Saturday 9-9-17 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[New York Knight]

When: 6:00 PM ET, Saturday, September 9, 2017
Where: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, North Carolina

Preview: Marshall at North Carolina State
Gracenote
Sep 5, 2017

After a mistake-filled season-opening loss, North Carolina State looks to bounce back and rescue a season some felt would carry it further than its ever been when Marshall visits Saturday night. The Wolf Pack, who some believed had a chance at earning a College Football Playoff berth, allowed an opening kickoff return for a touchdown and fumbled at the wrong time in their 35-28 loss to South Carolina.

There are positives surrounding N.C. State as junior quarterback Ryan Finley is coming off a game in which he set a school record for completions (45) and threw for a career-high 415 yards. The Wolf Pack also outgained the Gamecocks by more than a 2-to-1 margin with Preseason All-America defensive end Bradley Chubb leading the way, prompting South Carolina coach Will Muschamp to tell reporters: "Their front seven is as good as we’ll see this year.” The Thundering Herd, selected to finish fourth in the Conference USA East Division this season, opened with a 31-26 victory over Miami (Ohio) behind a pair of kickoff returns for touchdowns by junior running back Keion Davis -- the first in school history to accomplish the feat. "I’m going to enjoy this one for about an hour and 15 minutes. We have a great challenge ahead of us in Raleigh,'' Marshall coach Doc Holliday told reporters.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: North Carolina State -24

ABOUT MARSHALL (1-0): The defense also played a big role against Miami as sophomore cornerback Chris Jackson returned an interception 72 yards for a touchdown. Junior quarterback Chase Litton passed for 208 yards last week and has 5,425 for his career, moving him into 10th all-time in Thundering Herd annals, and has thrown a touchdown pass in all 22 career games. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Willie Johnson caught seven passes for 88 yards after totaling four and 52 in an injury-shortened 2016 campaign.

ABOUT N.C. STATE (0-1): The Wolf Pack are hurting in the secondary as junior safety Freddie Phillips Jr. sustained a season-ending Achilles injury last week and sophomore safety Trae Meadows left the team because of a personal matter, joining senior cornerback Mike Stevens (knee) on the sidelines. Wide receiver Kelvin Harmon's sophomore season got off to a fast start with 10 catches for 114 yards while junior running back Nyheim Hines handled matters on the ground with 81 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. Senior linebacker Jerod Fernandez is also a key factor on defense as evidenced by his team highs of nine tackles -- four solo -- last week.

EXTRA POINTS

1. N.C. State senior OG Tony Adams was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week after helping the Wolf Pack gain 504 yards while participating in all 103 snaps.

2. Wolf Pack junior OT Will Richardson will not play as he completes his two-game suspension for violating team rules last spring.

3. N.C. State won all three previous meetings, which occurred in 1991, 1993 and 1995.

PREDICTION: North Carolina State 42, Marshall 21

[New York Knight]

Preview: Alabama State at Troy
When: 6:00 PM ET, Saturday, September 9, 2017
Where: Veterans Memorial Stadium, Troy, Alabama
Quick Hits

Overall Team Offense

The Troy Trojans are ranked 122 on offense, averaging 215.0 yards per game. The Trojans are averaging 76.0 yards rushing and 139.0 yards passing so far this season.
The Alabama State Hornets are ranked 0 on offense, averaging yards per game. The Hornets are averaging yards rushing and yards passing so far this season.

Home and Away

The Troy Trojans are 0-0 at home this season, 0-0 against conference opponents and 0-1 against non-conference opponents.
At home the Trojans are averaging 0.0 scoring, and holding teams to 0.0 points scored on defense.
The Alabama State Hornets are 0-0 while on the road this season, 0-0 against conference opponents and 0-1 against non-conference opponents.
On the road, the Hornets are averaging 0.0 scoring, and holding teams to 0.0 points scored on defense.

