It’s been a while. You’re feeling confident. You’ve been faithful and you waited for the harvest, now – your beloved Huskers are finally turning that nasty corner. You start to wonder who will be in the final 12 team playoff. Can my team sneak in? Who else is playing this week? Will there be an upset? You continue reading..
FSU vs Georgia Tech
Florida State is expected to win by two possessions. Georgia Tech is top 10 in the nation in returning offensive production. Could this be the ACC week zero upset? Last year Duke upset Clemson, maybe FSU struggles to build chemistry early and Georgia Tech controls the game. I expect FSU to find a way to win this one, but they better take care of the ball. Otherwise, we could see some drama early in the year.
North Carolina vs Minnesota
In 2023, North Carolina finished 8-5, while Minnesota finished 6-7. Last season North Carolina won in their match up and they won comfortably, 31-13. North Carolina was #7 in total plays per game, while Minnesota was #124. In a clash of play styles, does Minnesota over power North Carolina or does North Carolina’s pace leave the Gophers gasping for air in the second half?
PSU vs WVU
Penn State is a 10.5 point favorite in this one. Last year, Penn State won 38-15 and WVU was left with a bad taste in their mouth. The score could have been 31-15, but with 6 seconds left, Penn State scored one more TD. West Virginia did not like that. After a 9-4 season, does West Virginia get revenge in Morgantown?
Miami vs Florida
The Gators are at home. Knock knock. Someone is at the door, it’s Miami. They said the music is too loud and they want you to turn it down, Florida. Projected to win 9.5 games this year, will Miami finally have enough to quiet the Gators? Florida is expected to win 5.5 games, with a brutal back end of the schedule, but they’ve seemed to always have enough to keep safe from the Hurricanes. This should be a great game.
Notre Dame vs Texas A&M
It will be loud in Kyle Field Stadium as the Aggies host what will probably be a top 10 Notre Dame team. There are so many unknowns in this match up. Notre Dame is returning an incredible defense, but they have to replace some key pieces up front. Having inexperienced offensive linemen on the road could be too much to overcome for the Fighting Irish, but then again, maybe they get the luck of the Irish. If Leonard takes this game over, the defense keeps the Aggies at bay, maybe they find a way to change their luck on the road.
LSU vs USC
Brian Kelly. Lincoln Riley. LSU, USC. SEC, Big Ten. Two coaches looking to take two recent championship winning teams through two of the hardest conferences. Although, this game doesn’t mean much regarding winning said conferences, simultaneously – for both teams, this game could define their season projections. Brian Kelly’s LSU offense was electric last year, but there was little to no defense. It would be difficult for that defense to take a step backward, if that happens, Brian Kelly probably isn’t coaching LSU next year. However, USC won’t have Caleb Williams. Both teams hired new Defensive Coordinators. Both coaches are on year 3. Both programs are rich in history and littered with talent. But only one team can win this one.
Nebraska vs UTEP
The 5 star QB Dylan Raiola makes his Husker debut in what should be a display of aerial dominance, punctuated by an exclamation of elite running backs. The defense shouldn’t be tested much in this one, but they will have to be disciplined. Can they limit big plays as they find their rhythm before hosting Colorado? Can Nebraska put this away in the 3rd quarter and develop their two and three deep in real time game situations? If so, what players break out? Does Vincent Shavers solidify himself and become the next legendary Black Shirt? Can any of the running backs become “the guy” and is Nebraska secretly keeping one of the nations fastest receiver rooms? Lots of questions to be answered, but we will get our answers soon. I’ll tell you one thing, Nebraska is back, baby.
