2023 College Football - Week 3: Hidden Gems
Sept 14, 2023 10:03:22 GMT -6
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Post by Uncle on Sept 14, 2023 10:03:22 GMT -6
There will be some weeks on the College Football calendar that you absolutely can't miss: they will be packed with Conference/rivalry matchups between two ranked teams all day long and I often call those weekends "Couch Potato Week" because all you want to do is grab some snacks and a few cold ones and just sit on the couch and soak-in all the great College action, all-day long...
...unfortunately, Week 3 of the 2023 College Football schedule is not one of those weekends...
While next weekend, Week 4, is certainly looking like 2023's 1st "Couch Potato Week" as Conference play starts and there should be several matchups between ranked teams, Week 3 offers zero matchups between ranked teams and very few games even worth tuning into...
...but not all is lost for College Football fans - if you're truly craving some College action, there are a few "hidden gems" that just might be worth cracking open a cold one for...
Saturday, 9/16 - Early Afternoon Games
#15 Kansas St @ Missouri - Noon ET (SEC Network); spread is Kansas St -5
An interesting BIG XII/SEC game between two, 2-0 teams that don't get any national attention. Kansas St is the reigning BIG XII Champion after handing last year's National runner-up, TCU, their only loss in a thrilling OT game for the BIG XII Championship and are led by QB Will Howard, a Day 3 2024 QB prospect who's slowly creeping up Draft boards. Howard has a bigtime physical frame at 6'5", 242 lbs and while he's only played 1/2 a season as a starter, it was a really good 1/2 season and his "steady" performance was one of the reasons why the Wildcats won the BIG XII Championship over TCU. Vikings fans will also want to pay attention to Kansas St OG Cooper Beebe, arguably the top IOL prospect in the 2024 Draft. Beebe would have been an early Rd draft pick in 2023 and at 6'4", 332 lbs with experience at LT and LG, this big, strong, versatile OL will be in high demand next year. On the other side, Missouri was the one team that game last year's National Champions, Georgia, a bigtime scare, taking them all the way to the brink in a 22-26 close loss at Columbia. Tigers QB Brady Cook is a late Day 3/UDFA 2024 QB prospect that has the ability to have a great game and perhaps try to spring the upset here. This one will show us just how real this Kansas St team will be in the BIG XII this year and if they can compete w/ the likes of Texas, along with showcasing a couple potential "hidden gem" QB prospects in the 2024 Draft.
Louisville @ Indiana - Noon ET (BTN) - game at Lucas Oil Stadium; spread is Louisville -10
This game has a few interesting storylines that might make it worth watching if the Kansas St/Missouri game turns out to be a "clunker". First, Louisville HC Jeff Brohm was the former HC at Purdue, located in Indiana, so this is somewhat of a mini "return" game for Brohm and some Indiana fans may want a little "revenge" for him leaving Purdue for Louisville. The second thing is Brohm's high-octane offense has been a success for the Cardinals so far in 2023 in wins @ Georgia Tech and vs Murray St, but Indiana's defense has been really solid, holding Ohio St down nearly the whole game and beating down on a hapless Indiana St team. It's basically the the 'ol "unstoppable force" (Louisville offense) vs "immoveable object" (Indiana defense) cliche and we'll see which version will will come out on top this time. A couple of "hidden gem" 2024 Draft prospects in this one to watch: Louisville WR Jamari Thrash (transfer from Georgia St) and Indiana LB Aaron Casey.