[New York Knight]

Preview: South Dakota at Bowling Green
When: 6:00 PM ET, Saturday, September 9, 2017
Where: Doyt Perry Stadium, Bowling Green, Ohio
Quick Hits

Overall Team Offense

The Bowling Green Falcons are ranked 123 on offense, averaging 212.0 yards per game. The Falcons are averaging 67.0 yards rushing and 145.0 yards passing so far this season.
The South Dakota Coyotes are ranked 0 on offense, averaging yards per game. The Coyotes are averaging yards rushing and yards passing so far this season.

Home and Away

The Bowling Green Falcons are 0-0 at home this season, 0-0 against conference opponents and 0-1 against non-conference opponents.
At home the Falcons are averaging 0.0 scoring, and holding teams to 0.0 points scored on defense.
The South Dakota Coyotes are 1-0 while on the road this season, 0-0 against conference opponents and 1-0 against non-conference opponents.
On the road, the Coyotes are averaging 77.0 scoring, and holding teams to 7.0 points scored on defense.

[New York Knight]

When: 7:00 PM ET, Saturday, September 9, 2017
Where: Clemson Memorial Stadium, Clemson, South Carolina

Preview: Auburn at Clemson
Gracenote
Sep 6, 2017

After putting up big numbers in blowout wins against overmatched opponents in their openers, Auburn and Clemson crank up the competition level for a top-15 clash Saturday. Defending national champion No. 3 Clemson welcomes No. 13 Auburn to Death Valley for a marquee early-season matchup of teams that boast strong defenses.


Auburn turned in a dominant defensive effort in last week’s 41-7 rout of Georgia Southern, and although Clemson represents a much bigger offensive threat, Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele expects his unit to be up to the challenge. “It’s about us,” Steele told reporters. “It has nothing to do with who we play, what time we play. You get into that, you’re going to ride the roller coaster, so we don’t allow it, and we hammer it home.” Clemson has won three straight meetings after losing its previous 14 games against Auburn. Clemson has not had a four-game winning streak against an SEC school other than rival South Carolina since winning seven straight against Georgia from 1900-06.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Clemson -5.


ABOUT AUBURN (1-0): Auburn held Georgia Southern to 78 total yards, the lowest total the Tigers have allowed since 1985. The defense overshadowed an impressive offensive performance, as the Tigers racked up 535 total yards even without star running back Kamryn Pettway, who served a one-game suspension. Pettway might have to carry the load with Kerryon Johnson nursing a leg injury after rushing for 136 yards and a score last week.

ABOUT CLEMSON (1-0): Clemson rolled up 665 total yards – the fifth-most in program history – in a 56-3 win over Kent State last week. Quarterback Kelly Bryant was stellar in his debut as the starter, going 16-for-22 for 236 yards and a touchdown and adding 77 rushing yards and another score, and the Tigers had 353 rushing yards without a 100-yard rusher. The Tigers controlled things on defense, too, allowing only 120 total yards and just one pass completion for one yard.


EXTRA POINTS

1. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has 11 wins over SEC teams, the most by any active non-SEC coach.

2. Auburn is 8-8 against top-25 teams under coach Gus Malzahn.

3. Auburn is 5-5 all-time against defending national champions, including a 30-12 loss at Alabama last season.


PREDICTION: Clemson 23, Auburn 20

[New York Knight]

When: 7:00 PM ET, Saturday, September 9, 2017
Where: Faurot Field, Columbia, Missouri

Preview: South Carolina at Missouri
Gracenote
Sep 7, 2017

Two teams with hopes of exceeding expectations and contending for the SEC East title square off in a key early-season matchup when South Carolina visits Missouri on Saturday. The Gamecocks are looking for their second straight win in the Mayor’s Cup series and their first 2-0 start since 2012.


South Carolina enters SEC play with high hopes after a 35-28 neutral-site win over North Carolina State last week. Drew Lock and Missouri’s high-powered offense had a record-breaking performance in last week’s 72-43 win over Missouri State, and South Carolina coach Will Muschamp feels keeping that unit off the field is the key for the Gamecocks. “I do feel like defensively we’ve had some experienced guys that have been on the road and understand the importance of an SEC East game,” Muschamp told reporters. “It’s the first step to Atlanta, and we need to do a good job of preparing right for the game.” The Gamecocks’ defense forced three turnovers in a 31-21 win over visiting Missouri last season and has won three of five meetings since the Tigers joined the SEC.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2. LINE: Missouri -2.5.


ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (1-0, 0-0 SEC): The Gamecocks opened the season with a bang when Deebo Samuel took the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown, and Samuel added two touchdown catches. Quarterback Jake Bentley and fellow sophomore Rico Dowdle pair with Samuel to form a dangerous trio on offense. The defense was torched through the air in the first half against N.C. State but settled in after halftime and held the Wolfpack to seven points.

ABOUT MISSOURI (1-0, 0-0): The Tigers rewrote the school record book last week, rolling up 815 total yards as Lock went 21-for-34 for 521 yards and seven touchdowns and Damarea Crockett rushed for 202 yards on 18 carries. The fact Lock was still in the game and throwing late in the contest is a concern for the Tigers, as the defense had a difficult time stopping the Bears. Missouri gave up 492 total yards, including 353 through the air, and will have to be much better to win this week.


EXTRA POINTS

1. South Carolina won despite just 246 total yards against N.C. State, including 31 rushing yards on 21 attempts.

2. Lock and Crockett are the first teammates to surpass 500 passing yards and 200 rushing yards in the same game since Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield and Joe Mixon last October against Texas Tech.

3. South Carolina has made 160 consecutive PATs dating to 2013, the sixth-longest active streak in the nation.


PREDICTION: Missouri 41, South Carolina 34

[New York Knight]

When: 7:00 PM ET, Saturday, September 9, 2017
Where: Kyle Field, College Station, Texas

Preview: Nicholls at Texas A&M
Gracenote
Sep 6, 2017

There are bad losses, and then there are your really bad losses. Texas A&M, which blew a 34-point lead in less than 19 minutes Sunday in a 45-44 loss to UCLA, will try to rebound Saturday night when it hosts Nicholls.

No one will be happier to move on than embattled Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin, who entered the season on a hot seat that might best be described as scalding after his Aggies were on the wrong end of the second largest comeback in NCAA history at the Rose Bowl. Afterward Texas A&M regent Tony Buzbee went on social media and called for Sumlin's firing. "People are frustrated," Sumlin said at his weekly news conference on Tuesday. "I'm frustrated about a lot of things. I'm not really happy. I'm sure there's a lot of things being said about this program. Our focus is on us. That never changes."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU. LINE: None

ABOUT NICHOLLS (1-0): The Colonels opened their son a high, defeating FCS Southland Conference rival McNeese 37-35 on Lorran Fonseca's 32-yard field goal as time expired. The win snapped an eight-game losing streak to McNeese which finished with 100 more yards of total offense (432-304) and doubled the time of possession. Sophomore quarterback Chase Fourcade led the way for the Colonels with 213 yards passing and three touchdowns while also rushing for 49 of Nicholls' 91 rushing yards.

ABOUT TEXAS A&M (0-1): Sumlin said that both junior Jake Hubenak and true freshman Kellen Mond will see time at quarterback Saturday after starter Nick Starkel underwent surgery for a broken ankle suffered against UCLA. Both will be throwing to All-American wide receiver Christian Kirk, the first player in school history to have 80 or more catches in consecutive seasons and the NCAA's active leader in punt-return average. Senior safety Armani Watts leads the defense and finished with a game-high 13 tackles, including 12 solo stops, to go with a fumble recovery, a forced fumble and two passes broken up against UCLA.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Texas A&M has won 25 straight non-conference home games dating back to a 41-23 loss to Miami in 2008.

2. Sophomore RB Trayveon Williams became the first true freshman in Texas A&M history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season in 2016 and had 203 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries in the loss to UCLA.

