Hey everyone, we've got a big weekend of College Football coming up, so I hope you're ready to watch all the big games! A couple of unbeaten teams have some tough road games this Saturday, including my Huskers. So let's get to my game picks, enjoy!
#10 West Virginia at Oklahoma State
The Big XII is starting to shake out and both of these teams look to stay alive in the Conference Title race. The Cowboys are coming off 3 straight conference wins, but 2 of those were against Kansas and Iowa State, so it's hard to peg them as one of the top contenders in the conference. West Virginia has been very impressive this season, especially since their last two games have been against two of the highest scoring teams in the nation, and they gave up a combined 27 points between them. The Mountaineers defense has been very impressive this season, and the past couple weeks were the perfect examples. They held Texas Tech (a team that had previously scored 50+ in 9 straight games at home) to 17, and stuffed the Horned Frogs to just 10 points last week. On the other side of the ball, Skylar Howard is completing 66.5% of his passes and has not thrown a pick in his past two games. OSU will have their hands full since they give up nearly 450 yards per game and over 27 points per game. This has some upset possibility being in Stillwater, but I think the Mountaineers will take care of business in this one. West Virginia 34, Oklahoma State 20.
#2 Michigan at Michigan State (Battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy)
The "Big Brother-Little Brother" fight doesn't have quite as much hype behind it as last year's thriller, but never underestimate the atmosphere of a rivalry game, especially an in-state one! Michigan has impressed everyone in football this year with crushing of nearly everyone on their schedule. Michigan State has puzzled everyone in football this year with their 5 straight losses and 0-4 record in BIG 10 play. Nonetheless, this game always has potential to be a classic. The Wolverines are looking to keep their undefeated season alive while Michigan State just wants a chance to go bowling this year. All the numbers point to Michigan steamrolling their rivals, but rivalries can be interesting. The Spartans have won 7 of the last 8 meetings, and getting to play at home this year could help them out a bit. With all that being said I'm going with the Wolverines. Michigan's defense is far too strong for this years Spartan team to cause any major headaches, and Michigan State has already given up 54 at home to Northwestern, so they may be in for a rough day. The Wolverines' run game will control the line of scrimmage, and I would expect a couple turnovers from the defense. Michigan crushes the "little brother" 42-16.
#14 Florida vs. Georgia
A big rivalry in the SEC East Division takes place in Jacksonville today, between the Gators and the Dawgs. Florida has looked impressive so far this season, only losing to Tennessee, but they also haven't played the heaviest of competition thus far. Their defense has impressive numbers, giving up only 252 yards and 12 points on average per game. Georgia has had a very difficult time moving the ball this season, and only scores an average of 25 points per game. Jacob Eason has been improving throughout the year, but the Gators' top notch secondary is the last thing he needs to help his confidence. I would expect Georgia to try and establish the run game early on, but if they fall behind, they'll have to try airing it out. Once that happens, I think the Gators' defense takes over the game and brings home the W. Florida wins this rivalry match-up 31-26.
#8 Baylor at Texas
This is an interesting rivalry in the Big XII because Baylor starts to play some of the stronger teams in the conference, and Texas is looking to get back on track after losing 4 of their last 5 games. This is my upset pick of the week. I'm going to go with Texas (I really hate saying that) because I think Baylor is weaker than what they have shown. Yes, they're 6-0, but their toughest game has been Oklahoma State at home, and their defense has struggled all year. The same can be said for Texas, but let's be honest, no one (apart from WVU thus far) has defense in the Big XII. I expect a shootout in this one, but Charlie Strong gets his statement win and knocks off Baylor. The Bears are capable of beating Texas in Austin, but I don't think they'll be ready for this game. Longhorns 44, Bears 38.