Saturday, 9/16 - Mid-Afternoon Games
South Carolina @ #1 Georgia - 3:30PM ET (CBS); spread is Georgia -27.5
The SEC East is probably looking at a bit of a "down" season with only Tennessee as the only other ranked SEC East team outside of Georgia, so all signs point to Georgia "crusing" through their schedule until they get to the big game @ Tennessee on 11/18...but, we thought the same thing last year until they traveled to Columbia where Missouri gave them a bigtime scare, and this game has that sorta feel to it where the Gamecocks could certainly put a "scare" into Georgia. South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler has continued his solid QB play from when he started to take off late in the 2022 season and I thought he even out-dueled UNC QB Drake Maye in their Week 1 battle, even though the Tarheels came out on top. The problem Rattler is going to have in this one is that South Carolina's OL isn't very good (he was sacked 9 times in that Week 1 contest vs UNC) and Georgia once again boasts some "monsters" in the trenches. We'll get a peek at just how real Georgia's chances of winning another National Championship are - can they cover a bigtime spread vs an opponent with a viable 2024 Draft QB prospect? The Gamecocks stunned then #3 Georgia in Athens in 2019 (the picture above of a South Carolina player "munching" on the infamous hedges occurred after that upset) and although I'm not predicting a similar result here, I do think it's very possible that the Bulldogs don't cover this spread and this game is closer than Vegas thinks.
Western Kentucky @ #6 Ohio St - 4PM ET (FOX); spread is Ohio St. -29
The Buckeyes offense under QB Kyle McCord hasn't really taken off yet and they get another "tune-up" game vs the Hilltoppers...but I don't see Western Kentucky lying down that easily. The Hilltoppers are 2-0 and have a 2024 Draft QB prospect of their own, Austin Reed, who likes to pass early and often. There's no way the Western Kentucky OL will be able to matchup against Ohio St's DL that features some legit 2024 Draft prospects (notably Michael Hall, Jr.) so look for a quicker, "Air Raid" style passing attack from Western Kentucky to keep the chains moving and "eat clock" to keep the Buckeyes offense off the field. Ohio St has a massive matchup next week vs Notre Dame (part of Week 4's "Couch Potato Week") and it's very possible they could get caught looking ahead a little bit and take their foot off the pedal, especially in the 1st half. I do see the Buckeyes pulling away in the 2nd half, but I'm not 100% certain they'll cover that massive spread.
Saturday, 9/16 - Evening Games
#11 Tennessee @ Florida - 7PM ET (ESPN); spread is Tennessee -6.5
I mentioned earlier that the SEC East isn't looking as deep as it was the past few seasons so Georgia may not have much competition in 2023, so it's critical that the one ranked team in the SEC East other than Georgia, which is Tennessee, continue to win, too. Neither of these teams has looked that great so far in 2022 as the Volunteers under the helm of QB Joe Milton III don't seem to be quite a lethal as last year's under Hendon Hooker. Milton has made a few waves in terms of a 2024 Draft prospect, but it's been more around his cannon arm more than anything else. His arm aside, I want to see how Milton manages the Volunteer offense: can he move chains and lead an offense vs. just throw 80+ yds downfield? Can Milton read defenses pre/post snap and go through progressions to find an open receiver? How athletic is he outside the pocket? The Florida defense may give Heupel's offense a few fits during this game and I wouldn't be surprised if the Gators pull this off if their QB, Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz, has a lights-out performance. A potential "hidden game" 2024 Draft prospect to watchin this one is Tennessee LB Aaron Beasley.
Pittsburgh @ West Virginia - 7:30PM ET (ABC); "Backyard Brawl" game; spread is Pitt -1
Even though there are really no "stars" or notable 2024 Draft prospects on either side, these "Backyard Brawl" rivalry games are always entertaining to watch. Last year's game opened Week 1 of the 2022 season and was terrific, with Pitt coming from behind in dramatic fashion and winning on an INT Pick-6. Last year's game was in Pittsburgh so West Virginia will be looking for a bit of revenge and you know Morgantown is going to be rockin' for this one. Even though there doesn't seem to be any Day 1 talent on either team, Pittsburgh does have two CB's that could be worth keeping an eye on: CB MJ Devonshire and CB AJ Woods.
