Sorry for the late reflection post this week football fans, but as break approaches I've had a lot of assignments to take care of first! Nonetheless, this is my reflection post on last weekend in College Football and will focus on the Huskers performance up in Madison along with some other news around the College Football world. Let me know if you have any questions or comments and be sure to share the link with anyone who might be interested in reading! Thank you and enjoy!
The Huskers fell 41-24 up in Madison to the Badgers, but there were a lot of positives to take away from this game. Adrian Martinez has gone for over 400 yards of total yards of offense for the second game in a row now, and JD Spielman set a Nebraska record by hauling in 209 receiving yards. The offense definitely had it moments in this game, but once again, dumb penalties and an atrocious defensive performance led to the Husker's demise. I'll break it all down with my Good, Expected and Bad categories below.
GOOD: Offensive production and performance in this game was one of the best we've seen all season. Yes, they only ended with 24 points, but racking up 518 yards on Wisconsin is not an easy task. As I mentioned above, Martinez has now accounted for more than 400 yards by himself in each of the past two games and Spielman broke a Husker receiving record with 209 passing yards. Martinez also had the most passing yards by a Freshman QB at Nebraska, completing 57% of his passes for 384 yards and 2 TDs. Wisconsin was being stretched all around the field with the Husker's passing attack and couldn't cover Spielman if their life depended on it. Stanley also had a solid game catching 8 passes for 93 yards. The run game was MIA, but with Martinez throwing the ball 42 times, it's clear Frost wasn't going to try the Badger's Linebackers up the middle very often. Nebraska only ran the ball 24 times, with only 10 of those carries being split evenly between Ozigbo and Washington. Personally, I think both of these backs need to have more carries in the future, and there needs to be more balance on offense, but that's nit-picky. Nebraska played well and hopefully the offense can keep it up this week against a tough Wildcat defense.
EXPECTED: Johnathan Taylor and the Wisconsin rushing attack dominating the pace of the game and ultimately taking over. The Badgers racked up 370 rushing yards in the game and had a +11 minute difference in time of possession. Taylor finished with 224 yards and 3 TDs on the ground, averaging 9.2 yards per carry. The man was literally dragging Husker defenders behind him as he churned out yards. In addition to Taylor, back-up running backs Taiwan Deal and Garrett Groshek also gashed the Blackshirt defense for 74 and 73 yards respectively. Deal finished with an average of 7.4 yards per carry and Groshek averaged 8.1. Nebraska does not have a lot of depth on defense, but giving up nearly 10 yards a run to not one, not two, but THREE different running backs?! The front seven of the defense has really regressed from their opening week performance against the Buffaloes, and with more talented teams on the way, they'll need to get a push soon.
BAD: Dumb penalties and mistakes are still the issue holding this team from competing and even winning a game. Nebraska finished the game up in Madison with 10 penalties for 100 yards, double the Badgers who were at 5 for 50 yards. Nebraska has been in double digit penalties in every single game this year. This team will not get over the hump and win a game if this is not fixed. I've addressed this issue every single week, but if this isn't fixed soon, the team will continue to lose. Make them run more in practice, start holding guys more accountable for the penalties they commit, do something! I'm not sure exactly what the solution is, but it needs to be found ASAP.
Overall, Wisconsin dominated a majority of the game, as expected. But holding them to two redzone field goals is a big step. Staying competitive and being down only 10 early in the third quarter after an opening half TD is a big step. This team is starting to turn the corner (especially on offense) and will start getting some victories soon. Not just because of the competition level, but simply because things are starting to click. Hopefully Frost can start mending this team together now that the guys (hopefully all of them) who don't want to be here are gone. I have full faith in this team and in this staff, but there's still a long ways to go.
Now here's some other news around College Football from last week:
- Are Texas and Florida back? After stellar performances and wins against top 10 teams, both of these teams have a shot at making some waves, not only in their conference, but potentially even the playoff picture. These are two teams to watch for the rest of the season and definitely in 2019.
- The Florida game is just another reason why I can never trust LSU. I don't know why I even try. Tigers are the best tricksters in College Football.
- Kyler Murray is insanely fast. That sprint down the sideline late in the Red River Rivalry was incredible. It looked like he had a video game turbo boost! Even in the loss, Murray racked up nearly 400 yards and 4 TDs. His Heisman campaign shouldn't be hurt much because this dude is a freak.
- Kentucky couldn't quite make it out of Aggieland with a victory, but the OT loss proves this team is legit. Proves A&M can hang too. I think Kentucky should've ran the ball with Snell more, as he only had 13 carries, but I don't take anything away from Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies. Great game and still a lot out there for both teams.
- Alabama is the only trustworthy team in the SEC East. Auburn was just upset by Mississippi State 23-9, so the division already belongs to Bama.
