Tweet
Previews and Predictions
Predicting the Winners: Week Two
Thursday, September 2nd
Eastern Michigan 27 Buffalo 20
Utah 24 Texas A&M 17
Boston College 41 Ball State 10
Western Michigan 38 UT Martin 3
TCU 31 Northwestern 28
Arizona State 42 UTEP 17
Friday, September 3rd
Washington State 24 New Mexico 21
Saturday, September 4th
Texas 38 North Texas 10
Arkansas 34 New Mexico State 14
Kansas State 48 Western Kentucky 7
California 38 Air Force 17
Virginia 28 Temple 20
Wisconsin 31 UCF 10
Michigan 38 Miami, Ohio 14
Connecticut 48 Murray State 10
Oklahoma 45 Bowling Green 17
Iowa 38 Kent State 7
Ohio State 31 Cincinnati 14
Vanderbilt 24 South Carolina 21
Georgia 42 Georgia Southern 13
Georgia Tech 38 Samford 3
North Carolina 41 William & Mary 7
Iowa State 38 Northern Iowa 19
Auburn 45 UL Monroe 7
Wyoming 31 Appalachian State 10
Rutgers 27 Michigan State 24
Penn State 34 Akron 17
Oklahoma State 17 UCLA 14
Clemson 31 Wake Forest 24
Marshall 28 Troy State 17
Mississippi State 38 Tulane 13
Maryland 27 Northern Illinois 14
Illinois 40 Florida A&M 10
Navy 31 Duke 21
Florida 38 MTSU 7
N.C. State 42 Richmond 7
LSU 31 Oregon State 14
West Virginia 34 East Carolina 10
Nebraska 45 Western Illinois 14
Indiana 31 Central Michigan 14
Missouri 38 Arkansas State 7
UAB 28 Baylor 24
Mississippi 35 Memphis 31
Alabama 38 Utah State 10
Ohio 37 VMI 6
Kansas 24 Tulsa 21
UL Lafayette 31 Northwestern State 20
Colorado 30 Colorado State 24
Texas Tech 49 SMU 14
Houston 38 Rice 20
Boise State 49 Idaho 17
San Diego State 38 Idaho State 6
Minnesota 34 Toledo 31
Notre Dame 27 BYU 14
Stanford 38 San Jose State 13
Arizona 38 Northern Arizona 7
Hawaii 48 Florida Atlantic 14
Sunday, September 5th
Purdue 31 Syracuse 14
Louisville 38 Kentucky 21
Fresno State 27 Washington 24
Tennessee 31 UNLV 13
Monday, September 6th
Nevada 34 Louisiana Tech 28
Pittsburgh 28 South Florida 17
Miami, Fla. 20 Florida State 17
Florida State vs. Miami, Fla.
StoryLine: With this being the first game for both teams this season, there is going to be some rust and a lot of excitement for both teams. The loser of this game will be behind in the race for the ACC Championship, while the winner should propel themselves into the National Championship race.
Football.com Cam: Both teams have questions on offense that must be answered this season. The key question for both offenses is at the quarterback position. While Chris Rix isn’t as bad as some make him out to be, he appears primed for his best season yet. If he can win one against the ‘Canes, that would solidify his spot in Seminoles history. The Hurricanes offense struggled last season with quarterbacks Brock Berlin and Derrick Crudup piloting the offense and both players are back this season. Redshirt freshman Kyle Wright is expected to become a star for this program and should push for playing time at some point. Expect both teams to pound the ball on the ground to help set up play action passes downfield. Easing the quarterbacks into the game will be a big key for this game. Expect Seminoles running backs Lorenzo Booker and Leon Washington to outshine the ‘Canes combination of Tyrone Moss and Frank Gore. The defenses are likely to dominate this game and both suffered key personnel offenses during the offseason. The ‘Noles have the slight edge on the front seven going into this game, but the secondary might lean more towards the ‘Canes. If the game comes down to a field goal, Seminoles kicker Xavier Beitia has struggled against the ‘Canes.