BYU @ Arkansas - 7:30PM ET (ESPN2); spread is Arkansas -8
Another BIG XII/SEC matchup (the other one being Kansas St/Missouri) as many people may not realize that BYU joined the BIG XII in 2023. Last year's game featured Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson outdueling BYU QB Jaren Hall as the game featured no defense in a 52-35 win for the Razorbacks. Jaren Hall is currently with the Vikings and current BYU QB Kedon Slovis (former USC/Pitt QB) is known more for ball-control vs opening it up. KJ Jefferson is still in Arkansas and it will be interesting to see how he's developed; he was basically just your typical college running QB that can't read a defense for throw with too much accuracy, but he had his moments in 2022 and that BYU road win was certainly one of them, along with a very entertaining Bowl game with Kansas where he dueled with Kansas QB Jalon Daniels. I currently have Jefferson as a Day 3 QB, but if he develops his passing game, it's possible he could get into Day 2 territory.
Georgia Tech @ #17 Ole Miss - 7:30PM ET (SEC Network); spread is Ole Miss -19
Just like Ohio St could get caught peeking ahead to a bigtime Week 4 matchup with Notre Dame, the Rebels have a bigtime SEC West battle @ Alabama during Week 4 and Georgia Tech isn't a team that Ole Miss can take it easy on. The Yellowjackets nearly beat Louisville Week 1 and have former Texas A&M QB Hayes King playing well for them as they have finally found a passing attack after years of running the Triple Option offense that Navy/Army run. The strength of the Yellowjackets D is their secondary and could prove to give Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart some issues if they can't get their running game going. Dart made some key throws late in the big win @ Tulane last week and he needs to keep the momentum going to start to climb up Draft boards ahead of the Week 4 game vs the Crimson Tide.
Saturday, 9/16 - Late Night Game
Colorado St @ #18 Colorado - 10PM ET (ESPN); spread is Colorado -22.5
The Buffaloes are nearly "must-see-TV" with "Coach Prime", his son QB Shedeur Sanders and two-way player WR/CB Travis Hunter. Coach Prime has the Buffaloes as the "it" team of the young 2023 College season and after two Noon ET kickoffs in Week 1 and Week 2, Deion is back where he belongs, in "Prime Time" - at least to those in the Mountain/Western time zones. If you haven't checked out QB Shedeur Sanders or WR/CB Travis Hunter, they're worth staying up late for.
...unfortunately, Week 3 of the 2023 College Football schedule is not one of those weekends...
While next weekend, Week 4, is certainly looking like 2023's 1st "Couch Potato Week" as Conference play starts and there should be several matchups between ranked teams, Week 3 offers zero matchups between ranked teams and very few games even worth tuning into...
...but not all is lost for College Football fans - if you're truly craving some College action, there are a few "hidden gems" that just might be worth cracking open a cold one for...
Saturday, 9/16 - Early Afternoon Games
#15 Kansas St @ Missouri - Noon ET (SEC Network); spread is Kansas St -5
An interesting BIG XII/SEC game between two, 2-0 teams that don't get any national attention. Kansas St is the reigning BIG XII Champion after handing last year's National runner-up, TCU, their only loss in a thrilling OT game for the BIG XII Championship and are led by QB Will Howard, a Day 3 2024 QB prospect who's slowly creeping up Draft boards. Howard has a bigtime physical frame at 6'5", 242 lbs and while he's only played 1/2 a season as a starter, it was a really good 1/2 season and his "steady" performance was one of the reasons why the Wildcats won the BIG XII Championship over TCU. Vikings fans will also want to pay attention to Kansas St OG Cooper Beebe, arguably the top IOL prospect in the 2024 Draft. Beebe would have been an early Rd draft pick in 2023 and at 6'4", 332 lbs with experience at LT and LG, this big, strong, versatile OL will be in high demand next year. On the other side, Missouri was the one team that game last year's National Champions, Georgia, a bigtime scare, taking them all the way to the brink in a 22-26 close loss at Columbia. Tigers QB Brady Cook is a late Day 3/UDFA 2024 QB prospect that has the ability to have a great game and perhaps try to spring the upset here. This one will show us just how real this Kansas St team will be in the BIG XII this year and if they can compete w/ the likes of Texas, along with showcasing a couple potential "hidden gem" QB prospects in the 2024 Draft.
