Category: Week 3

Hawaii Football: First Look At The Duquesne Dukes

The Warriors will host FCS Duquesne during its five-game non-conference slate in September.

Hawaii Football: First Look At The Duquesne Dukes

The Warriors will host FCS Duquesne during its five-game non-conference slate in September.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

An easy home win, or something more?

Hawaii Football: First Look at 2022 Non-conference Opponents

Vanderbilt | Western Kentucky | Michigan | Duquesne | New Mexico State

The Hawaii Warriors will square off with a FCS opponent in Week 3 when the Duquesne Dukes visit the islands.

Duquesne isn’t getting the same kind of attention that other FCS foes are on this year’s Mountain West football schedule, but they’re no pushover. For a Warriors team turning the page to a new chapter in its program history, they should not be overlooked.

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Conference: Northeast

Series History: Hawaii leads the all-time series, 1-0.

2021 Record: 7-3 (5-2 NEC)

Head Coach: Jerry Schmitt (18th year at Duquesne; 109-72 with Dukes, 137-93 overall). While the Dukes haven’t made a FCS playoff appearance since 2018, Duquesne has nonetheless strung together three winning seasons since under the stewardship of one of that level’s longest-tenured head coaches. Last year, Schmitt’s Dukes often lived on the razor’s edge, compiling a 4-1 record in games decided by eight or fewer points that included a shocking upset over the MAC’s Ohio Bobcats.

Key Players

Billy Lucas, RB

Lucas is a rising star within the NEC who produced a conference rookie of the year campaign during the FCS’s 2021 spring season and then followed that up last fall with 699 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 137 carries. The Dukes aren’t shy about putting the ball in his hands, so the Warriors will need to be ready to slow the Erie, Pennsylvania native.

Maxi Hradecny, DL

While it’s a growing trend, there still aren’t that many European standouts across college football. You can count the Austrian Hradecny among their number, though, as the nose tackle started all ten games last fall and earned a second-team all-NEC nod with 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks, as well as a PFF grade of 81.7 that was second among interior defenders in that conference.

Joey Isabella, WR

If the surname sounds familiar, that’s because Joey’s brother Andy was a former standout at Massachusetts and is now in the NFL. He spent most of the last calendar year as a depth piece, catching 29 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns between the spring and fall seasons, but he recently received a spot on the preseason all-NEC offense and figures to see more targets in a bigger role.

Darius Perrantes, QB

Perrantes spent 2019 at Rhode Island before transferring to Duquesne and his first campaign as QB1 ended up being a pretty good one. In nine games (including eight starts), he completed 60% of his passes for 1,620 yards and 17 touchdowns, though with an interception rate of 3.0%.

Todd Hill, LB

Hill has been a defensive standout in his two seasons as a starter at middle linebacker, earning a spot on the all-SEC second-team defense in both the spring and fall campaigns last year. In 15 combined starts, he picked up 63 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks.

Overview:

Offense

Duquesne maximized most of their opportunities last year despite averaging only 5.54 yards per play. The Dukes moved the chains on 43.9% of their third downs, the 11th-best mark in FCS, and got points on 94.9% of their trips to the red zone, which ranked third. Can they fight regression and do that again?

Any step forward that Perrantes takes in his second year as QB1 will help, but Lucas will be there to shoulder a big burden, as well. One big challenge will be finding new reliable targets in the passing game, as the Dukes must replace their top five pass catchers from last season. Isabella appears to be one candidate, but others like Toledo transfer Jalin Cooper and Old Dominion transfer Rafael McCoy could be just as important.

Defense

The Dukes defense wasn’t exactly elite last year, but they had a way of buckling down when it mattered most. Despite finishing just 54th among FCS teams with 5.46 yards per play allowed, Duquesne ranked 16th in allowing conversions on 31.7% of third downs it faced and 11th with a 70.3% red zone conversation rate allowed.

Hradecny, Hill, and defensive back Jeremiah Josephs were all recently named to the preseason all-NEC defense, so there’s at least a foundation at all three levels of this unit upon which to build. Defensive lineman Kevin Kurzinger looks like a keeper, too, after posting four sacks and a team-high eight tackles for loss as a freshman, but creating more disruptive plays up front will go a long way.

Early Prediction

The Dukes will make for a decent test against a Hawaii team that’s rebuilding on both sides of the ball, but the Warriors should still possess the overall talent advantage and find enough explosiveness on offense to keep any upset bid at arm’s length.

Hawaii 38, Duquesne 21

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1371]

[protected-iframe id=”f7652191f99ba13728097498e8a79cd8-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/show/48681pqFq0kB9dhrtPPoNd” width=”100%” height=”232″ frameborder=”0″]

San Diego State Football: First Look At The Utah Utes

The Aztecs will look to spoil the Utes’ shot at some revenge when they head to Salt Lake City in September.

San Diego State Football: First Look At The Utah Utes

The Aztecs will look to spoil the Utes’ shot at some revenge when they head to Salt Lake City in September.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

A big game for both sides.

