Saturday 10-6-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Overall Team Offense

The Toledo Rockets are ranked 48 on offense, averaging 443.0 yards per game. The Rockets are averaging 173.0 yards rushing and 270.0 yards passing so far this season.
The Bowling Green Falcons are ranked 112 on offense, averaging 346.4 yards per game. The Falcons are averaging 89.6 yards rushing and 256.8 yards passing so far this season.

Home and Away

The Toledo Rockets are 2-1 at home this season, 0-0 against conference opponents and 6110-6110 against non-conference opponents.
At home the Rockets are averaging 51.0 scoring, and holding teams to 32.0 points scored on defense.
The Bowling Green Falcons are 0-2 while on the road this season, 0-1 against conference opponents and 6110-6110 against non-conference opponents.
On the road, the Falcons are averaging 20.5 scoring, and holding teams to 60.5 points scored on defense.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: San Diego State at Boise State


The two teams that have combined to win the last four Mountain West football titles square off on Saturday afternoon when San Diego State visits No. 24 Boise State. And the contest has a chance to be a special one for Broncos quarterback Brett Rypien who is only 101 passing yards shy of moving into second place in Mountain West history for career passing yards.

Rypien, the nephew of former NFL star Mark Rypien, ranks fourth in the nation in passing yards per game (347.3) and has completed 108-of-154 passes for 1,389 yards and 12 touchdowns without an interception. He trails former BYU star Max Hall (11,365) for second place in Mountain West history, and barring injury, he has a chance to catch former Aztec Ryan Lindley (12,690) for the No. 1 spot in conference history. "He's playing at a very high level," San Diego State coach Rocky Long said. "He reads coverages well, he's very accurate with the football and he's got the receivers that'll go get the ball. But if you put too many guys in coverage, they can pound you with their running backs." San Diego State won the Mountain West championship in both 2015 and 2016 while Boise State, which defeated a 6-0 Aztecs squad, 31-14, last year in San Diego, claimed the crown in 2014 and 2017.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU LINE: Boise State -14

ABOUT SAN DIEGO STATE (3-1, 0-0 Mountain West): The Aztecs, who opened the season with a 31-10 loss at Stanford, have rolled off three straight wins since including back-to-back home wins over then-No. 25 ranked Arizona State (28-21) and a 23-20 overtime victory over an Eastern Michigan team that won at Purdue earlier in the season. However, despite having a bye week, SDSU limps into this one with its entire starting backfield of quarterback Christian Chapman (sprained knee), running back Juwan Washington (broken clavicle) and starting fullback Isaac Lessard (neck) out with injuries. Long's specialty are tough attacking defenses, and the Aztecs once again are among the Mountain West's best allowing 21.5 points and 337 yards per game and also ranking second in the nation in rush defense allowing an average of 64.5 yards per contest.

ABOUT BOISE STATE (3-1, 1-0): Rypien has thrown for at least 300 yards in each of his team's games this season and has a deep group of receivers throw to, led by senior Sean Modster (24 catches, 385 yards, 2 TDs) and A.J. Richardson (18-313-3) and juniors John Hightower (14-257-3) and Akilian Butler (12-101-2). Junior Alexander Mattison (59 carries, 281 yards, 4 TDs) leads a physical run game that is averaging 4.7 yards per carry and benefits from playing behind the league's best offensive line. The defense, led by junior safety DeAndre Pierce (23 tackles), cornerback Tyler Horton (two fumble returns for TDs) and defensive end Jabril Fraizer (three sacks), ranks 18th nationally, allowing an average of 21.3 points and 125.8 rushing yards per game.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Rypien is the FBS active leading passer with 11,265 career passing yards, the only active FBS player with more than 11,000 career passing yards.

2. Boise State is 109-7 on its blue home turf since 2000, the best home winning percentage (94.0) in the FBS. Oklahoma (101-10, 91.2) is second.

3. San Diego State is 14-3 in its last 17 true road games and is 1-1 in two games against the Broncos in Boise, winning 21-19 in 2012 and losing 38-29 there in 2014.