Northwestern at #6 Ohio State
The second of the three major BIG 10 games this weekend takes place in Columbus, OH. Just a week removed from Penn State's epic upset on the Buckeyes, they return home and are probably looking for blood against the surging Wildcats. Ohio State is favored to win by 27 points right now, and I'm sure Urban will have them playing better than last week. Don't sleep on Northwestern though. They've risen to second place in the BIG 10 West division and have won their last three games, two of which were on the road in Iowa City and East Lansing. Pat Fitzgerald is one of my favorite coaches, and he's always going to give the Wildcats a chance to win. My key in this game is Northwestern QB, Clayton Thorson. We all know JT Barrett is going to score at some point, so the big question is if Thorson will score too. Thorson's leadership has been the focal point of their win streak, and if he can continue to move the ball on offense and keep pace with Ohio State's scoring, Northwestern could hang around. As fun as this upset would be, I don't think it will happen in the Horseshoe, but watch out for next year in Evanston, you never know! Look for Northwestern's defense to imitate a lot of blitzes that Penn State used last week. The Nittany Lions got 6 sacks on the Buckeye who had only given up 5 all season going into that game. I'm going with the Buckeyes because I think their defense will be too overpowering on the Wildcats, but the 27 point spread is too much. Northwestern cuts into that, making it a closer game. Buckeyes 38, Wildcats 21.
#4 Washington at #17 Utah
Gameday traveled to Salt Lake City for the big showdown in the Pac-12. The Huskies have been one of the bigger surprises this season, but it's worth noting that some of the normal powerhouse teams of the conference have struggled this year (Oregon 2-5, Stanford 2-3). However, Washington has been dominating their opponents in every facet of the game, so look for a good one tonight. Utah is tough to play at home, losing only 1 home game over the past two seasons. Their run game has picked back up over the past two weeks as Senior RB Joe Williams has run for 511 yards and 5 TDs in their last two games. Washington only gives up an average of 145 yards on the ground per game, while Utah averages 215. Clock management will be key for the Utes if they want to win, so establishing their rushing attack and keeping the ball away from Jake Browning should be the main focus. Washington's defense has been one of the best in the nation, only giving up 14.6 points per game, while their offense scores 48.3. The spread on this game is the Huskies by 11, but I'm not sure if Utah will hang around quite that long. Junior QB Troy Williams for the Utes is only completing 56% of his passes and has thrown 5 picks and been sacked 14 times this year already. Washington's defense will be coming after him today, and if he turns the ball over, the Huskies will start to run away with it. I expect this one to be fairly close, but Washington pulls away in the end. Huskies 38, Utes 21.
#3 Clemson at #12 Florida State
The big game in the ACC this week takes place down in Tallahassee, FL. The Tigers take on the Seminoles in a game that usually decides the who places in the ACC Championship. This year, FSU is a couple games back, but would love nothing more than to ruin Clemson's season and get back into some big bowl consideration. Clemson's defense has been a steady strength this year, stepping up at big parts of the game and holding strong. Their offense however has had issues. They've turned the ball over quite a bit this season, and have made a lot of games very close. The Tigers have still come out on top, but you can only look over the edge of a cliff so many times before falling off. Florida State looks to help Clemson out with a little push on their way to an upset. They have found a balance on offense over the past couple weeks averaging 271 through the air and 213 on the ground. Both teams score around 35 points per game and have a number of play makers on offense. FSU's defense will be the key factor in this game, because Deshaun Watson could have his own highlight reel in this one. Apart from their blowout loss to Louisville early in the year, the Seminoles have kept every game close, and I think the 4 point spread is fairly accurate. Clemson loses at some point this season, but not today. The Tigers defense is too much for young Deondre Francois and they come away with the victory. Look for FSU RB Dalvin Cook to have a lot of touches, but not a lot of yards. I think he'll be running into a wall for most of the game. Tigers win it 30-24.
#7 Nebraska at #11 Wisconsin (Battle for the Freedom Trophy)
The final BIG 10 showdown of the day takes place up in Mad-town as the Huskers face off with the rival Badgers. Nebraska has not gotten much love from the media for their undefeated season thus far, but this is the statement game they were looking for. A road game to one of the toughest venues in the nation against one of the better teams in the nation could open some eyes. Everyone is expecting Wisconsin to win and use their dominant defense to shut down a dynamic offense that usually shuts itself down for a few quarters. The over/under is 43 points, which is really puzzling to me because this is going to be a close, low scoring game. Starting with Wisconsin, their offense only scores 24 points per game on average, and their defense only gives up 14. Nebraska scores an average of 34 and holds teams to an average of 17. If the defenses play like they have been, neither team will go over 30 points. Wisconsin's ground game will be something to watch as it has been picking up over the past couple games with Corey Clement. They average 173 yards on the ground per game, but the Blackshirts only give up 124 yards rushing per game. Look for Wisconsin to use their jet sweep motion quite a bit, because that usually causes Nebraska problems. The Linebackers and secondary will have to be ready to hold the edge.
