WtF started out 4-2 Wake Forest +7.0 vs Wisconsin, Dukes Mayo Bowl, Charlotte NC –Over a week into Bowl season and the Big Ten will have its first combatant.
These two teams know how to win bowl games. Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson is 3-1 in bowls with the program, only losing last year to Michigan State in the Pinstripe. Wisconsin lost to Justin Herbert and Oregon in a thriller of a Rose Bowl last season, but head coach Paul Chryst is 4-1 with the Badgers in bowls.
In mid-November, both teams had lofty bowl expectations. The Demon Deacons were 4-2 and had won four straight games. Midway through the third quarter of their game against North Carolina on Nov. 14, Wake held a 21-point lead. But at that point, things fell apart. The Tar Heels came back and won, then the Covid hit the ACC causing cancellations. Four weeks after the Carolina loss, Dave Clawson's unit fell to Louisville.
On that same Nov. 14, Wisconsin established itself as the Big Ten team most likely to challenge Ohio State. The Badgers had squashed Illinois in their season opener and after their own COVID-19 outbreak, destroyed Michigan to improve to 2-0. But then they lost three straight Wisconsin fell out of the Big Ten West race. The skids by both Wake Forest and Wisconsin set up this Duke's Mayo Bowl matchup - mmmmm Mayo.
These two teams know how to win bowl games. Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson is 3-1 in bowls with the program, only losing last year to Michigan State in the Pinstripe. Wisconsin lost to Justin Herbert and Oregon in a thriller of a Rose Bowl last season, but head coach Paul Chryst is 4-1 with the Badgers in bowls.
In mid-November, both teams had lofty bowl expectations. The Demon Deacons were 4-2 and had won four straight games. Midway through the third quarter of their game against North Carolina on Nov. 14, Wake held a 21-point lead. But at that point, things fell apart. The Tar Heels came back and won, then the Covid hit the ACC causing cancellations. Four weeks after the Carolina loss, Dave Clawson's unit fell to Louisville.
On that same Nov. 14, Wisconsin established itself as the Big Ten team most likely to challenge Ohio State. The Badgers had squashed Illinois in their season opener and after their own COVID-19 outbreak, destroyed Michigan to improve to 2-0. But then they lost three straight Wisconsin fell out of the Big Ten West race. The skids by both Wake Forest and Wisconsin set up this Duke's Mayo Bowl matchup - mmmmm Mayo.
Mertz has been awful since getting the Covid Wisconsin’s offense has been injured, inept, and inconsistent after an amazing start. Redshirt Fr. Graham Mertz, threw for 1,108 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions before suffering a upper body injury in the finale against the Golden Gophers. Since returning from a battle with the Covid, Mertz has been bad, throwing for only three touchdowns and five interceptions.
The Badgers are hoping that RB Jalen Berger is ready to return against the Demon Deacons on Wednesday. The freshman running back missed Wisconsin’s last two games, and the ground game took a hit in his absence.
But the defense is phenomenal. It’s No. 1 in the nation overall, No. 1 on third downs, and the team is No. 1 in time of possession. The unit is led by LBs Leo Chenal and Jack Sanborn, that each have been credited with 41 tackles through six games.
The Demon Deacons’ offense is led by quarterback Sam Hartman, The redshirt sophomore has thrown for 1,906 yards with 10 touchdowns and only one interception this season while adding two more scores on the ground. He thrives in WtF mesh RPO offense. Hartman didn’t throw a pick until the final game of the regular season and only lost two games by double-digits.
Jaquarii Roberson is the top option in the receiving game. Roberson has 54 receptions for 795 yards and five touchdowns, leading the Demon Deacons in all three categories. He has exploded over Wake Forest’s last three games with 28 receptions for 435 yards and four touchdowns.
For much of the season, the Demon Deacons had a two-headed monster at running back. The combination of Kenneth Walker III and Christian Beal-Smith had combined for more than 1,200 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns. But 13 of those scores came from Walker, who decided to opt out before the final regular-season game against Louisville.
The Badgers are hoping that RB Jalen Berger is ready to return against the Demon Deacons on Wednesday. The freshman running back missed Wisconsin’s last two games, and the ground game took a hit in his absence.
But the defense is phenomenal. It’s No. 1 in the nation overall, No. 1 on third downs, and the team is No. 1 in time of possession. The unit is led by LBs Leo Chenal and Jack Sanborn, that each have been credited with 41 tackles through six games.
The Demon Deacons’ offense is led by quarterback Sam Hartman, The redshirt sophomore has thrown for 1,906 yards with 10 touchdowns and only one interception this season while adding two more scores on the ground. He thrives in WtF mesh RPO offense. Hartman didn’t throw a pick until the final game of the regular season and only lost two games by double-digits.
Jaquarii Roberson is the top option in the receiving game. Roberson has 54 receptions for 795 yards and five touchdowns, leading the Demon Deacons in all three categories. He has exploded over Wake Forest’s last three games with 28 receptions for 435 yards and four touchdowns.
For much of the season, the Demon Deacons had a two-headed monster at running back. The combination of Kenneth Walker III and Christian Beal-Smith had combined for more than 1,200 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns. But 13 of those scores came from Walker, who decided to opt out before the final regular-season game against Louisville.
But Bucky's defense has been amazing all year Sure, the Wisconsin offense hasn’t been anything special, but the Wake Forest defense could be the cure for that. The Demon Deacon secondary has been getting roasted for most of the year, and the D as a whole can’t come up with stops. It’s bad on third downs, awful against the run, and it’s too easy to power on the front line. Wake Forest surrendered 31.6 points per game and 456.9 yards of total offense per contest. The Demon Deacons were particularly vulnerable on the ground, allowing 191 rushing yards per game, which ranks 92nd in the country. They are the perfect foil for the Badger ground game.
The Demon Deacons might not do much defensively, but they’re great at forcing mistakes with 16 takeaways on the year, a +13 turnover margin, and three or more takeaways in four games. It’s this simple – Wake Forest is 4-0 when it comes up multiple takeaways, and 0-4 when it doesn’t. Wisconsin is 0-3 when turning the ball over multiple times, and 3-0 when it doesn’t.
I’m going to take Wake Forest. Wisconsin just doesn’t score enough to justify a TD spread. No quatloos though. I will put a Mini Mega on the under 51.5. Wisconsin doesn’t score and they don’t let others score either.
The Demon Deacons might not do much defensively, but they’re great at forcing mistakes with 16 takeaways on the year, a +13 turnover margin, and three or more takeaways in four games. It’s this simple – Wake Forest is 4-0 when it comes up multiple takeaways, and 0-4 when it doesn’t. Wisconsin is 0-3 when turning the ball over multiple times, and 3-0 when it doesn’t.
I’m going to take Wake Forest. Wisconsin just doesn’t score enough to justify a TD spread. No quatloos though. I will put a Mini Mega on the under 51.5. Wisconsin doesn’t score and they don’t let others score either.
The last time these two met it was for a Natty Oklahoma -3.0 vs Florida, Cotton Bowl, Dallas TX – The two historic programs have only met one time before when the Gators beat OU in the BCS title game to win the 2008 national championship .
Dan Mullen and Florida are much better at this bowl thing. Mullen has won two in a row for Florida and another four straight going back to his Mississippi State days. He’s 7-2 overall.
For Oklahoma, the program has lost its last three bowl games, all in the CFP and five of the last six. HC Lincoln Riley has never won a bowl game.
Florida had College Football Playoff aspirations for most of the season, but a loss to LSU in the season finale derailed any chance they had. They were unable to pull off the upset against No. 1 Alabama in the SEC Championship ending hopes of a NY6 bowl.
Oklahoma lost a pair of games early in the year, but it responded with a seven-game winning streak and a Big 12 title. It was their fifth straight Big 12 title and eighth in the last nine years.
Dan Mullen and Florida are much better at this bowl thing. Mullen has won two in a row for Florida and another four straight going back to his Mississippi State days. He’s 7-2 overall.
For Oklahoma, the program has lost its last three bowl games, all in the CFP and five of the last six. HC Lincoln Riley has never won a bowl game.
Florida had College Football Playoff aspirations for most of the season, but a loss to LSU in the season finale derailed any chance they had. They were unable to pull off the upset against No. 1 Alabama in the SEC Championship ending hopes of a NY6 bowl.
Oklahoma lost a pair of games early in the year, but it responded with a seven-game winning streak and a Big 12 title. It was their fifth straight Big 12 title and eighth in the last nine years.