- Notre Dame put a big statement win on the table against the Hokies, but they'll need some help to get into the playoff race down the road.
Thank you again for reading my reflection post and be sure to watch for my Gameday predictions for Week 7 on Saturday morning! Keep grinding through your week and GO BIG RED!
#CFBKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
Thursday, October 11, 2018
Saturday, October 6, 2018
Week 6 Predictions
Welcome to October football fans! The air is crisp, the leaves are falling and it's time for some big moves in College Football. This is prime time football and I'm going to break down all the big games of Week 6 and the potential impacts they have on the rest of the season. Last week wasn't the best as the Huskers fell to Purdue and a couple of my upset picks didn't quite work out. I can feel a turnaround coming in October and should be able to boost my prediction record. I'll also stop picking Nebraska just because they're Nebraska, so that should help too! Check out the predictions below, enjoy!
Week 5 Prediction Results: 6-6
Overall Prediction Results: 25-29
#19 Texas vs. #7 Oklahoma (The Red RiverShowdown Rivalry)
I have to start off Week 6 with the biggest game of the week, the Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl. The Longhorns are on their way "back" with a formidable defense and an offense that's starting to really click together. Oklahoma is lead by Heisman hopeful Kyler Murray who is 5th in the nation averaging 349 yards of total offense by himself in each game. Texas has yet to play against someone with Murray's level of talent, so we'll see how much they can slow down the dual-threat QB. The Longhorns defense has been tough since losing their opening game at Maryland though, giving up just 19.8 points per game and 333.2 yards on average. This game is always a tough win to squeeze out, and I expect this year to be much of the same. The Texas offense is led by Sophomore stud, Sam Ehlinger. He's really playing well this year, cutting back on the freshman mistakes from a year ago and leading this offense with a purpose. Oklahoma's secondary could have some trouble with the Horns' passing attack. Wideouts Lil'Jordan Humphrey and Collin Johnson lead the team with 3 TDs each and both average about 15 yards per catch. Ehlinger had a big game against OU last year, and I think he does it again with a victory this year. Texas upsets Oklahoma 27-25.
Boston College at #23 NC State
The Golden Eagles come into Carter-Finley Stadium with a 4-1 record and look to upset the undefeated Wolfpack of NC State. Star RB and the nation's third leading rusher, AJ Dillon, is a game time decision for the Eagles, which would be a devastating loss. Dillon has 652 rushing yards and 6 TDs so far this season, and is the primary focal point of BC's offense. The Wolfpack offense is lead by Senior QB Ryan Finely. He's a big NFL prospect and is one of the most efficient QBs in the nation. He's completing 68.6% of his passes this season with 8 TDs and just 1 pick. David Blough torched BC's secondary for 296 yards and 3 TDs a few weeks ago, so I expect Finley to have a big day. The key to watch will be if BC can get any momentum going against the tough NC State defense. If AJ Dillon plays, they have a chance, but I still think Ryan Finley and the rest of the pack will be too much. NC State 37, Boston College 17.
# 5 LSU at #22 Florida
They Bayou Bengals travel to the Swamp to take on the rising Gators in this SEC cross division match-up. Both teams have surprised me this season, and LSU is looking to be a real contender against Bama in the SEC West. Florida, despite their loss to a very good Kentucky team, knocked off Mississippi State on the road last week with Dan Mullen's homecoming and are sitting at a strong 4-1 record. When looking at the numbers, both teams are remarkably similar. LSU averages 33.8 points per game and just under 400 yards of offense. On defense, the Tigers give up just 15 points per game and 333.8 yards on average. Florida averages 35.4 points per game and 378.2 yards per game on offense while giving up just 14 points per game and 311 yards on defense. Neither QB is a game-breaker by any means, but they are both consistent and run their respective offenses well. They take care of the ball well as both teams are in the top 10 in turnover margin, so any mistakes could be quite costly. I said I would start trusting LSU more and I'll stick to it this week. Big win on the road for the Tigers, 23-17.
#13 Kentucky at Texas A&M
Staying with the SEC, my next game prediction takes us to College Station, TX where the red-hot Wildcats will take on the Aggies. Kentucky has been one of the most exciting teams in the nation to watch this season, lead by the 4th leading rusher in the nation, Mr. Benny Snell Jr. Snell already has 639 yards and 8 TDs on the season, and he's the heartbeat of this Kentucky squad. He's a fiery competitor with a downhill attack to his running style that is hard to find in a back. He'll have his biggest challenge of the season thus far waiting in Aggie-land, against a defense that gives up just 80.6 yards rushing per game. For the Aggies, they will face a tough defense in Kentucky. The Wildcats are giving up just 12.6 points per game and less than 290 yards. A&M QB Kellen Mond has thrown 4 picks in the past two games, so his struggles could prove to be costly in this game. I'm going to keep rolling with the Wildcats, and they leave Aggie-land with a 31-17 victory.