San Diego State Football: First Look at 2022 Non-conference Opponents

Arizona | Idaho State | Utah | Toledo

One of the biggest non-conference games anywhere in the Mountain West will take place in Week 3, when the San Diego State Aztecs face the Utah Utes.

Last year’s game between these two teams lived up to the hype and expectations remain high on both sides, but will the reigning Pac-12 champions be able to make another run at a New Year’s Six bowl appearance?

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

Conference: Pac-12

Series History: Utah leads the all-time series, 13-12-1

2021 Record: 10-4 (9-1 Pac-12)

Head Coach: Kyle Whittingham (18th year at Utah, 143-70 overall). Whittingham is now tied with Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy as the second-longest tenured head coach anywhere on the FBS level, but 2021 marked a new highwater mark for what has been one of the game’s most consistent winners. After dropping early decisions to rival BYU and San Diego State, the Utes took off and won nine of their next ten, steamrolling Oregon in the conference championship game before falling just short against Ohio State in an epic Rose Bowl showdown.

Key Players

Cameron Rising, QB

Rising’s elevation to QB1, which took place in the second half of last year’s clash between these two teams, really coincided with Utah finding a new gear last year. He completed 63.8% of his throws on the season and averaged 7.8 yards on those 320 attempts, racking up 20 touchdowns with a respectable interception rate of 1.6%. While the Utes won’t be confused with any number of pass-happy teams, he might be the best signal-caller the team has had in a while.

Junior Tafuna, DT

Good luck if Tafuna is bearing down on you. The 6-foot-3, 300-pound Taylorsville, Utah native made 11 starts in his first full year of action and became the Pac-12’s defensive freshman of the year by picking up 33 total tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 5.5 tackles for loss. Even for an offensive line as talented as San Diego State’s, he’ll be no fun to try and deal with.

Brant Kuithe, TE

What the Utes passing game lacked in explosiveness, Kuithe helped make up for by simply making plays. He led Utah with 611 receiving yards while catching six touchdowns on 50 receptions, so it should come as no surprise that he also posted an overall Pro Football Focus grade of 77.6, as well, which was third among Pac-12 tight end.

Clark Phillips III, CB

After starting 19 games in his first two years with Utah, Phillips is on his way up into the conversation as one of the nation’s top cornerbacks. He was an all-Pac-12 second team pick last year after making 63 tackles, breaking up 13 passes, intercepting two passes, and forcing two fumbles, so he’ll be a tough assignment for anyone who lines up opposite him.

Tavion Thomas, RB

Thomas transferred to Utah from Independence Community College and provides some much-needed stability to the offensive backfield, finishing fourth in the Pac-12 with 1,108 rushing yards and fifth in the entire FBS with 21 touchdowns. Interestingly, nearly all of that damage came outside of last year’s tilt against San Diego State, when he had just one carry for zero yards, though he’ll play a major part in defending the Utes’ conference crown.

Overview:

Offense

You don’t typically associate Utah with dynamic offense, but the Utes finished last year 14th nationally by offensive SP+, 22nd by yards per play, fourth by available yards percentage earned per drive, and ninth in points per drive. Whittingham and offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig have built a uniquely ruthless machine over the last few seasons.

Having an operator like Rising, who won’t have to compete for the starting job anymore, could help them reach those high benchmarks again. They also bring back Micah Bernard (87 carries, 529 yards, two touchdowns) as the primary complement to Thomas at running back, plus all but one pass catcher who had at least 20 receptions in 2021. Between Kuithe and Dalton Kincaid (36 catches, 510 yards, eight TDs), the real strength of the passing game might be at tight end. To that end, one of the more unique fun facts you’ll find anywhere is that, according to Pro Football Focus, Utah boasted the three highest-graded tight ends in the conference and added Idaho transfer Logan Kendall to that group.

The offensive line should continue to be a stout unit, too, after doing just about everything well in 2021 (2.8% sack rate, third in FBS; 13th in opportunity rate, 17th in power success rate). Braeden Daniels was a second-team all-conference pick in 2021 and has 29 starts under his belt already, while the sophomore guard tandem of Keaton Bills and Sataoa Laumea have a combined 30 starts over the last two seasons.

Defense

The Utes defense didn’t need to operate at such a high level given how good the offense was, but they often did, anyway, finishing the season in the top 40 by yards per play allowed, points per drive allowed, and available yards percentage allowed, sack rate, and stuff rate. Like Ludwig, defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley clearly has a few things figured out, too.

In losing both Mika Nafua and Devin Lloyd, though, the Utes must replace a huge chunk of last year’s havoc. Tafuna and defensive end Van Fillinger (5.5 sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss) seem like obvious first candidates to fill in that gap and are still just sophomores, but transfer portal imports like defensive end Gabe Reid (62 tackles, ten TFLs at Stanford) and linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (89 tackles, 2.5 TFLs at Florida) should have a hand in shoring things up, as well.

That’s also true in the secondary, to some extent, where Phillips is the foundation and others like safety Clayton Isbell (62 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, three interceptions at Illinois State) could land a starting role. Cole Bishop made six starts as a true freshman, as well, establishing himself right alongside Tafuna and Fillinger as Utes of the present and future with 55 tackles, nine TFLs, five pass breakups, and three sacks.

