I won't get very rich doing this, but sometimes the fact that I can puff out my chest and say I was right is more satisfying.
The Big XII will go 12-0 in Week 1 of the college football season, which began with Iowa State's victory Thursday night over Jerry Kill's Northern Illinois Huskies. Coach Kill is known in Kansas having graduated from Southwestern College, was an assistant at juggernaut Pittsburg State and later was was Emporia State's head coach.
The Game of the Weekend in the conference, and the one that could put an end to a perfect weekend, takes place in Manhattan. That will be me in the south end zone of Bill Snyder Family Stadium wearing purple. Oh yeah, forgot to mention, 50,000 others will don the purple and white as well.
An ABC regional audience will be tuning in to watch Snyder's Wildcats and Rick Neuheisel's UCLA Bruins. These two coaches are very familiar with each other as Neuheisel is the former coach at Colorado. The Bruins beat the Cats 23-9 last year at the Rose Bowl.
Snyder announced earlier this week that senior Carson Coffman would quarterback the Wildcats. Coffman had an exceptional spring, and sources indicate that his arm is healthy going into the fall. I hope. In six games last year, the son of former K-State great Paul Coffman only had two TD passes and 860 passing yards. That won't get the job done and won't take K-State even within a sniff of a division title in 2010.
Chances are, it's feast or famine for Coffman. If he struggles Saturday, look for Sammuel Lamur to get the nod next week against Missouri State.
No doubt, senior Daniel Thomas is K-State's go-to guy. Thomas had 1,265 yards rushing last year and was named the Big XII Offensive Newcomer of the Year.
Coffman will have two dandies to throw to in transfers Chris Harper (Oregon) and Broderick Smith (Minnesota). That will bolster the K-State passing game which sets up DT in the ground attack.
K-State is a 1 1/2-point favorite. Look for the Cats to cover the spread. The Wabash Cannonball chugs on!
K-State 19, UCLA 13.
North Dakota State at Kansas. Before you Jayhawk faithful start waving too much wheat, you might take notice. The Bison aren't that bad. They're not that good, but they're not that bad. They were 3-8 last year, but since 2006 have beaten Ball State, Central Michigan and Minnesota.
The Turner Gill era begins at KU. Defense, once a staple of Mark Mangino's teams, must improve from last year's No. 85 ranking in scoring defense.
All eyes will be on lefty Kale Pick, who had a monster spring game. He's trying to fill the shoes left behind by Todd Reesing. Ouch, not good!
There's no line on this game since NDSU is an FCS member. I'd venture to guess this would be a 28-point line if there was one.
KU wins, but not by four TDs...by six.
KU 45, Bison 3.
Colorado vs. Colorado State (at Denver). Beware of the Colorado defense, which for the first time since 1996, had at least one sack in each game in 2009. The Buffs return seven starters and 26 lettermen on defense.
The Rams prevailed 23-17 in Boulder last year. Dan Hawkins may be coaching for his Buffalo life, and this would get some support back in his favor.
Colorado is a 12-point pick in this one. CU wins but doesn't cover the spread.
Buffs 22, Rams 14.
Missouri vs. Illinois (at St. Louis). Illinois used to own its neighbor to the west. Now it's the Show-Me State that doesn't lose to the Illini. Last year it was all Tigers, 37-9.
MU coach Gary Pinkel nearly has as many coaching victories as Snyder at K-State. Snyder has 142 and Pinkel 140. Go figure.
It'll be interesting to see how Mizzou handles the Derrick Washington dismissal from this week.
Too much Blaine Gabbert, who threw for 24 TD passes in 2009.
Vegas says MU by 11 1/2. Take the Tigers.
Mizzou 33, Illinois 11.
Western KY at Nebraska. Not much to say about this one. The ninth-ranked (coaches poll) Huskers are coming off a 10-win season, and the Hilltoppers were 0-12. The Huskers are favored by 37 1/2 points.
The big question? Who quarterbacks the Big Red?
Nebraska 56, Hilltoppers 2.
Utah State at Oklahoma. The Sooners are 34-point faves. OU is the No. 7 team in the land according to the coaches poll.
Landry Jones broke Sam Bradford's OU record for passing yards by a freshman with his 3,198 yards last year. Jones also led the nation's freshmen in touchdown passes (26) and passing yards.
This will be ugly.
Sooners 61, Utah State 6.
Washington State at Oklahoma State. The homestanding Cowboys have won nine games in a year only seven times, and coach Mike Gundy has done that back-to-back.
You think K-State runs the ball? You haven't seen the Pokes running, have you? OSU led the conference in rushing for the fourth straight year.
WSU was 1-11 in 2009. OSU was 9-4.
OSU is 15 1/2-point favorite. Sounds good to me.
OSU 36, WSU 20.
Texas vs. Rice. A 2:30 pm ESPN game, Texas begins life without Colt McCoy. Taking his place is sophomore Garret Gilbert, who ended his freshman season by playing his first full collegiate game in the national title game. He completed 15 passes for 186 yards and two TDs.
Texas is ranked in the top five. The Longhorns are 30 1/2-point favorites. That's a lot for a road team.
Hook 'em Horns, but not by the spread. Texas 30, Rice 7.
Stephen F. Austin at Texas A&M. Yawwnnnnnnnn!
Aggies 50, SFA 0.
SMU at Texas Tech (Sunday). This one is a 2:30 pm ESPN game. The Tommy Tuberville Era begins for the Red Raiders, who return Taylor Potts at QB. Potts threw for 3,440 yards and 22 TDs.
Only 14-point favorites? Gimme a break!
Tech's scoring doesn't miss a beat. Tech 55, SMU 10.
By 6 pm Sunday, if you see me sticking my chest out, you'll know why. Have a great Labor Day weekend, everyone!
My shout this week goes to Bubba Starling. Remember this kid's name. He's the quarterback at Gardner-Edgerton High just outside of KC. This dude is getting attention from every major college. And football isn't even his sport. He wants to play baseball and pitch in the bigs. Bubba quarterbacked the Trailblazers to the 4A state championship game in 2009 where they lost to juggernaut Hutchinson.
No comments:
Post a Comment