NCAAFB Betting News and Trends For Saturday 9/8/18

Liberty Flames vs. Army Black Knights Preview and Predictions in NCAAF

Last week the Liberty Flames christened themselves as a team no one in FBS should go to sleep on, and curious fans are anxious to see what they may come up with next. They are also mindful that their decisive win over Old Dominion took place at home, and now they are going out on the road.

The Army Black Knights executed a turnaround of sorts under the guidance of coach Jeff Monken, a former Navy assistant, who has taken what had been a sad sack program to two bowl games in the last three seasons. But they did not have a smooth time of it in their opening game, forcing them to go to the air more often than they would have liked. And as they encounter Liberty this week, they are facing a team that showed that they may have a whole new attitude defensively than they did last season, when, for example, they allowed 98 points in a two-game stretch to the likes of Kennesaw State and Monmouth.

So the Black Knights of the Hudson will try to put a "W" on the board against the new kids on the block, and they are big favorites to do so at their own Michie Stadium.

TV: CBS Sports Network, Noon ET. LINE: Army -9.5

ABOUT LIBERTY: Liberty could hardly have been more impressive in its official FBS debut than they were in the opener against Old Dominion. They grabbed an early 14-0 lead, and after allowing the Monarchs to say in the game by the end of the first half, pulled away with ease, punctuating their performance with 28 points in the fourth quarter for a 52-10 victory. They rolled up 591 yards and 29 first downs, with Stephen Calvert throwing for 345 yards and four touchdowns. Having some power on offense was not a very big surprise from the Flames. What may have shocked many was the play of their defense, since they were so permissive playing at a lower level of competition last year, allowing 449 yards a game and 5.5 per rushing attempt. ODU had just 3.2 yards a carry and limited Steven Williams to just 14 out of 30. Nobody really saw that coming. So Turner Gill, the head coach who had led Buffalo (a future Army foe) to their first-ever bowl game and Liberty to a stunning upset over Baylor last season, may indeed have some rabbits to pull out of his hat. Now Liberty has a 12-1 ATS record against the FBS teams it has faced.

ABOUT ARMY: Army went rather quietly in its opener last Friday against Duke, dropping a 34-14 decision. They averaged just a little more than three yards a carry, and Kelvin Hopkins, who was ineffective running the ball, completed ten of 21 passes as his team had to play catch-up. Duke held a 17-0 halftime lead and was never headed. After this things do not get easier, as they play host to Hawaii, which has won convincingly in its first two games, and then they venture to Oklahoma, which just hung a 63-14 loss on Florida Atlantic, which had achieved a national ranking at the end of last season. Of course, the Black Knights can't necessarily be discounted, since they won ten games last year, captured the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy and went to a bowl game. But there has been some disruption; they returned just three offensive starts, and one of them was not Ahmad Bradshaw, the quarterback who had run for 1746 yards last season. There was some question as to whether he might have his graduation pushed back until December, at which point head coach Jeff Monken and the academy administration may have petitioned the NCAA for another year of eligibility, but he did indeed graduate in the summer.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Army has covered just seven of its last 21 attempts as a favorite. That's just 33.3%.

2. This is, of course, the first time these teams have ever met. Liberty is in its first year playing FBS football.

3. Army and Liberty are two of just six teams operating as independents in the FBS. The others are BYU, Notre Dame, Massachusetts and New Mexico State.

PREDICTION: Army 31, Liberty 27

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UAB Blazers vs. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers Preview and Predictions in NCAAF

Sep 08th, 2018 07:00 PM EDT

The story of the UAB Blazers' football program is remarkable enough that it would take a whole lot more space than we have in order to tell it. But suffice it to say that after having risen from the ashes, they are one of the favorites to win the Conference USA title this season.

The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers are a team that has a whole lot to prove because they are playing in a whole new arena. As they were introduced to "big-time college football," fortunes plummeted, but they have a very determined taskmaster back at the helm, and they have a pretty good idea of how far they have to go.

These teams, who produce a lot of back stories, will meet up on Saturday at Brooks Stadium in Conway, SC.

TV: ESPN Plus, 7 PM ET. LINE: UAB -10

ABOUT UAB: There were few better stories last year than the Blazers, who had dropped the program after the 2014 season, but then, after a two-year hiatus, not only returned to action but did so with a great deal of success. Bill Clark guided this team to an 8-4 regular season record, and they earned a bid to the Bahamas Bowl. Even the 41-6 loss they suffered to Ohio could dull what they had accomplished. Clark certainly merited Coach of the Year consideration for what could have been a minor miracle, when you take into account the numbers of players who had left for other programs. They are looked upon as perhaps the favorites in Conference USA's West division, and they opened up with something that was little more than a workout, beating Savannah State 52-0, pitching their first shutout since 2008. Quarterback AJ Erdely picked up where he left off last season, going 22 of 28 for 228 yards. Spencer Brown had 102 rushing yards. He's a big boy, at 225 pounds, and Kingston Davis, a Michigan transfer, is even bigger, at 245. Yes, the Blazers will be able to run the ball. So they will be looking to do a better job of it then they did in last year's game with Coastal, a 30-23 win at home in which they averaged 3.6 yards per rush with 274 total yards. This year Bryan Vincent re-assumes the offensive coordinator position; he had been in that spot in 2014.

ABOUT COASTAL CAROLINA: This team had a great deal of success for its last five-year period in FCS competition, but last year the Chanticleers entered the FBS ranks on a transitional basis and posted just a 3-9 straight-up record (5-7 ATS), and obviously, there was a huge jump in terms of the opposition level. Even so, the worst beating took place at the hands of an FCS team, Western Illinois (52-10). There were victories over UMass, Idaho (which has since gone back to FBS) and Georgia Southern, and a tight 39-38 loss to Arkansas. They were relatively non-competitive in the opener against Will Muschamp's South Carolina Gamecocks, losing 49-15 and giving up 561 yards in the process. Yes, defense is going to be a problem, as it was last season when they yielded 34 points a game and 63% completions. Kilton Anderson, a senior who transferred from Fresno State, hit 11 of 13 passes for 91 yards. This game marked a return to coaching for Joe Moglia, who led this team to a 66-15 record from 2012 through 2015 when he won FCS Coach of the Year but sat out last season with a lung infection.

EXTRA POINTS

1. In case you weren't aware, Moglia is the former CEO of TD Ameritrade, the massive online discount brokerage firm, and still serves as the company's chairman. More than thirty years ago, he was the defensive coordinator at Dartmouth and has also been a volunteer assistant at Nebraska.

2. UAB is now 12-4-1 ATS over its last 17 games.

3. Marvin Sanders, the new defensive coordinator at Coastal Carolina, coached high school ball last season but was the D-coordinator at North Carolina for three seasons (2004-06).

PREDICTION: UAB 37, Coastal Carolina 21

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. South Florida Bulls Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

South Florida may not have a better chance in the first two months of the season to show it is a factor on the national scene than Saturday afternoon when the Bulls host ACC foe Georgia Tech. USF of the American Athletic Conference unveiled its retooled offense last week and registered 515 yards in a 34-14 victory over Elon while Georgia Tech was rolling over Alcorn State 41-0, as both teams opened against FCS opponents before their first-ever meeting.

"You look at it, we're a Group of Five, we're not Power Five," South Florida second-year head coach Charlie Strong told reporters. "So then when you do get a chance to play a Power Five team, you have to go play well. Because what that does is, it opens up people's eyes." Former Alabama quarterback Blake Barnett threw for 305 yards and three touchdowns in his team debut for the Bulls, who will need to be better defending the run than in their opener (192 yards against) as the Yellow Jackets feature a flexbone triple-option offense. Georgia Tech rushed for 439 yards against Alcorn State, including 77 and a touchdown by senior quarterback TaQuon Marshall, but head coach Paul Johnson was not pleased with the overall performance. "I didn't think we were consistent," Johnson told reporters. "I didn't like how we played considering who we were playing. We didn't throw the ball well. We didn't block well. We turned too many guys loose inside at times."

TV: Noon ET, ESPN2 or ABC. LINE: Georgia Tech -3.5

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH (1-0): Marshall completed 9-of-18 passes for 104 yards and one touchdown to senior Brad Stewart, who gained a team-high 49 yards on four catches. Freshman running back Jordan Mason rushed for a team-high 85 yards and a score while junior KirVonte Benson, who finished last season with 1,053 yards, added another 75 along with a pair of TDs for the Yellow Jackets. The defense recorded its first shutout in 57 games last Saturday, allowing just 146 total yards, and is likely to have more depth as cornerback Lamont Simmons (hamstring) and linebacker Bruce Jordan-Swilling (undisclosed) could return to the lineup.

ABOUT SOUTH FLORIDA (1-0): Barnett, who played one game for Alabama in 2016, completed 24-of-34 passes last week and also ran for a score while freshman Randall St. Felix emerged with seven catches for 143 yards and a TD. The Bulls gained just 3.9 yards per carry in the opener with freshman Johnny Ford's 43 yards leading the way, but they expect to have Florida transfer Jordan Cronkrite back in the lineup after he missed the Elon game with an undisclosed injury. Senior linebacker Khalid McGee and senior safety Jaymon Thomas each had a career-high 11 tackles last week and the Bulls picked off a pair of passes after totaling 20 in 2017 - second in the nation.

EXTRA POINTS

1. USF senior WR Tyre McCants needs 35 receiving yards to move into 10th on the school's all-time list, and 47 for ninth.

