Looking to get back on track this week after a 2-3 performance last week. Unfortunately, this weeks picks will be abbreviated as I am attending a wedding today.
#3 Auburn vs #4 Ole Miss
Prediction:
+Auburn Athletics 24 - +Ole Miss Sports 17
#7 TCU vs #24 West Virginia
Prediction:
+TCU Athletics 49 - +West Virginia University 45
#12 Arizona vs #22 UCLA
Prediction:
+Arizona Wildcats 42 - +UCLA Bruins 28
#17 Utah vs #14 Arizona St
Prediction:
+University of Utah 35 - +Arizona State Sun Devils 32
Upset Special:
Pitt vs #24 Duke
Prediction:
+Pitt Panthers SportsRoadhouse 28 - +Duke Athletics 24
Last Week: 2-3
2014 Season: 29-15
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Friday, October 31, 2014
Saturday, October 25, 2014
2014 College Football Week 9 Pick Em
On Vacation. Picks Below
Maryland vs Wisconsin
Prediction: +Wisconsin Badgers 31 - +Maryland Terrapins 21
Oregon St vs Stanford
Prediction: +Oregon State University 28 - +Stanford Athletics 24
#3 Ole Miss vs #24 LSU
Prediction: +Ole Miss - The University of Mississippi 20 - +LSU Football 17
#20 USC vs #19 Utah
Prediction: +University of Utah 35 - +USC Trojans 32
Upset Special:
#14 Arizona St vs Washington
Prediction: +Washington Huskies Athletics 34 - +Arizona State University 31
Last Week: 4-1
2014 Season: 27-12
Friday, October 17, 2014
2014 College Football Week 8 Pick Em
Retaking the GMAT this upcoming Tuesday so this will be an abbreviated post.
#14 Kansas St vs #11 Oklahoma
Kansas St will keep this one close, but Oklahoma will get a score late to seal the victory
+The University of Oklahoma 27 - +Kansas State University 21
#21 Texas A&M vs #7 Alabama
The Aggies will have the lead for a majority of this contest until, but ultimately the Crimson Tide rushing attack will get going and will wear the Aggies down down the stretch.
+Alabama Crimson Tide 31 - +Texas A&M University 28
#15 Oklahoma St vs #12 TCU
TCU's defense will step up big in this game and hold a struggling OSU offense to under 21.
+TCU Athletics 35 - +Oklahoma State Athletics 14
#5 Notre Dame vs #2 Florida St
Golson will try and lead a late 4th quarter rally, but the Irish good fortune will finally run out.
+Florida State Seminoles 31 - +Notre Dame Athletics 27
Upset Special:
West Virginia vs #4 Baylor
Neither team will have much success stopping the opposing offenses, but the Mountaineers mount a game winning touchdown drive leading to the fans storming the field and possibly some couch burning
+West Virginia University 48 - +Baylor Athletics 45
Last Week: 4-1
2014 Season 23-11
#14 Kansas St vs #11 Oklahoma
Kansas St will keep this one close, but Oklahoma will get a score late to seal the victory
+The University of Oklahoma 27 - +Kansas State University 21
#21 Texas A&M vs #7 Alabama
The Aggies will have the lead for a majority of this contest until, but ultimately the Crimson Tide rushing attack will get going and will wear the Aggies down down the stretch.
+Alabama Crimson Tide 31 - +Texas A&M University 28
#15 Oklahoma St vs #12 TCU
TCU's defense will step up big in this game and hold a struggling OSU offense to under 21.
+TCU Athletics 35 - +Oklahoma State Athletics 14
#5 Notre Dame vs #2 Florida St
Golson will try and lead a late 4th quarter rally, but the Irish good fortune will finally run out.
+Florida State Seminoles 31 - +Notre Dame Athletics 27
Upset Special:
West Virginia vs #4 Baylor
Neither team will have much success stopping the opposing offenses, but the Mountaineers mount a game winning touchdown drive leading to the fans storming the field and possibly some couch burning
+West Virginia University 48 - +Baylor Athletics 45
Last Week: 4-1
2014 Season 23-11
Saturday, October 11, 2014
2014 College Football Week 7 Pick Em
Wow did Ole Miss prove me wrong. Congrats to the Rebels on their impressive upset over the Crimson Tide. Another 3-2 week last week and now without further ado, this weeks picks.
#2 Auburn vs #3 Mississippi St
The game of the week takes place in Starkville Mississippi when Nick Marshall and the Tigers take on Dak Prescott and the Bulldogs.
The Tigers are coming off a 41-7 thrashing of LSU in Baton Rouge and will try and replicate that performance against the Bulldogs on Saturday. Marshall accounted for over 320 yards and four touchdowns against LSU and now has accumulated 12 total touchdowns to only one turnover. Marshall has done a great job getting the ball out to his trio of receivers who each have the ability to take it to the house if they make a defender miss.
Not only has Marshall done a great job through the air, he has also done a great job leading the Tigers spread zone read rushing attack. Both Marshall and running back Cameron Artis-Payne are averaging more than 5 yards per carry leading the Tigers to the 15th best rushing attack in the country. The Tigers will need to run effectively on Saturday to keep the Bulldogs offense on the sideline and limit their opportunities.
If Marshall can protect the ball and get the Tigers offense moving early with the run and get the ball out to his wide receivers in 1 on 1 coverage, the Tigers will be in good position to win in Starkville.
Dak Prescott and the Bulldogs look to continue their impressive run when they take on the Auburn Tigers. Prescott is coming an amazing performance that saw him total over 330 yards and five touchdowns while only throwing six incompletions. Prescott has been on fire all year both through the air and on the ground and is currently the leader for the Heisman in many people's eyes. If the Bulldogs expect to beat the Tigers on Saturday, Prescott will need to put on another performance like last week.
Running back Josh Robinson will look to attack a very stout rush defense and improve on his 7.5 yards per carry average. Much like Marshall and the Tigers, Prescott and the Bulldogs run a spread zone read attack, which has made it difficult for opposing defenses to stop as Mississippi St ranks 14th in rushing yards per game.
Like Auburn, if Mississippi St can get its offense moving early and keep the Tigers offense off the field, the Bulldogs will be in a good position to win this game because neither defense is going to make very many stops in this one.
Prediction: All signs point to Mississippi St winning this game. It's a home game and they have the leader in the Heisman race and an above average defense they will surely win right? Wrong. This game will come down to special teams and a last minute field goal. The Bulldogs have already missed three extra points and have only made two field goals on the year, while the Tigers have made seven including 3 from 40+. This will be the difference in the game.
+Auburn Athletics 45 - +Mississippi State University 42
#12 Oregon vs #18 UCLA
Marcus Mariotta and the Ducks look to keep their playoff hopes alive when they take on the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl.
Mariotta is coming off a subpar performance in which he threw for 276 yards and two touchdowns, but only had one rushing yard on nine carries and was sacked five times in a 31-24 loss to Arizona. While the Ducks were missing a few guys up front, they didn't play very well up front and couldn't protect Mariotta at all. They will need to play much better on Saturday if they want to beat UCLA.