For the Huskers the big key to victory is again Senior QB Tommy Armstrong. However, my second key of the day is the O-line for Nebraska. We'll get to Tommy in a minute, but the offensive line may be one of the biggest factors in this game. Wisconsin's front seven is one of the most intimidating in the nation. They are consistently reeking havoc on opposing backfields and QBs. Nebraska's O-line has been banged up this year and has not been able to move opposing defenses until the 4th Quarter. Not the worst thing, but when you can't move the ball during the 2nd and 3rd quarters, that opens the door for a lot of teams. The "Pipeline" will have to play very well and protect Tommy if the Huskers want to win this game. Switching over to Tommy, we need the good one. This is his chance to prove that he's the leader this team is centered around, and he will have to be nearly perfect to do so. With the strength of the Badgers' defense, he may not have much of a ground game to rely on every series, so his arm will be a factor. If Nebraska can keep 3rd down manageable and not force deep throws from Armstrong, they will be able to move the ball and keep Wisconsin on their toes. Look for his scrambling to be used a lot today, as I expect a lot of pressure from different blitz packages. The best thing about playing Wisconsin is that you do not need to score many points to win. It's very very difficult to score those points, but if Nebraska is able to score just 3 times (at least 2 TDs) then they will win. Wisconsin has trouble moving the ball and the Blackshirts have one of the better (not talked about) defenses in the nation. They hold teams to only 17 points per game, and have 13 interceptions on the year. Badger QB Alex Hornibrook will have his hands full with my man Freedom coming after him and #LockDownU looking for more picks. I believe in my Huskers, and I think Tommy plays well enough for them to win. Huskers take this game 21-16.
I hope you all enjoyed my picks and GO BIG RED! Have a great Saturday of Football.
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Week 8 Reflection
Well once again, it wasn't very pretty, but Nebraska got the W and moved to 7-0 on the season. This post will focus on my reflections on the Purdue game, and what issues need to be worked on this week headed into the showdown with Wisconsin. Feel free to comment or open any discussions about this game or anything else going on in football! We had a great weekend of upsets and big games, so there's always a lot to talk about. Enjoy!
It seems to be the same story every week; start off hot, offense disappears for the 2nd and 3rd quarters and then they come alive and finish with a dominating 4th quarter. However, as I mentioned before, the Huskers keep winning, and in the end, that's the main goal. It gets frustrating at times, especially when you watch the offensive line get knocked 2-3 yards into the backfield on every play, and you realize the Huskers only manage 157 yards rushing on the worst run defense in the conference. Purdue played very well, especially for a team that just lost their head coach, but with the amount of talent and experience on Nebraska's offense, they should not struggle as much as they did with the Boilermakers. Tommy played fairly well, didn't have much room to run, but still managed 51 yards. His interception before halftime was another one of his terrible decisions to just throw the ball over the middle, but he was much better in the second half. If Tommy can keep the mistakes to a minimum, Nebraska should be able to keep winning. However, it's pretty obvious that the injuries are causing a majority of the issues up front. It was clear that Gates' ankle was still bothering him, and I was surprised that he played to be honest. I saw Farmer limping in the 1st quarter of the game and David Knevel didn't last very long. I appreciate and applaud the toughness of these guys, but if you're not healthy, it's not going to be beneficial to have you out there limping and getting pushed around because you can't plant your foot down and drive. Our offensive struggles stem from the lack of protection and push from the O-line. There was no running room up the middle throughout the entire game, and Tommy was constantly under pressure in the pocket. This is probably my biggest concern moving forward, because Wisconsin and Ohio State both have relentless pass rushers, and they cause a lot of havoc on early downs, putting their opponents behind the chains. Nebraska has been consistently behind the chains during the 2nd and 3rd quarters, not only because of the lack of execution, but partly because of the play calling in my opinion. Langsdorf has improved quite a bit from last season in using his talent and exploiting weaknesses in opposing defenses, but there are still stretches where they play calling just makes you scratch your head. Like how he refused to run towards the outside when his offensive line was pushed back into the backfield on every run play up the middle. I've been very excited with how he sticks with the game plan and sets up some of the bigger plays for later in the game, but I really think that some extra creativity earlier on in the game will help open more things up. Plus it could give our play makers more room to work away from the offensive line disaster. Again, I understand the injury issues, but if so many are still playing while hurt, then what happened to their backups? Why are they not good enough to play over someone who is injured, or at least give them a break? The offensive line and play calling are my two big concerns for the offense moving forward.