Early Prediction

There are plenty of reasons to be bullish about the Aztecs’ chances to hold on to the West division title, but this won’t be the same Utah team that they caught at just the right time a year ago. Rising will play all sixty minutes, for one, while Thomas will also factor in where he didn’t. Utah won’t be able to run away with it, but the Aztecs may not have the firepower to match them on the scoreboard.

Utah 33, San Diego State 24

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1374]

[protected-iframe id=”f7652191f99ba13728097498e8a79cd8-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/show/48681pqFq0kB9dhrtPPoNd” width=”100%” height=”232″ frameborder=”0″]

Nevada Football: First Look At The Iowa Hawkeyes

The Wolf Pack will do battle with the Iowa Hawkeyes in non-conference action this September.

Nevada Football: First Look At The Iowa Hawkeyes

The Wolf Pack will do battle with the Iowa Hawkeyes in non-conference action this September.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

Is punting still winning?

Nevada Football: First Look at 2022 Non-conference Opponents

New Mexico State | Texas State | Incarnate Word | Iowa

The Nevada Wolf Pack will close out their four-game non-conference schedule with a road trip to the Midwest to face the Iowa Hawkeyes in Week 3.

Iowa, of course, will rarely blow you away and instead choke the life out of you with stellar defense and special teams, a recipe they rode once against last year to great success. Will that change at all in 2022, or do the Hawkeyes have the pieces in place to push that envelope farther and challenge for a Big Ten title?

Location: Iowa City, Iowa

Conference: Big Ten

Series History: This will be the first meeting between Nevada and Iowa.

2021 Record: 10-4 (7-3 Big Ten)

Head Coach: Kirk Ferentz (24th year at Iowa; 178-110 with Hawkeyes, 190-131 overall). Ferentz’s Hawkeyes just kept on rolling in 2021, winning ten games for the second time in three seasons and securing the Big Ten West division title for the first time since 2015. While their conference championship game battle with Michigan wasn’t pretty, they were otherwise more than happy to lean on their good fortune and composure in close contests (4-0 in games decided by eight or fewer points), beat rival Iowa State for the sixth time in a row and a top-five Penn State team, all of which enabled Ferentz to sign a contract extension back in January.

Key Players

Sam LaPorta, TE

LaPorta is almost certain to be the next Hawkeyes tight end to find his way into the NFL, but for right now he’s on the shortlist of the best players at his position anywhere in the country. Last season, he set career highs with 53 receptions for 670 yards and three touchdowns, so the 6-foot-4 and 249-pound Highland, Illinois native will be a big component of the Iowa attack in 2022.

Riley Moss, CB

Defense is where Iowa makes its biggest impact and Moss is quite simply one of the best cornerbacks anywhere in the nation. Last year, he was a first-team all-conference selection for the first time after making 39 total tackles, including three tackles for loss, and breaking up five passes to go along with four interceptions. His PFF overall grade of 80.1 ranked fourth among qualifying Big Ten cornerbacks last year, so he could change the tenor of the game with one Nevada mistake.

Jack Campbell, LB

Campbell, like Moss, is simply one of the best defenders anywhere in the Big Ten. He led the entire country last year with 143 total tackles and knew how to create havoc to boot, with 3.5 tackles for loss, six passes defended, and two interceptions. Chances are when the Wolf Pack offense takes the field, you’ll hear his name early and often.

Tory Taylor, P

It’s almost a prerequisite to talk about punting when discussing Iowa football, especially when (again) the Hawkeyes boast one of the nation’s best at the position. The Australian was a Ray Guy Award semifinalist in 2021 after finishing 13th in the country with an average of 46.1 yards per punt and pinning nearly half of his punts (39-of-80) inside the opponent’s 20-yard line, enabling the defense to do what it does best from a position of strength.

Spencer Petras, QB

Petras isn’t the flashiest quarterback in the Big Ten, but he gives the Iowa offense exactly what it needs. In 2021, he completed 57.3% of his throws for an average of 6.5 yards per attempt and ten touchdowns, but one possible area of improvement is in taking better care of the football since he also had an interception rate of 3.1%, too high for a ball control offense.

Overview:

Offense

Iowa’s offense is a lot like San Diego State in that underwhelming numbers like the ones put up in 2021 — 4.67 yards per play (120th in FBS), 1.75 points per drive (104th), 39.7% of available yards earned per drive (105th) — aren’t necessarily a huge concern to Ferentz and his son Brian, the Hawkeyes offensive coordinator. You might read stories about optimism that things will improve but, even if they don’t, it’s mostly worked out in years past.

A big step forward from Petras would help, especially since Iowa’s top three pass catchers return from last year, too: LaPorta and wide receivers Keagan Johnson, who is working his way back from injury, and Nico Ragaini. Finding a way to replace Tyler Goodson’s production at running back would help even more, but the Hawkeyes have a stable of youngsters who could take up that mantle like sophomores Gavin Williams (65 carries, 305 rushing yards) and LeShon Williams, as well as true freshman Kaleb Johnson.

