Category: Week 0

Florida State vs Duquesne Prediction, Game Preview, Lines, How To Watch

Florida State vs Duquesne game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Week 0 game on Saturday, August, 27

Florida State vs Duquesne prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 0, Saturday, August 27

Florida State vs Duquesne How To Watch

Date: Saturday, August 27
Game Time: 5:00 ET
Venue: Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
How To Watch: ACC Network
Record: Florida State (0-0), Duquesne (0-0)
– Sign up and live stream college football on ESPN+

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CFN Preview 2021: All 131 Teams
CFN Predictions of Every Game
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
AAC | C-USA | Ind | MAC | M-West | Sun Belt
2022 Bowl Projections | Preseason Rankings 1-131
– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

Florida State vs Duquesne Game Preview

Why Duquesne Will Win

The Dukes are coming off a nice 7-3 season with just enough back to be okay on defense.

Last year’s team was great at keeping the chains moving, it didn’t turn the ball over enough to matter, and was great on the offensive front allowing everyone time to work.

Yes, the skill parts are undergoing a redo, but the quarterback situation is strong with two good options, and three starters return on the strong line. On the other side, the defensive front should be just good enough against the run to not get embarrassed – tackle Maxi Hradecny is a possible problem – but …

– Week 0 CFN College Football Expert Picks

Why Florida State Will Win

The Florida State running game should roll, even against a Duke defensive front that should be able to hold up at times.

The offensive line that’s been such a big problem over the last several years should finally be at least decent thanks to all of the returning veterans.

This is the game to open things up a bit and get the offense rolling, and it needs to get up early.

Duquesne will be good this season, but it won’t explode offensively and needs FSU to royally screw up. Don’t turn the ball over, come up with the gashing runs when they’re there, and …

– Week 0 College Football Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews

What’s Going To Happen

Be careful here.

Duquesne went out and got a slew of good transfers to help the cause in various areas, enough veterans are back from the team that shocked Ohio last season, and there can’t be any looking ahead by the Noles to the LSU game up next and the ACC opener against Louisville to follow.

There will be a lull when the Dukes look like they might make this interesting, but the FSU ground game will take over and pull away late in the third quarter.

The loss to Jacksonville State last season is too fresh – Florida State will pull away when it needs to.

– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

Florida State vs Duquesne Prediction, Line

Prediction: Florida State 47, Duquesne 10
Line: Florida State -39.5, o/u: 56.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2

Florida State vs Duquesne Must See Rating: 1.5
5: ‘My Life as a Rolling Stone’
1: Below Deck Mediterranean

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– Fearless Predictions of Every Game
– Bowl Projections | Rankings
– Schedules For All 131 Teams

UNLV vs Idaho State Prediction, Game Preview, Lines, How To Watch

UNLV vs Idaho State game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Week 0 game on Saturday, August, 27

UNLV vs Idaho State prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 0, Saturday, August 27

UNLV vs Idaho State How To Watch

Date: Saturday, August 27
Game Time: 3:30 ET
Venue: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
How To Watch: CBS Sports Network
Record: UNLV (0-0), Idaho State (0-0)
– Sign up and live stream college football on ESPN+

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CFN Preview 2021: All 131 Teams
CFN Predictions of Every Game
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
AAC | C-USA | Ind | MAC | M-West | Sun Belt
2022 Bowl Projections | Preseason Rankings 1-131
– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

UNLV vs Idaho State Game Preview

Why Idaho State Will Win

The Bengals are starting over under new head coach Charlie Ragle, who’s coming in from the Cal coaching staff to build up a program that had a few issue over the last few years.

The offensive line has a good one in Tyler Clemons to work around at left tackle, but it’s the defensive side that has to rise up against a UNLV offense that has to find something that works.

The Rebels are coming off a rough year with nothing happening on the lines, an offense that averaged just 312 yards per game, and with a defense that got hammered on by anyone who could try running, and …

– Week 0 CFN College Football Expert Picks

Why UNLV Will Win

Okay, enough stalling.

Idaho State is almost completely starting over after a 1-10 season with an offense that sputtered and struggled to get to 15 points per game.

UNLV’s offense might not have done anything last season, but it brings in QB Harrison Bailey from Tennessee to be a part of the quarterback battle, the transfer portal helped out the receiving corps right away, and the O line should be far better – at least that’s the hope – with veterans who know what they’re doing.