Defensively, once again, apart from just a couple of big plays, the Blackshirts were very impressive. Purdue would move the ball on occasion, and that was expected with their BIG 10 leading passing attack, but overall, they were not able to find any rhythm. The defensive line caused lots of pressure on David Blough, and although the secondary gave up 309 yards, they still came away with 2 Interceptions. As I stated before, only a couple big plays are the reason Purdue had any points at all. If the defense can keep Nebraska in these close games and shut down opposing teams in the second half like they have been, this could be an interesting season. Another big stat to consider is that Nebraska held Purdue to only 24 yards rushing, and 6/16 on 3rd downs. I expect our next couple games to be tight defensive battles, making the offenses really work for the victory. The Blackshirts are looking great this year, and there are not many leaving after 2016!! Let's keep it rolling Huskers, GO BIG RED!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
It seems to be the same story every week; start off hot, offense disappears for the 2nd and 3rd quarters and then they come alive and finish with a dominating 4th quarter. However, as I mentioned before, the Huskers keep winning, and in the end, that's the main goal. It gets frustrating at times, especially when you watch the offensive line get knocked 2-3 yards into the backfield on every play, and you realize the Huskers only manage 157 yards rushing on the worst run defense in the conference. Purdue played very well, especially for a team that just lost their head coach, but with the amount of talent and experience on Nebraska's offense, they should not struggle as much as they did with the Boilermakers. Tommy played fairly well, didn't have much room to run, but still managed 51 yards. His interception before halftime was another one of his terrible decisions to just throw the ball over the middle, but he was much better in the second half. If Tommy can keep the mistakes to a minimum, Nebraska should be able to keep winning. However, it's pretty obvious that the injuries are causing a majority of the issues up front. It was clear that Gates' ankle was still bothering him, and I was surprised that he played to be honest. I saw Farmer limping in the 1st quarter of the game and David Knevel didn't last very long. I appreciate and applaud the toughness of these guys, but if you're not healthy, it's not going to be beneficial to have you out there limping and getting pushed around because you can't plant your foot down and drive. Our offensive struggles stem from the lack of protection and push from the O-line. There was no running room up the middle throughout the entire game, and Tommy was constantly under pressure in the pocket. This is probably my biggest concern moving forward, because Wisconsin and Ohio State both have relentless pass rushers, and they cause a lot of havoc on early downs, putting their opponents behind the chains. Nebraska has been consistently behind the chains during the 2nd and 3rd quarters, not only because of the lack of execution, but partly because of the play calling in my opinion. Langsdorf has improved quite a bit from last season in using his talent and exploiting weaknesses in opposing defenses, but there are still stretches where they play calling just makes you scratch your head. Like how he refused to run towards the outside when his offensive line was pushed back into the backfield on every run play up the middle. I've been very excited with how he sticks with the game plan and sets up some of the bigger plays for later in the game, but I really think that some extra creativity earlier on in the game will help open more things up. Plus it could give our play makers more room to work away from the offensive line disaster. Again, I understand the injury issues, but if so many are still playing while hurt, then what happened to their backups? Why are they not good enough to play over someone who is injured, or at least give them a break? The offensive line and play calling are my two big concerns for the offense moving forward.
Defensively, once again, apart from just a couple of big plays, the Blackshirts were very impressive. Purdue would move the ball on occasion, and that was expected with their BIG 10 leading passing attack, but overall, they were not able to find any rhythm. The defensive line caused lots of pressure on David Blough, and although the secondary gave up 309 yards, they still came away with 2 Interceptions. As I stated before, only a couple big plays are the reason Purdue had any points at all. If the defense can keep Nebraska in these close games and shut down opposing teams in the second half like they have been, this could be an interesting season. Another big stat to consider is that Nebraska held Purdue to only 24 yards rushing, and 6/16 on 3rd downs. I expect our next couple games to be tight defensive battles, making the offenses really work for the victory. The Blackshirts are looking great this year, and there are not many leaving after 2016!! Let's keep it rolling Huskers, GO BIG RED!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
Saturday, October 22, 2016
Week 8 Predictions
I hope everyone has had a great week and you're all ready for another great weekend of football! We've got a few key match-ups, so I'll get right to my game predictions, enjoy!