3. Kirk has returned five punts for touchdowns in 27 career games.

PREDICTION: Texas A&M 55, Nicholls State 7

[New York Knight]

Preview: Toledo at Nevada
When: 7:00 PM ET, Saturday, September 9, 2017
Where: MacKay Stadium, Reno, Nevada
Quick Hits

Overall Team Offense

The Nevada Wolf Pack are ranked 98 on offense, averaging 341.0 yards per game. The Wolf Pack are averaging 142.0 yards rushing and 199.0 yards passing so far this season.
The Toledo Rockets are ranked 23 on offense, averaging 553.0 yards per game. The Rockets are averaging 239.0 yards rushing and 314.0 yards passing so far this season.

Home and Away

The Nevada Wolf Pack are 0-0 at home this season, 0-0 against conference opponents and 0-1 against non-conference opponents.
At home the Wolf Pack are averaging 0.0 scoring, and holding teams to 0.0 points scored on defense.
The Toledo Rockets are 0-0 while on the road this season, 0-0 against conference opponents and 1-0 against non-conference opponents.
On the road, the Rockets are averaging 0.0 scoring, and holding teams to 0.0 points scored on defense.

[New York Knight]

Preview: Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Akron
When: 7:30 PM ET, Saturday, September 9, 2017
Where: InfoCision Stadium, Akron, Ohio
Quick Hits

Overall Team Offense

The Akron Zips are ranked 126 on offense, averaging 159.0 yards per game. The Zips are averaging 73.0 yards rushing and 86.0 yards passing so far this season.
The Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions are ranked 0 on offense, averaging yards per game. The Golden Lions are averaging yards rushing and yards passing so far this season.

Home and Away

The Akron Zips are 0-0 at home this season, 0-0 against conference opponents and 0-1 against non-conference opponents.
At home the Zips are averaging 0.0 scoring, and holding teams to 0.0 points scored on defense.
The Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions are 0-0 while on the road this season, 0-0 against conference opponents and 1-0 against non-conference opponents.
On the road, the Golden Lions are averaging 0.0 scoring, and holding teams to 0.0 points scored on defense

[New York Knight]

When: 7:30 PM ET, Saturday, September 9, 2017
Where: Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Preview: Chattanooga at LSU
Gracenote
Sep 6, 2017

No. 12 LSU takes aim at its 48th straight home win against a non-conference opponent Saturday when the Tigers host Chattanooga. LSU has not allowed a touchdown in eight straight quarters and is coming off a dominant defensive performance in its 2017 debut.

In its season opener, LSU held BYU to minus-5 rushing yards and 97 total in a resounding 27-0 triumph. "They showed some of the best defense I've seen in college football," BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. "We just couldn't get anything going." Tigers tailback Derrius Guice ran for 122 yards and two touchdowns and Danny Etling was 14-of-17 for 171 yards in a game that was moved to New Orleans after Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc on Houston. Chattanooga will try to become the first FCS squad to ever defeat LSU as the teams meet for the first time since 1954.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network. LINE: None

ABOUT CHATTANOOGA (0-1): The Mocs likely will have their hands full as the Tigers are 12-0 all-time against FCS squads with all of those wins coming by double digits. Chattanooga lost to Jacksonville State 27-13 in its last contest, which also served as the Chattanooga debut for quarterback Nick Tiano, a transfer from Mississippi State. Coach Tom Arth, who took over the Mocs program this season, said afterward: "The big thing for us going forward is going to be our ability to learn from this - to learn from our mistakes and to realize that we are right there. We had great opportunities, you just have to take advantage of them."

ABOUT LSU (1-0): The Tigers did not allow BYU to cross midfield, becoming just the fifth FBS team in the last decade to do that against another FBS squad. The team's rush defense was its staunchest since 1982, when it allowed minus-50 yards on the ground against Ole Miss. "Look what our defense did," defensive end Rashard Lawrence told reporters. "We knew what the stats were on the sidelines for a large portion of the fourth quarter. We were checking the yards and just encouraging the guys in there once the starters came out to just keep holding them."

