B1G vs ACC Part 2

BIG first day for the ACC as they pulled ahead 5-2 on day one.  Today features Heisman contending (and winning) QBs, a few ELECTRIC running backs, and a dancing PJ Fleck.  Can the B1G pull of a HUGE upset after a disastrous day one?  Or will the ACC keep it rolling with another dominate performance on day two?

Ohio St vs Florida St

Ohio St- Frank Fanelli

It wasn’t always sharp, it wasn’t always consistently good, and it ended the season with a crashing thud, but the offense still finished 13th in the nation in scoring with a balanced attack that came through more often than not. Now the Buckeyes have one of the best offensive minds in the game in their new coordinator, beleaguered former head man Kevin Wilson. That man made Indiana’s offense amazing, as weird as that sounds. He’ll get OSU back to where they should be after last year’s loss to Clemson. It starts with veteran QB J.T. Barrett running the show again. No, there’s no quarterback controversy, and yes, Barrett is better than you think. He’ll get to operate behind a quietly amazing line that just might grow into the best in the Big Ten. Billy Price is a next-level center, Jarmarco Jones is a next-level left tackle, and if the right side can be consistently okay, look out. They’ll pave the way for super-sophomore Mike Weber, who won’t have to carry the rushing load on his own with more options than last season. They’ll have to handle the offense early on until the new receivers are ready to rumble, their top three wideouts have to be replaced. Once again, OSU’s defense has to replace a slew of NFL stars, and it’s up to the task. Defensive coordinator Greg Schiano was able to do it last year, and the Buckeyes finished sixth in the nation. Ohio State might have lost a ton of talent in the back seven, but the pass rush should be devastating with the top five sackers returning. The defensive end rotation is the best in America, with four all-star, next-level starters who’ll boost up the pedestrian 28 sacks of last year. While there isn’t a sure-thing star in the interior of the line, there will be a regular rotation of good options. If the Buckeyes had to face off with Florida State, which isn’t impossible, I see OSU pulling away late in a close one 31-24.

Florida St- Anthony Ventura

There’s a lot to like about this Seminoles team coming into 2017. They will be the ACC favorite after Deshaun Watson left Clemson for the NFL. They have a dark horse Heisman candidate at QB in Deondre Francois. He has a ton of weapons to move the ball around to on offense. On the defensive side of the ball, the Noles are loaded. On the D Line, they have former #1 recruit Josh Sweat causing pressure on opposing QBs, and at safety they have the best defensive player in the country in Derwin James. He is the defensive player with the best shot at the Heisman since Manti Te’o in 2012, and will likely be a top 5 draft pick last year. Their opponent, Ohio State, leaves something to be desired. We all remember the absolute thrashing they took at the hands of Clemson last year. A lot of offensive struggles in that game were caused by the O-Line’s inability to block, and I just said how loaded FSU’s defense is. Ohio State’s offense was average at best last year, and only scored 21 on an average Penn State defense. OSU’s defense is good, but Francois’s presence and awareness will be a difference maker in his sophomore season. Prediction is the Noles score a lot, and stop the Buckeyes often. FSU-38 OSU-21. Noles roll.

Penn St vs Clemson

Penn St – Ben Shumate

By now everyone knows that 2017 Penn State is likely to be the Saquon Barkley show. But that overlooks just how loaded this team will be top-to-bottom this season.

The reason Barkley is likely to be so successful, once again, is that no defense will be able to load up the box and completely ignore the other weapons around him. Trace McSorely has less pressure than any other starting QB for a top-10 team, both because of Barkley’s role, and the returning targets like TE Mike Gesicki and senior receivers Saeed Blacknall and DaeSean Hamilton. The offensive line is young, but has plenty of big game experience from last season.

The defense is more of the same when it comes to impressive depth. Three of seven returning starters are in the secondary, likely helping to improve a pass defense that finished in the top 25 nationally but got beaten up badly by USC’s Sam Darnold in the Rose Bowl.

James Franklin had this team playing at a higher level than any team in a strong Big 10 last season. The most important weapons are back once again, and a veteran-heavy team will not be scared off against any strong opponent.

Clemson- Johnny Rambos

Fresh off a national championship, the Tigers will have to suffer through the massive loss of quarterback Deshaun Watson. However, the Tigers are no longer in rebuild mode, they are in reload mode. With a tough quarterback situation, this defense will anchor this team and possibly also score some points with Big Dexter Lawrence and Christian Wilkins in the middle. The defense has a chance to potentially lead all of college football in scoring with the athletes they have and the ability to turn people over left and right. Kelly Bryant has been named the starting QB at Clemson, so you have to trust Dabo’s decision to start him. Remember to never ever doubt Dabo Swinney. With nine receivers on the current roster who will all end up in the NFL, Kelly Bryant shouldn’t have to hard of a job getting the ball to his big time play-making receivers and scoring points at will. Clemson beats Penn State 27-17.