#6 Notre Dame at #24 Virginia Tech
The big game out East will take place under the lights in Lane Stadium. The Hokies of Virginia Tech host the Fightin' Irish of Notre Dame in what will likely be the last "true test" for the Irish this season. Now everyone is counting out the Hokies since they lost to Old Dominion a couple of weeks ago, but Lane Stadium is never an easy place to play. They also have some spark back after back-up QB Ryan Willis threw for 332 yards and 3 TDs last week against Duke. He'll face a very tough Notre Dame defense today, one that held a dynamic Stanford offense to just 229 total yards last week. Ian Book has taken over at QB and the Irish offense has really opened up because of it the last couple weeks. Book has over 600 yards in the past two games to go along with 6 TDs and 0 picks. I think Book really makes Notre Dame a possible playoff contender after watching him play, so we'll see how he handles a Bud Foster Defense. Virginia Tech flies to the ball and always brings it on defense. They're only giving up 84 yards per game on the ground, so Tony Jones Jr. may have a tough time running the ball tonight. With that being said, my Uncle said there's still room on the Notre Dame Band Wagon for me, so I'm jumping on. I like the Irish and Ian Book in this game. Notre Dame 34, Virginia Tech 21.
Utah at #14 Stanford
The Cardinal are coming off their first loss of the season at the hands of the Irish last week. They still have all their hopes ahead of them as Pac-12 North foe Utah comes to the farm tonight. If Stanford wants to keep pace with Washington in the North Division, this is a must-win game. Utah is a sneaky team with the 5th best defense in the nation. Stanford's offense, especially the run game, has struggled at times this season, so they'll need to find a solution quickly. Bryce Love has been bottled up so far this season, rushing for just 327 yards through 5 games. The Utes give up less than 84 rush yards per game on defense, so Love could be in for another tough day. I think Stanford will bounce back in this game, and their defense should lock down Tyler Huntley and the Utah offense. This will be a fun game to watch tonight, and I've got Stanford with a big confidence building win. Cardinal 30, Utes 21.
Nebraska at #16 Wisconsin
I'm scared. I'm already having flashbacks of 2011 in Nebraska's first ever BIG 10 game and of 2014 when Melvin Gordon rushed for 408 yards on the Huskers. Nebraska has really regressed since their opening game performance against Colorado this year, and walking into Camp Randall Stadium probably won't help that cause. Two more players (WR Tyjon Lindsay and RB Greg Bell) have left the team this week, and Coach Frost has dubbed this squad "one of the most undisciplined team's in the nation who loves losing". Strong words from the Head Coach, but with the recent performances of this team, I don't disagree. There's not a lot of pride or fight in some of the guys on this team, and when you average 10 penalties per game, you're definitely undisciplined. As for the Badgers, with a trip to the Big House looming next week, this is a bit of a trap game. Wisconsin doesn't typically fall victim to those very often, and with BYU upsetting them at home earlier in the season, I doubt they will be overlooking anyone today. As usual, they plan to line up, run the ball and smash you in the mouth. Johnathan Taylor should have a big day as the Blackshirts have given up 473 rushing yards, just in the past two games. On offense, Nebraska will look to establish their own rushing attack with Devine Ozigbo, who is coming off of his career best game with 170 rushing yards and 2 TDs against Purdue. Adrian Martinez will look to get the ball out to his wideouts in space quickly, but Wisconsin's tough group of linebackers won't be easy to fool. The Badgers' secondary isn't the best in the nation as they gave up 256 yards through the air to Nate Stanley and Iowa their last time out, but I doubt the Nebraska O-line will give Martinez much of a chance in the pocket. I always want the Huskers to win, but I need to start being smart with my predictions. I hope they prove me wrong, but Wisconsin rolls 47-14 over the Huskers.
Now for some Quick Hit Predictions on other interesting games:
Maryland at #15 Michigan- The Terps have never really done much damage against the Wolverines, but with an offense that averages almost 34 points per game, they could keep pace for a while. I say only for a while though, because Michigan's defense is for real, and they'll bring a lot of pressure on Kasim Hill. Wolverines win convincingly at home 38-17.
Northwestern at #20 Michigan State- Sparty has been somewhat under the radar since their loss to Herm Edwards and the Sun Devils, but they're still playing football at Michigan State. They host an ailing Northwestern team who nearly knocked off the Wolverines last week. The Wildcats are always dangerous, but I think Sparty plays a complete game and gets a solid conference win today. Michigan State 31, Northwestern 17.