PREDICTION: Boise State 34, San Diego State 16

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Kansas State at Baylor


Kansas State and host Baylor are both looking for a much-needed Big 12 win Saturday in the middle of difficult schedules. The Wildcats enter on the heels of back-to-back losses to ranked teams and face two more ranked foes after Baylor while the Bears face three straight Top 25 teams in the coming weeks.

Sophomore quarterback Charlie Brewer has Baylor averaging 331.4 passing yards but the Bears have allowed 14 sacks, including six in last week's loss to Oklahoma. Baylor will look to limit big plays against a Kansas State offense that has struggled to find consistency. Former starter Skylar Thompson came off the bench to spark the Wildcats late against Texas but will continue to split time with Alex Delton. "No one has dramatically separated themselves from each other," coach Bill Snyder said of his quarterbacks during Monday's teleconference. "Obviously Skylar came in and had a pretty decent second half (against Texas) and, consequently, that put him a step up for the coming ball game. But, if healthy, they will both still pay."

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: Baylor -4.5

ABOUT KANSAS STATE (2-3, 0-2 Big 12): Thompson (601 passing yards, four touchdowns, one interception, 175 rushing yards, two TDs) started the first four games before coming off the bench to lead a pair of second-half touchdown drives against Texas. Delton (273 yards, one TD, two interceptions, 143 rushing yards) led the Wildcats to 64 yards and no points in the first half of his first start of the season. Junior receiver Isaiah Zuber (29 catches, 389 yards, three TDs) has twice as many catches as the next Wildcat (Dalton Schoen, 14 catches, 261 yards, two scores).

ABOUT BAYLOR (3-2, 1-1): Brewer has completed 63 percent of his passes for 1,262 yards with eight touchdowns and added another three scores on the ground to help the Bears average 35.6 points. Jalen Hurd (31 receptions, 415 yards, three TDs) and Denzel Mims (24 catches, 359 yards, two TDs) lead Baylor's receiving corps, which has lots of options. Freshman Tyquan Thornton is averaging 19.4 yards per catch and the Baylor running backs have combined for 31 receptions - led by JaMycal Hasty's 16 catches for 122 yards and a score.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Baylor is perfect in 18 red-zone trips, scoring 14 touchdowns and four field goals.

2. Kansas State has not allowed a rushing touchdown in three straight games for the first time sine 2014.

3. Baylor senior DE Greg Roberts (14 tackles) has three sacks and four tackles for loss in the past two games.

PREDICTION: Baylor 24, Kansas State 17

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Clemson at Wake Forest

After surviving a scare last week, fourth-ranked Clemson looks to get back to its dominant ways when it travels to Wake Forest for an ACC matchup on Saturday. The Tigers expect to have freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence back in the lineup after he suffered a scare of his own against Syracuse.


Lawrence took a nasty hit that knocked him out in the second quarter of last week’s 27-23 win over the Orange, leaving redshirt freshman Chase Brice behind center, and the Tigers have advised him to be more cautious. "We run our quarterbacks. That's what we do," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney told reporters. "But you've got to be smart. That wasn't very smart. I love his effort, but there's a time for that and a time to live for another play." The Demon Deacons stepped outside of conference play last week to post a 56-24 victory over Rice. The Tigers have won nine consecutive meetings between the teams dating to 2008, including a 28-14 triumph last season.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Clemson -18


ABOUT CLEMSON (5-0, 2-0 ACC): The Tigers rallied from a 16-7 halftime deficit last week behind an impressive ground game, as Travis Etienne racked up 203 rushing yards. Etienne, whose 8.14-yard average ranks second in the country, fuels the nation’s 20th-best rushing offense while Lawrence has flashed the ability to become an elite passer. The Tigers rank fourth in the nation in total defense and held an explosive Syracuse offense to a season-low 311 total yards.

ABOUT WAKE FOREST (3-2, 0-1): The Demon Deacons have been more effective running the ball than throwing it, but they got the passing game going in a big way last week. Freshman quarterback Sam Hartman was named the ACC Rookie of the Week after going 15-of-17 for 241 yards and four touchdowns while Greg Dortch tied his own school record with four TD receptions, making 11 overall catches for 163 yards. The defense has struggled but came up with a pair of scores last week.