A few early scores should be able to put this away.

– Week 0 College Football Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews

What’s Going To Happen

UNLV lost its FCS game last year with a 35-33 gaffe to a good Eastern Washington team to open things up. 2022 Idaho State isn’t 2021 Eastern Washington.

This is a true tune-up for a Rebel program that needs any wins it can get. This needs to be a tone-setter for an improved team that should look the part before going to Cal.

– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

UNLV vs Idaho State Prediction, Line

UNLV 41, Idaho State 13
Line: UNLV -20.5, o/u: 50.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2.5

UNLV vs Idaho State Must See Rating: 1.5
5: ‘My Life as a Rolling Stone’
1: Below Deck Mediterranean

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– Fearless Predictions of Every Game
– Bowl Projections | Rankings
– Schedules For All 131 Teams

Week 0 Mountain West Football: Best Bets

College Football is back! And so is Vegas. We take a look at the best bets for the degenerates who enjoy Mountain West football.

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Week 0 Mountain West Football: Best Bets

A look at the Mountain West betting odds for Week 0

Contact/Follow @J0shFr3d & @MWCwire

What are the oddsmakers saying about these match ups?

Late in the week we will look at odds and recent lines and make our best picks and bets. Odds courtesy of Vegas Insider.

It’s time for College Football to start again. We’ve reached week zero and it’s time to get your wallets ready. There are five Mountain West games to look at this week and let’s see if we can get off to a good start this year.

idaho state @ unlv (-26.5, O/U 53)

The over feels like the safest bet here. Both of Idaho State’s games last year against FBS competition had a total of at least 59. If you want to feel truly adventurous and you feel like Marcus Arroyo has turned a corner, the spread seems like the pick for you. Although, you should be weary of it as it has moved 5 points since it opened at -21.5 for UNLV.

Pick: Over

uconn @ utah state (-26.5, O/U 59.5)

Utah State is more than likely going to take a step back this season, just by virture of the amount of talent they lose on both sides of the ball. UCONN just lost their defensive coordinator for “personal reasons,” but they return a ton of production and bring in a four-star transfer recruit at quarterback.

Pick: UCONN +26.5

wyoming @ illinois (-14, O/U 43.5)

This is probably the toughest pick of the weekend. You think under with both teams being run heavy offenses, but their run defenses were poor last year. This isn’t going to be an air raid shooutout, but it could turn into a barn burner on the ground. The over feels like the safest play here.

Pick: Over

Nevada @ New Mexico State (-8.5, O/U 48)

Both teams are bringing in new coaches (Ken Wilson at Nevada and Jerry Kill at New Mexico State) who are changing the identity of their respective teams. Nevada is turning from an air raid offense to a run first offense and New Mexico State is implementing an offense that wants the QB to extend plays. Look for some early offensive trouble from both squads and the score to reflect that.

Pick: Under

vanderbilt @ Hawai’i (+9.5, O/U 54.5)

My “what are you thinking” pick of the week. Hawaii is in an almost complete overhaul with new head coach Timmy Chang bringing in 53 new players. Vanderbilt is also in the midst of a rebuild, but they have a year headstart. The run-and-shoot feels like it’s going to make a serious comeback and Hawai’i could start off on the right foot.

Pick: Hawai’i +9.5

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Utah State vs. UConn: Game Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

Utah State vs. UConn: Game Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction Week 0 likely to feature a whole lot of Aggie offense against a UConn team without a D-Coordinator Contact/Follow @Logantj & @MWCwire Aggie Football Returns to Maverik Stadium (UConn …

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Utah State vs. UConn: Game Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

Week 0 likely to feature a whole lot of Aggie offense against a UConn team without a D-Coordinator

Contact/Follow @Logantj & @MWCwire

Aggie Football Returns to Maverik Stadium (UConn Will Also Be There)

WEEK 0: Utah State Aggies vs. UConn Huskies

WHERE: Maverik Stadium, Logan UT

TV: FS1 at 2pm (MT).

STREAMING: Fans can sign up to receive a free one-week trial of Fubo, which includes FS1, by following this link.