EXTRA POINTS

1. Guice needs 55 rushing yards to reach 2,000 for his career.

2. LSU OG Garrett Brumfield was named the SEC's Offensive Lineman of the Week after registering 12 knockdown blocks in Week 1.

3. The Tigers did not allow a sack in their season opener and had only three plays go for negative yardage.

PREDICTION: LSU 37, Chattanooga 7

[New York Knight]

When: 7:30 PM ET, Saturday, September 9, 2017
Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

Preview: Oklahoma at Ohio State
Gracenote
Sep 6, 2017

Two of the most successful programs in college football history meet for the second straight season when No. 6 Oklahoma visits second-ranked Ohio State on Saturday night in a battle of high-powered offenses with veteran quarterbacks. The Buckeyes won 45-24 at Oklahoma last year and went on to make the College Football Playoff while the Sooners have won 11 straight since that setback.

“It’s definitely probably one that’s been circled on each person’s and each team’s schedule,” Oklahoma junior offensive tackle Orlando Brown told reporters. “I think Ohio State knows what they have to prove and we know what we have to prove.” Baker Mayfield completed 19-of-20 passes for 329 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s 56-7 season-opening victory over UTEP and the senior quarterback needs another big effort against the Buckeyes to give new coach Lincoln Riley his second win. Ohio State struggled before pulling away from Indiana for a 49-21 victory in its opener on Aug. 31 as freshman J.K. Dobbins emerged with 181 yards rushing in his collegiate debut with injured starter Mike Weber unavailable. Senior quarterback J.T. Barrett threw for 304 yards against the Hoosiers after a slow start and had four touchdown passes in last year’s victory over Oklahoma, which has won 11 straight true road games.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC. LINE: Ohio State -7.5

OKLAHOMA (1-0): The Sooners’ three quarterbacks completed 32 of their 36 pass attempts for a total of 496 yards, but Riley told reporters this week that his team is “going to have to be able to run the football.” Sophomore Abdul Adams (53 yards), junior Marcelias Sutton (52, touchdown) and freshman Trey Sermon (51) all showed promise at running back in the opener while tight end Mark Andrews caught seven passes for 134 yards and a score. Senior edge rusher Ogbonnia Okoronkwo led the Oklahoma defense with four tackles and a sack against UTEP while cornerback Jordan Parker (knee) was lost for the season.

OHIO STATE (1-0): Weber (hamstring), who ran for 1,096 yards last year as a freshman, practiced fully this week and is expected to add to a rushing attack that averaged 5.7 yards per carry and three touchdowns last week. Barrett completed 20-of-35 passes against Indiana and junior receiver Parris Campbell had a big night with six catches for 136 yards and a touchdown to go along with one run for six yards in his swing role on offense. The Buckeyes' defense stepped up in the second half while allowing just seven points and All-American candidate senior defensive lineman Tyquan Lewis finished with a pair of sacks.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Sooners won 29-28 in their only other visit to Columbus in 1977, but lost the other two meetings to Ohio State.

2. Barrett needs to have a hand in two more touchdowns to tie Drew Brees’ career Big Ten record of 106.

3. Mayfield needs six passing yards to reach 8,000 and is two TD passes from tying Jason White (81) for third on the school’s all-time list.

PREDICTION: Oklahoma 31, Ohio State 24

[New York Knight]

When: 7:30 PM ET, Saturday, September 9, 2017
Where: Joe Aillet Stadium, Ruston, Louisiana

Preview: Mississippi State at Louisiana Tech
Gracenote
Sep 5, 2017

Mississippi State defensive coordinator Todd Grantham has only been on the job for eight months, but it might already be time for a raise. Grantham and the Bulldogs' stout defense look to build on an incredible performance in the season opener as they hit the road Saturday to face Louisiana Tech.