Indiana at Northwestern
This doesn't really seem like a highlight game, but I think it will be an interesting one to watch. The Hoosiers are coming off two tough losses to Ohio State and Nebraska, so they will be looking to get back on track as the head to Evanston. The Wildcats are on the other side of the spectrum, as they have won two straight over Iowa and Michigan State (Division champs from a year ago). In the process of those victories, they have scored 92 combined points, after only scoring a combined 65 in their first four games. This new offensive explosion is lead by QB Clayton Thorson. He has been spreading the ball around very well, passing for over 1400 yards so far this season, and that has opened up the run game for star RB Justin Jackson. Jackson has nearly 700 yards rushing and 6 TDs so far this year, and his last two games have accounted for 359 of those yards and 3 of the TDs. Their offense will be tested this weekend though, because Indiana has arguably the most improved defense in the BIG 10. The slowed down two of the best offenses in the conference over the past couple weeks, and although they couldn't quite pull out the victory, they are keeping the Hoosiers in games. When you stick around in enough games, you'll start to win a few. Offensively, the Hoosiers should be able to move the ball fairly well. The Wildcats have some play makers, most notably Anthony Walker Jr., but they give up an average of 416 yards per game. I honestly expect a bit of a shoot out in this game, but if Indiana's defense makes a few stops or gets a couple of turnovers, they could finally get back on the winning track. With that being said, I'm going to stick with the Wildcats. Pat Fitzgerald has this team playing with a lot of confidence, and I'm not sure if their offense can be stopped right now with all the different weapons! Northwestern wins in a close one, 38-35.
#10 Wisconsin at Iowa (Battle for the Heartland Trophy)
These two rivals meet yet again, and will battle it out for a brass Bull. This rivalry is very tough to win in, proven by the 44-43-2 series record that Wisconsin leads. Iowa has not looked the best this season, playing tight games to some mediocre competition, and let's not forget the loss they suffered at the hands of the Bison from NDSU! However, they have been better over recent weeks, and have tried to get their running game started up again. Sadly for them, they have to play the Badgers now, and Wisconsin only gives up 106 yards rushing a game.... Plus they just lost a very close overtime game to the Buckeyes at home last week, so I doubt they are happy. The Badgers' defense has easily been one of the most impressive all season long, and I expect another big performance in Iowa City. Iowa's biggest advantage is playing at home (where NDSU won, that never gets old!) and the fact that Wisconsin's QB, Alex Hornibrook, is only a redshirt Freshman. He looked pretty good at home last week, even against the tough Buckeye defense, but his start previous to that was in the Big House, and he did not play well. Against the Wolverines, Hornibrook went 9-25 for 88 yards, 1 TD and 3 INTs. To be fair, the entire offense struggled against the stiff Wolverine defense, but an away crowd in Kinnick Stadium will be tough for the young QB. Look for Wisconsin to focus on their ground game, especially since RB Corey Clement ran for 164 yards against Ohio State last Saturday. Iowa's defense has been fairly tough throughout the year, and only give up an average of 150 on the ground, but Wisconsin is a much tougher opponent. I think the Badgers will show why they're still in the top 10, despite their two recent losses, and get the victory in Iowa City. Look for Hornibrook to struggle early, if he doesn't fix the issues early, Iowa could hang around. I'll take the Badgers 28-13.
Colorado at Stanford
The Cardinal are coming off a very lack-luster victory against the Irish last week, and are really hoping to get Christian McCaffrey back. McCaffrey may be their only chance to compete with Colorado, because I'm not sure if they battered Cardinal defense can keep up with the Buffs. Colorado averages 515 yards per game on offense, and Stanford gives up an average of 370. They've struggled to stop other high-powered offenses already this season, which has lead to blowout losses like 44-6 against Washington and 42-16 against Wazzu. The Buffaloes have a really good chance to win the South division this year, but will need to get by David Shaw first. It's never easy to win in Palo Alto, especially if McCaffrey comes back this week. However, with the offensive attack the Buffs are bringing in, I'm just not sure if Stanford can stop them. It hurts to say this, but I'll take Colorado over Stanford, 37-20.