Louisville @ Indiana - Noon ET (BTN) - game at Lucas Oil Stadium; spread is Louisville -10
This game has a few interesting storylines that might make it worth watching if the Kansas St/Missouri game turns out to be a "clunker". First, Louisville HC Jeff Brohm was the former HC at Purdue, located in Indiana, so this is somewhat of a mini "return" game for Brohm and some Indiana fans may want a little "revenge" for him leaving Purdue for Louisville. The second thing is Brohm's high-octane offense has been a success for the Cardinals so far in 2023 in wins @ Georgia Tech and vs Murray St, but Indiana's defense has been really solid, holding Ohio St down nearly the whole game and beating down on a hapless Indiana St team. It's basically the the 'ol "unstoppable force" (Louisville offense) vs "immoveable object" (Indiana defense) cliche and we'll see which version will will come out on top this time. A couple of "hidden gem" 2024 Draft prospects in this one to watch: Louisville WR Jamari Thrash (transfer from Georgia St) and Indiana LB Aaron Casey.
Saturday, 9/16 - Mid-Afternoon Games
South Carolina @ #1 Georgia - 3:30PM ET (CBS); spread is Georgia -27.5
The SEC East is probably looking at a bit of a "down" season with only Tennessee as the only other ranked SEC East team outside of Georgia, so all signs point to Georgia "crusing" through their schedule until they get to the big game @ Tennessee on 11/18...but, we thought the same thing last year until they traveled to Columbia where Missouri gave them a bigtime scare, and this game has that sorta feel to it where the Gamecocks could certainly put a "scare" into Georgia. South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler has continued his solid QB play from when he started to take off late in the 2022 season and I thought he even out-dueled UNC QB Drake Maye in their Week 1 battle, even though the Tarheels came out on top. The problem Rattler is going to have in this one is that South Carolina's OL isn't very good (he was sacked 9 times in that Week 1 contest vs UNC) and Georgia once again boasts some "monsters" in the trenches. We'll get a peek at just how real Georgia's chances of winning another National Championship are - can they cover a bigtime spread vs an opponent with a viable 2024 Draft QB prospect? The Gamecocks stunned then #3 Georgia in Athens in 2019 (the picture above of a South Carolina player "munching" on the infamous hedges occurred after that upset) and although I'm not predicting a similar result here, I do think it's very possible that the Bulldogs don't cover this spread and this game is closer than Vegas thinks.
Western Kentucky @ #6 Ohio St - 4PM ET (FOX); spread is Ohio St. -29
The Buckeyes offense under QB Kyle McCord hasn't really taken off yet and they get another "tune-up" game vs the Hilltoppers...but I don't see Western Kentucky lying down that easily. The Hilltoppers are 2-0 and have a 2024 Draft QB prospect of their own, Austin Reed, who likes to pass early and often. There's no way the Western Kentucky OL will be able to matchup against Ohio St's DL that features some legit 2024 Draft prospects (notably Michael Hall, Jr.) so look for a quicker, "Air Raid" style passing attack from Western Kentucky to keep the chains moving and "eat clock" to keep the Buckeyes offense off the field. Ohio St has a massive matchup next week vs Notre Dame (part of Week 4's "Couch Potato Week") and it's very possible they could get caught looking ahead a little bit and take their foot off the pedal, especially in the 1st half. I do see the Buckeyes pulling away in the 2nd half, but I'm not 100% certain they'll cover that massive spread.