2. Marshall has 19 career rushing touchdowns, tied for fourth all time among Georgia Tech QBs with Shawn Jones.

3. The Yellow Jackets have rushed for at least 400 yards five times in their last 12 contests, dating back to 2017.

PREDICTION: South Florida 34, Georgia Tech 31

Appalachian State Mountaineers vs. Charlotte 49ers Preview and Predictions in NCAAF

The Appalachian State Mountaineers came incredibly close to another of those "upsets for the ages" last Saturday, although admittedly it would not have been as dramatic as it was when they beat Michigan, because they are now playing in the FBS. This is a team that answered a lot of questions in the thriller against Penn State, showing a ton of emotional resolve even though they came out on the short end.

The Charlotte 49ers are a team that has yet to make any kind of real impact, and the jury is out on whether that will change any time soon, even with all the bowl games out there. A victory last week against an FCS foe is not a "buy" sign for a squad that captured only one win last year.

The Niners will have the home field advantage, however, as these teams get together on Saturday at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte. And App-State can't afford to get caught still brooding over their near-miss.

TV: ESPN Plus, 6 PM ET. LINE: Appalachian State -14

ABOUT APPALACHIAN STATE: There were undoubtedly a lot of people contemplating that famous 2007 upset of Michigan as the Mountaineers gave Penn State life-and-death last week, taking it to overtime before losing 45-38. There also had to be some surprise coming from Sun Belt Conference observers, since App-State was returning just eleven starts from last season. Scott Satterfield's team went into the fourth quarter trailing 24-10, but erupted for four touchdowns in the final quarter and appeared to have put the dagger in with 1:47 left. But the Nittany Lions came back with a TD in the last 45 seconds to force the extra session. Sophomore Zac Thomas had a heavy assignment, replacing Taylor Lamb, who had been a four-year starter at quarterback, and he met the challenge, throwing for 270 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The task for Appalachian State is to guard against a letdown, as their emotional reserves were taxed greatly. This week we should see more evidence of the defensive front that has been rather consistent in recent years, as it has held opponents to 3.9, 3.9 and 3.4 yards per rush attempt in the last three seasons, despite changes in personnel. Last week's game in Happy Valley was the only one the Mountaineers will play this season on natural turf.

ABOUT CHARLOTTE: Charlotte accomplished very little last season, with a 1-11 straight-up record (through 6-6 against the spread). But Brad Lambert, now in his sixth season as head coach, had some reason for optimism with ten starters returning on defense. And the front line was pretty formidable in the season opener, holding Fordham to just six net yards in a 34-10 win. But you can't be altogether convinced about this offense, which finished in the lower depths of the NCAA scoring statistics, averaging just 14.2 points a game. Redshirt freshman Chris Reynolds beat out Hasaan Klugh, who was the incumbent starter, and Evan Shirreffs, a transfer from Miami, to be the starter. He was more than serviceable, going 13 of 20 for 267 yards. Benny LeMay had 135 yards on 25 carries; he'll be needed to produce on a regular basis. And Charlotte converted seven of 15 third-down chances. Lambert has mentioned that he would like to get Klugh onto the field in some capacity, making note of his athleticism. Klugh had 532 rushing yards from his QB spot last year. Shirreffs was considered by most to have the inside track on the job coming into fall practice, but he has been bothered by a hamstring injury that has caused him to lose a lot of ground. But he is the guy with the biggest upside. Shirreffs is a graduate transfer, seeking an MBA in finance, and his situation was a little strange. Miami was attempting to block him from transferring and playing immediately at any ACC school. But an appeals committee later ruled that he could play at the following schools - Duke, North Carolina, and Virginia - because they were among the Top 25 MBA programs as they were listed in US News and World Report's annual survey of colleges and universities.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Charlotte's home stadium is named after Jerry Richardson, the former owner of the Carolina Panthers, who was, in effect, forced to sell his team amidst charges that included sexual harassment.

2. In 2007, also on September 1, Appalachian State scored its historic 34-32 upset of Michigan, then ranked fifth in the country. The Wolverines dropped completely out of the polls after that. App-State, meanwhile, went on to win its third straight FCS title that year.

3. Shirreffs, with a 3.9-grade point average as an undergrad, should have a better fate than the last Miami QB to transfer to Charlotte - Kevin Olsen, who is currently facing a rape charge.

PREDICTION: Appalachian State 41, Charlotte 24

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Eastern Michigan Eagles vs. Purdue Boilermakers Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

Purdue looks to put its season-opening loss in the rearview mirror when it hosts Eastern Michigan on Saturday. The Boilermakers dropped a 31-27 decision to Northwestern and hope to get back on track by beating the Eagles for the third time in program history following a 49-3 win in 1991 and a 54-16 victory in their most recent meeting in 2012.

Elijah Sindelar started against the Wildcats, but threw three interceptions that led to 21 points before he was replaced by David Blough. Purdue coach Jeff Brohm revealed that both quarterbacks will see significant action against Eastern Michigan. "Both quarterbacks will play and will play meaningful minutes," Brohm told reporters. "Elijah is disappointed in himself and he's taking it hard but he's going work hard to improve... and I think David came in and gave us a spark." The Boilermakers are 42-12-1 against Mid-American Conference foes, including a 44-21 victory over Ohio last season and hope the trend continues as they aim to avoid their first 0-2 start since 1996. Eastern Michigan opened the season with an impressive 51-17 win against Monmouth and hopes to knock off a Big Ten opponent for the second time in as many years after taking down Rutgers 16-13 in 2017.

TV: Noon ET, BTN2GO. LINE: Purdue -15

ABOUT EASTERN MICHIGAN (1-0): Tyler Wiegers was impressive in his first start for the Eagles as he set a program record for completion percentage (85.7) after going 18-of-21 for 238 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the win against Monmouth. Blake Banham was the main beneficiary of Wiegers' big day as he hauled in eight passes for 103 yards and a touchdown. Backup quarterback Mike Glass threw for a pair of TDs and added another on the ground. "It's fun to win and it's been a long wait," Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton told reporters. "New personnel, new team and we're just trying to get the program to continue to get better."

ABOUT PURDUE (0-1): Sindelar completed 18-of-30 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown while Blough finished 12-of-16 for 74 yards in the loss to Northwestern. Brohm revealed that the starter will be named closer to kickoff. Rondale Moore was named the Co-Big Ten Freshman of the Week after setting a new program record with 313 all-purpose yards while becoming the first Boilermaker to register a 100-yard receiving game in his collegiate debut. Moore hauled in 11 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown to go along with 79 rushing yards and a score on two carries while racking up 125 yards on kickoff returns to break the program record set by Otis Armstrong in 1972.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Purdue has split its last four meetings with MAC opponents.

2. Sindelar has thrown four interceptions in his last two starts.

3. Eastern Michigan is 1-38 against Big Ten foes.

PREDICTION: Purdue 38, Eastern Michigan 24

New Mexico Lobos vs. Wisconsin Badgers Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

Sixth-ranked Wisconsin looks to continue its mastery of non-conference opponents when it hosts New Mexico on Saturday in the first-ever meeting between the teams. The Badgers routed Western Kentucky 34-3 to notch their 23rd consecutive season-opening home win and hope to keep rolling by extending their non-conference winning streak at Camp Randall to 41 games, which would be the fifth-longest streak in NCAA history.

"It was good to get the first game under our belt and I thought we did some good things but certainly a number of areas we gotta get better at," Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst told reporters. "We're looking forward to a good week of preparation." Heisman Trophy candidate Jonathan Taylor rushed for 145 yards on 18 carries against the Hilltoppers to go over the 100-yard mark for the 11th time in 15 career games, and the sophomore looks to feast on a New Mexico defense which was gashed for 566 yards in its season-opening win against Incarnate Word. Wisconsin has held seven of its last 14 non-conference opponents at home without an offensive touchdown and hopes to put the defensive clamps on the Lobos, who have dropped six of their last seven road games. New Mexico washed away the bitter taste of losing seven straight games to end the 2017 campaign by crushing the Cardinals 62-30 but face their sternest test of the season against a Wisconsin team that is 86-10 at home since the start of 2004.

TV: Noon ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Wisconsin -35

ABOUT NEW MEXICO (1-0): Tevaka Tuioti threw for 327 yards and four touchdowns in the win against Incarnate Word to become the first Lobos quarterback to finish with over 300 yards passing since B.R. Holbrook on Sept. 11, 2010. Tyrone Owens added 58 yards and a pair of TDs on the ground to become the 17th player in program history to reach 2,000 yards while Tuioti added 54 rushing yards and a touchdown, but the yards will be hard to come by against a stout Wisconsin defense. "It will be a good test for us," Tuioti admitted to reporters. "I'm stoked about it though, it's not every year that you get to play a big team who also happens to be ranked No. 6 in the nation."

ABOUT WISCONSIN (1-0): Alex Hornibrook completed 17-of-29 passes for 257 yards - one short of his career high - and pair of TDs while Taylor had touchdown runs of 30 and 47 yards against Western Kentucky. A.J. Taylor stepped up in the absence of top receivers Quintez Cephus and Danny Davis, who were both serving suspensions, grabbing five passes for a team-high 85 yards while Garrett Groshek hauled in the first touchdown pass of his career. Defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk is inching closer to a return after he was medically cleared to play after undergoing knee surgery in the summer while tight end Zander Neuville could make his season debut after suffering a leg injury in fall practice.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Badgers are 46-10 overall since the start of 2013.

2. Taylor ranks second all-time at Wisconsin with a 6.69 yards per carry average.

3. Hornibrook is 11-1 at home as a starter.

PREDICTION: Wisconsin 41, New Mexico 10
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Air Force Falcons vs. Florida Atlantic Owls Preview and Predictions in NCAAF

Have the Florida Atlantic Owls found out that they are not as good as they thought they were? It most certainly was a sobering experience to go to Oklahoma and take it on the chin the way they did. Was that a little too damaging for them to recover from within the space of a week?