TCU at #12 West Virginia
The Mountaineers really surprised me last week, holding the high-flying Red Raiders to just 17 points on their own turf. They remained unbeaten, and return home to Morgantown to take on the Horned Frogs. This looks to be another classic shootout in the Big XII, but after last weeks performance, I think the Mountaineers might have one of the tougher defenses in the conference. Texas Tech had scored 50+ points in 9 straight games at home coming into last week, but were held to only 17 points and an astonishing 379 total yards (they average over 500 in just passing alone per game). TCU has not looked the most impressive all season, but they are never a team to discount. Kenny Hill is completing over 63% of his passes, but has a 12:8 TD to INT ratio. West Virginia hasn't been the best at creating turnovers, but look for them to get some pressure on Hill today. I'm taking the Mountaineers in another impressive game, 40-23.
#6 Texas A&M at #1 Alabama
The Aggies have been one of the few teams to cause Alabama headaches over the past few seasons, so this is always an intriguing match-up. We all know what Bama is going to bring to the table, so let's focus on the Aggies and see where their strengths lie. Texas A&M has played very well throughout the year, mostly because of QB Trevor Knight. He may only have a 53.5% completion rating, but his 510 rushing yards and 9 TDs on the ground make him very difficult to stop. Knight has been a master at keeping both plays and drives alive with his legs. Alabama has had issues with dual threat QBs in the past, but handled Joshua Dobbs well last week. Look for Trevor Knight to be the focal point of this game. If he can keep drives alive and keep the ball away from Bama's deadly offense, A&M could pull the upset. I think the Tide's defense will be to much in the end, and they will continue to roll. I wouldn't be opposed to the upset, but I'm sticking with Bama 38-28.
#17 Arkansas at #21 Auburn
This will be a fun game to watch down in the SEC because Arkansas is coming off of a big win against Ole Miss, and Auburn's offense is looking to continue improving after their BYE week. These two teams both score a little over 30 points per game, so I expect this one to be fairly close. There should be a fair amount of offense in this game because both defenses give up a large amount of yards, and both offenses average 445 (Arkansas) and 480 (Auburn) for yards per game. QB play will be huge in this game, especially with the Hogs being on the road. Austin Allen looked very impressive last week, and I expect him to lead the upset against the Tigers. Razorbacks 34, Tigers 30.
Purdue at #8 Nebraska
The Huskers return to Lincoln to take on the Boilermakers, and since losing to Purdue last season, Nebraska is 10-1. The Huskers are looking for revenge, and even though they are beaten up still, expect a fired up team. Nebraska needs to find its ground game again, especially with Purdue giving up 365 yards rushing a week ago to Iowa. Expect Newby to continue to carry the work load, but I expect Ozigbo to be back and all of our running backs to be used in this one. The offensive line has some question marks with all the injuries, but they will need to step up and gain some confidence in this game before traveling to Madison next week. They looked very poor against the Hoosiers last week, so look for them to be a focal point of the game. Another big focal point will be penalties. Nebraska had a number of dumb penalties last week, and I know that was a big issue on Coach Riley's list to fix this week. Defensively, Purdue QB David Blough will be the focus. Last year, Blough ran for 82 yards and 1 TD on the Blackshirts, and passed for 274 and 4 TDs. Based on the improvement in the secondary this year, I expect Purdue's passing game to be contained fairly well, but we cannot let David Blough run. Much like Clayton Thorson of Northwestern, he's a tricky QB for Nebraska to tackle, and often keeps plays and drives alive with his feet. Look for a lot of blitz packages to cause pressure and keep Blough away from scrambling.
Overall, I really don't think Purdue should cause Nebraska too many issues this year. The Huskers know not to overlook them, and they're dealing with the firing of their head coach while coming to the most intimidating place to play in the Conference, arguably the nation. I think Nebraska bounces back and hopefully gets Ryker some playing time late in the game to make amends for last season. Nebraska wins 45-14.
