Moving a 245 pound FB to QB - this will be fun Another fun way to invest in football is predicting the season over/under season win totals. Now, you can follow more teams beside just good 'ol alumni U. Take the over and they are your next favorite team. Take the under and you have a new hated rival.
So while I'm watching the Spartans, I'll also be keeping an eye on:
Air Force over 5.5 - Air Force heated up at just the right time last season. It started 1-7, then closed 4-0. It returns a veteran offense, four of their top 5 rushers return. What’s really interesting is the QB situation. In their spring game, they took fullback Kemper Hodges and slid him in at quarterback. How much fun is that going to be. If you’ve got a FB playing QB, that’s a brutal mismatch.
The defense is solid up front but does get weaker the further back you go. Still, if the O is running and grinding clock like it normally does then it will hold up.
The Falcons rank 119th nationally in strength of schedule with no Power 4 teams on the schedule. The last time Air Force finished 5-7, it went 11-2 in 2019 in the program’s most successful season. In fact, only once in 18 years (2017-18) have Troy Calhoun teams won five or fewer games in back-to-back seasons .
Get some early wins over Bucknell, New Mexico and Hawaii having to come to elevation, the Falcons could be 3-1 and half way there before September closes.
So while I'm watching the Spartans, I'll also be keeping an eye on:
Air Force over 5.5 - Air Force heated up at just the right time last season. It started 1-7, then closed 4-0. It returns a veteran offense, four of their top 5 rushers return. What’s really interesting is the QB situation. In their spring game, they took fullback Kemper Hodges and slid him in at quarterback. How much fun is that going to be. If you’ve got a FB playing QB, that’s a brutal mismatch.
The defense is solid up front but does get weaker the further back you go. Still, if the O is running and grinding clock like it normally does then it will hold up.
The Falcons rank 119th nationally in strength of schedule with no Power 4 teams on the schedule. The last time Air Force finished 5-7, it went 11-2 in 2019 in the program’s most successful season. In fact, only once in 18 years (2017-18) have Troy Calhoun teams won five or fewer games in back-to-back seasons .
Get some early wins over Bucknell, New Mexico and Hawaii having to come to elevation, the Falcons could be 3-1 and half way there before September closes.
Don't worry - Trent will screw it up UAB under 4.5 – Is there a worse HC than Trent Dilfer? I doubt it. At the AAC media day he mainly talked about himself and his past achievements, hardly inspiring. Out of the 24 games over the last two years, only three were decided by seven points or fewer. It’s not just that UAB isn’t winning, it’s getting annihilated.
The OL is a mess and had to replace all five starters (maybe a good thing, last years OL was terrible). They lost their leading rusher to Indiana too.
The defense was even worse. It gave up 393 yards and 34PPG. There wasn’t any pass rush, and the run defense was a bunch of matadors.
Dilfer is such a bad coach there’s no way the Blazers get 5 wins.
The OL is a mess and had to replace all five starters (maybe a good thing, last years OL was terrible). They lost their leading rusher to Indiana too.
The defense was even worse. It gave up 393 yards and 34PPG. There wasn’t any pass rush, and the run defense was a bunch of matadors.
Dilfer is such a bad coach there’s no way the Blazers get 5 wins.
Huff said I'm outta here and took half the team with him Marshall under 5.5 wins - Marshall failed to resign Charles Huff after winning a Sun Belt Championship and let him walk to a conference rival. Not only did they lose Huff, but 50 players entered the transfer portal after his departure, with 21 of them following Huff to Southern Miss.
The Thundering Herd lost every passing yard, every rushing yard, 49 of their 65 offensive line starts, seven of their eight defensive linemen who played 50-plus snaps, and 11 of their 13 defensive backs who played 30-plus snaps last season. They return only two players who caught pass last year and one starter on defense.
New HC Tony Gibson comes from NC State and has no previous head coaching experience.
The schedule does them no favors either.. The Herd faces Georgia in Week 1 outside of the conference and six of the top seven projected teams in the Sun Belt while facing only one of the bottom four projected teams.
This could get ugly and Marshall takes a huge step back from last year’s 10 win season.
