Last week, 3 of the 4 games that we called “Upset Alerts” came down to the last possession, with #9 Iowa losing to Arizona, #20 Michigan needing to recover an onside kick to beat UMass, and #7 Oklahoma hanging on to escape with a 3-point win against Air Force.
Here are the 3 teams this week that the CFB Kings are putting on Upset Alert:
#4 Texas - The last time the Longhorns hosted UCLA, they were smashed 66-3. Granted that game occurred the year before Mack Brown became the head coach, but there is valid reason for concern about this weeks Bruin visit in our eyes. First, the Texas offense has been spotty at best. Against Wyoming, Rice, and Texas Tech, the offense never was able to get the ground game going, which is something that Coach Brown promised they would be better at during the offseason. Sophomore QB Garrett Gilbert has the talent, but he still shows the expected signs of a youngster that has only started 3 games in his career. UCLA has a fresh sense of confidence after convincingly beating Houston on Saturday night. And oh by the way, after this game, Texas enters it’s most difficult 2 game stretch of the season. There is the matter of a little game called the Red River Rivalry next week and then after that Texas goes on the road to Lincoln to face a team who many have lauded as this year’s Big 12 favorite (The Cornhuskers of Nebraska). Can this young team focus enough to handle the task at hand or can a rejuvinated Bruin team steal a much needed signature win early in Rick Neuheisel’s tenure?
#20 Penn State - The Nittany Lions have played solid football up to this point in the season. Even in a loss to the #1 Alabama Crimson Tide, Penn State was able to move the ball against the tough SEC defense. To most people flipping through Saturday’s games, they’ll be stunned when they stumble upon a tight score in the fourth quarter of this contest. But we have reason to believe that Temple will challenge the Lions deep into this game. The Owls are 3-0. And last week they beat a UConn team that many experts (including Kirk Herbstriet) touted as the Pre-season Big East favorites. Heisman Darkhorse Bernard Pierce is a fierce runner that plays with a chip on his shoulder due to his lack of quality recruitment. And although we think that eventually true freshman QB Robert Bolden will be touted as the best QB in Penn State history, as of now he is still vulnerable to freshman mistakes… mistakes that an underrated and opportunistic Temple defense will pounce on.
#16 Stanford - While the records (3-0 vs. 1-2) and rankings (#16 vs. unranked) would say different, I think that this game will be MUCH closer than it looks on paper. Notre Dame is literally 2 plays away from being 3-0. The Irish have a steady QB in Dayne Crist and a defense that is improving each week, even though the results don’t necessarily show it. This will be Stanford’s first game outside of the state of California. A cross-country trip is never easy, but compounding the troubles of this trip is the expectation that the Cardinal will be without their best wide receiver, Ryan Whalen, who suffered an apparent left arm injury in last week’s game. And then there is the age old issue of the “look ahead”. Stanford travels to Autzen Stadium to face #5 Oregon next week. Can the young Cardinal team keep their focus in the here and now? I expect Notre Dame to earn their 2nd win of the season in an upset over the highly ranked Stanford Cardinal.
Showing posts with label Penn State Nittany Lions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Penn State Nittany Lions. Show all posts
Friday, September 24, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Names You Should Know
Ryan Mallett. Denard Robinson. Mark Ingram. If you have even watched a remote amount of college football this season, then those are 3 names that you’ve heard at a constant rate. By this point in the season, the superstars are typically established. But after their performances in this weekends upcoming games, there are 3 new names that will be almost as widely discussed. Lucky for you, I’m gonna give you a head start on those 3 names.
Randall Cobb, WR/KR/QB/RB, Kentucky - Judging by his position title I’m sure you can surmise just how versatile this young man is. He has already produced touchdowns in 4 different ways this season (passing, receiving, punt return, and rushing). Arguably the most versatile player in the country, this Junior do-everything performer will get his chance to shine in the limelight as his Kentucky Wildcats visit the Florida Gators in the Swamp. If Kentucky is to have a chance at breaking their 23-year long losing streak to Florida, then Cobb must be at his best.
Joe Adams, WR, Arkansas - This former Running Back originally committed to USC in 2007. He subsequently changed that commitment to Arkansas after the hiring of Bobby Petrino and he has developed into one of the best big-play threats at the WR position in the country. He had an 85 yard TD catch in the season opener and then last week accounted for 130 yards on 6 catches in a hostile SEC environment (at Georgia). Ryan Mallett will look to test the young Alabama secondary early and often on Saturday, so expect Mr. Adams to have plenty of opportunities to make plays in front of a national TV audience.