RADIO: kslsports.com/kslsportszone

SERIES RECORD: Utah State leads UConn 1-0

WEBSITES: utahstateaggies.com, uconnhuskies.com

GAME NOTES (PDF): USU Game Notes (PDF) | UConn Game Notes (PDF)

ODDS: Utah State -27.5

And just like that, we’re back. Last time we saw Blake Anderson’s Utah State Aggies, Deven Thompkins was dancing all over SoFi Stadium hauling in 60-yard bombs from third-string QB Cooper Legas and polishing a shiny new Mountain West crown.

We probably didn’t talk enough then about how many all-time performances USU fans witnessed that year. Most of the 2021 season was spent worrying about a potential Covid-19 reprise, or whether or not the team was more lucky than good. The definitive answer by last December—who the hell cares?—allowed a rare off-season of peace and prosperity among the Aggie faithful.

Expectations are high for this 2022 Aggie team loaded with strong offensive and defensive lines, an all-conference caliber QB and plenty of good vibes leftover from last year’s breakout campaign. Let’s see what they’re up against in this weekend’s CFB opener.

Normally, Key No. 1 for this matchup would go here. But…it’s UConn.

Look, no offense to the Huskies, but…come on. Last year’s squad went 0-6 in road games and 1-11 overall (although they did scare Wyoming in a narrow 24-22 loss, which is pretty funny). They return 12 starters and will presumably be led by Penn State transfer QB Ta’Quan Roberson, a 6’0 sophomore with 11 career completions to his credit. True, this year’s team isn’t last year’s team, but last year’s team finished the season with an average scoring margin of like -23 so let’s not overthink this.

Key No. 2: See Key No. 1

Starting QB and gilded Aggie hero Logan Bonner is back. Calvin Tyler Jr. is back. Justin McGriff’s towering 6’6 frame is back. While it’s possible the offense won’t boast the same firepower that elevated the program to the 15th-best passing attack in the nation last year, they’ll still look like superstars Saturday afternoon.

Key No. 3: Only One of These Teams Has a Defensive Coordinator

Defense often gets short-shrift in these previews, but here we are trying to highlight anyone or anything UConn has going for it defensively and it turns out the only real story of the past week is Defensive Coordinator Lou Spanos taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team. Do the Huskies have anyone on staff with defensive coordinator experience? Or will they let a lucky fan call their plays? With Bonner dropping bombs overhead will it really matter?

Prediction

Even in a tune-up game like this one, Utah State should consider it a derogatory mark on its record if UConn manages to so much as sniff the end zone. Bonner will cook, the lines will be strong, and it should be an all-in-all celebratory opening to the season at Maverik.

Score: Utah State 45, UConn 3

 

 

 


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Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt: Get To Know The Commodores

Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt: Get To Know The Commodores A looooong trip for Vanderbilt Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire SEC team coming to the islands Hawaii opens up its season at home in Week 0 and they get to host an SEC team in the Vanderbilt …

Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt: Get To Know The Commodores

A looooong trip for Vanderbilt

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

SEC team coming to the islands

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Hawaii opens up its season at home in Week 0 and they get to host an SEC team in the Vanderbilt Commodores. This is a game the Warriors as just around a touchdown home underdog — the line has varied between 6.5 and eight points.

This is a game that is a very good test for new Hawaii head coach Timmy Chang to get his feet wet. It will not be an easy matchup with SEC talent and the Warriors rebuilding with a first-team head coach and a roster that lost a lot to the transfer portal.

To get even more info about this Vanderbilt team, we reached out to Chris Lee who covers Vanderbilt and the SEC and asked him a few questions to get everyone ready for this Saturday night matchup.

— What does starting quarterback Mike Wright bring to this Vanderbilt team and who is expected to be on the receiving end of his passes?

Wright is blazing fast (he ran a 10.8 in the 100 meters in high school) and is the emotional leader of the team. He’s capable of making big plays with his feet and his arm but his accuracy is a huge question coming into the season. 

Top targets should be wide receiver Will Sheppard (who had a tremendous camp following a breakout season), tight end Ben Bresnahan, and receivers Jayden McGowan and Quincy Skinner.

Hawaii Football: First Look At The Vanderbilt Commodores

— What are the expectations this year for the Commodores?