Florida State at #17 Miami- One of the greatest rivalries in all of College Football has lost a bit of it's luster to fans around the nation, but for these two teams, this game still means everything. The Seminoles have not had a great start to the Willie Taggart era and Miami is working to right the ship after their opening week stumble to LSU. Miami's QB issues have caused for some change ups, but they're still putting up over 44 points per game on average. Deondre Francois needs more help, but it's not coming yet. Canes win this rivalry game 37-20.
Iowa at Minnesota- The winner of this game gets a Bronze Pig. That's right, the Floyd of Rosedale is on the line as the Hawkeyes travel to the Twin Cities to take on the rival Gophers. Iowa has sat on their Wisconsin loss for two weeks now, so you know they'll be ready to play. I think Nate Stanley has a big game for the Hawks and Noah Fant demolishes the Gopher defense. Iowa wins big 30-13.
Arizona State at #21 Colorado- The Buffs are undefeated and in prime position to take control of the Pac-12 South with a win at home against the Sun Devils today. Steven Montez has been phenomenal at QB this year, completing nearly 76% of his passes! I expect him to have another big day and really step up in this game. Both teams are fairly similar with experienced QBs and dynamic receivers with N'Keal Harry (ASU) and Laviska Shenault Jr. (CU). Arizona State is a team that could definitely win this game, and I honestly think the Pac-12 South will be won by one of these teams. Sparky keeps it close, but the Buffs win it at home. Colorado 37, Arizona State 33. You're definitely going to want to watch this one.
Thank you for reading this week's gameday predictions! Happy football watching and GO BIG RED!
#CFBKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
Week 5 Prediction Results: 6-6
Overall Prediction Results: 25-29
#19 Texas vs. #7 Oklahoma (The Red River
I have to start off Week 6 with the biggest game of the week, the Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl. The Longhorns are on their way "back" with a formidable defense and an offense that's starting to really click together. Oklahoma is lead by Heisman hopeful Kyler Murray who is 5th in the nation averaging 349 yards of total offense by himself in each game. Texas has yet to play against someone with Murray's level of talent, so we'll see how much they can slow down the dual-threat QB. The Longhorns defense has been tough since losing their opening game at Maryland though, giving up just 19.8 points per game and 333.2 yards on average. This game is always a tough win to squeeze out, and I expect this year to be much of the same. The Texas offense is led by Sophomore stud, Sam Ehlinger. He's really playing well this year, cutting back on the freshman mistakes from a year ago and leading this offense with a purpose. Oklahoma's secondary could have some trouble with the Horns' passing attack. Wideouts Lil'Jordan Humphrey and Collin Johnson lead the team with 3 TDs each and both average about 15 yards per catch. Ehlinger had a big game against OU last year, and I think he does it again with a victory this year. Texas upsets Oklahoma 27-25.
Boston College at #23 NC State
The Golden Eagles come into Carter-Finley Stadium with a 4-1 record and look to upset the undefeated Wolfpack of NC State. Star RB and the nation's third leading rusher, AJ Dillon, is a game time decision for the Eagles, which would be a devastating loss. Dillon has 652 rushing yards and 6 TDs so far this season, and is the primary focal point of BC's offense. The Wolfpack offense is lead by Senior QB Ryan Finely. He's a big NFL prospect and is one of the most efficient QBs in the nation. He's completing 68.6% of his passes this season with 8 TDs and just 1 pick. David Blough torched BC's secondary for 296 yards and 3 TDs a few weeks ago, so I expect Finley to have a big day. The key to watch will be if BC can get any momentum going against the tough NC State defense. If AJ Dillon plays, they have a chance, but I still think Ryan Finley and the rest of the pack will be too much. NC State 37, Boston College 17.
# 5 LSU at #22 Florida
They Bayou Bengals travel to the Swamp to take on the rising Gators in this SEC cross division match-up. Both teams have surprised me this season, and LSU is looking to be a real contender against Bama in the SEC West. Florida, despite their loss to a very good Kentucky team, knocked off Mississippi State on the road last week with Dan Mullen's homecoming and are sitting at a strong 4-1 record. When looking at the numbers, both teams are remarkably similar. LSU averages 33.8 points per game and just under 400 yards of offense. On defense, the Tigers give up just 15 points per game and 333.8 yards on average. Florida averages 35.4 points per game and 378.2 yards per game on offense while giving up just 14 points per game and 311 yards on defense. Neither QB is a game-breaker by any means, but they are both consistent and run their respective offenses well. They take care of the ball well as both teams are in the top 10 in turnover margin, so any mistakes could be quite costly. I said I would start trusting LSU more and I'll stick to it this week. Big win on the road for the Tigers, 23-17.
