Week 6 in the O5 conferences

 MAC: We're heading into more conference games and I'm circling back to Bowling Green and their solid TE, Harold Fannin(37rec, 537 yards, 4 TDs). Falcons have struggled since giving Penn St a scare. BG 24 AKR 17

CUSA: Sam Houston St got spanked by UCF but have handled their other four opponents, UTEP hasn't won a game. SHSU 27 UTEP 20

AAC: Charlotte edged Rice last week , which may be just what Coach Biff needs to prevent another bad season. 9ers slow down Garcia, the ECU QB. CHAR 24 ECU 21

SBC:  ODU got it first win last week and CCU got spanked by UVA. CCU improves its weak rushing attack and  edges ODU 17-16.

MWC: Cooper rushes for 100 yards for the Aztecs to get a much needed win.  SDSU 23 Hawaii 17

Oct 4, 2024

D. McKinney,RB - SHSU 14CAR 138YDS 2TD in a 41-20 win over UTEP. First pick correct.  SHSU is 5-1.

Oct 5, 2024

No shortage of points for O5 teams last night .  UNLV scored 41 in OT loss to Cuse. Huff, the JVS QB, rushed for 176 yards and 3 TDS in a 63- 24 win over KENN

Oct 6, 2024

Wow Marshall scored over 50 in a win over Appy.  Braxton tossed 3 TD passes and rushed for two TDs for the Herd. 

ULM upset JMU, who failed ona 2PT conversion attempt to tie the game with four minutes left.

Now to the rest of my picks: went 5-0 for the weekend.

 CCU beat ODU. Charlotte pounded ECU. SDSU beat Hawaii.  Another big game for Fanin (9 rec, 135 yards) in  BG's 27-20 win over Akron.

Oct 8, 2024

Just noticed the CUSA is playing games on Tues &  Wednesday. Used to be just the MAC doing that. FIU/Liberty tonight.  NMSU/Jax St tomorrow night.

And Liberty got a scare from FIU . Cooley rushed for 174 yards for the Flames who won 31-24 OT

Week 5 nailbiters in the O5

 Temple's win last week over USU was its first  W this season. Army is undefeated. This will be an AAC nail-biter. Daily, the Army QB, kicks it into gear late. Army 19 Temple 13

Sunbelt intrastate battle: GASO looks to recover from an OL Miss' pounding. GAST beat Vandy last week. J. French tosses a late TD pass for an Eagles' win . GASO 20 GAST 17.

Herd gets a boost from its home crowd and its D saves the day against WMU. MRSH(SBC) 16 WMU(MAC) 13

Booth teams are struggling. Dampier tosses two TD passes for the Lobos in an intrastate match up against NMSU.   UNM(MWC) 27 NMSU(CUSA) 24

Sept 27, 2024

Right on Army, wrong on it being close. B. Daily, Army QB, 24 CAR 152YDS 3TD in a 42-14 win over Temple

Sept 28, 2024

App State's home football game scheduled for today, Sept. 28, against Liberty is canceled due to severe impacts to App State, the town of Boone and surrounding areas caused by Hurricane Helene.

It will not be rescheduled.

Sept 29, 2024

Correct on GASO, the Herd, and UNM

Rogers rushed for 122 yards for the Lobos 50-40 win over the Aggies.

Turned rushed for 124 yards for the Herd.

I didn't pick these games:

Fannin, the BG TE's ,stats in a surprising loss to ODU. Yds-Rc 188 TD-Rc 2

ULL stuns Wake Forest. 41-38

Sacramento business community is making a big push for a new stadium as part of an effort to get Sacramento St in the Pac12. Can that region support this?

Week 4 O5 close matchups

 Both teams have struggled , particularly running the ball. Tulsa(AAC) 24  ULL 17 . K. Francis will have a decent game passing for the Hurricane.

The No D special: Rich Rod finally finds a way to win this season . Jax St(CUSA) 42 USM 41(SBC)

The Limited O special : Colorado St(MWC) 16 UTEP(CUSA) 13. Perhaps J Marshall scores a rushing TD for the Rams.

Ball St is coming off a 62-0 loss to Miami(FLA). Is a MAC match up against CMU, the Cure? Nah, Labas throws 2 TD passes  for the Chippewas. CMU 23 Ball St 16 

Sept 21, 2024

Coach Ken has done a great job,  but I didn't foresee  his Spartans giving Wazoo a hell of a scare  before losing 54-52. Too bad Chip Kelly's late move  didn't give UCLA a chance to promote Coach Ken

Sept 22 2024

Right on  Tulsa, Jax St,  & Colorado St, and CMU

Hughes rushed for 166 yards and a TD for Tulsa. Tulsa 41 ULL 33

Jax St got plenty of O and found some D in a 44-7 rout of USM.

Morrow rushed for 156 yards and 2TDs  for Colorado St. in a 27-17 win over  

Labas threw a  TD with 16 seconds left on the clock to lead CMU to a 37-34 win.

Tough loss for NIU getting upset by Buffalo

Herd  were leading the Buckeyes  7-0 after one quarter, but then it ugly for them. Ohio St 49 MU 14.  A Turner, the Herd's leading rusher, gained 32 yards.

