College Football Preview Week 10

November 5, 2015

OK now I am concerned! Seeing that double digit number in the title above tells me it won’t be all that long before we are lamenting the end of another football season. But for now let’s plow ahead with some important match-ups and some key players to watch.

Saturday NOON ET ESPN2
DUKE @ NORTH CAROLINA by 4
If the ACC leaders ever get their heads out of there own collective asses, and reverse the ridiculous DUKE loss from last week, this game would take on monumental importance in the ACC Coastal. For now, we will have to treat it as the most important game for the Tar Heels in quite a while. I like the growth of this UNC team and will give them the home field nod. DUKE, of course, will be super motivated to not let their season go down the drain. I believe that UNC QB MARQUISE WILLIAMS, is destined to be the next great young QB in the CFL. He’s an all-purpose QB who can beat you with his arm, legs and/or both. DUKE will play with their backs to the wall and this game should be a “hum dinger”, to quote KEITH JACKSON. Should be well worth your time to tune in.

Prospects to watch:

DUKE                                                                 NORTH CAROLINA

#16 JEREMY CASH/SS 6’2/205                     #10 JEFF SCHOETTMER/LB 6’2/235
#28 SHAQ POWELL/RB 5’10/205                 #12 MARQUISE WILLIAMS/QB 6’2/220
#35 ROSS MARTIN/K 5’10/185                      #14 QUINSHAD DAVIS/WR 6’4/210
#41 WILL MONDAY/P 6’4/210                      #42 SHAKEEL RASHAD/LB 6’2/242
#62 MATT SKURA/OC 6’4/205                      #78 LANDON TURNER/OG 6’4/325
#89 BRAXTON DEAVER/TE 6’5/240           #98 JUSTIN THOMASON/DT 6’4/290
#98 CARLOS WRAY/DT 6’2/290

SATURDAY 3:30 ET ABC
FLORIDA STATE @ CLEMSON by 5
Part of me actually thinks Clemson may blow out their rivals, but then I remember that though young and inexperienced JIMBO FISHER has almost more 5-Star recruits on his team than McDonalds has franchises. This game should clearly decide which team is going to be the Atlantic Division champs for the ACC. But then again, who thought GA TECH was going to beat FSU two weeks ago?! FSU may have to rely on SEAN MAGUIRE at QB again, and though he’s no slouch he ain’t no healthy EVERETT GOLSON. But the bigger key is whether resting DALVIN COOK/RB for a week will have him healthy enough to run all over Clemson. Two of the top CB prospects in the nation will be on display in RAMSEY for FSU, and ALEXANDER for Clemson. Slight break for FSU, the game at least begins in daylight. Clemson doesn’t lose very many night games at home. The Seminoles better take advantage and start fast.
Prospects to watch:

FLORIDA STATE                                            CLEMSON
#6 EVERETT GOLSON/QB 6’0/200               #2 MACKENSIE ALEXANDER/CB 5’10/190
#5 REGGIE NORTHRUP/LB 6’1/226            #19 CHARONE PEAKE/WR 6’2/205
#8 JALEN RAMSEY/CB 6’1/201                     #20 JAYRON KEARSE/S 6’4/210
#19 ROBERTO AQUAYO/K 6’1/205               #48 DJ READER/DT 6’2/325
#24 TERRANCE SMITH/LB 6’4/230              #73 JOE GORE/OT 6’5/290
#38 CARSON BEATTY/P 6’3/215                     #90 SHAQ LAWSON/DE 6’3/275

SATURDAY 3:30 ET FOX
TCU by 6 @ OKLAHOMA STATE
Two undefeateds go head to head trying to make sure that the BIG 12 doesn’t get shut out of the Final Four again this season. Remember, no official title game for this conference. The winner will likely have to get by BAYLOR & OKLAHOMA to win it all. The entire month of November looks like it will be a conference play-off tournament for these teams. I have great respect for HC MIKE GUNDY and his Cowboys who play much like a true band of brothers. But I do not see their D being able to shut down BOYKIN all day. Both teams are a bit light defensively so watch for another game with an Arena Football kind of score. Stock up on your favorite snacks and get them by your seat. You may barely have time for potty breaks in this one.

Prospects to watch:

TCU                                                                OKLAHOMA STATE

#2 TREVONE BOYKIN/QB 6’2/205          #1 KEVIN PETERSON/CB 5’11/190
#7 KOLBY LISTENBEE/WR 6’1/185         #7 BRANDON SHEPERD/WR 6’1/195
#9 JOSH DOCTSON/WR 6’4/195            #38 EMMANUEL OGBAH/DE 6’4/275
#22 AARON GREEN/RB 5’11/205            #44 JIMMY SEATON/TE 6’2/250
#26 DERRICK KINDRED/FS 5’10/210    #52 RYAN SIMMONS/ILB 6’0/240 INJ
#33 JADEN OBERKRON/K 6’3/187         #82 JIMMY BEAN/DE 6’5/250
#90 TERRELL LATHAN/DE 6’5/280

SATURDAY 10:00 ET ESPN2
CALIFORNIA @ OREGON by 4
Both of these teams have lost a lot of their luster with 3 losses apiece, but either one could salvage the chance for a New Year’s Bowl slot by winning this game. I think they are headed in opposite directions and the Ducks will prevail in a likely shoot-out. JARRED GOFF is a big time NFL QB prospect, but the troops around him are rather thin and very young. So I will go with Oregon, which would set up a big showdown for them next week at STANFORD. But if GOFF gets hot and plays at his best watch out. The PAC 12 is very talented, and like the SEC, the conference schedules turn into gauntlet running and survival tests. RIGSBEE/G blocking inside against BALDUCCI/DT could be quite the pit fight at times. BUCKNER/DE looks like a sure First Rounder, earning even a higher draft slot than ARMSTEAD last year by the 49’ers.

Prospects to watch:

CALIFORNIA                                                  OREGON

#16 JARED GOFF/QB 6’4/210                        #9 BYRON MARSHALL/WR/RS 5’10/200 INJ
#2 DANIEL LASCO/RB 6’0/210                   #33 TYSON COLEMAN/OLB 6’1/235
#6 DARIUS WHITE/CB 6’1/180                   #44 DEFOREST BUCKNER/DE 6’7/290
#7 JALEN JEFFERSON/LB 6’2/235            #48 RODNEY HARDRICK/LB 6’1/245
#73 JORDAN RIGSBEE/G 6’4/300              #56 ALEX BALDUCCI/DT 6’3/310
#89 STEPHEN ANDERSON/WR 6’3/220   #64 TYLER JOHNSTONE/OT 6’6/295