EXTRA POINTS

1. Clemson has outrushed opponents by an average of 148 yards per game.

2. Wake Forest RB Matt Colburn II surpassed 2,000 career rushing yards last week, becoming the 12th player in program history to reach the milestone.

3. Clemson WR Hunter Renfrow has made a catch in 33 consecutive games, tied for the fourth-longest active streak in the nation and five shy of Artavis Scott’s school record.


PREDICTION: Clemson 41, Wake Forest 20

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Florida State at Miami


There is no championship at stake Saturday when instate rivals Florida State and Miami bang heads in South Florida, but there will still be plenty on the line, beginning with bragging rights for the fierce foes. The Seminoles desperately need a statement win after the Willie Taggert era got off to a disappointing start with two ACC losses in the first three weeks, while the 17th-ranked Hurricanes are aiming for their first home victory over the Seminoles since 2004.

"That's not very good," Miami coach Mark Richt told reporters of the six-game home losing streak versus Florida State. "About as bad as seven losses in a row that we were dealing with going into last year's game. That's a meaningful history we need to change the course of." The Hurricanes dispatched with that seven-game overall skid last season, pulling out a 24-20 triumph in Tallahassee with six seconds left on Darrell Langham's touchdown grab and now Miami, fresh off last Thursday's rout of North Carolina, are in position to earn back-to-back victories over Florida State for the first time since it won six in a row from 2000-04. But while the surging Hurricanes may have the recently rare upperhand as the Seminoles come down to South Florida unranked for the first time since 2008, these rivals have a history of always playing each other tough and Florida State appears to be coming together at the right time after Saturday's 28-24 last-minute come-from-behind win over Louisville. "Big week, big rivalry week," Taggart said. "I'm excited for the guys. Excited for the opportunity this week and looking to continue to build off our success from last week."

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC. LINE: Miami -13.5.

ABOUT FLORIDA STATE (3-2, 1-2 ACC): Quarterback Deondre Francois missed last year's meeting with Miami due to injury but he is hoping to be the difference-maker this time around and he has shown improvement over the last few weeks both on the ground and through the air, leading the ACC in passing yardage (1,377) and ranking second in yards per game (275.4). Francois will be aided by an offensive line that started a different combination in each of its first five games but appeared to gel last week, not giving up a sack for the first time since 2014 after surrendering 12 in the first four games. With the Hurricanes having so much success with their turnover chain, the Seminoles unveiled their turnover backpack at the beginning of the season, and they produced three of their six takeaways in the win over Louisville last week.

ABOUT MIAMI (4-1, 1-0): Richt made the decision to go with redshirt freshman N'Kosi Perry last week and he quietly got the job done in his first career start, completing 66.7 percent of his passes for 125 yards and one touchdown with one interception but the team didn't need him to come up big. That job was done by a swarming Miami defense that broke out the turnover chain six times against North Carolina (three INTs, three fumbles) -- their most since also registering six takeaways vs. North Carolina State in 2012 -- and three were returned for touchdowns to tie the school record. The unit figures to be even more dominant this week as star safety Jaquan Johnson returns after sitting out the last two games because of a knee injury and he had 12 tackles and broke up a pass in Miami's win over the Seminoles last year.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Hurricanes own a 32-30 edge in this series, but Florida State has a 20-16 advantage in games played in Miami.

2. The Seminoles' comeback win at Louisville was their largest second-half comeback since erasing a 15-point halftime deficit in the 2016 opener versus Ole Miss.

3. Miami is ranked second in the nation in total defense (244.8 yards per game) and ranked fourth in takeaways (12).

PREDICTION: Miami 30, Florida State 24

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Ohio at Kent State
When: 3:30 PM ET, Saturday, October 6, 2018
Where: Dix Stadium, Kent, Ohio



Overall Team Offense

The Kent State Golden Flashes are ranked 72 on offense, averaging 407.4 yards per game. The Golden Flashes are averaging 175.0 yards rushing and 232.4 yards passing so far this season.
The Ohio Bobcats are ranked 38 on offense, averaging 466.2 yards per game. The Bobcats are averaging 223.5 yards rushing and 242.8 yards passing so far this season.

