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College Football Week 1

Posted: August 28th, 2018, 10:07 am
by abpk2903
[font=Calibri]Local Games:[/font]

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[font=Calibri]No. 10 Penn State vs Appalachian State 3:30 BTN (PSU -23.5)[/font]

[font=Calibri]My prediction:  Penn State 41 – App State 20[/font]

[font=Calibri]According to the polls, this is Penn State’s most difficult non-conference game with App State receiving 19 votes in the preseason Amway coaches poll.  They are coming off a 9 win season, Dollar General Bowl win, and back-to-back Sun Belt championships.  They will test the Nittany Lions but playing at home with a senior QB and experience OL will be what ultimately leads the Nittany Lions to pull away.[/font]

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[font=Calibri]Pitt vs Albany 3:30 ACC Network (No line)[/font]

[font=Calibri]My prediction: Pitt 38 – Albany 10[/font]

[font=Calibri]Every team has a game that they should just run all over their opponent and this is it for Pitt.  Albany is a mid-pack Colonial Athletic Conference team coming off a 4-7 campaign.  They had an abysmal offense in 2017 ranking 107 in FCS competition. [/font]

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[font=Calibri]Five Games to Watch:[/font]

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[font=Calibri]Purdue vs Northwestern 8:00 Thursday ESPN (Purdue -2)[/font]

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[font=Calibri]My prediction: Northwestern 30 – Purdue 28[/font]

[font=Calibri]This is a game of two programs that have invested a ton of money into their facilities over the past few years.  Both teams had successful seasons last year with Northwestern winning 10 games and Purdue returning a bowl game (and winning).  I think the winner of this game will be along with Iowa the closest challenger to Wisconsin for the B1G West crown.  Purdue has come a LONG way in 13 games under Brohm but I think they still have a ways to go to become true challengers in the West. [/font]

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[font=Calibri]Tennessee vs No. 17 West Virginia  3:30 CBS (WVU -10)[/font]

[font=Calibri]My prediction: Tennessee 35 – West Virginia 34[/font]

[font=Calibri]If you look at the last 5 recruiting classes, you would ask how in the world Tennessee isn’t favored in this game.  That is what is great about college football. WVU has been a solid program for the past 4 decades by simply sprinkling in a top 25 recruiting class here and there.  At the end of the day, it is sometimes about the Jimmy and Joe’s more than the Xs and Os and I think Tennessee has a better roster.  Sure WVU has Stills and Grier and an explosive offensive unit but Tennessee has talented players, too.  We will hear a lot of Rocky Top, we will hear a lot of Country Roads but ultimately I think we will hear Rocky Top all the way from Charlotte back to Tennessee. [/font]

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[font=Calibri]No. 9 Auburn vs No. 6 Washington 3:30 ABC (Auburn -1.5)[/font]

[font=Calibri]My prediction:  Washington 27 – Auburn 16[/font]

[font=Calibri]I think there are a few things working against the Auburn Tigers in this game.  First, this game has much more importance to Washington than it does Auburn.  Auburn’s path the CFP is pretty simple, win the SEC.  Washington has a difficult path to the CFP without a win here.  Secondly, going back to his time at Boise State, Chris Peterson is a great coach at getting early season wins against perennial football powers.  Finally, I think Washington has the better QB and a chip on their shoulders. [/font]

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[font=Calibri]No. 12 Notre Dame vs No. 14 Michigan (Notre Dame -1)[/font]

[font=Calibri]My prediction:  Notre Dame 19 – Michigan 13[/font]

[font=Calibri]The Hotseat Bowl.  The losing coach in this game will be under immense pressure for the rest of the season.  I personally don’t think either team is going to be that great this year.  Shea Patterson will hopefully breathe some life into a stagnant Michigan offense but I think the media is making him out to be the second coming of Dan Marino.  Let’s remember Michigan’s offensive line got 3 (I repeat 3) quarterbacks hurt last year.  I don’t think a signal caller change will make that much of an immediate impact.  Michigan also lost their top wideout in a practice injury earlier in the week.  I don’t know a ton about ND, I like to watch the conference preview shows and well they simply aren’t in a conference.[/font]

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[font=Calibri]No. 25 LSU vs No. 8 Miami 7:30 ABC Monday (Miami -3.5)[/font]

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[font=Calibri]My prediction:  LSU 24 – Miami 10[/font]

[font=Calibri]Last year everything bounced right for Miami.  Literally I think I watched the turnover chain be placed on someone about 6,000 times.  They just weren’t turnovers, they were turnovers at the biggest times in the games.  Under the surface, I just don’t think they are as good as they played last year.  Mark Richt is famous for getting his team to high expectations only to leave them disappointed a few weeks later.  Malik Rosier is a good QB but LSU has a great defense.  AT&T Stadium will probably be a pretty favorable crowd for LSU.  I think that helps make a difference.[/font]

Re: College Football Week 1

Posted: August 28th, 2018, 1:21 pm
by Crimson's Ghost
I'm a little skeptical of LSU.  I like Orgeron personally, but I don't know if he was the hire their fans had hoped for. I don't know if he has the longest leash in the world for a second-year coach. I think this is a big game for him. 

Re: College Football Week 1

Posted: August 29th, 2018, 8:38 am
by abpk2903
I think LSU has an identity problem. They should hire an offensive coordinator and tell him “look you have 3 years, give us an offensive identity and recruit those type of players.” Instead they go into almost every season uncertain at OC and/or QB. They had OBJ and barely used the guy then he goes to NYG and single handily saves Eli’s career. 

LSU has talent but I think they have done a horrible job at scheming and their gameplay never involves utilizing their talent the way they need to. When you fire a coach who has won you a national title and won 10+ games every year, you are setting yourself up for turmoil and challenges down the road.

With that said, I have less faith in Miami. Richt always cokes. He couldn’t win with the most fertile recruiting grounds in the country at Georgia while playing in a much weaker SEC East. It’s like his team always lost focus and we’re unprepared. I have a hard time thinking he will have more success when his players live a few miles from south beach. 

Re: College Football Week 1

Posted: August 29th, 2018, 9:05 am
by Crimson's Ghost
In Richt's 15 seasons, Georgia won double digit games nine times.  So he has a reputation of underachieving but it's not like he was hovering around .500 either. I still think he's pretty good.  I think a lot of things went right for them last season and it made them appear better than they probably were.  But I still think they had a nice team, and I think they'll be pretty good again. I wouldn't be surprised to see them beat LSU by two touchdowns.  I still don't have faith in LSU's offense, and Miami's defense is really talented.