#13 Kentucky at Texas A&M
Staying with the SEC, my next game prediction takes us to College Station, TX where the red-hot Wildcats will take on the Aggies. Kentucky has been one of the most exciting teams in the nation to watch this season, lead by the 4th leading rusher in the nation, Mr. Benny Snell Jr. Snell already has 639 yards and 8 TDs on the season, and he's the heartbeat of this Kentucky squad. He's a fiery competitor with a downhill attack to his running style that is hard to find in a back. He'll have his biggest challenge of the season thus far waiting in Aggie-land, against a defense that gives up just 80.6 yards rushing per game. For the Aggies, they will face a tough defense in Kentucky. The Wildcats are giving up just 12.6 points per game and less than 290 yards. A&M QB Kellen Mond has thrown 4 picks in the past two games, so his struggles could prove to be costly in this game. I'm going to keep rolling with the Wildcats, and they leave Aggie-land with a 31-17 victory.
#6 Notre Dame at #24 Virginia Tech
The big game out East will take place under the lights in Lane Stadium. The Hokies of Virginia Tech host the Fightin' Irish of Notre Dame in what will likely be the last "true test" for the Irish this season. Now everyone is counting out the Hokies since they lost to Old Dominion a couple of weeks ago, but Lane Stadium is never an easy place to play. They also have some spark back after back-up QB Ryan Willis threw for 332 yards and 3 TDs last week against Duke. He'll face a very tough Notre Dame defense today, one that held a dynamic Stanford offense to just 229 total yards last week. Ian Book has taken over at QB and the Irish offense has really opened up because of it the last couple weeks. Book has over 600 yards in the past two games to go along with 6 TDs and 0 picks. I think Book really makes Notre Dame a possible playoff contender after watching him play, so we'll see how he handles a Bud Foster Defense. Virginia Tech flies to the ball and always brings it on defense. They're only giving up 84 yards per game on the ground, so Tony Jones Jr. may have a tough time running the ball tonight. With that being said, my Uncle said there's still room on the Notre Dame Band Wagon for me, so I'm jumping on. I like the Irish and Ian Book in this game. Notre Dame 34, Virginia Tech 21.
Utah at #14 Stanford
The Cardinal are coming off their first loss of the season at the hands of the Irish last week. They still have all their hopes ahead of them as Pac-12 North foe Utah comes to the farm tonight. If Stanford wants to keep pace with Washington in the North Division, this is a must-win game. Utah is a sneaky team with the 5th best defense in the nation. Stanford's offense, especially the run game, has struggled at times this season, so they'll need to find a solution quickly. Bryce Love has been bottled up so far this season, rushing for just 327 yards through 5 games. The Utes give up less than 84 rush yards per game on defense, so Love could be in for another tough day. I think Stanford will bounce back in this game, and their defense should lock down Tyler Huntley and the Utah offense. This will be a fun game to watch tonight, and I've got Stanford with a big confidence building win. Cardinal 30, Utes 21.
Nebraska at #16 Wisconsin
I'm scared. I'm already having flashbacks of 2011 in Nebraska's first ever BIG 10 game and of 2014 when Melvin Gordon rushed for 408 yards on the Huskers. Nebraska has really regressed since their opening game performance against Colorado this year, and walking into Camp Randall Stadium probably won't help that cause. Two more players (WR Tyjon Lindsay and RB Greg Bell) have left the team this week, and Coach Frost has dubbed this squad "one of the most undisciplined team's in the nation who loves losing". Strong words from the Head Coach, but with the recent performances of this team, I don't disagree. There's not a lot of pride or fight in some of the guys on this team, and when you average 10 penalties per game, you're definitely undisciplined. As for the Badgers, with a trip to the Big House looming next week, this is a bit of a trap game. Wisconsin doesn't typically fall victim to those very often, and with BYU upsetting them at home earlier in the season, I doubt they will be overlooking anyone today. As usual, they plan to line up, run the ball and smash you in the mouth. Johnathan Taylor should have a big day as the Blackshirts have given up 473 rushing yards, just in the past two games. On offense, Nebraska will look to establish their own rushing attack with Devine Ozigbo, who is coming off of his career best game with 170 rushing yards and 2 TDs against Purdue. Adrian Martinez will look to get the ball out to his wideouts in space quickly, but Wisconsin's tough group of linebackers won't be easy to fool. The Badgers' secondary isn't the best in the nation as they gave up 256 yards through the air to Nate Stanley and Iowa their last time out, but I doubt the Nebraska O-line will give Martinez much of a chance in the pocket. I always want the Huskers to win, but I need to start being smart with my predictions. I hope they prove me wrong, but Wisconsin rolls 47-14 over the Huskers.