Most Vegas win totals are around 2.5 wins and I’d say that’s not far off. Derek Mason left behind a flaming dumpster fire in many ways, not the least of which was talent( Vandy had nobody picked in last year’s NFL Draft, and just two players invited to camps) and so it’ll take coach Clark Lea a couple of years to recover from that. 

The team is more talented and Lea seems to be doing a better job of developing players, and I expect it will be noticeably better. But the schedule is brutal, and so I could be correct and the ‘Dores could still be 3-9. 

— Who are the most important players on this team?

Wright, Sheppard, and Ray Davis on offense. Davis is a very talented running back who missed almost last year due to health.

On defense, linebacker Anfernee Orji is widely considered the team’s best player, but LB/S De’Rickey Wright may be its most talented, and safety Jaylen Mahoney was probably the defense’s best player in both spring and fall camps. 

Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt: Game Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

— How important is this game for Vanderbilt’s success in 2022?

It’s enormous. The Commodores have a 21-game Southeastern Conference losing streak and in last year’s opener, laid a major egg in a 23-3 loss to East Tennessee State, which was the first game after a winless 2020 season. As bad as things have been at Vanderbilt for decades, going winless and losing to an FCS team were firsts. 

As a result, a cloud of negativity hangs over the program and fan engagement is at an all-time low. The Commodores need to get a win early and if they can’t beat a rebuilding Hawaii team, it’s tough to look down the schedule and see any success past the Elon game next week. 

— Hawaii is expected to throw the ball a lot under new head coach Timmy Chang. How does Vanderbilt expect to attack/defend that type of game plan?

I think Vandy’s secondary is going to be a lot better. Mahoney has a shot to be an NFL Draft pick, safety Max Worship had a good camp and Wright is a super-talented player who can cover and make things happen. Mahoney and Worship are seniors as is starter BJ Anderson, who’s healthy after missing almost all the last two years with injury. There’s some experience and depth behind those guys too. 

The key may be generating a pass rush, which was non-existent last year and the prospect doesn’t look much better there this season. 

— How do you see this game playing out?

I think based on experience and a perceived edge at skill position talent, Vanderbilt should win. My prediction is 37-24, but as last year’s opener proved (Vandy was about a 20-point favorite in that one) this team can take nothing for granted. 

The key for Vandy will be winning or breaking even in turnover margin, and having Wright complete enough throws to keep the chains moving and keeping the defense off the field. My guess is you’ll see a run-heavy approach from the Commodores, with Davis getting a lot of carries and several short targets, too.  


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Wyoming vs. Illinois: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Wyoming Cowboys head to Champaign to face the Illini. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.

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Wyoming vs. Illinois: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Wyoming Cowboys head to Champaign to face the Illini. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.

Contact/Follow @bangle94 and @MWCwire

A defensive showdown?

WEEK 0: Wyoming Cowboys vs. Illinois Fighting Illini

WHERE: Memorial Stadium; Champaign, Illinois

WHEN: Saturday, August 27, 2022, 2:00 PM MDT/1:00 PM PDT

WEATHER: Sunny, high of 85 degrees

TV: Big Ten Network

STREAMING: Get a free trial with FuboTV to stream this game.

RADIO: Cowboy Sports Radio Network

SERIES RECORD: This is the first meeting between the Cowboys and the Illini.

GAME NOTES (PDF): Illinois | Wyoming

ODDS: Illinois -10

SP+ PROJECTION: Illinois 28.6, Wyoming 16.8 

FEI PROJECTION: Illinois 22.7, Wyoming 21.9

PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: Illlinois 28.68, Wyoming 14.46

Wyoming Football: First Look At The Illinois Fighting Illini

The Wyoming Cowboys open the season Saturday in Champaign, Illinois against the Fighting Illini out of the Big Ten. The Cowboys have historically struggled against teams from the Big Ten with only one previous win against a Big Ten team in school history, a road victory at Wisconsin back in 1986. This will also be only the 12th game in Wyoming history played in the month of August. The Cowboys are 6-5 in the month of August, with the most recent August game coming in 2019 when the Cowboys upset Missouri in Laramie.

Wyoming comes into the season with a lot of questions, especially after losing several key players to the transfer portal. Rest assured, though, the recipe for success for the Cowboys will be the same as it has been throughout the Craig Bohl era: A strong running game and a stout defense.