Bernard Pierce, RB, Temple - The Sophomore Running Back burst onto the scene during his freshman season by tallying 1,361 yards and 16 TDs while leading Temple to a bowl game. And this year he has picked up where he left off. He’s averaging 5.4 yards per carry and notched 169 yards and 2 TDs in a stunning upset of UConn last week. The team has started 3-0, yet even with last year’s success, Temple has remained under the radar. On Saturday that all changes. The Owls head to Happy Valley for a matchup with #23 Penn State on national TV. If Temple pitches an upset bid, expect Pierce to be leading the charge.
Randall Cobb, WR/KR/QB/RB, Kentucky - Judging by his position title I’m sure you can surmise just how versatile this young man is. He has already produced touchdowns in 4 different ways this season (passing, receiving, punt return, and rushing). Arguably the most versatile player in the country, this Junior do-everything performer will get his chance to shine in the limelight as his Kentucky Wildcats visit the Florida Gators in the Swamp. If Kentucky is to have a chance at breaking their 23-year long losing streak to Florida, then Cobb must be at his best.
Joe Adams, WR, Arkansas - This former Running Back originally committed to USC in 2007. He subsequently changed that commitment to Arkansas after the hiring of Bobby Petrino and he has developed into one of the best big-play threats at the WR position in the country. He had an 85 yard TD catch in the season opener and then last week accounted for 130 yards on 6 catches in a hostile SEC environment (at Georgia). Ryan Mallett will look to test the young Alabama secondary early and often on Saturday, so expect Mr. Adams to have plenty of opportunities to make plays in front of a national TV audience.
Bernard Pierce, RB, Temple - The Sophomore Running Back burst onto the scene during his freshman season by tallying 1,361 yards and 16 TDs while leading Temple to a bowl game. And this year he has picked up where he left off. He’s averaging 5.4 yards per carry and notched 169 yards and 2 TDs in a stunning upset of UConn last week. The team has started 3-0, yet even with last year’s success, Temple has remained under the radar. On Saturday that all changes. The Owls head to Happy Valley for a matchup with #23 Penn State on national TV. If Temple pitches an upset bid, expect Pierce to be leading the charge.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Week 2 Upset Alert
We’ll start our conversation this week with our Upset Alerts. There are 3 teams that better have their eyes Wide Open this Saturday and all 3 games involve SEC teams:
- #1 Alabama Crimson Tide - Some people might think this one is far fetched, particularly because Penn State will be starting a True Freshman QB (Robert Bolden). But Bolden is not the player that will be the most critical for the Nittany Lions. RB Evan Royster has all but been forgotten by most of America, yet he still has the talent to be one of the best RBs in the country. The Crimson Tide will once again be without star DT and NFL 1st Round prospect Marcell Dareus. If the Penn State O-Line can get nasty and create a few openings for Royster, it could really get them out to a good start. Then, utilizing a heavy dose of play-action passes, Bolden could take advantage of the young Bama secondary who is still shaky trying replacing 2 All-SEC CBs from 2009.
- #8 Florida Gators - By now, everyone has heard how poorly the Florida offense played in Week 1, only managing 26 first half yards against a Miami (OH) team that had all of 1 win in 2009. That poor offensive play included 13 botched shotgun snaps between C Mike Pouncey and QB John Brantley. The defense was stout, as expected, but if the offense could only manage 26 yards in a half against a poor team, how will it produce against the most athletic team in the Big East? The South Florida Bulls pack quite a larger punch than Miami (OH) and in the past 3 years, USF has upset ranked powerhouses West Virginia (2007, 2009), FSU (2009), and Auburn (2007). Could #8 Florida be the next victim?
- #7 Oregon Ducks - The Ducks went wild in week 1, beating New Mexico 72-0. They clicked on all cylinders and completely dismantled an inferior opponent. Now they take their high scoring show on the road to one of the biggest stadiums in all of sports: Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, TN which will have more than 100,000 fans screaming Rocky Top on Saturday night. A lot of people will think I’m crazy with this one considering how talented Oregon is. But keep in mind, Tennessee is an SEC team and although they haven’t done great in their own conference over the past few years, they still have been recruiting Top notch southern talent and speed, so they will matchup with the Ducks better than almost any opponent on their 2010 Pac-10 schedule. Furthermore, this will be Sophomore Oregon QB Darron Thomas’s first career road start. Lastly, but also most importantly, Tennessee’s defense is coached by Justin Wilcox. Many of you will say “Who’s that?” Well, Wilcox just happens to be the former 2009 Boise State defensive coordinator. And if you recall he lead a unit that completely shut down Oregon’s fast paced attack and held them to 8 points in a early season upset (and that was with Heisman hopeful Jeremiah Masoli as the starter). Can he pull off the same magic on Saturday?
