It has arrived. We are dealing with 90-plus-degree heat still, but the first full college football Saturday is here. The games started last weekend like normal, but today is the day we all rejoice in -- until our teams start playing and make us pull our hair out. I hope Virginia doesn't leave coal in my stocking.
Here are the ACC scores so far and some other interesting/tight results:
Thursday: Wake Forest 23, Tulane 17 (OT); Northwestern 31, Purdue 27
Friday: Duke 34, Army 14; Syracuse 55, Western Michigan 42; No. 11 Michigan State 38, Utah State 31
Aug. 25: Hawaii 43, Colorado State 34
Now on to some picks for the rest of this weekend's games. Like last year, I'll mostly keep it to just picks, and less words.
Last year's picks record: 94-47 (.667)
Saturday
Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech in Houston, Noon ESPN
Texas Tech 34, Ole Miss 31
James Madison at N.C. State, Noon ESPNU
N.C. State 31, James Madison 21
Massachusetts at Boston College, 1 p.m. ACC Network
Boston College 34, UMass 17
National game of the week
No. 6 Washington vs. No. 9 Auburn in Atlanta, 3:30 p.m. ABC
Auburn 27, Washington 24
No. 17 West Virginia vs. Tennessee in Charlotte, 3:30 p.m. CBS
West Virginia 30, Tennessee 21
North Carolina at California, 4 p.m. Fox
Cal 38, UNC 36
Old Dominion at Liberty, 6 p.m. ESPN3
ODU 31, Liberty 26
No. 14 Michigan at No. 12 Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m. NBC
Notre Dame 23, Michigan 20
Louisville vs. No. 1 Alabama in Orlando, 8 p.m. ABC
Alabama 38, Louisville 17
Sunday
No. 8 Miami vs. No. 25 LSU in Arlington, 7:30 p.m. ABC
Miami 27, LSU 23
Monday
No. 20 Virginia Tech at No. 19 Florida State, 8 p.m. ESPN
Florida State 33, Virginia Tech 26
Richmond at Virginia, 6 p.m. ACC Network/ESPN3
The talk and prognostication is over, and it is time to unwrap the first package from Virginia this season. Will it be something we want, or something that stinks?
You might recall the 2016 home opener, the first game of the season, the debut for Bronco Mendenhall. But maybe you've blocked it from your memory if you are a Virginia fan. It did not go well for the 'Hoos. The Spiders came to town and straight up embarrassed the Cavaliers, 37-20, and it wasn't that close as at one point, it was 30-7. Much has changed, though. Virginia looks more competent now. Even in 2016, UVa won two games, but it looked much better after that loss to the Spiders, for the most part. And yeah, last year didn't end well, but UVa opened with a comfortable 28-10 win over William & Mary and finished with six wins to get to a bowl game while starting 5-1 and winning at Boise State, and the Broncos finished with 11 wins. Accomplishments all. And that Tribe team was not good, and Richmond struggled a little to beat it. UVa did not blow out W&M, but it never felt like the Tribe had a legitimate chance.
Richmond won 10 games in 2016 but went just 6-5 a year ago with coach Russ Huesman in his
first season. QB Kyle Lauletta, probably the best signal-caller in UR history, was drafted by the Giants, so the Spiders turn to Kevin Johnson, who redshirted last season but had some good and some not-as-good moments as he filled in for an injured Lauletta in three 2016 games. He has a strong arm, but is not the same caliber of pocket passer that Lauletta is.
So this Richmond team isn't the one that beat Virginia, and UVa has grown in many ways, too. The Spiders' strength is its receiving corps, with Tyler Wilkins leading the way, but the Cavs have a good secondary. Also, UVa is thin on the defensive line, but Richmond is breaking in new starters on its offensive line.
It's always a big if, but if Virginia can limit turnovers, it will win. But if Virginia fools around, gets off to a slow start and gives the Spiders reason to believe, Richmond will absolutely make this a game and maybe win. We know that all too well as Wahoos fans. I am hopeful but still very skeptical about this new-look Virginia offense. Excited for Bryce Perkins but tempering my expectations because this is, well, this is Virginia football and nothing seems to come easy. But if the 'Hoos come out confident, focused, and maybe a little angry from what happened two seasons ago, and limit the turnovers (aka, limit mistakes on read-option plays where the handoff didn't happen but should've or vice versa and the ball is fumbled), the Cavaliers will prevail, perhaps easily. But I'm going to split the difference as this Virginia team gets its feet wet and call for a modest Cavaliers victory.