The Air Force Falcons have bigger fish to fry after they graduate, but they are absolutely not happy about the record they posted last season. They like to think they have caught Lane Kiffin's FAU team in a vulnerable spot, but we don't have much of a barometer to judge them by from the season opener.

This rather interesting inter-conference matchup takes place on Saturday afternoon at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, FL.

TV: 2 PM ET, CBS Sports Network. LINE: Florida Atlantic -8.5

ABOUT AIR FORCE: To say the least, the Air Force defense was not challenged by Stony Brook in the opener. The Falcons allowed only four first downs and 75 total yards in cruising to a 38-0 victory. Arion Worthman completed only two passes and ran for 66 yards. Air Force wasn't necessarily operating on all cylinders offensively (362 yards). Troy Calhoun's team, which finished 5-7 both straight-up and against the spread in 2017, returned only four starters on offense, and the offensive line has gone through some changes. Of course, these kids are disciplined, so the option offense will be run with some degree of efficiency. Air Force was fourth in the nation in rushing last season. Worthman led the team with 831 yards and thirteen rushing touchdowns, but only averaged 3.8 yards per carry. The jury is still out on the defense, despite the stellar effort against Stony Brook. That is because the Falcons gave up almost six yards per rushing attempt last season. And they will often give up size up front, although it should be noted that nose guard Mosese Fifita is 325 pounds. Air Force needed a new defensive coordinator after Steve Russ joined the staff of the Carolina Panthers, and Calhoun mysteriously refused to announce who the new coordinator was, into fall practice. Officially, they still don't have one.

ABOUT FLORIDA ATLANTIC: There was understandably a lot of optimism after FAU won its last ten games of the 2017 season, including a 50-3 victory over Akron in the Boca Raton Bowl, bringing them a national ranking. But they hadn't faced anyone like Oklahoma on that winning streak, and it was quite a culture shock. The Sooners got off to a 28-0 lead in the first quarter and extended that to 56-0 after three periods. The final of 63-14 was a blow to the gut for this Owls team that thought it might be trotting out a Heisman Trophy contender in Devin Singletary, who had 1920 yards last season. Well, with his team falling way behind early, there was not much opportunity for him, and he wound up with 69 yards on the day, while watching Oklahoma roll for 650 yards of total offense. Chris Robison, the sophomore quarterback who actually transferred from Oklahoma, went 15 of 25 for 157 yards. It was just a downer all around, but they hope that Singletary can find some running room against an Air Force defense that gave up 5.9 yards per carry - last in the nation - in 2017. The other side of the coin is that a service academy quarterback - Zach Abey of Navy - carved the Owls up for 235 rushing yards last year in a 42-19 FAU defeat.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Air Force has not traveled to the state of Florida since 1968. Starting fullback Cole Fagan and linebacker Kyle Johnson hail from the Sunshine State.

2. Troy Calhoun has covered 13 of his last 19 games when getting points at Air Force.

3. Kiffin, who has famously jumped ship at a couple of schools, recently had his contract extended through 2027.

PREDICTION: Florida Atlantic 35, Air Force 30

FIU Golden Panthers vs. Old Dominion Monarchs Preview and Predictions in NCAAF

Neither the Florida International (FIU) Golden Panthers nor the Old Dominion (ODU) Monarchs got what they wanted out of their season opener, but the promise of better days lay ahead. FIU is a team that made great strides under a new coach last season, but they had some offensive pieces to put together and it clearly is going to be a process.

Old Dominion, like FIU, went to a minor bowl last season, and they have been hoping for some progress from a very young sophomore quarterback. But they were ambushed in their game last week, as the floodgates opened in the second half.

FIU lost at home 38-28 to Indiana, while Old Dominion, which traveled to face a Liberty team playing its first official game in the FBS, was pounded to the tune of 52-10. One of these teams is going to achieve a little redemption as they meet at S.B. Ballard Stadium in Norfolk, VA.

TV: 7:30 PM ET, BEIN Sports. LINE: FIU -1

ABOUT FIU: This could be a year for FIU to take a step forward, or it could be a transitional season. A lot depends on the play of quarterback James Morgan, a transfer from Bowling Green who replaces standout starter Alex McGough, who was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks. But Morgan did not come up big in the opener, completing just 11 of 20 for 90 yards. Napoleon Maxwell had just 17 rushing yards, but Anthony Jones had 88, behind an offensive line that brought back all five starters from a year ago. But FIU was outgained 465-327 by the Hoosiers. Last year's Panther squad was 8-5 straight-up and 6-7 against the spread, and they went to the Gasparilla Bowl, where they lost 28-3 to Temple. All in all, it was a successful first season on the job for Butch Davis, who brought an unusually rich resume to the FIU campus. Davis was an assistant on a national championship team under Jimmy Johnson at Miami and a Super Bowl champion with the Dallas Cowboys. He then became head coach at Miami, leaving for the NFL a year before the Hurricanes, stocked with players he recruited, stormed to a national title. He took the Cleveland Browns to the only playoff game in their expansion existence and then experienced some scandal-ridden years at North Carolina. If he sticks around, the long-term possibilities are somewhat exciting.

ABOUT OLD DOMINION: ODU was trailing just 14-10 at the half against Liberty last week, then surrendered 38 unanswered points in the second half to turn it into a 52-10 embarrassment. Steven Williams was being looked upon as someone who could conceivably make a big leap in this, his sophomore year, but he went just 14 of 30 for 132 yards (just 4.4 yards per attempt). On the plus side, Williams didn't throw an interception, and this was something that plagued him through two-thirds of last year's schedule. Altogether, ODU had just 301 yards against a team that had given up 449 a game last season against the lower level opposition. According to head coach Bobby Wilder, now in his tenth year on the job, "Confidence is shook right now in everybody." Defensive end Oshane Ximines said, "It's not a pill I'm going to swallow, because I know we're not a bad football team, and I know we're better than this." ODU beat FIU in last year's meeting by a 37-30 score.

EXTRA POINTS

1, In last year's game, Alex McGough had 323 passing yards and three touchdowns for FIU. Now he starts the 2018 season on the practice squad of the Seattle Seahawks.

2. Since 2013, Old Dominion has just a 22-33-1 record against the pointspread (just 40%).

3. Wilder, a former quarterback at the University of Maine, was inducted this year into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame.

PREDICTION: Old Dominion 33, Florida International 28
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Duke Blue Devils vs. Northwestern Wildcats Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

Northwestern looks to gain a bit of revenge when it hosts Duke in its home opener Saturday in a non-conference matchup of teams that won their openers. The Blue Devils routed the Wildcats 41-17 in the second week of the 2017 season, outgaining Northwestern 538-191.

Duke is coming off a convincing 34-14 victory over Army in its season opener, with junior quarterback Daniel Jones completing 13-of-17 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown while sophomore running back Brittain Brown rushed 11 times for 75 yards and a score. Jones had a big game against the Wildcats last season, notching only the second 300-passing and 100-rushing yard performance in school history, something Northwestern certainly won't have forgotten. Coach Pat Fitzgerald is hoping for a repeat of his team's defensive performance in the season opener, when the Wildcats had three interceptions in jumping out to a 14-point advantage against Purdue en route to a 31-27 victory. Sophomore running back Jeremy Larkin paced the offensive attack, rushing 26 times for 143 yards and two scores, something Northwestern may try to repeat to keep the Duke offense off the field.

TV: Noon ET, ESPNU. LINE: Northwestern -3

ABOUT DUKE (1-0): The Blue Devils got a big game out of Brown against Army, though it was almost costly as Brown hurt his right knee during a third-quarter run that sidelined him for all but one rushing attempt the rest of the contest. Coach David Cutcliffe said Brown is fine and will play against the Wildcats, which is a big boost for Duke's offense, which will try to be balanced to keep Northwestern guessing. The Blue Devils had a total of 184 yards rushing against the Black Knights, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt, which they will try to repeat against a Wildcats defense that allowed 202 yards on the ground in its opener.

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN (1-0): After listing Clayton Thorson and TJ Green as first-team quarterbacks for the opener, Fitzgerald has both listed that way on the depth chart for the Duke game, and both should see plenty of time. The senior Thorson was more productive against Purdue, completing 16-of-26 passes for 172 yards, but Green, a junior, was also solid, hitting on 7 of 11 attempts for 63 yards and leading a non-scoring fourth-quarter drive that took 7:57 off the clock to ice the win. Fitzgerald likes having both quarterbacks at his disposal and has no plans to designate a single starter any time soon.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Duke WR Aaron Young had a big game against Army, making four catches for 114 yards and a score, already a fourth of his reception total from 2017.

2. Northwestern was turnover-free and didn't allow a sack against Purdue, the first time it has accomplished that feat since September 2015.

3. The Wildcats are looking to extend their winning streak to 10 games, which would be the second-longest in school history.

PREDICTION: Northwestern 31, Duke 24

Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Kansas State Wildcats Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

The Joe Moorhead era at Mississippi State got off to a bang with a convincing win in Week 1, and expectations remain high for the first-year coach and a talented roster. The 18th-ranked Bulldogs will try to continue living up to those expectations when the schedule gets tougher with a trip to Kansas State on Saturday.

Backup quarterback Keytaon Thompson matched an SEC record with seven total touchdowns in Week 1 but will head back to the bench for Week 2 as starter Nick Fitzgerald returns to the lineup following a one-game suspension. "I think Fitzgerald handled it extremely well," Moorhead told reporters. "He was sent down to scout team for the week, so he worked to give our defense a good look. He was mature during the week in meetings and on the field. On game day, he was a vocal presence on the sideline. He was a great resource for Thompson." The Wildcats rotated two quarterbacks during a 27-24 victory over South Dakota in the opener and will continue using both Skylar Thompson and Alex Delton. "Skylar and Alex both had their positive moments, and both had their negative moments," Kansas State coach Bill Snyder told reporters. "I think, again, there wasn't a dramatic separation between the two."