Home and Away

The Kent State Golden Flashes are 1-0 at home this season, 0-1 against conference opponents and 6110-6110 against non-conference opponents.
At home the Golden Flashes are averaging 54.0 scoring, and holding teams to 14.0 points scored on defense.
The Ohio Bobcats are 0-2 while on the road this season, 0-0 against conference opponents and 6110-6110 against non-conference opponents.
On the road, the Bobcats are averaging 30.5 scoring, and holding teams to 39.5 points scored on defense.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: South Florida at Massachusetts

South Florida hopes to continue its unbeaten string after enjoying a bye week when the Bulls visit independent Massachusetts on Saturday afternoon for its final non-conference contest. USF has knocked off two Power Five teams (Georgia Tech, Illinois) on the way to a 4-0 start, but the Bulls have been somewhat inconsistent as they prepare to play a game in the state of Massachusetts for the first time in the program’s history.

"We're getting ready to hit an eight-week stretch here where we're going to have to go play our best football," USF coach Charlie Strong told reporters. "We have yet to play our best ball up until this point. We can improve at every position." South Florida can start 5-0 for the second straight season if it continues to get big performances from former Alabama quarterback Blake Barnett, who has thrown for eight touchdowns and run for four more. Defensive Coordinator Ed Pinkham will run the show for UMass this week in place of head coach Mark Whipple, who was suspended for one game after using the word “rape” in his postgame comments while talking about the officials’ calls in the loss to Ohio last week. The Minutemen have struggled on defense all season, but they have several strong offensive weapons with senior receiver Andy Isabella leading the way in their first-ever matchup with USF.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, WTTA-Channel 38 (USF), NESN (UMass). LINE: USF -14

ABOUT USF (4-0): Barnett has completed 64 percent of his pass attempts while averaging almost 275 yards through the air, and the ground attack is improving with junior Jordan Cronkrite (304 yards, two TDs) taking on a big role. Barnett boasts four quality receiving targets, including freshman Randall St. Felix (17 catches, 296 yards), junior Darnell Salomon (13, 288, 4 TDs), senior Tyre McCants (22, 214) and tight end Mitchell Wilcox (14, 182). The Bulls must do better job containing opponents’ rushing attack (244.8 yards per game against, 122nd in the nation), but senior linebacker Khalid McGee (42 tackles) is off to a strong start.

ABOUT MASSACHUSETTS (2-4): Isabella has caught at least two passes in 30 straight games and hauled in 12 during last week’s 58-42 setback against Ohio to give him 41 receptions (7 TDs) overall this year. The Minutemen have used three different quarterbacks this season with senior Andrew Ford putting up the best numbers with 841 passing yards, a 65.5 completion percentage and six TDs, but he has been intercepted four times. Senior running back Marquis Young has 372 of his 3,212 career rushing yards this year and is eighth in the nation in all-purpose yards per game (161.3), while linebacker Bryton Barr leads the defense with 82 tackles.

EXTRA POINTS

1. McCants needs 82 receiving yards to move into fourth all time at USF and three TDs to tie Antoine Davis (17) for first.

2. UMass junior CB Isaiah Rodgers from Tampa had a career-high 13 tackles and an interception return for a score last week.

3. USF RBs Trevon Sands, Duran Bell Jr. and Elijah Mack all missed the last game and could be available for Saturday’s contest.

PREDICTION: USF 42, UMass 24

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Iowa State at Oklahoma State

No. 21 Oklahoma State bounced back just fine last week after getting throttled by Texas Tech. The Cowboys seek to extend their series-best winning streak against Iowa State to seven games Saturday when the Cyclones roll into Stillwater.



Oklahoma State was mugged 41-17 by the Red Raiders on Sept. 22 as Taylor Cornelius struggled, but the first-year starter rebounded against Kansas last weekend, passing for 312 yards and four TDs in the 48-28 victory. The Cowboys found the end zone on each of their first three possessions and scored on their first four. "I was proud of how our guys started the game," coach Mike Gundy told reporters afterward. "Sometimes we've not played real good (at Kansas) in the first half. I thought our defense and offense really took the field and motivated themselves and played well early in the game, which was very important." The Cyclones dropped a 17-14 decision last week at TCU on a field goal with 37 seconds left and could be without their top offensive threat, junior running back David Montgomery, who is listed as day-to-day with an arm injury.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2. LINE: Oklahoma State -10.5.


