WAC Fearless Predictions, Dec. 1

Previews and Predictions for the Week 14 WAC Games.

WAC  
Boise State | Fresno State | Hawaii | Idaho | Louisiana Tech
Nevada | New Mexico St | San Jose State | Utah State

WAC Fearless Predictions Sept. 1 | Sept. 8 | Sept. 15 | Sept. 22 | Sept. 29 
 Oct. 6 | Oct. 13 | Oct. 20 | Oct. 27 | Nov. 3 | Nov. 10 | Nov. 17 | Nov. 24

How are the picks so far? SU: 52-7 ... ATS: 36-14-1

WAC Game of the Week

WAC Saturday, December 1st

Washington (4-8) at Hawaii (11-0)  11:30 EST, ESPN2
Why to watch: It’s all there for Hawaii if it can win just one more game.  The WAC championship already in the vault after disposing of Boise State, the nation’s lone unbeaten can secure a spot in a BCS bowl game by taking care of a Washington team that’s gone 2-8 since raising expectations with a 2-0 start.  By climbing to No. 12 in the latest BCS standings, Hawaii is poised to join Utah and Boise State as the only schools from outside major conferences to play in one of college football’s five big-money postseason games.  Heisman voters will also be paying attention to Warrior QB Colt Brennan, who’s accounted for 41 touchdowns, and became the NCAA career leader in touchdown passes during last Friday’s blockbuster victory.  Playing the role of the Washington Generals will be the Washington Huskies, a program that can take some momentum into the offseason by spoiling Hawaii’s postseason.  Even after blowing the Apple Cup to Washington State, head coach Tyrone Willingham is safe, but certainly not flourishing with this four-win campaign.
Why Washington might win: With QB Jake Locker healthy and RB Louis Rankin running well, the Huskies can compete in any game.  The offense has played well in the second half of the year, averaging 33 points, and showing a level of explosiveness necessary to keep pace in this type of game.  While Washington was tuning up in the Pac-10 and against the nation’s toughest schedule, Hawaii was playing WAC opponents and a bunch of punching bags out of conference.  Facing a team from a major conference for the first time in 2007, the Warriors will not be prepared for the size and the speed of the Huskies.
Why Hawaii might win: Well, if you plan on slowing down the Warrior passing game, you better have a few stoppers in the secondary, hardly Washington’s calling card.  The Huskies are 87^th nationally in pass efficiency defense, allowing 22 touchdowns passes, 14 in the last five games.  Just last Saturday, Wazzu’s Alex Brink toasted the Huskies for 399 yards and five touchdown passes, a performance that won’t be lost on Hawaii coach June Jones.  Brennan will pick apart U-Dub, playing catch with a deep receiving corps that features four players with at least 50 grabs.  Do not sleep on an underrated Warrior D that leads the WAC in sacks, tackles for loss, and pass efficiency defense.
Who to watch: Sure, Hawaii is all about the passing game, but the defense has done its part in the perfect start.  Despite popular opinion, the Warriors are not a finesse group, featuring a powerful front seven that can control the line of scrimmage, and live in opposing backfields.  Leading the way are all-star linebackers Adam Leonard and Solomon Elimimian, the team’s leading tacklers.  Leonard, in particular, is a complete linebacker, who can press up to stop the run or drop into coverage equally well.
What will happen: Aloha Stadium is sold out.  The home team is on the brink of history.  Hawaii is not losing this game.  In fact, just to be sure they don’t fall below No. 12 in the BCS rankings, the Warriors will keep the pedal to the metal for 60 minutes, hoping to impress any remaining voters that stick around past midnight.
CFN Prediction: Hawaii 44 ... Washington 24 ... Line: Hawaii -14.5
Must See Rating: (5 Nirvana Unplugged, now on DVD - 1 Mr. Bean's Holiday, now on DVD) ... 4

