Tp College Games Week 5

September 28, 2018

For those who don’t think the college football season doesn’t start just a tad too early, I want you to note the southern clime weather issues, at the height of hurricane season (which is Sept. 10th) that have delayed or caused cancelation of games entirely. This weekend marks the final games in September and will be the 5th game already for most teams. That’s 5 of 12 for many teams. Move it back please NCAA! Football is a Fall game not end of Summer. Meanwhile, here are some important match-ups, which also feature some interesting Draft Prospects.

SAT Sept. 29th NOON/ET ESPN2
WEST VIRGINIA by 3 @ TEXAS TECH
For those of you who aren’t sure, HC CLIFF KINGSBURY is coaching for his job this season. Unless he posts a winning season and wins a lower tier Bowl appearance he may be unemployed. As an aside, be careful what you do Athletic program leaders in Lubbock. The chances of your Red Raiders being a Top 25 ranked football program on a yearly basis are slim. No matter who you might hire, he is not going to out-recruit OKLAHOMA, TEXAS, A&M and TCU on a regular basis. Coach Kliff has a system and they play exciting football, winning their share many years. In fact, despite picking WVU to win this contest, I would not bet a single dime on the outcome. TECH’s W over Okie State last week got my attention.

Mountaineers prospects to watch:
#7 WILL GRIER QB 6’2/215*
#12 GARY JENNINGS WR 6’1/215
#13 DAVID SILLS WR 6’4/200*
#55 YODNY CAJUSTE OT 6’5/318
#91 EZEKIEL ROSE DE 6’2/275
#40 KENNY BIGELOW DT 6’3/300
#6 DRAVON ASKEW-HENRY SPUR/SS 6’0/200

TEXAS TECH prospects to watch:
#40 DAKOTA ALLEN LB 6’1/235*
#5 OCTAVIOUS MORGAN CB 6’0/205

SAT Sept 29 6PM/ET ESPN
FLORIDA @ MISSISSIPPI STATE by 6
DAN MULLEN takes his GATORS up to STARKVILLE to take on his former Bulldogs. The irony here is that both teams are 3-1 and the Loss for both teams came against SEC sleeper team KENTUCKY. But the bottom line here is that the loser will have 2 losses already and pretty much be out of any SEC title contention. Its time for NICK FITZGERALD/QB to knock off the rust from last year’s ankle injury and start looking like his old self again. Many of us are wondering if MULLEN can work wonders with his big, talented but erratic QB/FILEIPE FRANKS #13. I say State wakes up just in time to beat their former coach.

GATORS prospects to watch:
#25 JORDAN SCARLETT RB 5’10/215 JR
#89 TYRIE CLEVELAND WR 6’2/205 JR*
#80 C’YONTAI LEWIS TE 6’4/235
#73 MARTEZ IVEY OT/G 6’5/315*
#54 KHAIRI CLARK DT 6’2/315
#96 CECE JEFFERSON LB/ER 6’1/242*
#33 DAVID REESE LB6’1/240 JR*

#7 NICK FITZGERALD QB 6’5/230
#22 AERIS WILLIAMS RB 6’1/220
#86 JESSE JACKSON WR 6’2/210
#61 DEION CALHOUN OG 6’3/320
#74 ELGTON JENKINS OC 6’4/315*
#9 MONTEZ SWEAT ER/OB 6’6/240*
#94 JEFFERY SIMMONS DT 6’4/300 JR*
#4 GERRI GREEN DE 6’4/255
#38 JOHNATHAN ABRAM S 6’0/210
#41 MARK McLAURIN SS 6’2/215*

Sat Sept. 29th. 7:30PM/ET ABC
OHIO STATE by 9 @ PENN STATE
I don’t really see this as a close game. Its a good thing it’s in State College, PA so the Nittany Lions can keep it close for a while. HC FRANKLIN has rebuilt the Penn State program and has a good football team. But not as good as last year, and not as talented and deep as the Buckeyes. They might keep it close for a half, but Ohio State will likely pull away. Watch Soph QB #7 DWAYNE HASKINS, who is a Cardale Jones talent, with a more sophisticated skill set. He is special.

Buckeyes to watch:
#21 PARRIS CAMPBELL WR 6’1/208*
#83 TERRY McLAUREN WR 6’1/205
#59 ISAIAH PRINCE OT 6’7/310
#86 DRE’MONT JONES DT 6’3/290 JR *
#46 DAMON ARNETT CB 6’0/195 JR
#4 JORDAN FULLER SS 6’2/207 JR*

PENN STATE draft prospects to watch:
#9 TRACE McSORLEY QB 6’0/200
#3 DeANDRE THOMPKINS WR 5’11/195
#84 JUWAN JOHNSON WR 6’4/225 JR*
#66 CONNOR McGOVERN OC 6’4/320 JR*
#7 KOA FARMER LB 6’1/240
#21 AMANI ORUWARIYE CB 6’1/205*

SAT Sept. 29th 7:30/ET NBC
STANFORD by 4 @ NOTRE DAME
You gotta luv a traditional rivalry, especially when both teams are undefeated. STANFORD is relying on it’s Defense most of the time, but with just enough offense thrown in to come back from a deficit. Sure looks to me like IAN BROCK QB #12 is the man to run the Irish O. He helped that Offense rack up 56 points in a road win at WAKE. They had been winning squeakers in scoring 24-points or less in their 3 games under WINBUSH. But I gotta go with STANFORD, even on the road. I see this as the breakout game for BRYCE LOVE/RB in his supposed Heisman season.

Stanford prospects to watch include;
#20 BRYCE LOVE RB 5-10/200*
#19 JJ ARCEGA-WHITESIDE WR 6’3/220*
#73 JESSIE BURKETT OC 6’4/310
#75 A.J. HALL OT 6’5/305
#20 BOBBY OKRERE IB 6’2/232*
#32 JOEY ALFIERI LB 6’3/235
#13 ALIJAH HOLDER CB 6’3/185
#9 BEN EDWARDS SS 6’0/200*
#14 JAKE BAILEY P 6’2/190

NOTRE DAME prospects to watch:
#2 DEXTER WILLIAMS RB 5’11/205
#53 SAM MUSTIPHER OC 6’3/305
#71 ALEX BARS OG 6’6/315*
#19 JUSTIN YOON K 5’10/195
#99 JERRY TILLERY DT 6’7/300*
#23 DRUE TRANQUILL OB 6’2/230
#4 TEVIN CONEY IB 6’2/235*

There are some key games, here and elsewhere, this weekend in College Football, which will separate the true quality teams from the also-rans. Enjoy the action football fans.

Pigskin