Slim conference options in the O5 Dec 4-5

 All the schedule shuffles makes it difficult to find games that matter inside conferences but here I go.

Tulsa(5-0 AAC) trails Cincy, who they faces next week,  by a half a game in the AAC . They may have to rely on back QB Brin Collins to eke out a win at  Navy team and remain undefeated. Tulsa 25 Navy 22

Marshall(7-0, 4-0 CUSA)  the so-so Rice Owls and should take care business with Knox rushing for over 100 yards. #herd 30 Rice 17

Western Michigan (4-0 MAC) should handle EMU and keep pace with Buffalo(5-0 MAC) . The E & E , Eleby and Eskridge, show will lead the way to 29 -22 WMU win.

Nevada suffered its first MAC loss to Hawaii last week while Fresno St has been on a roll. Jalen Cropper is a hot receiver for Fresno so I'll gamble he gets two TDs in a win Fresno St 36 Nevada 33

The national media is high on ULL, but I suspect App St isn't too happy after a tough loss  to CCU. Zac Thomas roars back and throws two TD passes for APPY in a 31-30 win over ULL in Sunbelt action.

Dec 5

ULL 's snapper  tried to give Appy the game, but the Cajuns hung for a 24-21 win and gave me  an incorrect pick.  Mountaineers' Chandler Staton missed a 30-yard FG with 2 seconds left that would've sent the game to OT.

Dec 6

 I was certainly wrong on Marshall who got blanked 20-0 by Rice yesterday. The Owls D was stellar with five INTs, one of which was a pick6.

And lets keep rolling on my poor day yesterday. Eleby threw 4 TD passes for WMU, but EMU got three TD passes from P. Hutchinson and  a great rushing performance from Daruis Boone (148 yards, 1TD) in a 53-43 win yesterday.

Carson Strong threw 5 TD passes for Nevada in a 37-26 over Fresno and its D kept.Jalen Cropper out of the end zone.

My sole correct pick was Tulsa who got a key 3rd quarter 66-yard touchdown pass from Zach Smith to Josh Johnson to earn a 19-6 victory.

dec 7

An addendum due to a Sunday night CUSA game . #wku (5-6) has improved a great deal while Charlotte (2-4) has had a bouncy pandemic ride. Pagrome and Gaej Walker had solid games in the Hilltoppers' victory. wku 37 CHAR 19.

 Nice 20-3 win for G Southern over an FAU team that usually scores a lot of points.

Cheers for !A Independents in Covid 2020

In August, 2020 Liberty(9-1) and Coastal Carolina(9-0) of the SunBelt agreed to a game on Dec, 5, 2020. In a battle of productive QBs, Willis will get the better of McCall   and give CCU it's first loss. The pollsters will quickly boot CCU from the top 20 while giving respect to the B10, and Pac 12 despite those two conferences late starting the season late not playing a lot of games. They couldn't wait to give Liberty the boot from the top 25 in some  polls after a narrow 15-14 loss to NC St (ACC).

BYU has hustled to find opponents all season and while they haven't had the toughest schedule, they're undefeated but out of the Final Four frame. Cougar managed to get a final game against San Diego St (MWC)

I've been keeping track of some exciting 1a players here Rare 1A PIGSKIN MATCHUPS

dec 3

Props to BYU football for filling the slot created when Liberty U bailed out of its game with CCU due to Covid problems. ESPN Gameday matters, and they get a battle of the undefeateds. I like BYU in a squeaker.

dec 5

Chant for the Chanticleers. It wasn't the QBs yesterday but CJ Marable, CCU RB, who rushed for 132 and 2 TDs . Coastal Carolina(10-0) 22   BYU(9-1) 17. Props for both teams for making this game happen. 

dec 9

Is Boise St planning to go Independent in football before moving to a P5 conference? Head coach Bryan Harsin began pushing school officials in September to explore an exit from the MWC. 

Dec 10

BYU recovers from the tough loss at CCU and beats San Diego St 31-20. Army has a big rushing game in a 29 -22 "home" win over Navy.

dec 13

dec 13

Army blanked Navy 15-0. San Diego St  was up 14-7 after one quarter of play but never scored again in a  28-14 loss to BYU, who got 3 TD passes from Zach Wilson

dec 16

Army hosts another military academy this week and will rush by AFA 27-19.  #TyhierTyler , the Army QB, will rush for over 100 yards.

dec 20

Army beat Air Force 10-7 on a fourth and goal TD in the 4th Q  and won Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.

Turkey Night in the MWC, and then four O5 games

 I would've predicted the Colorado St/AFA game but it was canceled, so it's role the dice on two 0-4 MWC teams, New Mexico and Utah St.  Jaylen Warren will bust a long run for a TD for the home Aggies in a low scoring win over the Lobos. Utah St 19 UNM 13. The game will televised on FS1.

Friday afternoon AAC game features UCF  led buy Dillon Gabriel (205-332, 3017 YDS,) 26 TD facing USF. UCF will be stoked after the tough loss to Cincy last week. UCF 49 USF 23.