ABOUT IOWA STATE (1-3, 0-2 Big 12): Montgomery finished with 101 yards on 21 carries against the Horned Frogs - his second straight 100-yard effort - and became the 15th player in school history to surpass 2,000 career rushing yards. Quarterback Zeb Noland, who is likely to start again for injured starter Kyle Kempt, completed 14-of-28 passes for only 79 yards as the Cyclones were limited to 198 yards of total offense. Iowa State ranks 31st nationally in total defense (333.3 yards per game), holding three opponents to below 300 yards, and has allowed only two teams to score more than 20 points (Oklahoma State, Oklahoma) in its last 12 games while surrendering just 3.7 points in the fourth quarter over that span.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (4-1, 1-1): After getting just 12 carries against Texas Tech (111 yards), Justice Hill notched his fourth 100-yard effort of the season with 189 yards on 31 carries against Kansas and is averaging 7.5 yards per carry so far this season. The Cowboys, down four wide receivers from summer camp - including Jalen McCleskey who announced last week that he was transferring - got a big lift from Landon Wolf, who had six catches for 116 yards. Defensive end Jordan Brailford was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week after finishing with career highs in tackles (eight), sacks (three) and tackles for loss (five - most for any Big 12 player in a game this season).



EXTRA POINTS
1. Oklahoma State leads the all-time series 31-18-3 and has a 17-6-1 edge in games played in Stillwater. The Cowboys haven’t lost at home in the series since 2000 and scored two TDs in the last six minutes to rally for a 49-42 victory in Ames last year.

2. Iowa State has a 20-186-2 all-time overall record against ranked opponents and is 8-95-1 versus top-25 foes on the road despite winning its last two (Oklahoma, Memphis).

3. Cyclones CB Brian Peavy has 39 career passes defended to rank first among active FBS players, while S Greg Eisworth leads the team and ranks fifth in the Big 12 in tackles per game (9.5).

PREDICTION: Oklahoma State 24, Iowa State 16

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Navy at Air Force

Navy's quest to win its first Commander-in-Chief's Trophy since 2015 begins Saturday afternoon when it visits Air Force and it hopes a week off gave its top two quarterbacks enough time to heal. Midshipmen coach Ken Niumatalolo said junior Malcolm Perry is probable after suffering a concussion during a 31-30 loss at SMU on September 22 while short-yardage specialist Zach Abey "is somewhere in between probable and questionable" because of a lower-body injury.

Perry and Abey, a senior, have combined for 13 of Navy's 17 rushing touchdowns with Perry (530 yards, six scores) leading the nation's top ground attack (355.8 yards per contest) but a 2-2 start brings a sense of urgency to an already-big game. “In this profession, you just have to stay in the moment and focus on the next opponent,'' Niumatalolo told the Capital Gazette. "Air Force is always a huge game because it’s the first leg of the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy series. That being said, we think every game is huge and treat them all the same.” The Falcons lost their third straight contest, 28-25 against Nevada last week, falling to 0-2 in the Mountain West Conference. The Midshipmen must prepare for the possibility of facing three quarterbacks as Air Force listed senior Arion Worthman and junior Isaiah Sanders co-starters on its depth chart despite sophomore Donald Hammond III throwing his first career touchdown pass and rushing for another while playing most of the second half last week.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network. LINE: Navy -3

ABOUT NAVY (2-2): Perry has rushed for 1,176 yards on 165 carries with 13 touchdowns in seven career starts at quarterback with five scores at 65 yards or more. Sophomore CJ Williams, who is a tight end, scored on a 52-yard run versus SMU and his 139 rushing yards this season are third-most on the team behind Perry and sophomore fullback Nelson Smith (165). The Midshipmen have attempted only 37 passes this season with senior Garret Lewis (11-of-19, 184 yards, TD) providing most of the aerial attack.

