Let's give it another whirl, shall we? Here are my picks for the week...analysis to follow:
PITTSBURGH (-23.5) over Kent State
UCLA (-13.5) over HAWAII
James Madison (-8.5) over CHARLOTTE 49ERS
Let's give it another whirl, shall we? Here are my picks for the week...analysis to follow:
PITTSBURGH (-23.5) over Kent State
UCLA (-13.5) over HAWAII
James Madison (-8.5) over CHARLOTTE 49ERS
Let's give it another whirl, shall we? Here are my picks for the week...analysis to follow:
PITTSBURGH (-23.5) over Kent State
UCLA (-13.5) over HAWAII
James Madison (-8.5) over CHARLOTTE 49ERS
PITTSBURGH (-23.5) over Kent State
Laying the big wood on a Pitt Panther team that was a below average team last season may seem like folly. Yes, they were 3-9 last season, but their defense wasn’t terrible. There were only 4 games where they gave up more than 30 points . in 6 of last year’s games, the Panthers held their opponents to 24 points or less. Defensively, Pitt returns its top two leading tacklers in free safety Javon McIntyre and strong safety Donovan McMillon. Their defense was good enough to win many more games. The problem was their offense couldn’t get out of their own way. This week that problem will be solved against the Kent State Golden Flashes…or should I say Golden Showers.
Pitt returns a combined 58 starts among its offensive linemen who will be pounding the Kent State defense that yielded 34.6 points per game last season. The Flashes did not win a game last season against FBS competition. Coach Narduzzi knows that to keep the pressure off, he needs to make a big opening statement this season. Kent State was ranked 133 out of 133 FBS teams last year. Kent State will feature a different starting quarterback in the opener for the fourth consecutive season. Their best running back from last season blew out his knee in fall camp. Kent State’s offense ranked dead last at 133rd in scoring offense a year ago with 14.7 points per game.
The Flashes won’t score more than 10 points in this game. Pitt will find a way to get 34 points against this swiss cheese defense. Narduzzi hired a gun slinger offensive coordinator who led WKU to over 500 yards of offense last year. This should open up things for Pitt as their defense keeps getting the ball back for them. An opening day Golden Shower is in store as the Panthers win a laugher….call it 48-10 for the home squad.
PITTSBURGH (-23.5) over Kent State
Laying the big wood on a Pitt Panther team that was a below average team last season may seem like folly. Yes, they were 3-9 last season, but their defense wasn’t terrible. There were only 4 games where they gave up more than 30 points . in 6 of last year’s games, the Panthers held their opponents to 24 points or less. Defensively, Pitt returns its top two leading tacklers in free safety Javon McIntyre and strong safety Donovan McMillon. Their defense was good enough to win many more games. The problem was their offense couldn’t get out of their own way. This week that problem will be solved against the Kent State Golden Flashes…or should I say Golden Showers.
Pitt returns a combined 58 starts among its offensive linemen who will be pounding the Kent State defense that yielded 34.6 points per game last season. The Flashes did not win a game last season against FBS competition. Coach Narduzzi knows that to keep the pressure off, he needs to make a big opening statement this season. Kent State was ranked 133 out of 133 FBS teams last year. Kent State will feature a different starting quarterback in the opener for the fourth consecutive season. Their best running back from last season blew out his knee in fall camp. Kent State’s offense ranked dead last at 133rd in scoring offense a year ago with 14.7 points per game.
The Flashes won’t score more than 10 points in this game. Pitt will find a way to get 34 points against this swiss cheese defense. Narduzzi hired a gun slinger offensive coordinator who led WKU to over 500 yards of offense last year. This should open up things for Pitt as their defense keeps getting the ball back for them. An opening day Golden Shower is in store as the Panthers win a laugher….call it 48-10 for the home squad.
ucla -13.5 HAWAII
UCLA makes its Big 10 debut, ironically on the road at Hawaii. The Bruins will move past the Chip Kelly era with untested head coach, but true Bruin, DeShaun Foster. Honestly we have no idea about how good a coach Foster will be. UCLA wasn’t great last year, going 8-5, but they did manage to win a bowl game which makes them an above average FBS team. Their new offensive coordinator is Eric Bieniemy, who has NFL experience so it’s likely that they will make good decisions against a questionable Rainbow Warrior defense. Let’s face it, Hawaii never plays defense. Last year UCLA led the extinct PAC 12 in rushing offense, and to make things worse for Hawaii, UCLA returns four starters on their offensive line. When you’re on the road, you need to be able to run the ball, and that’s not going to be a problem for the Bruins.
Last week, Hawaii opened their season – at home – against one of the worst FCS teams in the nation – Delaware State ranked 119 out of 129 FCS teams. Hawaii struggled in this game, leading only 21-14 going into the 4 quarter. One of the Rainbow Warrior touchdowns was on a punt return. They allowed Delaware State to actually run the ball, as the Hornets managed 3.1 yards per carry in the contest. The fact that Hawaii couldn’t annihilate this Delaware State teams speaks volumes about how inept they are as a team.