Much of the Oregon offense the past few years has been based on the run game, but this year they have relied more on Mariotta's arm as they aren't as explosive in the running game as year's past. Running backs Royce Freeman and Thomas Tyner will look to get going early as the Bruins give up 158 rushing yards per game on average. For Mariotta's sake, it would be much needed relief if Freeman and Tyner could get the ground game going as Mariotta has taken a plethora of shots of the last two games. Both Tyner and Freeman average over four and a half yards per carry and will look to find some holes up the middle as that's where the Bruins have been vulnerable in the run game.
The question mark for the Ducks is how will their offensive line play? If they can protect Mariotta and open some holes for Freeman and Tyner, they will win this game. If they have trouble stopping the UCLA blitz packages, than they will lose.
The Bruins are also looking to get back on track after losing to Utah last week and are having their own offensive line issues.
Quarterback Brett Hundley is coming off his own so so performance against the Utes in which he threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns, but was sacked 10 times against the Utes. He will need to do a much better job of getting the ball out fast and preventing negative plays if the Bruins expect to win on Saturday.
While the Bruins have had some struggles in the run game, one guy who hasn't is running back Paul Perkins. Perkins is averaging over five and a half yards per carry and has reached 100 yards four times this season so far. He will look to have a big performance against the Ducks on Saturday against a team that has struggled in the past to stop the run, but has done a better job so far this year.
As stated earlier, the Bruins offensive line has been absolutely terrible in pass protection. It's amazing that Brett Hundley is still standing after how many times he has been hit this year. For the Bruins to win, they will need to keep Hundley upright and keep the pocket clean for him. If the offensive line can do that, UCLA will win this game.
Prediction: Both offenses will move the ball early but will have drives stall because of sacks. This is going to be a game that is won via halftime adjustments after a close first half. Ultimately, the Ducks will start getting after Hundley with some blitz packages and improve upon their season total of 16 sacks. Despite Hundley's efforts, the offensive line will squander any chance at a comeback. The Ducks get a late fourth quarter score that puts this one out of reach.
+University of Oregon 28 - +UCLA Bruins 17
#9 TCU vs #5 Baylor
Trevone Boykin and the Horned Frogs look to upset another top 5 opponent when they travel to Waco to take on the Baylor Bears.
Boykin is coming off a spectacular game against Oklahoma in which he accounted for 400 yards and two touchdowns in the upset victory. He will need to play to that level if the Horned Frogs expect to go into Waco and knock off the Bears on Saturday. The last team to beat the Bears in Waco was in fact TCU and Gary Patterson will look to mimic the game plan put in front of him by the Texas Longhorns to try and slow down the Baylor offense.
Boykin and running back B.J. Catalon will look to get the running game going early and often in an effort to keep the Baylor offense on the sidelines. Catalon had an impressive game himself last week totaling over 80 yards and two touchdowns against the tough front seven of the Sooners. If Catalon can find some holes against a banged up Bears defense early on in this game, it will bode extremely well for the Horned Frogs and their attempt to pull of another upset.
The most interesting matchup in this game will be the Horned Frog defense against the Baylor offense. The Bears offense was slowed down for the first time in quite some time last week when they took on Texas Longhorns who threw numerous different coverage schemes at the Bears and forced them to run the ball. Coach Patterson is known for his defensive prowess and will no doubt replicate some of what the Longhorns did last week to slow down Petty and the Bears.
If Boykin can continue to play the way that he has and if the Horned Frog defense can get some pressure on Petty, than the Horned Frogs will have a great chance to pull off the upset in Waco.
Bryce Petty will look to get the Bears offensive attack back on track when they host the TCU Horned Frogs.
Petty is coming off one of his worst starts at quarterback in which he completed only 7 of 22 passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Petty will need to play much better if the Bears expect to beat the Horned Frogs on Saturday. Petty will look to get the ball out in space to his plethora of receivers including KD Cannon Jay Lee and Antwan Goodley.
While Baylor has one of the best quarterbacks in the country, it also has a very impressive running game that averages over 247 rushing yards per game. Many would argue that the Baylor rushing attack sets up its impressive passing attack. Running back Shock Linwood has been impressive so far this season already racking up 90 carries for 450 yards and eight touchdowns. Johnny Jefferson has also filled in nicely as Linwood's backup averaging over five yards per carry. If Linwood and Jefferson can get going against a very physical Horned Frog defense, it will make it easier for Petty to get spread the ball around the his weapons on the outside and get the offense clicking early.
A word you never hear come out of Waco is actually happening this year and that is defense. Baylor ranks fourth in total defense, averaging only 267 yards against a game to go along with 12 points per game. This game will be quite the challenge for the Bears not only because this will be the best offense that they have faced, but also because the Bears have some guys banged up from last week that won't be playing at 100%. If the Bears can keep the Horned Frog offense in front of them and force a turnover or two from Boykin, than they will have a great chance to get a statement win and put themselves in contention for one of the four playoff spots.
Prediction: Both teams will look to attack the opposing defenses early, but will have trouble in the beginning. After a feeling out process, the Bears will get on the board through the running game. After successful drives by each offense, the Bears will get another score right before the half to go in front by 10. A critical turnover deep in the Horned Frog territory sets the Bears up for another touchdown drive. Boykin leads the Horned Frogs to two consecutive scoring drives to get within seven, but they fail to recover the onside kick and the Bears run out the clock to win a tight one.
+Baylor Athletics 38 - +TCU Athletics 31
#3 Ole Miss vs #14 Texas A&M
Bo Wallace and the Rebels look to knock off another top 25 team when they travel to College Station to take on the Aggies. Wallace and the Rebels are coming off the biggest win in school history after beating Alabama and will look to continue the momentum this week.
Wallace had one of the best games of his career last week, throwing for 251 yards and three touchdowns, but most importantly, zero turnovers. If Wallace can play with that kind of efficiency Saturday night at Kyle Field, the Rebels will have a very good chance at pulling off another impressive win.
While the Rebels are not great at running the football, they are efficient and seem to pick up first downs when they really need them via the ground game. Running back Jaylon Walton is averaging over six yards per carry and will look to expose an Aggie defense that gives up 177 rushing yards per game on average.
The biggest matchup in this game will be the Ole Miss defense against the Aggie offense. If the Rebels can put on the kind of performance they did against against Alabama, they will be in good position to knock off the Aggies. It will also be interesting to see how the Rebels handle themselves one week removed after the biggest win in school history.
The Aggies look to right the ship after getting blown out by the Bulldogs in Starkville last week.
Quarterback Kenny Hill was average at best, throwing for 365 yards and four touchdowns, but also threw three interceptions and two of those touchdowns came in garbage time at the end of the game. Hill will need to make better reads and take care of the football against a stout Ole Miss defense if the Aggies expect to win Saturday night.
One way to make Hill's reads easier is to set up the run game early. Running backs Trey Williams, Brandon Williams and Tra Carson are all averaging almost six yards per carry and they will need to keep the Rebel defense early to open up the throwing lanes on the outside. That will be easier said than done, however, as the Rebels only give up 125 rushing yards per game.
No matter how you slice it, Hill will have to take better care of the football if the Aggies expect to win this game. He will also need to keep drives alive early and often to try and wear out the Ole Miss defense to try and get some deep strikes later in the game. If the Aggies can get some long drives early, and turn them into touchdowns, than they will have a great chance to establish the run later in the game against the Rebel defense and win this game.
Prediction: This will be a tough, gritty kind of game with points being at a premium. Many expect the Aggies to win because of home field advantage and because it is tough to gauge how the Rebels will react after such an incredible win last week. Ultimately, this game will be decided by a turnover by Hill in Aggies territory that will lead to the Rebels pushing to the lead and pulling ahead for good.
+Ole Miss Sports 27 - +Texas A&M University 21
Upset Special:
USC vs #10 Arizona
The Trojans look to regroup after a stunning collapse to Arizona St last week that ended on a completed hail mary.
If the Trojans are going to regroup, it will start with quarterback Cody Kessler. Kessler was kind of pedestrian last week, throwing for 273 yards, but didn't throw for any scores. Kessler will need to do a better job of getting the ball in the end zone against a Wildcat team that can put some points on the board.
Luckily for Kessler, he has a very good running game behind him that can some up the play action in this game. Running back Javorius Allen rushed for 143 yards and two scores last week and has now rushed for over 100 yards in all but one game this season. He will need to continue to find running lanes and attack an Arizona defense that ranks 50th against the run, but more importantly to keep the Wildcat offense on the sidelines.
If the Trojans can run the ball effectively and put the ball in the end zone while at the same time partially slow down the Wildcat offense, than they will have a very good opportunity to pull off the road upset.
The Wildcats are buzzing after knocking off Oregon in Eugene and will look to continue their surprising season when they host the Trojans Saturday night.
Quarterback Anu Soloman has been fantastic in his first year at the helm for the Wildcats, completing 64% of his passes for over 1700 yards and 14 touchdowns. He will look to take advantage of a Trojan secondary that has been exposed at times and can be beat as we saw last week against Arizona St.
Solomon also has a very good rushing attack behind him with running backs Nick Wilson and Terris Jones- Grigsby, together accounting for 841 yards and nine touchdowns. If Wilson and Grigsby can get some success early and get the Trojan defense on its heels, than it could be a very long night for the Trojans as they don't have the offense that can keep up with the Wildcat offense.
The key for the Wildcats will be can they stop the Trojan rushing attack. If they can force the Trojans to be one dimensional, it will play to their advantage because you don't want to get involved in a shootout with the Wildcats. If they have trouble stopping the Trojan rushing attack, than the Wildcats will be in trouble in this game.
Prediction: Both defenses will have trouble stopping each other throughout this game. This will be a high scoring, close game in its entirety that will be decided midway through the fourth quarter. While Solomon and the Wildcats have been great up to this point, this will be the first game with a target on their back as a top team in the country. They have also been very fortunate in games against UTSA and California, but unfortunately for the Wildcats, that fortune will turn tonight with Allen rushing for over 200 yards to help the Trojans pull of the upset win.
+USC Trojans 34 - +Arizona Wildcats 31
Last Week: 3-2
2014 Season: 19-10
#2 Auburn vs #3 Mississippi St
The game of the week takes place in Starkville Mississippi when Nick Marshall and the Tigers take on Dak Prescott and the Bulldogs.
The Tigers are coming off a 41-7 thrashing of LSU in Baton Rouge and will try and replicate that performance against the Bulldogs on Saturday. Marshall accounted for over 320 yards and four touchdowns against LSU and now has accumulated 12 total touchdowns to only one turnover. Marshall has done a great job getting the ball out to his trio of receivers who each have the ability to take it to the house if they make a defender miss.
Not only has Marshall done a great job through the air, he has also done a great job leading the Tigers spread zone read rushing attack. Both Marshall and running back Cameron Artis-Payne are averaging more than 5 yards per carry leading the Tigers to the 15th best rushing attack in the country. The Tigers will need to run effectively on Saturday to keep the Bulldogs offense on the sideline and limit their opportunities.
If Marshall can protect the ball and get the Tigers offense moving early with the run and get the ball out to his wide receivers in 1 on 1 coverage, the Tigers will be in good position to win in Starkville.
Dak Prescott and the Bulldogs look to continue their impressive run when they take on the Auburn Tigers. Prescott is coming an amazing performance that saw him total over 330 yards and five touchdowns while only throwing six incompletions. Prescott has been on fire all year both through the air and on the ground and is currently the leader for the Heisman in many people's eyes. If the Bulldogs expect to beat the Tigers on Saturday, Prescott will need to put on another performance like last week.
Running back Josh Robinson will look to attack a very stout rush defense and improve on his 7.5 yards per carry average. Much like Marshall and the Tigers, Prescott and the Bulldogs run a spread zone read attack, which has made it difficult for opposing defenses to stop as Mississippi St ranks 14th in rushing yards per game.
Like Auburn, if Mississippi St can get its offense moving early and keep the Tigers offense off the field, the Bulldogs will be in a good position to win this game because neither defense is going to make very many stops in this one.
Prediction: All signs point to Mississippi St winning this game. It's a home game and they have the leader in the Heisman race and an above average defense they will surely win right? Wrong. This game will come down to special teams and a last minute field goal. The Bulldogs have already missed three extra points and have only made two field goals on the year, while the Tigers have made seven including 3 from 40+. This will be the difference in the game.
+Auburn Athletics 45 - +Mississippi State University 42
#12 Oregon vs #18 UCLA
Marcus Mariotta and the Ducks look to keep their playoff hopes alive when they take on the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl.
Mariotta is coming off a subpar performance in which he threw for 276 yards and two touchdowns, but only had one rushing yard on nine carries and was sacked five times in a 31-24 loss to Arizona. While the Ducks were missing a few guys up front, they didn't play very well up front and couldn't protect Mariotta at all. They will need to play much better on Saturday if they want to beat UCLA.
Much of the Oregon offense the past few years has been based on the run game, but this year they have relied more on Mariotta's arm as they aren't as explosive in the running game as year's past. Running backs Royce Freeman and Thomas Tyner will look to get going early as the Bruins give up 158 rushing yards per game on average. For Mariotta's sake, it would be much needed relief if Freeman and Tyner could get the ground game going as Mariotta has taken a plethora of shots of the last two games. Both Tyner and Freeman average over four and a half yards per carry and will look to find some holes up the middle as that's where the Bruins have been vulnerable in the run game.
The question mark for the Ducks is how will their offensive line play? If they can protect Mariotta and open some holes for Freeman and Tyner, they will win this game. If they have trouble stopping the UCLA blitz packages, than they will lose.
The Bruins are also looking to get back on track after losing to Utah last week and are having their own offensive line issues.