Tighten your Sunbelt for a big intrastate battle between GA Southern Eagles and GA St Panthers .I'm not sure if Werts will be ready to start at QB for the Eagles, but  Brown IV should be going for  the Panthers. GA St 20 GA SO 17

MTSU has improved a great deal since the start of the season but O'Hara and crew will not be able to get a tough FAU squad. FAU 30 MTSU 27. FYI: WKU plays Charlotte on Tuesday morning at 10:30am.

I'm intrigued by the battle of running back in the Ball St (Huntley)/Toledo(Koback) matchup . They'll each post 100 plus yards and a TD, but Ball St will get a late FG  for a 24-22 victory

Nov 27

I was correct on Utah St but way off on the amount of scoring.Andrew Peasley, the Utah St QB, passed for 239 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed for 118 yards another score  in the Aggies 41-27 win over the Lobos. 

Nov 28

Correct on UCF  O and it's win but wrong on its D which is more porous than I thought. UCF 58 USF 46

Nov 29

Brown IV had a huge day in the Panthers  30-24 win over GA Southern who got a big day
8 CAR, 143 YDS, 2 TD from Logan Wright.

Plitt, the Ball St QB, led his Cards to a 24-9 lead through three quarters  , but Toledo roared back with 15 points  in the 4th quarter before fumbling on a possible final winning drive. Ball St 27 Toledo 24.

I went 4-0. The CUSA matchup was canceled.

Special shout-outs to Coastal Carolina (9-0, 7-0 Sun Belt) who beat TX St 49-14 to remain undefeated, and Jaret Patterson who rushed for 409 yards and 8 TDs in Buffalo's win over Kent St.

 

 

 

Midweek pigskin in week ending Nov 21

 A battle of two (2-0) MAC, WMU and CMU, teams kicks off tomorrow tonight at Central Michigan. WMU will need  more than the fake spike TD that saved them against Toledo last week. Richards to Dixon passing game will take  the home team to a narrow victory. CMU 20 WMU 18.

I'm taking field goals as the winner in the FIU/WKU game in the CUSA.  The tossed coin landed on FIU 12 WKU 9

Tulsa reached the top 25 and I don't see Tulane slowing down Zach Smith, who has tossed 10 TD passes, in this AAC matchup. Tulsa 27 Tulane 22

It's hard to resist to the MWC matchup of San Jose St (4-0) and Fresno St (3-1). I'll take the Starkel to Gaither connection to keep SJST undefeated. SJST 31 Fresno St 26

 Coastal Carolina (7-0, 5-0 Sun Belt) hosts AppSt(6-1, 4-0 Sun Belt) and the home team Chanticleers will ride McCall's passing to 34-19 victory over AppSt..

Nov 18, 2020

Props to #JerotPatterson  for this stat line 31 carries for 301yards, 4 TDs in his Buffalo Bulls  42-17 win over Bowling Green. 

Nov19

Wrong about the QBs and the game . It was Eleby, WMU QB, who stole the show by tossing 5 TD passes in a 52-44 win over CMU.

Nov 20

I got damn close on the final score  and was correct on Tulsa, who needed OT to put away Tulane 30-24. Davis Brin, the Tulsa  QB , had  solid night: 18-28, 266 YDS, 2 TD 

Nov 22

 I was wrong on WKU who  outscored  FIU 28-8 in the second half  for a 38-28 victory 

CCU got a hell of a battle from App ST in scrapping out a 34-23 win. McCall is a gamer and Isaiah Likely ( 3 REC, 118 yards, 1 TD) shows a lot of promise and may keep the Chants undefeated this season.

SJST /Fresno ST was cancelled. 2-2 this weekend

Tuesday football and five O5 picks week ending Nov 14

 I'll take Mayer's passing to lead Miami O to a 31-27 win over Buffalo, who will get a 100 yard rushing game from J. Patterson tonight's MAC matchup.

Tulsa (3-1, 3-0 American) hosts SMU(7-1, 4-1 American) and I don't think the host team can slow down these Mustangs Buechele, Bentley IV, and Rees Rice. SMU 34 Tulsa 26

Sincere McCormick will get back on track and rushed for over 100 yards in UTSA 22-19 win over UTEP in a battle of two erratic CUSA  teams.

#carsonstrong (96-131, 1181 YDS, 9 TD) will keep Nevada undefeated in a MWC win over New Mexico.

App St((5-1, 3-0 Sun Belt) needs to keep pace with undefeated Coastal Carolina so I look for their D to have a big day in 20-9 win over Georgia St

Nov 11

Pass me the dunce cap on the Miami(OH) pick. Buffalo 42 M(O)10. Vantrease, the Bulls QB, threw for 353 yards and 4TDs.

Nov 15

Another wrong pick with SMU. Tulsa outscored SMU 21-0 in the second half to earn a 28-24 AAC win. Tulsa's QB, Zach Smith, threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns . Then I got the last three picks, UTSA, Nevada, and App St correct.

