Week 7 in the O5

 Tuesday and Wednesday football started earlier this season, but I don't get to my weekly blog until Thursday so no CUSA games left to pick.

AAC:  Big respect for Tulane but can't go against Henigan and the Tigers at home. MEM 31 TUL 30.

UAB and UTSA are coming off much needed wins. Zeno will return to his birthplace San Antonio Saturday and toss two TD passes for the Blazers. UAB 30 UTSA 27

MWC: Both teams are coming off blowout losses. SDST to AFA and Hawaii to UNLV. Aztecs steal one on the road with Mayden tossing a TD pass. SDST 22 Hawaii 20

MAC: Brown has a good game running the ball for NIU, but home field won't be enough. Ohio 24 NIU 20

SunBelt: Brin has some big passing stats and will lead the GA Southern to a huge road win in Harrisonburg. GA S: 27 JMU 24

Oct 14, 2023

M. Hughes RB - TULN 26 CAR130YDS 1TD, and the Green Wave D shut down Memphis in the 4Q for a 31-21 win.  I'm 0-1 to start the week.

Oct 15, 2023

Let's see if I got any right yesterday. Just one!

 Terribly wrong on GA SO who were pummeled by JMU. UAB didn't do much better against UTSA. Ohio lost to NIU. 

However, I was right on San Diego St who beat Hawaii 41-34. Lucky Sutton ran for 2 TDs, and McCuin added pick-6 to help for the Aztecs. In other MWC news. Colorado St beat Boise St as the clock expired. UNLV (5-1 2-0 MWC) pounded Nevada and is a team to keep your eyes on.

I thought the #herd were coming back when Ali scored on a long pass play to end the 3Q to narrow its deficit to 27-24, but GAST outscored them 14-0 in the 4Q.

Oct 17, 2023

I'll toss in a Tuesday game here.  Rich Rod's Jax St squad ekes out a 24-23 win over WKU tonight. Players to watch: A. Reed QB - WKU 1665 YDS 14 TD 3INT

RUSH: M. Jackson RB - JVST 104CAR 578YDS 4TD

Well, it was Z. Webb QB - JVST (28CAR 146YDS 1TD) who was a big factor in a close game, JAX 20 WKU 17.  

Liberty beat MTSU and South Bama demolished USM.

Week 2 O5 matchups along the Atlantic.

 Miami (Ohio) visits Amherst, MA and wins a close one over UMass 20-19. Rough game for the Redhawks' Gabbert last week, but he'll return to form this week. I hope UMass returns to the MAC soon.

I've enjoyed this Marshall(SunBelt)/ECU(AAC) matchup over the years. Ali has a big game for the Herd and Garcia is not Ahlers yet for ECU. MU 27 ECU 19

FAU(AAC) hosts Ohio(MAC). Larry McCammon has a big game rushing for the Owls in a 24-20 win.

In a SunBelt matchup, ULL visits ODU in Norfolk, VA. Both are coming off tough matchups which they lost. ODU lost to VTech and ULL lost to Houston. Home cooking in a low scoring game. ODU 17 ULL14

Sept 10, 2023

G. Larvadain WR - M-OH 8REC 273YDS 3TD in a 41-28 win over UMass

The Herd took their time getting into gear and scored 21 points in the 4Q for 31-13 win over ECU.

FAU fell 17-10 to visiting OHIO. My only incorrect pick.

K. Wicks carried the ball 17 times for 103 yards for ODU in a 38-31 win over ULL.

Toss up on biggest upset yesterday. Rice (AAC) beat Houston (Big12) or James Madison(SunBelt) roaring back to beat Virginia(ACC).

Sept 12, 2023

App St (Sunbelt) took UNC to OT before falling. No games scheduled in the future for this intrastate match. UNC is up 3-1 in the series. Appy won in 2019.

Wyoming (MWC) plays TX this week. Got me thinking that's where Fred Akers was HC before he took the TX HC job. He was also Purdue HC after he left TX.

