Week 3 Preview
OVERVIEW
September 18, 2015
Other Five Playoff
Power 5 teams seem to get all of the love during the regular season, and they deserve that affection. However, there are other teams worth paying attention to. These “Other 5” ,as they are often labeled, can produce some highlights and dramatic victories as much as the big boys. While it will take a perfect season for any of these teams to be considered in the real playoff, that small hope is what drives each one of these teams. Producing a playoff for the “Other 5” wouldn’t yield the dividends financially of the regular playoff, but the quality of each game would be comparable to those top teams. Inspired by this thinking, here are four teams that would be in the “Other 5” playoff (ranked from best to worst).
BYU Cougars----You’ve heard about them all week and their miraculous play at quarterback. And yet, we can’t seem to get enough of the Cougars. Tanner Mangum has stepped in to replace Taysom Hill and has produced two dramatic wins in his tenure behind center. Week 1 they went into Lincoln, Nebraska and stunned the Cornhuskers on a heave to the endzone pulled down by Mitch Matthews. The next week, Mitchell Juergens was the hero, pulling down the go ahead touchdown against Boise State. The offense gets all of the love, but they defense doesn’t get enough attention. The BYU defense statistically hasn’t been anything special, but they have kept their team in the game while the offense got its footing. A road test against UCLA will ultimately determine if they will be in contention for the playoff or not after this week.
Temple Owls----First, the Owls sacked Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg 10 times on the way to a dominating 27-10 win. They followed that performance with a win in Cincinnati over a Bearcat team that many thought would be a dark horse for the playoff. Temple had a solid year in 2014 and has been riding that momentum into the 2015 season. The P.J. Walker-Jahad Thomas combination has kept the Temple offense moving, but the defense has been hot-and-cold. Their defense dominated the Nitanny Lions in week 1 (186 total yards), and hung on against the Bearcats in week 2 (557 total yards). If the defense can continue week 1’s form, the Owls will have no trouble competing with any team.
Houston Cougars----Tom Herman’s debut season as a head coach could not be going any better. His Cougars took care of business against Tennessee Tech and shocked Louisville the week after. When the season is over, Greg Ward Jr. may want to personally thank Herman for leaving Ohio State. Ward has thrived under his new coach, passing for 511 yards and rushing for 199 more. If the Cougars can make it to their October 31st matchup with Vanderbilt undefeated, they will be a team to fear for the rest of the year.
Toledo Rockets----They may have only played won game, but boy did they make a lot of noise by winning it. The Rockets went to Little Rock and proved they can play with the big boys (literally). Arkansas’ huge O-line is a menace when you look across the field, but Toledo was unfazed by the size. Rockets quarterback and former Alabama backup Phillip Ely threw for 237 yards and a touchdown to lead Toledo. If this game is any indication of how the season will go, then the Mid-American Conference better watch out.
Conference Title Emphasis
PLAYOFF TEAMS
It’s easy to pick the top four teams because, well, they are the best four currently. However, the top four now will be different than the top four at the end of the year. Two weeks doesn’t clarify much in the playoff race, but we can do our best to try and decipher who is in and who will be left out this year.
Teams in the playoff:
Ohio State----The only thing people seemed to notice about the Hawaii was their rainbow-inspired uniforms. Other than that, the Buckeyes showed why everyone paid attention to them. The Buckeyes struggled to pull away, but the defense really never showed signs of weakness while up 21-0. The offense pulled together and helped finish the game in a 38-0 blowout. The Buckeyes figure to keep this top spot until they slip up one week or lose. It’s hard to see the latter happening, but the Big Ten has surprised us before.
Alabama----After finish lousy Middle Tennessee State, the Crimson Tide turned their attention to the only team that beat them in the regular season last year in Ole Miss. The Rebels will have to overcome playing on the road this year, but they have done all they can to show they are prepared. The Ole Miss offense has put up 70+ points in both weeks leading up to week 3, but can they put up points against a ranked opponent? The game of the week could shake up the playoff picture, a but could also vault the Tide into the top seed in the nation.
Michigan State----The Spartans had a huge win at home against Oregon, but they would be kidding themselves if they think they have nothing to work on. The Ducks were one completion away from being in this spot, but the Spartans held on. With their next big test not coming until they play Ohio State, they could fall down the rankings simply because they aren’t playing the quality of competition.
TCU----Baylor struggled to pull away from lowly Lamar. TCU crushed Stephen F. Austin 70-7. TCU struggled in week 1, but Minnesota is a better team than most think. The Horned Frogs left no doubt who was the better team in Week 2 against the Lumberjacks. TCU’s biggest test will be Baylor, but we can’t talk about that until the last game. It’s hard to imagine the Frogs struggling with any Big 12 opponent, so the hype for that game will most likely be a playoff game itself.
Teams on the outside looking in:
Baylor, USC, Ole Miss, Georgia Tech, BYU
HEISMAN CANDIDATES
This race doesn’t seem to thin out until the season is about a month old. All four of these candidates played soft teams and put up decent numbers. These four also have a significant impact on their teams success, and if they get hurt, their teams’ productivity will decrease immensely.
Ezekiel Elliot, Ohio State----RUSHING: 223 yds, 4 TD
Nick Chubb, Georgia----RUSHING: 309 yards, 2 TD
Derrick Henry, Alabama----RUSHING: 243 yds, 6 TD
Trevone Boykin, TCU----PASSING: 44/69, 531 yds, 5 TD
GAMES OF THE WEEK/PICKEM
A few years ago (2012 to be exact), a guy named Johnny Manziel led his Texas A&M football team into Tuscaloosa. That night, Johnny football lived up to that nickname, guiding his Aggies to an upset over the Crimson Tide. The win blew up college football and shook the nation. This week, Chad Kelly leads Ole Miss into Tuscaloosa looking to do the same thing. The Rebels will have to play a fundamentally sound football game, and try to keep the crowd quiet early to have success. On the other side of the country, BYU heads to the Rose Bowl in a battle of true freshman. Tanner Mangum vs. Josh Rosen. The Cougars are looking for their third consecutive upset, while the Bruins are trying to prove they can play ball without Brett Hundley. So far I’m 0 for 2 picking upsets (Minnesota over TCU, Oregon over Michigan State), so maybe I pick chalky this week. College football has a weird way of toying with your logic. Once you think a team is a lock to win, the football gods seem shake things up, causing you to think twice when making a “logical” decision. Four games this week that should all be close, and all four should provide clarity on the college football playoff race.
Overall Record: 4-4 Last week: 2-2
#18 Auburn at #13 LSU
Auburn has struggled mightily the first two weeks to beat Louisville (now 0-3 after Thursday night’s loss to Clemson). They follow that performance up by losing the first half against Jacksonville State, but pulled out an overtime victory 27-20. LSU had its first game canceled and then hung on to beat a tough Mississippi State team on the road. If Auburn’s defense can stop Heisman hopeful Leonard Fournette, they have a legitimate chance of winning on the road. Death Valley fans can help turn the game into a blowout quickly, and with Auburn scrambling for answers, this game could get out of hand quickly. Jeremy Johnson needs to throw the ball more efficiently to give his Tigers a chance, but LSU has too many things going for them.
My pick: LSU 24 Auburn 17
#14 Georgia Tech at #8 Notre Dame
Malik Zaire’s broken leg changes the dynamic of this game significantly. Notre Dame is putting it’s playoff hopes on backup quarterback DeShone Kizer. Kizer played well in place of Zaire against Virginia, but Georgia Tech is at another level. The Yellow Jackets triple option offense is difficult to prepare for, and QB Justin Thomas is a nightmare for defensive coordinators. Add all of that to the fact that Tech just put 60+ points in their first two games, and you have a lot to prepare for. Maybe the Irish can find some magic by bringing Rudy back to play defensive end. I don’t see that happening, so it’s the end of the rainbow for the Irish this week.
My pick: UPSET SPECIAL: Georgia Tech 38 Notre Dame 31
#19 BYU at #10 UCLA
I picked against the Cougars last week. It would be a bad decision to pick against them again. Tanner Mangum (have I mentioned his name before) is looking to continue this magical run against the Bruins. Myles Jack and Co. look put an end to these fairytale endings for the Cougars. The Cougars will show us what kind of team they are this week, and the result may determine how much consideration they get in the college football playoff discussion. A win over the Bruins would launch them close to a top 10 ranking. The question that everyone seems to be asking: who will catch the next Hail Mary pass to win the game? The Bruins hope that there won’t be an answer. Normally Josh Rosen is the quarterback analysts talk about in the week leading up to the game. This week he takes a backseat in that discussion, and that could go in his favor. Rosen has proven to be a capable starter, and with a solid defense backing him up, the Bruins will be tough to beat at home. The magic runs out here.
My pick: UCLA 35 BYU 21
#15 Ole Miss at #2 Alabama
Like the aforementioned Johnny Football-led Aggies, no one outside of the Rebels locker room expected an upset. There will be no surprises this year from either team. Both teams come in knowing what to expect from their opponent. Both defenses look to show why they are going to be top in the nation this year. Both offenses have new quarterbacks, and both are hoping their signal caller shows up when it matters most. Jake Coker has looked comfortable in the first two weeks as a starter, but anyone would look that way if they had the privilege of handing the ball to a monster like Derrick Henry. On the other side, Chad Kelly is getting a fresh start after having some issues in the past. The Rebels seem to have the most to gain in this game. Their defense hopes to show why there is hype surrounding them, especially freakishly athletic Robert Nkemdiche. The Ole Miss defensive stud hasn’t lived up to the hype the last couple years, but his year appears to be different. He has been a nightmare for offensive lineman with his speed and his power. #5 also has made appearances in the Rebels offense and has made an immediate impact. Don’t believe me? Watch his touchdown reception and you will be blown away at how fast a man that large can move that quickly. The Rebels offense has put up points the last two weeks, but Alabama’s defense is another beast. The Rebels will be lucky to get over 20 points if they aren’t careful. Even with Laquon Treadwell back in action, the Rebels need to find a consistent offensive threat to take double teams away from Treadwell. Unfortunately, by that time, Nick Saban will already have figured out a way to adjust. Roll Tide at home.
My pick: Alabama 28 Ole Miss 21
