2021 College Football Week 8

[Leonardfan]

Week started off last night with App St upsetting Coastal Carolina.

Tonight SMU is leading Tulane by double digits. Mordecai is one of the most prolific QBs in the country - has 2 TD passes so far.

Looking ahead to the weekend there are not many high profile games in terms of ranked teams. Many of the matchups look pretty lopsided on paper. Any upsets look pretty far fetched right now.

Navy faces #2 Cincinnati and typically option teams can cause issues. I don't think Navy can pull the upset off.

Oklahoma plays Kansas which is essentially an FCS team. The Kansas and UCONN football programs have had similar downward trajectories since their respective blips over a decade ago.

Northwestern plays Michigan. I think the Wildcats have found their answer at QB in Ryan Hillinski. I don't think they will be able to outplay Michigan though. Hutchison continues to climb up draft boards and is a surefire 1st round pick.

Illinois faces off against PSU. This one depends on the QBs. If Clifford returns then Illinois has no chance but if Franklin's 4 star quota plays...the game will be a little more interesting. A couple of items to note for the Illini - both Epstein and Hansen are injured and done for the year and collegiate careers.

Wake Forest plays Army. The Army option offense will give Wake Forest some issues. Sam Hartman has really risen to be one of the top 5 QBs in the ACC (Pickett, Howell, Armstrong are the only QBs better than him in the conference). The Demon Deacons going to 7-0 would be a good story.

Wisconsin faces Purdue. I'd like to see the Badgers win here more than likely in spite of Mertz then because of him but stranger things have happened. The Badgers defense is one of the best and brings more blitzes than Iowa - should be an entertaining game.

Oklahoma St vs Iowa St - Iowa St is one of those teams that garnered alot of hype coming into the season. The have two losses - Iowa and Baylor. Purdy seems to have found some consistency. A win for the Cyclones will put Iowa St back in the Big 12 championship conversation. Oklahoma St is not the 8th best team in the country.

LSU vs Ole Miss - Corral is questionable and the current Heisman frontrunner. Max Johnson is a good QB in his own right. QB play is the only real draw here. Bet the over.

Clemson vs Pitt - This is another Kenny Pickett draft showcase game. Clemson has a great defense and if he is able to play well I think it certainly helps his draft stock. After this game he plays some questionable defenses for the rest of the season.

Ohio St gets Indiana - the Hoosiers defense is fairly staunch and the best unit the Buckeyes have faced since their loss to Oregon earlier this year. Another long shot but you never know.

USC vs Notre Dame - this game has certainly lost it's luster as has the rivalry. I feel the last big game between the Trojans and Irish was the Bush push game. Go Irish (as long as Coan or Pyne are playing).

 

[Bucky]

Appreciate the write up ! Some good matchups this weekend.

 

[Leonardfan]

Tyler Lavine 44 YD TD Reception!

 

[TwentyTwo]

SMU RB Tyler Lavine showing wheels at 5'-11" 229lbs 44 yard TD reception! Wearing the old school neck collar too!

Lincoln Pare (Perry) starting to carry the ball more in 4th qtr

NICE write up Leonardfan!

 

[Bucky]

SMU RB Tyler Lavine showing wheels at 5'-11" 229lbs 44 yard TD receptions! Wearing the old school neck collar too!

Lincoln Pare (Perry) starting to carry the ball more in 4th qtr

NICE write up Leonardfan!

Shades of Jacob Hester..

 

[Leonardfan]

Mordecai should be in the Heisman conversation at this point - most TD passes this season, completing 71% of his passes, has his group of 5 team staring at 7-0.

 

[TwentyTwo]

Shades of Jacob Hester..

I can dig it Bucky! One my all time favorites! 2 Star recruit out of Shreveport LA! Lavine (3 -15/1-44 -1) should get a shot in the NFL on a 43 man roster like LSU's Tory Carter(Titans) did regardless if he is drafted!

Oh yeah ....SMU #16 Trevor Denbow is playing (starting ) Safety again! instead of OLB....Impressive @ 5'-11" 223lbs
Tanner Mordecai had a nice game! 427 yards passing & 3 TD's + 34 yards & TD Rushing
TE Grant Calcaterra finished with 90 yards on 7 receptions

 

[Red Raider]

I got to attend the SMU game tonight, Tyler Lavines TD catch was awesome! Also SMU DE Turner Coxe is a really good player and he looks really small out there for a DE.

 

[Phall]

Oklahoma plays Kansas which is essentially an FCS team. The Kansas and UCONN football programs have had similar downward trajectories since their respective blips over a decade ago.

Les Miles definitely didn't earn his paychecks at Kansas. The new coach Lance Leipold has his work cut out for him in replacing some of the drug-dealing blacks that Miles aided and abetted. But at least the Jayhawks were trying with their next hire.

UConn's athletic department is quite content to be a laughingstock. In fact, it is part of the plan:

STORRS, Conn. - In an effort to support and promote an atmosphere of inclusion that UConn seeks to foster, the UConn football team will be hosting its first annual Pride Game on Friday, October 22 when the Huskies welcome Middle Tennessee to Pratt & Whitney Stadium. Kick is set for 6 p.m. and the contest will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.

"We are happy to host the first Pride Game in our history," director of athletics David Benedict said. "UConn athletics aspires to promote an inclusive environment for all of UConn Nation and we plan on hosting additional pride games in the future."

The Huskies will wear pride stickers on their helmets, and the coaching staff will also display pride pins on their clothing. October is LGBTQ+ History Month and educational material will be available during the game. The Hartford Gay Men's Chorus will sing the national anthem before kick, and the first 500 fans in attendance will also receive a free rainbow headband.

Vanderbilt couldn't win any games last year, so they brought in a girl to squib kick for a week of goodwill from the sh*tlib news cycle. UConn can't win any games this year, so they are making their players and coaches wear homosexual uniforms and replacing their marching band with a chorus of catamites.

 

[wile]

Kansas doesn't get much love even in Kansas, K-State on the other hand must produce fewer nuts but Kansas is the whole tractor trailer full of nuts delivered.

 

[Leonardfan]

Here's part of an article about Pitt's matchup with Clemson from BSPN with some more info about Pickett:

College football Week 8: Kenny Pickett against Clemson, A Big 12 test and more

Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett is off to an exceptional start to the season, and he's worked his way into the Heisman conversation while putting the Panthers in the driver's seat in the ACC Coastal. Still, this is just a good QB having a great season, right?

Perhaps not, says Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables.

Asked for a good comparison for Pickett among other QBs Venables has coached against over the years, the longtime Tigers defensive coordinator went big -- really big.

"We've seen a bunch of good quarterbacks over the years," Venables said, "but he's a lot like Joe Burrow from an experienced and calmness and accuracy and can run and makes all the right decisions and has a good complement of players around him and a good system that takes advantage of his skill set."

On first blush, this seems to go past high praise and into the category of gaslighting an opponent. But here's the thing: The comparison actually makes a ton of sense.

First, step back a year. In 2020, Pickett was a good -- if not at all flashy -- QB. He finished the season with 2,553 yards, 21 TDs and nine interceptions. Fine, but unspectacular. Then think of 2018 Burrow, nowhere near a Heisman candidate, who put up similar numbers: 3,293 yards, 23 TDs, five interceptions in four more games.

Then -- poof! -- a switch flipped and, in 2019, Burrow blossomed into a Heisman winner and the leader of college football's most explosive offense. And once again, the comparisons to Pickett aren't far off.

2019 Burrow through six games: 2,262 yards, 27 touchdowns, three turnovers, 34 plays of 20+ yards, 93.1 Total QBR

2021 Pickett through six games: 2,114 yards, 24 touchdowns, three turnovers, 35 plays of 20+ yards, 88.4 Total QBR

Sure, Burrow was a bit ahead at the halfway mark, but the margin isn't nearly as big as you might've assumed.

So, is Clemson staring down the barrel of another blowout loss to a Heisman winner, as happened in the Tigers' national championship game against LSU in 2020?

This is where things get tricky. Pickett's history against Clemson is wretched. In two prior games, he's just 26-of-55 passing (47.3%) for 217 yards (3.95 yards/pass) with two touchdowns and seven turnovers to go with nine sacks and just two plays of 20 yards or more.

The key to Clemson's past success was the blitz. The Tigers got pressure on Pickett often, and he averaged just 1.29 yards per dropback when the Tigers brought an extra pass-rusher. But this season, as good as Clemson's defense has been, it's gotten pressure on the QB just 32.7% of the time -- the lowest rate since 2014 -- and its sack rate of 6.6% would be the worst of Venables' tenure at Clemson.

The key for both Pickett and Clemson has been to go conservative. Pickett is completing 65% of his passes with 8 TDs and no picks vs. the blitz this year, success coming from quicker, shorter throws. Clemson, meanwhile, has played a bit less aggressively up front and, in turn, has limited big plays down the field. Maintaining that success on both sides requires some patience, however, and that might be the key to finding a winner Saturday.