Mississippi State couldn't have done much more on defense last weekend, limiting Charleston Southern to a paltry 33 total yards en route to a 49-0 drubbing; the Bulldogs held the Buccaneers to just two first downs while recording a pair of safeties. "For me, that's the type of defense I expect," head coach Dan Mullen told the media afterward. "Todd did a fantastic job with the scheme. I'm most pleased about watching how our guys ran to the football. Eleven guys going as hard as they can every play." The Bulldogs offense was no slouch itself, piling up 555 total yards and 29 first downs. Louisiana Tech is also coming off a solid victory, scoring 28 unanswered points late to turn a closely-contested affair into a 52-24 rout of Northwestern State.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CBSSN. LINE: Mississippi State -8

ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE (1-0): Lost in the Bulldogs' superlative defensive effort was the performance of junior quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, who threw for 239 yards and two touchdowns and added 41 yards and a score on the ground. The rushing effort was part of a balanced effort by Mississippi State; nine different players had at least one carry for a Bulldogs team that compiled 281 rushing yards and three TDs. A defense that was much maligned in 2016 forced three fumbles against Charleston Southern, limited the Buccaneers to two third-down conversions in 14 attempts and held their rush attack to 18 yards on 39 attempts.

ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (1-0): Senior running back Jarred Craft scored two of his three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pace the Bulldogs, who stumbled through the first three quarters before pulling away from Northwestern State. Junior linebacker Dae'Von Washington was the catalyst for the late-game dominance, halting two straight Northwestern State drives with pivotal interceptions that led to short-field touchdowns for the victors. J'Mar Smith threw for 276 yards and a pair of touchdowns in just his second collegiate start, and added 72 rushing yards on 10 carries.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Mississippi State, which allowed an average of 459 yards per game last season, kept Charleston Southern on its own side of the field for the entire game as the Buccaneers didn't advance past their own 48-yard line.

2. According to ESPN's Points Above Expectation (PAE), Louisiana Tech has enjoyed the biggest home-field advantage in Division I since 2005, performing an average of 3.6 points better than expected.

3. Mississippi State hadn't recorded a safety in a game since 2011 prior to last week's win.

PREDICTION: Mississippi State 31, Louisiana Tech 17

[New York Knight]

When: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, September 9, 2017
Where: Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois

Preview: Western Kentucky at Illinois
Gracenote
Sep 5, 2017

Illinois looks to build on the momentum of a season-opening come-from-behind win when it hosts Western Kentucky in a non-conference contest Saturday. The Illini needed a touchdown run with just over two minutes to play and a blocked field goal on the final play to earn a three-point win over Ball State.

Coach Lovie Smith and Illinois are looking to improve this week, especially with junior quarterback Chayce Crouch having his first collegiate start at home under his belt and leading a rally late in the fourth. The Illinois offense wasn't sharp -- managing just 216 yards of total offense and holding the ball for only 23:27 of the contest -- so there's definitely room for improvement in many areas. But when the game was on the line, all parts of the team -- offense, defense and special teams -- came up with big plays to help the Illini earn their 20th consecutive home-opening win. Western Kentucky was able to build a big lead behind quarterback Mike White (20-of-31, 264 yards, 1 TD) and hold on for a home victory over Eastern Kentucky last week.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Western Kentucky -7.5

ABOUT WESTERN KENTUCKY (1-0): One area that didn't please the Western Kentucky coaches in the season-opening win was the lack of a consistent pass rush. Eastern Kentucky threw the ball 48 times but the only sack the Hilltoppers recorded came on a blitz by cornerback Joe Brown. Western Kentucky only rushed four defensive linemen on most downs in the opener, but look for more blitzing against the Illini to try to shake things up and get back to the defense that averaged 2.43 sacks a game last season.

ABOUT ILLINOIS (1-0): The Illini coaching staff has a lot of confidence in Crouch and expects him to continue to grow as a leader and productive signal-caller as the season progresses. Crouch was 10-of-19 for 145 yards and a touchdown in the opener, but the coaches don't want to overload the junior early on, letting him grow into the role as the team focuses on the ground attack. The hope is that running backs Kendrick Foster (15 rushing yards in opener) and Mike Epstein (54 rushing yards, two TDs, two catches for 32 yards) can help give Crouch a bit of a safety blanket and help him gain confidence as the season progresses.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Western Kentucky is seeking its first win over a member of the Big Ten Conference, going 0-6 in previous meetings with members of the league.

