Expect the USU defense to hold Ohio in check on “Smurf Turf.”
Notes:
Ohio
Ohio’s run defense which ranked third in the MAC, allowing 126.4 yards per game, and kept two of its last four opponents under 70.
Ohio is appearing in a bowl for a third straight year for the first time in school history but has yet to win one; the Bobcats’ 0-5 mark in postseason play includes three defeats under Frank Solich.
QB Tyler Tettleton threw for 3,082 yards and 26 touchdowns and is a threat on the ground after rushing for 627 yards and nine scores.
The only meeting between these teams came in 1994, when Utah State won 5-0 at Ohio.
Utah State
Finished second in the WAC and is riding a five-game winning streak averages 277.5 yards rushing per game which ranks to ranks 6th in the FBS.
Robert Turbin is 10th in the nation with 118.0 rushing yards per game, including seven 100-yard efforts, and was named the WAC offensive player of the year.
Utah State features the WAC’s top-ranked defense, having allowed 368.0 yards per game.
The Aggies are 1-5 all-time in bowl games with their only win coming over Ball State in the 1993 Las Vegas Bowl.
QB Bryant Moniz, Hawaii vs New Mexico State — Hawaii just plays better at home, especially this year’s team. Last week’s TO-fest @ San Jose State was (hopefully) an aberration, although the Aggies do have my #2 rated Pass D in the conference. I am in a tight playoff race and am gonna ride Moniz this week, I’m just gonna close my eyes and jump…It should be a shootout.
Matt Christian, New Mexico State vs Hawaii — If he was dropped in your league, think long and hard about picking up this diamond-in-the-rough. Don’t let last week’s Idaho game get you down, the Vandals have a surprisingly good pass D. Hawaii on the other hand does not. Worth a shot this week as the Aggies will need to keep pace. Read the rest of this entry →
QB
Normally facing TCU D would spell a must sit, but the Frogs havent quite been themselves on defense yet this season. They have been fine in spurts but against balanced offenses with a star WR and a QB that can get them the ball, they havent fared so well. RGIII to Kendal Wright was THE story of opening weekend vs TCU, and last week vs the Mustangs, SMU’s Johnson torched the Froggies for 152 yards on 12 catches to go along with 2 scores. All the while, Baylor hammered away with the ground game and likewise SMU’s Zach Line steadily wore down TCU’s D, extending drives late in the game.
All this back story is to make you feel comfortable starting SDSU’s Ryan Lindley vs TCU this week. Sure, there are probbaly plays with more upside, but SDSU put quite a scare into TCU last season, they wont be bat an eyelash this time, plus TCU is worse then they were 12 months ago while the Aztecs are on the rise. Sure SDSU doesnt exactly have the ‘star’ power at WR like they did a season ago, but they are solid-to-good, plus add in the pass catching prowess of RB Ronnie Hillman and it all should mean a nice stat like for QB Lindley. Read the rest of this entry →
Moore. start him. duh. in all seriousness, if you dont have Moore and think you can trade for him, that might be wise. Boise has always had the potential to score however many points in whatever fashion they chose. Soooooo many games it seems like Moore could have finished with 600/6 only to have Moore pulled at halftime with only 300/3. Well, maybe this is the year. If Boise cant play in the national title game they at least can get themselves a Heisman winner, and maybe having the Heisman winner will help them get in the title game. So I think the gloves are off for Mr. Moore, expect a balls-to-the-wall stat line every week because no one can stop him in this conference. This week: REVENGE vs Nevada. blow out!
Elsewhere: yeesh….picking are slim. Tim Jefferson vs Navy this week maybe. Colorado State seems like they are a year away…again…Pete Thomas is a talent but the offense hasnt given you much reason to keep him.
New mexico might have a brimming QB battle on their hands, best to stay away unless you are desperate. Read the rest of this entry →
For Hawaii, it all starts with the quarterback. Taken to the next level, for college fantasy football it all starts with the Hawaii QB and again it is Bryant Moniz.
Bryant Moniz torched many a secondary in 2010, and is ready to do it again with a whole new set of WRs (Icon SMI)
Big picture though, arguably no team benefits more from the 2011 conference realignment than Hawaii.
Sure, the Warriors had a special 2007 season with a senior Colt Brennan and one of the most talented WRs corps the conference has ever seen when they were able to take advantage of a relatively down year by Boise State and finally get over the hump. But other than that great campaign, the Boys from the Blue Turf have owned Hawaii and the rest of the WAC, winning 7 of 9 conference titles from the time they joined in 2002 (and juuuuust missing an 8th on the back of one of history’s unluckiest kicking performances in 2010 in an OT loss to eventual champion Nevada). Since going full Division 1-A in 1999 the Broncos were 93-17 and an unbelievable 56-1 at home.
