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Samford
(1-0)
at Georgia Tech
(1-0) 1:30 PM
ESPNU
Why to Watch:
Hey, if Appalachian State can
bump off Michigan, then maybe
Samford can do in the Yellow
Jackets. Yeah, we’ll hear that
for the rest of the year every
time an FCS team lines up
against one of the big boys, but
that’s about the only reason why
this thing might be competitive.
That, and to see the stats
Georgia Tech can pile up after
destroying Notre Dame 33-3 last
week. Tech running back Tashard
Choice has a streak of eight
consecutive 100-yard rushing
days and figures to get a bunch
of carries early on against a
porous Samford run defense.
Why Samford Might Win:
First-year Samford coach Pat
Sullivan was the boss at TCU and
has extensive I-A assistant
experience, so he at least
understands what must go into an
upset of this magnitude. Beyond
that, it’s going to fall on the
balanced Bulldog offense, which
produced 380 yards in its 23-21
opening-game win over West
Alabama. Freshman running back
Alex Barnett had 80 yards on the
ground and looked solid, while
senior QB Jefferson Adcock threw
for 240 yards and two scores,
despite completing only 16-of-38
passes.
Why Georgia Tech Might Win:
Even though the GT passing
attack sputtered some in the win
over Notre Dame, and will be
without top receiver James
Johnson with a knee and back
problem, the Jackets have plenty
on the ground. He gained 196
yards on just 26 carries against
the Irish and should feast on a
Samford front seven that allowed
260 yards rushing in its opener.
On the other side of the ball, a
defense that collected nine
sacks and held ND to minus-8
yards rushing should be able to
throttle Samford and keep the
Bulldogs off the scoreboard for
much of the game.
Who to Watch: Choice has
been on fire of late, but he
likely won’t get too much work
with Boston College coming up
next week. This will be a game
for QB Taylor Bennett. While the
new starter isn’t going to throw
the ball 50 times, Tech won’t
want to rub it in; he has to
fine-tune his arm after missing
several open receivers last
week. If he had been on, against
the Irish, the Yellow Jackets
would’ve hung 50 on the board.
Basically, he has to tune up for
BC.
What Will Happen: Unless
Tech is still basking in the
glow of humiliating the Fighting
Irish, it should come out and
tear through Samford from the
start. Sullivan had a nice
season-opening win, but this is
quite a step up in class from
West Alabama, and his Bulldogs
will feel it. Expect to see
Choice getting plenty of work,
but don’t be surprised if
Bennett goes downfield, should
Samford sell out to stop the
run. Adcock had success last
week, but the aggressive,
experienced GT defense will
harass him most of the day.
CFN Prediction:
Georgia Tech 45 ... Samford 6
... Line: No Line
Must See Rating: (5 Mad Men - 1
Chelsea Lately)
... 1
Final Score:
Maryland
(1-0)
at Florida International
(0-1) 7:00 PM
Why to Watch:
The Terps were impressive in
their victory over Villanova
last week, but that was
Villanova. At least FIU is an
FBS team … but barely. Bombed
last week by Penn State 59-0,
it’s going to take a while for
the program to be competitive
against any decent team, as it
still tries to come back from
2006’s disaster. For Maryland,
the continued development of QB
Jordan Steffy is the key this
week. The junior beat out Josh
Portis in the summer and had a
solid start against the
Wildcats. He had better be good,
because Portis is gone for the
year thanks to an “academic
issue.” FIU, meanwhile, is
trying to take a stride or two
under new coach Mario Cristobal,
and the Terps are a little less
formidable than Penn State.
Why Maryland Might Win:
The Terps beat up on an FCS
team, but there were some signs
of progress which should carry
over. Steffy was 19-of-24 for
174 yards and showed good
mobility with 47 yards, and he
should use his running ability
to keep the FIU defense on its
heels. Keon Lattimore ran for
106 yards and three scores. That
balanced attack should be enough
to overcome an FIU team that
surrendered 549 total yards to
PSU. If that isn’t enough, the
revamped Maryland defensive
front tallied four sacks, which
is noteworthy considering the
Terps managed just 20 all last
year. Look out for Dre Moore and
Carlos Feliciano, the starting
tackles, to create some havoc.
Why Florida International
Might Win: The Panthers hope
their new spread attack will put
enough pressure on the Terps to
create some big plays. Trouble
is, redshirt freshman
quarterback Wayne Younger
struggled last week, completing
12-of-25 passes for 117 yards
and couldn’t get the offense
moving. Then again, it was Penn
State. In Happy Valley. FIU
averaged just 9.6 points per
game last year, so Cristobal is
trying to open things up and
will take plenty of chances.
Maryland isn’t likely to take
this game too seriously and
could come out with a rocky,
unfocused start.
Who to Watch:
When Steffy was carted off the
Bryd Stadium field last
Saturday, Terp fans no doubt
figured the season was over.
After all, Portis was gone, and
there was Steffy, unable to
walk. The good news was that he
had a cramp and was able to
return. The better news was that
he had an efficient game, showed
the ability to run and pass and
has one more game to get
comfortable before West Virginia
shows up on the schedule. Steffy
isn’t a dynamo, but he has
waited his turn and has the
potential to be a strong leader.