Some other big games to watch are Ohio State at Penn State (not a big upset possibility, but I think Penn State hangs around early, look for Saquon Barkley to have a big night), Oklahoma at Texas Tech, and Ole Miss at LSU. Thanks for reading and GO BIG RED!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
Indiana at Northwestern
This doesn't really seem like a highlight game, but I think it will be an interesting one to watch. The Hoosiers are coming off two tough losses to Ohio State and Nebraska, so they will be looking to get back on track as the head to Evanston. The Wildcats are on the other side of the spectrum, as they have won two straight over Iowa and Michigan State (Division champs from a year ago). In the process of those victories, they have scored 92 combined points, after only scoring a combined 65 in their first four games. This new offensive explosion is lead by QB Clayton Thorson. He has been spreading the ball around very well, passing for over 1400 yards so far this season, and that has opened up the run game for star RB Justin Jackson. Jackson has nearly 700 yards rushing and 6 TDs so far this year, and his last two games have accounted for 359 of those yards and 3 of the TDs. Their offense will be tested this weekend though, because Indiana has arguably the most improved defense in the BIG 10. The slowed down two of the best offenses in the conference over the past couple weeks, and although they couldn't quite pull out the victory, they are keeping the Hoosiers in games. When you stick around in enough games, you'll start to win a few. Offensively, the Hoosiers should be able to move the ball fairly well. The Wildcats have some play makers, most notably Anthony Walker Jr., but they give up an average of 416 yards per game. I honestly expect a bit of a shoot out in this game, but if Indiana's defense makes a few stops or gets a couple of turnovers, they could finally get back on the winning track. With that being said, I'm going to stick with the Wildcats. Pat Fitzgerald has this team playing with a lot of confidence, and I'm not sure if their offense can be stopped right now with all the different weapons! Northwestern wins in a close one, 38-35.
#10 Wisconsin at Iowa (Battle for the Heartland Trophy)
These two rivals meet yet again, and will battle it out for a brass Bull. This rivalry is very tough to win in, proven by the 44-43-2 series record that Wisconsin leads. Iowa has not looked the best this season, playing tight games to some mediocre competition, and let's not forget the loss they suffered at the hands of the Bison from NDSU! However, they have been better over recent weeks, and have tried to get their running game started up again. Sadly for them, they have to play the Badgers now, and Wisconsin only gives up 106 yards rushing a game.... Plus they just lost a very close overtime game to the Buckeyes at home last week, so I doubt they are happy. The Badgers' defense has easily been one of the most impressive all season long, and I expect another big performance in Iowa City. Iowa's biggest advantage is playing at home (where NDSU won, that never gets old!) and the fact that Wisconsin's QB, Alex Hornibrook, is only a redshirt Freshman. He looked pretty good at home last week, even against the tough Buckeye defense, but his start previous to that was in the Big House, and he did not play well. Against the Wolverines, Hornibrook went 9-25 for 88 yards, 1 TD and 3 INTs. To be fair, the entire offense struggled against the stiff Wolverine defense, but an away crowd in Kinnick Stadium will be tough for the young QB. Look for Wisconsin to focus on their ground game, especially since RB Corey Clement ran for 164 yards against Ohio State last Saturday. Iowa's defense has been fairly tough throughout the year, and only give up an average of 150 on the ground, but Wisconsin is a much tougher opponent. I think the Badgers will show why they're still in the top 10, despite their two recent losses, and get the victory in Iowa City. Look for Hornibrook to struggle early, if he doesn't fix the issues early, Iowa could hang around. I'll take the Badgers 28-13.
Colorado at Stanford
The Cardinal are coming off a very lack-luster victory against the Irish last week, and are really hoping to get Christian McCaffrey back. McCaffrey may be their only chance to compete with Colorado, because I'm not sure if they battered Cardinal defense can keep up with the Buffs. Colorado averages 515 yards per game on offense, and Stanford gives up an average of 370. They've struggled to stop other high-powered offenses already this season, which has lead to blowout losses like 44-6 against Washington and 42-16 against Wazzu. The Buffaloes have a really good chance to win the South division this year, but will need to get by David Shaw first. It's never easy to win in Palo Alto, especially if McCaffrey comes back this week. However, with the offensive attack the Buffs are bringing in, I'm just not sure if Stanford can stop them. It hurts to say this, but I'll take Colorado over Stanford, 37-20.