ABOUT AIR FORCE (1-3): Worthman started the season opener -- a 38-0 victory over FCS member Stony Brook -- before Sanders took the reins. Sanders started in losses at Florida Atlantic 33-27 and at Utah State 42-32 and was replaced by Worthman, who was ineffective versus Nevada. Junior fullback Cole Fagan has a team-high 219 yards rushing and his two touchdowns share the team lead with Sanders and Hammond.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The winner has gone on to claim 20 of the last 21 Commander-in-Chief trophies with Army taking it last season after a 14-13 victory over Navy.

2. The Midshipmen are one of 12 teams to score every time they have reached the end zone (12 rushing touchdowns, one passing TD, three field goals).

3. Air Force leads the series 29-21 and has won two straight and three of the last four meetings at home, improving to 17-7 versus Navy in Colorado Springs.

PREDICTION: Air Force 24, Navy 21

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Iowa at Minnesota

Neither Iowa nor Minnesota was able to capitalize on 3-0 starts in their most recent outings, suffering double-digit losses in their Big Ten openers. Recent history suggests the Hawkeyes are more likely to bounce back on Saturday, however, as they attempt to win the Floyd of Rosedale Trophy for a fourth straight season when they visit the Golden Gophers.

Iowa held a three-point lead late in the fourth quarter last weekend against No. 12 Wisconsin before the Badgers pulled ahead with 57 seconds remaining and added a second touchdown 35 seconds later after the Hawkeyes committed their third turnover of the game on their final series of the contest. "We made some critical errors. If you're going to win a Big Ten game, you have to play cleaner football than what we did tonight. … We squandered a couple opportunities on that front and ended up paying for that at the end," Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz said. Minnesota had a bye week to process its 42-13 defeat on Sept. 22 at Maryland, playing with heavy hearts while mourning the death of former offensive lineman Nick Connelly three days earlier due to leukemia. The Golden Gophers entered that contest as one of the top scoring defenses in FBS before giving up 15 more points than they had allowed over the first three games combined.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Iowa -7.

ABOUT IOWA (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten): Tight end Noah Fant continued to prove why he was worthy of preseason first-team All-American status against the Badgers, posting his fourth multi-touchdown performance to increase his career receiving TD total to 16 - tied for fifth most in program history regardless of position. Fellow junior Nate Stanley has caught fire after a slow start, completing 37-of-51 passes for 565 yards and four touchdowns over the last two games; he needs three more TD passes to tie Jake Rudock (34) for ninth place on Iowa's all-time list. Sophomore defensive lineman A.J. Epenesa is tied for the conference lead with four sacks and paces the league with two forced fumbles, spearheading a unit that leads the Big Ten in scoring defense (13 points per game).

ABOUT MINNESOTA (3-1, 0-1): Following a season-ending injury to last year's leading rusher Rodney Smith in the season opener, the Gophers have leaned heavily on two freshman runners, Bryce Williams and Mohamed Ibrahim, the latter of whom returned from a two-game absence due to injury and paced the Gophers with 95 yards rushing against the Terrapins. Tyler Johnson was held to season lows in catches (two) and yards (12) against Maryland, but the junior receiver still ranks third in the Big Ten in receiving yards per game (73.8) and sixth in catches (22). Minnesota sophomore safety Antoine Winfield Jr. has been ruled out for the rest of the season after injuring his left foot in the first quarter of last Saturday's loss.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Minnesota holds a 42-39-2 advantage since the schools starting playing for the Floyd of Rosedale in 1935, although Iowa has won 13 of the last 17 meetings.

2. Fifteen of Fant’s 16 touchdowns have come from Stanley over the last 17 games.

3. Gophers freshmen are accounting for 99 percent of the passing yards, 66 percent of the rushing yards and 52 percent of the receiving yards.

PREDICTION: Iowa 24, Minnesota 16

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Miami (Ohio) at Akron
When: 3:30 PM ET, Saturday, October 6, 2018
Where: InfoCision Stadium, Akron, Ohio



Overall Team Offense

The Akron Zips are ranked 108 on offense, averaging 349.3 yards per game. The Zips are averaging 127.0 yards rushing and 222.3 yards passing so far this season.
The Miami (Ohio) Redhawks are ranked 119 on offense, averaging 319.6 yards per game. The Redhawks are averaging 116.2 yards rushing and 203.4 yards passing so far this season.