He also has the benefit of
Lattimore and some solid targets
to work with.
What Will Happen:
It may take Maryland a little
while to get going offensively,
since Steffy is starting his
first road tilt, but the Terps
should be flexing their muscles
by halftime. Look for Lattimore
to get a lot of work early on,
with Steffy moving to the
forefront in selected
situations. Maryland coach Ralph
Friedgen isn’t going to show too
much before WVU and the start of
the conference season, so don’t
expect a whitewash. But FIU is
outclassed here and can only
hope to keep this from being a
laugher.
CFN Prediction:
Maryland
35 ... FIU 9
... Line: Maryland -25
Must See Rating: (5 Mad Men - 1
Chelsea Lately)
... 1.5
Final Score:
Nebraska (1-0) at Wake Forest
(0-1) 12:00 PM
ESPN
Why to Watch:
It’s news enough that the
Cornhuskers are coming to little
Groves Stadium to take on the
Deacons, but this one has gone
from a Nebraska layup when the
contract was signed a couple
years ago to an intriguing
intersectional matchup after
Wake Forest stunned the world
with an ACC title, and looked
awfully good in a 38-28 loss to
Boston College last week.
Nebraska has been pointing
toward this season for a while
and hopes to return to
preeminence now that coach Bill
Callahan has had three years to
put his system into place.
Meanwhile, the Deacons will try
to rebound from last week’s
tough loss, and will look to
avoid a three-game losing streak
without quarterback Riley
Skinner (separated shoulder).
Why Nebraska Might Win:
The I backs weren’t dashing
across the plains as in days of
old, but any time you pile up
413 yards rushing, you’re doing
something right. Give credit to
tailback Marlon Lucky (233
yards), but more hosannas should
ring down on the Nebraska
offensive line, which is leaner
and faster this season after
years of not being up to Husker
snuff. The front five paved the
way for 625 yards of total
offense in the rout of Nevada.
And while new starter (and
Arizona State transfer) Sam
Keller was average in his debut
(14-of-25, 193 yards), he’ll
face a Wake defense that
surrendered 408 yards and five
scores to BC’s Matt Ryan.
Meanwhile, the Nebraska front
seven will face a Wake ground
attack that produced a mere four
yards last week. If the Huskers
don’t make mega-mistakes,
they’ll win.
Why Wake Forest Might Win:
Could the Huskers be looking
ahead to USC? Their heads might
be back in Lincoln worrying
about next weekend's epic clash
with the nation's best team.
This week, t Deacons will likely
be without Skinner, but redshirt
freshman Brett Hodges showed a
good command of the offense
under tough circumstances. If
the short passing game
crackling, the Cornhusker
secondary may find itself in
one-on-one matchups that it
might not win; the Wake
receivers are better than given
credit for. Defensively, the
Deacons must force Nebraska into
passing by crowding the box and
forcing Keller to make plays.
Possibly a bit rusty still,
Keller is more likely to make
mistakes than the Husker running
backs will.
Whom to Watch:
Hodges has a bit of an advantage
heading into this game since
Nebraska won’t have a lot of
film on him, as they would have
had on Skinner. That said,
coming into a relief situation
is one thing; starting against a
nationally-ranked club is quite
another. Hodges needs to trust
the system, be precise with his
throws and get rid of the ball
quickly. If he does that, Wake
will have a chance. If not, it
could get uglier than a Phyllis
Diller marathon.
What Will Happen:
Wake’s home field energy will
keep it close for a while, but
in the end, Nebraska will wear
down the lighter, thinner
Deacons.
CFN Prediction:
Nebraska
31 ... Wake Forest 20
... Line:
Nebraska -7.5
Must See Rating: (5 Mad Men - 1
Chelsea Lately)
... 4
Final Score:
Miami
(1-0) at Oklahoma
(1-0) 12:00 PM
ABC
Why to Watch:
This would have been an absolute
screamer about three years ago,
and this was a stop-the-world
type of game in the mid-to-late
1980s, but Miami’s recent slide
takes some of the luster off.
Who cares? It’s MIAMI vs.
OKLAHOMA. There are still two
monster programs that can still
play a little, and will want to
use this as a springboard to a
potentially huge season. It’s a
great opportunity for the ‘Canes
to show whether things are
already different under new
coach Randy Shannon, or whether
there the long road back to the
elite ranks will take a while
longer. As for Oklahoma, the
Sooners must prove their offense
can continue to click, after a
79-10 romp over helpless North
Texas last week. Can OU QB Sam
Bradford and RB DeMarco Murray
really be that good? This
could be their national coming
out party.
Why Miami Might Win:
The Hurricane defense played
like its typical national
title-caliber self in the 31-3
season-opening win over
Marshall, piling up six sacks
and picking off four passes. Two
of the steals set up short-field
situations for the Miami
offense, masking yet another
mediocre day from the other side
of the ball. The Hurricane
ground attack should pose
problems for the Sooners, who
have six new starters among
their front seven and weren’t
exactly tested by North Texas.
