2024 College Football - Week 4: Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks
Sept 20, 2024 14:30:19 GMT -6
legendsofthenorth likes this
Post by Uncle on Sept 20, 2024 14:30:19 GMT -6
After Week 4, the College Football "Regular" Season will already be 1/3 complete which seems odd because the weather is still relatively warm, the calendar hasn't turned to October and many teams have yet to play an in-Conference game...
...until now. Week 4 marks the kick-off of Conference games for most teams, and with Conference realignment, we're getting several new and interesting Conference matchups that normally we wouldn't see until Bowl season rolled around...
Standford vs Syracuse in the ACC...Utah vs Oklahoma St in the BIG XII...Tennessee vs Oklahoma in the SEC...USC vs Michigan in the BIG10...
It's like teaching "old dogs new tricks"...
...and hopefully these new Conference matchups will deliver some great, "Regular Season" action, similar to how these matchups provided a bigtime New Year's Day Bowl game atmosphere in year's past.
Friday, September 20th - Evening Games
Stanford @ Syracuse - 7:30PM ET (ESPN); spread is Syracuse -8.5
For the second consecutive Friday we get a decent slate of games. First, we get Stanford playing a "Conference" game in the Atlantic Coast Conference (key words there being "Atlantic Coast") even when the Syracuse campus is 2,800+ miles away. If you thought teams were at a disadvantage flying across country in the NFL, get ready for similar-style matchups in College as Conference realignment will start to rear its ugly head on schedules. I'm actually surprised the line isn't double-digits with the cross-country trip and how well Syracuse has started the season. The Orange are led by former Ohio St QB Kyle McCord, who's off to a solid start: 735 passing yds, 8 TD's and 1 INT in just two games, one of them being a win at home vs a ranked Georgia Tech team. Stanford QB Ashton Daniels is solid, and while I do think the Cardinal will be stronger in 2025 if Daniels stays an extra year, the 2024 season might be a bit of a "building" year for Stanford's first year in the ACC and the 'Cuse should win this one in the Dome. Still though, this should be a decent watch between two, up-and-coming ACC teams.
#24 Illinois @ #22 Nebraska - 8PM ET (FOX); spread is Nebraska -7.5
The primetime game on Friday night features two teams that no one expected to enter this matchup ranked, and for Nebraska, it's the first time they've cracked the Top 25 rankings in 8 years. The Cornhuskers are led by Freshman phenom QB Dylan Raiola, who lived up to the hype in their big win vs Coach Prime and Colorado during Week 2, but honestly, it's been the Cornhusker defense that has really led the way as they haven't given up more than 10 pts yet this season through 3 games. But tough defense is what Illinois is all about as a high-powered Kansas found out when they went into Champaign ranked a few weeks ago and left unranked. Defense travels well and it should keep Illinois in this early-season tough matchup in the BIG10, and if this game was being played in Champaign, I might have to favor the Fighting Illini, but the "Sea of Red" in Lincoln is a tough place to play, especially when the 'Huskers are good, and they certainly seem to be. It should be a old-fashioned BIG10 "grind-it" style game between two stout defenses and we'll see if Raiola has what it takes in this "black-n-blue" matchup.
Friday, September 20th - Late Game
San Jose St @ Washington St - 10PM ET (CW Network); spread is Washington St -13
Normally a game between two unranked teams late on a Friday night is probably not worth your time to stay up for if you aren't a fan of either team, but this is a nice matchup between two 3-0 teams that could be entertaining. Last week during "Rivalry Week 1.0", the Cougars got a measure of revenge against their in-state Huskie rivals and captured the "Apple Cup" so they have plenty of momentum heading back to "The Palouse" in Pullman, being led by QB John Mateer who's rushed & passed the Cougars to victories over Texas Tech and Washington so far this season. But the Spartans, under former Navy HC Ken Niumatalolo, have had an unexpected offensive explosion so far this season that's been the primary factor for their undefeated start with a victory over MWC foe Air Force. San Jose St WR Nick Nash leads the nation with 6 TD's and set the program-record for receptions in Week 3 with 17 receptions for 225 yds and 3 TD's. If you find yourself unable to sleep on Friday night, turn on this one and you could see an exciting, late-night barnburner.
