Work those kinks out ladies It’s finally here! College football is ready to kick off. And the NCAA is doing us a favor. Admit it, you are getting older. You just can’t roll out of bed and do a 5K. You wouldn’t get out of your driveway without pulling a hammy.
Oh no, you are going to stretch and start out a bit slower. That’s what week 0 is all about. A stretch, a little pacing, warm up a bit before you go full bore with your game watching and sports investing in Week 1.
Seven lined games are on tap for Saturday. That should get some of the kinks worked out. Starting with
Notre Dame -20.5 vs Navy (Dublin Ireland) – Last year, Notre Dame led 35-13 at halftime, but didn’t score again holding on for a 35-32 win.. Navy is returning most of their players but will be missing one key person. Ken Niumatalolo was canned after the Army game, with the Middies promoting DC Brian Newberry to be HC.
Oh no, you are going to stretch and start out a bit slower. That’s what week 0 is all about. A stretch, a little pacing, warm up a bit before you go full bore with your game watching and sports investing in Week 1.
Seven lined games are on tap for Saturday. That should get some of the kinks worked out. Starting with
Notre Dame -20.5 vs Navy (Dublin Ireland) – Last year, Notre Dame led 35-13 at halftime, but didn’t score again holding on for a 35-32 win.. Navy is returning most of their players but will be missing one key person. Ken Niumatalolo was canned after the Army game, with the Middies promoting DC Brian Newberry to be HC.
Sam Hartman is moving from the Demon Deacons. Touchdown Jesus is pleased But it’s the person next to him on the sidelines that is drawing the most attention. Navy looks to expand the offensive playbook by bringing former Kennesaw State OC Grant Chestnut to be OC. Under Chestnut, the Owls, ranked in the top three in the FCS in rushing offense in six of the last seven years, including leading the nation in 2017 and 2019. But he also mixes in a short passing game and passes to the tight end to open up the bread and butter triple option attack.
Notre Dame will have a new face on the sideline too, one with a much higher profile. QB Sam Hartman left Wake Forest to lead the Irish offense. Hartman is one of college football' best quarterbacks. and is a massive upgrade for the Fighting Irish at QB. However, this is also the first game for new play-caller Gerard Parker, and Hartman will need to get on the same page with his young group receivers. Navy’s secondary might be the strength of the defense, but it’ll be tested from the start
Navy got off to a slow start last year with a loss to Marshall but they will look to show Navy that last year’s near miss was a fluke. Bet against the Irish in Ireland? No way. I’ll put a quatloos on the Domers to cover.
Notre Dame will have a new face on the sideline too, one with a much higher profile. QB Sam Hartman left Wake Forest to lead the Irish offense. Hartman is one of college football' best quarterbacks. and is a massive upgrade for the Fighting Irish at QB. However, this is also the first game for new play-caller Gerard Parker, and Hartman will need to get on the same page with his young group receivers. Navy’s secondary might be the strength of the defense, but it’ll be tested from the start
Navy got off to a slow start last year with a loss to Marshall but they will look to show Navy that last year’s near miss was a fluke. Bet against the Irish in Ireland? No way. I’ll put a quatloos on the Domers to cover.
UTEP -2.0 @ Jacksonville State - Welcome to Div 1A JSU! The Gamecocks join the CUSA. Over the last ten year, JSU has had 6 10 win seasons and played for the FCS title in 2015. Remember Rich Rodriuez? Good ‘Ol Dick Rod has brought his up tempo, RPO, get open in space to style of attack to JSU. The Cocks were a top 10 scoring offense last year, averaging 36.2 points per game.
That’s quite a contrast to UTEP. HC Dana Dimer is from the Kansas State Bill Snyder coaching tree, adopting a slower-paced offense at 28.8 seconds per play last season. It’s struggling. In 2022, the Miners racked up the highest numbers of attempts at third-and-10 or longer.
The Miner defense is solid though. Only one team rushed for over 200 yards – Oklahoma. But is struggles in getting to the QB. AS usual under a Dick Rod team, the Cocks defense struggles too especially against the pass.
The Line shifted from JSU being a slight favorite to the Miners now the chalk after JSU RB Anwar Lewis was not listed on the travel roster.
I’ll take a small flyer on the over 54.0 for a quatloos.
That’s quite a contrast to UTEP. HC Dana Dimer is from the Kansas State Bill Snyder coaching tree, adopting a slower-paced offense at 28.8 seconds per play last season. It’s struggling. In 2022, the Miners racked up the highest numbers of attempts at third-and-10 or longer.
The Miner defense is solid though. Only one team rushed for over 200 yards – Oklahoma. But is struggles in getting to the QB. AS usual under a Dick Rod team, the Cocks defense struggles too especially against the pass.
The Line shifted from JSU being a slight favorite to the Miners now the chalk after JSU RB Anwar Lewis was not listed on the travel roster.
I’ll take a small flyer on the over 54.0 for a quatloos.