- #1 Alabama Crimson Tide - Some people might think this one is far fetched, particularly because Penn State will be starting a True Freshman QB (Robert Bolden). But Bolden is not the player that will be the most critical for the Nittany Lions. RB Evan Royster has all but been forgotten by most of America, yet he still has the talent to be one of the best RBs in the country. The Crimson Tide will once again be without star DT and NFL 1st Round prospect Marcell Dareus. If the Penn State O-Line can get nasty and create a few openings for Royster, it could really get them out to a good start. Then, utilizing a heavy dose of play-action passes, Bolden could take advantage of the young Bama secondary who is still shaky trying replacing 2 All-SEC CBs from 2009.
- #8 Florida Gators - By now, everyone has heard how poorly the Florida offense played in Week 1, only managing 26 first half yards against a Miami (OH) team that had all of 1 win in 2009. That poor offensive play included 13 botched shotgun snaps between C Mike Pouncey and QB John Brantley. The defense was stout, as expected, but if the offense could only manage 26 yards in a half against a poor team, how will it produce against the most athletic team in the Big East? The South Florida Bulls pack quite a larger punch than Miami (OH) and in the past 3 years, USF has upset ranked powerhouses West Virginia (2007, 2009), FSU (2009), and Auburn (2007). Could #8 Florida be the next victim?
- #7 Oregon Ducks - The Ducks went wild in week 1, beating New Mexico 72-0. They clicked on all cylinders and completely dismantled an inferior opponent. Now they take their high scoring show on the road to one of the biggest stadiums in all of sports: Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, TN which will have more than 100,000 fans screaming Rocky Top on Saturday night. A lot of people will think I’m crazy with this one considering how talented Oregon is. But keep in mind, Tennessee is an SEC team and although they haven’t done great in their own conference over the past few years, they still have been recruiting Top notch southern talent and speed, so they will matchup with the Ducks better than almost any opponent on their 2010 Pac-10 schedule. Furthermore, this will be Sophomore Oregon QB Darron Thomas’s first career road start. Lastly, but also most importantly, Tennessee’s defense is coached by Justin Wilcox. Many of you will say “Who’s that?” Well, Wilcox just happens to be the former 2009 Boise State defensive coordinator. And if you recall he lead a unit that completely shut down Oregon’s fast paced attack and held them to 8 points in a early season upset (and that was with Heisman hopeful Jeremiah Masoli as the starter). Can he pull off the same magic on Saturday?
Friday, June 25, 2010
#17 Penn State Nittany Lions
The man that started his Penn State coaching career 11 years before Barack Obama was born, now enters his 60th season on the sidelines in Happy Valley, PA. Another chapter will be written in the legendary career of the winningest D-1 Coach of All-Time. Will that chapter be pleasant or disappointing? The answer to that question hinges upon a few things.
The Nittany Lions enter 2010 coming off an 11-2 season, capping it with a strong Capital One Bowl win over SEC Powerhouse, LSU. To have an equally successful season or better, the first question that has to be answered is Who will play Quarterback for the Blue and White? The early favorite for the position is Sophomore QB Kevin Newsome. Newsome got playing time sparingly last year behind star QB Daryl Clark, but nothing of significance. In the spring, he held off a tough charge by fellow sophomore Matt McGloin to win the starting job heading into fall camp. But in the summer, Blue Chip 5-star recruit Robert Bolden arrives on campus. He is projected as the future of the Nittany Lions program and he will be given a chance to earn the job according to Offensive Coordinator Galen Hall. A dual threat guy, he is said to be as fast as Michael Robinson with passing skills that rival Kerry Collins… comments that have PSU fans everywhere giddy.
The Running game will by far be the best part of Penn State’s attack. Senior RB Evan Royster returns after rushing for 1,169 yards and 6 TDs. While those numbers weren’t as good as his 1,300 yards and 12 TDs from 2008… anything over 1,000 in the Big Ten is to be commended. A 3-year starter now, Royster will go into this season running behind the most veteran Offensive-Line in the Big Ten as the Nittany Lions return 4 starters up front, including 2009 All-Conference selection C Stefan Wisniewski. Backing up Royster will be Junior Stephfon Green who is capable of a few big plays himself. He will be used primarily on 3rd downs as a “change of pace” back, but could easily fill in for Royster should the injury bug strike.
A unit that was expected to be down last year (the WRs) really took most of the Big Ten by surprise. Led by Derek Moye and Graham Zug, the young crew stepped up to provide quite the weapons for Daryl Clark and this bunch should make the transition for the new starting QB easier than most expect. Chaz Powell is another guy to keep an eye on lining up as a tough cover in the slot.