"Kenny has to be patient," Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said, "He's much more comfortable in the pocket than he was last year, and he can take some downfield shots. But [Clemson's defense] is really good and they're going to get after him."-- David Hale

 

[Leonardfan]

Colorado St vs Utah St - pretty good showcase for some of our guys - CSU TE Trey McBride is one of the best in the NFL. WR Brandon Bowling and LB Justin Rice for Utah St

 

[Red Raider]

Huge game tonight for Reed Blankenship 9 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 PD, 2 FR! On the season he has 64 tackles, 6 TFL, 5 PD, 2 FF, 4 FR, 1 TD. Can’t wait to see this guy in the NFL, realistically he should be one of the best safety prospects in the draft.

 

[white is right]

Les Miles definitely didn't earn his paychecks at Kansas. The new coach Lance Leipold has his work cut out for him in replacing some of the drug-dealing blacks that Miles aided and abetted. But at least the Jayhawks were trying with their next hire.

UConn's athletic department is quite content to be a laughingstock. In fact, it is part of the plan:


Vanderbilt couldn't win any games last year, so they brought in a girl to squib kick for a week of goodwill from the sh*tlib news cycle. UConn can't win any games this year, so they are making their players and coaches wear homosexual uniforms and replacing their marching band with a chorus of catamites.

Yep they take it up the rear every Saturday, now they just have an official homecoming game to make it official...

 

[Leonardfan]

Huge game tonight for Reed Blankenship 9 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 PD, 2 FR! On the season he has 64 tackles, 6 TFL, 5 PD, 2 FF, 4 FR, 1 TD. Can’t wait to see this guy in the NFL, realistically he should be one of the best safety prospects in the draft.

Strong performance! He's a next level talent for sure.

 

[white lightning]

The U of A Wildcats lost again tonight to Washington. They haven't won a game in two years. It was a close game for a change as they only lost 20-16. They
led until late 4th quarter. The only good thing I can say about the Cats is that freshman Will Plummer is finally playing. He was banged up but got healthy while
the magical qb got hurt. The coach won't let him throw the ball though. All short passes or runs. It makes no sense. They haven't won in two years. Open up the game
and who cares if you lose. It's called rebuilding under a new coach. Plummer was a good high school qb. He has potential at 6'1 and he is mobil enough to make plays
with his legs. Take off the training wheels and see what he can do.

 

[northwinds]

Navy with an impressive seven minute opening drive against #2 Cincy with their ‘high school offense’……….all running plays……..

 

[northwinds]

Ridder to TE Wyle (brother to brother) for Cincy’s first score!

 

[Leonardfan]

Ridder to TE Wyle (brother to brother) for Cincy’s first score!

Are you rooting for or against the Bearcats?

 

[northwinds]

Are you rooting for or against the Bearcats?

According to CFs initial team write ups Cincy was starting 7 brothas and Navy 11…….but that was when Cincy was starting a black quarterback. With Ridder at QB, Wyle at TE and a White WR (Pierce?) Cincy looks to be a fairly good rep for us in the playoffs. Navy is kinda fun to watch, but with one win they don’t help our cause. So the simple answer is I’m rooting for the Bearcats………..

 

[Leonardfan]

According to CFs initial team write ups Cincy was starting 7 brothas and Navy 11…….but that was when Cincy was starting a black quarterback. With Ridder at QB, Wyle at TE and a White WR (Pierce?) Cincy looks to be a fairly good rep for us in the playoffs. Navy is kinda fun to watch, but with one win they don’t help our cause. So the simple answer is I’m rooting for the Bearcats………..

Ridder is a quota. Fickell has a "type" when it comes to QBs so I am pulling for the upset.

 

[Leonardfan]

Oklahoma down 10-0 to Kansas is pretty funny.

 

[northwinds]

Ridder is a quota. Fickell has a "type" when it comes to QBs so I am pulling for the upset.

My bad……my initial visual had him as White…….first time watching Cincinnati this year

 

[Leonardfan]

My bad……my initial visual had him as White…….first time watching Cincinnati this year

No problem. Fickell is just another sellout coach.

 

[Red Raider]

Nathan Parodi 80 yard punt return TD for Arkansas! He has 129 punt return yards before halftime.

https://twitter.com/razorbackfb/status/1451963107631378433?s=21