TV: Noon, ET, ESPN. LINE: Mississippi State -9.5

ABOUT MISSISSIPPI STATE (1-0): Fitzgerald is a dual threat like Thompson and finished last season with 1,782 yards passing and 15 TDs while rushing for 984 yards and 14 scores. The senior only completed 55.6 percent of his passes last season, and completion percentage is something Moorhead is examining. "We have 65 percent completion as our benchmark," Moorhead told reporters. "Certainly, for us to operate at the level that we need to throughout the season and against the type of schedule we are going to play, the completion percentage and the yards per completion need to improve. That is something we are definitely going to address."

ABOUT KANSAS STATE (1-0): While the Wildcats continue to figure things out on offense, the defense figures to get tested against the Bulldogs. Kansas State held the Coyotes scoreless in the second half last week, giving the offense enough time to pull out the win, but Snyder has some concerns moving forward. "Considering (South Dakota) threw it all night, I thought we defended reasonably well as far as completion percentage is concerned, but it's giving up those deep throws and converting to get first downs with substantial yardage plays, 20-plus yard plays, that was a concern."

EXTRA POINTS

1. Mississippi State is playing its first true road game against a Power 5 non-conference opponent since 2008.

2. Wildcats RB Alex Barnes fumbled three times in Week 1, losing two.

3. Fitzgerald is 462 yards shy of breaking Tim Tebow's SEC record for rushing yards as a quarterback.

PREDICTION: Mississippi State 38, Kansas State 34
==============================

Arizona Wildcats vs. Houston Cougars Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

Arizona will look to bounce back from an unimpressive debut for coach Kevin Sumlin when the Wildcats travel to Houston on Saturday. After losing to visiting BYU 28-23 last weekend, Arizona will try to get dual-threat quarterback Khalil Tate more opportunities to run free after the 1,400-yard rusher last season was limited to 14 yards on eight carries last week.

Tate was not yet the starting quarterback when Arizona hosted Houston last season, but got a chance to play in the fourth quarter of the 19-16 loss and, four weeks later, broke the FBS rushing record for a quarterback when he totaled 327 yards against Colorado. Houston quarterback D'Eriq King did not play against Arizona last season, but took over as the starter midway through the year and he's coming off a strong opener, passing for 320 yards and three touchdowns and running for another score in a 45-27 win at Rice on Saturday. King, like Tate, is a superb athlete who split time at wide receiver and quarterback his first two seasons with the Cougars. He has already benefited from the return of wide receiver Marquez Stevenson, who missed all of last season with a knee injury before catching five passes for 107 yards and a touchdown against Rice.

TV: 12 p.m. ET, ESPN2. LINE: Houston -4.5

ABOUT ARIZONA (0-1): Another player the Wildcats hope to get untracked is senior wide receiver Shun Brown, who was held to one catch for 11 yards against BYU. Brown, who caught 43 passes for 573 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games last season, had four catches for 79 yards against Houston last season, which was the most receiving yards he accumulated in a game in 2017. Shawn Poindexter is a big target for Tate at 6-foot-5, 218 pounds, and he caught a team-high four passes for 68 yards against BYU, but also had a potential 50-yard completion go through his hands.

ABOUT HOUSTON (1-0): The Cougars averaged 7.1 yards a carry against Rice thanks to 60 yards on two carries for Stevenson and 74 yards on eight carries for Patrick Carr, both of whom also scored rushing touchdowns. Carr didn't play against Arizona last season, but he faced the Wildcats as a freshman at Colorado in 2015, when he was fourth on the team with 272 rushing yards on 66 carries. Carr, a junior who will turn 23 on Sept. 22, already has as many carries this season as he did all of 2017, and nearly three times as many yards

EXTRA POINTS

1. Arizona LB Colin Schooler had 16 tackles against BYU, the most by an Arizona player in a nonconference game since Lance Briggs had 16 against Utah in 2000.

2. Sumlin began his head coaching career with Houston in 2007.

3. Houston DT Ed Oliver had 39.5 tackles for loss in his first two seasons, the most by a defensive tackle through his sophomore season. The previous high was 19 by Aaron Donald of Pittsburgh in 2010-11.

PREDICTION: Houston 34, Arizona 31

Nevada Wolf Pack vs. Vanderbilt Commodores Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason recognizes there are adjustments to make from the season opener, and that is the focus this week as the team prepares for Saturday's home contest against Nevada. The Commodores were solid - if not spectacular - in defeating Middle Tennessee State 35-7 last week, but Kyle Shurmur and the offense shook off a sluggish first half while the defense impressed in its first game under new coordinator Jason Tarver.

"It's the first game," Mason told reporters on Tuesday. "There will always be things to clean up afterward. In terms of things missing, it's simple things." Shurmur completed 4-of-5 passes for 93 yards in the third quarter to help the Commodores pull away, turning a 14-7 game into a comfortable margin of victory, and finished with 170 yards passing and two touchdowns. Defensive lineman Dayo Odeyingbo returned a fumble for a touchdown, Vanderbilt's first such score since 2016, and the defense finished with six sacks. Nevada blasted Portland State 72-19 in its season opener, the highest output for the Wolf Pack since the program began playing in FBS in 1992.

TV: Noon ET, SEC Network. LINE: Vanderbilt -9

ABOUT NEVADA (1-0): The Wolf Pack took advantage of big plays in their season opener, scoring five touchdowns of 40-plus yards. Quarterback Ty Gangi completed 16-of-26 passes for 342 yards, hooking up with McLane Mannix for three touchdowns as Nevada scored 42 unanswered points in the second half. The Wolf Pack have struggled on the road, losing six in a row and 11 of their last 12.

ABOUT VANDERBILT (1-0): The Commodores were more conservative offensively in the first half as they tried to establish the running game, with Shurmur passing for only 28 yards before intermission. Jamauri Wakefield and Khari Blasingame each rushed for a touchdown and combined for 108 yards on 19 carries. Linebacker Kenny Hebert was one of five players to record a sack against Middle Tennessee State, registering a pair.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Commodores gave up 100 passing yards in the first quarter of their season opener but just 78 over the rest of the game.

2. Vanderbilt RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn, a transfer from Illinois, rushed for 37 yards on nine carries in his team debut.

3. The Commodores converted 7-of-13 third-down opportunities in the opener and were 2-for-2 on fourth down.

PREDICTION: Vanderbilt 41, Nevada 21
==============================

Georgia State Panthers vs. NC State Wolfpack Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

North Carolina State did enough in its season-opening victory over James Madison, and while hosting Georgia State on Saturday does not figure to pose much more of a challenge, the team still is defining roles after losing seven players from last season's nine-win squad. The Wolfpack received a tremendous performance from Jakobi Meyers in last week's 24-13 triumph, as the wide receiver set career highs with 14 receptions and 161 yards.

"A lot of positives and a lot of negatives, lot of things to work on," N.C. State coach Dave Doeren told reporters on Monday, "but a lot of things we were excited about." Quarterback Ryan Finley passed for 309 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, marking the 11th time in 27 career games he surpassed 300 yards. There are strides to be made for the team on defense, however, as the Wolfpack - who gave up 24.8 points per game last season - surrendered 365 yards and 23 first downs against James Madison. The Panthers, who won a bowl game for the first time in school history last campaign, defeated Kennesaw State 24-20 in their season opener.

TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, FS South, ACC Network. LINE: N.C. State -25 ½

ABOUT GEORGIA STATE (1-0): Quarterback Dan Ellington sparked a late rally in his first start for the Panthers, throwing the game-winning touchdown pass with 41 seconds left, and finished with 187 yards passing and three TDs, as well as 77 yards rushing. Wide receiver Penny Hart led the Sun Belt in receiving yards last season (1,121) and was 11th in FBS in yards per game (93.4). Hart caught five passes for 46 yards and a touchdown in the season opener.

ABOUT N.C. STATE (1-0): Running back Reggie Gallaspy Jr., who finished second on the team in rushing each of the previous two seasons, rushed 17 times for 68 yards and a touchdown in the opener, but the Wolfpack gained just 83 yards on the ground. Linebacker Germaine Pratt led the defense with 12 tackles, including six of the solo variety. One pleasant surprise in the season opener was redshirt freshman wide receiver Thayer Thomas, a former walk-on who returned a punt 40 yards and caught a 16-yard touchdown pass.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Meyers earned ACC Receiver of the Week honors for his efforts last Saturday despite playing with a sprained left ankle.

2. N.C. State has won 11 consecutive home games against non-conference opponents.

3. The Panthers are 0-7 all-time against Power 5 conference teams.

PREDICTION: N.C. State 44, Georgia State 14

UCLA Bruins vs. Oklahoma Sooners Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

Both Oklahoma and UCLA entered the season with question marks at quarterback after watching last year's starters become first-round NFL Draft picks, but only the Sooners escaped the season opener feeling good about their situation. After playing well in all facets of the game in a season-opening rout of Florida Atlantic, No. 5 Oklahoma hopes for a repeat performance Saturday when it hosts a UCLA team that may be forced to play without starting quarterback Wilton Speight.