The offensive line needs some new faces to step up, too, following the departures of veterans like Tyler Linderbaum, a first-round NFL Draft pick this past spring. It’s a unit that could skew young with a trio of returning starters that include two sophomores, Mason Richman and Connor Colby, set to hold things down at left tackle and center, respectively.

Defense

There’s no two ways about it: Iowa’s defense was elite in 2021. The Hawkeyes finished seventh in the country by allowing just 4.72 yards per play, ninth in points per drive allowed, and fourth in available yards percentage allowed, and they return the majority of that production with seven starters back for this season.

Up front, Zach VanValkenburg won’t be easy to replace, but Lukas Van Ness was a Freshman All-American after picking up seven sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss and John Waggoner (3.5 TFLs, two sacks) was a solid end piece, as well. Behind them, Campbell and Seth Benson (105 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, two sacks) will patrol the middle with help from Jestin Jacobs.

In the secondary, Moss is the veteran leader but the unit isn’t without experience otherwise. Strong safety Kaevon Merriweather (42 tackles, four passes defended) made seven stars last year while cornerback Jermari Harris (34 tackles, four INTs) made six. Better yet, the future may be now in Iowa City with true freshman like Xavier Nwankpa also in the mix to carve out a role.

Early Prediction

It doesn’t seem likely that the Wolf Pack will be overrun by an Iowa team that’s more than happy to sit and wait for breaks to come their way, but it also doesn’t seem clear that they’ll have enough answers on offense to get the best of what looks like, on paper, one of college football’s best defenses.

Iowa 24, Nevada 9

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1372]

[protected-iframe id=”f7652191f99ba13728097498e8a79cd8-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/show/48681pqFq0kB9dhrtPPoNd” width=”100%” height=”232″ frameborder=”0″]

Mountain West Football: First Look At The UTEP Miners

The Miners will battle with both Boise State and New Mexico in non-conference play this September.

Mountain West Football: First Look At The UTEP Miners

The Miners will battle with both Boise State and New Mexico in non-conference play this September.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

Will the Miners have staying power?

New Mexico Football: First Look at 2022 Non-conference Opponents

Maine | UTEP | LSU | New Mexico State

Boise State Football: First Look at 2022 Non-conference Opponents

Oregon State | UT Martin | UTEP | BYU

After emerging as one of last year’s best college football stories, the UTEP Miners will look to keep their momentum going in 2022 against a pair of Mountain West teams, the Boise State Broncos and New Mexico Lobos.

Location: El Paso, Texas

Conference: Conference USA

Series History: Boise State leads the all-time series against UTEP, 6-0, while New Mexico leads its series over the Miners, 43-33-3.

2021 Record: 7-6 (4-4 C-USA)

Head Coach: Dana Dimel (fifth year at UTEP; 12-33 with Miners, 42-72 overall). It took a little while for things to come around, but the Miners broke through for their first winning season since 2014 on the strength of a pretty good defense and an explosive offense. Granted, pretty much all of UTEP’s wins came against teams they probably should have beaten, anyway — Old Dominion was their only victory over a bowl-eligible opponent — but that in itself represented a major step forward from years past.

Key Players

Praise Amaewhule, DE

Amaewhule is simply one of the best defenders anywhere in Conference USA, following a second-team all-conference showing in 2020 by earning a spot on the first-team defense in 2021. Last season, he led the Miners with 13 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles, adding 5.5 sacks and seven passes defended, as well.

Keenan Stewart, DT

Amaewhule’s running mate on the defensive line is pretty good in his own right. According to Pro Football Focus, Stewart’s 81.0 overall grade ranked third among interior defenders in Conference USA, which makes sense considering that he collected 35 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, and two sacks in 2021, good enough to earn an all-conference honorable mention.

Breon Hayward, LB

The defensive line isn’t the only unit with some real stalwarts in El Paso. Hayward finished fourth in Conference USA with 108 tackles and also chipped in with 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three passes defended, and a fumble return for a touchdown. There are few athletes in the conference more capable of cleaning up messes and shutting down plays near the line of scrimmage.

Ronald Awatt, RB

UTEP’s ground attack was vital to its revival, which made Awatt a major factor all season long. Though he had just 158 carries in 2021, he led the way with 854 rushing yards and six touchdowns while adding 11 receptions for 159 yards. He could be in line for even more reps as the Miners look to better establish their foothold in the conference.

Gavin Hardison, QB

Few quarterbacks in the country lived or died on big plays like Hardison, but it’s hard to argue with the results. Though his completion rate on 359 attempts was only 55.9%, he was one of just 13 FBS quarterbacks to average nine yards per attempt and had 18 touchdowns. If he can improve on last year’s 3.6% interception rate, the Miners will be that much better.

Overview:

Offense

UTEP’s offense wasn’t perfect last year — the Miners finished just fifth in C-USA by averaging 6.02 yards per play, and they were 83rd nationally by points per drive and 80th in available yards percentage earned — but that still marked a substantial improvement from 2020. New offensive coordinator Dave Warner inherits a pretty good situation, but some major pieces will need replacing.

