Force four O5 picks for Oct 3

 I'm unsure as to how Air Force gets to start it's season against Navy(AAC) when it's conference, the MWC, doesn't start  play until Oct 24 and hasn't produced a schedule. Navy should win by 10 against the rusty Falcons.

 Arkansas St  lost to Memphis and beat Iowa St(Big12) while CCU beat Kansas(Big12) this season. Jamal Jones will rush for a 100 + in a 24 19 Ark St win over CCU in Sunbelt action.

Can any team slow down UAB RB Spencer Brown? I don;'t think UTSA will this week in a CUSA matchup. UAB 34 UTSA 22

App St gave Charlotte a reality check two weeks ago and will rely on Chris Reynolds, their QB, to shift into high gear against Taggart's crew at FAU in a CUSA matchup. This will be the Owls first game this season. CHAR 24 FAU 16

Oct 4

UAB win over UTSA was my sole correct pick.  Navy was the rusty military crew and were held to under a 100 yards rushing by Air Force. McCall(20/29 for 322 yards and 4 TDs) had a great game at QB for CCU in a 52-23 win over Ark St. Nick Tronti rushed for a TD and tossed two TD passes in third quarter for FAU in a 21 -17 win over Charlotte.

I didn't pick the game or see it coming but props to Tulsa for a huge AAC victory over UCF.

O5 clashes with the Independents on Sept 26, then TXST game

 Army brings a strong a rushing attack to Cincy(AAC), but the Bearcats have a decent rushing attack led by by Gerrid Doaks and will pull out a 26-25 squeaker.

Troy carries the Sunbelt flag to Provo to face BYU in what looks like a battle of two solid QB .Gunnar Watson may tosses more  passes than Zach Wilson in this matchup, but the BYU rushing game will push Wilson and the BYU squad to a 30-27 win.

Liberty's D looked shaky in the second half in its win last week over WKY , and FIU (CUSA) hasn't played a game. Willis , the ex-Auburn QB, will do just enough to get Liberty a home W. LIB 30 FIU 19.

Then there's a matchup you'd never consider . TX St(Sunbelt)  visits BC(ACC) in Chestnut Hill, MA. The Vitt to Haydel connection will give BC he!!, but the home teams pulls it out in the end. BC 34 TXSt 29

Sept 27

I was 4-0 but I thought Troy would have given BYU a tougher game. Wilson threw for 392 yards and 2 TDs, and was more of the gunner than Gunnar Watson who threw for 162 yards for Troy. FIU ran the opening kickoff back for  TD and Norton rushed for 148 yards and two TD for FIU, but their D couldn't stop Willis, Mack, and Stubbs who led Liberty to the win.Army/Cincy was a defensive game until late in the 2nd quarter when Ridder got Cincy in gear and led them to a 24-10 win.

BC rallied  from 14-points down  to tame the Texas State Bearcats 24-21

 

 

O5 OOC tight ones for Sept 19

 GA Tech(ACC) D was impressive  against the Noles last week and should contain UCF(AAC) QB Dillon Gabriel. If GT finds a way to prevent kicks from being blocked, they 'll win a nailbiter 24-22.

Is there enough "Tiger" in the tank with ex -Auburn QB , Malik Willis  leading Liberty in a matchup against WKU(CUSA)? Ex Terp QB Pagrome struggled against Louisville last week. LU 20 WKU 17.

Will a defense show up in the SMU(AAC) /North Texas (CUSA) matchup. Buechele will lead SMU to a 38-35 win over Jason Bean and the not so Mean Green. Both QBs will toss at least three TD passes.

I couldn't ignore this matchup of former Southwest Conference rivals Baylor(Big12) and Houston(AAC)  meeting for the first time since 1995 . Plus, Aranda(Baylor) and Holgorsen(HU) were members of Mike Leach's staff at Texas Tech in 2000. Brewer will toss two TD passes for Bayor in in 21-16 win over the Cougars, who will need to develop a strong rushing attack.

