MParris86
10-28-2004, 01:17 PM
Alright, this is a make or break week....Have to rebound from a bad last week (I think most people got a swift kick to the nuts last weekend.)
Play #1:
Virginia Tech @ Georgia Tech Under 40
Found this one really tough to cap as these are very similar teams with similar styles of attack. I would have to imagine that practicing against a mobile quarterback all year benefits each defense. Both are hardnosed and accustomed to playing tight games. Neither really has a playmaker on offense that is capable of lighting up a scoreboard. GT: 98th scoring offense (19.3ppg) VT 27th scoring offense (33ppg, but throw out blowout wins vs. Florida A&M, Duke, and W. Michigan, and they have only scored over 20 once.) Both offenses will face stiff defenses as both D's are ranked in top 20. I think VT wins this one going away via a turnover or special teams play. Prediction: VT 23 GT 14.
Play #2:
Ohio +1 @ Kent St.
Kent State comes in with a 1-6 record, with their only victory being a 38-10 win over I-AA Liberty. Ohio comes in at 2-5, but have shown they can win on the road , beating UK in Lexington. They also have faced better competition thus far, already facing the MAC elite in BG, Toledo, Marshall and Miami. Here is the key though. Kent rushing O (100th) vs. Ohio rushing D (31). Turnover Margin: Kent 110th Ohio 16th. After playing football for a long time, I know that you dont win football games if you cant run the ball and consistently turn the ball over. I also dont think that travel and homefield advantage is that big of a deal in a game like this. The schools are only seperated by about 2 hours and when you only get about 10,000 at a game, a "12th man" is non-existent. Prediction: Ohio 27 Kent St. 21
Play #3:
Florida St. -10 @ Maryland (bought 1/2pt)
Maryland, on a 3 game skid in which they averaged a whopping 5.6 ppg, gets to attempt to end their woes this weekend at home against Florida St. NOT SO FAST. Florida St. sports the #8 defense in the country and will have no problem in stopping the woeful Terps attack. The Noles allow just 68 ypg on the ground which will force turnover-prone Maryland QB J. Statham (9 INT) into throwing the ball downfield. UH OH..... Prediction: Florida St. 28 Maryland 12
Play #4:
Utah -18.5 @ San Diego St.
Capped this one from every angle and I find no reason to believe the Utes cant continue to put up huge numbers and keep their top 10 BCS status intact. The Utes are 6-1 ATS despite laying bigtime chalk all season. SDSU, on the other hand, is 2-4 ATS. The Utes go to SDSU, yet own a 3-0 record on the road. They have continually just put up huge numbers, averaging 42.6ppg on the year (2nd in the country). Their total offense production of 488ypg is 4th in the country: 240 by air, 248 by ground. They are like FEDEX! SDSU, on the other hand, ranks 100th in the nation in scoring offense. Against I-A opponents, the Aztecs have averaged just 15ppg. They will have to put up points in order to stay close to the Utes, but with such an anemic offense, they are going to have a tough time. On top of all that, the Utes hang on to the football, 12th in the nation in TO margin. The Aztecs are a dismal 89th in TO margin. Giving up the ball to the Utes and providing a short field is a recipe for disaster. All signs point to a Utes ass whipping. Prediction: Utah 45 San Diego St. 16
Play #5:
Georgia -7 vs. Florida
There are two possible scenarios: 1)The Gators rally around Zook and play their hearts out for him or 2)They still have all the off-field issues along with last weeks embarassing loss linger and lay an egg. I have to believe that the second scenario is more likely given the inconsistent and uninspired nature of the Gators. Combined with the fact that Georgia is simply a more fundamentally-sound team, I think the Dawgs get the win. They have much more on the line in this game, as their BCS hopes would go down the drain with a loss plus they have a major score to settle with Florida, who has beaten them six straight. But this is by far Georgia's best, most experienced team. They have a suffocating defense ranked #6 in the country and a pretty good offense led by David Greene, an experienced signal caller who doesnt make too many mistakes (12 TD, 1INT). In a rivalry game like this, I dont expect a blowout, but I think Georgia has too much to lose while Florida has already lost nearly everything. Prediction: Georgia 31 Florida 20.
GL TO EVERYONE THIS WEEKEND! :thumbs:
Play #1:
Virginia Tech @ Georgia Tech Under 40
Found this one really tough to cap as these are very similar teams with similar styles of attack. I would have to imagine that practicing against a mobile quarterback all year benefits each defense. Both are hardnosed and accustomed to playing tight games. Neither really has a playmaker on offense that is capable of lighting up a scoreboard. GT: 98th scoring offense (19.3ppg) VT 27th scoring offense (33ppg, but throw out blowout wins vs. Florida A&M, Duke, and W. Michigan, and they have only scored over 20 once.) Both offenses will face stiff defenses as both D's are ranked in top 20. I think VT wins this one going away via a turnover or special teams play. Prediction: VT 23 GT 14.
Play #2:
Ohio +1 @ Kent St.
Kent State comes in with a 1-6 record, with their only victory being a 38-10 win over I-AA Liberty. Ohio comes in at 2-5, but have shown they can win on the road , beating UK in Lexington. They also have faced better competition thus far, already facing the MAC elite in BG, Toledo, Marshall and Miami. Here is the key though. Kent rushing O (100th) vs. Ohio rushing D (31). Turnover Margin: Kent 110th Ohio 16th. After playing football for a long time, I know that you dont win football games if you cant run the ball and consistently turn the ball over. I also dont think that travel and homefield advantage is that big of a deal in a game like this. The schools are only seperated by about 2 hours and when you only get about 10,000 at a game, a "12th man" is non-existent. Prediction: Ohio 27 Kent St. 21
Play #3:
Florida St. -10 @ Maryland (bought 1/2pt)
Maryland, on a 3 game skid in which they averaged a whopping 5.6 ppg, gets to attempt to end their woes this weekend at home against Florida St. NOT SO FAST. Florida St. sports the #8 defense in the country and will have no problem in stopping the woeful Terps attack. The Noles allow just 68 ypg on the ground which will force turnover-prone Maryland QB J. Statham (9 INT) into throwing the ball downfield. UH OH..... Prediction: Florida St. 28 Maryland 12
Play #4:
Utah -18.5 @ San Diego St.
Capped this one from every angle and I find no reason to believe the Utes cant continue to put up huge numbers and keep their top 10 BCS status intact. The Utes are 6-1 ATS despite laying bigtime chalk all season. SDSU, on the other hand, is 2-4 ATS. The Utes go to SDSU, yet own a 3-0 record on the road. They have continually just put up huge numbers, averaging 42.6ppg on the year (2nd in the country). Their total offense production of 488ypg is 4th in the country: 240 by air, 248 by ground. They are like FEDEX! SDSU, on the other hand, ranks 100th in the nation in scoring offense. Against I-A opponents, the Aztecs have averaged just 15ppg. They will have to put up points in order to stay close to the Utes, but with such an anemic offense, they are going to have a tough time. On top of all that, the Utes hang on to the football, 12th in the nation in TO margin. The Aztecs are a dismal 89th in TO margin. Giving up the ball to the Utes and providing a short field is a recipe for disaster. All signs point to a Utes ass whipping. Prediction: Utah 45 San Diego St. 16
Play #5:
Georgia -7 vs. Florida
There are two possible scenarios: 1)The Gators rally around Zook and play their hearts out for him or 2)They still have all the off-field issues along with last weeks embarassing loss linger and lay an egg. I have to believe that the second scenario is more likely given the inconsistent and uninspired nature of the Gators. Combined with the fact that Georgia is simply a more fundamentally-sound team, I think the Dawgs get the win. They have much more on the line in this game, as their BCS hopes would go down the drain with a loss plus they have a major score to settle with Florida, who has beaten them six straight. But this is by far Georgia's best, most experienced team. They have a suffocating defense ranked #6 in the country and a pretty good offense led by David Greene, an experienced signal caller who doesnt make too many mistakes (12 TD, 1INT). In a rivalry game like this, I dont expect a blowout, but I think Georgia has too much to lose while Florida has already lost nearly everything. Prediction: Georgia 31 Florida 20.
GL TO EVERYONE THIS WEEKEND! :thumbs: