|
USC at
Virginia,
3:30 EST, ABC
Why to watch:
New year, same expectations at
USC. The Trojans are back in a
familiar place, looking down on
the rest of the Pac-10 and
residing on the short list of
national championship
contenders, but is this the year
they get back over the hump
after a few major gaffes led the
way to Rose Bowls instead of the
BCS Championship? Although
they’re facing turnover at
quarterback and on both lines,
the bottomless pool of talent
Pete Carroll lures to Troy means
that the backups are as good as
everyone else's starters. One of
those new starters is former
high school All-American Mark
Sanchez, who held off Mitch
Mustain in the high-profile
battle to succeed John David
Booty, but a knee injury changed
the pecking order ... at least
for a while. Sanchez was
questionable, but has practiced
and appears ready to go.
Meanwhile, Virginia is coming
out of a rough off-season marked
by suspensions and dismissals to
key players on both sides of the
ball. The glow from last year’s
9-4 shocker was gone before
spring ball started
losing
elite linemen Chris Long and
Branden Albert to the NFL
along with the suspension of
starting QB Jameel Sewell.
Still, there’s enough returning
talent to earn a second-tier
bowl invite, provided the young
Cavs don’t get demoralized in
the opener by a far superior
team.
Why USC might win: Even
without Sedrick Ellis and
Lawrence Jackson on the line,
the Trojan defense is going to
be sensational once again. The
back seven alone sports four
players with All-America
potential, a daunting sight for
the untested Virginia
quarterbacks. USC will be able
to concentrate its full forces
on stopping the Cavs’ best
offensive weapons, backs Cedric
Peerman and Mikell Simpson.
Linebackers Rey Maualuga and
Brian Cushing, and safeties
Kevin Ellison and Taylor Mays
are basically NFL players with
college eligibility left.
They'll play like it.
Why Virginia might win:
One thing you can count on from
an Al Groh-coached team is a
rugged defense that limits big
plays. Although the Trojans are
flooded with skill position
talent, the offense hasn’t
exactly been unstoppable over
the last couple of seasons.
Plus, Sanchez still has plenty
to prove behind a line that's
breaking in four new starters.
Virginia will be able to keep
plays in front of it, getting
maximum effort from the senior
linebacker trio of Clint Sintim,
Jon Copper, and Antonio Appleby.
Who to watch: In USC’s
star-studded offensive lineup,
none will shine brighter than RB
Joe McKnight, a homerun hitter
every time he gets the ball in
space. After scratching the
surface of his potential as a
true freshman, he’s ready to
start living up to the incessant
Reggie Bush comparisons. Stafon
Johnson will get more carries,
but McKnight will finish the day
with more total yards.
What will happen:
USC is dominant in good road
games like this, and it'll be so
again with its defense.
In front of an electric home
crowd, the Cavaliers will put up
a fight for 20 minutes before
succumbing to the Trojans’
superior overall talent. The USC
defenders will end any thoughts
of an upset, overwhelming a
Virginia line that’s vulnerable
on the interior. The offense,
however, will be sporadic in its
only tune-up before Ohio State
visits Sept. 13.
CFN Prediction: USC 31
... Virginia 13 ... Line: USC
-19.5
Must See Rating: (5 90210
- 1 90210, at least what you’ll
say among your friends) …
3.5
Delaware at Maryland, 3:45 EST, ESPN GamePlan
Why to watch:
Considering the schools are only
separated by a 90-mile stretch
of I-95, it’s odd Delaware and
Maryland haven’t met since 1948.
Both rosters are littered with
players from the region, meaning
familiarity will, indeed, breed
contempt. The Terps have
plateaued under Ralph Friedgen
since stringing together 10-win
seasons, settling into the
mid-section of the ACC. The
coach has raised the talent
level everywhere in College Park
except at quarterback, the
biggest stumbling block to
sustained excellence. This
season looks to be no different.
K.C. Keeler has built the Blue
Hens into one of the
powerhouse FCS programs,
attracting transfers from FBS
schools across the country. Joe
Flacco’s path to the Baltimore
Ravens, for instance, began in
Pittsburgh and continued in
Newark. Next up is either Rob
Schoenhoft, who left Ohio State,
or redshirt freshman Lou Ritacco,
to try to get Delaware back to
the national championship game.
Why Delaware might win:
The Blue Hens return 14 starters
from a team that played for a
title last December. No stranger
to big games, they won’t buckle
at the prospect of going on the
road to face an ACC opponent.
With the quarterback situation
not expected to be an issue,
even with the controversy, and
with four of last year’s top
five receivers back, Delaware
will have success through the
air versus a suspect Terrapin
defensive backfield.
Receivers Aaron Love, Mark
Duncan, and Kervin Michaud, and
TE Robbie Agnone are all
candidates for postseason
honors.