Kyle Trask has 11 more TDs than any other QB Florida QB Kyle Trask has emerged as a star this season, throwing for 4,125 yards and 43 touchdowns, 11 more than any other FBS quarterback, with just five interceptions. He’s going to bomb away against a Sooner secondary that just got lit up for 322 yards by Iowa State’s Brock Purdy.
However, Trask will be without several of his top targets for the game. TE Kyle Pitts, the favorite for the Mackey Award as the top tight end in college football, announced he was opting out of the bowl game to prepare for the NFL Draft. He'll also be missing three other primary weapons. WRs Trevon Grimes and Kadarius Toney are forgoing the bowl to prepare for the draft too. Also, Jacob Copeland is out due to COVID-19. This offense won't be anywhere close to firing on all cylinders.
The Gator defense was abysmal this year especially the pass defense. Teams were able to throw with ease on the secondary that ranked 93rd in efficiency. But they were able to pressure the QB. The Gators came up with 33 sacks on the year and are 6-0 when generating three or more and unbeaten when coming up with six or more tackles for loss.
However, Trask will be without several of his top targets for the game. TE Kyle Pitts, the favorite for the Mackey Award as the top tight end in college football, announced he was opting out of the bowl game to prepare for the NFL Draft. He'll also be missing three other primary weapons. WRs Trevon Grimes and Kadarius Toney are forgoing the bowl to prepare for the draft too. Also, Jacob Copeland is out due to COVID-19. This offense won't be anywhere close to firing on all cylinders.
The Gator defense was abysmal this year especially the pass defense. Teams were able to throw with ease on the secondary that ranked 93rd in efficiency. But they were able to pressure the QB. The Gators came up with 33 sacks on the year and are 6-0 when generating three or more and unbeaten when coming up with six or more tackles for loss.
Fellow Fr. Marvin Mims was Rattler's favorite target Oklahoma’s offense is led by Fr QB Spencer Rattler, who has thrown for 2,784 yards. He has a very good 25-to-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Fr. WR Marvin Mims Jr was Rattler’s favorite target, catching 36 passes for 583 yards and eight TDs. The return of running back Rhamondre Stevenson from suspension fortified OU's ground attack down the stretch of the season. He led the rushing attack with 83 carries for 479 yards and six TDs
While Oklahoma's offense has garnered plenty of attention since Riley arrived, the Sooner defense as a whole has been terrific. They are second in the nation against the run, thanks to an active front line that comes up with a ton of sacks and eight tackles for loss per game. Too bad Florida doesn’t run.
The Oklahoma secondary hasn’t been bad. It’ll give up yards, but it only allowed multiple touchdown passes twice – giving up two to both Texas and Texas Tech – and picked off 13 passes on the year, partly because the pass rush has been fantastic.
And Oklahoma could have an absence or two of its own on defense to address. Veteran CB Tre Brown is skipping the contest, so younger backups such as Woodi Washington and DJ Grahamare going to need to step up.
I’m going to take the Sooners to outscore a depleted Florida WR corp and lay the points. Put me down for a Mini Mega.
I'm also taking Oklahoma as part of a Money Line Parly
Oklahoma over Florida
Tulsa over Mississippi State
Georgia over Cincinnati
I had TCU over Arkansas as part of the parlay but you know, Covid
While Oklahoma's offense has garnered plenty of attention since Riley arrived, the Sooner defense as a whole has been terrific. They are second in the nation against the run, thanks to an active front line that comes up with a ton of sacks and eight tackles for loss per game. Too bad Florida doesn’t run.
The Oklahoma secondary hasn’t been bad. It’ll give up yards, but it only allowed multiple touchdown passes twice – giving up two to both Texas and Texas Tech – and picked off 13 passes on the year, partly because the pass rush has been fantastic.
And Oklahoma could have an absence or two of its own on defense to address. Veteran CB Tre Brown is skipping the contest, so younger backups such as Woodi Washington and DJ Grahamare going to need to step up.
I’m going to take the Sooners to outscore a depleted Florida WR corp and lay the points. Put me down for a Mini Mega.
I'm also taking Oklahoma as part of a Money Line Parly
Oklahoma over Florida
Tulsa over Mississippi State
Georgia over Cincinnati
I had TCU over Arkansas as part of the parlay but you know, Covid