Quarterback Brett Hundley is coming off his own so so performance against the Utes in which he threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns, but was sacked 10 times against the Utes. He will need to do a much better job of getting the ball out fast and preventing negative plays if the Bruins expect to win on Saturday.
While the Bruins have had some struggles in the run game, one guy who hasn't is running back Paul Perkins. Perkins is averaging over five and a half yards per carry and has reached 100 yards four times this season so far. He will look to have a big performance against the Ducks on Saturday against a team that has struggled in the past to stop the run, but has done a better job so far this year.
As stated earlier, the Bruins offensive line has been absolutely terrible in pass protection. It's amazing that Brett Hundley is still standing after how many times he has been hit this year. For the Bruins to win, they will need to keep Hundley upright and keep the pocket clean for him. If the offensive line can do that, UCLA will win this game.
Prediction: Both offenses will move the ball early but will have drives stall because of sacks. This is going to be a game that is won via halftime adjustments after a close first half. Ultimately, the Ducks will start getting after Hundley with some blitz packages and improve upon their season total of 16 sacks. Despite Hundley's efforts, the offensive line will squander any chance at a comeback. The Ducks get a late fourth quarter score that puts this one out of reach.
+University of Oregon 28 - +UCLA Bruins 17
#9 TCU vs #5 Baylor
Trevone Boykin and the Horned Frogs look to upset another top 5 opponent when they travel to Waco to take on the Baylor Bears.
Boykin is coming off a spectacular game against Oklahoma in which he accounted for 400 yards and two touchdowns in the upset victory. He will need to play to that level if the Horned Frogs expect to go into Waco and knock off the Bears on Saturday. The last team to beat the Bears in Waco was in fact TCU and Gary Patterson will look to mimic the game plan put in front of him by the Texas Longhorns to try and slow down the Baylor offense.
Boykin and running back B.J. Catalon will look to get the running game going early and often in an effort to keep the Baylor offense on the sidelines. Catalon had an impressive game himself last week totaling over 80 yards and two touchdowns against the tough front seven of the Sooners. If Catalon can find some holes against a banged up Bears defense early on in this game, it will bode extremely well for the Horned Frogs and their attempt to pull of another upset.
The most interesting matchup in this game will be the Horned Frog defense against the Baylor offense. The Bears offense was slowed down for the first time in quite some time last week when they took on Texas Longhorns who threw numerous different coverage schemes at the Bears and forced them to run the ball. Coach Patterson is known for his defensive prowess and will no doubt replicate some of what the Longhorns did last week to slow down Petty and the Bears.
If Boykin can continue to play the way that he has and if the Horned Frog defense can get some pressure on Petty, than the Horned Frogs will have a great chance to pull off the upset in Waco.
Bryce Petty will look to get the Bears offensive attack back on track when they host the TCU Horned Frogs.
Petty is coming off one of his worst starts at quarterback in which he completed only 7 of 22 passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Petty will need to play much better if the Bears expect to beat the Horned Frogs on Saturday. Petty will look to get the ball out in space to his plethora of receivers including KD Cannon Jay Lee and Antwan Goodley.
While Baylor has one of the best quarterbacks in the country, it also has a very impressive running game that averages over 247 rushing yards per game. Many would argue that the Baylor rushing attack sets up its impressive passing attack. Running back Shock Linwood has been impressive so far this season already racking up 90 carries for 450 yards and eight touchdowns. Johnny Jefferson has also filled in nicely as Linwood's backup averaging over five yards per carry. If Linwood and Jefferson can get going against a very physical Horned Frog defense, it will make it easier for Petty to get spread the ball around the his weapons on the outside and get the offense clicking early.
A word you never hear come out of Waco is actually happening this year and that is defense. Baylor ranks fourth in total defense, averaging only 267 yards against a game to go along with 12 points per game. This game will be quite the challenge for the Bears not only because this will be the best offense that they have faced, but also because the Bears have some guys banged up from last week that won't be playing at 100%. If the Bears can keep the Horned Frog offense in front of them and force a turnover or two from Boykin, than they will have a great chance to get a statement win and put themselves in contention for one of the four playoff spots.
Prediction: Both teams will look to attack the opposing defenses early, but will have trouble in the beginning. After a feeling out process, the Bears will get on the board through the running game. After successful drives by each offense, the Bears will get another score right before the half to go in front by 10. A critical turnover deep in the Horned Frog territory sets the Bears up for another touchdown drive. Boykin leads the Horned Frogs to two consecutive scoring drives to get within seven, but they fail to recover the onside kick and the Bears run out the clock to win a tight one.
+Baylor Athletics 38 - +TCU Athletics 31
#3 Ole Miss vs #14 Texas A&M
Bo Wallace and the Rebels look to knock off another top 25 team when they travel to College Station to take on the Aggies. Wallace and the Rebels are coming off the biggest win in school history after beating Alabama and will look to continue the momentum this week.
Wallace had one of the best games of his career last week, throwing for 251 yards and three touchdowns, but most importantly, zero turnovers. If Wallace can play with that kind of efficiency Saturday night at Kyle Field, the Rebels will have a very good chance at pulling off another impressive win.
While the Rebels are not great at running the football, they are efficient and seem to pick up first downs when they really need them via the ground game. Running back Jaylon Walton is averaging over six yards per carry and will look to expose an Aggie defense that gives up 177 rushing yards per game on average.
The biggest matchup in this game will be the Ole Miss defense against the Aggie offense. If the Rebels can put on the kind of performance they did against against Alabama, they will be in good position to knock off the Aggies. It will also be interesting to see how the Rebels handle themselves one week removed after the biggest win in school history.
The Aggies look to right the ship after getting blown out by the Bulldogs in Starkville last week.
Quarterback Kenny Hill was average at best, throwing for 365 yards and four touchdowns, but also threw three interceptions and two of those touchdowns came in garbage time at the end of the game. Hill will need to make better reads and take care of the football against a stout Ole Miss defense if the Aggies expect to win Saturday night.
One way to make Hill's reads easier is to set up the run game early. Running backs Trey Williams, Brandon Williams and Tra Carson are all averaging almost six yards per carry and they will need to keep the Rebel defense early to open up the throwing lanes on the outside. That will be easier said than done, however, as the Rebels only give up 125 rushing yards per game.
No matter how you slice it, Hill will have to take better care of the football if the Aggies expect to win this game. He will also need to keep drives alive early and often to try and wear out the Ole Miss defense to try and get some deep strikes later in the game. If the Aggies can get some long drives early, and turn them into touchdowns, than they will have a great chance to establish the run later in the game against the Rebel defense and win this game.
Prediction: This will be a tough, gritty kind of game with points being at a premium. Many expect the Aggies to win because of home field advantage and because it is tough to gauge how the Rebels will react after such an incredible win last week. Ultimately, this game will be decided by a turnover by Hill in Aggies territory that will lead to the Rebels pushing to the lead and pulling ahead for good.