James Madison  70-50 win over UNC   was a nice shot at the Power boys but also showed the Dukes haven't missed a beat so far  by hiring Chesney, from Holy Cross, to replace Cignetti.

Sept 25, 2024

Chatter about Sacramento St, a 1AA team in the Big Sky, leaping to the  MWC or PAC12.

Sluka, , the UNLV starting QB, leaves the team to save his red-shirt season, because the Rebels did not  "honor" a promise.. $$$$$$

Miami (Ohio) started the season with high hopes  and played NW tough before losing 13-6. Then lost to Cincy and ND. I suspect Gabbert goes off on UMass this week.

Week 3 MWC /CUSA matchups

 Keene to Dalena gets Fresno a W. Fresno St 24 NMSU 20

Sam Houston has home field edge and pulls out a 17-13 win over Hawaii

I'm riding with the Spartans and Coach Ken at home. SJSU 27 Kennesaw St 16

Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State, and Fresno State are the four football targets of the re-formed Pac 12. Hope they stay west  of the Mississippi river in their pursuit of two more teams.

Will California consider coming back to the Pac12 or are they tied too much by $$$ to the ACC.

Aztecs  will give Cal a fight but fall 27 -17

Sept 15, 2024

4-0 on Fresno, SJSU,Cal, and SHSU, but none of the games were as close as I predicted. Definitely did not foresee Fresno shutting out NMSU 48-0. Keene threw two TD passes, and Sherrod rushed for 113 yards on 15 carries for the Bulldogs. Coach Ken's Spartans keep winning.

BTW, CSU contained Neon's Buffs for a little over a quarter and lost 28-9.

Toledo 42 Miss St 17. -Wow

Sept 16, 2024

O5 Wrap up: Cheers to Memphis who beat the Noles.  Butch Jones' Ark St squad kept it respectable at Ann Arbor. Helluva battle:Appy nipping ECU.

NIU and UNLV are getting some respect. How about Toledo? Kyirin Heath, the Southern Miss TE, is having a solid season.

Week 2 :some O5 close matchups

 Cooper of SDSU  and Griffin of Wazoo each had big rushing games in week 1.  Wazoo 24 SDSU 23

ODU is coming off a tough loss to South Carolina, and ECU cruised by Norfolk St ODU 27 ECU 20

Only second match up between these teams. CMU 20  FIU 17

I like how FAU played Sparty tough in a 16-10 loss. FAU 19 Army 17

Another one that intrigues me. Will Coach Ken Niumatalolo's experience coaching against the academy teams help him today. I say yes. SJSU 17 AFA 16

Sept 8 2024

My error SDSU lost to Oregon St., Wazoo played and beat Texas Tech.

Right on SJSU  and FIU

Wrong on ODU and FAU

MAC was a mixed bag yesterday but props to Bowling Green for giving Penn St a great battle before falling. Harold Fannin, the BG TE (Yds-Rc 137,TD-Rc 1), has NFL skills.

Then to NIU for edging Notre Dame 16-13

Sept 9, 2024

O5 surprises. ECU(AAC) at 2-0. Jake Garcia, decent so far. Ark St(SBC) at 2-0. Is Butch Jones back?

Sept 10, 2024

It's been a fun week at work ribbing the PennSt fans to beware of Kent St (MAC) next week. Flashes won't beat the Vols this week.

Week 1 O5 -four pack

 Vashko tossed for 249 yards and 2 TDs for CCU(SBC) in a 55-27 blowout of Jax St(CUSA).Time to pick a few O5 games this weekend.

Rice(AAC) handles a fiesty SHSU(CUSA) squad 23 -20. EJ Warner, Kurt's son and a transfer from Temple starts at QB for Rice

Feel like Helton's Panthers are ready to step up. GA Southern(SBC) 31 Boise St (MWC) 27

JMU, minus Coach Cignetti, survives Biff's boys. JMU(SBC) 24 Charlotte(AAC) 23

EMU(MAC) 22 UMass(I) 20. Big plays from Eagles D will make the difference.

Sept 1, 2024

Wrong on Rice and GA Southern. Correct on JMU and EMU.

Solid days for Hunter Watson , SHSU QB, in a win over the Owls.

I'm surprised at the high score: Boise St 56 GAS 45. Jeanty(BSU) rushed for 267 yards, he!l of jump in Heisman race

Sept 2, 2024

Chad Morris threw for 415 yards and 3 TDS, and also rushed for 2 TDS for North Texas in a win over South Bama.

SBC is the only 1A conference that kept divisions for football. I like it.

Mid summer 2024 football coaching moves in O5

 Utah St :Blake Anderson is near the exit door over alleged 2023 mishandling of sexual and domestic violence violations. DC Nate Dreiling(33) will likely be the interim HC. Dreiling was DC for Jerry Kill at NMSU the last two seasons. I wonder if Secondary coach Evan Cooper , who just left Nebraska is headed to USU.

 It appears this will be a $$$ battle over, what  if any payout USU gives Anderson.

Ags face USC and Utah after opening with Robert Morris.

