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Michigan (1-1) at Notre Dame (1-0), 3:30 EST NBC
Why to watch: Yes,
Michigan and Notre Dame really
are playing this weekend. What
used to be one of the must-see
games of the year between
college football’s two
winningest programs has now been
relegated to second-tier status
after an ugly start by Michigan
and a brutal Notre Dame win over
San Diego State. The Irish of
this year looked a whole bunch
like the Irish of last year in a
21-13 win over an Aztec team
that lost to Cal Poly, but on
the plus side, Notre Dame is on
a three-game winning streak.
Michigan beat Miami University
last week 16-6, but it has
hardly looked like Michigan
with little consistency on
offense whatsoever. The
Wolverines get battles with
Wisconsin and Illinois to follow
the trip to South Bend, while
Notre Dame gets a trip to
Michigan State. Basically, the
way the two teams have played so
far, the loser is about to go on
a bad streak unless something
changes in a big hurry.
Why Michigan might win:
Jimmy Clausen’s backside, be
prepared to see the turf for
most of the afternoon. The key
number for the Irish
against San Diego State was 0.
That’s how many sacks the
much-maligned offensive line
allowed, but now it’s about to
be tested. San Diego State has
no pass rush whatsoever, while
Michigan, for all its flaws so
far, has been great at getting
into the backfield with nine
sacks and 16 tackles for loss,
tops in the Big Ten in both
categories. The pathetic Irish
running game isn’t going
anywhere on the stout Wolverine
defensive front.
Why Notre Dame might win:
The Wolverines are doing a great
impression of the 2007 Notre
Dame offense. Against Utah and
Miami University, who each have
good defenses, but not great
ones, Michigan has averaged 242
yards per game with a total of
214 rushing yards in the two
games. It’s early, but Michigan
is last in the Big Ten in every
major offensive category, and
while Notre Dame’s defense isn’t
a brick wall, it’s good enough
to keep the Wolverines from
exploding.
Who to watch: The
struggling Michigan offense gets
a boost from the return of three
key skill players. Running backs
Michael Shaw (groin) and Carlos
Brown (shoulder) should each be
ready to roll again, while the
team’s best receiver, Greg
Mathews, is back after missing
the Miami games with an ankle
problem. All will be less than
100%, but all will play.
What will happen: Eight
sacks. That’s how many the
Michigan defense will generate,
the secondary will come up with
a pick six, and Steven Threet
will have an efficient day
throwing the ball. The Irish
offense will revert back to its
early 2007 form.
CFN Prediction: Michigan
24 … Notre Dame 10 ... Line:
PICK
Must See Rating: (5
Hole in the Wall - 1
First Blood) … 3
-
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Consultants FREE selections
Penn State (2-0) at Syracuse
(0-2), 3:30 EST,
ABC
Why to watch: Penn State
and Syracuse renew an old
Eastern rivalry that’s been
dormant for almost two decades.
Unfortunately, only one of the
participants is playing as if it
belongs in the FBS, let alone
this game. As much of the Big
Ten shows warts, the Nittany
Lions have raised their profile,
mauling Oregon State a week
after disposing of Coastal
Carolina. There’s genuine
excitement surrounding the new
spread offense, which is getting
maximum production from QB
Darryl Clark and the running
tandem of Evan Royster and
Stephon Green. Every time it
looks like Syracuse has reached
a new level ineptitude, it takes
out a shovel and digs a little
deeper. Now 0-2 after getting
roughed up by Akron, the Orange
is struggling for something
positive to rally around. Alas,
lowly Northeastern visits the
Carrier Dome in a week.
Why Penn State might win:
As good as the Nittany Lion
skill position players have
been, it’s the offensive line
that’s really made the offense
hum over the first two weeks.