I'll take Kurtis Rourke over a converted safety at QB San Diego State -3.0 vs Ohio - The PAC 12 (RIP) wanted San Diego State badly. They flirted with them but ultimately turned them down deciding to stay in the Mountain West and wait for a better offer. The Azteecs fell to 7-6 last year after going 12-2 in 2021. Brady “Hoke-a-mania” Hoke (what is it with former scUM head coaches in week 0?) looks to get back to the MWC championship game.
Speaking of conference title games, in the second season under Tim Albin, the Ohio Bobcats went form 3-9 to 10-4, making it to the MAC championship game. They were arguably a quarterback injury away from winning the MAC title but star QB Kurtis Rourke tore his ACL in the second-to-last game of the season. He’s back and healthy and should roll with an offense returning a ton of talent. The WR corp is loaded, the RBs are solid and the OL is returning a ton of veterans.
Unlike Ohio, SDSU has been looking for a QB for three years now. Jalen Mayden has been tabbed as the guy. He's a converted safety who spent the beginning of last season on defense before making his first start under center in Week 6.
Running the ball had been San Diego State’s bread and butter for years, but it took a massive step back in that area last year. The Aztecs finished just 122nd in rushing success rate last season and managed just 11 total scores on the ground. They averaged just 3.9 yards per carry.
Ohio has lost its last ten non-conference road games going back to a 2018 but it closed out that season with a 27-0 Frisco Bowl win over SDSU. Could it be a revenge game for SDSU? Nah, I’ll take a Bobcat team on the rise over a SDSU team trying to find its footing. Put me down for a quatloos on the ML at +110
Speaking of conference title games, in the second season under Tim Albin, the Ohio Bobcats went form 3-9 to 10-4, making it to the MAC championship game. They were arguably a quarterback injury away from winning the MAC title but star QB Kurtis Rourke tore his ACL in the second-to-last game of the season. He’s back and healthy and should roll with an offense returning a ton of talent. The WR corp is loaded, the RBs are solid and the OL is returning a ton of veterans.
Unlike Ohio, SDSU has been looking for a QB for three years now. Jalen Mayden has been tabbed as the guy. He's a converted safety who spent the beginning of last season on defense before making his first start under center in Week 6.
Running the ball had been San Diego State’s bread and butter for years, but it took a massive step back in that area last year. The Aztecs finished just 122nd in rushing success rate last season and managed just 11 total scores on the ground. They averaged just 3.9 yards per carry.
Ohio has lost its last ten non-conference road games going back to a 2018 but it closed out that season with a 27-0 Frisco Bowl win over SDSU. Could it be a revenge game for SDSU? Nah, I’ll take a Bobcat team on the rise over a SDSU team trying to find its footing. Put me down for a quatloos on the ML at +110
Chevan Cordeiro is no Caleb Williams but he is pretty good For the rest of the games I like
Florida International +12.0 vs Louisiana Tech - Two miserable teams. they had a combined 7 wins between them last year although FIU's three wins is considered a huge improvement from prior years. I don't like either team so when in doubt take the points. No quatloos though.
San Jose State +31.5 @ Southern Cal - USC is a top 10 preseason team with the expected #1 pick in the draft Caleb Williams under center. The other Spartans have a pretty good QB too in Chevan Cordeiro. Way too many points. I'll take San Jose State for a quatloo
New Mexico State -7.0 vs Massachusetts - Just a butt ugly game. I'll watch it so you don't have to. I'm looking to see had bad they are for fading purposes down the road. No way am I investing in this one.
Hawaii +17.5 @ Vanderbilt - Last year the 'Dores demolished the Rainbows 63-0. but it was the first game implementing a new offense under their new HC Timmy Chang. They improved down the stretch. The improvement continues. Vandy wins but doesn't cover. No quatloos though. No telling the mental make up of Hawaii given whats going on in Maui.
And for all the picks, spreads, game times and much much more here is the 2023 Week 0 Investors Guide
Florida International +12.0 vs Louisiana Tech - Two miserable teams. they had a combined 7 wins between them last year although FIU's three wins is considered a huge improvement from prior years. I don't like either team so when in doubt take the points. No quatloos though.
San Jose State +31.5 @ Southern Cal - USC is a top 10 preseason team with the expected #1 pick in the draft Caleb Williams under center. The other Spartans have a pretty good QB too in Chevan Cordeiro. Way too many points. I'll take San Jose State for a quatloo
New Mexico State -7.0 vs Massachusetts - Just a butt ugly game. I'll watch it so you don't have to. I'm looking to see had bad they are for fading purposes down the road. No way am I investing in this one.
Hawaii +17.5 @ Vanderbilt - Last year the 'Dores demolished the Rainbows 63-0. but it was the first game implementing a new offense under their new HC Timmy Chang. They improved down the stretch. The improvement continues. Vandy wins but doesn't cover. No quatloos though. No telling the mental make up of Hawaii given whats going on in Maui.
And for all the picks, spreads, game times and much much more here is the 2023 Week 0 Investors Guide
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Remember the 2023 Go Jumbo trip is Nov 11 at the Westgate SuperBook