Bold Prediction: The Seminoles haven’t had good luck winning in the Orange Bowl recently and this could be the year that they break through. Although I think they have a great shot at winning the game, the home field advantage may be too much and the Hurricanes slip away with a close 20-17 victory.
Mississippi vs. Memphis
StoryLine: The Rebels will begin life without Eli Manning against a tough non-conference opponent in Memphis. Last season, the Tigers upset the Rebels and have another good shot at an upset.
Football.com Cam: Expect the offenses to set the tone for this game. For the Tigers, all eleven starters returning from last season, including running back DeAngelo Williams and quarterback Danny Wimprine. Wimprine and Williams form a solid one-two punch and will put up points this season. Williams is also one of the best all-around backs in the NCAA. The key match-up in this game is going to be the Tigers offense against the Rebels defense. The Rebels offense is going to put up points, but the question is if their defense can get a stop. The secondary appears to be the best unit on this team and should provide a tough test for Wimprine. Expect Williams to get a big workload to help set up Wimprine. The Tigers defense is talented, but very inexperienced at spots. They will be facing a Rebels offense that must rebuild after losing quarterback Eli Manning. Michael Spurlock is expected to be the starter and will bring mobility and has a good arm. The offense must establish a running game to help Spurlock.
Bold Prediction: With both teams sporting questionable defenses, this game should be a shootout. Last season, the Tigers upset the Rebels and that should give the Rebels enough incentive to get payback. However, don’t be surprised if the Tigers win again. Rebels 35 Tigers 31.
Louisville vs. Kentucky
StoryLine: The annual battle for supremacy in the Bluegrass State will take centerstage on Sunday. This game is usually one of the more entertaining first week games and will show a lot about both teams for this season.
Football.com Cam: The Cardinals have the talent to be one of the best defense in Conference USA, but they struggled last season and will need to patch up the holes if they want to win the title again. The Wildcats offense must replace quarterback Jared Lorenzen, but new starter Shane Boyd is an interesting prospect. Look for Boyd to use his mobility and big arm to make plays downfield. Last season, the Wildcats offense had no running game and that cannot happen again. Arliss Beach and Draak Davis combined for 560 rushing yards last season and that must change. If the offense struggles to run the ball, they won’t be able to improve off last season’s four wins. When the Cardinals have the ball, they should be fun to watch. Piloting the offense is senior quarterback Stefan LeFors, who is a dual threat and has a ton of weapons at his disposal. Running backs Lionel Gates and Eric Shelton are two of the best in Conference USA and receiver J.R. Russell is a gamebreaker. Both offenses should be able to score, but which defense can come up with a stop at the key time?
Bold Prediction: The Cardinals have defeated the Wildcats four out of the last five times and that isn’t surprising. The Cardinals are clearly the better team going into this game and they will walk away with a 38-21 victory over the Wildcats.
Oregon State vs. LSU
StoryLine: The defending National Champions will begin their title defense against a tough team from the Northwest in Oregon State. The Beavers have a long trip to make to Baton Rouge, but don’t expect them to back down from the challenge.
Football.com Cam: How will the Beavers react to the hostile environment of Tiger Stadium? If they can manage the crowd and find a running game early on, they can hang with the Tigers. Losing Steven Jackson to the NFL hurts the offense, but Dwight Wright isn’t a bad back. Quarterback Derek Anderson has a knack for making dumb throws and that has to be avoided. Watch receiver Mike Hass against the tough Tigers secondary. If he can stretch the field, that will help slow down the blitz of the defense. When the Tigers have the ball, they will pound the ball. Running back Justin Vincent is ready to become an all-SEC player, but needs help in the passing game. Quarterback Marcus Randall isn’t the best passer and will struggle at times. He just needs to manage the game and don’t force the ball. The Tigers defense should score once in this game.
Bold Prediction: The Beavers can keep this one close, but on the road it will be difficult to come away with a victory. The Tigers defense is going to be too much and they should come away with a 31-14 victory over the Beavers.