WAC Friday, November 30th

Fresno State (7-4) at New Mexico State (4-8)  8:00 p.m.
Why to Watch: The Bulldogs get a chance to close out a nice rebound season while still wondering what might have been thanks to tight losses to Texas A&M and Hawaii. Once a national player, FSU has climbed back up to be a factor in the WAC and will finish the league campaign with a 6-2 record should it get past the Aggies. New Mexico State, meanwhile, will try to erase a streak of six losses in seven games and try to cut back on the mistakes that have torpedoed its efforts the past couple months.
Why Fresno State Might Win: After spending much of the season as a run first club, the Bulldogs have become more balanced of late and no doubt can’t wait for a shot at the generous Aggie defense, which is allowing 36.8 ppg. The Bulldogs have great depth at tailback, as evidenced by last week’s win over Kansas State, when Ryan Mathews didn’t play, but Lonyae Miller (91 yards) and Will Harding (115) picked up the slack. And QB Tom Brandstater has been especially accurate during the past three weeks, having thrown seven TD passes and no interceptions. The good news on defense for FSU is that it is much stronger against the pass than the run. Since NMSU throws the vast majority of the time, the Bulldogs should be in good shape.
Why New Mexico State Might Win: Aggie quarterback Chase Holbrook threw for 367 yards and a score last week and has 3,543 yards this season, making him one of the nation’s most statistically prolific passers even in a disappointing season. He has several excellent targets at his disposal, most notably A.J. Harris, who had 12 catches last week. The Aggies do give up a lot of points, but they can keep enemy running games in check on occasion, good news since Fresno State would prefer to run the ball first.
Who to Watch: After a promising start, Brandstater cooled off during the middle of the season, but he has it going again now and has been extremely consistent the past three weeks. During that stretch, which included a seven-point near-miss against Hawaii, Brandstater has completed 70.8% of his throws for 653 yards. Last week against Kansas State, he was 23-of-29 for 313 yards and two scores, easily his best game of the year. The Bulldogs crave balance, but don’t forget that they threw the ball a lot during the late ‘90s and early part of this decade, when they were the scourges of the WAC. Brandstater has another year left, and he could become the big-number QB Fresno State used to produce with regularity.
What Will Happen: Unless the Bulldogs suffer a complete drop in focus, they should win by more than two touchdowns.
CFN Prediction: Fresno State 41... New Mexico State 17 … Line: Fresno State -13.5
Must See Rating: (5 Nirvana Unplugged, now on DVD - 1 Mr. Bean's Holiday, now on DVD) ... 1.5

WAC Saturday, December 1st

Louisiana Tech (5-6) at Nevada (5-6)  4:05 p.m.
Why to Watch: So here’s the deal. The loser of this is obviously done for the year, while the winner will be bowl eligible. However, the winner will need Hawaii to beat Washington to get one of the WAC’s bowl slots or else it’s unlikely to get a 13^th game. Nevada had its shot to get eligible last week against San Jose State, but lost in a tight battle. For Louisiana Tech, this has already been a strong bounceback season in Derek Dooley’s first year, and a sixth win would be icing on the cake. It’s also a worthwhile view because the high-powered Nevada offense, coupled with generous defenses on both sides, should make for some fireworks.
Why Louisiana Tech Might Win: Yes, that Wolf Pack D is shaky, having surrendered 35.1 ppg. So, expect LTU to have some success on offense. That means senior running back Patrick Jackson could well get the 116 yards he needs to finish the year with 1,000, and QB Zac Champion, who threw for 261 yards and a season-high three touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ last game, against San Jose State, should get going, too, particularly if he can hook up with freshman wideout Phillip Livas, who has big-play potential catching and returning the ball. The Nevada offense is potent, but Wolf Pack QB Colin Kaepernick could have some trouble with the aggressive LTU secondary, which features Tony Moss and Weldon Brown, each of whom has four interceptions and big-tackling Antonio Baker.
Why Nevada Might Win: The nation’s 10^th-rated offense is potent and diverse. Yes, Kaepernick may be challenged by the Bulldog secondary, but he has passed most of the obstacles put in front of him, en route to throwing 16 TD passes and just three interceptions. He’ll look for big play man Marko Mitchell, who averaged 36 yards on four catches (two TDs) last week. Luke Lippincott was held to 74 yards rushing against San Jose State last week, but he has 1,268 yards and 11 scores on the ground and helps set up the passing game well.
Who to Watch: If senior linebacker Ezra Butler wants to go out on a high note, he’ll have a tough time topping last week’s performance against the Spartans. Butler registered 11 sacks, picked off a pass and registered 1.5 tackles for loss. For the year, Butler has 77 tackles, three picks, 10.5 tackles in the backfield and 2.5 sacks. He will leave a gaping hole in the Wolf Pack defense when he leaves.
What Will Happen: Nevada finishes even-Steven, thanks to its more potent offense, and then it gets to a TV to see what the Warrior do.
CFN Prediction: Nevada 34... Louisiana Tech 14 … Line: Nevada -8
Must See Rating: (5 Nirvana Unplugged, now on DVD - 1 Mr. Bean's Holiday, now on DVD) ... 2