Sept 20

BAY/HOU was canceled. I was wrong big time on UCF who obliterated the GT D 49-21. No D showed up  as the Mustangs ran wild across the not so Mean Green. SMU 65 -NT 35. I got the winner the 35 right.. Willis played a solid game at QB and  the Flames rushing attack was in gear in a 30-24 win over WKU. 2-1 for the weekend.

Special shout-out to the Marshall fans. Herd 17 Appy 7

Will the Sunbelt shine against B12 on Sept 12? Or others?

Three Sunbelt team will get close but not get a cigar against the Big 12 on Saturday. Coastal Carolina upset Kansas last season but Les Miles won't let that occur again. Pooka Williams will rush for 150 plus  in a KU win. ULL will give Iowa St (Big 12) a difficult time and lose a close one. Purdy's arm will win the day for ISU. Arkansas St will have a tough time containing Skylar Thomphson of Kansas St .

However, the non B12 matchups will  result in some wins. App St hosts an improving Charlotte(CUSA) squad in a matchup that may cement a growing regional rivalry. App St won 56-41 last season, but this game will be lower scoring.  App St DBs will make some big plays in a 23-19 win. South Alabama will upset Tulane(AAC) behind the Trotter to Tolbert connection.

Texas St played ok in a loss to SMU last week but will fall to UTSA(CUSA) in a nailbiter .

ULM faces an Army squad that rolled MTSU 42-0 last week. Warhawks will score some points but  will not have enough D  to muster a victory.

sEPT 13, 2020

I'm here to eat crow. Those three Sunbelt teams, CCU, ULL, and Ark St  had a great games in knocking off Big 12 squads. South Bama crumbled in the final 20 minutes and lost to Tulane 27-24. T. Spears rushed for 105 yards on eleven carries for the Green Wave.

I was correct on App St, UTSA,  and Army, but TX St forced OT before losing, and I thought Coach Traylor of UTSA was going to blow a gasket on the sidelines. UTSA RB, Sincere McCormick, rushed for 197 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries.

Sept 14, 2020

 ULL Ragin' Cajuns in first college football rankings since 1943 They're ranked 19 in this week's AP Top 25.

1a independents squeeze lime in the corona

 My blog from 2016 with information on Independents has grown long and unwieldy. https://busterother5.blogspot.com/2016/06/o5-geography-matters-martial-re-alignemt.html 

Army and BYU matchup for the first time on the football field on 9/19/20. Army has added a few Sunbelt matchups and also has a game with Tulane (AAC).  Liberty U has peppered it's schedule with ACC, CUSA, and Sunbelt opponents.

Notre Dame has joined the ACC for football for this season no matter how they parse the wording.

I can only wonder how  about future football re-alignment and how Independent treat the upcoming hoops season.

Aug 26

Tom Holmoe, the BYU AD who quickly adjusted the Cougars 2020 schedule, played DB for the 49ers in the 1980s, coached for Bill Walsh at Stanford, and later George Seifert for the 1994/95 SB champ Niners.

Sept 1

 Is ODU going to  leave 1a after canceling it's 2020 season while the rest of the CUSA plays. Is Liberty U a candidate to replace them in the CUSA?

Sept 6-Wow, Army demolished MTSU 42-0. They rushed for 340 yards with S.McCoy scoring three TDs.

Sept 13- Army handled ULM. Perhaps they're in the national title hunt ?

Sept 22-  Willis, a transfer from Auburn, played a solid game at QB, and  the Liberty Flames' rushing attack was in gear in a 30-24 win over WKU. FIU (CUSA) is next up for Liberty. Army has a tough one against Cincy (AAC), and BYU plays Troy of the sunbelt , which is an improving conference.

Oct 11: BYU and Liberty are undefeated. Cougars(4-0) beat UTSA , and the Flames(3-0) beat ULM 40-7.