Warming up for the 2023 O5 season

 Aztecs pay some legal fees to stay in the MWC another year while they wait for the Pac12  to get a deal with Apple or anyone. SDST host Ohio(MAC) in its opener

Funbelt  usually pull some upsets early, but I don't see many serious possibilities except Coastal Carolina beating UCLA at the Rose Bowl. McCall returns at QB for CCU, and Coach Chip Kelly's teams often stumble out of the blocks. Of course, Coach Chadwell is at Liberty U and Tim Beck is running the Chanticleers.

Rick Rod is back as a Head Coach and his JaxSt squad host UTEP in the season CUSA opener. 

Rice (AAC) will likely get spanked in Austin by the Horns, but I like seeing ex-SWC matchups.

 Tulane finished ahead of UCF in the AAC last season and beat USC in the Cotton Bowl. Coach Fritz has a good thing going. Sincere Haynesworth anchors a solid OL. Green Wave hosts South Bama in its opener

CUSA:  I noticed a lot of "love" for WKU in pre-season CUSA polls. I'm still wondering about their D. It was OK until the loss to Auburn then weaker until the end of the 2022 season.

July 26, 2023

 Tyrice Knight, who led UTEP(CUSA) with 95 tackles last year, skipped a portal move to a P5 team. "I'm more of a loyal guy... I couldn't walk out on them." Big hit on twitter and its fits our group posts. BTW, the Miners may be sniffing upset of Northwestern scandalCats on Sept 9.

July 30, 2023

Week Zero: Intrigued by games 2 and 5

UMass vs New Mexico State(CUSA) 

Ohio(MAC) vs San Diego State(MWC)

Hawaii(MWC vs Vanderbilt

San Jose State(MWC) vs USC

FIU vs Louisiana Tech: CUSA game

Aug 1, 2023

Seems like a longshot and that's if the Pac 12 gets in gear soon:   ULNV joining the P12. Rebels play at the new Raiders-owned Allegiant Stadium, and the A's are bringing the MLB to town.

Aug 5, 2023

Well gang, looks like I may be chatting about Cal, Wazzoo, Stanford, and Oregon St next year in non p5 sports. Crazy day yesterday with the death of the Pac 12.

I'm looking at week 1 and thinking UCF better prepare well for Kent St(MAC). Not a good look getting upset in game 1 as a member of the P5.

I was looking at the FIU /La Tech game in week Zero, and if Coach MacIntyre can get to .500 this season. Looked back at FIU coaching tree. Don Strock, the ex-Dolphins back QB, was its first HC.

Aug 16, 2023

reading some amusing tweets: NMST /Umass game on ESPN will get more eyes than San Jose St/USC on P12N on week 0.

Dae Dae Hunter (Liberty) will sit out the 2023 season and transfer for 2024 season. That stings!

Announcers should have fun on Nov 4 when Jax St plays South Carolina. Both teams are Gamecocks.

Aug 27, 2023

I thought FIU would play LA Tech close, but hard way to lose by being outscored 9-0 in the second half LT 17-FIU 13.

Ohio gave SDSY a tough game but fell 20-13

Rich Rod wins first game as Jax St HC. Jax 17 UTEP 14

NMST lost to UMass 41-30- tough loss.

Hawaii hung with Vandy but lost. Vandy 35-Hawaii 28. Next up possible upset against Stanford.

aug 16au

O5 title games in 2022

 AAC: I'm tossing an imaginary coin on the UAB- Tulane game. Malazahn comes up with a trick play at the buzzer. UCF 23 Tulane 17.

CUSA- Frank Harris usually find a way to get the Roadrunners a W, plus they're at home in the AlamoDome. UTSA 27 NTX 23

MAC: Ohio replace it's injured QB Rourke last week and didn't miss a beat. Ohio 28 Toledo 20

MWC: Boise St is playing on its blue turf so I'll them to eke out a 21-20 win over Fresno St.