Gerald Cadogan, A.Q. Shipley,
and the rest of front wall have
dominated, failing to yield a
sack and paving the way for the
Big Ten’s top offense. The unit
will toy with a Syracuse defense
that’s been manhandled in both
of its games. Penn State will
continue to mix things up on
offense, getting little
resistance from the Orange.
Why Syracuse might win:
With Cameron Dantley at the
controls, the Orange offense
showed a pulse in the loss to
Akron, scoring four touchdowns
and displaying rare balance.
Dantley accounted for three of
those scores, getting a helping
hand from the running game.
Curtis Brinkley and Delone
Carter were solid, combining for
220, and will have continued
success against a Penn State
defensive line that’s the
program’s weakest link. Brinkley
and Carter will need to control
the clock to keep the Lion
offense on the sidelines.
Who to watch: Clark was a
serious question mark heading
into the season, but he’s
already earned the confidence of
the staff and the fans. A
strong, stocky player, he’s
beginning to look like Michael
Robinson with better passing
skills. If he continues to
develop within this offense,
Penn State will be a tough out.
What will happen: On
Friday night, the premiere of
“The Express”, a movie about
Ernie Davis, will take place at
Syracuse’s historic Landmark
Theatre. It’ll be all downhill
after that for the Orange who’ll
have no answers for a Penn State
offense that’s just beginning to
hit its stride.
CFN Prediction: Penn
State 41 … Syracuse 14 ... Line:
Penn State -27.5
Must See Rating: (5
Hole in the Wall - 1
First Blood) … 2
-
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Consultants FREE selections
Oregon (2-0) at Purdue (1-0),
3:30 EST, ABC
Why to watch: As Big
Ten-Pac-10 match ups go,
Oregon-Purdue isn’t exactly
USC-Ohio State, but it’ll be a
strong, entertaining undercard
in the second meeting between
the two since a 1979 13-7
Boilermaker win. The Ducks have
gotten off to a terrific start,
winning its first two games by
an average margin of 37 points.
However, the AP’s 16th-ranked
team has yet to play a road game
or an opponent with postseason
potential routing Washington and
Utah State. Purdue opened its
season with a matter-of-fact
blowout of Northern Colorado.
The Boilermakers were sloppier
than the 42-10 indicated,
needing to make improvements as
the level of competition
increases. The maligned Big Ten
could use a win here, especially
if the Buckeyes lose at Troy,
but it would be a bigger win for
a Purdue team that’s known for
beating the teams it’s supposed
to, and also losing to the teams
it’s supposed to.
Why Oregon might win: No
Dennis Dixon. No Jonathan
Stewart. No problem. Even with a
retooled backfield, the Ducks
are cranking out touchdowns like
a Pez dispenser. They’ve been a
machine through two weeks,
leading the country in total
offense and showing tremendous
depth at the skill positions.
Justin Roper will have success
through the air versus an
average Boiler pass defense, and
the running duo of Jeremiah
Johnson and LeGarrette Blount
has been prolific. The Oregon
line is physical and experienced
enough to control Purdue’s
interior, the strength of the
defense
Why Purdue might win:
Although Oregon will score,
Purdue has the weapons to keep
pace. Curtis Painter is one of
the nation’s top quarterbacks, a
veteran who won’t be rattled by
the Ducks’ pressure defense.
He’ll stand in the pocket and
play catch with a group of
receivers that’s more than just
Greg Orton. Desmond Tardy and
Keith Smith played the opener as
if they plan to be integral
parts of the passing game, as
well. When the Boilers keep it
on the ground, Kory Sheets is a
breakaway threat with good moves
in the open field. While Oregon
has an opportunistic D, it is
flexible and gives up plenty of
yards.
Who to watch: The
game-within-the-game worth
watching is Painter vs. the
Oregon secondary. Cornerbacks
Jairus Byrd and Walter Thurmond,
and safety Patrick Chung, give
the Ducks one of the most
athletic and disruptive
defensive backfields in the
country. If Painter keeps
putting too much air under his
passes, or has to force his
throws, the Oregon pass defense
will take two or three of them
back the other way.