+Ole Miss Sports 27 - +Texas A&M University 21
Upset Special:
USC vs #10 Arizona
The Trojans look to regroup after a stunning collapse to Arizona St last week that ended on a completed hail mary.
If the Trojans are going to regroup, it will start with quarterback Cody Kessler. Kessler was kind of pedestrian last week, throwing for 273 yards, but didn't throw for any scores. Kessler will need to do a better job of getting the ball in the end zone against a Wildcat team that can put some points on the board.
Luckily for Kessler, he has a very good running game behind him that can some up the play action in this game. Running back Javorius Allen rushed for 143 yards and two scores last week and has now rushed for over 100 yards in all but one game this season. He will need to continue to find running lanes and attack an Arizona defense that ranks 50th against the run, but more importantly to keep the Wildcat offense on the sidelines.
If the Trojans can run the ball effectively and put the ball in the end zone while at the same time partially slow down the Wildcat offense, than they will have a very good opportunity to pull off the road upset.
The Wildcats are buzzing after knocking off Oregon in Eugene and will look to continue their surprising season when they host the Trojans Saturday night.
Quarterback Anu Soloman has been fantastic in his first year at the helm for the Wildcats, completing 64% of his passes for over 1700 yards and 14 touchdowns. He will look to take advantage of a Trojan secondary that has been exposed at times and can be beat as we saw last week against Arizona St.
Solomon also has a very good rushing attack behind him with running backs Nick Wilson and Terris Jones- Grigsby, together accounting for 841 yards and nine touchdowns. If Wilson and Grigsby can get some success early and get the Trojan defense on its heels, than it could be a very long night for the Trojans as they don't have the offense that can keep up with the Wildcat offense.
The key for the Wildcats will be can they stop the Trojan rushing attack. If they can force the Trojans to be one dimensional, it will play to their advantage because you don't want to get involved in a shootout with the Wildcats. If they have trouble stopping the Trojan rushing attack, than the Wildcats will be in trouble in this game.
Prediction: Both defenses will have trouble stopping each other throughout this game. This will be a high scoring, close game in its entirety that will be decided midway through the fourth quarter. While Solomon and the Wildcats have been great up to this point, this will be the first game with a target on their back as a top team in the country. They have also been very fortunate in games against UTSA and California, but unfortunately for the Wildcats, that fortune will turn tonight with Allen rushing for over 200 yards to help the Trojans pull of the upset win.
+USC Trojans 34 - +Arizona Wildcats 31
Last Week: 3-2
2014 Season: 19-10
Saturday, October 4, 2014
2014 College Football Week 6 Pick Em
A decent 3-2 performance last week. Lets get right to this weeks picks in what should be an exciting weekend.
#19 Nebraska vs #10 Michigan St
Ameer Abdullah and the Cornhuskers will look to upset the Spartans and put themselves in better consideration for the Playoff when they visit East Lansing Saturday night.
Abdullah has been absolutely insane so far this year rushing for over 200 yards in three of the first five games while accounting for 10 total touchdowns. Abdullah will look to replicate his performance from last year against the Spartans in which he ran for 122 yards in a 13 point loss. Abdullah will no doubt get the ball early and often in an effort to soften up a tough Spartan front seven in hopes of allowing quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. to beat the secondary over the top.
Armstrong Jr has been equally as good on the ground as Abdullah averaging over eight yards per carry. Armstrong Jr has also done a good job protecting the football throwing for 10 touchdowns while only throwing three interceptions. Armstrong will need to make some plays with his feet on Saturday, but most importantly will need to take care of the ball if the Cornhuskers expect to go into East Lansing and beat the Spartans.
The big question will be how will the Cornhusker defense fare against the Spartan rushing attack. The Cornhuskers are one of the best in the country at stopping the run, but will face their toughest test yet on Saturday in a hostile environment.
If the Cornhuskers can get Abdullah going early and stop the Spartan rushing attack, than they will be very much in contention to pull off the upset on Saturday.
Michigan St will look to keep its title hopes alive when it welcomes Nebraska to East Lansing Saturday night.
The Spartans are coming off an easy win over Wyoming and will look to carry the offensive momentum from that game into this contest. The Spartans have been rolling on offense all year with a very balanced offensive attack that has racked up on average 263 passing yards per game and 252 rushing yards per game.
Running Back Jeremy Langford is the workhorse for this offense and will no doubt get the call early and often for the Spartans in this one. So far this season Langford is averaging over five yards per carry and has gotten the ability to rest in two of those contest that saw the Spartans demolish two overly matched teams. Langford's legs should be rested and will need to be rested if he and the Spartans expect to run against the Nebraska front seven who are finally starting to resemble the black shirts of old.
Quarterback Connor Cook is building upon his impressive 2013 season and is doing a very good job managing the offense so far this season. Cook is completing almost 70% of his passes while throwing for nine touchdowns and only two interceptions. Cook will need to play with that kind of efficiency as the Cornhuskers will more than likely stack the box to stop Langford and force Cook to beat them through the air.
If Cook can beat the man coverage he is likely to see on the outside throughout the game, it will allow Langford some rushing room and put the Spartans in great position to defend their home turf and continue to be put in the Playoff discussion.
Prediction: Both teams will try and establish the run, but will have a hard time doing it. The Spartans will open their running game up by allowing Cook to challenge the Nebraska corners. Nebraska will get back in the game, but will face a fourth quarter deficit and will have to rely on Armstrong Jr's arm to dig them out of it. After getting within three points, a critical turnover by Armstrong will set the Spartans up with a short field and will punch in the game deciding touchdown.
+Michigan State Athletics 31 - +Nebraska Huskers 21
#4 Oklahoma vs #25 TCU
Oklahoma will look to make its case that it is the best team in the country when it takes on the Horned Frogs Saturday.
The Sooners have had a week to prepare for the Horned Frogs after beating West Virginia the week before 45-33 in what was an exciting game. The Sooners have an explosive up tempo offense that can attack quickly through the air or powerfully and methodically on the ground. The Sooners will need to keep that balance if they want to beat the Horned Frogs on the road.
Quarterback Trevor Knight has shown that last season wasn't a fluke. Knight isn't asked to beat the defense himself but instead manage the offense and put his team in position to rely on the run game. Knight will need to play better than he did against West Virginia against a much tougher defense in the Horned Frogs.
Luckily for Knight, he has a incredible rushing attack that can help take the pressure off of him. Running Backs Keith Ford and Samaje Perine have ran all over their opponents averaging six yards a carry combined while accumulating 10 touchdowns so far this season. The Sooners were without Ford against West Virginia after he hurt his foot against Tennessee and if Ford can't go in this one, Perine will need to carry the load if the Sooners expect to win on Saturday.
If the Sooners can get the running game going early and force a few turnovers on defense, than this game could get ugly in a hurry.
TCU is back in the top 25 for the first time in a while and will look to prove that they belong on Saturday. The Horned Frogs are coming off a crushing win over SMU, but then again who hasn't done that this year.