2. Illinois LB Del'Shawn Phillips leads the Big Ten in tackles after the opening week, registering 16 in the win over Ball State.

3. Illini senior WR Malik Turner has caught at least one pass in 21 straight contests and 28 of his last 29 games.

PREDICTION: Western Kentucky 31, Illinois 24

[New York Knight]

When: 7:30 PM ET, Saturday, September 9, 2017
Where: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana

Preview: Georgia at Notre Dame
Gracenote
Sep 6, 2017

No. 15 Georgia certainly did not envision true freshman Jake Fromm at quarterback early in its season-opening victory last weekend, but Fromm will direct the Bulldogs into Saturday’s nonconference showdown at No. 25 Notre Dame after Jacob Eason’s left knee injury. Fromm, who came on eight minutes into a 31-10 win over Appalachian State, completed 10-of-15 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown after Eason injured his left knee and will start Saturday, coach Kirby Smart confirmed Monday.

“He has good players around him,” Smart told the media regarding Fromm, who enrolled at Georgia early and took part in spring drills. “He needs to take advantage of them.” The Fighting Irish also cruised in their season opener, downing Temple 49-16 behind a trio of 100-yard rushers: Josh Adams, Dexter Williams and quarterback Brandon Wimbush, who also passed for 184 yards. “He provided some excitement and energy for the offense,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly told reporters afterward. The matchup is just the second between the two schools, and the first since Georgia beat Notre Dame in the 1981 Sugar Bowl to win the national championship.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC. LINE: Notre Dame -4 ½

ABOUT GEORGIA (1-0): Fromm got help from the running-back duo of Nick Chubb (96 yards rushing, two touchdowns) and Sony Michel (87 yards rushing, one score). Chubb’s two rushing touchdowns moved him to sixth on the school’s all-time list with 31, while Michel recorded his 18th career rushing score. The Bulldogs defense kept Appalachian State out of the red zone until the fourth quarter, getting a sack, a forced fumble and five tackles from defensive back J.R. Reed.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (1-0): Adams eclipsed 100 yards rushing before the end of the first quarter and finished with 161 yards on the ground, while Williams added 124 yards on just six carries. Wimbush rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown, and threw two touchdown passes while completing 17-of-30 attempts. Defensively, the Fighting Irish gave up 245 yards passing but limited Temple to 2.3 yards per rushing attempt.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Adams has rushed for 13 touchdowns in his career, six of those covering 35-plus yards.

2. Georgia P Cameron Nizialek averaged 43.8 yards per kick in his first game with the Bulldogs.

3. Wimbush is the first Notre Dame quarterback to account for three touchdowns in one game since Tommy Rees in 2010.

PREDICTION: Georgia 24, Notre Dame 21

[New York Knight]

When: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, September 9, 2017
Where: Husky Stadium, Seattle, Washington

Preview: Montana at Washington
Gracenote
Sep 6, 2017

Seventh-ranked Washington didn't deliver the sharpest opening performance but will be looking for its second straight win when it hosts FCS program Montana on Saturday. The Huskies didn't lead for the first 26 minutes in their opener against Rutgers before posting a 30-14 victory.

Washington didn't play like a team that was part of the College Football Playoff last season against the Scarlet Knights and coach Chris Petersen is well aware that improvement is needed. "We've still got a ton to clean up," Petersen said at a press conference. "We've got to start faster, we've got to tackle better, but I think it was a good start out of the gate." Senior receiver Dante Pettis took a punt 61 yards for the go-ahead score and his six career punt-return touchdowns tie the Pac-12 record set by California's DeSean Jackson (2005-07). Montana might be overmatched physically by the Huskies but was sharp while recording a 45-23 victory over Valparaiso in its opener as former Kentucky backup quarterback Reese Phillips passed for 381 yards and four touchdowns.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network. LINE: None

ABOUT MONTANA (1-0): Phillips, a fifth-year senior, was 27-of-38 passing in the first start of his college career and the Grizzlies are hoping a guy who spent time in SEC stadiums won't be in awe of the atmosphere in Seattle. Sophomore receiver Jerry Louie-McGee caught nine passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns against Valparaiso and junior Jeremy Calhoun (77 yards, two touchdowns) is the top running back. The Grizzlies allowed 450 yards in their opener but received solid play from senior linebacker James Banks (12 tackles) while junior safety Evan Epperly and sophomore safety Josh Sandry each nabbed interceptions.