Saturday, September 21st - Early Afternoon Game
NC State @ #21 Clemson - Noon ET (ABC); spread is Clemson -18.5
There's not much going on in the early afternoon slate and the real action on Saturday doesn't start until the mid-afternoon, and the only matchup worth paying attention to is this ACC matchup between the Wolfpack and Tigers. NC State was destroyed by Tennessee in Raleigh during Week 2 and fell out of the Top 25. They could potentially get back in if they pull-off a road win in Death Valley, a place they haven't won a game since 2002 when Phillip Rivers was QB'ing the Wolfpack. NC Sate QB Grayson McCall is questionable for this game and if he can't go, it'll be a Freshman QB starting for the first time in Death Valley, and even if McCall does go, I'm not sure I see the Wolfpack competing for the entire game. It's possible they keep it close at the half, but unless the Tigers stumble - which they certainly have been known to do the last few years - I don't think this came is within 2 TD's.
Saturday, September 21st - Late Afternoon Games
#11 USC @ #18 Michigan - 3:30PM ET (CBS); spread is USC -4.5
Normally we wouldn't see a game between these two schools until New Year's Day in the "Granddaddy of them all" - the Rose Bowl, but as previously-mentioned, we're now teaching "old dogs" some "new tricks" and we get to see matchups like this throughout the Regular Season. Michgian had a bigtime game already in the "Big House" and they were thumped by the newly-crowned #1 team in the nation, Texas. The Wolverine defense - with it's 2025 Rd 1 talent on defense - was helpless in that 1st half as the Longhorns marched up and down the field at-will. Now, Michigan gets a second bit of the apple as another high-powered offense comes to town: Lincoln Riley's Trojans led by QB Miller Moss. The Trojans have quickly risen in the rankings to just outside the Top 10 afteir their Week 1 win vs LSU. The name of the game for the Wolverines should be the same as when Texas came to town: their defense has to come up big and stop the high-powered offense on the other side because Michigan simply doesn't have the firepower on offense to keep up in shootouts. They are still having issues passing the ball and will need to continue relying on their rushing game led by RB Donovan Edwards to control the clock, move the chains and keep the Trojan offense on the sidelines. I'll have my eye out on both Michigan DT's - Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant - because both need some good game tape vs a ranked team to keep them in Rd 1 conversation in the 2025 Draft.
#12 Utah @ #14 Oklahoma St - 4PM ET (FOX); spread is Utah -1
Another interesting Conference matchup between two ranked teams that played in different Conferences last year. The Utes were early-season favorites to win the BIG XII under a bunch of returning players, especially 7-yr College veterans QB Cam Rising and TE Brant Kuithe. How important is Rising to Utah's chances? The Cowboys opened up the week as favorites, but after Utah announced Rising will return for this one after suffering a finger injury in Week 2, the Utes are now 1-pt favorites on the road in Stillwater. Rising's presence keeps the Utah offense balanced as he can pass the ball effectively to move the chains as much as on the ground. The Cowboys needed 2OT's at home vs a tough Arkansas team last weekend and they'll get more of the same this weekend with a very tough Utah team. Both head coaches - Kyle Whittingham at Utah and Mike Gundy at Oklahoma St - are some of the longest-tenured head coaches at one school in the FBS and what makes this matchup so attractive is the differences on coaching styles: Whittingham is known for a ball-controlled offense and a tough/hard-nosed defense, while Gundy is known for his up-tempo offenses and more opportunistic defenses. I think turnovers will ultimately decide this one and if Utah gets extra possessions, I think they'll end up winning this one and taking an early command of the BIG XII.