Virginia 24, Richmond 17
Here are the ACC scores so far and some other interesting/tight results:
Thursday: Wake Forest 23, Tulane 17 (OT); Northwestern 31, Purdue 27
Friday: Duke 34, Army 14; Syracuse 55, Western Michigan 42; No. 11 Michigan State 38, Utah State 31
Aug. 25: Hawaii 43, Colorado State 34
Now on to some picks for the rest of this weekend's games. Like last year, I'll mostly keep it to just picks, and less words.
Last year's picks record: 94-47 (.667)
Saturday
Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech in Houston, Noon ESPN
Texas Tech 34, Ole Miss 31
James Madison at N.C. State, Noon ESPNU
N.C. State 31, James Madison 21
Massachusetts at Boston College, 1 p.m. ACC Network
Boston College 34, UMass 17
National game of the week
No. 6 Washington vs. No. 9 Auburn in Atlanta, 3:30 p.m. ABC
Auburn 27, Washington 24
No. 17 West Virginia vs. Tennessee in Charlotte, 3:30 p.m. CBS
West Virginia 30, Tennessee 21
North Carolina at California, 4 p.m. Fox
Cal 38, UNC 36
Old Dominion at Liberty, 6 p.m. ESPN3
ODU 31, Liberty 26
No. 14 Michigan at No. 12 Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m. NBC
Notre Dame 23, Michigan 20
Louisville vs. No. 1 Alabama in Orlando, 8 p.m. ABC
Alabama 38, Louisville 17
Sunday
No. 8 Miami vs. No. 25 LSU in Arlington, 7:30 p.m. ABC
Miami 27, LSU 23
Monday
No. 20 Virginia Tech at No. 19 Florida State, 8 p.m. ESPN
Florida State 33, Virginia Tech 26
Richmond at Virginia, 6 p.m. ACC Network/ESPN3
The talk and prognostication is over, and it is time to unwrap the first package from Virginia this season. Will it be something we want, or something that stinks?
You might recall the 2016 home opener, the first game of the season, the debut for Bronco Mendenhall. But maybe you've blocked it from your memory if you are a Virginia fan. It did not go well for the 'Hoos. The Spiders came to town and straight up embarrassed the Cavaliers, 37-20, and it wasn't that close as at one point, it was 30-7. Much has changed, though. Virginia looks more competent now. Even in 2016, UVa won two games, but it looked much better after that loss to the Spiders, for the most part. And yeah, last year didn't end well, but UVa opened with a comfortable 28-10 win over William & Mary and finished with six wins to get to a bowl game while starting 5-1 and winning at Boise State, and the Broncos finished with 11 wins. Accomplishments all. And that Tribe team was not good, and Richmond struggled a little to beat it. UVa did not blow out W&M, but it never felt like the Tribe had a legitimate chance.
Richmond won 10 games in 2016 but went just 6-5 a year ago with coach Russ Huesman in his
So this Richmond team isn't the one that beat Virginia, and UVa has grown in many ways, too. The Spiders' strength is its receiving corps, with Tyler Wilkins leading the way, but the Cavs have a good secondary. Also, UVa is thin on the defensive line, but Richmond is breaking in new starters on its offensive line.
It's always a big if, but if Virginia can limit turnovers, it will win. But if Virginia fools around, gets off to a slow start and gives the Spiders reason to believe, Richmond will absolutely make this a game and maybe win. We know that all too well as Wahoos fans. I am hopeful but still very skeptical about this new-look Virginia offense. Excited for Bryce Perkins but tempering my expectations because this is, well, this is Virginia football and nothing seems to come easy. But if the 'Hoos come out confident, focused, and maybe a little angry from what happened two seasons ago, and limit the turnovers (aka, limit mistakes on read-option plays where the handoff didn't happen but should've or vice versa and the ball is fumbled), the Cavaliers will prevail, perhaps easily. But I'm going to split the difference as this Virginia team gets its feet wet and call for a modest Cavaliers victory.
Virginia 24, Richmond 17
Nice record last year! Impressive!
ReplyDeleteIt was actually worse than normal. Past two years before that, I was at 70 percent.
ReplyDelete