SunBelt- CCU got crushed by JMU last week and has been erratic all season. Troy 's solid D and home field will be the difference. Troy 20 CCU 17

Dec 3, 2022

Riding the Harris train pays dividends again. He threw for 341 yards and 4 TDs in the Roadrunners' victory. UTSA 48 NTX 27.

In AAC news: FAU hired Tom Herman, who made a pit stop with the Chicago Bears (2021)Offensive analyst after a rough, few seasons coaching the Texas Longhorns.

Dec 4, 2022

I was wrong on three(UCF,Ohio,Boise) of four yesterday: Tulane,Toledo, and Fresno were winners.  Man, that kid Spears(22 carries, 199 yards, 1TD) is something else for the Green Wave.

And, I guessed correctly on Troy, but it wasn't about their D. Troy 45 CCU 28.

Dec 5, 2022

North Texas fired coach Seth Littrell on Sunday, two days after the they lost in the CUSA championship game. He was 44-44 in seven seasons. 

Alex Golesh ( Tennessee offensive coordinator) takes over at USF, and Tim Beck (NC State OC) takes over at CCU.

I'm a bit stunned Cincinnati hired Louisville’s Scott Satterfield to be its next coach, and  coincidentally the Cards  will face Cincinnati  in the Fenway Bowl.

Dec 7, 2022

UNLV(MWC) is set to tap Arkansas DC Barry Odom to be their new head coach. He was Mizzou HC before that.

O5 week 12

 AAC: I'm taking ECU at home against Houston, a future B12 member, in a battle of productive QBs, Ahlers(ECU)/Tune (HOU). Houston gave up 77 points to SMU two weeks ago, while ECU is 2-1 against future Big 12 teams, after beating BYU and UCF, and losing 27-25 to Cincy.   ECU 34 HOU 31

CUSA: Frank Harris, the UTSA QB, will remain in high gear @ Rice, in an intrastate matchup and keep the Roadrunners undefeated in CUSA play. UTSA 40 Rice 27

MAC: I couldn't get to all the early MAC games so this is the one I have to pick. Snow is coming to the Buffalo area this weekend, but will only keep the final score lower. BUFF 16 Akron 6.

MWC: Boise State(7-3 6-0 Mountain West) @ Wyoming(7-3 5-1 Mountain West). Cowboys kick 5 FGs and survive. WYO 22 BSU 20

SunBelt: If the NFLN can travel to Hattiesburg, MS to televise a game, so can I. Carter Bradley will toss 3 td passes to keep South Bama on pace with Troy u in the West. USA 27 USM 20

Nov 18

I didn't pick this game, but Tulane crushed SMU 59- 24 last night. 

Nov 20, 2022

MAC game canceled, and I split on the other four.

Correct: UTSA jumped out to a big lead early and never looked back in a 41-7 win. USA withstood a mild late threat from USM, and holy sh^t I guessed the correct final score.

Wrong:  ECU got crushed 42-3 by Houston. The E stands for erratic. Wyoming went up 10-0. but Boise worked its way back slowly and won 20-17.

Nov 21, 2022

If Ohio wins this weekend, than they take the East. Will the MAC re-schedule the Buffalo /Akron game if Ohio loses? 

Nov 22, 2022

I might as well make my MAC week 13 pick here since a few MAC games are being played tonight. Bowling Green rolls into Athens, Ohio tonight. I'll ride with Rourke, Ohio's QB. Ohio 27 BG 17

Nov 23

Ohio started N Harris at Qb because Rourke was still dinged up from last week and didn't miss a beat Ohio 38 BG 14. Ohio clinches the East and will likely face Toledo from the West next week in Detroit for the MAC title. EMU has a chance of tying depending on Friday's outcomes. 

Nov 27, 2022

Toledo meets Ohio in the MAC title game, while Akron travels to Buffalo to make up the snow game.  Who knows with the MAC?