Home and Away

The Akron Zips are 1-0 at home this season, 0-0 against conference opponents and 6110-6110 against non-conference opponents.
At home the Zips are averaging 41.0 scoring, and holding teams to 7.0 points scored on defense.
The Miami (Ohio) Redhawks are 1-1 while on the road this season, 1-1 against conference opponents and 6110-6110 against non-conference opponents.
On the road, the Redhawks are averaging 20.5 scoring, and holding teams to 24.5 points scored on defense.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: South Alabama at Georgia Southern
When: 3:30 PM ET, Saturday, October 6, 2018
Where: Allen E. Paulson Stadium, Statesboro, Georgia


Overall Team Offense

The Georgia Southern Eagles are ranked 110 on offense, averaging 348.0 yards per game. The Eagles are averaging 272.0 yards rushing and 76.0 yards passing so far this season.
The South Alabama Jaguars are ranked 116 on offense, averaging 335.8 yards per game. The Jaguars are averaging 120.2 yards rushing and 215.6 yards passing so far this season.

Home and Away

The Georgia Southern Eagles are 3-0 at home this season, 1-0 against conference opponents and 6110-6110 against non-conference opponents.
At home the Eagles are averaging 33.0 scoring, and holding teams to 13.3 points scored on defense.
The South Alabama Jaguars are 0-3 while on the road this season, 1-1 against conference opponents and 6110-6110 against non-conference opponents.
On the road, the Jaguars are averaging 18.3 scoring, and holding teams to 53.0 points scored on defense.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: LSU at Florida

LSU is clicking on both sides of the ball but faces a tough task Saturday when it visits Florida in SEC action. The sixth-ranked Tigers are 5-0, but the Gators have won three straight including a pair of road wins to open conference play.

LSU has been held below 31 points only once and has not given up more than 21 points in any outing as the team is off to its best start in three years. The Tigers set a season high for points scored in last week's 45-16 triumph against Ole Miss. Joe Burrow threw three touchdowns - equaling his total entering the game - and also ran for a score, giving Florida a glimpse of what it must contain this weekend. The Gators should be up for the task after suffocating Mississippi State in last week's 13-6 win.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: LSU -2.5

ABOUT LSU (5-0, 2-0 SEC): The Tigers' offense has featured a nice balance as Burrow has thrown 131 passes without an interception and Nick Brossette has run for six touchdowns on 4.7 yards per carry. “It’s just a matter of getting it down and communicating with each other and getting comfortable with it,” Brossette said of the team's offensive balance. “We’re improving each and every week.” Burrow added a season-high 96 yards on the ground against Ole Miss and scored his second rushing TD of the campaign.

ABOUT FLORIDA (4-1, 2-1): The Gators rank ninth nationally in points allowed (14.0) and have given up more than 10 points only twice this season. "This is going to be the best defense we faced so far this year," LSU coach Ed Orgeron said. "They're very aggressive. He won't give you the same look many times. Their movement is very precise." Feleipe Franks had thrown multiple TD passes in each of the first four games before failing to throw a touchdown - or any completion over 20 yards, for that matter - in the ugly win against Mississippi State.

EXTRA POINTS

1. After hovering around 50 percent completions in each of his previous three games, Franks completed a season-high 71 percent of his attempts last week.

2. LSU has won its last two trips to Gainesville by a combined four points.

3. Tigers K Cole Tracy leads all active FBS kickers in career field goals (78).

PREDICTION: LSU 22, Florida 13

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Louisiana-Monroe at Ole Miss

Ole Miss looks to rebound from its second ugly loss in three weeks as it hosts Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday afternoon. The Rebels were beaten soundly last week at LSU 45-16 last weekend after being embarrassed 62-7 at home by Alabama in Week 3.

“We were beaten soundly in all three phases and we've got to find a way to get better," Rebels coach Matt Luke told reporters after the loss to LSU. Ole Miss has looked good at times this season, however, with resounding wins over Texas Tech, Southern Illinois and Kent State. After starting the season 2-0, ULM finds itself on a three-game losing streak which includes a 46-14 loss at Georgia State last weekend. “Really poor job coaching, really poor job playing. We played poorly in all three phases of the game," ULM coach Matt Viator told reporters after the game.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, SEC Network. LINE: Ole Miss -23.