The Sooners scored the first 56 points of the game and rolled to a 63-14 thumping of the Owls last weekend, averaging 10.5 yards per play and holding FAU to 4.4. In Oklahoma's first game without 2017 Heisman Trophy winner (and No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick) Baker Mayfield since 2014, Kyler Murray finished 9-of-11 for 209 yards and two touchdowns in less than a half of action. The Bruins also lost their record-setting quarterback to the pros (No. 10 overall pick Josh Rosen) but were not nearly as fortunate in coach Chip Kelly's return to college football, as Speight was forced from the game after getting hurt late in the first half of last weekend's 26-17 loss to Cincinnati. The graduate transfer, who injured his back while scrambling late in the first half, is day-to-day.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Oklahoma -30

ABOUT UCLA (0-1): If Speight cannot go on Saturday - he also suffered three broken vertebrae in his back in a game last October while still at Michigan - true freshman Dorian Thompson-Robinson would be expected to make his first career start after finishing 15-of-25 for 117 yards in relief of Speight last week. "(Thompson-Robinson) didn't start until he was a senior in high school. ... It's just a matter of getting him more reps. And you saw him today, as he started to get a bit more comfortable, I thought that he made some more plays out there," Kelly said. Freshman Kazmeir Allen (103 yards on five carries) accounted for over half of the Bruins' 144 total rushing yards on one play, breaking loose for a 74-yard score early in the third quarter.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA (1-0): Junior running back Rodney Anderson, who led all Power Five players with 1,333 yards from scrimmage from Oct. 21 on last season, needed only five carries to reach 100 yards thanks to first-half TD runs of 30 and 65 yards. Fellow preseason All-Big 12 selection Marquise Brown tallied six receptions for 133 yards and a touchdown while walk-on receiver Lee Morris scored from 65 yards out and remained perfect in converting catches to touchdowns (all three of his career catches have resulted in scores). Linebacker Curtis Bolton was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week after registering a career-high six tackles; he also blocked and recovered a first-quarter punt for a score - giving Oklahoma its first such touchdown since 2002.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Three of Oklahoma's nine touchdowns against FAU covered exactly 65 yards.

2. The Bruins, who own the fourth-highest percentage of underclassmen in the country (71.7), have started 0-2 only once in the past 20 years (2010).

3. The Sooners were one of only four Power Five programs last weekend to run for at least 300 yards (316) and pass for 300 (334).

PREDICTION: Oklahoma 48, UCLA 17
=============================

New Mexico State Aggies vs. Utah State Aggies Preview and Predictions in NCAAF

There are a couple of things that are noteworthy about the Saturday matchup that takes place between New Mexico State and Utah State. For one thing, the nickname for both schools is the same (Aggies), and for another, these two met in a bowl game last year.

For New Mexico State, it was an unusual experience, as they had not gone bowling since 1960, but they have not done an especially good job of following up on that. They have lost the first two games, which isn't a surprise in and of itself since they were catching points in both of them. But they have been utterly unimpressive.

Utah State hasn't been a disappointment; in fact, they put forth a superb effort in their opening game as they took Michigan State to the limit. So they are showing a lot of promise in terms of what they are capable of doing.

This game is set to go at Maverik Stadium in Logan, Utah, a relatively small facility (25,000 capacity) with artificial turf. Oh, and by the way, in last year's Arizona Bowl, New Mexico State registered a 26-20 overtime win over Utah State.

TV: 8 PM ET, Stadium / Facebook. LINE: Utah State -24

ABOUT NEW MEXICO STATE: NMSU has been over the track twice already - they opened the season against Wyoming on August 2 and managed just 153 total yards in a 29-7 loss, then did a little better from the yardage standpoint five days later, but still got trounced 48-10 by Minnesota. So far they have 47 rushing yards. Quarterback Matt Romero was forced to put the ball in the air 58 times against the Golden Gophers, and even though head coach Doug Martin emphasizes the pass, he would like to have better balance than that. Last season, as NMSU posted a 7-6 record (7-5-1 against the points), they passed 397 times but also ran the ball 357 times. Romero, who played junior college ball last year, had beaten out senior Nick Jeanty for the starting job. But there are other options for Martin to turn to if he chooses to go in that direction. But whatever happens, it will be difficult to duplicate what the departed Tyler Rogers (4016 yards, 27 TD's) was able to do. And a receiver like Jaleel Scott, who was a fourth-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens, comes along only so often. There is no reason why the defense shouldn't be better, as this unit returned nine starters from a squad that earned that Arizona Bowl bid.

ABOUT UTAH STATE: Matt Wells is now in his sixth season as head coach, and he has five post-season bowl appearances under his belt. That is impressive, but this squad could have made a nationwide impact of epic proportions had things bounced just a little their way last week in East Lansing. They took on 11th-ranked Michigan State, and gave the Spartans a huge scare, coming back from thirteen points down to lead 31-30. Then Michigan State put together a drive that scored the game-winning touchdown and two-point conversion with two minutes left and made an interception of Jordan Love as USU was driving in the waning moments. Love, a sophomore, was intercepted twice, but he made a lot of plays, completing 29 of 44 and converting seven of 13 third-down chances. He's showing some progress from his freshman campaign when he had just a 55% accuracy rate. This team had nine starters coming back on both sides of the ball, and that includes an offensive line with four seniors and the entire defensive front. They didn't gain a whole lot of rushing yards from scrimmage last week, but if they can find an every-down back they are going to be trouble for a lot of people. What are we talking about? They already are.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Last year's Arizona Bowl against Utah State was New Mexico State's first bowl invite since the 1960 Sun Bowl. And who was the opponent then? Yes, Utah State, who they beat 20-13.

2. NMSU's improvement against the run was palpable last year. After allowing yards-per-carry figures of 5.7, 6.9, 6.3, 5.6 and 5.3 in the previous five seasons, they yielded only 4.2 ypc last season.

3. Utah State has not been a money-maker of late; they have a 10-21 record against the pointspread in their last 31 games.

PREDICTION: Utah State 40, New Mexico State 14

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Central Michigan Chippewas Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

It has been over a year since the Kansas Jayhawks last won a game, a season-opening 38-16 victory victory over FCS member Southeast Missouri State. But the Jayhawks, who have lost 12 games in a row since, will be out to snap an even longer and uglier losing streak Saturday afternoon when they travel to Central Michigan.

The Jayhawks, who were upset by FCS member Nichollls, 26-23, in overtime in their season opener Saturday, bring a FBS-record 46-game road losing streak with them to Mount Pleasant, Mich., and have dropped 49 in a row away from Lawrence, Kan. You have to go all the way back to Sept. 12, 2009, to find the last time Kansas picked up a road victory, a 34-7 win at UTEP. Needless to say the natives are more than a little restless at Kansas where head coach David Beaty fell to 3-34 in four seasons, especially after losing at home to an FCS school to begin the season, and forced new athletic director Jeff Long, the former Arkansas athletic director and College Football Playoff committee chairman, to issue a statement to Jayhawk fans asking for their patience. "We all expected a different outcome Saturday, but I continue to support our student-athletes and coaches and ask all Jayhawks to do the same," Long said. "Our evaluation of the program is ongoing without a predetermined timeline."

TV: 3 p.m. ET, ESPN+ streaming. LINE: Central Michigan -4.5

ABOUT KANSAS (0-1): The Jayhawks had rallied to take a 20-17 lead in the opener and looked like they were going to garner a rare win before star linebacker Joe Dineen Jr. was flagged for a key facemask penalty that enabled Nicholls to get into position for a game-tying field goal that forced overtime. Senior Peyton Bender, who threw for 323 yards in a 45-27 home loss to the Chippewas last season, completed 19-of-35 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns against Nicholls but was sacked six times and was replaced by mobile sophomore Miles Kendrick on a 3rd-and-6 play in overtime that resulted in a three-yard loss on a designed run and forced Kansas to settle for a field goal. Despite his key penalty, Dineen had a big game finishing with 16 tackles, including 12 solo, while All-Big 12 defensive tackle Daniel Wise added a career-best eight tackles, including one for loss.

ABOUT CENTRAL MICHIGAN (0-1): The Chippewas dropped their opener at Kentucky, 35-20, despite forcing four turnovers, allowing 299 yards rushing while also getting flagged for 12 penalties for 106 yards. Central Michigan actually led 20-14 with just over a minute to go in the first half before the Wildcats scored the game's final 21 points. Tony Poljan, a 6-foot-7 redshirt sophomore who was the 2015 Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year at Lansing Catholic High School, completed 17-of-27 passes for 137 yards and also rushed for a team best 47 yards in his starting debut while redshirt freshman defensive back Devonni Reed finished with a team-high 14 tackles and returned a fumble 20 yards for a touchdown.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Dineen, who led the nation in solo tackles (93) in 2017, now has 16 career games with 10 or more tackles.

2. The Jayhawks averaged just 3.6 yards per play against Nicholls, the worst average in an opener for KU since 2004.

3. Bender set a Kansas record with 62 passing attempts in last year's 45-27 loss to Central Michigan, completing 32 of them for 323 yards and two interceptions.

PREDICTION: Central Michigan 42, Kansas 35
==============================

UTEP Miners vs. UNLV Rebels Preview and Predictions in NCAAF

Even though it seems painfully incremental, there has, nonetheless, been progress for the UNLV Rebels under Tony Sanchez. And they did a better job of playing three-quarters of football against one of the best team in the country last week. Of course, the trick is to finish these games, and this program doesn't appear to be there quite yet.

In looking at the UTEP Miners, this is a group that is clearly in search of some answers. That's what happens when you are beaten by 20 points at home against an FCS foe. This is a team that didn't win at all last season, and after that opening performance, it is a little more difficult finding a spot where they might grab that elusive "W," although we should note that UNLV did lose a game straight-up last season as a 44.5-point favorite.

These teams will tangle on Saturday night at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas.

