Independent Fearless Predictions, Sept. 1

Previews and Predictions for the Week 1 Independent Games.

Independents
Army | Navy | Notre Dame

Independent Game of the Week

Georgia Tech at Notre Dame 3:30 PM NBC
Why to Watch:  There might be bigger games in week one with national title implications and chances to throw the top 25 into a tizzy, but this might be the most intriguing matchup of the weekend. Who is Notre Dame? Is it a program that can simply reload after losing almost everyone worthy of note on offense, or is this a rebuilding year on the way to bigger and better things down the road? What will happen if the Irish have to spend the first half of the season taking a few lumps against a brutal, BRUTAL, schedule? Is Georgia Tech the real deal? Within an eyelash, and decent quarterback play, of a truly special season, complete with an ACC title and a trip to the Orange Bowl wiped away with a loss to an inferior Wake Forest team. Somewhat quietly, Chan Gailey has put together his best team yet in Atlanta. If Tech really wants to be a player, and it can be a national threat this year, it has to pull off it's first win in South Bend since 1959. For the Irish, with road games at Penn State and Michigan coming up, a loss will likely mean an 0-3 start.
Why Georgia Tech Might Win:  Georgia Tech's defense should keep the Irish quarterback on his back all game long. No matter who the Irish starter turns out to be, the Tech defensive front should be able to dominate a Notre Dame front five that almost got Brady Quinn killed last year and will likely struggle over the first half of this year. This is not the defense to break in new skill players against, while the Tech offensive line should dominate the Irish defensive front. It'll be a shock if Tashard Choice and the Tech running game doesn't control the tempo.
Why Notre Dame Might Win:  Georgia Tech had the better team last year, including Calvin Johnson, and Notre Dame still found a way to win on the road. Even though everyone has jumped off the Irish bandwagon, this is still a team under Charlie Weis that's only lost to one team that didn't end up in (or play in) the BCS, and that was the shootout against Michigan State two years ago. This is a fantastically coached team that should have plenty of wrinkles, bells and whistles on both sides of the ball for a Tech team that'll lack an explosive pop and might not have the receiving corps in place to take advantage of the mediocre Irish secondary.
Who to Watch: Apparently a matter of national security, Weis has refused to name his starting quarterback between Evan Sharpley, Jimmy Clausen and Demetrius Jones. Tech has had to prepare for an athletic runner in Jones, a all-around game of Sharpley, and the prototype passer in Clausen. On the other side, Tech's Taylor Bennett is considered an upgrade over Reggie Ball, who won plenty of games but was wildly inconsistent. Bennett threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns in the Gator Bowl loss against West Virginia, and if he gets a little bit of time and doesn't force his throws, he should be able to carve up the Irish secondary and take the spotlight away from whoever's under center for the Irish.
What Will Happen: Georgia Tech should win this game in a walk, but the coaching of Weis, and the surprisingly steady play of all the new starters on the Irish offense, will keep this close. In the end, the Tech defense will prove too stout, while Choice and the running game will control the fourth quarter.
CFN Prediction: Georgia Tech 23 ... Notre Dame 16   Line: Notre Dame -2
Must See Rating: (5 Hef wants you to take his place on The Girls Next Door, but you can’t because you have to watch this game - 1 Cavemen) ... 4
Final Score:    
 