Michigan vs Louisville

Michigan- Liam Smith

Michigan is sometimes a tough team to hype up early in the season, but that’s mainly just because head coach Jim Harbaugh always holds his cards very close to his chest. In fact, the Wolverines play their season opener in less than two weeks, and coach Harbaugh is still yet to release the full Michigan roster to the public. This is classic Harbaugh…Doing every little thing he thinks he can do to give his team the edge come game time. Whether or not this tactic will give Michigan an advantage is beyond me, but knowing coach Harbaugh, he probably has some secret weapons up his sleeve.

Michigan is in a tough spot, only bringing back six of last seasons’ starters. The obvious major defensive losses of Jabrill Peppers and Taco Charlton will certainly not go unnoticed. but with that being said, this is why Jim Harbaugh gets paid the big bucks folks. The man has a knack for developing college level talent into NFL superstars, and the eleven Michigan players selected in the 2017 NFL Draft certainly showcased that ability. One of the players who he will be looking work with this season is returning QB Wilton Speight. Last year Speight threw for over 2,500 yards and 18 touchdowns in his first season as a collegiate starter. This season, the junior quarterback will be the key piece of this Wolverines offense…And with Coach Harbaugh in his corner, this kid is certainly set up to succeed.

Other talented players on this Michigan team include DT Rashan Gary, 5-star wide receiver Donovan Peoples Jones and sophomore wide receiver Kekoa Crawford. While this certainly isn’t the team we saw in 2016, look for them to play with the same amount of consistency and discipline thanks to excellent coaching/game management. As far as this hypothetical match-up against Louisville goes, it would certainly be a close game. However, I feel that you always have to give the edge to a Harbaugh-ran program in big game situations.

Louisville – Cody Goggin

How can you not pick Louisville? They have the 2016 Heisman winner returning for only his second full season as a starter. Lamar Jackson may be the most electric player college football has seen in a long time. I know that Louisville loses a lot on both sides of the ball, but the new guys coming in are solid themselves. Michigan is losing about 90% of their defense this year. Also, are you really worried about Louisville’s defense getting beat against a team led by Wilton Speight? While Harbaugh may have something up his khakis, Petrino and Co. would roll over the Wolverines on their motorcycles.

Wisconsin vs Miami

Wisconsin – Xavier Leroy

The most interesting aspect of this matchup would be the running game. Miami’s defense against the run was great last season, allowing 3.4 yards per carry, 18th best in the nation. But then there’s Wisconsin’s always-dominant offensive line, which helped the Badgers score 31 rushing touchdowns last year. How well Wisconsin’s run game will fare against the defense of Miami is up in the air, but the passing game favors the Badgers. Though the Badgers no longer have Bart Houston, they’ll be just fine with Alex Hornibrook, a redshirt sophomore who started nine games last season. Miami, on the other hand, lost Brad Kaaya to the draft, leaving them with junior Malik Rosier as their starter. Rosier has only one career start. Wisconsin will also return wide receiver Jazz Peavy, their number one target. With the return of Hornibrook and Peavy, expect the experienced duo to beat the Hurricanes through the air.

Miami – Austin Montgomery 

You heard it here first; this is the year Mark Richt brings the U back to glory. In Richt’s first year, the Canes made significant strides improving their offense from 49th-34th, their young defense surged from 52nd to 13th, they won nine games, and Miami finished ranked in an AP poll for the first time since 2005.  Look for a youthful Miami team to continue to have a positive progression. This Miami Hurricanes team is absolutely loaded, returning a total of 16 starters from last years squad.  The strength of this Miami team is their loaded, talented, and explosive defense. The Hurricanes tallied 37 total sacks and 108 tackles for loss last year. They return everyone from their front 7 that ranked number 16 against the run last season. Lead by the best line backing core in the country according to Pro Football Focus, the Hurricanes defense should wreak havoc on opposing offenses.  There are 6 players on this Miami defense whom have grades over 90 and are certainly on the top of many NFL draft boards.  If Brad Kaaya would have returned, Miami would have been a top 8 preseason team. However, new QB Malik Rosier;s running ability adds a new element to Thomas Brown’s attack.  Miami’s offense returns star running back Mark Walton, who rushed for 1,100 yards as a sophomore. They return Ahmmon Richards, who was one of the most explosive receivers in the country last season with 951 receiving yards as a freshman, averaging nearly 20 yards per catch.

In addition, Miami returns every piece from a top 15 special teams unit.  The youth movement Mark Richt has started last year is definitely working.  This is one of the most intriguing match-ups we have on the BIG 12 vs ACC slate. However, I believe Miami just has too many athletes for Wisconsin to handle. I expect this game to be a defensive struggle, however, Miami has the play-makers who will create enough explosive plays to put them over the top.

Prediction Miami 24 Wisconsin 17.

Northwestern vs Virginia Tech

Northwestern- Cody Goggin

Even though Medill may not be accredited anymore (sorry Rovell), the Northwestern Wildcats football team has become a perrineal force under Pat Fitzgerald. Quarterback Clayton Thorson returns to lead what should be another 9-10 win team in Evanston. Justin Fuente is a great young coach, but he will have problems in his second season replacing his quarterback Jerrod Evans and all the playmakers around him. While Tech has a solid defense, so does Northwestern. In what will be a low scoring affair, I will take the team that has a returning QB and a RB with 4,100+ career rushing yards.  I think that Thorson and Justin Jackson will be enough to overcome anything the Hokies can throw their way, and the Wildcats would come out victorious.