The backfield, at least, is more or less with Hardison, Awatt, Deion Hankins (121 carries, 453 yards, six touchdowns), and an offensive line that returns three starters, including right guard Ezra Klein (76.3 PFF grade, third in C-USA). Elsewhere, the departures of both Jacob Cowing and Justin Garrett leave a huge void that other pass catchers like Tyrin Smith (33 catches, 570 yards, four TDs), Josh Farr, and Kelly Akharaiyi will look to make up.

Defense

Where the offense could be up and down last year, the Miners defense was flat-out good. UTEP allowed 5.22 yards per play, good for fourth in C-USA, and finished 33rd among all FBS in points per drive allowed and 24th in available yards percentage allowed. They also finished in the top 20 by stuff rate, power success rate, and opportunity rate, and bring back eight starters who could help them match that high bar.

If nothing else, the Miners should be able to create lots of havoc with Amaewhule and Stewart joined by Kelton Moss and Jadrian Taylor along the defensive line, which looks like one of the best units anywhere in Conference USA. The linebacker situation is pretty solid, too, with Hayward flanked by Tyrice Knight (102 tackles, nine TFLs, two sacks) and nickelback Dennis Barnes (59 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two INTs). The secondary, by contrast, is undergoing major changes after losing both cornerbacks and one starting safety, but Justin Pierce returns after his 2021 season was cut short by injury.

Early Predictions

Feel-good vibes only take you so far. The biggest question that UTEP now faces is whether they’ll be able to connect on as many big plays as what fueled last year’s rise, to supplement a defense that should be no fun to face every week. That could mean they’ll scuffle against some of the better defenses on their schedule, like Boise State, and struggle to put away others with offensive concerns of their own, like New Mexico.

Boise State 31, UTEP 17

UTEP 27, New Mexico 19

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1360]

[protected-iframe id=”f7652191f99ba13728097498e8a79cd8-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/show/48681pqFq0kB9dhrtPPoNd” width=”100%” height=”232″ frameborder=”0″]

Boise State Football: First Look At The UT Martin Skyhawks

The Broncos will host the defending Ohio Valley Conference champions on the blue this September.

Boise State Football: First Look At The UT Martin Skyhawks

The Broncos will host the defending Ohio Valley Conference champions on the blue this September.

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

A tougher-than-expected test?

Boise State Football: First Look at 2022 Non-conference Opponents

Oregon State | UT Martin | UTEP | BYU

After opening the 2022 season with back-to-back contests on the road, the Boise State Broncos will head home in Week 3 to host the UT Martin Skyhawks in Week 3.

Unlike the last time these teams met in 2013, the Skyhawks might be a little better prepared to hang around after having one of the best overall seasons in program history last year. While they still figure to face long odds in upending the Broncos on the blue, the Skyhawks might surprise if they’re taken lightly.

Location: Martin, Tennessee

Conference: Ohio Valley

Series History: Boise State leads the all-time series, 1-0.

2021 Record: 10-3 (5-1 OVC)

Head Coach: Jason Simpson (17th year, 100-80 overall). The Skyhawks have rarely been down and out with the longest-tenured coach in the Ohio Valley Conference in charge — UT Martin has just five losing seasons since he took the job in 2006 — but last year was a landmark campaign by the program’s historical standards. They clinched its first FCS playoff bid since that 2006 season and beat Missouri State for its first-ever playoff win, clinching just the third ten-win season in its history and the first outright OVC title ever.

Key Players

John H. Ford II, LB

If you’re looking for football names, you’d be hard pressed to find one better than Ford II. If you’re looking for players with talent to match, even more so. He’s been named to the preseason Buck Buchanan Award watch list as one of the FCS level’s top defenders after landing a spot on the all-OVC first-team defense in 2021 with 88 total tackles, five tackles for loss, and four interceptions.

Dresser Winn, QB

Winn wasn’t the Skyhawks starting quarterback in 2021, but he stepped into a very difficult situation when incumbent Keon Howard was injured in the team’s first FCS playoff game against Missouri State and held his own, completing 23-of-43 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns while leading a late rally to defeat the Bears.

Deven Sims, S

Sims was one of three Skyhawks recently named to the STATS FCS All-American, landing a spot on the third-team defense after a year in which he earned a second straight nod on the all-OVC first team, as well. In 2021, he led UT Martin with 93 tackles and also had six tackles for loss, one sack, and one interception.

Zak Wallace, RB

Wallace came on strong in his first year of action and finished 2021 by earning first-team all-conference and freshman All-American recognition. As the primary complement to Peyton Logan, he ran for 807 yards and a team-high 15 touchdowns, racking up an overall PFF grade of 80.3 that ranked third among OVC running backs.

Matthan Hatchie, C

Hatchie has a pretty convincing case as the best center in the OVC and, more broadly, as one of the best offensive linemen anywhere in the FCS. 2021 marked his first appearance on the all-conference first-team offense after playing 892 snaps, according to PFF, leading the conference at the position with a 73.7 overall grade, and allowing just one sack in 362 pass attempts.