The Thundering Herd lost every passing yard, every rushing yard, 49 of their 65 offensive line starts, seven of their eight defensive linemen who played 50-plus snaps, and 11 of their 13 defensive backs who played 30-plus snaps last season. They return only two players who caught pass last year and one starter on defense.
New HC Tony Gibson comes from NC State and has no previous head coaching experience.
The schedule does them no favors either.. The Herd faces Georgia in Week 1 outside of the conference and six of the top seven projected teams in the Sun Belt while facing only one of the bottom four projected teams.
This could get ugly and Marshall takes a huge step back from last year’s 10 win season.
Missouri adds Josiah Trotter to an already stout defense Missouri over 7.5 wins – Doubt Mizzou at your own risk. Georgia is the only team in the SEC to win more games over the last two seasons (Texas doesn’t count) than Missouri.
Last year the Tigers had one of the nation's better defenses (20th in scoring, 17th overall) and now returns seven starters. Then add in a few high-profile portal adds, like Big 12 Freshman of the year, ex-WVU LB Josiah Trotter and the defense should keep on rocking.
The offensive line has some serious potential, especially up the middle with two NFL prospects ready to carve out lanes for inside zone runs.
Then there's the schedule, which opens with six straight games at Faurot Field. Sure, navigating the SEC is never easy, but five of the six teams with losing conference marks last season are on the Tigers' fall slate.
Out of conference should have at least three wins with Central Arkansas, UL Lafayette and UMass and maybe a fourth over long time rival Kansas. Even with a loss that leaves only needing a 5-3 record in the SEC. That’s very doable.
Last year the Tigers had one of the nation's better defenses (20th in scoring, 17th overall) and now returns seven starters. Then add in a few high-profile portal adds, like Big 12 Freshman of the year, ex-WVU LB Josiah Trotter and the defense should keep on rocking.
The offensive line has some serious potential, especially up the middle with two NFL prospects ready to carve out lanes for inside zone runs.
Then there's the schedule, which opens with six straight games at Faurot Field. Sure, navigating the SEC is never easy, but five of the six teams with losing conference marks last season are on the Tigers' fall slate.
Out of conference should have at least three wins with Central Arkansas, UL Lafayette and UMass and maybe a fourth over long time rival Kansas. Even with a loss that leaves only needing a 5-3 record in the SEC. That’s very doable.
The Cock defense lost 5 players to the NFL including Emmanwori and Sanders in the 2nd round South Carolina Under 7.5 Wins – I’m selling South Carolina after a great 10-2 season last year and a near miss on the CFP.
Defensively, the Gamecocks lose their top five tacklers from last year, including five players getting selected in the first four rounds of the NFL Draft and another eight other players sign UDFA contracts with NFL teams. The Cocks aren’t a program where it can replenish that much NFL talent.
QB LaNorris Sellers definitely benefited last year with Rocket Sanders in the RPO game, but now there are two RBs — Rahsul Faison from Utah State and Oscar Adaway III stepping up to fill those shoes. Neither is over 6-feet tall or weighs more than 220 pounds. And Sellers is just not that good a passer.
Depth is definitely going to get tested with four consecutive heavyweight matchups against LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama and Ole Miss right in a row. Add in a road trips to Mizzou and Texas A&M and a season ending game against a resurgent Clemson, there are plenty of ways to get to 5 losses. Lose the opener to Virginia Tech and this one will be in the bag.
Defensively, the Gamecocks lose their top five tacklers from last year, including five players getting selected in the first four rounds of the NFL Draft and another eight other players sign UDFA contracts with NFL teams. The Cocks aren’t a program where it can replenish that much NFL talent.
QB LaNorris Sellers definitely benefited last year with Rocket Sanders in the RPO game, but now there are two RBs — Rahsul Faison from Utah State and Oscar Adaway III stepping up to fill those shoes. Neither is over 6-feet tall or weighs more than 220 pounds. And Sellers is just not that good a passer.
Depth is definitely going to get tested with four consecutive heavyweight matchups against LSU, Oklahoma, Alabama and Ole Miss right in a row. Add in a road trips to Mizzou and Texas A&M and a season ending game against a resurgent Clemson, there are plenty of ways to get to 5 losses. Lose the opener to Virginia Tech and this one will be in the bag.