TCU at #12 West Virginia
The Mountaineers really surprised me last week, holding the high-flying Red Raiders to just 17 points on their own turf. They remained unbeaten, and return home to Morgantown to take on the Horned Frogs. This looks to be another classic shootout in the Big XII, but after last weeks performance, I think the Mountaineers might have one of the tougher defenses in the conference. Texas Tech had scored 50+ points in 9 straight games at home coming into last week, but were held to only 17 points and an astonishing 379 total yards (they average over 500 in just passing alone per game). TCU has not looked the most impressive all season, but they are never a team to discount. Kenny Hill is completing over 63% of his passes, but has a 12:8 TD to INT ratio. West Virginia hasn't been the best at creating turnovers, but look for them to get some pressure on Hill today. I'm taking the Mountaineers in another impressive game, 40-23.
#6 Texas A&M at #1 Alabama
The Aggies have been one of the few teams to cause Alabama headaches over the past few seasons, so this is always an intriguing match-up. We all know what Bama is going to bring to the table, so let's focus on the Aggies and see where their strengths lie. Texas A&M has played very well throughout the year, mostly because of QB Trevor Knight. He may only have a 53.5% completion rating, but his 510 rushing yards and 9 TDs on the ground make him very difficult to stop. Knight has been a master at keeping both plays and drives alive with his legs. Alabama has had issues with dual threat QBs in the past, but handled Joshua Dobbs well last week. Look for Trevor Knight to be the focal point of this game. If he can keep drives alive and keep the ball away from Bama's deadly offense, A&M could pull the upset. I think the Tide's defense will be to much in the end, and they will continue to roll. I wouldn't be opposed to the upset, but I'm sticking with Bama 38-28.
#17 Arkansas at #21 Auburn
This will be a fun game to watch down in the SEC because Arkansas is coming off of a big win against Ole Miss, and Auburn's offense is looking to continue improving after their BYE week. These two teams both score a little over 30 points per game, so I expect this one to be fairly close. There should be a fair amount of offense in this game because both defenses give up a large amount of yards, and both offenses average 445 (Arkansas) and 480 (Auburn) for yards per game. QB play will be huge in this game, especially with the Hogs being on the road. Austin Allen looked very impressive last week, and I expect him to lead the upset against the Tigers. Razorbacks 34, Tigers 30.
Purdue at #8 Nebraska
The Huskers return to Lincoln to take on the Boilermakers, and since losing to Purdue last season, Nebraska is 10-1. The Huskers are looking for revenge, and even though they are beaten up still, expect a fired up team. Nebraska needs to find its ground game again, especially with Purdue giving up 365 yards rushing a week ago to Iowa. Expect Newby to continue to carry the work load, but I expect Ozigbo to be back and all of our running backs to be used in this one. The offensive line has some question marks with all the injuries, but they will need to step up and gain some confidence in this game before traveling to Madison next week. They looked very poor against the Hoosiers last week, so look for them to be a focal point of the game. Another big focal point will be penalties. Nebraska had a number of dumb penalties last week, and I know that was a big issue on Coach Riley's list to fix this week. Defensively, Purdue QB David Blough will be the focus. Last year, Blough ran for 82 yards and 1 TD on the Blackshirts, and passed for 274 and 4 TDs. Based on the improvement in the secondary this year, I expect Purdue's passing game to be contained fairly well, but we cannot let David Blough run. Much like Clayton Thorson of Northwestern, he's a tricky QB for Nebraska to tackle, and often keeps plays and drives alive with his feet. Look for a lot of blitz packages to cause pressure and keep Blough away from scrambling.
Overall, I really don't think Purdue should cause Nebraska too many issues this year. The Huskers know not to overlook them, and they're dealing with the firing of their head coach while coming to the most intimidating place to play in the Conference, arguably the nation. I think Nebraska bounces back and hopefully gets Ryker some playing time late in the game to make amends for last season. Nebraska wins 45-14.
Some other big games to watch are Ohio State at Penn State (not a big upset possibility, but I think Penn State hangs around early, look for Saquon Barkley to have a big night), Oklahoma at Texas Tech, and Ole Miss at LSU. Thanks for reading and GO BIG RED!
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Alex Fernando
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