The Cowboys meet an Illinois team who will try to do the exact same thing. In a game like this on the road against a Power 5 opponent, the Cowboys will have their hands full, but here is how Wyoming can get back to Laramie with the win.

Three Keys to a Wyoming Victory

Control the line of scrimmage

As mentioned earlier, Wyoming and Illinois are two teams likely to have similar game plans. If the Cowboys want to win this game, it will come down to how well they can control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The Cowboys have one of the best running backs in the conference returning in Titus Swen, who can be a game changer if he has performs well against the Illini. Last season, Wyoming had a 4-1 record in games where Swen had 50 or more rushing yards, and he averaged 5.9 yards per carry throughout the entire year.

With the increased load that comes with Xazavian Valladay’s transfer to Arizona State, Swen should have plenty of opportunities to make his presence felt. The Cowboys as a team averaged 211 yards per game on the ground while allowing 182 yards per game on the ground to opponents. Illinois counters this by rushing for an average of 173 yards per game and only allowing 151 yards.

However, Illinois returns a defense that was one of the best in the country last year and only allowed 22 points per game to their opponents. The Illini hope to make it hard for the Cowboys specifically with DT Keith Randolph and LB Tariq Barnes. Randolph, in particular, can make the day long for the Cowboys if he can clog the running lanes. 

Limit mistakes and turnovers

Week 0 games often come down to whoever can win the turnover battle and has the fewest penalties. Last year, Wyoming turned the ball over on average 1.1 times per game while forcing 1.4 turnovers per game. The Illini had almost the exact opposite split: turning the ball over 1.4 times per game while forcing one turnover per game. The Illini were penalized five times per game for an average of 53 yards per game, while the Cowboys averaged five penalties per game for 45 yards.

Passing game will be the X-factor

It is no secret that the Wyoming Cowboys are a run-first football team, but the Cowboy’s passing game over the past several years led by Sean Chambers and Levi Williams has been dismal at worst and inconsistent at best. The Cowboys hope to change that this year with a whole new quarterback room. The Cowboys brought in three new players this off-season, transfers Andrew Peasley and Evan Svoboda plus incoming freshman Caden Becker.

As of today, Peasley is projected as the starting quarterback but no one has been officially named as the starter, but Svoboda and Becker should be able to give Peasley a run for his money as the starter. Under a new quarterback, the Cowboys passing game should be interesting, and if the Cowboys can add an efficient aerial attack, they could have a special season coming.

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Prediction:

This game is shaping up to be a low-scoring slugfest, and the winning team will be the one who dominates the time of possession and the line of scrimmage. I think the Cowboys sneak back to Laramie with the upset win and start the season 1-0.

Wyoming 24, Illinois 21

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PODCAST: 2022 Week 0 Mountain West Football Preview

PODCAST: 2022 Week 0 Mountain West Football Preview Football is back! Contact/Follow @MWCwire How many wins for the Mountain West? Jeremy and Matt are here to preview Week 0 of college football. Football is back! We preview the five Mountain West …

PODCAST: 2022 Week 0 Mountain West Football Preview

Football is back!

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

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How many wins for the Mountain West?

Jeremy and Matt are here to preview Week 0 of college football. Football is back! We preview the five Mountain West games this week and give picks for each and everyone one of them. There are a few Power 5 games mixed in along with Group of Five, and a single FCS game.

We also make a bold upset pick, answer listener questions, and attempt to name a player of the week before the games are even played.

You can find the Mountain West Wire podcast below or subscribe to the show via Stitcher Radio, TuneIn, Spotify, iTunes, and more. Listen in, subscribe and rate it and let us know what you think!

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Nevada vs. New Mexico State: Get To Know The Aggies

Nevada vs. New Mexico State: Get To Know The Aggies Nevada opens as a large-ish favorite Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire What does NMSU bring to the table? Nevada opens up its Week 0 matchup on the road in Las Cruces, New Mexico, to take on …

Nevada vs. New Mexico State: Get To Know The Aggies

Nevada opens as a large-ish favorite

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

What does NMSU bring to the table?

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Nevada opens up its Week 0 matchup on the road in Las Cruces, New Mexico, to take on the New Mexico State Aggies. The Aggies play a few Mountain West teams so this league better get used to playing New Mexico State. To get to know the Aggies better we reached out to New Mexico State beat writer Jason Groves who covers the team for the Las Cruces Sun News. Give him a follow on Twitter @JPGroves for more about this game and New Mexico State football.