Virginia Tech – Xavier Leroy

Iowa vs NC State

Iowa – Luke Maiers

There is not a bigger/positive/more optimistic Iowa Hawkeye fan than myself, so I will keep it straight forward. There are three things that you can guarantee with Kirk Ferentz as the head coach at Iowa:  1) They are going to have a good running game. That will be true this year as well. Akrum Wadley is returning, and this guy is a stud. You pair that with grad transfer James Butler, and you have an elite backfield. 2) They are going to have a good offensive line. A few years back, Mark Weisman joined Iowa as a fullback. Shortly after, he was a halfway decent RUNNING BACK. This year’s line could be the best Iowa has had in years. 3) You will get a good defense from a Ferentz led team. Do you want to know why Iowa is in basically every game they play? Because their defense always has solid linebackers. From Chad Greenway and Abdul Hodge to James Morris, Anthony Hitchens, and Christian Kirksey, to Josey Jewell this year, who could be an All-American. Will this team get 10 wins? Probably not. Could Iowa get eight wins? Absolutely. That is why this team will beat NC State.

NC State – Liam Smith

This NC State squad has a lot of potential coming into 2017. They enter this season with 16 returning starters, including junior quarterback Ryan Finley. Last season he threw for over 3000 yards and 18 touchdowns along with the help of wide receivers Stephen Louis and Kelvin Harmon. Tight end Jaylen Samuels also proved to be a major weapon in the redzone, catching 7 touchdown passes last year. Look for Samuels to be one of Finley’s main targets this season as he enters his senior year.

As talented as the Wolf Pack’s starting offense looks, their defense looks even better; Experienced would be an understatement. This NC State defense has 8 returning starters, including a starting defensive line made up entirely of seniors. This impressive d-line, led by defensive end Bradley Chubb, has gained some national attention as of late, with some claiming they are among the top front fours in the nation.

At the end of the day, experience will always be a key factor when it comes to college football, and this NC State team is chock-full of experience. As far as the match-up goes, I can see this seasoned Wolf Pack defensive line giving Iowa’s inexperienced sophomore QB a lot of trouble. With the pressure they were able to put on quarterbacks last season, it would be very difficult for a young QB to get any sort of offense going against them. I know some people here at Student Union won’t like this prediction, but the Wolf Pack takes this game easily.

Minnesota vs Georgia Tech

Minnesota – Frank Fanelli

Offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca knows how to make a passing game work, and he knows how to get the most out of smart, accurate quarterbacks. Fleck’s OC at Western Michigan will open it up a bit more, but he’ll still rely on the ground game early on to keep the Gopher attack going. The 1-2 rushing punch of Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks should be among the Big Ten’s most effective if the line can do its part. The front five loses center Tyler Moore to Oklahoma State and right tackle Jonah Pirsig to graduation, but has great size on the left side and more massive pieces about to rise up into prominent spots. It’s possible Minnesota will go at least 320+ pounds at all five spots. Drew Wolitarsky is gone after catching five of the team’s nine touchdown passes and 66 of the 181 completions. However, the 6-5 Rashad Still leads a decent-looking corps that should break out with more of an emphasis on the passing attack. Now the new coaching staff has to find someone who can get those receivers the ball. It’ll be up to Conor Rhoda and Demry Croft to battle it out to see who can do better than Mitch Leidner. Both options are big, smart, and with good arms, but who knows. Their defense looks for a jump start as they bring in a new DC in Robb Smith. It starts with a terrific line-backing corps that might not have a slew of all-stars, but gets back Jonathan Celestin, Blake Cashman and Cody Poock. They’ll be working behind All-Big Ten tackle Steven Richardson and a line that needs more options on the inside. The pass rush that cranked up 37 sacks last season and brought the heat from almost all sides. Getting Antoine Winfield back in the secondary is a plus. They still need to replace leading tackler Damarius Travis. It’s going to be a young group of defensive backs, but they’ll hit. They could easily handle GT by a score of 28-17.

Georgia Tech – Seth Berland

While Georgia Tech vs. Minnesota would be quite an interesting mashup of styles, I’m thinking Georgia Tech pulls this one off. Here is why: Minnesota does not have a lot of depth, and Georgia Tech’s offensive style makes your defensive players run, run, and run some more. They do not get a lot of plays off, (actually, GA Tech ranked dead last in plays per game) but they have you running all over the field with their option offense. QB Justin Thomas is gone, which leaves a question mark at QB, but they return almost all of their offensive line, so whoever wins the job will have some protection.

The defense is going to be good, as every starter on that side of the ball will likely be a junior or senior. It should be a solid lineup despite losing some key contributors. After all, Tech has been good at their “bend-don’t-break” defensive style for a long time.