TV: 9 PM ET, AT&T Sportsnet. LINE: UNLV -23

ABOUT UTEP: UTEP never really got untracked in its opener, falling behind early against Northern Arizona, an FCS team, and limping to a 30-10 defeat. With only 229 yards, it was a pathetic display. Kai Locksley, who was supposed to bring some answers at the quarterback position, was just 13 of 26 on the day, and the Miners committed three turnovers. They began behind the eight-ball, as two starters on the offensive line have been lost for the year - veteran center Derron Gatewood and left tackle, Greg Long. And they had already bid farewell to guard Will Hernandez, who was a second-round draft pick of the New York Giants. So what they have are a number of linemen who have not played before. Ruben Guerra, who has been a tackle in the past, has moved to the center spot. It's going to take a while to get cohesive. Head coach Dana Dimel asserts that when he was at Wyoming, he had three redshirt freshmen starting, and "it became pretty good. We can get there in time." Dimel, who has been head coach at Wyoming and Houston, not to mention offensive coordinator at Kansas State for the last nine years, took over a team that was 0-12 last season (2-9-1 ATS) and went through two head coaches - Sean Kugler, who got the ax after five games, and Mike Price, who returned to the school on an interim basis but retired at the end of the campaign.

ABOUT UNLV: Against a Top 20 foe in USC, the Rebels found themselves leading 14-12 until the last minute and a half of the third quarter. But they allowed the Trojans to score 28 points in the final period to make the final score 43-21. They had to be encouraged by the way they ran the ball, as they gained 308 yards on the ground (7.2 yards per carry). They knew they were going to be able to count on Lexington Thomas this season, and the senior, who had 1336 yards and 17 TD's in 2017, rambled for 136 yards against the USC defense. Rogers added 82 yards on the ground, but he is still somewhat limited as a passer (12 for 27). In a sense, that is somewhat secondary, as UNLV ran the ball 61.5% of the time last year. But he's got to improve on the 52% accuracy rate he has in 2017. The Rebels, who scored a win as a 21.5-point dog at Fresno State, could have gotten to a bowl game if they had beaten Nevada in the traditional season-ending Fremont Cannon game, but they did not get the job done. For that matter, they could have been bowl eligible had they not lost last year's season opener against FCS opponent Howard. After allowing 5.4 yards per carry last season, UNLV surrendered 219 yards on 39 attempts against USC (5.8 ypc).

EXTRA POINTS

1. At Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Sanchez compiled an 85-5 record and won a state championship six straight seasons.

2. UTEP's injured center, Derron Gatewood, has indicated that he is going to come back for a sixth season, which is automatically allowed for by the NCAA.

3. In last year's opening game, UNLV was a 44.5-point favorite against Howard and lost 43-40 - constituting one of the biggest upsets in history for an FBS team.

PREDICTION: UNLV 44, UTEP 17

Memphis Tigers vs. Navy Midshipmen Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

Memphis has plenty of confidence packed in its suitcases when it travels to meet Navy on Saturday. The Tigers, who defeated the Midshipmen 30-27 last season after losing the first two meetings in 2015 and 2016, come into the American Athletic Conference opener for both teams off a 66-14 victory over FCS member Mercer while Navy must rebound from a 59-41 setback at Hawaii.

"I think being able to have that experience last year, our guys know that we can (beat them)," Memphis coach Mike Norvell told reporters. "But we have to go out there and earn it in our preparation and it's got to show up when we kick off." Junior quarterback Brady White, a graduate transfer from Arizona State, threw for 358 yards and five touchdowns, playing only the first half of his first game with the Tigers, and could have another successful day against a suspect Midshipmen's pass defense. They allowed 428 yards through the air last week -- the third-highest total since Ken Niumatalolo was hired in 2007 -- and will try to avoid their first 0-2 start since 2012. Niumatalolo employed three quarterbacks last week with Malcolm Perry (75-yard touchdown run, TD pass) and Zach Abey (five carries, 17 yards, four TDs) doing considerable damage as explosive and goal-line options.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network. LINE: Memphis -6.5

ABOUT MEMPHIS (1-0): White put together the finest debut in program history, beginning the contest 9-for-9 with two touchdowns after tossing two in three games at Arizona State. Twelve players caught passes against Mercer with sophomore wide receiver Damonte Coxie recording four receptions for 79 yards and a TD. Freshman wide receiver Calvin Austin III was efficient last week, recording one catch for 18 yards and unleashing an 83-yard TD run on his only carry.

ABOUT NAVY (0-1): Senior Garret Lewis -- the third quarterback to see action versus Hawaii -- was 5-of-9 passing for 66 yards. The Midshipmen rushed for 326 yards last week -- they averaged 351.4 last season -- with Perry totaling 108 yards on 17 carries. Sophomore fullback Nelson Smith rushed 10 times for 86 yards versus Hawaii after carrying only eight times as a freshman.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Memphis' 752 yards against Mercer were the second-most in school history (753 versus Central Florida last season) and the first time it totaled more than 400 passing (428) and 300 rushing (324).

2. Navy is one of seven teams not to lose to a team that finished with a losing record over the last five years, joining Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Michigan and Ohio State.

3. The Tigers were picked to repeat as AAC West Division champions with the Midshipmen third. The winner has earned at least a share of the AAC West title in the last three years.

PREDICTION: Navy 48, Memphis 45
==============================

North Carolina Tar Heels vs. East Carolina Pirates Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

North Carolina has a lot to clean up if it hopes to avoid an 0-2 start when it travels to face instate rival East Carolina on Saturday in a non-conference game. The Tar Heels turned the ball over four times and had 124 penalty yards in a season-opening loss, and to make matters worse, recent history is not on their side in the series with the Pirates.

"You hope the old saying is true that you make most improvement between the first and second game," coach Larry Fedora told the media. "Our guys will be very coachable, and they will understand what we need to do to get better." Nathan Elliott threw four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, and led the offense to three points over the first three quarters before orchestrating two touchdown drives in the final stanza in a 24-17 defeat to California. The defense, led by Malik Carney and Dominique Ross, played well despite being on the field for nearly 36 minutes, limiting Cal to 13 points and 279 yards of offense. The Pirates, who soundly defeated the Tar Heels 55-31 and 70-41 in the last two meetings in 2013 and 2014, respectively, blew leads of 20-14 and 23-21 in the final quarter and a half in dropping their season opener to FCS opponent North Carolina A&T.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU. LINE: North Carolina -17

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (0-1): Carney, a senior who had a team-leading 5.5 sacks in each of the past two seasons, was a disruptive force in the opener, leading the team with eight tackles while recording three tackles for loss and a pair of sacks. Jonathan Smith hit for 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks and Ross defended four passes. "What you saw from the linebackers and D-Ross, they're going to shrink gaps and allow me to play fast," senior safety J.K. Britt, who had six tackles, told the media. "Now we just have to build on it."

ABOUT EAST CAROLINA (0-1): The Pirate's running game led by Anthony Scott and Trace Christian struggled in the opener, averaging just 2.3 yards per carry, which forced quarterback Reid Herring to throw it 65 times in his first career start. The sophomore connected on 37 of those attempts for 309 yards and two touchdowns, but threw a pair of interceptions in enemy territory, one of which was returned 100 yards for a score. Terrell Green, who entered the opener with eight receptions for 86 yards in his career, went for 10 and 85 against the Aggies and freshman Blake Proehl had a promising debut with nine catches and a score.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Tar Heels hold a 12-4-1 advantage in the series, including 2-2 in Greenville.

2. East Carolina coach Scottie Montgomery had a 1-10 record against North Carolina as a player and coach for Duke.

3. The Pirates have won four straight and six of eight against the ACC dating back to 2013.

PREDICTION: North Carolina 34, East Carolina 24

Georgia Bulldogs vs. South Carolina Gamecocks Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

Both teams eased into the season with decisive victories against overmatched opponents, but this week will be a lot different as 24th-ranked South Carolina hosts No. 2 Georgia on Saturday in the SEC opener for both teams. The Bulldogs and Gamecocks combined to win their openers by a total of 79 points, but the stakes are vastly higher this week as both look to avoid starting conference play with a defeat.

"We've talked to our kids about it a lot over the summer, an opportunity to go into an environment that'll be as tough as any," Georgia coach Kirby Smart told reporters on Monday, referencing the difference between smashing Austin Peay 45-0 at home and playing a conference road game. The Bulldogs rolled up 508 yards of total offense in the opener and displayed plenty of big-play potential, including a 72-yard touchdown run by California transfer Demetris Robertson. Likewise, the Gamecocks followed up on their plans to push the tempo on offense in a 49-15 rout of Coastal Carolina, getting four TD passes from Jake Bentley while averaging 6.9 yards per rushing attempt. "In order to create some explosive plays in the passing game especially, you need to be able to run the ball and stay balanced to create 1-on-1s down the field," South Carolina coach Will Muschamp told reporters on Tuesday.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Georgia -10

ABOUT GEORGIA (1-0): Jake Fromm, last season's SEC Freshman of the Year, completed 12-of-16 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns in limited duty while freshman Justin Fields displayed his multi-facet talents - passing for 63 yards and a score while rushing three times for 33 yards. D'Andre Swift, the Bulldogs' top returning running back, finished with 43 yards on eight carries and caught four passes out of the backfield. Georgia's defense was not challenged much as it allowed only 152 yards.

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (1-0): Rico Dowdle rushed 15 times for 105 yards and a touchdown while Ty'Son Williams recorded 82 yards and a score on 11 carries. That helped open the passing game for Bentley, who completed 22-of-29 attempts for 250 yards as the Gamecocks scored three TDs in the first 21 minutes. Linebacker Bryson Allen-Williams finished with five tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack, but the Gamecocks did lose defensive lineman D.J. Wonnum to a sprained left ankle in the third quarter.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Georgia WR Terry Godwin, the team's second-leading receiver last year who missed this season opener with a calf strain, is expected to play Saturday.