1. The quarterback situation is not yet settled after fall camp, who is likely to see the most playing time this weekend?

My guess would be New Mexico Military Institute transfer Diego Pavia. He won a JC national championship last year, he’s from the state of New Mexico, he’s mobile and Jerry Kill said after spring practice that he would have been the starter if the season started at that point. They haven’t officially named a starter and I doubt they will until kickoff but true freshman Gavin Frakes has been competing in fall camp and will likely play a role this season, but my guess for Saturday would be Pavia.

2. What are the expectations for new head coach Jerry Kill this year and next as they move into Conference USA?

The expectations for this year is to implement a system and build his recruiting base. There are some winnable games at home later in the season and I think it’s likely they surpass last year’s win total of two. He has talked about being patient, but I don’t see a reason they won’t flirt with bowl eligibility on a regular basis once his system is established with the teams that are currently in CUSA.

Nevada Vs New Mexico State: Game Preview, How To Watch. Odds, Prediction

3. Who are the most important players on this team?

Inside linebacker Chris Ojoh is the best player on the team. He was all over the field last year with 13 tackles for loss.

Strong safety Bryce Jackson started the past two years at UNLV and gives the secondary an experienced player for a group that was young last year and should hopefully be better.

Running back Ahmonte Watkins came with Kill from TCU. He was a four star recruit from Houston and provides a speed component to the running back room

4. What is the biggest area of strength for this New Mexico State team?

The defense on paper. They gave up 40 points per game last year, but there are nine players with starting experience, including the front seven.

5. How do you see this game playing out?

I think Nevada has a lot of the same question marks the Aggies have with new coaches, new players and a new QB. I think Nevada has a edge because they have a QB who has FBS starts under his belt and I’m worried about the Aggies offensive line and their depth on defense if Nevada gets its running game going. I think it will be a competitive game entering the fourth quarter, which is all Jerry Kill is looking for from his first game with NMSU.


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Nevada Vs New Mexico State: Game Preview, How To Watch. Odds, Prediction

Nevada Vs New Mexico State: Game Preview, How To Watch. Odds, Prediction The Nevada Wolf Pack begins the Ken Wilson era with a Week 0 contest on the road against New Mexico State Contact/Follow @BrandonGBlake & @MWCwire The Ken Wilson Era begins for …

Nevada Vs New Mexico State: Game Preview, How To Watch. Odds, Prediction

The Nevada Wolf Pack begins the Ken Wilson era with a Week 0 contest on the road against New Mexico State

Contact/Follow @BrandonGBlake & @MWCwire

The Ken Wilson Era begins for Nevada with a road contest against New Mexico State

Week 0: Nevada Vs New Mexico State

WHERE: Aggie Memorial Stadium, Las Cruces, New Mexico

TV:  ESPN2

STREAMING:  The game can be streamed on ESPN Plus

RADIO: Nevada is on ESPN 94.5 in Reno and New Mexico State is on KXPZ 99.5

SERIES RECORD:  Nevada leads the series 13-2 over New Mexico State. The last meeting was in 2021 in Reno when Nevada won 55-28

WEBSITES: NevadaWolfPack.com the official Nevada athletics website | NMStateSports is the official New Mexico State athletics website

GAME NOTES (PDF):  Nevada | New Mexico State

ODDS: Nevada -9

SP+ PROJECTION: Nevada by 12

FEI PROJECTION: Nevada by 21

 

The wait is over.

The 2022 football season is here.

I do not need to tell you to get excited because I know you, the reader, are already excited. I bet you are so excited that you just can’t hide it.

Enough of me quoting lyrics from The Pointer Sisters, time to talk Nevada Wolf Pack football. The Ken Wilson era begins for Nevada on Saturday in Las Cruces as the Wolf Pack take on the New Mexico State Aggies. 

The Wolf Pack will not only have a new coach making his debut this season, the Wolf Pack team will have a bunch of new players making their debut. Some of those new players will be playing at key positions such as quarterback. It will be a new coach, new look and new systems making their debuts for the Wolf Pack on Saturday.