Predicting the Winners: Week Two
Thursday, September 2nd
Eastern Michigan 27 Buffalo 20
Utah 24 Texas A&M 17
Boston College 41 Ball State 10
Western Michigan 38 UT Martin 3
TCU 31 Northwestern 28
Arizona State 42 UTEP 17
Friday, September 3rd
Washington State 24 New Mexico 21
Saturday, September 4th
Texas 38 North Texas 10
Arkansas 34 New Mexico State 14
Kansas State 48 Western Kentucky 7
California 38 Air Force 17
Virginia 28 Temple 20
Wisconsin 31 UCF 10
Michigan 38 Miami, Ohio 14
Connecticut 48 Murray State 10
Oklahoma 45 Bowling Green 17
Iowa 38 Kent State 7
Ohio State 31 Cincinnati 14
Vanderbilt 24 South Carolina 21
Georgia 42 Georgia Southern 13
Georgia Tech 38 Samford 3
North Carolina 41 William & Mary 7
Iowa State 38 Northern Iowa 19
Auburn 45 UL Monroe 7
Wyoming 31 Appalachian State 10
Rutgers 27 Michigan State 24
Penn State 34 Akron 17
Oklahoma State 17 UCLA 14
Clemson 31 Wake Forest 24
Marshall 28 Troy State 17
Mississippi State 38 Tulane 13
Maryland 27 Northern Illinois 14
Illinois 40 Florida A&M 10
Navy 31 Duke 21
Florida 38 MTSU 7
N.C. State 42 Richmond 7
LSU 31 Oregon State 14
West Virginia 34 East Carolina 10
Nebraska 45 Western Illinois 14
Indiana 31 Central Michigan 14
Missouri 38 Arkansas State 7
UAB 28 Baylor 24
Mississippi 35 Memphis 31
Alabama 38 Utah State 10
Ohio 37 VMI 6
Kansas 24 Tulsa 21
UL Lafayette 31 Northwestern State 20
Colorado 30 Colorado State 24
Texas Tech 49 SMU 14
Houston 38 Rice 20
Boise State 49 Idaho 17
San Diego State 38 Idaho State 6
Minnesota 34 Toledo 31
Notre Dame 27 BYU 14
Stanford 38 San Jose State 13
Arizona 38 Northern Arizona 7
Hawaii 48 Florida Atlantic 14
Sunday, September 5th
Purdue 31 Syracuse 14
Louisville 38 Kentucky 21
Fresno State 27 Washington 24
Tennessee 31 UNLV 13
Monday, September 6th
Nevada 34 Louisiana Tech 28
Pittsburgh 28 South Florida 17
Miami, Fla. 20 Florida State 17
Florida State vs. Miami, Fla.
StoryLine: With this being the first game for both teams this season, there is going to be some rust and a lot of excitement for both teams. The loser of this game will be behind in the race for the ACC Championship, while the winner should propel themselves into the National Championship race.
Football.com Cam: Both teams have questions on offense that must be answered this season. The key question for both offenses is at the quarterback position. While Chris Rix isn’t as bad as some make him out to be, he appears primed for his best season yet. If he can win one against the ‘Canes, that would solidify his spot in Seminoles history. The Hurricanes offense struggled last season with quarterbacks Brock Berlin and Derrick Crudup piloting the offense and both players are back this season. Redshirt freshman Kyle Wright is expected to become a star for this program and should push for playing time at some point. Expect both teams to pound the ball on the ground to help set up play action passes downfield. Easing the quarterbacks into the game will be a big key for this game. Expect Seminoles running backs Lorenzo Booker and Leon Washington to outshine the ‘Canes combination of Tyrone Moss and Frank Gore. The defenses are likely to dominate this game and both suffered key personnel offenses during the offseason. The ‘Noles have the slight edge on the front seven going into this game, but the secondary might lean more towards the ‘Canes. If the game comes down to a field goal, Seminoles kicker Xavier Beitia has struggled against the ‘Canes.