Now for some Quick Hit Predictions on other interesting games:
Maryland at #15 Michigan- The Terps have never really done much damage against the Wolverines, but with an offense that averages almost 34 points per game, they could keep pace for a while. I say only for a while though, because Michigan's defense is for real, and they'll bring a lot of pressure on Kasim Hill. Wolverines win convincingly at home 38-17.
Northwestern at #20 Michigan State- Sparty has been somewhat under the radar since their loss to Herm Edwards and the Sun Devils, but they're still playing football at Michigan State. They host an ailing Northwestern team who nearly knocked off the Wolverines last week. The Wildcats are always dangerous, but I think Sparty plays a complete game and gets a solid conference win today. Michigan State 31, Northwestern 17.
Florida State at #17 Miami- One of the greatest rivalries in all of College Football has lost a bit of it's luster to fans around the nation, but for these two teams, this game still means everything. The Seminoles have not had a great start to the Willie Taggart era and Miami is working to right the ship after their opening week stumble to LSU. Miami's QB issues have caused for some change ups, but they're still putting up over 44 points per game on average. Deondre Francois needs more help, but it's not coming yet. Canes win this rivalry game 37-20.
Iowa at Minnesota- The winner of this game gets a Bronze Pig. That's right, the Floyd of Rosedale is on the line as the Hawkeyes travel to the Twin Cities to take on the rival Gophers. Iowa has sat on their Wisconsin loss for two weeks now, so you know they'll be ready to play. I think Nate Stanley has a big game for the Hawks and Noah Fant demolishes the Gopher defense. Iowa wins big 30-13.
Arizona State at #21 Colorado- The Buffs are undefeated and in prime position to take control of the Pac-12 South with a win at home against the Sun Devils today. Steven Montez has been phenomenal at QB this year, completing nearly 76% of his passes! I expect him to have another big day and really step up in this game. Both teams are fairly similar with experienced QBs and dynamic receivers with N'Keal Harry (ASU) and Laviska Shenault Jr. (CU). Arizona State is a team that could definitely win this game, and I honestly think the Pac-12 South will be won by one of these teams. Sparky keeps it close, but the Buffs win it at home. Colorado 37, Arizona State 33. You're definitely going to want to watch this one.
Thank you for reading this week's gameday predictions! Happy football watching and GO BIG RED!
#CFBKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Week 5 Reflection
No, Saturday wasn't good, not good at all. However, it definitely wasn't all bad because I got to do play by play for the game on our campus radio 90.3 KRNU! Hello football readers and thank you to all of you who tuned into my broadcast, I really appreciate the support! Saturday ended with a 42-28 victory for the Boilermakers. The Huskers struggles continued as they could not stop David Blough and the high-powered Purdue offense. I'll break down this game below and tonight on my new radio show: CFB KnowItAll on the online stream of our campus radio, KRNU2. I'll also cover some other big story lines in College Football from this past weekend, so read on and enjoy!
"This is one of the most undisciplined teams in the country". This was Coach Frost's opening statements in the post game press conference and I couldn't agree more. Nebraska has recorded AT LEAST 10 penalties in every game this season after racking up 11 for 136 yards on Saturday. The Huskers out gained the Boilermakers 582 to 516 with 259 of those yards coming form the ground game. However, Nebraska still could not control the ball for long and saw many of their drives stall out quite quickly. The offense turned it on a a bit in the 3rd quarter, but with the defense continually giving up long TD drives, there was no shot for this game. After Nebraska scored on it's opening drive, Purdue took control of the game. The Huskers had plenty of chances to get back into it, but could never quite get the offense and defense to click together. Special teams still has countless issues, but that's just beating a dead horse at this point. Here's my break down of the game.
GOOD- Devine Ozigbo and JD Spielman, these two offensive weapons went off against Purdue! Ozigbo finished with a career high 170 yards rushing and 2 TDs. He also added 28 yards receiving and was clearly the lead back this week. Ozigbo has always been a solid running back, but never really broke away from the other kids in that position. This could be a sign he's ready to step into a bigger role as Nebraska pushes through the rest of the season. As for JD, the sophomore had 10 catches for 135 yards and 2 scores. He's become a favorite target early in the season for the Huskers and his electric play-making ability demands the ball be in his hands as much as possible. As mentioned earlier, the Huskers offense played fairly well, probably the best all season during the third quarter. This team will continue to grow and understand the playbook. Bright things are ahead for the Husker offense!