The Wolf Pack will be taking on a New Mexico State team for the second straight season. Last time these two teams played, the Wolf Pack easily took care of the Aggies in Reno. Like Nevada, New Mexico will have a first year coach making his debut in Jerry Kill. So this contest will be two teams debuting new head coaches and new philosophies on a Saturday afternoon in the Land of Enchantment.

Can the Wolf Pack and their new players and new system score a win in Ken Wilson’s debut?

Here are my three keys and a prediction for Nevada’s contest against New Mexico State.

 

Establishing the running game

You have read about  this all offseason and guess what, you are going to read it once more: The Wolf Pack lost a lot of talent on offense from last season’s team.

Carson Strong is gone and so are the top seven pass catchers from last season. Those pass catchers are either at the NFL or hit the transfer portal and are at new schools. 

The Wolf Pack don’t have a lot of known players in the wide receiver and tight end department going into this season. But what Nevada does have are two big, strong and talented running backs in Toa Taua and Devontae Lee.

With Coach Wilson placing an emphasis on a balanced attack led by the running game, Taua, Lee and Oregon transfer Cross Patton (Whose father is Big Boi from OutKast and here is hoping I get to drop this fun fact many times during the season) need to be the focal points in establishing the ground game for the Wolf Pack.

Establishing the ground game will be important especially for a Wolf Pack offensive line that will have brand new starters this season. Aaron Frost was supposed to be the lone returner on the offensive line but he might be lost for the season due to an injury during Fall camp. 

Also another reason to establish the run game in this game is because New Mexico State was horrible in stopping the run last season. The Aggies were ranked 112th in FBS last season in rush defense as they gave up 197.5 yards per game on the ground.

It will be essential for Nevada to run the ball early and establish the ground game and dominate the line of scrimmage early. If the Wolf Pack can do that, then they can take care of the second key which is.

 

Get the new look wide receiver/tight end group involved early and often.

The Wolf Pack have mostly new faces in their wide receiver group in 2022. Jamaal Bell is the lone Nevada receiver who recorded a catch last season so this group is a big unknown.

Nevada went to the transfer portal and players like B.J Casteel (Arizona), and Dalevon Campbell (Illinois) have been added to the receiver group. Joining that group of receivers is freshman Victor Snow who performed well in Nevada’s Spring game.

With the mostly new faces at wide receiver and the tight end group, it is important for Nevada’s starting quarterback to spread the ball around to players like Casteel, Curtis, Campbell and Tyrese Mack in order to find a number two option to run alongside Jamaal Bell.

This receiver group along with the tight ends such as Cooper Shults and Jacob Munro is mostly unknown and unproven so in this contest against New Mexico State, the quarterback for Nevada must get them involved early. 

 

Nevada’s defensive line putting pressure on New Mexico State’s offense

New Mexico State will be breaking in three new starters on the offensive line and the Aggies are quiet about who their quarterback might be (It looks like it could be either JUCO transfer Diego Pavia, junior Weston Eget, or true freshman Gavin Frakes). 

The important thing here is that New Mexico State will have a mostly new offensive line and uncertainty at quarterback so it is important for the Wolf Pack defensive line to put pressure on them early and often.

The Wolf Pack defensive line only returns one starter in Dom Peterson. Peterson along with James Hansen (Utah State),  Louie Cresto (Oregon), William Green (Liberty), and returning player Christopher Love must apply pressure on New Mexico’s offensive line and disrupt the Aggies offensive rhythm.

Prediction:

The Wolf Pack will open up the 2022 season with a new head coach and new schemes on offense and defense. Combine that with new players at key positions (some with limited playing experience) expect the Wolf Pack to endure some serious bumps this season and in their season opener.

Good thing for the Wolf Pack is that their opponent, New Mexico State, is also breaking in a new head coach and new systems on both sides of the ball as well. So in this contest, the winner may be the team that plays smart and avoids critical mistakes. 

The Wolf Pack do have an edge over New Mexico State in that Nevada’s depth is a little bit better than the Aggies. That case is true when it comes to the defensive line where New Mexico State does return some talented players on their front seven but beyond that, the depth is thin,

I expect the Wolf Pack to lean in on their running game and better depth to pull out a close contest against New Mexico State. And also, give new Wolf Pack head coach Ken Wilson a victory in his debut as head coach.