The dynamic duo of powerful
Javarris James and sleek Graig
Cooper gives Miami an
opportunity to control the game
and keep the explosive OU
offense off the field.
Why Oklahoma Might Win:
Sure, the Hurricanes can run the
ball, but QB Kirby Freeman
completed just 9-of-21 passes
for 81 yards against Marshall
and failed to inspire and sort
of confidence in the downfield
passing game. Even if suspended
wideout Sam Shields is back, the
Sooners should be able to push
up close to the line and dare
Miami to pass, provided they
account for Lance Leggett, the
‘Canes’ only breakaway threat.
That’s not a problem,
considering OU has one of the
nation’s five best secondaries,
if it’s not the best overall. As
for that formidable Miami front
four, particularly DE Calais
Campbell, who had an
interception last week, they’ll
be facing Oklahoma’s stout
offensive line that, like the
secondary, is in the discussion
among the nation’s best.
Who to Watch: Even though
Bradford comes into the game
with gaudier stats, completing
21 of 23 passes for 363 yards
and three touchdowns, don’t
throw dirt on Freeman quite yet;
he might be able to thrive in a
big game like this. The
Hurricanes had several dropped
passes against Marshall, and
Shields’ absence meant the
Thundering Herd was able to
focus on Leggett and not let him
loose, particularly on the many
short slants and screens thrown
his way. With Shields back and
the many youngsters who were
baptized against Marshall a
little more comfortable, Freeman
could well be more successful.
Don’t expect 300 yards, but look
for more success than he had
last week. For OU, all eyes will
be on Murray, who ran for five
touchdowns against UNT. Certain
to be a marked man, it might be
time to ramp up the Heisman talk
if he comes up with another big
game. He’s that good.
What Will Happen: The
Hurricanes are on the right path
under Shannon’s tougher ways,
but winning in Norman against a
more talented Oklahoma team is
asking too much. OU is at
another level right now that
Miami will get back to soon
enough.
CFN Prediction:
Oklahoma
24 ... Miami 13... Line:
Oklahoma -10
Must See Rating: (5 Mad Men - 1
Chelsea Lately)
... 4.5
Final Score:
North Carolina (1-0) at East Carolina
(0-1)
6:00 PM CSTV
Why to watch:
The Butch Davis era in Chapel
Hill got off to a nice start
with a shipshape 37-14 defeat of
James Madison. That’s called
progress for a program that
labored to beat I-AA Furman and
William & Mary in recent years,
and hasn’t had a winning season
since 2001. With Davis has come
a new energy and a slew of
talented underclassmen that dot
the Tar Heel two-deep. Chief
among those fresh faces is
redshirt freshman QB T.J. Yates,
who debuted by going 13-of-18
for 218 yards, three touchdowns
and a pick. If North Carolina
can keep rolling against East
Carolina, enthusiasm for the
football team will reach its
highest point since Mack Brown
was on the sidelines a decade
ago. The Pirates stepped into
an impossible situation in
Blacksburg last Saturday, and
handled themselves rather well.
Faced with being the other team
as Virginia Tech, and much of
the nation, honored its slain
students, ECU came close to
pulling off a Herculean upset.
Once the non-conference portion
of the schedule ends, the
Pirates are good enough to win
Conference USA and represent the
league in the Liberty Bowl.
Why North Carolina might win:
East Carolina lacks the
playmakers on offense to take
advantage of a Tar Heel defense
that’s very green in the
secondary and about to replace
one its few veterans, injured LB
Chase Rice, with true freshman
Bruce Carter. The fact that the
Pirates managed only 261 yards
and one score last week was not
just because the Hokies were the
opponent. QB Patrick Pinkney
wouldn’t be getting his first
career start if Rob Kass hadn’t
been arrested for a DUI, and the
Pirate receivers are a
pedestrian bunch.
Why East Carolina might win:
The Pirate defensive line vs.
the Tar Heel offensive line
shapes up as a potential
mismatch that’ll force Yates
into mistakes in the first road
game of his career. While ECU
was clamping down on a very good
Hokie running game last weekend,
North Carolina was struggling at
the point of attack to create
space against James Madison.
Things don’t get any easier for
the Tar Heel blockers in this
week’s trip to Greenville.
Who to watch: Lightly
recruited out of high school, LB
Quentin Cotton has emerged in
two seasons as a real find for
Skip Holtz’s defense. A sure
tackler from the weakside, he
was everywhere in the loss to
Tech, making 14 tackles and two
tackles for loss, and forcing a
fumble. With the Tar Heels
likely to play it conservative
Saturday, No. 50 will be around
the ball a lot again this week.
What will happen: While
North Carolina is clearly
heading north, it’ll struggle to
move the chains this week
against a physical, well-coached
East Carolina defense. The
Pirates will get a couple of big
plays on offense from mercurial
RB Chris Johnson to make it
close, but there won't be enough
offense to win.
CFN Prediction:
North Carolina
20 ... East Carolina 13... Line:
East Carolina -7
Must See Rating: (5 Mad Men - 1
Chelsea Lately)
... 2.5
Final Score:
ACC Fearless Predictions, Week
Two, Part 1 |