Brendan Brady picked up the rushing slack for McCormick who sat for personal reasons  and Harris threw three TD passed  for UTSA in a 52-21 win over UTEP  Carson Strong threw for 336 yards and 3tds for Nevada in a 27-21 win over UNM. The APP St didenough in a 17-13 win over Georgia St.

On a side Marshall rolled  MTSU 42-14 and is looking like the best team in the CUSA,

MAC is back and more week ending Nov 7

Toledo will rely on, RBs Bryant Koback and Shakif Seymour, in their Wednesday MAC opener against Bowling Green. TOL34 BG 23 

I'll ride Starkel's hot start  passing for near 700 yards for San Jose St. in a battle of two teams undefeated in MWC play. SJST 31 SDST 23 

Is Tulsa, 3-0 in AAC play  a team on the rise or will Navy bring them to their senses? Zach Smith, Tulsa's QB will continue their ascent. TULSA 30 NAVY 20

Charlotte needs a game against MTSU to recover from the pounding by Duke last weekend. Niners will need to give its QB, Chris Reynolds, more ground support. Ohara, the opposing QB, has put up some big passing numbers. CHAR 33 MTSU 31

In a Sunbelt battle of 4-2 teams, Troy and Georgia Southern, I feel like flipping a coin. I'll go with Jacob Free's  aerial show over the Wirts/Kennedy III ground attack. Troy 34 GA Southern 26

Nov 5

Toledo  got solid games from their running backs and four TD passes from QB Eli Peters in a 38-3 victory.

Nov 7

Starkel was injured on SJST's first possession , but Nick Nash came in and threw two TD passes and rushed for one TD in 28-17 victory of San Diego St.

Nov 8

AAC and CUSA matchups were canceled. My first incorrect pick of the weekend was Troy who scored it's only TD on D.  Gerald Green rushed for 109 yards and TD for Georgia Southern. GASO 20 Troy 13.

Other notes Cincy  rolled Houston and remains in the mix for a Final four slot. Gary Anderson was fired  by Utah St(MWC) after an 0-3 start.

 

Rare 1A pigskin matchups, Independent style

 No. 22 #Marshall (4-0, 2-0 Conference USA)  scheduled a Nov. 7 home football game against Massachusetts, their first meeting since Marshall(then a MAC member) beat UMass 49-20 in 2001 when the Minutemen competed in the Atlantic 10 (1AA). The Herd should romp over the Minutemen who lost to Georgia Southern 49-0.  UMass  can be classified as a schedule filler.

A more intriguing matchup  is an intrastate Virginia battle between Liberty(5-0), led by Malik Willis, visiting VT(4-2) of the ACC. VT beat Liberty in 2016

And I'd be ignorant if I forgot to mention  BYU and Boise St ,  who were  once in the MWC together for a year or two. 

I like Liberty and BYU to win and give Independents more respect this season

Nov 7

BYU(8-0) demolished Boise St 51-17. Zach Wilson threw for 359 yards and two TDs and rushed for a TD.

Nov 7 afternoon

Wow what a wild ending  to the Liberty game. VT called a time out  with 11 seconds to go negating the  block of a FG attempt and a  return for a TD, then let  the Flames  get a first down and kick a FG. LIB 38 VT 35
Marshall destroyed UMass 51-10. Knox rushed for 118 yards and  two TDs for the Herd. 

Nov 16: I wonder if Sankey's SEC freeze on Freeze is still in effect. Apparently this stopped Bama from hiring Freeze as an ASST a few years ago. So folks may want to relax on all the chatter about HF leaving taking the South Carolina job.

Nov 17

 Army was snakebit by Tulane last week, and I suspect Werts and his Georgia Southern (Sunbelt) mates will carry some venom into West Point and pull off a 19-17 win. Taggart's FAU bunch should have fun with UMass, and BYU will take care of N. Bama.

Hugh Freeze's coaching stock will soar higher with a win over NC St (ACC) behind  Malik Willis: 122-180, 1645 YDS, 15 TD   98 CAR, 700 YDS, 9 TD 

Nov 21

UMAss 's only score was a safety in a 24-2 loss to FAU(CUSA) . The Minutemen have scored 12 points in three games this season.

Nov 22

BYU had no problems with N.Bama, but I was  was wrong on two squeakers. Army roared back to edge  Ga Southern 28-27. Close call by the refs on whether GA SO got the ball spiked in time for a last gasp long FG attempt. NC ST blocked a Liberty FG attempt to survive 15-14.

Nov 26

 Liberty should handle UMass easily tomorrow. I wonder if the Freeze chase has cooled down since the loss to NCST.

Nov 28, 2020

Willis train rolls on for Liberty in a 45-0 shutout of UMass.  He rushed for 63 yards and a TD, and passed for 223 yards and 3 TDs 

Sept 22, 2022

UMass to hold Pride Day when Liberty football visits this week. Coach Freeze will have the Flames O ignited, and they'll get past this crap: UMass to hold Pride Day when Liberty football visits.  BTW, LU's field hockey team played at Northwestern in field hockey on Sept. 9, when the Wildcats set that day as their Pride Game. Do you see a trend?