 

Score Prediction:  Nevada 33  New Mexico 28

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Week 0 Mountain West Football Scoreboard, Picks, How To Watch

Week 0 Mountain West Football Scoreboard, Picks, How To Watch Get ready for a handful of games this week! Contact/Follow @MWCwire Football is back! Week 0 is here and a good number of games are Mountain West tilts with five games this Saturday. For …

Week 0 Mountain West Football Scoreboard, Picks, How To Watch

Get ready for a handful of games this week!

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Football is back!

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fb7dafw2b08817yr player_id=none image=https://mwwire.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Week 0 is here and a good number of games are Mountain West tilts with five games this Saturday.

For those that are new here. This piece will morph over the weekend. It serves as our staff pick posts with straight up and against the spread (when available), then we post highlights, scores, and link to our recaps of these games. So, check back often.

Let us know on Twitter @MWCWire about your picks for this opening week of college football.

All lines are as of 8/21/22

Idaho State at UNLV, NL, 3:30 p.m. ET, TV: CBS Sports Network (Watch For Free)

Jeremy: SU: UNLV

Brandon Blake: UNLV

Andrew: UNLV

Michael: UNLV

Josh F: UNLV

Erik: UNLV

Tomari: UNLV

Roger: UNLV

TJ : UNLV

Scott: UNLV

Phil: UNLV

UConn at Utah State – 27.5, 4 p.m. ET, TV: FS1 (Watch For Free)

Jeremy: SU: Utah State | ATS: Utah State

Brandon Blake: SU: Utah State | ATS: Utah State

Andrew: SU: Utah State | ATS: UConn

Michael: SU: Utah State | ATS: UCONN

Josh F: SU: Utah State | ATS: UConn

Erik: SU: Utah State | ATS: UCONN

Tomari: SU: Utah State | ATS: Utah State

Roger: Jeremy: SU: Utah State | ATS: Utah State

Tj: SU: Utah State | ATS: Uconn

Scott: SU: Utah State | ATS: Uconn

Phil: SU: Utah St | ATS: UConn

Wyoming at Illinois -10, 4 p.m. ET, TV: Big Ten Network (Watch for free)

Jeremy: SU: Illinois | ATS: Wyoming

Brandon Blake: SU: Illinois | ATS: Wyoming

Andrew: SU: Wyoming | ATS: Wyoming

Michael: SU: Illinois | ATS: Wyoming

Josh F: SU: Illinois | ATS: Illinois

Erik: SU: Illinois | ATS: Illinois

Tomari SU: Illinois | ATS: Illinois

Roger:  SU: Illinois | ATS: Wyoming

Tj: SU: Illinois | ATS: Illinois 

Scott: SU: Illinois | ATS: Wyoming

Phil: SU: Illinois | ATS: Wyoming

Nevada at New Mexico State +9, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2 (Watch for free)

Jeremy: SU: Nevada | ATS: Nevada

Brandon Blake: SU: Nevada | ATS: Nevada

Andrew: SU: Nevada | ATS: New Mexico State

Michael: SU: Nevada | ATS: Nevada

Josh F: SU: Nevada | ATS: Nevada

Erik: SU: Nevada | ATS: Nevada

Tomari: SU Nevada | ATS: Nevada

Roger Jeremy: SU: Nevada | ATS: Nevada

Tj: SU: Nevada | ATS: Nevada

Scott: SU: Nevada | ATS: NMSU

Phil: SU: Nevada | ATS: Nevada

Vanderbilt at Hawaii +6.5, 8:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network (Watch for free)

Jeremy: SU: Vanderbilt | ATS: Hawaii

Brandon Blake: SU: Hawaii  | ATS: Hawaii

Andrew: SU: Vanderbilt | ATS: Hawaii

Michael: SU: Hawaii | ATS: Hawaii

Josh F: SU: Hawaii | ATS: Hawaii

Erik: SU: Vanderbilt | ATS: Vanderbilt

Tomari: SU: Vanderbilt | ATS: Hawaii

Roger: SU: Vanderbilt | ATS: Hawaii

Tj: SU: Hawaii | ATS: Vanderbilt

Scott: SU: Hawaii | ATS: Hawaii

Phil: SU: Vanderbilt | ATS: Vanderbilt

 


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