Saturday, September 21st - Evening Game
#6 Tennessee @ #15 Oklahoma - 7:30PM ET (ABC); spread is Tennessee -7
The primetime matchup of Week 4 is a good one as one of the storylines of this is Tennessee HC Josh Heupel's return to Norman. Heupel was all-the-rage in Norman in 2000 when he QB'd the Sooners team coached by Bob Stoops to an undefeated season and National Championship victory over FSU in the Orange Bowl. That season, Heupel was named BIG XII Offensive Player of the Year, named an All-American, AP Player of the Year, and a Walter Camp Award winner. That 2000 season was the last time Oklahoma won a National Championshp and they've been trying to get back there every since, with Bob Stoops and Lincoln Riley unable to get them back. Current Sooner HC Brent Venables has them going in the right direction and is more-balanced than his predecessor, Lincoln Riley, who could never field a decent defense. The problem for Venables and the Sooners is they might not have the firepower on either side of the ball to hang with Heupel's high-powered Tennessee offense, which looks to be on another Hendon Hooker-style run like they did two years ago in 2022. Volunteers Redshirt Freshman phenom QB Nico Iamaleava is leading a Tennessee offense that is leading the nation in pts-per-game at 63.7, and the entire offense is averaging 8.1 yards-per-play. Yes, Brent Venables was known for really good defenses during his time as a DC in Clemson and while he did pull-off an upset in the "Red Rivalry Game" vs Texas last season (The Longhorns only defeat until the National Semifinals vs Washington), he had QB Dillon Gabriel playing for him which he doesn't have in 2024. If the Sooners and Veables pull this one off, it might be just as memorable in Norman as Heupel's 2000 undefeated season.
Saturday, September 21st - Late Night Game
#13 Kansas St @ BYU - 10:30PM ET (ESPN); spread is Kansas St -7
The Wildcats are coming off a big win last Friday the 13th vs Arizona and even though Arizona is currently a member of the BIG XII, that game wasn't considered a BIG XII Conference matchup because it was scheduled at a time when both were in different Conferences. So they'll travel to Provo and face-off against the undefeated Cougars, who already have two, decent road wins under their belt: @ SMU and @ Wyoming. The winner of the Utah/Oklahoma St matchup earlier in the day will have an early-command of the BIG XII, but the winner of this game will join them at the top of the Conference in a wide-open race this season. On paper, the Wildcats have a bit too much firepower in all three phases, but this feels like an upset waiting to happen and BYU QB Jake Retzlaff has played relatively well, considering 2 out of his first 3 games were on the road. I feel like Kansas St QB Avery Johnson is going to need to be a bit more explosive passing the ball than he's shown so far and if he's not, the Cougars might be "King of the Mountain" in the BIG XII.
...until now. Week 4 marks the kick-off of Conference games for most teams, and with Conference realignment, we're getting several new and interesting Conference matchups that normally we wouldn't see until Bowl season rolled around...
Standford vs Syracuse in the ACC...Utah vs Oklahoma St in the BIG XII...Tennessee vs Oklahoma in the SEC...USC vs Michigan in the BIG10...
It's like teaching "old dogs new tricks"...
...and hopefully these new Conference matchups will deliver some great, "Regular Season" action, similar to how these matchups provided a bigtime New Year's Day Bowl game atmosphere in year's past.
Friday, September 20th - Evening Games
Stanford @ Syracuse - 7:30PM ET (ESPN); spread is Syracuse -8.5
For the second consecutive Friday we get a decent slate of games. First, we get Stanford playing a "Conference" game in the Atlantic Coast Conference (key words there being "Atlantic Coast") even when the Syracuse campus is 2,800+ miles away. If you thought teams were at a disadvantage flying across country in the NFL, get ready for similar-style matchups in College as Conference realignment will start to rear its ugly head on schedules. I'm actually surprised the line isn't double-digits with the cross-country trip and how well Syracuse has started the season. The Orange are led by former Ohio St QB Kyle McCord, who's off to a solid start: 735 passing yds, 8 TD's and 1 INT in just two games, one of them being a win at home vs a ranked Georgia Tech team. Stanford QB Ashton Daniels is solid, and while I do think the Cardinal will be stronger in 2025 if Daniels stays an extra year, the 2024 season might be a bit of a "building" year for Stanford's first year in the ACC and the 'Cuse should win this one in the Dome. Still though, this should be a decent watch between two, up-and-coming ACC teams.