Let’s put it this way. UCLA is ranked 27 in the country right now. Arkansas is ranked 44. Arkansas beat Arkansas Pine Bluff this week by the score of 70-0. Arkansas Pine Bluff (ranked 125 in the FCS) and Delaware State (ranked 119 in the FCS) are ranked about the same in the FCS. Hawaii was not able to demonstrate their superiority over Delaware State. One can be assured that if UCLA played Delaware State, they would have won my at least 50. Covering 14 over Hawaii is going to be easy peasy. The Hawaii offense scored only 7 points in the first half last week against Delaware State. Their QB completed only 50% of his passes against the Hornets. UCLA was very prolific in getting after the QB last year and they will make life miserable for the Hawaii passing attack.
I don’t need to know how good UCLA actually is….Hawaii has proven that they are not good at all. UCLA covers this in the first half. Laying the wood on the Big 10 Bruins.
ucla -13.5 HAWAII
UCLA makes its Big 10 debut, ironically on the road at Hawaii. The Bruins will move past the Chip Kelly era with untested head coach, but true Bruin, DeShaun Foster. Honestly we have no idea about how good a coach Foster will be. UCLA wasn’t great last year, going 8-5, but they did manage to win a bowl game which makes them an above average FBS team. Their new offensive coordinator is Eric Bieniemy, who has NFL experience so it’s likely that they will make good decisions against a questionable Rainbow Warrior defense. Let’s face it, Hawaii never plays defense. Last year UCLA led the extinct PAC 12 in rushing offense, and to make things worse for Hawaii, UCLA returns four starters on their offensive line. When you’re on the road, you need to be able to run the ball, and that’s not going to be a problem for the Bruins.
Last week, Hawaii opened their season – at home – against one of the worst FCS teams in the nation – Delaware State ranked 119 out of 129 FCS teams. Hawaii struggled in this game, leading only 21-14 going into the 4 quarter. One of the Rainbow Warrior touchdowns was on a punt return. They allowed Delaware State to actually run the ball, as the Hornets managed 3.1 yards per carry in the contest. The fact that Hawaii couldn’t annihilate this Delaware State teams speaks volumes about how inept they are as a team.
Let’s put it this way. UCLA is ranked 27 in the country right now. Arkansas is ranked 44. Arkansas beat Arkansas Pine Bluff this week by the score of 70-0. Arkansas Pine Bluff (ranked 125 in the FCS) and Delaware State (ranked 119 in the FCS) are ranked about the same in the FCS. Hawaii was not able to demonstrate their superiority over Delaware State. One can be assured that if UCLA played Delaware State, they would have won my at least 50. Covering 14 over Hawaii is going to be easy peasy. The Hawaii offense scored only 7 points in the first half last week against Delaware State. Their QB completed only 50% of his passes against the Hornets. UCLA was very prolific in getting after the QB last year and they will make life miserable for the Hawaii passing attack.
I don’t need to know how good UCLA actually is….Hawaii has proven that they are not good at all. UCLA covers this in the first half. Laying the wood on the Big 10 Bruins.
James Madison (-8.5) over CHARLOTTE 49ERS
I’m not seeing it. Last year Charlotte was 3-9 and averaged 17.5 points per game. In 8 of their 9 losses, they were beaten by more than this 8.5 point spread. James Madison, on the other hand, was an amazing team coming out of the FBS chute. Their defense was dominant. James Madison is ranked 67 in the Massey ratings, but they are a lot better than that. Charlotte is ranked 126…which is about right. Last year, JMU was 11-2 and their defense held teams to under 20 points per game.
JMU has a new coach. Bob Chesney, who led Holy Cross to four straight FCS playoff appearances resurrecting a team that was pretty bad. Charlotte lost several starters to injury in fall camp. Their coach estimates the team will be without eight starters — potentially nine — following training camp. That’s crazy…JMU will be playing the Charlotte JV. I like laying less than double digits against a bad team who won’t even have half of their best players….especially when they have trouble scoring and are likely to turn the ball over. I’m looking at a 21-3 outcome here….and am all over the Dukes!
James Madison (-8.5) over CHARLOTTE 49ERS
I’m not seeing it. Last year Charlotte was 3-9 and averaged 17.5 points per game. In 8 of their 9 losses, they were beaten by more than this 8.5 point spread. James Madison, on the other hand, was an amazing team coming out of the FBS chute. Their defense was dominant. James Madison is ranked 67 in the Massey ratings, but they are a lot better than that. Charlotte is ranked 126…which is about right. Last year, JMU was 11-2 and their defense held teams to under 20 points per game.
JMU has a new coach. Bob Chesney, who led Holy Cross to four straight FCS playoff appearances resurrecting a team that was pretty bad. Charlotte lost several starters to injury in fall camp. Their coach estimates the team will be without eight starters — potentially nine — following training camp. That’s crazy…JMU will be playing the Charlotte JV. I like laying less than double digits against a bad team who won’t even have half of their best players….especially when they have trouble scoring and are likely to turn the ball over. I’m looking at a 21-3 outcome here….and am all over the Dukes!
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