2. South Carolina WR Deebo Samuel, who broke his leg after scoring six touchdowns in three games last season, caught seven passes for 56 yards and a score in the opener.

3. Georgia leads the all-time series 50-18-2 and has won each of the last three meetings.

PREDICTION: Georgia 31, South Carolina 27
==============================

Baylor Bears vs. Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

Baylor already matched its 2017 win total before Labor Day with a feel-good 55-27 victory over FCS member Abilene Christian on Saturday. The Bears, coming off a dreadful 1-11 campaign that started off with a loss to FCS Liberty and was shadowed by an ugly sexual assault scandal, are more than two-touchdown favorites to double that win total by Week 2 when they travel to UTSA on Saturday night.

The Roadrunners, who opened the season with a 49-7 loss at Arizona State, handed Baylor a 17-10 loss in the only previous meeting between the two schools last year in Waco. It was the school's first win over a team from a Power Five conference. Still, second-year Bears coach Matt Rhule said he wanted his team, which rolled up 606 yards in total offense and bolted to a 24-7 lead last week, to celebrate their opening win before moving on to UTSA. "It wasn't a perfect game," Rhule told the Waco Tribune. "We have a lot we have to correct. But I saw a lot of flashes, and for one night our guys can go out there and enjoy a win. ... They can walk out and see their family and friends and hopefully go tailgate and hug their moms, hug their dads, hug their grandparents."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network on Facebook. LINE: Baylor -15

ABOUT BAYLOR (1-0): Rhule, who said he would like to eventually settle on one quarterback, will continue to rotate between returning starter Charlie Brewer and North Carolina State graduate-transfer Jalan McClendon this week. McClendon completed 10-of-13 passes for 173 yards and two TDs while Brewer, who left the game in the third quarter with a minor back injury but will be able to play Saturday, completed 8-of-15 passes for 138 yards and one interception that deflected off his receiver. The Bears rushed for 295 yards and an 8.2 yards per carry average in the opener with John Lovett, who finished with a career-high 115 yards and scored three TDs on 12 carries, and JaMycal Hasty, who had 102 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries, both topping the century mark.

ABOUT UTSA (0-1): The Roadrunners, picked to finish fifth in the West Division in the Conference USA preseason poll, managed just 221 total yards in their loss to the Sun Devils including just a net three yards rushing on 33 attempts as Arizona State finished with 10 sacks and 15 tackles for loss. Junior quarterback Cordale Grundy completed 16-of-33 passes for 187 yards and was intercepted once while sophomore B.J. Daniels led the ground game with 24 yards on nine carries including a four-yard TD run with a little over six minutes remaining. Junior linebacker Josiah Tauaefa led the defense with a game-high 10 tackles, including eight solo stops.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Baylor starting LT Josh Malin suffered an MCL injury in the opener and will miss at least four weeks according to Rhule.

2. Lovett and Hasty gave Baylor its first pair of 100-yards rushers in a game since Oct. 29, 2016 against Texas.

3. Baylor hasn't won back-to-back games since winning at Iowa State (45-42) and defeating Kansas (49-7) at homeduring the middle of the 2016 season.

PREDICTION: Baylor 38, UTSA 20

Arkansas State Red Wolves vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

There is no suspense about the Alabama quarterback situation this week as sophomore Tua Tagovailoa has been named the starter and will lead the top-ranked Crimson Tide against host Arkansas State on Saturday. Alabama coach Nick Saban made the declaration after Tagovailoa put on a stellar performance in his first career start as the Crimson Tide drubbed Louisville 51-14 in their opener.

Tagovailoa completed 12-of-16 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for one score against Louisville while two-year starter Jalen Hurts guided Alabama to just three points off the bench. "Everybody knows that Tua's gonna start and we're gonna use Jalen's skill set in the future," Saban said at a press conference. "Tua is instinctive and got the ball to the right place most of the time." The defending national champions don't figure to get much of a test from Arkansas State, which defeated Southeast Missouri 48-21 in its opener. "We have to improve quickly before we go play the No. 1 team in the country," Red Wolves coach Blake Anderson told reporters. "It's not so much that we are playing Alabama, it is just that we have to improve overall and play the way we are capable."

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2. LINE: Alabama -36.5

ABOUT ARKANSAS STATE (1-0): Senior quarterback Justice Hansen was superb in the opener by throwing a school-record six touchdown passes while completing 26-of-36 passes for 423 yards. Six different players caught touchdown passes for the Red Wolves, who posted the third most prolific offensive game in school history with 685 yards of total offense. Arkansas State racked up 11 tackles for loss - senior defensive end Dajon Emory had two - while limiting Southeast Missouri to 285 yards.

ABOUT ALABAMA (1-0): Tagovailoa tossed two touchdown passes to sophomore wideout Jerry Jeudy and looked sharp in the follow-up to his stellar effort in last season's College Football Playoff title game when he came off the bench to throw three touchdowns in the win over Georgia. Junior running back Josh Jacobs also recorded two touchdowns - one rushing, one kickoff return - as the Crimson Tide outgained Louisville 519-268 and held the Cardinals to 16 rushing yards. Junior safety Shyheim Carter made one of the big defensive plays with a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown while junior safety Deonte Thompson also picked off a pass and sophomore nose guard Quinnen Williams had 3.5 tackles for loss.

EXTRA POINTS
1. Alabama won the two previous meetings by an average of 31 points.
2. Red Wolves junior WR Dahu Green (broken ankle) - a transfer from Oklahoma - suffered a season-ending injury in the opener.
3. Crimson Tide freshman WR Jaylen Waddle had three receptions for 66 yards and returned four punts for 80 yards in his college debut.

PREDICTION: Alabama 55, Arkansas State 13
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UL Monroe Warhawks vs. Southern Miss Golden Eagles Preview and Predictions in NCAAF

The Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks had to dodge a bullet with a dramatic last-minute drive in order to stave off defeat at the hands of an FCS opponent in their opener. They hope this is not a harbinger of things to come, as they have compiled just 15 wins since the beginning of 2014.

The Southern Miss Golden Eagles are experienced at going to the post-season, but that is mostly because there are so many bowl games out there. It remains to be seen how they'll fare over the course of the season with a rather undersized quarterback, especially as they encounter capable teams like Appalachian State and Auburn on the road in the coming weeks.

This matchup between Sun Belt (ULM) and Conference USA (Southern Miss) squads takes place Saturday evening at M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, MS.

TV: 7 PM ET, ESPN3.com. LINE: Southern Miss -5.5

ABOUT LOUISIANA-MONROE: in the opening game, they went back and forth with Southeastern Louisiana, and needed an 11-yard run by quarterback Caleb Evans to pull out a 34-31 victory last Saturday, but not before having to block an attempt at a game-tying field goal. Evans threw for 346 yards but had to put the ball up 53 times. All told, they had 554 yards of total offense but gave up 437 to an FCS team. That's basically been the story with ULM, as they were ranked #21 in the nation in total offense last season, but gave up 5.6 yards per rushing attempt, 62% completions and 41 points per game. That's why we have to wonder whether bringing back eight starters is a blessing or a curse. Head coach Matt Viator spent ten seasons at McNeese State, bringing his team into the FCS playoffs five times, but his overall record in Monroe is just 9-16. That included 5-7 last season (4-8 ATS). Evans should have enough big-play receivers around, including Marcus Green and Xavier Brown, who combined for 155 yards last week, and Derrick Gore maintains the starting tailback job as a senior; he had 104 yards against SE Louisiana. Green, by the way, also returned four kickoffs for touchdowns last season.

ABOUT SOUTHERN MISS: USM had a breeze against Jackson State in their opener, leading 41-0 at the half and cruising home a 55-7 winner. They held Jackson State to 199 yards of offense. Kwadra Griggs, who had a nifty ratio of 16 touchdown passes to just two interceptions last season, was slated to be the starting quarterback, but he got injured in the spring, opening up the door to Jack Abraham, a junior college transfer who had formerly been at Louisiana Tech. Abraham does not have ideal size (just six feet), but he did not disappoint, going 21-27 for 242 yards and four touchdowns. With leading rusher Ito Smith (1415 yards last season) having departed for the NFL, the Golden Eagles will be looking for someone to take over at the running back position, and that situation is probably still not been salted away. Jackson State was not going to do much to test this secondary, which brought in all new people this season. Last year they were pretty solid, permitting only 52.5% completions, but all the starters left, as did defensive coordinator Tony Pecoraro, who went over to Florida Atlantic. Head coach Jay Hopson, formerly at Alcorn State, is in his third season. He has led the Golden Eagles to a 28-21 victory over Louisiana in the New Orleans Bowl and an Independence bowl appearance last season, where they were beaten 42-13 by Florida State.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Quez Watkins, USM's leading returning receiver (23 catches last season), came up huge last Saturday, with eight receptions for 138 yards and an 81-yard punt return. He won Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

2. Southern Miss won last year's meeting 28-17, as Evans completed just seven of 18 passes for 52 yards.

3. Southern Miss won't squander a lot of scoring opportunities with kicker Parker Shaunfield, who was first-team Conference USA last year, making 17 of 20 field goals, including a 51-yarder. He kicked a 48-yarder against Jackson State last Saturday.

PREDICTION: Southern Miss 34, Louisiana-Monroe 26

Ball State Cardinals vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

Notre Dame looks to build off its huge opening win over Michigan as it welcomes Ball State on Saturday afternoon. The eighth-ranked Fighting Irish are heavy favorites against the Cardinals, who lost nine straight games to end the 2017 season but won their opener last week.