Overview:

Offense

The Skyhawks offense under coordinator Kevin Bannon didn’t have many weaknesses in 2021, averaging 5.78 yards per play thanks mainly to a powerful ground game that finished ninth overall with 5.33 yards per carry and was responsible for 32 touchdowns, tied for sixth-most in the FCS. While most of the major contributors to that attack are back for 2022, there are still some questions to be addressed.

Chief among them? The quarterback situation, where Winn and Georgia State transfer Cornelious Brown will battle to replace Keon Howard. Brown played well for GSU back in 2020, accounting for 2,579 yards of total offense and 24 total touchdowns during the Panthers’ COVID season, but he lost the QB1 role after a pair of lackluster starts last year.

UT Martin also has to identify some new complements for Wallace in the running game, as he’s likely to take on more work following Peyton Logan’s departure. It’s a group that could definitely grow together, though: Jordan Castleberry (30 carries, 154 yards, one TD) is a redshirt sophomore and the roster features six different freshmen. That’s also true of the passing game, as well, where the Skyhawks must replace their five of their top six pass catchers, as Colton Dowell (22 catches, 398 yards, two TDs) is the lone holdover from 2021.

That may not be a huge deal, though, if the offensive line plays as it did a year ago. In addition to opening lanes for the running game, Hatchie, guard Gavin Olson, and tackle Lamar Jordan were all preseason all-conference selections after leading a unit that finished eighth among all FCS teams in sacks allowed.

Defense

The UT Martin defense was rock solid last year, finishing 56th among all FCS teams in allowing 5.48 yards per play while generating 23 takeaways and allowing only 25 points per game.

Ford II and Sims will lead the charge again, but they’ll have plenty of help going into this fall: Safety Oshea Baker had 11 starts at both cornerback and safety and picked up 68 tackles, nine pass breakups, and four interceptions, while JACK Eyabi Anoma led the team with six sacks and 9.5 TFLs. However, those two are the only two returning defenders who had two or more sacks in 2021, so finding athletes to retool the pass rush is almost certainly a top priority for Simpson and defensive coordinator Chris Polizzi.

Early Prediction

After last year’s breakthrough, the Skyhawks aren’t likely to be intimidated by the atmosphere on the blue turf, though it remains to be seen whether the visitors’ defense will have what it takes to slow down a Boise State offense that will wield, one way or another, superior talent. UT Martin might be able to hang around for a while, but this shouldn’t be close in the end.

Boise State 42, UT Martin 20

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1368]

[protected-iframe id=”f7652191f99ba13728097498e8a79cd8-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/show/48681pqFq0kB9dhrtPPoNd” width=”100%” height=”232″ frameborder=”0″]

UNLV Football: First Look At The North Texas Mean Green

The Rebels will face off with a UNT squad that has plenty of its own to prove this fall.

UNLV Football: First Look At The North Texas Mean Green

The Rebels will face off with a UNT squad that has plenty of its own to prove this fall.

Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Two teams on the upswing?

UNLV Football: First Look at 2022 Non-conference Opponents

Idaho State | Cal | North Texas | Notre Dame

After taking a road trip to the Bay Area in non-conference play, the UNLV Rebels will head home in Week 2 to host the North Texas Mean Green. It will be their first meeting since the 2014 Heart of Dallas Bowl.

Location: Denton, Texas

Conference: Conference USA

Series History: UNLV leads the series over North Texas 4-1; their last meeting was in 2014.

2021 Record: 6-7 (5-3 CUSA)

Head Coach: Seth Littrell (seventh year at North Texas, 37-38 overall). After the Mean Green limped out the gate to a 1-6 start, few coaches in the country had a hotter seat in the middle of the 2021 season. Littrell and his staff engineered one of the more dramatic second-half turnarounds in recent memory, though, ripping off five straight wins (including upsets over UTSA and UTEP) to land his fifth bowl bid in six years.

Is the pressure still on? North Texas hasn’t won a division title since 2017 and are now preparing to exit Conference USA for the American in 2023, meaning that Littrell will want to accomplish big things this fall and erase the temptation of a new start for someone else.

Key Players

KD Davis, LB

Davis was named Honorable Mention All-CUSA by Pro Football Focus, after leading the conference with 121 tackles in 2021. Considered the transfer portal for a Power 5 school, with visits to Texas A&M and Ole Miss, before ultimately deciding to return to North Texas. Losses on the defensive line could make 2022 a challenging year for Davis, but he is part of a strong linebacker unit that will remain the heart of this defense.

Roderic Burns, WR

As a slot receiver who led the team with 58 receptions for 802 yards in 2021, Burns will look to build upon his season with one of the stronger wide receiver groups in Conference USA. A former walk-on at North Texas, Burns has big-play potential, albeit within an offense looking to establish the run.

Austin Aune, QB

Aune comes into 2022 as the projected starter, having led North Texas on a five-game winning streak to finish the season and become bowl eligible. But after only completing 51.2% of his passes, and the expectations for this year, the critics will come quickly if Aune struggles early.