July 7, 2024

Charlotte Catholic HS ,one of NC best programs, hired Keith Emery away from Biff Poggi's Charlotte 49ers(AAC) staff, to be its HC 

Kaidon Salter, QB, Liberty will he as successful as Malik Willis? LU does not play a P5 conference team this season.

Ashton Jeanty , RB Boise St, rushed for 1343 yards last season. Let's see how he does against Oregon in game 2.

July 11, 2024

O5 coaches on the hot seat: Drayton(Temple), Neu (Ball St), Will Hall(USM). Wild that Neu has lasted 8 years.

Georgia Southern HC Clay Helton- does he need to get above .500 this season? Ol Miss won't be a W, but getting a win or two over MWC teams, Boise St and Nevada is essential.

Joe Moorhead ,Akron HC, is 4-20 in two seasons. All of his acumen on O won't help w/o studs. TJ Finley at QB? Buckeyes are first up for the Zips.

July 16, 2024

Tim Skipper(AHC/LB) will be the Fresno St HC for the 2024 season. Tedford steps down due to health concerns.

Bronco Mendenhall, the New Mexico HC, spent more time in "financial management" sessions in six months with the Lobos than he did at BYU and Virginia combined.

July 21, 2024

Rich Rod(Jax State) spicing up future schedules: USM  this year.  UAB for the 2027 and 2028 seasons.  series with Buffalo for the 2028 and 2031 seasons. And an intrastate matchup at Auburn in 2026.

I missed this one: Major Applewhite became South Alabama HC after three seasons as the Jags OC. He took over for Wommack who joined Deboer's Bama staff. Gio Lopez likely to start at QB for the Jags.

Marquez Cooper, RB- San Diego State, find his way onto TOP 25 RB list. He transferred there after three 1k seasons at Kent St.

July 27, 2024

Victory Bell series record is tied 59-59-7 after Miami O snapped the Bearcats 16-game winning with an OT win at Nippert Stadium on 9/16/23

Two games left for Victory Bell . 2024 at Miami O. 2026 @ Paycor Stadium , Cincy Bengals Home field, in 2026.

If Memphis is going to live up to the hype, then Seth Hannigan needs to get near last year's stats (32TD, only 9 INT). Tigers face the Noles in week 3..

They also play North Alabama, Troy, and Navy in September.

August 6, 2024

MIami O gets replaced by Bowling Green on the 2025 schedule. Last BG/Cincy matchup was in 1994.

W. Michigan's first two games are Wisky and Ohio St. 

Is Dean Connors, Rice RB, going to to make to 1000 yards rushing this season. I say yes!

 Byrum Brown, USF QB,  will need a miracle or two with first month matchups against Bama and  Miami(FLA) .  Coach Alex Golesh's guys should be  tough enough for AAC action.

Looking at $$: Fresno State(MWC) will receive 1.85M for playing at Michigan on 8/31. Plus 150K for moving its game at UCLA from 9/14 to 11/30.

Aug 12, 2024

Antario Brown, NIU RB who rushed for 1296 yards last season, will get tested in September games against Notre Dame and NC St.

Eric Morris, HC North Texas, will need some of Mike Leach , his former mentor, plays to improve from last year's 5-7 record. Toughest OOC game is against Texas Tech.

Morris was WR coach for Leach at Wazoo in 2012 .

Aug 15, 2024

Boise St(MWC) is getting a lot of hype about making the playoff race. Shaky D and games against Oregon, Oregon St, and Wazoo are stumbling blocks.

Will K.Niumatalolo, the head coach at San Jose State, have success recruiting in his home state of Hawaii?

Is Jase Bauer, a transfer QB from CMU, the answer for Rich Rod at SHSU?

Is Barry Odom's solid D enough to keep UNLV in the MWC race? Rebels face Big 12 teams, Houston and Kansas,  before conference play starts?

Sumrall left Troy U for Tulane to replace Fritz who's in Houston. Green Wave face Ok and KSt in September. Not sure they belong in the pre-season top 50.

Keep your eyes open for Harold Fannin Jr (TE-Bowling Green), who's a a crisp route runner with good hands.

August 22, 2024

 Kennesaw State HC Bohannon served as an assistant coach under Paul Johnson at various places. Perhaps the  triple option flexbone O will be on display in CUSA action this season.

Aug 24, 2024

Curious about Derwin Burgess', WR  for Georgia Southern,  steady improvement each season. Eagles host Boise St next Saturday

Burgess caught 6 passes for 117 yards and one touchdown in a 41-21 defeat of Ohio in the Myrtle Beach Bowl on Dec 16, 2023.

Totally missed that Jerry Kill, ex-NMSU HC, will be chief consultant to Lea at Vandy this season. He'll be working with Tim Beck, the current Vandy OC, again

Pete Lembo, the Buffalo Bulls HC, is the only change in MAC head coaches from last season.

He was 35-22 in five seasons with Ball State(2011–2015).  He's been an assistant at a few schools including South Carolina last season.

September 1, 2024

Pavia paid instead dividends for Vandy with his arms and legs in the win over VTech.  Hey Las Cruces!

Odom's D TCOB  for the Rebels in a 27-7 win over Houston (Big12)