Why Maryland might win:
Why get cute when you enjoy an
obvious size advantage in the
trenches? Maryland will run the
ball
right at the undersized Delaware
D, leaning on Scott Burley,
Jaimie Thomas, Edwin Williams,
and the rest of the physical
Terp blockers. Da’rel Scott and
Morgan Green will be the
recipients of the running room,
using their speed and
acceleration to jet through the
first line of defense. The Blue
Hens are soft against the run,
yet another reason Maryland will
keep it simple on offense.
Who to watch: While
Maryland won’t need newly
anointed starting QB Jordan
Steffy to be prolific to beat
Delaware, down the road, his
importance to the offense
is going to mushroom. The Terps
need a threat at the position
who can keep defenses honest and
take advantage of Darrius
Heyward-Bey’s knack for
stretching a defense. The
Delaware defense will be a good
one to see if Friedgen makes the
right choice, and if Steffy
isn’t great, Chris Turner and
Josh Portis could step in.
What will happen: If
Maryland doesn’t come ready to
play it will get picked off by
Delaware; Friedgen knows this.
The Blue Hens aren’t the typical
FCS program that’s going to take
a beating, collect a check, and
get back on the bus. They’ll
battle before the Terps’ edge in
size, speed, and depth finally
wears them out in the second
half.
CFN Prediction: Maryland
34 ... Delaware 23 ... Line: No
Line
Must See Rating: (5 90210
- 1 90210, at least what you’ll
say among your friends) …
2
McNeese State at North Carolina, 6:00 EST
Why to watch:
After laying a foundation in
Butch Davis’ first season on
campus, North Carolina is poised
to be this year’s upstart out of
the ACC. The Heels went with a
slew of underclassmen in 2007
who are now bigger, wiser, and
expected to be less prone to
making mistakes. A succession of
good recruiting classes under
Davis and his predecessor, John
Bunting, are about to start
paying some tangible
dividends. More than anyone
else, Carolina needs sophomore
QB T.J. Yates to evolve into a
mistake-free playmaker. Although
he threw for a school-record
2,655 yards in his debut, he was
also picked off 18 times,
killing way too many drives.
Fresh off an 11-1 season,
McNeese State is the heavy
favorite to win the Southland
Conference for a third straight
season. The Cowboys return seven
starters to an offense that’ll
have to lead the way until the
rebuilt defense gets settled.
Why McNeese State might win:
The Cowboys have a talented and
diverse attack that’ll test the
Carolina defense, especially the
secondary. Derrick Fourroux is a
dual-threat behind center, who
accounted for 23 touchdowns and
more than 2,500 yards a year
ago. Three of his favorite
targets return, headed by
big-play receiver Quinten
Lawrence and 2006 SLC Player of
the Year Steven Whitehead.
Lawrence is a 6-1, 175-pounder
with the 4.3 jets to attract
loads of interest from NFL
scouts.
Why North Carolina might win:
Without DE Bryan Smith and a
handful of other regulars, the
Cowboys don’t have the defensive
manpower to slow down an
improving Tar Heel offense. Now
firmly entrenched as the
starter, RB Greg Little showed
last November that he’ll give
the offense a much-needed dose
of balance. When Carolina throws
it’ll enjoy a massive edge
against a green group of McNeese
State defensive backs. The
Heels’ strength is at receiver,
where Hakeem Nicks, Brandon
Tate, and Brooks Foster are
returning starters, and H-back
Zack Pianalto is a budding
playmaker entering his second
season.
Who to watch: Second-year DT
Marvin Austin is on the verge of
becoming the type of player
every major program had to have
in 2007. He showed flashes of
excellence for the Heels last
fall and is now expected to
dominate from the start on his
way to becoming a breakout
player on a national scale. With
a little more seasoning, he has
top ten overall draft pick
material.
What will happen: As
openers with FCS opponents go,
this is a good test for North
Carolina. The Heels will play
with something to prove, getting
a balanced effort on offense and
more than 100 yards on the
ground from Little. The defense
will be sparked by a young line
that’s about to blossom into one
of the ACC’s premier units.
CFN Prediction: North
Carolina 38 ... McNeese State 17
... Line: No Line
Must See Rating: (5 90210
- 1 90210, at least what you’ll
say among your friends) …
1.5
James Madison at Duke,
7:00 EST
Why to watch:
Not since Steve Spurrier was in
Durham has there been so much
excitement surrounding a Duke
football coach. David Cutcliffe
was lured away from Tennessee,
bringing an instant jolt of
credibility and fundamentals to
the program. Although he has a
huge hill to climb at a school
that’s dropped 25 league games
in-a-row, there is hope that the
new staff can make a difference
as early as this season. While a
bowl game isn’t even a thought,
there are enough building blocks
in the passing game and on the
front seven to finally end that
awful losing streak against ACC
opponents. QB Rodney Landers and
RB Eugene Holloman are the
catalysts for a James Madison
team that’ll battle Richmond and
Delaware for South Division
supremacy in the Colonial
Athletic Association. The Dukes
have been to the playoffs the
last two years, losing a
one-point heartbreaker in 2007
to eventual national champ
Appalachian State.