ABOUT WASHINGTON (1-0): Junior quarterback Jake Browning passed for 284 yards and two touchdowns against Rutgers but his accuracy (17-of-30) was shaky and he vowed the offense will be vastly improved against the Grizzlies. All-America senior inside linebacker Azeem Victor will be back from a one-game suspension for violation of team rules to aid a defense that allowed 131 rushing yards and was kept on the field for more than 38 minutes. Redshirt freshman Byron Murphy intercepted two passes in his first college game as Washington looks for production from a revamped secondary.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Washington leads the series 16-1-1 but the most-recent meeting occurred in 1951.

2. Huskies sophomore CB Austin Joyner will sit again to complete a two-game suspension for violation of team rules.

3. Montana lost to Wyoming 17-12 in 2014 in its last game against an FBS foe, and was routed 42-16 by Tennessee in 2011 in its most-recent game against a Power 5 conference school.

PREDICTION: Washington 40, Montana 16

[New York Knight]

When: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, September 9, 2017
Where: McLane Stadium, Waco, Texas

Preview: Texas-San Antonio at Baylor
Gracenote
Sep 6, 2017

Matt Rhule's debut as Baylor head coach didn't quite go as planned as the Bears were stunned by Liberty, 48-45. With a road game at Duke on deck followed by a difficult Big 12 opener with Oklahoma, the Bears are facing an early must-win when they host Texas-San Antonio on Saturday night.

Rhule remains optimistic despite the school's first loss to a 1-AA team since a 18-17 setback to Lamar in 1981. "As I said to them, the way my mind thinks, I put this on me," Rhule told the Waco Tribune. "I'm hoping every guy in this room says, 'Hey, what could I have done?' And if we have that approach we'll be fine. They're so young and we'll learn from this, and the sky's the limit. I think they will be good." The Bears will be facing a UTSA squad that will be playing its first game of the season after last week's game with Houston was postponed. The contest was scheduled to be played at the Alamodome in San Antonio, but Houston requested the postponement following the devastating damage of Hurricane Harvey.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN. LINE: Baylor -17

ABOUT TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO (0-0): The Roadrunners return 15 starters from a team that finished second in the West Division of Conference USA, a spot they are picked to finish again in this year's league preseason media poll. Four players were picked to the preseason all-conference team by the league's coaches: DE Marcus Davenport, OL Austin Pratt, LB Josiah Tauaefa and long-snapper Matt Bayliss. Senior quarterback Dalton Sturm, who passed for 2,170 yards and 20 touchdowns and rushed for 313 yards and four more scores last season, returns to run the offense.

ABOUT BAYLOR (0-1): Anu Solomon, a graduate transfer from Arizona, won the starting quarterback job and completed 14-of-29 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for a career-high 97 yards on six carries against Liberty. However, he also had one big turnover, an interception that was returned 32 yards for a touchdown to open the third quarter. A bigger issue for the Bears is an injury-plagued secondary that was picked apart by Liberty quarterback Stephen Calvert who completed 44-of-60 passes for 447 yards and three touchdowns.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Baylor sophomore RB JaMycal Hasty, who rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries in the opener, will be sidelined a minimum of four weeks with a knee sprain that will not require surgery.

2. This is the first meeting between Baylor and UTSA with a rematch scheduled for 2018 at the Alamodome.

3. Baylor has won 14 of its last 18 games against in-state schools.

PREDICTION: Baylor 48, Texas-San Antonio 31