Bold Prediction: The Seminoles haven’t had good luck winning in the Orange Bowl recently and this could be the year that they break through. Although I think they have a great shot at winning the game, the home field advantage may be too much and the Hurricanes slip away with a close 20-17 victory.
Mississippi vs. Memphis
StoryLine: The Rebels will begin life without Eli Manning against a tough non-conference opponent in Memphis. Last season, the Tigers upset the Rebels and have another good shot at an upset.
Football.com Cam: Expect the offenses to set the tone for this game. For the Tigers, all eleven starters returning from last season, including running back DeAngelo Williams and quarterback Danny Wimprine. Wimprine and Williams form a solid one-two punch and will put up points this season. Williams is also one of the best all-around backs in the NCAA. The key match-up in this game is going to be the Tigers offense against the Rebels defense. The Rebels offense is going to put up points, but the question is if their defense can get a stop. The secondary appears to be the best unit on this team and should provide a tough test for Wimprine. Expect Williams to get a big workload to help set up Wimprine. The Tigers defense is talented, but very inexperienced at spots. They will be facing a Rebels offense that must rebuild after losing quarterback Eli Manning. Michael Spurlock is expected to be the starter and will bring mobility and has a good arm. The offense must establish a running game to help Spurlock.
Bold Prediction: With both teams sporting questionable defenses, this game should be a shootout. Last season, the Tigers upset the Rebels and that should give the Rebels enough incentive to get payback. However, don’t be surprised if the Tigers win again. Rebels 35 Tigers 31.
Louisville vs. Kentucky
StoryLine: The annual battle for supremacy in the Bluegrass State will take centerstage on Sunday. This game is usually one of the more entertaining first week games and will show a lot about both teams for this season.
Football.com Cam: The Cardinals have the talent to be one of the best defense in Conference USA, but they struggled last season and will need to patch up the holes if they want to win the title again. The Wildcats offense must replace quarterback Jared Lorenzen, but new starter Shane Boyd is an interesting prospect. Look for Boyd to use his mobility and big arm to make plays downfield. Last season, the Wildcats offense had no running game and that cannot happen again. Arliss Beach and Draak Davis combined for 560 rushing yards last season and that must change. If the offense struggles to run the ball, they won’t be able to improve off last season’s four wins. When the Cardinals have the ball, they should be fun to watch. Piloting the offense is senior quarterback Stefan LeFors, who is a dual threat and has a ton of weapons at his disposal. Running backs Lionel Gates and Eric Shelton are two of the best in Conference USA and receiver J.R. Russell is a gamebreaker. Both offenses should be able to score, but which defense can come up with a stop at the key time?
Bold Prediction: The Cardinals have defeated the Wildcats four out of the last five times and that isn’t surprising. The Cardinals are clearly the better team going into this game and they will walk away with a 38-21 victory over the Wildcats.
Oregon State vs. LSU
StoryLine: The defending National Champions will begin their title defense against a tough team from the Northwest in Oregon State. The Beavers have a long trip to make to Baton Rouge, but don’t expect them to back down from the challenge.
Football.com Cam: How will the Beavers react to the hostile environment of Tiger Stadium? If they can manage the crowd and find a running game early on, they can hang with the Tigers. Losing Steven Jackson to the NFL hurts the offense, but Dwight Wright isn’t a bad back. Quarterback Derek Anderson has a knack for making dumb throws and that has to be avoided. Watch receiver Mike Hass against the tough Tigers secondary. If he can stretch the field, that will help slow down the blitz of the defense. When the Tigers have the ball, they will pound the ball. Running back Justin Vincent is ready to become an all-SEC player, but needs help in the passing game. Quarterback Marcus Randall isn’t the best passer and will struggle at times. He just needs to manage the game and don’t force the ball. The Tigers defense should score once in this game.
Bold Prediction: The Beavers can keep this one close, but on the road it will be difficult to come away with a victory. The Tigers defense is going to be too much and they should come away with a 31-14 victory over the Beavers.