Why James Madison might win:
With 15 starters back from last
year’s 8-4 team, the Dukes are a
talented crew that’s going to
contend for an FCS national
championship. Landers is a
candidate for Player of the Year
honors after rushing for 1,273
yards and accounting for 25
touchdowns. He and Holloman, a
1,000-yard rusher in 2006, will
give fits to the Blue Devils
running behind a veteran line
that returns intact and does a
fantastic job in pass
protection. If James Madison
builds an early lead, Duke
hasn’t proven it can thrive in
catch-up mode.
Why Duke might win: The
Blue Devils have the bodies in
the front seven to slow down
James Madison’s prolific running
game. With DT Vince Oghobaase
clogging the middle of the line
and linebackers Michael
Tauiliili and Vincent Rey
hunting ballcarriers down, Duke
will force Landers to the air,
which is not his strength. On
offense, the Thaddeus Lewis to
Eron Riley connection will cause
fits for a James Madison defense
that’s vulnerable over the top.
If Riley attracts too much
attention, rangy Sheldon Bell
has the size and hands to make
the Dukes pay.
Who to watch: Very
quietly, Tauiliili has been a
force for the Blue Devils, a
tackling machine with impeccable
instincts. He’ll pad his career
numbers by at least a dozen
stops, working overtime against
a James Madison offense
determined to establish the
ground game.
What will happen: With
Cutcliffe at the helm, the Blue
Devils are already a more
confident, fundamentally-sound
group than a year ago. It’ll
show in the opener. Duke will
match last year’s win total,
holding off a James Madison
rally late in the final quarter.
CFN Prediction: Duke 28
... James Madison 24 ... Line:
No Line
Must See Rating: (5 90210
- 1 90210, at least what you’ll
say among your friends) …
2.5
Boston College at Kent State,
7:30 EST, ESPNU
Why to watch: Boston
College and Kent State will hook
up for the first time in the
Patriot Bowl, an annual event
played each Labor Day weekend at
Cleveland Browns Stadium. The
Eagles get their first chance to
assess what life after Matt Ryan
will be like. The quarterback’s
heir apparent will be Chris
Crane, a strong-armed veteran
entering his fifth season in the
program. Despite popular
misconception, last year’s
11-win season wasn’t solely the
product of Ryan’s right arm with
the defense among the best in
the nation. Now, most of the top
players return. The Golden
Flashes are at a crossroads
under Doug Martin, riding a
seven-game losing streak and
trying to finish above .500 for
the first time since 2001. Amid
all the despair, Kent State is
home to bona fide superstar,
mighty-mite Eugene Jarvis, last
year’s leading rusher out of the
MAC.
Why Boston College might win:
Beating the Eagle defense this
season is going to require a
balanced attack, something Kent
State
doesn’t possess. Jarvis is
outstanding, but with no threat
from QB Julian Edelman and the
passing game, Boston
College can focus all of its
attention to stopping the run,
its defensive forte. With
wide-bodies B.J. Raji and Ron
Brace manning the tackles and LB
Brian Toal healthy again,
running room will be hard to
come by for the Flashes. On
offense, Crane will have a big
day through the air, exploiting
the Kent State secondary by
hooking up with a receiving
corps that includes receivers
Rich Gunnell and Brandon
Robinson, and TE Ryan Purvis.
Why Kent State might win:
If the Flashes have any chance
for the upset, Jarvis will have
to be otherworldly. It’s not
like it would be the first time.
The most explosive player on the
field, he can zip through even
the smallest cracks, and played
well against Kentucky, Iowa
State, and Ohio State last
season. Although it won’t be
easy facing the tough BC front,
Jarvis does run behind a solid
line that’s anchored by
all-leaguer Augustus Parrish.
Who to watch: Boston
College is running on empty in
the backfield, and would like to
build the confidence of new
starter Josh Haden. A 5-9,
190-pound true freshman, he’ll
see plenty of daylight as the
hulking Eagle line obliterates
the interior of the Kent State
defense. There are no
sure-things behind Haden, even
though Jeff Smith will split
time early on, so a fast start
for the rookie will be a good
sign for the entire program.
What will happen: The
Eagles will have mismatches
where they matter most, along
both lines. They’ll toy with the
Flashes, stifling the offense
and giving Crane the time he
needs to do a fair impression of
Ryan. Other than Jarvis breaking
off a big run or two, Boston
College will dominate in all
areas, getting no resistance
along the way.
CFN Prediction: Boston
College 38 ... Kent State 10 ...
Line: No Line
Must See Rating: (5 90210
- 1 90210, at least what you’ll
say among your friends) …
2.5
-
ACC Week One Predictions |