Saturday, 9/16 - Evening Games
#11 Tennessee @ Florida - 7PM ET (ESPN); spread is Tennessee -6.5
I mentioned earlier that the SEC East isn't looking as deep as it was the past few seasons so Georgia may not have much competition in 2023, so it's critical that the one ranked team in the SEC East other than Georgia, which is Tennessee, continue to win, too. Neither of these teams has looked that great so far in 2022 as the Volunteers under the helm of QB Joe Milton III don't seem to be quite a lethal as last year's under Hendon Hooker. Milton has made a few waves in terms of a 2024 Draft prospect, but it's been more around his cannon arm more than anything else. His arm aside, I want to see how Milton manages the Volunteer offense: can he move chains and lead an offense vs. just throw 80+ yds downfield? Can Milton read defenses pre/post snap and go through progressions to find an open receiver? How athletic is he outside the pocket? The Florida defense may give Heupel's offense a few fits during this game and I wouldn't be surprised if the Gators pull this off if their QB, Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz, has a lights-out performance. A potential "hidden game" 2024 Draft prospect to watchin this one is Tennessee LB Aaron Beasley.
Pittsburgh @ West Virginia - 7:30PM ET (ABC); "Backyard Brawl" game; spread is Pitt -1
Even though there are really no "stars" or notable 2024 Draft prospects on either side, these "Backyard Brawl" rivalry games are always entertaining to watch. Last year's game opened Week 1 of the 2022 season and was terrific, with Pitt coming from behind in dramatic fashion and winning on an INT Pick-6. Last year's game was in Pittsburgh so West Virginia will be looking for a bit of revenge and you know Morgantown is going to be rockin' for this one. Even though there doesn't seem to be any Day 1 talent on either team, Pittsburgh does have two CB's that could be worth keeping an eye on: CB MJ Devonshire and CB AJ Woods.
BYU @ Arkansas - 7:30PM ET (ESPN2); spread is Arkansas -8
Another BIG XII/SEC matchup (the other one being Kansas St/Missouri) as many people may not realize that BYU joined the BIG XII in 2023. Last year's game featured Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson outdueling BYU QB Jaren Hall as the game featured no defense in a 52-35 win for the Razorbacks. Jaren Hall is currently with the Vikings and current BYU QB Kedon Slovis (former USC/Pitt QB) is known more for ball-control vs opening it up. KJ Jefferson is still in Arkansas and it will be interesting to see how he's developed; he was basically just your typical college running QB that can't read a defense for throw with too much accuracy, but he had his moments in 2022 and that BYU road win was certainly one of them, along with a very entertaining Bowl game with Kansas where he dueled with Kansas QB Jalon Daniels. I currently have Jefferson as a Day 3 QB, but if he develops his passing game, it's possible he could get into Day 2 territory.
Georgia Tech @ #17 Ole Miss - 7:30PM ET (SEC Network); spread is Ole Miss -19
Just like Ohio St could get caught peeking ahead to a bigtime Week 4 matchup with Notre Dame, the Rebels have a bigtime SEC West battle @ Alabama during Week 4 and Georgia Tech isn't a team that Ole Miss can take it easy on. The Yellowjackets nearly beat Louisville Week 1 and have former Texas A&M QB Hayes King playing well for them as they have finally found a passing attack after years of running the Triple Option offense that Navy/Army run. The strength of the Yellowjackets D is their secondary and could prove to give Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart some issues if they can't get their running game going. Dart made some key throws late in the big win @ Tulane last week and he needs to keep the momentum going to start to climb up Draft boards ahead of the Week 4 game vs the Crimson Tide.
Saturday, 9/16 - Late Night Game
Colorado St @ #18 Colorado - 10PM ET (ESPN); spread is Colorado -22.5
The Buffaloes are nearly "must-see-TV" with "Coach Prime", his son QB Shedeur Sanders and two-way player WR/CB Travis Hunter. Coach Prime has the Buffaloes as the "it" team of the young 2023 College season and after two Noon ET kickoffs in Week 1 and Week 2, Deion is back where he belongs, in "Prime Time" - at least to those in the Mountain/Western time zones. If you haven't checked out QB Shedeur Sanders or WR/CB Travis Hunter, they're worth staying up late for.
... and neither is this Chris guy.