EXPECTED- David Blough torching the Nebraska secondary. Blough came into this game with nearly 900 passing yards, 6 TDs and 1 pick in his previous two games. He continued his dominating performance racking up 328 more passing yards, 1 TD and even got it done on the ground, racking up another TD on a QB sneak and 38 yards as he avoided pressure all game long. Blough is definitely hitting his stride with Jeff Brohm's offense, and Purdue could definitely be a contender in the BIG 10 West with an offense like that. Nebraska's secondary has had struggles all season, and the penalties haven't helped either. One of the biggest issue is the underneath crossing routes however. Purdue ran a lot of those and it often resulted in gains of around 15 yards or more. Nebraska has really struggled to cover the underneath routes and tend to completely forget about some receivers all together. Purdue Tight End Brycen Hopkins scored on a throwback wheel route where no Husker was in the area for at least 20 yards. This could be a very long year for the secondary.
BAD- The bad category should just be copy and pasted from previous weeks at this rate. Penalties, dumb plays and horrible execution on Defense and Special Teams. Scott Frost and his staff have had enough time to start fixing these things, now it's time to put it into effect. The real bad issue I heard about this week was the conflict between Safety Lamar Jackson and Scott Frost. After Lamar had been called for a holding penalty on defense, negating an interception by Marquel Dismuke, Coach Frost and Jackson were having a conversation on the sideline. KRNU's sideline reporter, Jake Bartecki, reported that the conversation got quite heated and Jackson even shoved Scott Frost. Frost shoved back and sent Jackson to the locker room early prior to halftime. When the second half resumed, Jackson did not play and stood in the far corner of the sideline by himself. I wouldn't be surprised if Jackson left the team to be honest, but this is a prime example of what is wrong with this team. It does not have to do with Coach Riley or any previous administration. It's simply due to the fact that Frost is not able to connect with some of these guys yet and this is causing rifts within the locker room. This will cause a lot more losses before the season is over, but will eventually get fixed. I'm not going to fault either side at this point, there are still a lot of details that need to be talked about, but things need to calm down if this team is going to start working together as a unit, coaches included.
As the Huskers head to Madison this week to take on the Badgers, I don't expect to see much of a change. Wisconsin should roll in this game and I'd be surprised if Johnathan Taylor even needs to play in the 4th quarter. Brace yourselves Husker fans, this season is only 1/3 of the way through.
Now for some other news around College Football.
- Notre Dame continues to prove me wrong (hasn't been hard to do *facepalm*) and Ian Book is making me a believer in the Irish. They have a very favorable remaining schedule, even with a trip to Blacksburg, VA this week to take on the Hokies. Big potential for a Playoff Contender.
- Kentucky keeps rolling! A road trip to Aggie-land will tell a lot this week, but I'm all aboard the Benny Snell train. Wildcats are a dangerous team in the SEC East.
- Clemson: Trevor Lawrence is the starter, Kelly Bryant peaces out, Trevor Lawrence is injured in the first quarter against Syracuse and Chase Brice leads the comeback victory. I'm all about players making their own choices and looking for what they think is best for them, but this is Nebraska's issue in a Playoff Contender. Not sure how Bryant's decision will play out in the end, but right now it's really hurting the Tigers.
- It could be impossible for anyone to slow down Bama at this rate. This team has taken their "Roll Tide" phrase to a whole new level averaging 54.2 points per game and over 550 yards of total offense.
- Penn State had the most questionable play call over the weekend as they lost by 1 point at home to Ohio State. On a 4th and 5, just over a minute left and game on the line, the Nittany Lions decided to try a run play up the middle (after 3 consecutive timeouts) which was stuffed quite easily by the Buckeyes for a 3 yard loss. Trace McSorely, the star QB and potential Heisman candidate didn't get the ball in his hands and I cannot understand why. He had the game of a lifetime and the kid is an absolute BALLER. You've gotta let him take the ball there and make a play.
Thanks for reading my Week 5 Reflection and be sure to check out the recording of my radio show CFB KnowItAll below! Also, here's a picture of me broadcasting the Purdue game up in the booth!
"This is one of the most undisciplined teams in the country". This was Coach Frost's opening statements in the post game press conference and I couldn't agree more. Nebraska has recorded AT LEAST 10 penalties in every game this season after racking up 11 for 136 yards on Saturday. The Huskers out gained the Boilermakers 582 to 516 with 259 of those yards coming form the ground game. However, Nebraska still could not control the ball for long and saw many of their drives stall out quite quickly. The offense turned it on a a bit in the 3rd quarter, but with the defense continually giving up long TD drives, there was no shot for this game. After Nebraska scored on it's opening drive, Purdue took control of the game. The Huskers had plenty of chances to get back into it, but could never quite get the offense and defense to click together. Special teams still has countless issues, but that's just beating a dead horse at this point. Here's my break down of the game.
