in a similar boat, but that one is sinking fast. The Gators have 10 players suspended for the opener against the Wolverines, including star WR Antonio Callaway. With so many suspensions hurting positions on both sides of the ball, Jim McElwain's squad could have a very frustrating Saturday. The Gators still have talented players, but with a new starting QB, lack of weapons and severe lack of experience on defense, I'm giving the edge to Harbaugh and Co. Michigan wins a not-so-epic opener 35-20.
Appalachian State at #15 Georgia
This game may not seem like a highlight game, but I think this has potential to be a good one. Plus, we must not forget that just a decade ago was the crazy Appalachian State upset over #5 Michigan. I like the way this one sets up because lots of people (including myself) are picking the Bulldogs to challenge Florida for the SEC East Division crown. Most people think a simple Sun Belt team would be an easy cupcake to start the year, but Appalachian State (and Arkansas State for that matter) are not your typical Sun Belt cupcakes. The Mountaineers shared last year's title with the Red Wolves, and star RB Jalin Moore looks to continue his success as a Junior. Moore rushed for over 1400 yards last season, averaging 5.9 yards per carry and topping 100+ yards in 8 games in 2016. Georgia ranked 36th in rush defense last year giving up an average of 143.7 yards per game on the ground, so Moore and Senior QB Taylor Lamb will be challenged. The Bulldogs return practically everyone on their defense, so App. State will have to keep control of the clock if they want to pull off an upset, as it could be difficult to score. Speaking of scoring, that will be Georgia's primary focus this season. They have a lot of returning weapons on offense from a year ago, but only averaged 24.5 points per game in 2016, ranking 102nd in the nation. The Mountaineers took Tennessee to Overtime in the opening week last year, so look for this to be a tough win for the Bulldogs. I like Kirby Smart's team playing at home, but never count out Appalachian State. Just remember, any given Saturday someone can go down! Nick Chubb and the Bulldogs will take over late with this one, but we can always hope for that upset! Georgia 38, Appalachian State 24.
BYU vs. #13 LSU
This game had to be moved to New Orleans due to the terrible flooding in Houston, but will go on as scheduled apart from the location change. The Cougars started their season last week at home against Portland State, but did not look overly impressive. Junior QB Tanner Mangum only completed 59.3 percent of his passes last week, and I anticipate LSU's defense to be much more stingy than Portland State. This will probably a lower scoring game because of the two teams having experienced play makers on defense. Both teams return roughly half of their defensive starters, and were both in the top 15 in scoring defense in 2016. Lucky for the Cougars, LSU has been struck by the injury bug and will be without a couple of their top pass rushers for the season opener. Because the defenses will be so tough, QB play will likely make the difference. LSU QB Danny Etling will be lead by new OC Matt Canada and is without one of the best RBs in the nation behind him. Luckily, Fournette's shoes won't be too hard to fill as Junior RB Derrius Guice already has 1,823 career rushing yards and 18 TDs. Guice will have a difficult time fighting through the Cougar Defense, but I think just a few big plays could break this game open. Closer game, but I'll give the edge to LSU and their ground attack. I think Guice will wear them down in the end. Tigers beat the Cougars 24-17.
#22 West Virginia vs. #21 Virginia Tech (Sunday)
Battle for the Black Diamond Trophy
We get to start off the 2016 with a classic rivalry being renewed! Both teams saw great success in 2016 as the Mountaineers finished 10-3 and the Hokies won the Coastal Division. The Hokies return 12 total starters including 7 on a defense that ranked 27th in scoring last year giving up only 22.8 points per game. They're going to need to be tough again on defense, because the Mountaineers averaged over 30 points per game in 2016. WVU only returns 8 starters from last season, but Senior RB Justin Crawford is back and is looking to take the pressure off of ex-Florida QB Will Grier who will start for the Mountaineers. VT has to replace lots of weapons on offense, but I think Justin Fuente will have them ready. You never know when a rivalry resumes after 12 years, but I'm going with the Hokies in this one! Virginia Tech 34, West Virginia 23.
Texas A&M at UCLA
The Aggies and the Bruins are both looking to forget disappointing seasons in 2016. There are numerous questions on both sides of the ball for Texas A&M. They have to replace a #1 draft pick on defense as well as break in a new QB. Luckily, whoever gets the nod will have some weapons to help them out. WR Christian Krik has nearly 2,000 receiving yards over the past two years along with 16 TDs. Defenses will be keying on Krik early, so the Aggies will need other wideouts to step up. On defense, I already mentioned how they will have to replace DE Myles Garrett, one of the best pass rushers in the nation. The Aggies will also be replacing some starters in the secondary, which bodes well for UCLA and star QB Josh Rosen....that is, if Rosen can stay healthy and focused on football. Injuries plagued the Bruins last season and definitely played a factor in their 4-8 record. Having Rosen back should help give their offense a boost, and I think that QB will be the difference maker in this one. Rosen has the talent, and I think there are too many question marks with the Aggies. UCLA wins it 40-24.