#24 Illinois @ #22 Nebraska - 8PM ET (FOX); spread is Nebraska -7.5
The primetime game on Friday night features two teams that no one expected to enter this matchup ranked, and for Nebraska, it's the first time they've cracked the Top 25 rankings in 8 years. The Cornhuskers are led by Freshman phenom QB Dylan Raiola, who lived up to the hype in their big win vs Coach Prime and Colorado during Week 2, but honestly, it's been the Cornhusker defense that has really led the way as they haven't given up more than 10 pts yet this season through 3 games. But tough defense is what Illinois is all about as a high-powered Kansas found out when they went into Champaign ranked a few weeks ago and left unranked. Defense travels well and it should keep Illinois in this early-season tough matchup in the BIG10, and if this game was being played in Champaign, I might have to favor the Fighting Illini, but the "Sea of Red" in Lincoln is a tough place to play, especially when the 'Huskers are good, and they certainly seem to be. It should be a old-fashioned BIG10 "grind-it" style game between two stout defenses and we'll see if Raiola has what it takes in this "black-n-blue" matchup.
Friday, September 20th - Late Game
San Jose St @ Washington St - 10PM ET (CW Network); spread is Washington St -13
Normally a game between two unranked teams late on a Friday night is probably not worth your time to stay up for if you aren't a fan of either team, but this is a nice matchup between two 3-0 teams that could be entertaining. Last week during "Rivalry Week 1.0", the Cougars got a measure of revenge against their in-state Huskie rivals and captured the "Apple Cup" so they have plenty of momentum heading back to "The Palouse" in Pullman, being led by QB John Mateer who's rushed & passed the Cougars to victories over Texas Tech and Washington so far this season. But the Spartans, under former Navy HC Ken Niumatalolo, have had an unexpected offensive explosion so far this season that's been the primary factor for their undefeated start with a victory over MWC foe Air Force. San Jose St WR Nick Nash leads the nation with 6 TD's and set the program-record for receptions in Week 3 with 17 receptions for 225 yds and 3 TD's. If you find yourself unable to sleep on Friday night, turn on this one and you could see an exciting, late-night barnburner.
Saturday, September 21st - Early Afternoon Game
NC State @ #21 Clemson - Noon ET (ABC); spread is Clemson -18.5
There's not much going on in the early afternoon slate and the real action on Saturday doesn't start until the mid-afternoon, and the only matchup worth paying attention to is this ACC matchup between the Wolfpack and Tigers. NC State was destroyed by Tennessee in Raleigh during Week 2 and fell out of the Top 25. They could potentially get back in if they pull-off a road win in Death Valley, a place they haven't won a game since 2002 when Phillip Rivers was QB'ing the Wolfpack. NC Sate QB Grayson McCall is questionable for this game and if he can't go, it'll be a Freshman QB starting for the first time in Death Valley, and even if McCall does go, I'm not sure I see the Wolfpack competing for the entire game. It's possible they keep it close at the half, but unless the Tigers stumble - which they certainly have been known to do the last few years - I don't think this came is within 2 TD's.
Saturday, September 21st - Late Afternoon Games
#11 USC @ #18 Michigan - 3:30PM ET (CBS); spread is USC -4.5
Normally we wouldn't see a game between these two schools until New Year's Day in the "Granddaddy of them all" - the Rose Bowl, but as previously-mentioned, we're now teaching "old dogs" some "new tricks" and we get to see matchups like this throughout the Regular Season. Michgian had a bigtime game already in the "Big House" and they were thumped by the newly-crowned #1 team in the nation, Texas. The Wolverine defense - with it's 2025 Rd 1 talent on defense - was helpless in that 1st half as the Longhorns marched up and down the field at-will. Now, Michigan gets a second bit of the apple as another high-powered offense comes to town: Lincoln Riley's Trojans led by QB Miller Moss. The Trojans have quickly risen in the rankings to just outside the Top 10 afteir their Week 1 win vs LSU. The name of the game for the Wolverines should be the same as when Texas came to town: their defense has to come up big and stop the high-powered offense on the other side because Michigan simply doesn't have the firepower on offense to keep up in shootouts. They are still having issues passing the ball and will need to continue relying on their rushing game led by RB Donovan Edwards to control the clock, move the chains and keep the Trojan offense on the sidelines. I'll have my eye out on both Michigan DT's - Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant - because both need some good game tape vs a ranked team to keep them in Rd 1 conversation in the 2025 Draft.