Irish quarterback Brandon Wimbush, last year's starter who had to reclaim the No. 1 job in camp, came out throwing against the Wolverines and the senior had his team up 14-0 midway through the first quarter. "I thought he played with an edge to him, a confidence," coach Brian Kelly told reporters after the game. Ball State is also looking to get to 2-0 on the season after dismantling Central Connecticut State, an FCS squad, 42-6 in its opener on Thursday. The Fighting Irish will be a much different test for the Cardinals, however, as these two Indiana-based schools meet for the first time.

TV: 3:30 pm ET, NBC LINE: Notre Dame -34.5

ABOUT BALL STATE (1-0): Ball State was led by quarterback Riley Neal and running back James Gilbert in the opener, both of whom missed the final nine games last season with injuries. Neal completed 23-of-30 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns against Central Connecticut, while Gilbert ran for 100 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. The Cardinals feasted on Central Connecticut's run defense, with Caleb Huntley going for 73 yards on eight attempts and fellow running back Malik Dunner gaining 100 total yards and a touchdown on five rushes and four receptions.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (1-0): Wimbush and the offense had things going early but skidded in the second half, managing only 69 yards and five first downs against a Wolverines' defense loaded with future NFL draft picks. The Irish defense deserves full credit for the win last week, holding Michigan's offense without a touchdown until was 2:18 remaining in the fourth quarter. Notre Dame compiled three sacks, including a strip sack by Irish defensive lineman Jerry Tillery in the final minute sealed the victory.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Notre Dame outrushed Michigan 132-58.

2. The Fighting Irish haven't started a season 2-0 since 2015.

3. Ball State's 652 offensive yards in the opener was a school record.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 42, Ball State 10
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Colorado Buffaloes vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

For a 15-year stretch from 1996 to 2010, Nebraska ended its regular season on Black Friday with a rivalry game against Colorado sparked by the schools' dominance of their conference. This season, the Cornhuskers will get a second chance to begin the Scott Frost era on the right foot when they host the Buffaloes on Saturday in a battle pitting two former rivals hoping to return to their former glory, albeit in different conferences.

Nebraska and Colorado combined to win the final eight Big Eight championships before the conference expanded and became the Big 12 in 1996, and the schools met regularly on Thanksgiving weekend every year thereafter until the Cornhuskers left for the Big Ten and Colorado fled to the Pac 12 in 2011. The Cornhuskers are coming off their worst season since 1961 and have suffered two losing campaigns in three years after finishing 49 of the previous 53 seasons with at least nine wins, while the Buffaloes have enjoyed only one winning campaign since 2005. Mother Nature delayed Frost's reclamation project one week, as a lightning strike and a severe thunderstorm shortly after kickoff in Nebraska's season opener against Akron led to a long delay and ultimately a cancellation. Meanwhile, the Buffaloes began their season in dominant fashion last weekend, piling up 596 total yards in a 45-13 rout of Colorado State.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC. LINE: Nebraska -4.5.

ABOUT COLORADO (1-0): Junior Steven Montez, who completed 22-of-25 passes for 338 yards and four TDs against the Rams and tied a program record by completing his first 12 passes and set another with his 246.4 passer rating (for 20-plus and 25-plus attempts in a game), is the ninth quarterback in school history to exceed 4,000 passing yards in his career. Laviska Shenault Jr. posted the fourth-highest, single-game receiving yardage total in school history (211), while Virginia Tech graduate transfer Travon McMillian became only the eighth Colorado player to run for at least 100 yards in his debut (103). Sophomore linebacker Nate Landman finished with 16 tackles and an interception against the Rams, setting a school mark for the most tackles by a Buffalo in his first career start.

ABOUT NEBRASKA (2017: 4-8): Adrian Martinez will become the first true freshman quarterback to open the season as the starter in school history, and he should have no shortage of weapons at his disposal as senior Stanley Morgan Jr. (986) and sophomore JD Spielman (830) ranked second and fifth, respectively, in the Big Ten in receiving yards last year. Greg Bell is expected to get the first shot at being the next in a long line of great running backs for the Cornhuskers after rushing for at least 1,187 yards in each of his two seasons at Arizona Western. Nebraska struggled mightily on defense in 2017, surrendering nearly twice as many rushing yards as the offense gained (2,577-1,290) and recording a Big-Ten low 14 sacks.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Cornhuskers own a 49-18-2 advantage in the all-time series, including a 26-8 mark in Lincoln.

2. Nebraska gave up at least 54 points in each of its final three games last season.

3. The Buffaloes last weekend featured a 300-yard passer (Montez, 338), a 200-yard receiver (Shenault) and a 100-yard rusher (McMillian) in the same game for the first time in school history.

PREDICTION: Nebraska 41, Colorado 31

Iowa State Cyclones vs. Iowa Hawkeyes Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

Iowa was able to overcome a slow start to get its coach a record-setting win last weekend, while Iowa State got off to a fast start in its opener but never got a chance to finish. The Hawkeyes hope their ability to work through their initial struggles gives them a small advantage Saturday when they host the Cyclones in a bid to win their fourth straight meeting in the in-state rivalry.

Kirk Ferentz (144-97) passed former mentor Hayden Fry to become the winningest coach in school history last week, as Iowa overcame the absence of two starting offensive tackles and a three-point first half to cruise to a 33-7 victory over Northern Illinois. Not everything turned out so well for the Hawkeyes, however, as starting running back Ivory Kelly-Martin was forced from the game in the fourth quarter and later spotted with an ice wrap on his left ankle. While Iowa was working out its kinks last weekend, Iowa State raced out to a quick 7-0 lead against South Dakota State before a lightning strike just over four minutes into the game caused a 2 1/2-hour delay, eventually leading to the first cancellation for the Cyclones since 1963. "What did you miss? You miss playing. You miss getting the opportunity to make adjustments, which is what all teams want to do," Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said when asked by reporters if the cancelled game set his team back.

TV: 5 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Iowa -4.

ABOUT IOWA STATE (2017: 8-5): The Cyclones' offense relies heavily on first-team All-Big 12 running back David Montgomery, who led the nation in forced missed tackles (109) per Pro Football Focus en route to 1,146 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns last season. Sixth-year quarterback Kyle Kempt broke the school's single-season completion mark in 2017 (66.3 percent) and has thrown 130 consecutive passes without an interception - 26 shy of setting another program record. Junior 6-6 receiver Hakeem Butler was responsible for four of Iowa State's six 50-yard plays from scrimmage while averaging 17 yards per reception in 2017 and enjoyed his breakout game in last season's thriller against Iowa, tallying five catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns.

ABOUT IOWA (1-0): If Kelly-Martin (16 carries for 62 yards and a touchdown in the opener) is ruled out or limited in any way, sophomores Toren Young (8-64-1) and Mekhi Sargent (12-40-0) will be asked to shoulder a ground game that ran for 209 yards against the Huskies. Nate Stanley was the victim of several dropped passes in the opener while going 11-of-23 for 108 yards, but he set career highs in completions (27), attempts (41), passing yards (333), and touchdowns (five) in Iowa's 44-41 overtime win at Iowa State last season. Preseason All-American first-team tight end Noah Fant has at least one TD reception in four straight games and 13 for his career, one shy of setting the school record for the most by a tight end.

EXTRA POINTS

1. In 19-plus seasons under Ferentz, Iowa has never beaten Iowa State four straight times.

2. The Cyclones led the nation and tied the all-time FBS record with one lost fumble last season.

3. In its last two regular-season games, Iowa has outscored its opponents 72-7 in the second half.

PREDICTION: Iowa State 30, Iowa 24
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Maryland Terrapins vs. Bowling Green Falcons Preview and Predictions 09-08-2018 in NCAAF

Following an impressive season opener, Maryland hits the road for the first time Saturday to take on Bowling Green. The Terrapins knocked off Texas last weekend, forcing three fourth-quarter turnovers to win their ninth straight season opener.

Maryland showed off its depth in Week 1, as 11 different players ran the ball and 10 different players caught a pass against Texas. Jeshaun Jones scored both on the ground and through the air, while he also threw a touchdown pass to complement a solid day from teammate Kasim Hill (17-of-29, 222 yards). "Everything that has happened this summer has brought us closer together," Hill said. "It was just fun to be back out there." Hill was referencing the death of offensive lineman Jordan McNair, who collapsed at practice and later died, an incident which eventually led to coach DJ Durkin being placed on administrative leave.

TV: 6 p.m. ET, ESPN-Plus. LINE: Maryland -16

ABOUT MARYLAND (1-0): The Terps actually were not too effective running the ball last weekend, totaling 143 yards on 43 carries in their season-opening win. Tayon Fleet-Davis led the team with 31 rushing yards on seven attempts, while Ty Johnson carried a team-high 11 times but mustered only 30 yards. Hill, a redshirt freshman who missed most of last season with an ACL tear, has not thrown an interception in his first 50 career passes.

ABOUT BOWLING GREEN (1-0): The Falcons were hammered at Oregon in their season opener, absorbing a 58-24 setback to the high-powered Ducks. They led 10-0 late in the first quarter before allowing 37 straight points, essentially wasting a few solid offensive performances. Jarret Doege threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns, while Andrew Clair (25 carries, 113 yards) and Scott Miller (13 receptions, 166 yards, two TDs) also made major indentations on the stat sheet.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Bowling Green crushed Maryland 48-27 in the only previous meeting on the Terps' home field in 2015.

2. Maryland WR Taivon Jacobs has caught at least one pass in 23 straight games.

3. Johnson needs 107 yards to move into the top 10 on Maryland's all-time rushing list.

PREDICTION: Bowling Green 33, Maryland 31