#25 Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech
Last year, Tennessee was the team to watch, and the team that would give Alabama a run for their money in the SEC. Last year Tennessee sputtered to a disappointing, but expected, 9-4 record. I always have a difficult time trusting the Volunteers, and this season is no different. They return a lot of experience on their offensive line, but that's about it after QB Joshua Dobbs, RB Jalen Hurd and WR Josh Malone have all moved on. Luckily, there's plenty of young talent in the cupboards for Butch Jones to use. I expect them to lean heavily on RB John Kelly who rushed for 630 yards last season while sharing carries. On the other side of the ball, the Vols will need some work. They gave up an average of 28.8 points per game in 2016 and ranked 104th in the nation in rush defense giving up 218.6 yards per game on the ground. That is bad news when you line up to face the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets averaged nearly 260 rush yards per game in 2016 with their Triple Option attack, and with 17 returning starters, GT is a Dark Horse team to watch in 2017. I like the Yellow Jackets in this one! Georgia Tech wins a good one 38-23.
#1 Alabama vs. #3 Florida State
The biggest opener in College Football History takes place down in Atlanta to kickoff the primary Saturday of the 2017 season! The Tide and the 'Noles clash for what looks to be an incredible game. I'm a little frustrated, because although I am beyond hyped for the Husker game, I'm a little bummed it is taking place during the same time as the FSU-Bama game. This one has the makings to be one of the all-time classics, and there are some great young players to watch. Both teams feature two dynamic Sophomore QBs in Deondre Francois and Jalen Hurts. I personally think Francois is the better of the two, especially in the passing game. Francois threw for 3,350 yards with a 20:7 TD to INT ratio last season compared to Hurts who threw for 2,780 yards and a 23:9 TD to INT ratio. The biggest difference between the two is the protection. Francois was sacked 34 times last season and was constantly under pressure. Jalen Hurts plays QB for Alabama... so he didn't get hit very often (19 times). Protecting the QB will be one of the biggest keys to success in this one, especially because these two teams have arguably two of the best defenses in the nation. The Seminoles return 9 starters on the defensive side of the ball, including one of the best players in the nations with Safety Derwin James. The Tide only return 5, but again, it's Alabama, I think they'll probably be okay. This game is incredibly difficult to pick on because I think both of these teams will be in the CFP at the end of the year. Florida State has the talent to beat Alabama, but it's so hard to pick against Bama, especially in a season opener. I want to see Francois have the game of a lifetime and beat the Tide, but I think the offensive line for Bama will be too much in the end. Great game, great finish, Roll Tide. Bama 31, FSU 30.
Arkansas State at Nebraska
Now is the prediction you've all been waiting for! I got the chance to help out with Football Friday at the Wick Alumni Center last night, and listened to the football panel on their predictions for the Husker game. The recurring theme that was talked about were all the question marks. This has been one of the most anticipated Husker seasons of my lifetime, simply because we have no idea what the Huskers will look like! New QB, new weapons on offense, new defense, new faces and a new outlook on direction of the program. So many questions will be answered in this opener, not just because we'll see lots of new players on the field, but because the Red Wolves face a bigger challenge than most think. They won a share of the Sun Belt title last year and were a top 20 defense giving up only 21.5 points per game on average. They also lead the nation in tackles for loss in 2016, so look for their defense to come with a lot of pressure. Senior DE Ja'Von Rolland-Jones lead the nation with 13.5 sacks last year, so Tanner Lee and Crew will definitely have to keep an eye on him. The good news for the Huskers is even though the Red Wolves have strength on the Defensive line, their biggest weakness is their offensive line. Arkansas State will be starting 5 new offensive linemen against Nebraska today, so the new 3-4 defense will have lots of opportunities to cause havoc. We've all heard the things to watch for, but I'm just excited to have football back, get some questions answered and watch some of my good friends play football! Be sure to watch #57 Jake Weinmaster and #23 DiCaprio Bootle! Huskers win a solid game and answer a lot of questions for us! Nebraska 37, Arkansas State 17.
I hope you enjoyed all of my game predictions and have a fantastic Saturday! Be sure to subscribe with your email so you can receive updates on my posts and GO BIG RED!!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
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