Quarterback Trevone Boykin has been much improved this season and is one of the reasons the Horned Frogs are back in the top 25. Boykin has been impressive both with his arm and his feet and will need to make plays with both against Oklahoma if the Horned Frogs expect to pull the upset. Boykin is completing 64% passes while throwing eight touchdowns and only one interception. He is also averaging over six yards per carry and will look to replicate both of these statistics on Saturday.
Boykin will look to get the ball out in space to his plethora of receivers including Deante' Gray, David Porter, Josh Doctson and Kolby Listenbee. All four of these receivers have caught at least 9 passes on the year and have accounted for eight receiving touchdowns. These receivers will look to take a page out of the West Virginia playbook from two weeks ago in which the Sooners struggled throughout the first half defending the pass. The Horned Frogs will need to keep that game plan together for the entirety of the game unlike West Virginia who scored only 10 points in the second half.
If TCU can protect Boykin and force the Sooners into some third down and long situations, than the Horned Frogs will have a chance to pull off the upset on Saturday.
Prediction: This will be a close game for the entirety of the ball game. Both teams will have success early at the quarterback position, which will put pressure on each defense to come after the quarterback with blitzes. The Oklahoma rushing attack will prove to be too strong in the end with or without Ford and the Sooners will escape out of Fort Worth by the skin of their teeth.
+The University of Oklahoma 31 - +TCU Athletics 28
#3 Alabama vs #11 Ole Miss
The Crimson Tide will look to replicate last year's beat down against Ole Miss when they travel to Oxford to take on the Rebels.
Alabama has had a week to prepare for the Rebels after demolishing the Florida Gators and will look to wreak havoc on the paltry Ole Miss offense. Quarterback Blake Sims has been everything the Tide has expected and more so far this season, throwing for 1100 yards and eight touchdowns. Sims has thrived under the Lane Kiffin offense and will look to continue that momentum against the Rebels on Saturday.
Sims also has the luxury of a physical running game with running back Derrick Henry and T.J. Yeldon carrying the load for the Crimson Tide offense. Together Henry and Yeldon have averaged over 20 carries per game this season and if the Crimson Tide expects to win in Oxford, that trend will need to continue. If the running back duo can average four to five yards a carry against the Ole Miss defense, than the Tide will be rolling on Saturday.
If that wasn't impressive enough, the Crimson Tide also have the best receiver in the country in Amari Cooper. Cooper has already caught 43 passes for 655 yards and five touchdowns. Sims will look to Cooper early and often as the Rebel defense will have to pick its poison between the Crimson Tide rushing attack or trying to shut down the passing attack of Sims and Cooper.
The Crimson Tide will also bring in the fifth best defense in the country. The defense has only given up an average of 250 yards per game while only allowing 14 points per game. This will be the biggest mismatch in terms of unit vs unit as the Ole Miss offense has been downright awful at times this season.
If Alabama can run the ball and force some mistakes from Rebel Quarterback Bo Wallace, then this game will be over by halftime.
Ole Miss will look to pull off one of the biggest upsets ever when the Rebels host the Crimson Tide.
The Rebels are coming off a less than stellar win over Memphis at home in which the Rebels only scored 24 points. If the Rebels expect to compete in this game, the offense will need to operate with much better efficiency than it has so far this season.
Quarterback Bo Wallace has had his moments at the start of this season. Wallace has been incredibly accurate completing 71% of his passes for over 1200 yards and 11 touchdowns. The problem is that Wallace has also thrown six interceptions and has been sacked seven times. Wallace will need to find the happy medium of trying to make a play while at the same time protecting the ball against the Crimson Tide defense.
The biggest problem for the Rebels has been their inability to consistently establish the run. Running backs Jaylen Walton and I'Tavius Mathers have struggled to find the hole as neither of them have rushed for more than 100 yards in a game this season. It won't get any easier for Walten or Mathers as Alabama is one of the best defenses in the country against the run.
The biggest bright spot for the Rebels has been their defense. The defense this year has been much improved and has playmakers all across the field. If the Rebels can get some pressure on Sims and force a turnover or two in that raucous environment, it could shake the Tide's signal caller and give the Rebels a chance to pull off the upset.
Prediction: Alabama will have to implode for the Rebels to win this game. The Crimson Tide are simply better at every facet of the game than the Rebels are. The Crimson Tide defense will pressure Wallace all game long and Sims will hit Cooper deep twice in the first half and this game will be over by halftime.
+Alabama Crimson Tide 45 - +Ole Miss - The University of Mississippi 10
#14 Stanford vs #9 Notre Dame
Kevin Hogan and the Cardinal travel to South Bend and will look to beat the Irish in South Bend for the first time since 2010.
The Cardinal are coming off a sloppy win over Washington in Seattle last week that saw the Cardinal rack up eight penalties for 85 yards and three turnovers. The Cardinal will need to play much better on Saturday if they expect to go to South Bend and knock off the streaking Irish.
Quarterback Kevin Hogan was very efficient in his last start, completing 65% of his passes, however he only accumulated 178 yards total. While Hogan isn't asked to throw for 300+ yards, he will need to move the ball downfield in order to keep the Irish defense honest and out of the box. If Hogan can move the ball down the field and keep the Irish offense off the field, the Cardinal will be in a good position to win.
The Cardinal still haven't gotten the running game going yet which is quite surprising give that this has been one of the best rushing teams over the last few years. Running backs Barry Sanders, Remound Wright and Kelsey Young have yet to rush for over 100 yards in a game. The rushing attack looked better against the Huskies but still wasn't the kind of rushing attack that we are used to from a Stanford squad.
If the Cardinal can run the ball effectively and put some pressure on Golson early and often than the Cardinal will have a great opportunity to win.
Everett Golson and the Fighting Irish will look to get themselves back in the National Championship picture and a win over the Cardinal wouldn't hurt.
Golson has looked very good so far this season after not playing last season due to suspension. Golson is looking like a legitimate NFL caliber quarterback after working with quarterback guru George Whitfield over the summer. Goslon has thrown for at least 250 yards in each game and two touchdowns as well.
Golson is essentially the Irish offense. Everything goes through him as he is tied for the team lead in rushing attempts with 39. The Irish have four different rushers that have carried the ball at least 33 times including Golson. The Irish will need to establish the run at some point, which could prove to be difficult as the Cardinal have been very good against the run. Golson will need continue his hot ways both through the air and on the ground if the Irish are going to beat the Cardinal on Saturday.
The Notre Dame defense has been very good at times this season and will look to get the offense a short field to work with at some point in this game. Given the Cardinal's struggles running the football, it is safe to assume the Irish will bring pressure throughout this game to try and get Hogan off of his rhythm.
Prediction: This is going to be a tough, grind it out kind of game. Each team will have troubles early and will need to adjust in order to move the ball down field. Ultimately Golson's ability to make plays with both his legs and his feet will be the difference in this game, which will come down to the wire.