ABOUT LOUISIANA-MONROE (2-3): The Warhawks gave themselves little chance to win after surrendering 308 rushing yards against Georgia State, while the offense turned the ball over three times in the first half and followed that by punting on six of seven possessions in the second half. If Louisiana-Monroe stands any chance of pulling off an upset against Ole Miss, it will need quarterback Caleb Evans, who ranks second in the Sun Belt in passing yards (238.4 per game) and total offense (291.2 per game), to be turnover free. The Warhawks will also need a big game from their pass rush, which is tied for 29th in the FBS with 2.8 sacks per game.

ABOUT OLE MISS (3-2): Ole Miss’ offense has looked explosive at times this season, putting up 47, 76 and 38 points in its three wins. The Rebels should not have a problem putting up those kinds of numbers against ULM as quarterback Jordan Ta’amu will look to break the 400-yard passing mark for the third time this season and running back Scottie Phillips will look to crack the 100-yard rushing mark for the fourth time in 2018. Ole Miss will need to play a cleaner game this week - it had 17 penalties for 167 yards, including two on fourth down that extended drives - in last week’s loss.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Ole Miss hasn’t lost a non-conference game at home since 2012 and is 31-1-2 all-time against current teams from the Sun Belt Conference.

2. The Rebels have forced two or more turnovers in four straight games.

3. ULM is 4-47-1 all-time versus Southeastern Conference opponents.

PREDICTION: Ole Miss 62, Louisiana-Monroe 20

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Preview: Indiana at Ohio State

Third-ranked Ohio State remained unbeaten with an impressive rally last weekend and looks to keep rolling when it hosts Indiana in Saturday's Big Ten contest. The Buckeyes trailed by 12 points with eight minutes left in last Saturday's showdown with Penn State before rallying to post a 27-26 victory.

Ohio State has allowed 26 or more points on three occasions and the general feeling persists that the team can improve its play despite its undefeated start. "I think that’s a great question, because you’re 5-0, and we haven’t played close to our best game," Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer said during a press conference. "It’s all relative. ... There is a tremendous ceiling on this, and we haven’t got close to it." Ohio State has knocked off Indiana 22 consecutive times and Hoosiers coach Tom Allen said depth issues were a problem in last season's 49-21 loss to the Buckeyes. “That’s a challenge,” Allen said on the Big Ten coaches conference call. “I’m not bashful about saying that. I said it after that game last year. We just kind of ran out of gas throughout that game and they wore us down.”

TV: 4 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Ohio State -25

ABOUT INDIANA (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten): Sophomore quarterback Peyton Ramsey has completed more than two-thirds of his passes in each game while showing overall improvement with overall passing numbers of 1,039 yards and eight touchdowns against five interceptions. "He's been awesome," Allen told reporters. "So tough and gritty. Makes good decisions. Knows where to put the ball. So effective rolling out. There's a reason why he's our quarterback. He has all the things you want and he's getting better and better." The Hoosiers average 28.2 points and allow 21.2 with the defensive unit led by senior safety Jonathan Crawford's 26 tackles.

ABOUT OHIO STATE (5-0, 2-0): Sophomore quarterback Dwayne Haskins has multiple touchdown passes in each game and 19 overall while passing for 1,464 yards and being intercepted just twice. The running back combination of sophomore J.K. Dobbins (380 yards) and junior Mike Weber (350) is thriving while senior receiver Parris Campbell (26 receptions) leads the team in receiving yardage (359) and scoring receptions (five). The defense is still adjusting to not having junior standout Nick Bosa (abdominal surgery), but junior defensive tackle Dre'Mont Jones (team-best 6.5 tackles for loss) and sophomore defensive end Chase Young (tied for the team lead with four sacks) are having strong campaigns.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Ohio State is 72-12-5 all-time against the Hoosiers, including 53-2-2 since 1952.

2. Hoosiers freshman RB Stevie Scott (team-best 464 rushing yards) has topped 100 twice this season, including 204 against Virginia on Sept. 8.

3. The Buckeyes rank second nationally with 19 sacks.

PREDICTION: Ohio State 45, Indiana 23