Consensus seems to be Lamar and Incarnate Word were charity picks to get some new blood into the playoffs. Only UC Davis, IW and Lamar are the first timers
Super quick thoughts on Rd 1: (by order of start time)
Stony/SEMO: I thin this stands to be 1 of 3 games that could be really good. SEMO is very solid & @ Home but Stony is the better team. Stony by 4
Duquesne/Towson: Tom Flacco vs NEC D = lots of Towson points. But Duqense offense is legit and will score too. Towson will ultimately outclass the Dukes & pull away. Towson by 17
Elon/Wofford: LY in Rd 1 Elon faced option team (Furman) losing by 1 point & draws another option team to open. Elon Announced earlier this week they’ll start their 3rd string Qb (who used to be their starter 2 years ago). He came in for an ineffective Green last week & almost brought them back v Maine. While I don’t like the uncertainty at QB there is experience as a starter & Elon did a fantastic job shutting down the one option team they faced this year beating Furman 45-7. Elon finds a way by 6.
IW/MSU: I don’t think many people give IW a chance here and I’m not sure why? I think these teams are pretty comparable talent wise. The problem is the weather. These Texas boys are gonna deal w 30 & snow which plays right into the run based MSU attack. That said, while IW runs a tempo spread offense they can run it a bit too. If they weather was 40+ and no snow I’d pick IW here. But I think it’s an issue tomorow. That said, this one is still real close IMO. MSU by 3 in a down to the wire game.
Delaware/JMU: JMU looked more like a top 5 team the last two weeks as their offense found its rhythm. If they deliver a similar effort tomorrow this one will and shouid be ugly. JMU by 21.
San Diego/Nicholls: USD is the sexy pick to keep it close by media (and what I’ve read on message boards) and I don’t see it AT ALL. The Toreros have played the exact same schedule as LY (UCD, a good ivy, and pioneer sched) and their defensive
Metrics have fallen off the map. They’ve dropped from 53rd in total D in 17 (355 ypg) to 106th (462 ypg). They are allowing over a full YPP more than LY. I Think Usd Will score points & this goes over the total of 62 but Nicholls should pound them by 20+.
Lamar/UNI: I’ve mentioned thoughts on this in other threads. UNI at home will use their physical style to play smash mouth with Lamar to lots of succsss. Lamar may find some early success but ultimately this will be a Panther rout by 28.
ETSU/Jax St: Jax St is significantly better here. ETSU is a bit fraudulent and found ways to win a number of close games this year. In fact they won all the close games, credit to them. Zerrick Cooper
Should have a big day throwing the ball and I’d be surprised if ETSU got to 14 points again this top 10 D allowing less than 300 per game. Jax St by 17
I plan to watch parts of all of the game with more focus on UNI/ Lamar (obvious reasons) & IW/MSU (think this could be a fun one to watch)
haha these are the things I do now at 1am when my 1 year wakes me up and I can’t go back to sleep. Mich/OSU should be fantastic.
Rain is forecast in Harrisonburg all game which may change the dynamic of that game a little but I still expect JMU by DD.
REALLY REALLY hope UCD doesnt have rain next week during their game. Assuming UNI the last thing I want to see against a physical, run the ball, stop the run type team is rain which would impact UCD ability to throw it as effectively.
Have seen a little of all three of the 11am game mostly watching Towson/Duqense. It’s being played in torrential downpour. Towson the better team, up 10-0 but Dukes doing enough to hang around + rain.
Stony Brook just put together best drive of day and got the first points in that game mid 2nd
Elon Wofford fairly equal. Wofford having some option success.
MSU/IW underway - no snow. That’s big for IW. There and out for he bobcats to start. IW BALL. Have that on now.
18-7 MSU. IW d has been good. They’ve given up 9 points, 9 were gifted. Really unfortunate that IW doesn’t have Copeland. After the TD drive
The backup has looked below avg.