+Notre Dame Athletics 24 - +Stanford University 20
Upset Special
#6 Texas A&M vs #12 Mississippi St
#19 Nebraska vs #10 Michigan St
Ameer Abdullah and the Cornhuskers will look to upset the Spartans and put themselves in better consideration for the Playoff when they visit East Lansing Saturday night.
Abdullah has been absolutely insane so far this year rushing for over 200 yards in three of the first five games while accounting for 10 total touchdowns. Abdullah will look to replicate his performance from last year against the Spartans in which he ran for 122 yards in a 13 point loss. Abdullah will no doubt get the ball early and often in an effort to soften up a tough Spartan front seven in hopes of allowing quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. to beat the secondary over the top.
Armstrong Jr has been equally as good on the ground as Abdullah averaging over eight yards per carry. Armstrong Jr has also done a good job protecting the football throwing for 10 touchdowns while only throwing three interceptions. Armstrong will need to make some plays with his feet on Saturday, but most importantly will need to take care of the ball if the Cornhuskers expect to go into East Lansing and beat the Spartans.
The big question will be how will the Cornhusker defense fare against the Spartan rushing attack. The Cornhuskers are one of the best in the country at stopping the run, but will face their toughest test yet on Saturday in a hostile environment.
If the Cornhuskers can get Abdullah going early and stop the Spartan rushing attack, than they will be very much in contention to pull off the upset on Saturday.
Michigan St will look to keep its title hopes alive when it welcomes Nebraska to East Lansing Saturday night.
The Spartans are coming off an easy win over Wyoming and will look to carry the offensive momentum from that game into this contest. The Spartans have been rolling on offense all year with a very balanced offensive attack that has racked up on average 263 passing yards per game and 252 rushing yards per game.
Running Back Jeremy Langford is the workhorse for this offense and will no doubt get the call early and often for the Spartans in this one. So far this season Langford is averaging over five yards per carry and has gotten the ability to rest in two of those contest that saw the Spartans demolish two overly matched teams. Langford's legs should be rested and will need to be rested if he and the Spartans expect to run against the Nebraska front seven who are finally starting to resemble the black shirts of old.
Quarterback Connor Cook is building upon his impressive 2013 season and is doing a very good job managing the offense so far this season. Cook is completing almost 70% of his passes while throwing for nine touchdowns and only two interceptions. Cook will need to play with that kind of efficiency as the Cornhuskers will more than likely stack the box to stop Langford and force Cook to beat them through the air.
If Cook can beat the man coverage he is likely to see on the outside throughout the game, it will allow Langford some rushing room and put the Spartans in great position to defend their home turf and continue to be put in the Playoff discussion.
Prediction: Both teams will try and establish the run, but will have a hard time doing it. The Spartans will open their running game up by allowing Cook to challenge the Nebraska corners. Nebraska will get back in the game, but will face a fourth quarter deficit and will have to rely on Armstrong Jr's arm to dig them out of it. After getting within three points, a critical turnover by Armstrong will set the Spartans up with a short field and will punch in the game deciding touchdown.
+Michigan State Athletics 31 - +Nebraska Huskers 21
#4 Oklahoma vs #25 TCU
Oklahoma will look to make its case that it is the best team in the country when it takes on the Horned Frogs Saturday.
The Sooners have had a week to prepare for the Horned Frogs after beating West Virginia the week before 45-33 in what was an exciting game. The Sooners have an explosive up tempo offense that can attack quickly through the air or powerfully and methodically on the ground. The Sooners will need to keep that balance if they want to beat the Horned Frogs on the road.
Quarterback Trevor Knight has shown that last season wasn't a fluke. Knight isn't asked to beat the defense himself but instead manage the offense and put his team in position to rely on the run game. Knight will need to play better than he did against West Virginia against a much tougher defense in the Horned Frogs.
Luckily for Knight, he has a incredible rushing attack that can help take the pressure off of him. Running Backs Keith Ford and Samaje Perine have ran all over their opponents averaging six yards a carry combined while accumulating 10 touchdowns so far this season. The Sooners were without Ford against West Virginia after he hurt his foot against Tennessee and if Ford can't go in this one, Perine will need to carry the load if the Sooners expect to win on Saturday.
If the Sooners can get the running game going early and force a few turnovers on defense, than this game could get ugly in a hurry.
TCU is back in the top 25 for the first time in a while and will look to prove that they belong on Saturday. The Horned Frogs are coming off a crushing win over SMU, but then again who hasn't done that this year.
Quarterback Trevone Boykin has been much improved this season and is one of the reasons the Horned Frogs are back in the top 25. Boykin has been impressive both with his arm and his feet and will need to make plays with both against Oklahoma if the Horned Frogs expect to pull the upset. Boykin is completing 64% passes while throwing eight touchdowns and only one interception. He is also averaging over six yards per carry and will look to replicate both of these statistics on Saturday.
Boykin will look to get the ball out in space to his plethora of receivers including Deante' Gray, David Porter, Josh Doctson and Kolby Listenbee. All four of these receivers have caught at least 9 passes on the year and have accounted for eight receiving touchdowns. These receivers will look to take a page out of the West Virginia playbook from two weeks ago in which the Sooners struggled throughout the first half defending the pass. The Horned Frogs will need to keep that game plan together for the entirety of the game unlike West Virginia who scored only 10 points in the second half.
If TCU can protect Boykin and force the Sooners into some third down and long situations, than the Horned Frogs will have a chance to pull off the upset on Saturday.
Prediction: This will be a close game for the entirety of the ball game. Both teams will have success early at the quarterback position, which will put pressure on each defense to come after the quarterback with blitzes. The Oklahoma rushing attack will prove to be too strong in the end with or without Ford and the Sooners will escape out of Fort Worth by the skin of their teeth.
+The University of Oklahoma 31 - +TCU Athletics 28
#3 Alabama vs #11 Ole Miss
The Crimson Tide will look to replicate last year's beat down against Ole Miss when they travel to Oxford to take on the Rebels.
Alabama has had a week to prepare for the Rebels after demolishing the Florida Gators and will look to wreak havoc on the paltry Ole Miss offense. Quarterback Blake Sims has been everything the Tide has expected and more so far this season, throwing for 1100 yards and eight touchdowns. Sims has thrived under the Lane Kiffin offense and will look to continue that momentum against the Rebels on Saturday.
Sims also has the luxury of a physical running game with running back Derrick Henry and T.J. Yeldon carrying the load for the Crimson Tide offense. Together Henry and Yeldon have averaged over 20 carries per game this season and if the Crimson Tide expects to win in Oxford, that trend will need to continue. If the running back duo can average four to five yards a carry against the Ole Miss defense, than the Tide will be rolling on Saturday.
If that wasn't impressive enough, the Crimson Tide also have the best receiver in the country in Amari Cooper. Cooper has already caught 43 passes for 655 yards and five touchdowns. Sims will look to Cooper early and often as the Rebel defense will have to pick its poison between the Crimson Tide rushing attack or trying to shut down the passing attack of Sims and Cooper.
The Crimson Tide will also bring in the fifth best defense in the country. The defense has only given up an average of 250 yards per game while only allowing 14 points per game. This will be the biggest mismatch in terms of unit vs unit as the Ole Miss offense has been downright awful at times this season.
If Alabama can run the ball and force some mistakes from Rebel Quarterback Bo Wallace, then this game will be over by halftime.
Ole Miss will look to pull off one of the biggest upsets ever when the Rebels host the Crimson Tide.
The Rebels are coming off a less than stellar win over Memphis at home in which the Rebels only scored 24 points. If the Rebels expect to compete in this game, the offense will need to operate with much better efficiency than it has so far this season.
Quarterback Bo Wallace has had his moments at the start of this season. Wallace has been incredibly accurate completing 71% of his passes for over 1200 yards and 11 touchdowns. The problem is that Wallace has also thrown six interceptions and has been sacked seven times. Wallace will need to find the happy medium of trying to make a play while at the same time protecting the ball against the Crimson Tide defense.
The biggest problem for the Rebels has been their inability to consistently establish the run. Running backs Jaylen Walton and I'Tavius Mathers have struggled to find the hole as neither of them have rushed for more than 100 yards in a game this season. It won't get any easier for Walten or Mathers as Alabama is one of the best defenses in the country against the run.
The biggest bright spot for the Rebels has been their defense. The defense this year has been much improved and has playmakers all across the field. If the Rebels can get some pressure on Sims and force a turnover or two in that raucous environment, it could shake the Tide's signal caller and give the Rebels a chance to pull off the upset.
Prediction: Alabama will have to implode for the Rebels to win this game. The Crimson Tide are simply better at every facet of the game than the Rebels are. The Crimson Tide defense will pressure Wallace all game long and Sims will hit Cooper deep twice in the first half and this game will be over by halftime.
+Alabama Crimson Tide 45 - +Ole Miss - The University of Mississippi 10
#14 Stanford vs #9 Notre Dame
Kevin Hogan and the Cardinal travel to South Bend and will look to beat the Irish in South Bend for the first time since 2010.
The Cardinal are coming off a sloppy win over Washington in Seattle last week that saw the Cardinal rack up eight penalties for 85 yards and three turnovers. The Cardinal will need to play much better on Saturday if they expect to go to South Bend and knock off the streaking Irish.
Quarterback Kevin Hogan was very efficient in his last start, completing 65% of his passes, however he only accumulated 178 yards total. While Hogan isn't asked to throw for 300+ yards, he will need to move the ball downfield in order to keep the Irish defense honest and out of the box. If Hogan can move the ball down the field and keep the Irish offense off the field, the Cardinal will be in a good position to win.
The Cardinal still haven't gotten the running game going yet which is quite surprising give that this has been one of the best rushing teams over the last few years. Running backs Barry Sanders, Remound Wright and Kelsey Young have yet to rush for over 100 yards in a game. The rushing attack looked better against the Huskies but still wasn't the kind of rushing attack that we are used to from a Stanford squad.
If the Cardinal can run the ball effectively and put some pressure on Golson early and often than the Cardinal will have a great opportunity to win.
Everett Golson and the Fighting Irish will look to get themselves back in the National Championship picture and a win over the Cardinal wouldn't hurt.
Golson has looked very good so far this season after not playing last season due to suspension. Golson is looking like a legitimate NFL caliber quarterback after working with quarterback guru George Whitfield over the summer. Goslon has thrown for at least 250 yards in each game and two touchdowns as well.
Golson is essentially the Irish offense. Everything goes through him as he is tied for the team lead in rushing attempts with 39. The Irish have four different rushers that have carried the ball at least 33 times including Golson. The Irish will need to establish the run at some point, which could prove to be difficult as the Cardinal have been very good against the run. Golson will need continue his hot ways both through the air and on the ground if the Irish are going to beat the Cardinal on Saturday.
The Notre Dame defense has been very good at times this season and will look to get the offense a short field to work with at some point in this game. Given the Cardinal's struggles running the football, it is safe to assume the Irish will bring pressure throughout this game to try and get Hogan off of his rhythm.
Prediction: This is going to be a tough, grind it out kind of game. Each team will have troubles early and will need to adjust in order to move the ball down field. Ultimately Golson's ability to make plays with both his legs and his feet will be the difference in this game, which will come down to the wire.
+Notre Dame Athletics 24 - +Stanford University 20
Upset Special
#6 Texas A&M vs #12 Mississippi St
The Aggies will look to continue the climb up the SEC West standings when they travel to Starkville to take on the Mississippi St Bulldogs.
The Aggies are coming off a come from behind win against Arkansas at Jerry World and now will have to make the difficult trek to one of the most underrated atmosphere's in all of college football.
Quarterback Kenny Hill has been better than most people would have imagined taking over for Johnny Manziel at the helm of the Aggy offense. Hill has thrown for over 300 yards three times this season while also throwing for four touchdowns three different times this season. Hill will look to continue that success against a much improved Bulldog defense.
Hill will look to get the ball out quick to his playmakers including Malcome Kennedy, Josh Reynolds and Ricky Seals Jones. The Aggies have so many weapons both at receiver and at running back that it makes defending their offense quite the challenge.
The Aggies also sport a very good rushing attack with running backs Tra Carson, Trey Williams and Brandon Williams sharing the workload. All three guys average six yards a carry and will look to find some holes against one of the best rush defenses in the country.
If Kenny Hill can work the ball down field and keep help open some running lanes for his running backs, than the Aggies will be in very good position to stay atop the SEC West.
Dak Prescott will look to lead the Bulldogs to another upset victory when they welcome the Aggies to Starkville on Saturday.
Prescott is coming off an incredible performance against the LSU Tigers in which he accounted for 373 yards and three touchdowns in Baton Rouge to upset the Tigers. Prescott has been great all season, totaling 14 touchdowns to two turnovers. If the Bulldogs expect to pull off the upset, Prescott will need to continue to play the way he has all season long.
You can expect a heavy dose of both Prescott and Josh Robinson carrying the ball for the Bulldogs as Mississippi St ranks 15th in the country in rushing adds per game. This will be the biggest weapon for the Bulldogs as they can use their success in the running game to keep the Aggy offense off the field and while the Aggies have improved their rush defense from last year, they are still vulnerable against the run.
While the Mississippi St defense has been one of the best against the run, they have been gashed through the air ranking 121st in the country against the pass. That is not a place you want to be when going up against one of the best passing offenses in the country. It is safe to say that this will be a shootout.
Prediction: Both defenses will have trouble stopping the opposing offenses early. With the Bulldogs struggles against the pass, the offense will use its rushing attack to keep the Aggy offense on the sideline. This strategy will slowly wear down the Aggy defense which will open up rushing lanes for Prescott and Robinson early in the fourth quarter. Down 14 Hill will lead a touchdown drive to get his team back within a score, but the onside kick is recovered by Mississippi St and the Bulldogs will pull of their second upset in as many weeks.
Last Week: 3-2
2014 Season: 16-9
2014 Season: 16-9
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