What will happen: This is
a huge test for an Oregon
program that feels it can sneak
into the Top 10 before Pac-10
play resumes. The Ducks will
earn a passing grade by winning
the turnover battle and getting
250 yards between tackles Max
Unger and Fenuki Tupou.
CFN Prediction: Oregon 38
… Purdue 28 ... Line: Oregon
-7.5
Must See Rating: (5
Hole in the Wall - 1
First Blood) … 3.5
-
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Consultants FREE selections
Wisconsin (2-0) at Fresno State
(1-0),
10:30 EST ESPN2
Why to watch: If it’s
possible for a BCS-conference
powerhouse with 40 wins in the
last four years leading to four
straight New Year’s Day bowls to
need a win over a non-BCS team,
this is the game. Wisconsin, if
it can get healthy, has a good
enough team to be a sleeper
threat to play for the national
title, but it has to prove it
can get by a nasty
non-conference road game. A win
in Fresno might do more for the
Badgers’ credibility than a win
over Michigan in Ann Arbor in
two weeks. After running over
Akron and picking off Marshall
in dominant wins, the trip to
Fresno kicks off a brutal
stretch with the game at
Michigan, Ohio State, Penn
State, at Iowa, Illinois, and at
Michigan State to follow.
Meanwhile, Fresno State has had
a week off to bask in a dominant
and impressive 24-7 win over
Rutgers. This is the best team
Pat Hill has ever put together,
and a win this week, and at UCLA
a few weeks from now, would set
the wheels in motion for a BCS
bid as long as there aren’t any
major mess-ups along the way.
But that’s for down the line.
For now, Fresno State can regain
its reputation as a giant killer
if it can get by the Badgers.
Why Wisconsin might win:
This is a really, really good
Badger team that doesn’t lose
games like this. The last
regular-season non-conference
loss came in a 2003 stunner
against UNLV. This is a
balanced, veteran team led by
the best offensive line the
school has had since Barry
Alvarez retired. Rutgers can’t
run the ball with Ray Rice off
playing for the Baltimore
Ravens, so.don’t get hung up on
Fresno State’s good day against
the Scarlet Knight ground game.
A banged up, patchwork Bulldog
linebacking corps could have a
long night if the Badger backs
start getting into the second
level.
Why Fresno State might win:
Speed, athleticism, toughness
and confidence. This Fresno
State team has it all, and it’ll
be jacked up to face a team like
Wisconsin in one of the most
important home games in the
school’s excellent football
history. The Badger defense has
yet to be slugged in the mouth,
and the Fresno State running
game should be able to do it
with Ryan Mathews good enough to
come up with a huge day against
a still-healing UW defensive
front.
Who to watch: The Badgers
were able to win their first two
games with ease despite missing
two of the best players in
America. Tight end Travis Beckum
could’ve played through a
hamstring injury if needed
against Marshall. As the joke
went, the training staff had to
hide his helmet to keep him off
the field. The odds-on favorite
to win the Mackey Award is ready
to go this week to team with
Garrett Graham to form an
NFL-caliber tight end duo for QB
Allan Evridge to work with. On
defense, the Badgers welcome the
return of their star linebacker
and leading tackler, Jonathan
Casillas. He was out the first
two games with a knee injury,
but the all-star will be back
just in time to butt heads with
Mathews.
What will happen: Fresno
State will load up on the line
to stop the run forcing Evridge
to win the game. He won’t be
able to do it. He’ll throw two
bad interceptions, the Bulldogs
will show a nice mix of
offensive balance, and it’ll be
time to get the BCS buster talk
into full swing.
CFN Prediction: Fresno
State 23 … Wisconsin 20 ...
Line: PICK
Must See Rating: (5
Hole in the Wall - 1
First Blood) … 4.5
-
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Consultants FREE selections
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Big 10 Week Three Fearless
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