John Davis, CB

As a junior, Davis returns to what could be a promising secondary for the Mean Green. Injuries took their toll on this unit in 2021, and Davis will start 2022 looking to improve upon a passing defense that finished fifth in the conference at 230.5 yards per game.

Manase Mose, OG

Starting for a fifth straight season, Mose will be one of four starters return on the offensive line for North Texas in 2022. Named to the second team all-conference last year, Mose will play guard or center anchoring that only allowed 18 sacks last season and will look to run the ball early and often.

Overview:

Offense

The Mean Green will seek to build upon a strong running attack behind an experienced offensive line. Having produced the fifth-best rushing offense in 2021, at more than 230 yards per game, North Texas returns three running backs who accounted for almost 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. Make no mistake: the running game will continue from last year to form the base of their 2022 campaign.

The questions will arise when that ground game is challenged and another way to win is needed. The passing game may require time to develop at quarterback, but the receivers should be able to move the chains as a capable, if not explosive, part of the offense.

If there is stability at quarterback, whether it be Aune or one of the others in a relatively deep quarterbacks room, this team can easily perform well enough to get to a bowl game once again. Built on a strong running game, the offense should be an entertaining team to watch in 2022.

Defense

This defense has had its share of ups and downs, from injuries last year to losses in the transfer portal this year. But North Texas gets a number of players healthy to start the 2022 campaign, players that will need to step up quickly to improve upon a difficult scoring defense (ranked 79th, at 27.5 points per game).

The defensive line will be a point of concern, with losses in the transfer portal, but improved linebacker play should fortify the front seven overall. Senior Quinn Whitlock returns from injury to the “Eagle” position (a linebacker/safety hybrid) that also bolster a defense looking to improve overall.

Any positives in the turnover department will help as well, as the team finished 70th nationally.

Early Predictions

The Rebels should be improved on both sides of the ball this year, but it remains to be seen whether they have an impact defensive player who can disrupt week in and week out following Jacoby Windmon’s departure and, at least for now, Brennon Scott’s injury-related absence. That might be the difference against a veteran Mean Green offense that will inevitably look to run the ball and lean on what could be a UNLV defense still finding its footing.

North Texas 34, UNLV 20

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1376]

[protected-iframe id=”f7652191f99ba13728097498e8a79cd8-137729785-123448869″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/show/48681pqFq0kB9dhrtPPoNd” width=”100%” height=”232″ frameborder=”0″]

Fresno State QB Jake Haener Named Phil Steele All-American

Fresno State QB Jake Haener Named Phil Steele All-American Haener honored as one of the best QB’s Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire Fourth-team honor Phil Steele’s 2022 magazine is out and his in-depth preview and predictions. He does the …

Fresno State QB Jake Haener Named Phil Steele All-American

Haener honored as one of the best QB’s

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Fourth-team honor

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

Phil Steele’s 2022 magazine is out and his in-depth preview and predictions. He does the typical All-American teams and his goes four deep.

Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener made the list and earned a spot as a fourth-team selection.

He is the only Mountain West player on Steele’s All-American team.

Haener blew onto the scene last year and gained national fame for not just uosetting UCLA but doing so while clearly not at 100%.

His numbers last year were impressive with 4,096 yards, 33 touchdowns, and completing 67.1% if his passes. He also was named as the second-team Mountain West quarterback from last year.

The quarterbacks ahead of Haener include Alabama’s Bryce Young as the first-teamer and followed by C.J. Stroud from Ohio State and then Caleb Williams who transferred from Oklahoma to USC as the third-team signal-caller.

Early in the college football season will feature USC vs. Fresno State in a Haener vs. Williams matchup in Los Angeles on Sept. 17.


Advertisement[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1370]

SEC Predictions, Schedule, Game Previews, Lines, TV: Week 5

SEC college football predictions, schedule, game previews, lines, and how to watch for Week 5 of the season.

SEC college football predictions, schedule, game previews, lines, and how to watch for Week 5 of the season.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01f1343a1wt7q817p7 player_id=none image=https://collegefootballnews.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Click on each game for game preview & prediction

Results So Far
SU: 38-10, ATS: 24-24, Point Total: 26-19-1

– Week 5 College Football Expert Picks

Saturday, October 2

Arkansas at Georgia

12:00, ESPN
Line: Georgia -18.5, o/u: 48.5

Tennessee at Missouri

12:00, SEC Network
Line: Missouri -3, o/u: 65

Ole Miss at Alabama

3:30, CBS
Line: Alabama -14.5, o/u: 79.5

– Week 5 College Football Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews

Troy at South Carolina

3:30, SEC Network
Line: South Carolina -7, o/u: 42.5

Florida at Kentucky

6:00, ESPN
Line: Florida -8.5, o/u: 55

Texas A&M at Mississippi State

7:00, SEC Network
Line: Texas A&M -7, o/u: 46

– Week 4 CFN NFL Expert Picks

UConn at Vanderbilt

7:30, ESPNU
Line: Vanderbilt -14.5, o/u: 51.5

Auburn at LSU

9:00, ESPN
Line: LSU -3.5, o/u: 54.5

[protected-iframe id=”361699434b6d70baf15f631ed2408ac1-97672683-92922408″ info=”https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js” ]

– Fearless Predictions of Every Game
– Bowl Projections | Rankings

New York Jets vs Denver Prediction, Game Preview

New York Jets vs Denver prediction, game preview, how to watch: Sunday, September 26

New York Jets vs Denver prediction, game preview, how to watch: Sunday, September 26

New York Jets vs Denver How To Watch

Date: Sunday, September 26
Game Time: 4:05 ET
Venue: Empower Field at Mile High Stadium, Denver, CO
How To Watch: CBS
Record: New York Jets (0-2), Denver (2-0)
– Sign up and live stream college football on ESPN+

[mm-video type=playlist id=01f1343a1wt7q817p7 player_id=none image=https://collegefootballnews.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

New York Jets vs Denver Game Preview

Why New York Jets Will Win

Last week showed there’s just enough of a running game to potentially rely on if Zach Wilson is struggling.

The passing game wasn’t bad in the opener against Carolina, but Wilson started making big things happen last week against New England and started making mistakes throwing four picks.

He won’t take as many chances this week, but no matter what, the Jets have to keep feeding the backs that combined for most of the 152 yards on the ground. Start by running, but …

– Week 4 College Football Expert Picks

Why Denver Will Win

It’s asking a lot to expect Wilson to be perfect. The interceptions are going to come.

He’s a rookie in his third game – this is going to be a tough ride on a team that had the second overall pick for a reason.

Denver hasn’t been able to run all that well, but Teddy Bridgewater has been solid, Courtland Sutton blew up last week as part of a nice group of receivers – even if Jerry Jeudy is out – and as long as the turnovers aren’t there to give the Jets easy points, all should be fine.

– Week 4 College Football Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews

What’s Going To Happen

Denver will get one big run, and that will be enough to open things up a bit late in the first half.

Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon will start the game trying to take over, and then Bridgewater will be sharp enough to not make the big mistakes to give the Jets easy points.

There won’t be any need to take a whole lot of chances. Denver will score in the first quarter, take a decent lead, and then hold serve the rest of the way.

– Week 3 CFN NFL Expert Picks

New York Jets vs Denver Prediction, Line

Denver 26, New York Jets 13
Line: Denver -10, o/u: 41.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2.5

Must See Rating: 2

5: 30th anniversary of Nevermind
1: The Applebee’s shake song

[protected-iframe id=”361699434b6d70baf15f631ed2408ac1-97672683-92922408″ info=”https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js” ]

– Fearless Predictions of Every Game
– Bowl Projections | Rankings

Indianapolis vs Tennessee Prediction, Game Preview

Indianapolis vs Tennessee prediction, game preview, how to watch: Sunday, September 26

Indianapolis vs Tennessee prediction, game preview, how to watch: Sunday, September 26

Indianapolis vs Tennessee How To Watch

Date: Sunday, September 26
Game Time: 1:00 ET
Venue: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
How To Watch: CBS
Record: Indianapolis (0-2), Tennessee (1-1)
– Sign up and live stream college football on ESPN+

[mm-video type=playlist id=01f1343a1wt7q817p7 player_id=none image=https://collegefootballnews.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

Indianapolis vs Tennessee Game Preview

Why Indianapolis Will Win

The Jonathan Taylor thing is about to explode soon.

He’s getting the carries, and he’s had some chances in the red zone, but he hasn’t been able to bust out and take over games behind a great offensive front. This is the game to give it a shot.

Tennessee allowed over four yards per carry against Seattle – along with the great game from Russell Wilson – and this week the Colts have to take over right away.

After dealing with Wilson and Matthew Stafford, the Colt secondary could use a bit of a break. Tennessee will want to run, but …

Why Tennessee Will Win

Ryan Tannehill went off for 347 yards last week against Seattle. That was lost because Derrick Henry went Derrick Henry.

The Colt run defense was fine against the Rams, but Seattle was able to rumble in Week 1. It’s asking for way too much for Henry to pound out 182 yards and thee scores again – and the Titans certainly don’t want to get him 35 carries again this early in the season – but it’s possible.

As long as the Titan offense is balanced again, the Colts likely won’t be able to keep up because …

– Week 4 College Football Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews

What’s Going To Happen

Carson Wentz is hurting after banging up both of his ankles. Again, Indianapolis will want to get Taylor and the running game going to take the pressure off the passing attack, and that should work for stretches against the mediocre Titan D.

At home, though, the Tennessee offense will be good for the second week in a row with Tannehill coming up with a nice performance after Henry gets slowed down early.

– Week 3 CFN NFL Expert Picks

Indianapolis vs Tennessee Prediction, Line

Tennessee 27, Indianapolis 23
Line: Tennessee -5.5, o/u: 47.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2

Must See Rating: 3

5: 30th anniversary of Nevermind
1: The Applebee’s shake song

[protected-iframe id=”361699434b6d70baf15f631ed2408ac1-97672683-92922408″ info=”https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js” ]

– Fearless Predictions of Every Game
– Bowl Projections | Rankings