GOOD- Devine Ozigbo and JD Spielman, these two offensive weapons went off against Purdue! Ozigbo finished with a career high 170 yards rushing and 2 TDs. He also added 28 yards receiving and was clearly the lead back this week. Ozigbo has always been a solid running back, but never really broke away from the other kids in that position. This could be a sign he's ready to step into a bigger role as Nebraska pushes through the rest of the season. As for JD, the sophomore had 10 catches for 135 yards and 2 scores. He's become a favorite target early in the season for the Huskers and his electric play-making ability demands the ball be in his hands as much as possible. As mentioned earlier, the Huskers offense played fairly well, probably the best all season during the third quarter. This team will continue to grow and understand the playbook. Bright things are ahead for the Husker offense!
EXPECTED- David Blough torching the Nebraska secondary. Blough came into this game with nearly 900 passing yards, 6 TDs and 1 pick in his previous two games. He continued his dominating performance racking up 328 more passing yards, 1 TD and even got it done on the ground, racking up another TD on a QB sneak and 38 yards as he avoided pressure all game long. Blough is definitely hitting his stride with Jeff Brohm's offense, and Purdue could definitely be a contender in the BIG 10 West with an offense like that. Nebraska's secondary has had struggles all season, and the penalties haven't helped either. One of the biggest issue is the underneath crossing routes however. Purdue ran a lot of those and it often resulted in gains of around 15 yards or more. Nebraska has really struggled to cover the underneath routes and tend to completely forget about some receivers all together. Purdue Tight End Brycen Hopkins scored on a throwback wheel route where no Husker was in the area for at least 20 yards. This could be a very long year for the secondary.
BAD- The bad category should just be copy and pasted from previous weeks at this rate. Penalties, dumb plays and horrible execution on Defense and Special Teams. Scott Frost and his staff have had enough time to start fixing these things, now it's time to put it into effect. The real bad issue I heard about this week was the conflict between Safety Lamar Jackson and Scott Frost. After Lamar had been called for a holding penalty on defense, negating an interception by Marquel Dismuke, Coach Frost and Jackson were having a conversation on the sideline. KRNU's sideline reporter, Jake Bartecki, reported that the conversation got quite heated and Jackson even shoved Scott Frost. Frost shoved back and sent Jackson to the locker room early prior to halftime. When the second half resumed, Jackson did not play and stood in the far corner of the sideline by himself. I wouldn't be surprised if Jackson left the team to be honest, but this is a prime example of what is wrong with this team. It does not have to do with Coach Riley or any previous administration. It's simply due to the fact that Frost is not able to connect with some of these guys yet and this is causing rifts within the locker room. This will cause a lot more losses before the season is over, but will eventually get fixed. I'm not going to fault either side at this point, there are still a lot of details that need to be talked about, but things need to calm down if this team is going to start working together as a unit, coaches included.
As the Huskers head to Madison this week to take on the Badgers, I don't expect to see much of a change. Wisconsin should roll in this game and I'd be surprised if Johnathan Taylor even needs to play in the 4th quarter. Brace yourselves Husker fans, this season is only 1/3 of the way through.
Now for some other news around College Football.
- Notre Dame continues to prove me wrong (hasn't been hard to do *facepalm*) and Ian Book is making me a believer in the Irish. They have a very favorable remaining schedule, even with a trip to Blacksburg, VA this week to take on the Hokies. Big potential for a Playoff Contender.
- Kentucky keeps rolling! A road trip to Aggie-land will tell a lot this week, but I'm all aboard the Benny Snell train. Wildcats are a dangerous team in the SEC East.
- Clemson: Trevor Lawrence is the starter, Kelly Bryant peaces out, Trevor Lawrence is injured in the first quarter against Syracuse and Chase Brice leads the comeback victory. I'm all about players making their own choices and looking for what they think is best for them, but this is Nebraska's issue in a Playoff Contender. Not sure how Bryant's decision will play out in the end, but right now it's really hurting the Tigers.
- It could be impossible for anyone to slow down Bama at this rate. This team has taken their "Roll Tide" phrase to a whole new level averaging 54.2 points per game and over 550 yards of total offense.
- Penn State had the most questionable play call over the weekend as they lost by 1 point at home to Ohio State. On a 4th and 5, just over a minute left and game on the line, the Nittany Lions decided to try a run play up the middle (after 3 consecutive timeouts) which was stuffed quite easily by the Buckeyes for a 3 yard loss. Trace McSorely, the star QB and potential Heisman candidate didn't get the ball in his hands and I cannot understand why. He had the game of a lifetime and the kid is an absolute BALLER. You've gotta let him take the ball there and make a play.
Thanks for reading my Week 5 Reflection and be sure to check out the recording of my radio show CFB KnowItAll below! Also, here's a picture of me broadcasting the Purdue game up in the booth!
I've also attached a link to my recording of my radio show if you couldn't catch the live version! Thanks for all the support!
https://youtu.be/ev9JrLzWrR0
#CFBKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
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