Defensively, the Lions are stout (as usual) and they return 7 starters. Interestingly, with superstars Sean May and Navarro Bowman leaving for the NFL, the one position that lacks experience for Joe Pa’s crew is the LB position. But expect Linebacker-U to stick in a couple of Blue-Chip athletes and not miss a beat. Senior DT Ollie Ogbu will anchor one of the tougher Defensive Lines in America and CB D’Anton Lynn has a chance to be the best cover-corner in the nation.
This years schedule sets up well. After an early season clash with defending champion Alabama, the Nittany Lions will navigate through a schedule that should have them favored in all but 2 of their last 10 games (OSU and Iowa). A key 3-game stretch late in the season against Michigan, Northwestern, and Ohio State will let us know if Joe Pa should make plans for a BCS game or an Outback Bowl. But regardless, this team should win at a minimum 9 games… and we will undoubtedly see Joe Pa crack the 400 win mark this year (he is currently at 394).
Key Returning Players:
RB Evan Royster
WR Derek Moye
WR Graham Zug
WR Chaz Powell
C Stefan Wisniewski
DT Ollie Ogbu
CB D’Anton Lynn
S Nick Sukay
Key Games:
Sept 11 - @ Alabama
Oct 2 - @ Iowa
Oct 30 - Michigan
Nov 13 - @ Ohio State
Nov 27 - Michigan State
The Nittany Lions enter 2010 coming off an 11-2 season, capping it with a strong Capital One Bowl win over SEC Powerhouse, LSU. To have an equally successful season or better, the first question that has to be answered is Who will play Quarterback for the Blue and White? The early favorite for the position is Sophomore QB Kevin Newsome. Newsome got playing time sparingly last year behind star QB Daryl Clark, but nothing of significance. In the spring, he held off a tough charge by fellow sophomore Matt McGloin to win the starting job heading into fall camp. But in the summer, Blue Chip 5-star recruit Robert Bolden arrives on campus. He is projected as the future of the Nittany Lions program and he will be given a chance to earn the job according to Offensive Coordinator Galen Hall. A dual threat guy, he is said to be as fast as Michael Robinson with passing skills that rival Kerry Collins… comments that have PSU fans everywhere giddy.
The Running game will by far be the best part of Penn State’s attack. Senior RB Evan Royster returns after rushing for 1,169 yards and 6 TDs. While those numbers weren’t as good as his 1,300 yards and 12 TDs from 2008… anything over 1,000 in the Big Ten is to be commended. A 3-year starter now, Royster will go into this season running behind the most veteran Offensive-Line in the Big Ten as the Nittany Lions return 4 starters up front, including 2009 All-Conference selection C Stefan Wisniewski. Backing up Royster will be Junior Stephfon Green who is capable of a few big plays himself. He will be used primarily on 3rd downs as a “change of pace” back, but could easily fill in for Royster should the injury bug strike.
A unit that was expected to be down last year (the WRs) really took most of the Big Ten by surprise. Led by Derek Moye and Graham Zug, the young crew stepped up to provide quite the weapons for Daryl Clark and this bunch should make the transition for the new starting QB easier than most expect. Chaz Powell is another guy to keep an eye on lining up as a tough cover in the slot.
Defensively, the Lions are stout (as usual) and they return 7 starters. Interestingly, with superstars Sean May and Navarro Bowman leaving for the NFL, the one position that lacks experience for Joe Pa’s crew is the LB position. But expect Linebacker-U to stick in a couple of Blue-Chip athletes and not miss a beat. Senior DT Ollie Ogbu will anchor one of the tougher Defensive Lines in America and CB D’Anton Lynn has a chance to be the best cover-corner in the nation.
This years schedule sets up well. After an early season clash with defending champion Alabama, the Nittany Lions will navigate through a schedule that should have them favored in all but 2 of their last 10 games (OSU and Iowa). A key 3-game stretch late in the season against Michigan, Northwestern, and Ohio State will let us know if Joe Pa should make plans for a BCS game or an Outback Bowl. But regardless, this team should win at a minimum 9 games… and we will undoubtedly see Joe Pa crack the 400 win mark this year (he is currently at 394).
Key Returning Players:
RB Evan Royster
WR Derek Moye
WR Graham Zug
WR Chaz Powell
C Stefan Wisniewski
DT Ollie Ogbu
CB D’Anton Lynn
S Nick Sukay
Key Games:
Sept 11 - @ Alabama
Oct 2 - @ Iowa
Oct 30 - Michigan
Nov 13 - @ Ohio State
Nov 27 - Michigan State
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