Oct 20:  BYU(5-0) should handle TX St(Sunbelt) behind QB Zach Wilson and Liberty(5-0) will need a huge game from Willis and a lot of O to get by S.Miss(CUSA). Army (5-1) will handle Mercer(1-AA). Army's only loss was to a solid Cincy (AAC) team.

Oct 25. I sound like a broken record raving about  Willis, the transfer from Auburn, who rushed for 97 yards and 1 TD, and passed for 345 yards and 6 TDs in a 56-35 win over USM. Army and BYU won their games easily.

 

Pacific Northwest hoops chatter in the summer of 2020

Gonzaga center Filip Petrusev signed with Mega Bemax, a pro team in Serbia. He led the Zags in scoring (17.5 points) and rebounding (7.9 boards) in 2019/20 and was WCC Player of the Year I've read some articles claiming that it's not that big of a loss. I call bullsh^t on those opinions.

The Zags are in Spokane which is over 200 miles from Seattle, but Portland U is  right in the heart of the mess.

If the current civil unrest persists, a few members of the WAC, particularly Chicago St and Seattle U may not be cool places to play.

In the Pac12 Wash St is far away from Seattle but UW is nearby. Both Oregon schools are about 90 minutes by automobile from Portland.

In the NBA, the Trailblazers are in the Orlando , Fla bubble for the finish of the 2019/20season, but could be affected for the start of the 2020//21 season.

july 30, 2020

Maybe Seattle is waking up and it will be safe for UW to play sports.: "Defunding the police is a radical experiment that will hurt the vulnerable.” This is what some callers to the Seattle City Council meeting said, and also 20K of signatures have been collected to Stop the defunding.

Aug 1

WAC shortened the eligibility period from four years to two years for transitioning teams to participate in tournaments. This allows California Baptist to be eligible for the 2021 tournaments at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Dixie State and Tarleton State will be eligible in 2023.

Aug 4

The Russell Rule received a blessing from it's namesake Bill Russell. WCC members will be required to include a minority among the pool of final candidates for every athletic director, senior administrator, head coach and full-time assistant coach opening within their athletic departments.

Aug 13, 2020

 The Pac-12 will consider a return to  hoops play after Jan. 1, 2021. If they play it will probably be conference only games.

Aug 14, 2020

WAC: Men's and women's basketball and men's will be postponed through the end of October pending Board discussion on winter athletics competition.

 

Aug 19, 2020

And now more mixed signals as the pre-season top-two teams Gonzaga and Baylor make an agreement to schedule a game for 2020-21 season.

Feb 3 2021

#tarletonst 's only WAC win is against Utah Valley. Cal Baptist is 3-3 in  conference  play.

Feb 4, 2021

For now, Grand Canyon (6-0 WAC) with new coach #BryceDrew has supplanted NMST(0-2 WAC) as top dog in the conference.  So far they haven't missed Dan Majerle.

Sept, 10, 2021

An interesting bi-product of the Big 12's football move to bring in BYU could change WCC hoops. BYU football may be able to join the B12 as soon as 2022  since it is an independent for football that plays the rest of its sports in the WCC. If/when BYU leaves WCC hoops, will they recruit from the WAC to remain at  10 teams? Perhaps, they'll pursue Seattle U.

Oct 6, 2021

 New Mexico St , whose favored by many to win the WAC despite Grand Canyon winning the WAC 2021 title has a nicer travel schedule with the new Texas teams in the conference this season.

 Jan. 13: vs. Tarleton

Jan. 15: vs. Abilene Christian

Jan. 20: @ Sam Houston State

Jan. 22: @ Stephen F. Austin

In OOC play they face  Washington St  of the Pac 12  this season. 

Feb 8, 2022

I don't think anyone saw this quick of a turnaround for Zona after Tommy Lloyd was named its head coach last April after serving as an assistant coach at Gonzaga(WCC) for the last 22 seasons. Zona upset UCLA a few days ago and is #4  overall.