Independents Friday, August 31

Navy at Temple   7:30 PM
Why to Watch: A new era in Temple football kicks off with the program's most talented team in several years. Even the slightest bit of improvement on both sides of the ball would be meaningful considering how bad things have been, but this isn't a Navy team that'll make year two of the Al Golden era an easy one. The Midshipmen has to deal with some big turnover on the defensive side, but the offensive backfield is loaded. After this game, Temple faces seven straight teams that failed to go to a bowl last year, while Navy has to prepare for a trip to Rutgers.
Why Navy Might Win: Temple doesn't have the linebackers to deal with the Navy rushing attack. The line might be better, but the linebackers will be a work in progress with the best players just coming in this season. The Owls have good potential at linebacker, but to beat the Midshipmen, they need disciplined, quick veterans that aren't in place. Temple's offense still isn't good enough to keep up in any sort of a shootout.
Why Temple Might Win: Navy's defense will be mediocre at best early on. Only three starters and seven lettermen are back, and there's not much in the way of size or sure-thing skill among the new starters. Finding a pass rusher will be a problem, and the secondary will need several games before it knows what it's doing, so if Temple has any new bells and whistles ready to roll out, this would be the time.
Who to Watch: Vaughn Charlton has the potential to become Temple's best quarterback option, but Adam DiMichele will get the starting nod. DiMichele's neither big nor mobile, but he's experienced and appearing to be ready to limit his mistakes. However, he'll be looking over his shoulder all season long if he doesn't produce. Navy needs Clint Sovie and Irv Spencer to quickly become the leaders and stars of the defense. There's a woeful dearth of sure-thing playmakers, and if the linebackers aren't shining, Temple could pull off the upset.
What Will Happen: Take a wild guess what Navy will do? With a nice mix of inside and outside runs, the Midshipmen will hold on to the ball for close to 40 minutes and will never let Temple get any sort of rhythm. Temple won't be embarrassed and will show potential in the loss.
CFN Prediction: Navy 34 ... Temple 17... Line: Navy -21
Must See Rating: (5 Hef wants you to take his place on The Girls Next Door, but you can’t because you have to watch this game - 1 Cavemen) ... 1.5
Final Score:   

Independents Saturday, September 1

Army at Akron 7:00 PM (played in Cleveland)
Why to Watch: It's the first game of the Stan Brock era as he tries to take over for Bobby Ross and move Army forward. It could be a long and rough task with a team that needs some seasoning and retooling after several rough seasons. It's going to be a while before the Black Knights can reasonably dream about a bowl game, but with Rhode Island up next, a 2-0 start is likely with an upset win in Cleveland. This is a must-win for an Akron team that has to go on the road to face Ohio State and Indiana before kicking off the MAC season with Kent State. For a team looking to win its second MAC title in three years, or at least be in the hunt, this is the type of game it has to win to show it's good enough to considered a threat.
Why Army Might Win: If Army's defensive front is ever going to come up with a big game, this would be the week against an Akron offensive line that'll need several games before it's ready for prime time. If the D can dictate the action, and make a few plays behind the line, something it wasn't able to do throughout last year, the still-developing Zip passing game could struggle. Injuries were a problem for the Zips this summer; they didn't get nearly as much time as they'd have liked to come up with a starting quarterback.
Why Akron Might Win: Yeah, Akron has offensive line problems, but Army really has problems up front. Only one starter returns, and while there's size, finding a starting five, much less any developed depth, has been tough. Considering the offense struggled to produce, the Zip defense, that returns eight starters and should be among the best in the MAC. Forget about running on the Akron line with good size and strength against a mediocre ground game.
Who to Watch: Each team is still dealing with quarterback issues. Army's most talented player, at least the one with the most potential, is sophomore Carson Williams, a prototype passer who has yet to find any consistency in practices. Senior David Pevoto is a big, strong passer with more mobility, and he has the experience to potentially bridge the gap until Williams is fully prepared to be the franchise. For Akron, the quarterback battle came down to Carlton Jackson and Chris Jacquemain, with Jacquemain winning the job because the coaching staff felt he'd screw up the least. While he won't bomb away, he won't force throws and won't turn it over.
What Will Happen: Akron's defense and running game will be too much for Army to handle. The Black Knight offense won't be consistent enough to crank out enough big drives after the Zips get up early.
CFN Prediction: Akron 27 ... Army 14 ... Line: Akron -5
Must See Rating: (5 Hef wants you to take his place on The Girls Next Door, but you can’t because you have to watch this game - 1 Cavemen) ... 1.5
Final Score: