College Football Preview Week 6

October 6, 2017

Saturday Oct. 7 12:20PM ET ESPN
DUKE (4-1) by 4 @ VIRGINIA (3-1)
The Blue Devils bit the bullet last weekend losing to a very solid Miami team. UVA has been a pleasant surprise in HC Bronco Mendenhall’s second season with the program. This could be a very entertaining QB match-up KURT BENKERT/UVA looks to have improved by leaps and bounds under the Mendenhall regime and is a legit mid-round NFL prospect. Soph DANIEL JONES #17 is a true soph and presents a serious run/pass option threat for the Dukies. He also benefits from having QB Whisperer DAVID CUTCLIFFE as his head coach. Both defenses are feisty with some serious pro prospects. This could be a very entertaining ACC contest with the winner still seeing itself as a Coastal Division Champ contender.

Duke Prospects: RB/SHAUN WILSON #29; OC/AUSTIN DAVIS #50; DL/MIKE RAMSAY #99; LB/BEN HUMPHREYS #34 JR; CB/BRYON FIELDS #14; SS/ALONZO SAXTON #21.

Virginia Prospects: QB/KURT BENKERT #6; WR/ANDRE LEVRONE #19; DT/JACK POWERS #90; DE/ANDREW BROWN #9; LB/MICAH KISER #53; S/QUIN BLANDING #3.

Saturday Oct. 7 3:30PM ET ESPN
MIAMI (F) (3-0) by 4 @ FLORIDA STATE (1-2)
This is a make-up game after being canceled as part of all the chaos associated with Hurricane Irma. It could be disrupted again this time by Tropical Storm Nate, so stay tuned. FSU is struggling right now because injuries have forced the team to start true frosh JAMES BLACKMAN. The Seminoles are counting on their very talented Defense to carry the team right now. Miami has looked solid on both sides of the ball so far this season. But now their top RB and pro-prospect MARK WALTON is currently limping around and will likely miss the contest. Not sure how they do it, but FSU needs a big win in this one. I look for Miami to hold serve however.

Miami prospects: RB/MARK WALTON #1; TE/CHRIS HERNDON #23; OT/KC McDERMOTT #52; OT/TRE VOR DARLING #73; DE/CHAD THOMAS #9; DT/RJ McINTOSH #80 JR; FS/SHELDRICK REDWINE #22 JR.

Florida State prospects: WR/AUDEN TATE #18 JR; DT/DERRICK NNADI #91; DT/DEMARCUS CHRISTMAS #90 JR; OB/MATTHEW THOMAS #6; IB/RoDERRICK HOSKINS #18; LB/JACOB PUGH #16; SS/TREY MARSHALL #20; FS/DERWIN JAMES #3 RSO; CB/TARVARUS McFADDEN #4 JR.

Saturday Oct. 7 3:30PM ET FS1
WEST VIRGINIA (3-1) @ T.C.U. (4-0) by 7
If the Mountaineers have any chance to make a run at the Big-12 Championship game they must win this road game and avoid that second loss. Overall transfer QB/WILL GRIER has looked solid as their starting QB and he has a decent receiving corps to work with. JUSTIN CRAWFORD is one of the Top 10 RB in the nation, IMO. He’s a slashing runner who can take it to the house once he gets in the open field. He also is a good receiving option. TCU has one of the multiple ex-A&M transfer QB in KENNY HILL #7. HILL fits today’s RPO QB criteria. Beating Okie State in their house was a major W for the horned Frogs. I luv the versatility of their top RB/KYLE HICKS. They are a bit undersized on Defense but that’s how HC GARY PETERSON builds his D; with speed not size. I’ll take TCU to hold on at home, although it would be poetic justice if they fell on their home field.

West Virginia prospects: RB/JUSTIN CRAWFORD #25; WR/KA’RUN WHITE #2; OG/KYLE BOSCH #62; MLB/AL-RASHEED BENTON #3; SS/KYZIR WHITE #8; SS/TOYOUS AVERY #16.

TCU prospects: QB/KENNY HILL #7; RB/KYLE HICKS #21; WR/TAJ WILLIAMS #2; OT/JOSEPH NOTEBOOM #68; FS/NICK ORR #18; SS/TRAVIN HOWARD #32.

Saturday Oct.7 10:15PM ET FS1
STANFORD (3-2) by 3 @ UTAH (4-0)
Stanford finds itself in the situation where it cannot afford another loss to be a serious Top 25 team. So HC DAVID SHAW has gone back to a time honored tradition, since the Harbaugh years in Palo Alto: run the ball all game long. And despite the loss of Chris McCaffrey to the NFL they have a true bell cow to ride in BRYCE LOVE #20 who runs tougher than the average sub-200 pounder. Once past the line of scrimmage he has the wheels to outrun most secondaries. Their defense is also solid so expect them to out-slug Utah, which lost a ton of talent to the NFL after last season. But vet HC KYLE WHITTINGHAM has a good thing going in Salt Lake City. JC transfer and former Huskies QB/TROY WILLIAMS #3 leads the offense with his arm and legs. But if things are to go well for the Utes it will have to be their tough veteran Defense that carries the team.

Stanford prospects: RB/BRYCE LOVE #20 JR; OT/DAVID BRIGHT #64 JR; OL/CASEY TUCKER #77; OB/PETER KALAMBAYI #34; IB/KEVIN PALMA #44; CB/QUENTON MEEKS #24 JR; FS/JUSTIN REID #8 JR.

Utah prospects: QB/TAJ WILLIAMS #3; TE/HARRISON HANDLEY #88; OG/SALESI UHATAFE #74; DT/LOWELL LOTULELEI #93; DE/KYLIE FITTS #11; LB/KAVIKA LUAGAUAFATA #5; DT/FILIPO MOKOFISI #45 JR.

Not an elite weekend for big showdown games, but certainly a menu that features multiple games that may differentiate some surprising upstarts from the true contenders. And as always there are plenty of prospects to watch in action.

Pigskin