Feb 11, 2022

I caught some Pac 12 action last night. Zona beat Wazzoo. Oregon beat Stanford. Man, I hate the color scheme of the Ducks hardwood. 

Zags better keep their eyes on USF, Bill Russel's old school. The Dons beat Pepperdine 105-61 in WCC action.

Pre-season 2020 Other 5 football notes

Yes, the proliferation of transfers is dizzying, but this one caught me off guard. Two-year starting QB Isaiah Green leaves Marshall for the transfer portal.

Former UNLV starting quarterback Armani Rogers will play  at Ohio and is a grad transfer so he's eligible for 2020.

Ricky Slade , Penn St RB, is headed to ODU  to play for HC Rick Rahne who  an assistant coach at PSU.

Maybe a bad sign for the O5 football future.: Michael Alford, the Central Michigan AD , is  taking the job of CEO of Seminole Boosters, Inc., at Florida State.

July 20:

Former WAC rivals, Wyoming (MWC) and Arizona (PAC12) announced a  home-and-home series starting in 2033.

Wyoming lost to Zona 13-12 when they  last met in 1977.  Zona leads the all-time series 12-10.

July 23, 2020

Grisham, the Governor of New Mexico asked New Mexico, which competes in the MWC,to suspend contact sports. The Lobos  lost its Sept. 12 game with USC(PAC12).  In addition to their conference slate, the Lobos are scheduled to play Idaho St, Miss St(SEC), and New Mexico State as non-conference opponents. NMST also received the "suspend" letter.

July 30, 2020

Ball State(MAC) replaced Iowa(B10) on Iowa St(Big 12) schedule and had an open slot because its game at Michigan(B10) was canceled by the B10.

ISU won the only previous meeting between the two schools in 1998.

Aug 6

AAC 8 +4  ,starts Sept 19, MWC 8+2 , starts Sept 26. Sunbelt 8+4  , starts Aug 29

Aug 9

MAC cancels 2020 football season. Will its best players transfer ASAP?

Aug 10, 2020

ODU of the CUSA cancels its season and so does MWC.

Aug 14, 2020

FIU(CUSA) delayed it's start til Sept 16. Sunbelt and AAC haven't had much to say lately.

Aug 15

There's going to be a lot of last minute shopping for opponents now.  Tulane(AAC) needs a new opponent for its opener since Southeastern Louisiana, a Southland Conference member had it's season canceled by the conference.

aug 21, 2020

Chris Robison , the FAU Owls' starting quarterback the last two seasons. who was recently named to the Maxwell Award Watch List, was removed from the team's roster and no reason was given publicly.

aug 23

WKU (CUSA) added 1a independents ,Liberty and BYU, to it s 2020 schedule.

aug 31 

South Florida(AAC) will play Notre dame on Sept. 19. The game will be part of a three-game series in which the Bulls get one home game in Tampa, Florida.

Sept  3, 2020 

Mike Collins, ULM DC, resigns 10 days before season-opener vs. Army. Basically because his tank is empty.

Sept 4, 2020

Desmond Trotter threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns and Jalen Tolbert had 169 yards receiving and two TD receptions for South Bama (Sunbelt) in a 32-21 win over USM(CUSA) . UAB(CUSA) beat Central Arkansas(1AA). 

Sept 6

SMU(AAC) looked shaky  yesterday for about 3/4 of the games yesterday against Texas St (Sunbelt) but held on for a 31-24 win. TJ MDaniel rushed for 130 yards  for the Mustangs. BTW, Jeremiah Haydel made a great one-handed TD reception for the Bearcats early in the second quarter. In another AAC /Sunbelt matchup Brady White threw four TD passes to lead Memphis to a 37-24 win over Arkansas St.

Three CUSA teams, Marshall, UNT, and UTEP beat 1AA teams , but UTEP had some problems with SF Austin in a 24-14 win.