#12 Utah @ #14 Oklahoma St - 4PM ET (FOX); spread is Utah -1
Another interesting Conference matchup between two ranked teams that played in different Conferences last year. The Utes were early-season favorites to win the BIG XII under a bunch of returning players, especially 7-yr College veterans QB Cam Rising and TE Brant Kuithe. How important is Rising to Utah's chances? The Cowboys opened up the week as favorites, but after Utah announced Rising will return for this one after suffering a finger injury in Week 2, the Utes are now 1-pt favorites on the road in Stillwater. Rising's presence keeps the Utah offense balanced as he can pass the ball effectively to move the chains as much as on the ground. The Cowboys needed 2OT's at home vs a tough Arkansas team last weekend and they'll get more of the same this weekend with a very tough Utah team. Both head coaches - Kyle Whittingham at Utah and Mike Gundy at Oklahoma St - are some of the longest-tenured head coaches at one school in the FBS and what makes this matchup so attractive is the differences on coaching styles: Whittingham is known for a ball-controlled offense and a tough/hard-nosed defense, while Gundy is known for his up-tempo offenses and more opportunistic defenses. I think turnovers will ultimately decide this one and if Utah gets extra possessions, I think they'll end up winning this one and taking an early command of the BIG XII.
Saturday, September 21st - Evening Game
#6 Tennessee @ #15 Oklahoma - 7:30PM ET (ABC); spread is Tennessee -7
The primetime matchup of Week 4 is a good one as one of the storylines of this is Tennessee HC Josh Heupel's return to Norman. Heupel was all-the-rage in Norman in 2000 when he QB'd the Sooners team coached by Bob Stoops to an undefeated season and National Championship victory over FSU in the Orange Bowl. That season, Heupel was named BIG XII Offensive Player of the Year, named an All-American, AP Player of the Year, and a Walter Camp Award winner. That 2000 season was the last time Oklahoma won a National Championshp and they've been trying to get back there every since, with Bob Stoops and Lincoln Riley unable to get them back. Current Sooner HC Brent Venables has them going in the right direction and is more-balanced than his predecessor, Lincoln Riley, who could never field a decent defense. The problem for Venables and the Sooners is they might not have the firepower on either side of the ball to hang with Heupel's high-powered Tennessee offense, which looks to be on another Hendon Hooker-style run like they did two years ago in 2022. Volunteers Redshirt Freshman phenom QB Nico Iamaleava is leading a Tennessee offense that is leading the nation in pts-per-game at 63.7, and the entire offense is averaging 8.1 yards-per-play. Yes, Brent Venables was known for really good defenses during his time as a DC in Clemson and while he did pull-off an upset in the "Red Rivalry Game" vs Texas last season (The Longhorns only defeat until the National Semifinals vs Washington), he had QB Dillon Gabriel playing for him which he doesn't have in 2024. If the Sooners and Veables pull this one off, it might be just as memorable in Norman as Heupel's 2000 undefeated season.
Saturday, September 21st - Late Night Game
#13 Kansas St @ BYU - 10:30PM ET (ESPN); spread is Kansas St -7
The Wildcats are coming off a big win last Friday the 13th vs Arizona and even though Arizona is currently a member of the BIG XII, that game wasn't considered a BIG XII Conference matchup because it was scheduled at a time when both were in different Conferences. So they'll travel to Provo and face-off against the undefeated Cougars, who already have two, decent road wins under their belt: @ SMU and @ Wyoming. The winner of the Utah/Oklahoma St matchup earlier in the day will have an early-command of the BIG XII, but the winner of this game will join them at the top of the Conference in a wide-open race this season. On paper, the Wildcats have a bit too much firepower in all three phases, but this feels like an upset waiting to happen and BYU QB Jake Retzlaff has played relatively well, considering 2 out of his first 3 games were on the road. I feel like Kansas St QB Avery Johnson is going to need to be a bit more explosive passing the ball than he's shown so far and if he's not, the Cougars might be "King of the Mountain" in the BIG XII.
... and neither is this Chris guy.